Unless you”re a fight fan that has been inhabiting the bottom portion of a rock on some deserted island you’re well familiar with the enormously successful television series that goes by the name of “Inside MMA“. The highly informative TV show hosted by the likes of MMA legend Bas Rutten, Kenny Rice and Ron Kruck has become the visual companion for anyone bitten by the dangerously contagious MMA bug.

Inside MMA will be hosting a very special 100th episode at it’s normal place and time on HDNet this evening, Friday, 9:00 pm ET and I suggest that all of you fight fans that want to give back to a show that has given so much to us tune in for what should be a memorable episode. If you don’t have HDNet, contact your local cable provider and insist that they add the network.

Inside MMA has done nothing but spread the gospel of mixed martial arts since it’s inception in September of 2007 to countless fans that may have had little or no prior knowledge of the sport, filling a huge void in the world of MMA.

“Inside MMA was the first television show dedicated to reporting news in the MMA world,” said HDNet Fights CEO Andrew Simon in an exclusive conversation with FiveOuncesOfPain.com on the eve of Inside MMA’s historic episode. “The show has experienced tremendous growth as HDNet transformed itself into Your Home for MMA.

“The broadcast has become a place for fighters to show their personalities and promotions to be seen on the national stage. Inside MMA has featured over 135 different promotions in 39 states and 12 countries in its first 100 shows! No other show even comes close. You can see the excitement when we take the show on the road now….like this past weekend at Strikeforce. Inside MMA is like the “Sportscenter” of our business. Fighters hope to see their highlights on the show.”

When 5 Oz’s asked MMA legend and current HDNet Fights President Guy Mezger his thoughts on the future of Inside MMA, and the sport along with it in 5-10 years he was candid, stating,”I see Inside MMA growing into “THE” news show for all MMA. The grow of Inside MMA and mixed martial arts as a sport go hand in hand. ‘IMMA’ only gets bigger as MMA gets bigger. I would like to see MMA grow past one or two major organizations. I feel for real grow it needs to be more open and less inclusive. If the Muhammad Ali Act was to also cover MMA then would see more opportunities for the MMA athletes.”

Simon shared Mezger’s enthusiasm for the future of the sport, Inside MMA and HDNetFights along with it, explaining,”We will continue to be Your Home for MMA. HDNet has 12 events scheduled between August-October from around the world. Our mission is to bring the best fighters and promotions from around the globe to our fans. I think our fans are learning how good the international fighters are – Mousasi, Fedor, Anderson Silva, Aoki and others. If you are not paying attention to the international scene, you are missing some of the best fights and fighters in the world

“Even though this year we have over 30 events, 50 weeks of Inside MMA, 28 M-1 Challenge shows and 10 MMA Worldwide episodes…I see more in the future!”

Of course Inside MMA wouldn’t have the spark and pizazz it currently possesses if it wasn’t for the chemistry between show hosts and good friends Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice. According to Mezger, it’s their friendship away from the cameras that creates the magic we see unfold before our HD enabled television screens.

“They have a genuine friendship, and the whole crew gets along and are friends,” said the President of HDNet Fights. “It makes for great working environment and helps to make the whole show flow much smoother and more entertaining for the audience.”

As for the future of Inside MMA, don’t be surprised if you start seeing the broadcast popping up in different regions all over the globe in the near future. However, if you think you’re going to be seeing a Spanish or Portuguese broadcast team sometime soon you may be in for a surprise. Unless, of course, Kenny, Bas and Ron are well versed in the foreign tongues.

“Stay tuned,” revealed Simon. “Different parts of the world have expressed interest in the show, but Inside MMA wouldn’t be the same without Kenny, Bas and Ron. They make the show what it is.”

Discussion of the Golden Boy and Affliction Entertainment MMA partnership is a major topic of discussion including coverage of last Saturday’s press conference.

“It’s different…did Affliction really need it? I don’t think so,” Rutten said of the partnership. “People now are really going to see the difference between an exciting mixed martial arts event and an exciting boxing match. The boxing match, let me tell ya.. .better be really exciting otherwise it’s not going to be a success.”

For more mma news be sure to check out Inside MMA on HDNet, Friday nights at 9p.m. ET.

“I am undeniably the biggest ‘Babalu’ fan that lives. Xcess Fighting believes he has tremendous talent, and (we) are extremely proud to be able to get him back into he cage and in front of his fans so quickly,” Xcess Fighting spokesperson Bruce Bellocchi said.

According to Xcess Fighting, Babalu will reportedly make his debut for the promotion as part of a December 12 event. Neither an opponent for Babalu nor a location for the event has been specified, and the details surrounding his contract have not been disclosed at the time of this writing.

In a recent interview, Pavia said that a deal has been signed for Babalu to make his Strikeforce debut in San Jose in late January. “The deal is inked, but we still don’t know about the opponent, “Pavia said. “We were hoping to walk into a title shot, but looks like we’re going to have to get one fight in before we fight for the title.”

But before Babalu is poised to fight for the Strikeforce belt, he certainly needs to emerge victorious (and healthy) from his December Xcess fight. Strikeforce management might find themselves in a tough position to promote Babalu as a legitimate championship contender if he were to lose in a much smaller, lesser-known promotion only weeks before debuting for Strikeforce in the promotion’s hometown of San Jose.

Xcess Fighting will be holding its next event – “Havoc in Hollywood” – on November 7th in Hollywood, CA, at which Babalu is scheduled to make an appearance. Butterbean Esch and Jimmy Ambriz will fight for the WCO superheavyweight title in the evening’s main event, and former UFC champion Mark Kerr is scheduled to fight in the co-main event; Kerr’s opponent has not been specified on the Xcess Fighting site.