*Note: This article was originally published March 16, 2010 by Mike Fagan for Bloody Elbow Time and time again fans have uttered the old “competition is great for everyone” argument, and we all know where that comes from. No one is stupid enough to suggest that a second major pro football league or pro basketball […]
Category: NEWS
Melendez Signs New Multi-Year Agreement with Strikeforce
Two-time STRIKEFORCE World Lightweight Champion (155 pounds), Gilbert “El Nino” Melendez (18-2), has signed a new, multi-year agreement with the San Jose, Calif. based world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion. “STRIKEFORCE is my home, they’ve always been like family to me and I’m looking forward to continuing my career with them,” said the talented, […]
Vladimir Matyushenko wants redemption, predicts Jones vs. Bader and Silva vs. Belfort
Many fans would identify Vladimir Matyushenko as a staple in the sport of mixed martial arts. The forty-year-old Belarusian has been in the sport for over a decade and fought some of the most notable fighters it can offer. But make no mistake, Matyushenko claims he is far from done and is eyeing his next […]
Kheyfets Looks to Take on Meisha Tate and Sara Kaufman
DM: How did you get started in MMA? Did you start off as a fan or did you transition from wrestling, BJJ, or something else? MK: I wanted to get back into martial arts after taking some time off while in college. There was an ATT right near my house that was opening […]
Lew Polley-Seeking Greatness
Lew Polley—Seeking Greatness
By Dave Mikle
A multi-sport star in high-school and life-long wrestler, the move into mixed martial arts was a natural progression for Lew Polley. A fierce competitor who “hates losing more than I like winning,” Polley’s accomplishments to date are merely “preparation for a future highlight.” Dropping down to middleweight for the first time in his career, Polley envisions himself as top 5 in the division within 3 years. As for what he wants to accomplish in his mixed martial arts career, Polley aims to have an umbrella of business under his fighting brand, and hopes to be remembered in the same light as the great Muhammad Ali. Explained Polley, “I want to have a great legacy but I want my legacy to pale in comparison to the mention of my integrity and fighting spirit.”
Mixed Martial Arts: The Balance Between Sport and Entertainment
Mixed Martial Arts: The Balance Between Sport and Combat Entertainment
By Drew Young
In sport, excellence is determined by the results of competition, and the primary emphasis is on winning. As a sport, the preeminent goal of a mixed martial artist should also be winning. Prize fighting, however, can have unusual and competing incentives. The pressure to increase marketability and earnings potential influences athletes and promoters to choose more “entertaining” styles and strategies. Likewise, in addition to the pressure to present marketable personas and fighting styles, the bonus structure of major promotions also serves to exert pressure on the athletes competing.
Eight Questions For the Mixed Martial Arts Fighters Association (MMAFA)
The questions below have been asked, in one form or another, by various members of the media. Our responses to a number of these questions are set forth below. If you have any questions, please contact us and ask!
How does an Association differ from a
A “union” seeks to gather members for the purposes of “collectively bargaining” conditions of employment with a common employer. In connection with collective bargaining, unions also obtain the protection of federal labor laws.
Mike “the Marine” Richman–Rising Star
RISING STAR As a former United States Marine and current member of the Minnesota National Guard, Mike “the Marine” Richman embodies the “Warrior Ethos.” Upon graduation from Rosemount Senior High School in suburban Minneapolis, Richman enlisted with the United States Marine Corps. Richman’s served four years of active duty based out of Camp Pendleton, California, and […]
United States Marine Corps and MMA Athletes Share “Warrior Ethos”
The United States Marine Corps and the Ultimate Fighting Championship formed a new formal cross-marketing partnership early this year. For fans and Marines, most probably saw this partnership as beneficial to the sport and for the image of the Corps. In a February article published in the Marine Corps Times online, Gunnery Sergeant Pauline Franklin stated “we did a lot of investigation into it. The image
An Open Letter to Lorenzo Fertitta (and Dana White)
An Open Letter to Lorenzo Fertitta (and Dana White)
In response to a question regarding the potential unionization of fighters asked during the UFC Fan Expo 2010, you responded by stating the UFC had no position, either in support of or against such efforts. “We have no role. . . That’s entirely up [to the] fighters.” I fully agree, and your public acknowledgment of the UFC’s complete neutrality is admirable and greatly appreciated.