Posts by Geoff Gallo

  • UFC

    Sactown’s Alpha Males: UFC on FOX 9

    You have to rewind your memory bank to 2007 to remember the last UFC event held in Sacramento, a city that most resembles a remodeled basement. Even though MMA devotee Arnold Schwarzenegger vacated the governor’s mansion long ago, the triumphant return of UFC on Fox 9 to the California capital just makes you wonder why […]

  • Metamoris

    Metamoris: Spending a Day in the World of Jiu-jitsu-Centric MMA

    Maybe I’ve never worn a gi and maybe I’ve never rolled, but I am still passionate about mixed martial arts. What little I know of jiu-jitsu comes from my neighbor, Tim, who enjoys making his friends submit during UFC broadcasts. “You see that? You see how he did that? Here’s what just happened,” he’ll explain […]

  • Bellator

    Branching Out for Bellator

    For the combat sports fan, it’s all about maintaining focus. We attend live events, watch other shows at home, then program our DVRs to bridge the gaps. We listen to industry podcasts, check Twitter feeds, patrol various blogs, and maybe even leave some time for the Shin-Kicking Championships. In most circles, “mixed martial arts” really […]

  • Junior Dos Santos

    We Went There: UFC 155, Las Vegas

    UFC events in Las Vegas have distinct electricity. In a city this grandiose, title fight cards almost become distorted by anticipation and excitement. It just feels different. And with the UFC looking to punctuate 2012 by brandishing a championship rematch between Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, my friend Dylan and I decided to skip […]

  • BJ Penn

    Save the Aloha, For Now: UFC Legend B.J. Penn

    Back in January of 2009, my friend Rick traveled to Las Vegas with some business associates to attend UFC 94. Living in San Francisco, just a short flight away, I decided to visit my old college buddy and reminisce about decades of miserable Vikings football (our favorite team) and our college fraternity’s tireless service to […]

  • UFC 152 Emerges From the Rubble

    For an entertainment company accused of oversaturating the market with its product, maybe an extended break wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. But UFC 151’s cancellation on August 23 created an undeniable firestorm in the mixed martial arts world. Never before had a UFC event suffered the same fate as Humpty Dumpty, reportedly costing […]

  • UFC Roots: The Gracie Academy in Torrance

    I never liked the idea of fighting for the sake of fighting. Other than my brothers’ hilarious brawls in the 1970s, it seemed wrong on many levels. So back in 1993, when some friends invited me over to watch the original Ultimate Fighting Championship, I remember worrying it would be barbaric. Barely any rules, a […]

  • The Power of Video: President Dana White’s UFC 148 Vlog

    The success of HBO’s Hard Knocks and 24/7 proved human interest stories build sports brands and win awards. Let’s face it, if you can both make the NFL preseason feel captivating and domesticate the NHL, you’re probably onto something. The UFC might not be cleaning up at the Emmys, but ever since Ultimate Fighter launched […]

  • UFC on Fuel 4: Everything But the Fights

    Like most of the American workforce, I spend a considerable amount of my day linking YouTube videos or Google images in meaningless instant-message exchanges. My friend Lemmer navigates his computer for similar reasons. Anytime he comes across a female body in a story, search, or banner ad, he’s compelled to click on it. It’s reflexive […]