EA Announces Randy Couture for EA Sports MMA

Earlier in the week, Electronic Arts announced that an "MMA icon" would be joining EA's upcoming MMA game, EA Sports MMA. Today we found out it the icon was Randy "The "Natural" Couture.

When Randy Couture stepped up to the podium it certainly raised a few eyebrows from around the MMA community. While Couture is still an active UFC fighter --not to mention the former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion-- his inclusion in EA's upcoming title was not a total surprise. Couture signed with EA back in 2007 during his legal battle with the UFC. But for an active Zuffa employ to promote a rival product, especially after White and Fertitta threatened to ban fighters who participated, is an interesting development. 

Couture played the part well saying, "It's an honor to be here with EA" and that "[his] son kicked his ass in Goldeneye." 

EA was mum on a possible release date, saying, "we're still a long ways away." Whether this means they are tampering expectations for an early 2010 release or completely backtracking from 2010, as was announced at E3 earlier this year, is up for debate. 

Electronic Arts reiterated their view that the Fight Night series and upcoming MMA series will alternate releases every year. For those that think that EA will be splitting resources between the games they are actually developed by different studios. EA Sports MMA is being developed by Tiburon, in Orlando, where as the popular Fight Night series is developed by EA Canada. 

Also, EA officially announced the inclusion of Jay Hieron and Renato "Babalu" Sobral in the upcoming title. It had previously been reported (here, here) that both fighters were going to be included in the game. 

EA failed to address the charges levied at them by Zuffa officials including Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta. It was earlier reported that any MMA fighter that participated in EA's upcoming game would be banned from Zuffa.