MMA Athlete Preparation

A nice video showing some highlights of MMA Fighter Training.  The workouts are brutal, but obviously it pays off! 

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Mixed Martial Arts Tips : How to Apply the Cross Armlock in Judo

Midwest Fighter brings you free MMA training tips.  Check out this video and more on our website!

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UFC 127 betting: Does Penn deserve dog tag versus Fitch?

Shock Doctor Men's Power Compression Short with BioFlex Cup

By CASE KEEFER

Mixed martial arts fans and sports bettors alike will witness a rare event at UFC 127 in Sydney, Australia Saturday night.

B.J. Penn will enter the octagon as an underdog for the first time in two years and only the second time since 2006. Penn is listed as high as +180 in his bout against perennial welterweight contender Jon Fitch.

“Fitch is the bigger guy,” said Rob Akers, assistant sportsbook director and head MMA oddsmaker for The Venetian and Lagasse’s Stadium in Las Vegas. “He has a wrestling background and good cardio, which are usually areas Penn struggles with. Those are the three points that influenced this line.”

Akers actually opened the MMA odds with Fitch as a -160 favorite, which was significantly lower than most offshore books that currently list -200 as the going rate, and saw a steady flood of money come in on him.

He’s since adjusted the number to -190 for Fitch and isn’t worried at all about attracting Penn bettors. They’ll arrive steadily in the hours before the fight.

“Of course, you’re going to see the early action is coming in from the sharp guys,” Akers said. “Especially after his last win against Matt Hughes coming in 21 seconds and Hughes being a wrestler too, we’ll get a lot of public Penn money in the next few days leading up to the fight.”

Contrary to popular belief, the public isn’t always wrong. In the case of UFC 127, they’re on the side with the most value.

Consider that the last time Penn was an underdog came at UFC 94 when he was +130 against Georges St-Pierre, a fight he ultimately lost via TKO in the second round. The only time Penn was a bigger underdog in the UFC than he is this weekend came in 2006. Penn took a welterweight title fight on late notice as a replacement against Matt Hughes and was a +190 underdog.

The argument for Fitch revolves mostly around his size advantage in the 170-pound division. Penn has spent the majority of his career and found the most success in the 155-pound class.

The weight, however, didn’t seem to play a factor in Penn’s return to welterweight at UFC 123 last Novemember when he knocked out Hughes. He then recruited Hughes to train with him in preparation for the bout against Fitch.

“I think it’s B.J.’s fight to lose,” Akers said. “He’s done the right thing as far as training. He’s trained with Matt Hughes, who at this point is a poor man’s version of Jon Fitch.”

To use his size effectively and get the fight where he wants it to be, Fitch will have to get Penn down to the ground. Penn has always been known for excellent takedown defense.

As impressive as Fitch’s 13-1 mark in the UFC is, a glance at his record reveals he has never beaten someone of Penn’s caliber. No, Mike Pierce and Ben Saunders, two of Fitch’s last three victims, don’t count.

Look for Penn by TKO.

“Fitch will win if it goes to decision,” Akers said. “That’s the thing with this fight, I think we should be able to get a good feel on how it’s going to go in the first 2:30. If Fitch takes him down early, it’s going to be a long night for Penn.”

UFC 127 picks:

B.J. Penn (+180) vs. Jon Fitch (-200)

Pick: Penn +180

Michael Bisping (-320) vs. Jorge Rivera (+240)

Pick: Bisping -320

George Sotiropoulos (-330) vs. Dennis Siver (+250)

Pick: Sotiropoulos -330

Chris Lytle (-320) vs. Brian Ebersole (+240)

Pick: Lytle -320

Kyle Noke (-225) vs. Chris Camozzi (+185)

Pick: Camozzi +185

Case Keefer covers MMA, sports betting, poker and more at the Las Vegas Sun.


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Great Striking Training Video

MMA Basics (Striking Technique) - Keeping the Elbows In - Coach's Drill

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What's Happing & News Inside MMA 507 Preview

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Beerbohm-Healy official for Strikeforce Challengers

By Sergio Non, USA TODAY

All the fighters made weight for tonight's Strikeforce Challengers show (11 p.m. ET, Showtime) in Austin, Texas. Results from Thursday's official weigh-ins:

• Lightweight (155-pound maximum): Lyle "Fancy Pants" Beerbohm (156) vs. Pat "Bam Bam" Healy (156)
• Lightweight: Ryan Couture (160) vs. Lee Higgins (160)
• Catchweight, 160 pounds: Carlo Prater (156) vs. Bryan Travers (155)
• Welterweight (170-pound maximum): Erik Apple (171) vs. Ryan Larson (170)
• Catchweight, 150 pounds: David Douglas (150) vs. Nick Gonzalez (152)
• Lightweight: Thomas Diagne (155) vs. Aaron Lan Franco (155)
• Featherweight (145-pound maximum): Drew Pendleton (145) vs. Dennis Dombrow (145)

Note that fighters typically give each a one-pound allowance for non-title bouts.

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Escapes with MMA Champ

Great MMA Training Techniques.  Learn to escape using mixed martial arts.
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UFC President Dana White: Fedor Emelianenko Shocking Comments

By Sean Farrell
With the MMA world abuzz about mixed martial arts legend Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko tasting legitimate defeat for the second straight time in his career, UFC President Dana White did not hold back when it came to the beloved Russian after being defeated by Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in the opening round of the Strikeforce World Grand Prix heavyweight tournament. The loss was Fedor’s second in a row after being submitted by Fabricio Werdum last summer.
UFC President Dana White made the exact same response when Fedor was upset by Werdum. White took to his Twitter account yet again and blasted Fedor as he wrote “:)” after Fedor lost his bout.
When White was asked by a fan to show Emelianenko some respect after all he’s done for the sport of MMA, White went on to Tweet,”wtf has he done for the sport!? Ur f–kin nuts” After that tweet another fan Tweeted that White get “tweet bombed” for his rude and unnecessary response, which lead to White tweeting, “Quit ur cryin b–ch. You don’t have to live the lie anymore. Get his nuts out of ur mouth now.”
It’s always been obvious to the public that White’s problems with Emelianenko and his M-1 Global management who represent him are well known as White has been trying to sign the Russian heavyweight for years now. Stories of Fedor signing with the UFC have swamped the MMA world for years and many times Dana White was very confident in signing the legend, only to have negotiations fall apart due to M-1 Global only wanting to co-promote with the organization.
White also noted on his Twitter his feeling on M-1 Global promoting and representing Fedor by Tweeting “he was INCREDIBLY mismanaged!!, Worst management in fight history”.
With White taking his time to go on blasting Fedor on Twitter, you have to wonder if there is something bothering the UFC President. It seems White couldn’t make as large a profit if the UFC ever did pick up Fedor given his recent losses. That fact now seems to be eating at the UFC President although he will never show or say it, he wants Fedor or at least he wanted Fedor to help fatten those UFC profits and reach a more global market.

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Anderson Silva training with Steven Seagal

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Safeauto Fight Team Member Jake Ellenberger to Enter Octagon™ at UFC® 126: Silva vs. Belfort

Columbus, OH (OPENPRESS) February 3, 2011 -- SafeAuto, a car insurance carrier headquartered in Columbus, Ohio that provides coverage to automobile drivers in fifteen states, is proud to announce that one of its SafeAuto Fight Team members will be competing at UFC® 126: SILVA vs. BELFORT.

SafeAuto Fight Team member Jake Ellenberger will take on Carlos Eduardo Rocha in a welterweight matchup at the sold out Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas this Saturday, February 5, 2011.

Ellenberger, nicknamed “The Juggernaut,” is currently 23-5. Originally from Omaha, Neb., he has been fighting professionally since 2005. The 170-pound fighter is matched with Rocha, a Brazilian who is undefeated at 9-0 in his professional career.

In preparation for the fight, Ellenberger is keeping it all in perspective, and staying positive.

"For me, it's just being smart, staying disciplined in this fight. Every way that I picture it in my head, I leave with my hand raised,” he said in a recent interview.

UFC® 126: SILVA vs. BELFORT will be available live on Pay-Per-View on Feb. 5 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer’s Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition. UFC 126 will also be available on Pay-Per-View in Spanish in the United States.

SafeAuto is sponsoring individual fighters for each of the UFC events that are being held in 2011. The SafeAuto Fight Team also has its own website dedicated to information about the sponsored fighters, including exclusive interviews, pictures and videos of all sponsored fighters. There will also be officially sanctioned UFC content available directly from the site. It can be accessed at http://www.safeauto.com/mma/

The 2011 SafeAuto Fight Team is made up of Ellenberger, Stephan Bonnar, Travis Brown, Clay Guida and Thiago Silva. The Fight Team can be followed both on Facebook as well as on the company’s “Legal For Less” YouTube channel where a series of fighter interviews have already been posted.

The company has a tradition of covering UFC on their official blog titled “Play It Safe,” and just recently announced an agreement to be an official sponsor of the league for 2011.

About SafeAuto – www.safeauto.com
SafeAuto Insurance Company is a Property and Casualty Insurance Company based in Columbus, OH. Today, the company provides the state required minimum insurance coverage to automobile drivers in fifteen states including Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Georgia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Missouri, Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas. SafeAuto is a direct-to-consumer automobile insurance company offering auto insurance over the phone via its 1-800-SafeAuto toll free phone number. For more information visit http://www.safeauto.com./

About Ultimate Fighting Championship® - www.ufc.com
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC® produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world. UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s VERSUS network.  UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada.  Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, reaching 354 million homes worldwide, in 19 different languages.  Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.

Ultimate Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®, The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®, Zuffa®, The Octagon™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other countries.

Contact:
John Hargrave
SafeAuto
4 Easton Oval
Columbus, OH 43219
1-800-SafeAuto
jhargrave@zug.com http://www.safeauto.com/ .

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Fedor training for Tourney

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Another Pro Ball Player Using MMA to Keep in Shape!

Russell Martin has lost 15 pounds via MMA training

Craig Calcaterra

Feb 9, 2011, 12:41 PM EST

5 Comments

Jarrod Saltalamacchia taps the yips away. Big deal: Russell Martin will make you tap out, brother!  (er, sorry. I have no idea what I’m talking about):

It wasn’t as if Russell Martin was preparing to grapple with Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell or his favorite Mixed Martial Arts star, fellow Montreal native Georges St. Pierre. Martin just wanted to train like them.
So the new Yankee catcher spent part of the offseason doing MMA-style workouts.
“I wasn’t getting in the ring and fighting guys,” Martin said, smiling. “It was how they condition, how they prepare. Just a lot of power endurance stuff, high-intensity work with short recovery times. It builds your cardio and you get in better shape.”

And of course he’s in better shape.  He’s apparently lost 15 pounds, which is what all the cool kids except Joba Chamberlain are doing these days.  Probably needs to do everything he can, actually, because Jesus Montero is not content to start the season in Scranton.

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More Pro Athletes Turning to Mixed Martial Arts Workout in Off Season!

Yankees' Russell Martin credits Mixed Martial Arts-style workouts with helping him shed pounds

BY Anthony Mccarron
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Wednesday, February 9th 2011, 4:00 AM

Layton/Getty

Yanks catcher Russell Martin, who plays for the Dodgers last season, isn't getting into a cage match anytime soon, but he does recommend MMA workouts with helping him stay fit.

TAMPA - It wasn't as if Russell Martin was preparing to grapple with Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell or his favorite Mixed Martial Arts star, fellow Montreal native Georges St. Pierre. Martin just wanted to train like them.
So the new Yankee catcher spent part of the offseason doing MMA-style workouts.
"I wasn't getting in the ring and fighting guys," Martin said, smiling. "It was how they condition, how they prepare. Just a lot of power endurance stuff, high-intensity work with short recovery times. It builds your cardio and you get in better shape."
Martin credits the training with helping to shave 15 pounds off his 5-10 frame, bringing him down to 215. After hip problems last year and offseason knee surgery, he knows he will have to prove his health.
Martin went to see St. Pierre, known as "GSP," to fight and spar in Montreal. "I'm a big fan of his," Martin said. "My trainer that I trained with this offseason, he's trained GSP, so he knows what he's talking about."


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West Virgina Mixed Martial Bill Clears House!

The West Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill Friday legalizing mixed-martial arts in the state amid objections from lawmakers who believe the sport is too violent.

 

By Walt Williams

CHARLESTON -- Legislation legalizing mixed-martial arts cleared a major hurdle Friday when the West Virginia House of Delegates voted 55-37 to pass it and send it to the Senate. MMA currently is prohibited in West Virginia despite being legal in a majority of states. Critics say it is unsporting and too violent, sometimes comparing it to the gladiatorial combat of ancient Rome.
Several lawmakers also are upset the provision legalizing MMA was amended into a separate bill in committee rather than being brought forward in its own legislation.
Lawmakers held a lengthy debate Thursday about the bill, so Friday's discussion was much shorter. Only Delegate Danny Wells, D-Kanawha, spoke out against it, saying that West Virginians had a peaceful nature that resulted in three things: a low crime rate, no capital punishment and a ban on MMA.
"When you vote think of the blood that will flow when this bill passes," he said. "Think of the color red, the color of blood, and vote no."
Wells' appeal wasn't enough to sway a majority of lawmakers, who voted in favor of the bill's passage. It now heads to the Senate.
The bill is is House Bill 2562.

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New UFC Facebook Game MMA is Everywhere!

THQ Announces Launch of UFC^® Undisputed^™ Fight Nation^™ Interactive Facebook Game

Distinguished Sports Videogame Franchise Expands Product Portfolio into Social Networking Space with Release of Engaging and Competitive Interactive Experience

AGOURA HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) and Zuffa, LLC today announced the latest edition to the prominent UFC^® Undisputed^™ sports videogame franchise with the launch of UFC Undisputed Fight Nation^TM, the first official Facebook game based on the world’s leading mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, the Ultimate Fighting Championship^®. The interactive experience, developed by Embassy Interactive and available on Facebook at apps.facebook.com/ufcfightnation, allows players to take control of their virtual UFC careers in a fun and engaging environment by training moves, competing against others and sharing their results on Facebook, as well as enabling them to successfully manage their progress for the opportunity to compete against many of the UFC’s most renowned fighters.

“We are excited about the tremendous opportunities available in the social networking space to deliver key franchises to our core audiences in unique and compelling ways”

“We are excited about the tremendous opportunities available in the social networking space to deliver key franchises to our core audiences in unique and compelling ways,” said Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core Games, THQ. “UFC Undisputed Fight Nation delivers a great combination of gameplay, competitive spirit and replay value, making it the perfect fit for millions around the world to enjoy on Facebook.”
“We are really excited to offer the UFC Undisputed Fight Nation game on Facebook,” UFC President Dana White said. “We understand the power of Facebook and this is a great way for fans to connect to the UFC.”
About UFC Undisputed Fight Nation
In UFC Undisputed Fight Nation, players train with guidance from UFC President Dana White to master moves from multiple mixed martial arts disciplines, compete against friends and other Fight Nation members inside the virtual Octagon™ and share their results on Facebook as they progress from student to professional in their virtual careers. Players are given access to a number of mixed martial arts camps to build their arsenal of moves, including wrestling, kickboxing, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, as well as the ability to decide which moves are taken into each fight.
Through successful management of fight experience and training, players will “level up” their fighters to reach new career milestones, unlocking access to items such as new training camps and more skill points to build fighting and training needs, including energy, health and stamina. Players will also earn Cred for their achievements, enabling them to acquire items from the in-game store to train specific moves, access new camps, replenish health and increase stamina. A UFC Points system is available for those who wish to progress their careers faster and purchase the items through monetary transaction, while a Gifting option lets players show respect to their friends by sending them complimentary boosts of energy, stamina or health to aid their progress.
As part of the UFC Undisputed Fight Nation experience, the accomplished player will earn opportunities compete against and learn moves through Pro Fights from a number of today’s most prominent UFC fighters, including current champions Cain Velasquez, Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre and Frankie Edgar. As well, players will have access to a live Twitter feed, keeping them up to date on the latest UFC news and events.
For more information on UFC Undisputed Fight Nation, please visit community.ufcundisputed.com, facebook.com/UFCUndisputed and twitter.com/UFC_Undisputed.
Ultimate Fighting Championship^® - www.ufc.com
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., UFC^® produces over 12 UFC live Pay-Per-View events annually and 30 live arena events around the world. UFC programming is distributed in the United States on Viacom, Inc.’s Spike TV and on Comcast, Inc.’s VERSUS network. UFC content is distributed commercially through Joe Hand Promotions in the U.S. and Canadastar in Canada. Globally, UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries and territories, reaching 354 million homes worldwide, in 19 different languages. Ancillary businesses now include UFC.com with over 5 million unique visitors per month, the best-selling UFC “Undisputed” videogame franchise distributed by THQ, UFC Gym^™, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo^™ festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, articulated action figures and other media including best-selling DVDs and a U.S. bimonthly magazine.
About THQ Inc.
THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products may be found at http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thq.com&esheet=6596978&lan=en-US&anchor=www.thq.com&index=8&md5=7e37a0c24939a7d1c08664c813d2e975. THQ and the THQ logo are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc.
Ultimate Fighting Championship^®, Ultimate Fighting^®, UFC^®, The Ultimate Fighter^®, Submission^®, As Real As It Gets^®, Zuffa^®, The Octagon^™ and the eight-sided competition mat and cage design are registered trademarks, registered service marks, trademarks, trade dress and/or service marks owned exclusively by Zuffa, LLC and licensed to its affiliated entities and other licensees in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC, its affiliates or other respective owners.
All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
The statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the business of THQ Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “THQ”), including, but not limited to, expectations and projections related to the UFC Undisputed Fight Nation Facebook game and are based upon management’s current beliefs and certain assumptions made by management. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, business, competitive, economic, legal, political and technological factors affecting our industry, operations, markets, products or pricing. Readers should carefully review the risk factors and the information that could materially affect THQ’s financial results, described in other documents that THQ files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal period ended March 31, 2010, and particularly the discussion of risk factors set forth therein. Unless otherwise required by law, THQ disclaims any obligation to update its view on any such risks or uncertainties or to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Biggest Loser Incorporating MMA & Boxing Training into Show!

One of the biggest shows for the last 5 years is now on the MMA bandwagon!  Last nights episode introduced the new trainers who specialize in boxing and mixed martial arts.  Their teams lost on average an astonishing 20 pounds, that was amost 35% more than the classic trainer's teams lost.  If any of you have any doubt to the effectiveness of boxing and mixed martial arts training, here is more proof!