UFC and USADA: New Year, Same Headlines As Fighters Struggle With Testing Regulations
By Raphael Garcia Five years ago, the UFC and the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) started working together in what was designed as a move to help...
The Bad Guy 1906
Fight Fixing: Believe It Or Not, Fans Wouldn’t Know It If They Saw It Happen Live
By Raphael Garcia Recently, there have been headlines jumping off the page that relate to fighters supposedly “throwing” mixed martial arts contests. Today’s sports world allows...
The Welterweight Division Stole The Show In 2019
By Raphael Garcia There were several storylines that carried through 2019, but perhaps the biggest was the resurgence of the welterweight division. The weight class that...
Jose Aldo Is An MMA Legend, But Should Not Be the Next Challenger At Bantamweight
By Raphael Garcia There were several storylines to watch coming out of UFC 245. But while most fans are still talking about a new champion, a...
Combate Americas Looks To Leverage Latinx Love of Lucha Libre To Reach Next Level
By Raphael Garcia Professional wrestling and mixed martial arts are close bedfellows, and the relationship between the two forms of entertainment has been well-chronicled. Nearly every...
“Do Bronx” Bomber: Charles Oliveira Must Overcome Struggles Against Top Fighters To Be Considered A True Contender
By Raphael Garcia Mixed martial arts is a very tough game, littered with big names that never reached the pinnacle of the sport. Getting to a...
UFC Sao Paulo: Tracy Cortez Is Ready For Her Breakout Moment
By Raphael Garcia Every UFC card features established veterans and newcomers looking to carve out a place on the roster. Heading into UFC Sao Paulo, there...
GMF: Demian Maia Won’t Get A Fancy UFC Belt, But He’s A BJJ Role Model Worth Celebrating
By Raphael Garcia Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has always occupied a special place in the world of mixed martial arts, as many of its practitioners stand out...
UFC 244: Kevin Lee Is Taking A Riskier, Rougher Road To the Lightweight Title Race
By Raphael Garcia The question “what’s next” is usually asked of mixed martial arts fighters in the immediate aftermath of their fights, but it is difficult...
UFC 244: The BMF Title Fight Is A Win For Everyone Involved (And An Example To Those Who Aren’t)
By Raphael Garcia UFC 244 is less than 24 hours away, and the excitement for this event is palpable. As it should be — this card...
UFC Singapore: Upon Reflection, Maia vs. Askren Could Mirror Maia vs. Shields
By Raphael Garcia Ben Askren and Demian Maia are two Top-15-ranked welterweights who will be headlining this Saturday’s UFC Singapore event, but even though this is...
Ultimate Inaction: UFC Stance On Fighter Misconduct Is Both Troubling and Telling
By Raphael Garcia The professional sports world is a place where the mantra “boys will be boys” has exacerbated many of society’s worst issues; this is...
Grappling With Limitations: UFC Tampa Losses Prove Mackenzie Dern and Kron Gracie Must Evolve To Apply Their BJJ To MMA
By Raphael Garcia It’s a challenging feat for any man or woman to walk into the Octagon and compete at the highest levels of MMA. That...
Weight For It: Michelle Waterson Stands Up For Herself Amid Drama Surrounding UFC Tampa Main Event
By Raphael Garcia Weight management is an important aspect of combat sports. Changing weight classes can be the difference between a competitor becoming a champion, versus...
Bellator MMA Featherweight Grand Prix Highlights the Promotion’s Continuing Innovation
By Raphael Garcia Innovation is key in business. Organizations that continue to try new things stay ahead of the curve and give their consumers something to...
UFC 242: After Abu Dhabi Win, Nothing Else Matters At Lightweight But Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson
By Raphael Garcia There are very few absolutes in professional sports, and even fewer in mixed martial arts. At UFC 242, fight fans witnessed Khabib Nurmagomedov...
UFC 242: Dustin Poirier Is The Role Model MMA Needs
By Raphael Garcia We live in a world where professional sports and social justice go hand in hand. While some fans and athletes think they should...
UFC 241: Paulo Costa Poised To Join Nunes and Andrade As New Faces of Brazilian MMA
By Raphael Garcia Paulo Costa took a major step for Brazilian mixed martial arts Saturday night when he narrowly defeated longtime middleweight contender Yoel Romero on...
UFC 241: Paulo Costa Has More To Gain Than Yoel Romero On Saturday Night
By Raphael Garcia This weekend, UFC 241 is scheduled to take place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Middleweights Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa are...
UFC 241: Nate Diaz’s Opportunities To Draw Big Paydays May Have Passed
By Raphael Garcia In mixed martial arts, it’s rare for fighters to sustain a high level of fan interest over years, fight after fight; yet this...