If you've never seen a mixed martial arts fight, you have an opportunity to see a great fight card free on Spike TV this Saturday, Feb 7th. Think boxing but with wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, and other martial-arts. There are more ways to defend yourself and more ways to win. While nearly every other sport uses terms and analogies of battle, MMA is real hand-to-hand battle and the purest of sports.
In addition, the main event on this card features the star fighter from my gym Joe Lauzon. Check it out!!
MMA
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Ultimate Fight Night – Feb 7th
Monday, February 2nd, 2009Evan Tanner dead at 37
Wednesday, September 10th, 2008Evan Tanner died on Monday September 8 in the California desert from apparent heat exhaustion. His death is a shock to thousands of fans, myself included who had come to know him well throughout his career as a fighter.
Tanner was the middleweight champion of the UFC when I became a fan of MMA, and was one of the reasons why I became a fan. He was such a soft-spoken, humble gentleman out of the octagon. In the octagon he demonstrated a warrior spirit like no other. There are so many examples of Evan being at the very place where others lost their fights, yet hung in there, turned it around and won. Even when he didn't win, he gave an inspiring performance and was gracious to the victor.
Evan's struggle with alcohol and fall from the spotlight was well known by many thanks to Evan's blog, which read more like a journal than the simple notes to fans most celebrities would share. The way Evan fought in the octagon was perfectly analogous to the way he struggled outside of the octagon. 
We saw him as the middleweight champion at the peak of his career. We saw him suffer a series of tough losses and eventually get cut from the UFC. We read about him hitting the proverbial bottom with no place to go but up – and up he went. Evan confronted his alcohol problem and began training again with hopes of a return to the UFC. That he died this way, after successfully winning a contract with the UFC is so tragic. I don't think many would have been surprised to hear that Evan had taken his own life during his worst moments – he openly talked about it. It is a shock to lose him now. This was one of his latest blog entries about his upcoming trip to the desert where he died. It's haunting to read it now.
Evan Tanner was definitely a restless soul. Here's to praying that he found that rest with God the Father. We'll miss you Evan.
Oh How the Mighty Have Fallen
Monday, September 8th, 2008
I suppose going 18-0 only to lose the Superbowl in a single play is adequate psychological conditioning for losing Brady for the season in the first quarter of the first game. What a horrible sight. Well, we no longer have to consider the big WHAT IF?. It's here. Unless some major moves are being considered, Matt Cassel is the man. Let's hope the offensive line turns in a pro-bowl year. The running game looked pretty good at times yesterday, and Cassel will still be throwing to Welker and Moss. It will be fun to watch them compete for a playoff spot.
I stopped betting against Rashad Evans after eating crow all the way up to his win in the Ultimate Fighter Finale. Every time I picked his opponent to win and every time he found a way. 
Since then, his striking has improved immensely, making his phenomenal wrestling all the more dangerous. But it was still a huge surprise to see Evans KO Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell so brutally. Chuck has never been knocked out like that and you seriously have to wonder if age isn't now becoming a factor in his ability to be such a devastating counter-puncher. I think Chuck can still be a big draw and have some success as a gatekeeper for the title. But I think his days as a contender are unfortunately over.
Rumor has it that Evans will fight Forest Griffin for the title next. I would have loved to have seen Lyoto Machida get that chance first. But I'm sure the temptation to have two TUFers fighting for the title is too much for Dana White.