Issue 001
March 2005
ON JANUARY 17 the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first foray into the world of reality television debuted. It wasn’t a monster ratings grabber, but it was a success, posting the best ratings that host network SpikeTV has ever had in its late night-time slot. In its first two weeks The Ultimate Fighter averaged a 1.4 share, which is roughly equivalent to about 1.7 million viewers much higher ratings than the typical 60,000 to 100,000 viewers that watch a UFC pay-per-view event.
The premise of the show is that 16 fighters from across North America will live in a house together and train together for 15 weeks. The competitors were divided into two teams of eight (four middleweights and four light heavyweights). One team is coached by UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture and the other by the number one contender to his title Chuck Liddell.
Over the 15 weeks, they will compete in various challenges and actual mixed martial arts fights until the field is narrowed down to two competitors in each weight class. Though the series was taped and edited ahead of airing, the final episode will be an actual UFC fight card that, along with some of the UFC’s top fighters, will include the two finalists in each weight class squaring off in the Octagon, with the winners each securing a multi-year, six-figure contract.
Within the first three weeks, fighters Jason Thacker and Chris Sanford were eliminated through typical reality series challenges and Lodune Sincaid was eliminated when he was knocked out in the Octagon by Bobby Southworth. The fighters remaining are: Stephan Bonner, Chris Leben, Mike Swick, Forrest Griffin, Alex Karalexis, Nate Quarry, Kenny Florian, Sam Hoger, Josh Koscheck, Josh Rafferty, Diego Sanchez, Alex Schoenauer and the aforementioned Bobby Southworth. From the third episode onwards, all eliminations will take place in the cage.
Fighting fire with fire – 100 times over!
AMATEUR FEMALE MMA fighter Sabrina Cohen of Cardiff Mixed Martial Arts Club will be competing in a ‘sponsored spar’ to raise money for charity.
Full-time fire-fighter Sabrina is hoping to make history by fighting 100 consecutive two-minute rounds in a ring against alternating male opponents. Half of all monies raised will go to the Fire Service Benevolent Fund and the other half will go to Macmillan Cancer Relief because Sabrina tragically lost her father to cancer at a young age.
Scheduled to take place at Cardiff MMA club on April 3, Sabrina is currently working hard in promoting the event and is attracting considerable media attention. If you are interested in sponsoring Sabrina or would like to find out more details on this event, visit www.cardiffmma.com.
Hywel Teague
FULL OF PRIDE
KIYOSHI TAMURA vs Aliev Makhmud has been added to Pride Fighting’s Fists of Fire fight card. A Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) veteran, Tamura is one of Japan’s heroes and is making his return to the Pride ring. Makhmud is fighting out of Azerbaydzhan and boasts an impressive wrestling background.
Other matches include a main event featuring clashing styles ? striker Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic takes on wrestler Mark ‘The Hammer’ Coleman; Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson returns to the ring facing Chute Boxe’s Murilo ‘Ninja’ Rua; Antonio Rogerio Nogueira of the Brazilian Top Team will go head to head with Golden Glory’s Alistair ‘Demolition Man’ Overee; it’s Korea vs Russia as Choi Mu Bae takes on Sergei Kharitonov; Japan’s up-and-coming heavyweight, Hirotaka Yokoi, will take on the leader of the Brazilian Top Team, Mario Sperry; MMA veteran Hiromitsu Kanehara goes head to head with Chute Boxe star Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua; and Tom.‘Big Cat’ Erickson makes his return to Pride vs newcomer Fabricio Werdum of Spain.
FISTS OF FIRE will take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan and is scheduled to debut on Friday, February 25.
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