Back in the day when mainstream culture believed the only rule in MMA was that you couldn’t wrap your hands in shards of glass, no one would have dreamed that a decade later thousands of people would be throwing down $50 to buy video game versions of the sport (yes…we also cry with joy that we’re no longer limited to the original Play Station console…). Things have changed…and for the better.

 Now, we’ve gone on about THQ’s UFC Undisputed series before, and there is little doubt that the game has been a massive success for Zuffa. Of course, where there is money to be made people will follow, and gaming / MMA nerds are now anxiously waiting for the release of EA Sport’s MMA game later this year. According to a recent report from MMA Fighting, in the interest of making the game as good as possible, EA brought in Randy Couture several times to get his feedback on it. The company’s Randy Chase was quoted saying:

“Randy has been to our studio five or six times and has spent a lot of time with our developers and even though he’s not really a gamer, he has shared so much about the fights, and about how he trains for specific opponents,” Chase said. “One of the things he talked about is that when you’re training, if you’re training to fight a wrestler, you want wrestlers in your camp. And that’s something that we really put into our career mode.”

Nice job Randy. And isn’t it nice to know that you’re involvement with the game won’t result in your UFC banishment after all…

Interest in Gegard Mousasi continues to rise here in North America, especially after the rising star’s first round smack down of former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champ Renato “Babalu” Sobral last month. Hell, even Dana White conceded recently that on a scale from 1-5, Mousasi ranked a 7, as far as how badly the UFC President wanted to see the former Dream champ in the Octagon. (You’re probably more likely to see a Sasquatch in your backyard than hear White give props like that to a non-UFC fighter again)  

After Affliction decided to close up shop on promoting fights earlier this summer, there was a big schmaz regarding whether or not Mousasi was in negotiations with the UFC. (Including speculation that Mousasi may have felt misled about what the UFC had been offering) Speaking to Sherdog.com’s TJ De Santis, Mousasi stated:

“There’s never been an offer to me to fight in the UFC.”

Alrighty…moving on; in the interview the 24 year-old-fighter also says that he believes great things are ahead for Strikeforce, citing the promotion’s TV deals and recent matchmaking as evidence. Mousasi also claims that he was unaware when he signed on with EA, to be part of the company’s upcoming MMA game, that White had declared that those who are featured in the game will be blacklisted from the UFC. (Contrary to reports, thoughtcrime will not be banned)

Yeah, somehow we think that White will find a way to dig his way out of that blanket-across the board-threat, if say Mousasi, or a certain Mr. Fedor Emelianenko come calling in a year or two…

According to a report from Gamers Daily News, Electronic Arts is going to confirm recent speculation that the video game giant is jumping into the MMA world, and will announce a title for the sport sometime today. The report goes onto further that it is believed the game will be titled EA Sports MMA. It remains to be seen whether or not the game will be directly tied to another MMA promotion like Strikeforce or Affliction. (the report states Pride and Elite XC as possibilities- highly unlikely, since Pride was bought out by the UFC long ago and Elite XC tanked faster than a Kevin Federline album)

To compete with UFC 2009 Undisputed, EA has a tall order to fill in making sure the Octagon girls are as hot as Arianny Celeste and Edith Labelle are in the THQ game. Second, if the game can include B rated celebrities in the audience, (a glaring loophole in UFC Undisputed) then they could have a leg up, provided they do indeed sign actual MMA fighters for the game, (obvious no brainers include Fedor Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, Robbie Lawler etc) and don’t go with fictitious fighters like John Claude Von Dim and Stephen Seegal.

Check out the new Kimbo commercial: