Tag: nate quarry

MMA for Zombies: 10 MMA Moves to Use and Avoid in the Zombie Apocalypse


Props: Zombie Cage Fighter

By CagePotato Contributer Jake “KillBurnDestroy” Richards

Let’s be real, no matter how trendy, no matter how played out, we all still fantasize about the zombie apocalypse on a daily basis. While there will always be the NRA member who has a weapons cache in their basement, some won’t be so fortunate. This one goes out to them.

HONORABLE MENTION- Running Away


Props: Zombie Cage Fighter

By CagePotato Contributer Jake “KillBurnDestroy” Richards

Let’s be real, no matter how trendy, no matter how played out, we all still fantasize about the zombie apocalypse on a daily basis. While there will always be the NRA member who has a weapons cache in their basement, some won’t be so fortunate. This one goes out to them.

HONORABLE MENTION- Running Away

It didn’t work so well for Kalib Starnes when he fought Zombie Cage Fighter, Nate Quarry, but you don’t have to worry about scoring points when your judges are undead monsters. Get the hell out of there and save yourself!

AVOID- Crucifix

While this move has proven golden for “Big Country” Roy Nelson, he hasn’t fought with a flesh eating mongoloid since coming up short against Jeff Monson. The last thing you’ll want to do is give your zombie nemesis an all-you-can-eat-buffet for a few punches and elbows. Your instincts for the headshots are good, but there are better ways.

USE- Plum Clinch

More commonly known as the “Muay Thai Clinch,” this move is an indispensable article in your arsenal. This clinch allows you to control the zombie’s head, avoiding those dastardly dentils.

AVOID- Armbar

While virtually any submission maneuver would be a foolhardy idea, laying your leg across the mouth of a ghoul is just plain stupid.

USE- Guillotine

To entirely contradict my last slide, the guillotine is a pretty golden move. If sunk in properly, you can clasp the undead’s mouth shut and torque that neck until it snaps like a Kit Kat Bar.

What sets this move apart from other chokes like the rear-naked choke is that it offers better maneuverability and keeps you on your feet. The last thing you want is a recently decapitated zombie pinning you to the ground while the horde approaches.

AVOID- Takedowns

There’s a two in six billion chance that you, the reader, are Matt Hughes or Randy Couture, and thusly you shouldn’t be using the majority of MMA takedowns. I concede, it might be thrilling to splatter a zombie into the ground, but you never really know how decomposed your competition is, they might survive. Hopefully when the world ends so will the rules. Spiking and piledriving your undead foe won’t get you disqualified, and could save your life.

USE- Front Kick

Risking balancing on one foot might be precarious, but once you’ve sent a zombie fiend’s head soaring with a geyser of gook, you’ll thank me.

AVOID- Dirty Boxing

Snuggling up against a zombie is a bad idea no matter how many punches you land. Create distance.

USE- Showtime Kick

You are going to be aiming for the head and any help you can get, take it.

Launching yourself off of the rubble of civilization isn’t fail-safe; you might eat crap. Thankfully with a zombie’s delayed reaction time you could probably try three or four times before it even catches on.

AVOID- Triangle Choke

Yes, zombies like hot dogs. Beware.

USE- Superman Punch
 

I give you, Zombie Kryptonite.

Sport Science once measured Georges St. Pierre’s Superman Punch at a speed of 15 FPS. The time it would take for your fist to mash the mandible of the man-eating monster would be virtually instantaneous.

Another key factor in the Superman Punch’s effectiveness is the feint kick. While your zombie opponent probably won’t fall for it, the leg extension behind you will act like a blind man’s cane ensuring you won’t give up your back to a zombie goon.

END- The Bitter Kind…

In closing, when you are outnumbered and alone, go out swinging. Youtube might not exist at the end of the world, but people will never forget the guy (or gal) huddled in the fetal position crying as they became lunch.

Go forth, bold reader, and be excellent!

Alistair Overeem Shows Up on ‘MMA Uncensored Live’, Refuses to Talk About Drug Test [VIDEO]

(Props: Spike TV via Fightlinker)

It’s been over a week since news broke of Alistair Overeem failing his random pre-fight drug test, and the Reem has been quiet as a mouse ever since. Now would be a good time for him to start making the media rounds with an explanation, or an apology, or at least an acknowledgment that he failed the test and potentially wrecked a massive UFC heavyweight title fight. So what does this big son-of-a-bitch do? He goes on Spike TV’s MMA Uncenscored Live on Thursday, on the condition that he won’t discuss the drug-test situation in any way, and instead gives a straight interview about his matchup with Junior Dos Santos, which again, probably won’t happen.

Luckily, the hosts didn’t swallow the bullshit. “Either P90X really, really works, or the man was putting something in his body,” said host Craig Carton, looking at side-to-side photos of Overeem from 2005 and 2012. Nate Quarry agreed, saying “You’ve got to be very naive to take a look at those pictures and think he’s not using performance enhancing ‘supplements.’ Let’s just say he can put on 40 to 50 pounds of pure muscle in about four to five years — when 20 pounds of that is directly on your head, that’s an issue.”


(Props: Spike TV via Fightlinker)

It’s been over a week since news broke of Alistair Overeem failing his random pre-fight drug test, and the Reem has been quiet as a mouse ever since. Now would be a good time for him to start making the media rounds with an explanation, or an apology, or at least an acknowledgment that he failed the test and potentially wrecked a massive UFC heavyweight title fight. So what does this big son-of-a-bitch do? He goes on Spike TV’s MMA Uncenscored Live on Thursday, on the condition that he won’t discuss the drug-test situation in any way, and instead gives a straight interview about his matchup with Junior Dos Santos, which again, probably won’t happen.

Luckily, the hosts didn’t swallow the bullshit. “Either P90X really, really works, or the man was putting something in his body,” said host Craig Carton, looking at side-to-side photos of Overeem from 2005 and 2012. Nate Quarry agreed, saying “You’ve got to be very naive to take a look at those pictures and think he’s not using performance enhancing ‘supplements.’ Let’s just say he can put on 40 to 50 pounds of pure muscle in about four to five years — when 20 pounds of that is directly on your head, that’s an issue.”

When Mike Straka reminds his colleagues that it was just testosterone that Overeem came up positive for, he basically gets laughed off the set. Still, one of Straka’s lines earlier in the segment says it all: “There’s gonna have to be a miracle for him to get licensed to fight.”

Right now, that “miracle” would be the NSAC accepting some manufactured “testosterone deficiency/replacement therapy” excuse, just so the UFC doesn’t lose out on a massive payday. As much as we’d all like to see Overeem and JDS collide like a crazed pair of bull elephant seals, it would be a joke if this fight proceeds as planned.

Check Out Nick Diaz’s First Interview Since His Loss to Condit and Positive Drug Test

(Video courtesy of Sapo/IronForgesIron)

Nick Diaz has been out of the public eye since his close UFC 143 loss to Carlos Condit and subsequent announcement by the Nevada State Athletic Commission that he had tested positive for marijuana metabolites, so when we heard he was going to break his silence on SPIKE’s new MMA Uncensored show last night, we tuned in to hear what he had to say.

Unfortunately we were disappointed since he did not address the positive test or retirement and really didn’t say much about the Condit fight except that he thinks the judges in the sport choose their favorites to win and that he still feels he won the fight.

“Well, I never said anything about pursuing boxing. I [haven’t] really said much about anything about what I’m gonna be doing in the future. I’ve had what feels like a week or so to think about any of this, but I haven’t really put much thought into it, ” he explained. “It just feels good to get some workouts in and just try to act normal, I guess.”


(Video courtesy of Sapo/IronForgesIron)

Nick Diaz has been out of the public eye since his close UFC 143 loss to Carlos Condit and subsequent announcement by the Nevada State Athletic Commission that he had tested positive for marijuana metabolites, so when we heard he was going to break his silence on SPIKE’s new MMA Uncensored show last night, we tuned in to hear what he had to say.

Unfortunately we were disappointed since he did not address the positive test or retirement and really didn’t say much about the Condit fight except that he thinks the judges in the sport choose their favorites to win and that he still feels he won the fight.

“Well, I never said anything about pursuing boxing. I [haven’t] really said much about anything about what I’m gonna be doing in the future. I’ve had what feels like a week or so to think about any of this, but I haven’t really put much thought into it, ” he explained. “It just feels good to get some workouts in and just try to act normal, I guess.”

“I think I could have gotten that fight to the ground and finished the fight or been a little more dominant throughout some of those other rounds. Or in some of the later rounds, had I put a little more pressure into the first two, but… Honestly, I felt it was smarter to play it safe and go ahead and push forward and win the rounds. I’ve lost fights before where I’m landing more punches and I’m moving away from the guy. So, the way that they score things at the end doesn’t really seem very consistent to me,” Diaz said. “I come back and I learn from my mistakes last time and it doesn’t really make a difference in the end. So, if anything I proved that this isn’t really working out. Because of all these fights I’ve lost, I’m usually winning the fights. You watch and the guy’s taking more damage. It’s just kinda irritating to me that we’re rewarding people in mixed martial arts for trying to move away and not finish the fight.”

Like the show itself, the interview was an awkward one and Diaz seemed like Cesar Gracie was standing off camera with a shotgun forcing him to do it.

On an unrelated note, I wonder what happened to MMAJunkie’s involvement on the show. The website announced late last year that it would be forming a partnership with the show, that would be supported by MMAJunkie content and co-hosted by some of its writers.

At least the Dan Henderson segment on the death of PRIDE was decent.

Quote of the Day: Nate Quarry Weighs in on Zuffa’s “Weapons Ban”


(Let’s see you try and ban these babies.)

Much has been said about the recent Zuffa ban on firearm, knife, and ammo sponsors from all UFC events since it was announced just a few days ago. Many believe that the ban is a result of the UFC’s desire to smooth out some edges in light of a major network deal, which makes sense, although a FOX representative has come out saying that the rule only applies to UFC broadcasts on their network.

And while it is a fair assessment that the UFC would want to avoid as much controversy as possible, many of us cynics are looking at the sponsor ban as the first loose thread that will eventually unwind the metaphorical Zuffa sweater. Simply put, when a network begins to control the content of the sport it is broadcasting, it’s only a matter of time before fights are being set up and determined by evil corporate executives with dollar signs and ratings numbers in their eyes. You know, like Rollerball predicted all those years ago.

Luckily, we have former UFC middleweight title contender Nate Quarry here to weigh in on the issue, and as he is no longer under a Zuffa contract, it’s nice to get a perspective on the issue from a fighter who isn’t living in fear of DW’s wrath. Before you all go off the handle, that was a joke, Potato Nation. Anyway, Quarry had some interesting things to say in regards to the ban, stating the following on The UG:


(Let’s see you try and ban these babies.)

Much has been said about the recent Zuffa ban on firearm, knife, and ammo sponsors from all UFC events since it was announced just a few days ago. Many believe that the ban is a result of the UFC’s desire to smooth out some edges in light of a major network deal, which makes sense, although a FOX representative has come out saying that the rule only applies to UFC broadcasts on their network.

And while it is a fair assessment that the UFC would want to avoid as much controversy as possible, many of us cynics are looking at the sponsor ban as the first loose thread that will eventually unwind the metaphorical Zuffa sweater. Simply put, when a network begins to control the content of the sport it is broadcasting, it’s only a matter of time before fights are being set up and determined by evil corporate executives with dollar signs and ratings numbers in their eyes. You know, like Rollerball predicted all those years ago.

Luckily, we have former UFC middleweight title contender Nate Quarry here to weigh in on the issue, and as he is no longer under a Zuffa contract, it’s nice to get a perspective on the issue from a fighter who isn’t living in fear of DW’s wrath. Before you all go off the handle, that was a joke, Potato Nation. Anyway, Quarry had some interesting things to say in regards to the ban, stating the following on The UG:

An MMA fighter has an agent that he pays, a team he fights for that he trains at, that he pays, if he’s good and has the money he has a muay thai coach, a Jits coach, a strength and conditioning coach, a diet coach and someone to help him cut weight. And if he just made it to the big shows he MAY make 30k for the year. Minus 20% for management and training at least then a third for taxes and you’re sitting at about 16k to live on for the entire year.

Sponsors have always been a huge source of income for fighters. I can’t tell you how many times a sponsor showed up at just the right time and gave me food money. Literally.

When I fought Pete Sell the second time I was sponsored by Toyo tires. For two fights I had their logo on my shorts. For what? A set of tires. That would be about $800. $400 for two fights on primetime that have been shown over and over. Why did I do it? Because I was driving around on my spare and one other tire was filled with fix a flat. The belts were showing on the other tires.

You want to see the best a fighter can be? Buy his gear. Support the brands that sponsor him and send the companies emails letting them know you’re buying their protein because they’re sponsoring someone.

What’s that you say? If you don’t like it then quit? I do like it. In fact, I love it. That’s why I lived in my buddies basement 2 nights a week to save on gas money. And I rode with other friends to practice to save on gas money. And I packed a lunch to practice. And I only wore clothes sponsors and other more successful fighters would give me. And I’d do it all over again.

If you got into fighting to be rich, you chose the wrong sport. Do it for the love and if you get rich that’s a nice bonus. But having those sponsors can sure make the ride easier.

Now just hold on a second, Mr. Quarry. You’re saying that fighters actually use the UG for purposes other than calling out their naysayers? Blasphemy.

On a serious note, Quarry makes several excellent points in this post, the first being that if you got into the mixed martial arts game for the money, then you’re in the wrong business. Because being an MMA fighter is kind of like being in a heavy metal band; no matter how successful you are, you’re never going to make as much money as Justin Bieber. But then again, you didn’t become a fighter, or the guitarist for Cannibal Corpse for that matter, under the guise that you would be accepted by mainstream audiences; you did it out of love for the game, so to speak. You did it because normally, you’d do it for free, and getting paid is just icing on the cake.

When one decides to make the leap into fighting as a profession however, as Quarry explains, the sponsorship money (as paltry as it may be), could mean the difference between eating or not on a given night. But like he says, a fighter’s life is all about sacrifice, and if you’re not willing to pay your dues to get that bread, then perhaps you should look into another line of work. And plus, you’ve got to imagine that there are plenty of sponsors willing to fill the gap left behind by weapons and ammo dealers knowing that their brand will now be advertised on network television.

Does this ban come across as another step in the, for lack of a better term, “wussification” of America? Perhaps (I say yes), but for now it seems there is little that can be done to protest, so we might as well look to the positive, whatever that may be.

-Danga 

UFC: Nate Quarry Speaks out Against Sponsorship Ban

The topic of fighter pay is becoming quite the hot topic in the MMA world. With all sorts of fighters coming out about their pay as a result of ESPN’s controversial video, Nate Quarry is speaking out against a new UFC policy. With the recent news about…

The topic of fighter pay is becoming quite the hot topic in the MMA world. With all sorts of fighters coming out about their pay as a result of ESPN’s controversial video, Nate Quarry is speaking out against a new UFC policy.

With the recent news about Zuffa banning sponsors that are related to guns, knives, ammo and hunting, many MMA agents will be on the hunt to fill ad space on their fighters’ shorts.

Quarry believes the ban will be very detrimental to fighters and their careers. He took to the UG forums to put his two cents on the issue. While some people have made good points about why the sponsor ban is a good thing for the sport, Quarry gives us a look into the human aspect of the ban.

“I can’t tell you how many times a sponsor showed up at just the right time and gave me food money. Literally.” (UG Forums)

Quarry shared one particular story about how Toyo Tires came into his life at just the right point in his career.

When I fought Pete Sell the second time I was sponsored by Toyo tires. For two fights I had their logo on my shorts. For what? A set of tires. That would be about $800. $400 for two fights on primetime that have been shown over and over. Why did I do it? Because I was driving around on my spare and one other tire was filled with fix a flat. The belts were showing on the other tires. (UG Forums)

Now I will admit that Quarry’s story isn’t universally true for every fighter, but there’s no doubting that sponsorship dollars can really make or break a fighter’s career financially.

Matt Mitrione fired his agent on-air for not getting him what he felt was proper sponsor money.

Quarry breaks down the expenses an average fighter pays, and while most of his claims about needing separate coaches from those at his gym can be disputed, it’s clear that he feels heavily affected by the sponsorship ban.

The ban will likely have as many supporters as people who are against it, but the bottom line is that quite a handful of fighters are losing some revenue.

Will they end up finding something else to replace sponsors like “The Gun Store”? Absolutely. It’s an adjustment fighters will need to make in order to survive; something Quarry even admits in his post that he’s willing to do.

Fighters will still find a way to get paid, but as Quarry says, “having those sponsors makes the ride easier.” (UG Forums)

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Quote of the Day: Nate Quarry Has What The UFC Needs, Commentating-Wise


(When The Walking Dead didn’t call him back, Quarry knew he was bound for the UFC once again.) 

Nate Quarry has always been a charismatic guy; not only was he the first fighter ever to ink a sponsorship with a basketball shoe company, but anyone who’s ever seen his epic clowning of Kalib Starnes and post-fight speech thereafter knows the man has character in spades. More aware of this than anyone is Quarry himself, who recently began angling for a UFC commentating job on the popular mixed martial arts forum The UG:

I want to be an on-air personality for the UFC. There I said it … My qualifications? Well, I’ve been a fighter for the past 14 years. I’ve trained with some of the legends of the sport and even cornered them for some of the greatest fights in UFC history. I was there when the UFC went from 5 shows a year to being in every home in America. And, I know my ish. Plus, I’ve been a public speaker since I was 7 years old, standing up in Church and giving Bible readings. Last year I spoke at a TEDx conference where it was me, a mike and 300 business people for 18 minutes. And now I travel around the country speaking on behalf of my XLIF back surgery that game me my life back. Not to mention I hosted my own tv show on Comcast called American Cage Fighter. It was only broadcast in Nor Cal but was really well received and replayed every day of the week. Do I have your support?

Simply put, yes Mr. Quarry.


(When The Walking Dead didn’t call him back, Quarry knew he was bound for the UFC once again.) 

Nate Quarry has always been a charismatic guy; not only was he the first fighter ever to ink a sponsorship with a basketball shoe company, but anyone who’s ever seen his epic clowning of Kalib Starnes and post-fight speech thereafter knows the man has character in spades. More aware of this than anyone is Quarry himself, who recently began angling for a UFC commentating job on the popular mixed martial arts forum The UG:

I want to be an on-air personality for the UFC. There I said it … My qualifications? Well, I’ve been a fighter for the past 14 years. I’ve trained with some of the legends of the sport and even cornered them for some of the greatest fights in UFC history. I was there when the UFC went from 5 shows a year to being in every home in America. And, I know my ish. Plus, I’ve been a public speaker since I was 7 years old, standing up in Church and giving Bible readings. Last year I spoke at a TEDx conference where it was me, a mike and 300 business people for 18 minutes. And now I travel around the country speaking on behalf of my XLIF back surgery that game me my life back. Not to mention I hosted my own tv show on Comcast called American Cage Fighter. It was only broadcast in Nor Cal but was really well received and replayed every day of the week. Do I have your support?

Simply put, yes Mr. Quarry. Though it is a shame to know that we likely won’t ever see him fight again (he hasn’t competed since a second round TKO loss to Jorge Rivera back at UFN 21 in 2010), it would be nice to hear an actual fighter’s take for once when it comes to the action unfolding inside the octagon. Kenny Florian provides this from time to time, but establishing a fighter on a more permanent basis would be a great move for the UFC.

For those of you who might have forgotten, Quarry was a contestant on the very first season of The Ultimate Fighter and could add an interesting perspective when it comes to the ever growing number of TUFees fighting in the octagon. The man is also a ten fight UFC veteran who has overcome near insurmountable odds in order to continue competing professionally.

But the problem here is Quarry’s timing. Aside from their recent signing of former MMA Live host Jon Anik to cover various UFC related gigs, including a role as play-by-play announcer for the UFC’s fights on FX and FuelTV, the UFC has also brought over commentator Todd Harris to handle their pre-fight shows since their absorption of the WEC. So where exactly could Quarry fit in? Perhaps Anik needs a color commentator for the FX and FuelTV shows, and there’s no way Quarry could be any worse at it than Troy Aikman.

So what say you, Potato Nation, would you like a little more of “The Rock” in your lives?

-Danga