Bullet Points: Five Amazing MMA Photos

Mixed martial arts is still fighting its fight for mainstream recognition, but its slowly edging itself into the everyday sports news broadcasts, as well. The UFC is becoming a household name, and leading fighters such as Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre and Chuck Liddell are already worldwide celebrities.

But one of the aspects that are really adding fuel to the MMA fire is the sport's unique visuality. Two fighters letting it all loose inside a cage (or a ring) makes for a great photo-op. So with all of the other merits of MMA aside (the rivalries, the fast-paced action, the extreme testing of fighters' skills), we bring you: five amazing MMA photos.

5. Keith Jardine vs Chuck Liddell

As if Keith Jardine's muscular frame, reddish-brown hair, usually bald head, pointy beard and vicious grin weren't enough. Here he is seen landing a punch on Chuck Liddell's face; but it's his own bloodied face, combined with the wicked sneer and the way that his glove, in motion, actually makes his hand look like it is equipped with a set of black talons - that make him look like a real hellspawn. Jardine's intimidating appearance is what entitled him with his nickname, "The Dean of Mean" - but in this photo he looks much worse than that.

4. Paul Taylor vs Chris Lytle

MMA moves fast. Most of the time, too fast for the eye. Fights can be sometimes over in seconds - some of the best ones are. That's one of the true attractions of MMA photography. It catches insane moments that are there, in the ring, but that involve movements too quick for the crowd's eye too catch. Sometimes perhaps even the fighters would be surpised to see what actually happened while they were busy pummeling one another. Here's one of those moments. Redefining "putting one's foot in one's mouth". Or, in somebody else's.

3.  Joe Stevenson vs BJ Penn

MMA is brutal. That's one of the reasons why it's so appealing. But photos like this make us just pause for a second. In all due honesty, Stevenson's face isn't as beaten to a bloody pulp as it may seem; he is just severely bleeding from a cut in the forehead, where there are many blood vessels, and this is why he looks like this. Still, it's blood, real blood coming from a real wound, that reminds you that these fights can and will get nasty.

2. Wanderlei Silva vs Quinton "Rampage" Jackson

The angry Brazilian and the dangerous, wacky American have waged a rivarly that has taken them across three fights in two different promotions and a few years (PrideFC and UFC). Silva won the first two, Rampage the third - but they can fight ten fights more and it's doubtful that they'll generate as perfect an image of victory as this. Silva's destructive knee strikes have sent Jackson flying straight into the ring ropes and fall over in an image that looks like it's been taken from an arcade game. But it's all real. The fight itself is also great to watch, you can see it here.

1. Fedor Emelianenko vs Andrei Arlovski

This photo is a bit of an expected pick if you've been following MMA over the past few months, but it's as hard to beat as Fedor himself. Emelianenko, "The Last Emperor", an undefeated and seemingly indestructible MMA fighter has decimated contender Andrei Arlovski with one sharp hook, that left Arlovski shocked into unconciousness, while Emelianenko walks away in quiet, modest, but certain triumph.