Gleidson DeJesus: Out to Perform, Inspire and Motivate Neil Rooke May 19, 2014 Spotlight, UFC On June 7, 2008, in London, England, the crowd roared as Thiago Alves hit a flying knee that sent Matt Hughes to the mat. It was seamless, that second round. It showed what being a world-class fighter was all...
Gokhan Turkyilmaz: Traveling the Never-Ending Road of MMA Neil Rooke May 15, 2014 Spotlight, UFC The sound of feet hitting the pavement echoes around the streets of the small city of Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland. Gokhan Turkyilmaz is in the middle of his early morning ritual. He’s running. He braves...
Jai Bradney: Goodbye ‘Undercooked Bloke Who Just Loves to Fight,’ Hello ‘Toothfairy 2.0’ Neil Rooke May 13, 2014 Spotlight, UFC Steel-capped work boots drag across the concrete floor at a lethargic pace. The sun hasn’t quite risen yet, and it already feels as though a 12-hour work day has already come to an end, long before it has...
UFC’s Richard Walsh: Considering Move to 155, Championing Cooperation in Australian MMA Neil Rooke May 8, 2014 Spotlight, UFC A television crew was always there standing over him. The bright lights would burn any eyes that gazed for too long. The crew stood and watched, and even though they weren't supposed to judge, they judged....
BRACE’s Mike Turner: Every Day is a Blessing Neil Rooke May 6, 2014 Spotlight, UFC With a thud, his head hit the table. Six months. A life isn’t even created in six months. How could it be taken away? Looking around the sterile office, he scanned for anything that could give him...
Bellator’s Michael Page: Ready to Unleash Venom on Pay-Per-View Neil Rooke May 5, 2014 Spotlight, UFC Parents all around the world can relate to the concept of weekend sport. Moms and dads find themselves behind the wheel taking their young ones to a variety of fields, courts and gyms to partake in the weekend...
The Ultimate Fighter 20’s Tecia Torres: A UFC Dream Twenty Years in the Making Neil Rooke May 5, 2014 Spotlight, UFC On January 17, 2005, a television program aired on Spike TV that would turn out to be revolutionary for mixed martial arts. Up-and-coming fighters competed for their chance at winning a contract with the UFC....
ONE FC 15 ‘Rise of Heroes’ Results: Fernandes Tops Ueda, Retains Bantamweight Title Neil Rooke May 2, 2014 Events, Recaps, Spotlight On Friday, May 2, ONE Fighting Championship hosted its 15th event, dubbed Rise of Heroes, from the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines. The event was headlined by a championship clash between...
Evolve MMA Launches Evolve Vacation Training Program Neil Rooke May 1, 2014 News Every fighter dreams of being able to travel the world and train with the best possible fighters and coaches. For some people it's something of a dream, and now, Singapore's Evolve MMA is allowing those dreams...
EFC Africa’s Jeremy Smith: The Road Back to the Belt Neil Rooke April 30, 2014 Spotlight, UFC There comes a point in any combat sport when an athlete must taste defeat. It happens to everybody. Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Fedor Emelianenko—they all lost. They all experienced what it means to be...
