Mixed Martial Arts Archives

Colby Covington: When a Bad Guy is No Longer Believable

Analysis, Mixed Martial Arts, Pro Wrestling | 20 December 2023

I’ll keep this short since there’s not much analysis to be had here. It’s just a short note on the current predicament of Colby Covington, the one-time interim UFC Welterweight Champion and now three-time title challenger. He lost all three title shots, and he’ll not likely get a fourth at the age of 35. How he carried himself and insulted his opponent Leon Edwards before the fight, handled his decision loss to the champion, and how fans reacted to his apparent lack of self-awareness is a case study for anyone looking to use antagonism for their own public image. (more…)

Get Out of Your Own Way

by: Sonny Go

Life and Philosophy, Mixed Martial Arts, Opinion, Pro Wrestling | 08 September 2023

After the recent news of a particular individual being given the boot out of a certain company, I had to write about not only that situation, but also what I think is the cause. It wasn’t just an organizational problem, but also a personal one. I’ve wanted to write about ego and how it can affect a person’s judgment and their ability to work well with others. The greatest trick your ego can pull is to convince you that you’re one and the same and that you need that ego to be who you are. That’s a path of self-destruction, and many never learn to get out of their own way. (more…)

Dipping Jab: The Noob Tube of Fighting

by: Sonny Go

Analysis, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts | 04 August 2022

Jack Slack is one of the best combat sports writers out there, known for insightful analysis. He never fails to educate even veterans who have been training for decades, and I recently experienced the Jack Slack effect for myself. His analysis of Julianna Peña’s upset victory over Amanda Nunes for the UFC women’s bantamweight title greatly informed my viewing of their rematch. The way Peña flummoxed Nunes in that first fight was ridiculous, especially for Nunes. Let’s talk about the dipping jab, a technique that borders on cheesy. (more…)

Technique and Conditioning: Two Sides of the Same Coin

by: Sonny Go

Articles & Content, Boxing, Combat, Mixed Martial Arts | 01 October 2021

Two exciting championship fights in two different combat sports with different results took place last weekend. One fight had a more skilled fighter dismantle a bigger and stronger opponent to become a new champion. The other fight saw a better conditioned athlete shake off everything his opponent could threw at him and set a blistering pace every round to retain his title.
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Fujita’s Skull: 10th Year of Seanbaby’s Masterpiece

by: Sonny Go

Blog, Internet, Mixed Martial Arts | 18 April 2020

Earlier in this blasted quarantine lockdown, I had the bright idea to do a reading of a particular online article published on Cracked.com that had just turned 10 years old. It gained a sort of cult following during that decade and boosted its writer as an online funnyman. Its proper title is “Worst Life Ever,” but it’s known better as its subject matter — Fujita’s Skull.
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Fedor vs. Rampage — Well, That Happened

by: Sonny Go

Mixed Martial Arts | 01 January 2020

That was something, I guess. Bellator 237 was a middling card full of unknowns and prospects with an interlude featuring two legends from Pride Fighting Championships. I’d like to talk a bit about Fedor vs. Rampage, each of the two men involved, and circumstances that led them to this point. While it may seem like I speak ill of them, I still hold them in the highest respect for their achievements. (more…)

Fighting in the Age of Loneliness — Martial Melancholy

by: Sonny Go

Mixed Martial Arts, YouTube | 04 December 2018

Fighting in the Age of Loneliness on SB Nation

I’ve been binge-watching videos on the SB Nation YouTube channel and related channels, specifically ones produced by SB Nation Labs creative director Jon Bois. There’s also the Deep Rewind series, which is also fascinating, even if it involved sports I don’t give two shits about. Recently, he came out with a five-part documentary series called “Fighting in the Age of Loneliness.” I watched it as it came out and am pretty depressed now because of it. (more…)

UFC 211 — To Be in Limbo

by: Sonny Go

Mixed Martial Arts | 14 May 2017

Lately, whenever I’ve written about the UFC, I get a sense of urgency, but not outright fun. UFC 211 has made me confront these feelings because of how much in limbo the company seems to be at the moment, as well as many of those who competed in this event. I’m not one to talk bad about anything related to pro wrestling (other than those in it who are named Vince), but maybe I’m starting to change my mind when it comes to pro wrestling-style promotion of combat sports. (more…)

UFC on Fox 24 — Setting a Record on Free TV

by: Sonny Go

Mixed Martial Arts | 16 April 2017

Be the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world and tie Anderson Silva’s record for the most number of consecutive title defenses in the UFC, but be made to do it on free television. That’s Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson’s predicament in this event, and it doesn’t help that Dana White likes to shove it into people’s faces that they know best when questioned why their champions tend to not get promoted properly. It’s understandable how he doesn’t want to be told how to do his job, but it’s also ridiculous how some of their champions are not made to look strong at all. (more…)

UFC 210 — Bizzarotown Buffalo

by: Sonny Go

Mixed Martial Arts | 12 April 2017

This one was pretty damn weird, and it took me a while to write a post about it. Perhaps it’s the growing pains of MMA in New York since it only became legal in that state recently. From the whole weigh-in controversy with Daniel Cormier and the breast implant fiasco that did get reversed at the last moment, this UFC was just weird. While it’s good that UFC 210 took place in Buffalo, New York, it did highlight just how behind the times the state is in terms of MMA regulation. (more…)

UFC Fight Night 106 — Fumbling in Fortaleza

by: Sonny Go

Mixed Martial Arts | 13 March 2017

This is an interesting card, filled with some recognizable names. Many of them have past glories, while some were seemingly destined for glory but had gotten into slumps. Being in this Fight Night card means they’re still hanging on as UFC fighters, but most of them have been backed to a corner as far as their careers are concerned. Some may be questioning why they’re still doing it, while some may even be contemplating retirement. However, most of them are just trying to get back on the winning side of things, and winning in UFC Fight Night 106 could turn things around. (more…)

UFC 209 — Dark Cloud with a Silver Lining

by: Sonny Go

Mixed Martial Arts | 08 March 2017

Well, this one was weird. There could’ve been a lot of things done right here, but it just unraveled. UFC 209 was so unlucky, I thought that bad luck would pass onto me, so I didn’t immediately watch this event live. Actually, my net was being poop during that time. But there was no way I couldn’t write about this because the pre-fight developments were more interesting than much of the event itself. That’s just too bad; if only this were a Fight Night instead. (more…)