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There is a lot of talk about what martial art is the toughest and which masters of the art could beat all the rest, but never has that question been tested so thoroughly as in the field of Mixed Martial Arts, more commonly known as MMA. This full combat, nearly no-holds-barred type of fighting pits one competitor against another and the results, while occasionally brutal, go further towards declaring a fighting supremacy than anything short of full-out warfare.
More and more, people are discovering that Mixed Martial Arts holds more appeal than simply going to the gym to pump iron. This raw and vital application of their strength, their speed and their stamina has become a rallying point for people around the world, and it cannot be denied that other segments of this rarefied society is taking note.
Mixed Martial Arts is turning into a real proving ground for the Holy Grail of the sport, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and while there are some clear favorites and some near-sure bets, there is still plenty of speculation who is really going to be entering the ring every year. If you are interested in Mixed Martial Arts, there is no better time to start than now, but keep in mind that being prepared is one of the most important factors when it comes to avoiding catastrophic injury.
The full contact nature of Mixed Martial Arts sets it far apart from the sterile and regimented stylings and posturing of other martial arts, and the high velocity and sheer strength that is behind the moves of this activity are legendary. Make sure you don't go into it unprepared and that goes for your protection as well as your mind and your body. Make sure that you find MMA gloves and shorts that fit you appropriately. Your MMA gloves and shorts are an integral part of helping you move and bend appropriately, so make sure you don't forget this very simple, but altogether vital factor.
Take some time and really learn about this sport. Mixed Martial Arts has quite a pedigree; it stretches back to ancient Greece and the Olympic games. In 2005, more than ten years after the activity's creation, the US Army began to allow Mixed Martial Arts when the first annual All Army Combatives Championship was held. While some continue to complain about the sport not being as raw or as real anymore, head to a tournament, and you'll soon see different!
Hey all:
There's a new Showtime Sports group on Vox dedicated to all the boxing and MMA events that Showtime is covering. It will be updated fairly regularly with new photos, videos, posts, information and links. Check it out:
http://showtimesports.groups.vox.com/
Let me know if there's something you'd like to see that you think we might have, and I'll try to post it.
Just found out that I'm getting to train with an ex-national champion for two months before the comp. I can't mention his name yet as I like to ask permission first. He's got great sparring and groundwork skills, I'm lucky to be partnering up with someone of his experience. I've got another month before I start with him so I've got to get my conditioning up quickly.
My MMA hero this week is Bas Rutten. Not only was he a great all-round fighter but being the character he is has brought new attention to both PRIDE and UFC via the internet. Here's some good bits and pieces.
GSP Vs. Hughes: my money is on Hughes, but would love to see his arrogant ass take a beating by our favorite Canadian.
Any thoughts?
I thought it was a pretty good pay per view. Almost all of the fights went to a decision. Shogun - Griffin didn't but barely made it with only 15 seconds left. That's pretty much the stunner for me. I, like many, didn't see Shogun losing that fight, especially not in the way that he did.
After UFC 76 on Saturday, it seems to me like Diego may be contemplating moving down to the Lightweight Division?
Here's a quote from Diego: "I
feel that he beat me fair and square. I was close, but close isn’t
close enough. All fighters go through losses, I’m just going to have to
come back stronger. I’m contemplating in my mind if I’m going to drop
to (1)55 or not, because I’m a smaller welterweight. I could do more
powerlifting and put some more weight on or I could lose some weight."
Here's also a video from Diego - post fight (as the black and blue marks on his face indicate)
You know, I'm not a huge Diego fan. He's a little too much like Tito in the sense that he runs at the mouth. Having said that, given that he's lost his last two fights, I'm guessing he'll come back and win the next one. Hopefully I'll be in Tahoe during his next fight and can put some money on it!
Here's an overview of the top 20 submission moves in MMA...
Chokes
Anaconda Choke (from the gator roll position) - This is a submission that has been gaining in popularity. It tends to begin with a sprawl.
The sprawling person then catches their opponent in a headlock. Next, they dip their other arm below the neck and behind their opponent's arm, eventually locking it up with their other arm (the old "fung gu" sign). Then the performer dips their right shoulder and rolls both combatants over.
In the end, the performer turns toward his opponent and squeezes the back of their head into his or her own body.
Arm Triangle Choke (from the side, often termed a side choke) - From the side of an opponent, the performer uses his or her forearm along with their opponent's own outstretched arm/ shoulder to cut off the air/ blood to an opponent. The performer actually squeezes a forearm into their opponent's neck to accomplish this.
Guillotine Choke (front) - A favorite for jiu-jitsu fighters taking on wrestlers with limited MMA experience as the guillotine choke punishes those who might try a takedown with their head down.
In short, a guillotine choke often happens after a sprawl that ends with an opponent's head in the performer's armpit. The performer then reaches around the opponent's chin without going around their arm and grasps the hand of the first arm with the second. From there they lift up, cutting off their opponent's air.
This move can be applied from a standing position (see Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic versus Kevin Randleman II). However, oftentimes performers choose to fall back into their guard for leverage. It is a popular MMA move.
Neck Crank - This submission can be applied when a person is in a dominant position (mount or side mount). It involves pulling or twisting the head farther than it should go with two arms. Not really a choke, but better suited here than anywhere else.
North-South Choke - The performer must be on top in the north- south position to apply this hold. From there the performer cuts off the flow of blood to the neck with his or her bicep. This hasn't been extremely effective in mixed martial arts, primarily because few mixed martial artists end up in the north - south position and it's a slow working submission.
Thus it gives fighters too much time to get out.
Rear Naked Choke - The performer must have access to their opponent's back to pull this off. From there they curl one arm around the their neck, bicep against one side of the neck, forearm against the other. Then the performer tugs it close and place the hand of the choking arm on the bicep of their other arm as that arm comes up behind the opponent's head and touches their hair. Last, the applier tucks their head, expands their chest, and squeezes.
Oftentimes MMA fighters use their legs as 'hooks' for leverage. To see a great example of this popular MMA move, check out Matt Hughes versus Frank Trigg I.
Triangle Choke - This move was made famous by Royce Gracie in an early MMA bout against Dan Severn. While in the guard, the performer traps an arm and extends their opposite side leg across their opponent's neck so that it lands on the other side of the combatant's body. Then their other leg crosses over that leg to tighten the hold.
In effect, this choke traps an opponent's neck in a triangle utilizing the perfomer's leg and their opponent's own arm.
Arm Locks
Americana - A lateral keylock (see keylock below).
Arm Bar (from guard) - Perhaps the most utilized of all mixed martial arts submission holds. The performer traps an arm with one hand and uses their other hand to hold that opponent close (oftentimes by grabbing the shoulder or neck). Next they open their guard, pivot or crunch in the direction opposite of the arm they've isolated, and climb the leg opposite the trapped arm up their opponent's back. At the same time, they make a small loop around their opponent's neck with their other leg. With both hands on the isolated arm, the performer lifts their hips and pulls the caught arm in while pressing out with their legs.
To see an example of this, one need only look to Fedor Emelianenko's recent victory over Mark Coleman in PRIDE's first American contest.
Armbar (from the mount) - The performer isolates an arm with their own opposite side arm. As they do this, they may choose to put pressure on their opponent's neck with their free arm. Then the performer grabs the isolated arm with both hands, comes up to a squat, and pivots around clockwise (if isolating their opponent's right arm) or counterclockwise (left arm), eventually ending up perpendicular to their opponent.
Finally, the performer's legs pinch the isolated arm and they fall back into an armbar.
Keylock - Generally, one needs side mount to pull this submission off. Once side mount is achieved, the performer grabs their opponent's wrist with their near hand and reaches under that arm with their free hand, grabbing their own forearm. The performer then forces the elbow upwards.
Kimura (from the guard) - The performer grips their opponent's hand, opens their guard, pushes off the hips of their opponent, and sits up. Then with their free hand they reach over and through the arm they've isolated to grab their own wrist. Finally, keeping that arm away from their opponent's body, the performer attempts to touch the back of the trapped hand to their opponent's head.
Omoplata - From the guard, the performer places one leg under the opponent's armpit and turns toward that leg, thereby catching their opponent's arm. By pushing the arm away from the back, terrible pressure is put on the shoulder. Sometimes, depending on the emphasis put on the leg, an elbow can also be harmed.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters love this submission.
Wristlock - A joint lock that affects the wrist. It can be applied in a variety of ways, although it is rarely used in MMA. Still, a wristlock did end a fight for Royce Gracie relatively recently (against Chad Rowan).
Leglocks
Ankle Lock (standard) - Often occurs straight out of an opponent's guard. Once the guard is broken, the fighter on top secures the foot inside an armpit. Then the performer falls back with the leg held by both arms (and trapped within their own two legs). The lock works by using the forearm opposite the one that caught the leg as a fulcrum for leverage, thereby pushing the toes down and placing pressure on the joint where the foot meets the leg (on top) and the Achilles (the back portion of the ankle).
Flying Scissor Heel Hook - See below for a heel hook. As for the flying part, best way to see that is to check out UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva's last real loss to Ryo Chonan. It was one of the most impressive submissions ever!
Heel Hook - The performer places both legs around the leg of an opponent while holding the foot attached to that leg in their armpit. Then the applier twists the ankle while holding the heel with the forearm. The twist is what separates it from a standard ankle lock.
Inside Heel Hoo - The performer holds their opponent's leg in the opposite armpit noted with a standard heel hook. Then they twist the heel laterally.
Knee Bar - Often occurs straight out of an opponent's guard. Once the guard is broken, the fighter on top steps through the guard (turning his or her back to the opponent), and grabs a leg. Then, using leverage, the performer falls back with the leg in both hands and secures it like an arm bar by pulling the toes in (the performer must also wrap their legs around the isolated leg to add leverage).
Toe Hold (figure four) - Appliers simply use their hands (in figure four fashion) to hyperextend the ankle. This move can only be applied when the opponent's leg is controlled.
Here's a breakdown on the weightclasses:
Flyweight 125lbs (are there grown men that actually weigh 125lbs???)
Bantamweight 135lbs (again, are there grown men that weigh 135 lbs???)
Featherweight 145lbs (if you're out there raise your hand)
Lightweight 155lbs
Welterweight 170lbs
Middleweight 185lbs
Light Heavyweight 205lbs
Heavyweight 265lbs
Super Heavyweight --- no upper weight limit --- these are the BIG guys!
I've personally met Randy. He's nice. Very nice actually. That's probably not the best adjective to use when describing a fighter, but he is nice. He was also my fiance's wrestling coach in college. And hearing the stories first hand about his coaching ability I think makes me like him even more.
Oh, that and he's a pretty bad ass fighter. His demeanour is alluring. And his age is inspiring (he's on the older end of the age spectrum).
His overall MMA record is 16-8 and he's currently fighting in the heavy weight devision.
I've met Chuck. He's nice. Usually has a swarm of girls following him (sort of like an entourage). And he has soft hands. When I shook his hand that was the first thing I noticed. They were soft. No wonder the girls follow him around.
He has this way of punching that's clearly his power force! I call him the windmill! Mind you, he's a big guy (he's a light heavyweight fighter).
He just recently fought Keith Jardine in the UFC 76 KnockOut fight. It went all three rounds and came down to judge's decision. They both did a great job. But in the end Keith won.
