The pool sheet for this coming weekend's Strikeforce event is now online (hi-res download below).  If you wish to see a slightly larger preview, just click the image on the right.

Since the past few sheets have been a bit 'grungy' in design, I wanted to clean it up a bit with this one.  And having a white background does several cool things as well.  First, it uses much less ink.  There is no white ink, so whatever color the paper is, that's the sheet color.  Personally, I like the way these printed on my white card stock.  It looked real clean and sharp, a nice change.  If you decide to print on colored card stock paper, I would highly suggest using lighter colors or maybe recycled textured paper.  If you use darker colored paper, the print will not show up as well (and besides, it will be harder to see your marks).  I did a few test prints on some light orange and blue card stock sheets, as well as some recycled textured sheets, and they still looked fantastic.  Much better than I even anticipated.

The "note pad" area is a little smaller in height, but wider over all.  Since it's really just for adding numbers, it shouldn't be a problem.  It's only temporary for now and with only four guaranteed televised fights anyway, there is not a lot of math to be done.  I also added a "total points" section for easy reading when determining a winner.

And please feel free to share this with your friends on other MMA forums and blogs.  I know most fans watching this particular event are going to mainly be the hardcore, but the more you share, the more people may get into it and realize there is more than just the UFC.

Now, to answer some of your questions regarding the pool sheets.

Download the hi-res sheet: Just Click Here

1.) How does it work?

Simple.  You just circle the fighter's name you think is going to win, then circle the round and method (or just mark on it some way, get creative).  Don't forget to fill in your name at the top left.  Then using scissors, cut on the dotted line and carry the tab with you to fill in the actual results as the fights happen.  When it's done, take your tab back and compare it to your picks.

2.) What are the game rules? How do you score the card?

The rules and points are printed on each card.

3.) How do I print it?  What are the best printer settings?

When I print them on my Epson, I set it for US Letter (No Borders).  I also select "scale to media". The best paper to use is card stock, and they look really great when they're done.

Of course, you don't have to go through that.  You can just send them to print and it should look great, even if you have borders.  I just prefer no borders because it looks more professional.

You will notice it prints a little light.  That's on purpose, for several reasons:

1.) It doesn't use as much ink, saving you money on cartridges.
2.) It prints quicker, so you're not waiting as long.  Time is money.
3.) Most importantly, it allows you to see any selections made with a highlighter or circles made with a pencil or pen.  Just makes it all around easier to see your picks.

And please, before printing out a bunch of these, check for typos.  I'm not perfect and miss things all the time.  So maybe print one, look it over, and continue with the rest if it all looks good.  If you do find a typo, read #6 below on how to contact me (or just leave a message here on this post).  I will work very fast to correct it.

4.) Are you going to make these for other events too besides just the UFC?

Sometimes, but it really just depends.  The problem with many other promotions is they just can't seem to get their shit together.  They either announce cards really late or the card is constantly changing.  The UFC doesn't have these problems nearly as much so I don't have to do much editing when they do change.  But if there is enough of a request, I will certainly do so.

5.) Do you design other stuff?  How much do you charge?

I love designing promotional posters and fliers for all kinds of fight related events.  I am currently working for the TV industry, but I would love to do some work for anyone that needs some design done for their promotion or event.  Pricing is negotiable, just ask and we'll get something worked out.

6.) Feedback?

If you have any suggestions or notice anything like a typo or incorrect fighters record, please  feel free to let me know.  You can also just post a comment here if you don't want to email me directly.  I will try to adapt these as time goes on to your requests and needs.  Without any feedback, I wont know what to correct for you.