October News Part 3
|
10/31/02 Happy Halloween! |
Quote
of the Day
There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those
who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less
competition there.
Indira Gandhi
|
Happy
Halloween!
Onzuka.com and Elvis wishes everyone a safe and enjoyable Halloween.
Be careful when you are out on the street walking around or keep
an eye out for kids in the street while driving.
|
IRONHEART
CROWN 5: TRIBULATION RESULTS
October 26, 2002
Hammond Civic Center Arena, Hammond, Indiana
HAMMOND,
IN -- Ironheart Crown promoters Eric Moon and Braulio Corral
have been smiling non-stop since the start of their latest production
of the Ironheart Crown, held on October 26 in Hammond, Indiana.
The show was a success from start to finish. Local boxing announcer,
Johnny Bellino opened the show with an introduction of the U.S.
Marine Corps color guard. They marched into the ring, then stood
at attention as a capella vocalist Dave Wilner sang a beautiful
rendition of the National Anthem.
...And
then the fights began. From start to finish, it was non-stop
action as perfectly matched competitors fought to the finish
in ten exciting bouts. The results are as follows:
Bout
#1: SHOOTO Class-B (145 lbs) Tommy Lee [Gilbert Grappling] def.
Cedric Stewart [Warrior Concepts] Decision (3-0) 5:00 rd2
Bout
#2: SHOOTO Class-B (170 lbs) Gideon Ray [Hackney Combat] def.
Justin Weinan [Jim’s Gym] TKO (Bleeding nose) 2:20 rd 1
Bout
#3: SHOOTO Class-B (185 lbs) Mikhail Rashkov [Carlson Gracie]
def. Eric Gwaltney [Ottawa Nautilus] Submission (Armbar) 0:40
rd1
Bout
#4: SHOOTO Class-B (205 lbs) Rafael Piszczek [Hackney Combat]
def. Steve Rivera [Keller’s Martial Arts] TKO (Shoulder
injury) 1:50 rd1
Bout
#5: Non-SHOOTO bout. (125 lbs) Jeremy Bolt [Integrated Fighting]
def. Jason Lugtu [Elite Academy] TKO (laceration) 0:50 rd1
Bout
#6: Non-SHOOTO bout. (185 lbs) Brian Gassaway [Chicago Fitness
Center] def. Jason Rigsby [Ottawa Nautilus] Decision [3-0] rd3
Bout
#7: SHOOTO Class-A (205 lbs) Jim Theobald [Z’s Martial Arts]
def. Brad Spent [Warrior Concepts] Submission (Rear choke) 3:07
rd2
Bout
#8: SHOOTO Class-A (245 lbs) Jason Godsey [Integrated Fighting]
def. Vaughan Palelei [Team Caique] Submission (Rear choke) 2:29
rd1
Bout
#9: SHOOTO Class-A (145 lbs) Jeff Curran [Pedro Sauer Team] def.
Ryan Ackerman [Grappling Works] Decision (3-0) 5:00 rd3
Bout
#10: SHOOTO Class-A (170 lbs) Shonie Carter [Chicago Fitness
Center] def. Jay Buck [Gilbert Grappling] Decision (2-1) 5:00
rd3
Current
Title-Holders:
Bantamweight Champion (125 lbs): Jeremy Bolt
Featherweight Champion (145 lbs): Jeff Curran
Lightweight Champion (155 lbs): Henry Matamoros
Welterweight Champion (169): Shonie Carter
Middleweight Champion (185): Brian Gassaway
Light-Heavyweight Champion (205): Jim Theobald
Heavyweight Champion (245): Jason Godsey
This
fight was the first IHC event sanctioned by the Japan Shooto
organization. Rich Santoro, a representative of Shooto's U.S.
division has been negotiating with the Illinois Department of
Professional Regulation, and it seems hopeful that the next Ironheart
Crown will return to its home in Chicago.
Source: Ironheart
Crown |
Mega
Event: Dale Earnhart Jr. Classic
Relentless Pursuit of Recognition.
Gracie/Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu came on the world scene 10 years ago when unknown at
the time Brazilian national Royce Gracie dominated the first
Ultimate Fighting Championship with his family’s style of
ground fighting, changing the world of martial arts and fighting
forever. Over the last decade the popularity of Jiu-Jitsu has
grown immensely not just in the United States but world over.
Jiu-Jitsu and Submission wrestling tournaments are being conducted
in just about every state and world over.
However
one aspect seems to have faded in the United States from the
early days of Jiu-Jitsu, when Royce Gracie was still fighting
in the UFC’s – the fan base. Average spectators, drawn
to the events for sheer enjoyment. One purple belt in small town
North Carolina is trying to change that.
(l-r
Trooper Barger, Royce & Hurst) Joe Hurst now a 4 stripe purple
belt under Daniel Moraes and Marcello Clemente was drawn to Jiu-Jitsu
when he saw Royce Gracie’s impressive victories in the early
UFC’s over opponents in times 100lb over his weight. Joe
in his own words was amazed at the techniques used by skinny
Brazilin and relative ease with which he dominated his opponents.
Joe, who at the time had studied traditional martial arts was
now no a new quest, to learn the art of Gracie/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Over the last 10 years Joe has had the pleasure of training with
some of the elite Jiu-Jitsu Black belts such as the Legendary
Royce Gracie, Royler Gracie, and Relson Gracie. Joe was even
invited to train with Grand Master Helio Gracie himself, at his
house in Brazil; Joe considers the experience to be the most
memorable in his life, outside of the birth of his son Jackson,
who is 1 years old. Joe frequently travels and competes in Brazil
and runs a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Concord, NC. Joe is
a dedicated teacher, as well as a model student.
So
how does Joe plan on bringing more attention to the sport he
so loves? With a help of his friend NC State Trooper Garrett
Barger, whom Joe met while teaching Law Enforcement Course at
the Justice Academy, and some surprising celebrity athletes Joe
and Garrett are trying to pull off what may end up being the
best North American Jiu-Jitsu Tournament ever.
Garrett,
a long time friend of NASCAR Legend Dale Earnhardt Jr.(shown
top w.Royce), a son of the late Dale Earnhardt, along with Joe
have approached Jr. with the idea of putting together a Jiu-Jitsu
Tournament in North Carolina. Jr. had been a long time fan of
the MMA and much like Joe was fascinated with Royce Gracie and
his victories, the idea appealed to him and so the work started.
“The Dale Earnhardt Jr. Classic” was the selected title
of this new North American Jiu-Jitsu event. Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
using his popularity and influence brought aboard a professional
public relations firm to handle the organization of the event,
while Joe and Garrett have been left with the hard task of recruiting
the competitors and putting together the combative part of the
event. Dale Earnhardt Jr., contacted Budweiser and Coca Cola
requesting them to come aboard as major sponsors providing much
needed funds to make this event a success. Brazilian based kimono
giant Atama Kimonos have also been listed amongst the sponsors
of this event. The tournament will be held in newly build Cabarrus
County Arena, a 28,000sf facility that can seat up to 6,000 spectators.
Joe promises this to be a first class event, with 2 x 20foot
jumbotron screens following the action on the mats, super fights,
GI and no GI divisions and prize money offered in access of $1,500.00
for each pro division winners and $2,000.00 for super fight winners.
NASCAR memorabilia and a real Dale Earnhardt Jr., race car will
be on display, along with Dale Earnhardt Jr. himself present
at the event. Gift baskets will be given to all participants,
and there is even a rumor of Rock Superstar Kid Rock as doing
an opening song for the first The Dale Earnhardt Jr. Classic
Jiu-Jitsu Tournament. Ticket Master has been contacted to distribute
tickets to the event “and we are hoping to sell out the
arena” Joe says.
And
what Jiu-Jitsu tournament can go without some of sports own celebrities
– Royce Gracie has been invited as the guest of honor to
the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Classic. Royce will conduct a pre-tournament
seminar on Friday January, 24-Th, 2003 and then will be available
at the event the following day. Royce is also scheduled to do
a MMA/Jiu-Jitsu demonstration at the event. Yours truly has been
invited to cover the event, so look out for more coverage as
the event takes place.
So
why go through all these organizational hassles and last minute
problems to put on the tournament? I asked Joe and this is what
he had to say:
“The
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Classic has the potential to be a outstanding
North American event. We are inviting fighters from all over
the world to compete and hope to not only have great competition,
but developed friendships with people from all over the world.
The way the world is today we want to promote friendship and
peace for all nations in the world through competition. We are
inviting the mayor and local politicians to the event since others
countries will be represented here'.
Guys
train extremely hard and we want the world to know, as we do,
what they are all about. We love this sport very much and we
feel that if we get people to see it they will too.”
The
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Classic Jiu-Jitsu Tournament will take place
in Cabarrus County Arena less then 45 min north of Charlotte,
NC on January 25-th, 2003. Royce Gracie Pre-tournament seminar
will be conducted on the 24-th of January. More information on
the pre-registration for competitors as well as tickets sales
for spectators will be coming soon.
From
all of us Jiu-Jitsu practitioners and fans from around the world,
we want to thank Joe Hurst, NC State Trooper Garrett Barger and
NASCAR Legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. as well as all those involved
in organization of this event for their unselfish and Relentless
Pursuit of Recognition for the sport we all come to love.
Source: ADCC/Kid Peligro |
The
BattleShip - Fact, or Fiction?
The MMA Forums (Battleship tapping out the UFC?) are abuzz with
rumors of "the next big show", aka BattleShip. Jeff
Sherwood spoke with one of the promoters on October 29, to separate
the facts from the fiction.
While there
has been talks of such an event, it was all talk, and nothing
more. No contracts were signed, no venue was booked. Currently,
even the talk has died, because of lack of funding.
On a positive
note, the plan is down, but not dead yet. Funding may return
in the future - but right now, there is no BattleShip.
As with most
internet rumors, "if it sounds too good to be true, it usually
is."
Source: Sherdog |
Tito
Ortiz vs Ken Shamrock Breakdown
On
November 22nd, the match that nobody thought could ever realistically
take place, will finally go down as the main event at UFC 40.
A "Vendetta" aptly names what Ken Shamrock feels he
owes Ortiz in the twilight of his career. What began back in
1999, is culminating to a boiling point and might finally close
the book on one of the biggest stories of rivalry and unfinished
business in the history of modern mixed martial arts.
It began back in 1999 when Tito handed a serious beatdown to
Shamrock's pupil, Jerry Bohlander at UFC 18, then at UFC 19 he
dispatched another Shamrock fighter, Guy Mezger. After his win
he dawned a T-shirt printed with "Gay Mezger is my bitch".
Shamrock climb the cage and went ballistic with finger pointing
and brow beating only a mother could understand. Tito stood waiting
for his hand to be raised screaming "You started it. I finished
it. Stop stuttering you steroid freak!" The war of the four
letter words went back and forth for some time. Back in the dressing
room, Ken's Lions Den troupe began talk of furthering the "discussion"
with Ortiz back at the hotel. Ken's adopted dad preached for
constraint. Ken just wanted an SEG official in the room so he
could make a formal complaint about his claim that Tito won with
illegal blows to the back of the skull. In any case, that set
the tone for the dislike between Tito Ortiz and the pride of
the Lion's Den.
Since
that time, Shamrock, who last fought for the UFC in 1996, went
on to revive his pro wrestling career and fought in the MMA arena
4 times. His last bout, taking place at Pride 19, was an all
out war with aging fellow combatant Don Frye. The two stood toe-to-toe
slinging punches like a good old street fight and Ken also showed
signs of his old Pancrase days as he tore Frye's knee with a
heel hook that Don refused to tap from. In the end he lost, but
proved he still had the heart and determination to take the fight
to anybody in the ring. Tito Ortiz, during this time, has stuck
with the UFC and made the Light Heavyweight Title his, and currently
lays claim to the #1 light heavyweight in the World. His only
loss came to Ken's adopted brother, Frank Shamrock, immediately
following the Mezger fight, but it made him the monster he has
become today, owning the weight class that Ken will be entering
to try to dethrone him. He rattled off 5 consecutive wins, but
suffered a career threatening knee injury while training takedowns
in practice. Knee surgery and months of therapy later, he will
finally be making his return to the Octagon, over a year since
his last Title defense.
Zuffa
spent 4 months trying to put this match up together and it seems
to be paying off. At 4 weeks out from the showdown between Tito
and Ken, An estimated 7000, out of 14000 available seats have
already sold for the event at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
That's a staggering number when compared to other combat sport
receipt sales. Ticket sales have traditionally been a strong
indicator of how well PPV numbers will do with boxing and they
are hoping this indicator works for MMA as well. There is little
doubt that Vendetta will sellout, and that will make this the
largest crowd to ever witness a live mixed martial arts event
in North America. Make no mistake, Tito's status as the most
recognizable UFC star coupled with Ken Shamrock's pro wrestling
crossover and legendary status lingering with him from the old
"There are no Rules" days of the UFC has made this
event into a bout of titanic proportions. The UFC is expecting
double the press attendance for this event, with a number of
networks with their eye on the possibility of taking the show
to network television. This match up is all that they hoped it
to be so far. It has brought more publicity eyes to this one
event than most all other UFC's combined.
Can
this one match live up to the hype? There is almost no way it
can. Unless Tito and Ken stand in the middle of the Octagon and
go toe-to-toe until one of them drops, it won't. What the real
question is, with all of the build up and the total dislike that
Ken has for Tito, will the game plan for both camps go out the
window? That is the key to this fight being epic after "Big"
John McCarthy finally says, "Let's get it on!" Will
Ken see red as soon as there is no one standing between him and
the kid that beat up his students? Will Tito's bravado lead him
to make an example out of Ken that he is the new breed of fighter
and his time has passed? Despite popular belief that this is
all an act to sell tickets, Ken wants ever so badly to ram his
fist down Tito's throat. He wants to rip off any limb he gets
a hold of. He wants to teach Tito Ortiz the meaning of respect
by beating the life out of him. Make no mistake, Ken is the old
General on the battlefield, carrying the weight of his troops
on his shoulders, as this is the last stand for the Lion's Den.
That's a heavy burden. Tito wants to keep that belt. His entire
existence, over the past 3 years, has revolved around the fact
that he owns the UFC Light Heavyweight Title. He's the franchise.
He's who the press wants to speak to. He's the one the people
ask for when the UFC does meet and greets. He's the one that
they want the interview from when discussing this budding sport
of MMA. In a nutshell, the UFC is his identity. Without it, he
is just another fighter in a sea of mediocrity for which the
sport of MMA, as a whole is relegated too. Tito has been one
of the few, if not the only one, to swim out of, if only so far.
This
could be a good old fashioned throw down, or worse, it could
be a calculated bout both fighters are so well known for. Tito
and Ken, while fantastic at selling the fight outside of the
ring, have both been accused of being less than stellar inside
the ring. Ken has been a part of some of the most mind-numbing
bouts in MMA history (remember Ken-Royce II, and Ken-Severn II),
while Tito's workman like destruction of most fighters have involved
a lot of ground-and-pounding that is methodical and…well…boring.
Let's cross our fingers and hope that Ken is just so damn pissed
at Tito and Tito is so defiant of this father figure trying to
bully him around, that they both throw caution to wind and let
everything fly come go time.
Lets
break it down:
Striking
Dept.
Both of these fights are not known for their ability to kick
and punch exceptionally well on their feet. Tito will trade punches
until he gets hit, then he backs down by attempting a bodylock.
He also usually will not stand and punch until he has established
a lead with his wrestling ability. Where Tito is good, is striking
with his elbows once he has been put in the guard. He is a master
at cutting his opponents wide open.
Shamrock,
although not great at stand up striking either, has proven far
more adept at finding his opponent's chin. Despite his enormous
muscularity, he has the ability to throw a straight punch and
is not afraid of getting hit, unlike Tito. He also has the ability
to ground and pound with the best of them.
Edge: Ken Shamrock
Takedowns
Ortiz is the most devastating stand up grappler in the world
of MMA. Never moving beyond College wrestling, he has been able
to do what a lot of wrestlers can't, making their takedowns work
while strikes are being thrown. The use of his underhooks from
the tie up has allowed him to takedown everybody. If Tito gets
underhooks on you, better think about protecting your face from
those elbows, because he will be throwing them at you from your
guard. His destruction of Vladimir Matyushenko solidified his
status as the sport's premier takedown artist
Ken
Shamrock is a fighter that everyone swears it the strongest man,
pound for pound, in the clinch. And he has been there, in the
heavyweight division, wrestling with big fighters, and successfully
using his takedowns. Will it be enough? Probably not. Tito is
the better.
Edge: Tito Ortiz
Ground Grappling
Ortiz is a master of ground control. His ability to shutdown
any kind of offense is the key to his success. He never ends
up on his back and his base is strong enough for him to be able
to dish out punishment from within the guard. He doesn't need
to break the guard and rarely even attempts to.
Ken
Shamrock will end up on his back more so than Ortiz and he too
has the ability to shutdown almost anyone's offense from within
the guard and dish out a stream of punishment, but not with the
authority that Ortiz has been able to do.
Edge: Tito Ortiz
Submissions
Ortiz, throughout his entire career, has only one win via submission
and that was to a smaller fighter with a neck crank. He's proven
he has the skills in submission wrestling tournaments, but has
never been comfortable pulling off submissions, much less attempting
them in MMA.
Shamrock
has over 20 wins via submission throughout his career from all
positions. He is, hands down, the better submission fighter between
the two. The real question people are asking is, will he be able
to get a hold of that formerly injured leg of Ortiz? And if he
does, will Tito panic? Ken proved he still has the skills by
ripping Don Frye's knee apart in his most recent fight.
Edge: Ken Shamrock
Experience
Tito Ortiz's career has spanned about 12 fights with 4 title
defenses. He has is no newbie to the big game.
Ken
Shamrock's career was in his prime when Tito's was just beginning,
spanning 9 years and almost 40 fights. Ken is no stranger to
the Octagon, being there since the very first event. He also
will be coming into the fight with less ring rust than Ortiz.
Edge: Ken Shamrock
Stamina
Since his loss to Frank Shamrock, and citing that loss on the
inability to keep up with Franks pace, Ortiz bought stock in
oil companies and bought a few gas stations to go with it. He
does not get tired and seemingly has enough gas to go on for
days. In fact, his stamina is his deadliest part of his game
now.
Ken
Shamrock's biggest Achilles heel may well be his endurance. He
is 38 years old and evidence of his lack of stamina is in his
bouts with Fujita, where he quit, and in his fight with Frye,
where he looked terribly winded after the opening exchange. Also,
because of his extreme muscularity, one has to wonder if he is
too anaerobicly inclined over his aerobic ability. Sure he is
strong as an ox, but for how long?
Edge: Tito Ortiz
Conclusion
Simply put, the longer this fight goes, the better chances Tito
has of winning. He is the favorite and if he sticks to a gameplan,
this fight is his. He will implement his underhooks, put Ken
on his back and cut him wide open with strikes from the guard.
Ken will not be able to get off his back or stop the onslaught.
If Ken pulls Tito into a street fight, it's anybody's belt. But
count on cooler heads prevailing, a square dance for a round,
and Ortiz getting busy as soon as Ken begins to get winded from
chasing Ortiz or Defending the shot.
Winner: Tito Ortiz
Source: MMA Ring Report |
Quote
of the Day
"Man's mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains
its original dimensions."
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
|
BJJ
Meets NASCAR in January!
The rumors
that have been out there about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and NASCAR
teaming up are true! Dale Earnhart, Jr. will be hosting a Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu tournament in North Carolina scheduled for January
of 2003. Many BIG NAME sponsors have already agreed to come on
board - yes, the sponsors that every promoter has dreamed of
are on board for the 'Dale, Jr.'
It is also
true that their will be a Professional NO-GI competition attached
to the tournament, reportedly with big money prizes. There are
several members of the Gracie Family scheduled to be present
as well. Kid Peligro will be bringing you some more inside information
as well. For now, plan to come to North Carolina in January for
a truly first class event.
Source: ADCC/TAPUOUT247@aol.com |
Fighting
Father Time and Losing
Between Rounds by Joe Hall
Compared
to the century-old histories of major American sports, mixed
martial arts is a baby. Even so, it boasts an illustrious past,
entailing the spectacle of the early days to the legal struggles
that followed, from catching its second wind to the stars that
have emerged between then and now.
For
the first time in our sport's youthful history, we're seeing
a generation of top fighters collectively begin to fade. If mixed
martial arts ever flourishes, such trends will become commonplace.
It's routine in other sports. A wave of baseball players who
play together and compete against each other will slowly deteriorate
as a group. Of course, a few oddballs linger late and more go
early, but the average leave together. Our sport will be the
same; it just hadn't been around long enough to see it before
now.
One
such venerable warrior nearing the end is Randy Couture. His
retirement was hardly discussed following his loss to Josh Barnett,
but that may have been because allegations that Barnett used
steroids made the convincing defeat a little less conclusive
to some. The aftermath of his loss to Ricco Rodriguez has been
a different story. He controlled the fight early, taking down
his younger foe and pounding him in typical Couture fashion.
By the third round, Couture was smiling, and it appeared as though
he was ready to close out another day at the office. The tides
turned, however, and he soon found himself on the bottom absorbing
blows.
Talks
of his retirement followed. Maybe the discussion is a result
of an aged Couture looking so good early but floundering late,
or because it was his second straight loss to a young heavyweight
that many felt he would beat. Perhaps the scene of Couture on
his back, stomping his feet after taking an elbow to the eye
has also prompted the conversation.
Few
would say that Couture can no longer compete with the current
crop of heavies. He could very well beat anyone on any night,
but his chances of doing so are declining rapidly. The game has
evolved, but it's not the evolution alone that's beating Couture
like it has so many other fighters. He has opened his mind and
developed a more multi-dimensional game; he's simply getting
older, and keeping up with the pack has become a fleeting ability.
His
class is unparalleled in the sport and coupled with his run in
the UFC heavyweight division, his spot in mixed martial arts
history is secure. Only Couture himself knows how much he has
left, and retirement would certainly be an admirable decision.
However, if he chooses to return once his eye fully heals, he
will undoubtedly be supported. The goal of reclaiming UFC gold
probably wouldn't be the wisest or most realistic aim if he were
to fight again. It would only lead him to meet more agile, youthful
240-pound fighters. A different course unworried about the title
could place him against a quality opponent without pushing him
out the door. Matches against other aging veterans would also
work, and I hope Couture chooses one of those paths if he decides
on a comeback.
Igor
Vovchanchyn is another fighter entering the twilight of his career.
In his heyday, Vovchanchyn boasted the heaviest hands in the
business and consistently used them to crumble adversaries in
the oddest of fashions. Renzo Gracie said it best on eYada a
few years ago: "Where he hits you, the hair don't grow back."
Years
of battle have taken its toll on Vovchanchyn, though, seeming
to thwart him mentally as well as physically. He was never the
most technically proficient fighter, but he had an iron will
and an endless supply of haymakers. His success resulted from
that will allowing him to stay in the fight until one of those
mammoth strikes finally landed.
Lately,
his determination has disappeared and even a lengthy break couldn't
retrieve it for his bout against Quinton Jackson. Without it
he looks flat, spends nearly the entire match on his back, and
never lands the right hand. At this point, unfortunately, it's
doubtful that Vovchanchyn will ever find that spirit again.
Other
fighters that entered the sport around the same time appear to
be headed in the same direction. Tsuyoshi Kosaka is always competitive,
but will struggle with top 20 heavyweights for the remainder
of his career. Marco Ruas is long gone, as is Pete Williams and
Maurice Smith. Ken Shamrock and Don Frye are still around, but
not for long. Even though Royce Gracie competed recently, like
the others, he is well past his prime.
Some
fighters in the same cohort are still plugging along. Dan Severn
is probably fighting in a show somewhere as I write this article.
That says something for his tenacity, but also for his intelligence.
Fighting on the smaller shows is a wise, less dangerous decision.
The one time he returned to the UFC since early 1997 proved to
be a rude and awfully violent wakeup call.
The
state of a career appears to be an interplay of age, injuries
and health, and the level at which one is competing. Length of
career, frequency of fighting and how those fights play out contribute
to injuries and health. This allows someone like Gil Castillo,
who is old for a fighter (37), to outlast many of his contemporaries
because he entered the sport later and bypassed much of the punishment.
Likewise, the interacting factors would cause some young fighters
to retire early relative to others, if they jumped in the sport
(and physical abuse) early. Training style likely makes a huge
difference, contributing to injuries and general wear and tear.
It's a no-brainer that the fighters who have prolonged their
careers with success are prudent in their training methods.
Fighters
willing to step down a level can also stay in the game, which
is what Dan Severn has done. Another long-lasting competitor
is Murilo Bustamante. The UFC middleweight champ first fought
in mixed martial arts years ago, yet has competed sparingly since
and has taken little punishment relative to others. Gary Goodridge
has never been afraid to tap rather than suffer, and he's still
around. The fighters on their way out, like Pat Miletich, are
high on multiple factors, including age, length of career and
injuries.
Regardless
of how a fighter preserves himself or herself, the end is inevitable.
Some may go early, some may outlast the average, but they'll
all go out one way or the other. As our sport grows, it will
become a familiar process to say goodbye to the Coutures and
Vovchanchyns and Fryes. We'll never be immune to the exit of
one our favorites, and we shouldn't be. When it bothers us to
watch Couture dismantled late or Vovchanchyn finished early,
it teaches us that we love the athletes as much as the sport
itself. And that's a foundation on which mixed martial arts can
flourish.
Our
feelings aside, we should ready ourselves for the turnover, if
for nothing else, because that's what the future holds. We'll
follow fighters from their early days, listening to rumors and
an occasional exaggeration of their potential. We'll check their
progress in grappling tournaments or amateur kickboxing fights.
We'll stay up late to surf the Internet for results from their
pro debut in a grass roots event in the Midwest. When they make
it to the big show, we'll drive seven hours to see them fight
in person. We'll follow their career until the end, and realize
there's little we can do as they fade away -- just like now --
other than offer our respect. The aged warriors will tip their
hats, and new blood will quickly fill the hole. We'll hear the
rumors again and find another fighter to follow.
Source: Maxfighting |
Martial
Arts Black Belt Family Tree Submissions
Aloha,
This letter
is to remind everyone of their Biography, Picture, family Tree
and Updates.
1. If you
need to make changes on your biography and picture for the Society
New Book and Website, please email: Porf. Steven Dowd at: kyud@arnisbalite.com Deadline December 1st, 2001
2. If you
have not send in your family tree of all those black belts under
you, please send it to: hmasociety@yahoo.com Deadline December 1st, 2001
3. The Society
new website is www.hmaisociety.com The Hall of Fame section is
open for nominations. Please make any changes on your website
if the Society has a link to your website.
4. Pleas see
the newsletter section for more Updates.
Aloha &
Thank You for your time,
Prof. Jaime
Abregana jr.
Hawaii
Martial Arts International Society has a new website
Aloha,
This letter
is to inform you of the Hawaii Martial Arts International Society
new website. www.hmaisociety.com
We are currently
still adding information to the website. The website address
now has the letter "i" in it for the international.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Aloha &
Thank You,
Prof. Jaime
Abregana Jr.
Visit www.hmasociety.com for more Information & Updates!
Prof. Jaime
Abregana Jr.
Hawaii Martial Arts International Society
P.O. Box 2106
Ewa Beach, HI 96706 - USA
(808) 271-0225 |
Quote
of the Day
You see things; and you say "Why?" But I dream things
that never were; and I say "Why not?"
George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)
|
Is
the BATTLESHIP Coming?
More news about BATTLESHIP is coming out but met with mixed reactions
from insiders.
The organizers
of this new show that is being put together are working on the
apparent plan is to pay the fighters $25,000 to show and compete
in a 4-man tournament with the winner getting $250,000.
There are
big names being thrown around and we have the following RUMORS
about the tournaments that promoters are wanting.
In the heavyweight
division, these four athletes have been named as potential fighters:
RODRIGO NOGUIERA
JOSH BARNETT
MARK COLEMAN
DON FRYE
The proposed
tournament for the 185lbs tournament is the following:
FRANK SHAMROCK
PAT MILETICH
PHIL BARONI
MURILLO BUSTAMANTE
While this
is any MMA fan's dream, we spoke with two of the eight fighters
listed above and neither had been contacted about appearing on
the show.
Baroni and
his management have made it clear that their loyalty is with
the UFC and want to stay there.
Nogueira is
a free agent with no exclusive contract with PRIDE or anyone
else after the new year.
Barnett has
restrictions with any group that could fall under jurisdiction
in Nevada.
If this is
pulled off and happens, expect many fighters to step up for a
quarter-million dollars on the line.
Source: ADCC |
"WHERE
THE FIGHT CLUB MEETS THE NIGHT CLUB"
THE "PLAYAS"
ARE IN THE HOUSE...
WORLD FIGHTING
ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL LINE-UP FOR NOVEMBER 23RD LEVEL 3
CARD
LAS
VEGAS (October 25, 2002) - Lights! Music! Action! The World Fighting
Alliance returns to "Sin City" this Saturday, November
23rd for its third installment. Bringing its unique mix of battling
warriors and gyrating beauties to the heart of the Las Vegas
strip are Mixed-Martial Arts superstar John Lewis and the King
of the Nightclub John Huntington. Touching down at the Aladdin
Resort & Casino's own 5,000-seat venue, WFA: Level 3's distinctive
blend of combat and unparalleled style will surely elevate this
mixed martial arts experience above all others. The stakes are
high for these chosen "playas" willing to lay it all
on the line. Two championship belts are up for grabs, and with
a guest performance by rap music pioneers Naughty by Nature,
Level 3 is sure to provide hardcore thrills like never before!
Frank Trigg: an unstoppable world-class wrestler who's dominated
the competition in the WFA cage and beyond. Pat Miletich: a nine-time
world-champion with solid boxing and grappling skills. Vying
for the WFA welterweight championship, these two men will meet
for the first time to determine who's the baddest welterweight
on the planet. Will the Croatian Sensation's well-rounded game
be too much for the wrestler? Or will the Trigg-machine steamroll
over another victim?
With the WFA light-heavyweight title at stake, Las Vegas' own
Marvin "the Beastman" Eastman will face Alex "the
Brazilian Killa" Stiebling in a bout that pits brawler against
brawler. The Beastman mauled his way to victory at his last WFA
outing, with a solid display of ferocious takedowns and quick
hands. Stiebling makes his way to the WFA cage via a successful
run in Japan, where audiences marveled this promising newcomer's
aggressiveness and fortitude. Only one of these top competitors
will walk away with the belt. It all comes down to just who wants
it the most...
Two of the toughest lightweights in the sport clash in co-main
event action, as Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro and Chris
"the Westside Strangler" Brennan will test their high-level
jiu-jitsu skills in the cage. Shaolin continues to impress each
time he does battle. He put his last WFA opponent to sleep with
a choke and shows no signs of stopping any time soon. Brennan's
move down to the lightweight class has already started to make
waves in the division with a recent and impressive performance
against one of Japan's best. Can Shaolin overwhelm the Westside
Strangler? Or will Brennan's vast experience prove to be too
much for the Brazilian warrior?
The WFA Championships:
Level 3 Playas -
Pat Miletich
"The Croatian Sensation"
Miletich Fighting Systems
Team Extreme
Bettendorf, IA |
WFA
Welterweight Title Bout
Vs. |
Frank Trigg
"TwinkleToes"
RAW Combat
RAW
Los Angeles, CA |
Marvin Eastman
"The Beastman"
Kickboxing/Wrestling
Lewis/Pederneiras Vale Tudo
Las Vegas, NV |
WFA Light-Heavyweight
Title Bout
Vs. |
Alex Stiebling
"The Brazilian Killa"
Freestyle
Muay Thai Inst. of Kunponly
Salt Lake City, UT |
Chris Brennan
"The Westside Strangler"
Jiu-jitsu
Next Generation
Irvine, CA |
WFA
Co-Main Event
Vs. |
Vitor Ribeiro
"Shaolin"
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
Nova Uniao
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
Mike VanArsdale
Wrestling
Zinkin/American Kickboxing Academy
Colorado Springs, CO |
Vs. |
Chris Haseman
"The Hammer"
Wrestling
Team Extreme
Brisbane, Australia |
Rob McCullough
"Razor"
Submission wrestling
Huntington Beach, CA |
Vs. |
Josh Thomson
"The Punk"
Submission Fighting
American Kickboxing Academy
San Jose, CA |
Todd Lally
Kickboxing/Submission Wrestling
Lewis/Pederneiras Vale Tudo
Las Vegas, NV |
Vs. |
Nigel Hudson
"UK Hammer"
Thaiboxing/Boxing
UK |
Stay tuned in the coming days for a final match-up to be announced.
In total, seven scintillating fights will be set in motion to
put your mind into submission.
The next level of MMA competition is upon us. Don't let it pass
you by! Tickets go on sale Monday, October 24th and can be purchased
directly through the Alladin Resort & Casino's box office
(877-333-9474) and through all Ticketmaster locations (702-474-4000
or www.ticketmaster.com). Ticket prices range
from $30, $50, $100, $150 and $200. A seating chart is available
at www.aladdincasino.com and (The World Fighting
Alliance website), the official web site of the world's hottest
MMA experience.
For
additional event information, please contact: Paula Romero, WFA
Marketing & Promotions at prome100@aol.com
Source: FCF |
WFA
Up Close: Rob McCullough
by Keith Mills
Team Punishment basically started with Tito Ortiz, Tiki, and
Rob 'Razor' McCullough. McCullough, a 5-time muay thai champion
with a 2-1 MMA record and a 17-3 overall record with 8 KOs, is
referred to by Tiki as Team Punishment's secret weapon. McCullough
is next fighting in the WFA against Josh 'The Punk' Thomson in
Las Vegas on November 23rd. Fighting out of American Kickboxing
Academy, Thomson brings a 2-0 record to the fight with 1 by KO
and 1 by triangle.
KM:
It seems like it might be awkward with your teammate Tiki fighting
in the UFC the night before WFA and then having to concentrate
for your own.
RM:
It's work for me, I've done it before. I've gone to a number
of UFCs before and flown there somewhere out of state and then
flown back to fight in a thai boxing fight. It's just a job to
me. I'm pretty focused on it.
KM:
Tiki was describing you as the 'secret weapon'. How appropriate
is that term?
RM:
I definitely enjoy kicking; it helps a lot, especially my mixed
martial arts with range finding and stuff. If you can kick hard
and you can kick fast you can stop a pretty big handed puncher.
A heavy handed guy is going to put a lot of weight on his front
leg so if you can kick good you are confident enough to set up
stuff like that, it's going to make it a more exciting fight.
The chance of a knock out is so much more evident when the guy
is a good kicker because if the guy drops his hands he might
get one in the face or if he's a heavy puncher you can kick him
in the leg. You have your downfalls (if) the guy shoots on you
but it makes for a more exciting fight than between two grapplers.
KM:
Over and over again I hear from the promoters that the fans want
the stand-up. I'm noticing many promoters doing match-ups that
are less likely to go to the ground.
RM:
Yeah. I think the sport from where it started to where it is
now has definitely evolved. There's the hardcore fans that watch
it and know when it goes to the ground it's a chess match and
it's great to watch but some of the people that don't watch it
that don't really know, they just want to see people throw.
KM:
You've been thai boxing for a couple years now but are crossing
over to MMA at a time when the stand up fighters are getting
more recognition. How do you feel about the timing?
RM:
I think right now where I'm at I wouldn't change anything just
due to the fact it's prefect timing, the sport is getting ready
to blow. Stand up fighters and the guys that really want to scrap
and go toe to toe, those guys are getting a lot more recognition
which is cool because that is where I came from. I think I'm
lucky right now to be where I'm at.
KM:
Tell me about your first three fights.
RM:
I started in West Coast Extreme Cage Fighting. It was pretty
short to tell you the truth (10/04/01 :24 r1 vs. Jesse Heck),
caught the guy right off the bat, kick in the head. Got him stunned
and followed with a couple kicks and he was out. 2nd fight (11/11/01
3:55 r1 vs. Steve Wagner) was a lot like the first except the
guy pulled guard on me and I stayed inside the pocket and just
elbowed him, cut him open. After that he was dazed and I followed
with kicks and the fight was over in the first round. The 3rd
fight (3/30/03 dec loss to Kenneth Alexandre) went into double
overtime. It was a scrap and a half. Didn't know much about the
guy, at that point didn't really care cause I was kinda like
'I'm on the up and up'. Basically it turned into a ground fight.
I tried to show some of my skills; I tired to armbar the guy,
I had a few guillotine chokes and stuff. I couldn't get anything
so I lost in the fight but it just made me a better fighter.
KM:
Do you know much about your opponent?
RM:
He trains with Bob Cook, I'm sure he's a well-rounded guy, he's
going to have some good cardio. I heard he's probably signing
with the UFC so he's not a tomato can. I hope he comes ready
for war because that's what I'm coming for.
KM:
How many of his fights have you seen?
RM:
Haven't seen any of them yet.
KM:
So you aren't training any differently because it's him?
RM:
Not at this point, I'm just training hard at this point.
KM:
Does that matter to you, to know who your opponent is? Do you
need to see video to fine-tune your game plan or is your game
plan open enough that it doesn't matter that much?
RM:
To tell you the truth I think sometimes you can get a little
set off to the side if you watch too much video on the guy. Every
fight I've done I've always changed something. It's kind of nice
to watch a video to kind of get a feel for it, I like to look
at the face of the guy and imbed them in my mind, just picture
the guy bleeding as I'm beating on him, but then again if I don't
get to watch a video it's that much better.
Fans
will get to see Rob try to do just that in the WFA in about a
month at WFA in Las Vegas on November 23rd.
Source: ADCC |
Quote
of the Day
"If a man has talent and cannot use it, he has failed. If
he has a talent and uses only half of it, he has partly failed.
If he has a talent and learns somehow to use the whole of it,
he has gloriously succeeded and has a satisfaction and a triumph
few men ever know."
Thomas Wolfe
|
Super
Brawl Goes Prime Time!
For Immediate Release:
October 17, 2002
Primetime Television!
A Super Brawl
1 hour program entitled “Super Brawl Superstars!” will
air on Hawaii’s Channel K5, the local WB affiliate, at 9pm
on Wednesday, October 308. The show will feature a “Best
of” series of fights featuring, Cabbage, Falaniko Vitale
and Ronald “The Machine Gun” Jhun. The program will
also feature never before seen training and lifestyle segments
of each fighter.
T.Jay Thompson
said “ I just left the editing studio with the Master copy.
I am truly proud of this show. It will show a different side
of the sport to 10’s of thousands of new fans in Hawaii!”
The program
will re-air Monday-Thursday, Nov 4-7, at midnight.
Contact: T.Jay
Thompson SuperBrawl@hawaii.rr.com (808) 371-2300
Source: T.Jay Thompson |
American
National Tournament Registration Deadline Extended
Due to high
popular demand, Carlos Gracie Jr and the International BJJ Federation
have decided that the Internet enrolment for the First American
National Jiu-Jitsu Championship has been extended until Tuesday,
October 29 th, paying U$60 fee, after this last chance to sign
in, only at the weight in day but you will pay US$100 fee. Your
last excuse just went out the door! Want to do it??? Go to www.cbjj.com.br/english and sign up!
Source: ADCC |
The
Fertitta Brothers Make Fortune Magazine
Forbes Magazine
Brothers In Arms
Friday October 25, 10:44 am ET
By Peter Kafka
The
Fertitta siblings, who have built a casino fortune, like to fight.
Can a passion beget a business?
Lorenzo Fertitta's parents wouldn't let him become a fighter.
They never said anything about running a fight club. Now 33-year-old
Fertitta and his brother, Frank III, 40, get to do just that.
The brothers' day job is running Station Casinos, a $912 million
(2001 revenues), second-generation, off-the-Strip casino operator
that caters more to Las Vegas locals than to tourists (nary a
pirate ship nor a waterfall in sight). Their passion is running
Ultimate Fighting Championship, a few-holds-barred fight circuit
that targets young men with bloodlust.
Sources:
Showtime Event Television; Ultimate Fighting Championship.
|
By the
Numbers |
|
|
Smaller
Screen |
|
|
Excluding movies
and porn, pay-per-view dollars have been shrinking since 1999,
due to fewer big-time boxing matches and declining interest in
pro wrestling. |
|
|
$2.2
billion |
Total
pay-per-view sales in 2001. |
|
39% |
Decline
in pay-per-view event revenue since 1999. |
|
8 seconds |
Fastest
knockout in the history of ultimate fighting. |
Good
luck. The sport got its start a decade ago, when promoters pitched
it as a modern-day gladiator match minus the big cats. A species
of "mixed martial arts," ultimate fighting is a combination
of boxing, kickboxing and wrestling, as well as body slams, roundhouse
kicks and forearms to the face. Matches take place in an octagonal
ring lined with chain-link fence, and fighters win by a judge's
decision or by forcing their opponent to quit. The fights generated
interest from pay-per-view cable audiences--and disgust from
the morality police. Under pressure from politicians like Arizona
Senator John McCain, they were banned in some states and eventually
dropped from cable TV. Now the Fertittas, who bought the franchise
in 2001, must scratch for legitimacy and an audience that is
less inclined to watch wrestling and boxing.
Call
it a draw, so far. The brothers claim their holding company,
Zuffa--colloquial Italian for "fight"--is breaking
even on revenues of $7.5 million. They're back in the good graces
of cable outfits and,to a lesser extent, state regulators. But
while they've increased viewership fivefold and moved from 2,000-seat
theaters to 10,000-seat arenas, ultimate fighting still barely
qualifies as a niche sport. "We think there's an interesting
business opportunity, but it's high risk," Lorenzo admits.
Still,
there's less at risk for these guys than for run-of-the-mill
fight promoters. Their 26.5% stake in Station--Frank is chairman
and chief executive, Lorenzo is president--is worth $220 million.
The brothers insist they've spent little on the fights beyond
an initial investment in the "low seven figures."
Why
not stick to running slot machines? Lorenzo Fertitta was first
exposed to the sport itself while at his last job, as a member
of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Then-UFC owner Robert
Meyrowitz had come to the state board seeking approval to run
fights. The commission never formally ruled on the request, but
as part of a fact-finding mission Fertitta flew out to Iowa to
watch a series of brawls. "The thing that really shocked
me was the quality of the fighters," he recalls. "They
were world-class athletes. I had this perception that these were
just guys getting off a barstool and trying to hurt each other."
The
Fertittas were hooked. They started taking weekly fighting lessons
in the basement gym at Station's headquarters; lessons morphed
into daily sparring. (The brothers say their limited liability
company contract calls for any dispute between them to be resolved
by a fight judged by Zuffa's president.) When Meyrowitz asked
them to buy a 50% stake in his operation in 2000, they bought
the whole thing instead.
Task
number one: getting viewers. That meant courting In Demand, the
cable consortium that controls the lion's share of the pay-per-view
business. At that time only 18 million households with satellite
dishes could get the fights; Zuffa needed In Demand's customer
base of 28 million, too. But cable operators were wary--until
the Fertittas received licenses from states with major fight
markets.
Their
Vegas roots helped the brothers crack open some doors with state
athletic commissions in New Jersey and Nevada. To get approval
they had to agree to a series of safety rules: Lightweight gloves
are in, for instance; kicking your opponent in the head when
he's on the ground is out. They also upgraded production values,
booking larger venues, adding more TV cameras and a sprinkling
of lasers, rock music and fireworks throughout their shows. "The
Fertittas have done a good job," says Daniel York, senior
vice president at In Demand. "They produced a better, safer
product and made a commitment to marketing the brand."
But
the clincher was their willingness to take it on the financial
chin. Promoters for big boxing matches can get 50% of the pay-per-view
retail price from cable operators. The Fertittas, desperate to
get back onto cable, settled for much less--an estimated 40%.
"It wasn't like I was coming in with [Lennox] Lewis and
[Mike] Tyson," says Lorenzo. "I didn't have a whole
lot of negotiating leverage."
Which
makes turning a profit even tougher. The Fertittas' goal is 150,000
buys, at an average of $30 each, for each of the six live events
they put on every year. Right now they're getting about 55,000
buys. That forces them to cover the $1.3 million average cost
of a fight with revenue from the live ticket sales and by airing
"best of" fights six times a year, which draw about
a third of the viewers of the live fights, but cost nothing to
produce.
They
could use a marketing boost. Big boxing matches can count on
free publicity from the sports press, while pro wrestling puts
on hours of free television every week, all designed to get viewers
to buy pay-per-view events each month. Zuffa hasn't had much
success wooing the mainstream press, but it may have more luck
with TV. In August it ran two hour-long shows on Fox Sports Net,
which says the heavily promoted fights got a spike in viewership
from the boxing show that normally ran in that slot. The brothers
are looking for a cable network to air a weekly show; the major
broadcasters are a poor bet, thanks to an already full schedule
of programming and NBC's calamitous adventure with the XFL.
Growth
also depends on winning over more state commissions. New York,
which banned the sport in 1997, doesn't plan to reconsider its
decision, but California, a hotbed of martial arts and ultimate
fighting's largest potential customer base, may come aboard soon.
A proposal to license the sport is under review and could be
approved in six months. Meantime, the Fertittas are trying to
boost the entertainment value of the brawls, introducing rules
to decrease the amount of time fighters spend locked in holds
on the ground and paring the number of fighters under contract
so fans will see the same stable of grapplers more frequently,
as in pro wrestling.
Expect
to see a lot more of Phil (New York Bad Ass) Baroni, who arrives
at fights in a red satin robe with an entourage of ring girls.
And Chuck (The Iceman) Liddell, who sports a bright green Mohawk
and, less well-known, a B.S. in business from California Polytechnic
State University in San Luis Obispo. The brothers promise they
won't gin up storylines to make the fights more popular. Says
Lorenzo, "We're purists."
Source: Bruce Buffer & Forbes |
Quote
of the Day
"If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved
the results you want and copy what they do and you'll achieve
the same results."
Anthony Robbins
|
Relson
Gracie US National Championships
by: Dustin Ware
MORE NEWS TO COME FROM THIS EVENT!
Yesterday
in Columbus, Ohio will be home for the 3rd Annual Relson Gracie
US National Championships! This competition has proven to be
one of the most prestigious and competitive Jiu-Jitsu/Submission
tournaments in the United States. This years competition will
feature an amateur Gi and No-GI competition, as well as a 'much
talked about' SUPER BOUT!
SUPER BOUT:
Name: Alex Paz (2001 World Jiu-Jitsu Brown Belt Champion)
Height: 6'4'
Weight: 235 lbs
Birthdate: 23
Hometown: Miami, Florida
Team: Brazilian Top Team
VS.
Name: Marcio
Corletta (2001 World Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Champion)
Height: 6'4'
Weight: 214 lbs
Birthdate: 27
Hometown: Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil
Team: Winner Behring Jiu-Jitsu
Note that
the winners from the amateur No-Gi competition will qualify for
the Professional Arnold Schwarzenegger World Gracie Submission
Competition, which will be held in late February 2003. The top
3 teams will be awarded cash prizes and trophies with individual
competitors receiving Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.
Source: ADCC |
Southern
California Youth Pankration Championships
Everyone 17 years and under are invited to compete on Sunday
November 17th at 902 Cardiff Street, San Diego. Strikes to the
body, takedowns and submissions are allowed. Two mats,double
elimination and 3 minute matches. Custom Medals will go to first,
second and third place. $35 at the door, $25 if pre-registered.
We will give an additional $10 dollars discount if you competed
in Grapplers Quest on Sat. and make it back for our event. Contact
jfrank128@cox.net or 949 829-6857 for more info
or a registration form.
Source: ADCC |
WFA
3 Card Finalized
The WFA has
finalized their fight card for WFA Level 3, taking place November
23, 2002.
Frank Trigg
vs Pat Miletich
Marvin "The
Beastman" Eastman vs Alex Steibling
Vitor "Shaolin"
Ribeiro vs Chris Brennan
Mike Van Arsedale
vs Chris Haseman
Rob McCullough
vs Josh Thomson
Todd Lally
vs Nigel Hudson
Source: Sherdog |
Nino
"Elvis" Schembri Interview
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: Ypu have been out since Pride 14 with a hurt shoulder
- what happened? 'Elvis': I tore ligaments in my right shoulder
and also I tore my bicep muscle. Actually, I suffered two injuries
at the same time.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: Let's talk about your fight at THE BEST VOL 2, against
Daiju Takase. The fight was considered boring. What do you think?
'Elvis': The fight was really a bit boring! When the fight was
on the ground I fought almost the whole time from the bottom,
and I was better on the feet. Takase stalled a lot, he just wanted
to stay in my guard just trying to keep me underneath him.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: Do you think you match Johil de Oliveira showed more
of your style than this last fight against Takase? 'Elvis': Against
de Oliveira, I was very comfortable. I was very anxious against
Takase, because I was returning to the ring after a serious injury.
He also played a very defensive game. But even with that, I was
able to win this fight.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: You didn't compete, but you were at the Jiu Jitsu Mundials?
What's sis you think? 'Elvis': I think the level of competition
was very high. In my opinion Roger Gracie and Carlos 'Escorrega'
Lemos were the names of the event. Carlos Gracie Jr. Deserves
all the props for his job with the CBJJ.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: You've never hidden your desire to face Carlos Newton.
What's the main reason for this wish to face him? 'Elvis': I've
never had the interest to fight Carlos Newton. What really happened
is my manager Jorge Guimarães (Joinha) said that this
would be a great fight. But Newton left Pride and I don't see
this fight happening since I'm a Pride fighter.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: What do you think about his performance against Matt
Hughes at UFC 38? 'Elvis': I think that Newton started very well
in the fight, got the mount position at the beginning of the
fight, but after that he got tired and accepted Hughes game and
was totally dominated by him.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: Do you think that sometimes the brawler beats the technician,
as happened in this Hughes vs Newton fight? 'Elvis': Pay attention.
Here is my analysis - the brawler can beat the technician if
the cardio and conditioning is not there to deal with the rush.
If you get tired in an MMA fight, it doesn't matter who you are
because you are gone.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: You were in the first Brazilian v. Brazilian match in
PRIDE. The Brazilians have been doing a good job out there, and
we probably will be seeing more fights between Brazilians in
the future. What's your opinion about this? 'Elvis': I think
that there're many foreign fighters for the Brazilains fight
against, but it's natural that ocasionally the Brazilians will
be facing each other in Pride, or in big events.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: Were you supposed to fight Pele in Pride before you got
injured? Did it matter to you to face another Brazilian in your
second NHB match? 'Elvis': I was to face 'Pele' before I got
my shoulder injury. It doesn't make any difference to me to face
a Brazilian or a foreign fighter. Obviously it's better to face
someone from another nationality than face a countryman, but
I'm a Pride fighter and I'll fight anyone who they choose for
me.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: Facing more experienced and tough opponents, will this
be Elvis's way in NHB? 'Elvis': I hope so. I love challenges
and I've a lot of confidence in my ground game.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: The BUDOKAN and HEROES 2 and IVC Venezuela veteran, 'Cyborg'
Santos said that he wants to fight against you. Do you think
that even with only two NHB fights under your belt, there are
people checking you out, or this is because you beat his teammate
Johil de Oliveira? 'Elvis': I don't know. I'll repeat. I'm a
Pride fighter and I'll fight anyone who they choose for me.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: Many fighters have been fighting in the both of the main
NHB organizations, Pride and the UFC, Do you've want to fight
in the UFC? 'Elvis': Maybe one day, since Elvis (Presley) was
huge oi the U.S. (laughs)!
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: In which weight division would you like to fight? up
to 77kg or 77-87kg divison? 'Elvis': For sure in the 77kg weight
class.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: And what about Jiu Jitsu? Won't we see you fighting anymore?
'Elvis': This year I didn't have too much time. But next year
I'll be back in the main tourneys such as the Brasileiro, Pan
Am and the Mundials.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: Do you want to fight in Abu Dhabi again? Have you been
training for this? 'Elvis': I've a huge desire to fight in this
tourney again! I won the most technical athlete award at the
last ADCC edition, , which was an honor, and I've been training
a lot.
FIGHTWORLD
Brazil: Do you've any message for your fans? Do we'll be seeing
you fighting again at this year? 'Elvis': I'll be fighting in
December on the Pride 24 show. For my fans, wait, because 'Elvis'
is still alive and is really training a lot!
Source: ADCC |
JEFF
CURRAN - Future Star?
by: Joseph Cunliffe
Even on
his worst days... when he is down on his luck... tired... and
even ill... 'I can't remember not wanting to at least watch guys
grapple at the academy,' says Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt
Jeff Curran.
The
quiet, non-intimidating 25-year-old began Jiu-Jitsu by accident
at a local Hapkido school in 1993. Curran recalls saying to his
friends, 'that guys doing what I do (referring to Royce Gracie),'
but shortly thereafter realized that it should have been worded
I do what that guy is doing. Curran has also trained in Jeet
Kune Do, Thai Boxing, Boxing, Muay Thai, Kali and Karate, but
it wasn't until around the age of 18 that he put it all together,
'I started to hit pads and basically do whatever I thought would
be essential.'
Curran
wanted to test his skills someday, and it was a very smooth transition
into MMA. Competing since 1998, Curran was full of 'blind energy'
as he calls it for his first pro fight against now friend and
fellow Pedro Sauer student, Henry Matamoros. Curran admits to
bouncing from so many small events 'I really got caught up in
fighting in just about anything that popped up,' but those days
are over for Curran. Monte Cox has managed Curran for his past
2 fights, and 'basically was the one who got me started in the
Extreme Challenge back in 1998,' said Curran. Cox, the undisputed
manager of champions, says, 'I think Jeff has the ability to
reach the top level of the sport at 145 pounds. He's a fighter
who has been in my shows for a long time, starting as an amateur.
He called me, asked me to help him with his career, and it didn't
take me long to decide to do it.' Today, Curran relies on 'one
very important tool that I believe I wasn't tapping into enough...
strategy.'
Curran
has partially joined forces with Team Extreme, receiving an open
invitation from Pat Miletich to participate in the fighter training
at his gym. Curran recently spent a week with the most well respected
fight team in MMA preparing for his upcoming match. I believe
this sort of defines 'teamwork' that is so important in this
sport. Although it would be nice to have my coach and Pedro Sauer
by my side each fight, it has been an honor to share locker rooms
with Team Extreme. On being an asset to the Team, Cox replied,
'right now, Jeff is the only 145-pounder on the team. While many
organizations don't have that low of a weight class, it seems
the sport is moving in that direction. So, when somebody calls
needing a 145-pounder, Jeff is there to take the challenge.'
With
a 5-4-1 professional record, the veteran of Extreme Challenge,
HOOKnSHOOT, UA Fighting, UCC & WEC is coming off two recent
wins. On August 31 at 'WEC 4: Rumble Under The Sun,' Curran fought
Bao Quach from California's Team Next Generation, winning by
a Majority Decision. That was followed up on September 17 at
'UCC Hawaii: Eruption in Hawaii,' when Curran fought Baret Yoshida
of Hawaii's Grappling Unlimited winning with a vicious KO in
Round 2. Promoter T. Jay Thompson knew Curran had the tools to
'hang with Yoshida at every level' and he didn't disappoint.
After defeating Yoshida, could a black belt be far away for Curran?
'Jeff did a great job,' exclaimed Sauer, 'he has a lot of talent
and he will probably be one of the my first black belts.'
The
night before a fight is the probably the worst for Curran. He
finds it hard to sleep, 'because I fight all night in my head,'
he said. However, the hour before the fight is when he starts
to gear up and get ready, 'my mind sort of drifts to a relaxed
place,' and he uses that time to try and generate every bit of
everything, 'that I have in my mind, body and spirit, and then
make sense of it all when I hit the ring.'
Besides
running his academy, training for a fight is a full time job
for Curran. Hitting the weights in the morning, Curran works
specifically on boxing 3-4 days per week. Muay Thai is worked
in about 2 days per week followed up with a 3-4 mile run. Takedowns
are practiced 2 days per week, usually alternating with boxing.
Jiu-Jitsu training takes place 6 days per week, with at least
5 days per week sporting the Gi. And everyday consists of about
2 hours of live grappling without the Gi.
Curran
describes himself as persistent... looking to keep a steady pace
towards goals he wishes to achieve. Looking ahead one year, Curran
sees himself still fighting, 'so long as the body holds up,'
he said. Curran would love to be able to have earned the respect
in the MMA community and hopefully have a name that will help
draw people to want to learn from him. Curran adds, 'I hope the
UFC adds the 145lb division and I can come take the belt.'
Curran
credits Frank Cucci for 'being the MAN,' he says, and 'helping
get this whole thing started.' Additionally, Curran thanks his
staff and students at Linxx Academy, 'I truly feel blessed for
having all my great students, a great staff and a great family
in the Martial Arts.'
As
for fighting, Curran says, 'bring it on... I am ready to go,'
and on October 26 Curran faces Ryan Ackerman at 'Ironheart Crown:
Tribulation' in Hammond, IN.
For
more information on Jeff Curran, check out www.TeamLinxx.com.
Source: ADCC |
Rulon
Wins, Lindland Loses
REALPROWRESTLING
DEBUT IS JUDGED A SUCCESS
by: Eddie Goldman
RealProWrestling
Oct. 26, 2002
Los Angeles Center Studios - Los Angeles, California
LOS ANGELES,
Oct. 26 -- After 14 matches, seven apiece in freestyle and Greco,
at the inaugural taping of a television pilot for RealProWrestling,
the winner is -- RealProWrestling! Unlike the shipwreck that
became 'The Contenders,' an attempt at a submission wrestling
pay-per-view almost exactly five years ago, the rules and format
of RealProWrestling worked, and worked well. While there were
some complaints about some of the refereeing and the scoring,
there was none of the acrimony and confusion that followed that
event, when wrestling people got mad at the jiu-jitsu and submission
people, and vice versa, and everyone was mad at the promoters.
Here, all involved felt they had been part of a good -- but not
perfect -- show.
The intent
of this taping is to put together a pilot to shop around to television
executives so that RealProWrestling can become a regular television
series. Thus, while the overwhelming sentiment was that this
was a good live show, what the final, edited product looks like
will play a major role in determining the fate of this enterprise.
These rules
also succeeded in encouraging action throughout each match. Thus,
there were no scoreless first periods in the entire event, no
overtimes, and thus no clinches.
We will have
much more extensive coverage of this RealProWrestling event in
the days and weeks to come.
One of the
highlights was the successful return to the mat of Olympic and
world champion Rulon Gardner for the first time since his snowmobile
accident in February. His injuries, though not 100 percent healed,
showed little effect on his wrestling. He defeated Billy Pierce
by a score of 2-0. Both of Rulon's points were scored by a new
rule used in RealProWrestling that awards one point for pushing
your opponent off the mat.
The stunner
of the show was the pinfall victory by Dennis Hall over his longtime
rival Jim Gruenwald. Hall was leading 5-2 when he hit a throw
that forced Gruenwald to his back. Gruenwald, who has defeated
Hall of late in the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials, turned
the wrong way, and Hall stuck him for the fall at 1:22 of the
second period.
There were
two teams, called Team Black and Team Red. Wrestlers had the
choice of wearing singlets or fighting shorts of their team colors,
with most choosing the fighting shorts. Team Black won both duals
by close scores, taking freestyle 21-19 and Greco 27-23. The
RealProWrestling scoring system uses the differential of points
in decisions for the team score, and 15 points for pins.
There was
a moment of silence in honor of the tragic passing Friday in
a plane crash of Sen. Paul Wellstone, a former wrestler and a
member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Here are the
quick results:
FREESTYLE
55kg/121
LBS. -- Stephen Abas (Team Black) def. Jeff Prescott (Team Red),
7-4
60kg/132 LBS. -- Eric Guerrero (Team Red) def. Eric Akin (Team
Black), 8-2
66kg/145.5 LBS. -- Chris Bono (Team Black) def. Tony DeAnda (Team
Red), 6-3
74kg/163 LBS. -- Donny Pritzlaff (Team Black) def. Ramico Blackmon
(Team Red), 13-2, technical fall
84kg/185 LBS. -- Brandon Eggum (Team Red) def. Markus Mollica
(Team Black), 10-4
96kg/211.5 LBS. -- Tim Hartung (Team Black) def. Ryan Tobin (Team
Red), 9-4
120kg/264.5 LBS. - Kerry McCoy (Team Red) def. Brian Keck (Team
Black), 10-3
GRECO-ROMAN
55kg/121 LBS. -- Brandon Paulson (Team Black) def. Lindsay Durlacher
(Team Red), 11-0, technical fall
60kg/132 LBS. -- Dennis Hall (Team Black) def. Jim Gruenwald
(Team Red), pin, 4:22
66kg/145.5 LBS. -- Kevin Bracken (Team Red) def. Darnell Lollis
(Team Black), 11-0, technical fall
74kg/163 LBS. -- T. C. Dantzler (Team Red) def. Darryl Christian
(Team Black), 7-6
84kg/185 LBS. -- Quincey Clark (Team Red) def. Matt Lindland
(Team Black), 7-4
96kg/211.5 LBS. -- Dean Morrison (Team Red) def. Chael Sonnen
(Team Black), 10-1
120kg/264.5 LBS. - Rulon Gardner (Team Black) def. Billy Pierce
(Team Red), 2-0
Source: ADCC |
Dean
Lister Interview
77-87.9 KG Champion of the 2003 ADCC Trials
by: Joseph Cunliffe
The
MACHINE also went home with the TAPOUT & HnS FIGHTER of the
NIGHT trophy - the traditional honor singling out the tournament's
top performer!
PIC
by Mike McNeil: Lister on the mats with Laimon in the finals
- check out the SWAIN MATS!!!!
Dean
Lister recently won his division at the Abu Dhabi North American
Trials qualifying for a spot at the 2003 Abu Dhabi Submission
Wrestling Championships in Brazil. Sustaining a knee injury during
his first match, Dean persevered and was named the TapouT Fighter
Of The Night. Dean is optimistic heading to Brazil, but knows
he has to train hard for the Championships. Experiencing one
of the best days of his life, the KOTC champion talks about his
3 matches, defeating a big rival, and training for MMA.
JC:
Is this your first Abu Dhabi Trials? DL: Yes, this was my first
Abu Dhabi Trials tournament.
JC:
How did you come to compete at the Trials? DL: I was invited
about 2 weeks before the tournament.
JC:
How are you feeling about your performance... your wins? DL:
I feel happy about my performance and my wins, especially since
I overcame a painful injury and beat a big rival of mine and
more importantly a rival who had been talking trash about me
on the internet. I feel even more proud of winning this tournament
because I haven't been training much in grappling for the past
six months. I've been spending 80% of my training time boxing
and kickboxing. Going back to a high level grappling tournament
was a change of pace.
JC:
Can you tell me how you won each of your three matches? DL: First
of all, I had a tough route to win the tournament, everyone there
had skill and athleticism. The first two guys I faced were both
super strong guys and on top of that both were from good teams.
My first opponent Nathan Ducharme from Caesar Gracie's school
had a heavy wrestling background. I ended up working from guard
and got on top with a half guard sweep, I went for an arm lock
but the guy was so strong that I felt he was going to pull out
of it so I transitioned to the back and got my hooks in and slipped
in a rear one armed choke for the win. I ran into problems here
when I got to his back because Ducharme jumped off the mat and
spun, when we hit the mat, all 400 plus combined pounds hit the
mat hard, but the problem was my knee bore the impact of this
fall, I developed a golf ball sized lump on my knee cap. It was
extremely painful to touch and I needed to put several knee pads
on to cushion any force in the upcoming matches.
My
second opponent was Jamal Patterson from Renzo Gracie's school.
This guy was also strong and had a wrestling background. I almost
took him down but we ended up back on our feet. I remember there
was a struggle where I almost got his back, but he went for a
kimura. All I really remember was him attempting a knee lock
on me and then us exchanging foot locks. The guy wouldn't tap
and then I got a sweep on him from the half guard and ended up
almost mounted. I was in good position to try an arm lock, but
felt that was the predictable move he'd be expecting. Instead
I went to the back of my opponent and slipped in the rear naked
choke for the tap. My knee was hurting even worse now, but I
knew I had only one more match to get through, also the guy I
was facing, Marc Laimon has always been a rival of mine and I
didn't want anyone thinking I was using my knee as an easy way
out of facing him.
For
my last match with Marc Laimon, I found myself in a long stand
up battle, both of us were cautious and calculated. I had to
stand with my uninjured leg forward which is not my usual stance
but somehow the injury helped me to focus and be intense on winning
my match. I had several takedowns that ended up off the mat and
we had to be restarted, there was even one time Marc hopped out
of bounds when I had his other leg in the air and I unintentionally
threw Marc into the crowd of spectators. My only gripe about
the day is Marc Laimon who kept running off of the mat, in fact
in each of our three matches we've had, he's ran off of the mat
each and every time. That is something I would never do, I'd
rather my opponent get two points on me than to run off of the
mat and rely on the ref to restart us, but he did it to me many
times. There was even a point where I had a guillotine sunk in
around his neck, Marc hastily started back-peddling off toward
the edge of the mat and we ended up out of bounds, still on our
feet. When the ref said 'stop, don't move', I listened and stopped,
ready to circle inside to resume the match. Marc at that moment
distinctively after the ref had already told us to stop pulled
his chin in saving his neck or at least making it much harder
to be scored upon. He did this blatantly and many people saw
this. I don't like having matches with this kind of behavior.
Marc is very talented I don't know why he had to cheat against
me, but he did. Anyways I ended up getting two points by a takedown
that did go out of bounds slightly. I was in control and got
my two points, I found myself in an umoplata but easily escaped,
and I didn't have to go out of bounds to do it. Marc played a
largely defensive game and in the end when he realized he was
down by points tried to take me down but it didn't work out very
well. In the end, the last thirty seconds or so, I jumped and
threw my guard on Laimon, I was criticized for doing this since
I lost a point for this action but the reason I did it is because
I saw the match going to a boring 2-0 end and wanted to add some
excitement to the match as well as do something my opponent wouldn't
expect me to do. I lost a point and won the match 1-0.
JC:
How did you train for the Trials? DL: I only had about two weeks
to train and focus back on my grappling. I have been training
extensively in boxing and kickboxing in preparation for my upcoming
King of the Cage matches.
JC:
What are your thoughts on being named the TapouT Fighter Of The
Night? DL: I'm proud of it and it is a topic of conversation
for those entering my gym to train when they see the trophy.
I had a lot of pressure that night and was glad to see my injury
help me to focus and really happy to see my team there supporting
me in all of my matches.
JC:
What was your overall experience? DL: Overall experience is one
of the best days of my life.
JC:
Are you looking forward to Abu Dhabi 2003? DL: I can't wait for
Abu Dhabi 2003 and will train like a madman for it. I know what
to expect there and am very optimistic.
JC:
How will your train for the tournament? DL: Hard, Hard, Harder.
I don't have the luxury of training purely in grappling and focusing
on only point techniques. I must make up for this lack of luxury
by training harder than my opponents.
JC:
What are you doing between now and Brazil? DL: Fighting December
7th in King of the Cage, focusing on NHB training and taking
my team around to tournaments.
JC:
Is there anything you'd like to say? DL: Thanks to everyone for
coming to the event and supporting all of the competitors and
a special thanks to my team and training partners from City Boxing
as well as my sponsors who have done so much to help me and have
always believed in me.(Bad Boy, Sycuan Casino, Ultimate
Source: ADCC |
Boxers
in MMA? It May be Closer than You Think
By Thomas Gerbasi
It
sometimes appears that the world of mixed martial arts revolves
around various rumors that circulate from Internet sites to message
boards to chat rooms. The latest big rumor is that some high
profile professional boxers from the United States, such as Shannon
Briggs and Michael Moorer, are being recruited to fight in Japan,
presumably for the Pride organization.
Briggs,
a former challenger to heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, has
been one of the names bandied about, and as a member of the American
Top Team and one of the most marketable fighters in the sport,
he is the perfect representative for the boxing world in MMA.
"I've
studied it for a while and I'm a big fan of a lot of the UFC
guys and the guys in Pride," Briggs told MaxFighting. "I'm
looking forward to eventually fighting in either tournament."
Eventually
is the operative word, since Briggs just underwent elbow surgery
last Monday. But he does admit that the prospect of him fighting
in Japan "has been brought up", so he has been working
on making himself a well rounded fighter if and when he enters
a MMA ring.
"I've
been practicing my Jiu-Jitsu for a couple of months," said
Briggs, who regardless of this latest development, has not turned
his back on boxing after an April decision loss to top contender
Jameel McCline. "I'm going to give myself some more time
on the ground and then basically I'll see how I feel after I
recover from my operation. I figure in the next six months if
I get better on the ground I'll give UFC or Pride a shot."
Michael
Moorer has also been a much discussed name in the "boxers
to MMA" rumor mill, and while long time advisor Prentiss
Byrd admits that "there was some conversation," about
the former two-time heavyweight champion entering the world of
MMA, he says that the talk "hasn't gone any further than
that."
Said
Byrd, "I haven't sat down with anyone to talk about the
particulars. It's not that he wouldn't do it and I wouldn't have
a problem talking to them about it. You always sit down with
someone and talk about what's going on. If someone came along
who was a part of the business and made an offer, we would see.
It would have to be a lot of money though."
So
why now? Boxers like heavyweights Melton Bowen and Art Jimmerson,
and former cruiserweight champ James Warring have competed in
MMA with mixed results, but the sport has never seen a high profile
fighter like a Briggs or Moorer compete, though many boxers,
such as Arturo Gatti and Mike Tyson, are fans.
"I
think they're looking for a pretty high profile name to bring
into the sport," said Byrd. "The sport is growing,
there's no question about that."
If
the boxers do fight in Pride, having a "name" US boxer
in the ring would be a perfect segue into Dreamstage Entertainment's
expected foray into the States in 2003. It's smart business.
Can
a Moorer or Briggs compete in MMA though? Pride would be the
perfect place for them, since the promotion has some more flexibility
than the UFC due to the fact that they've run not only K-1 rules
matches, but special rules matches as well. "Michael is
a boxer; he's not a mixed martial arts guy," admits Byrd.
"It wouldn't be a situation where I'd have him wrestling.
He'd be like a fish out of water."
But
Briggs isn't looking for any special rules. If he competes, he
will be looking to compete as an equal with his opponent.
"My
guys have told me that I've improved but I want to get really
confident," said Briggs. "I know standing up that a
lot of these guys won't be able to deal with me, but I want to
be prepared for the takedown and stuff like that."
And
all criticism aside, if a promotion does succeed in bringing
in a high profile boxer, like a Briggs or Moorer, boxing fans
will tune in, buy tickets, and order pay-per-view telecasts.
That's the bottom line.
Stay
tuned.
Source: Maxfighting |
Quote
of the Day
"Happiness is an attitude of mind, born of the simple determination
to be happy under all outward circumstances."
J. Donald Walters |
UFC
40: 'VENDETTA' Card Finalized!
by: Josh Hedges
BRITISH FIGHTERS
FREEMAN, WEIR; HEAVYWEIGHT MIR COMPLETE UFC 40: VENDETTA PAY-PER-VIEW
CARD, NOV. 22, AT MGM GRAND
All-Star
Lineup Will Feature Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock
Light Heavyweight Title Fight; Matt Hughes To Defend Welterweight
Belt
Tickets
Now On Sale; Chuck Liddell To Fight Renato 'Babalu' Sobral
LAS
VEGAS, October 24, 2002…The Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC) will offer fight fans an All-Star lineup at UFC 40: Vendetta,
live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m., EST, Friday, Nov. 22, from the
MGM Grand with today's addition to the eight-fight card of two
of Britain's top fighters, Heavyweight Ian Freeman and Middleweight
Mark Weir, and Heavyweight Frank Mir of Las Vegas. Light Heavyweight
Champion Tito Ortiz will meet UFC legend Ken Shamrock for that
title in the main event and Welterweight Champ Matt Hughes will
defend his belt for the third time against Gil Castillo in the
co-main event. In addition, Light Heavyweight top contender Chuck
Liddell will take on Renato 'Babalu' Sobral. Tickets, $300, $200,
$100, $60 and $30, can be purchased at the MGM Grand box office
and all Ticketmaster locations, by calling Ticketmaster at 1-877-880-0880
and 702-474-4000, or at www.ticketmaster.com.
UFC
40: Vendetta will be available at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on iN
DEMAND, DIRECTV, BellExpressVu and Viewers Choice Canada. The
suggested retail price is $29.95.
Freeman,
13-5-0 in Mixed Martial Arts, of Sunderland, England, will clash
with Andrei Arlovski, 5-3-0, of Minsk, Belarus, in a battle of
strong strikers. Freeman is a former boxer who is also well-versed
in jiu-jitsu and wrestling. In addition to previous UFC victories
over Nate Schroeder and Tedd Williams, he won the FNC World Championship
in Russia and defeated Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Carlos
Barreto to win the Hook N Shoot Super Heavyweight Championship.
He handed Mir his first UFC loss with a first-round technical
knockout July 13 at UFC 38: Brawl At Royal Albert Hall in London.
Arlovski, a sambo/kickboxing style fighter, is a former World
Sambo Champion and European Mixed Fighting Champion.
Weir,
17-0-0, of Gloucester, England, will meet Phillip Miller, 14-0-0,
of Hesperia, Calif., in a battle of unbeaten fighters. Weir,
the U.K.'s top ranked middleweight contender, made an explosive
UFC debut July 13 before a hometown crowd in London with a 10-second
knockout of veteran Eugene Jackson. A Tae Kwon Do black belt,
Weir opened with a kick to the chin that Jackson dodged, followed
by a hard right hand that ended the fight. Miller, a striker/grappler,
also made a successful UFC debut on the same London card with
a hard-fought, unanimous decision over the U.K.'s James Zikic.
Miller moved up to the light heavyweight division for that fight,
but will return to middleweight to meet Weir.
Mir,
4-1-0, of Las Vegas, will fight veteran wrestler/grappler Vladimir
Matyushenko, 11-2-0, of Los Angeles, Calif., who is moving up
a weight class for the fight. Before running into Freeman in
London, Mir earned two UFC victories in less than two minutes.
In an impressive debut November 2, 2001, at UFC 34: High Voltage
in Las Vegas, he defeated previously unbeaten Brazilian Roberto
Traven by armbar submission in just over a minute. In his second
fight March 22 at UFC 36: Worlds Collide in his hometown, he
submitted veteran Pete Williams by modified shoulder lock in
just 47 seconds. Matyushenko will be formidable. In his last
UFC fight, he met Ortiz for the light heavyweight championship
Sept. 28, 2001 at UFC 33: Victory In Vegas. With less than two
weeks to prepare, he went the full five rounds and gave the champ
all he could handle.
The
Ortiz, 10-2-0, of Huntington Beach, Calif., versus Shamrock,
8-4-2, of San Diego, Calif., showdown for the light heavyweight
title will settle a long-standing vendetta. Fight fans are well
aware t |