The week leading up to the first ever Women’s MMA bout inside the UFC Octagon has garnered a lot of attention to Saturday’s UFC 157. Ronda Rousey will defend her UFC bantamweight title in the night’s main event, making history along with her opponent Liz Carmouche.
It’s rare that an MMA fighter’s face makes it into any sports publication, but as the spearhead of a new movement within the fight world, Ronda Rousey is all over the place. It’s odd to talk about Women’s MMA, or WMMA as “new” considering how long it’s been around, but main stream acceptance has been hard to come by for these ladies, and continues to be a struggle leading up to what should be its first major title bout.
This week in MMA saw the first TUF 17 fighter advance; Bellator opened its lightweight tournament and Jose Aldo defended his UFC featherweight title. But as you’ll see by the links in this week’s Independent link club, there was more to the week then just that.
This week’s MMA link club centers on the women of Mixed Martial Arts. With Ronda Rousey making her UFC debut next month she has an even bigger target on her back these days. It’s not just Rousey though, inside or outside the cage, women’s MMA is getting a lot of attention.
With women’s MMA set to make its Octagon debut next month, it’s no surprise that fighters have their sights set on the newly crowned bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey. Cat Zingano on the other hand is taking a slightly different approach on her path to the champ. Zingano wants the former Strikeforce bantamweight champion Meisha Tate who lost her title to Rousey.
As the finals days dwindle for Strikeforce, you cannot help but head down memory lane. We’ve already taken a look at the future and the present so now it’s time to past of Strikeforce and what they did good, bad and the things we all want to forget.
One week from today Strikeforce will hold their final event before the company joins the ranks of the WEC and Pride FC. The Strikeforce fighters will either be absorbed into the UFC or they will be looking for work elsewhere. Though the promotion has been on a downwards spiral for sometime now, the once considered #2 MMA promotion in the US still has some top tier talent.
Well yet another year has come and gone, 2012 was an odd year for MMA but the year will not easily be forgotten. This year saw the UFC all over network TV, Bellator stumble its way into next year and smaller promotions like RFA, LFC and XFC make a name for themselves. Unfortunately it also saw Strikeforce take a nosedive and the UFC cancel an event for the first time.
UFC on FOX 9 Weigh in Photo Gallery
Photo gallery from the UFC on FOX 9 weigh-ins featuring the UFC flyweight championship bout between Demetrious Johnson and Joseph Benavidez. Also on the card are local favorites Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes, Danny Castillo and Roger Bowling.
Bellator 100 Weigh-in Pictures
Last night the fighters for tonight’s Bellator 100 stepped onto the scales with all 24 fighters making weight. The historic 100th event for Bellator takes places tonight from the Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix, Arizona and features an all welterweight main card on Spike TV.
UFC on FOX 7: Henderson vs. Melendez Weigh-in Pictures
Due to a previously scheduled Arena Football game at the HP Pavilion, today’s UFC on FOX 7 weigh-ins were held less than a mile away at the California Theater. The small theater was completely filled with cheering fans and all the fighters they came to see made weight.
The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale Weigh-in Pictures
Amidst everything else going on, the UFC has themselves a busy day today with the UFC on FX 6 taking place in Australia and The Ultimate Fighter 16 finale weigh-ins. All 24 fighters made weight today for tomorrow’s event that will crown The Ultimate Fighter 16 welterweight winner.
UFC on FUEL TV 4 Weigh-in Results and Photos
SAN JOSE, Cal. – Still recovering from Saturday’s UFC 148, MMAValor.com was inside the HP Pavilion for today’s UFC on FUEL TV 4 weigh-ins. A few of the fighters would need to step onto the scale behind a towel but all 22 fighters on the UFC on FUEL TV 4 fight card made weight.
