January News Part 2
|
Quote
of the Day
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 |
|
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
|
|
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:
http://members.citynet.net/sites/taws
Results
will be posted on Ohio State's athletic web site at:
http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com
For
the Oklahoma State audiocast, go to:
http://okstate.ocsn.com/sports/m-wrestl/okst-m-wrestl-sched.html
For
the University of Iowa audiocast, go to:
http://www.hawkeyesports.com/wrestle/schedule/schedule.htm
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.
For
more information, go to:
http://www.livesportsvideo.com/ or
http://www.i2sports.com/
You
can also get the latest updates and more information about the
Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals on the NWCA website at:
http://www.nwcaonline.com/
(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 |
|
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)
Fight time:
bluebelts - 6 minutes
purplebelts - 7 minutes
brownbelts - 8 minutes
blackbelts -10 minutes
Masters (30-35)
Athletes
born between 1968 and 1973
Fight time: Bluebelts – 5 minutes
Purple/brown/blackbelts – 6 minutes
Men
only
Seniors 1
(36-40)
Athletes
born between 1963 and 1967
Fight time: all belts - 5 minutes
Men
only
Seniors 2
(41-45)
Athletes
born between 1958 and 1962.
Fight time: all belts - 5 minutes
Men
only
Seniors 3
(over 46)
Athletes
born before 1957.
Fight time: all belts - 5 minutes
Men
only
Women
There
will be five weight divisions (check weight list)
Purple, brown and blackbelts will compete in the same division
Adults
only
Fight
time: Bluebelts - 6 minutes
Purple/brown/blackbelts – 7 minutes
WEIGH INS
AND HOW TO ENROLL
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.
Read
the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/boxing/2647019.stm
Source:
ADCC |
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 heavyweig |