Khabib Nurmagomedov is one of the greatest fighters to ever grace the confines of the octagon. Debuting in 2012 he arrived undefeated with a 16-0 record. In his six years with the company he has fought eleven times winning all eleven fights. Spanning an impressive 27-0 record, the eagle is rightly one of the most [...]
Investigation: Why ‘MVPs’ Loss Was Just A Big Fluke
Take a deep breath… Hold it… Just a little longer… Ok, now exhale. Now say it with me: “The loss two weeks ago didn't mean much for MVP.” Let’s rewind back to February 16, 2019. Let’s take a trip to Connecticut. Let’s re-watch MVP vs Paul Daley. Why are we watching this fight again? Because [...]
Three Promotional Changes That Radically Changed MMA
Over the brief history of mixed martial arts there have been many promotions that have done inventive and often innovative things that have made a lasting impact and have reshaped how the entire sport operates. In this list we will take a look at three of those promotional changes that have made, monumental significant differences [...]
MMA Retrospect: The Experience Of A Lifetime
As I sit atop section 134 of Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, spinning my coke. Just seconds after the current Flyweight king, Henry Cejudo blasted through Wilson Reis to earn a TKO victory. My legs shake with anticipation as I sit there wearing a Bud Light hat, a Generic UFC shirt, and a Grey pair [...]
Aftermath: What Happens After UFC Rochester?
As UFC Rochester passes us by, I must admit that it was a surprisingly epic card. Though it lacked a lot of star power, there were some great performances on the prelims, and the repeated decision to blow off my friends to watch grown-ass men fight in a cage continues to pay off. Some prospects [...]
UFC Rochester: Why You Must Watch These Six Fights
Look I promise I’m not as much as an optimist as this article may make me seem, but when doing a bit of research for this card I started getting excited for it. It may lack lots of name power, but from a sporting standpoint it’s hard not to care as all of the fighters [...]
Polish corner: What Really Happened At The KSW Weigh Ins?
During yesterday's KSW weigh ins, an incident happened - Both Roberto Soldic and Krystian Kaszubowski were bombarded with pigs trotters when they stood on stage. Marc Diakiese came out and claimed the incident was due to racism, so StipeTapped decided to perform a deeper investigation into what actually occurred and why. https://twitter.com/Marc_Diakiese/status/1129435270166863872 Yes, it was [...]
UFC Rochester: Three Prospects Flying Under The Radar
The UFC heads to Rochester, New York this weekend where it pits two former lightweights, Rafael Dos Anjos and Kevin Lee, against one another at 170 pounds. With it being a Saturday night in May, it might be difficult to justify watching fighters not even relevant enough to get their picture on the UFC website [...]
UFC 237: Dealing With The Violence Of Fist Fighting
It took a whole thirty seconds at Saturday night’s UFC main event between Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade for us to see how the fight would play out. Rose was using feints and fakes to set up an impressive display of jabs and crosses. Even the commentary team clearly saw the dynamic of the fight-“She’s [...]
Rankings: Does UFC + ESPN = Actual Sport?
Its been an eventful decade for the king of the modern MMA landscape; the Ultimate Fighting Championship. In 2011 the UFC decided to split from their longtime home, Spike TV; now known as the paramount network, and they choose to sign a lucrative seven year contract with Fox. The Fox deal was big news as [...]
History: Three Ancient Warriors We’d Like To Watch
MMA is one of the toughest sports in the modern world. World class athletes are facing off against each other in bouts which are reminiscent of ancient gladiators. They are the product of countless hours of hard work, advanced scientific training and supplementation. Take a look at some of the most prominent MMA camps and [...]
The Weird But Wonderful UFC 237
In the buildup to UFC 237, the event received a lot of criticism from analysts and fans alike for having one of the weakest main cards in ultimate fighting history. For the most part, they were correct. This was easily the least excited I’ve ever been for an ESPN era PPV and it wasn’t even [...]
A Casual’s Guide to UFC 237: Why You Must Watch
Hello casuals… Daniel Dees here and I am your designated tour guide. As a life long fan of MMA, it breaks my heart watching you all struggle trying to understand what the hell is going on. Life is busy enough to try to understand who’s who on the card. But that’s why I’m here! Here [...]
The Five Most Forgotten UFC Title Reigns
Winning a UFC title can cement you as one of the best fighter on planet earth, and bring you to a newer and higher level of fame and wealth than you could have even imagined Holding UFC gold isn't like winning a Superbowl, World Series, NBA title, or even a Stanley Cup, it's much more [...]
Update: ‘Rumble’ Johnson Is Still A Scumbag
Per the good folks over at TMZ Sports; Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson has been arrested for 'Domestic Violence' again! According to police reports, 'Rumble' and his girlfriend got into an argument and the girlfriend proceeded to pack away "Rumble's" belongings in an attempt to throw him out of the house. Rumble retorted to this by picking [...]
Five Fighters Who Could Save Mortal Kombat 11
Just like all of you, I have been majorly disappointed by the newest entry to the Mortal Kombat series. Does it deliver on great graphics, better gameplay, and a fun story? - Hell Yes. However, in this game about evil robots and colorful ninjas, there just isn’t a sense of realism. For instance, how can [...]
The StipeTapped Staff Picks: UFC Ottawa
We’re just a few hours out from UFC Ottawa, so why not kill the remaining few hours till fight time by reading who our elite site staff think are going to conquer and why so at UFC Ottawa. Ciro Crispino's Picks Al Iaquinta - It only makes sense that he fights Khabib again Derek Brunson [...]
Polish Corner: Six Things That Should Have Happened In Polish MMA (but, sadly, have not)
The world of Polish MMA is rather fascinating – it is so unique, that no other country can be compared when it comes to anecdotes, stories or events. That is why I am now starting the “Polish Corner” - a non-cyclic series of articles about our beautiful sport. To kick it off – here are [...]
Rizin Is Dying: Here’s How We Fix It
Sadly it looks like Rizin 15 bombed in the Japanese market, pulling in just an average of 5.8% of the TV ratings. The broadcast peaked during the Tenshin Nasukawa VS Fritz Aldin Biagtan fight pulling in 8% of eyeballs, but overall the viewership was still a monumental far cry from the previous success they enjoyed [...]
The Five Biggest Upsets in MMA History
In all sports and competitions; upsets happen, the team, person, or organization expected to come out on top doesn't always get it done, but unlike other sports there is something absolutely magical when an upsets happens in the unpredictable and violent world of MMA. Upsets in MMA inspire us and leave us in awe in [...]
The Three UFC Kings Of Nigeria
Through the first few months of 2019, the UFC has seen several champions lose their belts. Whether it be interim or the real thing (as if we know the difference at this point), the turnover has been fun to watch and extremely intriguing. Once great champions now stand in the shadows of these new up [...]
I Just Got Choked Out For The First Time
So, you just got choked out... Well, maybe you didn't, but I did, or so I'm told. Recently, ya boy got put to sleep by an apparent cross collar choke in a gi jiu jitsu class. It went like this: Step 1: "I should worry about that collar grip." Step 2: "My dick hurts." Step [...]
The Five Greatest TUF Champions
The Ultimate Fighter reality TV series has been a staple of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the MMA community ever since its inception all the way back in 2005 on Spike TV. Fast forwards to 2019 and there's been 27 seasons of the show (not including 10 seasons of various international versions). Winning the show [...]
Jon Fitch: “I’ve Never Had A Relationship With Dana White”
Jeff Chlu (AP) Can Jon Fitch claim his third major world championship this weekend at Bellator 220? Last week, I was afforded the opportunity to chat with Bellator 220 welterweight championship challenger Jon Fitch ahead of this weeks clash with fellow former UFC contender Rory MacDonald. The former PFL best and grappling phenom makes his [...]
Five Fighters Who Would Totally Suck At Wrestling
As another Wrestlemania comes and goes, the conversation inevitably comes up of MMA and WWE crossovers. The tradition is ages old, with various people changing between the two worlds. Professional Wrestlers like Brock Lesnar and CM Punk move to MMA, while fighters like Matthew Riddle and Ronda Rousey trade real fighting for fake. Today, we [...]
Why Red Dead 2 Was Quite Disappointing
In the lead-up to Red Dead 2; I was hyped up to levels that modern science is yet to even quantify. I can still vividly remember waiting for the game to unlock at midnight, and then proceeding to play through the first five hours that very night. The night was up there with Diaz VS [...]
The Insane Demands Of Bareknuckle Face-Punching
Here at StipeTapped.com we have a pretty well developed espionage department. Well, I say well developed, it's just me and my dog Rupert and we kind of follow people some times. Rupert is pretty easily distracted so we rarely actually get anything done. Actually, it's me, I''m the distracted one. I need to stop blaming [...]
Japanese Kickboxing God Takeru Injures Hand
The Japanese kickboxing God; that is Takeru Segawa has sadly been taken out of face punching action due to a hand tendon. Current estimates are saying that he will return in August, but like everything in combat sports, take this with a grain of salt. Takeru (38-1) is something of a living, breathing anime super-villain. [...]
Gambling: The Fights That Haunt Us #2
Betting on a fighter with who has something of a 'suspect' fight IQ is a dangerous game. You know they should win because of their wrestling, but then they flip the script and decide that they want to be a striker, shit hits the fan. You find yourself yelling at your TV, begging them to [...]
Distinguishing the Real from Hype at UFC 236
In the wake of the UFC's first ESPN-exclusive PPV event we got two new interim champions, each crowned in wild, memorable, five-round brawls. After such a newsworthy show, it may be hard for you, the simple fan, to know how to feel. What should we be celebrating, and what should we be outraged about? When [...]
The Wheelhouse – ‘Just Winning’ ?
March 17, 1997. A day that will not mean much to those non-MMA-historians, but it marked one or two of the UFC's most important watershed moments. The first? UFC 15: Collision Course. In those carefree days of bathing in blood, the event was held with an array of the world's finest brawlers, technicians and up-and-comers. [...]
Fighter Profile: Max Holloway – Champ Champ Footing?:
(Nathan Dennete/CP) Holloway attempts to become just the fourth Octagon star to hold two titles simultaneously. When it comes to volume striking and forward pressure, UFC featherweight champion Max 'Blessed' Holloway is arguably unmatched in the mixed-martial arts world. Saturday night, the Hawaiian favorite looks to achieve 'champ champ' status. Running back they're 2012 meeting, [...]
StipeTapped Staff Picks: UFC 236 Edition
We’re just a few hours out from UFC 236, so why not kill the remaining few hours till fight time by reading who our elite site staff think are going to win at UFC 236. Casey J. Bach's Picks Holloway - He's getting the finish. Dustin has proven an A tier fighter but Max is [...]
Kelvin Gastelum – Another TUF Champion?
Since he made the dive to 185lbs; Kelvin Gastelum has looked relativity great, Improving to no end since his move from a scarily depleting welterweight, with poor performances and even poorer weight cut attempts forcing the Californian to really take a realistic view at his faltering career. Still just 27 years of age, the middleweight [...]
Gambling: The Fights That Haunt Us #1
For those who gamble on MMA fights, you know just how stressful it can be. This is not a team sport, and one shot could ruin your whole night, marriage and maybe destroy your livelihood. Everyone has those gut wrenching losses that make absolutely no sense. Everyone still has those bets that should have cashed [...]
Analysis: Israel Adesanya – The Future?
It's been a hasty rise through the ranks of the shark tank that is the UFC's middleweight division for the former GLORY Kickboxing star Israel 'The Last Stylebender' Adesanya, and next weekend, he is catapulted into his premier promotional championship bout, albeit it is for an Interim belt. The ever charismatic Nigerian-Kiwi exploded into the [...]
Multiverse Tales: The world where McGregor lost
All it took was thirteen seconds to change the very world as we know it. Thirteen seconds to send Conor McGregor over the edge of greatness. It only took thirteen seconds for things to change forever. Everybody knows what happened; UFC 194, December 12th 2015; McGregor took out the only UFC Featherweight Champion ever, Jose [...]
The MMA Roundup: April 4th. Edition:
Here lies the MMA Roundup for the 4th of April; here you’ll find all the top news stories of the day in a simplified, quick to read format. UFC president Dana White gives his take on the "unacceptable" Twitter feud between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Reaches out to both camps in search for a [...]
How KSW Became The World’s Leading Freak Promotion
When talking about the 'sporting' side of MMA, KSW is easily the biggest MMA organisation in Poland when it comes to sport, they consistently bring together most of the top polish athletes, and put on amazing shows. But when it comes down to pure entertainment, their biggest competitor is not FEN (Fight Exclusive Night) or [...]
What’s Next For Justin Gaethje ?
Emphatic, it's the only superlative you can use to describe Justin Gaehtje's knockout win over Edson Barboza on Saturday night at #UFCPhiladelphia. The remarkably durable striker earned his biggest win to date, on the UFC roster, over a really technical and dangerous striker in Brazil's Barboza. Entering the contest as a slight underdog, the pressure [...]
BKB 16 Review: UFC vets Pickett and Godbeer Shine in London
A pair of UFC veterans and recent bare knuckle converts made their mark on the un-gloved combat scene at London’s IndigO2 on Saturday night. UK MMA legend Brad Pickett needed precious little time to close the show in the evening’s main event, while heavyweight slugger Mark Godbeer went toe-to-toe with a game opponent for a [...]
We Meet Michael; the Brooklyn dolly
You’ve all seen him, made infamous during the Brooklyn bus attack perpetrated by a notorious phone stomper, and motivational speaker Conor McGregor. But do you really know the dolly? Most of you don’t even know his real name and yet he'll forever be part of MMA's history. In a groundbreaking interview brought to you by [...]
BKB 16 Preview: The Bare Knuckle Shuffle
Twenty years ago you’d have been hard pressed to find a casual fight fan out there that’d even heard of 'bare knuckle boxing', let alone actually witnessed a contest with their very own eyes. At the turn of the century, Guy Ritchie’s Brit-sploitation classic ‘Snatch’ lifted the lid on the murky world of unlicensed and [...]
Jussier Formiga Eyes Henry Cejudo Rematch:
Brazilian Flyweight contender Jussier Formiga and I recently sat down ahead of his pivotal encounter with compatriot Deviveson Figueriedo he currently holds the #1 rank in the flyweight division, and with this ranking comes the possibility of a move to Bantamweight, we discussed his past with champion Henry Cejudo, the prospect of another 'super fight' [...]
The MMA Roundup: 27th March
Here lies the MMA Roundup for the 20th of March; here you’ll find all the top news stories of the day in a simplified, quick to read format. The Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones eyes a Heavyweight birth against Stipe Miocic at UFC 239. https://twitter.com/JonnyBones/status/1110970828336685056 Dana White responds to Conor McGregor's UFC ownership plea; "Conor, [...]
How Many Flyweights Could Jon Jones Take?
Surely everyone does loves a good underdog story, and why the hell not? So with the state of the UFC flyweight division still up in air, I have created a scenario for those tough little fellas to keep their job while getting big PPV money: It's rather simple. You must fight Jon 'Bones' Jones in [...]
‘Felony’ Bennet Starts GoFundMe For His Broken Hand
The man, the myth, the legend that is 'Felony' Bennet; as he's now known (Pour one out for old 'Crazy Horse') has started a GoFundMe page to help secure money to treat his 'Chronic Mallet Finger'. So Gross Find the full description of the injury below, but he claims his finger is fucked and that's [...]
MMA May Cry: Acquiring The Souls Of Your Victim
Imagine an androgynous twenty something male with extravagant hair and a ludicrous jacket. They're about to do bloody battle with a thickly muscled monster covered in cheap tattoos. That's right, I'm talking about Devil May Cry. Oh, you thought I was talking about Pride? Hmm, it's as if I've crafted this opening paragraph as a [...]
What’s Next For Anthony Pettis ?
Former UFC Lightweight champion Anthony Pettis rallied to a huge one punch knockout of 'Wonderboy' Thompson in the dying embers of the second round last night in the main event of UFC Fight Night Nashville, to firmly shake up the Welterweight rankings on his divisional debut. Finding it difficult to get inside Thompson's guard and [...]
