(The “MMA Hairstyles” shirt in athetic gray. Click here for a full-size version of the t-shirt design on its own.)
In collaboration with artist/illustrator Derek Eads, we’re proud to announce the latest semi-official t-shirt design from CagePotato.com. The “MMA Hairstyles” shirt features the iconic silhouettes of 20 MMA stars — or more accurately, 17 actual stars plus three fighters who have made infamousfollicularstatements. How quickly can you identify them all?
You can purchase this masterpiece for the fair price of $22 at Society6.com in your choice of eight different colors, five different sizes, and two different genders. (Prove your loyalty to the Potato Nation and buy all 80 variations!)
(The “MMA Hairstyles” shirt in athetic gray. Click here for a full-size version of the t-shirt design on its own.)
In collaboration with artist/illustrator Derek Eads, we’re proud to announce the latest semi-official t-shirt design from CagePotato.com. The “MMA Hairstyles” shirt features the iconic silhouettes of 20 MMA stars — or more accurately, 17 actual stars plus three fighters who have made infamousfollicularstatements. How quickly can you identify them all?
You can purchase this masterpiece for the fair price of $22 at Society6.com in your choice of eight different colors, five different sizes, and two different genders. (Prove your loyalty to the Potato Nation and buy all 80 variations!)
A pair of light heavyweights badly in need of a win will meet at UFC 139 in November.
Ryan Bader and Jason Brilz, each with two-fight losing streaks for the first time in their careers, have agreed to a fight on the UFC‘s Nov. 19 pay-per-view in San Jose, Calif. The promotion announced the fight Tuesday night on its official website.
The UFC 139 card, which is quickly starting to fill up with several recent fight announcements, features a main event heavyweight title fight between San Jose-based champion Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos.
Bader (12-2, 5-2 UFC) started his UFC career 5-0, and his MMA career 12-0, including the title of Season 8 champion of “The Ultimate Fighter.” The two-time All-American wrestler at Arizona State then began a methodical climb up the light heavyweight rankings that culminated with a unanimous decision win over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in the co-main event of UFC 119 last September.
The win over Nogueira got Bader a fight against Jon Jones at UFC 126. But Jones was on his rapid ascension to the top of the 205-pound heap and submitted Bader in the second round. Jones got a quick title shot against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, which he won in dominating fashion. Bader had to regroup.
But against Tito Ortiz at UFC 132 last month, Bader fell victim to what has been the year’s biggest upset. Ortiz dropped Bader with a short right hand early in the first round, then moved in for a guillotine choke that forced Bader to tap. The win by Ortiz was his first since October 2006, saved his job in the UFC and made Bader the answer to an MMA trivia question, albeit on the wrong end.
Brilz (18-4-1, 3-3 UFC) saw his two-fight skid begin with a controversial split decision loss to Nogueira at UFC 114 in May 2010. That bout, which won Fight of the Night, had most in attendance, and many scoring the fight live, believing Brilz was the victim of bad judging.
After nearly a year off due to injury, Brilz returned at UFC 129 in Toronto to face Vladimir Matyushenko. He never had a chance to get started – Matyushenko knocked him out just 20 seconds into the first round.
Though he may get some leeway for the Nogueira fight, a loss to Bader would mean the former University of Nebraska-Omaha wrestler, and current assistant coach, would have just one win since March 2009.
UFC 139, though not yet officially announced by the promotion, will be its debut in San Jose, the former home base of one-time rival Strikeforce. The pay-per-view is expected to take place at the HP Pavilion.
Aside from the heavyweight championship in the main event, UFC 139 will also feature a bantamweight contenders bout between former champions Brian Bowles and Urijah Faber, a welterweight bout between Martin Kampmann and Rick Story and a light heavyweight bout between Stephan Bonnar and Kyle Kingsbury. In addition, though he does not yet have an opponent named, Josh Koscheck is expected to make his return at the event, and is planning on a move from welterweight to middleweight for the first time since his appearance on Season 1 of “The Ultimate Fighter.”
Though he hid his injury well during today’s UFC/Fox press conference, Evans told TMZ last night that the cast he was wearing was protecting pins he had surgically inserted to hold his thumb in place while it heals from what UFC officials told the website is just a bad sprain he incurred in his UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz. Rashad played the injury off as being no big deal and said it shouldn’t take long to heal, but he may be protecting his coveted title shot.
Though he hid his injury well during today’s UFC/Fox press conference, Evans told TMZ last night that the cast he was wearing was protecting pins he had surgically inserted to hold his thumb in place while it heals from what UFC officials told the website is just a bad sprain he incurred in his UFC 133 win over Tito Ortiz. Rashad played the injury off as being no big deal and said it shouldn’t take long to heal, but he may be protecting his coveted title shot.
Although the technique isn’t unheard of, typically pins aren’t used to stabilize a sprain. Such surgical procedures are usually reserved for breaks or fractures near the joint where there is a risk that movement could worsen the injury.
Here’s more on thumb fractures from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
“Surgery may be needed, depending on the location of the fracture and the amount of movement between the broken fragments of bone. The orthopaedic surgeon may use one of several operative fixation techniques to realign the bone fragments. These fragments must be held in place while the bone heals.
These techniques include devices that hold the bone fragments in place either inside the body (internal fixation) or outside the body (external fixation). Internal fixation techniques include the use of wire, pins, plates, and screws. External fixation techniques include the use of pins in bone that are held in place through their attachment to an external fixation device.
A cast or splint will be worn for two to six weeks after surgery. When the cast is removed, hand therapy may be recommended in order to restore movement. It can take three months or more to regain full use of the hand, depending on the severity of the injury.”
Six weeks of healing time would mean Evans would be starting rehab near the end of September if all goes well with healing. Best case scenario would see him ready to get back into the gym to train with both hands by mid to late October for a December return, possibly at UFC 140 in Toronto — that is if he doesn’t hit any other setbacks or suffer any other training injuries.
At UFC 132, Tito Ortiz (16-9-1) proved to the world that he has plenty of fight left in him when he dismantled Ryan Bader.After dropping Bader with a crushing right hand, Ortiz quickly secured a fight-ending guillotine submission.Ortiz’ first-round sub…
At UFC 132, Tito Ortiz (16-9-1) proved to the world that he has plenty of fight left in him when he dismantled Ryan Bader.
After dropping Bader with a crushing right hand, Ortiz quickly secured a fight-ending guillotine submission.
Ortiz’ first-round submission victory helped him in returning to the win column, and he did so in impressive fashion.
When multiple injuries to main event fighters at UFC 133 left a void, Ortiz accepted UFC President Dana White‘s offer to headline the event opposite Rashad Evans.
Ortiz took the fight on short notice and appeared well-prepared for the matchup.
However, 35 days between fights proved to be too much when facing a No. 1 contender in Evans.
With Ortiz’ record now standing at 1-1 in 2011, speculation has been made as to who the former light heavyweight champion should face in his next trip to the Octagon.
Provided are a few potential matchups for “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy”.
Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell were two of the most dominant champions in UFC history. Both competitors found success throughout their respective reigns as champion in the light heavyweight division which would establish their legacies. While L…
Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell were two of the most dominant champions in UFC history.
Both competitors found success throughout their respective reigns as champion in the light heavyweight division which would establish their legacies.
While Liddell has since retired from mixed martial arts and Ortiz is on the downside of his career, it is appropriate that a fair assessment be made of both fighters’ title reigns in order to determine the greatest UFC light heavyweight champion.
When Ortiz made his debut for the UFC in 1997, he was the most successful fighter at the time. Compiling a professional record of 4-1, Ortiz challenged for the light heavyweight title and became the 205-pound titleholder just three years later.
Ortiz would go on to successfully defend the title five times against competitors such as Yuki Kondo, Elvis Sinosic, Evan Tanner, Vladimir Matuyshenko and Ken Shamrock. Ortiz’s three-year reign ended when he was defeated by Randy Couture in 2003.
Throughout most of Ortiz’s dominance, MMA wasn’t on pay-per-view that often and was in the “dark ages.” However, Chuck Liddell was the one fighter who resurrected the sport and changed the landscape of the UFC, helping the company achievie mainstream coverage in 2005.
Liddell went on a tear during his tenure, going on a seven-fight win streak before capturing the light heavyweight crown in 2005. Liddell went on to defeat competitors like Randy Couture, Jeremy Horn, Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Tito Ortiz; he remained champion for nearly two years.
Eventually, Liddell lost the title to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in 2007.
While Ortiz might have had a longer reign as champion, it is hard to argue against the dominance Liddell had throughout his title run. Both competitors fought in different eras, but ultimately, Liddell’s opposition was superior to Ortiz’s competition.
Coincidentally, Ortiz lost to Liddell on two occasions; the latter came during one of Liddell’s title defenses.
It also didn’t help “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” during his championship reign to refuse to fight Liddell, who was in title contention at the time. And because Ortiz continuously dodged Liddell, who was renowned for his willingness to fight anyone, he ultimately tarnished his reputation and credibility as champion.
When both competitors finally did meet, it was evident that Ortiz never had the style to beat “The Iceman.”
Although Ortiz’s championship reign will go down as one of the most successful title reigns in UFC history, Liddell defeated better opposition and held a better resume and, therefore, is considered the greatest UFC light heavyweight champion.
Every now and then MMA presents fans with bouts that cause an immediate face-palm reaction. Whether they are rematches, trilogies or “circus” bouts, there are just some fights that should never happen. Mariusz Pudzianowski versus former UFC heavyweight…
Every now and then MMA presents fans with bouts that cause an immediate face-palm reaction.
Whether they are rematches, trilogies or “circus” bouts, there are just some fights that should never happen.
Mariusz Pudzianowski versus former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia is a fine example of a circus bout.
After about 30 seconds of offensive effort, Pudzianowski, a winner of five World’s Strongest Man titles, suffered a cardio meltdown that allowed Sylvia to get the upper hand and pound the Polish phenom into submission.
Who could ever forget about the Jose Canseco and Hong Man Choi bout?
The controversial Major League Baseball superstar made it 1:17 into the bout before balling up into the fetal position to avoid any damage.
“Blockbuster” rematches can also make little to no sense.
Former champions Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz were scheduled to duke it out after finishing their coaching duties on The Ultimate Fighter: Season 11.
While both legends have tremendous pay-per-view draws, Liddell had already defeated Ortiz soundly on a couple of occasions. Regardless of how strong the rivalry is, sometimes you just have to let go and move on.
These were just a few examples, but the best are soon to follow.
A pair of light heavyweights badly in need of a win will meet at 
Tito Ortiz and 
