Upon the release of the new ‘UFC Undisputed 2009’ and ‘Legends of Wrestlemania’ video games, we asked which one you’d step into the ring with if given only one choice. Now boxing is being thrown into the mix with the latest in the Fight Night series, as shown in the embedded video clip.
For years, old school fight fans have expressed legitimate concern that Mixed Martial Arts is partly responsible for the erosion of boxing’s popularity in the landscape of American sports. MMA has certainly caught on like wildfire but any failings of professional boxing over past few decades can largely be traced to the fact that marquee heavyweights have been either predominantly absent or named Mike Tyson.
Still, it’s worth noting that boxing has never been more popular on the game console – especially considering when you look at the entire picture, including Wii versions like the revamped Punch-Out.
Now, Fight Night Round 4 from EA Sports has weighed in, as perhaps, the best sports game of the year. The sweet science has never looked sweeter and the commentary from Teddy Atlas, one of the sports world’s truly knowledgeable good guys, simply shines.
Meanwhile, the Internet is buzzing with reports that EA Sports snubbed UFC – MMA’s biggest organization – by passing on the rights to what’s become a bona fide top seller, the aforementioned UFC Undisputed 2009, which ended up being released by THQ.
Now EA is working on it’s own MMA game, but might have trouble securing rights to the likenesses of the world’s top fighters, since UFC apparently won’t be involved.
But back to the main event… if you had to pick just one of these games – Fight Night Round 4 or UFC Undisputed 2009 – to play for an entire month, which would you choose?
Laurence Scott still talks about the days of Great Puma, Starman and King Slender on the NES ‘Pro Wrestling’ game. “A winner is you.”