Foreword

There is a general feeling around Tycoon at the moment that something big is coming and

I, like the majority have no idea what that is. When it happens the expectancy will

continue to grow as the game continues to improve and the levels you need to go do

something unique is becoming more difficult yet people are excelling themselves to

continue to break it, day in and day out. Soon, as a community, we may have to brace

ourselves for the summer holiday rush as a worldwide group of teenagers get time off

school and invade the internet but we will survive and grow stronger as we rally together.

In the real world, MMA we have had a series of shows in the last few months that have

excited, shocked and disappointed us in equal manner from the shocking brutality of

Shogun to the stupidity that has mired the sport into some of it darkest moments. Most

importantly, a move towards youth and evolution is happening as we see yet another

generation of fighter, away from the ultimate fighter, emerge and start to show some true

promise. Hopefully that continued at Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery, which will have

happened by the time you read this.

As for the magazine, it may garner some controversy or some enlightenment with topics

that hopefully cover all aspects of the game and prove interesting to those of all skill

levels. As always, I appeal to anyone with an idea or a view to submit an article for the

future and I always enjoy interacting with all the people in the game.

Once last note, I must express my pleasure for some of the more experienced

managerscoming forward and giving their opinion, correcting and correlating data that

gives everyone a better understanding to the game which can only make the game

stronger in the long term.

Cardiff

Contents

Sliders - What Are They Good For? - Kicks

Gods Of Tycoon

Vicious Fighting Championship Project Tournament - Quarter Finals

Tycoon As A Business Sim

Physical Revelations

Ultimate Underdog

Inside The Alliance - Gladiator Cartel

6 Questions With Ryan Ford

Vicious Fighting Championship: Europe: Event Reviews

Advertise In

Musings From

Another Corner

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Sliders - What Are They Good For?

Kicks - How To Get The Best Out Of The Other Side Of Striking

Let's be honest, everyone loves a head kick knock out.

Whether that be Mirko Cro Cop taking Wanderlai's head home with him at the 2006 Pride

open weight tournament or when the tide was turned as Gonzaga shocked the world, it is

by far one of the biggest spectacles in MMA. Not forgetting the elaborate nature of the

short armed Cung Le who has shown himself to be capable of kicking his way to the top of

the Strikeforce 185 pound division, that is when he is concentrating on being a mixed

martial artist rather than an actor. They feature on every great knock out collection and it is

not an uncommon experience in the Tycoon universe for people to go up against new

players who look to almost exclusively throw the fabled head kick with varying and often

short lived success.

However in the main, kicks are seen as a secondary offensive weapon to the punch. There is

a good reason for this of course, as it is much easier to make a pure boxer with outstanding

punches and boxing primary skill than it is to make an all around combat striker that has a

even combination of punches and kicks to a wonderful level and still have the takedown

defence necessary to keep the game in a strikers preferred remit. People see flash

knockouts as boxers user deadly combinations or clinch fighters who use razor sharp elbows

to cut an opponent to shreds' so why use the kick and what are the advantages of doing

different kicks types?

The significance Of Different Kicks

It may seem an obvious choice to go for the instant knock out that you get through the head

kick but is it really the best option for your fighter and more importantly, the game plan that

you need to follow for long term success? To understand it fully, the usefulness of each kick

needs to be examined before slider discussion can happen.

Leg Kick

The slap of a leg kick has become a recognisable sounds in MMA and is used by most

fighters even if they have limited kickboxing skills. Its main use is bruising therefore

cramping the muscles of the leg, especially around the knee joint that severely takes away

from the agility and the speed of an opponent which hugely effects their ability to avoid

strikes and be explosive going forward, whether that be landing punches or going for a

takedown. It is also by far the most accurate and easy to land of all kicks with the check

being poorly implemented all the way up to the top level, look at Rampage against Forrest

to see that, it is a very dangerous weapon in any mixed martial artists arsenal.

This is very much replicated in the Tycoon world, a wrestler can be stopped in his tracks by a

dozen or so leg kicks that simply leave him exposed to the combo's later on. It has been

confirmed that wrestling does suffer when leg kicks are successfully landed as the speed,

which is so critical to landing a takedown is greatly decreased. Any chance to take away

from your fighters physical attributes is always going to be a key to winning a fight.

Body Kick

The roundhouse to the gut or the volley to the liver, body kicks are by far the hardest of the

kicks in MMA as the fighter can pull the full force of his body through the strike. An impact

from such a strike often force and opponent back, exposing the head for the finish or simply

causing so much pain that the opponent submits to the technical knockout as the aggressor

piles in on the opportunity. However the most common result of a body kick is winding an

opponent, causing them to suck in air, leaving them artificially tired as they lose some of the

all important oxygen supply that they are required to be successful.

It is this final aspect that is so important in MMA Tycoon as the body kick is the ultimate

weapon in reducing your opponents energy leaving them lethargic and unable to land the

killer blow. In some fights one or two body kicks have left the commentary commenting on

how the fighter looks exhausted and this quite often is followed up by a swift knockout shot

from the opponent. Without energy a fighter is very much a sitting target.

High Kicks

There is not enough hyperbole that could demonstrate the physiological effect the head kick

has had on MMA and its fans as it produces a moment, or several moments as the case

maybe that stick in the mind forever. Its potential presence can change a fighters came plan

completely and those who become renown for it are often seen as fan favourites who can

go on to conquer anything, admittedly ending up in bitter disappointment at times.

In Tycoon terms, the head kick is currently the only kick that can directly end a fight and this

makes it a significant weapon from the very beginning and is by far and away the most

lethal one shot strike in the game. Just a glancing blow can cut an opponent, knock him

down or simply rock them to the core and it may simply be the most devastating one hit

weapon available to a fighter.

Disadvantages Of Kicks

Right about now kicks look like a great devastating alternative to the boxer who have

become two a penny so why are they not used as often? Simply put, kicks have a number of

downsides as well as upsides and should be considered before a manager creates a strategy.

One of the clearest problems with kicks is the extra exposure a miss leads to as it is far

easier to counter against a kick than a punch. This can be seen as a significant problem as a

punch is going to land on the relatively exposed chin of your fighter or a takedown attempt

may just be that little bit luckier. Low and middle kicks also don't have the ability to finish a

fight on their own meaning that the beneficial effects can be destroyed by one haymaker

coming over the top that finishes the fight. Coupled with kicks being slightly slower than

punches means that it is very possible that a kicker is going to be countered so picking the

appropriate aggression is critical.

Another sizeable disadvantage at this point is that no combinations are thrown with kicks,

only punch combos that can finish with a leg kick which is not counted against the kick

attribute but the punch on as this is considered flavour text. Essentially this means that

fighters are limiting their chances to one of power shots over barrages of punches coming

from all directions.

Balancing a fighter to use kicks has also been a question many Tycooner's have faced and

been perplexed by as it is not as easy to build a fighter doing Muay Thai and kicks alongside

Boxing and punching without suffering from being taken down and controlled on the floor.

One obvious factor for that is time, as you have time to develop a fighter there will time to

develop that aspect of the fighters all round game but it should be noted that many people

do not find it a high priority. Of course other option is to join one of the K1 orgs that are

growing around the Tycoon universe that is a very welcome addition as it is adding

significant diversity to the game.

How To Incorporate Kicks Into A Game Plan

With the pros and cons laid out, it is clear that the incorporation of kicks and be greatly

beneficial to a fighter and be a changeup that may give your fighter that small advantage

you need to get the big W but at the same time it is one of a group of weapons and should

not be relied on, like any other weapon on its own.

The first and most important slider to consider in this would be punch vs kick slider as this

will determine the amount you concentrate on each component of striking. At this point,

many people will have this set somewhere between 80 -100% towards punch, relying very

little on kicks and this is by far the most sensible tactic if you have a fighter who is almost

exclusively a boxer. Throwing feeble kicks at an opponent when you have a deadly right

hand is an unwise decision. However, a guy with great kicks as well as punches will have far

more to think about.

In the theoretical position that we are looking at a stand up fighter (with reasonable

wrestling defence) that the kicks and punches are equal how do you then determine the

best positioning of that slider. The minimum split would be the 60% towards punching and

40% towards kicking as the truth is that punches are the bread and butter of the all but the

very rarest athlete in MMA and remembering this is a simulation, this is going to be taken

into account in the game play. To look at specific slider placement for a fight is more difficult

as a general guide to placement is never going to cover all bases and occurrences and there

are situations that may require to break the 60% rule but these will be considered later.

It is then a case of considering the type of kick that could be most beneficial to the cause

your opponent the most difficulty and this will change from fight to fight. There are two

sliders that need to be played with at this point, the first one is to determine whether you

go for high or low kicks and the second to divide your low kicks to the body and kicks to the

leg.

Much consideration has got to be given for the first high/low slider as it defines whether

you are using kicks as a one off offensive blow or as a tactical weapon to weaken your

opponent. This decision will have long reaching effects on the punch/kick slider as those

who are looking for the head kick knock out will only want to set PK slider at maybe 20%

kick while the more tactical use will be erring more towards 35% kicks. There will be those

who want to use tactical and knockout kicks where the HL slider will be positioned

somewhere between 60-70% towards low to incorporate the extra options of the division of

the low slider and set kicking at the very lowest 40% to kick on the PL slider.

Tactical damage is then controlled by the choice between body and leg kicks, and is another

conundrum as both offer advantages and so which ones are taken can purely depend on the

fighters involved. One of the big things to consider in accuracy as the body kick is harder to

land than its leg kick counterpart and will take more energy to throw however its effect can

be far more devastating as one shot can wind an opponent and leave them very vulnerable

to being swept away. However the leg kicks consistency and subduing factor should not be

ignored as it can often result in an opponent fighter being incapable to land anything

offensive themselves and gifting your fighter the victory.

These tactics can be as complicated or as simple as the manager wants to make it but here

is a fun through of some situations where the kick sliders may be best placed. So to put

them into some context, these are potential set ups that could be used as both offensive

and defensive weapons in a Tycoon match up.

Knock out Kicking

The circumstances look good for your fighter who you feel as a clear advantage in the stand

up and the wrestling to keep the fight of the floor. However you are worried your opponent

may have the chin and conditioning to land the takedown eventually and you want to try

and win the fight early. Take the high kick/ low kick slider to 60% towards low kick and have

the middle kick option set as high as 85%. This should allow you to land some shots to the

middle of the fighter, severely damaging his cardio while your opening up the chance for a

high kick knockout blow as you go through the 1st round. High octane attack that is certainly

high risk but high reward.

Stopping a Wrestler

Standing on the opposite side of the cage from you is a man with only one real intention and

that is to take you down and ground and pound you into submission. You see little option

but to try and slow him down and the answer to your prayers could possible the leg kick.

Setting your slider to 30% kicks and almost exclusively both low and leg kicks to try and

minimise the wrestlers chances of grabbing a leg and converting it into a takedown you go

about methodically looking for the leg while keeping his attention by jabbing at his face.

Every leg kick takes away from your opponents explosiveness and that makes your chances

of winning rise experientially.

Killing the Cardio Beast

We've all faced them, the guys who can go on forever and ever. Especially relevant to those

who are in and around your orgs title picture as you know your fighter is about to go 5

rounds with a guy who could go ten and you need a way of curtailing his enthusiasm. The

potential answer? Hit him with the middle kick, over and over until all that extra cardio is

simply blown away as the fighter is repeatedly winded by shot after shot. Couple this with

punch combinations that also have this effect and it can be a real equaliser in a fight.

Future For Kicks

At this point, kicks are very much the secondary attack for stand up fighters however in the

future this could be a very different story indeed if round by round tactics are brought into

the game. Kicks could be used to flounder an opponent in the opening rounds, creating the

opportunity to swarm on the opponent in later rounds. It could also see people to throw

more caution to the wind, using high kicks as a last chance saloon weapon to knock out an

opponent if there is a chance that the fighter could be subdued via the clinch or on the

ground.

Kicks have a big future in the future for MMA Tycoon.

Gods Of Tycoon

There is much talk of slider and gyms and how to make the greatest fighter available

sometimes the world forgets that luck has a great deal to do with this game. The essentials

to a great fighter are the right punch that just catches the opponent right or training

opening up just at the right time so your fighter gets in some amazing sessions with an elite

trainer so to illustrate this I present the Gods to pray to in Tycoon Land.

Sustantivo - The God of Hiddens

Relevant Passage

"And the Tycooner looked to the heavens and cursed Sustantivo for his mirth as his most

beloved boxer fell to the softest touches of the Harpy and his youthful protégée was not

learning his stylistic skills with endeavour"

The most mysterious of the Tycoon Gods Sustantivo effects us all as he determines whether

your fighter is going to be a winner or loser as everyone needs there hidden statistics to be

at a level that it doesn't become detrimental to their ability to be a fighter. There is just no

way to get away from your hidden abilities not are there any way to make them better.

Every single one of us must give at his alter for a champion to be born.

Palestrae - The God of Training

Relevant Passage

"Revered for her patience, Palestrae opened a gym in the rock and forged golems to make to

provide the magical 160 triple elute coaches that took the fighter to a level never

contemplated before. And this was how a demi-god was formed"

Even the best will of man cannot put this god in his place as private gyms may answer some

of the problem, it will never be the catalyst to get the training a man with elite learning

speed and lucky gym draw will have. Never will we see a time when this is not a god that we

will be able to ignore.

Obsequium - The God Of Submissions

Relevant Passage

"Many limbed with no joints to maximise her flexibility, she sits on top of a great circle of

stones over the top of clouds, asking for all to challenge her to become like her if they taste

the disappear of defeat.

This is clearly on for the grapplers out there whether it be the torque on a arm bar or the

crush of the rear naked choke, the Obsequium holds the keys to whether you take the

victory or end up eating glove. Contrary to belief, she is not the seducer of men many

believe she is but her daughters Heel Hook, Kimura and Omaplata are.

Dyanmi - The God of Power and Knock Outs

Relevant Passage

"Dyanmi never lets go of his trusty hammer and often whiles away his time reducing

mountains into dust, striking them with a rage that leaves nature herself quivering in her

boots. Aggression and power he has most however the subtleties of the ageless will always

pass him by."

Let's be honest, most Tycoon managers fear two things most of all and that is feather hands

and a chin that would dissipate under a Roy Nelson ground and pound attempt and Dyanmi

is the god who will save you from that anguish.

Whether or not this fickle god will be on your side every time is quite another question as he

may change allegiances half way through the evolution of your fighter and suddenly support

everyone who stand opposed to him which is how the will of a god goes sometimes.

Judic - The God of Decisions

Relevant Passage

"As gods collide, no victory won nor defeat conceded has ever happened so to balance the

power the two sides of the war agreed to combine in an act of love to produce a overseer to

decide on division. Her name is Judic and she is the ultimate judiciary that all men and

children must pass through to get to the after world"

Some fighters are decision machines. Some managers seem to only win the hard way and

this is the god for them, the god who mediates the others . SO satisfying when she smiles on

you and so devastating when she turns her back on you, she may be seen as a friend to

everyone, Judic is just as fickle as the other gods but just has a better way of hiding it as she

can place the blame on her priests the judges.

So No Pictures?

There are no pictures of the gods of Tycoon because that is up to you to produce and the

best will be utilised in these pages and most likely in other places as well. Competition to

anyone who can draw and come up with a great idea of what they may look like. Prize

money will be found for the winners and hopefully a great chance to expand Tycooner's

combined imagination.

VFC Project Tournament Knock Out Stages

At the beginning of the year the Vicious Fighting Championships which is now a perennial

top 30 organisation in MMA Tycoon opened up the VFC Project Tournament for 16 of the

managers who were looking to make an name for themselves in an upcoming org. The

results have been interesting with some favourites reiterating their position while others

have gone on to provide the shocks such a tournament entails.

Eight names have progressed through to the knockout stages and the excitement is palpable

as the winner will receive $30,000 award with second receiving $10,000 as well as being

crowned the inaugural Project Champion.

Tournament Rules And Round Up

The tournament begun with 16 fighters being given enough to train in elite gyms for 12

weeks in preparation for the tournament and it was then left to the individual managers to

decide what was the best course of action as well as them being up to the mercy of the

hiddens god. The weeks went by and it became clear that the difference between quick and

slow learners is so alarming that a fighter can almost be double the strength of another

fighter in that time frame and as revealed to all involved the importance of picking and

choosing the fighters to keep and those to lose.

Broken down into four groups of four, each fighter knew that they would have a fight every

21 days from the start of the tournament and this would mean that winning and winning

quickly would be essential to progressing further into the tournament. Additionally, to

encourage fighters to look for the finish the points for the group stages broke down as; 3

points to a winner inside the 15 minutes, 2 points for the decision, 1 each for the draw and

loser with the big fat 0.

Each group had a unique feel with managers closely studying the others development but in

the end two fighters really stand out however we will take a look at it on a group by group

basis.

Vic Rains

Group A

(Winner) Vic Rains 8pts

(Qualifier) Dell Trotter 2pts

Jason Selezniak 2pts

Mr Scarlett 2ptsr

A group all about one man Vic "Thunder and Lightening" Rains who powered through his

first two fights in the first round which secured his place before the final fight and this had a

huge factor on how the group looked in general as outside the power of the brawling Rains

the group was very closely contested.

Each of the three men took a win apiece from their opponents, all by decision and left the

judicator with a tough decision to who should be put through but in the end it was given to

Dell Trotter who survived the full 15 minutes against Rains. However this caused some

controversy as other managers postulated that the already qualified Rains may have had his

eyes on the quarters already and that may have affected the result.

Group B

(Winner) Jimmy Boy 6pts

(Qualifier) Steven Mann 5pts

Niilo Niputtaja 2pts

League Hett 0pts

Consistency was key in a group that was very evenly matched and it all came down to a

winner takes all contest.

Going into the group talk was focused very strongly on Steven "Voodoo" Mann who seemed

to have a strong brawl and sprawl base however was shocked by "The Project" Jimmy Boy

who took the decision victory while Nillo Niputtaia battled past League Hett. The second

round of matches saw Boy come through again via decision while Mann finally got his

boxing going by knocking out Hett in just 65 seconds.

With Boy through and compiling mystery onto Hett by taking a third decision victory, the

final place was going to be taken by the winner of Mann vs Niputtaia. It was the closest of

close match ups andthe card could have gone either way but it was just that little bit more

energy in the dying minutes that swung the result in Mann's favour to clicnh his palce in the

quarters.

Mike Barnes

Group C

(Winner) Mike Barnes 8pts

(Qualifier) Don Opas 5pts

Michael Tycin 2pts

Dalton Little 0pts

A group that had by far the least fanfare has produced one of the favourites for the

tournament as "Iron" Mike Barnes went from an uninspiring decision win in his first fight to

two dominating knockouts with one of those fights lasting just 5 seconds. There is no doubt

that Barnes who came in with little hype surrounding him has surprised many who felt that

there were better placed contenders but that mistake will not be made in the quarters.

The rest of the group squared up quite simply compared to the others as Don Opas went

through after losing his first match by gaining the decision over Michael Tycin and then

quickly defeating the rather lacklustre Dalton Little and will also be hoping to cause an upset

in the later stages.

Group D

(Winner) Kareem al Rashid 9pts

(Qualifier) Sledge Hammer 3pts

Anfri Bythell 2pts

Kingdom Brunell 2pts

One man who did not have problem with hype coming into the tournament was Kareem al

Rashid who blitzed through group D with a shockingly violent performance that had fans on

their feet as well as taking a well deserved favourites tag into the knock out rounds. al

Rashid never has to look out of the first round and will be setting his sights on the final.

Every tournament has a rocky story and this was no different as late entrant Sledge Hammer

shocked many by gaining a submission over the purple belt Anfri Bythell and taking 3 points

that took him into the next round. Hammer had come into the tournament after an injury

dropped another competitor and had a rough start against al Rashid and suffered from the

wrestling of big character Kingdom Brunell however his shock win over the underperforming

Bythell sees him through to the next round.

Kareem al Rashid

Quarter Final Match Ups.

After such excitement, the fighters have now gone back to their camps and began preparing

for the next level of competition knowing exactly how their path to the finals will pan out.

The draw for the quarter and the subsequent semi finals looks like this;

Quarter Finals

Vic Rains v. Don Opas

Jimmy Boy v. Sledge Hammer

Mike Barnes v. Dell Trotter

Kareem al Rashid v. Steven Mann

Semi Finals

Vic Rains or Don Opas v. Kareem al Rashid or Steven Mann

Jimmy Boy or Sledge Hammer v. Mike Barnes or Dell Trotter

Analysis

Side A certainly looks the more exciting of the two sides as there have been a lot of crossed

words between Vic Rains and Kareem al Rashid who are ranked numbers 1 and 2 from the

very start of the tournament and many see a potential semi final clash between them as a

final in itself. Neither man likes each other and holding similar sprawl and brawl tendencies

it could prove to be a terrific stand up spectacle with both men challenging the others

boxing skill and chin however they have to reach that stage first.

Many believe that Steven Mann will be a big step up in competition for al Rashid as Mann

possesses the potential to trade on the feet and may have the ground and pound facilities

to get at al Rashid's soft under belly that could potentially be the ground. It looks more

straight forward for Rains as Rains seems to have made a significant step forward in his

boxing abilities in this off period but the same can be said for Opas who will looking to

capitalise on Rains looking to far a head into the future and make him pay for that. It would

not be outside the realms of possibility to see all these match ups end on way or another in

first round knock outs.

On the other side of the draw there is one clear favourite and that is big hitter Mike Barnes

who has been very impressive in his improvements since the end of the group stages but

one thing that is clear is to never right anyone off when it is a battle between two men so

Dell Trotter will surely be looking to connect to test just how good Barnes's chin is. No doubt

it would be a surprise if he won but this tournament has been so exciting it would not be

unexpected.

On the other side of this is decision king Jimmy Boy taking on Sledge Hammer and the

question on everyone's lips is if he can keep on this fairytale story that he is currently on but

Boy may just be the perfect opponent to keep it from happening as his grinding style has

been almost unstoppable but with Hammer you just never know if he is going to do it. The

likely semi of Barnes vs Boy is an interesting fight as well but the popular opinion appears to

be that Barnes will eventually land something big and go on to the final.

Thoughts on the Tournament

The tournament certainly seems to have been a success with a good deal of the managers

going on to top the top 500 at one time or another and some looking to progress to the very

top of the game and the stir it has caused and seen the Vicious Fighting Championship

explode onto the world stage delighting the owner Scott Campbell who attributes a lot of

his success to the tournament.

These tournaments as a whole add a lot to the game and bring together people that can go

on to make a big splash in MMA Tycoon as a whole and that can only be a good thing.

Tycoon As A Business Sim

Two months ago, the first web site I would check when I turned on my computer, the first

thing I would check is Facebook. That was followed up by my e mail and then I would start

surfing through the web sites I liked to visit on a daily bases. But, from the time I got my first

computer and got “On-Line” back in 1998, up until two months ago, I can safely say I never

once looked at an MMA related web site.

My boyfriend plays MMATYCOON and at first, the only reason I paid attention was because

he was using the computer when I wanted to use the computer. I didn’t know was MMA

was and since I don’t play video games, I wasn’t interested in an on-line simulation. As he

got more involved, and took up more computer time, I asked him to show me what he was

doing. He went through his fighters and explained what the primary and secondary skills

were. He showed me his training schedule and what he was trying to accomplish with his

fighters. I saw the fight contracts he had in place and the events his fighters took part in. He

explained his fighter’s possessions and what supplements do. But then he showed me

something that would change how I would view his mild addiction, he showed me the

company he owned. I went from mildly curious to extremely interested faster than Abysmal

Conditioning to Woeful with a 159 Stamina Supplement. He explained how in this game, the

companies within it are 100% user run.

That was all it took. The idea that I could own a company, develop a product, market it and

achieve a level of success was exactly what I wanted. At first I was a little nervous. I wasn’t

sure what type of response I would get being one of the few women in a male dominated

game. I wasn’t sure how successful I would be playing an on-line game, when I have played

a video game since Tetris was popular. I wasn’t sure how successful a manger I would be

trying to win fights when up until two months ago I didn’t know the difference between an

arm bar and a crow. But what I wasn’t nervous about was starting a company and making it

respected and successful.

The MMATYCOON community has welcomed me into their world and for that I am

grateful. The e mails I received, whether it’s about my business or my fighters, have been

polite and respectful. When I explain to co-workers this new found hobby, they quizzical

look makes me laugh inside because I understand where it’s coming form. I am sure that I

had that same look when my boyfriend was explaining the game to me the first time. But

now, the first web site I check when I am on-line is mmatycoon.com.

Thank you everyone for the support and an extra special thanks to Tommy and Ryan, my

partners in the Hell’s Kitchen Alliance who have made this game more fun than I could have

imagined.

Kat Dayco runs Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp found on the New York high street and has had a

successful period selling 500 units for 5 of the 8 weeks since the company open. The

nutrition company can be found via this link

http://www.mmatycoon.com/nutritionpublic.php?ncid=1453

Evaluating Physicals - Part 1

You've had that one special fighter that comes along once in a blue moon. Learns like

Hawking, chin like the Juggernaut and the knock out power that would put Tyson to shame

and as the manager, you've carefully natured his talents, building up his physicals and his

secondary's until you feel he is finally ready. Anticipation grows as his first fight as a

developed guy and you look at your opponent and see it as a stepping stone to the next

level and suddenly, defeat.

Examining through the debris of the aftermath, you wonder why things haven't worked out

and the thing that keeps flashing up is the physicals being so far behind everything else. This

must be it, this must be the key but how do physicals work exactly? It's common knowledge

that you need cardio and strength but what about the others? And how do they effect the

fights?

If you've had these thoughts, you are not alone. Physicals are by far the most mythical

aspect of all the fighters attributes and over this two part study (with the next part available

next month), physicals are pulled apart, studied and hopefully opened up to the masses so

everyone can see the importance of them to every single competitor in the Tycooniverse.

All the thoughts here are theoretical but based on quantitative and where possible

qualitative research with assumptions made on these findings and discussions with other

Tycoon members. Numbers are only theoretical but certainly seem to be in a close

proximately with the findings and will be insightful to many a Tycoon Manager however I

should point out that they have not been confirmed nor denied (not seen to be fair) by Mike

Tycoon and is not guaranteed to be 100% correct however this can be said for quite a few

"known" pieces of information about the game.

There is also no way of covering every eventuality and often different interpretations of

hiddens and other in game factors will also influence how much accurate information you

see. Everyone will only ever learn more by pushing the limits and seeing where we end up so

corrections and opinions are essential whenever something like this is written as only one

person truly knows how true anything is said and hopefully it will add to the collective.

Division Of Attributes

Dividing the study is a conscious decision, and not just one so people read the next issue

after this one, as the six physical attributes need to be split into two groups of three. The

first group is the constants and these will be investigated in this part which consists of

cardio, strength and speed. The second group should be considered the action or "what if"

physicals that obviously involve agility, balance and flexibility.

Difference Between Constant and Action Physicals.

As obvious as this may seem to some of the more experienced players, the division between

the two types of physicals may not be clear.

A constant physical effects every single thing you do in a fight and will be part of the

underlying code in every single calculation that is made and without them, you are unlikely

to be successful once you have evolved to a good level of competition.

The action physicals only come into effect in certain situations, when an offensive or

defensive action needs resolving. but it only comes into play once the initial action has

happened.

For those who had not consider this, it makes a very big difference in how a manager needs

to view his physicals but at the same time realise that the complexity of the matter has only

just been touched upon as everyone is now faced with a chicken and egg scenario where the

action physicals become useless without the constants allowing them to be used but at the

same time great constant physicals will only get you so far as you may be able to do get to

the place where you can land the strike or shot first but if you haven't got the action

physicals to pull the move off, you will eventually tire and allow the opponent into the fight.

Suddenly the physical element of a fighters game is becoming not only more relevant but

also starting to look like an essential part of creating a truly great fighter.

The Constant Physicals

Conditioning

Known to all as cardio, conditioning is the most important thing any athlete needs as it

governs how much energy to use and more importantly how quickly that energy disappears.

Everyone has seen a fighter who is out on their feet, first the movement goes and they get

hit more. Worse comes later as their hands drop leaving the fighters chin exposed and

worse, because they need extra air to help them get through the fight, their mouth is

hanging wide open leaving them even more open to being knocked out.

A fighter in this condition will not get to the punch first and will ultimately limp out to a poor

reaction and leave everyone questioning the fighters seriousness in their choice of career.

True for real life and this is translated into every fighter and every fight that happens in

MMA Tycoon but the key is understanding how. It should be made clear now that the

programming that generates Tycoon matches are not only secret but have thousands of

different combinations so predicting how all of this works is an inexact science but even the

smallest incite could potentially turn a manager and a fighters career around.

Firstly, covering conditioning in a non fight situation. Conditioning is the only attribute that

directly affects your fighter outside the cage or ring as it governs the effectiveness of your

fighters training session. Your energy level is a negative multiplier on your training so

anything under 100% is going to make your session worse (for instance training at 95% is

like multiplying by 0.95 and explains why training under 90% is not recommended) however

the higher your conditioning the less energy you lose and the better your average session

will be.

This is why in all the guides it is recommended to raise cardio so early as this loss of energy

doesn't just ruin fights but a fighters future as well. A fighter can expect to lose 0.2% energy

less per session for every full level of cardio that the fighter holds so a fighter with

remarkable conditioning will use approximately 1.5% per training session with a coach when

another fighter with competent conditioning will lose a full 1% more. Conditioning is also

the biggest factor in energy recovery when a fighter takes a rest session, so not only will a

fighter lose less energy when training but will also be at a far superior level when he does

have to take a rest session. This could mean the difference between going from useless to

remarkable in 40 sessions rather than 50+ and needs to be incorporated into the way we

think about fast learners!

You may be asking why is it important to understand what is going up, surely all I need to

know is that I need a lot of cardio however understanding why it is like that can sometimes

open up other realms of possibility further down the line especially when it comes to fight

time.

Conditioning is going to mean everything when you enter a fight as it dictates how much of

every other attribute you use. This means that once you are down into the end of the fight

you may be using 5% of your strength into strikes with 10% of the technique afforded to you

if you are truly exhausted. For every strike you throw you will lose some energy but the

conditioning level will determine how much and the less you lose, the better the next

attempt will be.

This means that the more conditioning you old you may be getting an advantage over your

opponent in each and every exchange if their cardio is dropping at a more substantial rate

than your own. This could have the effect that in the case of the remarkable cardio man

verses the competent cardio man, competent man may start off with remarkable boxing but

by the middle of the match up it is only at the level of a competent one while if remarkable

man start with strong could still be a proficient and now be the better striker.

With this in mind, conditioning becomes even more important than previously believed as it

not only governs the amount of times a fighter gets involved but also the quality of what is

achieved. This would suggest a rethink on cardio, getting it to at least exceptional (120

points) as a safe guard to such a situation where you will not lose out to much to your

opponents. It also brings into focus the usefulness of body punches and kicks, the ultimate

cardio draining measure as being an important but underutilised tool by many managers.

Strength

In the words of Jeremy Clarkson "POWER" is one of the better understood physical

attributes as people can quite easily translate strength into the idea of hitting hard however

this is only the tip, and it is a slightly wonky tip at that, of the iceberg.

Every action requires strength in the game with it holding various different importance

values depending on the situation that your fighter is in. This means no matter what type of

fighter you have, strength is a vital statistic and can often be the difference between too

closely matched opponents and being one of the easiest skills to build up there is no excuse

for every fighter to be blessed with massive muscles.

However there is also a down side to strength which many people over look which is also

true to real life, namely the more muscle you have, the more oxygen you need to feed it.

Will this change how managers thoughts towards strength? Probably not but it may be

worth considering when implementing a game plan especially when looking towards an

aggressive game plan, which is the natural plan for someone with exceptional strength,

because as effective as it may be in a fight where you hold an advantage over the opponent

who will wilt to the pressure being applied, in an even bout, you could gas out quicker, even

with fantastic cardio and leave the opportunity in later rounds for the opponent to

dominate.

It would be foolish to have this put any manager off having great strength from this small

flaw but it is definitely worth recognising and implementing it into a game plan when the

fights are to close to call. To really look at the effects of strength, the best way is to break it

down into the difference components of the tycoon battleground and look at how it can be

the deciding point.

Striking

Whether this be punches or kicks, Strength has an influence on how much damage a strike

causes but how this works and how it may be related to straight knock out blows is not as

linear as some may expect. This is due to the knockout hidden attribute that all fighters are

either blessed or cursed with and strength is not a straight fix for a lack of it.

So if strength doesn't lead directly to the knockout how does it help in the striking game?

For this we have to go into the realms of guess work and drawing conclusions from the

limited evidence that is before us however with identified trends and logical conclusions,

strength in a shot definitely has a strong influence mainly through the damage caused to

each fighter.

In tycoon, every time a strike lands energy is taken away from the opposition fighter and as

already seen this is critical to how a fighter performs. The heavier the strike landed, the

more that is taken away from the fighter and the more chance of the knockout and

domination of the opponent. A fighter with high strength taking more away from the

fighters energy means that it is harder to sustain consciousness. However more possible

more importantly for fighters with "pillow hands" is that these hard strikes reduce the

morale of the other fighter leaving them more open to be overwhelmed and TKO'ed.

Of course, this is only truly effective when combined with great technique and

understanding of the discipline but even so, a strike from a sloppy stand up fighter with big

strength may start to demoralise that guy you want to drag to the floor and get in a

submission, made easier by the confidence knock caused earlier in the fight.

Clinch

Arguable this is where strength makes the most impact as the control element of the clinch

has been the pay dirt of some of the most famous names in the game and legacy shattering

for some others. No one is completely sure how the different elements of the clinch

combine and so there are several effective combinations which have surprised for both

positive and negative reasons however the one stable element in successful clinch stories is

strength.

The main part of the clinch game that strength has been attributed to is the ability to

control an opponent either being able to control the others striking, smothering their

offense and exhausting them as they fail to do anything or alternatively pushing away and

putting the fighter back in the pocket to continue the striking match up. Changing the

outlook of the fight in a single suffocating incident has become prevalent and caused many

to spend time and effort building primaries and secondary's where building the strength

element, and understanding the sliders better may have been an alternative choice.

Another element where strength can be a very important role for both wrestlers and ground

fighters is that a strong fighter is able to drag the fighter to the floor far more effectively

from the clinch. This may be particular interest to those in early stage BBJ fighters who

building on strength could put together a game plan where they head for the clinch to avoid

the striking and then pull guard allowing them to take the fighter into their element. This

has proved to be extremely successful in the smaller orgs where the sprawl and brawl

fighters are king.

Wrestling

This may arguable be the situation where strength is used the least (however take downs in

the clinch are different: see above) and this may surprise many. To look at wrestling you

certainly need to divide the offense and defence so for a closer inspection this will be done.

Wrestling as an offensive weapon has more to do with speed than strength which is a big

departure from other elements. Strength only comes into play when looking at the force of

the slam that comes after the initial connection and successful application of the move and

with knock out slams being so rare, this would suggest that it should not be a high priority.

However, one of the theoretical things that may explain positioning may come down to

strength with high strength guys gaining better positions from their take downs than those

with lesser strength although this could be attributed to the difference between skill level as

well, it may be something to pay attention to if you are picking up the preferential positions

that others are.

For takedown defence it is also down to speed and balance to prevent the take down, with

this rather than strength garnering a more successful result than the fighter using strength.

At the same time, it could be on the cards that strength is useful for gaining a preferential

position after stuffing the take down and also increases the chances of a deadly counter but

these are secondary actions after the event.

BJJ

Interestingly strength is far more vital to BJJ than might be expected, with it being the

second most important physical after flexibility in that area. The ground game is a complex

assortment of sub spammers, cautious lay and prayers and ground and pound junkies as

well as a few who try to take the measured approach and in all cases strength is a vital

element of their arsenal.

For the wrestlers who want to throw hell for leather it is obvious to why strength is so

important as it has the same importance as normal stand up striking. However how this

strength gets used may depend on position with the GnP star who can get to mount being

able to land with all his might while the man stuck in guard not only has to run the risk of

being triangled but is potentially only striking with a smaller percentage of his overall

potential. How this breaks down is not exact but the importance of strength, especially with

those without great passing ability, may change the dynamics of the takedown as seen

above.

It is a repeat prescription as in the case for those holding on for the positional gain as

mirrored by the control seen in the clinch game and it has equal promising effect as the

better fighters, especially those with middling wrestling and BJJ can use it to nullify those

more naturally talented than themselves. Consequently, this is can be most undone by

those with great cardio and brilliant flexibility using the layers own inactivity to their

advantage but with enough strength and experience, it can be a very attractive solution to a

difficult fight.

However it is in the submission game that strength really comes into its own as it appears to

be the key component on finishing a submission attempt along with flexibility being the

starting point. What this means is that a submission fighter with great skill who can get into

the correct position may not be able to pull the submission off due to not having enough

strength to jack the arm or crank down on the neck. This has very big implications for all

guys with BJJ in their primary game plan.

Remarkable this could even mean that strength is as important to the BJJ fighter as it is to

the striker and further cements strengths reputation as a have to primary in MMA Tycoon.

Speed

Out of the three constant physicals, speed is undoubtedly the most under appreciated. This

is partly to do with the difficulty for most managers, especially casual ones looking for

immediate gratification that you get with the primary and secondary pops, to get speed to

rise at the same speed as the other stats around it. It is also to do with the obscurity that the

term speed has and how it may be related to the game and in what ways may it be most

effective.

This multi-faceted stat has remained mysterious which has also reduced peoples

understanding of how important it is and in what situations it may be critical however it

being one of the constant physicals, suddenly it becomes a stat not only needed in a

particular situation but something needed to make a truly great fighter.

The most important aspect of speed is simply which fighter reacts quickest and this is critical

whether you are looking to be aggressive or to counter. This has massive implications to the

striking game as a fighter significantly faster than his opponent will be able to use his strike

defence far more effectively than a fighter and at the same time negate the opponents. This

could mean as much as a fighter with remarkable speed fighting an identical fighter who has

just competent speed could have double the effectiveness purely on reaction time. This

suddenly adds a completely different nuisance to how stand up fighters work as the agility

that is required to land the well placed shot has to be coupled with speed to get the best

out of it.

Furthermore, engagement into action takes a completely different look as it suddenly the

quicker man is going to get first opportunity to take the fight into their own realm so for

those who want to clinch or get the fight to the floor as quickly as possible, speed becomes

just as essential. Taking the clinch first, engaging in it requires such a complex mix of talents

that it can be difficult to assess why one fighter does so well in it and another doesn't but

speed could be the element many look over as the man in the clinch needs to be able to

move in quickly and grab control of the man before the opposing fighter can throw a punch

to deter the action. Once the fighter is within the clinch the speed of the shot is another

aspect that speed helps as the quicker a fighter can deliver an inside uppercut or the

slashing elbow, the less time the fighter is not controlling the other fighter.

The importance of speed is clearest when looking at wrestling and is also the best known.

We all know that a fighter needs explosion to get to the man and then to get him to the

floor so speed doubles up in the case. Firstly, the quicker fighter can get to or react to the

other fighters movements to close in and make the attempt and then speed is combined

with wrestling and take down offense to achieve the wrestlers goal. This may also be part of

the current advantage that defensive wrestling has over its offensive cousin as people are

better set up balance than they are in speed.

On the ground it is, again, all about reaction time and a key aspect of defending the pass or

the submission as the quicker fighter can react to the fighter before a submission can be

locked in so suddenly it moves from being an purely offensive attribute to a critical

defensive element as well. This can potentially make the one dimensional wrestler all the

more plausible at the lower level as suddenly the quick, strong defence of the wrestler stops

the BJJ fighter getting a hold and then the ground and pound can begin.

Unlike the other two constant attributes, speed is relatively innate in your fighter, only

being built up via cardio training, muscle building or a relatively small increase from almost

every coaching and sparring session so it many newer managers may want to look at

introducing considerable speed to new fighter builds so that there fighters have the three

constant physical attributes from the very start.

It is worth repeating that this is conjecture from my own observations, discussions with

many of you and as much evidence that I could search out. Even looking at these as general

over specific trends, it shows the physical attributes need to be seen in the light of them

being the cornerstone of a fighter rather than the additional part of a fighter build as many

perceive it.

Next month: A look at Agility, Balance and Flexibility

The Ultimate Underdog?

Thor Wood - The Unbeatable Man

Any fighter in MMA Tycoon that goes 9-0-0 is going to impress as there is always so much

chance for something to go wrong, no matter how brilliant a manager you are. However

putting that record together with the primary skills of feeble boxing, Proficient Muay Thai,

woeful wrestling and a blue belt is truly magnificent. Ville Kallio's fighter Thor Wood has

taken this to a frankly unbelievable level as he is the Blitzkrieg welterweight champion, that

would be the 5th biggest organisation in the whole of MMA Tycoon at the time of writing,

and has beaten some of the very best in the game to make himself a true underdog hero.

Wood will be going into the biggest match up of his career as he looks to retain his title to

the man he took it off a few months ago, Magnum PI. Just to look at the traditional gulf in

class, Magnum is Strong Boxer and Wrestler with a black belt in BJJ which means he is an

astonishing 3 belts levels above he champions who would surely be folded up like origami if

the battle went to the floor however as the world as already seen, this may not happen.

The first fight was a five round epic which divided fans and judges a like as both men went

back and forth to create a spectacle that few will forget. First minute of the first round

many people thought it was going to be easy for PI as he immediately achieved the

takedown and starting looking for the submission but good control from Wood denied him

the submissions and from this point it was a tale of kicks and tiredness as power kicks to the

legs shortened PI's breath and will giving Wood the first round.

It took some time to come into full affect as round 2 and 3 were shared between the two

fighters and PI coming very close to finishing his opponent but the kicks started to flow and

every time the effect became more and more obvious. The 4th was a bizarre event, with

Wood hurting PI in the first minute in a spectacle that would be more accustomed in the last

minute of the fight than the first of the championship rounds and then PI coming up worst

took the fight to the floor and basically sat there. A few half hearted sub attempts were not

going to fool anyone as it was clear that he was gassed out from the exchange.

Round 5 was even crazier as both seemed to abandon their game plans to slog it out with

both men looking for the decisive blow that would stop this intriguing bout going to the

judges but neither man landed anything of any great substance and the judges were called

in who gave the decision unanimously to Thor Wood.

Since this match, both men have gone on to win twice but it is by the most significant match

up of boths career and with a rematch on May 22nd we will see it all again but how and will

the result be different?

http://www.mmatycoon.com/orgupcomingeventpublic.php?EvID=62963

Inside The Alliance

The prominence of the alliance is becoming more widespread in Tycoon and this trend

seems to be moving at a supersonic rate so each month the plan is to take a closer look at

some of the different alliances cropping up across the game and look at the fighters and the

companies in which they are so proud off. Early questions about the necessity and

advantages of bring in an alliance have been replaced with the unexpected benefits and

unusual results that can emerge from the getting together of people and ideas which is now

leading to alliances becoming big influences on the whole way Tycoon now works.

This month we examine the rather unknown Gladiator Cartel who may be unfamiliar to

many but have big ambitions and the determination to see big results.

Formation and History

The Gladiator Cartel Alliance was formed through coalition as two smaller alliances, formally

the Cartel and The Coliseum, joined forces to create a formidable group of managers who

saw an opportunity to really get ahead in Tycoon by working together. The two sides are

now indistinguishable from one another showing that the transformation is complete

however the whole alliance has ended up far more significant than the sum of their parts

with several companies leading their way all over the Tycoon World with a very low failure

rate.

Significant Members

Tony Bova - (Showtime)

Owner of Gladiator Cartel Championships in London and the one of the two founding

members of the Gladiator Cartel. One of the driving forces of the alliances improvement

campaign, has taken several of the alliances more inexperienced members under his wing

and coached them through the game.

John Mallon - (Dunavon)

The other founding member of the GC and owner of Spartan Fightware, the biggest clothing

compnay in the whole of St Petersburg. Has had a remarkable five 500 sales weeks which is

made even more impressive by the smaller stature of the city.

Feindbild Mensch - (DocMorbid)

Stand out manager with an impressive current record of 55-22-1 (at the time of writing) and

sitting in comfortable in the world's top 500 managers which is becoming an increasingly

difficult feat at the moment. Ronny Coleman is most infamous fighter who holds the

Cagewars Fight League (LA) championship at heavyweight.

Martin O'Neill - (War101)

Owner of the astronomically quick rising organisation Valor FC in New York, O'Neill has had

early success in both the cage and the running of the business and will be looking to

capitalise on this as much as possible.

The Prototype - (JawzMMAA420)

Determined manager that is threatening to make a big impression on the rankings in the

near future and runs one of Rio's elite gyms UCF Elite.

Interview With A Alliance Member - Tony Bova

First I would like to know more about the Gladiator Cartel, it seems to be a very well

organised group of companies and managers who are working in the same direction. Is there

a philosophy behind this or has it come together more by accident?

We really try to work on the business aspect of the game. We have companies all over the

different towns. We build each other's org gyms etc. We are very tight night and are

working at getting out win % up now that we set in the companies. We have clothing

nutrition gyms org and even bookmakers.

Was this collaboration of businesses designed on from the start? I know that The Gladiator

Cartel is formed from two other alliances so was it a conscious decision to build up

companies and use it to make you gaming experience more rewarding?

Yes. From the very get go that's was the plan. At least mine. When John Mallon who runs

Spartan Fightware and myself, who ran Predator Nutrition( now closed ) joined our

alliances together we thought of getting our members who had companies spread out.

That way if we have a fighter in that city, there is no wait time to receive the goods. And

too then we buy from our alliance members and keep the money in house

On to your own company, The Gladiator Cartel Championship. You took over an existing org

rather than beginning from scratch. What did you feel was the advantage of doing this?

Well the company I took over SMMA, had a great roster and established fan base. I

wanted to keep up the good work. I changed the name to make the alliance brand name

stronger

Was the roster the key to buying that particular org or where there are factors?

Roster was a plus but I just wanted an established org so I may make the transition from

nutrition comp To org easier

So what did you think was the most difficult part of transitioning between manager to org

owner? You had run a company before however orgs are notoriously difficult to run.

Setting fights to get good hype is the hardest thing

Do you have a philosophy for your org? Do you plan to build from within or go on the free

agency market?

My philosophy is to help all players in this game to have fn. Plain and simple. Make this

enjoyable for all. I like to build from within to a point. I reward those that stick with the

org to help us all but. If there is a free agent that will help, heck yeah I'll swoop them up. I

hope to be in and stay in the top ten hopefully top in the city period!

Who has impressed? Which fighters and managers have lead the way? Who do you think

will be the future?

Man as far as managers go everyone has been great to work with. Those that weren't are

no longer here Mr Copper has been real great to work with and has taken all comers no

matter what. His fighters are always ready to go. As for fighters, Jermey Cornish is a great

fighter and the first member of the GCC Hall Of Fame. He is our undefeated 155 lbs champ

and walked thru our 155 grand prix to earn his shot and then destroyed the champ. Also

nicolai demikovic , our heavyweight champ is on top of the strongest weight class we

have. The 265 pounders are stacked and is the staple of Yeah the Hall Of Fame is real new

but will used to showcase the top talent to step foot in a GCC cage. It will showcase the

highest of talented fighters and managers that have applied their trade in GCC and will

eventually move over to the other org's in the brand. But for now it is just here in GCC. A

manager will be added soon after some more cards come thru. The talented fighters in

GCC make it hard to single out the top but if you look to our champs that will tell the story.

6 of 8 champs are undefeated with the others losses coming in title shots which they won

in rematches. Also the top guys in 265 have records of 5-0,7-2,6-1, 6-2, 2-0, and 2-1. That

sets up for monster fights when it comes down to it. We have a site

gladiatorcartelchampionships which is at webs.com if u want to check it out we have

interviews bios and HOFGCC.

Last, how is your own managerial career going? Which fighters are being the greatest

success?

Basically I really don't like to talk about my own fighters but David Dickson who fights out

of GCF in LA is looking good at 6-4 @265. He lost to three of the top guys with one being

the new champ. Also Richard Flare who fights for Valor in nyc will be great. About to be

unleashed on the world with his new Killer Klinch style a ultra form of MT wrestling hybrid.

As an org GCC plans on offering good deals and great contracts throughout the game. Just

cause you aren't in the alliance doesn't mean u can't reap the knowledge we offer. We

offer the best to make you the best so if you want the most active/ easy to communicate

with/ and good fights contact GCC in London and make it happen

Fighters

Every alliance has there champions, the fighters that they would put out to defeat their foes

and fight for the alliances honour. These men become champions of orgs and look to break

into the elite of the world. Gladiator Cartel is no different and possesses talent who are

envied by many of the alliances around them and they are proud to present them;

Name: Kelvin Parker

Weight Div: 185lbs

Org: Valor FC

Record: 7-0-0

Very well rounded fighter who holds decent boxing and wrestling to back up the brown belt

that makes him so dangerous on the floor and this multi-faceted comes through in his

results as he has managed to beat opponents as often with his hands as he has on the floor.

Won the Valor middleweight belt and then defended it but decided to give the title up for

an opportunity to fight in the open weight grand prix.

Coming in with a weight disadvantage, Parker defeated his first two opponents quickly to

set himself up in the final against an opponent 100lbs heavier than him however he

managed to use talent and movement to defeat the heavyweight be decision. A fighter with

a very big future.

Name: Leif Ericssonl

Weight Div: 265lbs

Org: Last Man Standing

Record: 7-1-0

After a first round, first minute defeat in his first fight Ericssonl has shown ferocious power

to make him on of the most feared strikers in New York where he must be close to being in

line for the heavyweight championship. A fighter that brings nothing but excitement

whether it is a ring or a cage, Leif is a stand up, stand out artist.

Name: Alexander Paredao

Weight Div: 205lbs

Org: Last Man Standing

Record: 6-1-0

A well travelled fighter that has never settled in one place for two long, Paredao has been

knocking people out since his debut. Coupled with a strong wrestling base that he has used

successfully to keep the fight on the feet where he can cause the most damage, his only loss

has come early in his career when a fighter managed to get him down onto the floor. If that

doesn't happen in match ups, you would be foolish not to bet on the New York native not

getting the KO victory.

Name: Ronny Coleman

Weight Div: 265lbs

Org: CageWars Fight League (LA)

Record: 7-2-0

Heavyweight champion out in Los Angeles, Coleman has been a fighter that has kept coming

even with setbacks in his career and every time he has been a better and scarier fighter.

Strong determination from the very basis of the soul, this has been the very epitome of his

career and looks to carry him through for a long and successful career.

Name: Marius Budawalski

Weight Div: 205lbs

Org: Valor FC

Record: 5-0-0

Submission machine Budawalski may not look like a superstar but has been very successful

in his time in Valor and looks to be going from strength to strength. Built in the Japanese

mould of boxing and submissions, there is no question that capturing a title and going

unbeaten in five will only build the young man's confident and will lead Valor into the battle

for supremacy in New York as time goes by.

Interview With An Alliance Member - Martin O'Neill

Is it your first alliance? Why did you join this one and how has it helped you in the game?

Well myself and John Mallon and Packy Carty are friends in real life - they are members of the Gladiator Cartel too, and we firstly had our own alliance which was named Coliseum and the Gladiator Cartel was good enough to offer us guys into their alliance, so we all accepted as it became clear at the start when I was running Valor FC, John with Spartan Fightware that connections are very helpful, which led us to accepting the Cartel's invitation.

Since joining this alliance I can only say good things, I have a great amount of Alliance fighters fighting within my org which probably wouldn't have happened otherwise and I can only say good things - everyone is helpful and we are very active which is probably most impressive - the chatbox in the alliance homepage never stops going.

Where do you see the future going for the alliance?

Truthfully I wouldn't be a 'leader' as such within the alliance - But I assume we will try and add some more active players into the alliance because of the way we work the alliance - at the moment we are picking a business within the alliance a week at the moment and everyone buys products to help each other out. I think that the alliance could really go as far as it wants as I have to say these guys here are to a man really into the game and that's all you really need to succeed.

Your org has been very successful, very quickly. What do you put this success down to?

Valor FC has been incredibly successful in the short space of time it has been operating - and to be honest it could be even bigger had I not been so conservative at the start. I think the reason Valor has been so successful is because I have a real good base of managers - They are all active and I am rarely let down by anyone.

To be honest, I don't profess to know it all about running an org, indeed I could be doing with a bit of help sometimes with certain issues - But the one thing you get with Valor FC is 100% dedication from myself and open and honest dialogue at any stage which isn't the case all the time. I also think people like the way I run the org, I tend to run 3/4 weeks ahead and everyone knows who they are fighting and how to train with real time to get a good game plan together, I like to be organised and this is probably the one outstanding thing I would say has contributed to the rise.

Which fighters have really stood out? Any future world beaters?

My own fighter is 7-0 in Valor FC, Kelvin Parker, he started off life as a Boxer, he now is a BJJ Brown grade and likes to take fights to the ground - I don't go easy on him, he recently won the open weight GP beating 2 Heavyweights, 1 Remarkable, the other Wonderful Boxers. http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilemanager.php?FID=47753

I would suggest people keep an eye on the following guys, I think they really can be the real deal, Marius Budawalski (205 Champion of Valor and undefeated 5-0) http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilepublic.php?FID=48660

We also have about 5/6 monsters at 265 and it is the strongest division we have, Bronco Nagurski (6-2-0)http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilepublic.php?FID=44692 Tonka Thomas (8-3-0)http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilepublic.php?FID=18597 John J Rambo (5-0-0 and 265 Champion of Valor)http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilepublic.php?FID=48564 I am proud of the talent on show in Valor FC, considering 90% of the fighters I first signed had starting hype etc, we are now filling out the 2000 seater arena.

What was your biggest challenge as a new org owner?

The biggest challenge was to convince people to take a chance on a new org, NYC is pretty cut throat - I had a few problems at the start also with other orgs mailing my better fighters telling them to get out of their contracts but apart from this everything else has come pretty easy. I learned from mistakes pretty early and have got on very well since. The one thing I would like to improve is my knowledge of the numbers involved in advertising - although there's been no mistakes on this front I would just like to improve this.

What are your intentions for the future?

My goal is to get to 2 events a week with a solid core of fighters, perhaps add another 45 to my roster at the minute. I run 6 events a month at the moment so I am nearly there and that is really a credit to the managers in Valor FC who are so active, indeed some have maybe 3/4 fighters each spread across the divisions and that allows Valor to grow like it has.

How about your own fighters? DO you have anyone you are particularly fond off? Anyone who may make it to the big time in the future?

Alexander Paredao - http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilemanager.php?FID=44301 and

Kelvin Parker -http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilemanager.php?FID=47753 Both are my favourite fighters, incidentially they are two of the original four I first made upon starting the game. I think both have enormous potential. Paredao is with Last Man Standing and stands at 6-1-0.

Parker, I am still figuring out what to do with him - His hype and pop are very valuable so I keep him with Valor but I would be open to him going elsewhere on short term deals. Both these men have great potential and all round ability.

Any fighters that you may have that could be a secret weapon? My 3 newest fighters I have high hopes for, I've got to know the game a little better now,

and with these 3 guys I think they'll be great fighters when I get their physicals up etc.

Wonderful Wrestler Javier Martinez -

http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilemanager.php?FID=71533 (Just off a KO loss

however, it was entirely my fault, I booked him into a QF and got a remarkable boxer - But

not to worry)

Wonderful Boxer Tomislav Vucovic -

http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilemanager.php?FID=77865 (He hasn't fought

yet, want to put him through some BJJ sparring to put people off going to ground as

sometimes wonderful takedown offence isnt enough!)

Wonderful Muay Thai Pacho Mendieta

http://www.mmatycoon.com/fighterprofilemanager.php?FID=80904 (Went for

Remarkable Knees, Clinchwork and Kicks combined with strong speed - As with all MT

guys he'll need alot more work than most, but I think he could be the best of the lot here

and he seems to be a quite quick learner)Organisations

The Companies

One of the unique points behind the Gladiator Cartel is the diverseness of location that they

have different companies in, unlike many alliances who tend to congregate in one place to

try and maximise their coexistence. To really get an understanding of the alliance the only

way to do it is too go through and have a closer look at the companies that are at the heart

of everything that goes on.

Org name: Gladiator Cartel Championships

Owner: Tony Bova

Location: London

City/World Ranking:

Replacing the former SMMA, the GCC has gone on to bigger and brighter things in the last 3

months which have seen it steadily climb the ranks in London that has left it flirting with a

position in and around the top 10. Based on a solid group of experienced fighters the

progress of the org has seen several members go on to post impressive winning records and

establish some strong champions that can only motivate the competition.

It also has a bright future a several younger stars are coming through which is starting to

turn heads including several that are still in their teens which gives them plenty of

opportunities to improve and progress.

Org name: Gladiator Cartel Fight Club

Owner: Mr Cropper

Location: Los Angeles

City/World Ranking:

New Orgnisation that is coming through on the LA scene, it has started to come over the

early teething problems it had at the beginning to put together a strong roster with big

potential. Looking to put together a series of mini tournaments to create champions, the

GCFC has a eye on catching up with its more illustrious counter parts across the Tycoon

world.

Org name: World Fighting Championship

Owner: Alex Braveheart

Location: Los Angeles

City/World Ranking:

Gladiator Cartel's premium org in LA, the WFC has broken into the top 10 orgs in the city

with an impressive display of building cards and keeping fighters happy. Holding all the

weight classes from 145 to the super heavyweights, there is a lot of competition for places

with several big name signings further boosting the difficulty level that makes the org very

unpredictable which in turn makes it extremely exciting viewing.

Marked by many as one to look out for in the future, the WFC has big dreams which seem to

be getting realised.

Org name: Valor Fighting Championship

Owner: Martin O'Neill

Location: New York

City/World Ranking:

One of the surprise stories of this year, Valor FC have come from nowhere to be a real

player on the New York stage with a combination of brash shows that have got people

talking and idealistic owner who has optimism in everything he does. A series of smart

acquisitions has also seen them build a group of aspirational fighters who will be looking to

take the opportunity away from the incumbent champions which will lead to some really

interesting new verses old school fights in the org.

One of the most promising and exciting orgs emerging from that vital 20+ shows barrier.

Interview With An Alliance Member - Mr Cropper

Going back to the beginning of your tycoon experience, you didn't open an organisation

immediately. Was this a conscious decision or did you want to try different aspects of the

game before you settled down?

To be honest yeah it kinda was and kinda wasn't because creating a clothing company

was basically better for my talent and for my love of creating art.

You have started an Org that is clearly in union with another Org (Gladiator Cartel

Championships based in London). How did this come about?

I started thinking of creating a alliance but when i looked through the ones that was

already out there i found Gladiator Cartel which i know love i become one of them and

Tony Bova kind took me under his wing so to speak so when i got rid of kingdom clothing i

straight away got a ORG and we went on from there.

Do you feel this extra support has been critical to making an org successful?

Absolutely man the support is great, Tony Bova is so helpful with my org.

What was your experience of starting an Org? Especially in Los Angeles where the

competition for fighters is particularly tough?

it was good I had a lot of support I pmed noobs to base my org around the new talent.

What is your philosophy to creating an org? Do you want to build from within or are you

hoping to gather in stars from other orgs as you develop?

I'd say to them who are thinking of creating a org go to forum chat go through what

people of said bout creating a org the forum helped me out ,my aim is to grow new talent

to become champions and not to sign any big name fighters from other orgs i know big

name fighters give you good rating but there isn't a org out there saying they only take

on inexperienced fighters, we GCFC are one of a kind.

Who would you say from your current roster is a potential star of the future?

They all have potential but I'll name at least one for each of the weight classes. In 205lb id

say Eric Vaughn Dez and Dan Wagner in 185lb Doubt Fire 170lb Diego Lopez and last in

155lb id say Ochocinco Brice are great fighters and will be future champs one day.

Eric Vaughn dez is a 205lb fighter he has 2wins no losses one win by tko and one by

(Unanimous)Decision also has a blue belt in bjj good conditioning Eric has passed the first

round of the tournament at the gladiator cfc2 and will be in the main event of gladiator

cfc3 to try and fight his way through to the title fight event night of gladiators.

Dan Wagner is also a 205lb fighter he's lost one fight but he got his self together to pull off

a 2 win streak with wins again Usain Bolt and Randy Myers both fights was won in the

first round, he has remarkable boxing with awesome strength for ko'ing opponents with

ok wrestling skills he also could become the next big fighter in my org.

Diago Lopez is a 170lb fighter he went the full 3 rounds with Vaughn Dez which he won by

(Unanimous) Decision he has remarkable boxing skills with competent wrestling skill he

was a amateur boxing back ground which he was on top of his boxing career when he felt

he had no computation in the amateur boxing so he decided to begin his mma career.

On the 10th May i am extremely excited about the Mr Ripley vs Obi Kanobi fight mainly

because it's the classic stand up and bang fighter against a ground fighter, Kanobi has his

Killer Klinch style which is an ultra form of Muay Thai and Mr Ripley has his amateur

wrestling back ground and lethal submissions keep a eye on this fight is going to be a killer

fight

Gyms

Gym name: Main Event Gym

Owner: Jack Popov

Location: Los Angeles

Gym name: Closed

Owner: Max Mullins

Location: London

Gym name: UCF Elite Gym

Owner: The Prototype

Location: Rio de Janerio

Nutrition Companies

Nutrition name: Dos Labor

Owner: Feindbeld Mesch

Location: Hilo

Clothing Companies

Clothing name: Spartan Fightware

Owner: John Mallon

Location: St Petersburg

Interview With An Alliance Member - John Mallon

how your alliance came together. As far as I know, you ran one before and it was combined with another to create a super alliance. How did it come about? What were the objectives? Have you found it to be a success?

Yes, i ran The collosum, and had 3 friends in it, was only going to be for us, then through my store Spartan Fightware, i got talking to Mr Popov and we decided to join forces, i think his was called the cartel, so we changed the name to The Gladiator Cartel, we wanted a place were we could help each other out when needed, and i think we have achieved that

From this place you have branched out into a very strong alliance, although relatively unknown until now, with several orgs supplied by a chain of gyms, clothing including yourself and supp companies.

Has this grown organically or did you go about it with a plan?

No, i think it all just "happened" so to speak, things seemed to just fall into place

What do you feel has been the biggest advantage of being part of an alliance? Have you found it to be just one factor or are there several aspects and what are they?

Well, you get a group of ppl that help each other out i think is the main thing, im not in it for ranks, top alliance etc, im in it so i can help others and vica versa

Many people join orgs but many don't get the best out of them. You mention being able to help one another out, how exactly does that work?

well, ppl with company's can provide, sponsors, clothes, others nut supp, others contracts, others gym spots, so it all works around co-operation.

Moving on to your clothing company, why did you decide to open one over other alternatives?

I went for clothing because, i have a lot of ideas and know what looks good and after looking at 90% of clothing companies that were really awful, I decided I had to save the ppl from themselves.

That last line should be a t-shirt in itself. Do you feel that you have been a successful clothing company?

I am now the top clothing company in St Petes and just outside top 10 in world, also offer best skins in game, my posters rock, belts. orgs, and have a successful website, all in all id say a big YES

Which is your favourite mma tycoon fighter?

It would have to be my guy, Leif "Eric the Red" Ericssonl , a true viking warriorhttp://img708.imageshack.us/img708/9158/lief.jpg

Do you have any last words you would like to say to the Tycoon community?

i put a lot of time and effort into my clothing and try to make the best skins for fighters, i hope to continue to do so, thanks to all of those who have helped Spartan Fightware become the force it is today, Special shout out to VALOR FC in New York, and Russian Combat in St Petes.

6 Questions with Ryan Ford

Ryan Ford is part of the new breed of up and coming fighters in the sport. A "pure" mixed

martial artist, Ford jumped right into MMA training at the age of fourteen and does not

possess a background in any particular discipline. There is a considerable amount of buzz

surrounding Ford early in his career as he's shown well rounded skills and the potential to

do big things fighting at middleweight. Since turning pro at the age of eighteen MacDonald

has won all ten of his bouts without ever going to a judge's decision. By all accounts he is

taking his career very seriously and has spent time training with the likes of Yoddecha

Sityodtong and the members of the Evolve MMA Gym, but makes his home training out of

Crashforce Training Asylum (located in Amsterdam, Netherlands) and is considered one of

the very best middleweight prospects on the planet.

What is your background?

My parents were both engineers who travelled around the world. They are both from

Canada but I was born in Singapore and lived there till the age of 16. I started training Evolve

MMA Gym in Singapore when I was 10 years old which houses a number of Lumpinee

Stadium champions, Mundials Black Belt World Champion and a few boxing champions as

well. It was hard not to want to be a professional fighter when you are surrounded by such

talent.

What are his motivations?

I fight because it is what I enjoy doing. Don’t get me wrong I don’t go around bars and alleys

to try to instigate a brawl. I enjoy the rush of competition and the intensity of training.

Have you ever looked to other fighters for inspiration? Who are your Heroes?

I have always looked up to fighters that put on exciting match while finding a way to win. In

muay thai and K-1 Yodsankai Fairtex, Ivan Hippolyte and Badr Hari. In Bjj, I have looked up to

Cobrinha and Jacare though I doubt that I will ever be as good as them.

You are Facing Christian Thompson next. Do you have any thoughts about your opponent?

He is a standard boxer/wrestler type. He has heavy hands and solid wrestling so I have been

working on avoiding his strengths. He hasn’t faced a muay thai striker yet so I would like to

test him out with certain looks that he hasn’t seen yet.

What are your long term ambitions? Do you plan on VFC:E or do you want to look for other

opportunities?

Meirian Collier (VFC:E owner) has given me a great chance to fight in his org and has treated

me very well. So I have no intentions of hopping around orgs. I am not closing the doors on

testing myself out but preferably I would like to be the face of VFC:E and help it become the

top org in Amsterdam.

Is there anyone else you would like to thank?

Yes there are quite a few managers that helped me out in my journey Meirian Collier has

been tremendously patient with me in my journey. Also, I would like to thank Roy Gbiv who

has helped me with some crucial advice and sponsorship. Lastly, I would like to thank Mr.

Cee who manages a great gym for aspiring champions and organizes great sparring when

needed without any exclusivity seen in a lot of the gyms today.

Ryan Ford fought at VFC:E 8: Monumental Occasion to see the result, check out the review

later in the issue.

London Fight Night Club (LFNC)

Come for the FIGHTS! Stay for the PARTY!

LFNC is an org that is almost reaching its 10th event! What started as a small underground

org has grown into one of London's fastest growing Fight Orgs. Two warriors enter the LFNC

Cage and only one emerges as the winner. They battle it out in 3 x 5 minute rounds (5 x 5 for

Championship fights).

Every few weeks, we have a Fight Night card, which takes on a different format. These fights

are fought in 1 x 10 minute round.

LFNC also offers the following bonuses to fights, which is paid directly to the fighter:

$1000 KO bonus

$1000 Submission bonus

$1000 Fight of the Night bonus (For each fighter)

$1000 Champion Bonus (For every Title win, Champ gets $1000)

Each of the bonuses can accumulate, so it IS possible for a Title Fight to get a potential

$3000 bonus if they win FOTN, they finish their opponent AND a Title.

London Fight Night Club

Come for the FIGHTS! Stay for the PARTY!

VFC:E Reviews

A surprising day was had at VFC:E 5 Unorthodox Days as several fighters with title ambitions

went face to face to prove their might and some came away with results they weren't

expecting, both positive and negative. A full house of 750 game to see the event and it was

a real indictment of how the VFC:E is starting to grow and gain some notoriety in

Amsterdam.

The event started as it planned to go on with a battle between two strikers turning into a

strong display of ground work as "Archangel" Gabriel Striker (1-6-0) picked up his first

round by taking all three rounds in defeating "Beg" Majita Gubec (0-2-0). Everyone

expected the fight to be a slug fest but Striker used kicks to soften his target up before

diving into the takedown. From there he kept busty landing some sloppy but productive

Strikes that had fans confused but happy. All three rounds went this way and Striker has his

hand raised with no complaints from Gubec. It was a great display of how MMA can be

turned on its head by a good game plan.

As the next fight concluded a strange silence rose around the arena followed by applause as

Bas "El Guapo" Ubereem (1-2-0) took the fight on the judges scorecard over Noah "Big

Boy" Smith (1-2-0) but this does not tell the story of this fight. Ubereem cut Smith early with

a huge leg kick and although dazed, Smith came back at Ubereem but it turned into a

vaguely comical display where both men seemed to just miss the opponent by a whisker

leading the crowd into a trance like state. This was broken half way through the second by

another series of big head kicks from Ubereem which Smith still managed to survive through

which is a testament not only to his chin but his heart as well. The third somewhat petered

out however no one will ever doubt these fighters ability to put on a show.

Davis Paul "The Irish Bomb" Marcus (1-0-0) victory over Ernesto "Juice" Boost (0-1-0) came

down to inexperience on Boost's part as his downfall came from all of his own work. Boost

took control early engaging the clinch then performing a beautiful body lock takedown.

However from that point he was taken back into Marcus's guard and after a few attempts a

triangle was placed on which he really should have escaped from which was eventually

tightened into a match ending manoeuvre. Both fighters will come away with having learnt

something about MMA that is for sure.

The excellent boxing of Jacques "JSP" St Pierre (0-2-0) was subdued by classic wrestling as

"Pauka" Jukka Jumi (1-0-0) took the fight with some deadly ground striking. After a

cautious beginning, St Pierre landed one combination which was enough for Jumi to jump

for the take down and the seasoned wrestler look like a hot prospect from that moment on,

softening St Pierre with some weak shots to open up the pass and the bombs started

dropping which ended with a big elbow which was all the ref needed to see to jump in and

stop the fight.

A measured display of striking and wrestling defence saw "Kokomo" Joe Powell (2-0-0) take

a unanimous victory over "Aaron "Dyke Fingerer" Alard (1-1-0). Alard had his chance early

in round 1 getting Powell to the floor in a dominant position but it never came to any

success with the referee standing the action back up. From this point on it was a Muay Thai

clinic using the distance to keep the onrushing Alard away while landing significant shots

with both the hands and feet, notable in the form of leg kicks that destroyed Alards speed

which left him almost defenceless. The start of the second a clip from a head kick cut Alard

which interfered with his site and opened up the opportunity for Powell to really open up in

the third who may be a little disappointed that he did not successfully knock out his

opponent.

The main event kicked off with a remarkable 20 seconds of action with Theo "Dragon" Dor

(2-1-0) rushing across the cage to try and get the takedown but not succeeding and as

separation happened Bill Slick (2-0-0) landed a giant head kick and then rained down shots

until the ref intervened. An incredible piece of action condensed into such a short period of

time.

Chilli "Spicy" Con Carne (2-0-0) and Hans "Frog Smoker" WIgger (0-2-0) put on an epic

three round ground battle with both men having the superior position and nearly gleaning

the win out of their opponent but in the end it was Con Carne who managed to wrap his

legs around the neck of Wigger and choke out the Dutchman with a mounted guillotine. The

first round was the most spectacular as both men were chain wrestling with each failed

submission attempt leading into a counter which left the audience openly cheering the

ground game which is not always the case. Perhaps tiredness was the biggest fact in this

one ending in the way it did as Con Carne dominated the top position for long stretches of

time and that added weight may have finally got to Wigger who will look to bounce back

while Con Carne will be looking to claim the 155 belt.

Effective use of the elbow has seen Raymond Hood (2-0-0) take the other 155 title spot as

he defeated Elkir Delfino (3-6-0) via cuts. Knowing that both men possessed devastating

attacks from within the clinch Hood kept engaging, get an elbow if inside and spinning away

always aiming for the eye socket which paid off quickly as that area on the experienced

fighter started to split as the scar tissue separated. Continuing this pattern Hood was able to

get in and out much to the frustration of Delfino who was just the slower of the two but

after a few more of these strikes it became clear that the cut was starting to interfere with

Delfino's vision which prompted the doctor to take a look who called it off. Delfino was not

happy with the decision and we could see this fight again.

The co-main event was short and not very sweet for Johnny "J-Mart" Martins (1-1-0) who

was brave enough to step up and face the onslaught of Rick Vaughn (2-0-0) however it only

lasted 16 seconds as Vaughn landed a series of swift jabs that immediately cut Martins and

as the well versed ground fighter shot in for the take down, he was met with an overhand

right that landed square and that was it. Martins will be back but you cannot help but feel

that Vaughn is the most dangerous man at 205 at the moment.

Remarkable the main event was a second quicker to finish, ending in just 15 seconds of the

very first round. Both Ross Crede (5-2-0) and Vladimir "Big Bear" Shavnetski (5-4-0) came

out swinging for the fences as these two heavyweights came to battle in the most awesome

of circumstances. Both men made connections but in the series of strikes blood was

spattered that later turned out to come from Crede and then seconds later the big man

crumpled to the floor. There was no time to say anything else and that was all she wrote. A

tremendous end to a truly unique event.

With a first visit into The Underground, the full 1000 fans crammed themselves into the

arena to view VFC:E 6 Theoretical Data to see a show dominated by the heavier fighters

looking to impose themselves on some very open divisions. It was event notable for fans

making it known that the VFC:E was becoming a legitimate organisation in Amsterdam and

that the hardcore following is slowly but surely starting to grow.

Jack Bauer (1-1-0) put on a ground and pound showcase to gain his first professional win

and a kick start to his career. Bauer took his opponent Neopa Yuanstolivia (0-5-0) down in

the opening seconds and used his strikes to soften the striker up and landing these opened

up the opportunity to improve position, eventually, into the mount. From this point the

skies opened and Neopa's world became a hail storm of shots that landed, cut and

eventually it was the refs only option to step in. A very impressive performance.

The now retired Pete Fingers (1-1-0) defeated Adrian "The Devil" Degavato (1-5-0) in a

three round war that saw one Fingers using the clinch to stop Degavato's takedowns. Many

of the other competitors viewing the ifght commented on the perquiliar nature of the boxer

trying to take down Fingers especially as Degavato struggled to get the man down, only

landing one of thirty seven attempts when it was clear that the shots thrown by Fingers

were not effecting him unduly.

Big Boy(1-0-1) took a quick victory over Nevin Urkow (1-2-0). Urkow who has a very

dangerous stand up game didn't get the opportunity to show it as Big Boy took him down

early with an explosive double leg take down, and showed that his ground skills are ever

improving by working the position until eventually taking the back and gleaning a rear naked

choke. The very short fighter used his height to his advantage in this one.

Tugg "Scorcher" Speedman (1-1-0) took his debut victory and ended the career of opponent

Aaron Lanigan (1-2-0) as the brown belt took a kimura, after an early single leg attempt and

the defiant Lanigan refused to tap, which only egged Speedman on. Eventually it was

Lanigan's arm that gave out in this battle of egos and sadly ended his mma career which

shows just how dangerous this sport can be.

The next fight was won by Kjetil Paulson (2-0-1) however the story of this fight was the

remarkable survival of his opponent Olly Oxenfrei (1-2-0) who managed to take the

dominant Muay Thai fighter to a decision even though he was bleeding profusely from his

head from the opening minute. Paulson got his tactics perfectly fight, quickly engaging and

throwing some sharp elbows that instantly cut open his opponent in a way that had fans

looking away due to the gruesome nature of it all and then he landed a big knee that simply

should have stopped the fight. However Oxenfrei battled through, although outclassed and

came back to have a very good third round where he nearly punished Paulson for not

finishing. Both men will go away from that fight with increased reputations.

As we get into the main card, Tappin "Out" Datass (2-1-0) pulled off the submission victory

mid way through round 3 in a back and forth fight that could have done either way. His

opponent, Alex "Kuku" Kukushkin (1-2-0) is a terrific brawler with the class to match up

with most fighters and had a clear stand up advantage, which he used well in round one.

Round two was more even as Datass managed to secure a takedown late in that round and

avoid a lot more damaging from the tiring Kukushkin.

This tiredness became far more obvious in the 3rd as Kukushkin simply failed to fend up an

ambitious early takedown and it was punished for it with Datass's slick BJJ skills coming into

full force eventually clamping down on an arm and forcing the submission.

A huge uppercut put Christian Gagnum (2-1-0) over the .500 mark as he managed to avoid

taking damage from Bill Crisp (3-4-0) and then delivered a great deal of his own. The fight

was short, lasting under two minutes but the intensity was high with punches thrown and

from Crisp being avoided by Gagnum engaging in the clinch for protection and then

exploding out and hitting on the release. An impressive display for Crisp has very good

striking and it was touted to be a very close encounter.

Two men staring 2 and 0 went face to face and it was Peter "Spider" Parker (3-0-0) who

came out on top off Jason Jobber (2-1-0) after a three round affair that went to the judges

scorecard. Both men were clearly nervous of the others ability and it was clear from the

outset that both were on quite conservative game plans which went a long way to the fight

going to the judges, On the whole, Parker was able to secure takedowns and did enough to

stay active on the floor to look good while Jobber was unlucky with some nice blows from

the clinch. A match that may be revisited in the future.

Combinations often win fights and so it proved in the co main event, with Dwight Schrute

(2-0-0) knocking out "Gorgeous" Garvin Grocz (2-1-0). Grocz, predominantly a ground

fighter, did have his opportunities to but failed to sink in the submission even though he

controlled large swathes of the middle of the round but once it went back to the feet, a new

determination came over Schrute which ended up in a bunch of punches that was finished

by a rising uppercut and that was lights out for Grocz.

The main event was a display of two huge men just throwing leather for fun and it was

Simon "Conetto" Pegg (5-3-0) who lost out to Ron Simmons (4-0-0). Both man landed clean

punches and tested each other's chin but the superior ability of Simmons shone through,

landing that bit more often and it paid diffidence as a big knee caught Pegg flush and ended

the night in spectacular fashion.

The edge between winning and losing is so small with one little mistake or one piece of

inspiration can change the very outlook of a fight or even a career and at VFC:E 7: The Fine

Line this could not be more apparent. An event that was full of enterprise and controversy

with fans and fighters alike enjoying the action on display.

The event started with possible the least fan friendly mixed martial arts fight to be seen in a

long time as Cristiano Teixeira (2-3-0) failed to land a single strike or takedown in the 15

minutes and his opponent, Jeff "No Questions" Albertson (2-1-0), failing with over 100

clinch attempts landing on two strikes in the match and still taking the fight on all the

judges' scorecards. This garnered a 6% fight rating which many would question if that was

even possible,

Jetti "Knie In Je Gezicht" Telegaar (1-1-0) put on an impressive display of submission

fighting to gain the win over Fedor Kiely (0-2-0). Telegaar went into the fight positively,

gaining the clinch and looking for the big knee however feeling Kiely's power he pulled

guard. Kiely is inexperienced on the ground and that became abundantly clear as the

triangle that submitted him was not put on in the crispest manner but it was enough after

some adjustments to gain a very good win for Telegaar.

Debutant "The Boog" Brendan Ryan (1-2-1) took a desicive first round victory by landing

consistently and being able to stuff the takedown attempts from Aaron "Dyke Fingerer"

Alard (1-2-0) until the a wonderful fake left him with a free shot to Alard's chin which he

used in his favour to land a series of strikes that had the Dutchman tapping. It was a

humiliating experience for Alard who has been vocal about not giving in and will look to

bounce back while it may be the start of a very good future for Ryan in the VFC:E

Wonardo "JSB" Londaro (0-2-0) lost a hard decision to Alexy Ignashov (1-1-0) but can come

out of the fight saying something that most cannot but also probably would not want to as

he took 20 head kicks in the fight without being rocked. Ignashov came out kicking and his

accuracy was wonderful but the lack of power was evident. However no one will forget the

first round where 6 head kicks landed one after another barely moved Londaro.

Fast paced and intense, the 56 seconds it took Mr "Tight" Happypants (2-0-0) to knockout

Sjors Haze (1-1-0) was one of the best minutes of the entire event. Happypants knocked

down Haze once but Haze showed great heart to recover but the next telling blow was too

much and Happypants overwhelmed his opponent. Both men will have learnt something

about themselves in this fight so both may well have very big futures.

Fans barely saw the first fight of the main card as "Canyon" Aaron Kingstown (2-1-0) used

Ryan Tyler (1-1-0) as a punching back, knocking him down with his first punch and then

knocking him out clean with the second. Chaos exploded after this as no one could quite

believe what they had seen and many ask if Tyler came in under prepared and maybe a

rematch could be in the offing, only time and the future will tell.

Another surprising fight followed as the highly touted boxer Owen "Sparks" Starks (1-1-0)

chose to clinch and then pull guard against BJJ brown belt Liam "Alter" Igo (2-1-0) who

gratefully excepted the chance to grab a leg and submit his opponent. Everyone expected

Starks to come out throwing leather with Igo finding anyway to bring the fight to the floor

but this just didn't happen that way. Igo's submission was a beautifully executed kneebar

that had fans cooing over its precision and future opponents will be very aware that going to

the floor with him could be very bad for your health.

Since this fight happened it has been billed as one of the greatest stand up battles of VFC:E

history as Eric "Foreplay" Foreman(1-2-0) and Miyamoto Musashi (2-0-0) went toe to toe

for three solid rounds eventually leading to the judges giving the fight to Musashi. Neither

man was going to back down with Musashi throwing the quicker but fighter strikes while

every time Foreman landed something the power of the Japanese fighters face was clear. In

the end the work rate was the big key as Musashi simply landed more shots and controlled

where the fight took place better but it was the sort of the fight that people pay to see.

Bryan "The Beast" Baker (4-0-0) took his fight against Heath Stanson (0-1-0) late in the first

round by securing the rear naked in the co-main event but it was very competitive which

has to be pleasing for Stanson in his early career. Baker's main advantage was having the

top position, allowing him to improve position to try and set up the best possible

opportunity but this was not made east by Stanson who was defending well. Eventually the

work rate got to Stanson who had been close with his own sub attempt that had lost him

position but he had no response to the rear naked choke which was expertly applied and he

simply had to tap. Baker is going on to a showdown for the welterweight belt in the near

future.

The main event was a short affair as two newcomers with different backgrounds came

together with Leon The Professional (6-1-0) winning via head kick over Michael "M&M"

Durell (0-1-0). Durell saw a big pay day with no one wanting to step up against The

Professional and it is clear this young man has what it takes even after the early KO however

this was all about the new apex predator at 155. The Professional looked to land kicks and

did, both in the leg and body early on and then suddenly in to the head which sent Durell

toppling after hurting him with a big right hand. Surely it is only a matter of time before he

meets the champion.

Every time a champion is crowned across Tycoon it is a special occasion but when the first

title in an organisation is awarded it is a memory that stays and at VFC:E 8: Monumental

Occasion this occurrence happened. In front of 1000 people, the arm bar in one of its many

forms was very much on many fighters minds and it was a great showcase to support the

inaugural champion being crowned.

An early submission for Krysztof "The Avenger" Wojciechowski (1-0-0) in the opening bout

as he took down "Beg" Majita Gubec (0-3-0) and landed some nice shots from guard that

cut Gubec and allowed him to pass. After a first failed attempt "The Avenger" got hold of

the arm of his opponent and pulled out a great looking kimura that had Gubec tapping and

many predict this will be the last time we see Gubec in the cage.

Remarkable, the second fight was almost an identical copy of the first one as this time

Dutch "Predator" Schaeffer (3-3-0) used the guard to neutralise the Muay Thai of

Trodisnilson "Satanas" Santana da Silva (1-2-0). From this point, it was clear the

inexperienced Santana was not comfortable on the floor and was quickly swept onto his

back and almost immediately was defending submissions. Leaving an arm out, it was only

going to be a manner of time before the opportunity was going to be taken advantage off

and so it proved as Schaeffer took the kimura which ended the match in 90 seconds.

Yep you guessed it, another arm bar, this time a more traditional one for the winner in

under 90 seconds which had the crows going wild. This time Fibelas "Fibelinhas" Alameda

(3-4-0) was the man who got the all important takedown against the all round Matt "Bones"

Champer (0-2-0). The takedown wasn't clean and it instigated a scramble where Champer

looked like he had secured the top position however the arm as trapped leading to a sweet

sweeping arm bar.

Big knockout victory for Ernesto "Juice" Boost (1-1-0) over the dangerous Jay "The Blizzard"

Snow (0-2-0) who tried to clinch with the striker but was ultimately knocked down in and

out in 43 seconds. Snow sensible looked to get the fight to the floor but Boost is well versed

in stuffing the shot and using this to blast away which proved to be deadly.

The dangerous Gilbert "The Hurricane" Yvel (2-2-0) lost to the ever improving Dirk Bandana

(2-1-0) after an intelligent fight plan served the young man well. Bandana who was coming

off a loss looked immediately for the takedown and achieved it was ease but the crafty Yvel

showed good understanding and succeeded to get back the feet and looked to head kick his

way to the top. However another missed attempt, took the fight to the floor and Bandana

was not going to waste another opportunity as he sunk in an arm bar that left the fight over

and done.

Two men looking to rise themselves above the rest at 205 met in the start of the main card

which left "Mighty" Mike Mackey (2-1-0) with the victory and Nico Obino (2-2-0) a little

disappointed. Obino was cautious but willing and strove for the take down with Mackey

stuffing it with a sprawl that had not been seen on other occasions and the final occasion it

opened up the chance to spring a counter combination that had the fans rocking as it was

picture perfect for all but Obino.

Controversial fight between Aaron "Blackthorn" Reilly (1-1-0) and Bram "Francium" Van

Rompaye (2-0-0) who went all three rounds in a great brawl. Reilly dominated position,

taking Van Rompaye down on several occasions and going in and out of the clinch at will

however it was Van Rompaye who was more active landing many more shots than Reilly and

controlling the floor game. The fans were split 50/50 over who had won the fight but in the

end it was "Francium" who took the decision in a surprising unanimous decision.

New comer "Bump and Grind" R Kelly (2-1-0) suffered the first loss of his career to the Jiu

Jitsu styling's of Theo "Dragon" Dor (3-1-0) after dominating great swathes of the fight. The

first round was all Kelly who was able to take Dor to the floor with reckless abandonment

and landed some very impressive GnP that was clearly hurting his opponent. The first two

minutes of the second round were identical with Dor showing great heart just to be in the

fight until he suddenly secured an arm, rolled through and left Kelly stunned and forced to

tap. The conclusion was surprising with Dor building a reputation for come from behind

defeats while Kelly still has a big career ahead of him.

Mr Bang Bang (4-0-0) secured a unanimous decision over Stefan Pieterszoon (1-1-0) with

both men making their VFC:E debuts, It was clear that both men respected the others

wrestling and although both held dominant positions, neither really cut lose with killer

strikes that were going to end such a tough opponent under the worry that the other may

escape. The big difference may have been experience as Bang Bang was able to put in the

little punches that scored with the judges better than Pieterszoon but both will be improved

from the fight.

The main event pitted stand up warriors Ryan "The Experiment" Ford and Christian "The

Postman" Thompson head to head in what was built and proved ot be a classic stand up

battle for the first ever title to be handed out in the VFC:E.

Ford came out the more confident man looking to land the head kick after a shot to the

body which had the Postman defending gallantly but several of the shots slipped through

and further encouraged Ford on. As the fight entered the middle of the first, Thompson

started to settle in landing some strikes of his own but still be countered to often by nice

combinations that came from Ford however it felt like the fight was falling into a pattern.

Then with Ford gaining some momentum, he backed off an unleashed two devilish head

kicks that landed on after another and saw Thompson crumble to the floor!

And we have crowned the VFC:E middleweight champion Ryan "The Experiment" Ford!!