As many of you know, Chris and I are going to Brazil to compete
in the World Championships of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and will probably
have no way of updating our site. We leave tonight and return
on August 6. Rex and Kaleo will cover our Aiea classes so that
should be business as usual. We are trying to put our Full Contact
Fighter interviews on line so you have something to keep you
busy while we are gone. Come back to see if we can get it up
(somehow I think I may have heard that statement before, maybe
not).
Warriors
Quest 7 Date Change
"Tap Out or Knock Out"
Warriors
Quest 7 that was scheduled for Sept 17,2002 has been changed
to Aug 30,2002 at Blaisdell Arena. So fighters that are still
interested please email me warriorsquest1@aol.com. We apologize if we
caused any problems with the date change.
Nogueira-Abe
Ringside Report
Photos and story courtesy of Yoshinori Ihara
SHOOTO
Lightweight Champion Alexandre 'Pequeno' Nogueira was knocked
out by a Hiroyuki Abe left hook, 4:21 of the first round in their
non-title bout last night in Tokyo. 'Pequeno,' who usually flies
to Japan five days before his fight only arrived two days before
this time around, was tired and suffering from jet lag. To make
matters worse, he injured his right knee in training with Dudu
Guimaraes a day before the fight. 'Pequeno' couldn't straighten
his right leg, and couldn't walk normally.
Nogueira
decided to try and keep the fight standing. Abe, the fourth-ranked
SHOOTO lightweight, was fine with that. He'd polished up his
striking skill for this fight because he wanted to avoid 'Pequeno's'
guillotine choke.
'Pequeno'
and Abe fought standing the duration of the contest and it cost
the Brazilian. Said 'Pequeno': "Abe was a great fighter.
I will fight with him again and then bet my belt."
Source:
Maxfighting/Bout Review
SHOOTO
'TREASURE HUNT 02'
July 27th, 2002
Tokyo, Japan - Kitazawa Town Hall
K'z FACTORY
COMPLETE
LINEUP - Subject To Change:
Class
B 2x5 min rds / Lightweight [-65Kg]:
Eiji Murayama v. Masatoshi Kobayashi
Class B 2x5 min rds / Bantamweight [-60Kg]:
Toshiteru Ishii v. Takahisa Toyoshima
Class B 2x5 min rds / Welterweight [-70Kg]:
Takayuki Okouchi v. Hiroki Kotani
Featherweight [-60Kg] 2002 Rookie Tournament Semi-Final:
Hiroki Kita v. Akira Komatsu
Class B 2x5 min rds / Welterweight [-70Kg]:
Yohei Suzuki v. Ken Omatsu
Class B 2x5 min rds / Middleweight [-76Kg]:
Shigetoshi Iwase v. Akira Kikuchi
Class A 3x5 min rds / Featherweight [-60Kg]:
Hiroaki Yoshioka v. Itchaku Murata
Source:
Abu Dhabi
Chuck
says 'Check out my new Website'
Hey Ice Man Fans!
Chuck
Lidell wanted everyone to check out his new web site! The site
address is http://chuckliddell.com/. Chuck will be featured
in the next UFC pay per view coming up on August 16th, 2002.
Lidell headlines against Brazilian Vitor Belfort in a much talked
about match that few have seen!
Also
featured is on the PPV are the following matches from UFC 37.5:
-
Steve Berger vs. Robbie Lawler
- Nick Serra vs. Benji Radach
- Tony Fryklund vs. Rodrigo Ruas
- Pete Spratt vs. Zack Light
- Joao Pierini vs. Yves Edwards
Source:
Abu Dhabi
Chris
Brennan post - KOTC pt. 1
In
this first installment UFC vet and former KOTC champ Chris Brennan
speaks briefly on his present and future as a fighter. Part 2
concentrates on his Next Generation Fight Team.
KM:
You're taking 6 months off as a fighter? What are you doing with
your career right now?
CB: I fought 7 times in 10 months and wanted to take a little
break. I wanted to wait until December or January so I could
take a small break, spend some time at home, train. But my phone,
since everyone found out I'm not fighting in King Of The Cage
anymore my phone has been ringing off the hook. Everyone wants
me to fight. I was able to fight other places before but I don't
think anyone realized that so no-one ever called me to fight
and I wasn't getting any phone calls and maybe 2 weeks before
King Of The Cage when I had made it clear that that was going
to be my last fight there my brother who manages me, his phone
was just blowing up. I'm trying to wait until December but MSC
in Canada is trying to get me to fight there, I'm supposed to
fight in Warrior's
Quest, Shooto
wants me to fight in Japan, so it just depends on what comes
up but I'm going to try to hold everyone off until December.
KM:
Originally I saw on your website you were taking 6 months off
to concentrate on your students. Are they now up in the air?
CB: No, that's my main reason for wanting to take time off. I
have a lot of fighters on my team that need a little extra help
from me and then I have a lot of fighters that don't need the
extra help but I want to give it to them because it'll take them
to the next level. I just want to give as much to them as I can.
KM:
You were saying 7 fights in 1 months, I was only looking at 4
fights in 6 months. Same general topic but that goes back farther,
makes more of a point that you've been fighting so much lately,
you're 31 now?
CB: 30. 31 not until October.
KM:
It seems like you were averaging 2, maybe 3 fights per year and
then recently 4 fights in 6 months or 7 in 10. What is the reason
for stepping it up so much lately?
CB: My training changed. I honestly believe in my heart the only
person that can beat me is me and it just happened again. I started
seeing a sports psychologist, got a physical trainer, I started
training in Big Bear for my fights and running in the mountains
in the altitude and now I feel if you have enough cardio you
can go 100% for as long as you need to go your confidence level
is beyond belief and that's how I've been feeling. This last
fight I had so much going on before the fight with King Of The
Cage, with them stripping me of my belt, making me fight for
another belt, all kinds of crap went on. A lot of BS. They tried
to turn some of it around on me to make them look better but
I don't think it made them look any better. I felt like after
my Joe Hurley I took 7 months off and I came back and felt like
a completely different fighter. I trained properly for my fights,
I was more confident, I was stronger, I felt much more confident,
I was enjoying fighting a lot more so that's why I was fighting
a lot more.
KM:
I didn't see your last KOTC performance, I read your review on
your site-BTW I was really impressed you were so honest about
it on your site, but I was wondering if you went too far with
the amount of fights you've been having lately. If you need to
take some time off not so much as to heal, it seems like you
had trouble focusing on that fight.
CB: That's what it was, it was that. I had one more fight actually, I was
supposed to fight 5 weeks later against Ray Bradda Cooper in
Hawaii and I called him that night and cancelled the fight because
I knew that it had all caught up to me and it was time to take
a small break. Me and Ray are still going to fight and I think
it's going to be an awesome fight, but it definitely was a lot
in a short amount of time and I needed to take a small break.
KM:
I didn't read all the internet gossip. How is your relationship
with Terry now?
CB: I'm finished with KOTC. If they want my fighters to fight
for them…I'm sure they're not going to give us anybody they
think we can beat but I don't think they're even going to have
my guys there now. If they are maybe we'll still fight there.
I definitely will never fight there again. They promised me until
10 minutes before my fight that the cage was coming back to my
school and 10 minutes after my fight told me it was going up
to Ted's school. I like Ted a lot and I like all his guys but
Terry just tried to play the promoter role too many times and
tried to act like he was my friend at the same time. I can see
right through him.
KM:
I remember reading about the cage and KOTC bus outside and thinking
'so what', they'd sill have to drive by the school for you to
make any kind of benefit from that.
CB: No-one ever came to my school and said I stopped by because
I saw the KOTC truck outside your school. When he first put it
in there he said two things: it'll benefit your school-you'll
have a cage inside which is true, and I'll have somewhere free
to store my cage. We can trade like that. I said ok, works for
me. I was going to get a cage either way but perfect because
it was free and he had a place to put it. The second everyone
found out they were taking my cage I had four people offering
me a cage for my school, so I already have one exactly like KOTC's
octagon in my school right now…the Lions Den closed down
and gave me their cage. I have a lot of cages now. I'm not hurting
for a cage anymore.
KM:
'Next Generation and Cages-R-Us, can I help you?' (laugh)
In
part 2 we'll hear more about Chris' experiences in the cage,
his current legal situation with someone else using the name
'Next Generation', and the future of his students including Erica
Montoya, Bao Quach, and Buck.
Source:
Abu Dhabi
Random
Thoughts After UFC 38
It
began simple enough. They asked me to write a weekly column.
I replied, "About what?" Anything, they said. "Anything?"
Anything. "OK." I then found something, at least for
this week, and from there it was just a matter of slapping a
title on the top.
Now
that you're caught up on the storied history of my column, let
me offer a brief overview of what to expect each week. Since
I've been given free reign to jabber on any subject, anticipate
a variety of themes. Living in the junction of the Midwest and
South (in that basketball state), I plan on interviewing fighters
and highlighting shows from these areas. I'll also tackle a few
tough topics, but I'll warn you that controversy gives me a headache.
Other weeks I'll focus on a fighter, whether it's because they're
underrated, overrated, or in Joe Son's case, X-rated.
If
you have someone you think I should interview or an issue I should
discuss, drop me a line. If you just want to chat a little MMA,
shoot me an email. All feedback is welcome, and I assure you
that I'll respond.
Without
further ado, let's get started on this week's subject matter:
random thoughts after UFC 38.
I
wasn't as excited about this UFC as usual. Don't get me wrong,
I counted the days, struggled through the final hours and even
rallied my friends into the car while proclaiming, "We're
gonna be late for the countdown show!" The lineup for UFC
38 simply didn't intrigue me as much as recent efforts by Zuffa.
No big deal. Still plenty to look forward to, like the Octagon
gracing Royal Albert Hall and a hungry British fan base swallowing
up the live action (and they did), the UFC debut of Genki Sudo
and the rematch: Hughes-Newton II.
So,
I headed to down the road to watch the show with my dad (casual
fan and Karate student back in the day). When it was over, I
agreed with him and my friends; it was another solid night of
fights. I hopped back in the car and drove home, reflecting on
the event to anyone who'd listen. Not sure if anyone was, but
luckily I've held on to those thoughts and now they fill my very
first column. (They've been edited in spots, added to in others
and have changed considerably overall. In fact they hardly mirror
anything I was thinking while driving home.)
THE
REMATCH
Did
you know that Matt Hughes was seriously contemplating retirement
prior to his first bout against Carlos Newton? I was interviewing
Matt for a pre-fight story and had asked him about his future
when he surprised me. "If I lose this fight and lose another
UFC fight, then maybe it's time for me to find something else
to do," he said. "I've been toying with the idea of
finding a career I could do the rest of my life. Fighting is
nothing that a guy in his 40's can do."
Keep
in mind that Hughes had been rebuilding his name on the grass-roots
circuit after suffering disappointing back-to-back losses to
Dennis Hallman and Pele. He begrudged the prospect of another
loss and subsequent rebuilding phase. I won't jump on either
side of the controversy surrounding his victory in the first
match, but Hughes couldn't have come closer to defeat that night
in Las Vegas.
Would
he have really called it quits or was he just blowing smoke?
Well, like he said, it may have taken an additional loss in the
UFC to force him into retirement, though I don't doubt for a
second that he was genuinely thinking of moving on. Either way,
a loss would have thrust him in a different direction, with a
different outlook on the sport.
When
that last-ditch slam bounced Newton's head off the mat and Hughes
won, everything changed. He went from considering an exit from
the sport to straddling the top of the Octagon as the welterweight
champion, from fight-by-fight paychecks to a comfortable contract.
He now fights every few months instead of every few weeks and,
perhaps most importantly, he can choose his own entrance music.
The welterweight class should have gotten rid of him when they
could.
Hughes'
win last Saturday in his rematch against Newton couldn't have
been much more convincing. It was a competitive bout, but Hughes
controlled throughout, save for Newton's early armbar attempt
and a brief period that Newton had Hughes' back. Some have criticized
Hughes for being boring, for simply overpowering the opposition.
I'll be the first to say that I'm not a huge advocate of ground-and-pound.
But folks, Matt Hughes didn't just sit in Newton's guard and
peck away. He passed numerous times and put on an absolute clinic
from side control. Newton is as explosive on the mat as anyone
in the sport and never has his game been so nullified. Hughes
stranded him on his back, tied him up and beat on him like Newton
was his little brother.
If
that same Matt Hughes shows up in every title defense, he'll
be the welterweight champion for a long, long time.
LESSON
LEARNED?
I
talked with Frank Mir before each of his first two bouts in the
UFC and I can honestly say he was as humble and intelligent as
any fighter with whom I 've spoken. When reports first started
spreading that he was taking Ian Freeman lightly and was overconfident,
I didn't believe them. I understood how such a thing could happen,
but I didn't think Frank would make such a silly mistake. He
did.
As
I watched the match, my impression was that Frank had planned
on showing everyone that he could strike by tossing out a few
kicks and punches, and then he would simply take Freeman down
and submit him. When he came out flinging high kicks, I could
almost hear him saying, "Check this out, guys!"
Freeman
had a different plan, and when he landed that first uppercut,
Mir's world turned upside down. The youngster was reeling for
the rest of round, likely fighting on instinct and still aggressively
pursuing a multitude of submissions. He couldn't finish Freeman,
however, and was pummeled in defeat.
Ricardo
Pires, Mir's trainer, later confirmed the rumors. "Frank
made a huge mistake," Pires said. "He did not train
for this fight. Not at all. He took the fight lightly."
Freeman
did the opposite. He immersed himself into a world-class atmosphere
at AMC-Pankration and looked better than ever in the Octagon.
I'd
say Frank is as humble as any fighter in the sport again now;
he just wasn't last week in London. Where he goes from here could
make his career. This is not a case of a young fighter being
hyped without the skills to back it up. Mir is for real. He'll
need to learn from the blunder, tuck it under his belt and jump
back in the Octagon. That's easier said than done, but I don't
think we've seen the last of Frank Mir.
THE
SAKURABA OF THE LIGHTWEIGHT CLASS
Genki
Sudo brings a flair to the ring that rivals any personality in
the sport. He's an explosive submission fighter like fellow lightweight
Rumina Sato and a showman like countryman Kazushi Sakuraba. His
style is a confluence of entertainment, athleticism and honed
skills.
He
delivered in his UFC debut, but if you haven't seen his October
2000 match in Pancrase against Craig Oxley, you haven't seen
Genki Sudo at his best. While sitting in Oxley's guard, Sudo
wrapped his arms around his opponent's ankles, plucked him up
into the air, spun the unfortunate foe for three dizzying revolutions
and fell directly into an ankle lock that finished the fight.
Never seen Sakuraba do that.
THE
KING SINGIN' THE (BLACK AND) BLUES
Elvis
Sinosic is a great guy. He is such a fixture in the online-MMA
community that it's easier to see him as one of "us"
rather than the fighter tangling in the Octagon with Tito Ortiz
or the man stuck on the bottom and eating elbows from Evan Tanner.
However, his affability couldn't contain his secret: The King
is terribly susceptible to ground-and-pound.
When
Babalu was announced as his opponent for UFC 38, my immediate
feeling was that we were in for a replay. Still, you just can't
help but root for one of your own. That's why I ducked my head
when the camera panned Octagon-side to show Ian Freeman receiving
congratulations after demolishing Frank Mir. Easygoing Elvis
was there to shake Freeman's hand, and though the King's fight
was a prelim and had not yet aired on the pay-per-view, his black-and-blue
mug spoiled the result: Mean ole Babalu had grounded-and-pounded.
The fight was shown later and confirmed the method of defeat.
Elvis
could use a few fights in smaller shows. He showed incredible
heart in the loss to Babalu but also displayed substantial deficits.
It's tough to be disadvantaged in multiple categories, and Elvis
starts off overmatched in the strength column in almost every
match. Combine that with the inability to stop takedowns and
only a decent game on the feet, and you get three straight losses.
A few fights against lesser opponents will sharpen his game and
give him some room to improve. Trust me, fans will cheer the
King wherever he goes.
SOME
OTHER THOUGHTS
Eugene
Jackson certainly wasn't expecting a right hand on the other
side of that go-go Gadget hook kick, was he? We didn't learn
much about Mark Weir other than he's lanky and a threat on the
feet. We didn't see his sprawl, his guard, his work in the clinch,
or much of anything really. Does that mean we shouldn't push
some Brits over and jump on the bandwagon? Well, do that at your
own risk, but other fights have proven that Weir is more than
just a striker. He has wins over CJ Fernandes and Ben Earwood
-- two bona fide grapplers who can put people on their back.
Weir will be an interesting addition to the UFC middleweight
class.
Evan
Tanner didn't get much play on the pay-per-view, but he took
another small step up the light heavyweight ladder. He's climbing
slowly, but that' s not always a bad thing. Let's hope his next
fight is against a top-notch light heavy and, of course, shown
on the pay-per-view.
The
Miller-Zikic match was my least favorite fight of the night.
I looked forward to seeing Miller's debut, knowing that he was
undefeated and had beaten a few tough opponents. His physique
didn't deter my interest as I suspected he was more of a workhorse
who willed his way through matches rather than a superior athlete.
Zikic was game as well, but the fight turned sloppy early and
developed a lethargic pace that lasted the entire 15 minutes.
I'd rather see Miller as a middleweight.
All
right, I'm sure I made it home by the time I was thinking that
Phil Miller would have looked better at 185, so here's where
the feedback comes in. Email me with your thoughts on the show,
or whatever, and I'll see you next week.
Source:
Maxfighting
MaxFighting's
Pound for Pound MMA Rankings
Ahh...Finally respect
for Murilo! I've been waiting for recognition to my favorite
BJJ based fighter for a while now.
1.
Murilo Bustamante (9-1-1)
Thanks
to Alexandre “Pequeno” Nogueira’s stunning KO
loss on July 19, Busta jumps up to the No. 1 spot. He is the
current UFC middleweight champion, and has wins over Dave Menne
and Matt Lindland in his last two outings. The Brazilian appears
destined to face the winner between Phil Baroni and Menne sometime
in 2003..
2.
Rodrigo Nogueira (15-1-1)
If
there’s a more dominant guard in the heavyweight division,
we’ve yet to see it. Nogueira’s seamless transitions
between submission attempts set him apart from any 205-plus fighter
in the world. His improved stand up striking game under the tutelage
of Muay Thai coach Luis Alves on top of his great groundwork
is reason for “Minotauro’s” dominance as Pride
heavyweight king. Nogueira faces Pancrase star Sanae Kikuta on
Aug. 8 -- he should continue his impressive string of victories.
3.
Matt Hughes (27-3-0)
Hughes’
domination of Carlos Newton on July 13 jumps him up to third
on the Max list. The UFC welterweight champ’s three most
recent victories over Newton (twice) and Hayato “Mach”
Sakurai punctuate a very impressive run for the undisputed top
170-pounder in the world.
4.
Kazushi Sakuraba (13-3-1)
People
like to focus on Saku’s three losses -- Igor Vovchanchyn
and Vanderlei Silva twice -- but his wins are much more note
worthy than losses to much heavier opponents. Plain and simple:
When he faces fighters around his weight (185-175), he’s
damn near unbeatable. Unfortunately for him, his next bout on
Aug. 28 is against a fighter with a good 20 pounds on him: Mirko
“Cro Cop” Filopivic.
5.
Anderson Silva (7-1-0)
Joining
the Max list for the first time, Chute Boxe-trained Silva has
confounded opponents with his lanky 6-foot frame from day one.
Wins over Sakurai and Alex Stiebling highlight his resume. Despite
being SHOOTO 167-pound champ, Silva has fought his last two bouts
over 180 pounds -- defeating heavier opponents both times.
6.
Jens Pulver (25-2-1)
Despite
a decision win over unknown Robert Emerson last month, Pulver
stays at No. 6 on the list. He may not be flashy, but he sure
knows how to get those W’s. Pulver’s next bout comes
against Takehiro Murahama Aug. 8 in Tokyo.
7.
Hayato Sakurai (16-2-2)
Before
his loss to Matt Hughes at UFC 36, he was considered top-3 P4P.
The loss drops him to seven, but that’s not to say he’s
any less skilled or exciting. “Mach” has the potential
to be the best welterweight in the world; he’s competitive
and young enough to rebound from the Hughes’ loss to get
there.
8.
Takanori Gomi (10-0)
Gomi,
the most serious threat to Pulver’s No. 1 ranking at 155,
is often ridiculed for his methodical style of fighting. The
SHOOTO 154-pound champ is the best ground-and-pounder in the
lightweight division. He showed those skills in June with a close
majority decision over Leonardo Santos.
9.
Josh Barnett (27-1-0)
Barnett
makes the list because of his aggressive well-rounded fighting
style, and the fact that he has the best chance to knock off
“Minotauro.” The current UFC heavyweight champ (although
that is tentative pending the results of a hearing with the NSAC)
is mean in the ring, and he’s got the potential to be one
of the best ever.
Sure
it reads like a copout, but the three-headed monster of Ortiz,
Silva, and Liddell is simply impossible to separate. Ortiz beat
Silva in ’99, Silva has been amazingly successful the past
two years, and Liddell has wiped out everyone in front of him.
How could we only put one of these guys on the p-4-p list?
Changes:
Alexandre Nogueira drops off the list (despite previously being
ranked No. 1) because of a shocking KO loss at the hands of Hiroyuki
Abe. The loss was his second in non-title bouts, dropping his
record to 8-2-1. With his defeat of Alex Stiebling at Pride 21,
Anderson Silva jumps into the poll at No. 5. Joining Tito Ortiz,
light heavyweights Vanderlei Silva and Chuck Liddell grace the
rankings for the first time.
Source:
Maxfighting
"MMA
THE BEST Vol.2"
July 20, 2002
Seiya Naitou (A3 Gym) def Ken Orihashi (Free) by decision (2-1)
Yushin Okami (Wa-jyutsu Keishu-kai) def Hidehisa Matusda (U-FILE
CAMP.COM) by KO , 1R 3'52
Jyukei (Terao Dojo) def Joe Son (Joe Son Do) by TKO(referee stop)
,1R 0'54
Koh Soukun (Wa-jyutsu Keishu-kai) def Bob "Terrible"
Schreiber (Hans & Bob gym) by decision (2-1)
Source: Maxfighting
J.G.’s
“It’s-been-a-long-time-without-one” Mail Bag
Compiled and Edited by Josh Gross (July 22, 2002)
I haven’t done one of these in a while, and felt it was
time to give some of you faithful readers a chance to sound off.
The latest edition of the mail bag hits all sorts of topics --
old and new. It also features one of several e-mails that took
me almost two months to reply to. (Sorry.) Just for that, it
gets in the “bag.” From UFC 38 to someone wondering
if we here at MaxFighting smoke dope, this is the latest installment
of J.G.’s mail bag.
HUGHES
THE MAN? IS THERE REALLY A DOUBT?
Although
Matt Hughes is a strong and tough fighter, the UFC rules favor
boring ground and pound wrestlers over technicians and strikers
because of its format. Newton's strategy was flawed against Hughes,
but this is the second time I have seen the clock as a major
factor in fights in the UFC helping Miletich fighters (BJ Penn
had Jens Pulver mounted and finished before a clock blew, and
Hughes fell for a Newton arm and gave up his back before the
round ended). The 5 round, 5 minute format favors wrestlers who
can take down opponents and pound with little chance of reset
when the action slows. This is not a great format to see who
is the best fighter at a respective weight class. Pride does
a much better job of standing fighters up, refereeing in general,
and they have a better round setup.
Pride's
set up of a 10 minute first round and then 5 minute rounds the
rest of the way allows the strategy to differ, where the later
rounds are more to see who has anything left to continue (see
Ricardo Arona vs. Guy Metzger) because the first round is so
furious. The first rounds are consistently good in Pride, because
in 10 minutes there is no room for round stealing. Not that Matt
Hughes steals rounds, but I believe both strategies in the Hughes
and Newton camps would change, and the edge would go to Newton
who wouldn't have to worry as much about a clock taking his chance
to finish a fight away, or of having the hurray his submissions.
Matt
Hughes is the best 170 pound fighter in the world under UFC rules.
I doubt Hughes would have the same success under the Pride rules
which Pele and Anderson Silva would most likely ask for to help
negate Hughes strength advantage. Matt Hughes is incredibly strong
and his wrestling skills are superb, but like almost all wrestlers
in MMA, they make a ton of mistakes that in better formats would
be taken advantage of. You think that if there were no clock,
or an advanced round system, Newton would not be the new champion
of 170 in UFC? Just some points to consider -- Mark Torres, Philadelphia,
PA
"Matt
Hughes is the best 170 pound fighter in the world under UFC rules."
You're
damn right he is. He's also the best 170-pound fighter in the
world -- period. Maybe his domination didn't translate well on
television. Hughes fought one of the most impressive fights I've
ever seen against another top fighter. Carlos Newton was prepared.
He was ready to beat Hughes. In his mind, the fight was his.
One big problem: Hughes didn't let him do squat. UFC rules, Pride
rules, no rules: it wouldn't have mattered one bit.
So
it takes place in Pride? Hughes still passes the guard. Instead
of damaging elbows he unleashes fight-finishing knees. A 10-minute
round one makes a difference? I don't see how, except to finish
the fight sooner. The rounds were the only thing allowing Newton
to regain his feet.
I
suppose you can make the argument that the five-minute rounds
cause certain fighters to ride out the clock. But the referees
have the discretion to stand up fighters should the action stalemate.
Newton did nothing because his arms were pinned to the mat. Hughes
passed the guard a handful of times and was constantly chipping
away at Newton. A longer first round, or no rounds at all wouldn't
have made a difference in the Canadian's favor. I think Pride's
round format is silly, and lends itself to completely arbitrary
decisions. At least with the 5x5 round format you know what you're
getting into as a fighter.
ANYONE
SEE MITCH “HUNTINGTON BEACH BAD BOY” GREEN?
Hey
Josh, why is there nothing on Maxfighting about Tito getting
beat by Lee Murray at the after party in London? Everyone is
talking about it and is true. Are you guys going to remark on
it at all. And if not, why? Thanks! -- No Name Given
I
was there and saw it as it went down. Honestly, I felt it was
a non-story when I first saw it. No one was injured and no one
got arrested. Tito did not get knocked out. Anyhow, the aftermath
turned into a circus, so now I feel compelled to share what I
saw. It'll be in a coming audio chat on MaxFighting.
TITO’S
FIGHTING KEN? WHO WOULD’VE THUNK IT.
Mr.
Gross, I enjoy the chance to speak with you again. I last wrote
you in regards to Jens Pulver, I gave you my opinion on the champ.
I want to thank you for writing me back, this is something that
doesn't happen too much. The fight between Tito and Ken Shamrock
sound like it might happen but from what I read this will be
a non-title fight so if this is true it doesn't matter whether
Tito wins or not he will still be the Champ? I am also asking
the question to see if you have heard any of this news. I think
this would be a good fight but I feel that Chuck Liddell deserves
a title shot before Ken gets a fight with Tito. Even if the fight
would be a title fight I feel that Ken would not do many if any
more fights for a couple of reasons, one Ken just signed with
the WWE, ( they will let him fight MMA) and two he is reaching
the end of his fighting career. The fight shows some interesting
points with the history of Tito and the Lions Den. Ken is not
a stable UFC fighter and feel that Chuck is much more loyal and
has been promised on several times that he will get a title shot.
Please keep me informed if you here any kind of news. -- Douglas
Pike, Richmond, VA
Chuck
Liddell has been worthy of a title shot for over a year. I was
always told that they were holding off on the bout to build up
more hype. Personally, I think it's because some people at Zuffa
can't imagine not having Tito Ortiz as their champion -- and
there's a real possibility he won't be after he fights Liddell.
The
Shamrock-Ortiz fight is more about publicity than it is about
a legitimate title shot. UFC 40 will be Zuffa's big push. It
seems like a deal with FOX is imminent. You can bet your bottom
dollar that Zuffa will hype the hell out of the Nov. 22 bout.
I've
heard conflicting stories on the title vs. non-title bout situation
surrounding the Ortiz-Shamrock bout. For some reason, it's been
tough to get that one answered.
TO
STOP A FIGHT, OR NOT TO STOP A FIGHT? WHO THE HELL KNOWS.
You
are so right about the Mir fight. John McCarthy was very one
sided in the fight, as he is many. -- Buzz
I'm
not sure why John didn't stop the fight sooner, or why he allowed
Mir time to recover. Mir got his head pounded in and in my opinion
it could have been stopped a good 30 seconds earlier than it
was.
I
talked to Mir's trainer, Ricardo Pires, the day after the fight
and he felt that McCarthy did a good job. He didn't think McCarthy
endangered his fighter at all, though he was getting very close
to throwing in the towel.
Guess
people can't complain that "Big John" stopped this
one too soon. Refereeing is a thankless job.
POUND-FOR-POUND
DUMBEST POUND-FOR-POUND
Josh,
I'm not sure how you guys decided who would be in your top ten
but I'll tell you this: Somebody must be smoking some serious
dope to have excluded Wanderlei Silva. Granted I'm not that familiar
with the Shooto fighters so I can't comment too much on them.
However placing Jens Pulver and Matt Hughes in the top 10 over
fighters like Silva, Newton & Henderson seems ridiculous
in my opinion. I respect you quite a bit Josh so I hope you were
not one of the numbskulls that had anything to do with this supposed
pound 4 pound ranking system. -- Dexter
Well,
I was just in Amsterdam to film Heath Herring for his upcoming
bout on Aug. 28, but no dope smoking for this reporter. It's
been some time since we posted the first p-4-p list, and for
the most part (until July 19) it played out. I'm the one that
puts together the list. A new one should be up in a day or two
and you'll notice some changes. Silva, Ortiz, and Liddell tie
for No. 10. Yeah, it's cheap but how can you separate those three?
I couldn't figure out how to do it. Until they fight each other
we won't really know.
I
think Matt Hughes and Jens Pulver have firmly established themselves
on the list. With Hughes win over Newton I moved him all the
way up to No. 3. He’s single handedly wiping out the welterweight
division. Only Frank Trigg, and Sean Sherk remain as potential
challengers. Even though he’s incredible to watch (usually),
Newton clearly doesn’t belong. Henderson’s loss to
Arona makes it really difficult to consider him as well.
CAN
SAKURAI STILL HIT “MACH” ONE?
I
think “Mach's” losses to Anderson Silva and Matt Hughes
exposed the fact that he is running low on gas at this stage
(ala Rumina Sato). Time will tell. -- Morgan Washick
I
don't believe Sakurai is close to done. His back was really screwed
up heading into the Hughes fight. I'm not sure if he can take
Matt, but I'd sure like to see a rematch between two healthy
fighters.
Source:
Maxfighting
7/22/02
Quote
of the Day
The difference between a successful person and others is not
a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a
lack of will.
Vincent T. Lombardi
Thanks
for the Help!
Thanks to everyone that helped Lisa and I move yesterday and
prep our house for the painting the Saturday before last. We
have been on a blazing schedule trying to schedule everything
for our house, prepare for our trip to Brazil on this Tuesday
(which includes packing, getting our travel documents together,
and get in shape), and keep up with my never ending work load
at my job. We could not have done everything so quickly without
all your hard work and tons of sweat! The house looks great!
We have the flooring left and then we just need to recover financially
(heh heh).
Thanks
again to everyone. We couldn't ask for better friends!
Mike
& Lisa
Royler
vs Matamoros & BJJ Worlds Update
Royler Gracie
vs Henry Matamoros
Multiple
times BJJ & ADCC World Champion Royler Gracie competed last
Friday against 2x HOOKnSHOOT Champion Henry Matamoros in a grappling
rules match during the 21St Century Warriors show in Atlantic
City, NJ. The match was originally scheduled to be an ADCC rules
match, but due to some incredible turn of events that we won't
go into details here, ended up being a submission match under
unclear rules. A testimonial to the excellence of these fighters.
Despite the changes in the rules that were beyond their power,
these two fighters remained focused and presented perhaps the
best match of the event.
Matamoros
entered the ring first carrying the Costa Rican flag, looking
fit and ready to go with Royler following him. Because the rules
and scoring were unclear, the match became a submission only
match with both fighters going for broke from the beginning.
As the match started and the two clinched, Royler pulled guard
with hooks and quickly proceeded to attack Henry's feet and legs.
Henry defended well and sprung to his feet. Again the two clinched
and after a furious exchange, Matamoros was able to catch Royler's
leg and execute a beautiful takedown. The roar of the crowd and
the quick takedown sent Gracie into hyper drive - again the two
locked up and Royler quickly went to the attack. He pulled guard
with hooks and immediately swept Henry, ending up in the guard
with hooks. As he attempted to pass, Matamoros locked in a solid
Kimura that seemed to have Royler in trouble. Royler appeared
to retreat, but not for long, and soon he was again in 'passing'
mode. He reached the half-guard and again Henry went for the
Kimura. Once again it appeared solid, but the Champ defended
it and proceeded to pass the guard and reverse for an armlock
of his own. Henry defended it well and turned over to all 4's.
Royler quickly seized on the opportunity and soon he was locked
on Matamoros' back. If the prospect of having someone on your
back during a fight scares most fighters, imagine having someone
like Royler. Matamoros however displayed great technical skill
and was able to avoid numerous submission attempts from Gracie.
At one time it appeared that he was about to escape from the
onslaught, but the fact is that Royler didn't win all those titles
by being lucky. He continue to switch attack angles on Henry
and eventually reached the rear naked choke for the submission.
Matamoros
proved to be a dangerous and worthy opponent, who was not afraid
to match Gracie move for move with great skills and the heart
of a lion. After the match he stated: 'Fighting him is like going
against an Octopus! It is like trying to catch water!'
The
crowd's excitment showed that Grappling fights is a valid attraction
to the public in any MMA or NHB show. Congratulations to Royler
and Henry, two sportsmen and warriors that are ready to fight
regardless of conditions!
2002
Worlds Update:
The
qualifier for the 2002 Worlds was held by the CBJJ this last
weekend and the big surprise was the return of Ricardo Delariva.
De La Riva had not competed in a BJJ Tournament in 9 years when
he fought against Renzo Gracie. Ricardo got an automatic qualification
due to lack of fighters in his weight division, so we are sure
to check out De La Riva and his great guard against the new generation
of fighters, making one more reason why the 2002 Worlds is going
to ROCK! Additionally, the CBJJ expects to collect over 1 metric
Ton of food from the Competitors (part of the entry fee is a
food donation) to be distributed to needy families. Since the
inception of this great program, the CBJJ has donated over 10
metric Tons of food. Be sure to check out the CBJJ site for the
latest concerning the Worlds.
Source:
ADCC/Kid Peligro
UFO
Card Continues to Take Shape:
Sperry Opponent Named;
Rogerio to Fight
As
the event's date approaches the newest MMA event in Japan is
working out the last details in its matchmaking and finalizing
the card. As is becoming a standard in Japanese events, the card
is full of Brazilian fighters. PRIDE Heavyweight champion Rodrigo
"Minotauro" Nogueira will be facing off against PANCRASE
favorite Sanae Kikuta. With Ruas' recent injury, IVC, UFC and
PRIDE veteran Wallid Ismail will be taking his place to face
off against Japanese fighter Murakami Kazunari. But the Brazilian
presence at the event isn't limited to those fighters. Jiu-Jitsu
legend Mario Sperry will be facing RINGS and WEF veteran Wataru
Sakata in the event as well. Despite some early rumors of a rematch
between Sperry and Hiromitsu Kanehara, FCF was told Sakata is
surely going to be Sperry's opponent, and the "Zen Machine"
is already finishing up his preparation before leaving for Japan
on August 1st or 2nd. Mario and "Minotauro" won't be
flying alone, as Rodrigo's brother Rogerio "Minotouro"
Nogueira will also be fighting at UFO and his opponent is very
likely to be rAw team member Vladimir Matyushenko. Right now
the only thing in the way of making this fight a reality is some
difficulty in getting the Russian fighter his visa for Japan.
This should be taken care off in the next few days, and if Vladimir
ends up not being able to get a visa, the UFO will come up with
another opponent for Rogerio, probably a Japanese fighter. We
will continue to follow the UFO final card developments and look
for plenty of pre-fight UFO coverage in the days to come.
Source: FCF
ISLE
PROFILE
Elisa Au: Putting up a fight
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer
Posted on: Tuesday, July 16, 2002
World Cup champion Elisa Au works out at the International Karate
Federation's University dojo in Mo'ili'ili. "You cannot
b e afraid, said Au, a second-degree black belt fighter. "That's
the most important thing."
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Elisa Au walks taller and fights stronger than what people might
see in her 5-foot-6 frame.
It is in her unwavering gaze, her confident gait, her fluid striking
movements backed by power and precision.
She's not someone
you want to mess with.
In her first
appearance at the World Karate Federation Women's Karate World
Cup last month, Au took the gold medal in the open-weight division,
sparring with women taller, bigger and stronger.
It was the first
time an American woman won the gold medal in this sparring event,
a defining win for the 21-year-old who used every bit of her
size to outwit her opponents.
But despite
all the medals in her 16 years of karate and the deserved praise
for her inherent talent and learned skill, Au sees room for improvement.
"I'm surprised
at how well I'm doing," said Au, who will be competing this
week in Virginia for the chance to represent the United States
at the World Championships in Spain in August. "But I feel
pretty confident this year. I've trained really hard, harder
than anybody else nationally. I just have to keep doing what
I've been doing."
To call Au's
life busy is an understatement.
She has already
competed in three tournaments — with four more to go this
year — medaling in every event she has participated in.
At the Amateur Athletic Union National Karate Championship in
Salt Lake City two weeks ago, Au won the prestigious title of
women's grand champion in kumite (sparring). She also took home
the gold in kumite in her weight division and four silvers.
The grand champion
trophy is displayed at the International Karate Federation, where
Au has been training in karate since she took up the sport at
age 5.
"To win
something that prestigious is definitely a confidence booster,"
said fellow national teammate George Kotaka, who has known Au
for 17 years and trained her at IKF for the past five. "But
it puts pressure on you, too, at the same time. You're expected
to win or perform really well. But she handles pressure really
well."
Au, of 'Alewa
Heights, is not intimidated by the taller, stronger opponents
in the open-weight division.
"You cannot
be afraid," said Au, a second-degree black belt fighter.
"That's the most important thing."
She uses her
size — and speed — to her advantage.
"Her strength
is in her speed and timing," Kotaka said. "She relies
on that combination."
Competing against
international athletes has challenged Au to be quicker, stronger
and smarter — qualities that set good athletes apart from
exceptional ones.
France has some
of the smartest fighters, Au said, Japan the most technically
refined.
"Her overall
strength and technique have improved a lot," said Kotaka,
whose family owns and operates IKF. "Technique can be the
deciding factor in elite competitions. Judges and referees are
looking for that."
Kumite requires
quick decision-making skills. Often competitors don't have a
chance to see their opponents fight and must rely on instinct
while in the ring. That's where a solid foundation in training
becomes important.
Au runs nearly
every day, trains with weights at least twice a week and trains
at the karate studio as often as possible.
"I still
haven't reached top speed and overall performance yet,"
Au said. "I'm still young. I can still get better."
It may seem
like karate has taken over Au's life: She chose to stay home
for college to continue training at IKF, where she also teaches
classes.
But Au never
wanted the sport to define her — as much as it does.
At Punahou,
Au took up gymnastics, track and paddling, just to try something
new. But as she excelled in karate, she gave up the other sports
to concentrate on refining her skills and preparing for competitions.
A civil engineering
major at the University of Hawai'i, Au is interning at M&E
Pacific Inc. this summer. But she juggles her time between the
engineering firm and teaching classes at IKF.
"It has
definitely taught me how to manage my time, to fit everything
into a schedule" Au said. "I learned self-discipline,
having to practice everyday and on my own."
She has become
an inspiration in her own right. Young girls, just beginning
karate, look up to her with adoration. Boys are scared of her.
Even her grandpa, Tony DiBrogrozzio, admires her: The 78-year-old
started taking karate lessons from IKF — from his granddaughter
— about five years ago.
Every aspect
of karate, from the demanding physical and mental intensity to
the spirit of competition, has captured Au, who doesn't think
she'll ever give up the sport.
"It's an
adrenaline rush," she said. "If you work really hard,
it pays off in the end. It's that satisfaction.
Source: Honolulu Advertiser
Warriors
Quest 6: Best of the Best
Tentative Card
Blaisdell
Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
August 3, 2002
MAIN EVENT
Ray Cooper (Jesus Is Lord)
Vs.
Jake Sheilds (Cesar Gracie Academy)
John
Crisostomo (808 Fight Factory)
Vs.
Martin Armanderez (Cesar Gracie Academy)
Paul
Ano (Grappling Unlimited)
Vs.
Phil Ensminger (Team Machine)
Feature
Fights
Jamal
Perkins (808 Fight Factory)
Vs.
Jacob Vela (Koden Kan)
David
Padilla (Gamebred)
Vs.
Bao Quach (Next Generation)
Kaleo
Padilla (Team Westbrook)
Vs.
Mark Mareno (Bulls Pin)
Neal
Andres (HMC)
Vs.
Ed Nawalo (Koden Kan)
Jerry
Samson (Jesus Is Lord)
Vs.
Ian McCall (Next Generation)
2
more matches to be announced
Source:
Event promoter
7/21/02
Quote
of the Day
The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly
in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small amount
of fire makes a small amount of heat.
Napoleon Hill
Mike's
Moving Day is Today
Mike
is making the big move to his new house today, so if you are
a glutton for punishment call him at 381-9530 for the details.
3
Matches Added to Warriors Quest 6:
Best of the Best
Jerry Samson (Jesus Is Lord)
Debut
Vs.
Ian McCall (Next Generation)
Debut
Samson
is 1-0 as an amateur and brings a mini-Cooper style of fighting.
Samson will have a debut to remember as he faces Ian McCall.
McCall has a wrestling background and is also quoted as being
a GAME fighter!!
David
Padilla (Gamebred)
#1 Ranked Warriors Quest Fighter
Vs.
Bao Quach (Next Generation)
Padilla,
who is ranked #1 by Warriors Quest, will have the fight of his
career as he faces an always game, Bao Quach. Quach is known
for his aggressive style and likes to bring the fight to his
opponent. I personally think this will be the fight of the night.
John Crisostomo (808 Fight Factory)
Superbrawl Tournament Champion
Vs.
Martin Armanderez (Cesar Gracie)
Crisostomo,
who is a Superbrawl Tournament Champion and recently faced Chris
Brennan in Warriors Quest, will once again face another champion
in Martin Armanderez from the Cesar Gracie Academy. Armanderez
has big wins over Adrain Serrano and Dennis Kang.
A
picture of Armanderez is available on Graicefighter.com under the fighters link!
Source: Event promoter
Marco
Ruas Out for 3 Weeks
As
previously reported, UFC legend Marco Ruas suffered an injury
to his hand this past week. FCF contacted the Ruas Vale Tudo
team and Marco will have to immobilize his hand and be forced
to stay out for training for three weeks, therefore he's officially
out of the August UFO event. Ruas injured his hand in training
while taking down a sparring partner. During the takedown the
veteran fighter landed with his hand in a bad position and injured
his hand. Ruas will stay in Brazil for a few more days to rest,
be with his family and spend some more time with the Ruas Vale
Tudo team before returning to the USA. This could, and probably
would, be Marco's retirement fight so now the whole team and
Marco himself want him to do one more fight after his hand is
recovered so an NHB legend like him won't end his career in an
unfortunate incident like this. FCF wishes a speedy recovery
to Marco.
Source:
FCF/Eduardo Alonso
UFO's
Changing Tide!
Tokyo Dome, Tokyo,
Japan
August 8th, 2002
The everchanging
lineup for the August UFO event has added yet another strange
twist. Kazunari Murakami, who is training under Brazilian Top
Team right now, will face a former teammate of many of the BTT
members. Wallid Ismail has signed to take on Kazunari.
This marks the
first time we will see BTT members in the corner of a Japanese
fighter against a former teammate.
Wallid has good
connections in the Antonio Inoki camp, and it seems that after
several tries to get on the card, he was given a slot due to
the Ruas injury.
In the days
to come, we expect to confirm an opponent for BTT's Rogerio 'MINOTORO'
Nogueira - it is said to be a UFC veteran, but no one is confirmed
yet.
Card - Subject
To Change:
Sanae Kikuta
v. Antonio 'MINTAURO' Nogueira
Wallid Ismail v. Murakami Kazunari
Wataru Sakata v. Mario Sperry
Rogerio 'MINOTORO' Nogueira v. TBD More from the UFO!
The opponent for Rogerio 'Minotouro' Nogueira on the upcoming
UFO show, scheduled for August 8th, 2002 at the Tokyo Dome, is
rumored to be UFC veteran and light heavyweight title challenger
Vladimir Matsuchenko from rAw team.
Vladimir used
to work with the Inoki Dojo in Los Angeles, and is rumored to
be one of the American fighters schedule to be on the show, which
has an unofficial theme.
Source:
ADCC
PRIDE
Contender RICARDO ARONA
'I want Pride's middleweight belt around my waist'
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: What kind of injury did you suffer at Pride 20? Arona:
I injured ligaments in my leg and it inflamed, I had a problem
with my shin bone. I'm still not 100% but I can now train and
compete.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: How did you get this injury? Arona: I don't know exactly
when it happened. During the fight my blood felt like it was
on fire. I didn't know my leg was going wrong and I didn't know
I had blood in my eyes too.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: That was the first time you faced an American wrestler
in NHB. You didn't have any problem taking him down - Arona:
Yes, he's had some fights in Brazil and he's a big name in the
NHB world. He has a lot of experience too. I had to work hard
to beat him and I learned a lot from that fight.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: Were you disappointed when you mounted him and you couldn't
get the submission or strike his face effectively? Arona: I was
worried he'd reverse me when I had him mounted and I didn't want
to give him that. I didn't try to pound him or go for an armbar
because he still had too much energy left. I'd rather stay on
top and punch him until he started to gas out.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: Henderson isn't as muscular as you but he's still very
strong. Could you feel his power? Arona: He doesn't appear to
be as strong but I think he's almost as strong as I am. He's
also a very well rounded fighter and well trained too.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: You're no longer a member of the Brazilian Top Team.
What's your situation with them? Will you return to the team?
Arona: We're still friends but we haven't settled our differences
yet. We're going to try to clear things up and get back together.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: Who's next for you in Pride? Arona: Maybe it will be
Vanderlei Silva for the middleweight championship!
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: I'd like you to confirm this if you can! Arona: Yes,
it could be him.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: When you left the RINGS organization, you were already
the middleweight champion there. Did you feel you deserved to
fight Vanderlei in your first fight in Pride? Arona: No, I feel
there's a time for everything. I've fought two very tough guys
in Pride and I think the time to fight Silva is now.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: You have a bit of a rivalry with Silva don't you? Arona:
I want that belt! It doesn't matter if I get it from Silva or
someone else. I know a fight against Silva would be a good one
because he's very aggressive. We exchanged words before so I'm
really looking forward to this fight.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: You also had a rivalry with Gustavo 'Ximú' Machado
from Ruas Vale Tudo when you fought him. So are you used to this
kind of thing? Arona: Yes. I'll train hard for this and try to
repeat my performance.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: Personal grudges can be a problem in a fight for those
who hold them. How do you deal with it? Arona: I'll do everything
I can to stay focused on the goal and not get myself in trouble.
Of course I'll go into the fight thinking 'I'll submit you or
I'll KO you', but we'll have to settle it in the ring.
FIGHTWORLD.com
Brazil: Ok Arona, thanks again for the chat. Arona: You're welcome!
Source:
ADCC
SHOOTO's
September Show Developing!
Yokohama
Culture Gymnasium, Kanagawa, Japan
September 16th, 2002
Promoter: Sustain
Japan's
SHOOTO organization is lining up a major offering for September
in Yokohama. The lineup is under development, with many of SHOOTO
biggest stars appearing on the card. Non-Japanese fighters such
as Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribeiro and Javier Velasquez join stars 'KID'
Yamamoto, Mamoru and most notably, the return of Hayato 'Mach'
Sakurai.
Announced
Competitors:
Norifumi
'KID' Yamamoto vs. TBA
Vitor Ribeiro vs. TBA
Javier Vazquez vs. TBA
Mamoru vs. TBA
Hayato 'Mach' Sakurai vs. TBA
Featherweight [-60Kg]: Kentaro Imaizumi vs. ABKZ
Featherweight Championships: Masahiro Oishi vs. Hisao Ikeda
