Imposing your will is a phrase often heard in Mixed Martial Arts. Commentators, fighters, and coaches use it to describe the process of breaking an opponent down. What sometimes goes forgotten however, is that a fighter imposes their will not only during their fight, but also every day in training. With the explosion of the UFC into the mainstream, everybody may want to be a fighter, but make no mistake - the barriers of entry into this sport are incredibly high. It takes more than talent to succeed at mixed martial arts. Above all, it takes an iron will and the mentality that although the challenges you will face as a fighter are overwhelming, giving up is simply not an option.

‘Maluco’ going hunting at MFC 31

(Press Release)

How does a fighter get a nickname?

Sometimes it’s a play on his first or last name, maybe a takeoff on where the fighter is from or his ethnic heritage, other times it’s simply an innocent comment taken to the extreme.

After three fights and a dramatic rise to becoming the organization’s hottest prospect, Dhiego Lima stood without so much as a hint of what colorful nickname might suit him best. It had to be a bang-on hit, a perfect fit.

So with the creative juices flowing in the MFC office, suddenly it came out of nowhere. Bust out the Portuguese-English dictionary, thumb through to “crazy” and there it was.

Dhiego “Maluco” Lima.

“I love the nickname. When I first saw it on the poster, it felt like I’d had it a while already. It definitely fits me,” said Lima, who will look to stay perfect in action when he puts his undefeated streak on the line at MFC 31: The Rundown against “Dangerous” Terry Martin.

A back injury incurred in training by UK prospect Tom “Kong” Watson has resulted in Rough House team member Jim Wallhead taking his place in the main event for BAMMA 7. It is now Wallhead who will face Frank Trigg on 10th September at the Birmingham National Indoor Arena.

Jimmy Wallhead is quoted by BAMMA as saying, “I’m really grateful BAMMA have given me this chance to fight on such a big card against a high level athlete like Frank Trigg. It’s a test that I'm looking forward to but I hope he doesn't think I'm just a late replacement who is there for a quick payday, I'm there to get back to where I belong, at the top, above people like him.”

London, England – July 8, 2011 – Europe’s largest and most prominent Mixed Martial Arts promotion, The British Association of Mixed Martial Arts (BAMMA), announced today that BAMMA Champion Tom “Kong” Watson and UFC veteran Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg will headline BAMMA 7 in a battle for the organizations World Middleweight Title.  The organization also revealed a high-octane welterweight bout between Strikeforce veteran Joey Villasenor and top UK contender Che Mills.  BAMMA 7 is shaping up to be the popular UK fight organizations most impressive card to date. The event will take place on Saturday, September 10 at The National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, UK.

According to Liam Fisher, Head of Business Development at BAMMA, "Watson said he was open to fighting Trigg if the fans were interested in the match-up ...and the fans were definitely interested. The fans wanted it, so we made it happen. After Trigg’s impressive performance against John Phillips and Tom sending Ninja Rua into retirement, this is going to be a very interesting fight to watch."

(London, 16th March) Europe’s leading MMA promotion BAMMA is proud to announce BAMMA 6 will take place on Saturday 21st May at Wembley Arena headlined by Tom ‘Kong’ Watson V Murilo ‘Ninja’ Rua in a clash for the BAMMA Middleweight Title.

Watson said: "Ninja is without doubt one of the most exciting and top Middleweight fighters in the world. I am so excited that this fight will happen in London for the UK fans. I HAVE NO DOUBT THIS WILL BE A WAR!!"

More than 835,000 TV viewers in the UK tuned in to watch Watson go to war with Alex Reid at BAMMA 4 to retain the BAMMA Middleweight Title, making it not only the most talked about MMA event of 2010 but also the most viewed UK MMA event ever. Now the crowd favourite and BAMMA Middleweight Champion Tom ‘Kong’ Watson is up for his toughest challenge yet – defending the belt against dangerous Brazilian contender ‘Ninja’ Rua in the UK’s most iconic sporting venue.

(LONDON, March 14th) The recent takeover of STRIKEFORCE by the UFC will have repercussions across the Mixed Martial Arts world as fighters, managers and fans alike come to terms with the new playing field.

The MMA community is buzzing with talk about what the fallout from this industry shake up will be and how the role of other MMA organizations such as BAMMA will change.

Liam Fisher, Head of Business Development for BAMMA comments:

‘Whether I look at this as an MMA fan or a representative of BAMMA, it’s definitely a game changer, but a positive thing for us. There’s going to be some fighters that want to work with the UFC again and this is their way to do that but there’s also going to be some fighters that can’t or won’t work with them and this is where we come in. BAMMA is not only a breeding ground for new talent but we’re also a place for more established fighters to compete at a high level in big arenas on live globally broadcasted shows.’

Saturday the 26th of February is a busy day for MMA -- and a monumental one for the UK.

Amidst the roar of UFC 127's pivotal fights for Michael Bisping, Curt Warburton, and Tom Blackledge of the Wolfslair Academy, along with Team Rough House rep Ross Pearson, the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts (BAMMA) organization is streaming a solid card today at 4:00 PM EST.

Headlining the event is top-ten killer Paul "Semtex" Daley, one of the most explosive strikers in the sport, facing DEEP welterweight champion Yuya Shirai.  The co-main event features another sharp English kickboxer in former TUF competitor James McSweeney, who takes on old school UFC heavyweight champion Ricco "Suave" Rodriguez.  Sticking with the theme of high-level strikers, Xavier Foupa-Pokam, a.k.a. "Professor X", is an established Muay Thai technician from France who made two Octagon appearances.  He'll meet Lancaster, England's Alex Makhonin, a rising prospect with an 8-1 record.

If you're in the UK, the show is free and live on the SYFY channel at 9PM.  Outside of the Queen's country, you can order the stream today at www.BAMMAtv.com for the following prices: $10 for the live feed, $5 for the replay 24 hours later, and $12 for the live stream plus having the replay available for 7 days.

NOTE: I was told the prices would be cut in half if you ordered before today, but the BAMMA website shows 50% off the prices above at the time this article is being written.  Take advantage of a great live card with top talent for a measly $5.00!  Click HERE to order.

More on the BAMMA event, some unfortunate circumstances at the weigh-ins, and a few promo videos after the jump.

Fighters Only reports that a verbal agreement is in place for former UFC welterweight Paul Daley to take on DEEP champion Yuya Shirai as the BAMMA 5 headliner, scheduled for February 26^th at the Manchester Evening News Arena.

Assuming that the bout goes ahead, Shirai will surely be the heavy underdog as he takes on a physically stronger fighter, who is near unanimously considered a top ten welterweight. Daley’s power is unquestioned, and was emphatically demonstrated in his most recent fight against Scott Smith in Strikeforce. His traditionally weaker area has been the ground game, a fact sure to inform Shirai’s strategy- particularly considering his Judo background.

Shirai is on a five-fight win streak, with his last bout being a unanimous decision victory over Shigetoshi Iwase at DEEP 50. He also owns a recent win over another Brit in the form of Che Mills, via armbar.