"I like a man who grins when he fights." --Winston Churchill, 1941.
My father raised me on the classics of boxing: Ali-Frazier, Hearns-Hagler. Sadly, the representative fight of my generation ended up being Tyson-Holyfield II. I despaired that the sweet science had been reduced to a dude's ear getting spit into the third row.
Then I saw Bonnar-Griffin.
Like so many others, I had been led to believe the UFC was for psychotics, a no-holds-barred carnival of bloodlust. Sure, Forrest gushed plenty that night, but all I saw was two guys, fighting for recognition while being beaten beyond it. When's the last time I saw that in a ring? I still love boxing, but I had a feeling that I'd be watching plenty of fights inside those eight caged walls going forward.
In today's MMA, you need brains and skills to go with an iron jaw and a vocabulary that doesn't include "surrender". (A personality doesn't hurt, either.) Maybe you don't know a triangle choke from a square dance... or maybe half your closet is filled with Tapout and Affliction. Either way, there's something to enjoy about MMA for everyone. Hopefully I can convince you of that.
And failing that, we can all just make fun of Brock's tattoos.
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Card By Card - February 2010
What to watch in case Locke and Smokey don't go three rounds on Craphole Island.
Strikeforce: Miami Preview - Stars, Struck
Wrestlers and footballers converge on the cage. Think of it as Rock 'N Jock MMA.
FightNoob Vol. 8 - Keep Your Joint Locked Down
Our educational series for MMA beginners auto-tunes your armbars.
Getting To Normal
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Card By Card: January 2010
I keep writing 2009 on all my checks -and MMA columns.
UFC 108 Review: Thiago Silva Is A Blockhead
Excepting an early candidate for dumbest round of the year, UFC 108 exceeded expectations.
Card by Card: December 2009
The last month of MMA - for the decade.
Caged Turducken: Looking Back At MMA's November Feast
After binging on MMA in November, it's time to digest a little.
FightNoob Vol. 7 - The KaMMA Sutra
Our educational series for MMA beginners looks at a litany of ground positions.
Across the Great Divide
Another big weekend for both boxing and MMA. But will MMA ever gain critical mass among sweet science fans?
Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers Preview
It's MMA night in America again, and this time, the talent's coming out to play on CBS.
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Randy and Tito are the big names, but a certain Russian's national TV debut trumps them all.
A Higher Power In MMA
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UFC 104 Preview: Rua's On First
If you can forgive that terrible pun, you can forgive that this card only has two notable fights.
FightNoob Vol. 6 - A Guarded Success
Our educational series for MMA beginners looks at the most common MMA grappling position: the guard.
How To Make Friends, And Fight Them
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The Ultimate Fighter, Fighters, and Artists
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Card By Card: October 2009
Will it be tricks or treats for fight fans at the start of autumn?
FightNoob Vol. 5 - Get Up Stand Up
Our educational series for MMA beginners looks at the basic principles of stand-up striking.
The Week in UFC: Oops!
I spent the weekend lying down, staring up at a bright light. So did plenty of promising careers.