MMAFO Is Now MMA Mouthpiece

First off, thank you for the support over the years.  We've had a blast here at MMA Fight Opinion for the past 8 years which is a lifetime in Blog years.  Well now we make the transition to the professionally ran and produced www.mmamouthpiece.com which will be our new legitimate website.  I hope if you followed this site or have just stumbled across it that you would head over to www.mmamouthpiece.com and check out where all our MMA news, pics, picks, prognostications, and all good MMA fun has moved to.  Thanks again.


MMAFO or www.mmafightopinion.blogspot.com is now

MMA Mouthpiece www.mmamouthpiece.com

2012 World MMA Awards by MMAFO

Fighter Of The Year: Benson Henderson
No other Champion fought three times this year and successfully held on to the title.  I’m personally not a fan but dethroning Frankie Edgar, holding serve in the rematch, and thoroughly besting the always tough Nate Diaz is as impressive as it gets.

Female Fighter Of The Year: Ronda Rousey
She captured the eye of the MMA world with her beauty and held them with her vicious destruction of her opponents.

Breakthrough Fighter Of The Year: Chris Weidman
The “All-American” won his 4th and 5th UFC bouts climbing the Middleweight rankings and striking fear into the rest of the division.

Fight Of The Year: Chan Sung Jung versus Dustin Poirier
At UFC on Fuel TV 3, the top two Featherweight contenders went to battle in the “Main Event” for 16:07 in an all out war ending with the “Korean Zombie” tapping Poirier with a slick Brabo Choke in the 4th round.

KO Of The Year: Edson Barboza’s Spin Wheel Kick
The then undefeated Barboza met Terry Etim at UFC 142 in a Lightweight battle that ended when Edson landed a beautiful Spin Wheel Kick that put the Brit to sleep.

Submission Of The Year: Charles Oliveira’s Calf Slicer
At the UFC on Fox 2, “Do Bronx” put the devastating, rarely used, and very painful slicer on Eric Wisely in the 1st round.

Coach Of The Year: Cesar Gracie
The man who holds together the camp of Gilbert Melendez, Jake Shields, Nick and Nate Diaz as well as Ronda Rousey at times handles the best fighters and the troubled reputations.

 Gym Of The Year: Blackzilians
The Imperial Athletics crew soared into super stardom with a cast that includes Rashad Evans, Michael Johnson, Alistair Overeem, Siyar Bahadurzada, Tyrone Spong, Gesias Cavalcante, Thiago Silva, Matt Mitrione, Anthony Johnson, and many more of the top MMA talents in the rapidly growing camp.

Website Of The Year: MiddleEasy.com
Combining hilarity and the sport of MMA is no easy task but this website excels at both.

Journalist Of The Year: Ben Fowlkes
The USA Today writer really came into his own as a scribe and as the co-host on the amazing podcast the Co-Main Event Podcast.

Podcast Of The Year: The MMA Hour
The sometimes three hour broadcast includes the best MMA guests in all the world and is hosted by the great Ariel Helwani.  

Beatdown Of The Year: Daron Cruickshank versus Henry Martinez
At UFC on Fox 5 nobody expected much from this Lightweight battle but the “Detroit Superstar” put a thrashing on Martinez.  Using some of the most vicious kicks and punches in varying forms, Cruickshank unloaded a sick amount of offense that Henry gamely took until the final Head Kick that ended the genocide.

Ring Card Girl Of The Year: Kelli Hutcherson
Nobody held up a numbered card better that the Strikeforce blonde.  With Strikeforce going out of business we at MMAFO would be happy to give Ms. Hutcherson a job.

INOKI Bom-Ba-Ya 2012 Results: Mirko "Cro Cop" Wins By Armbar Submission!

INOKI Bom-Ba-Ye 2012 MMA Results

Mirko Filipovic submits, yes I said submits, Shinichi Suzukawa with a textbook Armbar 1:18 into the 1st round!  “Cro Cop” the grappler was on display as the Croation returned to MMA after a year long retirement and a successful trip back into kickboxing.  Shinichi wore a revealing mawashi and used the gong and dash to run straight for Mirko accidentally poking him in the eye.  “Cro Cop” was given a moment and Suzukawa made the mad dash again only to find he didn’t enjoy Filipovic’s greeting fists and crashed to the canvas.  Mirko leaped into guard and showed his Jiu-Jitsu prowess grabbing the arm for only his 2nd career submission win!  “Cro Cop” is back!  “Submission Of The Night”

Satoshi Ishii Upsets poor old Tim Sylvia by Unanimous Decision.  Perhaps the Olympian has learned a thing or two with his time at Black House or maybe for Sylvia it is just time to retire.

Ikuhisa Minowa taps Bor Bratovz with his favorite submission the Heel Hook 3:18 into round 1.

Rolles Gracie submits Yusuke Kawaguchi with an Arm-Triangle Choke 2:00 minutes into round 1.

3-1 on the picks yo.

DREAM 18 Results

DREAM 18 Results

     Maybe it wasn't the most relevant of MMA events this year but it sure was good to have the Japanese MMA scene arise again in that beloved old Pride style.  The screaming announcers, the respectful crowd, the amazing aesthetics, and how beautiful it was to see knees to grounded opponents once again.  

              Tatsuya Kawajiri defeated Michihiro Omigawa via Unanimous Decision.  “Omigodwa” had nothin’ for “Crusher” who smothered his way to victory yet again.  If only we could get Kawajiri to test himself in America.

      Georgi Karakhanyan defeated Hiroyuki Takaya by Split-Decision.  Didn’t see it.

              Shinya Aoki submits Antonio McKee not with a choke but a Punch at 0:24 of the 2nd round.  Aoki looked good striking early but it was odd to see a single punch to the eye socket force McKee to tap instead of fighting on.  It could be a injury but Shinya gets the 4th TKO stoppage of his career hanging on to the DREAM Lightweight title which wasn’t on the line.

Bibiano Fernandes submits Yoshihiro Maeda by Triangle Choke at 1:46 into the 1st round.  “Flash” quickly locked on the choke and Maeda went out on his shield refusing to tap but entering the sleep zone in the process.  Next maybe Bibiano will defend his Bantamweight DREAM title.

Melvin Manhoef KO’d Denis Kang with a lightning quick knee to the body at 0:50 of round 1.  Mel threw a knee to the gut that put Kang face down on the mat and perhaps shitting his pants.  Manhoef has so much power but the fragile Kang isn’t known for showing much heart as he has been stopped 14 times now in his 16 losses.

Hayato Sakurai defeated Phil Baroni by Unanimous Decision.  The “NYBA” tried to wrestle “Mach” but couldn’t keep enough wind to do the job.  Sakurai slowly picked him apart with perhaps the help of a last second change to the bout in which the combatants went from needing to weigh-in at 172 bs. to 168 lbs.  Perhaps a little trickery on the part of DREAM to help the legend but a win none the less.

Marloes Coenen tapped Fiona Muxlow via Armbar at 3:29 of the 1st round.  It was a learning experience for the Aussie and another notch on the belt for the deadly “Rumina.”

Will Brooks has arrived impressively TKOing Satoru Kitaoka with Punches at 3:46 of round 2.  “Ill Will” showed no fear of the constant leg submission attack of Satoru calmly and strongly peppering the opponent with stout punches.  Kitaoka just could not get it going but credit Brooks who looks to be a true burgeoning talent that Bellator or the UFC should take note of.  

6-2 on the picks.