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ESPN did an Outside the Lines on kids participating in MMA awhile back (find highlights here) and the question of whether or not youth should be involved in mixed martial arts is a question that I get asked a lot.

To me, it seems fairly simple: kids shouldn’t be doing it. At least not the way its shown in some of the OTL clips. Kids sparring without headgear is just stupid. If kids are interested in it, there are a lot of different ways to go about it. The most obvious is going the wrestling route and developing the rest of your game when you are older. Another route, that seems easy enough to me, would be to have kids training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing (or even training Muay Thai) without sparring.

Kids can get the grappling side of things down or even learn techniques and strikes in Muay Thai. They shouldn’t be sparring until they are older and even then, they shouldn’t be working without headgear.

Does this make sense to anyone else? 

I don’t know why they’re calling this the UFC 88 video blog because nothing related to UFC 88 has happened yet. Almost the whole thing has been related to UFC 91 and the upcoming fight between Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar. Oh well. This video details their trip to Bristol, Connecticut to do a bunch [...] - [Read more]

WEC 36 looks to deliver a solid card as usual. Urijah Faber and Paulo Filho headline the card as they defend their feather-weight and middle-weight titles repectively. “Razor” Rob McCullough and Jens “Little Evil” Pulver add more star power as they are both slated to fight as well. The WEC has managed to string together [...] - [Read more]

In a shocking turn of events, Randy Couture, once thought to be banished from the UFC forever, signed a three-fight deal with the company.  In an even more shocking announcement, the UFC stated yesterday that Couture would fight the flamboyant, and somewhat sideshow-like, Brock Lesnar.   Only a few days ago did it even seem like a reality that “The Natural” would even consider coming back to the UFC, and to that end, it was rumored to be only a one-fight gig.  Many thought that the “one fight” was going to be against the winner of the fight between the interim Heavyweight champ, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir, which will take place this December.

In theory, that one fight deal would nullify Couture’s previous disputed deal, and might have paved the way for an amicable exit for one of the top three MMA fighters of all time.  As it is, Couture’s  new three fight deal  will start with Lesnar, and if he wins that he will then fight the winner of the December  Nogueira/Mir fight in order to unify the UFC heavyweight and interim heavyweight titles.  When speaking of the Couture/Lesnar fight, UFC president Dana White said that this fight could possibly be the highest grossing MMA pay-per-view ever.  Given the respect and fan base of Couture, and the sideshow draw that is Lesnar, that may very be the case.  It also may be safe to assume that any fight card boasting Couture’s presence will be a huge draw.    

The fight as it stands, experience and records not included, appears to look great on paper.  This will ultimately be a wrestling lover’s delight.  Couture is as good as it gets on the mat, and we all know Lesnar’s wrestling qualifications, WWE exempt, even.  Couture, while he is definitely a legend, is only 6-5 over his last 11 fights, which can add a little confidence to the self-assured Lesnar, but he should not read too much into those losses, as those losses came at the hands of some of the best in the business.  Nonetheless, Lesnar will use the recent won/loss record of Couture to bolster his case to all who will listen before the fight. 

Ironically enough, Kim Couture, wife of Randy, went on record as saying that Lesnar doesn’t pose any more difficult a challenge to “The Natural” than Gabriel Gonzaga or Tim Sylvia.  We will go on the record as saying that Lesnar is a better pure wrestler and way stronger than either Sylvia or Gonzaga, or both combined for that matter.  With this being said, given Couture’s record and his legend, it is kind of comical to think that an ordinary upstart in the sport could challenge a legend.  Then again, the Legend is 45 years old.  Conversely, the upstart in question is anything but ordinary and isn’t your average newcomer to the sport.

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Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture get together on ESPN to talk about their upcoming fight at UFC 91. Good on ESPN for recognizing the importance of this fight for the UFC and not just mentioning on their program but actually bringing the fighters involved on their program and having them talk about the bout. - [Read more]

RANDY “THE NATURAL” COUTURE vs. BROCK LESNAR UFC WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY, NOV. 15, 2008 LIVE FROM MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA Las Vegas, NV (USA) – On November 15th, the champ is back. Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White today announced that after a year away from the game, UFC heavyweight champion Randy “The Natural” Couture will make his long-awaited [...]

UFC President Dana White officially announced during today’s media conference call that UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture has agreed to return to the UFC and will take on heavyweight contender Brock Lesnar at UFC 91. The five-round championship matchup will headline a November 15th pay-per-view event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Couture [...]

UFC President Dana White today announced during a media conference call that UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture will fight Brock Lesnar in a five-round championship bout on November 15th at UFC 91 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Continue reading for MMAFrenzy.com’s notes from the call… Dana White announced that UFC heavyweight champion [...]

Some call him a hero, some call him a fluke.  Some call him cash cow, golden goose, or even golden boy.  No matter what he is called, Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson is definitely a polarizing figure.  He hasn’t fought many fights that have been sanctioned by the sport of MMA, but already he has dominated legends, plowed through soup cans, and has been tested by questionable talent.  Ferguson is obviously the poster child for a company that is floundering and fighting for its very existence.   To date, Ferguson has yet to be tested by anyone with notable skills and has yet to fight anyone of any significant MMA talent.  That will soon change because on October 4, 2008 Ferguson will face an older, but still dangerous “World’s Most Dangerous Man,” Ken Shamrock.  The event will air live on CBS. 

Some are saying that Shamrock is simply a shell of his former self.  The 44 year-old Shamrock, loser of his last five fights, hasn’t won since he beat Kimbo back in June of 2004.  Yes, that’s right; I said he beat Kimbo, Kimbo Leopoldo, that is, not Kimbo Slice.  If that doesn’t sound bad enough, over his last 10 fights, dating back to August of 2000, Shamrock has a record of 2-8, with 1 loss coming by way of decision (Don Frye) and the other seven losses coming via KO or TKO.  Ken definitely leads with his face, which is why some fans are saying that Shamrock has been hand-picked for the strike-happy/strike-only Ferguson. 

So, who better to throw in front of your punch-happy golden boy who has no ground game, than a man who can’t defend a jab or a right hook?  “Not so fast” Shamrock implied as he told ESPN’s MMA Live that he believes Ferguson has been gift wrapped for him and not the other way around.  Later, when asked by Kenny Florian if he was afraid to stand with Ferguson, Shamrock said that he believed Kimbo Slice was overrated and the guys he (Ferguson) has fought have either “gassed out,” have had limited skills, or didn’t have “the will to want to fight.”  Shamrock went on to say that he didn’t feel that Ferguson was a threat to him anywhere in the octagon.

Any way you paint it, Ferguson has never fought a fighter the caliber of Shamrock, aged or not.  Even creeping up in the years, Shamrock still has a better ground game than all the fighters Slice has faced…combined!  Ferguson was exposed on the ground when a bag of tuna fish and coffee grinds named James “The Colossus” Thompson almost stole the show, and a win, from Kimbo Slice. Look for Shamrock to take Ferguson to the ground and attempt several submissions.  If this fight does go to the ground expect Shamrock to teach Ferguson a valuable lesson in MMA-ology, but if Shamrock continues to consider stopping strikes with his face an actual defense, you can expect the Kimbo Slice legend to grow, at least until he faces another aged, slightly past-his-prime fighter.

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UFC 88 is set for September 6 at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta. Fighting on the card will be a collection of has-beens, including former UFC poster boy Chuck Liddell (21-5 MMA, 16-4 UFC). He will fight the undefeated Rashad Evans (11-0-1 MMA, 6-0-1 UFC), who should be able to put a beating on Chuck if he doesn’t get the main-event jitters.

The other fights include washed-up former poster boys like Rich Franklin (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) and Dan Henderson (22-7 MMA, 2-2 UFC). Franklin will fight fellow Cincinnati native Matt Hamill (4-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in the night’s co-main event. Henderson fights Rousimar Palhares (8-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC).

The rest of the card includes:

- Karo Parisyan vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
- Martin Kampmann vs. Nate Marquardt
- Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares
- Tim Boetsch vs. James Lee
- Matt Brown vs. Dong Hyun Kim

The newest member of the MMA Bulletin Team comrad101 does not disapoint with this his latest video offering. 2007 may have been the year of the upset but since the dim distant days of its beginnings anything can and does happen, in MMA. Enjoy!

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Chuck Liddell over Rashad Evans Evans is a deceptive fighter.  He is a guy who has a stunning record for as new as he is to the sport, and if we were looking at records in a vacuum, then this might be a classic matchup.  The problem with this matchup comes twofold.  Firstly, Liddell is one [...] - [Read more]

MMA-Analyst would like to extend a big apology to all of its' loyal readers. We're sorry for the lack of posting that has taken place over the last month, but we assure you that we are not gone, and hopefully, not forgotten. We will return steadily over the next few weeks with articles coming in the next day or two. Again, our sincerest apologies for the lack of posting.  - [Read more]

via www.combatlifestyle.com

Living the American dream. View more pictures from IMMAE here.

(Battle of the Teams Who Only Win About 60% of the Time.) After doing a little bit of digging on Sherdog’s Fight Statistics section, MMA Madness posted a list of the ten most successful MMA camps (with at least 100 combined fights): 1. Arizona Combat Sports, 116-27, .81 1. Jackson’s Submission Fighting, 124-30, .81 3. Minnesota Martial Arts, 243-64, [...] - [Read more]

EliteXC returns to network television a week after some of the best action we've seen this year. DREAM, Affliction: Banned, and UFC Fight Night 14 all provided some intense battles for the MMA fanbase to enjoy. Will EliteXC be able to overcome a fantastic weekend of MMA the week before to put some solid ratings up? It'll definitely take some luck as this card isn't providing the punch that they did in the past. Nonetheless, there are a few betting lines for the card on Saturday that should entice some of the gamblers in the community. Let's take a look.

Wilson Reis (-160) vs. Brian Caraway (+140)

This definitely isn't an underdog bet for me. Wilson Reis is an absolute monster when it comes to grappling or hitting the floor in general. He has a smaller, compact body, but makes up for it with tremendous strength and skill. He'll be a handful for anyone when this battle hits the floor. Caraway will also be looking to hit the ground, and at only -160, I think Reis is a solid bet. He's only favored slightly, and this could potentially be a big money bet that should pay out.

Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos (+165) vs. Shayna Baszler (-190)

I haven't seen a lot of footage on Santos, but I do know she has tremendous knockout power. She's also brutally tough to take down at times, but Baszler is a very good grappler. She has the tools to beat nearly anyone in the division with her grappling pedigree, and having Josh Barnett as your trainer can only help. Whatever you feel, a wager isn't a bad beat by any means. Santos has the knockout power to put Baszler down instantly, and the losses that Baszler has had over the years have normally been from powerful competitors with the punch.

Robbie Lawler (-230) vs. Scott Smith (+220)

I'm still convinced that Lawler will wait out Smith and catch him with a huge blow, but Smith's chin is the x-factor once again. Smith showed an amazing determination in his last bout with Lawler, and his chin was the surprise in that fight. If he can land a solid punch, he may be able to floor Lawler. I'd still wager some money on Lawler. If it goes to the floor, Lawler still has much better wrestling skills. Look for this to be a real barn burner of a fight though.

Stay away from...

Feijao is at -480 to -550, and he should steamroll Galbraith quickly. Antonio Silva is listing at about -550 to -600. The odds are much too large to wager any money and make a killing.

Potentially dangerous...

Nick Diaz has had some very lackluster matches lately. Can Thomas Denny actually submit Diaz? Doubtful, but Diaz isn't exactly invincible from being cut and defeated. I'd still stay away from this one. Jake Shields should have the wrestling and jiu-jitsu to defeat Nick Thompson, but Thompson is a very smart fighter. He'll come in with a great gameplan, and he definitely has a shot at winning. Ballsy enough to bet it? I'm not.

EliteXC will be looking to continue to massive amount of mixed martial arts action we've seen this month with their second event on CBS. Although Kimbo Slice won't on the card, Robbie Lawler will be taking on Scott Smith in a rematch of their previous CBS bout that saw Smith being stopped by the doctor due to an accidental eye gouge. The ensuing uproar by fans and the awesome battle that had happened during the bout should ensure this fight to be another war.

Also on the card, Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva will take on former UFC fighter Justin Eilers while Jake Shields will be tested by veteran Nick "The Goat" Thompson. Nick Diaz will take on Thomas Denny, notably known for crushing Malapeit in ShoXC and then being spectacularly KO'd by illegal elbows to the head. In a marquee women's matchup, Shayna Baszler will hope to continue her dominance against a very tough Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos.

Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith

Once again, we'll see two hard-hitting strikers in both Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith square off in a war of attrition. While both men have the knockout power to end this fight instantly, look for this matchup to go into the late rounds once again.

The most significant difference between my previous analysis of their first fight and this fight is Smith's chin. During their first battle, Smith displayed a rock solid iron chin that Lawler was tagging consistently. If not for that chin, Smith would have easily been out by the second round. Can Smith's determination win him this fight?

I'm still leaning toward Robbie Lawler in this fight. He has the reach, size, and a new found patience to wait opponents out before moving in for the kill. Smith still found it tough to move close to Lawler to land the big blows during their previous matchup. I don't believe Lawler will end it early, but I think he'll be able to stand with Smith for most of the fight and wear him down.

Leland's Prediction: Robbie Lawler via TKO, Round 4

Antonio Silva vs. Justin Eilers

This isn't much of a challenge for "Bigfoot" Silva. Silva will not only be bigger and stronger, but he'll likely have a huge advantage on the ground. Eilers isn't a slouch by any means, but his striking will likely be ineffective against Silva's size and reach. I don't see Eilers knocking out Silva or challenging him on the ground in any facet of jiu-jitsu or wrestling. Look for Silva to end this quickly in either the first or second round.

Leland's Prediction: Antonio Silva via TKO, Round 1

Jake Shields vs. Nick Thompson

This could very well be a fight of the night candidate. While Thompson is likely being underdog'd in this fight, he does stand a decent shot at defeating Shields potentially on his feet. Thompson's all-around game is venerable, but his ground game will be the area where Shields will try to win.

Shields, training out of Cesar Gracie Academy, has high jiu-jitsu credentials and trains with MMA veterans Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez on a consistent day to day basis. His grappling will likely be superior to Thompson's jiu-jitsu, but the question is how far of a gap will there be?

Shields is weak in the standup, but he's still scrappy enough to avoid the big shots. If this hits the floor, look for Shields to pull away for the win in the later rounds.

Leland's Prediction: Jake Shields via submission, Round 3

Nick Diaz vs. Thomas Denny

Nick Diaz needs to stop trying to pepper opponents with shots from his boxing training and begin to try to end fights as quickly as possible. Not only will it help him extend his career and protect his face from being cut up significantly, but it'll actually help the fans understand that he does have some potential to be one of the best in the sport. Unfortunately, Diaz seems to be content with showing how tough he is rather than finishing a fight in the first round.

Denny is a finisher on the ground, but Diaz is a much better jiu-jitsu practitioner. Look for this fight to hit the floor after Denny gets peppered with shots early. Hopefully, Diaz will submit Denny inside two rounds so we won't need to sit through another boring decision.

Leland's Prediction: Nick Diaz via submission, Round 2

Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. Shayna Baszler

I would normally go with Shayna Baszler's killer instinct to finish her opponents quickly and her superior grappling abilities against most women in the division, but the buzz surrounding Santos is significant to give her a look here.

Santos is a power striking beast in the cage, and it wouldn't surprise me if we see a similar win by Santos over Baszler as we did when Larosa TKO'd Baszler in their past fights. While I think Baszler could potentially submit the Brazilian, it's likely that Santos has very good defense on the ground due to her Brazilian training. From what I've seen from her, she'll be a tough competitor for Baszler to steamroll.

Leland's Prediction: Cristiane Santos via TKO, Round 1

Quick picks
Anthony "El Toro" Ruiz vs. Jeremy Freitag: Ruiz has beaten Freitag twice in the past, and I don't see why this fight should go any different. Freitag's chin will be exposed, and Ruiz should take advantage. Ruiz via TKO, Round 2.

Wilson Reis vs. Brian Caraway: Reis is a nightmare, and his name will be known throughout the world before we know it. While Caraway has an impressive streak going for himself, he's primarily a submission fighter. Reis won't be susceptible to the submission, especially with his superior training on the ground. Reis is also a ball of steel in the cage. Look for his power, speed, and abilities to overwhelm Caraway quickly. Reis via submission, Round 1

Travis Galbraith vs. Rafael Feijao: Feijao should put the leather on Galbraith early in this one. Galbraith will be looking to hit the floor, but Feijao will have some decent takedown defense and likely defend against the submission well on the ground if it gets there. Look for Feijao to find the stunning knockout in this prelim. Feijao via TKO, Round 2 - [Read more]

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Tomorrow night’s Vault episode features another bout from Strikeforce’s “Four Men Enter - One Man Survives” San Jose event. This time, it’s a middleweight bout between Josh Neal and Eric Lawson. You can get this episode here in Standard, iPod, and HD downloads. Don’t forget that you can subscribe to The Vault on iTunes and get [...] - [Read more]