A mixed night for Nordic fighters, UFC London delivered a thrilling event with local fans celebrating their national athletes despite the sad ending with Tom Aspinall being injured. Two fighters training at the Swedish gym Allstars walked away from the octagon victoriously, and rumours of a card in Sweden may not be entirely untrue. Here is the breakdown of the event. Results disclosed.
Krönikor
A Note from the Colosseum
Perhaps the most famous arena in the world, the Coliseum was host to the largest combat spectacle in the Roman Empire. Gladiatorial combat harkens back to the days of funeral games but was banned by Christian emperors for its glorification of death and eventually ceased following the sack of Rome by Alaric and his Gothic army. Our editor writes from the ruins of the august arena.
Heavyweight Kings
Boxing is a sport, but it is also a part of culture. It’s reach far exceeds the ring and the arena, penetrating politics, popular culture, and everyday lives. In The Boxing Kings: When American Heavyweights Ruled the Ring, author Paul Beston traces this phenomenon.
“The Toughest White Man on the Planet”: Big Joe Egan
Chance encounters and unexpected events change lives. Big Joe Egan, 7-time Irish boxing title holder, former sparring partner to Mike Tyson and opponent of Lennox Lewis, speaks to our editor after one such fateful meeting.
The Allure of Violence: Pugilist Philosophy II
Philosophers often sidestep the issue of violence, refusing to tackle it head-on. One philosopher who has never refused the challenge is Professor Gordon Marino, who as well as being a professional philosopher was once a professional boxer and boxing coach. We spoke to him about the crossroad between philosophy and combat sports.
Judo in MMA: An Interview with Sexyama
Judo is perhaps most often associated with education, personal cultivation, and a way of introducing children to martial arts. Yet, Judo is a venerable martial art which has proven to be effective in MMA. One of the premier judokas who has proven this is Yoshihiro “Sexyama” Akiyama, whom we spoke to about his career.
The Oldest Sport on the British Isles: Cornish wrestling
Our editor visited this year’s Royal Cornwall Show and tried the oldest sport in Britain, Cornish wrestling.
What’s On: June 3rd-5th
Going into this weekend, here are some events to keep an eye on: UFC Fight Night, Judo Grand Slam, ONE 158, and Haney vs Kambosos Jr.
On The Warrior’s Path: Pugilist Philosophy I
Professor Daniele Bolelli is a rare academic: combining the learning of a renaissance man with protean mastery of martial arts, Bolelli is full of insight into combat philosophy. We spoke to him in our first installment of a series on combat philosophy.
Weekend Roundup
Many fight fans thought this week would be slow in terms of action without any UFC event scheduled. In fact, there were plenty of bouts to keep fans entertained. Results disclosed.
