UFC 71 is finally over!  Chuck Liddell’s loss should come to no surprise for longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) fans; it reinforces claims that Liddell was a less than credible champion and simply a marketing tool for the UFC (a big fish in a little pond of less than credible fighters).  Finally, new light heavyweight champion, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson has proven the real Sharks from PrideFC have finally entered the octagon.

The UFC’s acquisition of fighters from PrideFC will bring a rude awakening to American bred UFC fighters with little or no international experience.  Now with Dan “Hollywood” Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Ruas entering the Octagon very soon, we’ll finally know who’s a contender or a pretender from the UFC. 

It’s a great time to be a MMA fan right now as current UFC fighters will finally match up against PrideFC fighters with real wars behind their belt.  UFC 71 has proven it is only the beginning.

You can dodge a bullet the first time but sooner or later, the next one is going to hit you and strike hard.

Mixed martial arts (MMA) has witnessed enormous growth the past 3 years, thanks to increased media coverage on TV and Pay-Per-View.  In fact, ESPN magazine recently had the UFC’s biggest star, Chuck Liddell, on its cover along with very interesting article focusing on him and MMA.  It didn’t take long for other sporting magazines to follow.  Now Sports Illustrated has finally recognized MMA by placing a rising star on their cover (Roger Huerta), along with an in depth article on how the UFC is changing the sporting landscape.

If you’re a fan of MMA, I would definitely recommend reading the article at SI.com.  Titled “The New Main Event”, L. John Wertheim carefully examines, in a very neutral tone, the growth and prominence MMA has experienced.  Overall, he doesn’t exactly praise MMA but doesn’t look down upon it either (unlike most sport writers who can’t live beyond the big four sporting organizations).

My thoughts on the article are very positive as MMA will live and die based on its leadership and direction.  If the sport continues to ignore mistakes made by boxing, viewers will continue to enjoy this phenomenon for a very long time.

To read the entire article, click here.

The long awaited super fight between Oscar DeLa Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is finally over.  It was a pretty good match up as both fighters gave their best in front of a packed house and pay-per-view audience.  In my opinion, Mayweather Jr. outboxed De La Hoya to earn the split decision victory.  

I’m a longtime fan of Oscar De La Hoya.  His many accomplishments and mannerisms have been a positive influenence to the sport.  Oscar represents a dying breed of marketable boxers in a sport filled with shady promoters, alphabet organizations and less than credible champions. 

Where does boxing go from here?  Most sports fans really don’t care about the sport anymore.  Plus, the rise of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is successfully catering to a younger demographic that was virtually ignored by boxing.  Boxing will always have a solid Latino and Hardcore fan base to keep it sustainable.  But if the sport wants to achieve greatness again, it must recapture the hearts of a mainstream fanbase.  Unfortunately, given the current structure and power base, any positive change will be very slow.

In due time, we’ll eventually find out if boxing can once again capture the imagination of mainstream fans.  It has too much of a history and a loyal following to simply die.  But right now, the sport needs to repair itself badly if it ever wants to achieve greatness and class commonly associated with Oscar De La Hoya.

I have always been a morning person and love running in the early morning.  Today, I enjoyed an incredible run in the forest with the sky bringing down rain.  You might have to wear extra clothing when you run in the morning, especially in the wet, but you also get more of the world to yourself.  It is simply the easiest time to carve out time for myself so I gladly take it.

We have decent weather in BC that has made it easier to get out of bed in the morning and it will get easier as spring returns.  For a lot of people, I am not sure why rain is an obstacle to running.  For cyclists, rain is a true obstacle and hazard.  But why do runners shy from it?

It is just a state of mind.  Within a few minutes of running in the rain, I feel just fine.  This is especially true with the new fabrics made just for such occasions.  It could be the clothes that runners sometimes wear.  For trail runners, there is the mud.  But none of those factors should really impede a runner.  The washer and dryer take care of the clothes and the hose can clean off the shoes.

I’m an active member of a running club.  My group is for all shapes, sizes, abilities, and ages.  It is a gradual improvement program that focuses on self confidence, covering the distance, and has absolutely nothing to do with speed.

The Wirefly National Marathon is a great event for runners or running groups.  Runners from all over the world can help local DC charities by simply participating.  If you’re part of a running club or simply like to jog by yourself, think about supporting your local charity by attending events like the Wirefy National Marathon.  Help yourself by helping others.

This post is sponsored by: http://www.nationalmarathon.com