The one-armed man did it...

Again!

A successful XFC event this weekend saw Springfield, MA hero 'Notorious' Nick Newell improve to 7-0 after a back and forth battle with Chris Coggins. Newell, who was born with a portion of his left arm missing, took up wrestling in school and later found his way to MMA thanks to a college roommate's obsession with 'Monday Night Raw' *cringe*. Feeling that he hadn't accomplished the goals of his wrestling days, Newell went full-on with MMA and eventually scored an opportunity with XFC.**

In the post-fight interview Saturday night, Newell made a couple admissions about the fight. He told the crowd that he went unconscious during one of the RNC attempts by Coggins, following up quickly with "Fortunately, the ref didn't notice." Newell then went on to admit that the 2nd round took a lot out of him, and that he "had to make the fight boring" in the final round in order to take a decision victory. When's the last time you heard that confession in the cage?

In all, one of the most amazing comebacks I've ever seen. If you didn't catch XFC 17 on the live stream--or even if you did--here's a brilliant collection of photos from the event...one of the best MMA photo series' I've ever seen. (ignoring the pink shorts)

http://prommanow.com/index.php/2012/04/15/xfc-17-apocalypse-a-prommanow-com-photo-gallery/

**Ref. article: http://mmajunkie.com/news/28172/xfc-17s-undefeated-nick-newell-found-mma-after-a-night-of-wwe-and-tuf.mma

There's been other discussions here about Nick Newell and whether or not he deserves a shot at the UFC.

If you take his arm out of the conversation and just look at what he's done in terms of MMA wins, I think he's certainly done as much as other fighters who have been signed by the UFC. 

There are fighters joining the UFC every month that don't get much attention, and have records and strength of opposition similar to what Newell has faced.

This is not an argument about whether or not he'd succeed in the UFC.  Just whether or not he's done as much as other guys to earn their shot.  I think so.

He has but Dana White cannot afford to see Nick Newell lose in the UFC. Imagine being forced to fire a handicap and then watch the ****storm that happens after.

Nick Newell will have to work twice as hard and look twice as good as everyone else to get a shot in the UFC, just like he has for everything else in his life.

It's not fair but there's a lot more to this situation than meets the eye. There are a lot of politics to be dealt with in this situation and while it's not Newell's fault, he'll still have to overcome it in order to get a shot at the UFC. I think Newell gets in if he beats a name at lightweight that isn't with the organization, someone like a Roger Huerta.

Never heard of this fighter before. Good for him that he is not only trying, but succeeding as well! I do wonder if someone with this handicap stands a chance in the ufc, against elite professional fighters. I personally think it will be very hard for him to succeed there. But who knows? I surely didn't expect this either =)

Best of luck to him!!

It was clear that when Dana White was asked bout Nick Newell, he'd never heard of him before.  And his initial response was based on him not wanting to feel like PT Barnum, introducing a freak.

But if you remove the arm issue, it's similar to other issues.  I think that is why Dana didn't want to introduce women's fighting.  Now, he's open to see where it leads, and if the public can support it.  
During WWII, baseball introduced a one-armed baseball player (Pete Gray), and a women's league.  Sometimes, it takes getting used to something, and you'll never know if you don't try.

Just because a fighter doesn't have title potential is no reason to block the door.  He might never beat a Top 10 LW, but then again, who knows?  Who would have ever thought a deaf man could write music like Beethoven?  Or a blind woman who won MasterChef on TV last year?

Pete Gray
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfQX0VyRMYI


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Gray

* Edited at 01.18.2013, 10:20 AM ET *

He should be allowed into a TUF, if for no other reason than for how many fighters he would inspire.  

Good stories belong in books not cages