If
anything goes bad, I did it. If anything goes semi-good, then
we did it. If anything goes really good, then you did it. That's
all it takes to get people to win football games.
Paul
"Bear" Bryant
PRIDE
- Latest Update!
There are many people in Japan that are taking the death of president
Naoto Morishita as a major setback for PRIDE, and there are some
that think it could eventually lead to the end of PRIDE.
Morishita's
50% ownership in Pride was left to his wife and daughter. It
is unclear what his wife's position is in her current state of
DSE. There are rumors that she is not interested in keeping the
company going.
There
is also another factor. Dream Stage Entertainment is a totally
separate company owned by Hiromichi Momose. They are the primary
company behind Pride. Momose is an extremely powerful man when
it comes to the MMA and pro wrestling industry. He would obviously
like to see the company continue forward.
On
Friday afternoon, a bizarre comment from new PRIDE president,
Nobuyuki Sakakibara, appeared in the Japanese press that scared
not only fans but fighters as well. While most U.S. and foreign
fighters know nothing of what was said, it was not good by any
means.
'The
company may have been driven into death by the President's death'
said Sakakibara referring to the passing of Morishita and the
current status of PRIDE and DSE.
This
comment flooded newspapers across Japan and stirred up even more
controversy about Pride's future. Sakakibara continued about
how difficult of a year it was going to be in 2003. He also talked
publicly about restructuring the entire company (from management
to talent).
This
could mean the Pride could become more of a Japanese based show
(minus many of the Brazilian, Russian, Dutch and American fighters).
This would save literally millions of dollars in the long run
and could propel Pride by using Japanese fighters.
Those
holding out for more money in other organizations or wanting
more money from Pride could be in for major disappointment.
Source:
ADCC
CHANGES
AT THE TOP FOR PRIDE
Shumura Funaki and a couple of Japanese newspapers are now saying
it's official. It appears as though Mr. Sakakibara is now the
president of the Pride Fighting Championships.
Even
though he is now the President, it's seem according to a few
people he is not considered the head boss of the corperation.
The head boss has always been Mr. Momose since PRIDE'S beginning
according to insiders.
There
also have been reports from several people saying that Sakakibara
doesn't get along with Inoki or pro-wrestling factions. While
this is true, it doesn't mean the end of pro-wrestling in PRIDE
as Momose is a huge fan of pro-wrestling and bringing pro-wrestlers
into MMA. Momose is the guy responsible for first bringing in
Takada, which led to Sakuraba, Fujita and countless others getting
involved in real fighting.
Source:
MMA Weekly
Inteview:
Vernon "Tiger" White
Vernon
Tiger White is loved by many MMA fans because of his style. It’s
that style that has finally landed him in the UFC with a possible
match at UFC 42. “Tiger” sat down and talked with MMAWeekly.com
about everything, from his possible fight against Vitor Belfort,
to Tito Ortiz to Ken Shamrock. It’s Vernon Tiger White as
our Interview of the Week.
Ryan
Bennett: So you have been fighting your whole career and now
I see you dabbling in the promoter game. Tell me about this event
going on tonight?
Vernon White: We have fighters coming from all over, including
fighters from Javier Vasquez’s camp; we are hoping to have
a fighter from Team Punishment, etc. The only tough thing is
the fact that this is an amateur event, so we can’t pay
the guys as amateurs. A lot of the guys are asking for money
to fight, and its tough being in an amateur status, we can’t
pay them. I feel bad because professional permits cost us a lot
more than amateur permits. It’s not easy, but the bottom
line is this gives all the guys the chance to fight on the smaller
shows. I would have loved to have an amateur system set up when
I was coming up, so I could gain the experience earlier in my
career.
Ryan:
Tell me why you wanted to try promoting events?
Vernon: This is actually my second event. We had “Mono y
Mono Extreme Vale Tudo” as the first event and I’ve
seen other fighters like Tito Ortiz doing it and I wanted to
give it a try. It’s been nice giving some fighters who don’t
have any publicity, the chance to fight in a bigger atmosphere.
Some of these guys have never fought and I am giving them a chance
to showcase there skills. I actually never had an amateur career.
I had to go from no where to fighting in Pancrase and other organizations
as a professional. So I thought I would give them a break I never
had.
Ryan:
So do you enjoy doing it?
Vernon: Yea it’s nice. I want to do professional shows as
well, but right now I would be more interested in having a couple
more amateur shows under my belt, before I move to that professional
level.
Ryan:
Speaking of the professional level, everyone wants to know when
they will see “the man” back in action?
Vernon: We are hoping to be in the ring against Vitor Belfort
on April 25th at the MGM in Las Vegas.
Ryan:
Now that was a fight that was supposed to come off before, correct?
Vernon: Yea, actually that was a fight that was supposed to come
off back in February, but he said he wanted more time to train.
I know he recently hurt his knee, so he is taking some time off
to train and rehab it.
Ryan:
That should be a great fight and I know many fight fans have
called for you to fight in the UFC. Why do you think it’s
taken this long for you to fight in the UFC?
Vernon: Certain circumstances have kept me out. Some of it may
have been political, but it’s also been bad timing. I had
a broken leg when I got hit by a car, so there have been a lot
of things that have kept me out. I hope now everything will go
as planned and I can get in there.
Ryan:
Tell me about that. That was a crazy accident from what I heard.
How was it overcome all that?
Vernon: Once again bad circumstances happened. I was walking
outside the guard rail of a freeway, because I couldn’t
get a ride home. I couldn’t get a taxi because my cell phone
was dead. Things being as they were, I had crossed the guard
rail to cross over the exit ramp. I looked to make sure no cars
were coming. So… as I was crossing, a car comes out of no
where, speeds up and hits me. I woke up on the side of the freeway
with a broken leg.
Ryan:
Wow. Did they ever find out who did it?
Vernon: They have no idea who did it. I just remember waking
up and seeing the car…I don’t remember getting hit,
I just remember waking up and seeing a car at the last second,
then later the car hits reverse and I see the reverse lights
on. I was thinking “oh my god, they are coming back to run
me over and finish me off.” Luckily it didn’t happen.
Some more cars came on the freeway and then they took off. Then
later they came back again, but then some more cars came and
they took off. It was a scary situation because I couldn’t
get up and run away. You take your legs for granted especially
when you don’t have them.
Ryan:
Scary stuff. I remember you had the match at King of the Cage
recently. Was it tough to overcome a broken leg, was that in
the back of your mind, or was it just the fact that this was
your first fight back; because it wasn’t the same “Tiger”
we have seen in the ring.
Vernon: As far as being my first fight back, that wasn’t
the problem. The problem was the fact that I didn’t drop
as much weight as I should have dropped prior to the fight. So
I was stuck the day before trying to drop 8 pounds. I ended up
being around 206 and we both agreed that the one pound over wasn’t
a big deal, but it still wore me out trying to lose that much
weight during the fight. I’ve never tried to lose that much
weight a day before the fight and it made me very sluggish in
the ring.
Ryan:
What weight do you usually walk around at?
Vernon: Usually I walk around at 210. I’m 210 right now,
so it’s not very hard to get to 205. I can sit in a hot
tub and do that. I was just so much heavier for that fight.
Ryan:
You have a very tough fight ahead with Vitor Belfort. Most guys
wouldn’t want to take that for their first fight in the
UFC. You must feel like you can beat anyone….
Vernon: If I didn’t think that, I wouldn’t be a very
good fighter. You have to feel that way or you won’t make
it in this business. I think I can beat anyone in that weight
class, whether it’s Belfort, Tito Ortiz or Chuck Liddell.
Anyone can have a good day, or anyone can have a bad day. Tables
can turn at anytime in the fight game.
Ryan:
When you look ahead to Vitor, what do you see as the keys to
winning the fight?
Vernon: I just hope he comes in healthy. If he doesn’t,
it won’t be a good fight for me. I don’t like it when
guys aren’t a 100% because then I’m not beating that
fighter at 100%. That’s what I want. For him to come in
healthy and give me his best and I will give him my best. We
will then see what happens. I don’t have any predictions
for the fight.
Ryan:
We’ve seen a few different Belfort’s over the years.
We’ve seen the fast hands in the early years, the jiu-jitsu
game in Pride and then some standup and ground game against Chuck
Liddell. What are you expecting in your fight with him?
Vernon: To tell you the truth, I’m going to make him take
me down. Like I said, I really don’t have any predictions
of the fight, but I am going to push the fight, I’m going
to work and make him take me down.
Ryan:
When you say that you’re going to make him take you down,
is it the fact that you feel your stand up game is better than
his, or what do you mean?
Vernon: Every fighter that I have ever fought has tried to take
me down. Why? It’s hard to say. I’ve fought guys like
Marvin Eastman who is the WFA champion. I took it to him standing
up, so he had to take it down to the ground. I don’t think
my stand up is better than this guy, or that guy, but I’m
very aggressive and I have an awkward style so people want to
take me down so they don’t catch any lucky blows I guess.
Ryan:
If you beat Vitor Belfort, do you feel you are the man to fight
Tito Ortiz for the title?
Vernon: I feel I’m ready right now. I’ve been wanting
to fight him for awhile. I challenged him to fight in the Octagon
awhile back and he said I had to keep winning. I think I’m
ready to fight Tito or Chuck or anybody else. I’m coming
with my hat in my hand, humble…but I think I can beat anyone
at anytime.
Ryan:
See this is interesting to me, because you and I are talking
for the first time. I’m surprised at how chill you are.
You’re very relaxed, but you can turn that switch on and
become Tiger. Do you like talking trash to fighter like Tito
and those guys?
Vernon: Yea. In the ring is something totally different than
outside the ring. I’ve seen Tito at clubs in Southern California
or in Las Vegas and we’ve talked.
Ryan:
So there isn’t any bad blood between the two of you?
Vernon: I’m a bit upset that he beat Ken, but hopefully
I get some retribution for Ken, but I wouldn’t say there
is bad blood.
Ryan:
Where you surprised at how that fight went down at UFC 40 with
Ken and Tito?
Vernon: Yes I was. I’m not going to talk any trash or say
anything Ken wouldn’t want me to say, but certain things
happened to Ken to keep him from being 100%. I’m not going
to elaborate on it, but I think things go a different way if
Ken is 100%?
Ryan:
I know you don’t want to elaborate but are you talking more
physical things or behind the scenes stuff?
Vernon: Both. Ken wasn’t quite as focused as he could have
been with all the stuff going on. That’s all I will say
about it.
Ryan:
In your mind do you think Ken Shamrock has fought his last fight?
Vernon: I know he is still a bit apprehensive on coming back.
He knows he isn’t as young as he used to be and probably
can’t be in the shape he once was. He still has some years
left in him and if he fights some of the guys around his age
he won’t have any problems.
Ryan:
Some people want to see him fight Tank Abbott. Do you think he
would like to fight a guy like that?
Vernon: I don’t think Tank would last 30 seconds in the
ring with Ken. I really don’t. NOW, I’m talking shit.
Tank is the kind of a guy who is just a slugger. Anytime he has
gone against some guys with slight talent he has lost. Anytime
he fights guys with a lot of talent like Pedro Rizzo, he folds.
Ryan:
So he would have to comeback to fight some of these guys in the
earlier UFC’s in his mind?
Vernon: I can’t talk for Ken and I know he wouldn’t
say that. It’s just me talking. I’m just guessing so
I shouldn’t speculate about his future, but remember Tito
is 27 years old in his prime. I don’t think he could hang
with Ken in his prime. Basically anyone in there 30’s wouldn’t
last with Ken in my opinion. I’m probably making a big deal
about his age, but basically if Ken could just get in a bit better
physical condition he can fight with anyone, anytime in my opinion.
Ryan:
Alright well I appreciate your time. Good luck on the fights
tonight… in Tijuana right?
Vernon: Yes, that’s right. It’s at 7pm and the fans
can check it out at Tijuana@babyrock.com.
Ryan:
Thanks for your time Vernon.
Vernon: Yea good to talk with you Ryan. Take care.
Source:
MMA Weekly
Boxer
Riddick Bowe - in the news...
Another former heavyweight boxing champion will be doing prison
time. Riddick Bowe was sentenced to eighteen months in a federal
prison stemming from abduction charges in 1998.
Bowe
allegedly abducted his estranged wife and children and was later
arrested without incident.
The
former champ went to Judy Bowe's home in 1998 and forced her
and their children into a vehicle against their will. Bowe drove
to his Ft. Washington, MD home.
During
a stop for food, Judy Bowe called her sister on the phone who
alerted police to their whereabouts.
Bowe's
accomplishments are:
Won
his first 31 professional fights (29 by KNOCKOUT)
Earned a title shot against Evander Holyfield.
Defeated Holyfield in 11/92 to become the heavyweight champion.
1988 Olympic Silver Medalist.
Earned an estimated $75 Million in fight purses.
After
serving his time in prison, Bowe will be allowed to return to
the boxing ring. However, his visits with his children will be
supervised.
Source:
ADCC
4
U.S. GRECO-ROMAN WRESTLERS To Compete at the 2003 TITAN GAMES
GROUP
LED BY LED BY OLYMPIC CHAMPION GARDNER AND SILVER MEDALIST PAULSON
The
United States will feature four talented and experienced Greco-Roman
wrestlers at the 2003 Titan Games: The Road to Athens, Feb. 14-15
in San Jose, Calif.
Coaching
the U.S. Greco-Roman athletes will be USA Wrestling's National
Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser of Colorado Springs, Colo. Fraser
won an Olympic gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games,
the first U.S. Greco-Roman Olympic champion in history.
'Overall,
I'm hoping we do very well at the Titan Games,' said Fraser.
'It will be a great opportunity for these athletes to face some
of the top wrestlers in the world. I am confident that each can
win their bouts and represent the nation well.'
Perhaps
the most recognized athlete on the team is 2000 Olympic gold
medalist Rulon Gardner (Cascade, Colo./Sunkist Kids), who will
compete for the United States at 120 kg/264.5 pounds.
Gardner
became a worldwide sports hero at the Sydney Olympic Games by
upsetting the previously unbeaten Alexander Karelin of Russia
in the finals. Karelin had won three Olympic gold medals and
nine World titles, all in a row.
Gardner
was selected to carry the U.S. flag at the Closing Ceremony in
Sydney. He won the USOC SportsMan of the Year award, the AAU
James E. Sullivan Award, an ESPY as the top Male Olympic athlete,
the Jesse Owens Award, the USA Wrestling Man of the Year Award
and many other honors.
A
year later, Gardner won a World Championships gold medal. He
became the only U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to ever win both an
Olympic gold medal and a World gold medal. He became just the
third U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to capture a World title, joining
Mike Houck (90 kg in 1985) and Dennis Hall (57 kg in 1995). In
2002, Dremiel Byers (120 kg) became the fourth.
Gardner
was an NCAA All-American at the Univ. of Nebraska and an NCAA
national champion at Ricks College.
Last
winter, on a snowmobile trip in the Wyoming mountains, Gardner
was stranded overnight in freezing temperatures and barely survived
the ordeal. He suffered from severe frostbite and eventually
lost a toe to amputation. He has made an amazing comeback from
his injuries, and in October 2002 returned to the mats for competition.
Gardner is training for a chance to defend his Olympic title
in 2004.
'I
am impressed with how far Rulon has come since his accident,'
said Fraser. 'He's operating on nine toes just like he was on
10 toes, for the most part. As of January 1, he has pumped up
his training plan and is dedicated to prepare for the Titan Games
and the following competitions.'
Gardner
is appearing at a press conference in San Jose, Calif. at noon
today concerning the Titan Games. For information, contact Daphne
Mayer, San Jose Sports Authority, at 408-288-2937 or daphne@sjsa.org.
Another
Olympic hero on the U.S. Titan Games team is 1996 Olympic silver
medalist Brandon Paulson (Anoka, Minn./Minnesota Storm), who
will be competing at 55 kg/121 lbs.
Paulson
claimed a silver medal at 114.5 pounds at the Atlanta Games,
while still enrolled as a student athlete at the Univ. of Minnesota.
Paulson placed second in the 2000 Olympic Trials, just missing
another chance to compete in the Olympics.
In
2001, Paulson claimed a silver medal at 54 kg/119 lbs. at the
World Greco-Roman Championships. That year, his performance helped
lead the USA to a third-place finish as a team at the World Greco-Roman
Championships, its best-ever performance.
'He's
going to do well,' said Fraser. 'What makes him so tough is that
he forces his positions and his style on others. He stays in
great positions of strength. He is also in excellent cardio-vascular
condition.'
Another
past Olympian, Jim Gruenwald (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist
Kids) will compete for the United States at 60 kg/132 lbs. Gruenwald
placed sixth in the 2000 Olympic Games. He was also eighth in
the 2002 World Championships and 10th in the 2001 World Championships.
He was a National Christian College champion at Maranatha Baptist
Bible College in Wisconsin, where he competed for 1972 Olympic
Champion Ben Peterson.
'He
is the grinder on our team,' said Fraser. 'His strength is his
conditioning, intensity and relentless attack. He has made vast
improvements in some areas of need. This will be a good test
for him.'
The
fourth U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler will be T.C. Dantzler (Colorado
Springs, Colo./New York AC) at 74 kg/163 lbs. Dantzler is ranked
No. 1 in the USA at his weight class and competed at the 2002
World Championships. Three times, Dantzler has been a runner-up
at the U.S. National Championships. He wrestled in college for
the Univ. of Northern Illinois.
'T.C.
is very talented, and one of the most explosive athletes on our
team,' said Fraser. 'He can reverse lift anybody in the world
when he is on. He is very excited about the chance to compete
in the Titan Games.'
The
Greco-Roman wrestlers will be joined by seven freestyle wrestlers
and two women's freestyle wrestlers on the Titan Games squad.
The U.S. freestyle wrestlers were named in December, and the
women wrestlers will be named at a later date.
The
two international teams scheduled to compete against the USA
in wrestling at the Titan Games are Russia and Cuba. Russia is
traditionally the world's top wrestling nation, and a long-time
archrival of the talented U.S. team. Cuba, a major World and
Pan American power, has also been outstanding in both freestyle
and Greco-Roman wrestling.
The
Titan Games will provide a major test for U.S. Olympic hopefuls,
as the world's best get set to compete in the mini-sport festival
with a multi-sport format. The Road To Athens for America's elite
boxers, fencers, shot putters, wrestlers, weightlifters and judo,
taekwondo and karate athletes matches them up with the world's
powers in each of these respective sports.
Developed
by the USOC in partnership with the affiliated National Governing
Bodies (NGBs) and hosted by the San Jose Sports Authority and
the City of San Jose, the Titan Games will feature a 'USA versus
the World' format in dual and triangular meets. The Titan Games
venue will accommodate four platforms with competition continuously
happening on at least three platforms. The event's format is
the first of its kind and will be staged over three finals-only
format sessions at the 5,000 seat Event Center at San Jose State
University. Team and individual winners will be named by sport
and weight classification, with the honor of 'Ultimate Titan'
up for grabs.
'For
American athletes to be the best in the world, they must compete
against the best in the world,' said Jim Scherr, Chief of Sport
Performance for the USOC. 'The Titan Games will provide our Olympic
hopefuls that opportunity, as part of their on-going journey
to Athens.'
Tickets
to this can't-miss event are already on sale at WIN-magazine.com
or through the participating National Governing Bodies. Tickets
will also be available at all San Jose Ticketmaster locations
beginning January 16.
U.S.
Titan Games Wrestling Team Greco-Roman wrestlers
55 kg/121 lbs. - Brandon Paulson, Anoka, Minn. (Minnesota Storm)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Jim Gruenwald, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist
Kids)
74 kg/163 lbs. - T.C. Dantzler, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New
York AC)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Rulon Gardner, Cascade, Colo. (Sunkist Kids)
Greco-Roman Coach - National Freestyle Coach Steve Fraser, Colorado
Springs, Colo.
Freestyle
wrestlers
55 kg/121 lbs. - Stephen Abas, Fresno, Calif. (Sunkist Kids)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Eric Guerrero, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono, Gilbert, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Casey Cunningham, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (Sunkist
Kids)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Cael Sanderson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Tim Hartung, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota
Storm)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Kerry McCoy, Bethlehem, Pa. (New York AC)
Freestyle Coach - National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson, Colorado
Springs, Colo.
Source: ADCC
Interview:
John Donehue - ADCC's Australian Judge
The end of the event is upon us John, what did you think about
the event?
It was a great event with high standard, very well organised
and a lot of good quality fights especially toward the end of
the divisions, very even and the guys here are very serious and
came out to compete and I think, they will do well in Brazil.
Have
you heard of any of the guys here before?
Only Martijn De Jong from his stand up matches, sorry (laughs)!
Which
fights stood out for you? I liked the final fight between Joachim
and Jussi; it was a super match very technical; I think the only
problem for Joachim was that he was too light and he should have
cut weight and fought in the lower division where I am sure he
would have won. Even the heavier guys were surprising, as most
heavyweight guys go pretty slow and they end up boring matches
but these two guys in the finals kept on going throughout the
twenty minutes which was very impressive.
Did
you see the throw of the day?
Yes, Ilir Latifi, the big single leg into the back throw, most
impressive and good to see in competition.
When
were the Australian qualifiers held?
Last December at the White Horse Aquatic Centre Melbourne and
we had guys come from all over Australia and even New Zealand
to compete and it went really well; Lubomir came over to referee
and Chris Brown received an automatic entry to Brazil, he was
invited back.
Any
of your guys in the event?
Yes two of my guys got in, firstly Travis Grub in the 77-87 division;
he pretty much submitted everyone in under forty five seconds
and another big kid Soa won the heavyweight against Elvis Sinosic,
he passed his guard a few times and he’s a twenty year old
and 120kilos. Anthony Perosh went down a weight division and
he fought well and is also through.
What
will Chris Brown’s approach be in Brazil?
He’s serious and wants to win and has had another two years
submission experience and he wants to go out and win. He has
been training with me and he’s also been doing a lot of
kickboxing as he wants to fight NHB in the future, but his ground
game has come on really well, he’s a great athlete.
What
was your role here today?
I was one of the official International judges; what they have
done is select international judges from around the world and
I also did the US qualifiers and I will be in Japan as I have
commitments around the time of the Brazilian trials. They are
trying to have some consistency in the judging and they will
be having the same judges in Sao Paulo.
How
do you feel being chosen to judge this event?
It’s a real honor and I feel very privileged and it’s
a wonderful opportunity for me, as it gives Australia more prestige
as we are little removed from the general picture.
Do
you think the Europeans are improving?
Definitely, I have not seen the Brazilian qualifiers but I believe
they have had over 900 entries so when you cut that down there
will be some very good guys. I think the Europeans have done
well as they don’t have as much exposure to the top instructors,
but they are out there training and travelling.
Where
is your academy?
My school is call Extreme Jiu Jitsu and Grappling Academy and
is based in Melbourne and we do BJJ, submission and VT classes
and as a whole as a team we have done very well on the competition
scene in Australia.
What
shows are you likely to expect in Australia?
The one show that has been consistent is called Spartan and is
run by Kerry Dunn and he puts on fights on a regular basis and
showcases a lot of good young guys who don’t have a lot
of experience but are willing to fight and in the near future
we are hoping to run more shows in different states and we are
also working on things in Japan with the Shooto, maybe work on
an Australian/Oceana title which is in the works, so fingers
crossed.
What’s
in your work diary at the minute?
The ADCC trials and our own Australian Open event in April and
possibly a few guest black belt instructors coming over in March/April
to help us prepare for Abu Dhabi; I am also trying to move out
to a bigger academy so it’s going to be a busy year. We
are now associated with Nova Uniao and Andre Pedenairas is helping
us at the minute; I got my black belt from Rigan Machado and
we have been with Nova Uniao for about eighteen years and John
Lewis is also helping me out, he’s a good friend of mine.
I last saw Gene Le Bell last August and I hope to get out to
LA soon as there is a big Gene Le Bell Roast, with many celebrities
out there in April, so that would be great to get out there and
see Gene.
Out
of all the travelling you have done, where is your favourite
place?
I lived in LA for ten years and considered it my home for so
long, so I always enjoy going there; I enjoyed the training at
the RAW center with Rico Chiparelli and I always pop in on Rigan
and say hello and I like training in Vegas as well. Andre’s
gym in Brazil is a good place and of course Gene Le Bell; I started
from a stand up back ground and invited Bill Wallace out years
ago and trained with Benny the Jet at his academy and it was
there I was introduced to Gene, so all these places are special
to me.
What
is that you like about grappling that has kept your interest
for so long?
I think it’s an endless journey, even when you get the black
belt as there are always new techniques coming out each year,
the set ups and combinations are always evolving and people move
differently and that’s what keeps me excited.
John,
thanks for the interview.
Source: ADCC
1/19/03
Quote
of the Day
Every
man dies. Not every man lives.
Tim
Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption
STORM
Grand Prix Coming,
Fontinelli to be Back and
Submission Wrestling Shaking Things up in Brazil!
The
Brazilian Beat:
The holidays are now over and things are starting to get busy
again for the fighters in Brazil, as the events are starting
to approach and soon all the camps will be competing again. With
the return of Abu Dhabi this year and the fact that the event
will be held in Brazil, the mats all over the country have been
as sweaty as ever as the top grapplers are preparing to compete
in the Abu Dhabi Brazilian Trials. Submission Wrestling has becoming
a fever in Brazil, new events are popping up everywhere and FCF
is getting a hold of them all for you. However, strikers also
will get their taste of work in the first months of the year
as well... the first ever STORM Grand Prix promises to take the
event to another level and Sergio Batarelli is also working hard
to bring K-1 here. Also, early 2003 is looking way better than
the end of 2002 to NHB veteran Claudionor Fontinelli, who is
about to be back on the streets. There's plenty to report and
we're still traveling, but keeping a close eye on the news, as
"The Beat" continues hot on FCF in the even hotter
Brazilian summer!
PRIDE Middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva and Chute Boxe team
coach Rudimar Fedrigo went to Japan this last Monday, January
13th of 2003 to attend at a memorial service for DSE's late president
Naoto Morishita. The news of Mr. Morishita's death took everyone
by surprise in Brazil, and Silva and his master had to almost
jump on a plane to Japan while still shocked by the news. Both
Silva and Fedrigo are expected back in Brazil this weekend.
Speaking
about Wanderlei Silva, his recovery after the knee surgery he
took close to a month ago has been amazing. Silva has been doing
the treatment accordingly and his knee has been reacting very
well. The champion is already walking without the help of crutches
and expects to resume his training in the coming weeks, and may
be back in the ring before expected.
IVC,
MECA and UCC veteran Claudionor Fontinelli is about to be released
in custody from prison. Fontinelli was allegedly caught robbing
a store in Brazil along with four other men, while three of them
managed to escape the seasoned fighter and one other were arrested
and Fontinelli has been in jail since his arrest. However, with
the help of part of the Brazilian NHB community and his lawyer,
Claudionor is expected to be released soon to respond to the
accusations in freedom, and expects to fight in the next MECA
if the chance is presented.
The
return of the world's biggest Submission Wrestling event in 2003,
the Abu Dhabi tournament, is attracting a huge amount of attention
in Brazil. The fact that the tournament will be held in Brazil,
along with the absence of the event in 2002, is creating a bigger
than ever interest for the event in the country, and the Brazilian
trials for Abu Dhabi 2003 are promising to be "the thing"
this late January in Brazil! Lots of top athletes from both Jiu-Jitsu
and Luta-Livre will be appearing in the trials, to be held on
January 22 in Rio de Janeiro, and only a select group of 500
guests will be able to witness the event which will determine
what Brazilians may represent the country in the brackets of
Abu Dhabi 2003 in Sao Paulo. FCF will be there covering all the
action!
With
the return of the Abu Dhabi event in 2003, the interest for Submission
Wrestling has been growing enormously in Brazil, and events are
popping up all over the country. One of the premier events about
to take place is the Second Submission Wrestling in Campos, Rio
de Janeiro, as reported in the previous "Brazilian Beat"
edition. The event will include a superfight between Brazilian
Top Team member Carlos Barreto and Ruas Vale Tudo fighter Alexandre
Cacareco, fighting for a prize money of 4,000 Reais (more than
U.S. $1000). In addition to the superfight, plenty of famous
name from the fighting game will be performing, such as Jiu-Jitsu
icons Fredson Paixao, Ricardo De La Riva, Eduardo Jamelao and
Vinicius Draculino, NHB veteran and Luta-Livre legend Johil de
Oliveira, as well as Ruas Vale Tudo team members Gustavo Ximu
and Antoine Jaude. The 65kg division is stacked with the presence
of Fredson, De La Riva, Draculino and BTT member Boca among others,
and the 87kg division promises to be thrilling with the likely
duel between Jamelao and Ximu. FCF plans to cover the action
and will keep you posted about the event.
Since
Brazil is not only about grappling, plenty of exciting stand-up
fighting events are also on the horizon. The Chute Boxe team
is organizing the first-ever STORM Grand Prix, likely for February
of 2003. STORM has been growing a lot lately and establishing
itself as the country's most important Muay Thai event. Now promoter
Rafael Cordeiro feels it's time for a bigger step and the Grand
Prix will put eight of the best Muay Thai fighters (up to 80kg)
in Brazil to compete in a tournament format, where one man will
have to win three fights in one night to become the champion.
Additionally, the event will also feature some single fights
on the card, with the likely appearance of STORM veteran Marlon
Matias, likely facing MECA veteran Alex Gaze, and a possible,
although not certain, return of Ninja's brother Mauricio "Shogun"
Rua to the STORM ring. FCF will keep you posted on the details.
IVC
promoter Sergio Batarelli is also working on promoting stand-up
fighting events in Brazil, and his next project is to promote
a Brazilian version of K-1, likely on the 23rd of February. The
event include the presence of official K-1 representatives and
plans to follow the same structure as the famous Japanese event.
The initial plan is to make the event at the Maksoud Plaza Hotel,
a luxury venue where some WVC's and IVC's were held in the past
and the event also will probably have television coverage in
Brazil. FCF will continue to follow the developments.
Chute
Boxe fighter and PRIDE veteran Murilo "Ninja" Rua went
back to training immediately as the Chute Boxe team's vacations
came to an end on January 6th, despite the eye injury he suffered
in his match against Kevin "The Monster" Randleman
at PRIDE 24. Ninja removed the stitches while on vacation, just
to sadly find out that the doctor who removed them left three
stitches above his eye without being removed! Without further
implications the three "forgotten" stitches were also
removed during vacation and as soon as he got back to Curitiba
Ninja immediately got back to his regular training routine. The
young PRIDE contender is preparing hard to compete in the PRIDE
Middleweight Grand Prix, likely to be held later this year, and
told FCF he will come back better than ever.
According
to the Brazilian NHB press, as reported by Tatame magazine, PRIDE
veteran and Jiu-Jitsu black belt Allan Goes is now back in Brazil
after a long stay in the USA. Goes is now living and training
in Rio de Janeiro, and expects to be back in PRIDE during the
first half of 2003. In addition, Allan is reportedly under consideration
to appear in the next UCC, with rumors including Jeremy Horn
as an opponent. There's also a possibility that he may fight
in the next MECA as well.
Source:
FCF
Top
Ten Signs you’re an MMA junkie
10. While slow dancing with the missus, instinct flares, and
you execute a flawless leg trip
9.
People at the video store refer to you as “UFC Guy”
8.
Taking conversational Japanese classes to better enjoy PRIDE
7.
Use “King of the Cage” tape as stocking stuffers for
mother-in-law
6.
Watch old UFCs to learn possible submissions executed while grabbing
fence
5.
Receive quizzical look from cable guy when asking, “Can
I just get pay-per-view installed and nothing else?”
4.
Shouting at raucous bachelor bash, “She’s got mount!”
to partygoers while movie plays
(Sound familiar Hawaii boys?)
3.
Banned from watching boxing with friends after calling Lennox
Lewis “a sucker for leg shoots”
2.
Idea that midgets deserve their own weight class seems feasible
1.
Scouring Ebay to locate rumored existence of Bruce Buffer action
figure
Source:
Maxfighting
BOB
SAPP: MOST POPULAR FIGHTER IN JAPAN
When Bob Sapp first entered the mixed martial arts scene he was
labeled as a "side show" or even a "freak show".
After fighting and giving the likes of Minotauro Nogueira all
he wanted and then some in Pride; as well as Ernesto Hoost in
K-1 and defeating the World Champ, he is a very respected fighter
from not only his peers, but the public, especially in Japan.
MMAWeekly
editor, Scott Petersen, has just moved to Japan and gave us some
thoughts about the new t.v. star Bob Sapp. "The interresting
thing to me about Sapp is how mainstream and accepted he has
become in Japan. He has several commercials out in Japan right
now, including one where he runs around with a Demon mask and
just picks up Japanese men and starts shaking them. The Japanese
people think this is so funny." Petersen said.
"He
is on television, he is in every magazine, he is front page news
in Japan. One man asked if he is bigger than Hulkamania was in
the 80's in the States and the answer is YES, much bigger. This
guy is becoming a megastar overnight."
One
other note from Petersen. He said that Josh Barnett is getting
plenty of headlines now in Japan. He has been featured in four
fight magazines, THIS MONTH and is doing the smart thing. He
is starting to get over with the Japanese Pro Wrestling fans
and in turn should set up a huge showdown with Minotauro Nogueira
in either Pride or the UFO.
Latest
On Possible UFC Television Deal
On
the subject of television deals for UFC, President Dana White
told our friends at MMAWeekly.com, "Yeah. They're still
in the works really. It's a lot of work... I think UFC 40 helped
in a lot of ways." He followed it up with "No, Outside
the Lines (on ESPN) didn't kill it (our chances of being on ESPN).
We're still talking to a few different networks. And yeah, ESPN
is in the mix too."
On
the direction of the company in 2003: "By the end of this
year we should have everything set, our team in place and hopefully
start doing business, focusing on PPVs and television. That's
all I want to focus on. And in doing that we're gonna have to
get out start building our stars. If we don't have a tv deal
by the end of this year, I'll be very disappointed."
Source:
MMA News
Pride
25 Rumors
Bob Sapp vs. Mirko CroCop At PRIDE 25?
Published by Matthew Boone on 01/15/2003 at 03:06 PM
Earlier
this week we mentioned that Bob Sapp vs. Don Frye was a strong
possibility for PRIDE 25. According to MMAWeekly.com, it looks
as if Mirko Filipovic will be next in-line to challenge "The
Beast".
Fighter
Profiles
MMA Rankings
Staff Page
NJ Tokyo Dome 1/4
PRIDE 24
K-1 GP 2002
UFC 40
Our
friends over at MMAWeekly are reporting the following rumors
for the PRIDE 25 card.
Pride
25 Rumors
Tokyo, Japan
Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira vs Emelianenko Fedor
Don
Frye vs Bob Sapp
Mario
Sperry vs TBA
Ausserio
Silva vs Hirotaka Yokoi
Nino
Schrembri vs Tokimitsu Ishizawa
Tom
Erikson vs Gilbert Yvel
Kenichi
Yamamoto vs Paulo Filho
Takashi
Sugiura vs Ron Waterman
Source:
MMA News
1/18/03
Quote
of the Day
The
only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the
buts you use today.
Les
Brown
More
Super Brawl 28 Fights Leak Out
February
8, 2003
Neil Blaisdell Center
Get your tickets fast!
Initial ticket prices of $15 may still be available. Don't miss
your chance!
Everyone
like to see the big guys bang! Another Hawaii up-and-comer, Ray
'King Kong' Serailles (Grappling Unlimited) takes on another
UFC vet in Andre 'The Chief' Roberts. Roberts is a world class
fighter who has seen success in the UFC Octagon. He has a brawling
style and will mix it up with the best of them. Kong will have
to weather an early storm and pick “The Chief” off
later in the fight if he expects to upset the veteran, Roberts.
Roberts 6-1 favorite
Other leaked fights...
Dain
Agbayani (808 Fight Factory) vs. Justin Mercado (Grappling Unlimited)
Harris Sariento (808 Fight Factory/Kodenkan) vs. Jay R. Palmer
(Universal Rough Housers)
Nassor Lewis (808 Fight Factory) vs. Brandon Keen (Grappling
Unlimited)
Rumored Match up
Kolo Koka (Grappling Unlimited) vs. Mark Moreno (Bulls Pen)
So
far, the tentative card looks like this
Dain Agbayani (808 Fight Factory) vs. Justin Mercado (Grappling
Unlimited)
Harris Sariento (808 Fight Factory/Kodenkan) vs. Jay R. Palmer
(Universal Rough Housers)
Nassor Lewis (808 Fight Factory) vs. Brandon Keen (Grappling
Unlimited)
Kolo Koka (Grappling Unlimited) vs. Mark Moreno (Bulls Pen)
Ray "King Kong" Serailles (Grappling Unlimited) vs.
Andre "The Chief" Roberts (UFC Veteran)
Falaniko Vitale vs. Tyrone Roberts (Team Extreme)
Ronald Jhun (808 Fight Factory) vs. TBA
Egan Inoue (Grappling Unlimited) vs. Yukiya Naito (A3 Gym)
Source:
A little birdy
Gladiator
Challenge to Feature Hawaii Fighters
February
16, 2002
Jim Kikuchi (808 Fight Factory) vs. Albert Hill
Tripson Kerisiano (808 Fight Factory) vs. Mac Danzig (RAW)
Dez Miner (808 Fight Factory) vs. Abe Baxter (SLO Kickboxing)
2003
Pan Ams Adds Women's weight Classes
Marcelo
Siriema & Carlos Gracie Jr, the heads of the CBJJ have just
announced that the 2003 Jiu-Jitsu Pan American Championships
will be held at the posh UCSB - Santa Barbara, CA. campus on
April 26 & 27. The event will be under same rules and regulations
as before with ne MAJOR change: Carlinhos and MArcelo also announced
that the womens divisions on the Pan Ams will now have FIVE weight
classes, same as the Worlds! ! ! The announcement is great news
for the growing population of ladies BJJer's, as it acknowldges
their growing number and new found status and they can now compete
with someone closer to their own weight! Congratulations the
ladies and the CBJJ! ! ! For more info check out CBJJ
Website.
Source:
ADCC
Interview:
ADCC's World Champion Organizer,
GUY NEIVENS
The
man himself, Guy Neivens, talks to Carl Fisher at the ADCC European
Qualifiers, Turku, Finland, January 11th 2003
Guy
the tournament has just ended and they’re clearing up around
us; what did you think of the event?
I think it was very well organized, no problems and I was actually
surprised at the amount of submissions during the day.
What
do you think about the level here today?
I think it’s good but I can’t compare it to the other
qualifiers as this is the only one I have been to, I didn’t
go to the US or Australian qualifiers. I think a lot of the competitors
need to improve their fitness if they are going to compete in
Brazil, as many of the guys were tired towards the end of the
day, especially the heavier guys and if you are going to win
the final in Brazil you have one last fight and the quality of
fights from the beginning are a lot better, so it’s going
to wear people out, as the weather may affect the guys as well,
it’s not minus twenty one in Brazil (laughs).
What
was your favourite fight?
The final match in the under 65 kilo division, one guy dominated
for ten minutes piling up the points and then the other guy took
the match with a submission.
How
long are you here for Guy?
I leave tomorrow back to London then in a few days I go to the
trials in Brazil.
Will
you be going to the trials in Japan?
I don’t think so Carl, just the ones in Brazil and then
I’ll be busy preparing the main event in May.
What
is your input for the finals?
This year it’s going to be a lot easier for me because it
isn’t in Abu Dhabi and there’s a promoter in Brazil
who’s responsible for the arena, security, medical and a
lot of organizational stuff.
What
was it like to organize in 2001?
A nightmare (laughs) the first one was the hardest one, as I
did everything myself, all the paperwork, flights, hotel the
works, but now they have been getting a little easier each time
and for the finals this year I will be delegating a bit more.
Which
match did you enjoy back then?
The absolute final with Jean Jacques Machado and Ricardo Arona,
considering the weight differences, the match was unbelievable,
it was one of the best submission wrestling matches I have ever
seen.
Has
the prize money changed?
No the prize money is staying the same.
Any
rules changes?
No.
Who
actually came up with the rules for the event?
They were developed from the first competition and they changed
the first two years and we’ve kept the same format since
then; the only changes were made to make the fights more active
as we don’t want stale fights and stalling in the matches
and to have more takedowns and points scored. I have nothing
to do with referee and the judges.
The
event has now gone bi annually; any reason why?
The school of fighters don’t change enough to warrant the
competition to be held every year, just like you don’t have
the World Cup and the Olympics every year, we were getting the
same people. If I chose the best sixteen, it’s probably
going to be the best sixteen the next year and it would become
stale.
The
places are now filling fast for the finals in May; are there
any wild card entries this year?
I cannot tell you, never release the fighters, you know that
(laughs)!
After
the event in Brazil this year, where will the next event be held?
Probably Abu Dhabi in 2005, but for 2007 no one knows as yet,
possibly Japan.
Guy
thanks for the interview; you have one night to enjoy Finnish
hospitality so don’t waste it!
I won’t Carl thanks a lot.
Source:
ADCC
WRESTLE
1 Show - JAPAN's MMA/Wrestling Crossovers Continue
Japan
is abuzz with talk about the 1/19/03 WRESTLE-1 show, which will
include the pro wrestling debut of yet another accomplished MMA
fighter, while several others will be making return appearances.
It
seems more and more heavyweights are leaving the sport of MMA
for pro wrestling in Japan. With PRIDE's status and future in
disarray, there appear to be 'paycut' rumors. Now, more than
ever, legitimate athletes in MMA are making bids for long-term
security in Japan's pro wrestling scene.
In
Japan, pro wrestling is much different, with many gimmicks and
a larger emphasis of the 'show'. Seniority is a factor regardless
of your physical appearance. Many of the MMA guys who have gained
a legitimate reputation with the Japanese fans can extend their
pro wrestling careers for decades.
If
you are over with the crowd in Japan, you can rest assured that
you could potentially 'compete' into your 50's.
Here's
a look at some of the tentative matches for WRESTLE-1.
-
SATA (Masaaki Satake) vs. Abdullah the Butcher (over 50 years
old)
- Mark Coleman & Kevin Randleman vs. Jan 'The Giant' Nortje
& Giant Singh
- Satoshi Kojima & Hiroshi Hase vs. Terry Funk & Heath
Herring ('New Texas Broncos')
- Shin'ya Hashimoto vs. Joe Son
- Keiji Mutoh & Bill Goldberg vs. Kronik
- Bob Sapp vs. Ernesto Hoost
Heath
Herring, who definitely has the look and the rep, will tag with
55-year-old Terry Funk. Herring makes his pro wrestling debut
while Funk has achieved legend status over the last 20-something
years in Japan for a variety of groups.
Kevin
Randleman, who also got rave reviews for his first apparance
in Pro Wrestling, returns for his second match.
Satake,
makes his pro wrestling debut under a mask, against venerable
Abdullah the Butcher, perhaps the 'king' of all gimmicks.
Joe
Son makes an attempt at pro wrestling on this show if all goes
as planned. Son is definitely an entertaining character.
The
last match is Sapp vs. Hoost 3. Sapp has destroyed Hoost on two
different occasions with their last match being more brutal than
their first.
It's
not clear whether Hoost will accept this match or not. What is
clear is that more and more MMA guys could be leaving the sport
we love. More details next week.
Source:
ADCC
TOP
TEAMS RELEASE LINEUPS FOR NATIONAL DUALS TOURNAMENT, JAN. 18-19
By: Eddie Goldman
Several
of the top college wrestling teams participating in this weekend's
2003 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals team tournament have released
their probable lineups. Top-ranked Oklahoma State, along with
number two Iowa and two-time defending national champion Minnesota,
ranked third this season, are all part of the 16-team Division
I tournament. Separate tournaments will take place for the top
Division II and III schools. This all takes place Sat., Jan.
18, and Sun., Jan. 19, at Ohio State University in Columbus,
Ohio.
In
the opening round, #1 Oklahoma State wrestles #16 Northern Iowa.
Here are the probable lineups:
Oklahoma
State
125 #6 Skyler Holman
133 #3 Johnny Thompson
141 #2 Zack Esposito
149 #6 Jerrod Sanders
157 #4 Shane Roller
165 #2 Tyrone Lewis
174 #3 Chris Pendleton
184 #7 Jake Rosholt
197 #1 Muhammed Lawal
285 #18 Willie Gruenwald
Northern
Iowa
125 Chris Helegeson
133 Pat Garcia
141 #4 Dylan Long
149 Jon Garvin or Jeff Harrison
157 Chris Betitto
165 #14 Drew Kelly
174 #10 Eric Hauan
184 Jordan Holm
197 #15 Sean Stender
Hwt #4 Paul Hynek
Another
opening round match is #2 Iowa against #9 Central Michigan. Here
are the probable lineups:
Iowa
Hawkeyes (6-1, 0-0 in Big Ten) 2002-03
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown (HS/Last School) Record
125 #3 Luke Eustice Jr. Blue Earth, MN (Blue Earth) 11-1 OR Matt
Shankey So. Apple Valley, MN (Apple Valley) 9-4
133 #4 Cliff Moore Jr. Dubuque, IA (Hempstead) 14-4
141 #17 Luke Moffitt Sr. Estherville, IA (Estherville/IA Central)
12-5
149 Chas DeVetter So. Omaha, NE (Skutt Catholic) 0-1 OR #14 Ty
Eustice *Fr. Blue Earth, MN (Blue Earth) 13-4
157 #17 Joe Johnston *Fr. Prairie Village, KS (Shawnee Mission
E.) 18-7
165 Blake Anderson *Fr. Council Bluffs, IA (Lewis Central) 8-8
OR Jason D'Agata Jr. Port Richey, FL (Ridgwood/Upper Iowa) 5-8
OR Adam Fellers *Fr. Fort Dodge, IA (Fort Dodge) 5-6
174 #2 Tyler Nixt Jr. Greene, IA (Greene) 12-2
184 #1 Jessman Smith Sr. Des Moines, IA (Southeast Polk) 16-0
197 Paul Bradley *Fr. Tama, IA (South Tama) 11-6 OR Ryan Fulsaas
Jr. Ridgeway, IA (Decorah) 11-6
HWT #1 Steve Mocco So. North Bergen, NJ (Blair Academy) 15-0
* -- redshirt freshman
Central
Michigan Chippewas (7-0, 0-0 in Mid-American)
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown (HS/Last School)
125 Kyle Stoffer *Fr. Olmsted Falls, OH (Olmstead Falls)
133 Jason Borrelli So. Mount Pleasant, MI (Mount Pleasant)
141 #6 Jason Mester Jr. Mineral Point, WI (Mineral Point)
149 #12 Ty Morgan Jr. New Carlisle, OH (Huber Heights Wayne)
157 #9 David Bolyard So. Akron, OH (Springfield)
165 #12 Kevin Carr Jr. Warsaw, IN (Wawasee)
174 Mitch Hancock So. Royal Oak, MI (Detroit Catholic Central)
184 Alex Lammers *Fr. Huber Heights, OH (Wayne) OR Ross Vanderheyden
So. Rockton, IL (Hononegah)
197 Brett Faustman Sr. Mason, MI (Mason)
HWT Bill Stouffer So. Lowell, MI (Lowell)
* -- redshirt freshman
Also,
#11 Oklahoma, which will face #12 West Virginia, has issued its
probable lineup:
125
#11 Bo Maynes
133 #2 Witt Durden or Daniel Caruthers
141 #13Teyon Ware
149 Danny Rubenstein or Matt Grice
157 Rafael Maturino
165 Wes Roberts or Randy Sulaver
174 Robbie Waller or E. K. Waldhaus
184 #4 Josh Lambrecht or Joel Tapler
Heavyweight: Jacob Hagar or Joel Tapler
West
Virginia is expected to bring its top wrestlers, including #1
and defending NCAA national champion Greg Jones at 174, #12 Brandon
Lauer at 133, #16 Shane Cunanan at 141, #11 Billy Smith at 149,
#18 Matt Lebe at 157, #18 Tom McMath at 165, #15 Ryan Wilman
at 184, and #11 Brent Miller at heavyweight.
Here
are the first-round Div. I matchups, with the schools' seeding
for this tournament listed:
DIVISION
I CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
No.
1 Oklahoma State vs. Northern Iowa
Missouri vs. No. 8 Arizona State
No. 5 Ohio State vs. Ohio
Michigan State vs. No. 4 Cornell
No.
3 Minnesota vs. Iowa State
Oklahoma vs. No. 6 West Virginia
No. 7 Michigan vs. Boise State
Central Michigan vs. No. 2 Iowa
Here
is the schedule:
NATIONAL
DUALS SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Session I -- Saturday, January 18
9 AM Preliminary Matches*
11 AM Preliminary Matches*
1 PM Quarter Final Matches*, Preliminary Matches#
3 PM Quarter Final Matches*, Preliminary Matches#
5 PM Second Round Matches#
Session
II -- Saturday, January 18
9:30 PM Semi Final Matches*, Third Round Matches#
Session
III -- Sunday, January 19
9 AM Semi Final Matches#
11 AM Seventh Place Match
1 PM Fifth Place Match
3 PM Championship Match, Third Place Match
All times are EST.
* -- Championships Bracket, # -- Consolation Bracket
The
Division I tournament will take place at St. John Arena, while
the Division II and Division III tournaments will begin at the
French Field House. The championship bouts in all three Divisions
will take place in St. John Arena. A total of 90 dual meets on
12 mats will take place over these two days.
There
will be extensive Internet coverage of the National Duals.
All
dual matches will be available on live webcast at The Amateur
Wrestling Show's web site at:
LiveSportsVideo.com
will also be webcasting the duals live on a pay-per-view basis.
Coverage includes competition on both days from mat 1, where
the main championship matches will be held. It costs $20 and
includes unlimited access to the archives through March 31, 2003.
(All
rankings are from W.I.N. Magazine's rankings of Jan. 14, 2003.
Compiled from various press releases and college wrestling sources.)
Source:
ADCC
Lincoln
McIlravy resigns as National Freestyle Resident Coach to return
as a competitor
USA
Wrestling's National Freestyle Resident Coach Lincoln McIlravy
of Colorado Springs, Colo. has resigned from his position, and
will return to the mats as a competitor. McIlravy was one of
the world's best freestyle wrestlers before retiring from competition
after the 2000 Olympic Games.
McIlravy
submitted his resignation letter to USA Wrestling Executive Director
Rich Bender today. His resignation is effective on February 3,
2003. He will begin training as an athlete at that time, with
a goal of qualifying for the 2003 U.S. World Championships team
that will compete in New York City, Sept. 12-14.
'I
love to compete. I love to train,' said McIlravy. 'In the position
that I have had as National Resident Coach, I gained enough knowledge
that I know in the next 18 months I can put to better use as
an athlete.'
'I
must really want to compete, because the National Resident Coach
job is ideal for me,' said McIlravy. 'It is the greatest position
for me right now. To give that up is a hard decision. I am following
my heart. My heart says to finish what I started 23 years ago.'
McIlravy,
28, joined the USA Wrestling national staff just over one year
ago. He has been responsible for training the U.S. Olympic Training
Center freestyle resident athletes, and working with the elite
freestyle athletes who come to Colorado Springs for specialized
training.
He
joined the USA Wrestling staff after a very successful international
wrestling career, along with five years as a college wrestling
coach at the Univ. of Iowa.
'Lincoln
has done a wonderful job as our National Resident Coach,' said
Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. 'It is with mixed
emotions that we accept his resignation. We are somewhat saddened
that he will no longer serve the organization as our Resident
Coach. On the other hand, we are excited for him as he pursues
his dream of becoming a World and Olympic champion.'
In
his letter of resignation, McIlravy wrote: 'I have a personal
goal that I have not yet realized, not an impossible dream, but
a very real and attainable goal of winning an Olympic Gold Medal.
It has been my dream since I was five years of age... I am excited
about the process, the improvements to be made, and most of all,
great results in New York and Athens. Although the National Freestyle
Resident Coach is an ideal coaching position for me, I do not
feel that I can perform well either as coach or athlete in trying
to do both. As my heart is in Athens, please accept my resignation.'
McIlravy
will remain in Colorado Springs, Colo. with his family, and plans
to continue his freestyle training as a resident athlete at the
U.S. Olympic Training Center.
McIlravy
claimed a bronze medal at 69 kg/152 lbs. at the 2000 Olympic
Games in Sydney, Australia. He was a silver medalist at the 1999
World Championships and a bronze medalist at the 1998 World Championships.
McIlravy also competed for the U.S. team at the 1997 World Championships.
He
won four straight U.S. Freestyle Nationals gold medals (1997-2000)
and was second in the 1996 U.S. Nationals. McIlravy also was
third in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Among his major international
titles were three World Cup gold medals (1998-2000), the 1999
Pan American Games, the 1998 Yarygin Tournament in Russia and
the 1996 Sunkist Kids International Open.
McIlravy
was one of the greatest U.S. college wrestlers in history, competing
for the Univ. of Iowa. He won three NCAA Div. I national titles
(1993, 1994, 1997) and was second in the 1995 NCAA Championships,
with a 96-3 career record. Originally from Philip, S.D., McIlravy
won five state high school titles, registering a 200-25 record,
and also won a Junior Nationals freestyle title.
McIlravy
earned a B.S. in sport, health, leisure and physical studies
from the University of Iowa in 1998. He and his wife, Lisa, have
four children, Streeter, Sterling, Sayler and Stetson.
McIlravy
expects to compete at the new 66 kg/145.5 lbs. weight class.
He will need to be lighter than when he competed in the 1990's
when he was at either the 68 kg/149.5 pound division or the adjusted
69 kg/152 lbs. division.
'The
foundation of the decision is that I know I can do better than
before,' said McIlravy. 'Why come back to do the same as before?
I have won an Olympic medal and two World medals. I can win a
gold medal.'
Source: ADCC
INTERVIEW:
KOTC's Terry Trebilcock
Opinions differ on why the recent round of show cancellations
in California took place, but everybody agrees that when it started
was at the last Athletic Commission meeting in December. For
years, the Athletic Commission has allowed shows that officially
had a pre-determined outcome to take place in large markets like
Los Angeles and San Francisco but drew the line with promotions
that refused to state they were pre-determined outcomes. At the
time of the last meeting Venom was scheduled to be the largest
show off of Indian land in the history of MMA in California,
a fact that caused Doc Hamilton together with King Of The Cage
and UFC lawyers to speak out at the last meeting and put a halt
to such workings. Here is Terry Tebilcock’s perspective.
KM:
How did this start? TT: The latest round started as I’ve
been working with Cecil Peoples like Doc Hamilton and California
Athletic Commission for three years. Cecil Peoples and Doc Hamilton
have done every California show I’ve had probably in the
last two, reporting back to the California Athletic Commission
on a regular basis. All of a sudden they have twenty illegal
shows running. They have no insurance on site, they have no medical
staff on site, probably 80% of them. I’m sure there are
probably some out there doing it right giving somebody the benefit
of the break, I have yet to see it. I love to go to shows. You
get me to a fight I’d love to go to any fight but I can’t
go to those fights because I don’t want to get arrested.
The fact is they are 100% illegal and the California Athletic
Commission made it a point to let everybody know although some
people like to go ahead and try to hold them anyway and claim
they are pro wrestling fights.
KM:
So pre-determined outcomes were the loophole? TT: I could tell
you almost every UFC card is a pre-determined outcome, but occasionally
every one or two shows I’ll miss a guess on who is going
to win a fight. I can tell you 50% of those shows what the pre-determined
outcome of almost every fight was going to be and I could sell
that to an athletic commission. The fact is it’s not true.
People aren’t taking proper precautions. I may only have
two-and-a-half million dollars into the NHB sport but the UFC
is probably 60 million dollars into it right now. Both our attorneys
were at the last Athletic Commission meeting and wanting to know
if they were going to continue to allow this stuff to go on what
we would have to do to put on a show on pay-per-view. It came
up where they acted like they didn’t know anything was going
on and then Doc Hamilton spoke up and said ‘I’ve been
giving you guys this information for seven months’. About
every year to year and a half the Athletic Commission jumps up
and stops a show, and arrests everybody involved with the show.
They did it about a year and a half ago in San Bernardino; all
the guys from Tapout got arrested. All have felonies on their
records because of it. The fact is you take that risk when you
are doing something illegal. We personally have no problem with
the shows going on, both myself and UFC, as long as somebody
is making sure that the papers aren’t going to show up and
say ‘this is a show with a guy with EMT training pretending
he’s a fight doctor, no transport unit on site, when a kid
breaks his leg and there’s a $20000 medical bill that somebody
picks up the bill for that…as long as it’s run like
a legitimate sport the papers can come in and say what they want
but if you are running it like a lot of the shows get run in
states where there is no athletic commission or you don’t
have to answer to anybody it’s just a matter of time before
somebody gets hurt and everything we’ve put our lives on
hold for, the problem we have is criminals are putting us at
risk on a regular basis.
KM:
My perspective has been I have private misgivings but stay silent
in public as long as the sport doesn’t suffer. TT: They
need to find an Indian casino, run it the right way, bring the
Athletic Commission out, make them have a better understanding
of what is going on, show them that it can work and not only
King Of The Cage can run a successful show but another show can
without having a riot, and move the sport forward. Don’t
do something where you are lying about pre-determined outcomes
because you think you know who is going to win every fight. Most
of us do but the fact is do it on the level.
KM:
And fighter safety. TT: Look at that ESPN special, it was all
about bullshit shows going on in California.
KM:
I was wondering if that special had any effect, if that show
didn’t air if the Commission would have done anything about
those shows. Some promoters are saying they are legal… TT:
If the Athletic Commission shows up all these people get arrested
and get felonies on their record. Some of them may have gotten
in trouble for something that really wasn’t a big deal but
a second felony in the state of California has a mandatory jail
time and a third felony is a third strike.
(Note:
California has a “three strikes you’re out” policy
with convicted felons meaning you go to prison for life)
TT:
You get a kid like Chad Smith who is a good kid, gets caught
in a street fight then ends up fighting in one of these type
of shows and gets busted and gets a second strike and mandatory
jail time because he believes what some promoter told him, that
it was a legal show. That’s the problem. Look at Tapout,
it happened to them.
KM:
So what now? TT: It’s just become too public lately. First
of all don’t get me wrong, we were there and the UFC was
there but ESPN made an awful big deal out of illegal shows running
in California. Don’t think for a minute that Rob Lynch didn’t
catch big wind of that. I actually see it believe it or not being
legal here within the next fourteen to fifteen months.
KM:
What do you think the next step is? TT: They’re going to
have to come up with about $300,000 to pull it off. UFC would
probably do it in a heartbeat; they just haven’t figured
it out yet. The state legislation is not going to approve a $3-400,000
fund to approve MMA; somebody needs to come up with that amount
of money. If somebody comes up with that amount of money whether
it’s a donation or an investment into future business, somehow
it’s going to be worked out through attorneys. It will take
time, it can take eight or nine months once you get it started
but I think two attorneys get all the paperwork done and the
fight over what has to be done to protect both sides I think
you are going to see MMA in California.
Although
this is a very interesting strategy and could work so far no
one has stepped forward to move on it. Stay tuned for rival promoter
IFC’s Paul Smith’s perspective, which is very similar
to Terry’s and his strategy for legalization, which is quite
different.
Source:
ADCC
1/17/03
Quote
of the Day
The
only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the
buts you use today.
Les
Brown
2003
JIU-JITSU PAN-AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP
More Information!
THE
TOURNAMENT
The
tournament will take place on April 26th and 27th in UCSB - Santa Barbara,
CA.
DIVISIONS
Junior 16/17
year-olds
Only
bluebelts
Men
only
16
and 17 year-olds will compete in the same division
Athletes
born on 1986 and 1987 are eligible to compete
Fight
time: 5 minutes
There
is no open class.
Adults
The
division is open for everyone, but athletes of other age divisions
willing to compete here will not be allowed to fight in their
own division (athletes can only enroll in one age division)
The
enrollment fee – which will be charged during the weigh
ins – for athletes who fill the form correctly is US$ 80.00. Athletes who didn’t
fill the form properly or didn’t enroll through the Internet
will pay US$ 120.00.
The
form will be avaliable soon
The
weigh ins will take place on April the 25th (Friday), on the
UCSB. Athletes
must bring their Ids or some other identification document (the
athletes will weigh without Gi).
OTHER
INFO
Each
academy can only have two athletes in the same division (of age/weight/belt).
If your academy has problems regarding the number of athletes
in each division, please send an e-mail to CBJJ.
Before
each fight, athletes will be asked to show their Ids to the officials.
Make sure you have it at hand.
SUPERBRAWL
Announces
Two Bouts For February Show!
Hawaii's
Premiere MMA event Returns to the Blaisdell Arena on February
8th!
Yukiya
Naito, 194lbs, (A3 Gym, Tokyo) 4-0 v Egan Inoue, 182.6lbs, (Grappling
Unlimited) Super Brawl Champion
Naito
is all that stands between Inoue and his shot at the Shooto Champion,
Masanori Suda. Naito is a rising star in Japan who can fight
both standing and on the ground. He will also have a weight advantage
over Inoue. Although known for his grappling, Egan’s has
won his last two fights by knock out (one with punches and one
headkick) and it will be interesting if he continues his striking
ways. Whether standing or on the ground, the smaller Inoue will
have to use his quickness to his advantage. Inoue 3-2 Favorite
Tyrone
Roberts, 185lbs (Team Extreme) 15-2 v Falaniko Vitale, 185lbs
(Grappling Unlimited) Super Brawl #1 Ranked 12-1
Tyrone
Roberts is a UFC veteran with tremendous wrestling and striking
skills. He has KO power in both hands as well as the ability
to take an opponents down at will. He is ultra-aggressive who
will “brawl” with anyone. Vitale went undefeated in
2002 and wants to start the year off in the same fashion. UFC
scouts are watching this fight closely. An impressive performance
may land this local boy in the 'big show'.
Source: Promoter
FILA
announces ten wrestling Hall of Fame Inductees
FILA
announces ten wrestling legends to its first induction class
for the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame
FILA,
the international wrestling federation, has announced the individuals
who will be inducted in its first class of honorees for the new
FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame.
There
will be 10 individuals honored, based upon their outstanding
achievements in international wrestling.
FILA
(Federation Internationale des Luttes Associees) is the international
governing body for wrestling, with headquarters in Lausanne,
Switzerland. Its president is Mr. Raphael Martinetti.
'It
is a great honor for FILA to announce the Hall of Fame members,
truly the greatest wrestlers and leaders in our sport's history,'
said Mario Saletnig, FILA Vice President. 'These wrestling heroes
have distinguished themselves and deserve special recognition.
We are very proud of their achievements and their impact on the
sporting world.'
These
great champions will be inducted into the FILA Hall of Fame during
ceremonies at the 2003 World Championships of Freestyle Wrestling
in New York, N.Y., Sept. 12-14.
They
will also be displayed in the FILA Hall of Fame, which will be
housed at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater,
Okla. The FILA Internet Hall of Fame, when completed, will also
recognize these Hall of Fame members and will be available to
all worldwide via the Internet.
The
individuals selected as FILA Hall of Fame members have won a
combined 17 Olympic gold medals and 45 World Championship gold
medals.
FILA
INTERNATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
LEADERSHIP
Mr. Milan Ercegan of Yugoslavia
* FILA President (1972-2002)
GRECO-ROMAN
WRESTLING
Alexander Karelin of Russia
* 3x Olympic gold medalist (1988, 1992, 1996) at 130 kg
* 2000 Olympic silver medalist at 130 kg
* 9x World gold medalist (1989-91, 1993-95, 1997-99) at 130 kg
* Lost only one match in his entire international career, in
2000 Olympic finals
* 12x European Champion at 130 kg (1988-96, 1998-2000)
* 1987 World Cup champion at 130 kg
* 1985 Espoir World Champion at 130 kg
* Tied with Bruce Baumgartner for most World/Olympic medals with
13
Imre
Polyak of Hungary
* 1964 Olympic gold medalist at 63 kg
* 3x World gold medalist (1955, 1958, 1962) at 62/63 kg
* 3x Olympic silver medalist (1952, 1956, 1960) at 62 kg
* 2x World silver medalist (1961, 1963) at 62/63 kg
Alexander
Tomov of Bulgaria
* 5x World gold medalist (1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979) at +100
kg
* 3x Olympic silver medalist (1972, 1976, 1980) at +100 kg
* 5x European champion (1972, 1973, 1976, 1979, 1984) at +100
kg
Carl
Westergren of Sweden
* 3x Olympic gold medalist (1920, 1924, 1932) at 75, 82.5 and
+87 kg
* 1922 World gold medalist at 75 kg
* Fourth in 1924 Olympics in freestyle wrestling at 87 kg
* 3x European Champion (1925, 1930, 1931) at 82.5 and 87 kg
Passed away on 05 August, 1958
FREESTYLE
WRESTLING
Alexander Medved of former Soviet Union (now Belarus)
* 3x Olympic gold medalist (1964, 1969, 1972) at 97 kg, +97 kg
and +100 kg
* 7x World gold medalist (1962-63, 1966-67, 1969-71)
* 1965 World silver medalist at 97 kg
* 1961 World bronze medalist at +87 kg
* 3x European champion (1966, 1968, 1972) at +97 kg and 100 kg
* Has served as president of the Belarus Wrestling Federation
Arsen
Fadzaev of former Soviet Union (now Russia)
* 2x Olympic gold medalist (1988, 1992) at 68 kg
* 6x World gold medalist (1983, 1985-87, 1990-91) at 68 kg
* 1989 World silver medalist at 74 kg
* 1981 Espoir World Champion at 57 kg
* 4x European Champion (1984-85, 1987-88) at 68 kg
* 2x World Cup champion (1986-89) at 68 kg
Valentin
Jordanov of Bulgaria
* 1996 Olympic gold medalist at 52 kg
* 7x World gold medalist (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1993-95) at
52 kg
* 1992 Olympic bronze medalist at 52 kg
* 2x World silver medalist (1990-91) at 52 kg
* 1986 World bronze medalist at 52 kg
* 7x European champion (1982-83, 1985-89) at 52 kg
* Currently president of the Bulgarian Wrestling Federation
Bruce
Baumgartner of the United States
* 2x Olympic gold medalist (1984, 1992) at 130 kg
* 3x World gold medalist (1986, 1993, 1995) at 130 kg
* 1988 Olympic silver medalist at 130 kg
* 1996 Olympic bronze medalist at 130 kg
* 2x World silver medalist (1989, 1990) at 130 kg
* 4x World bronze medalist (1983, 1985, 1987, 1994) at 130 kg
* 8x World Cup champion (1984-86, 1989-91, 1994, 1997) at 130
kg
* 3x Pan American Games champion (1987, 1991, 1995) at 130 kg
* 1986 Goodwill Games champion at 130 kg
* Tied with Bruce Baumgartner for most World/Olympic medals with
13
* Has served as president of USA Wrestling
John
Smith of the United States
* 2x Olympic gold medalist (1988, 1992) at 62 kg
* 4x World gold medalist (1987, 1989-91) at 62 kg
* 2x Pan American Games champion (1987, 1991) at 62 kg
* 1991 World Cup champion at 62 kg
* 2x Goodwill Games champion (1986, 1990) at 62 kg
Source: ADCC
De
la Hoya takes extra bout
Oscar
de la Hoya will fight Yory Boy Campas in May as preparation for
his rematch with Shane Mosley.
The
American had planned to stay out of the ring until his 13 September
rumble with 'Sugar Shane' - De la Hoya lost on points to Mosley
in 2000.
But
he has now decided to tune up against Campas on 3 May at the
Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas.
W.I.N.
Magazine's
NCAA Division I team wrestling rankings
Below
are W.I.N. Magazine¹s NCAA Division I team wrestling rankings.
The rankings are formulated on input from coaches across the
country and by analyzing past results. Teams are ranked according
to placement potential at the NCAAs. To follow the weekly rankings
during the season, go to our website at WIN-magazine.com
W.I.N.¹s
Top Twenty-five
1.
Oklahoma State (1st)
2. Iowa (2nd)
3. Minnesota (3rd)
4. Cornell
(4th) (Hawaii's Travis Lee)
5. Lehigh (10th)
6. Ohio State (7th)
7. Nebraska (12th)
8. Illinois (6th)
9. Central Michigan (8th)
10. Michigan (11th)
11. Oklahoma (5th)
12. West Virginia (13th)
13. Penn State (9th)
14. Arizona State (14th)
15. Iowa State (15th)
16. Northern Iowa (16th)
17. Hofstra (21st)
18. Purdue (17th)
19. Missouri (18th)
20. Michigan State (19th)
21. Boise State (23rd)
22. Wisconsin (24th)
23. Cleveland State (NR)
24. Indiana (20th)
25. Edinboro (NR)
Source:
ADCC
This
Month in Mixed Martial Arts History:
January
Frank
Shamrock made his closed-fist mixed martial arts debut in January
97. Although he had been successful in numerous open-hand bouts,
he received a rude introduction to closed-fist combat by the
hardnosed John Lober, who roughed up Shamrock en route to capturing
a decision in the Super Brawl III main event. Nearly two years
later, the two would meet again, but, by then, Lober's career
had stagnated while Shamrock was the UFC's star middleweight
champion. Shamrock dominated the rematch, forcing Lober to submit
after seven-plus minutes of one-sided punishment.
Meanwhile,
another future MMA luminary was making his debut in Brazil. Demolishing
his way through the WVC III eight-man tournament, Mark Kerr quickly
pounded Paul Varelans and Maestre Hulk before pummeling a gutsy
Fabio Gurgel for 30 minutes. He was unanimously awarded the decision
over Gurgel, and also a nickname for the evening's dominating
performance: The Smashing Machine.
Brazil's
International Vale Tudo Championship held back-to-back shows
in January 1999. IVC VIII hosted five fights, featuring Carlos
Barreto's submission victory over Brandon Lee Hinkle, Francisco
Bueno's somewhat controversial win over Jason Godsey, and a win
for Renato "Babalu" Sobral in his IVC debut. Vanderlei
Silva headlined IVC IX, devouring Adrian Serrano in 22 seconds.
Rumina
Sato performed one of the most acclaimed maneuvers in MMA history
the same month. Facing Frank Shamrock student Charles Taylor,
Sato leaped from the canvas and secured a flying armbar. By the
time he had fallen to the mat, Sato had extended the lock, submitted
Taylor and left the Japanese audience agape. The entire bout
lasted six seconds, though the move is still discussed today.
Also
in January 99, the road to the UFC heavyweight title made a stop
in Louisiana. Even though he had never fought in the UFC, Bas
Rutten's visage adorned the UFC 18 event poster, which advertised
his Octagon debut. He delivered in the main event, earning a
title shot by rallying to beat Tsuyoshi Kosaka. (Four months
later Rutten won the UFC heavyweight championship in a highly
controversial triumph over Kevin Randleman.) In other action,
Tito Ortiz returned after his loss to Guy Mezger at UFC 13. The
Huntington Beach Bad Boy soundly defeated Jerry Bohlander and
began his climb to stardom. Also, Pedro Rizzo barely edged out
a struggling Mark Coleman via decision, and Pat Miletich retained
his lightweight title against Jorge "Macaco" Patino.
Royce
Gracie returned after a nearly five-year layoff in January 2000.
Meeting a doggedly dull Nobuhiko Takada in the first round of
the Pride Grand Prix 2000, Gracie won a lackluster decision.
Three months later he would fight Kazushi Sakuraba for over an
hour and a half in one of the sport's monumental matches.
Also
in January 2000, World Extreme Fighting was making a move to
join the list of elite MMA promotions. In the main event of WEF
VIII, Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons defeated Pat Miletich
after "The Croatian Sensation" re-aggravated a back
injury. In other bouts, Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira
decisioned Jeremy Horn in a tactical battle; Laverne Clark beat
John Lewis; and Matt Hughes stopped Jorge Pereira.
Royler
Gracie headlined the inaugural DEEP in January 2001. He drew
with Takehiro Murahama; Ricardo Liborio drew with Ikuhisa Minowa;
and Paulo Filho knocked out Kei Yamamiya.
A
stubborn Jens Pulver refused to buy into the popular opinion
surrounding his title defense against BJ Penn in January of last
year. "Little Evil" won a war against Penn via unanimous
decision in the UFC 35 main event. The match would be his last
to-date in the UFC, as unfruitful contract negotiations eventually
prompted his exit from the Octagon. In other action, Murilo Bustamante
became the UFC middleweight champion when he knocked out Dave
Menne; a pair of debuting Russian fighters went 1-1 as Andrei
Semenov defeated Ricardo Almeida, and Amar Suloev dropped a decision
to Chuck Liddell; and Ricco Rodriguez stopped Jeff Monson in
the third round.
Source:
Maxfighting
OLD
VS NEW:
A POPULAR IDEA IN MATCHMAKING FOR THE UFC?
We recently saw one of the most popular pay per views of all
time when the old grizzled vet, Ken Shamrock took on the young
gun Tito Ortiz at UFC 40. Now we will see the return of Tank
Abbott against a young Frank Mir at UFC 41.
Will
we see this in the future? Don't count on it. When MMAWeekly's
Ken Pishna asked if the UFC was headed in a little bit of a different
direction by bringing back guys like Shamrock and Tank, President
Dana White said, "Not really. You know, we're bringing Tank
back. I had no intention of bringing Tank Abbott back. It just
happened, you know. It just ended up happening. I met him. I
liked him. I liked what he had to say. And it's not like we're
throwing Tank back in there against some nobody that he should
squash. I mean Tank's fighting a tough fight. So if Tank wins
this fight against Frank Mir he's gonna deserve respect. You
know?"
As
far as the rumored return of Kimo to fight Tank, he was made
an offer to fight Tank but it was refused. Asked why things didn't
work out with Kimo, White replied, "It just never happened.
I don't know. I don't know what the deal is with Kimo."
Source:
MMA Weekly
Chuck
Liddell Signs To Fight Tito Ortiz
MMAWeekly.com is reporting Chuck Liddell has officially signed
to fight Tito Ortiz at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, this
April for UFC 42. (Old News)
Zuffa
will now wait for Tito Ortiz to sign the dotted lines, and if
all goes as planned, this fight should come off. No word on if
UFC met the rumored $400,000 asking price from
Ortiz to take the fight with Liddell.
Source:
MMA News
1/16/03
Quote
of the Day
A
man dies daily, only to be reborn in the morning, bigger, better
and wiser.
Emmett Fox
Jens
is Ready for Bang
MMAWeekly.com
talked with a few guys from the Miletich camp and it's the general
attitude that Pulver is not only looking to beat Duane "Bang"
Ludwig but he is looking to finish him. His training has been
spectacular according to his training partners.
"In
preparation for his fight with Bang, Jens had Jeremy Harminson
come for a "live" session. Harminson just fought Ludwig
in a K-1 match and went 4 rounds. Jens KO'd him in under a minute...
I would definitely say he is ready for the fight." That's
according to one of the guys. Should be a very interesting fight.
Source:
MMA Weekly
THE
NEW UFC PLAN: ONE FIGHT CONTRACTS
MMAWeekly's Ken Pishna recently had a talk with UFC President
Dana White and discussed many things. We will have the key points
in Today's and Tomorrow's news, but there has been plenty of
talk about the new UFC contracts. But first things first....
Speaking
of contracts, Chuck Liddell has signed to fight Tito Ortiz at
UFC 42 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Now Zuffa will wait for Ortiz to
sign his contract. Great news hopefully on the horizon.
Back
to the contracts. When asked about the release of so many fighters
lately - Ian Freeman and Ivan Salaverry being the most recent
- UFC President Dana White had this to say, "...you know,
everybody's complaining about long term deals. Well now we're
only going to have like 13 guys who have long term deals with
us and the rest are all gonna be 1 fight deals.
It
frees up a lot of guys, there's not a lot of guys tied to the
UFC. They can fight in other shows and do what they want to do...
I think it gives us more of an opportunity to promote guys and
build stars. If you look at last year, I had 52 guys under contract,
by the end of this year, I'll have 13."
It
appears as though the UFC is looking to become a lean, mean fighting
machine in the upcoming year. White appears to be doing his best
to allow fighters to fight for other promotions - a common complaint
- and work within a sensible budget so that the UFC doesn't implode
in on itself as Pride appears to be doing with rumored budget
cuts.
Source:
MMA Weekly
IGJJF
Open Championship
GENERAL EVENT INFORMATION
DATE:
February 1-2, 2003
Starts at 10am
Doors open at 9am
EVENT LOCATION:
California State Dominguez Hills
Main Gym - Torodome
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, Ca. 90747
For a map, click
here
WEIGH
IN DATE:
Friday, January 31, 2003
From 9am - 7pm
WEIGH
IN LOCATION:
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy
1951 West Carson Street
Torrance, CA 90501
REGISTRATION:
US$ 55 if post marked by Jan 20, 2003.
US$ 75 if post marked after Jan 20, 2003
HOTEL
INFORMATION:
Quality Inn South Bay
888 E. Dominguez Street
Carson, CA 90746
310.715.6688 or 800.228.5151
Fax: 310.715.2957 www.laqualityinn.com
Hilton,
Port of Los Angeles/San Pedro, California
A luxurious Mediterranean Style hotel, situated along the beautiful
Cabrillo Marina, is just 18 miles South of Los Angeles Airport
and 6
miles West of Long Beach.
610.514.3344
Hilton LA/San Pedro
ADMISSION:
Spectator fee:
$8 per day for adults
$4 per day for children 3 to 12
Free for children 2 and under
OFFICIAL
TOURNAMENT RULES
This point system has been objectively simplified to only reward
the competitor when he is able to obtain a clearly dominant position.
Everything will be done to prevent stalling. Competitors are
expected to bring out their best and chase victory through the
unmistakable means of submission.
ALL
COMPETITORS MUST WEAR A GI / KIMONO
TIME LIMIT: There are no time limits or advantage points.
CROSS
MOUNT..............................3 Points
Must have control of opponent for 3 seconds
MOUNT
FROM THE FRONT..............................4 Points
Both knees and feet must be on the ground for 3 seconds
MOUNT
FROM THE BACK..............................4 Points
Both knees and feet must be on the ground for 3 seconds, or
Both feet must be hooked inside of legs for 3 seconds
STALLING:
A competitor may not hold both sleeves at any time with the intent
of stalling. The referee reserves the right to give TWO warnings
for stalling which will count as 2 faults. The competitor then
has 5 seconds to release the sleeve after each warning. The third
occurrence will lead to immediate disqualification.
REVERSAL:
A competitor, when inside the opponent's guard, must be trying
to pass the guard and the competitor on the bottom must be attacking.
After 3 minutes, if the competitor on top cannot pass the guard,
the competitor on the bottom will earn ONE POINT and the referee
will reverse the position. If at the three-minute mark, the top
competitor is at the half guard the fight will not be interrupted.
He has 60 seconds to complete passing the guard. If he cannot
or if he is placed back in the guard, the position will be reversed
immediately.
POSITION
CHANGE: If a competitor is on top of a cross mount and stops
attacking or holds still for more than 30 seconds, the referee
reserves the right to give TWO warnings for stalling. On the
third warning, the match will be interrupted and the competitor
on top will have to choose one of the two options: to pass or
to defend the guard.
If
a competitor is on the top mount position and stops attacking
or holds still for more than 30 seconds, the referee reserves
the right to give TWO warnings for stalling. On the third warning,
the match will be interrupted and the competitor on top will
have to choose one of the three options: the top cross mount,
to pass or defend the guard.
FOOT
LOCKS: Foot locks are permitted. Knee locks are permitted for
brown belts and up only. Heel hooks are not allowed at any level.
IMMEDIATE
DISQUALIFICATION: Will result from any of the following: Deliberate
bending of the fingers or toes, hair pulling, striking, biting,
pressure points, eye gouging, or groin shots. Disrespect through
gestures or verbal abuse toward a referee, a competitor or a
spectator will also result in disqualification.
MATCHES
WILL END: With a tap out; when 12 points are accumulated or by
referee intervention (disqualification).
COMPETITOR INFORMATION ELIGIBILITY
The tournament is open to all male Jiu-Jitsu practitioners age
16 or older. (Competitors under the age of 18 must have parent's
permission and signature of their parent or legal guardian on
their registration form and waiver in order to compete).
Due
to time constraints and planning restrictions, we regret that
we were unable to include women in this event. However, we are
looking forward to seeing women compete in a future championship.
REGISTRATION:
A completed registration form, competition waiver, 2 passport
size photos of the competitor and registration fee must be received
at least 2 days before the event. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS.
Pre-Registration fee is US$55.00 per competitor, if post marked
before January 20, 2003. Any registration post markerd after
January 20th will be US$75. This fee is refundable, if requested
in writing and postmarked before January 30, 2003. FREE registrations
for black belt competitors.
Click
below for a downloadable copy of the following documents:
Competitor Registration Form / Competition Waiver
PLEASE
BE SURE TO SEND BOTH FORMS
BELT
& WEIGHT CLASS:
The Championship is open to White, Blue, Purple, Brown and Black
Belts. White and Blue Belts will be combined to compete as one
division; Purple, Brown and Black Belts will compete in separate
divisions. White/Blue, Purple and Brown Belts will be broken
out in the following weight classes:
Group
1 up to 155.9 lbs.
Group
2 156 - 170.9 lbs.
Group
3 171 - 185.9 lbs.
Group
4 186 - 200.9 lbs.
Group
5 201 - 215.9lbs.
Group
6 216 lbs. and up
Winners of each weight group in each belt division will be eligible
to compete for the Grand Prize package according to the following
criteria: The winner of Group 1 will compete against the winner
of Group 2 for the Grand Prize package. The winner of Group 3
will compete against the winner of Group 4 for the Grand Prize
package. The winner of Group 5 will compete against the winner
of Group 6 for the Grand Prize package.
FINAL
RESULTS:
Up to 3 Grand Prizes will be awarded in each belt division for
a Tournament Team of Champions consisting of up to 9 Grand Prize
package winners.
Black
Belts will be broken out in the following weight classes:
Group 7 ...................................up to 175.9 lbs.
Group 8 ...................................176 lbs. and up
Black
Belts will compete for $5,000.00 in cash prizes and not for the
trip to Brazil.
**Note:
Organizers reserve the right to combine weight classes of the
same belt division if there is a shortage of competitors.
WEIGH-IN:
Weigh-ins for all belts will be held at the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Academy on Friday, January 31,2003 from 9am to 7pm.
All
competitors who do not weigh in at these times will be disqualified
from competition and their entrance fee will be forfeited. THERE
WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS!!
IMPORTANT: The weight you specify on your registration form must
be accurate. If a competitor weighs in over the weight specified
on his registration form and that causes him to change weight
class, that competitor will be disqualified from participating
in the Tournament and will forfeit his registration fee.
NOTE:
All
competitors must start the competition in a clean and presentable
white or blue gi/kimono. Competitors with torn gi's will not
be allowed to compete.
Underwear is mandatory for all competitors.
No T-Shirts allowed under the GI/KIMONO.
Fingernails and toenails must be clipped.
MISCELLANEOUS:
An information packet will be given to each competitor at the
time of weigh in. Included in this package will be:
First
match assignment details
Competitor
pass which will allow free entry to the tournament all weekend
Official
Tournament competitor T-shirt
Tickets
for drink/snack
Source: IGJJF Site
ULTIMATE
KNOCKOUTS 2 - JANUARY 17 ON PPV!
ULTIMATE
FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP TO PREMIERE ULTIMATE KNOCKOUTS 2 ON PAY-PER-VIEW
STARTING JANUARY 17
One-Hour
Special To Feature Best Knockouts In UFC History
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will offer fight fans the
best knockouts in its history when it premieres Ultimate Knockouts
2, a one-hour pay-per-view special, starting at 10 p.m EST/7
p.m. PST, Friday, January 17, on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, TVN and
Bell ExpressVu. The suggested retail price is $9.95 and the show
will be available on re-play until February 6.
Ultimate
Knockouts 2 will re-capture the UFC’s most memorable knockout
moments by everyone’s favorite fighters including Middleweight
top contender Phil Baroni, British Middleweight Mark Weir and
new Welterweight star Robbie Lawler.
UK2
also will feature Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez, legendary
Heavyweight Tank Abbott and other UFC stars and legends such
as current Middleweight Champion Murilo Bustamante, Heavyweight
Pedro Rizzo, former Heavyweight Champions Randy Couture and Bas
Rutten, Light Heavyweight Vanderlei Silva and Heavyweight Don
Frye. Abbott will return to the Octagon Friday, Feb. 28, at UFC
41: Onslaught after a four-year absence and Rodriguez will defend
his heavyweight crown for the first time against undefeated contender
Tim Sylvia on the same card.
[UK2
replays on iN DEMAND will be at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST, January
18 on channel iN2; 1:30 p.m. EST/10:30 a.m. PST, iN1, and 6 p.m.
EST/3 p.m. PST, iN2, January 19; 2 a.m. EST/11 p.m. PST, January
20/19, iN2; 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST, iN2, and 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m.
PST, iN1, January 22; 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST, January 25 on iN1.
DIRECTV replays will be telecast on its All Day Ticket service
on January 18, 20, 27, 29 and 31, and on February 2 and February
6. Bell ExpressVu replays will be at 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST and
11 p.m. EST/8 p.m. PST on January 20 and January 27.]
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) headquartered in Las Vegas,
Nev., is the world’s leading 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 iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, TVN and Dish
Network, UFC events are distributed internationally through British
Sky Broadcasting, WOWOW, Inc. in Japan, Globosat in Brazil and
Modern Sports and Entertainment in Scandinavia. UFC license video
games for all major playing platforms through Crave Entertainment.
Locate the UFC on the internet at www.ufc.tv.
PRIDE:
More Details Coming Out!
It
now appears that PRIDE executive Nobuyuki Sakakibara will assume
the duties of Pride President. The thirty-nine-year old Sakakibara
is considered to be one of the strongest players in building
the foundation of PRIDE over the past few years!
Sakakibara
is also a major player when it comes to television connections
in Japan. He is said to have been part of the DirecTV deal DSE
PRIDE has, and was involved in the merger with SkyPerfecTV as
well.
Sakakibara
told members of the press on 1/13 that he would take on all responsibilities
of Morishita and 'fulfill the last wishes.'
Plans
are still in play to continue running PRIDE, however there may
be a problem with Sakakibara and the pro wrestling industry.
Lately Pride, New Japan, K-1 and other groups have been working
together but there is a mutual dislike between Sakakibara and
many of the top players in pro wrestling.
It
is unclear what kind of problems this could cause, however it
is evident that under the current and difficult situation, differences
may be put aside.
More
news as it becomes available.
Source: ADCC
SHOOTO
Opens 2003 Schedule Strong!
January
24th, 2003
Tokyo, Japan - Kourakuen Hall
COMPLETE
LINEUP:
Class
B 2 x 5 minutes rounds:
Bantamweight [-56.0Kg] 2003 Rookie Tournament First Round
Shinichi Hanawa v. Tetsuya Akihisa
Lightweight
[-65.0Kg] 2003 Rookie Tournament First Round
Naosuke Mizoguchi v. Seigi Fujioka
Welterweight
[-70.0Kg] 2003 Rookie Tournament First Round
Tomonari Kanomata vs. Yoshinori Amari
Middleweight
[-76.0Kg] 2003 Rookie Tournament First Round
Hisashimaru vs. Hirosumi Sugiura
Ladies
Bantamweight [-56.0Kg]
Erica Montoya vs. Naoko Torashima
Lightheavyweight
[-83.0Kg]
Ryuta Sakurai vs. Yuichi Nakanishi
Lightweight
[-65.0Kg]
Katsuya Toita vs. Rami Boukai
Class
A 3 x 5 minutes rounds:
Welterweight [-70.0Kg]
Takaharu Murahama vs. Chris Brennan (Warriors Quest Vet)
Lightweight
[-65.0Kg]
Naoya Uematsu
vs. Joao Roque
February 6th,
2002
Tokyo, Japan / Kitazawa Town Hall
Class
B 2 x 5 minutes rounds:
Featherweight [-60.0Kg] 2003 Rookie Tournament First Round
Hiroyuki Tanaka vs. Kinzo
Bantamweight
[-56.0Kg] 2003 Rookie Tournament First Round
Takehiko Hata vs. Yasushi Watanabe
Lightweight
[-65.0Kg] 2003 Rookie Tournament First Round
Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Hayate Usui
Welterweight
[-70.0Kg]: Mitsuo Matsumoto vs. Hiroki Kotani
Bantamweight [-56.0Kg]: Daiji Takahashi vs. Toshiteru Ishii
Lightweight [-65.0Kg]: Jin Kazeta (Super Brawl Veteran) vs. Yohei Nanbu
Welterweight [-70.0Kg]: Koutetsu Boku vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida
Middleweight [-76.0Kg]: Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. John Renken (Warriors Quest Vet)
Source:
ADCC
The
Savage Truth - "Support the Sport?"
I
am just like most MMA fans, I surf the Internet religiously,
read all the publications, and go to any and every event I can
make it to. And like many fans of the sport, I have some very
strong opinions about the world of MMA. I am sure I will get
to all of them at one point or another while writing this column
but I will try to just focus on just one today.
We
all know the sport was nearly killed by bad publicity, some very
much deserved, most not. The main thing that kept the sport going
was a small core of hardcore fans that could only follow their
beloved passion through the internet. While I am very happy the
sport survived and is growing in leaps and bounds, I am sick
of hearing all the whining when anyone legitimately criticizes
a writer or a fighter or one of the major promotions. Whether
it be a critical article people don’t like, a post on a
message board, or the actions of a promotion or fighter, all
the high and mighty “experts” start in with the “support
the sport” garbage. That is the biggest crock of you know
what. If MMA has aspirations on being a major player in the sports
world, people had better get used to a much harsher press and
the extremely over critical fans that come with that success.
Is
it wrong for me to want sharp, insightful coverage from those
following the sport? Hell no! And as long as I am venting, I’ll
tell you another thing, I love to read the witty, entertaining,
funny, and most of all informative posts on all of the MMA message
boards. Please keep them coming. This goes out to all you people
who feel we all need to stroke the promotions and the fighters,
without regard to practices or behavior that could ultimately
be detrimental to the sport; put the crack pipe down and open
your freakin eyes. Did the sport fall to pieces when The Ultimate
Athlete show ended in a riot? Did the world stop turning when
Bobby Hoffman beat his wife black and blue? Will the sport be
compromised with the next negative incident? Of course not, all
sports have their share of indiscretions and they should all
be reported on and commented on by those who follow those sports.
Here
is a little business 101 for those who can’t follow: No
business, or sport in this case, would ever grow or succeed without
taking a look at what they can do better. We are just helping
them along in that process and while we are at it, do not underestimate
the power of the fans on the message boards, I can assure you
they are read on a daily basis by those in seats of power of
all the big promotions. Wow, I feel so much better now, but not
for long.
So
I am talking to Mark Kerr right after UFC 39 and I ask him how
things are going in his life and he tells me, “Just like
the weather man, some days its partly cloudy with a chance of
showers and some days its beautiful and sunny.” All I can
think as I look at the guy is how small he was compared to the
mighty Kerr who sat atop the MMA world not so long ago. I wondered
to myself if he was ever going to come back and be the dominant
force he was in the past. My whole mindset changed as I sat,
riveted to “The Smashing Machine”, an HBO documentary
about the very same Mark Kerr. I had heard the rumors of steroid
abuse but holy crap; I had absolutely no idea how bad things
got. I don’t want to ruin it for anyone so all I can say
is watch it for yourself and for all you aspiring athletes out
there, sit down and watch, take notes, listen very carefully
because this is a perfect example of what not to do if you want
to be successful. Let’s all hope there are a lot more sunny
days ahead for Mark Kerr.
Now
I'm depressed. Oh well, nothing better than a road trip and a
night of MMA action to cheer you up. That’s right, Jeff
and I will be rolling on out to Phoenix for Rage in the Cage
43. This is my first RITC event and I am looking forward to seeing
some of the Arizona fighters. Ok, what I am really looking forward
to is seeing my boy, Herb “The Predator” Dean, fight
for the RITC heavy weight strap. You may know Herb as the KOTC
ref with the dread locks, but what you probably don’t know
is he is a bad ass who comes to bang. Herb is trained by UFC
and KOTC ref (and Sherdog.net contributor) Larry Landless, and
fights out of the Submission Factory here in southern California.
He will be taking on the very tough Joseph “Diesel”
Riggs from Roland Sarria’s Brausa academy. Riggs is coming
off a tough KO loss to Cabbage (no shame in that) at BJ Penn’s
recent event. His only other blemish, on his way to an 8-2 record,
came at the hands of UFC vet Homer Moore, so I am sure it will
be a very tough fight.
The
Main Event will have Todd Medina squaring off against Edwin Dewees.
If you have never seen Dewees before you would be shocked, I
was. Jeff and I were walking through the Sacramento airport,
on our way to a KOTC event, and we saw Joey Villasenor and Floyd
Sword, a couple of tough customers in their own right. So we
start talking to them and they introduce us to Dewees. I couldn’t
believe he was a fighter, I thought he was Floyds younger brother
or something. Just goes to show that looks can be very deceiving.
Edwin can flat out fight; he has compiled a 24-6 record over
the last two plus years. This will be a step up in competition
for him and he will definitely have his hands full with a very
game veteran. Can hardly wait for another exciting night of MMA
action. I am feeling better all ready. We will see you all in
Phoenix Friday night.
Source: Sherdog
RETURNING
NCAA CHAMP GREG JONES VS. UNDEFEATED CHRIS PENDLETON ANNOUNCED
FOR ALL-STAR CLASSIC, FEB. 3
While the college wrestling world is mainly focused on this weekend's
National Duals team tournaments at Ohio State, we have just gotten
a peek at another of the season's seminal events: the annual
National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Star Classic.
This event is just what it sounds like, an All-Star meet for
college wrestlers. It aims to pit the number one-ranked wrestler
against the number two-ranked wrestler wherever possible.
This
year's edition will be held Monday, February 3, 2003, at the
Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware in Newark,
Delaware.
The
first match has just been announced, and it just may be a preview
of this year's NCAA finals. Returning NCAA national champion
Greg Jones of West Virginia University, who is undefeated this
year and ranked first at 174 pounds, will face another undefeated
wrestler, Chris Pendleton of Oklahoma State. The sophomore Jones
is 15-0 this year. Pendleton, also a sophomore, and fresh from
a victory last weekend over Iowa's Tyler Nixt, is now 14-0. Jones
and Pendleton are the top wrestlers at 174 so far, and they will
meet head-on at the NWCA All-Star Classic.
In
addition, it was also announced that one of the four coaches
at this year's event will be Craig Turnbull, head coach at West
Virginia University, which is ranked number 13 by W.I.N. Magazine.
'This is one of the premiere events in all of wrestling,' Turnbull
said in a statement released by WVU. 'This is great exposure
for Greg and the sport of wrestling. It certainly is an accolade
for him.' He continued, 'It's a tremendous honor, but it's a
testament to the people within the program. I get some of the
recognition, but the assistant coaches and the athletes are really
the ones that make something like this possible.'
More
of this lineup will be announced shortly.
Ticket
prices are $15.00 reserved, $12.00 general admission, and $10.00
group discount general admission for 20 or more. The Carpenter
Center ticket office can be reached at: (302)-831-4012.
Beginning
at 5 PM, there will be three high school dual meets, including:
Easton H.S. (PA) vs. Abesgami H.S. (NJ); St. Mark's H.S. vs.
William Penn H.S.; and Caesar Rodney H.S. vs. Sussex Central
H.S.
Fans
of King Of The Cage are familiar with KOTC Welterweight belt
holder Romi Aram and his team Millenia Jiu-Jitsu, which also
includes KOTC Superfight and UCC Welterweight belt holder John
Alessio, KOTC and Gladiator Challenge Lightweight belt holder
Javier Vazquez, Dan Nolan, and Art Santore but fans may not be
as aware that Dan Henderson and Matt Lindland also stop by from
time to time to train or that there are several up-and-comers
coming out of Millenia in the months to come. Millenia is getting
so dominant of the West Coast that one can’t help drawing
comparisons between them now and how Miletich Martial Arts started
to dominate the scene starting around ’99 and no-one else
has managed to come close to recently.
Millenia
have a lot on their plate in the months to come with John Alessio
first fighting in UCC defending his Welterweight belt on January
25th against Jason Black of Team Extreme and then defending his
Superfight belt against Shonie Carter in King Of The Cage on
February 21st. Also on the February KOTC has Javier Vazquez defending
his belt against Alberto Crane. Romi himself next fights on the
Vegas card on PPV in Las Vegas where he will defend his belt
against a yet to be named fighter.
KM:
My main angle right now is with John fighting in the UCC and
then about a month later in KOTC. What is training with him for
that like? RA: John is doing exactly what he always does. He
does the same kind of training, he’s training hard. His
gameplan is pretty much what Jason Black is expecting. John wants
to go out there and exchange punches and maybe take it down to
the ground and if John does end up on the ground it’s not
really an issue.
KM:
Last time I heard from him he was saying he mainly trains with
you and I was asking ‘when you guys train together what
happens’ and he was saying it’s mostly a stalemate.
You seem to be pretty evenly matched there. RA: Yeah, we go back
and forth. John is one of the toughest Welterweights out in the
world. Now he is starting to get the recognition he deserves:
he gets the big fights in King Of The Cage. He’s an unbelievable
athlete.
KM:
Since you have the 170 belt and he has the Superfight belt and
Javi has the 155 belt Millenia has three of the KOTC belts plus
the belt from UCC. Is that in any way any kind of pressure to
maintain that? RA: I don’t know, we really don’t think
about it that much. I know my next fight is going to be my first
fight defending the belt. I don’t want to lose it but I
don’t think it’s going to add that much pressure. I’m
fighting the fight, I’m really not worrying about that.
KM:
The Las Vegas KOTC is another 3 months away… RA: They are
working on maybe getting me a fight before that but that’s
my next guaranteed fight.
KM:
So I guess you are the one running the gym right now. RA: Yeah,
right now Javi and John are focusing on their fights. I have
another partner that helps me with the gym but they are focusing
on their training and I’m running the classes.
KM:
How does John’s training differ from Javi’s training
regarding their next opponents? RA: It’s pretty similar.
We all train together and we have a lot of team practices. Naturally
they do things on the side and each person has their own way
of training. John spends a little more time in the weight room,
works his hands maybe a little more than Javi while Javi rolls
a lot on the mat. He’s constantly rolling around on the
mat and he wrestles a lot. As far as when we are training for
the fights we have team practices so we’ll have about fifteen
to twenty guys downstairs just all going through that and they’ll
be down there with us. After the practice we’ll push them
a little bit more and condition them and maybe go a little bit
harder than the other guys but as far as the training goes we
all kind of train together as a team.
KM:
It seems the past year or so we’ve been hearing a lot about
Millenia and before that it was all about Lions Den and Miletich
Martial Arts, so you guys are still viewed as the new kids on
the block but making a hell of a good impression. What is your
perspective on the sudden success? RA: The talent has always
been there, just that we are starting to finally get the opportunities
to fight in the big shows. It’s no real secret we all train
hard. I think one of the important things about all of us is
we all back each other. When one of us has a fight we’re
there to make sure they are getting the right training, we put
the practices together, we sit down and think of a gameplan of
how we are going to fight our opponent and go from there. We
have a lot of guys who you are eventually going to start hearing
from once we start getting them more fights that are there all
the time pushing. We’ll have twenty to twenty-five guys
downstairs helping one guy or two guys or three guys getting
ready for a fight. I think when you have a good support system
it just builds really strong teams.
KM:
Is John the only one with a fight outside KOTC or Gladiator Challenge
coming up? RA: Yes.
KM:
What can you tell me about the other up-and-comers? RA: We have
a couple Welterweights that are doing really well. Randy Velarde
is a really good fighter: very talented, very good wrestler,
All American. He fought Shonie Carter a few Gladiator Challenges
ago. Shonie caught him but I think experience played in that
one. We have another one named Jason Burdick who probably won
the last thirty jiu-jitsu tournaments freestyle and with the
gi. He’s unbelievable on the ground. He has three or four
fights. Tim Crauter, 185 pounder, fought in KOTC and some of
the smaller shows, ex Navy Seal, just unbelievable athlete, brown
belt jiu-jiutsu…
KM:
Anything else you want to project to the fans? RA: We’re
the next big thing to happen. The school is growing, the gym
is filled with talent, and we’re finally getting the opportunity
to step in there and get our guys fights. Now with John the UCC
champ we’re going to be able to filter guys into that event
and getting the name bigger up in Canada. Hopefully in the next
year or so we’ll get some of us in the UFC. Dan Henderson
has been training with us for his last fight, Matt Lindland has
been at the gym training with us, so hopefully we can get some
of the bigger guys to go to Pride and fight. I think this next
year is going to be a really good year for the school. You’re
going to start seeing some new faces from the school, you’re
going to start seeing us in some of the bigger shows also.
Source: ADCC
Interview:
JERMAINE ANDRE (Pt. 2)
Just
over one week remains until the UCC12 show where Jermaine Andre
takes on Steve Vigneault. In part one of this interview Jermaine
brought us up to speed on his pre-WFA career. Now he gives us
the second half, his thought on his opponent in UCC12.
KM:
After Rings we didn’t see you around for eight months or
so until WFA. You were in the WFA and here it is the first show
of a new promotion, back in a cage again, eight months off, less
rules than you were used to…do you recall your thoughts?
JA: Actually I took that fight on one month’s notice.
KM:
Against Ronald Jhun? What was that you were just saying about
learning to be prepared for a fight? And you take on Jhun with one-month notice? (Both laugh)
JA: I was still in training but in those eight months I had to
take some time off. That goes way back: I was in prison for six
years when I was eighteen years old, soon as I got out I went
straight into fighting, I had some injuries that weren’t
healing real good, and I said let me take some time off. Got
that call about a month in advance and he told me everything.
I told Ron ‘let’s do this, we got a month so put it
on me’ and he did. I got beat with sticks almost every day
while I was hitting the heavy bag, getting me where I need to
be in a month’s time. It was incredible to take Ronald Jhun out on a month of
training.
KM:
You won that one and you came back about eight months later to
fight in WFA2, also winning by TKO. I saw a note on-line about
an injury from a takedown? We haven’t seen that one yet,
what happened?
JA: That was Joey Villasenor. We came in; I was going to go straight
him. Joey’s a good fighter, a great guy, I like him a lot
but I think it was real good that he did hurt his leg because
I was so focused and so zoned. My prayers were up, my meditation
was up. I was coming straight for him and he could see I was
coming straight for him. He tried a wild move that looked beautiful
on tape: He came flying across with a flying knee that was way
up there. Beautiful. I moved my head so it didn’t hit me
clean and I caught him while he was in the air and brought his
knee up on my shoulder and went to slam him. When I went to slam
him he put his foot down to try to stop the slam and it broke
his leg. He hit the ground and I was I his guard and he sat up
to try to say ‘stop’ and I thought he was just sitting
up so I hit him with a jab cross and then went straight to and
ankle lock. I was locking the ankle lock up and the referee is
telling me to let the leg go. My spirit was so focused and so
up I couldn’t even shut it down. I got some bad press in
Grappling magazine.
KM:
Was that the only time you had a hard time shutting it down like
that?
JA: Yeah, that was the only time.
KM:
Aren’t you the belt holder at 185?
JA: Yeah, when I fought Joey that was for the Middleweight title.
Ron Jhun and I was a contenders
fight, not a title fight. I put a lot of loyalty towards the
WFA. John Lewis did a lot for me when I came out. That’s
why I didn’t fight for that eight months (between WFA1 &
2). Monte Cox was finding fights for me left and right; we even
passed up two UFC fights. Last year things just got a little
too rough and I told them ‘leave me a little opening to
do a couple other things like ‘is UCC cool’ and John
Lewis said ‘yeah, that’s cool, go do that then come
back here and defend your title’.
KM:
My concern being the belt holder at WFA is if you are beat at
UCC it may in some people’s eyes degrade the WFA belt. Your
next fight is only about two weeks away in UCC and your opponent
is Steve Vigneault. If I recall correctly he has the belts in
two different weight classes but it’s the Canadian belts,
not the World belts.
JA: Light Heavyweight and Middleweight.
KM:
So that is your weight and one heavier. What are your thoughts
on Vigneault?
JA: He’s a champ so I’m coming at him like he is one.
I haven’t gotten to see him fight yet. The way I work, I
go in there and learn everything about a fighter in the first
two or three seconds that I need to know.
KM:
This one isn’t for a belt, right?
JA: No, just two champs banging it out.
KM:
So what is your perspective on being the WFA champ taking on
the UCC champ like some intramural non-belt bout. How do you
feel about taking on another champ like that in their home turf?
JA: I definitely would have liked for it to have been for one
of the titles. If I win there is not much to gain but if I lose
there is tons to lose. I better be sure I go in there and do
what I am supposed to do and I plan to.
KM:
I only see one win on your record by submission, a keylock. Did
you feel a sense of accomplishment that you proved you could
o it or a sense of disappointment that you didn’t get the
KO?
JA: I have two submissions actually.
KM:
(Note: Jermaine’s first two fights are hard to research
on the web)
Okay, both of those.
JA: Always a sense of accomplishment. The keylock was in Rings
and he was a kickboxer so the whole plan was to tap him out.
I planned on going through the tournament so I wanted to get
this guy out of the way as quickly as possible. I know what I
am capable of. I don’t show it all.
KM:
UCC is in a ring. I see you keep jumping back and forth with
WFA cage, Rings in a ring, UFC cage, SFC ring. Do you have a
preference?
JA: The cage. More room. A lot of fighters like to get your head
up on the cage so they can pound you and that’s true that
that does work but I actually like to use the cage to circle
off. I prefer to be in the middle of the ring.
KM:
Any misgivings about UCC being in a ring? Is this going to affect
your strategy at all?
JA: No, not at all.
KM:
As far as how you want to be projected, we talked before about
your following the code of Bushido and you mentioned being in
prison for six years from ’91-’97 and you are also
a writer. To me you seemed to have the rough youth, went to prison,
and started competing when you came out. May I ask what you were
in prison for?
JA: That’s okay. Armed robbery.
KM:
Obviously you have turned your life around. May I ask what you
learned from that experience?
JA: From being in prison? I learned a lot. I went through a lot
of stuff in there: I did a year of solitary confinement which
is actually where I developed my zen. The main thing I learned
in prison, we had to use our martial arts for real. You have
martial artists right now that think they can kick my butt because
they have a hundred thousand dollars and a school and a belt
with twenty stripes on it. In there we had to use our martial
arts for real, everybody in there trains for real. What we learned
in there might save your life one day so I got to train my martial
arts for real. I came out of there, got my head together, I know
how to survive, I don’t have to commit crimes anymore, I
don’t have the desire to commit crimes anymore. I definitely
got a lot out of it.
KM:
Have you ever thought of doing and ‘scared straight’
work?
JA: I actually did a lot of that when I was in there. They’d
bring inmates in and I’d do scared straight for them. I’ve
done some community service with kids and right now my focus
is self defense for free.
KM:
I don’t mean to pry but one thing that bothers me is since
Bobby Hoffman came out of prison after eighteen months some people
haven’t given him the chance to prove he may have turned
his life around, given him a chance. I was wondering what your
perspective on the issue of rehabilitation for the MMA fighters
that serve time.
JA: Anybody that doesn’t want to give a man a chance is
what we call a ‘hater’. Almost everybody has been in
jail and if you haven’t been in jail it’s because you
haven’t been caught. They say ‘oh, you are bad and
I am good’ because your mom and dad may have had enough
money to bail your butt out of jail or was cousins with the district
attorney so you didn’t get charged or maybe you just didn’t
get caught because you were a sneaky little S.O.B.
KM:
Or afford a better lawyer… JA: Whether it’s running
a red light or selling some dope you don’t know why Bobby
did. You can’t judge if somebody is good or bad just because
they went to jail. I gave up seven years of my life for a friend.
That has nothing to do with a man’s fighting career. If
he back in and does what he shouldn’t do then kick him out
for a legitimate reason but I don’t think they should be
trashing him just because of that.
KM:
Here it is you came out and became one of the best mixed martial
artists as well as writer. What can you tell us as far as your
writing?
JA: I love to write. I’ve written a book on women’s
self defense, I wrote a book on muay thai, I got a book on philosophy,
and books on horror. I’m really good at horror. The women’s
self defense book is getting ready to be published. I do a lot
of writing on jermaineandre.com
For
more information on Jermaine’s UCC bout or for tickets go
to www.ucczone.ca
Source:
ADCC
1/15/03
Quote
of the Day
No
one's head aches when he is comforting another
Indian Proverb
Super
Brawl 28
Egan Comes out of Retirement
Egan's
original opponent, Shooto Champion Masanori Suda, broke his nose
in his last fight and I believe that Sudo needed more time to
prepare for Egan so he cancelled. Since Egan was already training
for Sudo, he will use this fight to prove that he still deserves
a shot at the title. Naito has been on a tear winning in back
to back months, one by TKO (his opponent's corner threw in the
towel) and by triangle submission in May and June of last year
and a decision in October so he should be sharp. He is naturally
a heavier fighter (by a consderable amount) than Egan so that
may be a factor as well. Hopefully, Sudo recovers soon so that
the fight can take place as originally planned. Tentative card
should be arriving soon!
So
Far...
Egan
Inoue (Grappling Unlimited) 11-4
Super Brawl Champion, Number 2 Ranked in Shooto
vs.
Yukia Naito (A3 Gym) 3-0 213 lbs
Falaniko
Vitale (Grappling Unlimited) 12-2
Super Brawl Number 1 Ranked
vs.
Tyrone Roberts (Miletich Martial Arts) 17-3-1
Ronald
"the Machine Gun" Jhun (808 Fight Factory) 17-9-1
Shooto Number 9 Ranked
vs.
TBA
Kolo
Koka (Grappling Unlimited) 4-4
vs.
TBA
2003
Pan Ams Update
During
a conversation with the CBJJ President Carlos Gracie Jr last
night, he informed us of the latest news about the 2003 Pan American
Games. Carlinhos confirmed that the Pan Ams will be held on the
West Coast, more excatly in the City of Santa Barbara, Ca. on April
26 & 27th.
The only detail yet to become final is which venue as they are
split between two locations, both unreal. Carlinhos expects to
have that resolved by the end of the current week.
Carlinhos
stated: 'We are very excited to bring the Pan Ams back to where
it all started in '95. California with its large BJJ population
will be the host for this great event, just as it was in '95
for the first Pan Ams!'
Additionally,
it has been rumored that the first International Team Event:
U.S.A. v Brazil may be held concurrently to the Pan Am. What
more do you want! Everyone can begin to make plans for Spring
in California, cheer for your Country and the thoughts of Pan
Am Gold! See you there.
Dale
Earnhardt Jr. Classic Superfights
Today
Co-promoter Garrett Barger announced the signing of a TOP Superfight.
The Dale Earnhardt Jr Classic will now have former ADCC Champion
and multiple times World Champion Saulo Ribeiro facing ADCC US
Trials Runner Up Todd 'The Cobra' Margolis. Margolis with his
unorthodox moves is ready to give Saulo a run for his money.
Additionally,
Barger was able to secure Jorge Gurgel to replace Marcio Feitosa
in facing Daniel
Moraes.
For more info check out their web site www.dalejrgrapplingclassic.com
Source:
ADCC/Kid Peligro
UFC
41: ONSLAUGHT - FEBRUARY 28 THREE FIGHTS ANNOUNCED!
RODRIGUEZ TO MEET SYLVIA FOR HEAVYWEIGHT BELT AT UFC 41: ONSLAUGHT
ON PAY-PER-VIEW, FEB. 28, IN ATLANTIC CITY
8-FIGHT
CARD TO FEATURE RETURN OF LEGEND TANK ABBOTT, LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE
FIGHT BETWEEN BJ PENN, CAOL UNO
LAS
VEGAS, NEV., January 8, 2003…The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s
(UFC) new Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez will defend his
title for the first time against undefeated contender Tim Sylvia
at UFC 41: Onslaught live on pay-per-view Friday, Feb. 28, at
Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. An eight-fight, all-star
card also will feature the return to the UFC of legendary Heavyweight
Tank Abbott, who will meet jiu jitsu submission specialist Frank
Mir. In the co-main event, lightweight top contenders BJ Penn and Caol Uno will
meet for the lightweight title.
Live
event tickets, $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, are now 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 at 10 p.m.
EST/7 p.m. PST on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, Dish Network, Bell ExpressVu
and Viewers Choice Canada. The suggested retail price is $29.95.
Rodriguez
(10-1-0 in mixed martial arts) is a native of Staten Island,
New York, and a former resident of Patterson, N.J., who now fights
out of Las Vegas. He has won 10 consecutive fights and captured
the heavyweight crown September 27 with a fifth-round, technical
knockout submission of former two-time champion Randy Couture
at UFC 39: Warriors Return at The Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville,
Conn. Rodriguez has combined an always-improving standup game
with a relentless ground and pound attack to win his last five
fights by TKO over top heavyweights including Andre Arlovski,
Pete Williams, Jeff Monson, Tsuyoshi Kosaka and Couture.
Sylvia
(16-0-0), a native of Ellsworth, ME, who fights out of Davenport,
Iowa, is a strong striker and grappler who won a second round
TKO September 27 over “Cabbage” Correira at The Mohegan
Sun. Previously, he won an eight-man tournament and earlier this
year, won the Superbrawl “Return of the Heavyweights”
16-man tournament with four victories by either knockout or TKO.
At 6’8,” 260 lbs., Sylvia is one of the biggest heavyweights
in the UFC and trains with one of the top teams in mixed martial
arts, Miletich Fighting Systems.
“Tim
is a phenomenal athlete who is undefeated. So, his record speaks
for itself. He will be tough and will come after me because Miletich
fighters always prepare very well for fights,” Rodriguez
said.
“This
is a big opportunity for Tim and I’m comparing this fight
to the first “Rocky” movie where Apollo Creed gave
Rocky a title shot, except there won’t be any split decision.
I’m gonna take him out. Personally, it’s really exciting
for me to defend my title for the first time in Atlantic City,
which is close to Staten Island, New York, and Patterson, N.J.,
where I grew up. I will definitely have a lot of fans and family
members in my corner,” Rodriguez added.
Tank
(8-7-0), from Huntington Beach, Calif., is returning from World
Championship Wrestling (WCW) to re-claim a top spot in the heavyweight
division. He is renown for his knockout power and during his
UFC career has recorded some of its most memorable KOs, including
John Matua and Paul Varelans at UFC 6: Clash of the Titans; Steve
Nelmark at Ultimate Ultimate ’96 and Hugo Duarte at UFC
17: Redemption. In Mir (4-1) of Las Vegas, he will be facing
one of the UFC’s most promising young heavyweights. A Brazilian
jiu jitsu specialist, Mir exploded on the scene at UFC 34: High
Voltage with an armbar submission of veteran Roberto Traven in
1:05. He followed that with another armbar submission of Pete
Williams in just 46 seconds at UFC 36: Worlds Collide.
“From
what I’ve seen, he’s a tough fighter. He is really
skilled. Right now, I may be the only fighter who can beat him.
His techniques all look real solid and I look forward to going
to war with him,” Tank said.
“Fighting
Tank will be good for me and my career. He is truly one of the
legends of our sport and is still recognized as one of the top
heavyweights. I don’t know if there are any fighters in
the heavyweight division who punch harder and I know he has an
excellent take down defense. But, I’ll be ready,” Mir
said.
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 Matt Serra and Din Thomas respectively September 27 at The
Mohegan Sun. They fought each other once previously at UFC 34:
High Voltage at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Penn won that match
by knockout, so Uno will be seeking some payback. Penn, known
as “The Prodigy,” is a powerful striker and grappler
who was the first non-Brazilian black belt world champion in
Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Uno is a highly technical grappler and striker
who also utilizes his extensive wrestling experience to submit
opponents.
The
UFC’s next pay-per-view event is Ultimate Knockouts 2, which
premieres at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m PST, Friday, January 17 on iN
DEMAND, DIRECTV, TVN and Bell ExpressVu. It will re-capture the
UFC’s most memorable knockouts. The suggested retail price
is $9.95. Its next live PPV event is UFC 41: Onslaught at 10
p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST Friday, February 28, from Boardwalk Hall
in Atlantic City, N.J. Locate Ultimate Fighting Championship
on the internet at www.ufc.tv.
Castillo
Appeals Loss to NSAC
In
a letter of appeal written by UFC welterweight fighter Gil Castillo
(published on www.graciefighter.com) the bay area resident is
requesting that his November 22 loss versus Matt Hughes be overturned
on the grounds that an illegal headbutt at the two-minute mark
of round one blurred his vision to the point where he could no
longer compete. Castillo also states that proper steps were not
taken to afford him an opportunity at recovery before the contest
was called.
In
the letter addressed the Executive Director of the Nevada State
Athletic Commission, Marc Ratner, Castillo asserts that referee
John McCarthy wrongly handled the aftermath of the inadvertent
blow delivered by Hughes. Through the appeal Castillo hopes that
the loss is remanded to a "No Contest" and the subsequent
change reflects upon his record.
Here
is Castillo's appeal in its entirety:
Mark
Ratner
Nevada State Athletic Commission
Las Vegas, Nevada
Mr.
Ratner;
I’m sure you know the reason I am writing this. Although
we had a discussion on the phone about the outcome of my welterweight
title fight in the U.F.C against Matt Hughes on November 22nd
2002, these similar acts in MMA fights that occurred in the U.F.C
have been brought to my attention by several people involved
in the industry who agree with my views on the decision. I will
spare you the list of names.The following items below I am sure
you will agree as you did on the phone with me that these give
the referee stoppage of my fight absolutely no credibility.
The
Foul
2 minutes into my title fight, Matt lunges forward and headbutts
me directly in the eye. It pushes my eyeball back and causes
serious bluring of my vision. On the tape replay you can see
and hear me yell to McCarthy that he headbutted me. McCarthy
responds, ”I know I saw it, it was unintentional keep going”.
I said “I can’t see”. He said “keep going”
so I push through it and continued almost helplessly.
Immediately
after the round ended as I was walking back to my corner McCarthy
walked me back and I was telling him that I couldn’t see
from the headbutt and I needed some time to focus and recover.
During
the break the doctors were asking me what’s wrong and I
told them I couldn’t see out of that eye and I needed a
minute and I also told my corner. Cesar Gracie was trying to
call to John McCarthy for an injury time out. The doctors were
checking if I could see their hand moving from one side to the
other and I said, “I can’t see it, it’s blury”.
The next thing I know I see McCarthy waving his hands in the
air to motion that he was calling the fight. I became furious
and very frustrated at the ruling.
Similar
events;
Newton/Miletich; Miletich unintentionally gauged Newton in the
eye and McCarthy immediately stops the fight to give Newton time
to go to his corner and recover because the foul affected Newtons
performance. It was unintentional so McCarthy did not take a
point away.
Baroni/Suloev;
Suloev unintentionally knees Baroni in the head as Baroni had
a knee down on the ground. Baroni is given a time out to recover
because he was fouled and it affected his performance.
These
were both exact similar instances and were treated the way they
should have been and mine was not.
The
only difference here is that mine was a title fight and should
have been given even more care yet was treated completely different.
The
No contest ruling;
Berger/Radach; This U.F.C fight was clearly called too early
in Radach’s favor and to my understanding was reviewed and
Radach was even committing fouls by holding the fence before
the referee stopped the fight and he got the win. This fight
was overturned to a “No Contest”, you must agree that
mine should also.
I
know this is a fight and things like that happen. I have been
in 19 MMA fights and am ready for anything and the headbutt would
not have even been mentioned by me during the fight to McCarthy
had it not blurred my vision.
My
Protest;
McCarthy acknowledged the foul but didn’t give me the option
of a time out when it happened like Newton or Baroni nor when
we broke apart when Hughes was standing up. Nor did he give me
the option of a time out at the end of the round which my corner
was asking for.
McCarthy
did not offer me the injury time out between rounds nor did he
ask me if I could go on or he was going to stop he fight which
he should have given the time out or ask if I needed one because
it was caused by a foul.
This
was a world title fight in the biggest MMA event in the world
and the fight was hastily stopped much to the dissatisfaction
of both participants and the fans. At no time was I asking for
a point to be taken from Matt because I don’t believe it
was intentional but I undoubtedly deserved a referee time out
due to a foul. Many wrestlers that watched the fight noted to
me that it was intentional. I argued in Matts favor because I
don’t believe he is that type of fighter. He is a great
champion and fighter but so am I and I deserve better than what
happened.
When
two fighters train for a title fight in this sport at the top
level, they are both ready for an absolute war for 25 minutes
and not to have it stopped in the first few minutes without cause.
We are NOT Athletes, we are Gladiators. Athletes play tennis,
play baseball and just play. We do not play anything. We fight.
I
had no cuts, but a mere fingernail scratch and was physically
perfect besides the vision in the left eye caused only by the
foul.
I
did not change my life and train for 3 months to be let down
like that in the first 2 minutes of my opportunity for the welterweight
world title because somebody made a mistake on the rules or wasn’t
clear on them. Otherwise, why don’t I just start every fight
by kicking my opponent in the groin (which can be easily masked
by an inside leg kick which is done by a lot of fighters when
they are in trouble) and then saying “I win”!
Why
should my fight be treated differently than the ones above? Why
should Berger get a No-Contest ruling for a referee bad call
on a pre-mature stoppage and I don’t? Especially when mine
was caused by a foul.
The
fans, the MMA community and other competitors have all come to
my side and agree with my protest.
This
is not a bash on the referee John McCarthy. John knows I like
him very much and think he is amongst the best in the business
but I along with all who saw the fight (including you according
to our phone conversation) feel that there was a severe injustice
done.
You
yourself agreed with me on the phone about this saying that I
had a very legitimate gripe but you also stated that it was John
McCarthy’s call. Well, as much as I like and respect John
it was a bad call.
I
know that this will not give me another chance at Matt Hughes
title based on a No-Contest ruling but my team, the fans and
the MMA community urge you to review this and treat it as it
should be treated with a “No Contest” decision. I have
given my all to this sport and should be given the same treatment
as others (Berger/Baroni/Newton) when a similar instance happens.
I
am one of the best welterweights in the world ranked in the top
5 and wanted to show that I was the best on that night. That
poor decision cost me a lot and I don’t know if I will be
given the chance to be able to prove myself again unfortunately
but I want to at least be given the just satisfaction of a “No-Contest”
ruling. We both know that it is the right thing to do. Please
review this matter. I will come down to Nevada if necessary but
I would like all parties involved (Doctor, McCarthy, Athletic
Commission) to be questioned over this matter. I should not have
a loss on my record for this.
We
are hoping for a fair and impartial ruling on this matter with
your experience in the field. The Casino betting on this fight
should not be a factor on the ruling. To my understanding, the
commission is there to protect the fairness and integrity of
the sport.
Sincerely,
Gil Castillo
Source:
Maxfighting
MMA
on VIDEO - New Releases!
MMA fans can expect the release of several major videos next
month as the retail scene recovers from the holidays. As KOTC’s
Terry Trebilcock explains, “when you have any lee time on
the videos is really towards the end of the year. If the major
video stores can’t get them on the shelves by September
1st they don’t take anything until after the new year. All
their Christmas stuff is done September 1st.” This means
that although promotions with internet distribution have been
releasing videos all along, videos from several shows in the
fall are finally being released including UFC and KOTC.
Biggest
news is the release of UFC39 & 40 in February. No information
is available at this time regarding if the videos will be shipped
in time to preview for UFC41 on February 28th which is of interest
considering 39 had Penn/Serra and Uno/Thomas, all four of which
are fighting on 41 as Penn/Uno
and Serra/Thomas. Also on 39 were Sylvia/Correira and Rodriguez/Couture, the winners
of which are fighting on 41 as Rodriguez/Sylvia. UFC40 was the
incredible overview of the Welterweights with Hughes, Newton,
and Lawler plus an exciting fight between Miller and Weir and
the over hyped but still great Ortiz/Shamrock.
Upcoming
King Of The Cage videos releases for February include KOTC15
“Bad Intentions” where Alessio knocks out Chris Brennan,
KOTC16 “Double Cross” where Ambriz defeats Bobish for
the belt, and KOTC 18 “Sudden impact” where Hallman
and Severn return will all hit the shelves but KOTC17 with Debi
Purcell won’t be out until March. Gladiator Challenge is
also expected to release another batch of videos around this
time, more details to follow.
While
we have been eagerly awaiting these releases a couple internet
distributed promotions have not had the same restrictions releasing
videos. Reality Fighting, one of the only promotions in the North
East to have women’s fights at this time, released a video
recently from their last show in NJ including the Shannon Logan/Laura
D’August bout. With Laura fighting again later this month
against newcomer Del Greer this one is worth checking out for
those following the women’s divisions.
Also
during the holiday season HOOKnSHOOT released the Fusion/Ring
Of Fury #1 and Relentless DVD. Fusion/Ring Of Fury had Yves Edwards,
Jutaro Nakao, and most of the Team Elite fighters out of MA like
Keith Rockel, Nuri Shakir, and the incredible Jorge Rivera. Relentless
had American Top Team fighters Hermes Franca and Dustin Denes,
both of whom have been tearing up the US scene all last year,
as well as Travis Lutter winning the belt he lost to Jorge Rivera
in Ring Of Fury 2 and one of the few videos out with Vitor “Shaolin”
Ribeiro.
Source:
ADCC
UCC
12 Preview: Interview with JERMAINE ANDRE
With less than two weeks left before UCC12 Jermaine Andre is
wrapping up his training for his Middleweight Superfight against
Steve Vigneault. So far the UCC’s website at www.ucczone.ca
has fans giving 46% to Andre and 54% to Vigneault, the belt holder
in two weight classes as well as the local fighter.
KM:
What martial arts have you done before MMA?
JA: I’ve done muay thai kickboxing.
KM:
There aren’t that many muay thai fighters crossing over
but the ones that have that background seem to be a lot stronger
at the clinch. The wrestlers do a clinch like Randy Couture where
they are trying to control your body to do a couple jabs but
the muay thai fighters come in with the knees and elbows that
most of the MMA fighters aren’t as familiar with. Is that
more of an advantage for the muay thai fighter or can ground
fighters take advantage of the clinch?
JA: Traditional muay thai does not work good in the NHB ring.
I did traditional muay thai when I teamed up with Ron Smith out
of St. Louis. He’s just a pioneer and a scientist of it
all. We had to adjust my stance, change my stance. We had to
change a lot of the muay thai strikes so that they can fit a
NHB type fight. I see a lot of people make that mistake. I’ve
watched a lot of good wrestlers and grapplers that go to a traditional
muay thai school and they learn traditional muay thai. It’s
not going to work because you are standing straight up and down,
you get shot on. Muay thai is a stand-up art. It’s not made
to defend against somebody trying to throw you or somebody shooting
in on you for a single leg or double leg takedown. Even when
I am working the clinch for muay thai my stance is way different
than when I’m trying to work the clinch on a wrestler. You
try to work the clinch on a wrestler with a traditional muay
thai stance you’re going to get slammed. They’ll just
drop down and grab you around the waist and body slam you. Ron
Smith and I adjusted my stance to almost a wrestling/boxing/muay
thai mix stance. I stand kind of like a cat and from that position
I can sprawl, I can punch, kick, knee, elbow, and when I get
pulled in the clinch I have to keep my hips down, my hips out,
back.
KM:
Ron Smith?
JA: He’s probably the best fight instructor. He doesn’t
get a lot of credit because we are out here in St. Louis, we’re
in the middle of everything and the middle of nothing. The coast
gets most of the press.
KM:
I saw your record on-line where it listed your record as Collinsville,
IL but I heard you were training out of J-Sect and now you are
saying St. Louis.
JA: I train with Ron Smith in St. Louis. Collinsville is right
across the water. I’m ten minutes from St. Louis. I do have
plans to train with J-Sect with John Lewis in Vegas, I’m
just having a lot of money problems right now where I can’t
leave my home, even though I’m training for this UCC fight
I just don’t time to be gone for a week or so.
KM:
Getting back to the muay thai background, was there much to un-learn
to cross over?
JA: Not really. I knew how to wrestle. When I first started to
fight NHB Brian Madden started me with the SFC and he brought
me along well, he didn’t stick me in with too many super
tough fighters so Ron Smith actually got to watch and he was
like ‘what is this’. I showed him the shot you know,
‘we used to do this in wrestling in high school. We can
do this in there’ and he was like ‘huh’. So he
started adjusting his stance. Ron’s fighting style, his
stance was almost exactly what we need for NHB, the low base
so we can move better where traditional thai boxers stand straight
up and down and walk on our heels. He said ‘bend your knees,
put your chin down, put your hands up, keep your legs bent, get
your legs apart so you can move kind of like a basketball player’.
There was not much adjusting at all because my stance was already
like that.
KM:
Moving on to your career, wasn’t your first fight a loss
to Adrian Serrano? That is what made me wonder with the muay
thai what you had to un-learn. I bet he took you down quickly.
What did you learn from that fight?
JA: Actually we fought six minutes and he couldn’t get me
down. My muay thai school with Ron Smith had closed down and
we were going through a move and I actually had no training at
all. Serrano was my fourth fight, I won my first three against
guys that were real easy. I wasn’t supposed to fight Adrian
that night, I was supposed to fight somebody else and they cancelled
like a week before the fight so Brian brought in Adrian. I pounded
him with leg kicks, he couldn’t get me down, he tried to
pick me up and grab me, he couldn’t throw me, couldn’t
do anything. Couldn’t get me on the ground at all. Finally
six minutes into it I just got dead tired and I went to my back.
I finally said ‘forget it’, I was so tired I couldn’t
even move. I’d say I almost let him get a choke hold on
me. I would never take credit as a fighter: he fought strong,
did what he was supposed to do and he got me and I lost. I knew
if I got in shape I could beat this guy. He was good and I love
Adrian, it was an honor to go in there and fight him but when
it was time to rematch him I had it all.
KM:
I’ll get back to that in a moment but was SFC4 your last
SFC?
JA: Yes, it was.
KM:
That’s the point it seemed like you crossed over to the
big time. Your next one was UFC. Do you remember what was going
through your mind around that time between SFC4 and UFC24?
JA: When I won SFC4 Monte Cox was there and that was when I started
to get to know him and Monte got to see me fight. Brian said
‘hey, can you help this guy out, can you get him some fights’
and Monte agreed to help. I was still doing muay thai and I took
a muay thai fight. In muay thai you get banged up, it’s
just contact contact contact shin against shin and bone against
bone. You get banged up real bad. Right when I got home Brian
Madden called me up and said ‘I got you a fight in the UFC,
do you want to do it?’ and at that time my answer was ‘no’.
That’s what I wanted, UFC, but I just came off a fight against
a tough guy, my shins we banged up, my fight notice was like
a week and a half notice and I was fighting a tough guy-Lance
Gibson. We trained the best we could with busted up shins and
I got three or four days training in and I went back into the
ring.
KM:
Did you feel that you had to take that fight even though you
were a little beat up because it was a turning point in your
career?
JA: Yes. I felt that I had to. That was everybody’s goal,
the UFC.
KM:
I don’t mean to dwell on your losses and not praise your
wins but did you learn anything from that loss?
JA: Oh, boy. It taught me not to take any fights that I’m
not ready for. It taught me another thing: when I went in there
I was winning and I was so relaxed I got arrogant and right at
the end when I said to myself ‘in about the last fifteen
seconds I’m gong to knock this guy out’ I got caught
at sixteen seconds. It taught me to stay busy.
KM:
Was that the first time that Pat Miletich was in your corner?
JA: Yes, it was.
KM:
After the UFC you took a couple months off and then started a
run in Rings. Rings kept you occupied for the next year or so
and that included your rematch with Serrano. What did you think
of Rings compared to UFC or SFC?
JA: I thought Rings was a great show and I thought he was going
to make it.
KM:
Were you with them up until the time they folded?
JA: Yes, I was.
KM:
What surprised me is the rematch against Adrian you won with
a kick. How did you manage to get a kick through on Adrian? What
did you do, have somebody behind him distracting him?
JA: Adrian made a mistake. I like Adrian so I knew Adrian and
that’s the whole key. I like to know my fighters.
KM:
Your first fight against Serrano was your first loss period.
How did it feel to redeem that moss especially by KO?
JA: It felt great.
KM:
With Rings you couldn’t hit to the face on the ground. Reason
I was asking if you were with them until the time they folded
is I was wondering if that was more to your liking than UFC,
WFA, or something like that?
JA: I like to be able to hit to the face on the ground. The less
for me the happier I am. They want to toss us some knives and
swords, c’mon let’s go. Rings rules were cool but the
only thing I didn’t like were the elbow pads and knee pads.
I never wore them so I never got to use my elbows and knees.
My legs are short and thick and they never had any that would
fit me right.
KM:
If you like to hit to the face on the ground and didn’t
like the pads why did you stick with Rings for a year or so?
JA: I still loved it because as long as I could punch and kick
I was fine, I didn’t have to use all my weapons.
KM:
Was SFC in a ring or cage?
JA: Ring.
KM:
So up until 2001 that one UFC show was your only one in a cage.
JA: Right.
Jermaine
went on to fight in the first two WFAs and now UCC in Montreal
on January 25th. In part 2 we’ll hear about the WFA and
his thoughts on his upcoming opponent Steve Vigneault. For ticket
information check out www.ucczone.ca
Source:
ADCC
NATIONAL
DUALS FEATURES TOP COLLEGE WRESTLING TEAMS IN TWO-DAY TOURNAMENT,
JAN. 18-19
By: Eddie Goldman
You want the best against the best? Oklahoma State, Iowa, Minnesota,
and 45 other top teams all wrestling under the same roof? Intensity
and drama on the mat? The potential for heroics and calamity
at the same time? Then welcome to the 2003 Cliff Keen/NWCA National
Duals, the college wrestling team tournament that does all of
these, and more, in a mere two days.
Considered
the most important college wrestling event next to the NCAA national
championships themselves, the National Duals is a team tournament
that features almost all of the top teams in the U.S. There will
be three separate 16-team individual dual meet championships,
one each in Division I, Division II, and Division III. Among
these teams are the defending national champions from Division
I, II, and III, all competing in the same venue. There will also
be a major high school tournament on January 17.
The
three college tournaments will run simultaneously Saturday, January
18, and Sunday, January 19, 2003, at The Ohio State University,
in Columbus, Ohio, beginning at 9 AM each day. The Division I
tournament will take place at St. John Arena, while the Division
II and Division III tournaments will begin at the French Field
House. The championship bouts in all three Divisions will take
place in St. John Arena. A total of 90 dual meets on 12 mats
will take place over these two days.
The
brackets have been set for this event, with eight teams seeded
in each Division. Here are the first-round matchups:
DIVISION
I CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
No.
1 Oklahoma State vs. Northern Iowa
Missouri vs. No. 8 Arizona State
No. 5 Ohio State vs. Ohio
Michigan State vs. No. 4 Cornell
No.
3 Minnesota vs. Iowa State
Oklahoma vs. No. 6 West Virginia
No. 7 Michigan vs. Boise State
Central Michigan vs. No. 2 Iowa
DIVISION
II CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
No.
1 Central Oklahoma vs. Gannon
Western State vs. No. 8 South Dakota State
No. 5 Ashland vs. Augustana
Central Missouri State vs. No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney
No.
3 North Dakota State vs. Wisconsin-Parkside
Pittsburgh-Johnstown vs. No. 6 Adams State
No. 7 San Francisco State vs. St. Cloud State
Findlay vs. No. 2 Nebraska-Omaha
DIVISION
III CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET
No.
1 Wartburg vs. Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Wisconsin-LaCrosse vs. No. 8 Luther
No. 5 John Carroll vs. Lycoming
Cortland State vs. No. 4 Loras
No.
3 College of New Jersey vs. King's College
Delaware Valley College vs. No. 6 Upper Iowa
No. 7 Buena Vista vs. Springfield College
Ohio Northern vs. No. 2 Augsburg
There
will be several webcasts of the National Duals.
LiveSportsVideo.com
will also be webcasting the duals live on a pay-per-view basis.
Coverage includes competition on both days from mat 1, where
the main championship matches will be held. It costs $20 and
includes unlimited access to the archives through March 31, 2003.
Tickets
are $24.00 for all-session reserved seating (St. John Arena only),
and $18.00 for all-session general admission. Individual session
tickets are $12 reserved, $10 general admission, and $8 general
student admission. Reserved seating is limited and available
only in St. John Arena. General admission seating is also available
in St. John Arena. Those holding reserved tickets will be permitted
to sit in the general admission seating areas of French Field
House.
The
Athletic Ticket Office is at the Jerome Schottenstein Center,
555 Borror Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210. Tickets are also available
online at:
Those
attending the live event have been advised to arrive early. Ohio
State will be holding a celebration to honor its national champion
college football team on Sat., Jan. 18, beginning at 1 PM in
Ohio Stadium, near the south side of St. John Arena and French
Field House. Information regarding parking for Sat., Jan. 18
can be found at:
OKLAHOMA
STATE TOPS IOWA 24-15 TO STAY UNBEATEN AND AT THE TOP -- FOR
NOW
There
was a lot to cheer about for the 9026 fans in attendance at the
Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Sunday, Jan. 12,
as the top-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys kept their record unblemished
by beating arch-rival Iowa, 24-15. Billed as the 'Dual of the
Dynasties,' this meet not only pitted this season's two top teams
against each other, but also the teams with the most NCAA national
championships in history.
But
for Oklahoma State, it is more like a fallen dynasty trying to
regain its hegemony. The Cowboys have won a record 30 national
titles, but their last one was in 1994. Since 1974, Iowa has
won 20 times, to only three titles for the Cowboys.
The
regular season has been kinder to Oklahoma State than the NCAA
national championships. The Cowboys took undefeated dual meet
records into the NCAA's for three years running, from 1997 to
1999, only to see Iowa take it all in the end.
So
while Oklahoma State won convincingly here, taking six of the
ten matches from Iowa and getting three major decisions and a
pin, the Cowboys still have a long road to travel to be able
to say that they have reestablished their legendary dynasty of
old.
Still,
this victory gives Oklahoma State a 19-16-1 lead in this series
with Iowa. The Cowboys have now won their last three meetings
with Iowa, and six of the last seven duals. Oklahoma State goes
to 6-0, while Iowa falls to 6-1.
Oklahoma
State's unbeaten freshman 141-pounder Zack Esposito looked particularly
sharp, pinning #17 Luke Moffitt of Iowa in 4:06. At 174, Oklahoma
State's Chris Pendleton upped his record to 14-0 by upending
Iowa's Tyler Nixt for the second time this year, this time by
a 5-3 score. But there were also warning signs for Oklahoma State,
as defending 133-pound national champion Johnny Thompson, who
had his 38-match winning streak stopped last week, fell for the
second time in a row. Today it was Iowa's #6 Cliff Moore beating
Thompson in 6-4 sudden victory overtime match.
With
this victory, Oklahoma State solidified its hold on the number
one team ranking. They will no doubt be the top seed at next
week's National Duals at Ohio State, where 16 of the top-ranked
Division I teams will wrestle in a dual meet championships, alongside
similar tournaments for Division II and III schools. Iowa should
be second, and a possibly rejuvenated Minnesota third.
But
can the Oklahoma State Cowboys regain their past glory? We will
have to wait and see, wrestling fans, as they prepare for victory
while everyone else nips at their heels.
Iowa
vs. Oklahoma State
Jan. 12, 2003
Gallagher-Iba Arena
Stillwater, OK
Oklahoma
State (OSU) 24, Iowa (I) 15
157
-- #4 Shane Roller (OSU) dec. #16 Joe Johnston (I), 10-8, 3-0
OSU
Not much was expected of Iowa's redshirt freshman Joe Johnston
in his first encounter wrestling Shane Roller of Oklahoma State,
fresh off an upset win last week over defending NCAA champion
Luke Becker of Minnesota. Here in the opening match of this dual
meet, Roller took a commanding 7-1 lead into the third period.
But if he thought that his opponent from Iowa would ease up,
he was wrong. Starting the third period from the neutral position,
Johnston mounted a late rally to close the gap to 8-6 with about
a minute to go. After letting Roller go after a takedown, Johnston
hit one more shot to make it 9-8 with about 14 seconds left.
He let Roller up again in hopes of another takedown, but that
would not come. The Oklahoma State radio commentators noted that
Roller looked winded as the match wound down. But Johnston's
rally meant that even though Roller won as expected, Oklahoma
State would score no bonus points in this match. Roller is now
13-2, while Johnston falls to 18-7.
165
-- #2 Tyrone Lewis (OSU) maj. dec. #20 Matt Anderson (I) 13-1,
7-0 OSU
With Anderson moving up to 165 against the undefeated, second
ranked-Lewis, this match was almost over in the opening seconds.
Lewis scored with an inside trip that landed Anderson right on
his back. Lewis held him there, and went up by a huge 5-0 lead.
Lewis continued to score throughout the match, winning a major
decision and earning Oklahoma State a bonus point. Lewis is now
10-0, and Anderson 7-4.
174
-- #3 Chris Pendleton (OSU) dec. #2 Tyler Nixt (I), 5-3, 10-0
OSU
This one was expected to be a competitive match that was crucial
for both teams. It was, but the result was the same as the last
two times these two have met. Chris Pendleton of Oklahoma State
won his third straight match over Iowa's Tyler Nixt with takedowns
in the second and third periods. Nixt's only points came on escapes.
Pendleton is now 14-0, while Nixt is 12-2, his only two losses
being to Pendleton.
184
-- #1 Jessman Smith (I) dec. #8 Jake Rosholt (OSU), 8-3, 10-3
OSU
It was at this weight where Iowa needed to make its move, as
undefeated, top-ranked Jessman Smith took on Jake Rosholt of
Oklahoma State. Although the redshirt freshman Rosholt tried
to take the match to the senior Smith by wrestling aggressively,
his Iowa opponent controlled the match and scored three takedowns.
Rosholt, however, held off an attempt by Smith to rack up points
in the third period to try for an eight-point lead and, thus,
a major decision. Smith is now 16-0, and Rosholt 9-6.
197
-- #2 Muhammed Lawal (OSU) maj. dec. #19 Ryan Fulsaas (I) 19-8,
14-3 OSU
The senior Lawal was expected to dominate over the junior Fulsaas.
Lawal delivered, scoring a seemingly endless series of takedowns
throughout the match that gave him a 19-8 victory. All of Fulsaas's
points were from escapes. Lawal's aggressive approach earned
him a major decision, and a coveted bonus team point for Oklahoma
State. Lawal is now 14-1. Fulsaas falls to 11-6.
285
-- #1 Steve Mocco (I) pins Willie Gruenwald (OSU), 50 sec., 14-9
OSU
It didn't last long as the 273-pound Steve Mocco used a foot
sweep to maneuver Willie Gruenwald to his back. He stuck him
there, and it was over in just 50 seconds. This season, the bulked
up Mocco has been the most dominating college wrestler in the
U.S. Mocco is now 15-0, Gruenwald 8-8.
125
-- #3 Luke Eustice (I) dec. #5 Skyler Holman (OSU), 2-0, 14-12
OSU
The two times these wrestlers had previously met, Eustice won
close decisions, by scores of 3-1 and 3-2. That pattern of close,
low-scoring matches continued here, as Eustice scored an escape
in the second period and rode Holman the entire third period
to get another point for riding time. The junior Eustice is now
11-1, while the senior Holman falls to 10-4. But this match put
Iowa right back in the dual meet, as it cut Oklahoma State's
lead to 14-12.
133
-- #6 Cliff Moore (I) vs. #2 Johnny Thompson (OSU), 6-4 sudden
victory, 15-14 Iowa
With Oklahoma State's lead narrowing, the Cowboys needed here
a win from Thompson, their sole NCAA national champion last year.
Thompson had also pinned Moore in last year's dual meet between
these two schools. But Moore, whose abilities have been called
into question by some, kept the match close, answering Thompson
point for point after a first-period takedown by the Cowboy wrestler.
It was tied at 4-4 in regulation, so to sudden victory overtime
it went. As the overtime started, Moore shot in on Thompson's
legs. He got deep, but Thompson tried to hold on and get a stalemate.
But Moore persisted, and scored the takedown 31 seconds into
the overtime, to give him an upset 6-4 win. In addition, this
put Iowa up for the first time in this meet, 15-14.
141
-- #2 Zack Esposito (OSU) pins #17 Luke Moffitt (I), 4:06, 20-15
OSU
The upset by Iowa's Moore at 133 put pressure on the unbeaten
freshman Esposito to score big here over Moffitt. He answered
the challenge, opening the match with a lateral drop that put
Moffitt on his back. Up 4-0, Esposito soon was taken down and
put on his back himself by Moffitt. But after the score narrowed
to 4-3, Esposito regained control with a quick reversal, making
it 6-3. Starting the second period on the bottom, Esposito took
charge, got another reversal, and stuck Moffitt on his back again.
This time there would be no reprieve, as Esposito scored the
pin at 4:06. Those six points for the pin put Oklahoma State
up by a commanding 20-15 lead, with just one more match to go.
Esposito is now 18-0. Moffitt is now 12-5.
149
-- #6 Jerrod Sanders (OSU) maj. dec. Chas DeVetter (I), 17-6,
24-15 OSU
This match was happily anticlimactic for Oklahoma State. With
the meet all but out of reach for Iowa, the Hawkeyes decided
to use a substitution here in this final match. Unranked sophomore
Chas DeVetter took the place of #15 Ty Eustice against Oklahoma
State's Sanders. The result was predictable, as Sanders dominated
throughout and almost scored at will.
(All
rankings are from W.I.N. Magazine's rankings of Jan. 7, 2003.
Compiled from various press releases and college wrestling sources.)
Source: ADCC
1/14/03
Quote
of the Day
Problems
are only opportunities in work clothes.
Henry J. Kaiser
BBQ
for Steve on Friday!
AJ
is throwing Steve Hordinski a BBQ this Friday at Ala Moana Beach
Park because Steve is going on duty to Japan. Everyone from the
Relson Gracie Team is invited. It will be a potluck so bring
anything you want. AJ will bring a grill, utensils, and a big
salad.
The
BBQ will be located on the right side of the park if you are
facing Ala Moana. If you have any questions, call the main academy
to see if you can get in touch with AJ or email her by clicking
here.
Come
to hang out and spend some time with Steve before he leaves to
the land of the rising sun!
Saulo
Ribeiro is ready for action and coming to a tournament near you
A
conversation today with multiple times World BJJ champion and
ADCC Champion Saulo Ribeiro found him in good spirits. Saulo
is gearing up for ADCC 2003 and he wants to reclaim his title.
Knowing that the tournament traditional has the toughest field
always, Saulo is going to sharpen his game by competing in various
tournaments around the U.S. Saulo is about to close a Superfight
on the Dale Earnhardt JR. Classic, from there he plans to compete
in the IGJJF Open and then in the Arnolds Classic. Saulo stated:
'During this year's Worlds, I noticed that I ws missing the little
edge that comes from competing often. I want to get the ADCC
Title back so I am going on a Tournament marathon to prepare
myself for it!' Good luck to the Champ!
Don't
miss out the chance to see Saulo competing. He is a master at
work!
Source:
ADCC/Kid Peligro
Vazquez
& Ambriz to Defend Titles Feb. 21
Friday the King of the Cage officially announced its lineup for
the promotion's February 21 pay-per-view from the Santa Ana Star
Casino in Pueblo City, NM. Highlighted by title defenses from
lightweight champ Javier Vazquez and super-heavyweight belt holder
Jimmy Ambriz, the 11-bout card also features the return of Bobby
Hoffman. He joins three other heavyweights, including Paul Buentello
with a shot of walking away with the KOTC heavyweight crown.
On
the undercard, Shonie Carter faces John Alessio in a clash of
KOTC contenders vying for Romie Aram's 170-pound title. The pay-per-view
broadcast begins at 6:00pm PST/9:00pm EST and is available on
DirecTV, Dish Network, TVN, Bell Express Vu and Viewer's Choice.
Javier
Vasquez Vs. Alberto Crane
Jimmy Ambriz Vs. Johnathan Ivey
Shonie Carter Vs. John Alessio
Four-Man
Heavyweight Tournament
1. Bobby Hoffman
2. Paul Buentello
3. Brian Hawkins
4. TBD
Joey
Villasenor Vs. Tony Galindo
Keith Jardine Vs. John Copenhaver
Thomas Shulte Vs. Frank Marquez
Diego Sanchez Vs. Steve Ruiz
Seth Petruzelli Vs. Jason Godsey
Source:
Maxfighting
The
Scream of The Iceman
By
name and image alone, light heavyweight contender Chuck "The
Iceman" Liddell invites clichés. "The Iceman
Cometh", "Cold as Ice", "The Chuck Stops
Here"… I could go on.
Add
the Mohawk, tattoos and ice-cool demeanor, and you've basically
got the fighting equivalent of a comic book hero. But slowly
the ice is beginning to thaw on Liddell. He's starting to show
more fire, both in and out of the ring, and as he approaches
his shot at UFC light heavyweight king Tito Ortiz, Liddell is
coming to a boil.
"I
don't really care," Liddell told MaxFighting last September
when asked who he thought would win the Ortiz-Ken Shamrock bout
last November. "I just want the winner."
It
was a far cry from early-2001, when Liddell spoke of fighting
his buddy Ortiz, an ex-training partner. "I train with him,
he's my friend," he told this reporter. "That would
make it kind of weird."
But
as Ortiz became the icon for the UFC, Liddell became the permanent
number one contender for the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy",
forced to fight the likes of Kevin Randleman, Murillo Bustamante
and Vitor Belfort while Ortiz took on lesser contenders like
Elvis Sinosic, Evan Tanner and Shamrock.
Not
to play psychoanalyst, but waiting for his rightful shot at the
title must have wrecked mental havoc on the man who has the Japanese
symbols for 'place of peace and prosperity' tattooed on the side
of his skull.
Liddell's
poker face rarely fails though. He pays respect to his foes,
both past and present, and waits patiently. And he fights. Maybe
too often. Perhaps he should be like some of his peers in other
combat sports, who achieve a mandatory contender's slot and then
sit in limbo while they wait for their chance.
But
that just wouldn't be fitting for 'The Iceman'.
Early
in 2001, he traveled to Japan to take on Guy Mezger at Pride
14. And what was seen as simply a match between two quality contenders
was really something more. It was UFC vs Pride, and Liddell was
seen as the sacrificial lamb. By the time the fight was waved
over, Liddell had scored an emphatic knockout victory, not only
for himself but also subconsciously for the UFC.
Yet
he still waited for his shot. And fought. And refused to get
knocked off.
In
November, Liddell took on the always dangerous Renato 'Babalu'
Sobral and was not only his usual efficient self, but downright
brutal in dispatching of the Brazilian in less than a round.
Then
came the scream.
"Arrrggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"
Years
of punching bags, running, sparring, sacrifice, apathy from the
powers that be. For the few minutes in that ring, Liddell is
free from everything, and when it's over, he screams - a shrill
mixture of relief, anger, and fierce energy.
"I
want my title," he belted out after stopping Sobral.
Now
Ortiz can't refuse.
But
will the Superfight happen?
While
not on the level of Ortiz-Shamrock in terms of mainstream appeal,
to the mixed martial arts fan there are few fights more hotly
anticipated than Ortiz-Liddell. But a number of questions persist.
Will Zuffa up the cash both men want to put their careers on
the line? Will Ortiz stay at 205 to fight his buddy, or move
up to heavyweight? Will Liddell's willingness to stay active
prove fatal to the fight if he happens to take a tune-up before
the title shot comes?
As
in any sport though, the more questions that persist about a
fight, a game, or a match, the better the matchup, and there
is no better fight in 2003 than Liddell-Ortiz. It could be the
fight to make the sport even bigger in the States, and may be
the type of event where there are no losers.
But
don't tell that to Liddell, who told MaxFighting in 2001, "The
worst feelings I ever had were with losing, but that's in any
sport that I've done. I hate losing."
Spoken
like a true Iceman.
And
for the 33-year-old, who graduated from California Polytechnic
State University with a Business / Accounting degree, punching
people beats punching numbers, and as he grows more and more
popular, and more unavoidable by the top gun at 205 pounds, the
future is bright.
Source:
Maxfighting
Details
On Matt Hughes Next Title Defense
MMAWeekly.com
is reporting that Matt Hughes is 99% likely to defend his UFC
Welterweight title against the 5th rated Welterweight in the
world - Sean Sherk.
Fans
have wanted to see these two impressive grapplers get it on for
quite a while, and Hughes has been anticipating the match since
November. Prior to UFC 40: Vendetta, Matt Hughes told us during
an appearance on our audio program, "WrestleZone Radio"
the following:
Matt
Boone: You've gone on record saying you wouldn't fight anyone
from your own team, like a Robbie Lawler, and I'm sure you not
one to look past an opponent, but if you get Castillo this Friday,
who is left for you?
Matt
Hughes: Sean Sherk, I believe is the next guy in line. He's in
the top 5 in the world, I think he's number 5. He would be next.
He's got a wrestling background and we'll see. Like you said,
I'll try and not look past it, but he is who I would think would
be in the running for the next title shot.
Sean
Sherk has a flawless record of 22-0 in mixed martial arts competition,
with his last fight in the Octagon being a win over Benji Radach.
Many are doubting that he'll be able to overcome Hughes, who
had an incredible year in 2002 with 2 victories over Carlos Newton,
a win over Hayato Sakurai, and the win over Gil Castillo at UFC's
last pay-per view.
Kazushi
Sakuraba To Take Over PRIDE?
Looks
as though Kazushi Sakuraba and Nobuhiko Takada are attempting
to get some sort of power position with PRIDE.
Apparently,
Sakuraba and Takada are claiming that the late Naoto Morishita
wanted the two to take his place if he ever left Dream Stage
Entertainment. Whether or not anything comes of this has yet
to be seen.
On
a similar note, Naoto Morishita's funeral is scheduled for January
16th at 1:00PM JST.
Source:
MMA News
Mark
Coleman Outraged, Wants To Return
According to MMAWeekly.com, Mark Coleman wants Mike Bernardo
in a rematch, this time under MMA rules.
This
thing is somewhat of a Tito Ortiz vs. Guy Mezger with Ken Shamrock
outraged leading into the Ortiz/Shamrock showdown. After defeating
Gary Goodridge at a K-1 show, Bernardo put his foot on a knocked
out Goodridge and raised his hand in praise. Mark Coleman, was
then outraged and had to be seperated after he charged Bernardo.
The
one thing that seems to make this fight a no-go is the fact that
Coleman wants MMA rules, and Bernardo isn't thrilled about that.
Source:
MMA News
1/13/03
Quote
of the Day
If
you put yourself in position for glory and praise, you also put
yourself in place for eggs and tomatos (Paraphrase).
Mario
Garcia
World renown newspaper designer, redesigned the Wall Street Journal
RICCO
IN ESPN THE MAGAZINE
There is a brief, (and we do mean brief,) article in ESPN the
Magazine that hits newstands today.
It's
on page 32 and it talks about how Ricco's family grew up around
Funeral homes (because his family owned three) and he told about
some funny expierences at the age of 12 regarding the family
business.
He
also said he is training Vin Diesel for his next movie. It's
all in ESPN the magazine under "The Life" on page 32.
Source:
MMA Weekly
NO
CHANGES FOR BUSTAMANTE
We had a few emails from readers who wondered if the Murilo Bustamante
situation could change since the unfortunate death to Pride's
President on Thursday.
From
all accounts it doesn't look like anything will change. MMAWeekly.com
talked with a few people in the UFC and it seems everything is
basically the same and nothing has changed regarding Bustamante
and the UFC.
Once
again the door is always open for Murilo, as there is no bad
blood at all between Zuffa and Bustamante, but if he wants the
big cash in Japan, the UFC will not match it at this time.
Source:
MMA Weekly
ANOTHER
UFC FIGHTER RELEASED
Zuffa was not kidding when they said they wanted to trim down
their fighting roster. MMAWeekly.com has found out that Ivan
Salaverry has been released from his third and final fight of
his UFC Contract.
Salaverry's
last fight was against Matt Lindland when he lost a decision
at UFC 39. Salaverry burst on the scene with an incredible performance
against Andrei Semenov of Russia getting a TKO win in the third
round. Ivan then lost to Lindland and had one last fight remaining
on his UFC contract.
The
UFC has recently said it will start trimming down it's roster
for 2003 and they weren't kidding. Already this week they have
let go Ian Freeman and it appears they will not re-sign Murilo
Bustamante, and now have let Salaverry go.
The
UFC has stated they have too many fighters and not enough slots
to fill in pay per views every other month. Salaverry will most
likely compete in Hook N Shoot in March.
Source:
MMA Weekly
PRIDE:
WILL THEY SURVIVE OR WILL THEY FOLD?
The big question in everyone's mind regarding Pride is what now?
After the tragic suicide of DSE President Morishita the future
is very unclear. The cause of the suicide is still under investagation,
but it appears to be over a relationship with the "other"
woman, if you will, more than Pride business, but here's the
interesting thing about the situation.
Even
if it wasn't regarding Pride business, as the cause of death,
MMAWeekly has learned that President Morishita was under a great
deal of concern because he told many people close with DSE that
Pride is in financial trouble. They recently have asked fighters
to take a 25% pay cut, as well as limiting other things like
how many cornermen can be paid for a fight, etc. So either way
you look at it, there is concern about the financial future of
Pride. MMAWeekly.com has talked with a few people overseas and
we are hearing many "what if" scenarios regarding the
future of DSE. Here are a few of them.....
There
is talk that Pride could take some time off, re-group and come
back, or even come back as a new company. There is also talk
about trying to tough it out and sign fighters for considerable
less money, and there is also talk that they could just close
up shop and not come back.
When
MMAWeekly talked with a UFO official, he was concerned that with
the current financial situation, DSE may never recover and he
said this was just the tip of the iceberg. He told us that he
didn't think Pride would be able to survive with or without the
former President.
When
MMAWeekly talked with a source close with the UFC, he said that
Mohisma wasn't the guy making the big decisions anyway and he
didn't feel this would affect Pride a whole lot.
One
Pride fighter told MMAWeekly that when he contacted DSE that
he was under the impression that things were so crazy that he
wasn't convinced that ANYONE would fight in Pride again.
Opinions
vary. Any way you look at it, it's serious trouble for the future
of mixed martial arts and the sport on many levels. Whether you
loved Pride or hated Pride, one thing is certain. It gave you
an alternative to watch. If the unthinkable happens and Pride
closes shop it would be one of the worst things to happen to
not only the fans, but the fighters themselves. There could be
a definite possibility that the UFC could be the only big game
in town.
We
hope Pride can overcome this tragic loss and everything is o.k.
You would think though, if Pride can't sustain itself, then the
door opens for guys to compete in either K-1, the UFC, or maybe
the Battleship promotion who is ready to launch in March. We
will continue to follow the story and have more in the upcoming
weeks.
Source: MMA Weekly
MATT
HUGHES READY FOR SEAN SHERK AT UFC 42
MMAWeekly.com and WTAN radio in Tampa, Florida talked with Matt
Hughes and Hughes said "there was a 99% chance of him fighting
Sean Sherk at UFC 42 in Las Vegas Nevada".
This
has been a match most fans have been looking forward to, as both
guys are very strong and very good wrestlers. It looks as though
that match up will take place at the MGM in April.
Sherk
is a perfect 22-0 in mixed martial arts competition, including
his last win in the UFC over Benji Radach. Hughes has been unstoppable
as of late as he received many votes for his perfect 3-0 record
in 2002 with wins over Sakurai, Newton and Castillo. We will
see both big guys bang very soon in Las Vegas.
Source:
MMA Weekly
1/12/03
Quote
of the Day
"Form
follows function."
Louis
Henri Sullivan
Sorry,
we're so late with the news. I got caught up in football.
ADCC
Brazilian Trials 2003
The
Brazilian martial arts community is counting the days for the
best ADCC trials ever held in Brazil. As usual, the rumours regarding
who is in and who is outares all around the country, and considering
how big Brazil is we consider this 'big noise'.
Fighters
are already aware of their participation in the ADCC Brazilian
Trials, which will be held next January 22nd in one of the most
beautiful postcards of Rio de Janeiro - Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas
- A wonderful lake between beaches and the forest, definitely
a must.
The
attendence will be composed only of VIP Guests and fighters with
their coaches. Expected to be in the attendence MMA fighters
such as Pride heavy Weight Champion Minotauro Nogueira and his
Twin Brother Rogerio Minotouro, Pride veteran and ADCC multiple
times champion Mario Sperry, UFC champion Murilo Bustamante,
Pride Veteran and current ADCC current Absolute Champion Ricardo
Arona, 3 Times ADCC Champion Royler Gracie, ADCC Champion Marcio
Feitosa, UFC heavyweight fighter Pedro Rizzo, and the list could
go on with countless more!!
People
right now are going crazy trying to get their invitation only
to attend what promises to be a preview of ADCC 2003. The lineup
is still a secret but we can assure that there will be no easy
matchups or easy weight division. Grappling martial arts such
as Jiu-Jitsu, Judo , Wrestling and Luta-Livre are very well represented.
The
idea of the qualifiers keeps the same goal of reveal new names
and this year we are waiting surprising matches with veterans
and newcommers what is multiplying the excitment.
Organizer
of the main event and ADCC spokeperson Guy Nievens will be in
attendance to watch live performances and check the level of
his qualifier.
The
winner of each weight division will earn a spot in the ADCC World
Submission Wrestling Championship which will be held in May 17th
and 18th in São Paulo - Brazil.
Judges
are coming from UAE in order to referee the matches, and seems
we will have some small changes in the regulations which will
be released at the appropriate moment.
This
year the tournament will have the support of famous companies
such as Koral Kimonos, PowerBar, and Vitamins & Minerals.
Stay
tuned for the 8 lucky fighters who will be fighting in each weight
division!!!!
Source:
ADCC
Vanderlei
Silva to be a Father Again!
Korea Eager for NHB,
Submission Wrestling Coming Strong in Rio!
The
Brazilian Beat:
The year is barely more than a week old and news is already popping
up! "The Beat" is currently traveling around the country,
but we somehow still manage to get you news and inform you from
wherever we are, down on the beaches of Brazil or in the middle
of the cities, we'll always find a way to keep you informed on
the latest from Brazil, so check out "The Beat" as
the sun is hot in Brazil right now and the heat is truly on!
PRIDE Middleweight champion Vanderlei Silva is going to be father
again! "The Axe Murderer" had been keeping this a secret,
but he and his wife are expecting the couple's first child together
sometime around July with the hopes that it will be a boy. Silva
is already the father of a six-year-old daughter, from a previous
relationship, and has wanted to have a son for a long time, to
carry the Chute Boxe legacy and follow his footsteps. With Chute
Boxe team coach Rudimar Fedrigo also expecting a son in April,
this will be a busy year for the Chute Boxe parents. FCF wishes
all the best for Vanderlei, his wife and their future son!
Chute
Boxe Jiu-Jitsu teacher and Royler Gracie black belt Cristiano
Marcelo is going to make his SHOOTO debut this year! Cristiano
has been constantly training hard in the Chute Boxe academy and
keeping himself in shape to compete at 76kg, and expects to deliver
a solid performance in Japan. Whether he will fight in the next
SHOOTO show or in the one after is still uncertain, but in the
meantime, he is sharpening his Muay Thai skills and is intent
on performing better than he did in his win over Jadson at MECA
7. We will continue to follow his preparation.
As
the Chute Boxe team is working hard to make 2003 a year full
of fights and competitions, Chute Boxe K-1 veteran Nilson de
Castro is already training hard for a fight at 2Hot2Handle in
March. Nilson has been in top shape for a long time now and has
been deserving of a shot at the major NHB events for quite a
while. Despite the fact that his opponent is still unknown, de
Castro is prepared to make an impact at the Dutch event.
The
Brazilian Top Team is also working hard to repeat their success
achieved last year in 2003. Team members Hudson Rocha, Fabiano
Scherner, and others will be competing in America soon. With
the new year, the training sessions have been as tough as ever.
Team founder Mario Sperry has been hard at work, training hard
with the intent of competing in the fist PRIDE event of the 2003,
and also taking care of the team's preparation in a year full
of events.
Rodrigo
"Minotauro" Nogueira took his time to go to travel
to Thailand after his PRIDE 24 bout against Dan Henderson. Minotauro
went to the home of Muay Thai instead of coming back to Brazil,
and took the chance to learn some Muay Thai techniques and traditions,
while traveling on vacation with his wife. Now he will continue
to rest a bit before getting back to his usual training routine.
But knowing Minotauro as we do, the rest won't last very long
for sure.
Korea
is now preparing to have their first international NHB event
ever! Representatives from Korea went to Curitiba and had a meeting
with Chute Boxe master Rudimar Fedrigo to begin talks for a major
NHB event in Korea near the end of the year, with the participation
of International athletes, including Chute Boxe fighters. The
Korean promoters have already held two small events in the country,
and are going to have another smaller show in the following months,
on the road to delivering a major event before 2003 comes to
an end. FCF was present during the meetings, and will be giving
more details soon about the project, such as which NHB teams
and managers will be involved with the show. Stay tuned!
The
Ultimate Free Style Switzerland event, originally scheduled for
January of 2003, was postponed and left Chute Boxe Assuerio Silva
without a fight for the current month. Assuerio has been training
hard for a considerable amount of time and is in great shape
now. The Swiss promoters are planning to hold the vent in March
of 2003, and in the meantime Assuerio is training with MECA 8
and Carlos Barreto in mind.
The
City of Campos, in Rio de Janeiro will have an interesting submission
grappling event on February 7 and 8. The Second Submission Wrestling
in Campos will have five weight classes, including the Absolute
division and a Superfight between Carlos Barreto from the Brazilian
Top Team and Alexandre Cacareco from the Ruas Vale Tudo team!
Among the names competing in the event will be Ricardo De La
Riva, Fredson Paixao, Vinicius Dacrulino, Leonardo Santos, Jamelao,
Gustavo Ximu, Antoine Jaude and Cristiano Titi. With the Abu
Dhabi Championships being held in Brazil this year, this event
will be a "must-see" and FCF will be on hand cover
all the action!
Source:
FCF
WHO'S
NUMBER ONE? UNBEATEN OKLAHOMA STATE AND IOWA BATTLE SUNDAY, JAN.
12, FOR TOP SPOT
By: Eddie Goldman
So
who's number one in college wrestling so far, two months into
the season?
At
this point, that issue will not be settled by some computer,
some panel of experts, or even one of the many authoritative
college wrestling polls.
Whatever
your opinion, a lot will be settled, for now at least, when the
top-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, 5-0 thus far, take on the
second-ranked University of Iowa Hawkeyes, 6-0, this Sunday,
Jan. 12, at 2 PM CST. This is a home meet for Oklahoma State,
in its Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, OK.
The
lineups include numerous ranked wrestlers, and several intriguing
showdowns.
At
125, Iowa's #3 Luke Eustice, 10-1, faces Oklahoma State's #5
Skyler Holman, 10-3. Eustice, an NCAA runner-up last season,
had been top-ranked until he lost in the finals of the Midlands,
9-3, to Cornell's Travis Lee. Now Eustice tries to fight his
way back to the top, and on the road. Eustice, an Iowa junior,
has defeated the Oklahoma State senior Holman in their two previous
meetings: a 3-1 decision in the 2002 Iowa-Oklahoma State dual,
and a 3-2 decision in the semifinals of the 2002 NCAA Championships.
Eustice should be a slight favorite here.
At
133, Oklahoma State's defending NCAA champion Johnny Thompson,
now ranked #2 and 10-1 this season, takes on Iowa's Cliff Moore,
ranked #6 and 10-3. Thompson just had his 38-match winning streak
snapped last week by Minnesota's Ryan Lewis, whom Thompson beat
in last year's NCAA finals. Thompson has suffered from injuries
this year, but, in his only meeting with Moore, pinned him in
4:04 in the 2002 Iowa-Oklahoma State dual. Both wrestlers are
juniors. Thompson should be favored here.
At
141, undefeated, second-ranked freshman phenom Zack Esposito
of Oklahoma State, who is 17-0 this year, faces #17 Luke Moffitt
of Iowa, who is 12-4. Esposito scored a 13-5 major decision over
the senior Moffitt at the 2002 Kaufman-Brand Open in November.
Esposito should be the big favorite here.
At
149, #6 Jerrod Sanders of Oklahoma State, 10-3, wrestles #15
Ty Eustice of Iowa, 13-4. Sanders is a senior. Ty Eustice, the
younger brother of Luke, is a redshirt freshman. Sanders should
be the favorite here.
At
157, #4 Shane Roller of Oklahoma State, 12-2, goes up against
Iowa redshirt freshman, #16 Joe Johnston, 18-6. Roller, a senior,
is coming off an upset win last week over Minnesota's Luke Becker,
another defending NCAA champion. Roller should be favored here.
At
165, #2 Tyrone Lewis of Oklahoma State, 9-0, wrestles #20 Matt
Anderson of Iowa, 7-3. Lewis is a junior, and Anderson is a senior.
Lewis is the huge favorite here.
At
174, #3 Chris Pendleton of Oklahoma State, 13-0, takes on #2
Tyler Nixt of Iowa, 12-1. At the 2002 Kaufman-Brand Open in November,
Pendleton handed Nixt his one college season loss, winning an
overtime 4-2 sudden victory decision. Pendleton also has an 8-4
decision over Nixt at the 2001 Central Missouri State Open. Pendleton
is a sophomore, while Nixt is a junior. This match is a pick-'em,
with Pendleton a slight favorite. Its outcome could be key in
determining who wins this meet.
At
184, Iowa's top-ranked Jessman Smith, 15-0, faces Oklahoma State's
#8 Jake Rosholt, 9-5. Smith won a 4-2 decision over Rosholt at
the 2001 Central Missouri State Open in their only previous meeting.
Smith, a senior, is the heavy favorite here over the redshirt
freshman Rosholt.
At
197, Oklahoma State's #2 Muhammed Lawal, 13-1, wrestles Iowa's
#19 Ryan Fulsaas, 11-5. Lawal, a senior, should dominate over
Fulsaas, a junior.
At
heavyweight, top-ranked and undefeated Steve Mocco of Iowa, 14-0,
takes on Oklahoma State's unranked Will Gruenwald, 8-7. The sophomore
Mocco pinned the junior Gruenwald in 3:30 in their only previous
meeting, at the 2002 Kaufman-Brand Open in November. Look for
another pin by Mocco here.
By
my estimate, Iowa has the favorites at 125, 184, and heavyweight.
Oklahoma State has the favorites at 133, 141, 149, 157, 165,
and 197.
To
win, the Hawkeyes must take the close matches, possibly score
an upset or two, and/or rack up bonus points in the matches where
their wrestlers can dominate. Remember that the Iowa style has
always emphasized domination more than the Oklahoma State style
has. If the Hawkeyes are to win on the road here, that is what
they will need, domination. If not, Oklahoma State will remain
undefeated, and keep its top ranking.
Here
are the probable lineups:
Iowa
Hawkeyes (6-0, 0-0 in Big Ten) 2002-03
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown (HS/Last School) Record
125 Luke Eustice Jr. Blue Earth, MN (Blue Earth) 10-1
133 Cliff Moore Jr. Dubuque, IA (Hempstead) 13-4
141 Luke Moffitt Sr. Estherville, IA (Estherville/IA Central)
12-4
149 Ty Eustice *Fr. Blue Earth, MN (Blue Earth) 13-4
157 Joe Johnston *Fr. Prairie Village, KS (Shawnee Mission E.)
18-6
165 Matt Anderson Sr. Shenandoah, IA (Shenandoah) 7-3
174 Tyler Nixt Jr. Greene, IA (Greene) 12-1
184 Jessman Smith Sr. Des Moines, IA (Southeast Polk) 15-0
197 Ryan Fulsaas Jr. Ridgeway, IA (Decorah) 11-5
HWT Steve Mocco So. North Bergen, NJ (Blair Academy) 14-0
Oklahoma
State (5-0, 2-0 in Big 12) 2002-03
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown Record
125 Skyler Holman Sr. Broken Arrow, OK 10-3
133 Johnny Thompson Jr. Oklahoma City, OK 10-1
141 Zack Esposito Fr. Three Bridges, NJ 17-0
149 Jerrod Sanders Sr. El Reno, OK 10-3
157 Shane Roller Sr. Bixby, OK 12-2
165 Tyrone Lewis Jr. El Reno, OK 9-0
174 Chris Pendleton So. Lemoore, CA 13-0
184 Jake Rosholt *Fr. Sand Point, ID 9-5
197 Muhammed Lawal Sr. Plano, TX 13-1
HWT Will Gruenwald Jr. Skiatook, OK 8-7
Both
Oklahoma State and Iowa are scheduled to have live radio coverage
of this meet as well as Internet audiocasts.
The
Oklahoma State broadcast will start at 2 PM CST on Sun., Jan.
12, on Stillwater Radio KSPI 93.7 FM, with J. Carl Guymon handling
the announcing duties.
For
a link to the Oklahoma State audio broadcast, go to:
Iowa
will also have a radio broadcast. Morrie Adams and four-time
Hawkeye All-American Mark Ironside will call the action live
on Iowa City's AM-800 KXIC, also beginning at 2 PM CST. This
can also be accessed online, with Windows Media Player, at:
There
are also tickets available for this meet. Here is the press release
regarding obtaining tickets:
Oklahoma
State-Iowa Dual Tickets Available
Fans are encouraged to buy in advance
STILLWATER,
Okla. (OSU Athletics ) Fans planning to attend the Oklahoma State-Iowa
wrestling dual on Sunday are encouraged to buy tickets in advance.
The
ticket office will be open on regular business hours on Friday
(8-5 CST), and on Saturday, tickets will be available during
the women¹s basketball game at 2 p.m. Fans will need to
purchase the tickets from the ticket office window.
The
ticket office will also be open an hour and a half prior to Sunday¹s
2 p.m. start.
The
'Dynasty Dual' features two of the top wrestling teams in the
country. The Cowboys come in ranked first, while the Hawkeyes
are second. This also marks the first 1-2 match up since the
1997-98 season.
(All
rankings are from W.I.N. Magazine's rankings of Jan. 7, 2003.
Compiled from various press releases and college wrestling sources.)
Source:
ADCC/Eddie Goldman
MORE
UPSETS AS NEBRASKA AND LEHIGH ADVANCE TO VIRGINIA DUALS FINALS
By: Eddie Goldman
Upsets
abounded in the semifinals of the 23rd annual Virginia Duals
wrestling tournament Sat., Jan. 11, at the Hampton Coliseum in
Hampton, VA.
#6
Illinois, the top seed at this tournament, fell in the first
semifinal to #12 Nebraska, 20-17. Nebraska won six out of the
ten matches, including the final bout at heavyweight, before
which the team score was tied at 17 apiece. Nebraska's heavyweight
Mitch Manstedt opened with a takedown just seven seconds into
the match against Illinois's Chris Little, and held on to take
a 5-4 decision, giving his team a 20-17 victory. Earlier, unranked
133-pounder Joey Malia of Nebraska won a wild, close 8-7 match
over #10 Mark Jayne of Illinois. That upset in the second match
of the meet set the pace for Nebraska's win.
In
the other semifinal, #10 Lehigh avenged a loss last week to #9
Penn State by taking this meet by a 22-12 score. This time Lehigh
won seven of the ten matches. The difference was evident in the
first three matches. Last week, at 125 Penn State's Adam Smith
beat Lehigh's Mario Stuart in a 3-1 sudden victory. This week,
Lehigh's Terrance Clendenin went down from 133 to 125, and beat
Smith 9-5. Lehigh used redshirt freshman Cory Cooperman at 133,
and also won, as he got a major decision over Penn State's Josh
Moore, 9-0. And at 141, Lehigh's Tristan Boyd avenged a 6-5 loss
last week to Penn State's DeWitt Driscoll by beating him 3-2.
That put Lehigh up 10-0, and they never looked back.
Here
are the results of the semifinals:
Nebraska
20, Illinois 17
125 #4 Jason Powell (NEB) dec. #9 Kyle Ott (ILL), 5-3, 3-0 NEB
133 Joey Malia (NEB) dec. #10 Mark Jayne (ILL), 8-7, 6-0 NEB
141 #18 Cal Ferry (ILL) dec. Dusty Spalding (NEB), 3-2, 6-3 NEB
149 #10 Travis Shufelt (NEB) tech fall #18 Tony Pedrosa (ILL),
17-2, 5:59, 11-3 NEB
157 #8 Alex Tirapelle (ILL) dec. Nate McMillan (NEB), 10-4, 11-6
NEB
165 #1 Matt Lackey (ILL) won by fall Jacob Klein (NEB), 2:10,
12-11 ILL
174 #11 Travis Pascoe (NEB) dec. #5 Brian Glynn (ILL), 6-2, 14-12
NEB
184 #14 B.J. Padden (NEB) dec. #12 Jason Potter (ILL), 9-5, 17-12
NEB
197 #20 Tyrone Byrd (ILL) tech fall. Kyle Gubbels (NEB), 16-0,
3:18, 17-17
HWT Mitch Manstedt (NEB) dec. Chris Little (ILL), 5-4, 20-17
NEB
Lehigh
22, Penn State 12
125 Terrance Clendenin (L) dec. #20 Adam Smith (PS), 9-5, 3-0
L
133 #12 Cory Cooperman (L) maj. dec. #9Josh Moore (PS), 9-0,
7-0 L
141 Tristan Boyd (L) dec. DeWitt Driscoll (PS), 3-2, 10-0 L
149 #9 Scott Moore (PS) tech. fall Aaron Kling (L), 22-6, 6:51,
10-5 L
157 #7 Derek Zinck (L) dec. Nate Wachter (PS), 2-1, 13-5 L
165 #3 Troy Letters (L) dec. #19 Doc Vecchio (PS), 8-2, 16-5
L
174 #9 Brad Dillon (L) dec. Dan Waters (PS), 8-3, 19-5 L
184 #6 Mark Becks (PS) dec. #20 Travis Frick (L), 3-1, 19-8 L
197 #1 Jon Trenge (L) dec. Ryan Cummins (PS), 4-3, 22-8 L
HWT #8 Pat Cummins (PS) maj. dec. #15 Joe Sahl (L), 14-5, 22-12
L
The
finals are scheduled to start at 8:30 PM EST.
You
can also get more information as well as all the results at the
official Virginia Duals web site at:
(All
rankings are from W.I.N. Magazine's rankings of Jan. 7, 2003.
Compiled from various press releases and college wrestling sources.)
Source:
ADCC
1/11/03
Quote
of the Day
"If
you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace
else."
Yogi Berra
Amateur
Fighting Championship 3's Date is Set!
The Amateur
Fighting Championship will hold its third event on March 29,
2003 at the Waikiki Shell in the Amphitheather.
WHAT IS THE AFC?
The AFC is a 2 weight-class 'toughman' single elimination tournament.
There is an Under 200lbs division as well as an 200lbs and over
division. The winner of each division gets either a cash prize
(in which case he would no longer be considered an 'amateur')
or a gift certificate (thereby keeping amateur status).
The past two events have showcased some of Hawaii's best boxers
and kickboxers. This is a great event to gain experience for
future kickboxing or boxing matches.
The AFC is still accepting competitors, so if anyone is interested
please email the AFC promoters at info@afchawaii.com or by calling (808)
696-5502.
The AFC is also still accepting sponsors. If you are interested
in becoming a sponsor to help give local boxers and kickboxers
a venue to compete and help grow the sport, please contact the
promoter.
Source: Event Promoter
PRIDE
President Found Dead
Late
last night, we received some sad news. DSE President Naoto Morishita
was found dead Wednesday night, shortly after midnight, the victim
of an apparent suicide. He was reportedly found hanged with an
obi (sash/belt) in a hotel room in the Shinjuku District of Tokyo,
Japan. According to police, no suicide note was found.
Earlier
in the day, Morishita reportedly announced future plans for PRIDE,
including the announcement of the scheduling of PRIDE 25 (March
16), 26 (May 25), 27 (November) & the long-awaited 2nd PRIDE
Grand Prix (opening round to be held in August and the Finals
in October, both shows in the Tokyo Dome). He also reportedly
reaffirmed the intentions to hold a PRIDE show in the U.S. in
the future.
Our
deepest condolences go out to Mr. Morishita's family and friends.
Source: FCF
MMA
In Prime Time Again:
"The Smashing Machine"
Set To Debut January 12th On HBO
By Loretta Hunt
Tuesday,
January 7th marked another milestone for mixed martial arts,
as Home Box Office (HBO) hosted a private screening of "The
Smashing Machine" at its headquarters in New York City.
A ninety-three minute documentary focusing on the life and times
of mixed martial artist Mark Kerr, the provocative piece is set
to air this Sunday. Both Mark Kerr and Mark Coleman, the stars
of the film, were on hand with wives Dawn and Kelly (also appearing
in the film) to celebrate the documentary's success. The film
has already appeared at the Tribeca Film Festival and CineVegas.
Directed
by John Hyams and produced by Jon Greenhalgh, a former college
roommate and wrestling teammate of Kerr's at Syracuse University,
the film originally set out to record the journey of one of the
toughest men in the world in his quest to be a champion. However,
in the 3-year process (and over 500 hours of footage) that was
to follow, "The Smashing Machine" became so much more.
In addition to capturing the meteoric rise of wrestler Kerr through
the ranks of such promotions as the WVC, UFC, and PRIDE-- the
documentary expertly delves into Kerr's personal struggles as
an opiate addict trying to stay on top and the toll his addiction
eventually took on the relationships in his life. Behind-the-scenes
footage reveals Kerr's home life to training sessions to inner
thoughts pre and post-fight. The film also captures some of the
inner workings of Japan's most celebrated MMA event, the unadulterated
love its fans display and the incredible pressure its competitors
experience. Honest appearances by both Mark Coleman and Bas Rutten
only elevate the film's grit and specificity. Coleman is especially
poignant in a scene at his home in Ohio, playfully interacting
with his young fidgety daughter in his lap as she explains to
the camera what her daddy does for a living.
To
the credit of John Hyams (currently directing episodes of NYPD
Blue in Los Angeles), who admits he knew little of the sport
before being approached by Greenhalgh, the finished product is
staggeringly vivid and telling. "It was good for me to come
in knowing not much about it and sort of discovering it as I
went to bring a fresh approach to it. I certainly had no agenda
going in-I wasn't against it or for it. I wanted to make a movie
that you could watch and feel like you're watching a great movie-
not just an educational or expose type of story. I really wanted
the viewer to get to know these guys and go through the process
of fighting and training and recovering and everything it entails."
For producer Jon Greenhalgh, who has followed the fight scene
and Kerr's career from its beginnings, the demise of the film's
leading character into personal turmoil came as somewhat of a
surprise. "Mark's always been a very dynamic person and
I didn't know what we were going to encounter, but I kinda figured
we'd encounter something. I was surprised to the degree and severity
of his problem, but like I've said, I've seen Mark get into trouble
before and he always has a way of pulling himself out of it."
As
for the centerpiece of the film, star Kerr seemed to have no
reservations about the details of his personal life being broadcast
to millions of homes this Sunday. "The reactions that I
have gotten [thus far] were totally contrary to what I'd thought
they'd be. People were inspired by it." Added co-star Coleman,
"For Mark to open up his life like that takes a lot of courage.
I hope he keeps it together and keeps pulling it together and
I'll always be there for him."
From
its opening scenes in which Kerr visits his local doctor's office
after a fight to his uncomfortable back-and-forth disputes with
then-girlfriend Dawn Staples to some of the most innovative fight
footage ever captured on celluloid, this film delivers a plethora
of riveting viewing moments.
Brutal,
heartwrenching, and witty all at the same time, "The Smashing
Machine" marks another highpoint for MMA with the sheer
sensitivity and artistry it utilizes in conveying the oft-misunderstood
sport. Although the gruesome fight footage (all dating back at
least three years) will do little to soften the general public's
impression of MMA, the film actually succeeds in going beyond
the facade of fighter to the man that lies behind it.
A
must-see for true MMA fans, "The Smashing Machine"
debuts Sunday, January 12th at 10pm EST on HBO. It will re-air
Monday, Jan. 13th at 11pm on HBO2; Wednesday, Jan. 15th at 12am
and 10pm; Friday, Jan. 17th at 10pm on HBO2; Tuesday, Feb. 4th
at 9:45 pm on HBO2; and Sunday, Feb. 9th at 2:30am on HBO2. (All
time are EST.)
Source: FCF
Pat
Miletich Responds to Bobby Hoffman
"Arnold "The Sushiboy" Lim
Part 7 of our 9 part interview with Bobby and Patty Hoffman has
come and gone. After reading the comments about them in part
seven of our Bobby Hoffman interview, ( HERE…) team Miletich
leader and the longest serving lightweight champ in UFC history
Pat Miletich and his manager and Team Extreme spearhead Monte
Cox have responded to the comments by Bobby Hoffman. First off
we will hear from his former trainer pat Miletich and hear about
what he has to say about the "Bad Seed" and tomorrow
we will be back with the response from the leader of Team Extreme
and Bobby Hoffman's former manager Monte Cox. With out further
ado here is what Pat Miletich had to say…
Pat
Miletich
"In
regards to Bobby Hoffman's interview and his statements about
myself and Monte Cox, I wouldn't expect anything else from a
guy like Bob.
We,
as a team, tried on numerous occasions to get Bob to train at
least one or two times a week. I asked him constantly to come
and train with the team and he always had an excuse. He probably
trained with the team 10 times in two years... and we never charged
him a dime. Hoffman has a severe anger control problem and I
think Eddie Millis at the Shark Tank would agree with me that
the guy is absolutely un-trainable.
When
Hoffman threatened to kill my wife and Monte's wife and kids...
and he did so in front of one of our fighters... I went out and
bought a weapon to put in my desk just in case he showed up at
the gym, which is where my wife's chiropractic clinic is located.
That's how serious I took his threats.
Finally,
Hoffman is just fucked up in the head. If you don't believe us,
hang out with him for a while... I dare you to. Then you can
judge for yourself." -pm
That
was what Mr. Miletich had to say about Bobby Hoffman.
We will have the written response from Bobby Hoffman's former
manager, Monte Cox, tomorrow so check back soon. He will chime
in with his views on Bobby Hoffman and Team Extreme's stance
on Bobby Hoffman. Stay Tuned.
Source: MMA Ring Report
DEEP
in JAPAN: Losing the '2001'
It's now apparent that DEEP 2001 will change it's name to only
DEEP. Seems logical since the '2001' is so 'two years ago.'
Negotiations
are underway with Minowa, Yuki Kondo and of course the Mexican
pro wrestlers for their upcoming March event.
In
a strange twist of events, SHOOTO star Hayato 'Mach' Sakurai
will be competing on the show. This is extremely rare since Sakurai
has extensive ties to Shooto and has been with the company since
the start of his career.
Sakurai
is looking for redemption after passing on a fight with Gil Castillo
to take on Castillo's training partner Jake Sheilds. Many fans
were shocked that Sakurai took the fight against an unknown,
and 'Mach' ended up losing the bout via decision.
While
Sakurai won't be the first Shooto fighter to fight outside of
the company (Dokonjonosuke Mishima did it first) it is unique.
Mach
faces Ryuuki Ueyama on March 4, 2003 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
It's now apparent that DEEP 2001 will change it's name to only
DEEP. Seems logical since the '2001' is so 'two years ago.'
Source: ADCC
Taktarov
in the News
A Russian model has apparently filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit
against former UFC champion Oleg Taktarov, for assault The model
is calling Oleg a 'human weapon' and her lawyer is having a field
day with his fighting background.
Yana
Alexander claims to have reported the attack to the police but
there is no record of the incident happening.
For
more details, check out the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS article:
An aspiring model claims a knockout punch by former Ultimate
Fighting champion Oleg Taktarov left her bloodied and bruised
and ended her career.
Yana Alexander, 27, is suing Taktarov for $10million in Manhattan
Supreme Court, charging that the fighter - known as the Russian
Bear - struck her in the face Feb. 26, 2001, knocking her to
the ground.
"This
is a guy who is a human weapon," said Alexander's lawyer,
Barry Zone, who said his client had a romance with Taktarov.
He
said the alleged assault occurred outside his client's Manhattan
apartment and left her with facial fractures, a concussion, a
broken nose and bruises.
Zone
said Alexander reported the alleged attack to police, but the
Manhattan district attorney's office said it has no record of
the case.
Taktarov
said he is shocked by the allegation. The married fighter also
denied dating Alexander.
"I
never hit a woman in my life," said the brawler, who has
played tough-guy parts in Hollywood films.
Taktarov,
34, was a two-time champ of the no-holds-barred Ultimate Fighting
bouts that are banned in New York State. Critics of the sport
have likened it to human cockfighting.
Taktarov
has taught self-defense to the Russian military and had acting
parts in the Robert De Niro thriller "15 Minutes" and
the 2001 remake of "Rollerball."
Taktarov
said he met Alexander at an audition for "15 Minutes,"
but said she didn't get a part.
"I
can't understand what is going on here. We've been friends,"
he said. He added that she seemed depressed at times and talked
of returning to her homeland of Russia.
Helen
Peterson
Source: ADCC
WHO'S
NUMBER ONE? UNBEATEN OKLAHOMA STATE AND IOWA BATTLE SUNDAY, JAN.
12, FOR TOP SPOT
Submitted by: Eddie Goldman
So who's number one in college wrestling so far, two months into
the season?
At
this point, that issue will not be settled by some computer,
some panel of experts, or even one of the many authoritative
college wrestling polls.
Whatever
your opinion, a lot will be settled, for now at least, when the
top-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, 5-0 thus far, take on the
second-ranked University of Iowa Hawkeyes, 6-0, this Sunday,
Jan. 12, at 2 PM CST. This is a home meet for Oklahoma State,
in its Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, OK.
The
lineups include numerous ranked wrestlers, and several intriguing
showdowns.
At
125, Iowa's #3 Luke Eustice, 10-1, faces Oklahoma State's #5
Skyler Holman, 10-3. Eustice, an NCAA runner-up last season,
had been top-ranked until he lost in the finals of the Midlands,
9-3, to Cornell's Travis
Lee. Now
Eustice tries to fight his way back to the top, and on the road.
Eustice, an Iowa junior, has defeated the Oklahoma State senior
Holman in their two previous meetings: a 3-1 decision in the
2002 Iowa-Oklahoma State dual, and a 3-2 decision in the semifinals
of the 2002 NCAA Championships. Eustice should be a slight favorite
here.
At
133, Oklahoma State's defending NCAA champion Johnny Thompson,
now ranked #2 and 10-1 this season, takes on Iowa's Cliff Moore,
ranked #6 and 10-3. Thompson just had his 38-match winning streak
snapped last week by Minnesota's Ryan Lewis, whom Thompson beat
in last year's NCAA finals. Thompson has suffered from injuries
this year, but, in his only meeting with Moore, pinned him in
4:04 in the 2002 Iowa-Oklahoma State dual. Both wrestlers are
juniors. Thompson should be favored here.
At
141, undefeated, second-ranked freshman phenom Zack Esposito
of Oklahoma State, who is 17-0 this year, faces #17 Luke Moffitt
of Iowa, who is 12-4. Esposito scored a 13-5 major decision over
the senior Moffitt at the 2002 Kaufman-Brand Open in November.
Esposito should be the big favorite here.
At
149, #6 Jerrod Sanders of Oklahoma State, 10-3, wrestles #15
Ty Eustice of Iowa, 13-4. Sanders is a senior. Ty Eustice, the
younger brother of Luke, is a redshirt freshman. Sanders should
be the favorite here.
At
157, #4 Shane Roller of Oklahoma State, 12-2, goes up against
Iowa redshirt freshman, #16 Joe Johnston, 18-6. Roller, a senior,
is coming off an upset win last week over Minnesota's Luke Becker,
another defending NCAA champion. Roller should be favored here.
At
165, #2 Tyrone Lewis of Oklahoma State, 9-0, wrestles #20 Matt
Anderson of Iowa, 7-3. Lewis is a junior, and Anderson is a senior.
Lewis is the huge favorite here.
At
174, #3 Chris Pendleton of Oklahoma State, 13-0, takes on #2
Tyler Nixt of Iowa, 12-1. At the 2002 Kaufman-Brand Open in November,
Pendleton handed Nixt his one college season loss, winning an
overtime 4-2 sudden victory decision. Pendleton also has an 8-4
decision over Nixt at the 2001 Central Missouri State Open. Pendleton
is a sophomore, while Nixt is a junior. This match is a pick-'em,
with Pendleton a slight favorite. Its outcome could be key in
determining who wins this meet.
At
184, Iowa's top-ranked Jessman Smith, 15-0, faces Oklahoma State's
#8 Jake Rosholt, 9-5. Smith won a 4-2 decision over Rosholt at
the 2001 Central Missouri State Open in their only previous meeting.
Smith, a senior, is the heavy favorite here over the redshirt
freshman Rosholt.
At
197, Oklahoma State's #2 Muhammed Lawal, 13-1, wrestles Iowa's
#19 Ryan Fulsaas, 11-5. Lawal, a senior, should dominate over
Fulsaas, a junior.
At
heavyweight, top-ranked and undefeated Steve Mocco of Iowa, 14-0,
takes on Oklahoma State's unranked Will Gruenwald, 8-7. The sophomore
Mocco pinned the junior Gruenwald in 3:30 in their only previous
meeting, at the 2002 Kaufman-Brand Open in November. Look for
another pin by Mocco here.
By
my estimate, Iowa has the favorites at 125, 184, and heavyweight.
Oklahoma State has the favorites at 133, 141, 149, 157, 165,
and 197.
To
win, the Hawkeyes must take the close matches, possibly score
an upset or two, and/or rack up bonus points in the matches where
their wrestlers can dominate. Remember that the Iowa style has
always emphasized domination more than the Oklahoma State style
has. If the Hawkeyes are to win on the road here, that is what
they will need, domination. If not, Oklahoma State will remain
undefeated, and keep its top ranking.
Here
are the probable lineups:
Iowa
Hawkeyes (6-0, 0-0 in Big Ten) 2002-03
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown (HS/Last School) Record
125 Luke Eustice Jr. Blue Earth, MN (Blue Earth) 10-1
133 Cliff Moore Jr. Dubuque, IA (Hempstead) 13-4
141 Luke Moffitt Sr. Estherville, IA (Estherville/IA Central)
12-4
149 Ty Eustice *Fr. Blue Earth, MN (Blue Earth) 13-4
157 Joe Johnston *Fr. Prairie Village, KS (Shawnee Mission E.)
18-6
165 Matt Anderson Sr. Shenandoah, IA (Shenandoah) 7-3
174 Tyler Nixt Jr. Greene, IA (Greene) 12-1
184 Jessman Smith Sr. Des Moines, IA (Southeast Polk) 15-0
197 Ryan Fulsaas Jr. Ridgeway, IA (Decorah) 11-5
HWT Steve Mocco So. North Bergen, NJ (Blair Academy) 14-0
Oklahoma
State (5-0, 2-0 in Big 12) 2002-03
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown Record
125 Skyler Holman Sr. Broken Arrow, OK 10-3
133 Johnny Thompson Jr. Oklahoma City, OK 10-1
141 Zack Esposito Fr. Three Bridges, NJ 17-0
149 Jerrod Sanders Sr. El Reno, OK 10-3
157 Shane Roller Sr. Bixby, OK 12-2
165 Tyrone Lewis Jr. El Reno, OK 9-0
174 Chris Pendleton So. Lemoore, CA 13-0
184 Jake Rosholt *Fr. Sand Point, ID 9-5
197 Muhammed Lawal Sr. Plano, TX 13-1
HWT Will Gruenwald Jr. Skiatook, OK 8-7
Both
Oklahoma State and Iowa are scheduled to have live radio coverage
of this meet as well as Internet audiocasts.
The
Oklahoma State broadcast will start at 2 PM CST on Sun., Jan.
12, on Stillwater Radio KSPI 93.7 FM, with J. Carl Guymon handling
the announcing duties.
For
a link to the Oklahoma State audio broadcast, go to:
Iowa
will also have a radio broadcast. Morrie Adams and four-time
Hawkeye All-American Mark Ironside will call the action live
on Iowa City's AM-800 KXIC, also beginning at 2 PM CST. This
can also be accessed online, with Windows Media Player, at:
There
are also tickets available for this meet. Here is the press release
regarding obtaining tickets:
Oklahoma
State-Iowa Dual Tickets Available
Fans are encouraged to buy in advance
STILLWATER,
Okla. (OSU Athletics ) Fans planning to attend the Oklahoma State-Iowa
wrestling dual on Sunday are encouraged to buy tickets in advance.
The
ticket office will be open on regular business hours on Friday
(8-5 CST), and on Saturday, tickets will be available during
the women¹s basketball game at 2 p.m. Fans will need to
purchase the tickets from the ticket office window.
The
ticket office will also be open an hour and a half prior to Sunday¹s
2 p.m. start.
The
'Dynasty Dual' features two of the top wrestling teams in the
country. The Cowboys come in ranked first, while the Hawkeyes
are second. This also marks the first 1-2 match up since the
1997-98 season.
(All
rankings are from W.I.N. Magazine's rankings of Jan. 7, 2003.
Compiled from various press releases and college wrestling sources.)
