Issue 117

July 2014

A handful of side-splitting party games to ensure your big bash for the grandest UFC fight card of the year is a memorable experience #FOPARTY.

More mixed martial arts is never a bad thing, but it has become more difficult for fans to enjoy the MMA experience quite like they used to. There’s rarely a week without several MMA events on TV for fans to sit and enjoy – or, on occasion, endure. Whether it’s Bellator on Friday nights, the UFC on a Saturday night or through the week, plus several others, MMA fans are certainly getting more than they ever dreamed of. But, because of that, largely gone are the weeks of anticipation for those special fight nights. The ones where you invite a group of friends over to share a couple of beers and plenty of finger food. Well, FO wants to right that trend ahead of 2014’s most anticipated event, UFC 175, held on America’s Independence Day holiday weekend. Here are eight instant-classic party pastimes, from drinking to gambling, to make the July 5th card a guaranteed riot for you and your pals.

FIGHTERS ONLY UFC 175 DRINKING GAME

Nothing improves a sporting event like alcohol, and by exploiting all the UFC’s quirks and characteristics Fighters Only has the perfect drinking companion to make sure our night is double or even triple the fun. And while we were preparing this for you we couldn’t help but notice UFC 175, our target event for all this revelry, is mostly a USA vs. Brazil affair (before all the inevitable injuries, at least). So, in keeping with the theme, we’ve worked American and Brazilian cuisine into the occasion.

Sit back, enjoy, and get ready to curse Mike Goldberg.

WHAT YOU NEED

  • 1–2 bottles of tequila (or similar)
  • 10 beers per person
  • American food (e.g. hot dogs, meatloaf, Twinkies, apple pie)
  • Brazilian food (e.g. acai berries, churrasco, Brazil nuts, brigadeiro)
  • 1 bottle of your preferred hot sauce

RULES

  • Finish your beer – regardless of quantity remaining – every time Mike Goldberg says, ‘It’s all over!’
  • Take a shot of tequila with a lick of sugar immediately after every knockout or submission victory.
  • If you have a Brazilian and an American fighting each other, then depending on who wins, you are only allowed to eat Brazilian or American food until another Brazilian-American fight or until the end of the event.
  • Take a shot of tequila with a lick of sugar every time a ringcard girl blows a kiss.
  • If you’re also playing one of the Fighters Only UFC 175 betting games, take a swig of hot sauce after every bout where you failed to pick a winner.
  • Take a drink every time Mike Goldberg says, ‘Punches in bunches.’
  • Take a drink every time Joe Rogan talks about someone’s weight cut.
  • Down a shot of tequila and then cross yourself for every post-fight interview where a fighter thanks God.
  • Take a drink every time one of the commentary team mentions Ronda Rousey’s Olympic judo bronze medal.
  • Take a drink every time Lyoto Machida is referred to as ‘elusive.’
  • Take a drink every time a fighter walks out to Eminem.

FIGHTERS ONLY UFC 175 BETTING GAMES

When it comes to picking fights, no doubt all your friends like to think they’re experts. If that’s the case, then why not have them put up or shut up? 

Whether you’re in a group of seasoned fight fans, have a load of MMA virgins in your crew, or there’s just you and your best bud on deck, we’ve got the best betting system for all occasions. We suggest the stake for entry to all these games is £5 per person and whoever wins gets the whole pot – it’s simple and no one has to get to know their bank manager – but those particulars are up to you.

GAME 1: PRO OPINION

RULES

  • Each person in the group needs a copy of the ‘Fighters Only UFC 175 Selection Sheet’ (see page 74), so either buy enough copies of FO or seek out a photocopier.
  • For each fight, every player must mark down who will win; the manner of victory (i.e. knockout, submission or decision); and what round the bout will end (three-round decision is round three, five-round decision is round five).
  • You then earn a point each for every correct winner, method and round.
  • Whoever has the most points at the end of the night wins.

GAME 2: ROLLING LUCKY

RULES

  • If you’ve got a guy or gal at your party who thinks an omoplata is a type of fish, then they can still get involved and win big with this betting game. All you need to play is a standard six-sided die. 
  • Using a copy of the ‘Fighters Only UFC 175 Selection Sheet’ (see page 74) mark down the following results for your newbie guest.
  • To pick a winner and method: roll the die, odd is blue corner, even is red corner; 1–2 is knockout, 3–4 is submission, 5–6 is decision. (So if you roll a 5, you’ve got blue corner via decision).
  • If you have a lot of friends over you can also roll the dice again to pick the round. So for a three-round fight: roll the die, 1 or 4 is round one, 2 or 5 is round two, 3 or 6 is round three.
  • To pick a round in a five-round fight: roll the die with the result relative to the round, unless it’s a six which is simply a re-roll.
  • Whoever has the most points at the end of the night wins.

GAME 3: ONE-ON-ONE DRAFT

HOW TO

or those of you watching the action with only your favorite wingman – or woman – the group betting rules may not provide you with the same competitive allure. So, try a ‘draft’ set-up. You can still use our ‘Fighters Only UFC 175 Selection Sheet’ (see page 74) and tally points the same. You can even still predict method of victory and relevant round the same, it’s the winner where it gets interesting.

RULES

  • The two of you will get to pick who wins each fight in turn, one after the other. When your friend picks ‘Fighter A’ that leaves you with ‘Fighter B’ by default.
  • The guest gets first pick, starting with the main event. The other player then gets to choose the co-main event winner, and so on. A bit like the coaches on The Ultimate Fighter.
  • In the event of a tie, the person with the most winners on their selected team is the victor.

WHAT DID THE WAND SAY?

In honor of the smash hit Fighters Only World MMA Awards skit from earlier this year, this game is simply a variation of the kids’ game Chinese Whispers. Information is passed from one side of the room to the other via whispering a sentence, either repeated from the commentary on TV or selected from a bowl of offerings penned by guests on arrival. Simply take turns to whisper your sentence using your best Wanderlei Silva voice and while rolling your wrists in ‘The Axe Murderer’s usual threatening style.

WORST MMA T-SHIRT AWARD

The trend cycles of fashion have not been kind to MMA. We’ve all seen a terrible MMA branded T-shirt and most of us have worn one (or five) in our time. The conclusion is plenty of MMA tees so popular back in the day are now such an eye sore you’ve deleted any proof you ever wore one from your Facebook and now use it to dry the dog. But why shy away from the shame when you can embrace it? Get the party started as soon as your friends walk through the door by competing for the ‘Worst MMA T-Shirt of the Night.’ While on your way to the party no one else will understand why you’re wearing a T-shirt with a skull and dagger on it as if you were some sort of new-age pirate, the winner for the worst shirt could perhaps get to veto any of the nasty hot sauce shots during the drinking game. After all, wearing the best (worst) of these dated shirts is punishment enough.

FIGHTERS ONLY UFC 175 SELECTION SHEET

Pair this with our Fighters Only UFC 175 Betting Games to prove to your buddies who’s boss when it comes to predicting MMA.

  • CHRIS WEIDMAN (C) vs LYOTO MACHIDA
  • RONDA ROUSEY (C) vs ALEXIS DAVIS
  • CHAEL SONNEN vs VITOR BELFORT 
  • URIAH HALL vs THIAGO SANTOS 
  • CHRIS CAMOZZI vs BRUNO SANTOS CARIOCA 
  • SANTIAGO PONZINIBBIO vs ILDEMAR ALCANTARA 
  • STEFAN STRUVE vs MATT MITRIONE  
  • LUKE ZACHRICH vs GUILHERME VASCONCELOS

MMA FIGHTERS YOU WANT AT THE PARTY

Nothing impresses party pals like a few celebrity guests. Here are our predicted party animal fighters you’ll want to invite to your shindig. Commence Twitter badgering...

JOSH BARNETT

He’s a man who considers himself to be the most ‘metal’ of all mixed martial artists 

and from what we’ve seen during his long tenure in the sport ‘The Warmaster’ may have a point, making him perfect company for our MMA party. We’re sure he’d be down for a celebration, and certain he could probably handle a drink or two as well.

CLAY GUIDA

MMA’s favorite caveman is like a 145lb bouncing ball of energy and could probably raise the levels of excitement for everyone at any party. Everything about Clay Guida screams fun and we expect nothing else from ‘The Carpenter’. 

DONALD CERRONE

If there was ever going to be a man who was the life of the party, it’s probably Donald Cerrone. ‘Cowboy’ loves a beer, isn’t afraid to place a bet, and probably has some horrific MMA T-shirts stashed away at his ranch too. Sounds like a winner to us.





...