January News Part 1
Please take some time and sign our guestbook!
|
Quote
of the Day
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were
to live forever."
Mahatma Gandhi
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UFC
Replays
INDEMAND
Replays
Mon, Jan 14 8:00P ET
Tues, Jan 15 10:00P ET |
Amateur
Fighting Competition (AFC)
Update
February
2, 2002
Neil Blaisdell Arena
The weigh ins will be held at 24 Hour Fitness at Pearl Kai at
7:00 pm. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Jan 16, 2002.
Augie T will be the announcer of the event and he talked about
the AFC event this morning on 98.5.
On Thrusday, Ray "Bradda" Cooper will be speaking at
8:00 am on 98.5 FM Radio.
There
are still openings for fighters. The weight classes are over
and under 200 lbs. If you are interested in participating in
a modified toughman/boxing type of event, call Ray at 696-5502
or
email: linebredllc@aol.com. |
Pride
Hawaii?
Details of the upcoming event to be held on February 22nd in
the Korakuen Hall, which is located besides Tokyo-Dome, became
clear today. The event will be called THE BEST and young pro-fighters
will challenge each other for the right to appear in PRIDE. There
are 5 matches scheduled and they will be fought in an 8-sided
ring. Tickets sales will be limited to members of the PRIDE Fan
Club. However, if there are any remaining tickets, they will
go on sale the day of the fight. THE BEST will be held 3-4 times
per year and will be a "must-see" for PRIDE fans.
Pride Schedules
January 12, 2002
Dream State Entertainment boss Naoto Morishita announced that
PRIDE would run a show called "THE BEST" on 2/22 at
Korakuen Hall in Tokyo with young Japanese & foreign fighters
facing against each other in matches in an Octagon.
Here
is the upcoming schedule in 2002 for PRIDE:
2/24
- Saitama, Chiinama Super Arena
4/29 - Yokohama Arena
6/21 - Saitama, Chiinama Super Arena
7/22 - Nagoya Aiichi Rainbow Hall
8/23 - Hawaii,
Aloha Stadium
9/?? - Osaka Dome
11/? - Tokyo Dome
12/24 - Fukuoka Marine Messe
Morishita
announced that the 8/23 Hawaii show would air live on American
PPV. PRIDE is trying to get things finalized for a show in July
at Aloha Stadium in Oahu, Hawaii. They want to bring Kazushi
Sakuraba back for this show. They want to do something with the
Middleweight Title at this show. PRIDE also wants to run a show
in Las Vegas. They are trying to schedule a show in China by
the end of '02.
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Shooto's
Uematsu
Many long time observers of SHOOTO will remember Naoya Uematsu,
who at one time was the #1 rated fighter in SHOOTO's rugged Lightweight
division. 2001 saw him slip to #6, and his recent most recent
appearance in SHOOTO was in a Jiu Jitsu exhibition on their November
26th, 2001 show.
What
was not apparent to observers of SHOOTO outside of Japan was
that the November match was a comeback to competition for the
once top rated fighter. Despite losing 2-0 on points to Takashi
Watanabe, it seems Uematsu's true victory came upon entering
the ring.
Uematsu
competed in Abu Dhabi's Submission Wrestling World Championships
in April of 2001, then left to train hardcore thai boxing in
Thailand. He was seemingly poised to challenge Pequeno Nogueira's
SHOOTO dominance until he fell ill during the spring.
Uematsu
was suffering from a life threatening bacteria to his stomach.
At one point, he was down to about 50 kilos (roughly 110 lbs).
Doctors are said to have begun preparing his parents for the
worst, as his recovery was not expected.
Then
Uematsu battled back and started to recover. He regained strength
and weight, and soon his thoughts turned back to competing. In
November, the return to the ring left him emotionally drained,
as he saw the joy of competition and performing in the SHOOTO
ring rekindled. Uematsu set his target of returning to the SHOOTO
ring in 2002.
Look
forward to the return of Naoya Uematsu, and know that the road
back to competion was harder than most -Uematsu is writing a
truly remarkable story!
Source: Abu Dhabi |
GUESS
WHO'S WATCHING COLLEGE WRESTLING?
NEW YORK --
"Hey, if you get a chance sometime, check out a college
wrestling match," said WABC-TV sports reporter Scott Clark
during the 11 PM telecast of Wed., Jan. 9. Maybe in Iowa and
Oklahoma such invitations are unnecessary, but in the Big Apple,
where those short sports segments on the local news shows are
drenched in baseball, basketball, football, and hockey, this
was a refreshing change.
Clark was in
attendance, along with a WABC-TV camera crew, at a dual meet
Jan. 9 between two nationally-ranked NCAA Div. 1 schools, Lehigh
and Hofstra, held at the New York Athletic Club (NYAC), next
to Central Park. The wrestling people at the NYAC have been working
on enhancing wrestling's popularity, both through their own tournaments,
and helping the college community. Thus they came up with the
idea of holding an annual NCAA Challenge meet and presenting
a trophy to the winning team.
"It was
fun," Clark commented during his report. It was also good
marketing, as many who otherwise would not have had much opportunity
to see Div. 1 wrestling crowded into the NYAC's Raymond G. Lumpp
Gymnasium.
It turns out
that Clark is a friend of Mario Mercado, a former Syracuse wrestler
and now associated with the NYAC wrestling program. Mario helped
persuade him to cover the meet, and thus WABC-TV reported on
Lehigh's 29-6 drubbing of Hofstra.
Networking helps,
a lesson all those interested in marketing combat sports should
heed.
WRESTLING'S
"BIGGEST FAN" OFFERS SOME ADVICE
Also in attendance
was a man who said he never wrestled, but described himself as
"the biggest wrestling fan in the world." This silver-haired,
6' 3" 76-year old spectator nevertheless had more than his
share of grappling battles. His venue was not the mat, but the
gridiron.
He played both
center on offense and linebacker on defense for the Philadelphia
Eagles from 1949 to 1962, and is considered the last "iron
man" who played both ways in the NFL. Voted into the Pro
Football Hall of Fame in 1967, he still looks like he could still
sack many of today's quarterbacks.
But this night,
in between signing dozens of autographs, posing for photos, and
chatting with fans, the legendary Chuck Bednarik was intently
studying the ensuing Lehigh-Hofstra meet.
Discussing the
appeal of wrestling, he explained, "That's a one-on-one
situation. It's not like football where you got 11 guys out there.
But this, you don't have to be extra-strong. If you know what
you're doing, you can handle a guy pretty good. So it's a combination
of knowing what you're doing and a little bit of strength."
Despite his
love of the sport, he knows that wrestling has not realized its
potential. "Professional football is making all that money,
overpaid and underplayed," he observed. He also noted that
there are "a lot of schools, great schools, that don't have
wrestling."
He did offer
some advice for his adopted sport to improve even further its
popularity. What it needs more of, he said, was "Exposure.
Television. That's the secret. Exposure."
Wrestling has
already taken some important steps just on that path recommended
by this hall of famer. Last year, the NCAA Div. 1 National Wrestling
Championship finals were televised on same-day tape-delay, shortly
after they were completed. This year's event, scheduled for March
21-23 in the Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York, has long been sold
out, with only applications for standing room tickets being accepted.
The popularity of wrestling is not being lost on the television
executives, who are also expected to give this year's NCAA championships
a favorable time slot.
So take some
of this sage advice yourself when you can. "If you get a
chance sometime, check out a college wrestling match." You
just may become converted the way people like Chuck Bednarik
and Scott Clark have been.
Submitted By:
Eddie Goldman
|
Quote
of the Day
"It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with
problems longer."
Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, German-born American Physicist |
PRIDE
Fighting Championships
"Bad Blood"
DATE; February 24th, 2002
GATE OPEN 2:00 PM
FIGHT START 4:00 PM
PLACE: Saitama Super-Arena (Omiya, Saitama-Pref., Japan)
Pay-Per-View;
SkyPerfecTV (JAPAN, Feb. 24th Live PPV) // DIRECTV, DishNetwork,
TVN (USA, Feb. 24th, 18 hours delay PPV)
DSE
announced "Bad Blood" (a.k.a. PRIDE-19), the first
PRIDE show in 2002, would be held on February 24th at "Saitama
Super-Arena".
PRIDE-19
will be same-day pay-per-view in the United States and be on
DirecTV, DishNetwork and TVN which airs on Cablevision and other
U.S. cable systems including AT&T Broad Band.
Announced
Matches:
Ken
Shamrock vs. Don Frye
Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Enson
Inoue (Back from Retirement?)
PRIDE
Middle Weight Title Match
Vanderlei
Silva vs. Kiyoshi Tamura
Don
Frye
ENTRY
in PRIDE 16
HOMETOWN
Sierra Vista, AZ
DOB
9/19/1966
WEIGHT
254 lbs.
HEIGHT
6’10"
TITLES
and AWARDS
UFC
VIII Champion
UFC
"The Ultimate Ultimate ’96" Champion
Ken Shamrock
ENTRY
in PRIDE-GP2000 & 10
HOMETOWN
San Diego, CA
DOB
2/11/1964
WEIGHT
220 lbs.
HEIGHT
6’0"
TITLES
or AWARDS
1st
King of The Pancrasists
UFC
Super-Fight Champion
Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira
ENTRY
in PRIDE-15, 16 & 17
HOMETOWN
Salvador, Brazil
DOB
6/2/1976
WEIGHT
226 lbs.
HEIGHT
6’3"
TITLES
or AWARDS: PRIDE Heavy Weight Champion
Enson Inoue
ENTRY
in PRIDE-5, 7, GP, 10 & 12
HOMETOWN
Hawaii, USA
DOB
4/15/1967
WEIGHT
219lbs
HEIGHT
5'11"
Fighting
History:`97 UFC XIII def. Royce Alger, `98 VTJ def. Randy Couture
Vanderlei
Silva
ENTRY
PRIDE in 7, 8, GP, 10, 11. 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 & 18
HOMETOWN
Critiba, Brazil
DOB
7/3/1976
WEIGHT
210lbs
HEIGHT
6'0"
TITLES
and AWARDS;
PRIDE
Middle Weight Champion
Kiyoshi Tamura
ENTRY
First in PRIDE
HOMETOWN
Okayama, Japan
DOB
12/17/1969
WEIGHT
198lbs
HEIGHT
6'0"
Fighting
History;
UWF,
UWFI, RINGS Veteran
Source: Hideki Yamamoto, Dream Stage Entertainment USA |
Shooto
Event Results
January 12th, 2001
Tokyo Japan, Kourakuen Hall
COMPLETE
RESULTS:
(Class
B 2 x 5 rounds minutes) - WELTERWEIGHTS
Masakazu Kuramochi (Freelance) x Mitsuhiro Ishida (TOPS):
Ishida by Judges Decision
(Class
B 2 x 5 rounds minutes) - BANTAMWEIGHTS
Takeyasu Hirono (Wajyutsu Keisyukai) x Tomohiro Hashi (PUREBRED
Ohmiya):
Hirono by Judges Decision
(Class
A 3 x 5 rounds minutes) - FEATHERWEIGHT
Daiji Takahashi (K'z Factory) x Ryota Matsune (PARAESTRA MATSUDO):
Matsune By Judges Decision
(Class
A 3 x 5 rounds minutes) - LIGHTHEAVYWEIGHT
Izuru Takeuchi (K'z Factory) x Ronald Jhun (808 Fight Factory):
Takeuchi by Judges Decision
(Class
A 3 x 5 rounds minutes) - FEATHERWEIGHT
Hiroaki Yoshioka (PARAESTRA TOKYO) x Hisao Ikeda (PUREBRED Omiya):
Ikeda by Judges Decision.
(Class
A 3 x 5 rounds minutes) - LIGHTHEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Lance Gibson (Gibson Pankration) x Masanori Suda (Club J):
Suda wins Title Belt, Judges Decision. |
WFA
Interviews
RUMOR: There has been a rumor circulating that since Ron Jhun
has just lost his Shooto match (See above), the upcoming WFA
match with Jermaine Andre is off. We will keep you updated as
other items arise and if this becomes news.
INTERVIEW:
RON “The
Machine Gun” JHUN
Team: 808 Fight Factory
Height: 5’ 11 Weight: 185 DOB: September 21, 1970
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii Fighting Style: freestyle fighting
MMA Record: 22-5
Manager: Kai Kamaka
Trainer: Kai Kamaka Sr. (cardio), Adrian Silva (boxing), self-taught
Strengths: heart, well rounded
How did you
get into mixed martial arts? My brother-in-law, Ray Cooper, entered
one of the earlier Superbrawls. I was his training partner. At
the time, we were just training freestyle wrestling. Ray asked
if I was interested in fighting. He said the promoter wondered
if I’d be entering, so I entered a few tournaments. From
there, I knew this sport was for me. At the time, I needed to
learn more of the ground, more stand-up, and
generally to become a more well rounded fighter. One of the guys
I trained with had studied under Relson Gracie for a few years.
That’s how we learned our first submissions. We trained
with the gi and I entered a few gi tournaments but what really
fascinated me was the NHB fighting. I did jiu-jitsu, grappling,
and wrestling tournaments but didn’t really pursue that
aspect as much. When fighters would come down to compete, we
would learn from them. A few of the Japanese fighters- Sato and
Sakurai- we trained and learned from them. We also trained with
John Lewis, Matt Hume and BJ Penn. We would learn things and
coordinate them into drills. We took a little bit from everybody
and incorporated it into our own fighting style.
How are training
for your upcoming fight? I’ve been focusing more on my cardio
with a lot of drills. I’ve also been getting more in-depth
with my boxing. A lot of new guys have been coming out- a lot
of wrestlers- so I’ve been working on my takedowns and my
wrestling defense. We have some grappling and jiu-jitsu guys,
so I’ve been working on both offensive and defensive moves
with them. We incorporate "bag drills" that simulate
weightlifting like "round robin"- six or seven exercises
that are set-up in a circle. There will be a hanging punching
bag, a bag on the ground, a medicine ball, our boxing station,
and a kicking bay. For thirty seconds, you hit that bag as hard
as you can and then move on to the next station till you hit
every station and that’s one round. We’ll do three
rounds. I’ve pushed weightlifting to the side because that
was limiting my flexibility. I’ve been doing more push-ups
and sit-ups instead. It’s basically the same thing I’ve
been doing for the past year but a little more intensified. It’s
a little more mental preparation and pushing myself to the next
level.
What’s
the fight scene like out in Hawaii? It’s like paradise out
here. The fight scene is really growing. The local people are
really getting into the sport. They don’t "boo"
as much. Before, they just wanted to watch two guys bang it out
and when the fight went to the ground, they would boo and yell
to the ref to stand it back up. Now, the crowd is a little mellower
and they understand what is going on with submissions, wrestling,
and technique. The more good fights they get down here and the
more knowledgeable the crowds get, the more it will help the
sport grow. This place is like a treasure that has not been found.
I think the reason why more promoters don’t come down here
is due to the legislation trying to ban the sport. They don’t
realize it is a sport. It’s not barbaric. It’s not
like two guys are getting in the ring to bang it out with no
special training. However, the state is becoming more aware as
the sport grows.
Who has been
your toughest opponent? It was one of my recent fights with Pete
Spratt in Warrior’s Quest II. The way the fight went it
was back and forth. It was like an all-out war. He gave me some
punches. I gave him some punches. I took him down. We stood back
up. It went all the way to the very last round with a TKO.
What are you
like right before a fight? Nervous? Calm? Any pre-fight rituals?
I try to stay relaxed by listening to Christian music. It keeps
me pretty mellow. It’s natural to get a little bit excited
but now I think about controlling it a little more. I found out
the more calm you stay, the less you burn yourself out.
What are your
thoughts on your last fight with Jermaine Andre in WFA I? The
fight was going well until...I felt it was a bad call but I’m
not going to take anything away from Jermaine. He’s a tough
fighter. I felt like I did what I trained to do. There was a
moment where I might have hesitated too long but...I guess we’re
going to have to find out on February 2nd!
What’s
your plan of attack this second time around? Well, the way he
came out was not the way I expected him to come out. I think
he underestimated me and took me lightly. I expected him to be
throwing punches and kicks from the start but he didn’t.
I think I was the first to throw an initial punch and I was shocked
he tried to take me down. I thought it was going to be a stand-up
fight. This next time, I’m gonna do a lot of movement on
him, a lot of punches, combinations, knees, whatever comes. I’m
going to apply whatever pressure I can and see where it goes
from there.
What are your
thoughts on the WFA? I think they’re pretty good. I see
a lot of good things happening with this new organization. John
is definitely getting some high quality fights and it’s
turning some heads. A lot of people are saying this card is better
than the UFC’s. I was actually surprised to see how good
the WFA card is. They treated me very well the first time. I
love the sport so anything I can do to promote it and get the
name of Jesus out there is my goal. I want to get Jesus’
name on pay-per-view so everyone can see it.
If you could
meet any celebrity- who would it be and why? Michael Jordan.
I like his character. He’s had a good comeback. The more
games he plays, the better he will get. He is showing everybody
that you’re never too old and that’s good for the sport.
"Hawaii-Five-O"
or "Magnum PI"? I would say Hawaii-Five-O. That is
a hard one though.
How does it
feel to be headlining the WFA show? Right now, there is no added
pressure but maybe when I get into the ring... This is the largest
crowd I’ve fought for. I’ve fought in front of a 7,500
crowd before, but that was a night that Egan Inoue headlined
against Marcello Tiger from Brazil. This will be my first headlining.
What are your
goals in mixed martial arts? Right now I am shooting for whatever
great event is out there. I want to be the best 185-pounder out
there. The UFC intrigues me and I wouldn’t mind fighting
in it one day.
Any words for
the fans? Thanks to everybody that has been supporting me. I’m
pretty much always an underdog, so I want to let everybody know
to go out there and give it their best. Give it your all and
no matter what you do you’ll be okay.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERVIEW:
JERMAINE
“Bamm Bamm” ANDRE
Team: The Striker’s Union
Height: 5’8” Weight: 185lbs DOB: July 22, 1972
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
Fighting Style: Muay Thai kickboxing, Sambo
MMA Record: 5-2
Manager: Monte Cox Trainer: Ron Smith
Titles: Submission Fighting Championships Cruiserweight Champ
Submission Fighting Championships Light Heavyweight Champ
United States Shootboxing Association Heavyweight Champ
S.L.R. Light-Heavyweight Champ
Web site: www.jermaineandre.com
Why “Bamm-Bamm”?
Where’d that nickname come from? It actually came from the
fact that I had a good jab/cross. Usually, whenever I landed
it, that was pretty much it for whoever I was fighting. Guys
gave me the name to me on the streets.
What got you
started in MMA? My interest was definitely sparked by the UFC
and the first fights they had come out.
What other types
of fighting do you do? Muay Thai kickboxing, san shou kickboxing,
shootboxing, Draka. I hold the ISKA title for san shou.
In MMA, who
was your toughest opponent? I always get asked that and I never
have an answer. (He pauses and considers the question.) It’s
kinda shady because I wasn’t prepared for the fight, I didn’t
want to fight, I really wasn’t interested in fighting, I
just took it ‘cause it was the UFC – that was Lance
Gibson. Lance Gibson was tough, he was strong, he was quick,
but had I been the fighter that I am when I’m ready to fight,
then it would’ve been a different story.
You put up a
good fight in that bout! (Jermaine was knocked out in the third
round after a fierce stand-up war.) Yeah I did, and it would
have been a much better fight if I had felt like fighting, ‘cause
I really did not feel right. I had just got through fighting
the world champ Maurice Travis in Muay Thai. You know, in Muay
Thai we get torn up. We bust our shins and our legs up. I had
just fought him and I got like maybe two weeks notice for the
UFC. And I just took it ‘cause, you know, that’s what
everybody’s working towards. He was strong. What I liked
about him was that he was a good warrior, because I hurt him
a lot and even though he was hurt, he still acted like he wasn’t
hurt and kept pursuing and kept pursuing. He was pretty tough.
Usually the way I can tell someone is tough is by the beating
they can take, ‘cause it’s easy to give a beating,
but it’s harder to take one. And to keep coming strong…
You thoughts
on the WFA? I think it’s beautiful. I love the way they
treat us, the way they treat the fighters. I like the nightclub
idea. Even when I was back in the dressing room [at the last
show] I could hear the music beatin’ and bumpin’. I
never got to see the show ‘cause I was the second-to-last
fight, but from what I could hear, I think it was real cool.
I think it’s going to be huge. The most important thing
is I like the way that John’s trying to treat the fighters.
The fighters get treated real good. In a lot of [promotions],
they’re not concerned with treating the fighters good, they’re
just concerned with the show. The want to make the show the star
and they don’t want to make stars out of the fighters. The
whole key is to make the fighters stars, and that’ll make
the show great.
What would you
say your strengths are as a fighter? Definitely my striking.
And my aggressiveness.
What are you
like right before a fight? Nervous? Irritable? Relaxed? Definitely
relaxed.
No jitters?
Sometimes a little. But because of the way I look at fighting,
I can’t really be nervous at all.
Your thoughts
on your last fight with Ron Jhun? Do you think the ref stopped
it too soon? The ref’s job is to stop the fight before someone
gets hurt. And if he thought the guy was going to get hurt, then
it was his job to stop it. I don’t think the ref can ever
stop a fight too soon. I think a ref can stop it too late. Now
whether I think Ronald Jhun could’ve kept going – yeah,
I definitely think he could’ve kept going at the time that
the fight was stopped. He had a lot of heart, and when I was
hitting him I could see he was taken the shots – he was
taking a few – and he was still calm, he was trying to protect
himself. He took a few shots but that doesn’t mean he was
done. As far as what the ref saw, he probably figured I was dominating.
Ron got me with a beautiful knee to the head – it rocked
my bell – and I came back and slapped him with a leg kick,
backed him up, hit him with a job/cross, knocked him back against
the cage, hip tossed him, mounted him, and immediately started
pounding. So, to the ref, it may have looked like I was totally
dominating.
I definitely
don’t think the ref can’t stop the fight too soon,
but… I wasn’t done. I wasn’t yelling to the referee,
“Hey, come stop the fight.” I was just getting started.
And as you can see, the things I was doing were working. I was
getting ready to go to some different techniques right when the
referee stopped the fight.
Do you disagree
with the fact that they’re having a rematch right away?
I could never disagree with fighting. The WFA is a good league.
There are reasons for having the rematch: like I said, I wasn’t
done. Ronald’s a tough guy. I don’t mind re-matching
him, I don’t mind giving him another chance. He’s an
honorable guy. He’s not some loud-mouthed idiot. If he was,
I would’ve told him: “Screw off. Go fight someone else.
You’ll never get the rematch with me ‘cause you’re
just an idiot.” But as far as somebody to share the ring
with, he’s somebody I would like to share it with. He’s
definitely somebody I’d like to battle for the title. I
think he deserves it. He’s an under-rated
fighter. Big time under-rated.
Plan of attack
this time around? I never have a plan. I always go off of what
the other guy is doing. I try to feel his spirit, feel what he
wants to do, feel his energies, then go from there. If you go
in with a plan, you end up getting caught by something ‘cause
you’re too dedicated to what you were going to try to do.
Your fight is
the headlining fight. Does that give you any added pressure?
I think it’s great. It’s an honor to be the headliner
for the WFA. As far as pressure, because of the way I look at
fighting, there never is any pressure.
Which celebrity
would you want to fight? I don’t like Steven Seagal. But
I guess I’d say Jet Li. I can tell from watching him that
his kung fu is good. And I’d like to fight him in a kung
fu match. That’d be cool.
I think you
have a weight advantage on him. Yeah, I do have him in weight.
But if his kung fu is good, then it won’t matter.
You’re
Native American. What tribe are you from? Dakota Sioux. [It’s]
a blood relation down in my family. I’ve been working to
find it for so long. I know it’s there, my mom told me it’s
there. I got adopted in by a Lakota family off the reservation
up in Portland, Oregon. I know one of my grandparents was Sioux
– we’ve got pictures of him.
Did you like
“Dances with Wolves”? I liked “Dances with Wolves”.
What I like about it was that the ‘skins’ stuck together.
I think it was a real good movie. It pulled away from that ‘cowboys
and Indians’ thing where everybody always thought the Indians
were the bad guys. It showed a little more truth to the story.
Any words for
the fans? I love them all. I like them because they come to see
something that’s real – but don’t ever forget
to give respect to the warriors who have the courage and guts
to enter the ring. Win or lose. It’s time for the world
to start making martial arts heroes out of the true martial arts
heroes, and that’s the fighters of the no-holds-barred rings.
We’re the ones who put our martial art on the line, we’re
the ones who are willing to get out there and prove that it works
for real. There’s nothing fake about it. We wouldn’t
be anything without them, I love them to death – but don’t
forget that respect.
Source: The
Promoter |
Quote
of the Day
"If you want to win friends, make it a point to remember
them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment;
you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember
my name and you add to my feeling of importance."
Dale Carnegie, 1888-1955, American Author, Trainer |
UP
CLOSE WITH 'THE WARRIOR'
Post UFC
When
you have a quiet, introspective fighter like UFC Middleweight
star Dave Menne, it is sometimes necessary to sit back and observe
the man over a period of time to really get to know him. On January
11th, 2002 he lost his Middleweight Title to Murilo Bustamante
in the 'UFC 35: THROWDOWN' event. How would he react? Would he
react like a 'warrior' or was this just a name someone gave him?
LOOKING
BACK
2000
was the year Dave Menne broke thru. He went to Abu Dhabi for
the Submission Wrestling World Championships, then came back
to the USA for his UFC debut against Fabiano Iha. Soon after,
in the summer of 2000, his stock skyrocketed with his WEF Championship
victory over top rated Pele Landi.
The
day after the Pele match, Menne was wandering thru the lobby
of the Evansville, Indiana hotel, a small, satisfied smile on
his face and the gold belt around his waist. He was alone, his
happiness showing despite the marks on his face. Approaching
Menne, he was talking and thinking about the fight. "I don't
know how you could complain the judges where wrong. I think I
won the first round and the third round pretty clearly."
he started. He was already at work, breaking down what happened,
understanding it and growing from it. When told one of the judges
had the third round a tie, Menne thought before he spoke. "I
guess I can see that, that might be fair, but I just don't see
how you could have me losing!".
From
there, Menne went on to a series of successes, in RINGS, in Kuwait
and finally in the UFC, where he was crowned UFC Middleweight
Champion at UFC 33, after handing highly regarded Gil Castillo
his first defeat. He was on top of the world, a professional
fighter and the owner of the Middleweight Title in the organization
that clearly has the most prestigious champions in the sport.
THROWDOWN
Bustamante
came thru the lobby early in the evening, belt around his shoulder,
smiling and happy. It was a rare chance to see the normally very
serious Brazilian at ease and happy. The Russian crew sat up
late in the lobby, talking and having fun with manager Bas Boone.
The Iowa team led by Pulver and Miletich walked in elated. BJ
Penn could be seen in the hallway outside his hotel room, talking
strategy with a teammate. No sign of Menne, however.
Menne
walked into the hotel late and alone. His face showed the signs
of the match, his usual cuts and bruises, and also showed the
loss sitting somewhere inside, eating away at him.
Menne
approached, and started talking "I didn't fight my fight.
I feel like I could have wrestled more, I feel like I don't have
to be afraid of anyone on the ground, and I didn't do that."
stated Menne. Someone asked about food poisoning, a factor that
affected several camps this weekend as there were problems with
the food. Menne said "yeah, I was sick. It hit me hard an
hour before the fight." This was matter of fact, Dave was
answering the question and not making excuses. When he steered
the conversation, he was thinking about the fight, what he could
have done different. He was thinking about the things he could
control.
The
last we saw Menne, he was walking with his manager, still talking
business. The persistence and consistency that define him as
one of the best fighters in the world are looking more and more
like the foundations of the quiet 'Warrior'.
So
what will we see next from Menne? Rest assured, the 'Warrior'
will be prepared for his next fight, and as always, he will be
prepared to let his talking be done in the ring. Evan if a rematch
does not materialize right away, Menne will do the work necessary
to earn the gold again - it's what he has always done.
UFC
Rumors
There are rumors swirling about Carlos Newton and PRIDE. Many
may recall word that alleged Carlos entered UFC while still having
one fight under a PRIDE contract. Newton has remained on good
terms with both UFC and Pride and is looking to fulfill his commitment
to PRIDE. There is also reason to look at possibly returning
to UFC against the winner of the Sakurai vs. Hughes scheduled
for March (given that this match stays in tact).
Another
rumor involving the exchange of PRIDE & UFC fighters conists
of a potential match between Igor Vovchanchin vs. Pedro Rizzo
at UFC 36. On paper, this is a most interesting fight of two
rugged stand up warriors, with many experts giving the slight
edge to Rizzo. According to some inside sources, PRIDE does not
hold fighters to exclusive deals and thus, Igor will get his
shot in the U.S. Visa problems kept him from appearing in the
UFC a couple of years back, but these may be easier to come by
in the current state of affairs.
Other
rumored fights include Pat Miletich vs. Matt Lindland, with MIletich
debuting in the 185 lb. Middleweight class, and Frank Mir vs.
Pete Williams in the Heavyweight class. Of course the long awaited
debut of Hayato "Mach" Sakurai who officially signed
this week, taking on Matt Hughes and Tito Ortiz versus Vitor
Belfort in their long awaited battle, and UFC 36 is looking like
something special!
Source: Abu Dhabi |
Quote
of the Day
"Our limitations and success will be based, most often,
on your own expectations for ourselves. What the mind dwells
upon, the body acts upon."
Denis Waitley, 1933-,
American Author, Speaker, Trainer, Peak Performance Expert |
UFC
35 Results
Friday, January
11
Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut.
FIGHT CARD:
Lightweight
Championship Title:
Jens Pulver (Champion) vs BJ Penn (Challenger):
Pulver wins Judges Decision
A
very tough fight with the momentum going back and forth. Jens
showed why he is the champ by staying very calm and conserving
his energy and scoring in every round. The way I saw it was
R1: Pulver by a very slim margin, possibly Penn. I would have
to watch it one more time.
R2: Penn dominated the ground and almost finished the fight with
an armbar that Pulver seemed to tap, but it was just after the
bell.
R3: Pulver won the round with his standup.
R4: Pulver, again with his stand up.
R5: Pulver. BJ seemed tired, but showed his huge heart by sticking
it out, taking some decent shots and kept his composure.
BJ showed that not only he can hang with the best in the world,
but showed a huge heart and that he can last 5 rounds. Penn also
had a good strategy and hopefully can fight his way back to another
title shot. Pulver's experience, stand up skills, and conditioning
won him the fight.
Heavyweight Bout:
Ricco Rodriguez vs Jeff Monson:
Rodriguez wins TKO 3:00 Rd 3
Middleweight Championship Title:
Dave Menne (Champion) vs Murilo Bustamante (Challenger):
Bustamante wins by KO (punch) 0:43 Rd 2
Probably the best fight of the night. Congratulations to Murilo
who is a long time Jiu-Jitsu fighter that is finally getting
some recognition for all his years of hard work. He is an extremely
great guy and incredible teacher. I had the pleasure of training
with him a couple of times when he was in Hawaii and he is very
smooth. I also had the pleasure or displeasure of having my arm
hyperextended by him because of my hard head.
Light Heavyweight Bout: Chuck Liddell vs Amar Suloev:
Liddell wins by Unanimous Judges Dec.
Middleweight Bout: Ricardo Almeida vs Andrei Semenov:
Semenov wins by KO (punch) 2:01 Rd 2
Welterweight Bout: Gil Castillo vs Chris Brennan:
Castillo wins by Judges Dec.
Middleweight Bout: Eugene Jackson vs Keith Rockel:
Jackson wins via Guillotine Rd 2
Light Heavyweight Bout:
Renato Sobral "Babalu" vs Kevin Randleman:
Randleman wins by Judges Dec. |
|
1/11/01 UFC Day! 3:45 PM Update |
Relson
Gracie Academy OPEN Tonight!
Shane just
called and said that he is teaching class.
|
Quote
of the Day
"The world is filled with willing people; some willing to
work, the rest willing to let them."
Robert Frost
|
UFC
35 Weigh-Ins Go Off Without A Hitch
By Loretta Hunt
The
UFC held their official weigh-ins last night at the Mystic Marriott
Hotel in Groton, Connecticut. There was no autograph session
or local radio station to cover the event or beautiful female
celebrities conducting raffles. It was just the fighters and
the scale, but that was enough for a few fans that still came
out to observe the proceedings. Although this weigh-in was not
as big a production as the last two events held in Las Vegas,
the attendance list still read like a book of MMA's who's who.
Mark Coleman was there, as well as John Lewis and Vitor Belfort
to name a few. This was the first time the public and the press
were able to see all of the competitors in one room together
as Zuffa chose to bypass their usual day-before press conference
in favor of a "rolling press conference" that visited
numerous East Coast states throughout the week.
There
were no surprises today and every fighter made his designated
weight. As each fighter stepped onto the stage and then onto
the scale, their entourages looked on and clapped when the numbers
were announced by Bruce Buffer.
The
first to make their way up to the stage were BJ Penn and Jens
Pulver. Penn weighed in at 153 pounds, Pulver at 152 pounds.
Both men and their training camps made it a point to stay at
opposite ends of the room and when they were finished, they both
seemed to immediately slip out of the room or at least out of
the spotlight. Both fighters were sober and determined. This
was as tense and dramatic as the evening got as the rest of the
weigh-ins seemed to run like a roll call.
Ricco
Rodriguez was up at the platform next with his opponent Jeff
Monson not far behind him. Ricco weighed in at 239 and a quarter
pounds and Monson was 229 pounds.
Next
to the stage were Chuck Liddell and his opponent Amar Suloev.
As Chuck stepped onto the scale, he removed his T-shirt to reveal
incredibly chiseled abs. Tito Ortiz hooted from the crowd "Holy
abs Batman!" and the crowd laughed. There was no denying
that Chuck looked much improved from his last appearance in UFC
33. Liddell weighed in at 205 pounds and Suloev at 197 and a
half pounds.
Newlywed
Ricardo Almeida, sporting a new red hairdo, was next to step
on the scale. He was 185 pounds and his opponent Andrei Semenov
rested also at 185 pounds.
Dave
Menne made his weight at 183 and a half pounds. His adversary
Murilo Bustamante weighed in at 182 and three-quarter pounds,
getting a small reaction from a crowd that knew he was dropping
almost twenty pounds from his last UFC appearance to fight one
weight-class down at middleweight.
Kevin
Randleman made his return to the scale coming in at 204 pounds
and blew kisses to the audience as he stepped off. His opponent
Renato "Babalu" Sobral made weight at 203 and a half
pounds, looking well conditioned.
Gil
Castillo and Chris Brennan were next. Castillo was 170 pounds
while Brennan came in at 169 pounds.
Eugene
Jackson and his adversary Keith Rockel were the final pair to
weigh-in. Jackson was 185 pounds and newcomer Rockel made it
at 184 pounds.
As
each man made his way back to his camp sitting in the audience,
UFC president Dana White told the competitors to grab some food
that was waiting for them in the adjoining room and then to come
right back to begin the rules meeting. Joe Silva began the meeting
by thanking the fighters for coming in such great shape. He also
asked that they give one thing of themselves and that thing was
the best they had to offer in the Octagon. The rules meeting
went off without a hitch. With business out of the way, the room
quickly cleared out as the fighters went off to enjoy their last
night before they will have square off in the Octagon at the
Mohegan Sun Arena for UFC 35.
Check
out the FCF Website for an interview with the Wolf, Eugene Jackson.
Fight
Card:
UFC
LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Jens Pulver vs. BJ Penn
UFC
MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Dave Menne vs. Murilo Bustamante
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT
Chuck Liddell vs. Amar Suloev
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT
Ranato Sobral vs. Kevin Randleman
HEAVYWEIGHT
FIGHT
Ricco Rodriguez vs. Jeff Monson
MIDDLEWEIGHT
FIGHT
Ricardo Almeida vs. Andrei Semenov
WELTERWEIGHT
FIGHT
Chris Brennan vs. Gil Castillo
MIDDLEWEIGHT
FIGHT
Eugene Jackson vs. Keith Rockel
Source:
FCF
Website
|
Penn
vs. Pulver
UFC 35 Tonight
UFC 35: Tonite
is the Nite!
The
UFC 35 'THROWDOWN' marks a historic event in the evolving history
of the UFC. For the first time ever, the "little guys"
will headline a UFC pay-per-view, as UFC has reserved the MAIN
EVENT slot for the Lightweight Championship bout between Jens
Pulver and rising challenger BJ Penn.
In
the sport of boxing, it's usually the heavyweights that get the
glory and the world of MMA has been no different. Although boxing
has a history of MAIN EVENTS among the lighter weights, but it
is the heavyweights that still retain the crossover appeal to
main stream fans. Now UFC headlines with the little guys, , breaking
the mold in MMA - a sure sign that the ZUFFA folks feel they
have something special in L'il Evil and The Protege!
When
BJ Penn faces the Jens Pulver this weekend, one thing is certain
- both will stop at nothing to get the UFC gold! Both had the
following to say regarding the "headliner" fight this
weekend!
Penn:
UFC: What are your thoughts on Jens Pulver as an opponent?
PENN: He is the champ and finds a way to win.
UFC:
Which of his skills do you respect the most?
PENN: I respect his ability to prepare so I will be prepared
myself.
UFC:
Will you do anything special in training to prepare for him?
PENN: No not really, I will still train in everything like all
my fights.
UFC:
What do you think is the key to defeating Pulver?
PENN: I am going to push him and make him fight. I will not let
him dictate the fight. This is my fight and I will decide where
and when it will take place, whether it will be standing or on
the ground.
UFC:
Jens has an edge on you in experience. Do you think that matters?
PENN: Yes it does matter, but I will be ready for a long fight.
I am ready for him.
PULVER:
UFC:
What are your thoughts on your opponent?
PULVER: Well, I would be lying if I said he wasn't dangerous.
He has many tools and is well rounded in this game. Also, I think
he enjoys it a little more than most. BJ is a class act and has
both my respect and admiration.
UFC:
What do you think is his biggest weapon?
PULVER: He can do it all when it comes to being a complete fighter.
UFC:
Do you want to stand up with him, or go to the ground?
PULVER: I don't ever want to go to the ground. I always want
to stand. That is why you don't see me shooting in on the legs
and going for the takedowns. I know how to wrestle. I just choose
to stand instead. I plan on standing as long as I can defend
the takedown.
UFC:
What do you think is the key to defeating him?
PULVER: He hasn't been pushed or hit the way I will blast him.
He cannot bully me around, and I will not back up. I can beat
him at his own game because I am confident in my ability to dictate
the pace of the fight. We will see if I am right come Jan 11th
UFC
35
Oceanic InDemand Pay-per-view
Channel 76
Pre-fight 4:30 pm
Fights start at 5:00 pm
Also available on digital cable and satelitte systems.
Source: Abu Dhabi |
UFC
Tale of the Tape
Zuffa
Sports Entertainment presents “UFC 35: Throw Down”
on Friday, January 11, 2002, at the Mohegan Sun in Unicasville,
CT.
For
the first time in UFC history, the lightweights take center stage,
as the main event features UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver
defending his title against the number one contender, BJ Penn.
This is the second time Pulver puts his belt on the line.
In
the second title fight of the night, the UFC Middleweight Champion
Dave Menne defends his title against Murilo Bustamante. This
is Menne’s first title defense since winning the title last
September.
Six
additional fights complete this card.
The
official weigh-ins took place this afternoon. Every fighter made
weight! Here is the Tale of the Tape. . .
Keith
Rockel Eugene Jackson
6’0
5'8
184.0
lbs. 185.0 lbs.
Lancaster,
MA East Palo Alto, CA
0-0-0
2-3-0
2-0-0
8-4-0
Chris
Brennan Gil Castillo
5’8
5'9
169.0
lbs. 170.0 lbs.
Mission
Viejo, CA Concord, CA
1-1-0
0-1-0
11-4-1
16-1-0
Ranato
"Babalu" Sobral da Cunha Kevin Randleman
6'1
5'10
203.5
lbs. 204.0 lbs.
Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil Sandusky, OH
1-0-0
3-3-0
9-0-0
9-5-0
Ricardo
Almeida Andrei Semenov
6'0 6'0
185.0
lbs. 183.0 lbs.
Manhattan,
NY St. Petersburg, Russia
1-1-0
0-0-0
3-1-0
20-2-0
Chuck
Liddell Amar Suloev
6'2
5'9
205.0
lbs. 197.5 lbs.
San
Luis Obispo, CA. St. Petersburg, Russia
5-1-0
0-0-0
8-1-0
36-4-0
Dave
Menne Murilo Bustamante
5'10
6'1
183.5
lbs. 182.75 lbs.
Forest
Lake, MN Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
2-0-0
1-1-0
35-3-1
9-1-1
Ricco
Rodriguez Jeff Monson
6'3
5’9”
239.25
lbs. 229.0 lbs.
Las
Vegas, NV Olympia, WA
2-0-0
1-1-0
7-1-0
6-3-0
Jens
Pulver BJ Penn
5'7
5'9
153.25
lbs. 153.0 lbs.
Davenport,
Iowa Hilo, HI
5-0-1
3-0-0
20-2-1
4-0-0
Source: Abu Dhabi |
BJ
Penn: More Than a 'Little Evil'?
by Josh Gross of Maxfighting.com
Prodigies come
in many forms. Whether they deliver an exquisite work of art,
a flowing musical masterpiece, a high-flying dunk from the top
of the key or a perfectly timed knee to the jaw, their natural
ability shines above all others. Is BJ Penn a prodigy? Well,
if you pay attention to what those close to Penn have to say
and watch the way he goes about things inside the Octagon, it
sure seems that way.
Yet, talent
means little if there is no hard work to accompany it, and for
the first 15 or so years of Penn's life he lacked that discipline.
"Before, I didn't want anything to do with this kind of
stuff," Penn, who began training Brazilian jiu-jitsu as
a favor to his father, said. "I was just hanging around
doing nothing and some guy that lived down the road from my house,
he was a white belt (in jiu-jitsu), and he kept trying to force
me to wrestle with him. My dad was like 'you know what, just
go down and wrestle with him. This guy won't leave me alone.'
So I went down and the guy tapped me out."
It was the awakening
Penn needed, and at the urging of his father he left Hilo, Hawaii
to get away from the distraction of everyday Island life. To
this day "I end up slacking too much when I'm down there,"
admits Penn. Hilo is still his home, but it was his time with
Ralph Gracie, and his current home before fights in San Jose,
California's American Kickboxing Academy, which has allowed Penn
the chance to flourish in such a short amount of time.
Training under
the guidance of Javier Mendez, along with trading sparring sessions
with the likes of Frank Shamrock, "Crazy" Bob Cook
and many others, Penn's limitless talent was given the boost
it needed.
His rise, in
both the jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts world, has been swift.
One gets the impression that Penn likes doing things at warp
speed -- rather strange for a laid-back kid from wind-swept Hilo.
Why the contrast? "In Hawaii," says Penn, "it's
kind of laid back and aggressive. It's both ways, and so I guess
I take the techniques that way. I take the technique for what
it is, don't try and change it. I'm just laid back about that
and real aggressive when it comes to fighting."
The past six
months saw an ultra-aggressive Penn go 3-0 in the UFC. His record,
the way he's won and the fighters he's crushed resulted in a
number-two world ranking at 155 pounds and a shot at the UFC
lightweight title against number-one ranked Jens Pulver at the
Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT on January 11. As a testament
to just how impressive Penn has been, odds makers have him as
a 3-1 favorite.
If it all this
seems too perfect, you'd be right. Penn didn't just stumble upon
the fact he could throw down. No, he'd been doing it his whole
life. "I was always the smallest guy," says the now
five-foot-nine-inch Penn, "and I'd always fight anybody
all the time. I don't know if I had something to prove or what
it was, but I'd fight anybody. When I was 14, 15 I'd fight people
that were 25 and stuff. I didn't always win, but I was always
down to get in trouble. I'd always get in mischief and stuff
growing up."
So, you see,
Penn's father didn't send his kid packing to perfect a craft.
He sent his youngest son away to leave behind the perils and
temptations of home. And now he's participating in the pinnacle
of his game on its highest stage "that's gonna make history."
"I'm ecstatic
about it," said Penn when asked about fighting in the first
lightweight headline bout in UFC history. "I feel like I'm
pulling that fight a lot. I don't know if Jens would get the
main event if he were fighting someone else, who knows? I'm real
excited and happy with the position I'm in."
One thing that
could quickly damper his excitement is the possibility of losing
to a champion many people aren't giving much respect to. Penn,
a hate-losing-more-than-like-winning-type-of-guy, traces his
disdain for failing back to his soccer playing days, when he
was part of a state championship team. Take away the team aspect
and replace it with the strictly individual rewards and pains
associated with winning and losing in MMA, and another reason
for his success emerges.
"I remember
when I experienced my first loss in jiu-jitsu, or even when I
lost as a blue belt in the World Championships -- I just hate
losing," he says. "Winning just means your life goes
on as normal, it doesn't make it any better or anything -- but
losing sucks."
"I always
hear people saying 'winning's not everything, it's the only thing.
' Of course, I heard that type of stuff my whole life and I just
kind of enforced it on myself. I never want to lose and I'm going
to do everything within my power, unless I'm unconscious, to
not lose."
He's yet to
taste the bitter pill of defeat in MMA, but admits, "I'm
not invincible, or gonna to pretend to be invincible. That's
why I have to stay at the top of my game. Like that one saying:
'The true make of a professional is consistently performing at
a higher level' and that's what I 'm going to try and do all
the time."
Penn knows he
must be at his "highest level" to defeat Pulver. "There's
a reason why he's a champion," said Penn about Pulver. "I
don't know if skill-wise he's the best fighter out there, but
there is a reason he's the champion. He's tough mentally, but
I'm prepared to do whatever he wants to do."
While Penn expects
a "dangerous guy" to stand across the Octagon from
him on Friday, he's more than confident in his abilities to impose
his will during the fight -- something Pulver is usually responsible
for. Says Penn: "If he wants to stand up, ok. If he wants
to fight on the ground, ok. If he wants to fight in the clinch,
ok. If he wants to fight in the first round or the fifth round,
ok. If the wants to play mind games, ok. Whatever he wants to
do, we're going to do that. I'm not going to back away from him
in any areas. I'm going to take all areas away from him.
"This is
my fight. I'm going to push it. I'm going to decide where it
goes. On the feet I'm going to back him up. If I take a shot
I'm going to take him down. This is my fight. That's how I'm
looking at it. Whatever I want to do in the fight I'm going to
impose my will."
It's tough to
impose one's will if they're lying unconscious flat on their
back, and Pulver has, at the very least, a puncher's chance.
So what happens if the champ connects one of his hammer-like
left hands to Penn's untested chin? "I'm just expecting
to feel a punch," said an unfazed Penn -- we'll see if he
takes punches as nonchalantly as he does questions. Chances are
we'll find the answer to that on fight night, but Penn isn't
so sure that Pulver's left is all it's cracked up to be.
"I mean,
he knocked out John (Lewis), but John underestimated his skills,"
says Penn. "That's the only guy he's ever knocked out in
the UFC. I'm not going to go around saying Jens is Mike Tyson.
I'm not going to go around saying that he doesn't hit soft. I
mean I'm sure he hits hard, especially with those gloves. You
get hit with those gloves, you're gonna feel it. Who knows, I
might go down I might not, but I'm not going to go around saying
he's the most powerful puncher in the division, or around."
He may not want
to say it, but he must respect it or the fight could be very
short. By the same token, Penn has shown a knack for finishing
opponents via strikes -- a TKO of Joey Gilbert at UFC 31, KO
of Din Thomas at UFC 32 and KO of Caol Uno at UFC 34 -- and has
earned a reputation as quite a hard puncher in his own right.
Does he feel he throws the heaviest leather in the division?
"I don't know," he says. "We're yet to find out
if I am, so I don't know."
For the best
American-born Brazilian jiu-jitsu player to have won three fights
without so much as a sniff of a submission is almost blasphemous,
but don't tell Penn that. "As far as the jiu-jitsu mat,"
says Penn, "I look at it as all technical and fun. But in
the ring, I always put myself right past that barrier where I
would always fight when I was on the street, and just try to
annihilate the person that's standing in front of me."
"I pass
this barrier, you know, when I go to fight," he continued.
"And, I don't really want to say it because I'm a jiu-jitsu
guy, but sometimes submissions are the last thing on my mind.
I just want to hit the guy. Sometimes submissions escape my mind
totally, unless I really need it I'll use it. If not, I'm just
thinking about smashing the guy's face."
For someone
that's claimed using roughly "20 percent" of his game,
it's a scary thought, particularly for Pulver, considering the
competition Penn's mowed through. His knockouts of Thomas and
Uno were telling because they are common opponents. Pulver lost
to Thomas via submission and was pushed to the brink by Uno at
UFC 30 -- those results have been cause enough for some to pick
Penn and could be a concern if the champion lets it get in his
head.
However, trying
to deduce what's going to happen in a fight by the "fighter
A beat fighter B, fighter B beat fighter C, therefore fighter
A will beat fighter C" equation is far too simplistic.
This main event,
possibly the most worthy headlining bout since Zuffa took over
one year ago, will come down to a battle of wills. It's a game
Penn feels he can, and will win. How will we know when he's done
that? "When I take away every single bit of offense he (Pulver)
has," he said. While Penn is not arrogant enough to guarantee
victory, he believes that "if I'm at my best in a fight
it's going to be very hard to beat me."
Is he more than
a 'Little Evil'? "I can just feel it in my body," says
Penn, "and I know I'm going to do whatever I can (to win)
until I'm unconscious or whatever." |
Bustamante
Murilo Bustamante's
trip to the UFC 35 in Providence. RI turned into a saga of confusion
on Sunday night. The team was supposed to leave Brazil on Sunday
night. The group consisted of Murilo Bustamante and his retinue,
Claudio Coelho, Marcello Andrade, Marcio Pimentel and Luiz Bebeo
Duarte.
Murilo
is accustomed to having a big team to support him during big
events like UFC, since each person has a different function.
Claudio Coelho is the boxing trainer of most of the NHB stars
in Brazil, and critical for Murillo to warm up and stay tuned
in his stand up game. Marcio Pimentel is his physical conditioning
trainer, and Bebeo Duarte and I are his managers.
Due
to problems with the airline tickets, we were not able to fly
from Rio de Janeiro Sunday and Murilo and company had to wait
one more day in Rio. Murilo stated
that never felt so in shape for a fight! He also expressed some
concern about the weather in Providence, where it is around 30F
degrees. We are in full summer in Brazil, with temperatures going
over 100F degrees, so Murilo may have something to complain about
- it may be costly to lose one day to adapt himself to the cold
weather there.
On
Monday Murilo, Bebeo and I flew in, leaving behind coaches Pimentel
and Coelho waited for one more day. Both men did the best they
could, instructing and preparing Murilo with a regimen to hold
him over until they arrive on Tuesday!
Source:
Marcello 'Tetel' Andrade/Abu Dhabi |
Quote
of the Day
"Well done is better than well said."
Benjamin Franklin
|
Ray
Cooper Interview
Ray Cooper... Superbrawl Participant... Ranked 4th in the world
by Professional Shooto Japan... Fierce Opponent. Feared Striker...
Ray
Cooper... Family man. Devoted Christian. Verizon Line Tech for
Military Bases.
"Okay,
so which one of these guys are we having lunch with today, the
fighter or this family man?", I ask. "Both, you idiot,
they're the same guy." answers Doc Choy.
Okay,
so maybe that's not exactly what happened the afternoon before
we met with Ray Cooper and his family. Surprisingly down to earth,
low key, and easy to talk to, Ray and his wife Monica shared
their visions of past and future with Hawaii411 over lunch.
Hawaii411:
How did you get started in mixed martial arts (MMA)?
Ray: I first started helping one of my friends prepare for his
fight and I worked out with him. It was one of the first Futurebrawls.
He asked me if I wanted to try. At first I was hesitant, but
I went, and that’s how I started.
Hawaii411:
When did you first start to realize you could really excel at
this sport?
Ray: I started, not at my weight class (170 lbs) but at 200 and
under, so I fought guys heavier than me, and I could handle myself.
I was the aggressor at that weight, so I could drop weight; I
knew I could be one of the top fighters.
Hawaii411:
When you first started, did you start out wanting to be a champion,
or was it more for recreation?
Ray: When I first started, I never really thought about that.
I just wanted to minister the Gospel and to show everybody what
God has done in my life. One way was to make a shirt, “Jesus
is Lord,” and wear it out into the ring and glorify God.
That was my main reason why I started, and all the other stuff
(success) just started happening.
Hawaii411: You wearing the “Jesus is Lord” shirt was
the start of the name “Jesus is Lord” for your team,
wasn’t it?
Ray: Yeah, unknowingly, that was the start. I never meant it
to be that way, but God just formed it that way.
Hawaii411:
What kind of fighting background do you have?
Ray: I used to play around with boxing. Me and my friend Dane
used to go to the gym during summertime and work out with Al
Silva. That and wrestling (in high school).
Hawaii411:
I heard that “Jesus is Lord” is pretty much a self-taught
team, how does that work with out having an instructor?
Ray: We learn through experience and watching other fighters,
and we pick up on their good points. We help each other out in
the gym. From past fights we remember what and what not to do.
We watch a lot of video. Mostly we rely on God. I believe that
God created the martial arts. Man never conjured up that idea.
I believe that God inspired some guy to fight in combat. I try
to lean on the Lord to reveal what kind of moves and techniques
work best for me.
Hawaii411:
Is it to your advantage that you don’t train in any one
style?
Ray: I believe you have to learn all aspects of the game. In
the beginning you could get by with only jiu-jitsu, but every
two or three years the sport evolves. Now you won’t come
across any fighter that only does jiu-jitsu. They have learned
how to strike and grapple. You have to know how to do each one.
Hawaii411:
What are your strengths in the ring?
Ray: I know my strength is striking, pretty much stand-up, but
I know I can grapple with the best. I like to just stand up and
strike.
Hawaii411:
Who was your toughest opponent so far?
Ray: I would say, Frank Trigg. I fought him in WEF in Georgia.
He was undefeated (22-0). He was the best in his weight class.
Hawaii411:
Who would you like to fight?
Ray: Frank again, someday. I know I will someday our paths will
cross again. There’s the Shooto title. Pretty much whoever
I have to fight to get that title… There’s (Hayato
"Mach") Sakurai, there’s (Tetsuji) Kato, I want
to fight him again. There’s Silva (Anderson Silva, the top
ranked Shooto fighter) too.
Hawaii411:
Fight enthusiasts say that you are very good with your hands,
and have a style that would be well suited for the UFC (Ultimate
Fighting Championships). Is the UFC a goal for you?
Ray: If it comes, it comes, but right now I really want the Shooto
title.
Hawaii411:
Do you have any goals past the Shooto title?
Ray: I just want to fight the best in the world, and be the best
170-pound fighter.
Hawaii411:
Who do you look up to in the fight world?
Ray: Roy Jones, because of he’s just at a different level
(above the rest) in his weight class.
Hawaii411:
Are you afraid that you might seriously injure someone else?
Ray: No, I’m not afraid to hurt anybody. We pray before
our fights for our opponents - that they can continue to fight
the next day.
Hawaii411:
Monica, when Ray first started, did you say to yourself, “What
are you getting into?”
Monica: At first, I didn’t agree with it, just because of
the hours and time it took, but God spoke to me, and I realized
that this was something bigger than just me. A lot of people
are affected, and a lot of people have changed their lives. After
the first fight, I was at peace with it.
Hawaii411:
Monica, do you every get scared that Ray may get injured in one
of his matches?
Monica: No. I know he trains hard. If I knew he wasn’t training
hard and wasn't into what he was doing in the gym, then I would
get concerned. I help make sure that everything, his mind and
body, is ready. If I don’t see that, then I have to (laughs)
get on him to train.
Hawaii411:
Monica, have you ever thought of training?
Monica: No (laughs)
Hawaii411:
As a mother, could you see your kids fighting competitively?
Monica: Yes, I can see them doing it later on, but I want to
make sure that we set a good foundation for them. I want to make
sure that they don’t get hurt. My husband will set a foundation
for them to have opportunities when they're through with fighting,
so that they have integrity. That’s what our lifestyle is
about.
Hawaii411:
Ray, How long do you think you could last as a competitive fighter?
Ray: Maybe ten, fifteen more years. We have this one guy, Steven,
who’s 36 years old and ranked #7 in the world.
Hawaii411:
Is “Jesus is Lord” affiliated with a church, or are
you just Christians who train together?
Ray: “Jesus is Lord” all are part of the same church,
but we are not an organization with the church. You could say
it’s a separate ministry with the blessings of our Pastor.
Hawaii411:
Muhammad Ali, Evander Holyfield, and even Reggie White use sport
as a vehicle to preach religion. Do people have a problem with
the association of your sport with religion, because of the brutal
nature of it?
Ray: Yeah, always... Because this sport is young, people don’t
really see it as a sport yet. They just see it as fighting, as
guys who don’t train and guys off the street who just fight.
Slowly, people are seeing and learning that this is a professional
sport. It’s just like football... It’s very physical,
but it’s a sport.
Hawaii411:
“Jesus is Lord” is known as a real family operation.
How does family add to your training?
Ray: Training takes a lot of time, and if my family can be with
me at training it doesn’t take away from my family time.
The children see our practices, and are always running around.
Hawaii411:
How has the team aspect of “Jesus is Lord” helped you?
Ray: It’s helped in so many ways – building character
as a person, as a father, and a husband. It’s helped me
overcome many fears and doubts.
Hawaii411:
Sometimes there are problems with people learning the Martial
Arts without learning the discipline behind it. Do you think
there is a problem with lack of discipline within the sport?
Ray: I can’t speak for any of the other teams, but I think
there should be less rivalries. You can compete against each
other, but the sport turns bad when there’s fighting outside
of the ring.
Hawaii411:
There is a rumor that “Jesus is Lord” is going through
some changes with some people leaving. Is that true?
Ray: Well, just certain individuals decided to leave. It’s
just a matter of different vision.
Hawaii411:
But the core is still there?
Ray: “Jesus is Lord” is still going strong.
Hawaii411:
Tell us a little about the fight you’re promoting.
Ray: It’s the AFC (Amateur Fighting Competition). It’s
just stand up fighting (no grappling/wrestling). I want to give
an opportunity to amateur fighters. I want to give them a something
to look forward to, a vision, not just in the fighting, but training
to get in shape... just to challenge themselves. They can look
forward to competing instead of just training. A lot of guys
want to get into mixed martial arts, but are not ready to enter
the whole thing, so this is just another avenue into competing.
Hawaii411:
That’s great that you can provide the fighters with another
venue to test their skills. Would you compare it to a Tough man
competition?
Ray: Yeah. They’ll have gloves and headgear. It’ll
be tournament style with two weight divisions, single elimination
with three, one-minute rounds. No kicks, but spinning backhand
is allowed.
Hawaii411:
Is this your first venture into promoting?
Ray: Yes, but I’m getting a lot of help from my brother-in-law
(Brennan Kamaka, promoter of Warrior’s Quest events).
Hawaii411:
Do you think fight promotion may be an avenue for you to take
down the road?
Ray: Maybe, I’m not too sure at this point. I’ll try
this out and see how it goes..
Hawaii411:
How about being a trainer or an instructor?
Ray: Maybe more for my children. I can see myself as an instructor/trainer,
but I want to train my children first.
Hawaii411:
Speaking of your children, do you let them watch the fights?
Ray: We let them watch to a point, but one thing we don't let
them watch is WWF. That stuff is R-rated nowdays with all the
women and language. It's just ridiculous.
Hawaii411:
Where do you want to see mixed martial arts go in Hawaii?
Ray: I want to see it go where boxing is now. This sport is just
as physical if not more physical, and we train just as hard.
I think we should be recognized just as much as them.
Hawaii411:
Why do you think a small state like Hawaii does so well worldwide
in fighting?
Ray: I don’t know, I guess we’re just blessed with
talent. The mixture of cultures just brings out the talent.
Hawaii411:
Mixed martial arts has been slammed by the media for being too
brutal, what do you say to those critics?
Ray: I don’t think it’s brutal. I think boxing is more
brutal because of the amount of blows you take in a fight. You
have to knock the guy out. We have submission, where you can
tap-out.
Hawaii411:
Do you hope to be a mentor for young fighters and show them that
you can be religious, be a gentleman, and still be a great fighter?
Ray: I want to get across to the local boys that we aren’t
limited because we’re on an island, and we have to think
more highly of ourselves because we can compete with the best
in the world. Trust in God first and follow your dreams. Things
will work out.
Hawaii411:
Is there anything else you want Hawaii to know?
Ray: It’s the same thing I always say, ‘Trust in God
and get to know Jesus Christ.’
411
Conclusion: Ray and Monica Cooper - Two words: Super People.
They not only talk the talk, but walk the walk when it comes
to fair play, sportsmanship, morals and values. At a time when
the TV and Sports Arenas are full of monstrous egos, rampant
substance and wife abusers, trashy talk and trashier women, the
Coopers are a much needed breath of fresh air. Hawaii needs more
representation like Ray - He's cool, he's calm, he chooses his
words carefully and doesn't shoot his mouth off... And most importantly,
he's out there trying to do good things for his community, his
sport, and his church. Hawaii411 gives a 411 salute to Bradda
Ray Cooper, an extraordinarily positive local role model.
Source:
www.hawaii411.com |
FCF
Fighter Rankings
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heavyweight (205-264.9 lbs)
#1:
Randy Couture
#2:
Rodrigo Nogueira
#3:
Josh Barnett
#4:
Mark Coleman
#5:
Pedro Rizzo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Light Heavyweight (185-204.9 lbs)
#1:
Tito Ortiz
#2:
Vanderlei Silva
#3:
Dan Henderson
#4:
Chuck Liddell
#5:
Kazushi Sakuraba
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Middleweight (170-184.9 lbs)
#1:
Dave Menne
#2:
Matt Lindland
#3:
Paulo Filho
#4:
Ikuhisa Minowa
#5:
Murilo Bustamante [new entry into weight class]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Welterweight (155-169.9 lbs)
#1:
Matt Hughes
#2:
Carlos Newton
#3:
Hayato Sakurai
#4:
Pat Miletich
#5:
Anderson Silva
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lightweight (145-154.9 lbs)
#1:
Jens Pulver
#2:
BJ Penn
#3:
Takanori Gomi
#4:
Caol Uno
#5:
Din Thomas
Source: FCF
Website |
Quote
of the Day
"Well done is better than well said."
Benjamin Franklin
|
WFA
WFA FIRST MIDDLEWEIGHT BELT UP FOR GRABS
JHUN AND ANDRE RETURN TO FINISH BUSINESS...
February
2nd is destined to be a night of mixed martial arts magic as
the World Fighting Alliance makes it return to Las Vegas. The
WFA's second installment promises to top its first with even
more electrifying sights and sounds, and fans are invited to
go "where the fight club meets the night club" –
this time at the beautiful Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino's 8,000
seat Events Center. At the heart of the excitement are seven
of the sport's most anticipated match-ups, including the WFA's
very first title fight of the year.
Ron
"The Machine Gun" Jhun and Jermaine "Bamm-Bamm" Andre
make their way back to the cage after a fierce encounter at the
previous show. From the moment these warriors first clashed,
it was a non-stop exchange of fists and knees. Andre was able
to come away with the win via referee stoppage – a stoppage
some say was premature, and left the fans screaming for more.
To put the controversy to rest, the WFA will bring these two
warriors together once again. This time, though, the victor will
walk away with WFA Middleweight Championship belt around his
waist.
A
devastating striker, Bamm-Bamm is out to prove the first time
was no fluke. Is he happy with the win he earned from their previous
fight? "I wasn't done! I wasn't yelling to the referee,
'Hey, come stop the fight.' I was just getting started!"
Though respectful of his opponent's skills, he is eager to give
it another go with the aggressive Machine Gun. "There are
reasons for having the rematch. Like I said, I wasn't done. And
Ronald's a tough guy. I don't mind re-matching him. I don't mind
giving him another chance."
The
Machine Gun had this to say of their last battle: "I felt
is was a bad call, but I'm not going to take anything away from
Jermaine. He's a tough fighter. I felt like I did what I trained
to do. There was a moment where I might have hesitated too long
but... I guess we're going to have to find out on February 2nd!"
With an MMA record of 22-5 and a reputation for rapid-fire punching,
this Hawaiian native promises not to disappoint.
Whatever
the outcome may be, this match-up is sure to entertain. Don't
miss out on the action. Tickets for this event are already on
sale and can be purchased through the Mandalay Bay website (www.mandalaybay.com), Mandalay Bay's Box
office (702-632-7580), and through all TicketMaster locations
(Ticketmaster WFA 2 Purchase Page). Ticket prices range from
$30, $50, $65, and $100. Fans will also have the opportunity
to enjoy the show ringside via $1000 VIP couch seating (5 seats
per couch). Visit the WFA's official web site for exclusive interviews
and bio information on the entire card. (The World Fighting Alliance
website)
Fore
more event information, please contact:
Paula
Romero, WFA Event Coordinator promero1@nyc.rr.com |
A
Talk with UFC Lightweight Champion Tito Ortiz -- Pt. 1
UFC 35
January 11th
Oceanic Cable Pay-Per-View Channel 76
Pre-Fight 4:30 pm
Fights start at 5:00 pm, Replay 8:00 pm
NEW YORK, Jan.
7 -- It had only been six months since I had interviewed Tito
Ortiz last. That was on what turned out to be the last "No
Holds Barred" show before eYada.com closed down, and before
UFC had run its first show in Las Vegas. Tito mentioned that
it had been a long time since we had done this, and he was right
in terms of how much the
world had changed since then, both for UFC and post-Sept. 11
American and New York. Time, after all, can be very relative.
The UFC light-heavyweight
champion was in town for a UFC meet-and-greet to promote Friday's
UFC 35. While Tito is not fighting on this card, his visit to
the Hooters restaurant in the unlikely location of midtown Manhattan
brought out about 20 souls on an evening that saw some light
snow with falling, brisk temperatures. They walked away with
some UFC goodies, got to talk and take photos with Tito and UFC
president Dana White, sample the Hooters menu, and mingle with
the friendly Hooters waitresses. Whatever order those perks may
have played in bringing them out, most of this small, dedicated
bunch did seem satisfied.
"It's nice
to be in New York, and it's cold as hell out here," said
the Huntington Beach fighter. "But, being a West Coast guy,
I got to get in touch with this coldness once in awhile."
Not having to
fight on this show has afforded Tito the opportunity to rest
after a hectic year that saw him headline four of five shows
between Dec. 2000 and Sept. 2001. "I finally got the show
off for once, after I fought the last three of them, I believe."
And he had special reason for needing that rest. "I had
a little injury before I fought Matyushenko in UFC 33. I had
stress fractures to my left foot. So now that it's healed, it's
time for me to get back to work, and get ready for Vitor Belfort.
That will be UFC 36 at the MGM in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March
22."
Despite his
injured foot, Tito was satisfied with his sometimes criticized
performance at UFC 33 against Matyushenko, a silver medalist
in the 1994 European freestyle wrestling championships for his
native country of Belarus, a former IFC heavyweight champion,
and a two-time junior college heavyweight wrestling champion
for Lassen Community College in California.
"I think
I was just trying to keep it safe," Tito said. "I had
a lot of explosion, a lot. I was taking a world class wrestler
down at will, it seemed like. He took the fight on a two-week
notice. He was training to fight Randleman. I was training to
fight Vitor Belfort. I was training to fight a southpaw. And
it turned my whole game around. In about a week and a half I
had to turn around and get Matyushenko's tapes and start watching
his fights, just trying to learning as much as I possibly could
in a week and a half."
Matyushenko,
Tito recalled, "had a lot of stuff I didn't really see before.
It was some of the wrestling, and some of the punches he threw.
I wasn't really ready for that because I was sparring with a
lot of southpaw guys."
Still, Tito
prevailed. "But I pulled off a win and I dominated the whole
time. I don't think he took me down one time at all. I took him
down in every round and I won by domination. Usually I win by
just punishing and taking a guy out within two rounds. But Matyushenko's
a tough guy and he hung through and it was a good fight. And
I was just happy that I dominated the way I did."
Now that his
fight with Vitor is rescheduled for March, the inevitable question
arises as to which Vitor will show up against Tito: the aggressive
punching machine of old, or the cautious and sometimes overly
hesitant ground fighters of his recent Pride bouts. Vitor maintains
that he will return to his old form of an explosive puncher.
Tito, though, is not
that impressed.
"I think
this is his last fight that he's going to have," Tito predicted.
"I heard that he was going to become an actor in Brazil,
and he wanted to do soap operas. A chance for me to tell him
right now: I think he could stay on and doing the acting deal,
because after my fight, he's going to be doing horror films,
that's for sure, after I get done with him. I'm
going to take him out. Hopefully I'll take him out between two
to three rounds. That's what I want to do. Take him out any time
before three."
Tito does expect
"the old Vitor," but not with the same results as the
old Vitor had. "He's going to come out punching. He's going
to try to take it to me right off the bat. But I break faces
and I break wills and I break hearts, and that's what I'm going
to do to him, that's for sure."
To counter Vitor's
expected opening volley of punches, Tito has been working on
both his hand speed and power. "A lot of the training I
have in Las Vegas," he said, "I've been training with
a lot of professional boxers, a lot of southpaw boxers. Dewey
Cooper, who fought in the K-1, who's a kickboxer, but actually
he's a great boxer." The latest posted ISKA ranking put
him at number 6 in the cruiserweight division. "He's a southpaw
I've been working with a lot," Tito went on. "So his
hand speed is super, super fast. I'm going to be ready for Belfort.
People that weren't ready for Belfort were the ones that got
taken out quick, like you see Tank Abbott and Vanderlei Silva.
Those were the guys that weren't really ready to box a boxer
who was as quick as Belfort. But when I come March 22, I'll be
ready for Vitor Belfort, that's for sure."
Tito's confidence
is based on studying Vitor and analyzing his style. And Tito
has also integrated a lot of conventional boxing strategy into
his game plan, which many mixed martial arts fighters have not.
"I watched
Belfort," Tito said, "and how he beats guys is going
straight forward and going bam-bam-bam-bam. He never uses angles
and turning the corner or anything. It's really more of a straight
back-and-forth fight. When he fought Vanderlei Silva, Vanderlei
never moves lateral. He always moves forward or back. That's
the only movement he ever has. That's how I be |