Are you interested in EA's throwdown title MMA?  If so, then you better be putting on your fighting robes, because MMA has dropped onto shelves today.

MMA is taking on a heavy contender in the world of all things mixed martial arts, UFC Undisputed.  With two games under it's belt and a developed fan base, can MMA overtake the somewhat laggy and cheater's paradise UFC Undisputed and be crowned the king of mixed martial arts games?

EA SPORTS MMA Hits North American Stores Today; Available Worldwide on October 22

Go Beyond the Cage with Global Fighting Experiences, MMA Superstars and Innovative Online Features

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS), announced that EA SPORTS™ MMA is available in stores throughout North America starting today and will launch worldwide beginning October 22 and in Japan on November 11. EA SPORTS MMA, offering the most authentic, intense and broadest mixed martial arts experience to date, allows players to travel the world and learn a multitude of fighting techniques and skills. The game features a vast array of world-class fighters, and players can extend their gaming experience online through a first-of-its-kind feature - EA SPORTS Live Broadcast.

“EA SPORTS MMA is the most immersive and authentic mixed martial arts experience available, bringing together great fighters, opportunities to train and fight internationally and features that allow players to prove their skills online to a wide audience”

Fighters can further showcase their MMA skills to the world through EA SPORTS Live Broadcast in which players can create their own fighter and then produce a hype video to get noticed by an actual EA SPORTS promoter. Once selected by the EA SPORTS promoter, players will be able to have their fight broadcast online through EA SPORTS Live Broadcast, while a live commentator calls every move made during the fight. Moreover, each EA SPORTS Live Broadcast fight can be viewed on game consoles or online via the web.

EA SPORTS MMA provides the definitive mixed martial arts experience, featuring multiple disciplines, rule sets, locations and fighters from all over the world. Players can fight in a ring, hexagonal or circular cage, and the MMA environment comes to life with ring girls, corner men and referees. Ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. provides fighter introductions while Big John McCarthy officiates fights and MMA legend Frank Shamrock and commentator Mauro Ranallo call the action.

Through career mode, fighters will be able to train in locations around the world with legends of the sport such as Randy Couture, Pat Miletich, Rickson Gracie and Bas Rutten, visiting gyms in Japan, Brazil, Thailand and the U.S. While training internationally, players will teach their fighter new skills as they rise up the ranks to make it to one of the biggest stages in MMA – STRIKEFORCE.

Other key features within EA SPORTS MMA include:

Fighter Share – Players can put themselves into the world of MMA training and fighting and begin the quest to become a champion. They can upload photos of themselves and use Photo Game Face to create their own, personalized roster of fighters. Display and share these create-a-fighters via Fighter Share by uploading and browsing other created fighters. In addition, through Fighter Share players can download and try out any fighters created by the passionate EA SPORTS MMA community.

Customize Your Own Fight Card – Become a promoter and set up a night of fights with your friends. With the ability to host four fights per card with up to 10 people connected*, players can challenge each other to fights, and talk trash while friends provide commentary to the fight.

Total Strike Control – Through an intuitive control system for striking, elbow, knees and kicks, players can go on the offensive with Total Strike Control, providing the utmost flexibility for their fighters. EA SPORTS MMA also provides the flexibility for those who prefer fighting using face buttons with the Classic Control scheme.

Sherdog MMA Fighter Exchange Program brought to you by EA SPORTS MMA.

Announced on October 11, EA SPORTS will be sponsoring the Sherdog MMA Fighter Exchange program, which mirrors EA SPORTS MMA’s career mode where young fighters travel the globe to learn various martial arts disciplines.

The program gives four up-and-coming fighters the opportunity to learn new fighting techniques and disciplines while training with STRIKEFORCE MMA superstars that appear in EA SPORTS MMA. Two North American fighters will train in Japan and Brazil under the tutelage of Luke Rockhold and Jason “Mayhem” Miller, while two international fighters, will be mentored by Gegard Mousasi and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the U.S.

Sherdog.com will provide a behind-the-scenes look throughout the fight camps with blog and video coverage of the fighters. After weeks of training, the four fighters will make their STRIKEFORCE debut, as an undercard, during the December 4 fight featuring Dan Henderson vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral, which will be streamed online by Sherdog.com.

EA SPORTS MMA will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the iPhone® and iPod® touch.

For more information about EA SPORTS MMA, visit www.easportsmma.com or follow the game on Twitter at www.twitter.com/easportsmma and Facebook at www.facebook.com/easportsmma.

EA SPORTS™ is one of the leading sports entertainment brands in the world, with top-selling videogame franchises, award-winning interactive technology, global videogame competitions and breakthrough digital experiences. EA SPORTS delivers personal access to the emotion of sports through industry-leading sports simulation videogames, including Madden NFL football, FIFA Soccer, NHL® hockey, NBA ELITE basketball, NCAA® Football, Fight Night boxing, EA SPORTS MMA, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR® golf, and EA SPORTS Active.

*Internet connection and EA account required