Upcoming
Events
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event on Onzuka.com?
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
July 9-12
BJJ World Cup (CBJJO)
(BJJ)
(SESC gym, Salvador, Brazil)
3/26/04
Shooto Hawaii 2
(MMA)
(Campbell H.S. Gym)
Sometime
between Arnold-Gracie & Pan Ams
Pac-Rim BJJ tournament
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Hawaii)
3/5-7/04
Arnold
Schwarzenegger World Gracie Professional Submission Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Columbus, Ohio)
2/15/04
First Maui Invitational
of Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kahului, Maui, Hawaii)
Punishment
in Paradise II
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Campbell H.S. Gym)
2/13/04
Amateur
Fighting Compeition 5
(Toughman)
(Campbell H.S. Gym)
2/7/04
Ring of Honor 3
(Sub Grappling)
2/6/04
Super
Brawl 32
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
1/31/04
UFC
46: Super Natural
(MMA)
(Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV)
1/24/04
Ring of Honor 2
(MMA)
(Oahu)
1/19/04
Second 2 None Submission Grappling Tournament
(Sub Grappling)
(Oahu)
2004
12/31/03
"INOKI BOM-BA-YE 2003"
(Kobe Wing Stadium, Kobe, Japan)
(MMA)
12/31/03
UFC "Ultimate New Year's Eve"
(MMA)
Pay per View
Pride's Special Otoko Matsuri 2003
(MMA)
(Japan)
K-1
(Kickboxing & MMA)
(Japan)
12/27/03
Rumble On The Rock 5
(MMA)
(Hilo, Hawaii)
|
|
December News Part
2
Wednesday
night and Sunday classes (w/ a kids' class) now offered!
 
For the special Onzuka.com
price, click on one of these banners above! |
Quote
of the Day
"Always be eager to learn, no matter how successful you
might already be. In the Millionaires' Club, we sometimes invite
a billionaire to come talk to us. He says, 'You're doing okay,
but come on. How about if you really poured it on!'"
Jim Rohn, American Businessman, Author, Speaker, Philosopher
|
VASQUEZ
INJURED IN TRAINING; STREBENDT TO FIGHT SERRA IN LIGHTWEIGHT
BOUT AT UFC 46: SUPER NATURAL, JAN. 31
Ultimate Fighting Championship To Present 8-Fight Card
Live On Pay-Per-View On Super Bowl Saturday From Mandalay Bay
TICKETS
NOW ON SALE!
LAS
VEGAS, December 18, 2003….Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC) lightweight fighter Javier Vasquez (8-1-0 in mixed martial
arts) from Ontario, Calif., suffered a torn anterior cruciate
ligament in his knee in training and has been forced to withdraw
from his scheduled bout with Matt Serra (10-3-0) from Long Island,
N.Y., at UFC 46: Super Natural, Saturday, January 31, at the
Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.
Serra will fight Gerald Strebendt (7-3-0) from Los Angeles, Calif.,
in the lightweight feature bout that is part of an all-star,
eight-fight card that will be LIVE on pay-per-view at 10 p.m.
EST on Super Bowl Saturday night.
Tickets, $350, $250, $150, $75 and $35, are now on sale at the
Mandalay Bay Events Center box office in Las Vegas, at all Ticketmaster
locations, www.ticketmaster.com and www.mandalaybay.com. Tickets
also may be purchased by telephone at 1-877-632-7400 or 1-702-474-4000.
Purchases are limited to eight per person and are subject to
transaction fees. UFC 46: Super Natural will be available on
pay-per-view on iNDemand, DirecTV, Dish Network, TVN, Echostar,
Bell ExpressVu and Viewers Choice Canada. The suggested retail
price is $29.95.
In the main event, new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture
(12-5-0 in mixed martial arts) from Portland, Ore., will defend
his title for the first time against Brazilian phenom Vitor Belfort
(11-3-0) from Rio de Janeiro and in the co-main event, Welterweight
Champion Matt Hughes (36-3-0) from Hillsboro, Ill., will defend
his title for the sixth time against top-ranked Hawaiian BJ Penn (6-1-1) from Hilo.
The Serra-Strebendt match up pits two fighters who are both exciting
submission experts. Serra is a veteran with superb ground fighting
and submission skills. He has trained for years with Brazilian
martial arts guru Renzo Gracie and was the first American fighter
to earn a black belt in Gracie jiu jitsu. Strebendt also is a
jiu jitsu fighter who is strong on the ground. "I'm a Matt
Serra fan. "I have seen all his fights. This is going to
be fun for me. If I get on top of Matt, he will be in trouble.
It's going to be a great fight."
The remainder of the UFC 46: Super Natural card includes a heavyweight
re-match between Las Vegan Frank Mir (6-1-0) and 6'10" Wes
Sims (6-2-1) from Columbus, Ohio; two welterweight bouts featuring
former champion Carlos Newton (13-7-0) from Newmarket, Ontario,
Canada, against Renato
Verissimo
(4-0-0) from Hilo, Hawaii, and Karo Parisyan (17-2-0) from North
Hollywood, Calif., versus Canadian Georges St. Pierre (5-0-0)
from Montreal, Quebec; a middleweight match between Lee Murray
(8-1-1) from London, England, and Jorge Rivera (7-1-0) from Milford,
Mass., and another lightweight fight between undefeated Hermes
Franca (8-0-0) from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Josh Thomson (23-1-0)
from San Jose, Calif.
Source:
UFC |
Congrats
to Eben Kaneshiro!
Kaneshiro beats BJJ Black Belt Daniel Lima
Fearless 2: Bad Blood
PhilSports Arena, Phillipines
Dec. 13, 2003
1.
Brent Velasco (Muay Thai) vs. Lorenzo Sengco (Baritan Martial
Arts) - LIGHT FLYWEIGHT
WINNER:
Brent Velasco (opponent could not answer 2nd round bell)
2.
Deo Anacio (Strikes & Submissions) vs. Meliton Tizon (Wrestling)
– FLYWEIGHT
WINNER:
Deo Anacio via Guillotine Choke (1st Round)
3.
Lino Tagacay (Ringside Gym) vs. Steven Ramos (Mandaluyong Boxing
Gym) – FLYWEIGHT
WINNER:
Lino Tagacay by rear naked choke (1st round)
4.
Rey Asperin (Stanley’s Defense Studio) vs. Rene Rapisora
(Wrestling) – FLYWEIGHT
WINNER:
Rey Asperin (Opponent Disqualified for intentional foul)
5.
Toby Reyes (New Breed Academy) vs. Rency Calvelo (Suntokaran
Todo Bakbakan) – FLYWEIGHT
WINNER:
Rency Calvelo via Referee stoppage (3rd round)
6.
Ronald Alava (Suntokaran Todo Bakbakan) vs. Lloyd Llamas (Stanley’s
Defense Studio) – LIGHTWEIGHT
WINNER:
Ronald Alava via Referee stoppage (2nd round)
7.
Rodrigo Asiong (Muay Thai) vs. Larry Baluyan (Strike & Shoot)
– WELTERWEIGHT
WINNER:
Rodrigo Asiong via Referee stoppage (1st round)
8.
Roy Iguin (Stanley’s Defense Studio) vs. Jeffrey Torrico
(Team Desdichado) - MIDDLEWEIGHT
WINNER:
Jeffrey Torrico via referee stoppage (2nd round)
9.
Carlo Hizon (Suntokaran Todo Bakbakan) vs. Mark Vives (Carlson
Gracie Team) – MIDDLEWEIGHT
WINNER:
Mark Vives via decision
10.
Eben Kaneshiro
(New Breed
Academy) vs. Daniel Lima (Fight Club Jiu-Jitsu) –FLYWEIGHT
WINNER:
Eben Kaneshiro by decision
11.
Erwin Tagle (Submission Sport) vs. Myles Vives (New Breed Academy)
– FLYWEIGHT
WINNER:
Myles Vives via straight arm bar (2nd round)
Source:
PinoyMMA |
Royce
Gracie in Japan Rules are set
Royce Gracie has been in Japan for a few days now training for
his 'date' with Hidehiko Yoshida on New Year's eve Pride Shockwave
2003.
Latest
word is that they have finally settled on the rules, summary
of the highlights below:
-
3 x 10 minute rounds
-
No Judges decision if both fighters are still figthing at the
end of the 3 rounds it will be a draw
-
Pride rules for strikes, regular MMA fight
-
If a fighter is KO clean, ie., completely out on the ring, the
referee can stop the fight
-
If a fighter is knocked down on the mat due to a strike but still
conscious, a 10 count will start and the fighter must get up
by the end of the count or the fight is over
-
The referee cannot interfere in the event of a submission attempt
ie., choke, arm-lock etc.
Source:
ADCC |
TITO
STEPS UP TO THE PLATE AND SIGNS TO FIGHT LIDDELL
What a difference 24 hours makes. MMAWeekly.com told you yesterday
that Tito Ortiz had not signed a contract to fight against Chuck
Liddell for UFC 47. Well hopefully you were with us on the SoundOff
Forum yesterday as we had breaking news on the situation.
MMAWeekly.com
contacted UFC President Dana White yesterday afternoon and asked
officially if the contract had been signed. White's response...a
simple "yes."
This
means a solid doubleheader for UFC 47 as Tim Sylvia will face
Andrei Arlovski for the UFC Heavyweight Title, then Tito will
face Chuck for a shot at the Randy Couture vs Vitor Belfort winner.
Many fans have wanted to see the fight and if things go well
(knock on wood) then we will FINALLY see the fight we've waited
for. Chuck Liddell vs Tito Ortiz..
Source:
MMA Weekly |
Actual
News Stories About Rafiel Torre
MMA "journalist" arrested for murder
Rafiel Torre, the former writer from ADCC news, has been arrested
and charged with first degree murder:
Torre, who pled not guilty, is being represented by the public
defender in the case.
Until
now, Torre was best known for his famously bad "gonzo"
interviews of MMA fighters, getting destroyed by a purple belt
in the original ADCC submission wrestling championships, having
a very "suspicous" fight in King of the Cage and for
having falsely claimed to have earned a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black
belt from his father. However, around the time of the alleged
murder, Torre completely dropped out of the MMA fight scene and
had not been heard from for several years.
While
rumors that Torre might have a connection to the murder of his
girlfriend's husband had floated around the Internet for quite
some time, the arrest marks the first time Torre was definitively
connected to the crime.
If
found guilty, Torre faces a possible death sentence.
Source: Whaledog
Rancho man awaits
arraignment in killing
RANCHO CUCAMONGA - A Rancho Cucamonga man is set to be arraigned
today on charges he murdered his girlfriend's husband two years
ago.
Rafiel
Torre, 39, faces charges that could bring him the death penalty
if he is convicted of killing 32-year-old Bryan J. Richards,
who was found strangled in the bed of a pickup truck outside
a Rancho Cucamonga supermarket Dec. 22, 2001.
Sheriff's
homicide detectives arrested Torre Friday.
He
appeared in West Valley Superior Court briefly Tuesday afternoon.
Judge Mary Fuller appointed the Public Defender to represent
him and delayed his arraignment until today so his attorney could
be present.
Detectives
believe Torre killed Richards so he could maintain his love affair
with Richards' wife. Torre's body was found in the parking lot
of the Albertson's supermarket at Carnelian Avenue and Foothill
Boulevard.
Anyone
with information on the case is asked to call Sgt. Tom Bradford
or Detective Brad Toms of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's
homicide detail at (909) 387-3589.
-
Rod Leveque, (909) 483-9325
Source:
DailyBulletin.com
Accused murderer
pleads not guilty
RANCHO CUCAMONGA - Rafiel Torre, 39, of Rancho Cucamonga pleaded
not guilty in West Valley Superior Court Wednesday to murdering
his girlfriend's husband.
He
has been charged with first-degree murder and one special circumstance
claiming he committed the murder for financial gain.
Bryan
Richards, 32, of Rancho Cucamonga was found dead in the bed of
a truck on Dec. 22, 2001, in an Albertsons parking lot.
Investigators
believe that Torre killed Richards to continue an affair with
Richards' girlfriend.
-
Lisa B. McPheron, (909) 483-9354
Source: DailyBulletin.com |
Female
MMA fight rocks Meca X
Endend some minutes later the press-conference and weighing for
Meca X, that will be held next Saturday, in Curitiba. The press-conference
big time was the changing in the rules of the female fight between
the BJJ black belt Carmem
Casca-Grossa and
the BJJ brown belt and Boxer Ana Carolina. It won't be allowed
kicks and punches with the fighters on the ground. The change,
asked by Ana Carolina during the meeting, was contested by Casca-Grossa,
but it's confirmed.
TATAME.com
team is in Curitiba to bring during the hole weekend the best
of this Meca X. Stay tuned!
COMPLETE
CARD (subject to change):
-
Nelson Jaca vs Ângelo Tilapa;
-
Waldir Cabeça vs Rafael Tatu;
-
Jadson Costa vs Marcelo Nigue;
-
Marcelo Pitbull vs Delson Pé-de-Chumbo;
-
Carmem
Casca-Grossa
vs Ana Carolina;
-
Fabricio Morango vs Junior Besouro;
-
Jorge Patino Macaco vs Luiz Brito;
-
Daniel Acácio vs Roberto Godói;
-
Nilson Castro vs Carlos Baruk.
Source:
Tatame |
Catching
up with Stephen Quadros
Stephen
Quadros is best known to mixed martial arts fans as one half
of Pride FC's original broadcast team. Along with "El Guapo"
Bas Rutten, the two provided commentary for the first ever Pride
all the way to Pride 26. Even with his popularity, Quadros was
replaced right before one of Pride's biggest events ever, the
opening round of the heavily anticipated Pride FC middleweight
tournament. We recently caught up with Stephen Quadros to find
out why Pride decided to replaced him with Damon Perry right
before "Total Elimination."
MMAFighting.com:
Why were replaced by PRIDE FC?
Stephen
Quadros: I honestly do not know. I always showed up to work on
time and did my job in a professional manner. I got along outstandingly
well with my broadcast partner, Bas Rutten. I had not asked for
more money. I represented the event well in my day to day life.
I was well liked and respected by the fighters. And I suppose
you could say that I have knowledge of what I was speaking about
because of the fact that I am a practitioner, teacher and trainer
of kickboxing and MMA, an author of books about MMA, (Bas Rutten's
Big Books of Combat), and I have been the editor of two different
fight magazines, "Kickboxing Ring Report" and "Fightsport
With Stephen Quadros"... as well as having written feature
stories for virtually every major PRINT martial arts magazine
in the US: Inside Kung Fu, Black Belt, Grappling and Full Contact
Fighter. I have been involved in the sport of MMA in a powerful
way since it's inception here in the US in 1993. Bas Rutten and
I together had garnered a reputation as having a unique and dynamic
chemistry, being entertaining while we played off each other,
as well as complimenting one another knowledge wise. Our joint
commentary and interaction was known internationally as one of
the strong points of the show. I have tremendous confidence in
my abilities to do this type of work. And I had even more confidence
in the team of "El Guapo" and "The Fight Professor".
I really enjoyed working with Bas. So as you can figure, I did
not agree with the move. After all, I did not fire myself. The
fact is, I was a good soldier for the company. I would have been
very happy to have done Pride broadcasts till I retired, ala
Chick Hearn with the L.A. Lakers. I have many great memories
from Pride.
I
suppose you could draw your own conclusions based on the following
facts:
The
US producer that Bas & I had worked with for 3 years, left
after the first show of this year (2003). He was replaced by
a guy from Detroit. I did one show with the new producer and
then two weeks after I returned home from Japan I received a
call from a Dream Stage USA employee and informed that they were
going to "...try another commentator". I was not given
a "reason". My replacement apparently, is also from
Detroit...
I
enjoy calling the action on fights and feel it is inevitable
that I will be doing it again, probably sooner than later. I
feel I am good for the sport of martial arts when I work as a
host and a commentator. I would love to commentate on boxing
as well. Sometimes these things take time though. We shall see
what the future holds...(Laughs).
MMAFighting.com:
What have you been up to since your departure from PRIDE?
Stephen
Quadros: Since I left Pride I have worked on two feature films
and guest
starred on two network episodic dramas. I co-starred in "The
Last Run", a whacky film comedy starring Fred Savage that
will be out next year.
I
did all the fight choreography on "Legend of Pit Fighter"
which stars Dominiquie Vandenberg from "Gangs of New York",
Steven Bauer of "Scarface" and "Traffic"
and Stephen Graham from "Snatch". "Pit Fighter"
is unique in that is the first independent film financed by 20th
Century Fox. It's got my mark all over it. I am very excited
about that one!
My
episode of "CSI: Miami" airs on January 5th, 2004.
I appear near the end of the show and got to work with David
Caruso, who I have always liked as an actor. He was really great
to work with, made me feel very much at home.
The
episode of "Karen Sisco" that I am in, will air after
the show resumes in March of 2004. I'm not sure on the date of
that one.
I
have some REALLY interesting gigs brewing for next year. Check
my website periodically for updates on that. (http://StephenQuadros.com)
MMAFighting.com:
Any last words to all your fans?
Stephen
Quadros: I would like to say THANK YOU to all the people around
the globe who have stood by me. I really appreciate every bit
of support that you have given me. I can assure you...the best
is yet to come!
Source:
MMA Fighting |
Quote
of the Day
"The virtue of man ought to be measured, not by his extraordinary
exertions, but by his everyday conduct."
Blaise Pascal, 1623-1662, French Scientist, Religious Philosopher
|
Fighters'
Club TV Episode 17 Just Cut!
Tuesdays 6:00PM on
Channel 52 (Oceanic Cable)
Just when you thought we couldn't possibly get any better, along
comes
episode 17. It's action packed from start to finish--and showcases
our best
"acting" yet.
Fighters' Club TV
has also recently been named Olelo's "Best
Sport's Program of 2003"!
Fighters'
Club TV Episode 17 features:
-Highlights
from Rumble on the Rock (Oahu)
-Ross Ebanez vs. Gabe Casillas
-Renato "Charuto" Verisimo vs. Gil Castillo
-Gilbert Melendez vs. Stephen Palling
-Ronald Jhun vs. Shawn Taylor (+ intvw w/ Ron)
-DeFranco vs. Deshaun Johnson
-BJ Penn vs. Takanori Gomi (+ intvw w/ BJ--his personality shines
through in
this one!)
-intvw w/ UFC president Dana White on BJ's fights and ROTR
Technique
of the Week (back by popular demand)
-Enson "Yamato Damashii" Inoue
and,
stay tuned for the credits where you can see out-takes of your
favorite
personalities: Mike and Chris Onzuka, and Mark Kurano mess up
their
lines--not to mention, Chris doing his Ludacris impersonation.
This
Episode will air for the next 4 Tuesdays (Dec 23rd, 30th, and
Jan 6th
and 13th).
Comments,
Questions, and Suggestions to: fightersclubtv808@hotmail.com
We're
still looking for that "right" female to help host
the show--resumes
w/ pics attached to the same address.
Happy
Holidays from the TOUGHEST SHOW ON TELEVISION!
|
Inoue
Brothers on the Mend: Egan’s Ribs and Enson’s Abs
 
MMAWeekly’s Mick Hammond was able to catch up with Enson
Inoue from Japan earlier this week and was given an update on
the status of Enson’s brother Egan following his loss to
Jason Miller at Superbrawl 32 in Hawaii on December 5th. According
to x-rays taken after the fight, Egan has sustained two broken
ribs on his left side as well as a broken finger from the fight.
For
those of you who were unable to witness it, Egan was dominating
the fight throughout the first two rounds before getting caught
in a turtle position with Miller raining down thunderous strikes
to Egan’s sides. Unable to stand under his own power, the
fight was halted as Egan could not answer the bell for the 3rd
round and the victory was awarded to Miller. At this time, it
is not known how long Egan will be out of action.
Enson
also said that he is currently recovering from an abdominal injury
he suffered earlier this year in a pro wrestling match for New
Japan Pro Wrestling. When asked about his participation at any
of the events being held on New Year’s Eve, Enson said that
Antonio Inoki’s people contacted NJPW about possibly using
him for the annual Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye, however nothing can be confirmed
at this time.
He
has however confirmed his semi-return to MMA competition with
a Vale Tudo rules exhibition fight on January 10th in Guam. Currently
there is no opponent set, but according to Enson, it might be
Soichi Nishida whom Enson defeated at Pride 5 back in April of
1999.
When
asked about his future in MMA beyond January, Enson responded,
“I know I do not have a lot of time left, it’s coming
up on two years now that I’ve been inactive, but I want
to get in there and see if I can still fight.”
He
continued by saying, “I would like to get in at least one
more fight in Hawaii for T.Jay (Thompson, promoter and owner
of the Superbrawl organization), and I would like to return to
Shooto as well since it is where I started out.”
However,
Enson stated he will most likely take a few smaller fights before
attempting to get into the ring with the likes of a Wanderlei
Silva or Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
DIN
THOMAS VS AMAR SULOEV
In
another MMAWeekly exclusive, MMAWeekly.com has learned that Din
Thomas will face Amar Suloev on December 31st in K-1. Thomas
will be giving up a lot of weight in this fight.
Traditionally
Thomas has cut weight to fight in the UFC at 155. For this matchup
he will no doubt put on weight and you would think he could be
somewhere in the ball park of 165-170.
While
Suloev cut weight to fight in the UFC at 185, he has been known
to fight around 200 pounds. He fought Chuck Liddell at 205. So
why would Thomas accept this fight? Money. K-1 has gone all out
to take care of the fighters financially in this show and Thomas
will make a big pay day in this fight as he will try to out quick
and out move his opponent.
Now
with the news right here on MMAWeekly that Din Thomas and Amar
Suloev will battle it out, it looks as though the upcoming K-1
fight card is pretty well set.
In
addition to Din Thomas vs Amar Suloev...
Bob
Sapp vs. Akebono (K-1 rules)
Genki Sudo vs. Butterbean (MMA rules)
Alexey Ignashov vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (MMA rules)
Ernesto Hoost vs. Montanha Silva (K-1 rules)
Francisco Filho vs. TOA (K-1 rules)
Cyril Abidi vs. The Predator (MMA rules)
Tom Howard vs. Christopher "Phoenix" Midoux (MMA rules)
Source:
MMA Weekly |
|
INJURY
UPDATE ON JAVIER VASQUEZ
Is
Javier Vasquez Done Fighting?
Just
a few days ago, MMAWeekly.com reported that Javier Vasquez is
indeed out of UFC 46 due to another ACL tear. Last night, MMAWeekly
was able to catch up with the former King of the Cage champion
and get the word from the man himself about his injury, where
he's at now, and plans for his future.
According
to Javier, his knee had been "feeling a little weird"
after his fight with Robert Emerson in Las Vegas on November
14th. He had it checked and his doctor said it was a little loose
but okay to go ahead and train on. Then, last Tuesday, while
doing some sparring, Javier planted his leg and took a Thai kick
that caused the ACL to immediately tear.
Javier
says that the ligament is torn completely through and that the
miniscus is also damaged requiring surgery. He did verify that
this is the third time that he has torn the same ACL. He hopes
to have surgery on it later this week or sometime next week.
Right
now, he says that, "It feels fine on the ground. I have
full mobility and no pain. It hurt when it happened for like
10 minutes, then it was fine." In fact, if it were up to
him, Javier says that he would forge ahead and still fight Matt
Serra at UFC 46. He said, "[I'd] let him take me down and
tap him from my back. But my family would kill me."
It
sounds as if he might even be able to back up that statement.
According to business partner, John "The Rev" Jensen,
"He's a freak. He's my hero. He's not human. On Saturday
[just 3 days ago and post-injury], we had open mat at the school
and he was tapping out all the top guys."
As
for the future, there's been a lot of speculation with many people
saying that Javier has now retired. Well, that's true... and
it's not. "I'm not completely ruling out fighting again,
but I'm definitely taking at least a minimum of a year, year
and a half off," says Javier. So he's at least temporarily
retired with "two asterisks."
One
way or another he'll be back though. Javier said that a big factor,
besides the knee feeling good, was whether or not MMA goes mainstream
bringing with it better paydays to offset the potential risks
to his knee. If the knee heals and feels amazingly good, mainstream
or not, he might fight again just to reach his goal of fighting
in the UFC, even if it's not for his ultimate goal of a UFC title.
If
that doesn't happen? If he never fights MMA again? "Then
I'll just go and win Abu Dhabi," said Javier. "No gi,
there's no one out there that can beat me on a good day."
At least the injury to his knee hasn't hurt Javier's confidence.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
|
CRO
COP REPORTS THAT HE'S OUT OF DECEMBER SHOW
According
to a message from Mirko Cro-Cop Filipovic himself on his website,
the Croation fighter will not fight for Antonio Inoki or any
other promoter on December 31st.
Mirko
said, "I have been advised by my physician... to refrain
from intense training for 2 weeks and to allow my back to recuperate
from an injury that has been bothering me for a while."
He
went on to state that, "From now on, I will be communicating
with any promoters directly, for the year 2004." Mirko believes
he will be able to come back renewed and ready to become the
champion in the upcoming year.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
PAT
SMITH VS PAUL BUENTELLO FOR KOTC TITLE
Pat Smith will be returning to the ring at the end of January
when King of the Cage goes on the road to Florida. Smith will
be challenging current King of the Cage heavyweight champion
Paul Buentello. Buentello just won the title from Bobby Hoffman
in their rematch in November.
Although
Smith was slated to face Frank Mir at UFC 45 in Connecticut,
there was one big hurdle in the way... the Nevada State Athletic
Commission had suspended him back in 1996. The suspension stemmed
from Smith's participation on a boxing card and had never been
cleared up, so he was left off of the UFC 45 card.
His
bout with Buentello still faces that same hurdle, as most commission's
honor each other's suspensions. Smith had been working diligently
to get the suspension lifted before UFC 45, but just ran out
of time. That shouldn't be a problem this go around with plenty
of time left to clear things up, but Smith's bout with Buentello
is contingent upon setting things straight with Nevada.
Though
Smith is a long time veteran of the MMA scene - he first appeared
at UFC 1 back in 1993 - this will be his first time fighting
for King of the Cage and only his second bout since 1999. He
made his return to the ring in October of this year defeating
Allan "A-Dawg" Sullivan in Sven Bean's Ring of Fire
promotion
Source:
MMA Weekly |
HEAT
II Report: Griffin and 'Draculino' steal the show!
by: Luca Atalla
Last Thursday night, nearly 4,000 people went to Ginasio Machadinho,
in Natal, Brazil, anxious to watch Carlao Barreto vs. Travis
Wiuff and Allan Góes vs. Gustavo Ximu, the main events
of the second edition of Heat Fighting Championship II. The night
ended with the fans talking about the performances of Forrest
Griffin and Vinicius 'Draculino', who finished their fights earlier
than predicted.
Unable
to prevent Travis Wiuff’s takedowns, Carlao Barreto stayed
with his back on the ground playing the guard throughout the
match. barreto tried some arm attacks with little effectiveness.
After three rounds (1 x 10m + 2 x 5m), looking bloody as his
face had little cuts above both eyes, the judges had no doubt
about giving the decision to Travis.
The
seventh match of the card, between Allan and Ximu, was ruined
by a referee mistake. After seven minutes of a non-stopping action,
Allan attempting a shoulder lock (kimura) when referee Evilasio
Feitosa told the fighters to standup (before that, he had already
stopped the fight twice for no reason). The Brazilian Top Team
fighter didn’t hear the order and kept the move while Ximu
clearly stopped. Ximu then tapped and Allan celebrated. He didn’t
accept the referee’s decision to keep the fight going on,
walking away from the ring.
The
referee raised Ximu’s arm, but even the Ruas Vale-Tudo fighter
was unhappy with this way to earn the victory.
Two
other fights overshadowed the main show. In the first one, Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Vinicius Draculino made his much anticipated
debut in MMA and won impressively by choking local idol Kleber
Gaudino after he controlled the whole fight with tight positioning
and no mistakes.
American
Forrest Griffin returned to Heat after a victory over Ebenezer
Braga in the first edition. Like the first time, he didn’t
disappoint the crowd. In a little more than one minute Griffin
demolished Paredao (Big Wall, in Portuguese) with an accurate
right punch to his opponent’s chin.
The
night didn’t finish so happy for the American, although.
Griffin left the ring holding his left arm and realized that
he had broke it blocking a powerful punch in the beginning of
the fight, as a x-ray proved. The unfortune wasn’t enough
to make him lose his mood: ‘I had a vacation appointed already,
so I was not suppose to train for a while anyway.’
Heat
FC 2
Date: December 18th
Place: Natal, Brazil
COMPLETE
RESULTS:
-
Dinarte Silva (Kimura/Nova Uniao) Defeated Charles Andrade (Gracie
Barra/PB) - Judges decision
-
Vinicius Draculino (Gracie Barra/BH) Defeated Kleber Galdino
(Kimura/Nova Uniao) - Arm Choke 1st Rd
-
Alexandre Vaca (Kimura/Nova Uniao) Defeated Marcelo Uirapuru
(Gracie Barra/BH) - Judges Decision
-
Sergio Junior (Combate Real) X Fabio Bolinho (Kimura/Nova Uniao)
- Draw
-
Forrest Griffin (The HardCore Gym) Submited Edson Paredao (Nova
Geracao) - KO 1st Rd
-
Ebenezer Braga (Ruas Vale Tudo) Defeated Erik Wanderlei (Gracie
Barra/BH) - Judges decision
-
Gustavo Ximu (Ruas Vale Tudo) Defeated Allan Goes (Brazilian
Top Team) - Verbal Submission
-
Travis Wiuff (Dave Menne academy) defeated Carlos Barreto (Brazilian
Top Team) - Judges decision
Source: ADCC |
Christmas
Dream From WANDERLEI SILVA!
by: Julio Heller
In a very special moment, the Champion of the Pride Grand Prix,
Wanderlei Silva visited an orphanage with 150 children in a modest
neighborhood in his hometown Curitiba. Our Champion was touched
by the affection of the children, who shouted “VICTORY”
and “CHAMPION” all the time.
Wanderlei
spent a few hours with the children, giving gifts and candy to
the little one's and autographs for the adults. The manager of
the orphanage said that it was the best Christmas in the last
10 years. A few words from Wanderlei: “It’s good to
help our brothers and to remember how difficult my childhood
was and to value all the wonderful things that I’m living
today”.
Source:
ADCC |
TWO
MATCHES ANNOUNCED FOR PRIDE FC SHOCKWAVE
by: Turi Altavilla
LOS ANGELES, California – Two more matches are official
for PRIDE FC’s SHOCKWAVE 2003 show, scheduled for December
31, 2003 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.
In
the first bout, legendary Japanese superstar Hayato “Mach”
Sakurai will take on PRIDE FC veteran Daiju Takase. Sakurai is
known as one of the most exciting middleweight fighters in mixed
martial arts and is a veteran of both the UFC and Shooto (he
was Shooto’s reigning middleweight champion for more than
three years). This will be his PRIDE FC debut. Takase is a hard-nosed
PRIDE FC veteran who is coming off two impressive performances---a
triangle choke victory over the highly regarded Anderson Silva
at PRIDE FC “Bad to the Bone” and a hard fought loss
to Rodrigo Gracie at BUSHIDO. Takase first gained fame for fighting
600-pound Sumo wrestler Emanuel Yarborough in 1998.
In
the second announced match, Ryan Gracie will face Wataru Sakata.
Young Ryan Gracie is one of the rising superstars from the world
famous Gracie fighting family and is the second Gracie added
to the fight card. Ryan Gracie’s aggressive fighting style
has garnered him three victories in the PRIDE FC ring, including
his last, which was his most impressive---a quick KO victory
over Kazuhiro Hamanaka at BUSHIDO. Sakata is a mixed martial
arts veteran from the Rings organization and boasts a well-rounded
striking and grappling game. This will be his PRIDE FC fighting
debut.
Headlining
the fight card will be the long-awaited rematch between Royce
Gracie and Hidehiko Yoshida. These two submission artists battled
at SHOCKWAVE 2002 and the result was the controversial finish
in which Yoshida was victorious via gi choke, though Gracie protested
that he did not tap and was not unconscious. This rematch continues
the epic rivalry between Gracie Jiu Jitsu and Japanese Judo,
which began over 50 years ago when Helio Gracie fought Masahiko
Kimura in a match to prove who had the superior fighting style.
SHOCKWAVE
2003 Fight Card:
- Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Royce Gracie
- Hayato “Mach” Sakurai vs. Daiju Takase
- Wataru Sakata vs. Ryan Gracie
(Fight
Card Subject to Change)
More
matches to be announced soon!
Though
SHOCKWAVE 2003 will not be available in North America via pay
per view, travel packages are available on pridefc.com and a
DVD of the event will follow in the first quarter of 2004.
For
more information on PRIDE FC, visit pridefc.com!
Source:
ADCC |
III
Black Belt Challenge Results
by: Kid Peligro / ADCC JJ Editor
Joe
Moreira's III Black Belt Challenge Results:
The
event was great in front an enthusiastic crowd. Quick results
below!
Marcelo
Cavalcanti v Alex Pavilhao - Pavilhao 2 x 0 by sweep
Waldomiro Perez (Marcus Vinicius) x Gustavo Moreira (Joe Moreira)
- draw
Ricardo 'Hellraiser'Texeira ( Joe Moreira) x Daniel Coyote (
Brazil Team ) - Ricardo Teixeira by sub, choke from the mount
Dartanian Bagby ( Wander Braga ) x Martin Sanchez ( Joe Moreira
) -Dartagnian 10 x 0
João Silva ( Aloisio Silva ) x Jared Weiner ( Lloyd Irvin
) (Rematch from the US Nationals) - Joao Silva by foot lock,
in what scan best be described as a war!
Icah Medina ( Rigan ) x Chris Smith ( Charles Gracie ) - Icah
2 x 0
Paulo Guillobel ( Machado ) x Joao Cunha ( Ralph Gracie ) - Guillobel
by flying arm-lock sub 1 min 30 secs.
Ricardo Barros ( Ralph Gracie ) x Julio Nardon ( Renato Magno
) - Ricardo wins by 12 x 0
Cassio Werneck x Mark Kompaneyets ( Marcus Vinicius ) - Cassio
14 x 2
Wander Braga x Fabio Vinelli ( Machado ) Wander by advantages
3 x 2
Source:
ADCC |
THE
BALL IS IN TITO'S COURT....
MMAWeekly.com has learned that a proposed photo shoot for the
UFC 47 poster has been canceled. The reason? Four fighters were
contacted to do the poster, four contracts were sent out to these
fighters....Tim Sylvia, Andre Arlovski, Chuck Liddell and Tito
Ortiz.
Three
of those contracts have been sent back to the Zuffa offices.
Sylvia...signed, Arlovski.....signed, Liddell....signed, Ortiz....contract
still missing.
It
was believed that the Ortiz contract would be sent to Las Vegas
by Thursday night. That deadline has come and gone. It's believed
now that Zuffa will have no choice but to cancel the upcoming
photo shoot for the poster because Ortiz hasn't signed.
So
what if Ortiz gets the contract in today? That's the million
dollar question. As of late last night nothing had been sent
in or signed. The interesting part is on the underground forum,
there was a thread wishing Chuck Liddell a happy birthday.
Ortiz
himself jumped on that thread and said he would give the Iceman
a birthday beating. Tito has been talking the talk, but as of
yet hasn't walked the walk in signing the deal.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
Former
ADCC Writer Rafiel Torre Arrested for Murder
This was out of the daily bulletin newspaper in Ontario, California.
Rancho
man awaits arraignment in killing
RANCHO
CUCAMONGA - A Rancho Cucamonga man is set to be arraigned today
on charges he murdered his girlfriend's husband two years ago.
Rafiel
Torre, 39, (had a 1-0 MMA record), faces charges that could bring
him the death penalty if he is convicted of killing 32-year-old
Bryan J. Richards, who was found strangled in the bed of a pickup
truck outside a Rancho Cucamonga supermarket Dec. 22, 2001.
Sheriff's
homicide detectives arrested Torre Friday.
He
appeared in West Valley Superior Court briefly Tuesday afternoon.
Judge Mary Fuller appointed the Public Defender to represent
him and delayed his arraignment until today so his attorney could
be present.
Detectives
believe Torre killed Richards so he could maintain his love affair
with Richards' wife. Richards' body was found in the parking
lot of the Albertson's supermarket at Carnelian Avenue and Foothill
Boulevard.
Anyone
with information on the case is asked to call Sgt. Tom Bradford
or Detective Brad Toms of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's
homicide detail at (909) 387-3589.
Source:
MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
"The first basic ingredient of leadership is a guiding vision.
The leader has a clear idea of what he wants to do - professionally
and personally - and the strength to persist in the face of setbacks,
even failures."
Warren Bennis, American Psychologist, Management Educator, and
Consultant
|
ULTIMATE
FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP TO PRESENT ANNUAL BASH: ‘ULTIMATE
NEW YEAR’S EVE’ ON PAY-PER-VIEW, DEC. 31
Six-Hour
Show To Feature Best Bouts, Top Fighters During UFC’s 10-Year
History
LAS
VEGAS, NEV., December 16, 2003…. For the ninth consecutive
year, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will bring viewers
the ultimate pay-per-view event on the ultimate night of the
year: Ultimate New Year’s Eve. This annual six-hour fight
show will feature the very best action and top mixed martial
arts fighters of the last 10 years on pay-per-view starting at
10 p.m. EST, Wednesday, December 31.
Ultimate
New Year’s Eve will be available on iNDemand, DirecTV, Dish
Network, Bell ExpressVu, Echostar, TVN and Viewer’s Choice
Canada for the suggested retail price of $24.95. An encore performance
will begin immediately after the telecast.
This
classic show will provide a memorable trip through 10 years of
UFC history and will include fights from UFC 1: The Beginning,
held in November 1993, up to UFC 44: Undisputed, September 26,
where a packed house at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas
saw 40-year-old Randy Couture continue his legendary career by
defeating Tito Ortiz for the light heavyweight championship.
Fight highlights from 2003 alone will include “New York
Bad Ass” Phil Baroni’s war with U.S. Olympic Wrestling
Silver Medalist Matt Lindland; Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes’
successful title defense against Sean Sherk, and both of Light
Heavyweight Champion Couture’s title winners over Chuck
Liddell for the interim belt and Ortiz for the undisputed championship.
UFC
legends like Ken Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Don Frye, Tank Abbott,
Dan Severn, Oleg Taktarov and Royce Gracie also are featured.
Top mixed martial artists such as Ortiz, Vitor Belfort, Liddell,
Pat Miletich, Carlos Newton, Mark Kerr and Dave Menne all make
their way once again to the Octagon in these vivid highlights.
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), headquartered in Las Vegas,
Nev., is the world’s premier mixed martial arts sports association.
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the UFC programs six live pay-per-view
events yearly through cable and satellite providers. In addition
to its U.S. distribution on iNDemand, DirecTV, Dish Network,
Echostar, TVN, Bell ExpressVu and Viewer’s Choice Canada,
UFC events are distributed internationally through WOWOW, Inc.
in Japan, Globosat in Brazil, Main Event Television in Australia
and Sky Network Television in New Zealand. Zuffa, LLC licenses
the distribution of UFC video games through Crave Entertainment
and TDK Mediactive and its fight show DVDs through Studio Works
Entertainment, a Ventura Distribution company.
The
UFC’s next live PPV event will be UFC 46: Super Natural
at 10 p.m. EST, Saturday, January 31, during Super Bowl weekend
from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev. For more
information, visit the web site at www.ufc.tv.
Source:
ADCC
|
|
Royce
Gracie Leaves for Japan
Royce
Gracie left his home in California yesterday; destination: Japan
to face Hidehiko Yoshida in Pride Shockwave 2003. Along with
Royce on the trip was his brother Royler who has helped with
the training and preparation.
Brother
Rolker and other training partners have left from different parts
of the World to meet up with Royce in Japan. Word is that Royce
spent his last day training in the US with his brothers Royler
and Rickson!
Source:
ADCC |
Joe
Moreira's Black Belt Challenge Final Line-up!
Joe
Moreira's Balck Belt Challenge has a complete and final line-up:
Waldomiro
Perez (Marcus Vinicius) x Gustavo Moreira (Joe Moreira)
Ricardo 'Hellraiser'Texeira ( Joe Moreira) x Daniel Coyote (
Brazil Team )
Dartanian Bagby ( Wander Braga ) x Martin Sanchez ( Joe Moreira
)
João Silva ( Aloisio Silva ) x Jared Weiner ( LLoyd Irvin
)
Ed Keller ( Joe Moreira ) x Chris Smith ( Charles Gracie )
Paulo Guillobel ( Machado) x Joao Cunha ( Ralph Gracie )
Wander Braga x Fabio Vinelli ( Machado )
Ricardo Barros ( Ralph Gracie ) x Julio Nardon ( Renato Magno
)
Cassio Werneck x Mark Kompaneyets ( Marcus Vinicius )
The
event will take place at the Hollywood Casino in LA, CA. Call
Joe for more information or tickets at 949-254-3554.
Fights
starts at 8 pm.
Source:
ADCC
|
12
hours with Rodrigo Nogueira
Pride
star Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is only 12 hours away from setting
his life upside-down: that's how long it takes to go by bus from
Rio de Janeiro, where Minotauro trains with his teammates in
Brazilian Top Team, to the city of Victoria da Conquista, in
the warm and friendly state of Bahia, where he was born.
After
a 12 hour journey, taking a bunch of fighters with him, the former
PRIDE champion 'Minotauro' will try his hand at something ehere
he is far less-experienced. Alas, hew is a brave professional:
meet promoter Mr. Nogueira! 'Minotauro' goes home to organize
his first MMA show, the I Conquista Fight.
With
big help from his local friend Omar Maron, the show will happen
next Saturday, December 20th, and it will bring great names of
the MMA and muay thai national scenes, including Evangelista
Cyborg, who had a great debut in Pancrase Hybrid 5 last May.
'My
idea is to give an opportunity to Brazilian fighters to show
what they've got. Vale-tudo or MMA is certainly one of the sports
that has been developing the most in Brazil. So we will be introducing
great fighters such as Junior Buscape, Hudson Rocha and Black
Diamond, considered to be the greatest revelation in the state
of Bahia's rings', states Nogueira.
'We
still have some surprises, but the event's production won't be
below any of the latest good shows that have been made in Brazil',
ended Minotauro.
Complete
card (subject to change):
MMA:
Evangelista Cyborg (Brazil Dojo) X Claudio Godoi
Junior Buscapé (BTT) x Danilo Sherman (Nova União)
Marcelo Salazar (BTT) x Alexandre Lima (Ricardo Carvalho)
Hudson Rocha (BTT) x Claudio Alcantara (Ricardo Carvalho)
Jone Eduardo (Boxe Thai) x Marcilio Marcio (Ricardo Carvalho)
Gabriel 'Pigmeu' Barros (Bushido Omar Maron) x Wil Ribeiro(Boxe
Thai)
Cesar Profeta (Bushido Omar Maron) x Not Confirmed Yet
Muay
Thai:
Diego Braga Alves (Ruas Vale-Tudo) x Gerson Silva (BTT Nikolai)
Aluizio M. de Barros (RVT) x Emanuel Davi (BTT Nikolai)
Rodrigo Aladim (Vander Valverde) x Manuel Fonceca (Artur Mariano)
Emerson Mendes (Anderson França) x Clovis Mileo (Artur
Mariano)
Source:
ADCC
|
Inoki
BOM BAY YE: 'Cyborg' out
The
return of Evangelista 'Cyborg' to the ring for the big INOKI
BOM BAY YE event will have to wait: expected to be on the card
of Inoki BOM-BA-YE 2003, on the night of December 31st, the Brazilian
ended up being discarded from the traditional show organized
by Antonio Inoki. 'I received a phone call from Wallid and he
confirmed that I am out. He said that with that whole battle
for the audience among the 3 events, Japanese television [Nippon
TV] is in charge of everything, even the fighter`s selection.
I didn't like it. Wallid's explanations didn't convince me, but
there`s nothing I can do' said Cyborg.
'Cyborg'
made his debut this year in Pancrase Hybrid 5, last May. He won
his bout by knockout over Osami Shibuya. He thrilled the Japanese
press, who were enthralled by the 26 year-old fighter who showed
up with a fight style similar to Wanderlei Silva. 'I affecyed
my relationship with Pancrase to fight in the BOM-BA-YE, and
interrupted the therapy on my shoulder. It has been bruised since
the beginning of the year', declared 'Cyborg'. Not one to be
wasting time, or the extensive training period of late, Cyborg
has agreed to be part of the main fight in Minotauro`s tournament,
the I Conquers Fight, in Bahia, this Saturday.
Source:
ADCC
|
'Tis
the Season
Eschewing
conventional wisdom, I actually enjoy the winter months. Yes,
even being a die-hard East Coaster. My pathetic constitution
can't tolerate the summer heat. I sweat out any soaked-in fun
through my pores. Spring? Fall? These are reject seasons, preludes
to the real thing. Nope: winter is where it's at. There's no
better feeling than braving the elements and then returning to
the warmth and security of one's own home.
Oh,
and of course: Christmas. Though it's a fine, fine holiday, I
stopped getting excited when my tastes became too eclectic for
my family to satisfy. (You try telling Mom you need a Japanese
import Sakuraba cell phone cozy.) I just smile and nod when I
receive the inevitable gift certificate. Still don't have the
heart to tell them cash is best.
And
so Christmas has now become a day of giving. If I didn't get
off on that, it'd be quite a slog. And in that spirit, I thought
now would be a great time to bestow pseudo-treasures on all the
MMA notables. No refunds, no exchanges.
For
Dana White & Zuffa...
A twenty-minute phone conversation with Vince McMahon on building
and maintaining interest in your enlisted athletes. Whether you
like his product or not (and I don't), McMahon is the greatest
promoter from any angle in the last hundred years. He turned
Hulk Hogan into an icon as recognizable as Mickey Mouse; he built
larger-than-life characters that didn't seem capable of existing
anywhere but the ring; and when his key cash cows defected to
WCW, he took rookies and repeated the process successfully.
Zuffa
has sanctioning, opportunities, and solid financial backing.
What they don't have is a marketing team whose sole purpose is
to make people care about their fights. Combat sports are not
popular: its athletes are. Unless fans care about what's going
on in the ring, and have an emotional investment in the outcome,
you're going to wind up with the piddling buyrates the UFC has
suffered in recent years. Fights arrive with all the excitement
of a C-SPAN conference.
Television
would open up a whole new landscape for MMA, but I fear Zuffa
is not prepared to make a major push, and will instead assume
that the mystique of the sport is what sells. That ideal died
somewhere around 1996, when dejected customers turned away, realizing
that they probably weren't going to see a televised homicide.
Now it's up to personalities to overcome the stigma of the sport
being boring.
You
want to follow boxing's lead? Fine, except for one minor little
detail: a caged ring is just as ugly a visage as ever. As ardent
followers, sure, we're conditioned to accept it. Too bad most
people who don't follow MMA with a religious fervor think it's
beyond obscene. Go ahead and stick Jim Lampley in the booth:
he's still commentating on a cage fight. You can't polish a turd.
Keep
the cage if you must: just don't think for a second it's not
an anchor worse than ten McCains put together.
It's
time to ditch the putrid TV ads and PhotoShop disaster posters,
and devote some serious energy to creating a new intrigue about
the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Mr.
McMahon on Line Two.
For
Kazushi Sakuraba...
A retirement pension. Yeah, yeah: a paunchy Saku out-finessed
perpetual underachiever Kevin Randleman. While it was great to
see him finally notch a victory, I fear that Randleman's He-Man
build only served to motivate Saku into thinking he can hang
with the big boys. Fact is, he can't. An umpteenth mauling at
the hands of Vanderlei Silva would be inexplicable. There's chatter
he may face Frank Shamrock at a Vegas Pride show in the new year.
Despite Frank's virtual retirement, Saku is still in for a KO
loss, and it should be his last.
For
K-1...
A total blackout on US television. While the kickboxing organization
was never exactly a paragon of virtue, 2003 saw it turn into
a complete sideshow. Frustrated at the lack of talent on display
by their pointman, Bob Sapp, the org saw fit to opt for silly
disqualifications and blatant rules bending in order to keep
his record respectable. Much of the same applied to waning boxing
star Frans Botha, who also took the DQ way out when in trouble.
Then gullible fans were lured in by the presence of Mike Tyson,
who got millions to be paraded around and act like he might actually
fight.
And
let's not forget the freak show of the millennium: Genki Sudo
vs. Eric "Butterbean" Esch. 200 lbs. separates these
two, and while I expect Sudo to go for a standing rear-naked
choke to end it, the potential for horrible injury is too great
for any responsible promoter to sanction.
Here's
to 2004 and an early death for K-1's hopes of US success. What
a bunch of jackals.
For
Sudo Himself...
Two solid brass balls. Despite the ghoulish nature of the match,
Sudo is entering the most sensational David/Goliath bout of all
time. I hate being put in a position to give him credit for a
fight that shouldn't even happen, but I can't help but be impressed
by his mettle.
For
MMA Internet Trolls...
A Real Doll, which purportedly simulates the look and feel of
a real woman.
For
Tito Ortiz...
A copy of the Eagles' "Hell Freezes Over," in honor
of his alleged upcoming bout with Chuck Liddell.
For
Pride...
A cattle prod. Though the freak show baton seems to have been
passed off to K-1, Pride dropped the ball big time by blacking
out Royce Gracie's return to MMA for US fans. Promoted properly,
this could've been a sensational coup for Pride, and one that
could've helped build brand recognition in the States. Instead,
the fight was made at the last minute, and the card for the New
Year's Eve program hasn't even been finalized yet. Their 2000
Grand Prix installment was a hit on DirecTV, even though they
bungled promotion and mentioned Royce only in passing.
Royce
can captivate thousands of people who haven't seen this style
of fighting in years. For many, he was the only reason for watching.
Perhaps they'd have a renewed interest in your product if he
was used as the bait. Smarten up. Signing fights weeks before
the air date is a joke.
For
MMA Journalists..
A copy of "Grammatically Correct: The Writer's Essential
Guide to Punctuation, Spelling, Style, Usage and Grammar"
by Anne Stilman. It's required reading for self-fancied journalists
who seem to think the only pre-requisite for reporting on the
sport is an interest in it. I can't fathom how some of these
folks even made it through grade school: their mangled diction
is an embarrassment to the entire community.
It's
not hard, guys. If you can't be bothered to write above a fifth
grade level - and that's being generous - how can you possibly
expect to have a respected voice in this sport?
For
Matt Hughes...
Some competition. BJ Penn deserves credit for challenging himself
and stepping up in weight to take on the welterweight terror,
but Hughes himself isn't going to have much trouble. Why not
make the move up to 185 and get excited about fighting again?
For
Max Kellerman, Al Bernstein, ESPN and Fox Sports...
A free night at Scores. Mainstream media is loathe to admit that
MMA is a credible entry into the sports world, but these fine
folks have no problem debunking creaky misconceptions. Kellerman
usually sides with the MMA fighter over the boxer when such hypotheticals
are brought up; Bernstein got paid to be host of the UFC infomercial,
but hey, an endorsement is an endorsement; those TV nets do wonders
for humanizing the athletes.
For
Quinton Jackson...
A swear jar, for which a year's earnings might be able to feed
a small country.
Finally,
for Randy Couture...
A full-scale replica of Captain America's shield, in honor of
Randy's impressive achievements inside the Octagon and out. At
age 40, Couture reinvented himself as the greatest light heavyweight
in history, and quite possibly the most accomplished fighter
of all time. Has he lost? Of course. But his wins (Vitor Belfort,
Mo Smith, Kevin Randleman, Pedro Rizzo, Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz)
far, far outweigh any blemishes.
More
importantly, Couture is class. MMA fighters don't need shaved
heads, tattoos, and a cocky strut to garner attention.
Pay
attention to yourself the next time Randy is on TV representing
this sport. If you don't feel a swell of pride, you must be catatonic.
Source:
Maxfighting |
Quote
of the Day
"You don't get to choose how you're going to die, only how
you're going to live."
Joan Baez, 1941-, American Singer, Songwriter |
Javier
Vasquez tears his ACL- OUT of UFC46
MMAWeekly
can confirm that Javier Vasquez has torn his ACL. Vasquez did
it in training early in the week. Vasquez has told close friends
he is considering retirement from the sport, but could still
compete in events like Abu Dhabi. Either way Vasquez will take
a step back from the fight game and could retire. MMAWeekly.com
has had it confirmed that this is the THIRD time he's torn his
ACL to the same knee. Truly unbelievable!
WHO
WILL SERRA'S OPPONENT BE?
Early
word was that Alberto Crane was the lead candidate, but it looks
as though both Matt Serra and Crane have teachers who work together
in the jiu-jitsu game and in jiu-jitsu that is a big deal so
the fight won't happen. Shooto may have some answers this weekend.
Source:
MMA Weekly
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UFC
Tidbits: Tito Ortiz/WWE; Couture-Klitschko
Some random mainstream UFC-related notes:
Tito
Ortiz was sitting camera-side near the front row at Thursday's
WWE SmackDown! (taped on Tuesday) in San Diego, California. After
the show concluded, Tito Ortiz was brought in the ring with WWE
superstar Rey Mysterio and put over to the crowd by some of the
other wrestlers.
Randy
Couture was mentioned during "Friday Night Fights"
this past Friday night. During the show, host Max Kellerman was
asked who would win a fight between Randy Couture and Heavyweight
boxer Viatli Klitschko. Kellerman quickly replied Couture --
easily, but mentioned Klitschko would "slaughter Couture"
with 18 months of grappling training.
Source: MMA News |
YVES
EDWARDS AND
SHONIE CARTER SIGN WITH WEC
World
Extreme Cagefighting has announced their next show for January
16th at the Palace Casino in Lemoore, California. WEC President
Scott Adams told MMAWeekly quote, "This will be a great
card coming up. We have signed some great fighters including
Yves Edwards and Shonie Carter and we expect to sign a handful
of top level fighters this week."
Edwards
who is coming off an impressive victory in the UFC will face
Doug "The Demon" Evans at 155. Shonie Carter will be
fighting in the 170 pound weight class but no opponent has been
named as of Sunday Night.
Female
Kickboxing Champion Kerri Crothers will make her cagefighting
debut and fan favorite Olaf will be fighting in this event at
the Palace Casino as well. . For tickets call 866-4-Palace or
visit www.thepalace.net for more information.
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