Game On: UFC Undisputed 2010 vs. EA Sports: MMA

In this economy, $65 is a lot of money to spend on any form of entertainment. However, with the recent release of EA Sports: MMA, the decision on where to actually spend your hard-earned cash just got a little easier. 

Oh, but wait, you say that you already have UFC Undisputed 2010 which was released in May, and don't want to be bothered with what would seem like a cheap knockoff?

Or better yet, your wife will only allow you to buy one video game per year and you're torn on what to get? Well, let the crack team at Bleacher Report drop some knowledge on you with a head-to-head matchup. 

Graphics

From an overall graphics perspective, both games look great, but it would seem like EA MMA's graphics look a bit cleaner and crisper in comparison to UFC's game. 

The detail in each fighter's face and physique is less template based or scanned, and it would seem as though the artists and designers really took their time to catch many of the subtle details which are missed in the Undisputed game. 

Winner: EA SPORTS: MMA

Fighter Selection

While the UFC might have a larger amount of fighters in their roster—over 100—EA Sports: MMA offers a slightly better mix of fighters from different organizations; not just Strikeforce.

A hardcore MMA fan will enjoy playing with a mix of fighters, from both the early days of the sport like Kevin Randleman to current day stars like Ronaldo Souza a.k.a. Jacare. 

Now don't get me wrong, if you are a fan of the the UFC only and don't really pay attention to any of the other organizations, then Undisputed is perfect for you; but if you're a fan of the sport in general then you might wanna lean more towards EA's game. 

Winner: EA SPORTS: MMA

Gameplay: Striking

photo from IGN.com

While the striking can be a bit knockout happy, it is a lot smoother to beat the snot out of someone on the feet in the UFC game than in EA Sports' offering. 

EA's MMA seems to borrow much of it's striking controls from the Fight Night engine which can be a bit clumsy at times. 

Winner: UFC Undisputed 2010

Gameplay: Ground Game

Here is one significant difference between the two games that seems standout quite heavily. Once the fight goes to the ground, the controls are so much easier and realistic to manipulate than the UFC game. 

With EA Sports: MMA, you have to be strategic about how you expend your energy trying to secure or get out of a submission by following the on-screen prompts which guide you on when you should be tapping buttons and when to lay off. 

In addition, the transitions from being in someone's guard to going to side control and then finally mount are very smooth and seamless. 

Winner: EA SPORTS: MMA

Gameplay : Overall

In a head-to-head comparison, EA Sports: MMA has a slight advantage over Undisputed in it's fluidity and the way you're able to breakdown combinations and transitions. Throw in the fact that unlike the UFC game, EA's offering actually gives you a choice of what rules you can follow when fighting. 

Wondering what I mean? Well, for you MMA newbies the rules followed in both the UFC and Strikeforce are based off of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_martial_arts_rules) where you're not allowed to knee a downed opponent to the head or foot stomps. 

Well, when it comes to MMA fights overseas (think Pride), you can pretend like you are Pele and soccer kick Fedor's head into the front row. Frankly, it's awesome. Please see the attached video for additional illustration. 

Winner: EA SPORTS: MMA

Extras

In addition to having the edge in game play, EA Sports offers the ability to expand your skill set in career mode by travelling to different countries to train in the various disciplines like Muay Thai. judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. 

Winner: EA SPORTS: MMA

Overall Winner : EA SPORTS: MMA

While the UFC's offering is solid, EA: MMA was able to capitalize on the mistakes from 2009's release as well as the 2010 version of Undisputed to present a more well-rounded view of the sport which is quite refreshing.