Issue 032
December 2007
My name is Darren Rees and I have been reading your magazine since it first came out and have every issue, it’s fantastic, great job!
For the last 10 years I have been watching MMA and have followed every fight Randy Couture has ever had. To cut a long story short I have recently had a tattoo of Randy Couture on my leg and would love very much for you to publish it in your letters section as I am not only a huge Randy Couture fan but am also a huge fan of your magazine too and would love to see it in there.
If this can be arranged I would be very grateful! Cheers,
Darren Rees, via email.
Love the mag, as does the wife, who thanks to your fantastic “girlfriends guide to MMA” no longer gives me a slap when I suggest demonstrating a rear mount.
Regarding the boxing vs. MMA debate, the reason for the animosity is that certain people involved in the cash cow of boxing are seeing MMA fast approaching in popularity but are not honest enough to say, “We don’t like you because you are taking our fans and revenue.” Instead they have to hide behind such transparent disparaging remarks as “we see no particular skill in your sport.” Thanks for that one Barry McGuigan.
If we put money to one side and attempt to find out which sport has the toughest warriors, then boxers will always have a punchers chance, but this is against the punchers / grapplers / kickers / submitters chance. Should the match rules be punches against Vale Tudo? Only this would test the skills of pure boxing against that of MMA.
A tough talking boxer stated that his college wrestling skills would be a great help against a potential MMA opponent. To me this would make him an MMA fighter not a pure boxer, and is an open admission of the broad skills needed in cage fighting.
How about this for an original idea? A load of boxers in one house, MMA fighters in another, and then every week… Have you got Dana’s number?
Andrew ‘Baz’ McGuigan (no relation), Newcastle
Every time I read FO I find another interesting angle or revelation about other MMA fans that I can identify with.
I loved the 'So you want to be a fighter' article as it struck true on a personal level. There seems to be an assumption that you must be a 300lb cro mag to compete in MMA / combat sports where I live (Chesterfield). Everybody always says “Oh you train in kickboxing/BJJ/whatever… Don’t you have to be big to do that?” No you don’t, that’s why they have weight divisions.
I also loved the MMA comic world article (the reason for writing). I’ve gotten grief for years off people for my mixed bag of interests, I’m a big lover of comics and computer games and combat sports and tattoos and good old hardcore music (NYC, not dance trash).
The point is that I like the fact that Hywel’s comic interest was able to be put to use in an article, a lot can be said for breaking away from the tough guy persona that is still stuck to the British MMA scene.
Scotty, via email.
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