Tag: ref cam

Insane Fight Double-Feature: Ref Cam Catches Bloody Battle w/Head Kick KO and a Jordanian Grappling Match for the Ages

I’ve said this before, but perhaps my favorite aspect of working at CagePotato is not the seemingly endless bankroll to sponsor stuff like this, the kick-ass company car (an ’84 Celica, red), or the mandated “Sexy Bikini Party Fridays” written into all our receptionists contracts. No, the cocaine mountains and rampant sexism are nice and all, but the real reason I come into the office two afternoons a month is you guys. Specifically, the insane fight videos you guys often pass along to us via our tips line.

Take this undiscovered gem of a scrap between Ibrahim El Sawy and Hashem Arkhagha that went down back in December 2012, which was passed along to us by CP reader Farzeen Mohmed. In the main event of an already exciting night of fights put on by Jordanian fight promotion Desert Force, El Sawy and Arkhagha took things to a WHOLE. NOTHA. LEVEL, exchanging near-knockouts and submission attempts with reckless abandon for two action-packed rounds. While the second doesn’t quite stack up to the first in terms of action, it does fit the very definition of a war of attrition. And hey, Yves Lavigne even shows up to ref this thing! SCORE.

Check out the full fight above, then join us after the jump for an equally, if not more riveting fight between a couple of unbreakable Aussies.

I’ve said this before, but perhaps my favorite aspect of working at CagePotato is not the seemingly endless bankroll to sponsor stuff like this, the kick-ass company car (an ’84 Celica, red), or the mandated “Sexy Bikini Party Fridays” written into all our receptionists contracts. No, the cocaine mountains and rampant sexism are nice and all, but the real reason I come into the office two afternoons a month is you guys. Specifically, the insane fight videos you guys often pass along to us via our tips line.

Take this undiscovered gem of a scrap between Ibrahim El Sawy and Hashem Arkhagha that went down back in December 2012, which was passed along to us by CP reader Farzeen Mohmed. In the main event of an already exciting night of fights put on by Jordanian fight promotion Desert Force, El Sawy and Arkhagha took things to a WHOLE. NOTHA. LEVEL, exchanging near-knockouts and submission attempts with reckless abandon for two action-packed rounds. While the second doesn’t quite stack up to the first in terms of action, it does fit the very definition of a war of attrition. And hey, Yves Lavigne even shows up to ref this thing! SCORE.

Check out the full fight above, then join us after the jump for an equally, if not more riveting fight between a couple of unbreakable Aussies.


(Props: Valor via r/MMA)

I’ve been carrying the flag for the ref cam (and now the Google Glass cam) for years now and it utterly enrages me to know that we may never see it in the UFC. Despite countless protests outside Dana White’s office, a letter writing campaign that was nothing short of Dufresnean, and a third thing I can’t discuss until the lawsuit is settled, little progress has been made in the fight to bring the ref cam to the UFC.

But I guess we can all take solace in the fact that, the UFC’s stubbornness aside, promotions like Australian’s Valor are more than willing to satiate the MMA fan’s voyeuristic desires (ways MMA is Like Porn for a thousand, Alex). And when the fights are the kind of knockdown, drag out wars like the one that went down between Callan Potter and David Butt at Valor Fight 7 last Saturday, the ref cam only enhances one’s viewing experience. Close-ups of the action, a “dogma” aesthetic, and no Jon Anik shouting lines from the MMA Commentator’s handbook?

–J. Jones 

Questions That Arise From Watching the First-Ever Google Glass-Filmed MMA Fight

(Via Google Glass Italy.)

According to a commenter on the Youtube page of this, the first ever Google Glass-filmed MMA fight, “Technology and MMA goes hand in hand.” The man makes a valid point. Would we have ever been treated to such game-changing technological developments as the PRIDE Ref Cam or The Phantom Cam if not for MMA? Probably, but it would have taken at least six more months, and that’s something to celebrate.

Yes, MMA and “technology” do seem to compliment one another, and luckily for us, both were on display last weekend at Impera FC 2. While us American fans have been anxiously waiting for the return of the ref cam ever since its was teased prior to UFC on FOX 4, it seems the Italians were actually able to deliver on the UFC’s promise thanks to the innovative power of Google Glass. But after viewing a snippet of the first-ever GG-filmed fight between Daniele Scatizzi and Enrico Romano, we were left with a ton of questions, such as:

-Does Google Glass automatically add shitty GarageBand soundtracks to your videos, or was that the promotion’s decision?

-Is this the modernized answer to the ref cam that the sport has been begging for, and if so, how long until the UFC adopts it?


(Via Google Glass Italy.)

According to a commenter on the Youtube page of this, the first ever Google Glass-filmed MMA fight, “Technology and MMA goes hand in hand.” The man makes a valid point. Would we have ever been treated to such game-changing technological developments as the PRIDE Ref Cam or The Phantom Cam if not for MMA? Probably, but it would have taken at least six more months, and that’s something to celebrate.

Yes, MMA and “technology” do seem to compliment one another, and luckily for us, both were on display last weekend at Impera FC 2. While us American fans have been anxiously waiting for the return of the ref cam ever since its was teased prior to UFC on FOX 4, it seems the Italians were actually able to deliver on the UFC’s promise thanks to the innovative power of Google Glass. But after viewing a snippet of the first-ever GG-filmed fight between Daniele Scatizzi and Enrico Romano, we were left with a ton of questions, such as:

-Does Google Glass automatically add shitty GarageBand soundtracks to your videos, or was that the promotion’s decision?

-Is this the modernized answer to the ref cam that the sport has been begging for, and if so, how long until the UFC adopts it?

-Should we be surprised that two men named Daniele and Enrico apparently walked into the barber shop and asked for “The Gay Matador?”

-How fucking hilarious would Herb Dean look in a pair of these? Steve Mazzagatti?

-They’ve already filmed a porno with these things, right?

Fortunately, that last question has already been answered (Author’s note: You know what you have to do, Carmen.).

Check out a couple full fight videos taken from Impera FC 2 below.

Luciano Joaquin Caroni vs Marco Giustarini

Marco Manara vs Anderson da Silva Santos

I know what you’re thinking, and yes, I’ve already started a petition to make Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate II the first-ever Google Glass-filmed fight in UFC History. At least it would give the promotion a *legitimate* reason to bump up the price of the card by five dollars.

–J. Jones

UFC on FOX 4: The Ref Cam Is Back, Bitches, YEEEAAAAH!!!


(“Stuffing the referee’s arm up his own asshole, is Jackson.” — Mike Goldberg)

We’ve seen the ref-cam gimmick during old PRIDE and Strikeforce events — sometimes it was awesome, sometimes it made us want to barf from motion sickness — but for the first time this Saturday, the UFC will be adding the third-man perspective to its UFC on FOX: Shogun vs. Vera broadcast. Here’s the rundown, from a FOX press release sent out yesterday:

As a pioneer in production innovation, FOX Sports has used unique camera views like Catcher Cam, Diamond Cam and Gopher Cam to bring viewers closer to the excitement of the sports they love. Saturday night at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles is no different as the network brings UFC fans to a place they’ve never been — inside the Octagon, within inches of the fighters battling in the cage.

Ref Cam makes its broadcast and UFC debut Saturday, Aug. 4 (8:00-10:00 PM ET), from the Staples Center bringing fans a new perspective to the two-hour quadruple-header.

Similar in size to the latest evolution of Diamond Cam, Ref Cam is a small, lightweight, wireless high definition, radio frequency transmission camera showing the point of view of the only other person inside the Octagon with the fighters. During Saturday’s broadcast, the lens will be placed at the top button of the referee’s shirt. The power-source, a long-life lithium ion battery and the transmitter are worn as a light chest vest under the referee’s shirt. Developed by Inertia Unlimited, it was first used earlier this summer during HBO’s broadcast of Amir Kahn vs. Danny Garcia fight and received very positive reviews from production and viewers.


(“Stuffing the referee’s arm up his own asshole, is Jackson.” — Mike Goldberg)

We’ve seen the ref-cam gimmick during old PRIDE and Strikeforce events — sometimes it was awesome, sometimes it made us want to barf from motion sickness — but for the first time this Saturday, the UFC will be adding the third-man perspective to its UFC on FOX: Shogun vs. Vera broadcast. Here’s the rundown, from a FOX press release sent out yesterday:

As a pioneer in production innovation, FOX Sports has used unique camera views like Catcher Cam, Diamond Cam and Gopher Cam to bring viewers closer to the excitement of the sports they love. Saturday night at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles is no different as the network brings UFC fans to a place they’ve never been — inside the Octagon, within inches of the fighters battling in the cage.

Ref Cam makes its broadcast and UFC debut Saturday, Aug. 4 (8:00-10:00 PM ET), from the Staples Center bringing fans a new perspective to the two-hour quadruple-header.

Similar in size to the latest evolution of Diamond Cam, Ref Cam is a small, lightweight, wireless high definition, radio frequency transmission camera showing the point of view of the only other person inside the Octagon with the fighters. During Saturday’s broadcast, the lens will be placed at the top button of the referee’s shirt. The power-source, a long-life lithium ion battery and the transmitter are worn as a light chest vest under the referee’s shirt. Developed by Inertia Unlimited, it was first used earlier this summer during HBO’s broadcast of Amir Kahn vs. Danny Garcia fight and received very positive reviews from production and viewers.

On Saturday, the refs wearing those cameras will include Herb Dean and “Big” John McCarthy, who are working the main and co-main events, respectively. Check out a highlight reel of ref cam footage below, and let us know what you think of the UFC’s latest addition in the comments section.


(“HUMANS” MMA ref cam highlight video, via GYVIDEOS)