reflector
3/31/2011, 08:09 PM
This is pretty cool, if you ask me.
http://mmajunkie.com/news/23069/ufc-makes-last-minute-push-for-demarco-murray-to-score-ncaa-football-12-cover-slot.mma
http://mmajunkie.com/dyn/images/fighters/demarco-murray-demian-maia.png
UFC makes last-minute push for DeMarco Murray to score NCAA Football 12 cover slot
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 31, 2011 at 8:45 pm ET
Follow UFC president Dana White on Twitter, and you've undoubtedly seen his frequent request: Vote for DeMarco Murray!
However, if you're the type of hardcore fan that rarely steps outside of the MMA bubble, you might be at a loss to figure out exactly what office Murray is seeking.
With the UFC's full backing, Murray is campaigning for a slot on the cover of EA Sports' forthcoming NCAA Football 12 video game. And if he wins, the Las Vegas native has promised to prominently sport a UFC logo at April's NFL draft.
"I've been a fan since freshman year of high school," Murray recently told UFC.com. "Just watching what Lorenzo (Fertitta) has done and the platform he's put it on now, it's just grown amazingly."
Murray, of course, certainly isn't the only top college prospect who doubles as a UFC superfan. But the 23-year-old (who owns Oklahoma University's career record for touchdowns by a running back) has the added distinction of graduating from Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman High School – the same school attended by UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White.
A staunch supporter of Bishop Gorman, Fertitta kept tabs on the budding superstar during his high school career and even opened up his gym to allow Murray to supplement his football routine with MMA-based workouts.
"I love training MMA," Murray told UFC.com. "It's definitely a lot different than what I do on the football field, but some things you can translate into your game. I spent three, four weeks in Las Vegas training with [striking coach James Gifford] at Lorenzo's gym, and that definitely helped me out a lot with my hand coordination and speed, along with working muscles that I've never worked on in football.
"I'll definitely continue to implement those regimens into my training."
While the NFL is currently in a state of flux while owners and players argue over how best to split up the multi-billion-dollar revenue stream generated by the league, the draft is currently set to go on as scheduled. Murray could be selected as early as the first round, giving the UFC's logo a prime spot on the festivities' broadcast.
First, though, Murray has to beat out Auburn's Nick Fairley, Alabama's Mark Ingram and Washington's Jake Locker for the cover role of NCAA Football 12. Voting ends April 4, and ballots can be cast once daily at EA Sports NCAA Football's official Facebook page.
(Pictured: DeMarco Murray and Demian Maia)
http://mmajunkie.com/news/23069/ufc-makes-last-minute-push-for-demarco-murray-to-score-ncaa-football-12-cover-slot.mma
http://mmajunkie.com/dyn/images/fighters/demarco-murray-demian-maia.png
UFC makes last-minute push for DeMarco Murray to score NCAA Football 12 cover slot
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 31, 2011 at 8:45 pm ET
Follow UFC president Dana White on Twitter, and you've undoubtedly seen his frequent request: Vote for DeMarco Murray!
However, if you're the type of hardcore fan that rarely steps outside of the MMA bubble, you might be at a loss to figure out exactly what office Murray is seeking.
With the UFC's full backing, Murray is campaigning for a slot on the cover of EA Sports' forthcoming NCAA Football 12 video game. And if he wins, the Las Vegas native has promised to prominently sport a UFC logo at April's NFL draft.
"I've been a fan since freshman year of high school," Murray recently told UFC.com. "Just watching what Lorenzo (Fertitta) has done and the platform he's put it on now, it's just grown amazingly."
Murray, of course, certainly isn't the only top college prospect who doubles as a UFC superfan. But the 23-year-old (who owns Oklahoma University's career record for touchdowns by a running back) has the added distinction of graduating from Las Vegas' Bishop Gorman High School – the same school attended by UFC owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White.
A staunch supporter of Bishop Gorman, Fertitta kept tabs on the budding superstar during his high school career and even opened up his gym to allow Murray to supplement his football routine with MMA-based workouts.
"I love training MMA," Murray told UFC.com. "It's definitely a lot different than what I do on the football field, but some things you can translate into your game. I spent three, four weeks in Las Vegas training with [striking coach James Gifford] at Lorenzo's gym, and that definitely helped me out a lot with my hand coordination and speed, along with working muscles that I've never worked on in football.
"I'll definitely continue to implement those regimens into my training."
While the NFL is currently in a state of flux while owners and players argue over how best to split up the multi-billion-dollar revenue stream generated by the league, the draft is currently set to go on as scheduled. Murray could be selected as early as the first round, giving the UFC's logo a prime spot on the festivities' broadcast.
First, though, Murray has to beat out Auburn's Nick Fairley, Alabama's Mark Ingram and Washington's Jake Locker for the cover role of NCAA Football 12. Voting ends April 4, and ballots can be cast once daily at EA Sports NCAA Football's official Facebook page.
(Pictured: DeMarco Murray and Demian Maia)