Ryan Bader as he'll appear in UFC 2009 Undisputed. Click the picture above to see a tutorial video about the game's intricate Submission Game system.

While supplies last, when you reserve UFC 2009 Undisputed at GameStop, your game will be packed with instructions for downloading, not one, but two GameStop-Exclusive fighters. Last week, we brought you our GameStop-Exclusive interview with Efrain Escudero, winner of the lightweight division of The Ultimate Fighter 8 reality show and one of the GameStop-Exclusive downloadable fighters. Today we bring you our GameStop-Exclusive interview with the other GameStop-Exclusive downloadable fighter Ryan Bader, the undefeated UFC fighter who won the light heavyweight division of TUF 8. How many times can we say "GameStop Exclusive" in one paragraph? Hmm… let's try one more — GameStop Exclusive. That should hold us for a while.

Just about every man wonders at one time or another if he has what it takes to enter the Octagon; so one of our first questions to Ryan Bader was inquiring whether the ability to take a punch is something you can learn or something you're just born with. "You pretty much have it or you don't," he told us. "You can do this or that, like build up your neck muscles, but if you get hit on the jaw, you know, either you can take it or you really can't."

Because of his success and the rising worldwide popularity of UFC, Bader told us people often come up to him asking how to get into the sport. Even though those people are sometimes middle-aged overweight men with absolutely no training, Bader said he tries to be encouraging. "It's one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and a lot of people want to do it," he said. Although we were interviewing him on the phone, this made us wonder for a moment if Bader could see us.

Speaking of natural toughness, Bader exhibited that in his last fight, defeating Carmelo Marrero during UFC Fight Night 18, even after tearing ligaments in his knee. He said he heard a pop during the first takedown, but he didn't think much of it. "It didn't hurt, really, when I got back up," he said. "But I could tell something was wrong because my knee was moving a little to much."

In spite of securing the victory, Bader, who is admittedly his harshest critic, was hard on himself during the post-fight interview. "I just thought I could have done a few things better in that fight and fought more to my potential," he said "But I went out there and got the win, and that's all that matters, and I move on."

Just being tough is one thing, but Bader told us that mental toughness is equally important. Because Bader is undefeated, we asked him if that adds pressure to each upcoming fight. "Every time, I go in with the same mindset of going out there and beating the guy in front of me; so it doesn't change at all" he told us. "Racking up wins, you obviously want to keep on winning, but you just have to look at that fight ahead of you and not worry about what you've done in the past."

The ability to stay focused helped him win in The Ultimate Fighter 8, where living with many fighters under one roof can get a little crazy at times. "When I went into the house, I had short-term goals and long-term goals with the whole show," he said." Going on there, you had to win to get into the house; so that was my number-one goal from there. My next goal was to just win each fight and make it to the finale."

We asked Bader if the final television product was an accurate depiction of what actually went on in the house, and he told us, except for some dialogue editing, viewers saw what really happened. "I definitely just kept my focus on my goals, and I thought about that the whole time and didn't get involved in any of the shenanigans that were going on," he said.

Avoiding those shenanigans paid off when he won every fight, earning him the right to be immortalized in UFC 2009 Undisputed. "I never dreamed I'd be in a video game," he said. "It's cool that later on in life, you'll have that and be able to show your kids and what-not. So it's definitely very, very cool."

It's definitely very, very cool for us, too. Not only do we get to download Ryan Bader and Efrain Escudero as playable fighters, but we also were able to spend a few minutes talking to them. It's funny that guys who make a living beating people up can be so nice.

This week we're also bringing you another UFC 2009 Undisputed tutorial video, this time about the Submission Game. A submission hold is a grappling hold which is applied with the purpose of forcing an opponent to submit, either due to extreme pain or fear of injury. Submission holds are used primarily in ground fighting and can be separated into chokeholds, compression locks and joint locks. UFC 2009 Undisputed offers the most complete submission system ever created. Click here to see the video that covers the offensive and defensive aspects of the Submission Game on our GameStop Cinema page.

You still have a few days left to reserve UFC 2009 Undisputed before its May 19 release to get your instructions for downloading Ryan Bader and Efrain Escudero. Did we mention that it's a GameStop Exclusive? Oh yeah, we did.

Efrain Escudero as he'll appear in UFC 2009 Undisputed. Click the picture above to see a video on how to build your own UFC Champion.

Refusing to accept failure doesn't mean you won't face obstacles or disappointments, he added. He recalled trying to add Ju-Jitsu and boxing to his wrestling expertise, and taking quite a few beatings while doing it. "I believe if you want to get something done, you must tell yourself to do it, an you must do it over, and over, and over," he said. "You must fall before you succeed. if I'm doing something and I don't fail, it's because I'm not trying hard enough."

Any failing Efrain Escudero has done has been in the training gym, because we've seen nothing but wins from him. He told us his confidence wasn't very high going into TUF 8 because he was matched with fighters from all over the world, but his first win gave him the boost he needed to press on. "That's when I decided, 'I came here undefeated, and I'm going to leave here undefeated,'" he said. "And sure enough, it did happen," he added.

This win thrust him into celebrity status in the Mixed Martial Arts world, but he said he doesn't consider himself a celebrity. "I consider myself a down-to-earth kind of guy," he told us. "I just do my same thing." He said he enjoys fans coming to talk to him. "I majored in Sociology because I really like talking to people," he said. "I love meeting new people. So that kind of fits with my style."

His rise to fame has earned him a spot in UFC 2009 Undisputed as a GameStop-Exclusive downloadable character. When reserve your copy of UFC 2009 Undisputed you'll get an access code to download him, while supplies last.

If you'd rather build your own fighter and work your way to the top in UFC 2009 Undisputed, you can try the Create-A-Fighter and Career Modes. Create-A-Fighter will allow you to jumpstart the career of a future champion by customizing his physical appearance and attributes, learning new fighting techniques to use in the Octagon and managing his training process through strength, cardiovascular health and more.

Career Mode will allow you to build your own ultimate fighter right from the ground up. You can select your fighter’s appearance, fighting techniques, skills and proficiencies, and throw yourself head first into the Octagon. You might even make it to the UFC Hall of Fame. Click here to see a video about the modes on our GameStop Cinema page. Check back next week, when we bring you another exclusive interview, this time with Ryan Bader, winner of TUF 8's light heavyweight division.

Roadie Eddie Riggs uses the power of rock to defeat his enemies. Click the picture for details.

We recently had the chance to send a few questions to Brütal Legend developer Tim Schafer, of Double Fine productions, and quite frankly, his answers exuded such pure, unadulterated awesomeness, that we had to post them here in their complete, unedited glory. Enjoy them and be enlightened by the power of rock.

GameStop: We've been waiting a long time for Brütal Legend. Was there ever a point you thought it wasn't going to materialize?
Tim Schafer: No, you can't kill the Metal! Brütal Legend is like an enormous, unstoppable freight train with flames coming out the sides and spikes on the front upon which the impaled bodies of our foes writhe in eternal agony. Oh, and in the very back there is a caboose with an open bar and free internet. It's an awesome train, and of course, the engine is a hard-working team who really believes in the game and never stopped working on it no matter how many washed-out bridges we had to jump. Do you have any idea how hard it is to jump a train?

GameStop: In an industry where sequels rule, was it hard to pitch an idea for an original game?
Tim Schafer: Publishers are actually always eager to talk about original games. They are always on the lookout for the next big hit, and they know that you can't live off sequels forever. And Brütal Legend practically pitches itself, with all the action, rock, and Jack Black.

GameStop: We've heard that you started developing the character of Eddie Riggs with the idea of having someone "like Jack Black” voice him. Once Jack Black agreed to voice the part, did that open up some new personality traits or affectations for Eddie?
Tim Schafer: Jack definitely takes the character of Eddie Riggs to a whole new level. He plays him both as a tough guy, but with a subtle, vulnerable side, and he makes the whole thing hilarious. He takes the role very seriously, doing many, many takes of every line you hear in the game. And sometimes, after 15 different takes, we'll say that's good enough, print it—and then he'll throw in just one more as a joke, and that turns out to be the crazy one that I never would have thought of writing but turns out to be brilliant and we'll use that one. He's awesome. He should star as every character in every game ever made, because then all games would be better.

GameStop: Eddie Riggs is an ordinary roadie who is thrown into an extraordinary situation. Why do you think the stories of the underdog who gets a chance to become a hero are the ones that stick with us?
Tim Schafer: I think a lot of people go about their everyday lives with the thought in the back of their head that if they ever had to, they could step up and be a hero. We like to imagine that we would know what to do if an emergency presented itself—say, if we walked by a burning house with a baby crying inside, or if we were transported back in time to a barbaric age where humanity is enslaved by demons. And a roadie is such a great representation of that because they aren't the ones who step on stage to take the bows and get the applause, they're just the dudes who know what to do and get the job done. Humble, but capable.

GameStop: We've also heard that you grew up as a Heavy Metal fan. What do you think it is about the Heavy Metal genre that grabs the attention of an adolescent youth and sticks with him well into his adult years?
Tim Schafer: As a teenager, it's natural to feel weird and alienated, and so here comes this music which is weird, with lyrics about darkness and alienation, but also incredible power. So it's easy to identify with it. But also, metal is a genre that takes musicianship and talent very seriously (well, except for a few bands, but we all know who they are). If it were just based on style, it would fade out like a short-lived fad. But because the people playing it actually have talent, the music they create is well-crafted and stands the test of time.

GameStop: Were you ever a member of the KISS Army, or was that a bit before your time?
Tim Schafer: I had all the albums but I kind of cheated on that one--My older sister put all her KISS albums into storage when she decided she was all about Peter Frampton. I dug them out years later and listened to them all, even though they all smelled like earwig poison from our storage unit. Kiss Alive II still had the rub-on tattoos, and Love Gun still had that paper snap gun, and they all had the application form for the Kiss Army but I never sent it in because I was like 10 and also lazy. To this day, the smell of Earwig poison makes me think of Gene Simmons.

GameStop: Is this game a compilation of all of the ideas, dreams or nightmares inspired by the album covers you saw in your youth? Do kids miss out today by not seeing those large, elaborate album covers?
Tim Schafer: When I was younger I wouldn't put on music as a backdrop to some other activity. I would put on music and then sit there and listening to it while pouring over the album art. I'd look at every little detail of the front cover, and the back, and if I was lucky, the art and liner notes on the gatefold or record sleeve. There would always be details hidden that were like the predecessors of Easter eggs—a reward for obsessive consumption. I remember how excited my friends and I were when we decoded the Germanic runes inside Diary of a Madman.

GameStop: Were you ever in a band yourself?
Tim Schafer: Calling it a band would be stretching it. I owned a drum set and I was learning how to play, and occasionally playing very badly with some friends in this one guy's kitchen. His neighbors were very understanding about it. They didn't say, "Hey, knock it off,” but they said something much worse that made me quit. They said, "Hey, we heard you practicing your drums the other night. You're…uh… getting better!"

GameStop: There are rumors that some of your old favorites are voicing parts and even contributing music to Brütal Legend. How did they react when you approached them about the game?
Tim Schafer: If I sat down and made a list of everyone I wanted to meet back when I was 15 years old it would be pretty much the same people I've been able to meet through Brütal Legend. It has been amazing. And they've all been such good sports about it. I think they like the fact that this game treats them the way they deserve to be treated—as Metal Gods.

GameStop: With Heavy Metal being such an over-the-top genre, how do you parody an industry that is almost a parody of itself? Were there any ideas that made you stop and say, "Wait, that's just too extreme?"
Tim Schafer: Well, that's the tricky thing--Brütal Legend is not a parody. If anything, it's a heartfelt love letter to Heavy Metal. But there are a lot of over-the-top elements of the genre that are inherently funny. So we just take it super seriously, and let the humor shine through naturally. If that makes any sense. Sometimes, though, I'll try to come up with a medieval sounding name for , say, a town in the game, and I'll think to myself, "Surely Doomslaughtyr-on-Shire is such a ridiculous name, no one will have used it before.” But then I’ll Google it and sure enough, someone's already used it for an Everquest guild.

GameStop: A game with a Rock-Opera feel to it might lend itself easily to a linear style of play. What made you choose the open-world environment?
Tim Schafer: We really wanted to create a living, breathing world for Brütal Legend. We wanted the sun to rise and set, and for animals and characters to be going about their business whether you were watching them or not. And we wanted the player to feel like they were free to discover all of the little hidden spots on the map on their own. That's something that I always strive for in games—a real sense of place. It's great to create a world that the player can get lost in, and have it be so immersive that when they're not playing the game they're thinking about that world in kind of a homesick way, wanting to return.

GameStop: Any plans for a game based on pre-teen pop music?
Tim Schafer: Yes, but we don't want to formally announce Precious Legends until we're 100% sure Miley is on board.

UFC 2009 Undisputed Producer Neven Dravinski will walk you through the Clinch Game on our GameStop Cinema page. Click the picture to see it.

If you've been keeping up with our sneak peeks of the upcoming UFC 2009 Undisputed and the tutorial videos on GameStop Cinema, you've probably seen Neven Dravinski, the game's producer, as he explains some of the finer points of MMA strategy. We recently spent a few minutes with Neven, and we discovered that he's much more than just a guy who looks good in a UFC hoodie. He is a man who has poured his heart and soul into helping to make UFC 2009 Undisputed the most realistic MMA game yet.

"UFC's tagline is 'as real as it gets.' That's our motto," he told us. "We want to give you the same experience you would have if you were watching a pay-per-view event." He explained that this means, not only will you see the exact same graphics you'd see on the screen while watching an actual fight, but you'll also rely on the physics model that provides realistic cuts, swelling and bruising to determine your fighter's health, rather than seeing a health or stamina bar on the screen. "We do a lot of things to actually draw the player into the experience… to make you feel that you are actually participating in a pay-per-view experience, as opposed to passively watching it," he said.

He told us that it's all part of UFC's plan for world domination. Before you board up your windows, or volunteer to join the revolution, allow us to explain that Neven is referring to educating the entire world about the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. "I think that far too often, UFC, and MMA in general, gets mischaracterized as a blood sport, when in fact, it's really about these athletes that are extremely conditioned, and highly trained at the best physical, hand-to-hand combat in the world," he said.

So how does one take over the world? It all starts with the research. The development team has spent countless hours watching fights, going to fights, consulting with trainers and asking actual UFC fighters to play demos of the game. "In addition, our designers are training with UFC trainers, actually going out and getting beat up themselves," Neven said. Wow, it takes some real dedication to achieve world domination.

The research of the more than 80 UFC fighters in the game culminates with a physics and control system that reflects each fighter's specialties, as well as realistic damage, depending on the impact and angle of the punch. All of this happens in real time, with no choreographed animations. "We allow you to punch and get punched at the same time. I actually don't know of any other game that's doing that," he said. "So you can have two guys face to face… and they're literally duking it out, and both actually taking damage and giving damage, as well."

Add in audio commentary from Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg, and you've got a formula for a realistic experience. In addition to pulling hours of audio from actual UFC fights, Neven told us that the development team brought in Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg and recorded about 36 hours of commentary from the two walking UFC encyclopedias. They put them in a real booth with mike headsets and recorded them as they watched and commented on actual gameplay. Neven explained to us that it was very important to have them together in a realistic situation so that they could play off of each other. "For them, it was just second nature." he said. "They were like, 'Here we are calling a fight.' It just happens to be a video game fight." Neven added, "I think it is, without question, the best sports commentary ever delivered in a video game."

All of this can be an overwhelming experience at first. For picking up the nuances of the game, Neven strongly suggested that players begin with the tutorial when they start to play. But he added that it shouldn't be too hard to pick up. "I think once you do understand the concepts, and once you actually go through it and understand why you're doing what you're doing, it becomes intuitive and second nature," he said. "And then you really forget about it."

To understand the strategies even more, you should check out the tutorial videos on our GameStop Cinema page. This week Neven hosts the video about the clinch game, the part of stand-up fighting where the combatants grapple in close, typically using clinch holds. Clinching the opponent can be used to eliminate the opponent's effective usage of some kicks and punches. The clinch can also be used as a medium to switch from stand-up fighting to ground fighting by using takedowns or throws.

After you watch the video, you should reserve your copy of UFC 2009 Undisputed. The quest for world domination begins on May 19. At least according to Neven, this game definitely needs to be in your sports game collection. He told us, "We set out to make THE best MMA game ever made, and I think, without question, we've achieved that."

You don't need a pyramid to know that the guy on the bottom is in deep trouble. Click the picture above to see the video on GameStop Cinema.

Because we don't want you to be spitting teeth as soon as you begin to play UFC 2009 Undisputed, our friends at THQ are helping us with this weekly guide to prepare you for the game's release May 19. Last week, we covered the Stand-Up Game, from which a fighter will perform most of his strikes, kicks and counters. However, if you rely strictly on the Stand-Up Game, you won't be standing very long. You'll have to master other techniques, one of the most important being the Ground Game, where most matches are decided.

We're told that understanding the Ground Game in the Octagon is easier if you think of it as a pyramid. And by mentioning a pyramid within an octagon, we are not referring to the lost secrets of hyper-dimensional physics which helped the ancient Egyptians build the pyramids or which helped Edward Leedskalnin build the mysterious Coral Castle in Homestead, Florida. We're merely referring to a winning combination of guards and mounts built on a solid foundation.

Much like the Food Pyramid helps you to remember which portions of which foods to eat for a healthy body, the Ground Game Pyramid helps you to remember how to keep your body healthy and how to make your opponent's body as unhealthy as possible in a short amount of time. You'll need generous helpings of each facet of the Ground Game for maximum Octagon health. The higher up the pyramid fighters go, the more the advantage is skewed toward the offensive fighter, and the defensive fighter will have a harder time getting out of the situation.

At the bottom of the pyramid, forming the foundation are have the Open Guards, in which the offensive fighter only has a marginal level of advantage over the defender. These are the whole grains, or the Lucky Charms with the marshmallows picked out, of your Ground Game. They're easily attainable, but of all the Ground Positions, the offensive fighter does the least amount of damage from here.

To gain a better advantage against your opponent, you'll have to work your way up the pyramid, working in those fruits and veggies of the Ground Game. As you use transitions to work your way up the pyramid, moving through Half Guards, Side Controls and more, you'll gain more powerful strikes and submissions, ultimately ending up in Mount Up, the most advantageous of all Ground Positions.

From here, the defensive fighter is virtually powerless to fight back. If you can maneuver into this position, victory is almost assured. If you find yourself on the bottom, you must attempt to perform transitions of your own, which may help you move further down the pyramid, return your opponent to the Standing Position, or perhaps even completely reverse the situation and put you in the Offensive Position.

In other fighting games, when one fighter gains an advantage, control of your character will become "locked up" until certain game animations are played out. You can find yourself watching helplessly as your opponent beats you senseless. With UFC's Ultimate Fighting Control, you have 100% control of your fighter all the time. Basically this means that you have the ability to strike, defend or transition, regardless of what your opponent is doing or the position in which you may find yourself. It ain't over till it's over. That may give you an opportunity to catch your opponent off guard and turn the tables.

Ultimately, it's easier to explain the Ground Game by showing you. Click here to watch a tutorial video on our GameStop Cinema page. You'll also find it on our product pages for UFC 2009 Undisputed, where you can reserve your copy before its May 19 release. We'll bring you more tips next week.

Master the strikes and defenses of you Stand-Up Game to dominate your opponent. Click the picture above to see the video on GameStop Cinema.

To help you be ready for action as soon as you take UFC 2009 Undisputed out of the box May 19, we have the opportunity to bring you some tips and sneak-peeks for the next few weeks. Because UFC 2009 Undisputed features the moves of more than 80 top names in UFC competition, you're not going to get far just by mashing buttons. You need to learn the subtleties of each fighting style, as well as each fighting position.

When we heard that the first tips we were going to receive were about the Stand-Up Game, we thought it sounded pretty easy. After all, we've been standing since we were toddlers. However, it's much harder to stand when someone is trying to pummel you in the face. Plus, we later learned that it actually refers to the offensive and defensive moves a fighter performs from a standing boxer's stance. Taking the time to understand the science behind the Stand-Up Game could be the difference between earning a championship belt or covering up the sponsor's mat logo with your own blood. To master your stand up game, you need to consider offense, range and defense.

Offense
Few things are more satisfying in UFC 2009 Undisputed than landing the perfect left hook that sends a mouthpiece flying before your opponent crumples to the Octagon mat, but that can't be the only tool in your arsenal. You'll need a steady stream of "weaker" strikes and jabs to keep your opponent off-balance. That opens the door for the power shots, like a kickboxer's head kick or a boxer's ducking hook, but missing one of those leaves you open to your opponent's counters.

Range
Different strike and defense options are available, depending on how far away you are from your opponent. Understanding range is the key to developing your Stand-Up Game. Within Inside-Clinch Range, you won't have room to get full extension on punches or kicks. So you'll have to rely on knees, elbows and short, crisp uppercuts to break down your opponent. Striking Range is the sweet spot for strikers, allowing punches and kicks to extend fully for maximum impact. Don't forget that you're vulnerable in this range, as well. And although Probing Range sounds like an extremely, perhaps uncomfortably, close distance, it's actually a safe distance at which you try to bait your opponent into rushing in recklessly, perhaps giving you the opportunity to end the match with a quick dashing strike, such as a flying knee or a spinning backfist.

Defense
Again, if you just rush in and start mashing buttons, you're going to quickly find yourself in trouble. The old adage that a good defense is the best offense certainly applies in UFC 2009 Undisputed. While you will be able to cover up to block shots to your face, body or legs, a well-timed counter strike can reap tremendous rewards. A successful counter is much more advantageous than a successful block, but a failed counter means taking the brunt of whatever attack was levied.

To become a well-rounded stand-up fighter in UFC 2009 Undisputed, you'll need to master all three of these techniques: a powerful, varied offense; an iron-clad defense; and the knowledge to understand from what range to utilize the best aspects of both. Click here to watch a tutorial video on our GameStop Cinema page. And don't forget to reserve your copy of UFC 2009 Undisputed. Join us next week, when we talk about the Ground Game.

Nancy and I with fellow LOST fan Alison Sweeney. I'm the tall one, Nancy's the brunette, and Alison is the one who looks like TV star Alison Sweeney.

So what began as part of my job and an excuse for a free trip to California has evolved into an opportunity for both Nancy and me to develop healthier lifestyles. The EA SPORTS Active 30-Day Challenge kicks off for us on April 18 and ends right before the game launches on May 19. So the timing was perfect for me to start rehabilitating from my surgery, which has left me with a manly, impressive shark-bite surgery incision on my right side that is slightly longer than a strawberry Twizzler, which I once used as an impromptu measuring device. To get ready for the challenge, we needed to meet the other challengers and learn how to use the game. So we headed west to California.

In addition to trying out EA SPORTS Active, which felt more like playing than working out with its assortment of short, varied exercises, we also had the opportunity to meet fitness expert Bob Greene and daytime TV and reality TV star Alison Sweeney, who also happens to be taking the 30-Day Challenge. At first, we were afraid that Bob would give us a long list of foods we weren't supposed to eat, but he explained to us that we all already have a general idea of what we should and shouldn't be eating. We tend to reach for those unhealthy foods during times of stress. So developing a healthy way to deal with that stress is better than constructing a "Do-Not-Eat" list. I'll try to remember that the next time I'm polishing of a tube of cookie dough and worrying about what I'm going to write for the blog.

During lunch one day, Alison sat down right across from us, and because we're such big fans of her reality show, we were a bit star struck, and we found ourselves at a loss for words. But after Alison mentioned that she was a fan of the TV show LOST, all bets were off. We were quickly put at ease as we shared our theories about time travel, the “others,” and what might happen next.

After our hosts peeled us away from Alison, we hurried back over for another round with the EA SPORTS Active game. This time Nancy and I decided to try out some of the custom workout options, allowing us to choose the activities we wanted and the duration of each one. Once again, it did not feel like we were working out as I shot baskets and Nancy did “The Lasso” in the Dance-Off mode. But our sore legs and arms reminded us the next morning that we had, indeed, performed a vigorous workout.

Will it still feel like playing after 30 days? That remains to be seen. There is one thing of which we're certain. We want to rediscover that playful side of ourselves that we enjoyed before we had kids and became responsible, productive members of society. My cancer was a wake-up call, and we want to adopt a healthier lifestyle for each other and for our kids. Will EA SPORTS Active and the 30-Day Challenge help us get started? Stay tuned.