February News Part 1
|
Quote
of the Day
"Keep
away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always
do that, but the really great, make you feel that you too can
become great."
Mark
Twain |
Ricco
Rodriguez (part 2)
Ricco
Rodriguez is set to fight Tim Sylvia as his first title defense
in UFC 41 on February 28th in Atlantic City. In part one we heard
Ricco’s opinion on Sylvia and his own past. Now we hear
a little more about the philosophy that drove Ricco from his
days on Staten Island to his current status as the UFC Heavyweight
champ and headliner of the next UFC card.
KM:
How does it feel to be the champion right now? Congratulations
by the way.
RR: Thank you very much. It feels phenomenal. I’ve worked
so hard. My whole life has been showing people I can succeed
in life no matter what it takes, coming from nothing and putting
myself into something. That’s a great feeling. My whole
life I’ve worked hard, coming from a deprived childhood
and stress and living in the ghetto coming from Patterson, New
Jersey. Being able to travel around the world because of jiu-jitsu
for the Machado brothers since I started training, it’s
taken me a long way. That philosophy of life has changed who
I am. Being a kid from the East Coast with a little bit of anger
and hatred inside and meeting the Machado brothers who are nothing
but caring and giving brothers taught me a whole new path of
life and jiu-jitsu changed my life. It’s taken me to where
I am today.
KM:
As far as your fight with Couture, how do you look back on that?
Do you consider that the pinnacle of your performance, what you
want the new fans to judge you on?
RR: Not necessarily because that was not my best fight. That
was an impressive fight; I couldn’t have beat a better man
for that title (but) I wasn’t really happy with my performance.
There was a lot of political things going on backstage, there
was a lot of pressure because it was my first title fight, and
the fact I was fighting Randy Couture who was also a lot more
prepared for this fight after losing to Josh Barnett. He had
been more aware of what was going to happen and he was prepared
in a different way. I fought a better Randy Couture but I don’t
think it was a fight that everybody should remember in reference
to is that going to be my best fight. It was a big stepping stone
for me and I think people were impressed by the fact I fought
a great fight and showed a lot of heart in that fight.
KM:
It seems like you have pretty much done it all; you’ve been
in Abu Dhabi, Pride, King Of The Cage, now the UFC as it’s
champion…it seems like there isn’t much more for you
to conquer. Are you getting jaded on this yet?
RR: I think there are a lot of things left for me to conquer.
One is for me to take time and give back to a lot the communities,
helping people. I’m really working on a book right now,
training Vin Diesel for his movie, and I think this is going
to take me into a whole other level and show people that they
can do anything and become anything in life. It is all up to
you and your personal power and will to succeed in life. This
is all a stepping stone for me. 25 years old, I really believe
you can succeed at anything in life and I want to show everybody
that. Anything can be done with just opening your eyes and just
dreaming a bigger dream. That’s what I’m doing. It’s
not the end of the road for me. I plan on defending my title
for another year and a half and then giving it up and moving
on to something else and waiting for the sport to become one
of the greatest things in the world.
KM:
You really do make a good spokesperson. What is this about a
book? Are you done writing your book?
RR: My book is actually in process. It will be finished in June
and published in June. It’s pretty much going to be Ricco
Rodriguez “How To Win a Street Fight” and it’s
basically a concept of how you can succeed in anything in life
no matter where you are, no matter what you do. It talks about
motivation, it talks about weight loss, going out there and conquering
anything you want to be in life. It talks about my struggles
and my thing and how I conquered them and then it talks about
people I’ve met, how I’ve been to Abu Dhabi, I’ve
been to Japan, and how you need to take opportunities to their
fullest. If you open doors for yourself you really need to take
it to the next level. It’s going to touch so many things
that I think people are going to be shocked when they actually
see it. It talks about me and my daughter, how I was a single
father for almost two years raising my child, talks about my
family, the trials and tribulations that I went through…it’s
just going to educate people; how to better themselves in almost
every aspect of life whether it’s dressing well, remembering
people’s names, just things people take for granted that
took me where I am from a kid in New Jersey and New York.
KM:
That will be out around June?
RR: It will be out in June.
KM:
Do you have any sponsorships to thank?
RR: KMC Wheels, Sinister Clothing, and Spankys.
For
more information check out www.riccorodriguez.tv, one of the better
fighter websites with an informative bio, some video interviews,
and even a link to Show No Pity’s forum. Also be sure to
check your local listings for the pay-per-view of UFC 41 if you
can’t make it there live, it’s going to be a great
show.
Source:
ADCC |
OntheMat
Releases New Videos
Our
friends at OntheMat.com have just released a bunch of great videos
for all the BJJ and Submission Grappling Afficionados. Gumby
& Scotty have been busy filming and editing some great stuff.
Here is a list of their new stuff:
Amazonas
Lutas de Casadas - Straight out the Jungle! Where else you going
to get footage like this? Great 9 fights unreal crowd. Jacare,
Fredson, Pe de Pano, Robson Moura, Ninja, Terere and more! $25
Amazonas 2002
3rd
Interestadual de Submission MG - One of Brazil's best & biggest
no gi event in Belo Horizonte, MG. There is not much to do in
Belo Horizonte so they train hard there. The big money brings
out the big names to test their skills before the Abu Dhabi trials.
Names like: Marcio Feitosa, Amaury Bitteti, Reinaldo Ribeiro,
Jamelão, Erik Wanderlei & OTM's own Erik Owings! $25
3rd Inter
Estadual
CBJJO
- World Cup of Jiu Jitsu - This tape features the best matches
from André Pederneiras's new event. Teams include Brazilian
Top Team, Nova Uniao, Allicane and more. Fighters include: Bruno
Bastos , Carlao Santos, Ricardo Vieira, Terere, Robson Moura,
Jamelao, and more...
CBJJO World
Cup
Plus
plenty of other good stuff in the OTM store, lots of highlight
footage, etc & check it all out and buy lots of stuff.
Source:
Kid Peligro/ADCC
|
A
Look At the 155 lbers in MMA (pt 1)
With
the recent loss by Jens Pulver tp Duane 'Bang' Ludwig causing
a shakeup in the 155 lbs. division, it is worth looking at several
of the up and comers in the weight division.
Most
fans and internet Top Ten lists consider the top figters at 155
lbs. to be BJ Penn, Caol Uno, Jens Pulver, Takanori Gomi crowding
the top of the list. After that, many mention Matt Serra, Din
Thomas, Dokonjonosuke Mishima, and Yves Edwards. With his recent
stunning performance, look for Duane Ludwig to be mentioned with
these fighters - and deservedly so!
Below
is a compilation of 'up and comers' who just may be on the verge
of cracking EVERYBODY's top 10!
Duane
'Bang' Ludwig: 'Bang' debuted for King of the Cage on 2/5/2000
and immediately made an impact! Four of his wins are by way of
KNOCKOUT and why this fighter has gone overlooked is crazy. He
has an overall record of 8-2 and hasn't had a loss in nearly
two years. We all know the name, it's now time to see his face
on the big show. His stand up is WAY OUT!
Vitor
'Shaolin' Ribeiro: You know it's coming and you know that's the
submission he wants, but can you defend it? Well, if you ask
the three fighters he's submitted, they would say no. Ribeiro's
arm triangle choke is lethal! A JJ World Champion known for his
discipline and technique, it is safe to say we have only scratched
the surface of what he can do! A 6-0 record with victories in
three respected organizations (Shooto, HOOKnSHOOT and WFA) has
many wondering why he's not higher in the top ten. His wrestling
skills are excellent and his BJJ skills are impeccable. 2003
should be his year!
Rich
Clementi: Although he has never been seen by a televised audience,
Clementi comes to fight. He is 9-4 but has an impressive six
straight wins. How about this fact: Clementi's nine victories
are ALL decisive (6 submissions and 3 KO's). Want another one?
Clementi fought his first match at a remarkable 220 lbs. At 155,
he has found his true fighting weight, adding conditioning to
his list of pluses. He definitely comes to fight and when he
wins, he leaves no questions. He officially gets his shot at
'big time' against Yves Edwards at the next UFC.
Hermes
Franca: Since debuting on 11/17/01 for HOOKnSHOOT, Franca has
became a fan favorite for many reasons. His quick finishes, exciting
and aggressive style, not to mention his patented smile and backflip
has made Franca a definite MMA prospect of the future. His 6-0
record boasts 6 submissions but says he wants a few more matches
before he thinks about UFC. The HOOKnSHOOT Champion at 145lbs
is gearing up to defend his title against the UK's Leigh Remedios
in Florida set for March.
Later
this week, we look at some other fighters in this division and
where they stand.
Source:
ADCC
|
ADCC's
BEST OF VOLUME 3 - on the Horizon!
Another special edition DVD is being produced by FIGHTWORLD.com.
It's
evident that interest in submission wrestling and ground-fighting
arts is STILL gaining in popularity. BEST OF ADDC #1 sold all
copes within 7 months of it's release.
The
next time around, nearly double the amount of DVD's were made
and in less than a year, the BEST OF ADCC #2 has less than 80
copies left for sale!
Still
shocked, after being named a finalist at the 2002 DV FILM AWARDS,
Fightworld and Excel DV are continuing production with more releases
in 2003.
Next
on the list is BEST OF ADCC #3. Get them while they last! 'We're
producing more than the last batch but they just seem to keep
selling' says Jeff Osborne (the video guru behind all of Fightworld's
productions).
'I
make it clear that it's a 'limited edition' DVD. Once, they're
gone, they're gone! It's funny to hear that people were selling
#1 for as much as $60 on the Net. The other factor is that we
already have the largest wholesale commitment for this DVD than
any previous titles' continues Osborne.
Wanna
buy a 2001 ADCC Seven DVD Set? Good luck! These disappeared within
just nine months after their release.
Fightworld
expects to expand their DVD releases this year with more USMMA,
HOOKnSHOOT, CageFighter Championships, ADCC titles and much more.
Here's
a sneak peak at the lineup for the BEST OF ADCC #3:
(1)
Fabiano Iha vs. Joe Hurley (1999)
(2) Mark Kerr vs. Josh Barnett (2000)
(3) Roleta vs. Rodrigo 'Cumprido' Medeiros (2000)
(4) Rumina Sato vs. Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribeiro (2000)
(5) Vitor Belfort vs. Genki Sudo (2001)
(6) Baret
Yoshida
vs. Wellington 'Megaton' Diaz (1999)
(7) Matt Hughes vs. Tito Ortiz (2000)
(8) Mario Sperry vs. Oleg Taktarov (1998)
(9) Jean-Jacques Machado vs. Ricardo Arona (2001)
(10) Rico Rodriguez vs. Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Noguiera (2000)
The
DVD is set for a March 2003 release date with a suggested retail
of $24.95.
Source:
ADCC
|
Quote
of the Day
"My
great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you
are content with your failure."
Abraham Lincoln |
Super
Brawl 28 Results
Blaisdell
Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
February 8, 2003
by Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
The much anticipated "come out of retirement" fight
for Egan Inoue almost fell through when Shooto Champion Masanori
Suda broke his nose in his last fight and decided that he needed
more time to train for Inoue. Due to the fact that Inoue had
been training hard for a fight with Suda, a replacement was brought
in to fight Inoue. Yukiya Naito came down in weight in order
to step up to the challenge. Naito comes from the same gym as
Pride and KOTC veteran Akira Shoji and Shooto Champion, Caol
Uno. Inoue would be too much for the upstart dominating him for
both rounds. Inoue looks to have regained the fire for MMA or
maybe it is just his focused desire to acquire the Shooto belt.
The card was filled with local talent, spiced up with a couple
UFC veterans and a fighter from Eddy Millis' Shark Tank. The
evenly matched skill levels of the fighters were seen in the
number of fights that went to the score cards. The crowd loved
the return on The Chief Andre Roberts, even if he took out one
of the local fighters. This match was set up to introduce Roberts
to the Hawaii crowd and build anticipation for a match up with
local favorite Cabbage Correira. After his fight, Cabbage came
into the ring and they both agreed to fight each other. Niko
Vitale continued his streak of impressive victories by submitting
Andre's little brother Tyrone in under two minutes. It looks
like Hawaii has a number of fighters that are on the brink of
making the "big time."
170lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Brandon Keen 170lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 2-0
Def.
Tripstin Kerisiano (808 Fight Factory) 2-2
Unanimous decision after 2 rounds [(20-18), (20-18), (20-18)].
161lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Jay R. Palmer 155lbs (Universal Rough Houzers) 23-20
Def.
Harris Sariento 155lbs (808 Fight Factory) 1-4
Submission due to elbow dislocation at 1:36 minutes in Round
2.
143lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Justin Mercado 141lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 2-1
Def.
Dain Agbayani 141lbs (808 Fight Factory) 2-4
Unanimous decision after 2 rounds [(20-18), (20-18), (20-18)].
167.5lbs
3x5 minute rounds
Deshaun Johnson 165lbs (HMC) 4-3
Def.
Andy Wang 165lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 2-4
Majority decision after 2 rounds [(28-28), (29-27), (29-28)].
Heavyweight
2x5 minute rounds
Andre "The Chief" Roberts 366lbs (Team Extreme) 10-1
Def.
Ray "King Kong" Seraille 260lbs (Grappling Unlimited)
1-2
Submission via neck crank at 2:49 minutes in Round 1.
167.5lbs
3x5 minute rounds
Ronald Jhun 170lbs (808 Fight Factory) 16-9-2
Def.
Mike Panalber 170lbs (Shark Tank)
Unanimous decision after 3 rounds [(30-27), (30-27), (30-27)].
185lbs
3x5 minute rounds
Falaniko Vitale 185lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 13-1
Def.
Tyrone Roberts 185lbs (Team Extreme) 15-3
Submission via toe hold at 1:26 minutes in Round 1.
194lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Egan Inoue 182.6lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 13-3 Super Brawl Champion
def.
Yukiya Naito 194lbs (A3 Gym, Tokyo) 4-1
Unanimous decision after 2 rounds [(20-18), (20-18), (20-18)].
|
Ralph
Gracie Academy Promotions
Ralph Gracie has just had a Black Day at his school. The Pitbull
promoted 5 of his students to the Black Belt level. The new graduates
are David Camarilo, Cameron Earle, Crosley Gracie, Kurt Ociander
& Sapao. According to OntheMat's Gumby they are all going
out celebrating tonight! The Bay area will never be the same
after this.
Needless
to say it was a long time coming for these five. Now their school
has 8 Black Belts training (Batata and VanDamme) making it one
of America's strongest!
Kid
Peligro wants to send a big congrats to Ralph and his students
for the enormous occasion!
Source: ADCC/Kid Peligro |
The
Brazilian Beat:
Chute Boxe
Training Madness;
Belfort Training for June;
PRIDE Fighters Getting Ready; & RN Vale Tudo News
By Eduardo Alonso
February
started with plenty of training action in Brazil. With UFC 41
and PRIDE 25 approaching, fighters such as Pedro Rizzo are preparing
hard for scheduled fights, while others like PRIDE contenders
Mario Sperry and Murilo Ninja continue to train looking for a
shot at the upcoming PRIDE show. As training is still one of
the main subjects of this edition of the Brazilian Beat, the
Chute Boxe training camp is getting as hardcore as ever, with
fighters literally missing the good times when they were on tough
battles in NHB events, and Vitor Belfort getting ready for a
upcoming June fight in the UFC. Well, training is never enough
for a fight fan; therefore we also bring you news and results
from RN Vale Tudo, a new small show in Brazil, as well as tidbits
from other shows and news from Brazil! Enjoy your weekend and
take a taste of Brazilian news, as Full Contact Fighter raises
the volume, feels the groove and joins the beat!
Vitor Belfort wasn't allowed by the doctors to perform at UFC
42, since his knee isn't ready yet for a professional fight after
the surgery. However, Belfort told FCF that he is training well
and it's only a matter of time since he will be ready to perform
in the octagon once again. "The Phenom" also said he
will be likely fighting in the UFC in June, and he will have
some great news to announce in March of 2003! Stay tuned!
UFC
Heavyweight contender Pedro Rizzo is ready and anxious to face
Vladdy Matyushenko at UFC 41. Rizzo told FCF he trained a lot
standing up with K-1 fighter Peter Aerts, who left Brazil after
training with Rizzo for around two weeks last Monday, and his
hands are now sharp again. "The Rock" told us he would
do sparring sessions with Aerts two times a day, for around 7
rounds of Muay Thai each. Pedro is already weighing 103 kg, and
feels he is in the best shape he has been in a long time. This
time the Ruas Vale Tudo fighter will leave for the USA just one
week before the fight.
PRIDE
fighter and grappling legend Mario Sperry is now practically
100% healed from the broken hand suffered at his win over Andrei
Kopylov back at PRIDE 22. Sperry told FCF he is already punching
with confidence again, despite some minor pain that still exists,
and has been training very hard looking for a shot at PRIDE 25,
where he plans to compete.
PRIDE
Middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva is now slowly and gradually
resuming his training after his serious knee surgery suffered
in the end of 2002. Silva is now walking and moving without any
problems at all, and has started to do some training in the mirror,
getting himself ready to resume his full training routine in
the coming weeks. "The Axe Murderer" is continuing
to work on a series of projects in the meantime, and told FCF
he delayed his seminars because he is preparing and designing
a complete new seminar experience for the fans. Let's wait and
see!
Speaking
of Chute Boxe fighters, PRIDE contender Murilo Ninja Rua is completely
recovered from the swollen and cut eye suffered against Kevin
Randleman at PRIDE 24. Ninja submitted himself to a series of
exams due to PRIDE's request and none of them showed any problems.
The young Brazilian fighter is already training hard again and
waiting for his next fight, while on the meantime planning to
do seminars in the USA.
Brazilian
Top Team member Hudson Rocha didn't exactly broke his hand at
the Brazilian ADCC trials as was reported by all the media. Hudson's
bone amazingly went out of his hand's skin, but without being
broke! This is a totally bizarre situation, however Hudson is
recovering now and according to his trainers won't miss his Hook
N' Shoot appearance in the upcoming show.
UFC,
PRIDE, IVC and MECA veteran Carlos Barreto had to give up on
fighting the Second Submission Wrestling in Campos superfight
against Alexandre Cacareco. Barreto decided to withdraw from
the event due to his K-1 Brazil appearance in the 23rd of February,
since he has training so hard for it that it would be too risky
to risk an injury so near the competition. Reports have that
Eduardo Jamealo will replace Barreto in the superfight of the
event that is taking place right now in Campos. FCF will report
the results in the coming days.
RN
Vale Tudo, the small show put on by promoter Conrado, who also
promotes Bitetti Combat, took place this last week and was a
success! The show happened in the small city of Caico, on Brazil's
northeast and served as a minor league for Bitetti Combat, helping
new fighting talent of the Brazilian northeast to have a chance
to appear. The card was full of local talent, what pleased the
fans in the audience and the action itself didn't disappoint.
On the most interesting fights of the card, Wallace [From Kimura,
who is a Chute Boxe black belt from Rafael Cordeiro, however
doesn't train at Chute Boxe anymore] demolished Fabiano, a local
fighter from Caico. Dinarte took quick work of Tortinho. Sergio
Capoeira, well known in the Northeast Jiu Jitsu circles, made
his NHB debut beating Loca, a Mario Sucata student. The main
event featured experienced fighter Aranha, who is from Caico,
against Indio. Both guys won their fights at the last Bitetti
Combat Nordeste and although Aranha won the fight on a judges'
decision, Indio surprised the fans putting up a great performance
in an exciting fight. Now all the efforts will be concentrated
on the next Bitetti Combat scheduled to the end of March, and
FCF is continuing to bring you all NHB action from around the
world, no matter where!
Full
Contact Fighter is truly everywhere and this last Friday FCF
writer Eduardo Alonso, who happens to be writing this article,
was a guest commentator at Premiere Combat/Sportv channel. The
show featured a collection of Tito Ortiz's fights, and served
as an opportunity to talk a bit about FCF's work and the international
fans' view of the Brazilian fighters. It'll likely be aired in
a month or so, and hopefully one day we will have more channels
and TV shows devoted to NHB.
The
training at the Chute Boxe academy is now more intense than ever!
Due to a decision from Chute Boxe team coach Rudimar Fedrigo
the training sessions now became even more hardcore, with the
fighters training everyday with NHB gloves on, and giving their
all in the sparring sessions! Things have been tough as the Evangelic
Hospital in Curitiba is reported to have been receiving one new
guest per week, courtesy of the Chute Boxe training. Anderson
Silva took some stitches on the eyebrow, Young fighter Jadson
[who lost to Cristiano Marcelo at MECA 7 and then decided to
apply to join Chute Boxe] suffered convulsions and now Fabio
Piemonte is spending a week in the Hospital as a result of a
training session. Mr. Fedrigo told FCF he will now be receiving
some protection equipment and then he wants the training to get
even tougher! As always, everybody is invited to come and train
at the academy.
Source: FCF |
Gable
is Interim FS Resident Coach
Dan
Gable named Interim Head Resident Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling
Wrestling
legend Dan Gable of Iowa City, Iowa has been named as Interim
Head Resident Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling, announced USA
Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender.
Gable
will coach the men's freestyle athletes who participate in the
U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) resident athlete program
in Colorado Springs, Colo. He will also coach the many U.S. freestyle
wrestlers who come to Colorado Springs from across the nation
to train on a short-term basis.
The Resident Freestyle Coach position became vacant when Lincoln
McIlravy, who served in the post for over one year, resigned
his position in order to return to competition as an athlete.
McIlravy will stay on with the program as a resident athlete.
'This
is a great day for USA Wrestling,' said Executive Director Rich
Bender. 'We are extremely fortunate to have somebody with Dan's
proven success agree to lead this very important program though
this transition. I am excited for USA Wrestling, and especially
our resident athletes, who will have the opportunity to work
and train with a true legend.'
Gable
was a World and Olympic champion as an athlete, considered one
of the greatest competitors in American history. As a coach,
Gable was a record-setting college coach, and has served as head
coach of three U.S. Olympic teams.
'I have never been very far away from our national organization
over the last 30 years,' said Gable. 'This will enhance my ability
to know the sport that much more. Much of my time now is away
from the mat. I believe I will now understand how things take
place and it will help me in my efforts to solve some of wrestling's
issues.'
'This
is a crucial time, to make sure wrestling in general has the
best opportunity for the future. I feel that I can also bring
some positive attention to USA Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic
Committee. The bottom line is that USA Wrestling needs somebody
right now, and I am a person that can meet those needs as well
as anyone,' he said.
Gable
currently works as an Assistant to the Director for the University
of Iowa Athletic Department, and will remain in that position.
He will periodically come to Colorado Springs and live at the
U.S. Olympic Training Center during the period that he serves
as the Interim Head Resident Freestyle Coach. Gable will work
directly with USA Wrestling's talented National Coaching staff,
including National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson and Freestyle
Developmental Coach Dave Bennett.
'Dan
Gable is a wrestling icon and an Olympic legend, and we proudly
welcome him to the U.S. Olympic Complex,' said Lloyd Ward, Chief
Executive Officer of the U.S. Olympic Committee. 'His passion,
intensity and energy for the sport of wrestling will have a significant
impact on all of our Olympic wrestlers. I applaud Dan and USA
Wrestling for making this commitment to help our athletes and
prepare them for even greater success.'
He
served as head coach of the 1980, 1984 and 2000 U.S. Olympic
freestyle wrestling teams. The 1980 team was unable to participate
in the Moscow Olympics due to the U.S. boycott of the Games.
The 1984 U.S. Olympic team dominated the Games, winning seven
gold medals and two silver medals. The 2000 Olympic team, which
Gable coached with co-head coaches John Smith and Greg Strobel,
won four medals including one gold medalist.
Gable
also served as the head coach of six U.S. World teams (1977,
1978, 1979, 1983, 1994, 1999). He was the head coach of the 1986
U.S. Goodwill Games team. Gable will serve as the head coach
of the 2003 U.S. World Cup team, his 11th assignment as a World
Cup head coach.
He
is considered the most successful college coach of all time,
setting numerous career records as the head coach for the Univ.
of Iowa. His Iowa teams won 15 NCAA team titles during his 21-year
career, including an amazing steak of nine in a row from 1978-86.
He retired from college coaching after winning the 1997 NCAA
team title, with a record number of team points.
Gable was a 1972 Olympic gold medalist and 1971 World champion
as an athlete, as well as a two-time NCAA champion for Iowa State
Univ. Gable originally hails from Waterloo, Iowa.
During
the time that Dan Gable is serving as Interim Head Resident Freestyle
Coach, USA Wrestling will conduct a national search for a full-time
coach to serve in the position. USA Wrestling hopes to name a
new Resident Freestyle Coach this spring.
Source: Gary Abbott |
UFC's
Lightweight Contender DIN THOMAS (PT 1)
by: Keith Mills
In the ADCC News archives of May 31st and June 1st, Din Thomas
spoke at length about his career up to that point, and the recovery
from his surgery. Now after a rematch loss to Caol Uno in UFC
39, Thomas, the perpetually ranked top 5 Lightweight fighter,
talks about his upcoming fight in UFC 41 against Matt Serra.
KM:
How are things going down there? DT: Everything is great.
KM:
Are you going to be training right up until the end or stopping
a couple weeks out? DT: I’m pretty going to keep my rhythm.
KM:
Do you feel prepared? DT: Yeah, I feel very prepared.
KM:
How do you feel about this next fight? DT: I’m just glad
to have another opportunity. I haven’t had the best luck
in the UFC, we know that. I haven’t really had a good fight
to really show myself and I’m looking to do that this time.
I want to show the world what I got.
KM:
What are your thoughts on Serra? DT: He’s good; good ground
game, seemed to look good against BJ, pressed the fight. I have
my hands full.
KM:
He has a reputation for being very fast and very fluid but mainly
BJJ. Does this worry you at all? DT: Not really. Honestly, I
have the best BJJ guys in the world. Of course I could get caught,
anybody can get caught on any given day, but he’s not going
to trick me into anything. I got world champions that I’m
training with now in jiu-jitsu so it’s not like he’s
going to do anything to me that I’ve never seen before.
KM:
Yeah, you’ve been training with the American Top Team for
about a year now? DT: Yeah, about a year.
KM:
How accurate a perspective do you think it would be if I took
an approach like ‘American Top Team against Team Renzo Gracie’?
Serra deviates enough from what we usually see from Team Renzo
fighters that it may not be accurate. You’re not exactly
a typical American Top Team fighter either. DT: It’s kind
of weird. I’m going to represent American Top Team regardless.
I didn’t really come from the same background as a lot of
the guys on the team and they kind of adopted me and embraced
me as one of their own so I’m going to represent them. Matt
is from Renzo’s so I’m assuming he’s going to
take on his name as well, so if you want to call it American
Top Team against Renzo call it that and we’re going to see
what prevails. I think they called us out a little while ago
anyway and we’re going to see who’s got the better
team.
KM:
It seems like most of the people in the UFC at 155 have been
mostly a grappling background and in that sense you have the
reputation of being one of the stronger strikers in the 155 field
right now but in the last couple of months we’ve seen more
strikers coming down to 155 with Duane defeating Pulver or even
Joe Stevenson dropping down. What do you think of the 155 division
from that perspective? DT: I’ve always said it; I think
the 155 lb division is the most competitive division. I think
the guys are the most complete guys. With all these strikers
we’re going to see a lot more grappling from me. (Both laugh)
I’ve always been known as a striker but I think I can hold
my own on the mat too. Going against a striker you may see a
lot more ground work from me.
KM:
One thing I’m looking forward to with this diversification
of the weight class is see how you would do against someone who
won’t keep it down, someone you can show something more
against. DT: That’s why I think this is a really good opportunity
for me and Matt because he is the type of guy who likes to go
out and give it 100% regardless of the outcome and I’m the
same way. It kind of sucks that we’re put in this position
because we just want to put on a good fight, we don’t care
if we win or lose. It sucks for us because the UFC put us in
a position where we kind of have to win or we have to go home
and watch from tv. I just hope Matt doesn’t say ‘I
have to win, I’m going to be a little more conservative’
because I’m not going to try to do that. Regardless I’m
going to try to put on a good fight.
KM:
How much more pressure does that put on with that perspective
of win or go home? DT: It’s never really going to put a
lot of pressure on me in that sense. In the back of my mind I
kind of still sense it but still there are other opportunities
out there for me to fight if I lose but I really don’t think
I’m going to lose. Even if, I just like to fight. If I have
to fight in HOOKnSHOOT to build myself back up that’s what
I’m going to do. I don’t try to look at the pressure,
I never doubt myself or doubt my skills because of pressure.
I don’t look at it like that.
UFC
41 takes place in Atlantic City, New Jersey on February 28th.
For more information on Din Thomas check out www.dinthomas.com.
Source: ADCC |
Martial
Arts Action Movie Personality
Stephanie Cheeva to be Inducted into
International Martial Arts Hall of Fame
February
7, 2003, It was announced today that Martial Arts Action Movie
star Stephanie Cheeva has been chosen by the Hawaii Martial Arts
International
Society to be inducted into the HMAIS "International Martial
Arts Hall of Fame", Stephanie Cheeva , to her credit she
is a 21 Gold Medalist, the titles of World Champion 1995, two
time European Champion '92/'93, She is an eight time Bulgarian
National Champion (1989 through 1995). She has starred in such
movies as "Blood Justice" "Last Call", "The
Ultimate Game" and "The Fine Art of Persuasion"
as well as popular television shows "Nash Bridges",
"Martial Law", "VIP" and "Crossing Jordan".
She
will be in attendence with such notables as legendary Ultimate
Fighting Championships "UFC" Competitor Dan "the
Beast" Severn, Sifu Lamar Davis II head of the World Combative
Martial Arts Federation and authority on the art of Jeet Kune
Do, Grandmaster Frank Demaria head of the "American Center
for Chinese Studies" and first organization to be directly
associated with the
Shaolin Temple in North America, Neil Antin of the "Fight
Channel", Steve Alley of "Martial Arts Radio"
and many others that will be honored at this extravaganza.
"We
at the Hawaii Martial Arts International Society are honored
to have the opportunity to place Stephanie Cheeva among our prestigious
Hall of Fame Inductee's, she is definitely a person worthy of
such an honor", Stated HMAIS Chairman Professor Jaime Abregana
Jr.
The
Hawaii Martial Arts International Society 2003 4th Annual Hall
of Fame Awards Banquet , you'll see the new inductions into the
"International Martial Arts Hall of Fame" take place,
it will be a who's who in martial arts event. This is part of
an action packed weekend of events including the ever popular
Legends & Masters Seminar, where you can learn from the most
accomplished Pioneers, Grand Masters and Masters around today,
also to top off this incredible weekend is an Open martial arts
tournament entitled the "International Martial Arts Classic"
this all takes place in Las Vegas Nevada , USA July 12 &
13, 2003 at the Sahara Hotel & Casino.
For
more information contact call (808) 271-0225
www.hmaisociety.com www.stephaniecheeva.com
Visit
www.hmaisociety.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
"My
great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you
are content with your failure."
Abraham Lincoln |
Media
Alert!
Super Brawl
Shown Live World Wide!
For the first time in history an MMA show will be shown live
and uncut over the internet with a quality rivaling television!
On
Saturday, February 8, thousand of fans will pack the Blaisdell
Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii to witness 9 powerhouse bouts. You
can pull up a ringside seat live, via www.superbrawltv.com and
join them.
All
this for just $7.95! Logon to www.superbrawltv.com Not only will you
get to watch the live netcast, you can also watch the event “on
demand” for the next 30 days! As well as dozens of hours
of past Super Brawl fights including fighters like, Frank Shamrock,
Pat Miletich, Josh Barnett, Heath Herring, Ricco Rodrigues, Ring
Girls and much, much more!
That’s
right…..All this for just $7.95! And the quality is outstanding!
“I was amazed! I hooked my desktop up to my bigscreen and
watched it like any other pay-per-view.” Super Brawl fan
Andrew Riehle after watching the Super Brawl 26 delayed netcast.
Live
Showtimes:
Hawaii/Maui
(Blacked out on Oahu) -Saturday 7:45pm
Los
Angeles- Saturday 10:45pm
Chicago-
Sunday 12:45am
New
York- Sunday 1:45am
London-Sunday
5:45am
Cairo-Sunday
7:45am
Moscow-
8:45am
Tokyo-Sunday
2:45pm
Melbourne- Sunday 3:45pm
Source: T. Jay Thompson |
Super
Brawl 28 Weigh Ins
Super Brawl 28 Is Tonight!
24-Hour
Fitness Kapiolani
Honolulu, Hawaii
1:30 PM
By Michael Onzuka
Mike@onzuka.com
Just
when you think things are going great, Murphy steps in. In a
last minute training session, local upstart Kolo Koka hurt his
knee in a freak heel hook accident and had to pull out of the
event against Mark Moreno. I thought that was the fight of the
card, two guys that like to bang. Promoter, T. Jay Thompson,
is currently looking for a replacement for Koka, but was unable
to find one at weigh in time. Also, there was a swap of fighters
in the first match. Tripston Kerisiano will take teammate, Nassor
Lewis' place against submission grappling based Brandon Keen.
Other than that, the fight card remains intact as advertised.
Another
interesting match up will be the return of Andy Wang who has
lived in Hawaii for a while and is currently living in California
and training with RAW. He showed major heart after taking a terrible
amount of punishment from Tsuruya in his last Super Brawl appearance.
Wang hopes to turn things around as he faces Deshaun "the
best dressed MMA fighter since Shonie Carter" Johnson. Johnson
is known as a stand up artist, but has been brushing up with
his ground work as of late. If Deshawn can keep this fight standing,
it may be very interesting.
Andre
"The Chief" Roberts returns to action from a layoff
from late 1999, a month after he had his UFC 21 war with Ron
Waterman. Roberts is as big as they get and it shall be seen
if experience will defeat youth as he faces a young and hungry
upstart by the name of King Kong Seraille. Ron Jhun will try
to continue to test the waters at a ripped 170 lbs after an exciting
fight with Shonie Carter that ended in a draw. UFC veteran Tyrone
Roberts accompanies his brother in the fight card taking on a
local fighter that seems ready for the big show, Falaniko Vitale.
Vitale is a well put together specimen and will be challenged
by a veteran fighter in Tyrone Roberts.
Finally,
Egan Inoue stated that he will only fight again if he can face
the champion in Shooto. Inoue got really close, but Suda broke
his nose in his last fight and wanted more time to prepare. Since
Egan was already in shape, Egan agreed to take on Japanese upstart,
Yukiya Naito from the A3 gym, who will attempt to make a major
leap in the Shooto rankings if he pulls off the upset. One fight
is left between inoue and his shot at a Shooto Champion. As the
biggest draw of any MMA fighter in Hawaii, Egan knows that he
will have the entire crowd on his side to cheer him to victory,
but also knows that a loss may scrap his long laid plans on the
road to the championship. Bone up on the blow by blow results
in the next issue of Full Contact Fighter!
There
are still tickets left so do not miss this evenly matched up
card!
170
lbs 2x5 minute rounds
Tripston Kerisiano 168 lbs (808 Fight Factory) 3-1
vs.
Brandon Keen 168 lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 1-0
155 lbs 2x5 minute rounds
Jay R. Palmer Fashionably late as usual (no weight) (Universal
Rough Houzers) 22-20
vs.
Harris Sarriento 155lbs (808 Fight Factory) 2-3
145
lbs 2x5 minute rounds
Dain Agbayani 146.2 lbs (at time of weigh in) (808 Fight Factory)
2-3
vs.
Justin Mercado 142 lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 1-1
165
lbs 2x5 minute rounds
Deshaun Johnson 160 lbs (HMC) 3-3
vs.
Andy Wang 164 lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 2-3
170
lbs 2x5 minute rounds
Mark Moreno 171 lbs (Bull's Pen) 3-1-1
vs.
TBA
Heavyweight
2x5 minute rounds
Andre "The Chief" Roberts 368 lbs (Team Extreme) 11-1
vs.
Ray "King Kong" Seraille 262 lbs (Grappling Unlimited)1-1
170
lbs 2x5 minute rounds
Mike Panalber 169.2 lbs (Shark Tank)
vs.
Ronald Jhun 170.8 lbs (at time of weigh in) (808 Fight Factory)
15-9-2
185lbs
3x5 minute rounds
Tyrone Roberts 184 lbs (Team Extreme) 15-2
vs.
Falaniko Vitale 184.8 lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 12-1
194lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Yukiya Naito 187 lbs (A3 Gym, Tokyo) 4-0
vs.
Egan Inoue 189.8 lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 12-3 Champion
 |
Alessio
Out, Vasconcelos In of KOTC Feb 21
Due to an injury suffered in his UCC12 loss to Jason Black, John
Alessio has been forced to pull out of his February 21 King of
The Cage bout against Shonie Carter. Replacing Alessio against
"Mr. International" is the rAw Team's Fernando Vasconcelos.
Source: Maxfighting |
UFC
41 Card Complete
The Rich Clementi vs Yves Edwards matchup reported on January
28th has been officially released as the 8th spot for UFC 41:
Onslaught. The complete card is now:
Ricco
Rodriguez vs Tim Sylvia
Tank
Abbott vs Frank Mir
Phil
Baroni vs Matt Lindland
BJ
Penn vs
Caol Uno
Vladimir
Matyushenko vs Pedro Rizzo
Gan
McGee vs "Cafe" Dantas
Matt
Serra vs Din Thomas
Rich
Clementi vs Yves Edwards
LAS
VEGAS, February 4, 2003…Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
Lightweight top contenders Matt Serra and Din Thomas will clash
after Lightweight Yves Edwards battles Rich Clementi at UFC 41:
Onslaught live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST, Friday,
February 28, from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
An
eight-fight card also will feature the long-awaited BJ Penn versus Caol Uno fight
for the lightweight championship, the return of legendary Heavyweight
Tank Abbott, who will meet jiu-jitsu submission specialist Frank
Mir, and the first title defense by new UFC Heavyweight Champion
Ricco Rodriguez against undefeated contender Tim Sylvia.
Live
event tickets, $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, continue on sale
at the Boardwalk Hall box office in Atlantic City, at all Ticketmaster
locations and at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets also may be ordered
by telephone at 1-800-736-1420. Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino,
Trump Marina and Trump Taj Mahal are the hosts of the event.
UFC
41: Onslaught will be available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND,
DIRECTV, Dish Network, Bell ExpressVu and Viewers Choice Canada.
The suggested retail price is $29.95.
Serra
(11-2-0 in mixed martial arts) of Long Island, N.Y., is a Brazilian
jiu-jitsu black belt trained by Renzo Gracie. He combines superb
ground skills, including wrestling take downs and submissions,
with an ever-improving stand-up game to push the action in all
his fights. Serra and Thomas had been scheduled to fight each
other last March in Las Vegas, but Thomas injured a knee in training.
“Din is a tough fighter and has really improved since he’s
been training with the American Top Team. We are going to have
a very exciting fight,” Serra said.
Thomas
(16-3-0) of Orlando, Fla., also utilizes jiu-jitsu submission
techniques and a stand-up striking game to dominate opponents.
With a like-new knee, Thomas readily admits his quality of training
is greatly improved since joining ATT, the U.S. extension of
the Brazilian Top Team. “The competition is very tough,
even for an experienced, professional fighter. This kind of training
will prepare me for Matt, who is really disciplined,” Thomas
said.
Edwards
(10-5-1) from The Woodlands, Tex., a suburb of Houston, is a
Thai boxing-jiu jitsu fighter who is continuing to hone his boxing
skills. In his last UFC fight, June 22 at UFC 37.5 in Las Vegas,
he knocked out Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Joao “Perini”
Marcos at 1:19 of the first round with a kick to the head. Edwards
works with Kenny Weldon, the boxing trainer who helped build
former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield’s career.
Clementi
is a free-style fighter from Slidell, La., who will be making
his UFC debut against Edwards. He has earned a 22-5-0 record
in mixed martial arts fighting and has won eight consecutive
fights. “Yves will be a great opponent for my UFC debut
because I will have to utilize all my weapons to beat him. I
feel my standup game is equal to his, but my ground game is superior.
I am really looking forward to fighting him,” Clementi said.
Rodriguez
(10-1-0), a Staten Island, N.Y. native, who now fights out of
Las Vegas, has won 10 straight fights and captured the heavyweight
crown from two-time former champ Randy Couture September 17 at
the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Sylvia (16-0-0), a
native of Ellsworth, Maine, who fights out of Davenport, Iowa,
is 6’8”, 260 pounds and his height and reach advantage
helped him win a second round technical knockout September 27
over “Cabbage” Correira at the Mohegan Sun.
Tank
(8-7-0) from Huntington Beach, Calif., says he is returning to
do what he does best, “knock people out.” In Mir (4-1-0)
of Las Vegas, he will be facing one of the UFC’s most promising
young heavyweights. Penn (6-1-0) from Hilo,
Hawaii, and Uno (13-4-2) of Kanagawa, Japan, earned the right
to meet for the lightweight title with unanimous decision victories
over Serra and Thomas respectively September 27 at the Mohegan
Sun.
Source: Sherdog |
HAWAII
MARTIAL ARTS INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY
TOURNAMENT PROMOTIONS PRESS RELEASE # 1
HMAISociety
2003-2004
TOURNAMENTS & SANCTIONING
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING TOURNAMENTS
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The
Hawaii Martial Arts International Society, along with Prof. Jaime
Abregana Jr. (Pres.), and the Board of Directors for the HMAISociety,
are proud to present, the opening of our 2003-2004 Tournament
Season, and the 2003-2004 HMAIS World Championship Tour.
This
years events (2003-2004 Season), will consist of State, Regional,
or International Conference, martial arts tournament qualifiers,
along with our HMAISociety World Championships Tournament.
Our
purpose is to promote “Martial Arts Sporting” competitions
that are both “Sanctioned and Rated” by the HMAISociety.
During our 2003-2004 competition year, each “COMPETITOR”
(Who is a member of the HMAISociety, and who competes in our
“HMAISociety Sanctioned & Rated” events), will;
Accumulate
“Division Points” per tournament placing or win.
Will compete for “Seeded Placements”, in our upcoming
HMAISociety Tournament Conference events.
Will strive to achieve “HMAISociety World Champion”
status in their respective divisions, at the end of our tournament
season.
At
the completion of our tournament season, the HMAISociety will
honor our very best competitors with our coveted “HMAISociety
World Champion’ awards, at our Annual HMAISociety Awards
Banquet.
We
are currently seeking Tournament Promoters, throughout the world
that would like to have their respective tournaments “Sanctioned
and Rated” by the HMAISociety.
Should
you wish to join the HMAISociety, and / or wish to have your
event “Sanctioned and Rated” by the HMAIS Sanctioning
Committee, we would be most interested in talking to you.
Our
Martial Arts Sporting Competitions will consist of the following;
Open
Martial Arts (Karate, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, etc…)
Mixed Martial Arts “Team” (Pankration, Sports Jiu Jitsu,
Sambo, Judo, Greco-Roman, etc…)
Filipino
Stick Fighting and Sayaw (Forms)
Our
first tournament of the 2003-2004 season, will be our “HMAISociety
Presidents Tournament”, which will be held at the luxurious
Sahara Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas Nevada, on July 13th, 2003.
This
tournament event, along with our 4th Annual HMAISociety Hall
of Fame Awards Banquet, and our Legends & Masters Seminars
on July 12th 2003, will make a great, “Martial Arts Get-A-Way-Vacation
Weekend”.
For
the “Presidents Tournament” registration information,
our Hall of Fame Awards Banquet, or our Legends and Masters Seminars
events, go to our HMAISociety website at www.hmaisociety.com.
For
membership in the HMAISociety , you may go online and register
with us, in our “Membership” section.
Should
you wish to become a Representative of the HMAISociety in your
area, or you would like to be considered as a Conference, Regional,
State, or International Director for the HMAISociety, please
contact;
Prof.
Jaime Abregana Jr. at our HMAISociety website |
Latest
Official PANCRASE Rankings
(as of 2/3/2003)
[Open-weight]
the 9th Open-weight K.O.P. Semmy Schilt (Holland/Golden Glory)
#1 Yuki Kondo (PANCRASEism)
#2 Yoshiki Takahashi (PANCRASEism)
#3 Kiuma Kunioku (PANCRASEism)
#4 KEI Yamamiya (PANCRASEism)
#5 Sanae Kikuta (Pancrase GRABAKA)
#6 Tim Lajcik (U.S.A./Gladiators Training Academy)
#7 Osami Shibuya (PANCRASEism)
#8 Katsuhisa Fujii (UFO)
#9 Ron Waterman (U.S.A./Colorado Stars)
#10 Jun Ishii (Chojin Club)
[Heavyweight
(199lbs.~under 221lbs.)]
the 1st Heavyweight K.O.P. Yoshiki Takahashi (PANCRASEism)
#1 Tsuyoshi Ozawa (Zendokai)
#2 Katsuhisa Fujii (UFO)
#3 Jason Godsey (U.S.A./I.F. Academy)
[Light
heavyweight (181lbs.~under 199lbs.)]
the 2nd Light heavyweight K.O.P. Sanae Kikuta (Pancrase GRABAKA)
#1 Yuki Kondo (PANCRASEism)
#2 Ikuhisa Minowa (PANCRASEism)
#3 Yuki Sasaki (Pancrase GRABAKA)
#4 Akihiro Gono (Pancrase GRABAKA)
#5 KEI Yamamiya (PANCRASEism)
#6 Ricardo Almeida (Renzo Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy)
#7 Osami Shibuya (PANCRASEism)
#8 Mitsuyoshi Sato (Pancrase GRABAKA)
#9 Eiji Ishikawa (Pancrase GRABAKA)
#10 Daisuke Ishii (PANCRASEism)
[Middleweight(165.7lbs.~
under 181lbs.)]
the 3rd Middleweight K.O.P. Nathan Marquardt (U.S.A./Colorado
Stars)
#1 Izuru Takeuchi (SK Absolute)
#2 Kiuma Kunioku (PANCRASEism)
#3 Kazuo Misaki (Pancrase GRABAKA) *UP from #4
#4 Chris Lytle (U.S.A./I.F. Academy) *DOWN from #3
#5 Yuji Hoshino (Wajutsu Keishukai GODS)
#6 Shonie Carter (U.S.A./AIKI Training Hall)
#7 Daiju Takase (Wajutsu Keishukai Tokyo Hombu)
#8 Takafumi Ito (PANCRASEism)
#9 Kosei Kubota (PANCRASEism)
[Welterweight(152.5lbs.~
under 165.7lbs.)]
the 1st Welterweight K.O.P. Kiuma Kunioku (PANCRASEism)
#1 Takafumi Ito (PANCRASEism)
#2 Koji Oishi (PANCRASEism)
#3 Kenichi Serizawa (RJW/CENTRAL) *UP from #4
#4 Hiroki Nagaoka (Rodeo Style) *DOWN from #3
#5 Satoru Kitaoka (PANCRASEism) *IN!
[Lightweight(141.4lbs.~
under 152.5lbs.)] VACANT
[Featherweight(under
141.4lbs.)] VACANT
Source: Mr. Oitate, Pancrase |
The
Top 5 Best of 2002 Part 3/5
Arnold "The Sushiboy" Lim
Part two is
a goner and Part 4 is just around the corner. Here we kick it
off with part 3 of 5 starting with the top 5 “Fights”
of the year and the Top 5 Rivalries of 2002
Top 5 “FIGHTS”
of the year
#
5 - Steve Vigneault defeats Jeromie Sills
UCC 10 “Battle for the Belts” June 15th 2002
Compared by many to a be a condensed Lawler Vs Riley battle,
both Vigneault and Sills came with their banging shoes on. Both
fighters hurt each other. Both fighters dished out and took punishment
that would have felled lesser hearts. Both fighters put it all
on the line. See this fight.
#
5 – Rodrigo Nogueira Vs Dan Henderson
Pride 24 “Cold Fury III” Dec 23rd 2002
Three words, Heart, Heart and Heart. Nogueira reportedly came
in very ill for the fight and Henderson took the fight on less
then Two weeks notice. Two weeks to fight the best fighter in
the sport is cutting it tight. Dan Henderson will be remembered
for the effort he put in on this night as he should be, and his
gumby like rubber arm will be enshrined in the MMA hall of fame
when he is retired.
#
3 - Rodrigo Nogueira defeats Bob Sapp
Pride “Shockwave” Aug 28th 2002
David Vs Goliath + Man Vs Monster + Speed Vs Strength = Nogueira
Vs Sapp
#
2 - Robbie Lawler defeats Aaron Riley
UFC 37”High Impact” May 10th 2002
Everything that needs to be said about this Great fight has already
been said. I will leave it at that.
#
1 - Mario Sperry Vs Murilo Rua
Pride 20 “Armed and Ready” April 20th 2002
This was Ninja’s coming of age fight in the Pride fighting
organization. His relentless never stop, never give up attitude
is what made this fight, that coupled with the heart of a lion
on the part of Mario Sperry was enough to make this my personal
favorite fight from the past year.
Honorable
mention
Carlos
Newton Vs Pele Landi Jons
Pride 19 “Bad Blood” Feb 24th 2002
This was another fight that went back and forth, both fighters
had their opportunities but only one capitalized on it. Carlos
Newton took a vicious knee to the teeth that his dentist felt
back home in Canada, and still came back to win.
Joe
Doerkson Vs Dennis Kang
UCC 11 “The Next Level” Oct 11th 2002
Not too many people got to see this battle but those who did
were impressed with what they saw. Both fighters were knocked
down at one point in the fight and this back and forth affair
packed enough action in less then one round to make it close
to getting to the top of the top fights of the year.
Top
5 rivalry’s of 2002
#5
– Chute Boxe Vs Top Team II - Murilo Rua Vs Ricardo Arona
Pride 23 “Championship Chaos” Nov 24th 2002
Not on the same level in terms of entertainment compared with
Rua Vs Sperry but this fight was spiked with an even darker poisonous
smack. Both fighters publically insulted and ridiculed each other.
Promising lesson’s in respect and honor both fighters fought
the tough fight and settled it in the ring.
#
4 – Don Frye Vs Ken Shamrock
Pride 19 “Bad Blood” Feb 24th 2002
Ken Shamrock seems to be in all the heated rivalries and this
one was no different. Don Frye Vs Ken Shamrock was one of the
most anticipated bouts of the year for all us old schoolers who
had followed their careers for years. This fight was the headliner
for “Bad Blood” and I couldn’t think of a more
adequate name for the event.
#
3 – Chute Boxe Vs Top Team I - Murilo Rua Vs Mario Sperry
Pride 20 “Armed and Ready” April 20th 2002
I don’t need to tell you what I thought of this fight. It
was a fight for the ages and the first time the two rival clubs
had clashed in the Pride arena. This fight had everything a fight
would need. The Rivalry between the two clubs ended with Nogueira
publically weeping after the Sperry’s loss.
#
2 - Dennis Hallman over “Mad Dog” Hughes
MFC 3 “Canadian Pride” March 3rd 2002
The rear naked choke that Dennis Hallman slapped on Hughes ended
the bitter words both fighters had exchanged. Both fighters had
promised impressive victories. In Fact Hallman promised to take
Hughes truck, family car, dog and his girlfriend. In the end
he did take something that belonged to Hughes and that was his
fighting shorts. To the surprise of Hughes, Hallman ripped them
off his midsection after he won the fight!!!
#1
– Ken Shamrock Vs Tito Ortiz
UFC 40 “Vendetta” Nov 22nd 2002
Years of smack talk and verbal abuse came to a head on Nov of
2002. Both fighters had to be watched carefully as the preflight
hoopla played out but was it really just hoopla? The bitter verbal
battles had been played out and all that was left was the battle
itself. Was the battle a product of the rivalry or the rivalry
the product of a battle? You decide.
Honorable
Mention
Phil
Baroni Vs Matt Lindland
Josh Barnett Vs Nevada State Athletics commission
Osama Bin Ladin Vs George Bush
That
was it for part three. Be sure to check back as we come back
at you with part four of five which will look at more of the
best of 2002. If you have agree or disagree with any of my picks
don’t be shy, Yell Holler and let me know about it.Flame
away, for MMARingreport this was “The Sushiboy”.
Source: MMA Ring Report |
|
Quote
of the Day
"Flatter
me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like
you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and
I may not forget you."
William
Arthur |
Super
Brawl 28 Weigh-In and Press Conference Today
24-Hour Fitness Kapiolani
1:00 PM
Super
Brawl 28
Saturday, February 8, 2003
Neil Blaisdell Center
Fights start at 7:30 PM
170lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Nassor Lewis (808 Fight Factory) 3-3
vs.
Brandon Keen 170lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 1-0
161lbs 2x5 minute rounds
Jay R. Palmer 155lbs (Rough Houzers) 22-20
vs.
Harris Sarriento 155lbs (808 Fight Factory) 1-3
143lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Dain Agbayani 141lbs (808 Fight Factory) 2-3
vs.
Justin Mercado 141lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 1-1
167.5lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Deshaun Johnson 165lbs (HMC) 3-3
vs.
Andy Wang 165lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 2-3
165
lbs 2x5 minute rounds
Mark Moreno 165lbs (Bull's Pen) 3-1-1
vs.
"Ice Cold" Kolo Koka 165lbs (Grappling Unlimited)4-3
Heavyweight
2x5 minute rounds
Andre "The Chief" Roberts 366lbs (Team Extreme) 9-1
vs.
Ray "King Kong" Seraille 260lbs (Grappling Unlimited)1-1
167.5lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Mike Panalber 170lbs (Shark Tank)
vs.
Ronald Jhun 170lbs (808 Fight Factory) 15-9-2
185lbs
3x5 minute rounds
Tyrone Roberts 185lbs (Team Extreme) 15-2
vs.
Falaniko Vitale 185lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 12-1
194lbs
2x5 minute rounds
Yukiya Naito 194lbs (A3 Gym, Tokyo) 4-0
vs.
Egan Inoue 182.6lbs (Grappling Unlimited) 12-3 Champion
|
"15
Years of Hits"
Best of Flyin' Hawaiian Volume 3
Congratulations!
Tower
Records Pearl Kai*
#3 in the Hawaiian Top Ten
and
#6 in Overall Store Sales
(ahead
of artists like 2Pac, Aaliyah, Nelly, Tyrese, Missy Elliot, Eminem,
Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Shania Twain and
Jay-Z)
*during
the week of 1/27/03 thru 2/2/03
Mahalo
for your support!
Visit
the new website:
www.flyinhawn.com
 |
Catching
up with MATT HUME
Matt
Hume made his return to MMA competition after a 5-year layoff
at “HOOKnSHOOT: Absolute Fighting Championships 1”
in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on December 13, 2002. With his first taste
of the martial arts at age 4, Hume just wanted to have fun doing
what he enjoys. Scoring the quickest win of the night, Hume pressed
his will and defeated “Pain” Peters of Team UCC by
arm bar submission at just 1:49 of Round 1. Hume had fun fighting
along side the guys he has trained and liked having them in his
corner for a change.
JC:
Returning to competition after 5 years, you mentioned you would
“press your will” in a fight. Would you explain? MH:
Pressing my will in a fight is my way of controlling and dominating
all aspects of the fight. It’s not a one-dimensional fight
anymore.
JC:
There was some taunting of your opponent during the fight. Would
you explain?
MH: To smack talk me before a fight is okay, but not my corner
men, who deserve respect. The smack talk was over and this is
the introduction of what Matt Hume is about.
JC:
Your post fight speech was all about respect. Would you elaborate?
MH: This is a business and we come in as fighters to entertain
the crown, but we are martial artists and, respect, is what martial
arts is about.
JC:
We’ve talked about you taking it one day at a time. What’s
next for you? MH: I’m going to Japan tomorrow. I’ll
see how my body is when I get back from Japan.
JC:
How is your body right now?
MH: I was in so much pain before this fight. I had a hamstring
and groin pull and was in bed for 3 days. My guys got me warned
up, but it was hard to get in there with my knee injury, which
is not fully recovered. My muscles try to compensate for my injuries.
JC:
You’re a trainer of champions and people in fighters. How
are you feeling?
MH: I felt bad before this fight. My body didn’t feel good.
I took this as a tune-up fight looking to take them one at a
time. I wanted to honor Maurice Smith’s birthday and I wanted
to honor the promoters of HOOKnSHOOT because they are really
good people in this sport.
JC:
You mentioned one more tune up fight. Who would you like?
MH: I have no idea.
JC:
Is there anything you’d like to say?
MH: Thank you for supporting the sport and thank you for welcoming
me back.
Mind
and body must be in check, as Hume has been back to business
running AMC and preparing for his next fight. On March 1, 2003,
Hume meets Rick McCoy of Prodigy Martial Arts in Richmond, VA
at the Lucky Eagle Casino in Rochester, WA. This will be the
first time for HOOKnSHOOT in Washington State, as well as the
first time for co-sanctioning between the U.F.C.F, HOOKnSHOOT
and Washington State sanctioning. “Most importantly,”
exclaims Hume, “it will be my first time to fight MMA in
front of my hometown!”
Source:
ADCC |
Ronaldo
Jacare changes Teams
O
Tatame Website is reporting that JJ sensation Ronaldo 'Jacare'
has switched teams and joined the new Master team. Apparently
thinking that having one Jacare is good, then having two will
be great, the kids at Master have a new one. The new team is
shaping up as one of the strongest and most dynamic of modern
times with people like Leozinho & Ricardinho Vieira, Rodrigo
'Comprido', 'Terere' and Damian Maia. Look for some big things
from them!
Source:
ADCC
|
Quote
of the Day
"There
is real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between
mediocrity and accomplishment."
Norman Vincent Peale
|
Full
Contact Fighter's Fight Database Is Finally Up! 
A few of you may have heard some buzz about FCF putting together
a fight database. We have been working on it for one solid year.
I have been collecting data for the past few years. It is finally
up and released. It is the most comprehensive MMA fight database
in existence and will only get bigger and badder. Check it out.
I want to encourage all the Hawaii fighters and others who have
data that is not in the database to use the link on the Fighter
Profile pages to help us fill in the blanks. We will be continuing
to add pictures, interviews and fight pictures in the near future.
Email me
your comments (good, bad and ugly) about the database. The FCF
team (Mike, David, Joel, Tom & Chris) that worked on it tried
to think of everything (within reason) when putting it together. |
Due
to popular demand
Fighters' Club TV episode VII will re-air on Ch. 52:
February 11 (TUE), 8:00 pm
February 18 (TUE), 8:00 pm
February 25 (TUE), 8:30 pm.
Episode
VII features:
Your
favorite 2 MMA hosts (Mike O. & Mark K.)
Superbrawl 25 highlights featuring-
-Eddie Yagin vs. Jin Kazeta (+intv w/ Eddie)
-Barret Yoshida vs. Jason Bress
-Egan Inoue vs. Martin de Jong (+intv w/ Egan re: fight analysis/retirement/his
future)
Chris Onzuka will be making his FCTV debut as roving reporter
conducting the interviews.
Technique of the Week: UFC, PRIDE, & Pro-Wrestling Champion,
Don "The Predator" Frye
And, a FCTV exclusive interv. w/ Superbrawl Promoter T.Jay Thompson
regarding the mysterious ring announcer, Tommy Dakota.
Any
comments or suggestions--like us, hate us, want to feature more
pretty sheelas:
contact us: markk@flex.com
Source:
Mark Kurano |
Nogueira
Brothers Likely Set for PRIDE 25!
By Eduardo Alonso
PRIDE 25, scheduled for March 15th, is a mere 6 weeks away and
the card is finally starting to take shape. While many of the
matches for the card are still being negotiated, FCF just found
out that two matches are very likely to happen, and indeed almost
ready to be announced, which will feature the Nogueira brothers
from the Brazilian Top Team! PRIDE Heavyweight champion Rodrigo
Minotauro Nogueira will finally face Russian fighter Emelianenko
Fedor, in a hotly anticipated match-up with Minotauro's belt
on the line. His twin brother, Rogerio "Minotoro" Nogueira,
who just defeated Guy Mezger in a split decision at PRIDE 24,
is also likely to appear on the card facing a student of Hidehiko
Yoshida! The Japanese fighter who also has a black belt in judo
and trains with the former Japanese Olympic Gold Medalist and
current national NHB hero and weighs around 98kg. This will be
the judoka's NHB debut, and those two matches are likely to be
announced within the next few days in Japan. PRIDE 25 still holds
lots of surprises and FCF will continue to keep an close eye
on the developments.
Source:
FCF
"Minotauro"
vs. Fedor Official
The PRIDE 25 main event was officially announced today in Japan
as Dream Stage Entertainment representatives confirmed that PRIDE
heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira
will face Ukrainian powerhouse Emelianenko Fedor on March 16
in Yokohama for his first title defense since winning the belt
almost a year and a half ago.
Originally
scheduled for December 23, 2002, the bout was pushed back when
Fedor was forced to delay because of injury. The mid-March bout
pits the best heavyweight in the world versus his stiffest competition
to date in Fedor. The Russian Top Team fighter earned the title
shot by stopping Heath Herring last November.
DSE
also announced that Nogueira's twin brother, Rogerio, will face
23-year-old Judo standout Kazuhiro Nakamura as part of the under
card.
Source: Maxfighing |
Marcelo
Tigre's Response to Attempted Murder Charges in Brazil
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
Marcelo Tigre originally came to Hawaii in 1999 to fight Egan
Inoue. After that controversial fight, Tigre racked up five wins,
one against Joe Charles, before fighting Inoue's student, Cabbage
Correira. Similar to his fight with Inoue, Tigre was disqualified
for using tactics outside of the rule book. During that time,
Tigre took a liking to Hawaii and stayed. Tigre put down some
roots by opening up a school and trained himself and his students
to fight. Tigre then competed in a Pancrase tournament in Japan,
proving himself by KO'ing Tim Lajcik and then dominating Yoshiki
Takahashi only to be disqualified yet again later in the bout.
This time for allegedly eye gouging Takahashi. After that fight
Tigre returned to Brazil. Tigre seemingly disappeared in Brazil
until an article in the Brazilian newspaper, ''Correio Brazilaiense,''
in October 2002 reported that Marcelo Tigre and some of his friends
had beaten a man and woman while in Brazil and were getting charged
for attempted murder. Tigre recently returned to Hawaii for a
couple of months to train before going back to Brazil. I got
a hold of Tigre to get his response to these allegations. Tigre
said that this became a big story for the paper, appearing on
the front page. However, Tigre went on to say that, "the
story was made bigger than it should have been." Tigre explained
that this paper is known for embellishing the truth in order
to increase newspaper sales. Tigre did admit to getting into
a physical confrontation with the couple, but he was alone when
it happened and the newspaper story left out the part where the
woman stabbed him in the hand with a nail file. At the time of
this interview, Tigre still has the remnants of that injury.
After the details came out concerning this case, the newspaper
followed up with a correction article due to the fact that both
parties were not pressing any charges. A copy of the correction
article could not be obtained, but Tigre told me that it appeared,
like most corrections, as a small tidbit, placed deep inside
the paper.
Marcelo
has been working as security for politicians during the recent
elections in Brazil, which is why he has not been fighting. Marcelo
is excited and appreciative of his job because for the first
time in his life he and his three children have medical insurance
and a steady income. All that time away from the ring, has gotten
Marcelo anxious to get back in and fight, which prompted his
trip back to Hawaii. He also wanted to visit his friends in addition
to getting in a couple of months of training before going back
to Brazil. Tigre said that he did not want to fight in Hawaii
anymore because he felt that he could not get a fair fight. "I
have to fight three people in the ring; my opponent, the referee
and the promoter." He went on to say, "I only want
to fight in the big shows now, like UFC or Pride." Marcelo
said that he will be prepared to enter the ring in February or
March. "I feel good right now. I am in shape, but I want
to train harder to beat everyone up." Tigre is in the Light-heavyweight
category (under 205lbs) and wants to let all the promoters of
the larger shows know that he is looking for fights.
Tigre
has been known as a rule breaker, which has tarnished his previously
undefeated record three times. I asked him if he felt like he
would have trouble finding a fight because of this. Tigre responded
by saying, "I respect the rules now. You know me, I just
got a little crazy in the ring. I have been training for rules
like the UFC and Pride. I can fight within the rules." That
remains to be seen. The real question is if any promoter will
give Marcelo Tigre the opportunity to prove that. FCF's Eduardo
Alonso recently reported that Tigre may get his chance to prove
himself in the next Mecca event, which is held in Brazil.
|
PRIDE's
Future? Grand Prix 2003
Dream Stage Entertainment Confirms Several Pay-Per View Carriers
To Feature PRIDE FC in 2003
Los
Angeles, CA - January 30, 2003 - Evidence of growing interest
in the world of mixed-martial arts and full-contact sports, Dream
Stage Entertainment today confirmed the PRIDE Fighting Championships
(PRIDE FC) event line-up for 2003. PRIDE FC will present a full
schedule of action-packed events starting March 16th in Yokohama
Arena in Yokohama, Japan.
Discuss
PRIDE's future in MMA in the MMA forum
"After
a highly successful 2002 that included sell-outs for each event,
we are looking forward to an exciting and even more successful
2003," said Yukino Kanda, Dream stage Entertainment's Vice
President of Sales, Marketing and Talent Relations. A major highlight
of 2002 was PRIDE FC being sanctioned by the respected Nevada
Athletic Commission. "As a foreign-based company",
says Kanda, "we are extremely proud that the Nevada Commission
put its trust in us".
With
its rapidly growing fan base in North America, PRIDE PC is gearing
up for a banner year. Together with its pay-per-view carriers
and partners, Dream Stage Entertainment will soon be able to
bring the incredible excitement of PRIDE to virtually every cable
and satellite home in the U.S. and Canada.
The
tentative schedule of PRIDE Fighting Championships 2003:
March
16th
PRIDE Fighting Championships: Body Blow
Location: Yokohama Arena
PPV Carriers: DIRECTV, DishNetwork, Bell ExpressVu, Viewer's
Choice Canada
May
24th
PRIDE 26*
Location: Osaka Castle Hall
PPV Carriers: DIRECTV, TVN, DishNetwork, Bell ExpressVu, Viewer's
Choice Canada
August
10th
PRIDE Fighting Championships Grand Prix 2003: Opening Round
Location: Saitama Super Arena
PPV Carriers: DIRECTV, TVN, DishNetwork, Bell ExpressVu, Viewer's
Choice Canada
November
9th
PRIDE Fighting Championships Grand Prix 2003: Final Round
Location: Tokyo Dome
PPV Carriers: DIRECTV, TVN, DishNetwork, Bell ExpressVu, Viewer's
Choice Canada
Additional
Events: TBA
For
more information on PRIDE FC visit www.pridefc.com
*Event
name TBD
ABOUT
PRIDE FC
Originating in Japan, PRIDE Fighting Championships combine the
most highly skilled MMA competitions with a 21st Century entertainment
philosophy to create the next generation in cutting edge sports
entertainment. PRIDE competitions include athletes from across
the globe, including the United States, Japan, Brazil, Europe,
Russia and many other countries. PRIDE allows techniques from
a myriad of martial arts and combat sports, solidifying its place
as an authentic and unique fighting style that is built on tension
and excitement, appealing to the growing audience of 21st Century
entertainment fans.
Source:
ADCC |
PRIDE
Announces Main Events!
The two main events for PRIDE have been announced, and some of
the other matches are coming to light as well. There appears
to be pressure on PRIDE to do their largest event ever, both
to alleviate pressure and to eat through contracts.
Rodrigo
Nogueira and his brother Rogerio will co-headline PRIDE's first
event since the untimely death of Nayoto Morashita. This is the
first co-headline for the twins.
Rogerio
Nogueira will face Kazuhiro Nakamura. Nakamura is a training
partner and student of Hidehiko Yoshida and is said to have astounding
Judo skills.
Speaking
of Yoshida, many are saying that a match with Bob Sapp is in
the works. Not sure what they mean by 'works' but this match
doesn't seem competitive on paper. Many thought Yoshida asking
to fight Nogueira was ridiculous but Sapp is nearly double his
size!
Hardcore
fans have been waiting for the Emelianenko Fedor vs. Rodrigo
'Minotauro' Nogueira fight since Fedor soundly defeated Heath
Herring. It will now happen! Some are giving Fedor a good chance
for victory. It will be interesting to see what sportsbooks do
with this match alone!
How
about this as a PRIDE bonus. Quinton Jackson vs. Kevin Randelman.
Talk about an exciting fight! Both men walk the walk and talk
the talk but it's been Randelman who has exploded on the scene
lately with a new fire. This one will be VERY entertaining!
Bob
Sapp vs Mirko 'CroCop' Filipovic is quite possibly the most marketable
fight on the show. CroCrop has destroyed EVERYONE in his path
and he's 'only a kickboxer'. Sapp is the hottest thing going
so people will pay to see who is the king of PRIDE (aside from
Nogueira).
Source:
ADCC |
Japan's
Long Term Prospects in MMA Questioned
News for the MMA scene in Japan is NOT looking good. Word is
that PRIDE, who normally books their shows months in advance,
has nothing on the table after their scheduled May event.
This
could be interpreted as bad news, or it could mean that PRIDE
holding off to see how the next event does financially without
Morashita's guidance.
The
whole pro wrestling industry is in turmoil as well. The industry
has suffered at the live gate, drawing record low crowds. So
low that the longest running and (once) most profitable group,
New Japan is reportedly cutting salaries and limiting the influx
of foreign talent.
K-1
is also in danger of shrinking after the resignation and arrest
of Ishii. With all these factors, once again, many performers/fighters
are expressing private concerns about the longevity of K-1.
The
DEEP organization has also scaled down their shows. The trend
to use pro wrestlers, who reportedly ask for less money that
established MMA fighters, has taken over. In it's early days,
DEEP earned a reputation for offering many fighters VERY high
paydays but the promotion quickly got smart. Those days are gone.
The
bizarre twists of the last years have left MMA and pro wrestling
blurred in Japan, and people often confuse the two. Sakuraba
is a 'pro wrestler' but all of his fights are legitimate. Nobuhiku
Takada, once considered a pioneer and legend, is billed as a
'shootfighter' but has never won a legitimate fight.
In
all the bad news, it appears that former RINGS star Kiyoshi Tamura
has the best shot at making anything happen with his new organization.
With his brand of 'shooting,' Tamura has done what many haven't
lately - he sold EVERY ticket to his first U-STYLE show, two
weeks prior to the event!
It's
unclear if U-Style will be 100% real or 'strong style' pro wrestling
that just looks real. Many are leaning towards real but in the
same sense, many have doubts. We shall see.
Aside
from Bob Sapp, who has become more of a mainstream celebrity,
the whole sports entertainment industry is taking a beating these
days.
Source:
ADCC |
LIGHTWEIGHTS
SERRA-THOMAS, CLEMENTI-EDWARDS TO CLASH AT UFC 41: ONSLAUGHT
LIVE ON PAY-PER-VIEW, FEBRUARY 28
by: Keith Evans
8
Fights At Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City To Feature Penn, Uno
Lightweight Title Bout; Tank Abbott’s Return; Rodriguez,
Sylvia Heavyweight Championship
LAS
VEGAS, February 4, 2003…Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
Lightweight top contenders Matt Serra and Din Thomas will clash
after Lightweight Yves Edwards battles Rich Clementi at UFC 41:
Onslaught live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST, Friday,
February 28, from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
An
eight-fight card also will feature the long-awaited BJ Penn versus
Caol Uno fight for the lightweight championship, the return of
legendary Heavyweight Tank Abbott, who will meet jiu-jitsu submission
specialist Frank Mir, and the first title defense by new UFC
Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez against undefeated contender
Tim Sylvia.
Live
event tickets, $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, continue on sale
at the Boardwalk Hall box office in Atlantic City, at all Ticketmaster
locations and at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets also may be ordered
by telephone at 1-800-736-1420. Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino,
Trump Marina and Trump Taj Mahal are the hosts of the event.
UFC
41: Onslaught will be available live on pay-per-view on iN DEMAND,
DIRECTV, Dish Network, Bell ExpressVu and Viewers Choice Canada.
The suggested retail price is $29.95.
Serra
(11-2-0 in mixed martial arts) of Long Island, N.Y., is a Brazilian
jiu-jitsu black belt trained by Renzo Gracie. He combines superb
ground skills, including wrestling take downs and submissions,
with an ever-improving stand-up game to push the action in all
his fights. Serra and Thomas had been scheduled to fight each
other last March in Las Vegas, but Thomas injured a knee in training.
“Din is a tough fighter and has really improved since he’s
been trai |