FIGHT Magazine - Mixed Martial Arts Life

For UFC heavyweight Roy Nelson, that’s the only way. I haven’t jumped rope in three years,” says a surprisingly agile, yet clearly struggling Roy Nelson as he fumbles with a jump rope that is a solid 12 inches shorter than it should be,…

EDSON BARBOZA, JR. RECORD: 8-0 KEY VICTORIES: Anthony Njokuani, Mike Lullo, Marcelo Guidici WEIGHT CLASS: 155 lbs. AGE: 25 COUNTRY: Brazil NICKNAME: Junior An MMA fight doesn’t often end as a direct result of leg kicks to the body.…

They may not be big enough to ride the rollercoaster at Disneyland, but the bantamweights in the UFC don’t come up short in the Octagon. The banty boys are 135 pounds of miniature mayhem in the cage, living up to their spirited and…

When the belt is on the line, the best fighters refuse to lose. At the end of the day, nothing says “Champion” like a gutsy comeback from the brink of disaster. In dire moments, battered and reeling, it’s an inimitable stamp of greatness…

Deadlift your way to knockout strength Your full-body explosive strength is fueled by a group of muscles that run down the back of your body from your neck to your ankles, collectively known as the posterior chain. When your hamstrings,…

What do you really know about gassing out? Anyone who has watched combat sports for any length of time has undoubtedly witnessed a fighter gas out in the middle of a fight. Sometimes, the fighter is saved by the bell or able to defend…

Freekeh is the newest-oldest superfood. For the past year or two, quinoa has been considered the king of the grains (although it’s actually a seed) as a higher protein alternative to brown rice, couscous, and sweet potatoes. However, it…

The scientific realities of reach. In addition to weight and height, reach is one of the most basic anthropometric characteristics of fighters, deserving placement on any Tale of the Tape. It’s also one of the few aspects a fighter can’t…

Not all water is created equal Even though vitamin and mineral-based sports drinks are important during longer bouts of training and competition for fuel and electrolytes, hydrating on a regular basis with pure, clean water is an integral…

Small strategies can lead to big results. Almost every fighter would like to have less body fat, more muscle, fewer injuries, and extra time to train. However, the roadblock that most athletes run into is how they are managing the…