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@fightersonlymag

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👊 The OG of MMA media.
🏆 Home of the World MMA Awards.
🔗 Tap the link to dive deeper into the fight game!

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🇺🇸🇧🇷 My journey through magazines around the world: Maxim, UFC Magazine, GQ, Playboy, Marie Claire, Fighters Only and more.
Plus, a little clip from a documentary about my career. Available on Globoplay and YouTube.com/paulasack.
Who’s been with me since the beginning? 🔥
•
🇧🇷 Minha trajetória em revistas pelo mundo: Maxim, UFC Magazine, GQ, Playboy, Marie Claire, VIP, Fighters Only e outras.
Mais um trechinho do meu documentário (Conspiração Filmes / GNT / Combate). Tá no Globoplay e YouTube.com/paulasack.
Quem já tava comigo no início dessa jornada? 🔥

#UFC #Combate

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Nina Drama shares the most rewarding part of her career in UFC 👊

🎤: @aliyahorozco

#ninadrama #ufc #mma #personalityoftheyear

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UFC Hall of Famer and WWE legend Ken Shamrock opens up about overcoming adversity in his life and achieving success 🎙️

Search ‘The Game Plan’ on YouTube, @millionsdotco, or wherever you get your podcasts to watch/listen to the full interview 📺🎧

📝Interviewed was featured in Issue No. 229 of Fighters Only Magazine

@kenshamrockofficial #ufc #mma #wwe #morivation #inspiration

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It's that grip strength that killed it. Hahaha so happy for y man @thefearlessmma1 @ufc @worldmmaawards @fightersonlymag @pflmma

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HMB works… right? Well, my first study ever published found basically nothing…..

β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) is a metabolite of leucine that has been studied for its potential effects on muscle protein turnover, recovery, muscle damage, strength, and body composition.

The ISSN position stand supports HMB as a potentially useful supplement, with the evidence suggesting that its effectiveness can depend heavily on the population, training status, duration of supplementation, and training stimulus.

So naturally, we decided to test it in one of the easiest populations imaginable:

Professional MMA fighters in the middle of fight camp. 😂 (if you can’t tell… I’m being sarcastic)

We randomized 16 professional male MMA fighters to 3 g/day of HMB or placebo for 6 weeks while they continued their normal MMA training. Body composition was assessed before and after the intervention.

And the result?

Nothing statistically significant.

Body weight: p = 0.471
Skeletal muscle mass: p = 0.095
Fat mass: p = 0.655
Body fat %: p = 0.641

Does that mean HMB is useless?

No. And that’s actually the more interesting part of the study.

We had a small sample, a relatively short 6-week intervention, and a highly trained population undergoing the complex physiological demands of MMA training and fight camp. Our paper also identified sample size, intervention length, and the between-subjects design as limitations.

Our results simply showed that under these conditions, 3 g/day of HMB did not significantly improve body composition compared with placebo in trained professional MMA fighters.

That distinction matters.

Science isn’t supposed to confirm what we already believe. A null finding is still a finding, and sometimes understanding where something doesn’t work helps us better understand where it might.

This was also my first published research study, so it’ll always be a special one for me.

Same science. Different contexts. Better conversations.

Physiology Unbound

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Congrats again to the champ @thefearlessmma1 you know him and the team is partying tonight @ej_ @thechief.powerslap @bellis8 @hawkyounkins @danawhite @ufc @mma @pflmma @worldmmaawards #ufc #joshuavan #flyweight

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Hell ya. My boy @thefearlessmma1 came through with the win. Still holding his belt. There u go champ. Killing it. #worldmmaawards #joshuavan #ufc ##flyweight champion

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The Duke Mentality
“I’m not your striking coach. I’m your winning coach–in battle and in life.”
—Duke Roufus, the Duke of MMA, as published on UFC.com
Here’s Bruce Lee reminding us:
“If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”

Legendary Legacy of Love. ❤️

That was Duke’s philosophy on life: love what you do, be grateful for what you have, and enjoy the soulful ride.
In a deeply heartfelt tribute while accepting Duke’s World MMA Lifetime Achievement Award, his brother Kelly recalled memories of Duke “grilling and chilling” in the backyard, completely in tune with the rhythm and spirit of his favorite musician, Bob Marley.

Duke carried that Marley spirit with him throughout his life:
* “Love the life you live. Live the life you love.”
* And of course, “Don’t worry about a thing. ‘Cause every little thing’s gonna be all right.” ❤️

Duke Mentality, One More Round.

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Tom Aspinall vacated the UFC heavyweight title on September 14, 2026.

His title fight with Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 ended in a first-round no contest after accidental eye pokes left Aspinall unable to continue.

The problems did not end that night.

Aspinall underwent multiple eye procedures and eventually returned to training, but another accident further damaged his right eye and delayed his return again.

With no clear timetable, he chose to give up the championship rather than keep the heavyweight division waiting.

He has not retired.

Aspinall still intends to recover and fight again if he is medically cleared.

Today, former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson said he would be “shocked” if Aspinall fights again because of the potential risk to his vision.

The belt can move on.

Aspinall’s future is still unclear.

👁️ 🥊

#TomAspinall #UFC #MMA #UFCHeavyweight #CombatSports

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🔥🔥 REPEAT OR REVENGE? 🔥🔥
🏆 RAGED UK MMA AMATEUR FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE 🏆

LOUIE MURPHY 🆚 RIO PAPARRIGAS

THE FIRST FIGHT WASN’T ENOUGH.

Last time they met, Louie Murphy got his hand raised.
Now Rio gets the chance to rewrite the story.
But standing in his way is one of the most dangerous Featherweights in the UK amateur scene.

🥊 Dogs of war fighter Louie Murphy has been smashing his way through the division and is coming for another piece of championship gold.
But Rio Paparrigas isn't the same fighter who walked into their first battle.

Representing Chris Rees Academy, Rio has been on a tear, putting away TWO top contenders and forcing his way back to the front of the queue.

Now there is nowhere to hide.
No excuses.
No running.
JUST 3 ROUNDS TO SETTLE THE SCORE. ⚔️

🇬🇧 WALES COLLIDES IN SWINVEGAS!
One man wants to prove the first victory was no fluke.
The other wants REVENGE.
And waiting for the winner...

🏆 THE RAGED UK MMA FEATHERWEIGHT TITLE.
LOUIE MURPHY 🆚 RIO PAPARRIGAS

📅 SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER
📍 THE MECA, SWINDON
📺 LIVE ON PPV: FIGHTWORLD.TV

🎟️ TICKETS:
Standard £35 | Seated £45 | VIP Table of 10 £600
🍛 VIP INCLUDES CURRY BUFFET & TABLE SERVICE
🎟️ Available from all fighters or
🌐 www.raged.uk

💥 RAGED UK MMA
EXPECT VIOLENCE. EXPECT DRAMA. EXPECT RAGED.

#RAGEDUKMMA #RAGED #MMA #MMAUK #AmateurMMA

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#TBT

One of those special moments that makes you stop, look around, and realize just how blessed you are and how far you’ve come.

So grateful for the journey, the opportunities and most importantly, for being surrounded by incredible people and true friends who make every step along the way even more meaningful.

Blessed beyond words.

#Grateful #Blessed #trainer #champions

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DUKE MENTALITY. FIGHT ONE MORE ROUND. FIND YOUR GREATNESS. 🥊

“I’m not your striking coach. I’m your winning coach—in battle and in life.” — Duke Roufus

Mindset matters. Here’s Bruce Lee reminding us:

“Do not assert yourself against the situation. Adjust to it seamlessly. When you stop fighting the current, you find your exact path through it.”

MVP space… ❤️

Beyond the @fightersonlymag @worldmmaawards Lifetime Achievement Award—often called the Oscars of MMA—was the warm, personable Duke. A true treasure whose philosophy, humor, and passion brought joy to millions.

“My greatest joy comes from teaching.”

“My favorite superhero is Batman. ’Cause all he has is his balls and his utility belt.”

“I’m the luckiest human on Earth. I do what I love. I love what I do. I am grateful.”

That was Duke’s philosophy on life: love what you do, be grateful for what you have, and enjoy the ride.

In a deeply heartfelt tribute while accepting Duke’s World MMA Lifetime Achievement Award, his brother Kelly recalled memories of Duke “grilling and chilling” in the backyard, completely in tune with the rhythm and spirit of his favorite musician, Bob Marley, playing in the background.

Duke carried that Marley spirit with him throughout his life:

“Love the life you live. Live the life you love.”

And, of course:

“Don’t worry about a thing, ’cause every little thing’s gonna be all right.” ❤️

Wishing you a great week and a bright and beautiful day.

And as Duke always said, have fun getting it done.

See you next Sunday for another edition of Duke Mentality: One More Round.

Keep going. 🥊❤️

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