Jan 102011
 

Okay, Spilled Bag of Fights… here we go… Aesop Rock on the iTunes, coffee, vanilla cream cookie. Wait. Looks like we could use a refill on the coffee – hold on… Okay. Spilled Bag of Fights. Here we go… I’m writing this fucking thing on Notepad. I’m in exile, you see. No, not exile… I’m a refugee. Did I spell that right? I dunno. Fucking Notepad doesn’t have spell-check. I should just write this in e-mail…

Okay, here we are in e-mail. So, anyway, I’ve very specifically avoided writing much about me, the guy behind the bag, and try to keep it pretty focused on MMA. And since this is ostensibly an MMA wrap-up column, what better time or platform to ramble on about things that have nothing to do with MMA? Such as the fact that my room in my apartment in LA is uninhabitable due to a combination of a leaking roof and a week-and-a-half of straight rain. So, I’m in Las Vegas visiting Moms and unsure what to do next since the landlord seems to think I should pay the same amount of rent for an uninhabitable apartment as one that fulfills one of the basic requirements of a shelter – i.e.: fucking SHELTER! My contention is that if I wanted a leaky, moldy shelter, I could probably fashion one from some plastic and a cardboard box behind the auto parts store. Sure, I’d miss some of my favorite TV shows and MMA but no one would expect rent for it. So, as I wait in Vegas to find out what the response is to my “How about I don’t pay for what I’m not getting?” offer, I sit down nonetheless and write a Spilled Bag of Fights, for you, loyal readers. For you. Now, when I call the column “Phoning It In”, it’s partially because I don’t have much to write about but also a clever play on words since I asked you guys on Twitter what to write about and I put your suggestions and my responses at the end of the column… like you were phoning in… heh?! See what I did there?? eh? Continue reading »

Share
Jan 102011
 

This fighter, featured on a Supreme Promotions amateur card in September, had his fight stopped by the referee when he was locked tight in a Rear Naked Choke. He complained that the referee prematurely stopped his fight despite that fact that he was disoriented and still unable to stand for several moments afterward. (Photo courtesy of Mallory Mejia and MMA Gospel)

Following the explosion of MMA into the mainstream, small organizations from smoker fights up to regional professional promotions have been coming out of the woodwork. With them came the institution of amateur MMA. Amateur MMA exists primarily to give young fighters a chance to experience live competition prior to developing a permanent record according to the athletic commissions. It allows the participants to learn how to handle the adrenaline dump and stresses associated with entering a live combat situation with a cold heart and also give them a chance to build a resume for the professional organizations that they will soon be asking to pay them for their efforts. However, like all things in life, there are negatives to go with the positives of amateur competition. Those include promoters who exploit fighters who fight for free, safety issues with less capable doctors and medical personnel and less reliable insurance due to lower budgets, and perhaps worst of all, fans who can’t quite draw the line between amateur and professional competition. Continue reading »

Share
Dec 012010
 

Undefeated amateur fighter "Tay" Taylor Stratford was a guest on tonight's episode of MMA Gospel Radio. (File photo)

MMA Gospel Radio this week featured the usual candid insider’s look on MMA along with a trivia contest for free gear from MMA Gospel’s sponsor One5 Fightwear. The show’s featured guest this week was undefeated 19-year-old female amateur MMA fighter Taylor Stratford.  The young Reno, Nevada-based Stratford shared her thoughts on training, fighting, and how she got into the sport as well. Also making an appearance was Tapout Radio’s resident female MMA authority Crooklyn, who shared her views on MMA and the current state of affairs in Strikeforce, the WEC/UFC merger, and her picks for the MMA Awards tonight. Continue reading »

Share