B.J. Penn and Nick Diaz met in a thrilling affair to topline UFC 137. The action was fast-paced and wildly violent. For fans, it was a monumental collision, as both Penn and Diaz are known for their unbridled aggression, remarkable durability and tendencies to speak long before thinking. Neither of these two are afraid to insult another and neither man would ever contemplate walking away from an altercation. The fact that both individuals have taken part in memorable rivalries that in some cases stretched far beyond the octagon isn’t much of a surprise either. However, the aftershock of one of 2011’s finest welterweight bouts has left MMA pundits a tad perplexed.

For those who missed the fight, Nick Diaz managed to escape a rocky first round to turn things around and batter Penn for the better portion of the following two frames. In the end, the judges awarded the unanimous decision victory to Diaz, who clearly outworked the rugged Hawaiian as the fight progressed. Emotions ran high following the bout, but accounts indicated that both Penn and Diaz exchanged mutual respect backstage after the fight had taken place (there’s even an image floating about of the two posing together, black and blue, seemingly on good terms).

We’ve played witness to some stunning career declines this year. Former champions have fallen left and right, while proposed “prospects” have run into brick walls when making the leap to the big leagues. I suppose that’s the nature of the beast, as combat sports aren’t often associated with overtly lengthy reigns as “top dog”. The business is brutal, and it takes a toll on both the body and the mind. In fact, in regards to mixed martial arts, a successful 10 year career is a damn respectable accomplishment. Some manage to surpass that, while some strive but come up short. Here now, is a look at some of the most noteworthy career declines of 2011.

 B.J. Penn

Written By Last Ronin

So you want to get a mixed martial arts book, but aren’t really sure which one would be the best.  That’s totally understandable with the hundreds of books sitting on the shelves at your local bookstore, meaning that picking one is going to be a bit overwhelming.  The good thing about buying a book though is getting to look at the reviews and hear what others have got to say about it.  Now I have read a lot of books in my time and my martial arts library is pretty fat, but out of all of the ones I own I would definitely say that my BJ Penn book is one that everyone needs in their library.

Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge by BJ Penn is a wonderful book for both beginners as well as advanced students.  BJ Penn is a true champion and ambassador of the sport, so why wouldn’t you want to know what he has to say?  This book is pretty comprehensive in what it covers and gives you just enough to get a little taste of what MMA is about.  Now don’t expect to be the future champion just from reading this book.  BJ’s book is a tool to be used alongside your training, and not the end all resource that is going to make you a black belt.

Written by: Aiden Rudd

For several years now, Anderson Silva has been given the title of Pound for Pound best fighter in the world.  Not many people are stupid enough to argue that point.  The real argument from experts and fans alike is “who is number two?”  Many people have weighed in on the argument, including recently UFC President Dana White. Georges St. Pierre, the long time UFC Welterweight Champion, has often been given the title of ‘Number 2’. But, he has come under scrutiny from fans over his last few fights, for being a boring fighter.

Discounting a corner stoppage against BJ Penn, he hasn’t finished a fight since he beat Matt Serra to regain his title in April 2008. Fedor Emelianenko has been up there but has lost three on the bounce and has been finished in two of them and was stopped by the doctor in the third. Jose Aldo has also looked less than impressive in his last two MMA fights.

As odd as it may seem, the act of fighting can bring individuals together. It’s normal to find that some of the tightest bonds form amongst those that train together. The act of throwing fists or exchanging submission holds can bring people to a friendship even out of the worst rivalries.

Take former UFC champions Matt Hughes and BJ Penn. These two fighters were embroiled in a feud that lasted more than seven years. With three fights between them; Penn has had his hand raised twice and Hughes just once. The last fight lasted mere moments and left Hughes looking to his corner asking “What happened?” Now that the battles inside the cage are over between these two, the next fight has brought them together.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to Detroit, Michigan on November 20th, and brought some exciting finishes and controversial decisions. The main event of the night saw Quinton “Rampage” Jackson win via split decision over Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida. To go along with this, BJ Penn, who’s almost a lock for the UFC’s Hall of Fame, needed just 21 seconds to blow away Hall of Famer Matt Hughes with a stunning right hook. The end of the event set the stage for some interesting matchups that will take place in 2011.

While acting surprised that he had won the event, “Rampage” Jackson offered up the idea of a rematch between himself and Machida. Machida also stated that he would like the idea of a rematch if that is what the UFC presented. While no response has been made, and Rashad Evans not getting his shot against Light Heavyweight Champion Mauricio Rua until March, this could be a possible great draw for another UFC event. However, many other contenders in the division are also available who could pose as interesting opponents for each of these competitors.

This Saturday 1/31/09 is UFC 94.

As someone who has an interest in karate, I’m sure this UFC should be appealing to you, because the fight card has 2 great fighters with strong karate backgrounds worth watching.

Fight 1: BJ Penn V Georges St. Pierre

This Saturday 1/31/09 is UFC 94.

As someone who has an interest in karate, I’m sure this UFC should be appealing to you, because the fight card has 2 great fighters with strong karate backgrounds worth watching.

Fight 1: BJ Penn V Georges St. Pierre