EA Sports announced the details for the latest upcoming free content update for EA Sports UFC. Initially, I was disappointed with the rather meager roster size for EA Sports UFC, especially when compared to UFC Undisputed 3. However, I appreciate that EA Sports is rectifying the problem with free content updates of additional fighters to add to the roster, as well as new gameplay features.
The initial roster for EA Sports UFC was not paltry. However, the game was exclusively developed for the next-gen titles, so I expected a lot more out of EA’s first ever UFC game. I did not get the sense that EA Sports was trying to pull out all the stops with the release at launch. I love Bruce Lee and respect what he has accomplished as a martial artist. I do not mind his presence in EA Sports UFC; but the inclusion of Bruce Lee in the game instead of fighters like T.J. Dillashaw, Tyron Woodley and Matt Brown is another let down. Since the launch of the game, EA Sports has done a good job of offering free new playable fighters for players, including: T.J. Dillashaw, Takeya Mizugaki, Matt Brown, Tyron Woodley, Mike Pyle and Stipe Miocic.
The latest free content update adds No. 7-ranked UFC middleweight Tim Kennedy and No. 12-ranked UFC welterweight Gunnar Nelson. Kennedy was recently on the receiving end of a controversial knockout loss at UFC 178 to Yoel Romero, an Olympic silver medalist in wrestling for Cuba. Kennedy was ranked No. 5 in the division going into the fight. Kennedy fought for the middleweight title in Strikeforce twice and had a prolific run in the promotion before it was merged with the UFC. He is currently 3-1 in the Octagon. In addition, Kennedy served in the US Army and is an American war hero. Gunnar Nelson was ranked No. 12 and 4-0 before this weekend, when he lost to Rick Story in the main event at UFC Fight Night 53. The Iceland native is a highly decorated grappler and a potential rising star for the welterweight division. Unfortunately, his recent loss to Story is a big setback. Kennedy and Nelson are welcome additions to the roster. At the same time, I would not have minded if EA Sports had set back the release of the game so all these fighters would have been available at launch. That said, EA Sports is releasing them in updates for free.
Some of the new gameplay features for the update include: Finish the Fight 2.0, where players can finish a rocked opponent with a flurry of offensive strikes; a Guillotine Takedown Reversal, where players can reverse a takedown attempt into a Guillotine submission hold; Takedown Variety, which are some new additions to takedowns; and Nick Diaz playable as a middleweight. Considering Nick Diaz is scheduled to face former middleweight king Anderson Silva in a middleweight superfight, the ability to simulate the match-up in a video game is a nice feature. The Guillotine Takedown Reversal is another excellent addition. One of the most exciting moments of a fight is when a fighter turns a takedown attempt by his opponent in a submission to possibly end the fight. It shows that an experienced wrestler has to protect his neck during a takedown attempt.
EA Sports UFC is available now for the Xbox One and PS4. The third content update does not yet have a release date, but EA Sports says it will be released soon.
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