Also, Frye gives his candid opinions on other professional sports figures coming into mma.

If you like all-out backyard brawls between two guys at the height of their manhood and blunt courageousness, then you’ll love the classic mma fight video of UFC Legend Don Frye vs. Japan’s mma fighter and professional wrestler Yoshihiro Takayama!

Don Frye, UFC veteran

This fight, which took place in June of 2002, displays arguably the greatest fighting spurts and exchanges in the history of mma! Don “The Predator” Frye (20-8) recently said that he’s probably done fighting. However, the 44 year old says he’s always open to the right fight … for the right money. Frye is quite possibly a future UFC Hall of Famer, having started out his career 15-1, beating many notable fighters.

Tom Selleck, actor

Frye is also a two-time UFC Tournament Champion, both in 1996.  He’s one of mma’s most rugged and toughest personalities, having had a few disagreements with Dana White in the past; he has had his share of run-ins with a few others in and around and near the mma world with his brash and say-as-you-go rhetoric.  Frye also gets credit from many people as he has a slight resemblance to actor Tom Selleck … if you’re comparing the 1980’s cop mustache.

Yoshihiro Takayama was and still is Read more »

This coming Saturday will be UFC 109:  Relentless. The fight card has some familiar names and veterans of the UFC. In the main event, Randy Couture (46) faces Mark Coleman (45) in a Light Heavyweight Bout (205lbs). This fight marks the first time two UFC Hall of Famers will face each other in the octagon. They have actually met before in a Freestyle Wrestling match in 1998, with Coleman winning by one point.

Don’t think these two old guys of mma are washed away of their skills.  After a loss (submission) to Fedor Emelianenko in 2006, Coleman went away from mma. However, last year he made his return and won Fight Of The Night honors in a loss to “Shogun” Rua.  He then went on to defeat Stephan Bonnar by decision.  As for Couture – arguably the most revered UFC fighter amongst the mma fanbase – he fought twice last year (1-1).  He’s coming off a controversial decision loss to Brandon Vera. Couture and Coleman have a combined twelve championship and tournament belts.

Also on the card is the return of Matt Serra (35), the ultra-Italian sparkplug from New York. Serra has only fought four times since 2006. After stunning Canadian mega-champion Georges St-Pierre by knocking him out to win the UFC Welterweight belt in 2007, Serra has lost twice since then – once to GSP and a controversial decision loss to Matt Hughes. Serra states that he’s as much of a mma teacher as he is a fighter, which may be the reason for Read more »

Gegard Mousasi, current Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion

Gegard Mousasi VIDEO INTERVIEW below….

Strikeforce continues to add to its list of potential great matchups for 2010.   The continuing rumor is pitting two up and coming fighters against each other, possibly this April.   Gegard Mousasi (mma–28-2; 17 k.o’s….K1–7-0; 4 k.o’s) and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (6-0; 5 k.o’s) are 2 of the brightest stars currently in Strikeforce.  They are also two of the most versatile fighters in mma, fighting at light heavyweight and heavyweight.

Fight fans would love to see this matchup.  Mousasi is still a bit of a mystery to some American mma fans.  However, he has over 30 professional mma bouts already at the tender age of 24.  And now that he has a couple of fights in Strikeforce, many more people know of him and have grown to be huge fans.  Mousasi is an Armenian born fighter, and moved to the Netherlands at a very early age.  And like King Mo, has supreme confidence in his mma fighting skills.

Both of these guys are unflappable in their belief that they can win against any opponent.  And of course, King Mo may be the outspoken one; back in November of last year, in an interview with fanhouse.com, King Mo said that Mousasi is a “crafty” fighter and “deserves” all the hype that he’s receiving.  Further, he also says that he “wasn’t impressed” with Mousasi recent fights and…. Read more »

This Saturday, January 30th, marks yet another potentially action-packed fight lineup for Strikeforce.  It will be held on Pro Bowl (NFL) weekend, located in the same city….Miami.  The venue where Strikeforce is held is less than a half hour drive from the Pro Bowl venue.  Also, Super Bowl XLIV is in Miami the following weekend.  So, there’s a lot of happenings and preparations going for the next 2 weeks.

Strikeforce continues to prove that they have their own way of putting on mixed martial arts fights, by featuring newcomers with high profiles.   This is something that the UFC would shy away from.   And so far, Strikeforce is seeing very nice viewer ratings.  They are simply out to showcase fights and fighters….as well as giving a nudge to fighters that will increase their viewer percentages.   Of course, Strikeforce isn’t just going to put any “project” on their main card.  And they feel that newcomers such as Herschel Walker (0-0) and Bobby Lashley (4-0) are capable mma’ers, and will give their business a deserved boost.  It’s marketing via advertisement.

Below is a clip of Herschel Walker from ‘strikeforcefilms.’ The former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL standout talks about why he decided to take a try at mma.   ESPNU rated Walker the Greatest College Running Back ever. Now 47 years of age, Walker sounds very convincing that he’s going in there to display some mma skills that are the farthest from being considered a freak show.

[1/11/2010] This past weekend mixed martial artist fighter Ben “Smooth” Henderson, the WEC interim Lightweight Champion, defeated the former Nat’l Golden Gloves Boxing Champ and WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner (16-3) by a Standing Guillotine Choke….to unify the Lightweight Belt.  It was a tough and close fight up until Smooth finally connected on his many submission attempts.

Ben Henderson, Current WEC Lightweight Champion

Ben “Smooth” Henderson (11-1) is a 26 year old mixed martial artist from the state of Colorado, USA.  He was born to a Korean mom and African-American father.   Hendo is a devout Christian as his ring entrance song against Varner was a gospel song by Kirk Franklin.   There are some who believe he’s Filipino, but that’s inaccurate.   In an interview last year with Jason Cruz (Northwest Asian Weekly), Smooth states that “I am proud to be Korean.”  In that interview, he also recounted how his mom, a convenient store owner, would cook Korean dishes.  He’s fluent in Korean, and to hold to some of his Korean heritage, “urged by their mother, Henderson and his brother, Julius, took Tae Kwon Do lessons when they were kids.”    Henderson has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and a current purple belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (bjj).

Smooth has now won 10 fights in a row, and 4 straight in the WEC.   Considering the high level of competition for this once relatively unknown mma fighter, his accolades are now standing out and has propelled him further up the top lightweights in the world rankings.  He’s definitely a Smooth Operator in the ring, never seeming to be fatigued and never seeming to be under duress.  He’s becoming known as a great submission escape grappler.   His  next match could be a rematch with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.  There first meeting almost won Fight Of The Year honors in 2009.  Smooth won their first meeting via Decision.

More on Ben Henderson in the Cruz interview HERE<<<<

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Brock Lesnar & Frank Mir

Brock Lesnar (4-1) stormed onto the mma and UFC scene in February, 2008. The 32 year old former WWEntertainment wrestler, in just 2 fights later, was given a shot at the heavyweight belt in November of the same year.  During that match, Lesnar dominated the ageless and iconic Randy Couture. And thus the dislike for Lesnar picked up steam.

The fact that Brock Lesnar was given a title shot so early had some of the loyal UFC fanbase to raise an eyebrow.  Although the UFC heavyweight division has had a very recent resurrection, just last year there were no clear hierarchy as to who should get a title shot.  Lesnar was vehement in protesting that he wanted to fight the best.  And with that, one has to admire his toughness and willingness to put it all on the line so early in his mma career.

One thing Lesnar doesn’t have to worry about, is a loyal fan following.  He owns the state of Minnesota fanbase.  And with the WWE’s massive fan following, he’s brought over some of those fans which has turned many into casual UFC fans.  Some feel that Lesnar is just a big strong bully, who has very… Read more »

I would like to thank each member for their time and efforts towards the end of yet another Season 2:  MMA Prediction Group.

• CONGRATS TO SEASON 2 WINNER: Brian N. >>>>Total Points Winner
• CONGRATS TO THE TOP WIN PERCENTAGE LEADER FOR SEASON 2: Brian N.

Erin Toughill, 5'10", former Gladiator(t.v.), Chicagoan, Ranked Female MMA Fighter

We predicted on a lot of fights, some known, some who?. Nonetheless, everybody starts off 50/50.  So to make it tougher, the season can get long, but it’ll test your endurance.  And as Cathleen showed, you can make up big ground during the latter parts of our prediction group.  Even Mel, who really only ‘actually’ predicted on like 15-20 fights himself, did better than 50/50.

And how in the heck do I go from 1st place to darn near last the next.  My favorites’ let me down this time.  I Will play it smarter next time!  Beware!

Kevin kept it close for 1st for awhile, but seemed to gas out toward the later predictions….almost getting clipped by ole Cathleen.  And Nicole put in much research to get her a good points total.  Edwin was steady throughout.

Georges St. Pierre, Canada, ....the ladies favorite World Champion

Expect Season 3 to be Improved! And I (we) do hope that most of ya will try this out again in about 4 months from now. It was a lot of fights, but it was fun for the most part.  And I expect a few others from Season 1 to return, as well as some newcomers.

Season 2:  MMA Prediction Group

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Get Updates from MMAviewers….HERE<<<<

See ya next time

The list below was compiled by MMAviewers.com.

Karlos Vemola

Within the past 2 or 3 years, the heavyweight division in mixed martial arts (mma) has had a rebirth of a sort. During the quiet years of mixed martial arts, it appeared that it wasn’t as many talented fighters  in comparison to today’s numbers.  And with that, the talent pool was hit and miss, especially in the big boy division. There simply wasn’t any true heavyweight that was able to garner the attention of the casual fan, which is the fanbase that has recently fueled the rebirth of mma.  And as we’ve seen with boxing, if there’s not one or two dominating and well-known heavyweights, the entire sport seems to border on the realm of obscurity to the general masses.

This is a comprehensive list of up and coming heavyweights from around the world.  Also within this list are those heavyweight mixed martial arts fighters who may not be well known to the casual mma fan.  So, fighters that have fight experience as well as being relatively known amongst the American fanbase such as a Fabricio Werdum, Roy Nelson,& Ben Rothwell….to name a few, aren’t included in this list.

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MMA’s Top 25 Unknown & Up and Coming Heavyweights

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There are a few fighters that can be held responsible for pumping life back into the heavyweight division as of recent years. Arguably one of the best heavyweights ever, Fedor Emelianenko(31-1) of Russia, has been at the top of this list for a few years now, even with the air of unfamiliarity that accompanies him. No one has been able to sufficiently beat him, minus a disqualification. His mystique comes from fighting primarily outside of the US in Japan and other international locations. Whether you like Fedor or not, you want to tune in to see what the hype is all about; or perhaps, you want to witness Fedor’s first real lost in mma.  He has dominated the majority of his opponent with an elite level of submission wrestling and intelligence that’s isn’t always seen amongst the heavyweight fighters.

Randy Couture (46), in 2007 reinvigorated the UFC and the heavyweight division when he defeated champ Tim Sylvia to regain the title he once had 7 years prior.  He was 44 years of age at the time.  Couture is a 4 time UFC heavyweight champion.   Couture is arguably the most revered American mma fighter amongst the loyal mma fanbase. And this is in part due to his lunch bucket mentality as well as his longevity.

No longer can the talents in the heavyweight division be overlooked.  One of the most top tier grappling talents is Frank Mir, another big guy.  Mir, a former UFC champion is 1-1 against Brock Lesnar, and is looking for a rubber match.  Lesnar knocked out Mir in their last bout. And in Lesnar’s very brief mma career, he has brought in an array of differing viewers from his days as an entertainment wrestler.  There’s no denying the fan appeal that Lesnar has added to the mma world!

Mariusz Pudzianowski

This list entails a variant of talents and skill sets.  There’s the guy who beat last beat Fedor, Blagoi Ivanov, which was in a Sambo fighting style event….to win Gold from the 4-time champion of the event.  And you have Marius Pudzianowski, The Polish Muscle, who’s known as the Strongest Man In The World.  That alone is scary, however,  He has some mma skills; he’s quick, aggressive, and athletic, and is trained in Kyokushin kaikan karate and was an amateur boxer.  Lavar Johnson, a guy with pure one punch knockout power, was shot earlier this year at a family reunion in which one other person was killed by a 15 year old girl.  He’s expected to fight again in 2010.

The UK faithful are already calling Vemola a legend, with just 6 fights under his belt.  This guys act is to walk into the cage and walk right up to his opponent and snarl nose to nose, then turns  his back in pure disregard for his opponent…all before the fight begins.    And is the Filipino-American Shane Del Rosario the best American Heavyweight prospect to date?  Time will tell.  King Mo continues to look impressive.   Of the quickest knockout in UFC history belongs to Todd Duffee, another muscle bound fighter.  And then there’s all the talented and elite and top tier heavyweight Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu masters in Roger and Rolles Gracie, and Alexander Ribeiro.  And lastly, Kimbo Slice makes this impressive international list, simply from the standpoint of pure grit and knockout power.

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Enjoy a classic fight from 8 years ago, when a very young (and a bit less mature) Rampage Jackson gets his first big fight of his career, on a mega stage in Japan…..against arguably the most revered fighters in the history of Japanese fighters Kazushi Sakuraba.  This guy submitted 4 Gracie’s in his career, and was once the UFC Champion of the Ultimate Japan Tournament.

Rampage was just 23 at the time of this fight, a time when he didn’t quite have a grasp of the behaviors that need to be avoided to be marketable and profitable.   His brash antics and sometimes abrasive and  strangely cuddly funny moments burst onto the stage upon this fight.  Rampage has one thing on many of the fighters that fight in the UFC.  And that’s considering that he’s sort of old school and has been around long enough to have fought many fights in Japan where he first made a name for himself.  With that, Jackson’s fanbase a hugely widespread.

Live and “Raw & Uncut” Rampage Interview, Pre-fight:

“Rampage”  Jackson  vs.  Kazushi  Sakuraba(2001)