Nine By Design 34

 

We're finishing up another week and you've made it to the weekend.  Good job, it's Miller Time or Pepsi time, in my case.  Then again, it's always Pepsi time.  This week's list is all about MMA.  I love the sport.  A lot of people think it's barbaric, but it's actually better long term than a sport like boxing, because of the rules involved.  In boxing, most fighters are allowed to keep going after being hit with a "flash" knockout.  If you can get up and convince the ref you're okay, you'll keep fighting.  Not in MMA.  Sometimes fights get stopped too fast, but that's for the health of fighters.  So, this list is just some of my favorite all-time fighters...not necessarily the best, but guys I like to watch.

MMA Fighters:

Toby Imada - One of the smaller guys you'll see on this list.  If you watch the clip, Imada is losing, but how quickly things change in the world of MMA.  It was called the submission of the year in 2009, an inverted triangle choke.

Matt Hughes - Matt Hughes is a country boy and country boys are strong.  Hughes was about to go to sleep and then it happened.  Hughes was UFC Welterweight champion two times and is in the UFC HOF.  Still has a couple of fights left in him.

Randy Couture - The real Captain America just retired.  He has defied all of the odds time and time again in MMA.  He's always been too old or too small.  The man just wins.  The first fighter to ever be champion at two different weight classes in the UFC (heavy and light heavyweight).  Also, the only fighter to win a title after being inducted into the UFC HOF.  Finally decided to retire at 47 to act more.  He could still fight, but wanted to do other things.

George St. Pierre - I have a ton of respect for this man.  Does whatever it takes to win.  Has fought everyone and more often than not has won.  His two career losses have been avenged.  He's a hard person to dislike, because he's a generally nice guy and has a great sense of humor.  GSP vs Anderson Silva next?

Jeremy Horn - Was one of my early favorites, because he was a submission machine.  He will literally fight multiple times a month.  Normally fighters fight 3 to 4 times per year, but Horn fights a lot.  He's had 113 professional fights and he's only 35.

Wanderlei Silva - All you really need to know is, his nickname is "The Axe Murderer."  Has had more success in Japan than the UFC, but still one of the most feared men in the octagon as his career comes to an end.

Frank Shamrock - One of the first fighters to have the full package of skills.  He wasn't just a wrestler or striker, he could do it all.  He was way ahead of most fighters in the early days of the UFC.  First fighter to hold the UFC Middleweight (would become the Light Heavyweight) title.  He was undefeated in the UFC.

Bas Rutten - "El Guapo" was three time King of Pancrase and one time UFC Heavyweight champion.  He had to retire due to injuries.  Is one of the most colorful and best analysts in the sport.  Has an MMA gym in California and teaches there.  A great personality and key to the sport's growth.

Royce Gracie - The reason why the UFC was started.  To promote and highlight Gracie BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu).  Easily one of the best BJJ practitioners in the history of the sport.  Size has never mattered to him or his family.  Technique should always win out in their minds.  Most of the time they were absolutely correct.

That's it for this week.  Hope you enjoyed it.  MMA is fun, plus submissions are just really neat.  I'm trying to figure out what to do with the blog when the baby decides to show up.  We're literally weeks away and it could be anytime in reality.  It might be sporadic initially, but I'll always post something.  Cheers, Happy Weekend!