Let’s face it: when your job description includes “get punched in the head a lot,” you’re probably not going to be too stable. But these cage warriors take things to a whole new level. Welcome to the dark world of mixed martial madness. From deranged rampages to demented YouTube ]]>

Let’s face it: when your job description includes “get punched in the head a lot,” you’re probably not going to be too stable. But these cage warriors take things to a whole new level. Welcome to the dark world of mixed martial madness. From deranged rampages to demented YouTube videos, these are the most mentally unstable fighters in MMA.

7 Viacheslav Datsik

I’ll be frank with you here: Russia is a place where crazy human animals seem to do pretty well for themselves. Take a look at the life of kickboxer Viacheslav Datsik. Datsik had one of the best first fights in MMA history, knocking future world champion Andrei Arlovski out in spectacular fashion in 1999, but it was all downhill from there. After six straight losses, he retired from fighting to start a new career robbing cell phone stores. Once arrested, a psychiatric examination revealed that Datsik had severe schizophrenia, believing himself to be “Red Tarzan,” the son of Slavic god Perun.

6 Kimo Leopoldo

When Kimo Leopoldo entered the Octagon at UFC 3 to face Royce Gracie, he did so carrying a giant cross on his back. Not the actions of a particularly stable individual. Since then, Kimo has enjoyed a decent career, beating fighters like Tank Abbott and Paul Varelans before retiring from fighting in 2006. Kimo was arrested in 2009 when Tustin, California police stopped his car and ordered him out to discover that he was wearing a full Long Beach police uniform, complete with badge. He’s not a cop, in case you were wondering. A search of the vehicle produced a bag of meth as well. Later that year, rumors of his death spread around the Internet, and basically everybody believed them.

5 Junie Browning

When your nickname is “Lunatik,” you know you’re in for a wild ride. Junie Browning first started training in combat sports at the age of four, opening up his tender young brain to all kinds of damage. He took the world stage on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter, drinking whiskey and talking smack about everybody in the UFC up to and including Dana White. After getting released from the company, Browning was arrested for beating up three nurses at a hospital in Nevada, then fled to Thailand where he got horrifically injured in a bar brawl. In the Phuket hospital, he actually got out of his bed to track down his opponents and beat them some more before escaping with his girlfriend to live as a fugitive in Malaysia.

4 War Machine

Jon Koppenhaver, the fighter who would take the name “War Machine,” had enough trauma as a kid to warp any mind. We first saw him on season 6 of The Ultimate Fighter, when he was brought in as a replacement for Roman Mitichyan only to be eliminated in his first episode. He came back to wow crowds with a win over Jared Rollins, but was quickly cut from the organization after making sickening comments about the death of Evan Tanner. From there, it was a one-way ticket to crazytown for War Machine, including a detour into the porn industry and being thrown in jail for a brutal brawl at a birthday party. He’s currently back in the pokey after a stint as a topless host at a gay bar.

3 Lee Murray

For a tough guy, mixed martial arts can represent a legal way to batter dudes into submission, so it’s not surprising that many fighters hail from less than salubrious backgrounds. Lee Murray was born in Bermondsey, a South London slum that’s notorious for producing armed robbers. “Lightning,” as he came to be known, parlayed his knack for violence into a MMA career, beating Jorge Rivera in his only UFC fight. Unfortunately, he was dropped from the company when his myriad legal issues came to light. Right now, dude’s in Moroccan jail being held on charges in relation to the largest cash robbery in British history, and he’s not set for release for 25 years.

2 Jarrod Wyatt

Drugs and the ability to kill a man with your bare hands don’t mix. Eureka, California native Jarrod Wyatt had just come off his first pro MMA win in Resurrection Cage Fights and decided to celebrate with a little psychedelic recreation. When Wyatt and his buddy Taylor Powell drank some cups of hallucinogenic mushroom tea, they embarked on a very bad trip. The pair started going down a paranoid hole where they were convinced the Devil was on his way, and the more powerful Wyatt blew a gasket, ripping Powell’s tongue out, cutting his heart out of his chest and cooking it on the stove. Damn, that’s crazy.

1 Dan Quinn

There is literally no fighter on Earth as batcrap crazy as Dan Quinn. Former Notre Dame football player turned combat sportsman, Quinn’s been competing in the cage since 2001 against talent including Frank Mir and Jason Lambert. And now he’s living with his mother and making YouTube videos about how sugar substitute Stevia will give you eternal life if you mix it with purified water and marijuana. Quinn’s public tirades are dispatches from a truly bizarre mind, one that thinks God appeared to him and informed him of his true identity as the angel Maitreya and told him how to accomplish cold fission.

Mixed martial arts fighters put themselves through a lot of suffering to excel at their craft. But to actually see the damage two days later is something to behold. Take a look at the ankle of UFC lightweight Mac Danzig after Saturday night’s UFC 145.

Oh ]]>

Mixed martial arts fighters put themselves through a lot of suffering to excel at their craft. But to actually see the damage two days later is something to behold. Take a look at the ankle of UFC lightweight Mac Danzig after Saturday night’s UFC 145.

Oh yeah, and he WON the fight, against Efrain Escudero, via unanimous decision. Fortunately, according to Danzig, he’s walking around fine on it.

Kind of makes you feel like a dick for every stubbed toe you’ve ever complained about, right?

@MacDanzigMMA [Twitter]

UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans is taking place later today so here’s an exclusive documentary on Jonny ‘Bones’ Jones titled “The Real Jon Jones” to get you in the mood for tonight’s festivities.

In this interview with Fight Day host Dave Farra, Jones recounts his incredible rise from college ]]>

UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans is taking place later today so here’s an exclusive documentary on Jonny ‘Bones’ Jones titled “The Real Jon Jones” to get you in the mood for tonight’s festivities.

In this interview with Fight Day host Dave Farra, Jones recounts his incredible rise from college drop-out to national UFC champion, and answers very personal questions about his family, his relationship with God and the passing of his younger sister.

Today’s a another great chance to nab video games and junk on the cheap, thanks to Amazon’s Gold Box deals. The centerpiece is a 320GB PS3 for just $260; that’s just ten bucks more for a system that’s half the hard drive size. Plus there’s a few other deals worth ]]>

Today’s a another great chance to nab video games and junk on the cheap, thanks to Amazon’s Gold Box deals. The centerpiece is a 320GB PS3 for just $260; that’s just ten bucks more for a system that’s half the hard drive size. Plus there’s a few other deals worth checking out as well.

The lighting round began earlier this morning, so some deals are off the table, but it’s all good. You all missed Army Corps of Hell, a fairly mediocre Vita game that will be $5 in no time, and some dancing game. Don’t know which one, and don’t care.

But at this very moment, you can get a Move motion controller for just $30, which ain’t half bad. But coming up is a UFC game of some kind, more than like Undisputed 3. After that? The schedule and clues go as follows:

7PM EDT: “Action RPG Meets First Person Shooter!”

11PM EDT: “The most technologically-advanced headset ever designed for PS3 and XBOX 360 gaming”

I have no idea what the first one could be, nor the last item exactly, but I’m pretty sure the middle is Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. For those interested, head on over to here.

UFC Octagon Girl Brittney Palmer was out promoting her new Playboy feature in Las Vegas over the weekend. Amazingly she also looks great with her clothes on. Go figure.

The big news over the weekend was the fact that there were pics of UFC Octagon Girl Arianny Celeste on a balcony completely naked. Not sure if it was really her, and I can’t show you them anyway, so here’s the next best thing: Arianny in a ]]>

The big news over the weekend was the fact that there were pics of UFC Octagon Girl Arianny Celeste on a balcony completely naked. Not sure if it was really her, and I can’t show you them anyway, so here’s the next best thing: Arianny in a bikini. Okay, maybe this isn’t the “next” best thing, but it’s pretty good. The UFC should really look into having her do her round card thing wearing bikinis like this. Just a thought.

The UFC Octagon Girls rewrite the NFL rulebook ahead of Super Bowl Weekend by donning football gear and playing a little beach football as they gear up for UFC 143: Condit vs. Diaz. Arianny Celeste looks like she should get the MVP award for this particular game. ]]>

The UFC Octagon Girls rewrite the NFL rulebook ahead of Super Bowl Weekend by donning football gear and playing a little beach football as they gear up for UFC 143: Condit vs. Diaz. Arianny Celeste looks like she should get the MVP award for this particular game.

To see the rest of this smoking hot gallery, click here now.

Even though the Xbox 360 probably won’t be replacing your cable box soon, at least Microsoft is making good on their promise to compensate those with UFC woes.

Remember those plans to eventually replace your cable box with your game console? Sure the first ]]>

Even though the Xbox 360 probably won’t be replacing your cable box soon, at least Microsoft is making good on their promise to compensate those with UFC woes.

Remember those plans to eventually replace your cable box with your game console? Sure the first steps were shaky, but first steps always are, of a larger plan that had been long in the works. One that included steaming content television content themself, dubbed the “Microsoft TV” project to some. Well, guess what? They’re officially on hold.

According to Reuters, the infrastructure was certainly built and operational; many, myself included, had assumed MS’s recent foray into providing a platform for cable providers via somewhat redundant apps had a grander purpose after-all, as a means to test the waters. But apparently, once MS discovered that acquiring the rights to said programming would be expensive… as in, VERY expensive… they decided to shelf the project entirely.

And for a while there, I had proclaimed that MS had finally won the cable wars, on the behalf of consumers. And once again, we are reminded why are paltry cable packages are so pricey in the first place.

But it’s worth noting that nowhere on the report does it state the Xbox 360 specifically. So, given how everyone is looking to see if Apple does produce an iTV, to then copy it… plus how the Xbox 720 is rumored to provide games and the such via downloads and streaming, and how television shows and movies would definitely sweeten the deal… I personally don’t think “Microsoft TV” is as heads as some believe. Could be totally wrong of course.

In other news, remember MS’s promise to compensate those who were unable to watch UFC 141 via their UFC on Xbox app? Along with my skepticism as to whether whatever they have planned with work? Well details have been revealed and they may work after-all: everyone is getting UFC 142 for free. Meanwhile, the app itself has basically reverted to closed beta status; the upcoming UFC in Brazil, dubbed UFC RIO, will not be available for purchase to the general public.

Well, at the very least, that completely does away with any fears of a repeat incident of the circuits being overloaded. They should have exact numbers as to how many streams they will be servicing out. Sure UFC RIO lacks the excitement of the previous card’s headliner, aka Lesnar vs. Overeem, but that fight turned out to be a bust anyway, so Aldo vs. Mendes might actually be the better showdown. Oh, also, everyone’s getting a complimentary month of Gold added to their memberships, because MS feels that bad about the mess up.

For all the flack that Sony gets for their inept online infrastructure, and lack thereof on Nintendo’s end, MS isn’t exactly doing the best of jobs either. In fact, they flat out suck.

First, via Giant Bomb is a bug on Xbox.com; in the following, we see ]]>

For all the flack that Sony gets for their inept online infrastructure, and lack thereof on Nintendo’s end, MS isn’t exactly doing the best of jobs either. In fact, they flat out suck.

First, via Giant Bomb is a bug on Xbox.com; in the following, we see how one can accidentally purchase something on the XBL Marketplace instead of just nabbing a demo, if you’re not careful…

MS claims that they’re working on. Cool story bro. And here’s one that’s not; it’s pretty much a nightmare scenario in fact: Destructoid this morning wrote about a woman who discovered that her Xbox Live account had been hacked and over $214.97 worth of crap was charged to the card that’s connected. MS responded by giving her a complimentary 30 day code (which is not worth two hundred bucks, that’s for damn sure) and stating that her Live account would be frozen.

Well, turns out, that’s not true. Hence why the thief was about to charge an additional $124.98. When the woman pressed MS for insight into the matter, they literally confessed to not knowing what the hell is going on. It gets even better: in a totally cocky (but ultimately stupid) move, the victim was added as a friend by one of the thieves, and from that, she was able to track down the identity of her robbers. Though most of the things the victim had to resort to could have been easily accomplished if Microsoft gave a rat’s ass. But they don’t.

In other news, remember the UFC on Xbox Live debacle last week? Well, MS has since clarified things a bit; according to Joystiq, it wasn’t 25,000 but 30,000 folks who weren’t able to watch UFC 141. Along with who knows how many that actually paid for the damn thing.

So the good news is that all 30,000 folks who couldn’t get it will be getting a future show for free, but it may not necessarily be the very next event after-all. Oh well, UFC 143, headlined by Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit, is somewhat more exciting than UFC 142, José Aldo vs. Chad Mendes, IMHO. Still, the main issue is how MS has yet to acknowledge all the folks who couldn’t see the last bout but actually paid for it.

And finally, despite loving the look of the new Dashboard, the bloom is off the rose; it may be easy on the eyes, but functionality-wise, it totally blows. Though the one group of folks who hate it the most are those that created games for the Indie channel; the new set-up has made searching for stuff literally impossible. Which was why one guy decided to make an Xbox Indie game about it. Though it’s also neat that you get to shoot cats and how old consoles litter the landscape…

No? Same here.

It was too good to be true, I guess. What was meant to be the perfect solution for those without cable that still wanted to witness the big Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem showdown, via their Xbox 360s, didn’t quite work out as ]]>

No? Same here.

It was too good to be true, I guess. What was meant to be the perfect solution for those without cable that still wanted to witness the big Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem showdown, via their Xbox 360s, didn’t quite work out as well as promised or expected. Those interested may have to go back to their previous method for seeing UFC: by torrenting the thing.

I myself was not able to get the UFC on XBL app to connect to whatever servers, and according to Twitter, most folks had the same exact problem. In some instances, multiple attempts would eventually work (I personally gave up after trying for an hour straight).

But even then, quality of the stream was spotty (I heard more than a few reports in which it switched back and forth between HD and SD, endlessly), was many minutes behind what was actually happening, and in some instances, would just die and leave the person back to square one like the rest of us.

Once the show was winding down, Microsoft sent an email to members of the press stating that the problem was due to technical issues stemming from the 25,000 folks who got free access. Remember this? So once again, we have yet another instance of Dana White giving away the show for free, blowing up in his face.

But instead of folks flying out to the venue, hoping to score free live passes and not getting them, which thus results in all sorts of PR awkwardness, such superfans have now ruined the fun for those that actually paid for the damn thing. Just great. And given how the 360 is able to service countless Netflix and Hulu customers, and on a far heavier basis, the problem must lie with UFC somehow.

To make up for it, UFC 142 will be free, but given how 25,000 users managed to blow the whole thing up, I can only imagine how well it will perform next time, since I’m pretty sure more than that many of folks were inconvenienced tonight. Also, let’s be honest, is Aldo vs. Mendes as interesting as Lesnar vs. Overeem? God no. And btw, I sorta assumed that things would at least be working for the replay, but that hasn’t turned out to be the case either.

Much like the guy who runs the company, the app is built around the giving away of the big show (at least for the time being). Which is an interesting business move to say the least.

I speak, of course, of Dana White’s penchant for running around whatever city his ]]>

Much like the guy who runs the company, the app is built around the giving away of the big show (at least for the time being). Which is an interesting business move to say the least.

I speak, of course, of Dana White’s penchant for running around whatever city his next PPV is taking place, and giving away tickets (he’ll broadcast his location via Twitter, and its up to people to then find him). Which is meant to create buzz in that neighborhood, and that does happen.

Yet from what I hear, many flock to that town to score free tickets, and if unsuccessful, they don’t bother to put money down for seats and simply go home. Could that, or something along those lines, happen here as well?

Well, a brand new round of video apps just hit the Xbox 360, but the only one you need to know about is the UFC’s; it’s finally live. Now, to help promote its launch, the first 25,000 folks that downloaded the thing was given the next show, which is being headlined by Brock Lesnar vs Alistair Overeem, for totally free. That’s awfully nice of Dana White and company!

But here’s the thing: those who were late to the party and simply don’t mind paying for the show… and as previously noted, it’s a great way for folks who don’t have cable and don’t want to deal with all the logistical annoyances (as well as the dirty feeling inside) of pirating of the show… are not able to.

Anyone who tries will get a notification that it’s “sold out.” Huh? Can a PPV, that you’ll be watching at home, technically sell out? Apparently. According to its Twitter account: “additional free Pay-Per-Views for UFC 141 will be released prior to the event. Keep following for more details.”

So basically, they want people to keep an eye out on Twitter once again (great), for when the next load of free tickets are available. Presumably, one will be able to purchase the show as well, eventually, but not letting people to do so, and as soon as possible, is kinda silly. Even potentially damaging.

I’m not a marketing expert, and I guess it’s some kind of means to building anticipation. Yet if I want to see UFC 141, but am not allowed to succumb to impulses, and instead have to play some game of internet cat and mouse, that I’m not successful in the end, I might just become annoyed and say screw the show, since the notion of seeing it for free had burnt into my brain for so long. Maybe that’s just me.

But here’s another thing: it’s the day before New Year’s Eve. Not the day of, granted, but it’s going to be a busy weekend for many folks, with parties and such. The longer one has to wait to order the thing, the greater the chance that conflicting plans could be made. Just saying.

Thus the long-awaited rollout of the new video-centric “apps” for the Xbox 360 has officially begun.

Microsoft’s official Xbox 360 blogger, Major Nelson, gave the head’s up earlier this morning, about the arrival of a plethora of media driven apps for the console. ]]>

Thus the long-awaited rollout of the new video-centric “apps” for the Xbox 360 has officially begun.

Microsoft’s official Xbox 360 blogger, Major Nelson, gave the head’s up earlier this morning, about the arrival of a plethora of media driven apps for the console. Some of which I’ve gotten the chance to play around with, and a few I have no, for various reasons.

The blog post has the full list, and as you can see, not everyone is getting everything. Since I’m here in the US, it makes sense that I’m not able to access blinkbox, MUZU.TV, Rogers On Demand, and SBS ON DEMAND.

Verizon FiOS TV, on the other hand, is not available, despite it being for this neck of the woods. Maybe it auto-detects if you’re a customer or not? So instead, I was able to give the following a spin…

TMZ – Eh, it’s cool if you’re into celebrity gossip and the such. I believe it pulls clips from their website, just short clips of celebs being hassled at the airport or on their way to a car outside whatever club.

SyFy – Was really hoping a lot of this, but was perhaps the most disappointing. All it does is serve up clips for their shows; was expecting full episodes of at least their original programming. There’s also a pair of online specific shows that you can watch on your TV, and that’s cool and all, but otherwise, the app seems awfully pointless.

DailyMotion – It’s like the MySpace of YouTubes. People still use it? Apparently. Works well enough, and the categories provided makes accessing specific content quite easy, though some of the stuff I stumbled across was rather ancient, by internet standards.

ESPN – Works as well as one would like or hope. Since I have little if no familiarity with the previous incarnation of ESPN on Xbox Live, I’ll simply take their word for it when it is stated that everything’s bigger and better and easier to use. Being able to watch two football games at the same time, or one live and highlights from another, all simultaneously sounds great. Would be better if I actually followed football!

YouTube – The crown jewel. This will be the app that everyone uses since, hey, who doesn’t love YouTube, right? Watching your favorite cat videos on a console has been around since the Wii, and then later on the PS3, but both of those required going through the console’s web browser, and did the job I guess. But this is by far the best iteration, thanks to the Metro UI. The way it integrates with one’s own YouTube account (which was possible on the Wii or PS3, but I’m certain most folks were not even aware of) is super simple, and the fact that all videos play at full screen at default is the real deal sealer.

… There’s also the UFC channel, which hasn’t gone live, but I was actually given early access this past weekend, to check out the show that just happened. Long story short, and as I had expected, it works flawlessly. Was able to watch the show without the need of having cable or pirate the damn thing. Which is not only illegal but a huge hassle.

Plus all the extras, at least the ones that were available (I couldn’t engage in any of the social aspects since no one else I know has the thing yet), worked as advertised, and is basically what everyone else cooking up apps, or have already done so, could seriously learn from (aside from ESPN or YouTube, which again, are pretty flawless in terms of features and functionality).

I’m assuming the one true app that everyone is legit waiting for, HBO Go, will also work well, but you’ll need to be a cable subscriber to enjoy its delights. But i not, and you can actually just pay for the thing directly, expect everyone to start singing and dancing in the street once word gets out and the app is live. No word yet on either.

We’ve covered comedian Jim Norton’s ongoing segment when UFC fighters visit SiriusXM’s Opie and Anthony Show before. Last time, he was the recipient of a leg lock from Brock Lesnar. Today, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones gave Norton a thigh kick. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t look pleasant. ]]>

We’ve covered comedian Jim Norton’s ongoing segment when UFC fighters visit SiriusXM’s Opie and Anthony Show before. Last time, he was the recipient of a leg lock from Brock Lesnar. Today, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones gave Norton a thigh kick. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t look pleasant.

You’ve got to admire Norton’s balls for taking a kick even as half-speed as that one. It has to be roughly equivalent to standing in front of a moving truck. Even moreso, you have to admire Jon Jones for his ability to keep his fashionable hat on while throwing a leg kick. Many guys can hit a leg kick. Few can look like a Benetton model while doing so.

Jones will move on to UFC 140 to face former light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida. Presumably, Norton will move on to face a severe limp and a grapefruit-sized contusion.

UPDATE: Three hours after the kick, here’s how Jim Norton’s legs looked. Per his Twitter, you should ignore the sassy Can-Can Danceresque pose:

@opieradio [Twitter]

The new launch date is December 20, just in time for UFC 141.

What was supposed to come out today is actually being pushed back a little bit. Three weeks to be exact. I’m talking about the UFC app for the Xbox 360 that was

The new launch date is December 20, just in time for UFC 141.

What was supposed to come out today is actually being pushed back a little bit. Three weeks to be exact. I’m talking about the UFC app for the Xbox 360 that was announced alongside all the cable television offerings coming to the console.

But, unlike the aforementioned Verizon FiOS deal, which looks to be utter pointless, this one seems far more straightforward. The primary aim of the app is allow folks to order and view the upcoming show no. 141, which no doubt has many people interested, since it’s being headlined by Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem. Specifically those of us without cable.

It’ll also allow fans to enjoy all the pre-show build-up, like the press conferences, weigh-ins, and the countdown special (presumably). There’s also something called the Interactive Fight Card with Fight Picks in which folks can place bets and compete with pals. Whatever. The most important thing is that one can purchase and view the show without the need of being a cable subscriber. This is big, REALLY big.

I’ve looked all over Joystiq‘s write-up and can’t find any mention of having to be a subscriber, which is the main reason why, despite being a UFC fan, I’ve rarely been able to enjoy their big shows firsthand. For me, it’s either going to a friend’s place or going to a bar. Though for the most part, I always see it after the fact, via… unscrupulous means. In virtually every scenario, it’s always a hassle.

I would gladly pay full price to see the show live, but without also having to also deal with Time Warner or Comcast, and I have a feeling many others feel the same way. UFC’s head honcho, Dana White, is once again ahead of the game, tapping into contemporary technology and trends to advance his product. It’s a shame that so few others are as forward thinking.

Welcome to another edition of [4G] — Guyism Gear, Gadgets, and Goodies — where we bring you the latest in the stuff you need to see, do, own, or play, plus as is always the case we’re giving away something great.

Lesnar vs. ]]>

Welcome to another edition of [4G] — Guyism Gear, Gadgets, and Goodies — where we bring you the latest in the stuff you need to see, do, own, or play, plus as is always the case we’re giving away something great.

Lesnar vs. Velasquez. Silva vs. Belfort. “Shogun” vs. Jones. St-Pierre vs. Shields. These are some of the top matches of the year, the ones that fight fans want to relive over and over again. On December 6, Anchor Bay Entertainment and the Ultimate Fighting Championship® give them the chance with UFC®: Ultimate Fight Collection 2011 Edition, an awesome anthology of the epic battles fought between July 2010 and June 2011.

This 20-disc DVD set captures every important moment with over 40 hours of footage – including 10 hours of content never before available on DVD. Featurettes include Best of Unguarded, Best of Rogan 1-On-1 and Best of Fight School. The set will get an exclusive roll out at Best Buy on November 8.

In celebration of the release of UFC: Ultimate Fight Collection, 2011 Edition we’re going to be giving you a chance to win your own set (approximate value $135). All you have to do to be entered to win is like Guyism on Facebook and keep a watchful eye there because that’s where we’ll be giving the prize away. (Contest open to US residents only.)

As noted previously, plans to have your 360 become the epicenter of entrainment set-up are actually moving forward! Many will be stoked to discover that quite a few channels are on board. But the emphasis on using the Kinect to navigate your content? Maybe not as much.

It’s ]]>

As noted previously, plans to have your 360 become the epicenter of entrainment set-up are actually moving forward! Many will be stoked to discover that quite a few channels are on board. But the emphasis on using the Kinect to navigate your content? Maybe not as much.

It’s been a busy day for Xbots. First we learned how Halo was at one point an Apple thing, and if it had remained as such, there’s a good chance that there wouldn’t have been a Xbox 1, let alone a Xbox 360. Next we discovered the existence of the Xbox 720 via Real Steel. Supposedly. And now we have a look at how watching cable television on your console will work…

… Right off the bat, one has to assume that the Kinect won’t be the only means of managing everything. It’s been successful I realize, but not everyone has one quite yet. Still, one can never be too sure about these kinds of things.

At least we finally have a full list of all the “Entertainment Partners” that are participating, via the Major Nelson blog. I’ve taken the liberty to skip the ones that we already have access to, like Netflix, Hulu, and Facebook. BTW, does anyone seriously Facebook on their consoles?

• ABC iView – Australia
• AlloCiné – France, Germany, Spain, U.K.
• Antena 3 – Spain
• Astral Media’s Disney XD – Canada
• BBC – U.K.
• blinkbox – U.K.
• Bravo – U.S.
• Canal+ – France, Spain
• Channel 4 – U.K.
• Channel 5 – U.K.
• CinemaNow (Best Buy) – U.S.
• Comcast – U.S.
• Crackle – Australia, Canada, U.K., U.S.
• Dailymotion – Available in 32 markets
• EPIX – U.S.
• GolTV – Spain
• HBO GO – U.S.
• Hulu – Japan
• iHeartRadio (Clear Channel) – U.S.
• LOVEFiLM – Germany, U.K.
• Manga Entertainment – U.S.
• Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment/Real Sports – Canada
• Mediaset – Italy
• MSN with MSNBC.com – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, U.K.
• MUZU.TV – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K.
• Rogers On Demand Online (RODO) – Canada
• RTVE – Spain
• SBS On Demand – Australia
• Syfy – U.S.
• Telefonica – Spain
• Televisa – Mexico
• “The Today Show” – U.S.
• TMZ – U.S.
• UFC – Canada, U.S.
• Verizon – U.S.
• VEVO – Canada, U.K., U.S.
• YouTube – Available in 22 markets
• ZDF – Germany

… Things are starting to become clearer; those with Comcast or Verizon will be able to watch all their regular content via an associated app (or at least heavy hitters like MTV, Spike, Food Network, Comedy Central, CNN and Nickelodeon; no word yet if my favorite channel, Game Show Network, will be included). Otherwise, certain networks have their own dedicated portals, like Bravo, Syfy, and HBO. Though it remains to be seen if each will have it’s own subscription fee.

Which would suck, since that would be a ton of digital receipts to keep track of. Yet I don’t see any other way. Though we might finally have what everyone’s wanted, and that’s the chance to cherry pick the channels we actually watch (though the only way that would actually work is if EVERY network is accounted for). BTW, about damn time that YouTube made an appearance, it’s absence this long has been borderline inexcusable. Also, I’m predicting the UFC one to be a runaway hit.

Anyhow, all will be known when the new service launches later this winter, which is actually quite soon!

Game based fitness regimes have come and gone, and none have been able to top the current king, Wii Fit. But along comes a worthy contender, and it’s based by… the UFC?

They have a new game out, called UFC Personal Trainer, that professes to offer some of the same ]]>

Game based fitness regimes have come and gone, and none have been able to top the current king, Wii Fit. But along comes a worthy contender, and it’s based by… the UFC?

They have a new game out, called UFC Personal Trainer, that professes to offer some of the same degree of fitness training that the folks who do battle in the octagon utilize. The workouts were all been designed by The National Academy of Sports Medicine, along with a few of the actual fighters themselves, which by itself sounds promising already.

Looks-wise, it appears to be like the real deal actually. Now, every workout testimonial has to be taken with a grain of salt, though the following looks might promising. Here we have three folks that spent 8 weeks with the game and the results. First, meet Matt…

… While I’m not in quite the same shape as the dude who has my same name started out as, I’m still somewhat in the same boat, so naturally I’m interested. Moving on, we have Stephanie…

… And finally we have another dude, Alfonso…

… I’m actually sold! Though, not to make excuses, but I’m afraid my tiny ass Manhattan apartment might be an issue. Then again, I could always get this.

MS’s big E3 presser just wrapped up, and lots of stuff was shown and said. For those eager to know what the future holds for all Xbox 360 owners, keep reading…

Now, it’ll take a little time before media gets distributed, and since there’s also no ]]>

MS’s big E3 presser just wrapped up, and lots of stuff was shown and said. For those eager to know what the future holds for all Xbox 360 owners, keep reading…

Now, it’ll take a little time before media gets distributed, and since there’s also no real to regurgitate all the PR jargon that was spilled, how about I just pass along my two cents to everything as it was said, in the order it was said, in real time?

Basically, this is me reposting my Twitter feed during the event, with some tightening up. Because game journalists believe that they’re so damn funny during such occasions, and this particular egotist wants to make sure his nuggets of truth have not been missed:

1. Re: the new Call of Duty, it’s nice to know enough time has passed in which game makers can go back to blowing up buildings in lower Manhattan without a second thought.

20. In the end, no hint of a Xbox 720, thank goodness. Was afraid with Nintendo about to make official a new system, they might be a bit trigger-happy. Then again, this is MS we’re talking about. They know when a cash cow is still giving milk. Look how long it took them to properly update XP?