As the name implies, mixed martial arts has always been a sport in which fighters of various backgrounds come together to settle the debate of who truly is the best. While no specific style can be guaranteed as a guaranteed winner, we have seen aspects…
As the name implies, mixed martial arts has always been a sport in which fighters of various backgrounds come together to settle the debate of who truly is the best. While no specific style can be guaranteed as a guaranteed winner, we have seen aspects of numerous fighting styles dictate where fights happen and how they finish.
In this countdown, we will be taking a closer look at who the best of the best are in various skills used in mixed martial arts. If we were building the perfect super-fighter, these would be many of the attributes that he would possess.
So without further ado, it’s time to unveil the 15 members of my 2011 MMA All-Star team!
It’s getting to the point where fights will need to go more than three rounds to determine a clear winner. There have been many recent instances where fans have wished a fight had been five rounds instead of three.Not only would it result in more finis…
It’s getting to the point where fights will need to go more than three rounds to determine a clear winner. There have been many recent instances where fans have wished a fight had been five rounds instead of three.
Not only would it result in more finishes, it would also be an intriguing challenge for each fighter to fight harder when the fight gets deep in the fourth and fifth rounds, and their are many who do this already but rarely get to show it because they aren’t fighting for a title.
These are 10 non-champions who would benefit most from five-round fights.
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) has produced multiple champions and several more legitimate contenders in its 13 seasons of existence. Whether its popularity is waning or not, the series has to be considered a success at this point.With Season 13 comin…
The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) has produced multiple champions and several more legitimate contenders in its 13 seasons of existence. Whether its popularity is waning or not, the series has to be considered a success at this point.
With Season 13 coming to an end on Saturday, a new group of TUF alumni will join the ranks of the welterweight division. It is unlikely that this season will produce the amount of talent that early seasons did, but you can be sure that at least one fighter will emerge from Brock Lesnar‘s or Junior Dos Santos’ teams to become successful in the UFC.
With that in mind, here are the 50 best fighters to ever appear on TUF.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of pictures are taken of each fighter at major MMA events.Want to find some of the best MMA pictures that are out there? Then check out the following.I’ve divided them up into the following categories. No. 25-No. 21&nbs…
Hundreds, if not thousands, of pictures are taken of each fighter at major MMA events.
Want to find some of the best MMA pictures that are out there? Then check out the following.
I’ve divided them up into the following categories.
Not every competitor feeds off the crowd and vice versa. But there are more than a few out there who do. Seeing as how MMA is a cold, hard, money-making business just like any other, personality goes a long way toward marketability, which in turn plays…
Not every competitor feeds off the crowd and vice versa. But there are more than a few out there who do. Seeing as how MMA is a cold, hard, money-making business just like any other, personality goes a long way toward marketability, which in turn plays a role in determining who gets the choicest fights and the plum positions on the card.
That is probably why so many fighters and their camps choose to invest a little (or a lot) of their time and energy into the ring entrance. It’s not a necessity, of course, and won’t make a bad fighter good, but if it gets fans and matchmakers to take notice, then it can’t help but help.
Here are the 20 most memorably ring entrances in MMA history. Some rankings are based on a single walkout, while others recognize a full body of work. And keep in mind, this isn’t a popularity contest, so a screaming crowd doesn’t necessarily equal a great entrance. Ditto an entrance song, as that was covered in a previous list.
And finally, if you’re a fan of Pride, you’re gonna like this list…just saying.
After 13 bouts in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Clay Guida’s nickname “The Carpenter” is more about his ability to outwork opponents in the Octagon than his job title prior to prizefighter. Posting an 8-5 record since arriving i…
After 13 bouts in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Clay Guida’s nickname “The Carpenter” is more about his ability to outwork opponents in the Octagon than his job title prior to prizefighter. Posting an 8-5 record since arriving in the UFC in October 2006 (28-11 overall), the reputation Guida builds with each performance is one of a can’t-miss fighter addicted to a feverish pace.
The 29-year-old lightweight vies for a title shot this Saturday night in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale at The Pearl at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas. Guida enters the bout a slight underdog looking to give the final WEC lightweight champion, Anthony “Showtime” Pettis, a fight the Chicagoan promises will be one to be remembered.
That statement says everything audiences need to know about this fight: it’s two lightweights finding their prime ready to assert themselves in the most contender-rich division in mixed martial arts.
Here are five losses that defined Clay Guida leading up to his clash with Duke Roufus’ champion protégé.
1. Tyson Griffin (Split Decision) June 16, 2007, The Odyssey, Belfast Northern Ireland, UFC 72
Clay Guida alternated wins in his first two UFC outings before meeting Tyson Griffin, the latest UFC title picture prospect who was on the rebound from an exciting upset loss to a debuting Frankie Edgar.
The hunger for victory the combatants displayed—Guida was coming off a close decision loss to Din Thomas— in front of the lively Irish audience stole the show, perhaps saving the entire card. The Fight of the Night honored contest properly introduced UFC audiences to the Midwesterner with wild hair. Make no mistake: Guida’s reputation as a tireless fighter is rooted in Belfast.
2. Roger Huerta (Rear-Naked Choke) December 8, 2007, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale
Clay Guida got back on the winning track after Tyson Griffin immediately, earning a split decision against American Top Team’s Marcus Aurelio and positioning himself across from Roger Huerta, an undefeated rising star in the Octagon.
A bloody, valiant battle pushed both past their limits, entering their Fight of the Year ballot close enough to year’s end that talk of the bout ushered in the New Year. Guida stunned Huerta and unleashed caveman-style ground and pound only to succumb to an emotion-charged rally that scored Huerta a late rear-naked choke.
Two dramatic decision losses six months apart solidified win or lose, fans demand to see what Clay Guida can do in 15 minutes in the Octagon.
3. Kenny Florian (Rear-Naked Choke) December 12, 2009, FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tennessee, United States, UFC 107
Kenny Florian losing his second UFC lightweight title fight overshadowed his reputation as a finisher leading up his bout with Clay Guida. The Bostonian reminded observers that pushing the pace requires control of the fight. He stunned and submitted Guida via rear-naked choke mid-way through round two by comfortably pulling away with precision in all-facets of the fight.
The defeat has only reinforced the reason why Guida set out for Jackson’s MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico prior to the bout—to elevate his technique and strategy to match his intangibles like determination and heart. Since then, he’s finished three consecutive opponents for the first time in his UFC career, including his most recent victory, a second-round guillotine choke in January against former PRIDE lightweight champion Takanori Gomi.
4. Gilbert Melendez (Split Decision) June 9, 2006, HP Pavilion, San Jose, California, United States, Strikeforce “Revenge”
Before Clay Guida was a UFC fan-favorite, he was the Strikeforce lightweight champion. The Chicagoan surprised San Jose, California’s Josh Thomson in his backyard the HP Pavilion by outwrestling to him a decision to become the inaugural titleholder in any weight class in the organization. He found himself facing off with world-ranked featherweight Gilbert Melendez for his first title defense.
The Cesar Gracie fighter was seeking challenges at lightweight after storming through opponents—finishing eight of nine—in the California and international circuits to earn his “El Nino” moniker.
A backbreaking five rounds later, the boxer-wrestler scrap concluded with the challenger capturing the Strikeforce 155-pound crown. Even though Guida relinquished the belt, the clash suggested this was the first of many memorable performances he would have at the championship level.
5. Diego Sanchez (Split Decision) June 20, 2009, Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale
Clay Guida is wired like a true fighter. When Diego Sanchez came out with high-pressure punches for the first minute of their headlining fight, Guida remain unperturbed by “The Nightmare.” Three minutes into round one, Sanchez landed a left high kick that floored Guida and would have knocked out most cold, but Guida was getting up before he finished hitting the ground.
There is a degree of toughness required to only go forward. It’s illustrated best in his typical bloody fashion against the fiery onslaught of Sanchez that Guida has one gear and it’s stuck on “Fight of the Year.”
Danny Acosta is the lead writer at FIGHT! Magazine. Follow him on twitter.com/acostaislegend
