When I launched the site back in 2009,   I sponsored a few fighters out of my own pocket to solidify Buymmacards as the first and best MMA trading card site on the internet.   My goal was to attract crazy MMA fans who dabble in trading cards opposed to tailoring to cardboard collectors who dabble in MMA.   And it worked!!     Our members love MMA and our site is not just about silly pieces of Cardboard with ink on them.   Our members love the sport and come here often to shoot the breeze, talk about the next fight, and some put their expensive cards on the line to bet on their favorite fighter.  We now have over 600 people signed up for accounts with over 550 on the forum.   

Most of the action takes place on our forum, but I wanted to put up a blog post for those who might have seen our logo on Brian Ebersole's shorts and are visiting the site for the first time.    Be sure to browse our product pages for cards of your favorite fighter, as we have hundreds of cards listed by our top notch members.   

Be sure to check out our blog where videos of our Group Breaks have been posted as well as previous fighters we have sponsored in the past such as Josh Neer, Jeremy Stephens, and Nate Quarry.    Although we are a free site, we still desire to support the fighters and we hope to continue to Group Sponsor fighters in the future.

We picked the right fighters to sponsor at UFN 19.  Each received Fight  Night bonuses.  Plus the camera man gave us special coverage of Nate Quarry's Butt during the whole fight.  Thanks Mr. Camera Man!!!!!!

Support Josh by Going To Josh Neers' Website and buy one of his shirts or Autographed Photo. 

When Shane Carwin heard about our desire to help bring collectors directly to fighters personal memorabilia so that they can have another income source, he backed up his support by encouraging collectors to support Buymmacards.  We are continuing to use our desire and network of connections to bring you, the collector, directly in touch with the fighters and their personal memoribilia.   Fighters can have a hard time making enough to train full time and sometimes they have a hard time filling sponsorships for their live events.   And while big memorabilia manufacturers fail to pay them what they are worth, we desire to help the fighters move their personal items by putting them directly in touch with MMA Memorabilia enthusiasts.   We are working hard with our contacts and web designers to provide the place for fighters to put their items in front of collectors, while benefiting from the profits made.  

To help us with this effort, Shane signed 25 of his Round 1 cards to help us raise support to finance this effort.  He signed 20 in blue and 5 in Red.   The first Red has recently been listed on ebay.   To view this auction, follow this link.

If you would like to see a video of Shane signing these cards, check out our video we posted on YouTube here.

We are currently making a lot of changes to focus on all fighter memorabilia as well as Trading cards. 

Thanks to Shane and all the members who make this site possible.

Watch the video at  MMAReligion 

It was hiliarious.  Connor from MMA Religion shot this video the morning of when Episode 4 would show on Spike.  That night we learned who "the snitch" was.  Brendan actually pulls "the snitch" in this video.  We also see TUF Fighter Justin Wren enjoying opening MMA trading cards for the first time.   Unfortunatly, they pulled a couple Junie Brownings.

Buymmacards member, "MistaSniffles", was the first to sport our new shirts.   And what better place to show it off than at a Live, UFC event.   MistaSniffles designed our new shirts that are being printed this week, and he was able to get one printed himself in time for UFN 20.   He has also donated his time to design our banner on the homepage and a future coozie to keep our beverages cold.   MistaSniffles is just one of the many examples of the members on this site who love this sport and are passionate about our little community of MMA collecting enthusiasts.   He and others have donated their talents and time to make this a better place.   Look for our shirts to be posted soon.   They will be $20 shipped.  

Big thanks to MistaSniffles!

Answers to the Questions about the Answer’s Questionable Victory

            The Abu Dhabi UFC card from this weekend failed to deliver on the tremendous amount of hype leading up to it.  Anderson Silva seemed to have an in-ring nervous breakdown.  Matt Hughes and Renzo Gracie set the table with a snoozer.  In the middle came a close, though not particularly exciting, fight that resulted in Frankie “The Answer” Edgar taking the lightweight title away from BJ Penn.  The biggest storyline coming out of the entire fight card may have been the judging from this fight.  In short, the victory by The Answer has led to more questions than, well, answers.  Here’s a few of the questions and  my take on them:

Question:  Did BJ get robbed?

Answer:  No.  Ricco Rodriguez got robbed.  BJ was simply on the bad side of a close decision.  The concern coming out of this fight is not that Frankie Edgar was the winner, but that one judge scored it 5 rounds to 0.  The scoring reminded me of an old Pride fight where the winner was based more on effort than success.

Question:  Will Frankie Edgar replace Georges St. Pierre as the MMA trading card king?

Answer:  No.  Matt Hughes was likely the first MMA fighter to make the assertion that you aren’t a champion until you defend your belt.  Edgar's Cards will undoubtedly see a big short-term bump in interest and value.  If a rematch with Penn is next on the horizon, he may find a similar fate to Matt Serra.  If you get an overwhelming offer on a Frankie Edgar card right now, take it.

Question:  Is BJ Penn going to be the new CB Dolloway of the collectible world?

Answer:  No.  For one thing, Penn did not sign a billion autographs like so many others have.  For another, Penn will have two things going for him in a rematch with Edgar:  Health and motivation.  These two things make Penn an even scarier fighter than usual.

Question:  Is an immediate rematch necessary?

Answer:  A rematch is certainly in order.  That does not mean that it will happen.  Coming into this fight there was an overwhelming feeling that Penn had cleaned out the division.  His losing seemingly reopens the division.  Fighters like Kenny Florian, Diego Sanchez, and others now have opportunities that were not there when Penn ruled the division.  Don’t be surprised if the UFC denies Penn his immediate rematch in a move to help re-energize the division.

Question:  Does this loss derail Penn’s plans to move back up to 170lbs?

Answer:  Maybe not.  Even without the 155lb belt, Penn has the skills to be a viable welterweight.  Add to that the fact that most of the potential fights at lightweight would be rematches, and you have the recipe for a weight increase.  BJ Penn at welterweight makes 2 divisions substantially more interesting.

Card Watch:  Dan Henderson

                It may be hard to imagine that leaving the premiere organization in the MMA world would help to raise a fighter’s profile, but that may be the case for Dan Henderson after this coming weekend.  The wrestling-based fighter has fought all over the world against arguably the greatest list of names in an MMA career.  He holds dramatic knock-out victories on the highest profile cards in the history of Pride and the UFC.  Now, he will be the biggest name on a card being broadcast on CBS.  This kind of exposure may be the most important in Henderson’s career.  

                More important to Stacked Cards is the effect that this exposure will have on his trading cards.   The Topps UFC 2009 blue autograph card of Henderson was already one of the most sought after cards in the MMA world.  If Hollywood can add another highlight reel finish on the big stage of a national network broadcast, the interest in his biggest auto will likely skyrocket.  This Saturday’s fight will also serve to put a submission loss to Anderson Silva that much further in the rear-view mirror.  MMA trading cards are an arena where fan opinion matters more than actual abilities.  Henderson has before him the opportunity to put himself in the highest levels of trading cards with a fight that matters little to top ten ranking lists.  Can he seize the opportunity?  Keep your eyes open.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are just around the bend.  Stacked Cards wishes happy holidays to all of the Canadian members of BMMAC, and all Canadiens fans everywhere.

by J. Alexander

 Abu Dhabi Preview

            Capping off the UFC’s run of four live events in less than a month is perhaps the most unlikely of the group.  As recently as 18 months ago, the idea of the UFC holding an event in the Middle East would have been scoffed at by most fans.  Added to this is the co-headlining role of one Renzo Gracie.  In trading card terms, Renzo makes for one of the more unique UFC “rookies” in recent years.  Unlike Anderson Silva, or even Takanori Gomi, Gracie represents a signing by the UFC that is clearly on the downside of his career. 

            It remains to be seen whether or not there will be any Renzo Gracie cards produced by Topps in the coming series, but the six fight contract that Gracie signed would indicate that there likely will be.  The only preview of how collectors will respond to a fighter being sold on history alone may be Renzo’s cousin Royce.  The difference there being that Royce became a legend under the UFC banner, while Renzo established his legacy almost everywhere else.  Fighters like Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz, and Matt Hughes made their trading card premieres while still competing in relevant fights.  It would seem unlikely that Renzo Gracie is capable of doing the same in the UFC.  His name and legacy go a long way, but he will most likely not be doing much to increase collector interest from inside the Octagon.  The appeal of Renzo Gracie autos and relics will lie in the memories of legendary battles against Oleg Taktarov, Kazushi Sakuraba, and Carlos Newton.

            Elsewhere on the Abu Dhabi card, Anderson Silva will defend his title against replacement challenger, Demian Maia.  Just like seeing the name Gracie on a UFC card, this fight will remind fans of the early 90’s.  Heading into the fight, the strategy for both fighters will be obvious to even the most naïve viewer.  Silva will be looking to avoid the ground while attempting to land power shots.  Maia, conversely, will be trying to hide his non-existent stand-up and get the fight to the mat where he can work for submissions.  The problem for Maia is that this is not 1995, and Silva is not Keith Hackney.  Anderson Silva possesses an understanding of MMA as a whole, while Maia’s style remains somewhat archaic.  The upset is not impossible, but also not very likely.

            In the card’s other title contest, BJ Penn will make his latest 155lb title defense against deserving challenger Frankie Edgar.  Penn has long been thought to have a weakness in his cardio, but in recent fights, that seems to have been corrected.  On the other side of the Octagon, Edgar has always been considered an “undersized” lightweight.  This showed most in his loss to Gray Maynard.  Against Penn, however, Edgar’s size may be of less importance than most of the wrestle-centric lightweight fighters.  All things considered, this fight looks to have the makings of Fight of the Night.  Keep your eyes open. 

New TUF Season Debuts:  Doors Beware!!

            The latest season of The Ultimate Fighter (the college of MMA) made its debut on Wednesday and gave us the expected promises of door-breaking, drinking, laundry based bickering, and hopefully some top-notch cagefighting. 

            Among those impressing in the season opener were grizzled veteran Kyacey Uscola, Aussie Kyle Noke, and ‘Fro sporting Jamie Yager.  With no TUF autos in the Main Event series, this season will be somewhat less interesting to the Topps UFC junkies at Buymmacards.com.  That leaves Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz as the collectible-relevant personalities on the show.  To this point in the history of MMA trading cards, it is difficult to declare a clear winner in the interest and associated value of either fighter.  Liddell’s Round 1 and UFC 09 cards were generally quite common and therefore rarely garnered a tremendous amount of collector/bidder attention.  Ortiz, conversely, didn’t even make an appearance as a Topps UFC subject until the Main Event series.  His autographed cards were touted as one of the top reasons for collectors to be excited about the release.  It has been Liddell, however, who has seen his autographed cards command the higher prices before this season started.  As the show’s 11^th season plays out, the popularity contest between the two will be interesting to watch.  Can Ortiz follow the blueprint set by Rashad Evans and increase his own profile at the expense of his TUF coaching counterpart?  Keep your eyes open.

Finally, Another Way to Surf  Ebay for GSP Autos!

I’m not the biggest fan of technological advancements.  I buy records about as much as CD’s; and I don’t own an Ipod.  I just recently completed Grand Theft Auto III.  I hear that Halo might be a fun time.  My cell phone is roughly the same model carried by Zach Morris. 

            So, suffice to say, that I am far from excited about the release of the IPad.  The $500 (or more) “advancement” promises to do most of what a laptop would, but with the revolutionary improvement of being slightly smaller; all this with only a $30 per month AT&T contract to get your IPad service.  What does make me happy is the idea that now, when I list my UFC cards on ebay, I can hope that at least one bid is made by an anonymous IPad owner sitting on the John.  Maybe they will take the time while wiping to decide if it is worth the extra 25 cents for my Jon Fitch Mat Relic from Main Event.  Thanks Apple!  You’re a dream come true!!

By:  J. Alexander

Dan Hardy:  At a Crossroads

                With only 2 weeks left until Dan Hardy faces Georges St. Pierre, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss the affect this fight may have for the collectibles of England’s newest star.  The biggest variable here is whether or not Hardy actually has the ability to pull off the upset.  His best weapon is clearly his striking power and killer instinct.  It was this combination of attributes that allowed Matt Serra to pull off the unthinkable against GSP in 07.  Serra, however, benefitted from the fact that St. Pierre was undoubtedly aware of his potential on the mat.  Hardy’s mat game will not be met with the same respect.

                If Hardy were to get the victory in New Jersey, it would surely solidify his place as the biggest MMA star fighter from England.  Some might say that Hardy already holds that spot.  If he does, it may currently have as much to do with the struggles of Michael Bisping as the accomplishments of Dan Hardy.  Being the top draw of an entire nation would only increase the interest that Hardy currently enjoys in the hobby.  Featured prominently in Main Event, Hardy cards would become the hottest in all of MMA collecting.

                On the other hand, if Hardy meets the fate that so many observers expect him to find when he squares off against St. Pierre, all is not lost for his career or trading cards.  When his title shot was announced, many felt that Hardy had not faced enough of the UFC’s deep welterweight division to warrant it.  A loss would mean that Hardy would still have a laundry list of potential opponents.  Also, with St. Pierre being such a prohibitive favorite, a spirited defeat may not take much shine off of Hardy’s rising star both in the ring and the hobby world.  Keep your eyes open.

A Look at the Octagon of Honor

                Many collectors looked at the Octagon of Honor inserts from Topps UFC 2009 as little more than an indication that an Auto was coming.  While this got the pack-ripper’s attention, the card itself was often passed over.  This is unfortunate; as a few of the fighters featured seem to remain in relative obscurity despite their status as both legend and pioneer.

                One of these fighters was Ground and Pound stalwart, Dan Severn.  The former amateur wrestler fought memorable matches against Royce Gracie, Oleg Taktarov, Ken Shamrock, and Tank Abbott during the earliest days of American MMA.  Though the title was not official at the time, Severn was one of the first Heavyweight champions of the UFC.  Had Severn been given the opportunity to fight MMA as a younger man, his career may have been much different.  As it were, he was forced out of the top level by fighters who were bigger (Mark Coleman), faster (Pedro Rizzo), or both (Josh Barnett).  Maybe the most impressive part of the Dan Severn story is the fact that he continues to fight in his 50’s.  While the last 5-10 years have not included many big names on the resume, Severn has earned more than 90 professional MMA victories.

                Another forgotten OOH member is the first 170 lb. champion of the UFC, Pat Militech.  The “Croation Sensation” bridged a gap between the barbaric style vs. style days of the UFC to the refined Mixed Martial Arts that we see now.  His career included many methodical victories, but was highlighted by two great fights against Shonie Carter.  It was Militech’s loss to Carlos Newton that opened the door for Matt Hughes to make his run through the welterweight division.  It is likely that Pat will be remembered by history as the trainer of Hughes and Pulver among so many others.  Pat Militech, however, was a great fighter first.   Remember that the next time you pull one his   Octagon of Honor cards .

.

Off Topic:  March Madness Picks

                This site may be dedicated to MMA and its trading cards, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t take a minute to have a look at the NCAA tournament bracket that was released yesterday.  I’ll give you my picks, and you can all feel free to ridicule me when they turn out to be completely wrong.  The “Big Dance” always provides for surprises and intrigue, but this year’s pool of teams is particularly well matched.  Any one of 30 teams has the potential to be crowned as National Champions.  The tops seeds seem just as vulnerable as the Winthrops and Vermonts.  Traditional powers like Connecticut, North Carolina, and UCLA will be at home watching, adding to the feeling that the tournament is wide open.  It should be exciting.  Anyway, strictly for entertainment purposes:

Final Four:  Kansas, Syracuse, West Virginia, and Texas A&M

Sleepers:  Notre Dame, Cornell, New Mexico State, and UTEP

Upset Special:  Robert Morris University

Good Luck with your pools!

I will periodically buy a random Hot Pack from different Ebay sellers, open the pack on video, reveal their ebay ID, and let the results speak for themselves.   In our first Hot Pack, I bought a couple retail packs for around $16.50 shipped each.   I did not experience any tampering, but I sure did not get $16.50 worth of cards.    Here is my video.  

Stacked Cards for the week of March 8, 2010

By J. Alexander

Welcome to the first installment of a weekly blog dedicated to MMA trading cards.  You can expect to see informed discussions on all the latest trends in MMA collectibles, as well as, some opinions sure to incite debate. 

Main Event:  The First Two Weeks 

Topps’ third series of UFC trading cards, titled Main Event, has been live for two weeks now, and the reactions of collectors and fans are starting to arrive.  Beckett gave Main Event a kind treatment.  Tracy Hackler referred to the card’s design as “attractive, stunning, historic, and revolutionary.”  Another positive review came from traderretreat.com (graded the product with an A).  It would seem that the traditional trading card outlets were impressed by the looks and originality of Main Event.   The fact that there were 5 hits per box didn’t hurt either, as most other releases boast only 1 or 2. 

The collectors and buyers have had somewhat less enthusiastic receptions for the new series.  After groaning for months about the quick turn-around from UFC 09, many of us at BuyMMACards.com have been less than impressed with Main Event.  The look of the base cards left many people’s eyes hurting.  The Olde English font has been called cheesy, over-the-top, and hard to read.  The cage relics have been described as looking like something from Home Depot.  Sales results on ebay and other online outlets have reflected this lack of enthusiasm from collectors.  Prices are down across the board, but the rarest cards are selling well below what their counterparts from UFC 09 were selling for during the first weeks of its release.  Many of the hits from Main Event are already being sold for $.99 while the same relics from Round 1 and 09 are seeing a jump in their selling prices. 

The coming weeks will be very telling as to the long-term potential of Main Event.  New inserts and limited parallels may help keep product alive and kicking.  Keep your eyes open.

Rising Stars to Carry Versus Debut for UFC

Jon “Bones” Jones and Junior Dos Santos are two of the UFC’s fastest rising stars, and their trading cards are following suit.  The future of both the fighters and their cards will be on the line at a pivotal UFC show coming up this month.

The Topps UFC 09  Jon Jones Blue Auto was featured in the February issue of Beckett Magazine as the #1 hot card in MMA.  His Ultimate Gear from 09 and M.E. are consistently among the most sought after of their type.  Jones will be facing the toughest test of his career in Brandon Vera on March 21.  The bout will be the headliner of the first UFC show on Versus.  Clearly the UFC knows the star power that “Bones” possesses as they have tabbed him to carry their flag into uncharted waters.  This puts Jones in the company of Liddell, Belfort, Couture, Shamrock, and Franklin as fighters selected to represent the UFC to potential new audiences.  A strong performance could mean a spike in interest in his collectibles. 

Joining Jones/Vera at the top of the UFC on Versus 1 card is a bout featuring Junior Dos Santos against former title contender Gabriel Gonzaga.  Dos Santos made his Topps UFC debut in Main Event, and was added to 09 as a replacement for a Michael Bisping redemption.  Many UFC fans and card collectors were eagerly anticipating seeing JDS included in a Topps UFC series.  His cards have done well in the secondary market, so far.  A win against Gonzaga would not only put him in line for a title shot, but certainly increase the frenzy already forming around Junior.  Will these rising UFC stars continue their ascent?  Keep your eyes open.

Stacked Cards Price Check

Each week, I will be considering the hypothetical value of a few cards submitted to the BMMAC forum under the “Member Price Guide” section.  If you would like to have one of your cards considered, post it there with a picture and you might see it featured here.  The members on this site watch the market closely and can provide a very accurate estimation, as they are the ones buying and selling these.   More voices are better than one when it comes to finding an accurate estimation for the value of cards.    Follow the link, post a card, and you will be suprised at the quick market analysis from the guys who watch, buy, and sell MMA trading cards.    

See you next week, and KYEO!

J.

Stop By the forum and check out the Group Case Break opportunities we have.  Enjoy the videos!

GO CHECK EM OUT

Teaser Box Break Videos of  Topps UFC Round 1

We broke these boxes 1 week before Topps UFC Main Event Released