Welcome, Maniacs, to the weekly series where we help you catch up on some of the original reporting done by other sites in the vast MMA landscape. Like Josh Barnett and Megumi Fujii pictured above, we can all "get along."
Teaming up with MMA sites like Low Kick, Fightline, Fight Opinion and The Fight Nerd, we'll provide an opportunity for all MMA fans to read some fresh and original voices in the sport.
This week, The Fight Nerd reviews the 'Tapout Textbook', MMA Convert gets an exclusive from Cris 'Cyborg' and Lowkick interviews UFC 146's Edson Barboza.
The full list of links is after the jump.
- Interview with lightweight contender Edson Barboza (LowKick)
"I want to be fighting against the best fighters in the world. I want to win my space step by step. I am not in a hurry. I know I am in a really hard division, and it keeps me motivated to train harder and harder. Today I am focused on my next fight. I want to do my best inside the octagon. What will happen after that, it is in God's hands."
- 'Tapout Textbook' Book review (The Fight Nerd)
Is this book truly worth of being a textbook, or is it as good as your old algebra textbooks from high school that you defaced with drawings of phalluses and boobs (which was how all of my books were... I swear they were that way when I got them)?
- Keith Kizer ready to drop the hammer on Nick Diaz next Monday (Fight Opinion)
Today, Nick Diaz (via his attorney Ross Goodman) lost their injunction hearing in a Las Vegas court room. Keith Kizer of the Nevada State Athletic Commission says that the commission will hold a hearing next Monday to give Diaz his suspension for a second positive drug test in Nevada (marijuana). Kizer is preparing to go for a full year suspension for Diaz.
- Oklahoma PPV tax declared unconstitutional (MMA Payout)
MMA Payout has learned that the Oklahoma PPV tax has been declared unconstitutional by the state Attorney General of Oklahoma. The tax has been challenged by the UFC as it threatened litigation prior to a review of the issue by the Oklahoma AG.
- Cris 'Cyborg' planning to return to women's MMA as bantamweight (MMA Convert)
Cristiane "Cyborg" Venancio (formerly Santos) confirmed in a Twitter exchange with Five Ounces of Pain that she will return to action as a bantamweight.
- Struve and Johnson talk late opponent switch (Fightline)
With Mark Hunt injured and out of UFC 146, Stefan Struve will now be taking on Lavar Johnson. The opponent switch comes just a little over a week away from the event, but Johnson and Struve both should be standing on near-equal footing come fight night.
- Nah-Shon Burrell looking to make statement against Spang (Five Ounces of Pain)
- Michael McDonald lists UFC 145 fight shorts for charity (5thRound)
How much are Michael McDonald's (Pictured) UFC 145 fight-worn shorts worth to you? The up-and-coming featherweight has listed the trunks he wore in April's scrap against former WEC champ Miguel Torres on eBay.