New footage from UFC 92

Certainly looks impressive the way Nog pulls guard from the feet, to submission reversals, transitions and thankfully having to fight to secure the armbar.
Also more confirmation towards a May release.

Mir vs Nog images

As part of IGN's continued coverage leading up to UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008, they have officially unveiled Frank Mir and Minotauro Nogueira as part of the game, and have added several new screenshots which show off the ground game






Whilst the inclusion of the fighters was already known, it's still good to see new screenshots of fighters and different aspects of the game. These screenshots would have carefully produced and chosen by THQ to show off the best sides of the game, and with no clipping in sight hopefully the full game will be the same.

Bisping Intro Vid

Thanks to brains7772 from the IGN Boards for finding this



The Sun have posted up an exclusive video from Undisputed showing British fighter Michael Bisping's ring introduction, featuring the voice of Bruce Buffer

HERE'S how Britain's top Mixed Martial Arts star Michael Bisping will look in the UFC's highly-anticipated new videogame. Top software developer THQ will unleash 'UFC 2009 Undisputed' in spring and it's set to become one of the smash hits of the year.

The game is an explosive fighting simulation showcasing the action, intensity and attitude of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Due out on PS3 and XBOX 360, it features an extensive roster of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world, including British ace Bisping, and boasts a powerful new game engine which will ensure players can put their best fighting disciplines to the test inside the Octagon.

The video can be seen on the Sun website.

Release Date: May 2009

mmanews has posted put a video with an interview with Dana White and some rather clueless sounding woman and right at the end Dana mentioned the game will be released this May. Personally I'm slightly disappointed with the May date as the majority of gaming sites were pointing to a slightly earlier release, but if it takes a few extra weeks to iron out those creases than it'll be worth it

No specific date, console or region specified so it'll be a case of hoping for a simultaneous worldwide launch on all consoles...

New footage from Dana's blog

Not a lot, but from roughly 6 minutes into the video you can see some new action on the big screen.

gamespy preview

Another gaming site, gamespy, have been given a hands on preview courtesy of THQ and again the opinions of the game seems to be very favourable

The popularity of Mixed Martial Arts is absolutely surging right now, leading many sports pundits to wonder aloud if boxing is dead. Considering that the Ultimate Fighting Championship is the top league in the sport, as well as the main demographic the UFC appeals to (male 18-34, to be specific), a more relevant question might actually have asked when we'll see a great UFC videogame. While we won't find out for sure until THQ releases the game in early spring, UFC 2009: Undisputed looks like it at least has the chance to satisfy MMA's legions of fans.

When did we come to this conclusion? Oddly, it was immediately after getting knocked out in brutal fashion. THQ came to our office yesterday to show off their latest demo by recreating three of the matches from "UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008," the upcoming Pay-Per-View taking place December 27 in Las Vegas: Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir and Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

Fans of Rampage might have wanted to turn their heads when we were controlling him, as Jackson took a massive left hook to the jaw to end the fight midway through the second round. For those who love watching a knockout no matter who's taking the punishment, it was a beautiful sight. In real time, the collision detection was outstanding, with none of the clipping that can pop up in THQ's otherwise steady wrestling titles. THQ says one of the game's pillars is "zero interpenetration," and with 60 frame-per-second animation, the action looks great. The slow-motion replays showed the results of the powerful punch in more dramatic detail. Upon impact, Jackson's mouthpiece flew out, followed by a generous combination of blood and spit. Rampage's whole body went limp, his head snapping from the impact of Silva's punch and his body crumbling towards the mat in a heap. It's the type of knockout that keeps people watching UFC Pay-Per-Views.

You can read the preview in full on the gamespy website

IGN Hands On!

IGN have finally managed to wrangle a hands on preview of the game, featuring the three main bouts from the upcoming UFC 92 PPV.

First impressions seems very positive

Everything we'd seen of UFC 2009 Undisputed heading into our hands-on session had been impressive – superb fighter renderings, fluid animations and an extremely authentic, true-to-the-broadcast presentation – but, all that would be for naught if the game didn't handle well. So, heading into our first hands-on session with the work-in-progress, our attention was focused purposefully on the title's gameplay.

Still, the first thing that caught our eye was just how incredibly true-to-life the fighters looked and how authentic the game's presentation felt. We played the three biggest fights on the UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008 card, beginning with the main event, Light Heavyweight Champion Forrest Griffin versus Sugar Rashad Evans. It was impossible to ignore that Griffin's character looked and moved just like the real-life champ, right down to the combed-down bangs and tufts of chest hair, and that Evans looked legit, stenciled beard and all.

We also couldn't help but notice the level of detail THQ poured into the Octagon and its surrounding areas. Every element was a nearly perfect match to a live UFC event, including advertisements for the company's real-life business partners, cameramen stationed exactly where they would be during a live event meticulously following the action as the fighters move around the Octagon, as well as commentators Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg seated at their Octagon-side broadcast location.

However, it wasn't until the opening bell sounded and Griffin and Evans charged out of the gates that our biggest questions began to be addressed.

You can read the full preview on the IGN website.

New images!

A long time since the last posting but finally some new images have emerged and at long last some visual confirmation of some of the UFC big names in Undisputed

War Machine to be cut from roster?

News emerging via MMAjunkie today suggests that Jon "War Machine" Koppenhaver has been cut from the UFC following some remarks regarding the death of Evan Tanner, along with refusal of a fight.

War Machine (5-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), "The Ultimate Fighter 6" cast member previously known as Jon Koppenhaver before he legally changed his name, has been dropped by the UFC in the wake up a controversial web posting the fighter made regarding the death of former UFC champion Evan Tanner.

War Machine said he recently turned down a fight -- one with an opponent who had little name recognition -- and that the decision may have also played a part in the UFC's decision to drop him from the roster.

"The UFC cut me," Koppenhaver confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

You can read the interview in full at MMAjunkie

Perhaps it wasn't the best move to post speculation about Evan Tanner before all the facts were known, but I feel it's a bit on an overreaction by the UFC.

With War Machine leaving the UFC before establishing himself, chances are he'll be removed from the playing roster for Undisputed

Confirmed Roster Thus Far

Here's a list of all known fighters who will appear in the game. If I've missed anyone out, or have included someone who really shouldn't be in the list please leave a comment and I'll amend it ASAP.

Heavyweight
Andre Arlovski
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria
Brock Lesnar
Cheick Kongo
Frank Mir
Randy Couture
Tim Sylvia

Light Heavyweight
Chuck Liddell
Forrest Griffin
Keith Jardine
Ken Shamrock
Quinton Jackson
Rashad Evans
Renato 'Babalu' Sobral
Ryan Bader
Tito Ortiz
Wanderlai Silva

Middleweight
Amir Sadollah
Anderson Silva
Ben Saunders
Chris Leben
Dan Henderson
Evan Tanner
Michael Bisping
Nate Quarry
Rich Franklin

Welterweight
Diego Sanchez
George St-Pierre
Jon Fitch
Marcus Davis
Matt Arroyo
Matt Hughes
Royce Gracie
Thiago Alves

Lightweight
BJ Penn
Clay Guida
Efrain Escudero
Gleison Tibau
Hermes Franca
Joe Lauzon
Joe Stevenson
Kenny Florian
Roger Huerta

Undisputed to feature Joe Silva's Rankings?

Just over a month old this news coming from Figure Four Online, but still rather interesting to read

Finally, the most exciting feature of this game for me is that this game may serve as the way to determine the definitive top 10 rankings in the UFC. Joe Silva is working with the developers to determine the fighter attributes. Therefore, if the game says Chuck Liddell is the number 2 contender to Forrest Griffin at Light Heavyweight, that means that is what Silva thinks. The attributes of the fighters will be determined based on Silva's assessment of their talent. In the fluid world of the UFC, where a fighter is only as good as his last fight, THQ is trying to get a system in place by launch that would enable updated fighter rankings and statistics throughout the year.

Therefore, if Wanderlei Silva were to beat Chuck Liddell and Joe Silva then thought Wanderlei is the new number one contender and should get the next title shot, an update over XBOX Live or the PlayStation Network could come out on Monday dropping Liddell down and moving Wanderlei up. Fans would not have to guess at who should get the next title shot, just turn on their consoles and see the new rankings.

Sounds very interesting the updating of fighters statistics!
Doesn't sound like it will have any effect on any career mode you have going, but when it comes to a quick bout in Exhibition mode it'll be great to have some updated stats a few months after the game has come out.

xboxnewz preview

Another small preview from German site xboxnewz

As one would expect the finished game also includes a multiplayer, with its own mode of the man to a worldwide ranking back title winners and directly challenge.

In addition, it is also an editor, on the one created its own fighters, and then, ascends to UFC legend.

UFC Undisputed 2009 is expected in spring 2009 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Touching on the same points as other previews has this far, nothing new can really be taken from here

xboxdynasty preview

*warning* dodgy web translation coming up

xboxdynasty.de have posted up their preview on the upcoming game, and from what google translator tells me, it's a positive preview but again based on previously seen footage and PR talk. Nevertheless, it's all looking good

So far there was relatively little information about the career mode or the character editor to see, however, we assume that their fight your Fighter several styles can miss. The developers, however, in my opinion a great challenge before all available combat styles of MMA into the game and to integrate them balanced. In addition, the UFC known that a fight relatively quickly with a blow to the right place finishes - in the game transferred course no sonderlicher Spaßbringer. This element is so into the game to integrate frustration that no lightning - whether it your adversary with a stroke or ausknockt him only once through the cage prügelt until the winner is established.

Indeed.

You can read the full article here if you fancy.

THQ Project Manager Interview

THQ have posted this new interview with Project Manager Neven Dravinski, featured in the previous developer interview video, who updates us on the games progress and confirms some new additions to the roster

How is development coming along?
Development on the game is coming along great! We’re getting more and more models coming in, as well as new moves and submissions. We are really starting to see the game take shape, and the gameplay is evolving every day. This is the really exciting time; the fruits of our labor are coming into the game, which is really satisfying.

How many fighters are in the game?
We will feature over 80 fighters spanning all five of the UFC’s weight classes. So far, we have announced Chuck Liddell, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Forrest Griffin, BJ Penn, Anderson Silva, Michael Bisping, Roger Huerta, Wanderlei Silva, Matt Hughes and even Amir Sadollah, winner of the recent seventh season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” We are still many months from launch and there will be more fighters announced, but rest assured fans will be able to have a great roster to work with when the game comes out.

The UFC's official tag line is "as real as it gets." What are you doing to embrace this in the game?
“As Real as it Gets” is certainly part of our motivation at THQ. Visually speaking, players will see impressive in-game models complete with realistic injuries. We bring in the fighters for 3D scanning and high resolution photography sessions to create photorealistic representations of them in the game. We also have access to UFC’s production staff. Players will see the same presentation in the game as they would at a pay-per-view event, from broadcast graphics to camera angles. “As Real As it Gets” extends to the gameplay as well; our designers are training with UFC trainers to make sure that the fighter’s in-game moves are accurate. Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg are participating in the game as well, so players should prepare to hear some of the best sports commentary ever presented as they will make contextually accurate statements within fights. We are going to give people the most comprehensive UFC experience possible.

Can you give us a brief overview of what fans can expect in terms of gameplay controls?
As we’re still a few months out from launch, our controls are still in a state of adjustment. We want players to master the controls and still make them accessible to pick up and play. Creating a control scheme for a mixed martial arts game creates unique challenges. We want to give the players the sense of struggle from any position inside the Octagon. As such, players will perform controller inputs analogous to the animations they are seeing on screen. Ultimately, we want players to feel like the controller is merely an extension of the on-screen character, as we are literally bringing the action to the player’s fingertips.

The ground game is expected to make a huge impact on gameplay. What can you tell us about it?
The ground game is the thing that will really differentiate UFC 2009 Undisputed from other fighting games out there. While most fighting games offer very little in the way of ground combat, nearly half of UFC 2009 Undisputed combat will come from the ground, grapple and clinch positions. This presents a great challenge from a design, animation and technical perspective. However, our work with mixed martial arts trainers, great collaboration with the UFC and technical solutions like our combat physics system are all shaping up to create the best ground combat ever presented in a videogame.

What aspects of the game are you the most excited about?
How can I be asked to pick among my children? In all fairness, I think the there are so many things to be excited about in this game. As a fan, I can’t get enough of watching my favorite fighters in the Octagon; I wish I could see guys like Anderson Silva and BJ Penn fight every week. When the game comes out, I can just see people fighting with their favorite guys over and over again. That’s something I think we are really going to be able offer people; any time anyone has wanted to see a fight between two certain people, they will have that opportunity just a button press away.

Sounds fan-bloody-tastic!

Gamespot Preview!

Sadly they didn't manage to get a hands-on at Leipzig but they have been able to shed a bit more light on some of the features of the game

Consider the numbers alone: There are 80 real-life UFC stars to choose from, somewhere in the ballpark of 3,000 moves in the game (including 200 submission moves alone), and a body-damage system that registers approximately 100 "cut zones" on a character's body where he can bleed. With all of that, you've got the makings for an impressive game. Add to that a create-a-fighter feature, a career mode, and gorgeous character art and animations, and it's tough not to be excited by this one.

You can read the article in full here

3,000 moves!? wow, try remembering all those button combinations!

Official Site Launches

Last week saw THQ launch their official website for UFC Undisputed, so check it out!

http://www.ufcundisputed.com/

New screenshots!

With little news on the game being released since June I was starting to get withdrawal symptoms, thankfully the Games Convention at Leipzig in Germany has seen a steady stream of news over the last few days which I'll cover over the next few postings.

First up is the new batch of screen shots, which I must say look even more impressive than the first batch!













Pictures come from Jeuxvideo and the THQ website so thanks to them for putting them up
The fourth shot in particular looks amazing imo

UFC 2009 Developer Interviews!

Thanks again to gametrailers for providing this. A short video featuring several of the featured fighters and personalities of the UFC talking about their parts in creating the game, along with the actual developers from THQ talking about their main objectives whilst creating the game.
Check it out below

Promo Screenshots

With the release of the official trailer way back in June, THQ also released several promo shots of Forrest Griffin and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson in action!

You can check them all out in the IGN image gallery here

Enjoy

Official Trailer

Ok, ok. Everyone must have seen this by now but here's the official trailer courtesy of Gametrailers.com

Greetings!

Hello, I'm guessing pretty much all the visitors to this blog will know me from another website but for those who've stumbled across the blog, welcome.

I've been looking forward to this game ever since it was first announced. Hell, most of us have been waiting since the next-gen consoles came out for a UFC game to be released!

With this blog, I aim to bring you all the news and developments regarding UFC 2009 Undisputed, so let's get started!