Bloody Elbow, for MMA and UFC news

Please read this fantastic article from Tony Moran who fought and lost at BAMMA 10 this past weekend. Tony reflects on his performance and opens up on the psychological aspect of fighting. Such a humble guy, I hope he bounces back from this and we see him in action again soon. katana-clothing

Nate Diaz has a run in with Renato Laranja

Hong Kong, 30 January 2012 (Wednesday) – Legend Fighting Championship (Legend) today announced the signing of an exclusive distribution and syndication agreement with ESPN International (ESPN). Under the terms of the agreement, ESPN will serve as the sole distribution agent of all Legend broadcast content in Asia, Oceania, the Indian sub-continent, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Sen. John McCain thinks of mixed martial arts as "human cockfighting." Former New York Gov. George Pataki once described it as "barbaric." But MMA lured more than 100 people this past Saturday night to a downtown Manhattan gym. They came to watch men slug it out in a secret mixed martial arts cage fight. The rules are simple: No biting. No kicks to the groin. The fighters wear no pads, no helmets and only wrap their hands in thin, four-ounce gloves to protect against broken fingers — caused by brutal hits to the face and head. The goal is to punch and kick your opponent into submission. Yes, chokeholds are permitted. New York is the only state in the nation where MMA fighting remains illegal. But that hasn’t stopped promoters from organizing about six underground MMA fights a year throughout the metropolitan region, according to Jim Genia, who chronicles the underground world of MMA in his book "Raw Combat." The fights are often held in the outer boroughs — at a boxing gym in Brooklyn, or warehouses in the Bronx and once even at a mosque. Every year New York state legislators mull the idea of sanctioning the sport, possibly as a lucrative source of tax revenue. But many in Albany continue to dismiss MMA as too violent. "The politicians are idiots," said Josh James, a New Yorker who took in Saturday night’s fight. "It’s a sport. If it wasn’t, you’d just watch a couple guys go fight behind a bar." Fans like James defend MMA as far safer than boxing. Fighters can "tap out" if they feel defeated, as one did Saturday night, or a referee can call the fight if a fighter is badly injured. The next fight is in December and you’re welcome to watch — if you can find out where.

This pretty much saves Bellator for at least the next two years, even if they lose money during that time Also keep in mind that this has no bearing on hypothetical negotiations between Strikeforce and Showtime as Showtime is no longer owned by Viacom.

Middleweight striking specialist Cung Le (7-1 MMA, 7-1 SF) has openly lobbied for a spot in the UFC's planned November trip to San Jose, Calif., but Strikeforce boss Scott Coker doesn't believe that's going to happen.

Article written on Matt Grice MMA fighter (UFC)

Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino in Opelousas hosted a night of fistic action as USA-MMA hosted USA-MMA 16. The amateur fight card included 7 bouts with local members of Gladiators of Lafayette, Cajun Karate, Progressive MMA of New Iberia, and Doghouse of Rayne taking on visiting fighters from Guy Mezger's Combat Sports, Arlington MMA, and B3 of Houston.

Critics of MMA have claimed different reasons for opposing regulation. But as our millions of fans and anyone who has been paying attention knows, these claims don't hold up. First they said it wasn't a real sport. But MMA is the fastest-growing sport in the world, sets event gate and concession records, and millions watch fights on pay-per-view TV. We are highly trained athletes, Olympians and All-American college wrestlers. MMA has gone mainstream. Fighters appear in ads for Microsoft, and UFC sponsors include the Marines, Harley Davidson and Anheuser-Busch. And it's hard to argue with dollar figures. A recent study found New York regulation would generate $23 million in economic activity and create hundreds of local jobs. Then detractors said it wasn't safe. But we have some of the most rigorous safety standards, drug testing and officiating in professional sports. All that our critics have left to say is MMA is barbaric. It is full of strategy, fluidity. Highly conditioned athletes look for momentary points of leverage and advantage — combining karate, jiu jitsu, wrestling and kickboxing, which can take decades to master. MMA isn't for everyone. But to call it brutal is to misunderstand the sport, its athletes and its fans. We're not masochists, we're college graduates, role models, Olympic champions. We have a greater safety record than the NFL and boxing, and with millions of fans, we are not going away.