Hardcores

  • Time and Atmosphere: Low Kicks

    Time and Atmosphere: Low Kicks

    Legs. When you’re standing in front of somebody having a conversation or in line at your local supermarket, you see a pair of legs. Sometimes this person annoys you, and you’d like to take one of your own legs, and use it to smash one of theirs. Here is what a set of legs look…

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  • A Fighter, Evolved: Joe Lewis

      As a Martial Artist or Fighter, how do you test the effectiveness of the techniques you learn in training? Damage.  At least, that’s according to one of the greatest Martial Artists to ever live, Joe Lewis. One night in January of 1970, Joe Lewis’s telephone rang. Hollywood stuntman and student of Lewis, Lee Faulkner was…

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  • Bas Rutten | A Modern Samurai

    Disclaimer: Since Bas spent the vast majority of his career fighting in Japan under the banner of Pancrase, he is ineligible to be covered under “The Uncrowned King” series. However, Bas fought and beat many top fighters throughout his career, including a few future UFC champions. El Guapo. If there is one name that all…

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  • The Rise of Brazilian Muay Thai Part II | A Hero’s Journey

    The Torchbearer In 1979, a Brazilian martial artist traveled along the coastline of Brazil and beyond, on a quest to spread the art of Muay Thai. That man was Taekwondo black belt and Muay Thai ambassador Flavio Molina. Starting in his hometown of Rio De Janeiro, Flavio spread Muay Thai across cities such as Sao…

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  • The Rise Of Brazilian Muay Thai | Introduction To Marco Ruas

    Disclaimer One: For the purpose of honoring the time period for which this article covers, we will refer to Mixed Martial Arts in the United States as No-Holds-Barred, or simply NHB. We will also refer to Martial Arts Competitions in Brazil from the 1960s to 1990s as Vale Tudo. Disclaimer Two: This article may seem…

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  • The Uncrowned King: A Mathematical-Based Approach

    A single fighter who holds the best resume in the MMA history has long been a topic of debate among fans and forums alike. Some believe this is simply a fable – a myth that litters the internet with incessant deliberation and cruel memes. When you consider the evolution of the sport, the number of…

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  • The Uncrowned King | Dan Henderson | 2009 to 2014

    In the first part I published on Hendo, I covered all of his ranked wins while fighting in PRIDE. That included adding both welterweight and middleweight championship belts to Dan’s resume. In the second part, we will talk about Hendo’s success in the UFC and Strikeforce. Event: UFC 93 Opponent: Rich Franklin Result: Win //…

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  • The Uncrowned King | Dan Henderson | 2001 to 2007

    Hendo is one of the most revered fighters in the history of MMA. The reason he is listed first here is not only because of the sheer depth of competition from the very beginning of his career – but also the number of weight classes he competed in. Known early on as “Decision Dan”, Hendo…

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  • The Uncrowned Emperor | Fedor Emelianenko | Later Years: 2005 to 2009

    The first article I wrote on Fedor reviewed his wins over the likes of Heath Herring, Big Nog twice, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, and Semmy Schilt. Of all his seven ranked wins during that time period, he finished four of those guys. In his early years of capturing a championship and defending it, he had…

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  • The Uncrowned Emperor | Fedor Emelianenko | Early Reign: 2002 to 2004

    The stoic finisher. The Heavyweight King. The stone cold killer. The Last Emperor. Known for his striped sweater and aloof demeanor, Fedor Emelianenko has mystified MMA fans and analysts all over the globe for the better part of 25 years. Like a lot of guys I will cover in this series – Fedor started fighting…

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