For the hardcore mixed martial arts fanatic, I’ve come across an addictive new MMA simulator game called MMA Tycoon that is worth a look. I signed up a couple of weeks ago and am still trying to crack the “Top 10 Managers” rankings. A brief overview of what it’s all about:

More than just a “create a fighter and watch him go” type game. Every fighter or company within the game is managed by a real life user. When you sign your fighter to a promotion, you’re signing with a real user. When you buy a t-shirt from one of the clothing stores it was designed by another budding tycoon. The same goes for nutrition products or training at a gym - they’re all companies owned and run by other users within the game. All that makes MMA Tycoon an intense and rewarding gaming experience, as you move your way up the ladder as a business owner or fighter manager.

And of course, the fights are the most important part of the game! When you create your fighter you are able to pick his attributes and set detailed fight tactics to match his style. This is more than just picking from a pre-set selection of tactics and skill sets – you get 100% control, so that your fighter’s success and failure is down to your ability to formulate a Greg Jackson-esque gameplan!

Our highly complex fight engine takes the tactics from both fighters, along with their statistical attributes and calculates the fight using a detailed move-by-move fight system. After the fight you’ll get a full play by play commentary with statistics and the occasional tactical suggestion from our in fight commentary team, to help you adapt your gameplan for next time around.

Major props to FightChat.com for putting together the most comprehensive collection of mixed martial arts hotness I’ve ever seen. They have assembled a gallery of over 100 photos of these ringside beauties for your viewing pleasure. Representatives from the UFC, WEC, ProElite, Strikeforce top the list. Here are a few photos for preview, full gallery here.

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You may have already known that UFC referee Herb Dean is also a mixed martial arts fighter. And that Dana White and the Fertitta brothers purchased the UFC for the bargain price of $2 million in 2001. But did you know that at age 11 Chuck Liddell played a boy scout in a movie with Jack Nicholas (The Postman Always Rings Twice)? Here is a collection of interesting (albeit trivial) tidbits contributed by the MMA community. So next time you are at a bar watching the UFC, spout off a few of these facts to the drunk know-it-all who’s trying to convince you that Rickson Gracie is the greatest MMA fitghter to ever walk on this planet:

- The average number of rounds in UFC is 1.81
- As an amateur, former UFC champion Tim Sylvia lost to Jorge Rivera
- MMA fighter Aaron Brink is a former porn star
- Of Karo Parisyan’s last 11 fights, 8 have gone to unanimous decisions
- Mark Kerr beat Randy Couture for the 1992 190lbs collegiate title.
- Kimbo Slice (Kevin Ferguson) has six kids, two named Kevin and one named Kavina (daughter)
- Carlos Newton has a PhD in geriatric medicine
- Despite his BJJ credentials, Matt Serra has not submitted an opponent since 2002. (not counting TUF)
- MMA’s first Olympic athlete was Mark shultz (UFC 9)

Please feel free to add to this list (or challenge any of these facts if you think they are incorrect).

This was posed to the president of the UFC, Dana White, in an interview that appeared on ESPN.com. His response is somewhat cryptic but very intriguing:

The fight is going to be in Atlanta, Georgia—that’s something we haven’t said publicly yet. There’s something no one else has heard. You have no idea some of the stuff that we have planned. I’m going to make an announcement next week that is going to blow people’s minds. That deal is done, but my employees don’t even know yet. I’m renting out a place next Thursday and I’m going to tell them. Then we’ll make the announcement later that day. It’s an indicator of where this business is going over the next five years.

It’s a solid interview by ESPN and I give them props for pushing Dana on a few of the issues facing mixed martial arts. Amongst some of the more interesting points, the interview indicates:

• Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra will likely happen
• BJ Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre might happen
• Georges St. Pierre vs. Anderson Silva not likely to happen
• Urijah Faber is too small to move up to 155lbs
• The UFC has a roster of 180 fighters
• More than 75% of those fighters make more than $50k

Check out the full interview here

UFC president Dana White appeared on ESPN to once again defend criticism against mixed martial arts. This time the issue was directed specifically a MMA being shown on broadcast television (EliteXC on CBS). Dana does a good job as usual of countering his debater, but it is interesting to note how defensive he gets at the mention of the conversation turning into a UFC vs. EliteXC issue. Is he finally starting to get a little worried about his UFC monopoly?