Issue 118
August 2014
The unbeaten UFC lightweight enjoys shoot-em-ups inside and outside the Octagon
What was the first video game system you remember having?
“I remember we had a Sega Genesis. That was the first one I really remember playing, anyway. I had the Alien 3 game where you would just run around and shoot all the aliens. I like shooting games, any kind of game where I can run around and shoot stuff.”
Have you always been a gamer?
“Yeah, pretty much. I’ve never been the crazy type of guy that stays up all night and waits in lines for the games to come out, but I’ve always played video games in my downtime.”
What were some of your favorite games growing up?
“Alien 3 was really good. Duke Nukem was really good. I think there is one called Unreal Tournament, and that was really good. All of the Call of Duty games, they are all really good.”
Did you ever get into any sports games?
“No. I always thought they were kind of boring. Why would I want to play virtual basketball when I can play with virtual guns and shoot stuff Qup? (laughs)”
Do you do any online gaming and interact with your fans?
“Yeah, on Call of Duty: Black Ops. I get a lot of messages that get sent to my inbox on my Xbox Live account. Like, ‘Hey what’s up, Myles? I just saw your last fight,’ or, ‘Are you Myles Jury?’ with 10 question marks after it. I will answer and then I don’t hear anything back!”
Have you played any UFC games, and are you looking forward to the new EA Sports version?
“Yeah, I have played some of the UFC games in the past. I always look forward to seeing what kind of products they are coming out with. Honestly, I play enough of that in real life. If I came home and played anymore I would probably go crazy.”
Quick Fire
Sega or Nintendo?
Sega
PlayStation or Xbox?
Shooters
Shooters or sports games?
Shooters
Three games on a desert island?
“Call of Duty: Ghosts, Call of Duty: Black Ops II and… that’s about all I would want. I will go with just those two.”
Back to the Future
Video Game History of MMA:
Slippery When Wet
In 1989 when Golden Axe was released to the world it had been seven years since an oiled-up Austrian had made gamers hunger to be a sword-wielding warrior with Conan the Barbarian.
The brainchild of Sega, it seemed there was nothing more satisfying for gamepad ticklers than playing the dwarf Gilius Thunderhead who occasionally rode around on a beaked beast, taking down his foes, at the knees, with an axe.
For those who weren’t into dwarves (and let’s face it, it is a little specialist) players could also opt to be the Arnie lookalike Ax Battler, or the Amazonian warrior, and Ronda Rousey’s role model, Tyris Flare.
Players had to battle past the henchmen of an evil tyrant named Death Adder who’d captured the king of Yuria and his daughter. And to help them with their quest they had some knockout power-up potions they earned after throwing down with some of the era’s tidiest-looking sprites.
If this game was to be remade today, and given an MMA slant, the potions would probably generate some kickass come-from-behind finishing moves, as seen in some recent UFC events.
Gilius might down his concoction and grow to a staggering six-foot-seven and land a front kick to his enemy’s face in the style of Travis Browne against Alistair Overeem. While Ax Battler could rub his vial over his biceps and then slip his enemies into an arm triangle choke like Brock Lesnar did after taking a beating from Shane Carwin at UFC 116.
Upon completion of the game the warriors were rewarded with the immortality-yielding Golden Axe of the game’s title – the same axe Anderson Silva appeared to have been carrying around with him for so many years until getting chopped down by Chris Weidman last year.
1. Gilius the dwarf casts a spell with a potion pick-up for the original come-from-behind win.
2. Ronda Rousey circa 1989.
3. Likely the inspiration for Dennis Hallman’s shorts at UFC 133.
Joe Lauzon's Best Bits
Geek and UFC 155lb contender Joe Lauzon shares morsels from his life in video games
JOE LAUZON ON DANCE GAMES
“At PAX these people get up there and dance to all these different songs using Xbox Kinect. You get some big overweight kid and you’re thinking, ‘Oh, this is going to be hilarious,’ but the kid can actually dance. There were people doing a really good job. You can tell that this is what they do and it’s cool because you expect one thing and sometimes you get something completely different.”
SEPARATED AT BIRTH
BAS RUTTEN AND MINSC
Throw a little purple paint on Bas Rutten’s face (like anyone would dare) and you have the character Minsc from PC role-playing game Baldur’s Gate. Known to carry around a ‘miniature giant space hamster’ named Boo (we kid you not), Minsc had a cheeky side to him just like the one shown by ex UFC champ Bas in his self-defense tutorials and TV and movie appearances. Whenever Minsc was attacked he’d seek the help of his ninja hamster, telling the raging rodent: “Go for the eyes, Boo, go for the eyes!” We know Bas doesn’t condone eye pokes in the cage, but wouldn’t be surprised if he’d used them in his bouncer days.
