Issue 088
May 2012
As many people are aware, the UFC has had multiple run-ins with ninjas (Anderson Silva, Anthony Pettis, UFC 3’s Steve Jennum), but none quite like Iran’s new swathe of female ninjutsu practitioners. However, according to Sensei Akbar Faraji, who brought ninjutsu to Iran over 20 years ago, they should be referred to as kunoichi – the term for female practitioners.
Although Iran, which has a frosty relationship with many Western nations, might be an unexpected hotbed of the art of Japan’s ancient mercenary agents, Faraji claims there are over 24,000 members of the Middle Eastern country’s ninjutsu club and over 3,500 of them are female.
Performing for Press TV, the women martial artists displayed, amongst other skills, their wall-running, sword-jumping talents. Well, Anthony Pettis has the UFC covered on the former, any takers on the latter?
Tokyo, Japan: George Lucas' daughter Amanda wins Deep belt
The 4-1 Amanda Lucas, daughter of famous Star Wars director George Lucas, recently won the Deep women’s open weight title – and partied with Darth Vader to celebrate.
A jubilant and weeping Lucas won the belt at Deep Impact 57 with a third-round americana submission over Yumiko Hotta and afterward said she was “very excited and very honored” to have secured the Japanese promotion’s vacant open weight title. Shortly after accepting her belt, Lucas, who has entered the Deep ring to the Star Wars theme, posed with Darth Vader and three of the Dark Lord of the Sith’s finest stormtroopers. Future celebration inspiration for UFC light heavyweight Ryan ‘Darth’ Bader perhaps.
India's Super Fight League signs UFC vets Todd Duffee and Trevor Prangley
Young Indian promotion Super Fight League has secured the services of UFC veterans Todd Duffee and Trevor Prangley. The signings follow the announcement from India’s first professionally organized MMA promotion that all Super Fight League events will stream live via a dedicated YouTube channel. Although no date had been set for the Duffee and Prangley’s promotional debut, SFL plans to create a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience by blending music performances into their fight cards.
Superior Challenge debuts in South Sweden
Rising Swedish mixed martial arts promotion Superior Challenge will take its popular event to the 15,500-seat Malmö Arena in Malmö later this year. Ahead of the UFC’s April debt in the Scandinavian country, Superior Challenge will bring high-level mixed martial arts to southern Sweden for the very first time. Babak Aghavali, CEO Superior Group International, said: “We have experienced a great interest and high demand for the show.” Superior Challenge has launched the careers of UFC fighters such as light heavyweight Alexander Gustafsson, TUF’s Akira Corassani and welterweight Papy Abedi.
68th ¦ 40th
Respective positions for Brittney Palmer and Arianny Celeste on AskMen.com’s Top 99 Women List 2012
185
UFC light heavyweight Lyoto Machida has stated he might be open to dropping down to the 185lb middleweight division from the 205lb class, where he once held the title
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