The brawling in Undisputed isn’t going to feel foreign if you’ve played fighting game before, be it Def Jam Vendetta, Fight Night Round 3 or even Street Fighter. Anyone can pick up a controller and start throwing bombs, but they’re not likely to stand a chance against someone who knows the ins and outs of the complex combat, and is able to easily exploit your ignorance.

Exploitation is what it’s all about on the mat. When you take an opponent to the floor through a shoot tackle or knockdown, you’ll end up in any number of positions. It’s not as simple as sitting on someone’s chest and knocking their teeth out or trying to break their arm, though. Precise rotations of the analog stick allow you to switch positions, whether it’s swapping between a side mount and a full guard, or just countering an opponent’s advantage by rolling them onto their back. From there, you can put your rival into a submission hold that initiates a brief, chaotic mini-game that fits surprisingly well within the realm of the game. Mashing your face buttons or rotating the analog stick as fast as you can gives you the advantage on your hold, or allows you to escape. This puts you in a quick, competitive high, and then reels you back into the fight.

Once you’ve got a grip on the combat basics, either through the detailed tutorials, instructive menus, or teaching yourself, there are numerous ways to play. UFC 2009 Undisputed looks like it’s aiming to be consistently rewarding, either through the classic fights mode or career. Classic bouts let you relive 12 historical UFC events, but the hook is in meeting criteria; if you’re told to win as Chuck Liddell in the third round by submission, you’ll earn clips from the respective fight you’re reliving. The real gratification looks to come from the career mode, which is significantly more streamlined than your typical organized sports game.

Customizing your created character is limited to a few body templates and shorts options, but the long list of upgradable skills, boosted by allocating earned points, gives your fighter a unique set of stats. Choosing from six techniques, you’ll balance between striking and grappling to your preference, and stacking your attributes (strength, speed and cardio) is dependent on training. But instead of lame-ass mini-games that have you timing button presses to lift weights, you’ll simply spend a percentage of your stamina on upgrade points. Don’t dip too low, though. You’ll need time to rest before your event, which starts out low on the amateur undercard and advances you to a championship matches as you earn “cred” through wins, sponsorships, and photo ops. After seven years (or earlier, if you like) your fighter retires and can be taken online to fight against UFC or custom brawlers.