April News Part 3
Quote
of the Day
"Obstacles are like wild animals. They are cowards but they
will bluff you if they can. If they see you are afraid of them...they
are liable to spring upon you; but...if you look them squarely
in they eye, they will slink out of sight."
Orison Swett Marden, 1850-1924, American Author, Founder of Success
Magazine |
Warriors
Quest 5
"New Blood"
June 7,2002
Blaisdell Arena
Fights start at 7:30pm
Tenative Card!!
Main Event
Lightweight
65.0kg Shooto Class A
Stephen Palling (Jesus Is Lord)
#3 Rank Shooto,Warriors Quest Champion
Vs.
TBA
Due to Palling fight in Shooto May 5, Opponent has not be named
Warriors
Quest Light Heavyweight Championship
Shooto Class A 91.0kg
David Pa'aluhi (Hard Knocks Hawaii)
# 2 Rank Warriors Quest
Vs.
Sean Gray
#1 Rank Warriors Quest
Feature
Fights
Welterweight
70.0kg Shooto Class B
Dave Yueng (HMC)
#2 Rank Warriors Quest
Vs.
Jon Weilder (Team Hybrid)
4-1,Warriors Quest Debut
Light Heavyweight
83.0kg Shooto Class B
Bob-O Ostovich (Jesus Is Lord)
Warriors Quest Veteran
Vs.
Mark Moreno (Bulls Pin)
Warriors Quest Debut
Welterweight
70.0kg Shooto Class B
Abe Rodrigues (Grappling Unlimited)
6-1,Warriors Quest Debut
Vs.
Roland Fabre (Team Renzo)
3-1,Warriors Quest Veteran
Welterweight
70.0kg Class B
David Padilla (Gamebred)
3-2,Warriors Quest
vs.
Ikaika Tiger (Team Tiger)
1-0,Warriors Quest Debut
Heavyweight
110.0kg Shooto Class B
Garret Viernes (Freelance)
Warriors Quest Debut
Vs.
Doug Sulp (808 Fight Factory)
Warriors Quest Debut
Welterweight
70.0kg Shoot Class B
Jacob Vela (Koden Kan)
Warriors Quest Debut
Vs.
Shannon Kira (Freelance)
Warriors Quest Debut |
"Cro
Cop" Draws the Best out of the "Axe Murderer";
Brazilians Shine at Pride 20
by Josh Gross
YOKOHAMA, Japan, April 28 -- There was talk leading up to Pride
20 of a developing rivalry between Brazilian powerhouse mixed
martial arts gyms: Chute Boxe and Top Team. After Sunday night,
however, members from both camps quieted their rhetoric, focusing
more on the success -- as Brazilians -- they shared versus the
other competitors on the evening's card.
Pride
middleweight champion Vanderlei Silva gave Croatian K-1 star
Mirco 'Cro Cop' Filipovic just what he wanted: a chance to fight
against a fighter willing to mix it up. Lost in the shuffle of
previous mixed rule fights featuring Pride, K-1, and Japanese
pro-wrestlers, the Silva-Filipovic showdown was truly the first
contest to boast top competitors from different organizations
facing one another; the outcome was indicative of that.
Prior
to the fight from the sold-out Yokohama Arena, it was thought
by many that Silva would be foolish to stand with 'Cro Cop' and
play his kickboxing game. But Silva, and the rest of his Chute
Boxe teammates and coaches, didn' t agree. If he was smart, they
felt, he could stand with the Croatian -- and that's exactly
how he fought: smart.
Shedding
his brawl-for-it-all mentality for the second consecutive fight
(he KO'd Kiyoshi Tamura at Pride 19 after 10-plus minutes of
intelligent action in the ring), Silva refused to stand toe-to-toe
with Filipovic. Rather, the Brazilian stayed outside punching
and kicking range until he felt he was ready to fire a combination
of his own.
In
the early rounds, both tested each other's game. It was obvious
that 'Cro Cop' wanted no part of any grappling action, and Silva
was patient enough not to force anything. Sporting a nasty bruise
to the right side of his midsection thanks to a lightning-fast
Filipovic kick in round one, Silva didn't panic and scored a
takedown after catching another kick later in the second.
Silva
effectively worked the ground-and-pound in round two, and it
seemed to bother Filipovic. In the third, Silva was the more
aggressive fighter, landing a solid overhand right and high kick.
The key for Silva was his ability to keep distance, and it forced
'Cro Cop' to push forward in the later rounds.
His
assertiveness paid dividends in round four as he blasted Silva's
midsection twice more with kicks; the bruise from round one turned
a deeper red. Realizing that his opponent had found a good range
to strike from, Silva closed the distance with a left-right combination
and worked from the clinch.
In
the fifth and final round, 'Cro Cop' landed yet another hard
shot to Silva's ribs. It was apparent that the kicks were taking
toll, and the Pride champion scored a double-leg takedown just
at the right time. After a referee standup, Silva worked inside
and fought the remaining moments from the clinch. While Filipovic
seemed tentative, it was Silva's ring intelligence that made
'Cro Cop' frustrated and, in the end, resulted in a draw -- automatic
under the agreed upon Pride versus K-1 rules.
Silva's
Chute Boxe teammate Murilo 'Ninja' Rua, 21, won an impressive
unanimous decision over Top Team captain Mario Sperry, in a fight
most considered the best of the event. During the course of the
20-minute fight, Rua wore down the elder Sperry to the point
of near exhaustion.
Round
one was amazing. Both fighters exhibited incredible skills --
on the feet and on the matt -- and toughness that had the crowd
cheering with delight. In the 10-minute frame, 'Ninja' almost
knocked out Ze Mario on two occasions, but Sperry recovered well
enough to pursue an almost fight-ending Kimura. Rua, however,
began to impose his will as the round wore on and tirelessly
grounded-and-pounded until the bell sounded.
Sperry,
who's left knee seemed to trouble him from the second round on,
survived another huge exchange as round two started. 'Ninja'
never stopped pursuing action on the ground and relentlessly
worked to pass the 35-year-old's guard, which he did several
times. Rua's youth and aggressiveness hampered most of what Sperry
tried to do throughout the bout.
In
round three, Sperry was stunned by a solid 'Ninja' lead punch,
but managed to reverse the Chute Boxe dynamo. However, it only
gave Rua more of a chance to ground-and-pound from Sperry's guard,
and he was more than happy to oblige.
Another
gem for the Brazilians on Sunday night was the performance of
Ricardo Arona, who won a well-deserved decision over American
Dan Henderson. Round one featured good offense, reversals and
defense from both men.
Highlighted
by a bodylock takedown to side control, Henderson hurt Arona
with knees in the first five minutes. Undeterred, Arona scored
a solid right that put Henderson on his butt. After a sloppy
Henderson armbar attempt, Arona passed to side control and mounted.
Still fresh, Henderson reversed the Brazilian before both men
flurried towards the end of the first.
Action
slowed in the second save a solid Henderson right punch, which
opened a cut about Arona's left eye, and two guillotine choke
attempts from the wrestler. Arona, however, was not entirely
outgunned as he shifted the grappling momentum in his favor.
Arona's
energy continued into the third round, and, much like his fight
versus Guy Mezger, Arona dominated the final five minutes by
controlling the fight from the mount position. The bout was close,
but Arona's second half domination sealed the deal for him and
he earned the split-decision win.
Speaking
of Brazilian dominance, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (brother to
Pride heavyweight champ: Rodrigo) made quick work of Yusuke Imamura.
Locking in a guillotine choke after an Imamura single-leg takedown
attempt, Nogueira seemed to exert more energy than his brother,
but was just as successful in victory. Imamura tapped 0:35 into
the fight.
In
non-Brazilian action, Pancrase star Sanae Kikuta returned to
Pride for the first time since October 1998. In two previous
Pride appearances, Kikuta was party to drawn out fights, and
this time wasn't much different -- although he's much better
these days.
Kikuta
outmaneuvered and outclassed Alexander Otsuka on the mat every
which way, however he was unable to submit the tough Japanese
veteran. Controlling from the side, mount, and back throughout
most of his 20-minute unanimous decision victory, Kikuta nearly
submitted Otsuka several times.
Otsuka,
to his credit, refused to tap and Kikuta was almost forced to
break his opponent's arm in the closing round. Spinning for the
straight armbar from the mount position, Kikuta fully extended
Otsuka's right arm for what seemed like a torturous period of
time. Otsuka refused to give Kikuta the satisfaction of a submission
win, and gutted it out.
Returning
to Pride for the first time since his infamous clash with Daijiru
Matsui last December, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson impressed
as he easily handled Masaaki Satake to earn a KO victory 7:07
of round one.
Satake's
only offense came during an early exchange of punches, but Jackson'
s strength was too much for him. Like many other "Rampage"
opponents, Satake was soon picked up and slammed viciously to
the mat. Once there, Jackson owned Satake with punches and knees
from side control.
When
the two managed to get back to their feet for the second time,
Jackson quickly made sure it wouldn't stay there long. From behind,
Jackson suplexed Satake onto his side and head and the Japanese
fighter almost immediately asked for the fight to stop.
On
a side note: It couldn't be a Jackson fight in Pride without
some controversy. "Rampage" was given a yellow card
-- and subsequently fined 10% of his purse -- following his domination
of Satake, for wearing eye black (similar to what baseball players
to counter the effects of the sun) on his face as he walked to
the ring, and for sporting an advertisement stenciled in ink
on his back. Needless to say, he was upset.
The
night's opening bout featured 370-pound Bob Sapp against a much
smaller Norihisa Yamamoto. As expected, Sapp completely overpowered
Yamamoto, landing uppercuts and brutal body shots. A short right
hook dropped Yamamoto to the matt for good 2:44 of round one.
Source:
Maxfighting |
Lifelong
Wrestler Thrives in MMA
By Joe Hall
Dan Henderson's dad took him to watch the 1984 Olympics in Los
Angeles. At 14 years old, Dan had already been wrestling for
nine years. When he watched the pinnacle of wrestling in person,
however, something changed. He knew at that moment that he would
not be just another good wrestler; he knew that he would one
day be on the U.S. Olympic team, like the wrestlers competing
before him. Eight years later, he was.
Henderson's
competitive fire for wrestling slowly withered over time and
recently died. "I'm pretty much done wrestling," he
said plainly. "Nationals are this week coming up, so I'm
not going to those. I'm going to make some money instead."
Henderson's
father didn't just create a future Olympic caliber wrestler that
trip nearly 18 years ago; he instilled a desire in his son that
has driven him to the top of mixed martial arts. And it is Dan
Henderson's interest in MMA that has helped him let go of his
childhood passion. "I didn't fulfill all my goals that I
had [in wrestling], but that's okay," he said. "I set
new goals in fighting now. Fighting probably helps a little bit
because I didn't quit cold turkey. I'm still doing a combative
sport."
Nearly
five years ago, Henderson traveled to Brazil to begin his MMA
career. At the Brazil Open 1997, he conquered a four-man tournament
by stopping Crezio de Souza in the first round and choking fellow
wrestler Eric Smith unconscious in the finals. Henderson knew
little about fighting then and simply clasped a guillotine choke
on Smith until his opponent slumped backward asleep.
Next,
it was the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Henderson won another
four-man tournament there, defeating quality opponents Allan
Goes and Carlos Newton. Struggles between his management and
then-UFC owners SEG kept Henderson from returning, and it would
be well over a year before he fought again.
Unable
to wait any longer, Henderson separated from his management and
landed in Japan. It was for another tournament, but this time
the field was 32 competitors, and there were no weight classes.
Over the course of two events, Henderson would have to win five
fights to claim the 1999 King of Kings championship and the accompanying
$200,000.
Outweighed
in every fight, Henderson overcame the odds and won. It was a
miraculous victory, and while no one could question his heart,
some did question a decision over Rodrigo Nogueira that sent
Henderson to the finals. Adding fuel to the fire were Henderson's
two decision victories in the UFC and a subsequent nickname,
"Decision Dan."
"Being
there and seeing how things happened in the ring is different
than when you watch it on tape," said Henderson. "Being
at a fight, watching it, you can say, 'Wow, he really thumped
on him.' But when you go watch it on tape, it can seem a lot
closer on tape than watching it live. It happens a lot. A lot
of fans don't like their guys to lose the decision. I don't know.
There's judges, and that's why they're there. I have no control
over what they're going to say. I try not to worry about it too
much. There's going to be people who think I lost any fight that
goes down to a decision. There's guys that think I won all those
decisions."
"I
think I won all those decisions," he continued. "The
only one that I thought could have gone either way was against
Nogueira because I don't think either one of us did that much
in the fight."
Clutching
the coattails of his championship run in the King of Kings and
his undefeated MMA record, Henderson's next battleground became
Pride. A showdown against Vanderlei Silva brought Henderson face-to-face
with the Brazilian brawler for a now famous stare down. Silva
glared violently at Henderson as the Japanese audience awed in
anticipation. Henderson smirked in return. Although Silva's fierce
gaze has since become an intimidating ritual acclaimed by fighters
and fans alike, Henderson contends it didn't faze him. "The
stare -- no," said Henderson of whether he was unsettled.
"I had a tough time keeping a straight face. Next time I'll
probably kiss him or something."
Henderson
wasn't just the target of Silva's famous stare down, he was the
focus of his adversary's merciless onslaught. But it was Henderson
who would gain the upper hand first, opening a nasty cut over
Silva's eye. The "Axe Murderer" recovered however,
and as he gathered his wits, the tides violently turned. For
the first time in his MMA career, Henderson lost. "It came
down to conditioning," said Henderson of his inability to
put Silva away and the momentum reversal that ensued. "And
I just hadn't fought in nine months. I was out of it a little
bit. I didn't give myself enough time to train for it; I was
just out-of-shape. That happens sometimes, but against somebody
like him, you can't do that."
Though
most fighters seek to avoid an encounter with Silva, Henderson
awaits a second meeting with the Chute Boxe competitor, who has
since won the Pride middleweight championship. "I'm sure
it'll happen," he said. "It's not a fight that I've
been saying, 'I want a rematch, I want a rematch.' I know that
it'll happen, especially if he keeps winning, and I keep winning.
It's pretty much inevitable."
Henderson
likes his odds in the rematch. "Obviously, I think I'd win,"
he said. "Otherwise I wouldn't fight him. I think he's shown
to not have the best chin in the world. He's also shown that
he recovers really quick.. I don't think he's that great of a
fighter. He has some big, heavy bombs that he throws. He doesn't
do any submissions. He just tries to beat the hell out of the
guy, which is what the sport is. He's kind of on the sloppy and
wild side. He's definitely beatable. I have to be in the shape
to do it is all. I'm looking forward to fighting him again. I'm
not going to push it for another fight because I know it'll happen.
If it doesn't, it doesn't, but if not, it's because he lost the
title."
Henderson
plans on continuing his collision course with Silva by overcoming
Brazilian Top Team standout Ricardo Arona. Like his run in the
King of Kings, Henderson will be outweighed by the Abu Dhabi
champion. "Oh yeah, I' m sure he's going to be bigger than
me," Henderson said. "He's supposed to make 205, so
if he makes that then he's still 10 pounds bigger than me. At
weigh-ins, he's probably cutting weight so he'll probably be
heavier than that."
Although
Arona is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Henderson doesn't
feel his opponent's submission skills are a threat. "He
doesn't seem to try very many of them," Henderson said.
"He's more of a ground-and-pounder, I think. He only tried
one submission against Mezger -- a kneebar. I'm not ruling those
out, but I think I'm going to be able to stay out of them. I
hope I will."
Rather
than use his wrestling background to take down Arona, Henderson
says his grappling skills will be used to keep the fight standing.
"You can ground-and-pound a little bit, but it's kind of
hard to do that much damage in Pride without the cage to push
a guy up against," he said "I've only watched him fight
against Guy Mezger. During that fight, he didn't look that skilled
with his takedowns. He has lots of power, lots of strength. And
yeah, you can get taken down by power as well, but I'm hoping
to defend those."
Like
his strategy against Renzo Gracie, Henderson plans on punishing
Arona on the feet after stopping the takedown attempts. "Anything
can happen," said Henderson of a standup fight. "Anybody
can get caught with a lucky punch or even a good punch. Overall,
I think I'm quite a bit better on my feet than him. I've been
working a lot on my striking. He's going to be a tough guy, and
I'm sure it will be a brawl."
What's
next for Henderson after his bout against Arona at Pride 20?
"I don' t know," he answered. "I'm just taking
it year-by-year, contract-by-contract. I have this fight, one
more single fight, and I'm supposed to do the Pride Grand Prix
middleweight tournament."
The
aforementioned tournament might provide the platform for a second
confrontation with Silva or possibly a meeting with Sakuraba,
though Henderson isn't sure who else will be competing. "I'm
sure they're trying to get all the top guys they can," he
told MaxFighting. The tournament format has slowly faded in MMA,
and the thought of it reemerging doesn't interest everyone. Henderson,
however, doesn't mind another grueling night. "I think I'll
be okay," said the three-time tournament winner. "I'd
rather just do single fights, but it may be kind of fun to do
that."
Some
would think "fun" is an odd way of describing multiple
matches in one night against the world's elite fighters. Perhaps
Henderson shines in tournaments because the format produces what
he considers to be the best thing about fighting: "You're
able to test how tough you are and get paid to do it." Sounds
like a wrestler's dream. And if a young Dan Henderson knew this
is what he would one day do for a living, would he find it fulfilling?
"Definitely."
Source: Maxfighting |
RESOLUTION
HONORING CAEL SANDERSON INTRODUCED IN U.S. CONGRESS
Submitted by: Eddie Goldman
Cael Sanderson
added his second straight U.S. national championship to his growing
list of wrestling accomplishments this past Saturday at the 2002
U.S. National Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas. He triumphed
in the 84 kg/185 lbs. weight class by defeating five opponents.
He outscored them by a total score of 51-2, and won in the finals
over Lee Fullhart 4-0. Next stop is the World Team Trials, June
21-23, in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he will face the winner
of the two-day Challenge Tournament to earn the right to represent
the U.S. at the 2002 Freestyle Wrestling World Championships
in Tehran, Iran, September 2-5.
But last week
also saw Cael become the recipient of an honor that few in wrestling
or any other combat sport have received.
This past Thursday,
Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) introduced a resolution in the United
States Congress honoring Cael Sanderson, coach Bobby Douglas
of Iowa State, and Cael's parents, Steve and Debbie Sanderson.
While such resolutions are often formalities, the fact that Cael
and his wrestling achievements are getting this much notice is
good news for the world's oldest sport. Also, Rep. Latham and
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, himself a former wrestler and wrestling
coach, have invited Cael to come to Washington to witness the
vote in the House, which is expected to take place soon.
Here is the
text of the resolution introduced by Rep. Latham:
RESOLUTION
Honoring Cael
Sanderson for his perfect collegiate wrestling record.
Whereas Cael
Sanderson, continuing the storied tradition of Iowa State University
wrestling, achieved a perfect collegiate wrestling record of
159 wins and no losses and is the first person ever to finish
undefeated in collegiate wrestling;
Whereas Cael
Sanderson is a four-time national wrestling champion, a four-time
National Collegiate Athletic Association championship outstanding
wrestler, and a three time winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy;
Whereas the
April 1, 2002, issue of Sports Illustrated ranked Cael Sanderson's
perfect wrestling record second in a list of the top ten most
impressive college sports feats ever;
Whereas Cael
Sanderson is a 2 time Academic All-American, a champion in the
classroom as well as on the mat;
Whereas Cael
Sanderson's achievements have set a new benchmark for excellence
in the sport of wrestling and will forever have an impact on
college wrestling; and Whereas through his persistence, hard
work, and dedication, Cael Sanderson has set an example for all:
Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives”
(1) congratulates Cael
Sanderson for finishing his career as the first ever undefeated
collegiate wrestler;
(2) recognizes the contributions of Cael Sandersonâs parents,
Steven and Debbie Sanderson, his coach, Robert 'Bobby' Douglas,
the support staff of Iowa State University; and Cyclone fans
(3) directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to transmit
an enrolled copy of this resolution to
(A) Cael Sanderson;
(B) Coach Robert 'Bobby' Douglas of Iowa State University; and
(C) Cael Sanderson's parents, Steven and Debbie Sanderson.
Source: Abu
Dhabi |
Javier
Vasquez:
He's not a showboat, he's 'Mr. Showtime'!
Part
1:
Born
in Santiago, Cuba, Javier Vazquez came to the US at the age of
four. His family settled in Baldwin Park and eventually moved
to El Monte. Growing up, his favorite tv shows were comedies,
like Three's Company and Married…With Children as well as
professional wrestling. His favorite characters Hulk Hogan and
Rick Flair are still around today as well as his new favorites,
the Rock and the Hardy Boys. When he was 12, he became interested
in building and racing remote controlled cars which he still
continues to do. He started wrestling at 15 when he was a sophomore
in high school where he was only one win away from achieving
his goals when he lost at the state championships and didn't
place. He continued his wrestling career in junior college but
tore his elbow in the third week of practice. That year, he red
shirted needing rest after being banged up and burned out. Toward
the end of college, he continued to wrestle at night at Mt. San
Antonio Junior College where he met Betiss Mansouri who introduced
him to submissions. He started training jiu-jitsu with Rodrigo
Medieros under who the 26 year-old now has a brown belt. He competed
in every jiu-jitsu and submission tournament that he could and
eventually found himself in the fight game. His first fighting
tournament was Neutral Grounds in 1998 in which he had a controversial
loss to Victor Hunsaker in the final round. Several more controversial
fights in smaller (300-500 seat) shows followed and out of frustration,
he took some time off from fighting but continued to train and
compete jiu-jitsu. Javier says that when he first started 'the
sport was still very one dimensional. I had a good balance. When
you think about it, there're three elements to fighting. There's
grappling, there's striking and then there's takedowns…wrestling.
I had two of the three. So I could take people down and submit
them and that's all I would do. I had no striking or interest
in learning any striking at all. It wasn't until the last two
years that I started striking.
'There
was no need or it, but as the sport evolved I started doing that'.
He met Terry Trebilcock who was putting together his first mixed
martial arts show. Javier says Terry promised him 'it's going
to be a big show. I'm going to take this sport to the next level.'
When he got there, Javier, having previously fought in warehouses
and nightclubs, was disappointed to find that 'it was in a tennis
court in the middle of nowhere.' Again, the disappointed Javier
took some time off. He was supposed to fight for Terry again
in the first King of the Cage, but as a result of his disappointment
over the tennis court, he proclaimed 'I will never fight for
you!' When he got to the show (to watch), he was surprised and
impressed by how big and nice the show was. He wasn't able to
fight at the second KOTC but ended up on the card for the third
King of the Cage. During that time, he found other small shows
to fight in. One fight he found himself in occurred when he had
just returned from a vacation in Florida and went to a bar where
there as a show being put on by the Upland Gracie Academy. He
had already had a few drinks in him when it was discovered that
they needed someone to fight the teacher from the academy, Jerry
Jenkins, for the main event. It was decided that the 145lb. blue
belt was going to fight the 185 lb. Jenkins. He won the fight
by armbar.
It
has been a difficult transition for Javier to add standup/striking
to his game. 'It's been hard for me, it doesn't feel natural
to me. I'm working really hard to get better at it. Duane Ludwig
taught me the basics. I don't like to do a whole lot of kicking
because I just don't want to end up on my back. I think I'm real
tough to take down if I have both of my legs under me. If I'm
kicking, I'm giving them one of my legs. The way this sport is,
you don't want to be on your back, even though I can submit people
off my back, sometimes you get stuck, you can't get up, you might
end up losing a round against a good opponent. It's hard to come
back from stuff like that.
Javier
started Millenia with Romie Aram and John Jensen. Up to that
point Javier had coached kids' and high school wrestling. Those
were different because they train to fight over the course of
a whole season where fighters train for one day, one fight. At
Millenia, to get ready for a fight, they become each others'
coaches. For KOTC 2, Javier trained Romie but he 'trained him
too hard and burned him out. It was two months out and it was
too much. He ended up peaking two or three weeks before. Now
we're getting a lot better at it…six weeks.' For Javier
preparing for a fight usually starts eight weeks prior to the
fight. This means 'no drinking, no partying and I start to do
a little bit extra just to get my body braced for what we put
ourselves through because we beat each other up pretty bad. Six
weeks out, we start conditioning hard every day. We start sparring
hard every day. I start running a lot more. I start drilling
a lot more. I start taking every practice a lot more seriously.
In addition to the
physical conditioning, Javier says 'I'll do a lot of visualization.
I'm training and I'll see my opponent training harder. I'll go
on runs and I'll see my opponent in front of me so I'm running
to catch him. I go through that match a million times in my head
and I know exactly what's going to happen. So far it's worked
out pretty well. I've been able to control where the fight takes
place. I've been kind of lucky, but not really because I train
for it. On the day of, I try not to think about the fight at
all. I relax. I try not to do a whole lot of walking. Then I
start thinking about the fight, situations that could happen.
But I'm good enough in the six weeks that the day of, I've kind
of got it narrowed down. I start thinking of the positions I
should end up in and just put it all together in my head. The
whole fight, start to finish. I see myself winning every time,
every time, every time, every time. Never see yourself losing.
You're realistic. You see yourself getting hit, but always stay
positive. Always, always, always. An hour to an hour and a half
before my fight, I shut everyone out. I mentally prepare for
what I have to do. I don't want to be talked to. I don't want
to be bothered. You're going through the match in your head,
over and over and over and over and over all the time.'
Preparing
for a fight is much different from jiu-jitsu matches. Having
competed so much in jiu-jitsu for almost eleven years, He says
that 'as long as I'm not getting hit, I don't care. You can even
put Rickson, you can put Royler, I'm going to go in there the
same, for jiu-jitsu, for submission wrestling, for wrestling.
I can go in there laughing, having a good time. I've done so
many tournaments that I'm so relaxed when I get out there 'cause
I'm not getting hit! When you're getting hit, black belts turn
to blue belts and blue belts turn to black belts. I don't have
to get mentally ready for jiu-jitsu tournaments. It's fun! I
just go out there and have fun. I think fighting is a little
more serious because there's a record on the line, there're sponsorships
on the line, there's money on the line'
'I'm
going to lose. Everybody loses. I'm not unbeatable. Nobody's
unbeatable. But I just try to prepare myself the best I can for
each particular opponent and I try my best. I know I'm going
to get beat. I just don't want to lose to somebody I shouldn't
be losing to. If I lose to a top ranked guy, I can live with
that if I gave my best effort and I got knocked out or I got
caught. If you prepare yourself, you shouldn't lose but things
always happen.'
Source:
Abu Dhabi |
Quote
of the Day
"Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity.
They seem more afraid of life than death."
James F. Byrnes, 1879-1972, American Judge, Secretary of State
|
EXCLUSIVE:
Jens Pulver Released by the UFC!
EXCLUSIVE NEWS! FIRST REPORTED BY FULL CONTACT FIGHTER.
Check
out the article by Chris on the FCF site for the details. |
Pride
20: Armed and Ready
Official Results
By Aaron Crecy
Pride
20: Armed and Ready
Sunday, April 28, 2002
Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan
Fight
One
Bob Sapp def. Norihisa Yamamoto
by referee stoppage (strikes), 2:44 R1
Sapp simply overpowered his unfortunate opponent with a series
of kneebuckling uppercuts. The former Minnesota Viking lineman
calmly stalked the retreating Yamamoto around the ring and knocked
him silly whenever he was close enough to land a punch. Certainly
a work in progress, Sapp did not throw any kicks despite the
fact that he represents K-1.
Fight
Two
Quinton Jackson def. Masaaki Satake
by referee stoppage (slam), 7:07 R1
Jackson displayed a wider array of skills than in any of his
previous fights. Now a member of Tito Ortiz's Team Punishment,
Jackson incorporated newfound Muay Thai and groundfighting techniques,
delivering an assortment of knees from both the clinch and the
side mount. Old habits die hard, however, as Jackson ultimately
stopped Satake--and sent him hobbling to the hospital with an
injured back -- behind the strength of a suplay, his second high
amplitude takedown of the fight.
Fight
Three
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Yusuke Imamura
by submission (guillotine choke), :35 R1
The lesser known of the Nogueira twins barely broke a sweat as
he applied a guillotine choke to defend against an Imamura single
leg attempt. After the Brazilian adjusted his hips to cinch the
lock even tighter, the latest Takada Dojo disappointment could
either tap out or pass out -- he tapped.
Fight
Four
Ricardo Arona def. Dan Henderson
by majority decision, 2-1
This seesaw battle saw Arona bull his way forward to record strong
takedowns, while Henderson scored damaging strikes and knees
in the standup. On the ground, Henderson was able to score several
escapes and reversals during the first two rounds. Bleeding from
his right eye -- compliments of a crisp left hook -- Arona won
the fight by controlling from the top position for almost the
entire third round, gaining a full mount and nearly locking up
a rear naked choke when Henderson tried to escape.
Fight
Five
Murilo Rua def. Mario Sperry
by unanimous decision
Save for two occasions when Sperry seemed closed to securing
arm lock submissions, Rua dominated this fight. He landed a series
of damaging left hands, dropping Sperry early in the first round
with one such strike. Maintaining his trademark frenetic pace,
the chubby young Chute Boxer scored from Sperry's guard with
knees and strikes. Obviously spent, visibly battered and bleeding
from cuts over both eyes, the Brazilian Top Team patriarch nonetheless
willed himself to the painful finish.
Fight
Six
Sanae Kikuta def. Alexander Otsuka
by unanimous decision
Kikuta dominated the fight from beginning to end, demonstrating
impressive grappling skills. However, Otsuka did nothing to test
the Pancrase star, easily giving up the rear mount and the full
mount several times. The most exciting moment of this bout occurred
when Otsuka refused to shake Kikuta's hand before the opening
bell -- after that, it was a yawner. Kikuta's striking was subpar
while Otsuka's was nonexistent. However, a gruesome lump on Otsuka's
bald skull did provide a certain amount of fascination.
Fight
Seven
Vanderlei Silva and Mirko Filopovic,
Draw
While this fight had the potential to be a memorable one, it
did not unfold as such. Instead, both fighters proved cautious
-- Silva was worried about Cro Cop's striking while the Croatian
was worried about giving up the takedown. Silva was the more
aggressive of the two, scoring several takedowns and trying to
land strikes. Filopovic was content to kicks, delivering several
to Silva's ribs; however, he rarely let loose his fists. At the
end of five three-minute rounds, the contest was declared a draw,
an unfulfilling finish to an evening that seemed to climax after
the fifth fight.
Complete
coverage of the event in the
May 2002 issue of FULL
CONTACT FIGHTER,
subscribe now!
|
Bustmante
fighting finger infection -
Title Match in Jeopardy!
With
many members of the Brazilian TOP TEAM in Japan, word came out
that UFC 185 lb. Champion Murilo Bustamante was back in Brazil,
on antibiotics fighting off a massive finger infection. Late
last week, the first calls were made to UFC, alerting them that
Bustamante's appearance is in jeopardy. This harms the UFC, as
there is very little chance of replacing this with another title
match.
Other
MAJOR UFC News:
Also,
news is coming out that the UFC's title picture is about to get
murkier - ZUFFA has officially released Lightweight Champion
Jens Pulver from his contract, allowing him to pursue his potential
match in Japan against Royler Gracie for Antonio Inoki's group.
What the future holds beyond that for Pulver is unclear, though
the payday is reportedly more than double the UFC's offer.
Rumina
Sato or Takanori Gomi of SHOOTO and BJ Penn would be a credible
title match for UFC, but Pulver would definitely be walking away
with a lot of the prestige in the division. Sato has seemed to
be past his prime in his recent bouts, but the matchup would
certainly have appeal. Gomi, as SHOOTO Champion, has more credibiilty
but it is not clear if Gomi wants this challenge!
Source:
Abu Dhabi
|
Last
day of Copa Pacifica Rocked
Day
1
Day One of the
2002 Copa Pacifica is now completed. Present at the event was
the cream of BJJ Rickson Gracie, 'Macaco' Patino, Riga &
Johnny Machado, Fabio Santos, Rodrigo Medeiros, Fernandinho Vasconcellos,
Gersinho, Tinguinha, Franjinha, John Lewis, Megaton Dias, Marc
Laimon, Pedro Carvalho, Rey Diogo, Joe Moreira, Wander Braga,
Limao Heredia, Franco De Camargo, Randy Bloom, Ryron & Rener
Gracie & I am sure I missed some names for which I am going
to pay for dearly.
Pride &
2 Hot to Handle Gilbert Yvel showed great ground skills learned
from Lewis & Company. He submitted his first two opponents,
a quick arm bar and a Guillotine and lost the final to a BIG
17 year old from Gracie Academy Torrance by 2 pts. Congratulations
to Yvel for competing, shows a lot of love for his profession!
Macaco Patino
defeated James Boran by a takedown in a fight controlled by whoever
was on top. Black Level matches are sometimes a slow chess match
and this was one of those with the two fighters trading grips.
The big winner
of the competition in my eyes was a student of Rodrigo Medeiros,
whose name unfortunately I failed to get. The kid competes despite
missing the lower half of his leg! He lost his fight but he showed
everyone what courage and determination is as his opponent couldn't
pass his guard! After the match we shook hands and this reporter
got completely choked up! That is really the spirit of humankind
at its best and we are lucky to have a person like him in our
sport! Bro you are my hero!
Day
2
The last day
of the Copa Pacifica rocked with great Superfights and outstanding
Blue & Brown Belt action. In the Superfights Alliance Black
Belt 'Franjinha' Muller displayed the stuff that has made Alliance
Team the powerhouse that it is. 'Franjinha' took down Oscar 'Japa',
passed the guard, mounted, took the back, crucifixed and nearly
choked his opponent for a great win. 'Japa' is no slouched and
showed perhaps one of the strongest necks in town.
Following the
great match Gracie Barra's Albert Crane faced Daniel 'Coyote'
in another barn burner. Crane swept Coyote and almost passed
the guard. 'Coyote' pulled a 'Kimura' out of nowhere and nearly
reversed the fortune, but in the end, Alberto won by choke. Great
match as well.
In the Brown
Belt, Rickson Gracie Team Thiago Vella fought two great matches
on his way to the victory. In the first one he exchanged vicious
foot locks with Joao Silva on the way to a big win. In the final
agasint Pedro Carvalho's brother another great win by points.
Fabio Santos
Team Jeff 'Traingle' Higgs finally competed as well as he trains,
winning his division with a quick submission in the final match.
In the heavies
it was the Gracie kids sharing the podium. Using precise old-style
Jiu-Jitsu (yeah right) both Rener & Ryron Gracie reversed
early leads by the opponent to win the matches. Rener won by
points over Mike Ross, and Ryron defeated Rafael Lovato by, what
else, choke! Watch out for these two!
Team results
saw Cleber Luciano take first place followed by Paragon &
Rickson Gracie sharing second, Fabio Santos in third, Rodrigo
Medeiros in fouth and Fernando Vasoncellos in fifth. A great
event again!
Now on to Jean
Jacques Machado June fest with great $$$ for the Black Belt Divisions.
More details to come. Congratulations to everyone involved.
Source: Abu
Dhabi |
R.I.P.
Lou Thesz
By: Sheldon Goldberg
Friends,
I just received
word that we lost our greatest champion and one of our dearest
friends, Lou Thesz at 7:35 this morning. He had been in the hospital
for the last couple of weeks for heart surgery. His wife Charlie
had kept us informed of his progress by e-mail and sent word
of his passing this afternoon. Her words were upbeat and full
of love.
In part of her
message she said, 'With a full heart and clear head, I can tell
all of you Lou died content and with no regrets!'
She continued
by saying, 'Lou will be cremated here in Florida, I will take
his ashes to St.Louis, we will have a simple memorial service
(yet to be determined), and I will let his ashes go into the
Merrimac River where his happy memories of life started. Later
we will have a wake type party here in Winter Garden. Don't mourn
- just love what he gave you. He loved and appreciated what you
all gave him.'
In the meantime,
have a glass of wine, or a beer for Lou...and pray you have a
life as full or as happy!'
R.I.P. Champ.
Source: Abu
Dhabi |
Some
Thoughts From King of the Cage Promoter Terry Trebilcock Jr.
King
of the Cage is set to make it¹s pay-per-view debut on May
17, 2002 from the Silver Legacy Resort Casino in Reno, Nevada.
The show will feature the new KOTC World Heavyweight Champion
Daniel 'The Bull' Bobish as well as Javier 'Mr. Showtime' Vazquez.
In a
recent conversation with Terry Trebilcock, promoter for King
of the Cage, he shared the following thoughts with me.
On expectations
for the upcoming Pay-Per-View:
It¹s going to be a big thing for KOTC and mixed martial
arts. We immediately jump on with a bigger viewership and a larger
potential viewership than the UFC has for 5 years up until the
last three shows. It could be very big for the sport and very
big to create the fighters that we have that are arguably the
best fighters in the world getting the exposure that they need
to get a little bit more publicly for sponsorships, endorsements,
things of that sort.
On reaching
new viewers:
You just can't go out and spend the money and say come and watch
the show. I mean, they¹re going to have their idea of what¹s
going on before you even get out there. What you do is you build
it on a personal basis. The same way KOTC was built. Some people
want to go out there and spend millions of dollars and lose money
and then hopefully, eventually, they'll catch up to their losses
where if you build a business up to the level the business can
grow to, and spend proper money, and build the sport at the route,
you'll always stay ahead of the game and continue to grow. That's
really the history at this time of KOTC. You could ask the fans
who have been to our fights and maybe PRIDE and UFC and some
of the other organizations worldwide and it would really be tough
to argue that we're not putting on the most exciting fights in
the sport right now.
On the
transition from a sold out casino show to an international Pay-Per-View:
We don¹t change a whole lot. There¹s a lot more hoops
to jump through, especially in the state of Nevada. I think it¹s
good for the sport that some of the major sanctioning organizations
like the Nevada Athletic Commission and the New Jersey Athletic
Commission are stepping up and getting control. I really think
it's going to be important for California to step up. Realistically,
I¹ve got to find the formula to be able to put on the same
fights that I¹ve put on over the past 12 shows in KOTC and
be able to get that out to people who are willing to watch it
and I truly believe it will grow from there. We're branded highly
in many foreign countries right now. We've had shows back in
the mid-west, in Michigan. We look forward to probably doing
a show later this year on the East Coast, we've continuously
used fighters from the East Coast, from the South, and from the
mid-west. KOTC is well branded and there are a lot of people
out there waiting to see it. So that's why I think we can compete
at any level. It's
distribution of videotapes, taking the show on the road, bringing
fighters in from all over. People want to see exciting fights.
They buy tapes, they see exciting fights, they buy more tapes.
On UFC's
return to Pay-Per-View (UFC 33):
It's good and bad. You know, one of the problems is they're a
little bit too much of fans of the sport and I think that hurts
them a little bit. But at the same time, how can you knock and
organization that's willing to put 40 or 50 million dollars into
the sport. Sometimes I get frustrated. I get frustrated with
the card that was put together in the first show. It¹s not
my card to put together. It's not my investment. It's their investment.
I think there could have been a lot of things that could have
been changed and made better. They took their chances. They rolled
the dice. Hey, they were in Vegas and sometimes you win and sometimes
you lose. I think the biggest thing is that there was so much
hype and so much money behind the first show that the people
who haven't tuned in in five years that saw that, and it wasn't
the direction the sport has gone, are not going to come back
or are going to wait to come back. They need to see something
new. They need to see something different. They need to see that
a other organization is out there. And it's not that the UFC
hasn't put on a good show since then because the way I look at
it, if they've run four PPV shows since then, I think they're
about two and two. Two really good shows and two that were kind
of tough. It's obvious how many people are out there that are
willing to buy every single show regardless of what happens.
The key is getting the people who aren't buying those shows and
you're only going to get one chance, most likely, and I think
this Reno show is our opportunity.
On new
mixed martial arts shows starting up:
The shows that you see showing up around the world is a big concern
of mine. One, the athletic commissions not being able to get
involved as fast. It's important that they get involved. We continue
to run shows on Indian reservations and we follow the rules and
regulations just as if the California Athletic Commission was
running the show, even though they're not. We bring in Doc Hamilton,
Cecil Peoples, and several people involved with the athletic
commission. They help tell us the way the things should be done
and the right way to do things. The big problem that we're really
seeing right now is small shows are popping up, fighters are
putting on shows ­ not that all fighters aren't capable of
putting on shows, but I can tell you how many promoters I know
that are capable of being professional fighters. There's really
a difference between the two, you know. They see all the money
coming into the sport and they don¹t see the money going
out and they're not doing the proper things. That is a major
concern.
Shows out there right now are not buying medical insurance for
the fighters. For three or four thousand dollars a show you get
medical insurance on every fighter regardless of what happens
if they get hurt up to fifty thousand dollars. They¹re not
buying general liability insurance for the crowd up to a million
dollars that can be purchase for probably a thousand dollars
a show. They¹re not providing proper medial care on staff.
At KOTC, you¹ve got an emergency room doctor, two med-vac
paramedics that fly in in helicopters ­ their daily work:
when someone gets in a major accident, they fly in med-vac paramedics
­ right at the ring. So you¹ve got a doctor and two
med-vac paramedics. Where the emergency transport unit is - that
all these other small shows that are popping up everywhere don't
have - you also have a life support system, a paramedic and an
EMT. So you have five medical staff on site just based on what's
going on inside the ring, not to count having an additional one
with security to handle whatever happens in the crowd, somebody
has a heart attack, somebody passes out, somebody drank too much,
whatever it is. I probably spent close to $30,000 last year with
the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and then you look at
situations that happen like at Morongo. You know, I said wow,
I probably could have cheated on a few shows and spent less money
and put a few extra dollars in my pocket, and I realize that
I did the right thing. The biggest concern is that the people
putting on the shows now don't have anything to lose. If you
have something to lose, you¹ll be more properly prepared,
to make sure you do the right thing, to make sure the fighters
have physicals before they fight. To make sure that the weights
are the proper weights when the fighters come in. Those are just
some of the things. When you¹re putting the fans, the fighters
and the sport at risk every time you go out you go to an Oakland
Raiders game, somebody probably gets stabbed once a show and
nobody talks about it. It's not a big deal. It happens all the
time. We're used to it. But it only takes one idiot to do something
at a mixed martial arts event to end up on the front of the paper.
And the first group they attack is the only one they know. King
of the Cage. Ultimate Fighting Championship. On the press releases
from the newspapers of what actually happened during that show,
I saw King of the Cage get mentioned three times and I saw the
Ultimate Fighting Championships three times. But neither one
of those organizations had anything to do with putting the show
on. That¹s obviously a big concern of mine. If the proper
authorities aren¹t going to monitor the show and make sure
safety is out there, they need to at least make sure that they¹re
following the rules of doctors, paramedics, transport units,
insurances, proper security. At least we can run a safe show
because then if something happens, we'll have done everything
that we could possibly do to make sure that we're covered just
as if we were at a hockey game at the Anaheim Pond or we wre
at a football game at the LA Coliseum. You do things properly.
People who have something to lose do and people who don't, don't.
That¹s a big problem. As the sport gets bigger, the guys
that are running the underground shows like they're running right
now, they won't be in the game. They'll go find somewhere else
to steal. I think that will be much more beneficial to the fighters.
I look at a show that costs well over $300,000 to put on and
I look at what percentage is actually the fight purse and what
percentage is actually to run the show. Then I realize some guy
in the underground that's not paying any of those fees to anything
else but the fight purse and paying a reasonable fight purse
to a fighter out there. Most of the fighters don't understand
that and they're willing to fight in shows like that cause they're
willing to fight and people are willing to show up. And it's
truly a snowballing effect. I've gotten to the point now where
the guys that are fighting the illegal shows, I'm just not going
tto use them anymore. We're strictly going to stay with people
that are fighting at up to par shows KOTC, Ring of Fire, Gladiator
Challenge, Cage Quest, World Vale Tudo, Extreme Challenge, Hawaii
Superbrawl. Truly the shows that people are able to fight at
on a regular basis and shows that have survived everything that's
going on out there because they're doing it the right way.
Is the
guy putting on a fight at an underground club in downtown LA,
is he going to spend $3000 to insure his fighters because he¹s
worried about a $50,000 medical bill? I had a fighter break his
hand in the last show and it was a simple break and it was $12,000.
Who¹s going to pay that $12,000 if that kid doesn¹t
have insurance? It¹s definitely not going to be the promoter
of that show. You have to get everybody to subscribe to it. If
you could legitimately put a cost of maybe $10,000 to $20,000
additional per show, it would make this sport legitimate. And
the people that are running shows right now, most of them are
not legitimate. That¹s the problem.
On the
future of the sport?
What I'd really like to see is less shows, not because of the
competition. I¹m not really concerned with it. But less
shows, bigger shows, more legitimate shows. We've got to eliminate
the backyard brawls that are getting all the bad press. I eventually
see that happening, although I don't see it happening quite as
fast as most people think. With UFC and KOTC both now on PPV,
Pride doing their thing in Japan, I feel that we've got a pretty
good chance at moving forward at a considerably faster rate.
The more major organizations that end up out there, the more
the general press ­ your ESPN's, your LA Times, the Detroit
News, your Chicago Tribune, People Magazine ­ all you major
news sources will start to get involved with something as it
gets bigger. But truthfully, if it wasn't for the hardcore people
that stuck with it all the time, we would have nothing because
there's just not that many people involved at the present time.
But anybody that gets involved in it, it's something that you
get up every day and want to be involved with. That also sets
up the fact that people want to be involved so bad they're willing
to do stuff that's not on the level to be involved. Kind of a
catch-22.
I think
we're probably looking at a couple more years. I'd like to say
it's sooner, I'd like to believe that it would just take one
person, some famous person who's a fan of the sport to step in
and do something with the sport, someone that would actually
have some big weight to step in. Obviously the Fertittas getting
in is a big push. Anytime somebody can put 50 million dollars
into something, something is going to happen. It's been very,
very good for the sport. It's probably going to take a hundred
million dollars more before we really get the credit we deserve.
Meanwhile, the ground level shows will be grounding it out.
On comparisons
to Pride and mixed martial arts in the United States:
It's a different organization. We're shooting for the same thing.
We have different views of what an exciting fight is. I think
I relate better to the general public. They cater more to the
underground forum and if there're a couple of hundred people
that they have on the underground forum, they're definitely keeping
those people happy. I'm a little bit more interested in the 350,000
people that bought the UFC at one time that aren't buying it
anymore. I'm sure they are too, but you've got to be able to
find the middle between keeping one group happy and keeping the
other group happy because right now, they're looking for two
different things. Pride sells in Japan. I just don't feel that
style of fighting is going to have the same success in the United
States. They have some very exciting fighters, some very good
fighters. I think the cage is really a big part of mixed martial
arts here in the United States and I think it will continue to
be a big part. Right now, from a safety factor, making sure that
the opponent stays inside - they do have an extra rope in the
ring - but when it boils down to it, I think a lot of states
are only going to eventually allow the cage when they get to
the point where they really get in and find out what's going
on. It's appealing when somebody doesn't know anything at all
about the sport. Somebody fighting in a cage is kind of extreme.
It creates an interest in the beginning. It's good for marketing
but at the same time it's way better for the safety of the fighters.
So it really serves a great purpose for this type of sport. Anybody
that's seen a wrestler shoot in on another wrestler, fly through
the ropes, fall from a 42 inch platform and is six feet tall
they're falling nine feet, landing on their head outside the
ring on top of another 300 pound body, you'd understand that
this sport has no business being fought in a ring unless there¹s
an apron that's 6 or 7 feet long. And some of the people have
gotten to the point where they've extended the apron making it
a little bit safer. But the fact is, this sport was meant to
fight in a cage, and that's where it¹s going to be fought,
at least here in the United States.
(Predicting
the future, e.g. Saturday nights Super Brawl? For the record,
I like fights in a ring rather than a cage because of the better
view that the audience gets and it becomes less of a pin against
the cage and bang type of fight. It keeps the fights more exciting
and allows for more action)
King
of the Cage: Revolution will air in over 27 million homes in
the U.S. on TVN Entertainment and the Dish Network. Internationally,
King of the Cage will be shown on Globosat in Brazil, Multivision
in France, SkyTV in New Zealand and Australia, JPS Sports in
Israel and InDemand in Canada.
Source:
Abu Dhabi |
Quote
of the Day
"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going
to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity
and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
Edith Lovejoy Pierce |
Super
Brawl 24 - Day 2 Results
Tim Sylvia is the Tournament Champion
Eddie Yagin chokes Charlie Pearson
Return of
the Heavyweights
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
April 26 & 27, 2002
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
For more great shots of the fights, check out Superbrawl.tv. A big thanks to "The King."
  
Day
2: The Final Round - April 27, 2002
The big man from Iowa pounded his opponents to make it to the
finals and Lambert fought two tough matches, showing a ton of
heart by getting pounded by Sylvia. The scariest thing that happened
was when Rothwell rushed in for a take down on Schall and Schall
went right through the ropes and head first through a chair.
Medical staff rushed to the scene and he was carried out on a
gurney. Schall was found out to be okay later in the night. The
Cabbage-Wiuff fight was the fight of the night, possibly the
fight of the year. Wiuff did something that hasn't happened to
Cabbage since he was around three years old, pick Cabbage up
over his head two times! Wiuff picked Cabbage up like a sack
of potatoes and slammed him to the mat. He then mauled Cabbage
for the first round, but Cabbage's ground defense kept him out
of danger and minimized Wiuff's damage. The second was Cabbage's
payback, as he made Wiuff pay every time he attempted a take
down. The score cards at the end of round 2 were a majority draw,
which prompted an three minute over time. Cabbage took advantage
of the winded and hurt Wiuff and finished him off. That was a
tremendously exciting fight. Sylvia bloodied a tough Jason Lambert
until finally finishing him off in the second round. Due to a
broken hand, Cabbage was replaced by Mike Whitehead. Whitehead
dominated position on Ron Faircloth for the decision. Pearson
started off the fight with a solid thigh kick and followed up
with numerous kicks. Yagin appeared to be slightly more cautious
than his usual "go for broke" attitude. Yagin waited
for his opportunity and seized it by catching one of Pearson's
kicks and tripping him down. Pearson scrambled back to his feet
for a double leg takedown on Yagin and ate a hard knee by Yagin.
Yagin took the takedown, so that he could lock in a modified
guillotine (one of Pearson's arms was inside). Pearson tried
to pry open Yagin's hands but had to tap. Yagin is growing by
leaps and bounds in every fight. It will be interesting to see
which fighter will be next to test Yagin, because Yagin is taking
out everyone placed in front of him. In a weird turn of events,
Whitehead ended up facing Sylvia who beat him in the first match
of the first round of the tournament. This time, Sylvia took
a little under a minute less to beat Whitehead than the first
time to become the Return of the Heavyweights Tournament Champion.
Tim Sylvia (Miletich Fighting Systems, Bettendorf,
Iowa, 6'8" 265 lbs., 12-0)
Def.
Boyd Ballard (Pearson's Martial Arts, Seattle, WA, 5'10"
220 lbs., 2-1)
KO via knee at 3:10 minutes in Round 1.
Jason Lambert (Ted Williams Combat Grappling, Apple
Valley, CA, 5'11" 245 lbs., 12-2)
Def.
Brian Stromberg (Team Quest, Portland, OR, 6'2" 235 lbs.,
6-2)
Submission via arm triangle choke at 4:59 minutes in Round 2.
Ben Rothwell (Freestyle Academy, Knish, WS, 6'5" 270 lbs.,
14-1)
Def.
Kerry Schall (Meat Truck, Inc., Cincinnati, OH, 6'3" 270
lbs., 12-5)
TKO via injury (Schall fell out of the ring and through a chair)
at 2:10 minutes in Round 2.
Cabbage Coreirra (Grappling Unlimited, Hilo, HI, 6'3" 291
lbs., 13-3)
Def.
Travis Wiuff (Lion's Lair, Minneapolis, MN, 6'2" 270 lbs.,
5-2)
TKO via referee stoppage from knees at 1:40 minutes in Over Time.
 
Semi-Finals:
Tim Sylvia (Miletich Fighting Systems, Bettendorf, Iowa, 6'8"
265 lbs., 13-0)
Def.
Jason Lambert (Ted Williams Combat Grappling, Apple Valley, CA,
5'11" 245 lbs., 12-3)
TKO via referee stoppage from strikes at 4:11 minutes in Round
2.
Cabbage Coreirra broke his hand so Mike Whitehead replaces him.
Mike Whitehead (Medford, OR, 6'2" 260 lbs.,
8-1)
Def.
Ben Rothwell (Freestyle Academy, Knish, WS, 6'5" 270 lbs.,
14-2)
Unanimous decision after 2 rounds [(20-18), (20-18), (20-18)].
Co-Main Event (Single Fight):
Eddie Yagin (Grappling Unlimited, Hawaii, 7-0)
Def.
Charlie Pearson (Pearson's Martial Arts, Seattle, WA)
Submission via modified guillotine (10 fingers) choke at 4:01
minutes in Round 1.
Finals:
Tim Sylvia (Miletich Fighting Systems, Bettendorf, Iowa, 6'8"
265 lbs., 14-0)
Def.
Mike Whitehead (Medford, OR, 6'2" 260 lbs., 8-2)
TKO via referee stoppage from strikes at 2:38 minutes in Round
1.
  |
Super
Brawl 24 Return of the Heavyweights Day One
April 26, 2002
By Michael Onzuka
Mike@onzuka.com
Hawaii fans
got a taste of what the best of the unknown heavyweights had
to offer with the first round being complete last night. With
two of the favorites of the tournament, Meat Truck Shaw and Travis
Wiuff (pronounced View) having no opponents and going to the
second round fresh, none of the other fighters seemed to show
any concern. By the looks and backgrounds of these two behemoths,
the advancing fighters should take notice.
The Final Eight
The first fight saw the giant, Tim Sylvia, all 6 foot 8 inches
of him enter the ring by stepping over the top rope, very reminiscent
of the WWF's Big Show. With UFC Lightweight Champ, Jens "Little
Evil" Pulver in his corner, everyone was expecting Sylvia
to put on a big show. His opponent, Mike Whitehead was cornered
by Pulver's arch nemesis, Hawaii's BJ Penn. After a couple of
minutes, it was obvious that Sylvia was the stand up fighter
while Whitehead was a wrestler. Whitehead got the big man down
a couple of times, but could not capitalize on anything and Sylvia
as described in the fight descriptions, pulled out the win and
was the first fighter to advance. After the fight, Sylvia told
me that he was not concerned with his placement within the keys
and is not worried at all about anyone taking him down.
The next man
to advance was UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett and AMC's,
Boyd Ballard. He is smallest fighter of the sweet sixteen, but
showed that he has solid riding skills and controlled all aspects
of the ground in his opening match with local boy, Kekumu Cambra.
Ballard showed great conditioning by consistently punching, elbowing,
and kneeing Cambra. Cambra showed his huge heart by not giving
up and even telling the referee not to stop the fight even when
he was in very bad positions, taking some major punishment. Cambra
can keep his head up high by giving Ballard a tough fight, but
Barnett's Boyd advances. Barnett and Ballard were very quick
to point out that Ballard is in great shape and has no injuries
going into day two. Barnett showed enough confidence for both
of them and said that he can see no possible way his fighter
can lose.
Ted Williams'
Jason Lambert moves on and showed that while he was not as physically
impressive as his first opponent, Ron Faircloth who was pretty
tight at 235 lbs, he had the skills that may take him to the
next round. Lambert has good wrestling skills which what was
expected from a fighter from Williams' stable, but also showed
he had the balls to trade a bit standing up.
Probably the
most impressive, skill-wise, of the first round was Team Quest's
Brian Stromberg. With Randy Couture and Dan Henderson heading
Team Quest, everyone expected great wrestling skill, but what
Stromberg showed was his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu background by being
comfortable on his back and finishing his first opponent, Gabe
Beauperthuy, with a nice triangle from the guard. With all these
huge wrestlers advancing, the skills that Stromberg has on his
back will give him an advantage. Of all the first round fights
except Stromberg's, it was clear to see, whoever takes the top,
wins. It was a nice change to see a decent sized fighter (at
6'2" and 235 lbs) who does not look like fish out of water
on his back.
One of the favorites
was the qualifier tournament winner, Big Ben Rothwell, who had
a great shot and finished another Team Quest fighter, Curtis
Crawford, with a well-placed forearm that convinced Crawford
that he probably should take any more punishment and tapped very
early in the fight. The Hawaii fans were very disappointed by
the bad showing of Crawford and, like myself, wanted to see more
of what Rothwell had to offer. Rothwell advances with little
work, which may turn out to be an advantage because his next
opponent, Kerry "Meat Truck" Schall had a bye in the
first round.
Hawaii fans
are in the dark about the Meat Truck, but with a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
background with well-respected instructor "Jacare"
Cavalcanti and a 12-4 record, he will be one to watch.
The incredible
bulk, Travis Wiuff, is the fighter that I was probably looking
forward to the most based on his reputation. Wiuff, who stands
at 6'2 and weighs in at 270 lbs, was NCAA All-American Wrestler
and is said to be at 5% body fat. MMA has seen highly touted
amateur wrestlers have great results when entering the fighting
game; Wiuff hopes to continue this tradition. Wiuff advances
to the next round with a bye as well.
A man who has
turned in to the savior of MMA in Hawaii, Wesley "Cabbage"
Correira, brings hard punches and good upper body grappling skills
to the tournament. Cabbage's last fights have brought the house
down in Hawaii's Blaisdell Center. This night was no different.
Due to the last minute no shows of two fighters, Cabbage faced
Kevin Jordan, a Carlos Newton looking, agile fighter. Jordan
caught Cabbage with a couple good leg kicks and attempted some
takedowns, but Cabbage stuck to his normal game of keeping the
fight standing and banging at every opportunity. The final seven
fighters must respect the heavy hands of Cabbage. Correira will
face a style that he has not faced yet and that could possibly
give him the most trouble, a great wrestler. Cabbage has never
had to prove himself on the ground while Wiuff's strength is
the ground. According to co-promoter, Monte Cox, Wiuff hits like
a horse and may have enough power to knock out the man who has
the iron chin. Cabbage had proven his chin time and time again,
against Brink, against Tiger, against Tynanes.
These last two
fights may determine who will eventually win the tournament or
bang up the favorites clearing the path to an unexpected champion.
Bring on the final eight! |
Super
Brawl 24 - Day 2 Preview
Return of
the Heavyweights
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
April 27, 2002
Tim Sylvia vs. Boyd
Ballard
Tim Sylvia is on a serious tear! He had little trouble in his
first round, dispatching Mike Whitehead with a barrage of knees
and punches. His 6’8” frame will be a big advantage.
Boyd Ballard will have a distinct size disadvantage and will
have to use his superior wrestling skills to defeat Sylvia.
Look for a Sylvia
K.O. or a decision ground and pound victory by Ballard.
Jason Lambert
vs Brian Stromberg
Jason Lambert was without a doubt the most aggressive fighter
in the first round. He just kept coming forward and dominating
position throughout the fight. He will look to do damage to his
opponent standing and on the ground. Stromberg had an impressive
triangle choke submission in the first round. He will undoubtedly
be on his back again and his best chance at victory will be by
submission from the bottom.
Lambert in a
brawling victory or Stromberg by decision.
Ben Rothwell
vs. Kerry “The Meat Truck” Schall
This is a rematch of a fight that happened in the qualifying
tournament. Rothwell defeated an injured Schall in Des Moines,
Iowa. Rothwell will not have the benefit of an injured opponent
tonight. Rothwell is well rounded and may try to keep this fight
on his feet. Look for Schall to push the action and look to use
his tremendous ground skills to look for submissions.
Probably not
going the distance. Rothwell by TKO or “Meat Truck”
by submission.
Travis “Diesel”
Wiuff vs. CABBAGE
Hold onto your hats! Wiuff (pronounced “View”) is a
monster. A tremendous wrestler with legitimate one punch K.O.
power. Will he rely on his wrestling and look for the early takedown
or will he test the chin of CABBAGE? Cabbage is certainly in
for the toughest fight of his career in this round. On paper,
CABBAGE is outweighed and out gunned by the young “Diesel”.
But don’t count him out just yet; he may have a trick or
two up his sleeve.
Diesel will
dominate position to victory or CABBAGE will catch a Diesel low
on fuel late in the fight.
Co-Main Event
Charles Pearson vs. Eddie Yagin
This has the earmarkings of an epic battle. Pearson defeated
Yagin’s teammate Abe Rodriguez last year and Yagin brutally
K.O.’d fellow Northwest fighter Ryan Diaz earlier this year.
Pearson has the edge standing and Yagin on the ground. Both have
an aggressive style. This will undoubtedly be a war. The deciding
factor may be the size of these lightweights hearts.
Source: T. Jay Thompson |
Universo
Athletico
Dear Chris Onzuka ,
I would like to know you still remember me !!! I am partner,
coach and friend of the athlete Allan Góes!!! Me, Allan
and Vauvennargues "Marinho," have a team of athletes
of the new generation of Brazilian fighters, we possess a Gym
with good instructur and we work hard with our boys. I would
like to know if anyone could receive the boys' tape and could
invite our team to your events? Our team is directed by Vauvennargues
"Marinho." It will travel to Russia on April 26 to
participate in Mix-Fight M1. It will be an opportunity to show
our new talents. My athletes Buscape and Miltinho won. The athlete
Buscape gave a show and now he is the owner of the belt of 75
Kg of Mix Fight M1!!!
" Um Grande
Abraço "
icq:84567507
Keep in touch,
André Vinícius Aurnheimer
academia@universoatletico.com.br
www.mmafighter.com
Source: André Vinícius Aurnheimer |
INTRODUCING
THE
WORLD ORGANIZATION OF MARTIAL ARTS ATHLETES'
W O R LD M A R T I A L G A M E S III
THE AMERICA'S WORLD MARTIAL ARTS CUP
MAY 10th, 11th, 12th, 2002
HAWAII CONVENTION CENTER, HONOLULU, HAWAII
To:
Martial Arts Instructors/School Owners/Practitioners in the Hawaiian
Islands
We
would like to extend this Special Invitation to you and your
students to come and compete in this World Class Event, with
increased divisions for all stylists including Chinese, Wushu,
Grappling/Jujitsu, TKD, Weapons, Traditional Japanese/Okinawan
stylists, breaking and more. Over 360 Divisions in all. $11,000
in cash and awards. Please check out the information below and
contact us as soon as possible for early entry discounts.
WORLD
MARTIAL GAMES I - Sydney, Australia, April 2000 - huge success
WORLD
MARTIAL GAMES II - Killarney, Ireland, July 2001, The European
World Martial Arts Games was an incredible success with over
800 competitors from over 15 different countries. Everyone had
a great time and left with a feeling of friendship and success
in their accomplishments.
NOW
! ! the W.O.M.A.A. WORLD MARTIAL GAMES III (Honolulu, Hawaii)
The
World Organization of Martial Arts Athletes (W.O.M.A.A.) is excited
to announce that it's next International event, the WORLD MARTIAL
GAMES III, the 2002 America's World Martial Arts Cup will take
place in Honolulu, Hawaii, May 10th, 11th, 12th of 2002 at the
Hawaii Convention Center. Everyone who accepts the challenge
to compete in this exciting event, is in for the time of their
life. The Hawaiian Islands are one of the most incredible and
beautiful areas in the world. DARE TO MEET THE CHALLENGE ! !
! AND SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE WILL NOT LET THE SITUATION FROM
SEPT. 11TH, STOP US,( THE WORLD'S MARTIAL ARTISTS), FROM COMPETING
AND SHARING WHAT WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE.
We
would like to invite all countries, organizations and competitors
to come and compete in this exciting event, represent your country
and show the world just how good your Martial Arts really are.
$11,000 in Cash and Awards for Grand Champions and Jr. Grand
Champions, including special custom designed, limited and collectible
Grand Championship awards, the Newly Custom Designed and Custom
Made "America's World Martial Arts Cup" for Grand Championship
Team competition. The new Tournament Patch given to each registered
competitor. This will truly be the one international event you
will not want to miss. Everyone is welcome. Countries showing
interest so far include Australia, England, Canada, United States,
Hong Kong, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, Sierra Leone, Venezuela,
Philippines, China, Italy, France, Russia, Scotland, Ireland,
Pakistan, Germany, Trinidad & Tabago and more. Please contact
Mr. Bruce Smith, Pres/WOMAA. 410-742-2094, 443-366-6277, FAX
(253) 830-1732, email: kenpo@shore.intercom.net, You can check
out our website at: www.womaa.com
WOMAA
International events are open to all styles and systems, all
ages (4 yrs old and up), all belt ranks (white to black) both
male and female. With new expanded events numbering over 350
divisions at the international events, including Point Sparring,
W.O.M.A.A. World Championship Continuous Sparring Events, Forms
(Trad. Jap/Okin,, Tae Kwon Do & Korean, Traditional Chinese,
Wushu, Kenpo, Open, Musical), Weapons (Bladed Weapons Divisions,
Wooden Weapons Divisions, Chinese Weapons Divisions, Wushu, Open
& Musical Weapons Divisions), Self Defense, Grappling/Jujitsu
(Free Style Jujitsu-punches, kicks, grappling & straight
grappling - no punches or kicks, etc.) Handicapable Divisions,
Fitness "Aerobic" Kickboxing Team Competition, Team
Weapons Forms, Team Synchronized Forms, Team Demonstration Style
Forms, 3 Person Junior Team Sparring Challenge and the 5 Person
World Black Belt Team Fighting Challenge - (5 Men and/or 5 Women
Teams), 13 Grand Championships, an Opening Ceremonies, a Night
time show that will astound everyone. The 2002 America's World
Martial Arts Cup will surely be an event that has something for
everyone and one you won't want to miss. The World Organization
of Martial Arts Athletes (WOMAA - a non political organization)
is growing by leaps and bounds, and we invite all countries to
take up the challenge and become part of this International Organization
which is dedicated to sporting competitions world wide. All WOMAA
international member martial artists are Ambassadors of good
sportsmanship for their country, with the goal of learning and
experiencing other cultures, languages, customs, laws and traditions,
so that we can expand our own life experiences and learn that
the only true enemy is IGNORANCE. We look forward to welcoming
you to the WOMAA Family of International Competitions and to
the 2002 America's World Martial Arts Cup.
New
for 2002, all judges/referees who participate in the WOMAA Int'l
judges/referees Certification Course on May 9th & 10th at
the Radisson Waikiki Prince Kuhio Hotel, will be paid. Pay is
determined by number of divisions judged during the event.
For
special tournament room rates please contact Mr. Jim Towns at
Carmen's Sidekick Travel, 800-639-1643, 800-778-0831, 802-626-8176,
FAX 802-626-8178, email: lsa@carmens.webmail.com .
Call
or email now for information;
Thank
you,
Yours
in the Martial Spirit
Bruce
Smith - Pres/WOMAA
T.Rondo
Van Clief - V.Pres/WOMAA/Chief Judge/Referee Certification Instructor
Robert
Everhart - V.Pres/WOMAA/Tournament Director
Source: Bruce Smith |
Quote
of the Day
"Nothing
can add more power to your life than concentrating all of your
energies on a limited set of targets."
Nido Qubein, American Businessman, Speaker, Consultant, Author
|
Super
Brawl 24 Day 1 Results
Return of
the Heavyweights
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
April 26, 2002
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
Number
of competitors: 16
Total combined weight: 4,231lbs
Competitor's average weight: 264.43lbs.
Competitor's average height: 6'2"
Combined record: 91-20
Percentage of victories: 82%
I don't know
about you, but when I see some statistics like that, I get excited.
I had to sit down and calculate that just for fun. I was expecting
a lot of…lets say competitors with excess girth visited
by the "questionable conditioning" fairy, but these
big boys were in shape and came to fight. Another surprising
fact was the lack of bombs being thrown by these fighters. Don't
get me wrong there were hard punches, but not the knock out punches
that you would have expected. The technical level varied a bit,
but most of them had a background in wrestling and knew at least
one submission hold, the Americana key lock, even though only
one of them was successful with it. These fighters represent
the new breed of heavy or super heavyweights. They are not only
big, but are using more and more technique and strategy to beat
their opponents. The field has been thinned down to eight fighters.
Three of the fighters have to considered favorites based upon
their performance tonight; winner of one qualifier, Tim Sylvia
for his punching ability and sheer size, Brian Stromberg for
his quick submission, and from the guard no less, and of course,
Cabbage who pounded his opponent. However, waiting in the wings,
we have a fresh and uninjured Kerry Schall and Travis Wiuff,
who received byes in the first round due to injured opponents.
I can't wait for tomorrow. Well, now that I have picked five
of the eight fighters, I think my odds are good enough for now.
This is the great thing about MMA, there are so many factors
concerning each competitor that only time will tell which prove
to be more valuable than others.
For great shots of the fights, check out Superbrawl.tv. Thanks to Anthony "The"
King for the bracket.
Day
1: The First Round Results - April 26, 2002
Tim Sylvia (Miletich
Fighting Systems, Bettendorf, Iowa, 6'8" 265 lbs., 10-0)
Def.
Mike Whitehead (Medford, OR, 6'2" 260 lbs., 7-0)
TKO via referee stoppage from strikes at 3:46 minutes in Round
1.
Boyd Ballard
(Pearson's Martial Arts, Seattle, WA, 5'10" 220 lbs., 1-0)
Def.
Kumu Cambra (Grappling Unlimited, Honolulu, HI, 6'0" 240
lbs., 1-0)
Unanimous decision after 2 rounds.
Jason Lambert
(Ted Williams Combat Grappling, Apple Valley, CA, 5'11"
245 lbs., 10-2)
Def.
Ron Faircloth (Freestyle Academy of MA, Madison, WS, 5'11"
235 lbs., 5-3)
Unanimous decision after 2 rounds.
Brian Stromberg
(Team Quest, Portland, OR, 6'2" 235 lbs., 5-1)
Def.
Gabe Beauperthuy (Colorado Springs, CO, 6'2" 265 lbs., 6-3)
Submission via triangle choke at 1:43 minutes in Round 1.
Ben Rothwell
(Freestyle Academy, Knish, WS, 6'5" 270 lbs., 12-1)
Def.
Curtis Crawford (Team Quest, Portland, OR, 6'2" 240 lbs.,
1-1)
Submission due to forearm choke at 1:03 minute in Round 1.
Kerry Schall
(Meat Truck, Inc., Cincinnati, OH, 6'3" 270 lbs., 12-4)
Bye due to injury
Travis Wiuff
(Lion's Lair, Minneapolis, MN, 6'2" 270 lbs., 5-1)
Bye due to injury
Alternate Match:
Ron Faircloth (Freestyle Academy of MA, Madison, WS, 5'11"
235 lbs., 5-3)
Def.
Gabe Beauperthuy (Colorado Springs, CO, 6'2" 265 lbs., 6-3)
Submission due to Americana key lock at 0:22 seconds in Round
2.
Cabbage Coreirra
(Grappling Unlimited, Hilo, HI, 6'3" 291 lbs., 12-3)
Def.
Kevin Jordan (Ranger Jiu-Jitsu, Columbus, Ga., 6'3" 245
lbs., 4-1)
TKO via referee stoppage from strikes at 4:28 minutes in Round
1.
Fighters that
pulled out of tournament:
Ernest Henderson (6'3" 390 lbs., Ellensburg, Washington)
- Did not pass medical exam.
Chad Neal (Fresno, CA, 6'0 290 lbs.) - No show.
Day 2: The Final
Round - April 27, 2002
Tim Sylvia (Miletich Fighting Systems, Bettendorf, Iowa, 6'8"
265 lbs., 10-0)
Vs.
Boyd Ballard (Pearson's Martial Arts, Seattle, WA, 5'10"
220 lbs., 1-0)
Brian Stromberg (Team Quest, Portland, OR, 6'2" 235 lbs.,
5-1)
Vs.
Jason Lambert (Ted Williams Combat Grappling, Apple Valley, CA,
5'11" 245 lbs., 10-2)
Kerry Schall
(Meat Truck, Inc., Cincinnati, OH, 6'3" 270 lbs., 12-4)
Vs.
Ben Rothwell (Freestyle Academy, Knish, WS, 6'5" 270 lbs.,
12-1)
Travis Wiuff (Lion's Lair, Minneapolis, MN, 6'2" 270 lbs.,
5-1)
Vs.
Cabbage Coreirra (Grappling Unlimited, Hilo, HI, 6'3" 291
lbs., 12-3)
Alternate:
Ron Faircloth (Freestyle Academy of MA, Madison, WS, 5'11"
235 lbs., 5-3)
Single fight:
Eddie Yagin (Grappling Unlimited, Hawaii)
Vs.
Charlie Pearson (Pearson's Martial Arts, Seattle, WA) |
Quote
of the Day
"How
you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine
what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a
loser."
Lou Holtz, 1937-, American Football Coach |
Super
Brawl 24 Tonight!
Return of
the Heavyweights
April 26-27 -
Blaisdell Arena
Honolulu, Hawaii
Get your rears down to the Blaisdell Center to watch huge boys
throwing some large punches!
Remember
to come early to buy some killer t-shirts, hats, beanies, fight
shorts, newspapers from Full Contact Fighter, the undisputed,
undefeated NHB fight wear supplier! This will be the first time
in Hawaii that such a wide selection of Full Contact Fighter
clothing will be sold at a fighting event or one location! |
Douglas,
Brands to coach 2002 U.S. Freestyle World Team
USA Wrestling
has named its head and assistant coaches for the 2002 U.S. Freestyle
World Team, head coach Bobby Douglas of Ames, Iowa and assistant
coach Tom Brands of Iowa City, Iowa. The U.S. Freestyle World
Team will compete at the 2002 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships
in Tehran, Iran, Sept. 4-7. The team will be determined at the
World Team Trials, set for Saint Paul, Minn., June 21-23.
*It has always
been an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to work
with America*s athletes,* said Douglas. *Being back in the international
arena is a motivation for me. It helps me as a coach, and I am
excited for the challenge. We have some great wrestlers on Team
USA.* Douglas has been one of the most successful and active
freestyle coaches in the nation. He served as the head coach
of the 1992 U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team, that competed
in Barcelona, Spain. The U.S. claimed six individual medals,
led by gold medalists John Smith, Kevin Jackson and Bruce Baumgartner.
He has served as head coach of two previous U.S. World Championships
teams. He led the 1989 and 1991 U.S. World teams to second-place
finishes at the World Championships behind the Soviet Union.
In 1989, the U.S. had six medalists, including two champions:
Smith and Kenny Monday. In 1991, the U.S. won six medals, including
three champions: Zeke Jones, Smith and Jackson. He served on
the coaching staff of the 1988 and 1996 U.S. Olympic teams. He
coached the 1989 U.S. World Cup team as well as the 1991 Pan
American Games team. He has been an assistant coach on numerous
other U.S. international teams. He was named the 1992 USA Wrestling
Freestyle Coach of the Year. Douglas is a club coach with the
Sunkist Kids, the most successful wrestling club in the United
States. He has helped coach numerous U.S. athletes to World and
Olympic medals as part of the Sunkist Kids program.
Douglas works
as head wrestling coach for Iowa State Univ., where he has led
their powerful Div. I program for 10 years. His Cyclones placed
second in the 2002 NCAA Championships, led by three individual
champions: Aaron Holker, Joe Heskett and Cael Sanderson. Douglas
guided Sanderson to a historic career, becoming the first wrestler
to win four NCAA titles and complete his career undefeated. In
10 years at Iowa State, Douglas has led the Cyclones to three
second-place finishes at the NCAA Championships and nine top-10
finishes. He coached five individual athletes to NCAA Div. I
titles at Arizona State. Douglas became the first coach of a
Western university to win an NCAA title when he led Arizona State
to the national crown in 1988. He was named College Coach of
the Year in 1988. During Douglas* 18 years at Arizona State,
his teams won nearly 75 percent of their dual matches (225-77-6).
For his efforts, Douglas was named conference coach of the year
nine times. His ASU record included nine conference championships,
10 top-10 NCAA team finishes and four top-two placings. As a
wrestler, he was the captain of the 1968 Olympic team, and placed
fourth in the 1964 Olympic Games. He earned silver and bronze
medals in the World Freestyle Championships and competed for
U.S. World Teams eight times. He was the USWF freestyle champion
in 1970, and won five other national freestyle titles. He was
inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1987. A
true innovator, Douglas has authored a number of wrestling technique
books and is one of the nation*s top clinicians. Douglas became
the first black Ohio high school state titlist. He wrestled for
West Liberty (W.V.) State College and won the NAIA title and
was runner-up at the NCAA Championships. After transferring to
Oklahoma State, Douglas won the Big Eight Conference 147-pound
crown. Douglas earned his bachelors degree at Oklahoma State
in 1967 and his masters degree at Arizona State in 1981. Douglas
and wife Jackie have one son, Bobby. Brands was one of the greatest
U.S. freestyle wrestlers of all time, claiming a gold medal at
136.5 pounds at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga. He also
won a World gold medal at the 1993 World Championships in Toronto,
Canada. Between 1993-96, Brands was the top U.S. wrestler at
his weight class and represented the United States in numerous
major international events. He won two World Cup gold medals.
(1994 and 1995) and was the 1995 Pan American Games champion.
He also claimed four U.S. Nationals titles (1993-96) and made
four straight U.S. World or Olympic teams (1993-96).
Along with brother,
Terry, he was named 1993 USA Wrestling Athlete of the Year, the
1993 John Smith Outstanding Freestyle Wrestler, and 1993 Amateur
Wrestling News Man of the Year. He was a member of the U.S. coaching
staff at the 2001 World Championships, and has coached a number
of other U.S. teams in international competition. Brands is a
club coach with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. Brands has worked
for 10 years as an assistant coach for the Univ. of Iowa. He
was named NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2000.
He was a three-time
NCAA Div. I champion at the Univ. of Iowa (1990-92) and was a
four-time All-American and three-time Big Ten champion. He had
a career mark of 158-7-2, including an undefeated season in 1991
(45-0). Brands earned his B.S. degree in physical education from
Iowa in 1992. He and his wife, Jeni, have three children, Madigan,
Kinsee and Tom.
Source: Abu
Dhabi |
Heating
up for PRIDE 20
Arona is looking for the belt!
By Eduardo Alonso
Brazilian
fighter Ricardo Arona impressed all the fighting world with a
great showcase of strategy and grappling skills at Abu Dhabi
wining both the absolute and his weight division at the event
at 2001! However, for his teammates this wasn't much of a surprise
since he had already won his weight division at Abu Dhabi on
the previous year, and used to show tons of skills at every Jiu
Jitsu tournament he fought in! Combining a lot of power with
good strategy and great technique, Arona quickly made the transition
to NHB, where he found the same success at RINGS in Japan, and
rapidly drawing the attention of PRIDE! With people like Mario
Sperry helping his career, it didn't take long before Ricardo
Arona was finally making his debut at Japan's biggest NHB event,
facing the seasoned veteran Guy Mezger at PRIDE 16. Despite being
ill he won the fight, and established his name among the contenders
for PRIDE's middleweight belt. After some time away from the
ring, due to a rib injury suffered at his PRIDE debut, Arona
is now finally returning to action against another top fighter,
non other than Team Quest's own Dan Henderson! The Abu Dhabi
and RINGS champion is eager to fight again, and more importantly
has a close eye on Vanderlei Silva's belt! In this interview
during Arona's class he shared his expectations for this fight,
and his views about the future of his career as FCF continues
to get more and more heated for PRIDE 20!
FCF:
You suffered an injury in your ribs that prevented you from training
for a good period of time. How was your recovery? Don't you feel
any pain right now?
RA: Nowadays I'm feeling 100% recovered! I don't have any problems
during training, nor do I have any problems after training! I'm
100% recovered from my rib injury. I stayed almost two months
resting, because you can hardly breath correctly when you have
a rib injury! But nowadays I'm 100% again! I don't feel any pain,
and the recovery was great.
FCF:
You're finally coming back to PRIDE after your win over Guy Mezger
at PRIDE 16. Was it tough to stay away from the ring all that
time?
RA: Without a doubt it was Eduardo! Because I had two more events
to fight in, and I should already have three fights in PRIDE
by now! And because of my injury I had to stay away from fighting,
and wait till I was fully recovered. So it was tough for me because
I wanted to be fighting regularly! But on the other hand, it
was good for me because I could improve in other professional
aspects that I was still lacking.
FCF:
Did you get anxious to fight again?
RA: Yeah mean, because this time away from fighting is not really
good for a fighter. You always have that adrenaline from the
moment, so it's always good to be fighting regularly to be very
used to this adrenaline and stuff, and to be in rhythm. But like
I told you, I believe this time-off was also good for me because
I could work and improve in another aspects that I was needing
to work on, and now I'm coming back much more complete!
FCF:
How was your preparation for this fight?
RA: For this fight against Dan Henderson I studied his game a
lot watching tapes! I have been training a lot of Muay Thai with
professor Tonico, and I also have been doing a physical preparation
with Marcelinho, who is a great professional from Body Planet
academy, who have been doing my physical preparation! Working
a lot on my cardio, strength and power! He has been changing
a lot my way of fighting, because he has been improving my physical
condition and lot, and therefore I'm feeling very prepared!
FCF:
What about your ground game? Who has been preparing you on the
ground?
RA: As for the ground game, I have ten years of Jiu Jitsu, and
this gives me a great background, so I don't need to have someone
to direct my ground training all the time! I can do my "ground
game maintenance". What I need is someone to direct my training
in Muay Thai, Wrestling and physical preparation. I'm at home
on the ground!
FCF:
How much will you be weighting for this fight?
RA: Around 93 or 94KG. This is my regular weight, so there are
no problems about it.
FCF:
A fight between you and Dan Henderson started to be rumored some
months ago. What do you think of him as a fighter?
RA: Dan Henderson is a very tough fighter in my opinion! A guy
that loves to fight as much as I do! We're going to do a great
fight for sure! But I have a great expectation to win, because
I have been preparing specifically to fight him! So I'm sure
I'm going to do a good fight, and I'm sure it's going to be a
great fight that everybody is going to like! He is a warrior,
and I believe that I can win this fight, but regardless it's
going to be a great fight, and that is the most important thing!
FCF:
What do you expect from this fight? How do you think the fight
will unfold?
RA: Henderson is a guy that likes to trade standing up, and he
also likes to do takedowns from the clinch, because he's a great
Greco-Roman wrestler. So I think we're going to trade a lot of
punches, and we're also going to trade a lot of positions on
the clinch trying to take the other down! I expect it to be a
great fight!
FCF:
In your fight against Mezger you already showed a will to trade
during the fight. Are you feeling even more comfortable now to
trade punches?
RA: For sure! I'm feeling very confident, and I'm sure everything
will be all right! I'm very prepared both physically and psychologically.
FCF:
Who will be flying with you to be in your corner in this fight?
RA: There's something very good about this trip, because Mario
Sperry, Rogerio Nogueira and myself will be fighting! So we're
going with a very big team there to support us! Who's going to
be on my corner will probably be Gaviao, who's a friend of us,
and Minotauro will also be on my corner supporting us! Since
Mario is going to fight and can't be on my corner.
FCF:
Your friend and manager Mario Sperry is going to be facing Murilo
"Ninja" on the same card. What do you expect in this
fight between Ninja and Sperry?
RA: Look, I'm not saying this because he's my friend, but from
what I know about fighting I believe Sperry is going to take
him down in the beginning of the fight, and will stay on top
striking him, and looking for a finish! I believe Mario is going
to take him down, and stay on top doing his ground game! Murilo
Ninja also has some ground experience, so I believe this will
make things a bit more difficult, but despite that I believe
Mario is going to find a submission during the fight.
FCF:
Do you believe this fight is going to increase even more the
rivalry between the Chute Boxe and the Brazilian Top Team?
RA: Look man, in fact this is a rivalry created by them. It's
a rivalry created by Vanderlei, Rudimar and the people from Chute
Boxe. What I have to say about it is that I don't have a special
rivalry towards anybody! But they need to know what they want,
if they're going to mess with us, there's no problem. I'm here
to fight too! Vanderlei, Murilo Ninja, this doesn't hinder me
at all. If they want to establish a rivalry, we're going to do
it also. But it's not something that we're looking for by any
means! But it's something that we will respond too.
FCF:
You were recently announced as a character at the PRIDE videogame!
Did you ever imagine that you could become a videogame character
someday?
RA: Man! I think this is very cool! (Laughs) I'll tell you something.
I'm a 23-year-old guy, but I already have a lot of experience
abroad! I already fought a lot, and I worked very hard! So I
think I deserve it! I think it's very nice that they're putting
my character on the game! I think it's as cool as it can be!
And I think I deserve it! (Laughs)
FCF:
I'm sure that when you were a kid playing videogames you would
never dream that you would end up in a game! (Laughs)
RA: For sure! I would never imagine it (Laughs) And I'm sure
they'll do a great work with the game! These guys are great at
what they do! This is very cool! I'm going to see how the game
is looking when I get to Japan now!
FCF:
What are your plans for after this PRIDE event? When do you expect
to be fighting for the PRIDE title?
RA: Without a doubt! Vanderlei is fighting against Cro Cop now,
and this won't be a title fight! And I got very happy with it!
So I think the belt is waiting for me! The belt is waiting for
me to put it on my waste! I believe this fight against Henderson
will decide a lot of things regarding the belt's contenders.
At least I hope so!
FCF:
Do you have any message for your opponents?
RA: I only have to say to my opponents that I'm a very professional
guy; therefore I have nothing against any of them personally!
But I always expect to win my fights, so I'll always give my
best!
FCF:
By the way, is there anyone you would like to fight?
RA: Look man, I want to win the belt! So if I can fight Vanderlei
to win the belt, I would like to fight him.
FCF:
How about fighting Sakuraba for instance?
RA: I think it would be good, I don't have anything in particular
against him, but I would like to fight Sakuraba because he beat
a lot of Jiu Jitsu guys, and people started to label him as an
"Brazilian exterminator" or "Jiu Jitsu exterminator",
and I think this is bullshit, because he never fought someone
with my physical attributes, so I think I would do a very different
fight with him! I want to fight him to prove that he didn't annul
Jiu Jitsu; he just fought against the wrong people.
FCF:
Talking about "Brazilian exterminators", what did you
think of Alex Steibling's T- shirt at PRIDE 19?
RA: I thought it was great that he did it because, at least against
me, he is going to fight against someone who will be wanting
to kill him! Doesn't he act like he wants to kill the Brazilians?
So he will find someone who wants to kill him instead! And that's
me! So, if he will use this T-shirt to enter the ring to fight
me, I'm going to love it! I don't know about the others, but
I would love it!
FCF:
So you would like to fight him?
RA: Yeah, because he is messing up with our honor, so he deserves
to pay the price! He is very arrogant! I sincerely believe that
fate is holding some surprises to this sort of people.
FCF:
Finally, any final message for your fans?
RA: Man, I want to say to my fans that I hope they'll always
be supporting me.
Source:
FCF |
"KUMITE"
No-Gi Tournament Cancelled!
Pushed back to June 2!
Sunday, April
28,2002 11:00 am
Waipahu High School Gym
Hot
off the presses! Due to the floor getting damaged, the tournament
is called off and postponed to June 2. Kai said that he will
still try to hold the amatuer fights that day if you want to
come down to check it out
For
information, call Kai Kamaka at 478-4509/423-2022
or email at kkamaka@hotmail.com
|
Quote
of the Day
"Genius
is the ability to put into effect what is in your mind."
F. Scott Fitzgerald |
UFC
Champ Tests Positive for Steroids
by Josh Gross
One month after
taking the UFC heavyweight title away from Randy Couture in Las
Vegas on March 22, newly crowned Josh Barnett was dealt a blow
Monday when the Nevada State Athletic Commission notified him
of his failed post-fight urinalysis test. This afternoon, MaxFighting.com
received a copy of the complaint filed by the NSAC against Barnett
confirming the presence of three banned anabolic agents -- Boldenone
Metabolite, Fluoxymesterone Metabolite and Nandrolone Metabolite
-- in his system the night of the fight.
When reached
for comment Barnett said: "I understand what is being said,
but I'm here to work with whomever I need to work with and talk
with whomever I need to talk with. As far as I'm concerned, whatever
it is they say, they say. But I'm not here to deny or admit anything."
The NSAC commission,
chaired by Marc Ratner, began testing for anabolic agents Jan.
1, 2002. Keith Kizer, the Chief Deputy Attorney General for the
NSAC, said that the commission has never been in a position to
discipline a fighter for steroid use before, and wasn't sure
how the five-member governing body would rule.
Within the next
month or two, the complaint will be filed through Ratner and
Kizer to the commission. If no deal is agreed upon beforehand
between Barnett and the NSAC, the UFC titleholder will undergo
a hearing in front of the commission. According to Kizer the
commission has full discretion regarding any penalties levied
upon Barnett. Sanctions could range from a slap on the wrist
to a lifetime suspension of Barnett's license -- something Kizer
felt would be highly unlikely.
Kizer also noted
that Barnett's win over Couture could not be overturned as per
NSAC guidelines -- the grounds to overturn fights are extremely
limited. There are only three instances where that can take place:
collusion, adding scorecards incorrectly, and the wrong interpretation
of a rule by a referee in the ring.
When asked to
comment on the results of Barnett's urinalysis test, UFC President
Dana White responded, "We are very disappointed that the
lab test came back and showed that he used steroids. We fully
support Josh in his efforts to respond to these charges, and
to work with the Nevada State Athletic Commission to come to
a fair and just resolution. We also fully support the Nevada
State Athletic Commission in whatever its judgment might be."
The NSAC has
no jurisdiction over the status of the UFC belt, thus they have
no power to strip the title away from Barnett. White noted that
any decision regarding Barnett's title will be reserved until
the commission hands down their ruling in the coming months.
Source: Maxfighting.com
|
ULTIMATE
FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP,
LMNO PRODUCTIONS READY TO 'GET IT ON' IN PRIMETIME
Leading mixed
martial arts sports company to expand brand into mainstream TV
LAS VEGAS, April
24, 2002. Officials of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
and LMNO Productions of Los Angeles, Calif., today announced
they have signed an agreement to bring UFC to broadcast television.
The Ultimate
Fighting Championship is the world's pre-eminent fight promotion
that brings together world-class, mixed martial artists (MMA)
from disciplines such as karate, jiu-jitsu, boxing, kickboxing,
wrestling, sumo and others in a quest to become an ultimate fighting
champion.
'The UFC is
the only real fighting sport that is available to fans on every
pay-per-view television platform in the United States. Presently
UFC events air in over 52 million households on pay-per-view
on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, the Dish Network, Bell ExpressVu and Viewers
Choice Canada. With our amazing success in pay-per-view the timing
is prefect to develop a weekly program based on the only original
brand. We have the premier fighters, the experience and credibility,
' said Dana F. White, UFC president.
LMNO 's CEO
Eric Schotz said his company will develop multiple ideas for
broadcasters including a weekly program as well as a large scale
network reality series. 'Ultimate Fighting is a quality brand
name sport that until now was virtually untapped on network or
cable TV.' Schotz said, 'Ultimate Fighting Championship is a
rare blend,' he added. 'It has all the entertainment value of
WWF, but it is completely real. There is nothing like it on the
air.'
The UFC was
purchased in January 2001 by Zuffa LLC of Las Vegas, Nev. The
new owners, Frank J. III and Lorenzo J. Fertitta designed a marketing
strategy to take the UFC to pay-per-view television prominence
and into the mainstream of sports in the U.S. and internationally.
The once ' no
holds barred '' sport has made a dramatic transformation since
Zuffa took over in 2001. In addition to new rules and new fighters,
the sport is now officially sanctioned by the Nevada State Athletic
Commission and the New Jersey Athletic Control Board.
Now the fans
can't get enough . After two sellouts in New Jersey at the Trump
Taj Mahal and Meadowlands Arena, the UFC held two fight events
in Las Vegas, September 28 at Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino
and November 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Both ranked in
the top 10 list of fight gate receipts for 2001 published by
the Nevada State Athletic Commission. On March 22, 2002, UFC
enjoyed another sell-out at the MGM Grand, which is the highest-grossing
fight gate receipt in 2002 in Nevada.
LMNO (Leave
My Name Off) Productions is one of the foremost providers of
reality-based programming for network, cable and syndicated television.
Some of its high-profile credits include the FOX series, 'Boot
Camp'; the CBS series 'Kids Say The Darndest Things,' hosted
by Bill Cosby; the FOX series, 'Guinness World Records: Primetime';
and 'Behind Closed Doors With Joan Lunden.' Currently, LMNO is
producing the series 'I Want A Husband: Alaska' for FOX; the
new primetime series, 'Sidelines,' for ESPN; the third season
of 'Behind Closed Doors With Joan Lunden' for A&E; 'Final
Justice' for Lifetime; 'Intuition' for the Game Show Network;
'Cold Clues' for Court TV; 'Travel Channel Secrets,' 'Best of'
and 'Destination Earth' for the Travel Channel as well as several
hours of programming for Discovery Health Channel.
The Ultimate
Fighting Championship, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., is the
world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) fight promotion. It
is owned and operated by Zuffa LLC and has distribution agreements
with WOWOW, Inc. in Tokyo, Japan; British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB)
in London, England, and Globosat Programadora LTDA and Sportv
in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
UFC: Gladiator
Out, Berger In
Undercard Match
Changes For May 11th...
Steve Berger
(0-1) in UFC is back in the 'big show'. He will be facing Benji
Radach, a highly regarded up and comer from the camp of Dennis
Hallman (former #1 contender at 155 lbs.)
Berger replaces
GLADIATOR Joao Perini (teammate of Eugene Jackson) with two weeks
notice, but Berger has been looking for a fight and is in great
shape.
Berger previously
lost in UFC to Tony DeSouza in a 2 round bout.
Source: Abu
Dhabi
|
First
Annual Martial Arts Tournament
and Expo in Hilo
Shirotaka Kenpo Karate under the instructor of Chief Instructor
Sensei Alex Cadang Sr, originally from Oahu now residing on the
Big Island, has a rich history dating back to the early years
of CHA3 "humblehood" out of Kaneohe during the 50's
and 60's.
Shiro-taka Kenpo is alive and well, focusing on traditional tranining
techniques and discipline. We have been out of the public's eye
for many years, but have never faded away. Choosing to train
out of view, we have made a come back. There are 2 branches of
our club. One under the intruction of Sensei Alex Cadang in Kona,
and another under the instruction of First Assistant Chief Instructor
Sensei Lani Merrit originally from Waianae, now residing in Hilo,
the location of the second branch. There is also another Second
Assistant Chief Instructor choosing to train independantly in
isolation, but yet flying and upholding the Shiro-taka Kenpo
Karate seal on Oahu. His name is Sensei Ricky Patacil, a bonafied
and seasoned fighter.
After many years, Shirotaka Kenpo is holding its' First Annual
Martial Arts Tournament and Expo, here on the Big Island. The
tournament is open to fighting styles affiliated with Kumite
style ruling. The touranment consists of the standard forms and
weapons kata and kumite. We are also looking for various styles
to perform demonstrations at this expo. Any and all styles are
welcome to attend this tournament in either competition and or
demonstration. Booth space is available for clubs wishing to
display thier unique style. Booth registration should be in no
later than May 17th, 2002.
The tournament is to be held at the Kailua-Kona Gymnasium at
the Old Kona Airport on the Big Island on June 8th, 2002 from
9am to end. I would be eternally grateful if you could post this
in your newsletter. Interested parties may contact me, Alex Cadang Jr. at (808) 325-2418
or (808) 937-7837 for
further information.
Thank you for
your time.
Sincerely,
Alex Cadang Jr.
JBubissimo@aol.com |
PRIDE
20: Alert the Airlines!
The
members of Brazilian Top team have departed for Japan to fight
in PRIDE 20. After a huge training session Mario Sperry, Rogerio
'Minotoro', Rodrigo 'Minotauro', Ricardo Arona, Marcel Ferreira,
Alex Paz and others left.
Interesting
side note: The flight from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo is coming
from South Braziland will have the CHUTE BOXE TEAM of Murilo
'Ninja', Anderson Silva, Cristiano Marcello, Rafael Cordeiro
and others!. Ninja has stated that this fight is something personal
for him, so we hope the plane reaches Narita airport with no
problems!
Mario
Sperry X Ninja is the fight of the moment in Brazil, and Ninja
has made many statements about the match.
Rogerio
Nogueira is very happy with his debut in Pride and it seems he
will be ready for this challenge. Mario, as always has only a
few words to say, and Ricardo Arona seems ready to return to
Pride in shape after some injuries.
Stay
tuned for more during the week with interviews with Mario Sperry
and Rogerio 'Minotoro'.
Source:
Abu Dhabi
|
Royler
Seminar on Kauai
The demand
for Royler Gracie's presence is so strong that he had to add
a couple more dates. Royler will be in Kawaii and Chicago the
ned of May/early June. Below are the new dates and locations
Kauai
Jiu-Jitsu Academy
May 31
Kauai
For more information call Bruno at 808-639-7393.
|
CBJJ
Calendar
Here
is the latest Turnament Calendar from the CBJJ - CONFEDERAÇÃO
BRASILEIRA DE JIU JITSU. They also have the entire results of
the 2002 Pan Ams up on their site. www.cbjj.com.br
Brazilian
Team Titles 2002
May 18 & 19
World
Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2002
July 20-25,26,27 & 28
International
Masters & Seniors
08/31 & 09/01
Brazilian
National Titles 2002
October 5,6-12,13-19,20-26,27 & November 02 & 03
Brazilian
Beginners Championships
November 23 & 24
Source:
Abu Dhabi
|
Quote
of the Day
"It
is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible
to find it elsewhere."
Agnes Repplier, 1858-1950, American Author, Social Critic
|
UFC
Thinking SHAMROCK-ORTIZ?
There is genuine
talk of a possible Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock fight going around
the UFC circles, and talk is that the match could occur within
the next year!
Whether or not
the HUGE increase in buy rates for the last PRIDE show can be
attributed to their marquee match of Shamrock vs. Don Frye, it
is obvious that there was a buzz. PRIDE's gross revenue (inside
the U.S.) jumped nearly 50% and most insiders believe it was
due to the Frye/Shamrock fight.
What does Ortiz
vs. Ken Shamrock bring to the table? Probably the same dose of
interest to new fans-
While most UFC
casual fans from the mid to late 90's will remember Royce, Shamrock,
Abbott, Severn and Frye many of them have never seen Pulver,
Hughes, Ortiz or Barnett (even though they are probably much
more complete fighters).
Hopefully the
'best of yesterday' pitted against the 'best of today' theme
will bring Zuffa the buy rate they have worked so hard to achieve.
This match nearly
happened in September 2001, but Shamrock reportedly asked for
$300,000 to do the fight. Going in the Las Vegas and being on
cable again for the first time, one would think it was a major
risk is signing Shamrock for the fight with just a few weeks
notice (Belfort's original elbow into the glass injury).
Now it is a
different story. Can Ortiz/Shamrock bring back the casual fans
of yesterday? It would be interesting to see if this could happen
but until anything is signed, it's just talk.
Source: Abu
Dhabi
Kenny's
Still Kicking: "I Want Tito Ortiz!"
You could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice that late-February
night in Japan. Ken Shamrock had just taken part in one of the
most brutal fights of his storied career (a back-and-forth slugfest
with Don Frye at Pride 19), and you know what was on his mind
afterwards? Strapping on the gloves and doing it again. Though
his face looked like a pepperoni pizza, the 38-year-old lifelong
fighter was revitalized; he'd found his Fountain of Youth.
Now, it seems,
Shamrock can no longer deny the urge to put himself to the test
again, and he says he's agreed in principle with Zuffa to a fight
in a non-title bout at 215 pounds against UFC light heavyweight
champion Tito Ortiz this September or October. "I will test
his heart," Shamrock told MaxFighting when asked about Ortiz,
"I guarantee you that. If there is a question, I will test
it. There's no doubt about that, so he better bring all of it."
This is a dream
fight for many mixed martial arts fans, and, at one point, seemed
close to impossible. However, when Shamrock heard rumblings that
Zuffa might be interested, he decided to contact them while on
vacation in Las Vegas with his kids and girlfriend Alicia. Shamrock
phoned UFC president Dana White and let him know that the interest
was mutual.
Shamrock insists
that right now there is a 90% chance of this fight being made.
Zuffa's mailed the bout agreements to both camps, and it's just
a matter of signing on the dotted line. "There are a couple
things that are sticking points with me that we're going to have
to get over," he said. "I can't do one thing that's
going to keep me from making other money. I just can't do that,
unless of course I get paid to do that."
Shamrocks "sticking
points" appear to be two fold: the desire on his part for
a "no rematch" clause regardless who wins the fight,
and the exclusivity of the contract -- meaning Shamrock does
not want to be tied down to the UFC if he wins.
"I'm one
of those guys that's been around a long time, and I helped create
what it (MMA) is, along with a lot of other people," Shamrock
explained. "And I don't think I need to make commitments
to people saying that if I win I have to fight again. What happens
if I lose? Do I get to fight again? If I beat their champion
-- I'm not beating their champion at his weight -- it doesn't
mean anything.
"I'm hoping
we can get over that. If we can get over that, we're good to
go."
Another possible
hold up is the question of Ortiz's right knee, which is just
a month removed from reconstructive surgery to replace a torn
anterior cruciate ligament. Both Ortiz and Zuffa fully believe
he'll be ready to fight by September, however, Shamrock isn't
sure how realistic that time table for recovery is. Should they
fight, would Shamrock try and target the leg like he did versus
Frye? He smirked and wouldn't answer directly, but he said that
kicking and kneeing the leg could be a factor.
If Ortiz is
100%, then Shamrock knows he'll have the fight of his life on
his hands -- and you can almost see the glimmer in his eye when
you talk to him about it. "I like testing myself,"
he said. "I love challenges. I took Don (Frye) on, and that
was a challenge. All that hype about me ducking him was bullshit;
I never ducked anybody. I would have taken the fight at anytime
except for the fact that my direction was going someplace else,
which was in the pro-wrestling world. The same with Tito, we
have a little history back there, and I may go and see how tough
he is."
Ortiz's rise
to power in the UFC was directly related to his dispatching of
Lions Den fighters -- Shamrock's gym and adopted family. The
tension between them almost came to a head on several occasions,
and many fans longed for the day when the two could square off
inside the Octagon.
The most infamous
incident occurred after Ortiz's victory over Guy Mezger at UFC
19 when the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy" put on a t-shirt
that drew the ire of Shamrock and his pride. It still burns him
to this day.
"He did
not beat Guy (Mezger)," fired out Shamrock. "Anybody
who watched the fight [knows] he did not beat Guy. John (McCarthy)
stopped the fight, and, I've never been one to go against what
someone decides, but in my opinion they stopped the fight on
weak ass punches to the back of the head, which were illegal.
Guy tapped Tito out, and he (Tito) had John stop the fight when
they were both totally exhausted. To get up and put that shirt
on, not only did he disrespect Guy, he disrespected the whole
Lions Den and everything that we stood for."
Shamrock climbed
atop the Octagon fence after Ortiz shot Mezger's corner the finger
that night, and yelled at the blonde-haired fighter. Ortiz moved
in his direction before "Big" John McCarthy stepped
in. The incident highlighted a heated rivalry between both camps,
and Shamrock has kept an eye on Ortiz's evolution inside the
ring -- both during and after the fight.
"I didn't
like his disrespect-type of attitude, where he beats a guy and
shovels on him," he said, alluding to Ortiz's practice of
digging an imaginary grave following recent victories. "I
guess that's all part of the show or whatever, but I think there
are so many other ways to be entertaining. Guys go in there with
costumes on, or you have the talkers, but when the fight's over
man, it's over. There's really no reason to humiliate someone
after you beat them."
There's nothing
he'd like more in the world than to revenge his fighters' losses
to the current UFC champ, and it's something he thinks is quite
possible. "I honestly believe whenever I walk in the ring,
I have the advantage," Shamrock said. "First, I've
got the experience. Second, in the lifestyle I've grown up in,
this is a fun thing for me. I do this for fun. Obviously I make
my living at it, and I'm one of the few people fortunate enough
to do something that they want to do. But I love doing this and
I have the skills to do it."
Fighting isn't
quite summer camp no matter how much Shamrock says he likes it,
and Ortiz, 11 years his junior, would be the only second-generation
fighter that he'd face since his career began in 1993. Once considered
amongst the elite fighters in the world, Shamrock knows that
a younger, more-skilled breed of athlete has risen to the top
of the mixed martial arts food chain, but he says he's more than
ready.
"I have
natural strength," he said. "I went in at 212 with
Don Frye -- actually it was 209, they weighed me in at 212 --
and Don weighed in at who knows what. They said it was 229, wow,
just under the barrier. So, I'm strong and still handled him,
and he was huge.
"Everyone
says Tito is strong, so that's not going be a factor by him overpowering
me. He's not going to ground-and-pound me because I don't play
that game. Again, it's really an interesting match up: the old
versus the new.
"I think
he'll definitely know the difference between me and his other
opponents. I'm not weak by any means. I am strong and I do punch
hard. Landing them is a problem sometimes, but I throw hard.
He throws hard. He's strong and I'm strong, but I'm used to that
and I don't think he is."
If, as it appears,
this fight gets signed, Shamrock's legacy in the U.S. will have
been completed -- win, lose or draw. "All it means to me
is I get to fight somebody that maybe we can test each other,
and it's a challenge," he said. "I love challenges
and I'm all up for it. I'm not into this thing for my career
10 or five years from now. I'm looking at short periods of times
that really gets it out of my system, so that when I leave, I
leave happy and knowing that I've had enough. Right now I haven't.
I still enjoy it and want to do it."
Source: Maxfighting |
Rulon
Gardner named
2001 USA Wrestling
Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year
Rulon Gardner
(Cascade, Colo./Sunkist Kids) has been named the 2001 Greco-Roman
Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the third time that
Gardner has won this award (1997, 2000).
Gardner won
a World Championships gold medal at 130 kg/286 pounds. Gardner
became the only U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to ever win both an
Olympic gold medal and a World gold medal. He is just the third
U.S.Greco-Roman wrestler to capture a World title, joining Mike
Houck (90 kg in 1985) and Dennis Hall (57 kg in 1995).
Gardner decisioned
former World silver medalist Mihaly Deak-Bardos of Hungary 2-0
in overtime in the gold medal match. Deak-Bardos had beaten Gardner
twice during international events earlier in the year.
Just to win
his preliminary pool, Gardner had to beat two talented stars,
Yuriy Yevseychyk of Israel and Georgiy Soldadse of Ukraine. In
the quarterfinals, he drew the 'next Russian superstar,' Yuri
Patrikeev. Down 3-0, Gardner went upperbody, and threw and pinned
Patrikeev at the 5:00 mark. To qualify for the finals, Gardner
defeated World and Olympic medalist Sergej Moreyko of Bulgaria,
3-0. His five-match march to the title was one of the greatest
U.S. Greco-Roman efforts ever.
Gardner retained
the No. 1 position in the USA by winning gold medals at the U.S.
Nationals and the World Team Trials. It was his fourth career
U.S. Nationals title. He also claimed a silver medal at the internationally
respected Pytlaskinski Grand Prix in Poland.
Gardner was
the 2001 USOC Male Wrestler of the Year, and placed second in
the voting for the 2001 USOC SportsMan of the Year.
Gardner is a
U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. He was an NCAA
All-American at the Univ. of Nebraska and an NJCAA national champion
at Ricks College. He was a state champion for Star Valley High
School (Wyo.).
USA Wrestling
will be announcing major award winners each day this week on
TheMat.com, the official web page of the Amateur Wrestling Alliance.
PAST GRECO-ROMAN
WRESTLER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS:
2001 - Rulon Gardner, Cascade, Colo., Sunkist Kids
2000 - Rulon Gardner, Afton, Wyo., Sunkist Kids
1999 - Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army
1998 - Matt Lindland, Lincoln, Neb., Sunkist Kids
1997 - Rulon Gardner, Gilbert, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1996 - Dennis Hall, Stevens, Point, Wis., Sunkist Kids
1995 - Dennis Hall, Stevens Point, Wis., Sunkist Kids
1994 - Dennis Hall, Stevens Point, Wis., Sunkist Kids
1993 - James Johnson, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
Source: Abu
Dhabi/USA Wrestling |
Pride
20 Preview
Despite
the absence of Pride's regular rogues gallery - Mark Coleman,
Heath Herring, Igor Vovchanchin, Don Frye, Renzo Gracie - DSE
still seems to have maintained high expectations for Pride 20,
once again being beamed to US residents on a same-day tape delay.
Headlining the card will be a K-1 vs. Pride bout that pits Mirko
"Cro Cop" Filipovic against middleweight title holder
Vanderlei Silva. The common concern of a promotion "protecting"
certain fighters doesn't come into play here, as Silva will have
his hands full against a far more dangerous stand-up striker.
The event also marks the return of Sanae Kikuta, the assured
defeat of Alexander Otsuka, and the question mark that is retro-talented
Bob Sapp.
With
positive word of mouth surrounding DSE's first foray into same-day
broadcast territory, it's expected that Pride will continue to
command a loyal following on the dish systems. Though not nearly
as well-rounded a card as Pride 19, there is still much of interest
here to fight fans.
Looking
at the card, in reverse order:
Main Event
Non-Title Bout
Vanderlei Silva vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
"The
Axe Murderer," as matchmaker John Perretti once dubbed Silva,
may at last find himself being cut with his own tools. After
having been fed a steady diet of malnourished Japanese, including
Pride standout Kazushi Sakuraba, Silva will have to contend with
Cro Cop, a top-notch K-1 kickboxer who made his MMA debut by
exposing Kazuyuki's Fujita's skull with a hard knee.
Though
deadly on his feet, Crop Cop is no grappler, and found himself
frustrated when perpetual embarrassment Nobuhiko Takada flopped
to his back and refused to engage in their fight last year. Though
Silva's striking is normally on glorious display, he'll need
his skills on the mat to pull out a win here.
K-1/Pride
rules of five 3-minute rounds will apply here. If no winner has
emerged, a draw will be called, regardless of damage.
At
Stake: Silva's undefeated record in Pride, and a tarnishing of
his middleweight belt. Though it's not up for grabs, beating
the champ carries an obvious degree of achievement.
Edge
To: Silva, who can outgrapple Cro Cop and can win this by playing
smart.
How
Could It End? Silva may take a lick or two and then opt for a
submission. If both men are too wary of the other, a draw could
be in the cards.
Sanae Kikuta
vs. Alexander Otsuka
Kikuta
returns to Pride after a long hiatus spent in Pancrase and a
brief trip to the UFC, where he armbarred Eugene Jackson. Many
observers hold Kikuta's submission skill in high regard, and
believe him to be emerging as a genuine threat in the middleweight
division.
Otsuka,
on the other hand, only threatens to bleed on his opponents.
While durable and not completely without skill, he does not possess
anything that could possibly threaten a seasoned fighter. He
gained notoriety early on by beating a weathered and physically
ill Marco Ruas in 1998. Since then, he's racked up a very impressive
losing streak, eating leather thrown by the likes of Igor Vovchanchin,
Vanderlei Silva, Ken Shamrock, and Renzo Gracie.
At
Stake: Otsuka can fight like he has nothing to lose, since he
doesn't. Kikuta can make a strong impression here by beating
Otsuka quickly and without fanfare.
Edge
To: Always to Otsuka's opponent, whomever it may be.
How
Could It End? Kikuta will put Otsuka to sleep within the first
round.
Mario Sperry
vs. Murilo 'Ninja' Rua
Easily
the highlight of Pride 20, the Chute Boxe team will finally begin
squaring off against rival Brazilian Top Team. Mario Sperry,
a fan favorite for many years, made a splash by submitting Igor
Vovchanchin in late 2001. And again, he favors the hard fight
by standing up to Rua, a relative newcomer to MMA who nonetheless
has impressed with his sharp stand-up. Rua took it to Dan Henderson
for two rounds before Henderson was able to turn it around in
the third. He later notched a win against Lion's Den fighter
Alex Andrade.
At
Stake: Reputations and bragging rights. Who's the baddest Brazilian
team out there?
Edge
To: Sperry, who possesses a wealth of ring experience and will
come prepared.
How
Could It End? Ruas knows submission, but does he know Sperry's
intricate game? Sperry by arm lock.
Dan Henderson
vs. Ricardo Arona
The
Top Team strikes again. Arona, fresh off a decision win over
Guy Mezger, joins teammate Sperry on the card. He faces the extremely
durable Dan Henderson, one of the sport's premiere middleweights.
Since his lone loss to Silva over a year ago, Henderson has finished
Renzo Gracie and Akira Shoji, and bounced back to decision Rua.
At
Stake: Arona could use a solid win over a big name to get his
persona over.
Edge
To: Henderson, who should control Arona.
How
Could It End? Henderson by decision.
Rogerio Nogueira
vs. Yusuke Imamura
You
might consider doing a double take when Nogueira is announced:
despite sharing a similar name, nickname, and face as current
Pride champion Antonio Nogueira, it's actually his brother who
will be stepping into the Pride ring. Imamura seems to have been
chosen as easy pickings: his 1-1 MMA record is batting .500 only
after a win over the dubiously motivated Joe Son. He lost to
Alex Andrade at a King of the Cage event last year.
At
Stake: Nogueira has a lot to live up to. His brother is considered
the best heavyweight in the world. Could the smaller sibling
make as big an impact in a lighter division?
Edge
To: Nogueira, who should easily control the bout.
How
Could It End? Nogueira by choke.
Quinton Jackson
vs. Masaaki Satake
Made
popular in his bout with Kazushi Sakuraba, Jackson is the quintessential
wrestler-slash-brawler, a fighter who frequently lets his guard
down if it means putting a hurt on his opponent. He threw Sak
around like a cheap date before succumbing to a choke at Pride
15. He was later disqualified against Daijiro Matsui.
Satake
is a past-his-prime kickboxer who has faired poorly in MMA, losing
to Guy Mezger, Mark Coleman, and Vovchanchin.
Both
fighters are always game, and their forward-stepping style should
make for quick fireworks.
At
Stake: Jackson could use a win here to keep his name afloat.
Edge
To: Jackson, who should be able to control and pound Satake.
How
Could It End? Jackson by referee stoppage.
Bob Sapp vs.
Norihisa Yamamoto
Worn
out your UFC 2 tape? Let DSE provide some flashback entertainment
for you.
Yamamoto
has been beaten down by some of the best in the business, including
Rickson Gracie, Jeremy Horn, and Semmy Schilt. His overwhelmingly
losing record is matched only in curiosity by his questionable
determination to keep stepping in the ring.
Sapp
comes out of nowhere, an ex football player who acquitted himself
well on a Toughman show some months back. With a resume rivaling
that of early UFC competition, it will be interesting to see
how the massive Sapp will handle Yamamoto's submission skills.
At
Stake: Absolutely nothing.
Edge
To: Yamamoto, who should presumably run over the unskilled, inexperienced
big boy. Even so, it's Yamamoto.
How
Could It End? Sapp by appendage removal.
Vanderlei
Silva's Next Victim?
A few years ago, Vanderlei Silva was somewhat of a nobody and
made his pay-per-view debut by facing Vitor Belfort at UFC Brazil
in 1998. Although most had never seen him fight, he had a reputation
for being a great striker. His reputation was good enough that
some expected him to give Vitor Belfort a very tough fight.
Vitor
Belfort also had a reputation for spraying his opponents with
rapid-fire machine gun punches. He entered the cage at UFC Brazil,
approached Vanderlei with caution, and came out with both guns
blazing in his usual straight blast-like striking style. Vanderlei
became a casualty of war and it would have been hard to imagine
this guy would some day be known as an "axe murderer."
Silva didn't know what hit him, as he laid dazed and confused
on the edge of the octagon wall.
That
event took place just a few years ago, which is ancient history
as far as mixed martial arts are concerned. Vanderlei has since
become the top Pride fighter and is ranked number one by anyone
who knows anything about fighting. Tito Ortiz won a decision
over Vanderlei in 2000 with him being the only fighter to have
beaten Vanderlei in his own territory - Japan.
The
loss in Japan didn't stop Vanderlei's rise to fame. He has become
the star of Japanese combat sports and one of the hottest commodities
in this sport. His presence on a fight card always draws the
crowd and you can bet that if he's on that card, he's the main
event.
Most
fighters in his weight class would love the opportunity to face
him. And those who have already faced him, would like to face
him again. It's the challenge of facing a fighter who could potentially
hurt you very badly that draws world champions to him. That and
the fact that everyone wants a shot at him to take the number
one spot. If you're looking to test yourself, look no further.
The
next man/potential victim to test himself against Vanderlei will
be Mirko "Cro-Cop" Filipovic. Vanderlei Silva and Mirko
Filipovic are scheduled to fight each other this April 28th at
Pride 20. Once again, Silva steps into the ring in his second
home - Japan.
Cro-Cop
is a striker just like Vanderlei. He's a K-1 veteran making a
slow transition into the mixed martial arts arena. But many are
asking whether or not he's worthy enough to face the "axe
murderer." The simple fact is that Cro-Cop hasn't had much
mma experience. We can probably forgive him for facing Nobuhiko
Takada at Pride 17 as the folks at Pride often have their own
ideas about what's entertaining. Takada vs. Rickson anyone?
Despite
his short mma record, Cro-Cop is a damn good kickboxer, the IKBF
World Heavyweight Champion to name one of his titles. As a K-1
veteran and champion kickboxer, he's used to trading kicks and
punches with other fighters, something Vanderlei likes to do
as well. The other thing is, Cro-Cop has a brutality about him
that rivals Vanderlei. The two styles are a great matchup and
remember what I said earlier about Vanderlei being the test of
all tests? This will be a great test for Cro-Cop to see if he
has what it takes to make it in mixed martial arts, or better
yet, it's a test to see if his striking ability as a kickboxer
can translate into the ring under Pride rules.
Champions
die and are born overnight in this business. Think about the
possibility that Cro-Cop can beat Silva at his own game. It wouldn't
be the first time that an underdog won, but it just may be the
surprise of the year.
Doctors
and referee stoppages are Vanderlei's trademarks. He beat Sakuraba
a few times (literally) and didn't have much trouble with other
opponents. Cro-Cop is pretty damn brutal himself and may just
teach Vanderlei a lesson in violence he won't soon forget. Cro-Cop
has all the weapons necessary but he just needs to utilize them
properly in order to beat the champ at his own game.
What
happens when Vanderlei Silva swings his axe at somebody who is
holding an axe as well? I don't know if Cro-Cop can be victimized
so easily. Maybe this time, it won't be such a one way beating.
Source:
Maxfighting |
Quote
of the Day
"Be
sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm."
Abraham Lincoln, 1809-1865, Sixteenth President of the USA |
Super
Brawl Heavyweight Line-Up
The Last Match-Up #8
Sylvia vs.
Whitehead
Somebodies "0" must go. Sylvia is a menacing 6'8"
and earned a berth in the tournament by winning the Utah qualifier.
He is coming in to the tourney as a favorite.
Whitehead
will have something to say about that. With an impressive 7-0
record and trained by "Crazy" Bob Cook who heads the
fighters at Frank Shamrock and Javier Mendez's American Kickboxing
Academy. He will give Sylvia all he can handle.
Fighter Statistics
It's time
to make your picks. Which is your favorite fighter? Can Cabbage
pull out another hat trick and beat 4 of the best "undiscovered"
heavyweights and Cabbage Patch his way back to his dressing room
with the coveted Full Contact Fighter/Super Brawl Return of the
Heavyweights Belt. Can the other local fighter, Kumu Cambra,
pull off an incredible upset even though he is one of the lightweights
at 240 lbs? Can his technical skill and speed over come the monsters
in this tournament? Can Meat Truck Shaw deliver his goods to
the other beef in the tournament? Will Sylvia who has already
proven his toughness by winning one qualifier make it two in
a row?
For
those who like to see the big boys throw some leather, get your
tickets now and hang on to your seats!
Full Contact Fighter merchandise will be sold at the event so
come early!
Cabbage
Coreirra
Grappling Unlimited
Hilo, HI
6'3" 291 lbs.
12-3
Chad
Neal
Fresno, CA
6'0 290 lbs.
Gabe
Beauperthuy
Colorado Springs, CO
6'2" 265 lbs.
6-3
Brian
Stromberg
Team Quest
Portland, OR
6'2" 235 lbs.
5-1
Travis
Wiuff
Lion's Lair
Minneapolis, MN
6'2" 270 lbs.
5-1
Ernest
Henderson
6'3" 390 lbs
Ellensburg, Washington
Ben Rothwell
Freestyle Academy
Knsh, WS
6'5" 270 lbs.
12-1
Curtis
Crawford
Team Quest
Portland, OR
6'2" 240 lbs.
1-1
Jason
Lambert
Ted Williams Combat Grappling
Apple Valley, CA
5'11" 245 lbs.
10-2
Ron
Faircloth
Freestyle Academy of MA
Madison, WS
5'11" 235 lbs.
5-3
Kumu
Cambra
Grappling Unlimited
Honolulu, HI
6'0" 240 lbs
1-0
Boyd
Ballard
Pearson's Martial Arts
Seattle, WA
5'10" 220 lbs
1-0
Kevin
Jordan
Ranger Jiu-Jitsu
Columbus, Ga.
6'3" 245 lbs.
4-1
Kerry
Schall
Meat Truck, Inc.
Cincinnati, OH
6'3" 270 lbs
12-4
Tim
Sylvia
Miletich Fighting Systems
Bettendorf, Iowa
6'8" 265 lbs.
10-0
Mike
Whitehead
Medford, OR
6'2" 260 lbs.
7-0 |
"KUMITE"
No-Gi Tournament
Sunday, April
28,2002 11:00 am
Waipahu High School Gym
Entry
Fees: (includes tournament shirt and 1 month pass to Gold's Gym)
Pre-registered $30.00
Register at the event $40.00
additional division $5.00 each
Weigh-ins
starting at 8:30 am-11:00 am on the day of the event
Grappling starts at 12:00 pm
Divisions:
Novice- 1 year and under experience - 4 min match
Intermediate- 2 years and under - 5 min match
Advance- 2 years and over - 6 min match
Absolute - 6 min match
Weight Classes:
130 and below
131-144
145-160
161-175
176-190
191-205
206-220
220 and over
GREAT
PRIZES TO WIN!!!!!!!!
There
will also be cash prizes for the quickest submission in every
division and food stands along with some fight gear venders.
Also
6 amateur fights with 3 rounds!
(using head gear, shin guards, and gloves)
There are three fighters all ready signed up. Contact Kai below
as soon as possible if you are interesting in the amatuer fights.
Registration
forms at all MMA schools. Look for flyers.
Please
mail all registration forms to:
KUMITE Tourney
3632 Aliamanu Street
Honolulu, HI 96818
We
will try to do these tournaments at least every 3 months to give
our Hawaii grapplers a lot more practice to improve their skills.
For
information, call Kai Kamaka at 478-4509/423-2022
or email at kkamaka@hotmail.com
|
SHOOTO
in TOKYO:
May 5th, 2002
SHOOTO
- May 5th, 2002
Tokyo, Japan - Kourakuen Hall
Promoter: E-Force Japan
Card
Subject To Change:
Bantamweight
[-56Kg] 2002 Rookie Tournament 2nd Round:
Yasuhiro Urushitani v. Yasuhiro Akagi
Middleweight
[-76Kg] 2002 Rookie Tournament 1st Round:
Shinobu Ito v. Yoichi Fukumoto
Welterweight
[-70Kg] B Class:
Masakazu Kuramochi v. Kenichiro Togashi
Welterweight
[-70Kg] B Class:
Takaharu Murahama v. Kotetsu Boku
Middleweight
[-76Kg] A Class:
Takuya Wada v. Dave Strasser
Featherweight
[-60Kg] A Class:
Alfonso Alcaraz v. Jin Akimoto
Lightweight
[-65Kg] A Class:
Stephen "Bozo"
Palling v.
Norifumi 'KID' Yamamoto |
SHOOTO
Results: 'WANNA SHOOTO'
Date:
April 21st
Promoter: K’z Factory
Tokyo, Japan - Kitazawa Town Hall
COMPLETE
RESULTS::
Bout
#1: Class-B (132 lbs)
Hiroki Kita [Paraestra] def. Manabu Kanou [Souho Taijyutsu] Decision
3-0 (20-19, 20-18, 20-19) 5:00 rd2
Bout
#2: Class-B (123 lbs)
Shinichi Hanawa [Wajyutsu Keisyukai] def. Katsuhisa Akasaki [K’z
Factory] DQ (knee to the face in ground position) 4:00 rd 1 ox.
4 min. disqualified Winner Class B Ranking Class B
Bout
#3: Class-B (143 lbs)
Jin Kazeta [Philoctetes Niigata] def. Masanori Sugatani [Chokushin
Kai] KO (knee to the body) 1:11 rd1
Bout
#4: Class-B (154 lbs)
Tsutomu Shiiki [Chokushin Kai] def. Naosuke Mizoguchi [Seiryu
Kai] KO (punch) 0:53 rd2
Bout
#5: Class-B (143 lbs)
Eiki Kadowaki [Wajyutsu Keisyukai] def. Naoya Miyamoto [Knuckle
Gym] Submission (choke) 2:12 rd1
Bout
#6: Class-B (132 lbs)
Masato Shiozawa [Wajyutsu Keisyukai] def. Akira Kibe [ALIVE]
Decision 3-0 (20-19, 20-18, 20-18) 5:00 rd2
Bout
#7: Class-B (154 lbs)
Tatsuya Kawajiri [TOPS] def. Takeshi Yamazaki [Team Grabaka]
Decision 3-0 (20-18, 20-18, 20-18)
Source: Abu Dhabi |
Joe
Williams Named
2001 John Smith Award Winner
Award
goes to the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year
Joe
Williams (Iowa City Iowa/Sunkist Kids) has been named the winner
of the 2001 John Smith Award as the Freestyle Wrestler of the
Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that Williams has
won this prestigious award.
Williams
won a bronze medal at the Freestyle World Championships at 76
kg/167.5 pounds, one of two U.S. World freestyle medalists this
year. He had a 5-1 record during the World Championships.
Williams
lost only one match the entire year, losing to World and Olympic
champion Bouvaisa Saitiev of Russia in the World Championships
semifinals in a close, controversial 5-4 match. He battled back
to claim the World bronze medal, scoring an impressive 10-0 technical
fall over veteran Radion Kertanti of Slovakia in the third-place
bout.
Williams
claimed gold medals at three major international events, the
Freestyle World Cup held in Baltimore, Md., the Takhti Cup in
Iran and the Manitoba Open in Canada. It was his second consecutive
gold medal at the World Cup, one of the most important international
events each season.
Domestically,
Williams claimed gold medals at the the U.S. Nationals and the
World Team Trials. It was the second time in his career that
he won these events, to go along with victories in 1999. Williams
defeated Byron Tucker of the Sunkist Kids in the finals of both
the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials.
Williams
is an assistant wrestling coach at the Univ. of Iowa. He was
one of the top wrestlers in Iowa Hawkeye history, claiming three
NCAA Div. I titles during his impressive career. Williams was
the outstanding wrestler at the 1998 NCAA Championships. He is
originally from Chicago, Ill., where he was a star for nationally
respected Mount Carmel High School. Williams was the 1993 ASICS
Tiger High School Wrestler of the Year.
USA
Wrestling will be announcing major award winners each day this
week on TheMat.com, the official web page of the Amateur Wrestling
Alliance.
PAST
JOHN SMITH AWARD WINNERS AS FREESTYLE WRESTLER OF THE YEAR
2001 - Joe Williams, Iowa City, Iowa, Sunkist Kids
2000 - Brandon Slay, Amarillo, Texas, Dave Schultz WC
1999 - Stephen Neal, Bakerfield, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
1998 - Sammie Henson, Norman, Okla., Sunkist Kids
1997 - Les Gutches, Corvallis, Ore., Sunkist Kids
1996 - Kendall Cross, Raleigh, N.C., Sunkist Kids
1995 - Kevin Jackson, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1994 - Melvin Douglas, Mesa, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1993 - Terry and Tom Brands, Iowa City, Iowa, Team Foxcatcher
1992 - John Smith, Stillwater, Okla., Sunkist Kids
Toccara
Montgomery named
2001 USA Wrestling
Women's Wrestler of the Year
Toccara
Montgomery (Cleveland, Ohio/Sunkist Kids) has been named the
2001 Women's Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the
first time that Montgomery has received this prestigious award.
Montgomery
won a silver medal at 68 kg/149.75 lbs. at the Women's World
Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, Nov. 22-25. She was one of
two U.S. silver medalists, leading the USA to a seventh-place
team finish. It was her first Senior World Championships appearance.
Her
only loss at the World Championships came in the gold-medal finals
to six-time World Champion Christine Nordhagen-Vierling of Canada,
4-1. She pinned her other four opponents in the tournament.
During
the 2001 year, Montgomery claimed seven gold medals at major
Senior women's events. She won three major international events,
the Yasar Dogu Tournament in Turkey, the Manitoba Open in Canada
and the Sunkist Kids International in the USA.
Domestically,
she was also the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials champion,
as well as the Hoover/Geller Keystone Open champion and the University
Nationals champion. Montgomery won Outstanding Wrestler awards
at the U.S. Nationals and the Sunkist Kids International Open.
During
the 2001 season, Montgomery defeated three past Women's World
Champions. She beat Nordhagen-Vierling in the finals of the Sunkist
Kids International Open in October. Montgomery also defeated
2000 World Champion Kristie Marano of the United States at both
the U.S. Nationals and the World Team Trials. She also scored
a victory over 1999 World Champion Sandra Bacher of the United
States at the U.S. Nationals.
Montgomery
also claimed a silver medal at the Junior World Championships.
She qualified for the U.S. Junior World Team by winning the FILA
Junior Nationals title, her second straight Junior World team
appearance.
She
was named the 2001 International Women's Wrestler of the Year
by FILA, the international wrestling federation. Montgomery was
the first U.S. women's wrestler to win this prestigious award
and only the third American to win a FILA International Wrestler
of the Year honor, joining men freestyle wrestlers John Smith
(1995) and Stephen Neal (1999).
Montgomery
also received a number of other top wrestling honors. She was
named 2001 USOC Female Wrestler of the Year. She received the
2001 USA Wrestling Championship Belt Series for Senior women,
recognizing the most successful and active women's wrestler on
the Senior level. She was also the winner of the 2001 TheMat.com/ASICS
Girls High School Wrestler of the Year award, recognizing the
top U.S. high school female wrestler.
Montgomery
is now a freshman at Cumberland College in Kentucky, competing
on its women's varsity wrestling team. In June, she completed
her high school career at East Technical High School in Cleveland.
USA
Wrestling will be announcing major award winners each day this
week on TheMat.com, the official web page of the Amateur Wrestling
Alliance.
PAST
WOMEN'S WRESTLER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
2001 - Toccara Montgomery, Cleveland, Ohio, Sunkist Kids
2000 - Kristie Marano, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1999 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1998 - Kristie Stenglein, Albany, N.Y., ATWA
1997 - Sandra Bacher, San Jose, Calif., Dave Schultz WC
1996 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
1995 - Vickie Zummo, Hamburg, N.J., New York AC
1994 - Shannon Williams, Ontario, Calif., Sunkist Kids
1993 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
Source: Abu Dhabi |
Quote
of the Day
"A man
may fulfill the object of his existence by asking a question
he cannot answer, and attempting a task he cannot achieve."
Oliver Wendell Holmes, 1809-1894, American Author, Wit, Poet |
Super
Brawl Match Up #7
April 26-27
Blaisdell Center
7:30 PM
Kevin Jordan
4-1
6-3, 245, Columbus, Ga.
Ranger Jiu-Jitsu
Kerry
Schall 12-4
6-3, 270, Cincinnati
Meat Truck Inc
Jordan is a little known up and coming fighter from the south
who is looking for respect. He has a solid ground game and will
need it against "The Meat Truck".
Schall is still stinging from his loss to Ben Rothwell in the
Iowa qualifier. He fractured his foot in the first bout of the
night but fought on anyway. The foot is healed and he already
has his sights set on revenge. He may get the opportunity in
the second round. |
NCAA
WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE REBROADCAST ON APRIL 22 AND 25
In case your
television set exploded or you lost your VCR and missed it the
first time, there will be two rebroadcasts this week of the historic
2002 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. You can watch Cael
Sanderson win his fourth straight title and conclude his college
career undefeated, the University of Minnesota win its second
straight team title, and all the other exciting action that rocked
the sold-out Pepsi Arena for three straight days, March 21-23,
and brought out 300 members of the media.
The first rebroadcast
is on Monday, Apr. 22, from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM Eastern time,
on ESPN2. Since this is listed as just a 90-minute show, expect
some cuts from the original two-hour broadcast.
There is also
a two-hour rebroadcast on ESPN on Thursday, Apr. 25, starting
at 2 PM Eastern time. As always, check your local listings, but
don't miss what might be your last opportunity to watch this
historic event.
Remember also
that ESPN monitors very closely the ratings wrestling receives,
and determines how much wrestling to air based on them. So support
wrestling, and enjoy yourself at the same time!
Monday,
April 22 8:00 AM Hawaii Time Channel 21
Thursday, April 25 8:00 AM Hawaii Time Channel 22
Source: Abu
Dhabi/Eddie Goldman |
Vitor
Belfort VOTED OUT!
Vítor
Belfort was kicked off of the 'reality' show named 'Casa dos
Artistas' (House of Artists), appearing on Brazilian TV.
Belfort
was voted off the show by a 11-0 vote, so it was a unanimous
decision. Before he was voted out, Belfort stated that he would
like the TV Channel (SBT) to show his fight against Tito Ortiz
in July.
Perhaps
he is totally dizzy from his illness, or he doesn't know about
the UFC's decision yet! Good luck to Vitinho!
Source: Abu Dhabi
|
Grapplers
Quest Results. 'Xande Cleans House'
Grapplers Quest
event completed with a huge bang. The semifinals saw Alexandre
Ribeiro defeat Todd Margolis by points 10 x 0. On the other side
ADCC Champion Jeff Monson beat 'Cachorrao' Almeida by points
4 x 2.
In the finals,
Xande attacked from the guard while Monson was trying the takedown
game. The fight was restarted several times as both fighters
attempted to bring the match to their terms. During an exchange,
Monson cut his head and had to be medicated. After the final
restart, Xande got taken down when he attempted a guillotine.
Jeff started to pass guard with both hands underneath, Xande
attempted a sweep and changed to a triangle then changed to an
arm bar for the final submission. This is perhaps the first time
that Monson is submitted in a grappling event.
'Xande' this
year has has won both the Arnolds, The Pan Am and the Grapplers
Quest for the triple crown of Grappling!
Day
1
Promoter Brian
Cimins was ecstatic about the first day of the event. With some
fantastic fights and a huge dose of controversy in the Superfight,
the event rocked.
In the Superfight
Wade Rome defeated Ze Mario Esfiha by advantage. The fight score
was 2 x 2 and referee Steve Maxwell gave the nod to Wade. Esfiha
was extremely unhappy with the result.
In the Superbracket
it was 'Xande' Ribeiro submitting Popovich via triangle and advancing
to face either Todd Margolis who beat Amaro by points or Justin
Ellison. Margolis ended up with a severely swollen knee and may
not be able to compete. In that case taking his place will be
Justin Ellison who arm barred Eddie Rollon in the alternates
match.
On the other
side of the bracket 'Cachorrao' Almeida defeated Dean Lister
by points. In this fight Lister had two solid heel hooks and
a very straight knee bar on Almeida, but the 'Big Dog' is the
Big Dog and escaped them. Almeida will be facing Jeff Monson
who beat Kenny Florain by points.
More news tomorrow
when the Semis and Finals take place.
Source: Abu
Dhabi |
Up
Close in the UK: DANA WHITE!
Dana
White talks to Carl Fisher; press conference over, the UK's media
converged to the interview rooms to talk to Dana and the UFC
fighters; here's what Dana had to say:
Dana
thanks for the time; how do you think the press conference went?
I think it went well; this is our first time in the UK and if
I look back at our first press conference in New York a year
and a half ago, there were far more people here than in New York.
I have talked to most of the press and have been on the radio
and TV here today and most of the reaction has been very positive,
but you are always going to have that one crazy politician who
gets on the radio and says its human cock fighting, you know,
but I think he and had it out and had a good little battle on
the radio and it went well.
Do
you think the UK mainstream media are becoming better educated
on MMA?
Yes I think they are, especially here today; BAMMA put together
an excellent demonstration that was exciting and it was easy
to explain to the journalists and I have actually received positive
feedback here today from the press.
Have
you encountered any obstacles on the way to getting UFC sanctioned
here in the UK?
No we have not; we have had excellent communications with the
local council here and that's the thing the politician went on
about, how the hell we managed to get the show passed here (laughs)
What's
your view on the UK scene Dana? Which fighters impress you?
We always go for the best fighters in the world that we try to
bring into the UFC and we went for the three best in England
and right now our match maker Joe Silva is going to scout the
UK very hard but we definitely went for the best three and we've
got them.
How
are the fighters coping with the rule changes?
Since we took over from SEG, the only things in the rules that
changed were the downward point of elbow strikes, knees on the
ground and not being able to wear shoes and gi's and I think
this makes for safer and more exciting fights.
What
advances have you made regards fighter safety?
I think the best advances have been with the fighter's gloves,
they are a lot safer and we have a serious medical testing procedure
that all fighters have to undertake before they fight as well
and I think that's the key to fighter safety and follow up care
is also given to all fighters.
How
did you get involved with BAMMA?
When we knew we wanted to come out to the UK, like I said we
don't do anything second hand, we do everything the best, we
look for the best and go for the best and we shopped around and
we realised BAMMA were the best in the UK, so these are the guys
we're working with.
When
did you clinch the deal with Sky?
We knew we wanted to come over here and not have a TV deal, we
had that in the US already, so the first thing we did was secure
the TV deal before we made the move and it's been so popular
in the UK, they are bumping the Thursday show from one hour to
two hours.
What's
the reception been like in the US?
Phenomenal Carl; I think a lot of people from the US are going
to show up for this event and I know the fighters are excited
to be here as well.
When
will the full fight card be announced?
Should be soon, we are still working on it you know; you know
compiling the lists are a hazardous thing as fighters are getting
injured and the last show one guy was hit by a car which is crazy,
but we should have this cars ready soon.
Any
title fights announced?
Matt Hughes against Carlos Newton!
What
do you predict for that one?
I don't know, but you can be sure it's going to be a good one;
we are really excited about that fight.
Who
are your favourite fighters?
Tito is on the list obviously, Sakuraba, Sato, hell I like them
all.
There
has been criticism on the high ticket prices for the event; who
sets the prices and can you defend the prices?
Our model is based on a boxing model and the ticket prices are
pretty consistent with what we have been charging in the US and
I didn't know there was a backlash about the prices, but let
me tell you, there isn't a bad seat in the house.
So,
confident on filling the Royal Albert Hall?
Absolutely.
How
do you aim to achieve this Dana?
We have a very aggressive marketing plan and up to today it's
been a soft launch but after this press conference you will see
UFC everywhere. We plan on being in 25 countries by the end of
the year, so you now have an idea on our marketing strategy.
Any
plans to have future events here in London?
Oh yes, one of many. We have a long term plan for the planet,
we want to turn this thing global within the next five years.
How
do you get the confidence to predict this Dana?
At the end of the day I love the sport and everything to do with
it, but we are businessmen and we receive a lot of criticism
on the forums, but myself and the Fertita brothers have all been
successful in business and we know what we are doing and in the
next five years we are going to see the sport really explode.
Are
you making progress in other US states regards the implementation
of the rules?
Yes we are Carl; we have Florida passed and we are knocking them
down one by one. Not just states but countries (Laughs).
Are
the rules changes helping the process of acceptance?
All they had to do is open their eyes and really look at it;
the way it was marketed in the days gave the politicians a platform
to stand on and fight us; like I said in the press conference
today I challenge anybody in the media and politicians, if you
want to bash the athletes and the sport come down and meet the
guys and see an event and see how its run and I challenge anybody
who that want to challenge the safety, the integrity, the athleticism
and intelligence of our fighters. Come on down, I'll put you
to the test.
Confident
and assured comments there Dana; let's hope the doubters take
up your challenge in the future.
Thank you Carl; good to meet you at long last.
Source:
Abu Dhabi
|
Gracie's
and U.F.C. Together Again ? ? ?
Perhaps remembering
that the first editions of the U.F.C.'s were the biggest Pay-Per-View
winners of all time, U.F.C. brass is reaching to bring back the
Gracie's. First of Royce Gracie the multiple times U.F.C. winner
and one of the most recognized and charismatic personalities
in the MMA business was in Las Vegas, NV. yesterday for the shooting
of The Ultimate Royce Gracie with the UFC. The show will be a
UFC tribute to the first Ultimate Fighting Champion Royce Gracie
and will air sometimes in June before the UFC on Pay Per View,
the tape will also be available on VHS and DVD after it has been
aired.
Additionally,
serious rumblings have been heard from inside sources everywhere
about a possible signing of Multiple times World BJJ and ADCC
Champion Royler Gracie to fight in their event. It was previously
reported by this columnist that Royler was very deep in negotiations
to fight in two events in the U.S.A., one a Submission Grappling
match and the other and NHB match. Kid knows that the two sides
have spoken before and interest was shown on both sides about
a possible contract, but financial terms weren't reached. The
new rumblings appear at a time when 'other' rumblings involving
the same Royler going to fight in Japan for a yet unnamed organization.
When asked about talks in Japan Royler stated: 'They want my
head!' When asked about possible talks with U.F.C. Royler went
with a BIG: NO COMMENT ! ! !
Hummmmmm! One
can only imagine that a return of a Gracie to the UFC would do
nothing but spark huge interest of fans anywhere and increase
their PPV audience, benefiting everyone in the sport. Stay tuned
for any further developments on this great possibility.
Source: Abu Dhabi
|
Gracie
Pacific Rim Event
Gi
& No-Gi Amateur/Professional Submission Tournament
Open Division Gi prize money & Professional No-Gi prize money
Dates: May 25th, 26th & 27th
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii. Hawaii Convention Center
Tournament information & Registration:
For information and on-line registration: alohamuscle.com
Special
Events:
Royler Gracie Seminar on May 25th from 1p.m. to 3p.m.
Bas Rutten Seminar on May 25th from 3p.m. to 5p.m.
The
'E' channel at the event filming! Featured event at the 'Aloha
Muscle & Fitness Expo!
$12,000.00
up for grabs in the Professional No-Gi tournament! |
Quote
of the Day
"It
is God's responsibility to judge Osama. It is our responsibility
to arrange that meeting."
The United States Marines |
Combat
Wrestling 'Close Encounter of Kiguchi Dojo'
Kitazawa
Town Hall, Tokyo, Japan
April 25, 2002
Coming up in
Tokyo, Japan is a huge Combat Wrestling exhibition. There will
be a kids wrestling demonstration which will include Caol Uno
and Takanori Gomi (the winner of his weight class in the most
recent All-Japan Combat Wrestling Championships). There will
be eight Combat Wrestling Exhibition matches set for this date
which will feature some of Japan’s top Mixed Martial Arts
talent. Included is Hayato Sakurai, Runima Sato, Noboru Asahi,
Jin Akimoto and Uchu Tatsumi. After that is a series of compound
matches that blend 1 round of Sambo with 1 round of Combat Wrestling.
Shooto 183 lbs ranker Izuru Takeuchi will be in on one of these.
Lastly scheduled to take place are ten competitive Combat wrestling
bouts which will also feature a number of respected SHOOTO competitors.
The main event will be SHOOTO 154 lbs World Champion Takanori
Gomi.
Demonstration:
Kids Wrestling (with Takanori Gomi, Caol Uno)
Exhibition
Matches (3 minutes):
Kazuyuki Miyata vs. TBA (Free-Style Wrestling)
Mutsumi Sasamoto vs. TBA (Greco-Roman Wrestling)
Sunao Terada vs. Keizo Sakakibara (Sambo)
Taro Minato vs. TBA (Kick-boxing)
Jin Akimoto vs. Uchu Tatsumi (Shooto)
Noboru Asahi vs. Masahiro Oishi (Shooto)
Rumina Sato vs. Shuichiro Katsumura (Shooto)
Hayato 'Mach' Sakurai vs. TBA (French Golden trophy)
Compound
Matches (2 x 3 minutes rounds):
(1R:Sambo, 2R:Combat Wrestling)
Hiroshi Nakayama vs. Hidehiko Matsumoto
Kazuhiro Kusayanagi vs. Izuru Takeuchi
Yasuaki Kaji vs. Kenji Suetsugu
Combat
Wrestling Matches (5 minutes):
Masaki Yanagisawa vs. Takumi Murata
Yasunori Gomi vs. Satoshi Nishino
Hiroaki Kotani vs. Hiroyuki Kojima
Takeyasu Hirono vs. Hiroki Kita
Masutatsu Yano vs. Jun Ishii
Shigetaka Yonezawa vs. Hiroshi Morimitsu
Hiroshi Nakayama vs. Ryoichi Ishida
Jin Akimoto vs. Mamoru Okouchi
Masaru Gokita vs. Daiji Takahashi
Yasushi Miyake vs. Takanori Gomi
Source: ADCC |
Hawaii
Fighters in Gladiator's Challenge
Soboba Casino, CA
April 20, 2002
Fighters out of the 808 Fight Factory fought last night in Ted
William's event, Gladiator's Challenge. As result become available,
we will post them. Good luck to the local boys!
MAIN
EVENTS
Chris Brennan vs Thomas Denny (Super Fight)
Juliano Prado vs Greg Mayer (155 TITLE)
Jason Lambert vs Roger Godinez (HWT TITLE)
FEATURE FIGHTS
Kauai Kupihea vs Remco Pardoel (HWT)
Art Santore vs Paul
Savea (205-)
John Cole vs Tripson Kerisiano (175-)
Wade Ship vs Adrian Wild (HWT)
Cipi Gamino vs John Cronk (170-)
UNDER CARD FIGHTS
Josh Drake vs Cory Cass (140->
Justin Masely vs Chad Washburn (140-)
Wes Combs vs Keith Richardson (HWT)
Dave Revis vs Patrick Nguyen (140-)
Alex Rendon vs Jonny Burrows (155-)
David Avila vs Jamual
Perkins (155-)
Dale Breese vs Dain
Agbayani (155-)
Chuy vs Elton Klatt (170-)
Source: ADCC |
|
Pierini
OUT of 37. UFC loses & gains another.
The
UFC 37 card is shaping up to be one of the most cursed of all-time
as another fighter bows out due to injury. Brazilian, Joao "Pierini"
Marcos, suffered a severely pinched nerve, leaving him unable
to use his arm and taking him out of a fight with Benji Radach.
Not all is lost. Zuffa has found an immediate replacement for
Radach. The venerable Steve Berger supposedly will be stepping
up to the plate, but no word of a contract signed and delivered
yet.
Berger
is a UFC veteran and well traveled fighter with an even record.
He's coming off a win over the always dangerous Pete Spratt and
has beaten Shonie Carter and drew with Jutaro Nakao among other
fights. Berger possesses excellent submission skills and isn't
afraid to mix it up on the feet. He will be outmatched by Radach
on the stand up, but that was also said about him going into
his fight with Spratt where he cut Spratt early and won off of
a doctor's stoppage. With Radach, a 2 time State Champion freestyle
wrestler, look for Berger to be going for multiple submissions
from his back. It's no secret that one will look for the KO and
the other will be better off with an armlock or choke.
Does
this match lose anything with this unfortunate announcement?
No. Although most casual fans of MMA have never heard of Marcos,
much less seen him fight in either BVF 4 - Circuito de Lutas
7 or Warrior's Quest 3, he is still arguably the most aggressive
BJJ fighter on the MMA scene. Of course his level of competition
could be questioned in those events, but he has absolutely dominated
his opponents with an offensive onslaught in all 4 of his wins,
without a hint of any trouble. Berger is tried and tested in
KOTC, Shooto, Hook-n-Shoot, and most importantly in the UFC.
He lost a tough decision to Tony DeSouza at UFC 31, but he knows
the cage and he always comes in ready for a war. Berger's style
will work nicely in the Octagon, especially with Radach pushing
the action. Radach is active from the top position and Berger
is active from the bottom which is where this fight most likely
will end up. They both are willing to throw on the feet. Add
this all together and you've got a recipe for an exciting match
Source: MMA
Ring Report |
Quote
of the Day
"The
road to success is always under construction."
Jim Miller
|
Pride
20's Final Match
Pride 20, scheduled
for April 28th has announced it's final match. Current Pride
Heavyweight Champ Minotauro's twin brother, Rogerio "Minotoro"
Nogueira vs Takada Dojo's Yusuke Imamura.
PRIDE.20: Armed and Ready
Yokohama Arena, Kanagawa, Japan
April 28th, 2002
Complete Card:
1st Match: Bob
Zapp vs Norihisa Yamamoto
2nd Match: Masaaki Satake vs Quinton'Rampage'Jackson
3rd Match: Rogerio 'Minotoro' Nogueira vs Yusuke Imamura (Takada
Dojo)
4th Match: Dan Henderson vs Ricrado Arona
5th Match: Murilo Ninja vs Mario Sperry
6th Match: Sanae Kikuta vs Alexander Otsuka
7th Match: Vanderlei Silva vs Mirco Cro Cop
Source: Maxfighting/ADCC |
Super
Brawl Match Up #6
Kumu Cambra 1-0
6'0" 240lbs Honolulu
Grappling Unlimited
vs.
Boyd Ballard 1-0
5-10, 220lbs, WA
Pearson's Martial Arts
Kekumu has had a 3 year lay-off in the ring. He is one of the
head instructors at Egan Inoue's Grappling Unlimited. He is well
rounded with a bit of a mean streak in the ring.
Ballard has a solid wrestling background. He is one of the up
and coming stars from the talent rich Northwest and those in
the know are calling him an early favorite. |
As of April
5, 2002
HEAVYWEIGHT
over 205 lbs. and up (93.19 kg and up)
1. Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira 189
2. Josh Barnett 167
3. Heath Herring 142
4. Randy Couture 140
5. Pedro Rizzo 102
6. Mark Coleman 100
7. Igor Vovchanchyn 69
8. Mario Sperry 47
9. Ricco Rodriguez 42
10. Kazuyuki Fujita 14
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT 185 - 205 lbs. (84.1-93.19kg)
1. Tito Ortiz 186
2. Vanderlei Silva 175
3. Dan Henderson 147
4 .Chuck Liddell 131
5. Vitor Belfort 101
6. Ricardo Arona 71
7. Sanae Kikuta 59
8. Murilo "Ninja" Rua 51
9. Kevin Randleman 44
10. Alex Steibling 30
MIDDLEWEIGHT
170 - 185 lbs. (77.27 - 84.1 kg)
1. Murilo Bustamante 178
2. Kazushi Sakuraba 177
3. Matt Lindland 144
4. Dave Menne 142
5. Andre Seminov 95
6. Paulo Filho 91
7. Renzo Gracie 56
8. Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons 51
9. Ikuhisa Minowa 41
10. Pat Miletich 26
WELTERWEIGHT
155 - 170 lbs. (70.45 - 77.27 kg)
1. Matt Hughes 182
2. Anderson Silva 172
3. Carlos Newton 160
4. Hayato Sakurai 130
5. Frank Trigg 100
6. Tetsuji Kato 83
7. Gil Castillo 62
8. Sean Sherk 56
9. Shonie Carter 48
10. Nathan Marquardt 10
LIGHTWEIGHT
145 to 155 lbs (65.91 kg to 70.45 kg.)
1. Jens Pulver 190
2. B.J. Penn
166
3. Takanori Gomi 143
4. Caol Uno 133
5. Din Thomas 107
6. Dokonjonosuke Mishima 93
7. Rumina Sato 90
8. Ryan Bow 52
9. Fabiano Iha 23
10. Franca Barbosa 15
10. Matt Serra 15
FEATHERWEIGHT
up to 145 lbs. (up to 65.91kg.)
1. Alexandre Nogueira 190
2. Tetsuo Katsuta 165
3. Katsuya Toita 140
4. Baret
Yoshida 107
5. Joao Roque 101
6. Mamoru 98
7. Stephen
Paling 58
8. Norifumi Yamamoto 56
9. Masahiro Oishi 36
10. Jin Akimoto 34
Source: MMA Writer's Poll |
Heating
up for PRIDE 20:
Ninja wants
to prove his value inside the ring!
By Eduardo Alonso
Coming
from the Chute Boxe team and following in the footsteps of teammates
Pele Landi and Vanderlei Silva, Murilo "Ninja" Rua
first appeared on the NHB scene fighting in the inaugural MECA
World Vale Tudo event, in his hometown of Curitiba, and quickly
drew the attention of fight fans worldwide. With wins coming
from triangle chokes to knockouts, Ninja always displayed a lot
of heart and will to learn all the aspects of the game. After
a series of wins at MECA, the Chute Boxe rising star got an opportunity
at PRIDE replacing his teammate Anderson Silva, who couldn't
fight because of contractual issues. Ninja didn't waste his chance!
He quickly became a new star on PRIDE's roster, establishing
his name with two decisive wins over Daijiro Matsui and Alex
Andrade, and one controversial loss to Dan Henderson, where he
proved he can hang with the very best the sport has to offer.
At only 21 years old, Ninja is now about to face the toughest
challenge in his young career, facing legendary fighter Mario
Sperry. This fight is becoming one of the most intriguing fights
on the PRIDE 20 card and it promises to escalate the already
heated rivalry between the Brazilian Top Team and Chute Boxe!
FCF starts to heat up for PRIDE 20 in great fashion, catching
up with Ninja himself to learn a bit more about what he thinks
about his fight and much more! Check FCF's page in the following
days to see what Mario Sperry has to say about the match-up,
as FCF delivers the best PRIDE 20 coverage in the world!
FCF:
You suffered a serious injury in January that forced you to stay
away from training for a period of time. How was the recovery
process? Are you already feeling 100%?
Ninja: Yes! I'm already feeling a lot better, and besides I believe
that Rudimar wouldn't put me to fight at PRIDE if I wasn't already
100%. I did all I need to do to take care of my injury; I think
it took two to three months. I did physiotherapy and stuff, and
now I'm ready to fight again!
FCF:
What's your training been like since the recovery?
Ninja: For this next fight I was swimming on the mornings, doing
Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu. It varies a bit. Sometimes I run, in
fact right now I have been running every day! I also lift weights,
of course, but I always trained a lot. It's not just because
of this fight.
FCF:
Your opponent for this fight will be Mario Sperry, who dropped
some weight recently to compete in PRIDE's middleweight division.
How much will you be weighing for this fight? And what do you
know about your opponent's game?
Ninja: I'll be weighing 93 Kg for this fight. I only know that
he is a jiu-jitsu fighter, and I'll try to knock him out standing.
But if we ever hit the ground, I also train jiu-jitsu, so I'll
try to defend myself, and if I have a chance to finish him, I'll
finish him for sure.
FCF:
As all the Chute Boxe fighters, you didn't watch any tapes of
him to prepare for the fight?
Ninja: No, I never watched any tapes of any opponents I had.
I don't even know with whom I'm going to fight.
FCF:
And you don't even care to know as always (Laughs)
Ninja: I don't care to know for sure! (Laughs) This way you can
expect everything in the fight, and you won't fight the other
guy's game!
FCF:
Is it true that even if this fight never materialized at PRIDE
20 you were planning to challenge him?
Ninja: Yeah, I was already willing to fight him for some time!
Thankfully this fight appeared. I heard some rumors in the past
that he said that if he were going to fight me he would finish
me very quickly. Since this got to my ears, I want to see if
he's really going to finish me quickly!
FCF:
Do you believe that this fight can increase the rivalry between
Brazilian Top Team and Chute Boxe?
Ninja: Man, I don't know! I can't tell you that.
FCF:
Do you enter this fight with any special motivation because he
is a Brazilian Top Team fighter?
Ninja: For sure man! This is one more factor that makes me want
to demonstrate more violence in the fight! I'm going there to
really brawl! I'm going there to fight! If he makes some mistakes
I'm going to break his jaw. I'm training a lot. In fact I want
to knock him out badly.
FCF:
How do you believe this fight is going to unfold? What do you
expect to happen in this fight?
Ninja: Man! I don't know what to say. A fight is a fight, anything
can happen. But I'm willing to decide it standing! And if we
have to go to the ground, we will go to the ground, but there's
no rules against striking on the ground you know -- it's different
from jiu-jitsu. I'm going to brawl! I just can't fight his game
you know, if we hit the ground I'm going to strike him hard.
I'm there to brawl.
FCF:
Rudimar and Vanderlei already left for Japan last Monday. Who
is going to be flying with you to PRIDE?
Ninja: Next Monday I'll be flying with Pele, Rafael Cordeiro,
Anderson Silva and Cristiano Marcello! We're going in a bunch
of guys this time!
FCF:
Speaking of Vanderlei Silva, he is going to be facing Mirko "Cro
Cop", a fighter who came from K-1, on the same card. What
are you expecting from Vanderlei's fight?
Ninja: Gee, I think Vanderlei is going to knock him out! He is
very strong nowadays. Vanderlei trains so hard man! I don't even
need to say, he proves it every time he fights. He has been training
a lot and I'm sure he is going to win again.
FCF:
It was recently announced that you will be one in the PRIDE videogame.
Did you ever think that you would one day be a videogame character?
Ninja: Man, I would never have expected it! (Laughs) Did they
really announce my name on the game?
FCF:
Yes, you and Vanderlei are already officially in the game!
Ninja: That's great! Man, I would never have dreamed it. I 'm
excited about it! Who wouldn't like to be in a videogame? I think
it's great! I never even imagined that I would be fighting in
PRIDE so early, at only 21 years of age! Let alone be on the
videogame!
FCF:
What are your plans after this PRIDE?
Ninja: I don't know. I plan to keep on fighting. Maybe I'll fight
"Navalhada" next. I don't know. This is up to master
Rudimar. But I'm already prepared for Navalhada.
FCF:
What about your fight with Navalhada? Do you believe you'll still
fight him in MECA?
Ninja: This is supposed to happen. I'm waiting to fight him;
it's going to happen for sure.
FCF:
Don't you think that PRIDE may not want you to fight in MECA
if you keep on winning there?
Ninja: But man, I'll have to fight him no matter what! He talked
a lot about me! With him, things are going to be really personal!
He is very arrogant. I want to fight him. It's a personal thing.
FCF:
Besides Navalhada, is there anyone that you would like to fight?
Ninja: That "Brazilian Killa" guy [Alex Stiebling]!
He is very arrogant! And I'm not saying that just because of
that T-shirt. Even the first time he went to PRIDE, he was already
very arrogant… I mean very arrogant! I would like to fight
him.
FCF:
Any final message for your fans?
Ninja: Man, I trained a lot and I'm going to do everything I
can to win this fight! Everybody from the Chute Boxe Academy
always wants to put on a good showing for the fans, and I expect
to do it again.
FCF:
Good luck and thanks a lot.
Ninja: Thanks a lot.
Source: FCF |
The
Penn's Hilo MMA event postponed
Due to a conflicting
event on the same day and the renovation of the venue, JD Penn,
event organizer, has decided to push back the event to July.
There are only so many places in Hilo that can host an event,
so they are at the mercy of these types of string of events.
More information will be released as soon as more information
becomes available.
Source: JD Penn |
