NINJA LIFE

Having fun writing about mixed martial arts!

May 1, 2016

Playing the game: the free agency gamble by Benson Henderson

Free agency is the buzz in the 2016 MMA world. Several high-profile UFC fighters have jumped ship in hopes of greener pastures. One such notable individual is Benson Henderson who recently signed with Bellator MMA. And, on…

Gregory Cassel

Apr 15, 2016

Is the UFC business model succumbing to the competitive market?

Ben Askren’s win today reinforces the reality that there are talented fighters in promotions around the world that could very well be title contenders and title holders in the UFC if given the opportunity.

Gregory Cassel

Apr 8, 2016

The journey to mainstream

It’s always fun to reevaluate how far the sport of MMA has come. I think a large reason for this is because it was only a couple of decades ago that the sport was truly born in its modern sense, yet its growth has been rapid. And, it is still coming along as evidenced by the fact it…

Gregory Cassel

Apr 6, 2016

Nostalgia time: Review of The Quest (1996)

Boy oh boy, this movie has a special place in the hearts of many of us I am sure! Growing up in the 90’s meant Van Damme movies were commonplace. I look back on them fondly as they are a major foundation for my fascination with the martial arts. And even…

Gregory Cassel

Apr 2, 2016

Journalism ethics: The firing of Ariel Helwani

In the wake of Ariel Helwani’s firing from FOX and Kenny Florian’s suspension for plagiarism, I wanted to take a moment to look at the ethics behind journalism. I’m doing this more out of curiosity than to make some kind of emphatic point. And, of…

Gregory Cassel

Apr 1, 2016

Taking a look back at the arduous road to MMA legalization in New York

With professional MMA finally legalized in the state of New York, let’s take a look back at some of the difficulties faced over the years in arriving at this point. I wrote this article in 2013, where once…