I've been a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championships for nearly two decades. I remember watching some of the very first UFC pay-per-view events on VHS with my high school buddies during the mid-1990s and marveling at the elegant mix of brutality and grace.

The UFC has evolved quite a bit from those early days, adding weight classes and rules to protect the competitors. But what hasn't changed are the core qualities that first attracted me to mixed martial arts all those years ago. The UFC remains an intense symphony of controlled chaos, and THQ's "UFC 2009 Undisputed" brilliantly captures that fact. "UFC 2009" is easily the most realistic recreation of a contact sport I've ever seen in gaming.

The inclusion of ring announcer Bruce Buffer, excellent commentary by Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan, actual arenas, real ring girls and referees, and eerily life-like fighter models help immerse you in the world of UFC, but "Undisputed" really shines once the bell sounds.

The fighting engine simple to understand, yet extremely difficult to master.

Strikes are mapped to the face buttons and can be modified by holding down either the left bumper or left trigger. Blocking is tied to the right bumper (block high) and right trigger (block low). Grappling and takedowns are controlled by the right analog stick. On the mat, subtle movements of the right stick allow you to transition from one position to another, as well as to block your opponents transitions. You can attempt a submission any time by clicking in the right stick.

The stand-up game in "Undisputed" is great, with just the right mix of flash knockdowns and KOs. But once the fight moves to the ground, the game becomes a true chess match as fighters work to transition into a position of advantage. I've fought a number of matches that have been contested almost exclusively on the mat, with both fighters transitioning and countering back and forth. There's nothing more satisfying than winning a match without having to throw a single punch (it's also an Achievement, too!)

Going hand-in-hand with the fighting engine is the inclusion of fighting styles. Each fighter is assigned one of three striking techniques (boxing, kickboxing or Muay Thai) and one of three grappling techniques (Brazilian jui-jitsu, judo and wrestling). Each discipline offers exclusive moves and the combination of styles makes each of the 80 real fighters on the roster feel unique. Stepping into the Octagon against Rampage Jackson or Chuck Liddell is completely different than facing off against Lyoto Machida or Anderson Silva. Playing to a fighter's strengths is key to success, especially on the higher difficulty levels.

Once you've gotten a grasp of the controls and the subtleties of the fighting styles (it's worth the time to play through the tutorial), you can compete in exhibition bouts, recreate one of 12 classic UFC fights or take your created fighter through the deep career mode. Exhibition matches over Xbox Live were relatively lag-free, but finding an opponent who doesn't disconnect when getting pounded was difficult. Perhaps THQ can do something to discourage this cheap tactic in the near future.

I've been a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championships for nearly two decades. I remember watching some of the very first UFC pay-per-view events on VHS with my high school buddies during the mid-1990s and marveling at the elegant mix of brutality and grace.

The UFC has evolved quite a bit from those early days, adding weight classes and rules to protect the competitors. But what hasn't changed are the core qualities that first attracted me to mixed martial arts all those years ago. The UFC remains an intense symphony of controlled chaos, and THQ's "UFC 2009 Undisputed" brilliantly captures that fact. "UFC 2009" is easily the most realistic recreation of a contact sport I've ever seen in gaming.

The inclusion of ring announcer Bruce Buffer, excellent commentary by Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan, actual arenas, real ring girls and referees, and eerily life-like fighter models help immerse you in the world of UFC, but "Undisputed" really shines once the bell sounds.

The fighting engine simple to understand, yet extremely difficult to master.

Strikes are mapped to the face buttons and can be modified by holding down either the left bumper or left trigger. Blocking is tied to the right bumper (block high) and right trigger (block low). Grappling and takedowns are controlled by the right analog stick. On the mat, subtle movements of the right stick allow you to transition from one position to another, as well as to block your opponents transitions. You can attempt a submission any time by clicking in the right stick.

The stand-up game in "Undisputed" is great, with just the right mix of flash knockdowns and KOs. But once the fight moves to the ground, the game becomes a true chess match as fighters work to transition into a position of advantage. I've fought a number of matches that have been contested almost exclusively on the mat, with both fighters transitioning and countering back and forth. There's nothing more satisfying than winning a match without having to throw a single punch (it's also an Achievement, too!)

Going hand-in-hand with the fighting engine is the inclusion of fighting styles. Each fighter is assigned one of three striking techniques (boxing, kickboxing or Muay Thai) and one of three grappling techniques (Brazilian jui-jitsu, judo and wrestling). Each discipline offers exclusive moves and the combination of styles makes each of the 80 real fighters on the roster feel unique. Stepping into the Octagon against Rampage Jackson or Chuck Liddell is completely different than facing off against Lyoto Machida or Anderson Silva. Playing to a fighter's strengths is key to success, especially on the higher difficulty levels.

Once you've gotten a grasp of the controls and the subtleties of the fighting styles (it's worth the time to play through the tutorial), you can compete in exhibition bouts, recreate one of 12 classic UFC fights or take your created fighter through the deep career mode. Exhibition matches over Xbox Live were relatively lag-free, but finding an opponent who doesn't disconnect when getting pounded was difficult. Perhaps THQ can do something to discourage this cheap tactic in the near future.

"UFC 2009 Undisputed" is about as close to perfect as any sports sim I've played. The gameplay is outstanding, the graphics are stunning and the amount of polish put into the title is amazing. It's hard to believe that this is developer Yukes' first attempt at an MMA game. The sky is the limit for where this series can go in the future. But don't let this one pass you by.

"UFC 2009 Undisputed"

Developer: Yukes Media Creations

Publisher: THQ

Available for: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 ($59.99)

Rating: T for teen

Score: 9.0/10