Hot Links Main Page (No Flash) Main Page (Flash) Martial Arts Schools List O2 Martial Arts Academy Links Page Man Page Guestbook

Upcoming Events
Do you want to list an event on Onzuka.com?
Contact Us
(All events on Oahu, unless noted)

2013

November
Aloha State Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)

August
Maui Open Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(tba)

June
State of Hawaii Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)

6/6-9/13
World BJJ Championships
(BJJ)
(The Pyramid, University of California at Long Beach)

6/8/13
King of the Cage
(MMA)
(Maui)

5/25-26/13
NAGA: Pacific Grappling Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Radford H.S. Gym)

5/4/13
Mad Skillz
(Triple Threat)
(Waipahu Filcom)

4/27/13
Star Elite Cagefighting: The Foundation
(Kickboxing)
(Aloha Tower Waterfront)

4/13/13
Hawaiian Open Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)

Denny Prokopos
Eddie Bravo Black Belt Seminar
9AM-11AM
$50
@ O2 Martial Arts Academy

3/23/13
Man Up Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom)

3/20-24/13
Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
(Irvine, CA)

3/20/13
David Kama Seminar
Rickson Gracie Black Belt
8-10PM
$50
@ O2 Martial Arts Academy

2/23/13
Got Skills
(MMA, Kickboxing, Triple Threat)
(Waipahu Filcom)

2/16/13
Mayhem At The Mansion
Kauai Cage Match 14
(MMA)
(Kilohana Carriage House, Lihue, Kauai)

Boxing Event
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym District Park Gym)

Uncle Frank Ordonez’s Birthday Tournament
(Palama Settlement Gym)
(Grappling, Sport-Pankration and Continuous sparring)

2/3/13
Diego Moraes Semainr
(BJJ)
(O2MAA)

2/2/13
World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship: Hawaii Trials
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(McKinley H.S. Gym)

2/1/13
IBJJF Referee Clinic
(O2MAA)

1/19/13
Destiny Na Koa 2
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)

Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)

1/12/13
Reuben "Cobrinha" Charles Seminar
4-7PM
(Ku Lokahi Wrestling Club)
 News & Rumors
Archives
Click Here


O2 Martial Arts Academy provides 7 days a week training! Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu classes taught by Black Belts Kaleo Hosaka and Chris & Mike Onzuka

We are also offering Kali-Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday nights with Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi.

Kickboxing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with PJ Dean & Chris Slavens!

Wrestling program (Folk Style) taught by Cedric Yogi on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Kids Classes are also available!

Click here for info!

Take classes from the Onzuka brothers in a family-like environment!





Want to Advertise on Onzuka.com?

Click here for pricing and more information!
Short term and long term advertising available.

More than 1 million hits and counting!

O2 Martial Arts Academy
Your Complete Martial Arts School!

Click here for pricing and more information!

O2 Martial Arts features Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu taught by Relson Gracie Black Belts Chris and Mike Onzuka and Kaleo Hosaka as well as a number of brown and purple belts.

We also offer Boxing and Kickboxing classes with a staff that is unmatched. Boxing, Kickboxing, and MMA competitor PJ Dean as well as master boxing instructor Chris Slavens provide incredibly detailed instruction of the sweet science.

To top it off, Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi heads our Kali-Escrima classes (Filipino Knife & Stickfighting) who were directly trained under the legendary Snookie Sanchez.

Our wrestling program is headed by Cedric Yogi who was previously the head coach of the Pearl City High School Wrestling Team.

Just a beginner with no background? Perfect! We teach you from the ground up!

Experienced martial artist that wants to fine tune your skill? Our school is for you!

Mix and match your classes so you can try all the martial arts classes offered at O2!

If you want to learn martial arts by masters of their trade in a friendly and family environment, O2 Martial Arts Academy is the place for you!


Want to Contact Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!

Follow O2 Martial Arts news via Twitter at:
http://www.twitter.com/O2MAA

5/23/13

2013 NAGA PACIFIC GRAPPLING CHAMPIONSHIP

The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) is the world’s largest mixed grappling tournament circuit with over 170,000 competitors worldwide. On Saturday & Sunday, May 25 & 26, 2013, NAGA comes to Honolulu, Hawaii for its 1st annual NAGA South Pacific Grappling Championship No-Gi & Gi tournament. NAGA is inviting teams from Japan, Guam and other countries to make it Hawaii's largest grappling tournament of all time! Come as an individual or as a team to compete. You do not have to live in Hawaii to participate in this event. This event is nationally RANKED!

DOWNLOAD EVENT FLYER/REGISTRATION FORM

PRE-REGISTER ONLINE HERE or download the registration form, print it out and mail it in to the address on the form along with your check.

1 Division = $80; 2 Divisions = $100. Spectator passes are $10. The price goes up to $15 after the pre-registration deadline. For family rates, download the event flyer/registration form, or click the Pre-Register Online link. Pre-registration closes at 5PM on Friday, May 17.

For weight classes, age category, and skill level information click the DIVISIONS tab above.

For weigh-in and registration location and times click the DIVISIONS tab above.

TWO DAY TOURNAMENT: ADULTS ON SATURDAY / CHILDREN/TEENS ON SUNDAY
Due to the large amount of competitors that this NAGA tournament attracts, this event will have 12 competition rings and will take place over two days. All adults (both gi and no-gi) will compete on Saturday. All children 13 yrs. & under and teens 14-17 years old (gi & no-gi) will compete on Sunday. The 2 day tournament format makes both days end much earlier than a one day tournament.

100 CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS AWARDED
NAGA is very pleased to be awarding 100 CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS to all its Children, Teen, Adult, Masters, Directors and Executive Expert Division Winners.

SAMURAI SWORDS TO CHILDREN & TEENS WINNERS
NAGA is awarding custom engraved SAMURAI SWORDS to all non-expert Children & Teen 1st place winners. Medals will be awarded to all 2nd & 3rd place winners along with non-expert Adult division winners. Adult competitors who place 1st-3rd will have the opportunity to obtain a samurai sword at the NAGA T-shirt booth for a nominal fee. For having the courage to compete, all children and teens who do not place 1st through 3rd will take home an award.

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP CUPS AWARDED
NAGA awards customized championship cups to the tournament team champions. A cup can be won in: Adult Overall, Adult No-Gi, Adult Gi, and Children & Teens Overall. We are also awarding an overall Individual Team award. This will be awarded to a team/school with a single location that scores the most team points. Please make sure your team registers under the same team name.

CHAMPION GI PATCH
All Children, Teens & Adults who place 1st in any NAGA Gi Division (White Belt through Black Belt) will receive a NAGA Champion Gi patch. These patches are not sold, only earned by the best Gi competitors.

GET YOUR GRAPPLING GEAR AT THE EVENT
NAGA is bringing a truckload of grappling gear (Board shorts, gi bags, rash guards, t-shirts, hats, gi hoodies, patches, skull caps, stickers, dog tags, etc.) in children and adults sizes, for males and females. Check out the huge selection of gear and apparel at the NAGA event.

NAGA ON THE WEB
NAGA has established a presence online through our website and social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We are expanding the material that is offered on these sites outside of the NAGA website. If you use any of these sites, please join us and be kept up to date with the latest NAGA news.
- Get the monthly NAGA email by filling out this form. If you have already competed in NAGA you do not need to fill this out:
http://www.nagafighter.com/index.php?module=joinpage
- "Like" NAGA on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/nagafighter. You will be notified of the latest NAGA news and events.
- Follow NAGA on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/naga_fighter or @NAGA_FIGHTER. We will start to tweet what divisions are coming up at tournaments to help you as a competitor or fan stay informed.
- Our YouTube page is:
http://www.youtube.com/user/nagagrappling Submit links to YouTube videos of you competing in NAGA to youtube@nagafighter.com so that we can share your video with the rest of the NAGA community.

NATIONALLY RANKED EVENT
All NAGA events are part of the nationwide ranking system entitled RANKED. Our goal is to determine who the best grapplers in the country are for various age, gender, and skill levels. This tournament will be nationally ranked so do not miss your opportunity to gain points towards a true national title. More details can be found at www.nationallyranked.com.

SANDBAGGERS BEWARE
NAGA works diligently to prevent "sandbagging", or the practice of fighting down skill levels to ensure one takes home an award. NAGA has been working with RANKED to track all fighters and ranked grappling events to produce true "national standings." A by-product of these standings is our knowledge of who has competed and at which level. Front door personnel will use RANKED data to determine whether or not individuals who have fought in past events belong in a higher skill level (i.e. placed 1st at a prior NAGA event).

UFC on FX 8 Results: Jacare Souza Makes Quick Work of Camozzi, Calls for Main Event Winner

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza finally made his UFC debut on Saturday night, making quick work of Chris Camozzi at UFC on FX 8 in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil.

Since debuting as a professional fighter in 2003, the highly decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard has been one of, if not the most decorated ground fighters in mixed martial arts.

With a laundry list of grappling world titles to his credit, Souza has always been pegged as a fighter with nearly unlimited potential.

In his already storied career, the former Strikeforce middleweight champion has dispatched MMA stalwarts such as Robbie Lawler, Matt Lindland, Tim Kennedy and Jason “Mayhem” Miller, to name a few.

If you had never witnessed Jacare in action, he quickly showed what all the fuss was about.

Early into the opening frame, Jacare used his ever-improving stand-up skills as he calmly peppered Camozzi, effectively breaking any rhythm the 26-year-old American had hoped to muster. As Souza set the pace, he landed a set of overhand rights that wobbled Camozzi.

Smelling weakness, Souza moved in, securing a quick takedown, leading to his ground magic.

Souza used consistent ground and pound to soften Camozzi before employing his anaconda-like prowess. But when it happened, it was smooth. In an almost effortless display of jiu-jitsu, Souza put his knee on Camozzi’s belly, transitioned to side control, and locked in the fight-ending arm-triangle choke.

“I was waiting for him to give me the opportunity, and I saw his neck out there, and I just went for it,” said Souza matter-of-factly after the fight.

With 14 of Souza’s 18 wins coming by way of submission, it’s safe to say he “just goes for it” with uncanny ease, unlike any other fighter in the Octagon.

Souza credited the hometown Brazilian fans for keeping any “UFC jitters” at bay, as the 33-year-old finally made his promotional debut.

“Everyone was asking me if I was going to get the UFC jitters,” said Jacare. “But I didn’t because this crowd is awesome. It’s fantastic.”

With sights shifting to the top-ranked middleweight, Jacare was asked about whom he would like to fight next. When the subject of the night’s main event between Vitor Belfort and – one of the only three men to beat Souza – Luke Rockhold, the confident Brazilian said he knew exactly who he wanted his next scrap the be against.

“With the winner.”

Source: MMA Weekly

Disappointed Luke Rockhold targets quick return following UFC on FX 8 defeat

JARAGUA DO SUL, Brazil – Prior to Saturday night, Luke Rockhold (10-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) hadn't lost in the past five-and-a-half years. After suffering a first-round TKO loss to Vitor Belfort (23-10 MMA, 12-6 UFC), he's anxious to erase that feeling from his mind.

"It doesn't feel good," Rockhold said. "I haven't lost in a long time. I don't like losing.

"I train to win, and I came to win. It definitely doesn't feel good."

Rockhold and Belfort faced off in the main event of Saturday's UFC on FX 8 card, which took place at Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil. Rockhold was making his UFC debut and hoped to make a statement against MMA legend Belfort, who boasts a near-17-year history in the sport and is a former UFC champion.

After a brief feeling-out process, a patient Belfort unleashed a pinpoint spinning wheel kick that landed flush to the face and sent Rockhold toppling to the floor. Belfort seized the opportunity and swarmed with punches until the fight was waved off at the 2:32 mark of the opening round.

Rockhold said he wasn't exactly sure how it all went wrong.

"I mean it's hard to say what went wrong," Rockhold told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I was feeling good. I was finding my timing. I felt like I was controlling things, and then he landed a spinning heel kick to my head."

Rockhold and Belfort had endured a spirited build-up to the fight with the former Strikeforce champ openly questioning the legitimacy of the Brazilian's commission-approved use of testosterone-replacement therapy.

Things got more heated during fight week. A press conference staredown saw Belfort put his fist next to Rockhold's chin. Rockhold countered at the following day's weigh-ins by pressing into his opponent's face, earning a shove from Belfort in the process. Despite the emotion, Rockhold said he didn't believe he fought recklessly.

"I felt good in this fight," Rockhold said. "I had a great camp. I felt good in the fight. I was focused. I don't know if I got overconfident or what exactly happened. I don't know. I thought I had it.

"I felt good. I saw his punches. I saw everything. I was landing some shots. I felt like I was starting to control things, and then I got caught. It happens."

Rockhold offered a bit of an olive branch after the fight by crediting his opponent's skills – and not TRT – for earning Belfort the win.

"TRT had nothing to do with that kick," Rockhold said.

Still, he admits the sting of the loss is difficult to swallow, and he hopes to return to action as quickly as possible.

"It sucks right now," Rockhold said. "I don't know. I want to get back in there. I want to fight, obviously. Everyone says it, but what can you do at this point? I want to get in there. I want to fight. I want to redeem myself."

Brazilian media members suggested a potential rematch with Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, a fellow former Strikeforce champ who Rockhold beat in 2011. However, UFC officials tends to match fighters with similar recent results when arranging bouts.

Rockhold could have potentially earned a fight with the winner of July's UFC middleweight title fight between champ Anderson Silva and challenger Chris Weidman, but now his next move is unclear.

Rockhold kept his head down for most of the evening's post-event presser, and his emotion was evident. But he also seemed to deal with the reality of his position, and he said he now hopes to get back to work as quickly as possible.

"I lost to one of the best guys in the world, and it was something pretty spectacular," Rockhold said. "I don't know what to really think about anything right now. I just want to get back and fight and beat someone up. That's what I'm focused on. Good job by Vitor. What can I say?"

Source: MMA Junkie

UFC on FX 8 Results: Rafael Natal Outpaces Newcomer João Zeferino

Coming into his UFC on FX 8 bout with Rafael Natal, most gave newcomer João Zeferino little to no chance against the veteran middleweight.

Zeferino came in to Saturday night’s bout in Brazil serving as a late replacement for Chris Camozzi, who was pulled from the fight to meet Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in the co-main event after Souza’s original opponent was forced to withdraw due to injury.

Just before fight time, Zeferino closed as a +270 underdog, but as the opening bell sounded, it was obvious that the “Brazilian Samurai” would not be fighting like one.

Zeferino came out aggressive and looked to establish Octagon control from the outset. Just seconds into the round, Zeferino landed a slick straight right that snapped Natal’s head back and briefly wobbled him. As the opening frame wore on, Zeferino looked calm and collected as he used an array of strikes, including a well-timed head kick, to set the pace.

As round two began, however, the late replacement started to show signs of fatigue. Natal weathered an early push from his opponent in the first few moments of the round and took control soon after.

As Zeferino slowed to a snail’s pace, Natal took advantage, wearing the 27-year-old down. Towards the end of the second stanza, Zeferino was so gassed that he flopped to the mat, exhausted, and let Natal beat on him for the remainder of the frame.

Round three saw more of the same, as Zeferino opened aggressive and then backed away looking for one fight-ending straight right hand. The tenured Natal saw the approach Zeferino was taking, and waited for him to tire.

Natal had done more than enough to win in the judges’ eyes, earning a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

“I knew that being called in, in such short notice, he wouldn’t have enough time to get in shape,” said Natal after the fight. “So I thought that although I lost the first round I was going to get the second and third, and that’s what happened.”

Zeferino gave a spirited performance and surprised many with his early aggression. Given the fact he was a newcomer, fighting against a well-rounded veteran, one can’t help but wonder what the fight could have been if Zeferino had been afforded a full training camp.

For Natal, this marks his fourth victory in his last five fights, and puts him right back in the mix for a fight with someone farther up the middleweight ladder.

Source: MMA Weekly

UPDATED: UFC Releases Official Statement Confirming Pat Healy’s Suspension and Rescinded Bonuses

UFC lightweight Pat Healy recently admitted to testing positive for marijuana use following his UFC 159 victory over Jim Miller on April 27 in New Jersey.

“I would like to start off by apologizing to the UFC, Jim Miller, the MMA community, it’s fans, my family, teammates and coaches for my positive testing for marijuana after my UFC 159 fight with Jim Miller,” Healy said in a prepared statement.

His camp confirmed that Healy was suspended for 90 days, had his fight overturned to a no contest, and had $130,000 in post-fight bonus money rescinded.

The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board has not commented on the positive drug test, but Zuffa, LLC, owner of the UFC, on Friday issued an official statement on the matter, confirming the sanctions.

“The UFC has been informed by the NJSACB that lightweight Pat Healy tested positive for marijuana metabolites following his bout against Jim Miller at UFC 159. The NJSACB issued Healy a 90-day suspension retroactive to the date of the event. He must pass a drug test upon completion of the suspension before receiving clearance to compete again. The outcome of his bout against Miller will be changed to a no contest and he will forfeit $130,000 in bonus money from Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night. Miller will keep his Fight of the Night bonus and Bryan Caraway will receive the $65,000 Submission of the Night bonus.

The UFC organization has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents. The UFC also fully supports the drug testing efforts of all regulatory agencies including NJSACB. All fighters on the UFC 159 card were drug tested at the event. The results of all positive tests are reported to the official Association of Boxing Commissions record-keeper.”

UPDATE: An MMAWeekly.com source with knowledge of the situation said that the UFC did not try to rescind Healy’s win bonus, which was paid on the night of the fight. The amount of the bonus was not revealed, and New Jersey does not release that information like some state’s do, but Healy made $27,000 to show and another $15,000 to win for his last Strikeforce fight in January.

The UFC holds post-fight “of the night” award bonus checks until drug test results are confirmed, so Healy did not have to return any money, but he will not receive the post-fight award bonus checks.

Source: MMA Weekly

Anderson Silva vs. Jon Jones: Longevity puts the pound-for-pound question to rest

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones already has one loss and nearly suffered another Saturday, but no one has even come close to defeating him in the cage.

Despite his dominance of Chael Sonnen on Saturday at UFC 159 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Jones was only 27 seconds away from losing his belt. Jon Jones attends a press conference after UFC 159. (USA Today Sports)He suffered a broken toe while taking Sonnen down in the first round. Had referee Keith Peterson not stopped the bout at 4:33 as Jones was pounding on Sonnen, it is highly unlikely that the New Jersey commission would have allowed Jones to come out for the second round because of the gruesome injury.

As a result, Jones would have lost the bout by knockout, even though a novice could see he was the far superior fighter.

Jones' one defeat came in a non-title bout in 2009 as a result of a highly controversial disqualification during a match with Matt "The Hammer" Hamill. Jones was disqualified for throwing an illegal elbow that caused Hamill to be injured. After reviewing a replay, referee Steve Mazzagatti ordered the disqualification.

Mazzagatti's call has been hotly disputed in the three-plus years since, but what that defeat points to is the fine line between winning and losing in mixed martial arts and the difficulty of compiling a lengthy winning streak against top opposition. There are so many ways to win and lose a bout that it's virtually impossible to remain unbeaten for long. Women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is the only one of the eight UFC titleholders without a defeat.

It's also evidence of the remarkable nature of Anderson Silva's almost eight-year winning streak in the UFC.

Silva joined the UFC in 2006 amid much acclaim. And while his signing was a significant one for the company at the time, it's not like he was held then in the same regard he's held in now, in which he's widely considered the best fighter in the world.

Silva was 17-4 prior to joining the UFC, but his record since his debut against Chris Leben on June 28, 2006, in Las Vegas is nothing short of staggering.

Anderson Silva toys with an opponent during a fight. (MMAWeekly)Silva has gone 16-0 in the UFC, including 11-0 in title bouts.

Given his remarkable two-year reign as champion, Jones is the flavor of the month. But even he admitted following his win over Sonnen on Saturday that Silva's streak deserves to keep him atop the rankings.

"I celebrated my two-year anniversary as champion this year, and Anderson has been doing it for about six years," Jones said. "That's phenomenal. That's phenomenal pressure that he's been able to [endure] and continue moving forward with. I admire him so much.

"Yes, I've had some great fights, and I've had a great career, but Anderson is still an amazing guy. He's still my idol and I'm not going to disregard what he's done."

Jones would likely be favored to defeat Silva were they to meet, as he's physically bigger and is a dominant wrestler. Silva struggled with Sonnen's wrestling in two title defenses, and Sonnen didn't seem to be near Jones' league on Saturday.

MMA oddsmaker Joey Oddessa said he'd open Jones as a "minimum 3-1 favorite" against Silva, potentially as high as minus-375.

According to FightMetric, Jones was three of six for takedowns against Sonnen, who was on his heels the entire fight. Sonnen, by contrast, was 4-for-11 in takedowns over two fights against Silva.

All the hype for Jones is deserved, but as UFC president Dana White points out, that makes it easy to overlook what Silva has accomplished.

"Anderson has made a lot of really good middleweights look really bad, but that is not the most impressive thing he's done," White said. "He's also gone up to 205 [pounds] and he's done the same thing to guys there. He's won his fights just as easily.

"Now, can Jon Jones move up to heavyweight and be knocking guys out in the first round? Well, he wants to go there and try it, but we don't know if he can do it because he hasn't done it yet. How many 155-pounders can go up to 170 and take out guys there? That doesn't really happen in this sport, but it's what Anderson has done."

Silva has to defend his title on July 6 in Las Vegas at UFC 162 against top contender Chris Weidman. If he gets by him, there is a great likelihood that he'll fight Jones later in the year. UFC titleholders Cain Velasquez, Jon Jones and Anderson Silva pose for the media. (AP)

White wouldn't commit to Silva fighting either Jones or welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre – the other champion mentioned as an opponent for a potential "superfight" with Silva – but said he thought it was reasonable to expect that one or the other could happen sometime in 2013 if Silva gets by Weidman.

If he does, imagine a Silva-Jones fight on Nov. 9 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto as the potential headliner for the UFC's 20th anniversary show. It would be a massive event.

That Silva is still good enough at 38 years old to be involved in those kinds of matches says much about his greatness.

That's easy to overlook in light of the hoopla over Jones' greatness.

"His longevity and the guys he's beaten and everything, how can he not be the No. 1 pound-for-pound guy?" White said of Silva. "Jones is a great story and he's an incredible physical specimen. He's got the size, the strength and the athleticism. But it's not all about being big and strong. It's about being an unbelievable athlete and Jon has that athleticism.

"Anderson Silva, though, is almost 40 years old and he's beating these guys and making it look easy. Year after year, you wonder, 'Is this the year [he may lose],' but he keeps going on and on. The guy is a freak of nature, man. He's incredible."

Source: Yahoo Sports

Vitor Belfort: “TRT Doesn’t Win Fights”

Former UFC light heavyweight titleholder Vitor Belfort rejuvenated his career when he dropped down to the middleweight division in 2008. Since making the move, “The Phenom” has only been defeated by Anderson Silva at 185-pounds.

His success at middleweight came under recent scrutiny when it was revealed that the 36-year-old Brazilian uses testosterone replacement therapy.

Athletes can request a therapeutic use exemption to use TRT, but what makes Belfort’s use more controversial than others who have been granted the exemption is that he tested positive to the banned substance 4-Hydroxytestosterone in 2006.

Having a previous positive test would rule out a therapeutic exemption by some athletic commissions, but he’s able to use TRT in his home country of Brazil.

Belfort asserts that he isn’t doing anything illegal.

“I don’t have much to talk about it. It’s the rules. I’m following the rules and it’s fight time. TRT doesn’t win fights. A lot of guys on TRT are losing fights,” he said during the UFC on FX 8 pre-fight press conference on Thursday. “It’s hard work. People that know me know how hard I work, and I’m just following the rules and doing everything legal.”

His UFC on FX 8 opponent, former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, doesn’t agree with the use of TRT by any athlete, and definitely not by Belfort. But he’s stated that TRT isn’t an issue and he knew about Belfort’s use of it well before signing the bout agreement.

The topic has been brought up so often that Belfort has refused to field questions on the issue and says he’s just focused on the fight at hand.

“I’m focused on winning,” he said. “I definitely know I’m ready and focused on this fight.”

Rockhold says he’s done his homework on Belfort and knows what to expect when the Octagon door closes behind them on Saturday, but Belfort believes he has changed his fighting style and is ever evolving, making it difficult to know what to expect.

“Those who have known me for a long time and see me today have no idea about what I have changed,” said Belfort. “It’s as the bible says, a thousand years is as if it were a day. If you give me one day to improve, I’ll do that. What’s important in life is to grow, to be humble.

“We never really know what we can learn. We never know what we can’t learn, so I believe it has to be like a silent storm. That’s what a fight is. Right when we are in there, that’s when we will decide things,” he added.

“I’m ready and I’ve done everything that I can. Now I’ve crushed all the grapes and now I just need to drink the wine.”

Source: MMA Weekly

5/22/13

UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold Attendance

UFC on FX 8: Belfort vs. Rockhold took place Saturday night at Arena Jaraguá in Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brazil, before an announced crowd of 7,642.

UFC officials announced the attendance at the UFC on FX 8 post-fight press conference.

The gate was not announced.

Former UFC champion Vitor Belfort faced former Strikeforce champion Luke Rockhold in the night’s main event. Belfort continued his career resurgence, knocking Rockhold out with a stunning heel kick to the head at 2:32 of the first round.

The event was the second of at least four scheduled for Brazil in 2013. It also marked the second time that Belfort has headlined a UFC on FX card in his home country this year.

The promotion returns to Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 3 for UFC 163, which features featherweight champion Jose Aldo putting his belt on the line against Anthony Pettis, who is making his 145-pound debut.

Source: MMA Weekly

UFC on FX 8: Quick Results for Belfort vs. Rockhold

Main Card (FX):

Vitor Belfort def. Luke Rockhold via KO (spinning back kick, strikes) at 2:32, R1
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza def. Chris Camozzi via submission (arm triangle) at 3:37, R1
Rafael dos Anjos def. Evan Dunham via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Rafael Natal def. João Zeferino via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28 x2)

Preliminary Card (Fuel TV):

Nik Lentz def. Hacran Dias via unanimous decision (28-27, 29-28 x2)
Francisco Trinaldo def. Mike Rio via submission (arm triangle) at 3:08, R1
Gleison Tibau def. John Cholish via submission (guillotine) at 2:34, R2
Paulo Thiago def. Mitchel Prazeres via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Yuri Alcantara def. Iliarde Santos via TKO (strikes) at 2:31, R1
Fabio Maldonado def. Roger Hollet via unanimous decision (29-27 x2, 29-28)

Preliminary Card (Facebook):

John Lineker def. Azamat Gashimov via TKO (strikes) at 1:07, R2
Jussier Formiga def. Chris Cariaso via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Lucas Martins def. Jeremy Larsen via knockout (punch) at 0:13, R3

Source: Gracie Magazine

Vitor Belfort: The legitimate No. 1 contender in the UFC's middleweight division

COMMENTARY | With his first-round knockout victory against Luke Rockhold at UFC on FX 8, Vitor Belfort has clearly separated himself from the rest of the pack in the 185-pound division. He didn't even take any damage during his bout against Rockhold, putting the last Strikeforce middleweight champion away with a perfectly executed spinning heel kick.

In a perfect world, Vitor's back-to-back wins against top middleweight contenders should automatically put him in line for a title shot, but things don't always work that way in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. UFC president Dana White – or fans for that matter – haven't seemed interested in seeing "The Phenom" get a second crack at MMA's pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva in the past, given the fact "The Spider" made quick work of Belfort during their UFC 126 encounter, finishing him with a beautiful front kick to the face.

However, it's worth noting that today's Vitor is considerably better that the guy who faced Anderson back in 2011. He's more confident, his physique has never looked better, and he's deepened his striking arsenal by adding a variety of kicks which clearly have knockout power behind them.

"I was part of two jungles. I'm the T-Rex, surviving in this new jungle, so I'm rebuilding myself, and God has given me the strength," Belfort said during a post-fight interview. "Just as I used to be strong then, I am strong now."Vitor Belfort celebrates after beating Luke Rockhold. (USA Today)

Belfort's critics will attribute his recent success to testosterone replacement therapy (which the Brazilian admitted to prior to his UFC on FX 7 bout against Michael Bisping), but they don't have a solid case. For one, Vitor's improved technique is primarily responsible for his recent success inside the Octagon, not any physical attributes that might have been improved with TRT.

Then factor in the fact that Jones -- who was almost submitted during the first round of their UFC 152 encounter -- and Silva are the only two men who have been able to defeat Belfort in the past six years.

The reality is: Belfort and Silva are the two best middleweights in the world, and the "Old Lion" is the only 185-pounder who has a legitimate chance against Anderson right now. If "The Spider" gets past Chris Weidman at UFC 162 -- which he should -- anything less than a Silva vs. Belfort II bout will be a great injustice.

Source: Yahoo Sports

'Jacare' Souza heard Chris Camozzi's neck 'snapping', but isn't ready for Vitor Belfort just yet

It's going to be difficult for fighters to have better UFC debuts than the one former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza had on Saturday night. The submission grappling ace easily dispatched with Chris Camozzi at 3:37 of the first round with an academic head and arm triangle at UFC on FX 8 in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil, earning not only a victory but $50,000 through his Submission of the Night award.

"All my life I was very good in that move. Now I'm really practicing it a lot," Souza said at the event's post-fight press conference. "I'm also doing a lot of cardio work, so obviously I'm much stronger. When I held my opponent, I heard his neck snapping, so I knew he was either going to tap out or pass out."

Despite his nearly unmatched grappling pedigree, Jacare was able to win in virtually all phases of the game. He not only earned the submission after wrestling Camozzi to the floor, but his attack was made possible by the damage he was inflicting with his hands.

"I started moving very well when I was standing, but when I realized that he didn't respect my hands, I showed him my calling card," Souza recalled. "When he went down, I just did the groundwork very easily. I knew that sooner or later, something would be there for me, and that's what happened. I was able to submit him."

For Jacare, the moment - a victory in his UFC debut, which took place in his home country of Brazil - was difficult to articulate. It's increasingly rare for a fighter of this caliber to have spent this much time out of the UFC. It was also emotional for him to be at this particular juncture in his career in Brazil.

"The emotion I felt when I was going into the cage, there are no words to explain it. I could just tell I was exploding with happiness," Souza said. "When I walked in and I heard the crowd, there was a moment when I just started jumping, and I said, 'Now I cannot let this crowd down. This crowd is fantastic, and I have to do my best.'"

The question facing Souza now is 'what's next?' He is certainly one of the middleweight division's top contenders, but if Jacare gets his way, he isn't in any rush for a title shot. The jiu-jitsu black belt wouldn't necessarily turn down the opportunity to fight Saturday's winning headliner in Vitor Belfort. In fact, in his post-fight interview with UFC commentator Jon Anik, Jacare said he wanted the winner of the bout between Belfort and Luke Rockhold. As it turns out, however, he would rather get some experience against some of the other best middleweights in the world first.

"I'm a real professional, and I think that rivalry is just natural. If I have to fight against him, I'll fight against him," Jacare said of a potential bout with Belfort. "But I'm still not ready to fight Vitor. Vitor is just ready to go for a title bout, so I hope one day to be ready and be competent. If the UFC thinks I'm ready, I'll do it. I'll fight happily with the champion Vitor Belfort. But I just said it because we don't want to get the loser. We want to get the winner."

Source: MMA Fighting

 

Matches to Make After UFC on FX 8
9 0 Share9
By Brian Knapp May 19, 2013
Vitor Belfort will likely get another title shot. | Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images

 

Luke Rockhold will have to wait for his moment in the Ultimate Fighting Championship sun. Vitor Belfort’s left foot blotted it out.

Belfort knocked out the former Strikeforce middleweight champion with an exquisite spinning heel kick and follow-up punches on the ground in the UFC on FX 8 main event on Saturday at the Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil. The 36-year-old Brazilian drew the curtain on Rockhold 2:32 into round one, as he won for the ninth time in 11 appearances with an early frontrunner for “Knockout of the Year.”

Rockhold expected speed, power and precision from more traditional strikes, Belfort’s straight left chief among them. However, the kick, perfectly measured and accurately applied, came out of left field, and it did the job. Caught with his hands low, Rockhold absorbed the blow and fell to the canvas in a still-conscious state. He could not weather the swarm of punches Belfort levied against him next.

The win likely moves “The Phenom” back to the front of the line in terms of middleweight title contenders, with longstanding champion Anderson Silva -- the last man to defeat Belfort at 185 pounds -- set to defend his crown against the undefeated Chris Weidman at UFC 162 on July 6. Silva has held the championship since Oct. 14, 2006, defending it a record 10 times.

Rockhold, meanwhile, must patch up the damage and somehow revive the momentum that accompanied his arrival in the Octagon. The 28-year-old American Kickboxing Academy export saw his nine-fight winning streak grind to a halt, as he experienced defeat for the first time in more than five years. Still, Rockhold remains one of the sport’s most promising young middleweights and would seem a prime candidate to face the loser of the forthcoming Mark Munoz-Tim Boetsch matchup in July.

In the wake of UFC on FX 8 “Belfort vs. Rockhold,” here are five other matchups that ought to be made:

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Yushin Okami: Souza was nothing short of sensational in his promotional debut, as he choked the consciousness out of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 11 alum Chris Camozzi in the co-headliner. The 33-year-old former Strikeforce champion has finished his last four opponents, three of them inside one round, and could move fast within the UFC middleweight division. Okami last appeared at UFC on Fuel TV 8 in March, when he captured a split decision from onetime Bellator MMA titleholder Hector Lombard at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Only seven active UFC fighters have more wins inside the Octagon than Okami’s 13.

Rafael dos Anjos vs. Donald Cerrone: Dos Anjos continues to hover on the periphery of the top 10 at 155 pounds. The 28-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt posted his fourth straight victory in a unanimous decision over Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts export Evan Dunham. Since losing his first two UFC bouts to Jeremy Stephens and Tyson Griffin, dos Anjos has quietly compiled an 8-2 mark and established himself as a player inside the promotion’s deepest division. Cerrone will return to the cage against former EliteXC champion K.J. Noons at UFC 160.

Iuri Alcantara vs. Eddie Wineland: Alcantara sliced through Iliarde Santos -- a natural flyweight who replaced Marcos Vinicius -- as he stopped his fellow Brazilian on punches in just over half a round. The potential withdrawal of injured interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao could leave Wineland without an opponent for UFC 161 on June 15. The rugged 28-year-old Duneland Vale Tudo representative secured his title shot with back-to-back wins over Scott Jorgensen and Brad Pickett.

Nik Lentz vs. Cub Swanson-Dennis Siver winner: Lentz has been nothing short of a revelation since downshifting from 155 pounds. The American Top Team product improved to 3-0 as a featherweight with a unanimous verdict over Nova Uniao’s Hacran Dias. Moreover, Lentz snapped the heralded Dias’ nine-fight winning streak as a short-notice replacement for “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 5 finalist Manny Gamburyan. All factors considered, his next call from UFC brass figures to pair him with a big-ticket player at 145 pounds. Swanson and Siver will meet in a high-stakes matchup at UFC 162 on July 6.

John Lineker vs. Jussier da Silva: Some project Lineker as a future title contender at 125 pounds, and the 23-year-old Brazilian did nothing to dispel those notions while dissecting Russian import Azamat Gashimov with a pair of vicious blows to the body -- one a kick, the other a punch. Lineker has won 15 of his last 16 fights, a guillotine choke submission loss to Team Tiger Schulmann’s Louis Gaudinot the lone hiccup. Once regarded as the world’s top flyweight, da Silva was impressive in his own right, as he put his prodigious grappling skills on display in a unanimous decision over the underappreciated Chris Cariaso.

Source: Sherdog

Vitor Belfort's latest win fuels testosterone debate, which may be a good thing

Why not? We're thinking about it, whether we want to admit it or not. How could we not be, when it's right there staring us in the face?

Vitor Belfort pulls off an amazing spinning heel kick against Luke Rockhold at UFC on FX 8, then declares that he's "stronger than ever," and it's like he's begging us to talk about it. On the broadcast we hear references to his impressive career turnaround, and it feels like they're hinting at the things they can't or don't dare say.

Or maybe they aren't. At least not intentionally. Maybe it's a Freudian slip, or no slip at all. Maybe it's just that when you get an elephant this big in a room this small – and when that elephant keeps stomping on the heads of all who come near it – anything you say feels like it's either directed right at the damn thing or else conspicuously avoiding mention of it.

That's where we are with Belfort and his testosterone usage. Tucked away in Brazil, where the commission is brand new and therapeutic-use exemptions for former steroid cheats are apparently no problem, he faces a problem he doesn't seem to want to acknowledge. The more fights he wins and the more highlight-reel finishes he stacks up, the more he stokes a fire that he'd rather we just ignore.

The thing is, we probably would ignore it if we could. We'd rather watch and enjoy and be awed by these finishes that look like something out of a video game. But knowing what we know, it's impossible to come away from Belfort's recent performances without wondering how much of what we just saw came from him and how much came from a syringe.

And honestly, that's what really sucks about testosterone use in MMA – for the fans, anyway. The fighters, sure, they have to worry about the concussions and the competitive imbalance and all the rest of it. Those of us on the couch get stuck with the nagging doubt and bitter aftertaste. Guys like Belfort are making this sport hard for a thinking fan to relax and enjoy.

We see him pull off some fantastic move and we can't appreciate it for what it is. We just can't. Unless we want to become the willing marks in this little PED carnival, we have to ask whether he could have done that without a steady injection of steroids (and for the last time, while the testosterone that occurs naturally in your body is a hormone, the synthesized testosterone that MMA fighters are injecting is a steroid; let's stop dancing around it and call it what it is).

But testosterone doesn't kick people in the head, right? You need to skill to do that. And that's true. You also need skill to hit a baseball over a fence, but I think we've learned that it doesn't hurt to get an infusion of chemically-enhanced power and explosiveness to give that existing skill a little extra push. It also doesn't hurt to get that push all through training camp.

That's the thing about performance-enhancing drugs. They take what you already have and improve it with the help of some stuff you don't. That's why athletes use them. You think Belfort would be putting up with all the scrutiny from the media and the criticism from fans if this stuff didn't work?

It's worth noting how Belfort is handling that scrutiny, by the way. With the UFC's help, he's managed to avoid the prying eyes of the various U.S. state athletic commissions, many of which aren't exactly all that strict to begin with. But when John Morgan of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) asked him about his testosterone use after his win over Rockhold, Belfort's response was to try to silence him as quickly as possible.

"Can somebody beat him up for me, please?" Belfort said of Morgan at the post-fight news conference. "Can somebody beat him up?"

Right, because nothing says "I'm using a totally legitimate medical treatment" quite like threatening those who ask questions about it. It's not just immediately after the fight that Belfort avoids these questions, either. Let's not forget, back before the UFC confirmed that he was using testosterone, Belfort refused to admit it, even when asked point blank about it by ESPN. It was only after the UFC outed him that he voiced his support for full public disclosure for all testosterone users. If the UFC hadn't put his business in the streets, he'd probably still be doing it in secret.

The sad part is, Belfort doesn't seem to realize how much the controversy is hurting him. He seems genuinely oblivious to the fact that, in the minds of many fans, there's an asterisk next to all these wins. Maybe he didn't need the testosterone to beat Rockhold. Maybe he could have pulled off that kick without it. But the thing is, we'll never know. Neither will he. He can tell us that it's all him, that the testosterone has nothing to do with his career resurgence. But if that's true then why doesn't he get off the juice? If it's not responsible for his success, then it shouldn't matter if he stops using it. And if he won't stop using it, then he can't be surprised when we won't quit talking about it.

Maybe that's the silver lining here, is the enduring force of the conversation. The more fights Belfort wins while on testosterone – and the more violent, spectacular finishes he reels off in the process – the more he fuels the debate. Looking at Twitter on Saturday night, the first response to his knockout of Rockhold was a kind of stunned amazement. The second response was skepticism and suspicion. By Sunday morning, it was the suspicion that lingered.

It'll keep lingering, too. Just ask all those power hitters from baseball's steroid era. Performance-enhancers like testosterone might be fast-acting, but the stain they leave behind is a stubborn one. The way Belfort's headed, he'll still be staring at it long after his fighting days are done.

Source: MMA Junkie

5/21/13

UFC on FX 8 Results: Vitor Belfort Adds to Phenom Legacy with Stunning Heel Kick KO

Vitor Belfort earned his nickname “The Phenom” early in his career, a fiery young man, with blazing speed and knockout power. Now, at 36 years of age, he continues to add credence to his moniker.

Belfort entered Saturday night’s UFC on FX 8 in Brazil having knocked out middleweight title contender Michael Bisping at UFC on FX 7. He continued his resurgence by knocking out final Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, but it was the manner in which he did it that really added to The Phenom’s legacy.

Belfort looked comfortable and confident from the opening bell, sprawling an early takedown attempt, and just missing with a spinning heel kick to the head. He did, however, land a flurry of punches that backed Rockhold into the fence.

Rockhold fought out of it, but seemed to have trouble finding his rhythm, moving flat-footed around the Octagon. Belfort was circling and bouncing on his toes the entire time.

Just as the fight appeared to be falling into a rhythm all its own, Belfort launched another spinning heel kick, this time landing squarely on Rockhold’s jaw, immediately putting him on the mat. Belfort pounced and landed several more punches as the referee jumped in to stop the fight.

Belfort was elated after the fight, saying, “I want to thank everyone. I’m stronger than ever.”

He certainly looked it, but steered clear of calling for a return shot at the middleweight title. He did, however, make his pick for the UFC 162 battle between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman in July.

“I’m here to fight. I don’t pick fights. I accept fights. The fans decide it, Dana White,” Belfort declared. “I’m very happy. I’m going to root for Anderson.”

The victory gives Belfort back-to-back wins over Top 10 middleweights, and makes him 4-1 since losing to Anderson Silva at UFC 126 in early 2011.

Rockhold, hoping that a victory would have launched him into a title fight in his next bout, will instead go back to the drawing board.

“I didn’t see that one coming,” he admitted after the fight. “I thought I was finding my timing, but what can I say, he landed a spinning heel kick to my head.”

Source: MMA Weekly

UFC on FX 8 Fighter Bonuses: Vitor Belfort and Jacare Souza Lead Fighters Banking $50,000

The Ultimate Fighting Championship awarded $50,000 fighter bonuses following UFC on FX 8 in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil, on Saturday. Lucas Martins, Jeremy Larsen, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, and Vitor Belfort took home the bonus awards for their performances.

Fight of the Night honors went to the first fight of the night, Lucas Martins vs. Jeremy Larsen. It was a back-and-forth fight with both men having their moments. Martins overcame being knocked down twice in the opening round to score a third-round knockout early in the final stanza.

The Submission of the Night bonus was awarded to UFC newcomer Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza for his co-main event submission of Chris Camozzi. Souza was able to get the fight to the ground and put his grappling prowess on display. Souza mounted Camozzi and locked on an arm-triangle choke that put Camozzi to sleep.

The Knockout of the Night came in the main event on the card. Former UFC light heavyweight titleholder Vitor Belfort landed a spinning heel kick to the jaw of former Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. Rockhold was dropped by the kick and Belfort finished with a series of punches on the ground.

The amount of bonus money awarded following UFC on FX 8 totaled $200,000.

Source: MMA Weekly

Renan Barao injured, out of UFC 161 interim title defense

Renan Barao has sustained an undisclosed injury and been forced out of his UFC 161 interim title defense against Eddie Wineland, according to reports.

Barao and Wineland were scheduled to headline the card, which takes place on June 15 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

No replacements have been confirmed for the match, and the UFC is yet to announce a change to the UFC 161 card.

At the time of this publication, a bout between Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans is tabbed to co-main event the card, preceded by a rematch between Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

Source: Gracie Magazine

By the Numbers: UFC on FX 8

Put Vitor Belfort on a UFC on FX card in Brazil, and what do you get? Spectacular head-kick knockouts, that’s what.

For the second consecutive fight, “The Phenom” laid waste to a promising contender in the UFC’s middleweight division, as he stopped former Strikeforce 185-pound king Luke Rockhold with a spinning heel kick and follow-up punches in the UFC on FX 8 headliner at the Arena Jaragua in Jaragua do Sul, Brazil, on Saturday night. In January, the Blackzilians representative dispatched Michael Bisping with a head kick and follow-up strikes at UFC on FX 7.

With the win, Belfort appears to be in position for another title shot, but much depends on what happens when reigning champion Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman square off at < a href="http://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-162-Silva-vs-Weidman-28459">UFC 162 in July. Here is a by-the-numbers look at UFC on FX 8, with statistics courtesy of FightMetric.com.

11: First round finishes for Belfort in the UFC, the most of anyone in the promotion. “The Phenom” landed a spectacular spinning heel kick on Rockhold and pounced for follow-up strikes on the mat to earn a knockout victory 2:32 into round one.

9.27: Average significant strikes landed by Belfort in those 11 triumphs. The Brazilian landed nine significant strikes against Rockhold.

2,020: Days since Rockhold’s last professional defeat, a first-round TKO loss to Tony Rubalcava at “Melee on the Mountain” in Friant, Calif. The former Strikeforce titlist had won nine consecutive fights before falling to Belfort.

16: Brazilians who competed at UFC on FX 8, tying it with UFC 153 for second most all-time in promotion history. Only UFC 147 featured more athletes from the South American country (21).

9-1: Record for Brazilians in bouts against opposition from other countries on Saturday. Only Hacran Dias, who dropped a unanimous verdict to American Nik Lentz, came up short on his home soil.

.555: Finishing percentage on submissions in one UFC and eight Strikeforce bouts for Ronaldo Souza, who is 5-for-9 on submission attempts during that time. “Jacare” earned a technical submission against Chris Camozzi in the first round of their middleweight clash on Saturday night.

2: Significant strikes by which Evan Dunham outlanded Rafael dos Anjos over the course of their three-round lightweight matchup. Dunham outlanded his foe in round three (37 to 26), but dos Anjos had the edge in rounds one (20-12) and two (20-19) in winning a controversial unanimous decision. Dunham also landed the only three takedowns of the fight.

499: Total strikes thrown by Dunham and dos Anjos combined. Dunham went 90 for 295, while dos Anjos was 86 of 204.

18: Takedowns landed by Nik Lentz in three 145-pound appearances. The American Top Team representative had landed just three in his previous three outings at lightweight, which resulted in two losses and a no contest. Lentz landed four takedowns in his victory over Hacran Dias.

8: Difference in significant strikes landed by Dias in round three (24) and rounds one and two combined (16). The Brazilian fighter’s corner urged him to pursue the finish prior to the final frame, but Lentz survived to get the unanimous decision win.

68: Career takedowns landed by Gleison Tibau, No. 2 all-time in the UFC behind Georges St. Pierre (84). Tibau landed two takedowns in four attempts during his second-round submission victory over John Cholish.

.931: Takedown defense rate for Tibau, No. 1 in the promotion among those with at least five fights and 20 takedowns defended. He has now faced 59 takedowns in his UFC tenure, stuffing Cholish’s lone attempt in round two.

98: Total strikes landed by Paulo Thiago in his three-round triumph over Michel Richard dos Prazeres, just two less than he had landed in his previous five Octagon appearances combined.

.857: Percentage of Iuri Alcantara’s 28 career victories that have resulted in a knockout, technical knockout or submission. “Marajo” earned his 24th finish by stopping Iliarde Santos with punches 2:31 into the opening round of their bantamweight showdown.

71: Significant strikes by which Fabio Maldonado outlanded Roger Hollett in their light heavyweight scrap. The former professional boxer dominated the final two frames, outlanding his Canadian opponent 95 to 24 in significant strikes en route to earning a unanimous decision.

18-3: Combined record of Jussier da Silva (8-1) and Chris Cariaso (10-2) in bouts that go the distance. “Formiga” held off a hard-charging Cariaso to earn a unanimous verdict in a preliminary flyweight contest.

Source: Sherdog

Koji Oishi Hell Bent on Taking One FC Belt From Honorio Banario

For most American fans, the last time they saw Koji Oishi on a major MMA stage was when he, a then 28-year-old, faced Nick Diaz at UFC 53 in June 2005. Now, at 35, Oishi gets another chance at the big time when he faces Honorio Banario at One FC 9 on May 31 for the promotion’s featherweight title.

A welterweight when he fought in the UFC, the now 145-pound Oishi was asked how he has changed since his fight with Diaz.

“I have definitely improved a lot since then, both as a person as well as a fighter,” responded Oishi. “I am much more experienced now, so I approach each fight far more calm than I did back then.

“I have also honed and refined my craft and this version of me will definitely defeat the 2005 version easily.”

Coming into One FC, Oishi had won two in a row prior to drawing with Takumi Nakayama this past March in Pancrase.

“I did all my best at that fight,” said Oishi. “But I am overcoming my weak points after the fight and I feel that I have really been improving, especially for this training camp, and I am sure I’ll peak at the right time.”

When it comes to facing Banario, Oishi told MMAWeekly.com that the key to the fight could very well be equalizing his opponent’s physical advantages.

“I have to be prepared for Honorio’s reach,” Oishi said. “He has a sizable reach and I will need to work my way through that. I am certain that I can defeat him if I fight a smart fight.

“I am hell bent on taking that belt from him and becoming the new champion.”

And it is that drive to claim the title that could very well be what takes Oishi to the peak of his abilities at fight time.

“Banario is the current featherweight champion, but I am coming to dethrone him,” said Oishi. “I want to claim that belt and prove that our team Pancraseism is the best team in Asia. I am proud to fight for my team and I want to give my fans something to cheer about.

“Thank you for One FC for this opportunity and tune in on May 31 because I will put on a great show.”

Source: MMA Weekly

John Cholish Retires Following UFC on FX 8

John Cholish on Saturday announced his retirement from fighting… before he stepped into the Octagon to fight Gleison Tibau.

“Looking forward to my last fight today, Win, Lose, or Draw,” he wrote on Twitter. “I’ll do my best to put on a strong performance and of course be Having Fun!”

That may seem a little odd for a 29-year-old with an 8-3 record (following a loss to Tibau at UFC on FX 8 in Brazil), but Cholish has always stood out in the MMA world as much for his “day job” as he did for his competitive fire in the Octagon.

A graduate of Cornell University, Cholish’s day job is on Wall Street in the financial industry. He’s worked for the likes of Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch, and attacks his job with the same passion that he always brought into the Octagon.

A standout on the Cornell wrestling team, for Cholish, MMA was the next logical step as a competitive outlet for his athletic side of him that Wall Street couldn’t fulfill.

Before he ever entered the Octagon, he told MMAWeekly.com that he intended to keep both careers going at full steam, at least for a couple years.

“I’m only 26 and I think I can burn the candle at both ends, at least for a couple more years. I don’t think there’s any reason to be lazy about it,” Cholish told MMAWeekly.com in 2010. “As long as I can be successful here, keep doing my job, and then train at night, I think I can keep both things going.”

Now, three years later, he’s gotten to a level were keeping up both is maybe just a little too much. He’s not at the top end of the pay scale, banking pay-per-view bonus bucks, and Wall Street still pays the bills quite nicely.

So for John Cholish, it’s back to the financial sector.

“Had fun tonight, wish I could have done better,” he added on Twitter following the fight. “Hats off to @TibauATT on great job & Brazilian fans were incredible!”

Source: MMA Weekly

#
Counter courtesy of www.digits.com