Weekend Fun: Non-traditional sports rule

May 25th, 2007 | Posted by PostmanE

I’m not sure if non-traditional is the appropriate word there, but it’s close enough: this is a weekend peppered with the sorts of sporting events that don’t typically register high on the average sports fan’s calender.

First, there’s the UFC fight this weekend. Strangely enough, UFC — and MMA in general — seems to be getting more attention than ever, as that New York Times story wondrously explains. I’m not exactly sure why this is; UFC has been around, and popular, for years. Perhaps it’s just because I’m from the Quad-Cities, home of UFC legend Pat Militich, but the UFC is really nothing new to us. I feel a bit like a snobby indie kid from Minneapolis turning on The Hold Steady or something, but it’s true. We’ve been down on the UFC since, like, 2002, and now IFC is well established in the area. (Go Silverbacks.) Come, join us.

And second, there’s the Indy 500. Where I currently reside, this is a huge deal, but in other areas of the country, I get the impression that very few people care. I almost get the impression that more people care about the UFC fight than about the race, but that sort of makes sense. While brutal hand-to-hand combat appeals to the monster in us all, Indy racing only seems to appeal to people from Indianapolis. NASCAR fans don’t seem too enthused, and the average sports viewer probably doesn’t see the difference between NASCAR and Indy Car. Sorry, but we’re ignorant. That’s how we roll in America.

So, for one weekend, the NBA Playoffs will take a back seat. But unless you’re digging on the Liddell fight Saturday, or live anywhere else in the country, I’m betting you’re only feeling half of this weekend. I know I am.

UFC is coming to Chicago

May 17th, 2007 | Posted by PostmanR

I don’t quite know if I’m ever going to hop on this current wave of popularity the UFC is having. On the one hand, the sport takes what’s cool about boxing and adds in the mixed martial arts or what have you — it’s a pretty solid combo. UFC fighting is basically a glorified and strategic streetbrawl, pitting dudes hellbent on submissions and takedowns against each other. Why wouldn’t I want to see that? On the other hand, I’ve never been a huge fan of martial arts in any form. (Except for this guy, of course.)

So, there are the pros. There are the cons. In any event, if I ever would like to venture out to one of these fights, I can probably do so soon in the great city of Chicago.

Mixed martial arts, whose phenomenal growth in recent years has made it a lucrative business, is on the verge of being legalized in Illinois.

Legislation to legitimize and regulate the sport has been approved overwhelmingly in the Illinois House (the state legislative body as published has been corrected in the headline as well as in this text) and is expected to be voted on by the Senate as early as Wednesday. If so, Ultimate Fighting Championship, one of the sport’s biggest promoters, hopes to bring an event to Illinois by year’s end.

Again, not sure if I’d actually ever go to one of these things. But, you know, if I’m ever in the mood to see two grown men trying to submit each other inside the octagon, I have some options now I suppose.

(HT: MDS at the FanHaus.)

(And just for fun: After the jump, Chuck Lidell’s appearance on “Entourage” from a few weeks back. What’s a Chuck Lidell?)

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Our random UFC look-in

April 23rd, 2007 | Posted by PostmanE

I’m not the biggest UFC guy in the world, sure, but thanks to my roots and the local affection for the sport, I do have a slight interest in the ever more popular fighting organization. It’s only a matter of time - hey, maybe it’s happened already - until the UFC takes over boxing entirely.

This video is why the sport is getting so popular; UFC incorporates versatile fighting the way boxing simply can’t, and the extreme nature of its combatants lead to knockouts like the one above. That’s Gabriel Gonzaga knocking out Mirko Cro Cop this weekend, which earned Gonzaga a fight with Chuck Liddell Randy Couture. Have fun with that one, Gabby.

Nonetheless, it’s an incredible knockout, and Gonzaga really finishes it by punching the dude in his face while he’s stuck to the mat. Probably a bit unnecessary, but hey, it’s UFC! Extreeeeeeme!

Vid HT: MDS at the FanHouse, With Leather