Issue 141
May 2016
Fighters Only’s definitive list of all MMA’s top trends that continues to make it the world’s best sport
100. Rampage’s Twitch stream
Hilarious nut-dragging video game fun with your host: Quinton Jackson.
99. BJJ Scout
Breakdowns that are so good, they’re too hot for YouTube.
98. Tom Duquesnoy
BAMMA’s Jackson-Wink ‘Fire Kid’ is destined for the big show.
97. Big in Japan
Rizin FF is bringing crazy Asian MMA back to the big time.
96. Free agent free-for-all
The open market means it’s time for fighters to get paid!
95. Christian & Angela Lee
One Championship’s brother-sister family affair is headed for the top.
MMA mamas
The women holding down the two toughest jobs in the world
94. Marion Reneau
Fighter, teacher, photographer and mother of Xavier.
93. Bec Rawlings
‘Rowdy’ mom of Zake & Enson: named after fighting legend Enson Inoue
92. Michelle Waterson
Followed up the birth of daughter Araya by becoming a champ.
91. Sara McMann
Daughter Bella is already taking down UFC 205lb’er Ovince St Preux!
90. Cat Zingano
Brayden’s mom was the first to ever win in the UFC.
89. Sage Northcutt
He may have been beaten, but this is one young gun that’s still destined for stardom.
88. MMA Fighting’s long reads
Chuck Mindenhall, Shaheen Al-Shatti et al’s captivating tales from the wide world of MMA are riveting.
87. SBG Ireland
Home of the most popular fighter in the world and a sparring space for Game of Thrones’ The Mountain.
86. Rory MacDonald’s lust for blood
Defeat to Robbie Lawler still counted as the best night of this warrior’s life.
85. Cody Garbrandt’s penitentiary ink
If his tats don’t clue you up to how dangerous ‘No Love’ is, his KO power will.
Comeback kings
Five fighters back to their best!
84. Patrick Cote
Slimmed down with the same granite chin and back on the KO hunt.
83. Michael McDonald
Still just 25 and on a mission to destroy the bantamweight division
82. Tamdan McCrory
‘The Barn Cat’ was away for a while, but he’s returned better than ever.
81. Demian Maia
Back to his brilliant BJJ best and on the tapout trail.
80. Dominick Cruz
One bout in four years, then he wins the title in his first fight back.
79. Dolce vs. Lockhart
Who will win the battle of MMA’s most high-profile nutritionists?
78. World MMA Awards
Still the best, most prestigious night in the mixed martial arts calendar.
77. The Outlaw sets sail
Transatlantic yachting ahoy for Captain Hardy!
76. Justin Gaethje: warmonger
It might be detrimental to his own safety, but ‘The Highlight’ is always up for a scintillating scrap.
75. Eyes of The Panther
Mexico’s first great talent, Yair ‘El Pantera’ Rodriguez, has big-cat speed and power.
74. UFC Campus
Ground is broken for the sport’s new super HQ in Las Vegas.
73. British invasion
Arnold Allen, Tom Breese, Darren Till: the new generation of UK prospects.
72. December to remember
Three UFC events in three nights to kick off the holiday season. Let’s make it an annual occasion!
71. Nate Diaz’s callout campaign
Stockton’s FightMetric buster showed the world how to book a big fight.
70. UFC Hall of Fame
Giving the love that the best fights and early-days pioneers deserve.
69. The Waianae Kid
Max Holloway: featherweight phenom and Hawaii’s great hope.
68. #freenickdiaz
Even Cher lent support to the 209 cause to reduce Nick Diaz’s suspension.
67. Beasts from the East
Albert Tumenov, Zubaira Tukhugov, Magomed Mustafaev & co. Bringing red heat to the UFC.
Fighting insight
MMA’s top new podcasts
66. Anik & Florian
Top interviews and analysis from two of the UFC’s sharpest employees.
65. Fighters Only
Audio insight from the world’s best MMA mag – coming soon!
64. Alpha Male Radio
Insider info from one of the most popular fight camps in the world.
63. The Morning Wood Show
UFC welterweight Tyron Woodley sets the record straight with Din Thomas.
62. Rutten and Ranallo
Back to the glory days of Pride with its favorite commentary duo.
61. #Benalivi
Joseph Benavidez and Megan Olivi combine to form MMA’s coolest couple.
60. UFC 200
Get set for the biggest weekend of fights in UFC history.
59. ‘Count’ on it
Michael Bisping: better than ever after a decade in the UFC.
58. Neil Magny’s fight calendar
Welterweight warrior with five fights in each of the last two years.
57. Friends with benefits
Woodley vs. Lawler and Arlovski vs. Overeem setting the precedent for training partners to finally fight.
56. ‘Rumble’s KO guarantee
No matter who you are, Anthony Johnson is coming to knock your ass out.
55. Looking for ‘The Answer’
Frankie Edgar will fight everyone to get his title shot.
54. Marlon Moraes’ lethal leg kicks
WSOF’s savage supplier of strikes to put opponents on stretchers.
53. One Championship’s young guns
Picked from places you’ve never heard of to cause chaos in the circular cage.
52. Legacy league
Bellator’s veteran warriors are every fan’s guilty pleasure.
51. Lookin’ for a Fight
Dana White, Nick ‘The Tooth’ and Matt Serra’s hilarious scouting bro-down.
50. Legacy FC fighter factory
The Lone Star State promotion is churning out some top prospects bound for the Octagon.
49. Octagon Girls
Jhenny, Luciana, Carly, Chrissy, Arianny, Jamilette, Vanessa, Camila and Brittney. The UFC’s sexiest roster ever.
48. The Year of the Rematch
Rockhold-Weidman, Jedrzejczyk-Gadelha, Jones-Cormier. Grudge matches galore!
47. Prime time street fights
Sure, Kimbo vs. Dada was a farce, but don’t tell us you didn’t love it.
46. Elevation Fight Team
Denver, Colorado’s all-star MMA super squad.
45. GSP’s comeback
Will he? Won’t he? It’s got everyone guessing. Please fight again Georges!
44. Paige VanZant
Despite defeat, still the UFC’s brightest young thing.
43. Fabricio Werdum’s troll face
The UFC heavyweight champ’s silly smile makes us laugh every time.
Big fight cities
The world’s premier destinations for caged combat.
42. Las Vegas
The fight capital of the world.
41. Rio de Janeiro
The spiritual home of MMA.
40. Melbourne
56,214 screaming fans are the proof.
39. Singapore
Mecca for Southeast Asian fights.
38. Dublin
A lock for next UFC stadium show.
37. T-Mobile Arena
Fight sports’ new spiritual home is now open for business just off The Strip.
36. Mark Hunt’s vegan diet
A lean, meatless Super Samoan is a mean, powerful prospect with new life in the heavyweight division.
35. .Dana White’s Clip of the Day
Delivering classic action to your phone every 24 hours.
34. Victor Cui’s billion-viewer push
Cambodia, Vietnam, even Burma: The One CEO is slowly conquering Asia.
33. Gogo crazy
Big Ben Rothwell’s heavyweight submission skills are to be feared.
32. Traditional arts
The likes of James Moontasri and Justin Scoggins are taking it back to the old school with their striking.
31. Polish Power
Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s reign of terror on the 125lb division.
30. The Next Karate Kid
Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson is undoubtedly the leader of the old-school striking revolution and a new force in the welterweight division.
29. PPV double-bills
Two title fights in one night? You can take our money now, UFC.
28. Free-fight bonanza
UFC Fight Pass gets bigger and better with offerings from all over the world.
27. CM Punk’s opponent roulette Finally, an opponent has been found for MMA’s most high-profile novice: Mickey Gall.
26. One Championship’s champions
Some of the most exiting and fantastically named fighters around, like Kairat Akhmetov, Dejdamrong Sor Amnuaysirichoke and Vitaly Bigdash.
25. Rich Franklin: MMA executive
Not an honorary role, ‘Ace’ is getting it done as VP of One Championship.
24. T City confidential
Brian Ortega’s slick chain submission skills are a ground-game gift.
23. WSOF one-nighters
Old-school tournaments are giving new talent their breakout moments.
Miesha Tate
Why everyone loves the 135lb champ
22. Takedown titan
If she wants you on the mat, you’re going. Just ask every girl she’s ever faced!
21. Tate-Rousey 3
We don’t yet know exactly when it’s going to happen, but this will be the biggest women’s fight ever.
20. Her own show
Get a glimpse of Miesha’s star personality with her new podcast show.
19. Media darling
There’s no such thing as too many interviews for the Las Vegas resident.
18. Balls of steel
You can punch her, kick her, grind her and try and choke her too, but there’s pure fight in the heart of this champion.
17. Kings MMA Muay Thai
The striking style that propelled Rafael dos Anjos and Fabricio Werdum to UFC gold.
16. Rose Namajunas’ buzz cut
Who needs hair when it just gets in the way? Not the strawweight ‘Thug’.
15. Mjölnir MMA’s Nordic bar
Book your flight to Reykjavík, Iceland, for some black belt BJJ and beers!
14. Jon Jones’ powerlifting push
The P4P king is openly beefing up for a heavyweight run.
13. Tentpole events
Big names equal big shows and big ratings for Bellator.
12. DJ’s pound-for-pound masterclasses
Demetrious Johnson fights come with one guarantee: a display of flawless MMA dominance.
Conor McGregor
Still the world’s biggest combat sports star
11. The Mac Mansion
The Las Vegas pad that hosts the flashiest man in MMA.
10. Championship clobber
Whether it’s an El Chapo Shirt, shoes that need their own passport or a custom three-piece, he’s a style icon.
9. Walk with the animals
Ido Portal’s movement training had every fight fan heading to the park to try out their duck walk.
8. Emerald Isle Reebok apparel
He was the first athlete to get their own true custom fight-night gear.
7. Red panty parties
A fight with ‘The Notorious’ means a six-figure payday to change your bum life – and your wife’s!
6. Fifth-round fury: part 3
You just can’t stop Robbie Lawler when the seconds are ticking away.
5. Aljamain Sterling’s chain
MMA’s own Fresh Prince has got some serious bling!
4. Jackson-Wink MMA Academy
The sport’s groundbreaking new mega facility in New Mexico.
3. Thomas Almeida’s KO clinic
The hottest prospect at 135lb just won’t stop the stoppages.
2. Invicta’s new breed
The next generation of female fighting stars kicking ass on Fight Pass.
1. Going global
The UFC is hitting new markets almost every month: Monterrey, Seoul, Zagreb. Next stop, Rotterdam!
