March News Part 3
|
Quote
of the Day
Happiness
is not best achieved by those who seek it directly.
Bertrand
Russell |
Japanese
ADCC TRIALS Complete!
Th ADCC has completed the most extensive qualifier series in
the history of the Submission Wrestling World Championships with
the Japanese Trials held in Tokyo on March 30th.
Congratulations
to the champions, who overcame very tough competition in every
category. The champions of the lowest 3 weight classes all fought
4 times, the first time qualifying tournaments of 16 men have
been held!
CHAMPIONS:
under 65.9 KG: Katsuyuki Hirata
66-76.9 KG: Mitsuhiro Ishida
77-87.9 KG: Y. Okami
88-98.9 KG: Yousuke Mikami
99 KG up: Jun Ishii
With
the World Championships less than two months away, below is a
list of the confirmed Qualifiers, as well as last years champions.
Previous
Regional Qualifiers:
2001
CHAMPIONS:
65.9 KG & under: ROYLER GRACIE (Brazil)
66-76.9 KG: MARCIO FEITOSA (Brazil)
77-87.9 KG: SANAE KIKUTA (Japan)
88-98.9 KG: RICARDO ARONA (Brazil)
99 KG & Up: MARK ROBINSON (South Africa)
NORTH
AMERICAN TRIAL CHAMPIONS:
65.9 KG & under: EDDIE BRAVO (JJ Machado)
66-76.9 KG: PABLO POPOVICH (American Top Team)
77-87.9 KG: DAVID TERRELL (Cesar Gracie JJ)
88-98.9 KG: DEAN LISTER(City Boxing)
99 KG & Up: MIKE WHITEHEAD (Victory Athletics)
AUSTRALIAN
TRIAL CHAMPIONS:
65.9 KG & under: CHRIS DERKSON
66-76.9 KG: GEORGE SOTIROPOULOS
77-87.9 KG: TRAVERS GRUBB
88-98.9 KG: ANTHONY PEROSH
99 KG & Up: SOA PELELEI
EUROPEAN
TRIAL CHAMPIONS:
65.9 KG & under: TEEMU LAUNIS (Finland)
66-76.9 KG: JUSSI TAMMELIN (Finland)
77-87.9 KG: ROBERT SULSKI (Poland)
88-98.9 KG: ILIR LATIFI (Sweden / Albania)
99 KG & Up: MIKA ILMAN (Finland)
BRAZILIAN
TRIAL CHAMPIONS:
65.9 KG & under: RANY YAYHRA
66-76.9 KG: DANIEL MORAES (Gracie)
77-87.9 KG: RONALDO 'JACARE' (Master)
88-98.9 KG: ALEXANDRE 'Cacareco' FERREIRA (RUAS VT)
99 KG & Up: MARCIO 'Pe De Pano' CRUZ (Gracie)
Source:
ADCC |
K-1
- Quick Results!
Tokyo, Japan - Sunday March 30th, 2003
The
Japanese fans were treated to another Bob Sapp show, as Team
BEAST, a group led by Sapp, was the main theme of the show! Big
surprises!
Complete
Results:
- Ernesto Hoost (Holland) v. Jefferson Silva (Brazil): Hoost
by KO, RD 1.
- Jan Nortje (South Africa ) v. Evgueni Orlov (Russia): Nortje
by Judges Decision
- Remy Bonjasky (Holland) v. Bjorn Bregy (Switzerland): Bojansky
by Towel Thrown in, RD 3.
- Ray Sefo (New Zealand) v. Pele Reid (U.K.): Sefo by Towel Thrown
in, RD 3.
- Peter Aerts (Holland) v. Stefan Leko (Germany): Leko by Doctor'
Stoppage *cut leg
- Bob Sapp (USA) v. Mirko CroCop (Croatia): Mirko by KO in Round
1
Source:
ADCC
CroCop
Beats the Beast
World Grand Prix in Saitama
Review
Index: Select Mirko Cro-Cop Filipovic vs Bobb Sapp Ernesto Hoost
vs Jefferson Silva Jan "The Giant" Nortje vs Evgueni
Orlovof Remy Bojasky vs Bjorn Bregy Ray Sefo vs Pele Reid Stefan
Leko vs Peter Aerts
MARCH 30, SAITAMA, JAPAN -- Croatian fighter Mirko CroCop Filipovic
capped off an afternoon of All-Star K-1 action with an impressive
KO victory over Bob "The Beast" Sapp at the Saitama
Super Arena.
The
six-bout card's main event saw Sapp march into the arena wearing
a flowing white robe (frilled with white feathers no less) to
the thunder of Richard Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra."
Alas, Sapp's dramatic entrance was to last longer than his performance
in the ring. The Beast started as he always does, in an NFL defensive
lineman crouch, waiting for the bell before marching in on his
opponent with the big haymakers that have brought him victory
against some of K-1's best.
But
CroCop knew the script, and repeatedly danced away, the better
to stay out of Sapp's trap. When he got the chance, CroCop threw
his deadly high kicks, but really he never found himself planted
solidly enough to get one of these up and in on target. Instead
it was a quick kick to Sapp's right side, just below the rib
cage, that felled the big guy barely a minute into the fight.
Sapp lay on the canvas, a grimace of pain on his face, and did
not even try to beat the count. The crowd loved it, as of course
did CroCop, who flashed a rare smile before picking up his trophy.
"People
expected me to use my high kick," said CroCop afterwards,
"but I suppose I showed that I can win in a variety of ways.
This was the biggest fight of my life, and I am very happy with
the result."
Sapp
did not give a post-bout interview, as he was taken to the hospital
with indeterminate injuries.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Pacific
Fighting Championships
Tickets are now on sale at the NBC box office. There are a number
of strikers on this card to ensure a lot of action and KO's! |
Quote
of the Day
"I
am always busy, which is perhaps the chief reason why I am always
well."
Elizabeth Cady Stanton |
AFC
3 Results!
Amateur Fighting Competition 3
Waikiki Shell Amphitheater, Honolulu, Hawaii
March 29, 2003
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
This
was Ray "Bradda" Cooper and his wife, Monika's third
installment of the AFC. This time, Cooper and company moved the
event to the open air, Waikiki Shell Amphitheater. It turned
out to be a great night for fights in a great venue. Due to the
layout of the Amphitheater, there really was not a bad seat in
the house. The AFC is Hawaii's version of the Toughman competitions
with a twist. There are three rounds of one minute each round.
The fighters wear 16ounce gloves and headgear like regular Toughman
competitions. However, the fighters are allowed one take down
per round. The take down drastically changes the element of fight.
Fighters that have superior striking skills, must now counter
a take down, which is scored equal to a knock down. So a take
down can effectively negates a knock down. There were a couple
of fights that take downs were the deciding factor that helped
a fighter avoid a close decision. Ron "The Machine Gun"
Jhun served as referee for all the bouts. The only fighter that
was not from Oahu made his inter-island trip well worth it. Michael
Labuanan, fighting out of Maui Full Contact, displayed crisp
punches, good combinations and good take downs. He was the second
smallest competitor, but he showed that good technique and strategy
can pay off in a big way. His final fight against, the heavy
hitting James Stanford was a war. Stanford knocked down his first
opponent on his way to the finals, and even knocked down Labuanan
in their fight. Labuanan negated Stanford's knock down with a
take down and increased his lead with another take down for the
victory. Defending champion, Kaleo Westbrook was the largest
competitor and made his opponent's "feel" his presence.
He did have a war in the finals with Roy Alivanu, who strangely
trains at the same gym as Westbrook. Alivanu got off a lot of
punches quicker than Westbrook, but Westbrook's power punches
and strong exchange in the third round edged him out the victory
and the cash prize. Both final matches were filled with a lot
of action and ended the night on a high note.
200
& under weight class:
Michael Labuanan (175lbs, Makawao, Maui) def. Cyrus Kanaole (165lbs,
Waipahu)
TKO - Kanaole does not come out of corner after the end of Round
2.
201
& over weight class:
Roy Alivanu (240lbs, Waianae) def. Billy Saio (203lbs, Honolulu)
Unanimous Decision [(13-6), (13-6), (13-6)]
200
& under weight class:
PJ Dean (177lbs, Waianae) def. Filipo Toelau (177lbs, Honolulu)
Unanimous Decision [(11-8), (11-8), (16-7)]
201
& over weight class:
Kaleo Westbrook (330lbs, Waianae) def. Jacob "Jake"
Faagai (246lbs, Waianae)
Unanimous Decision [(9-6), (9-6), (9-6)]
200
& under weight class:
Louis Kuamo'o (188lbs, Nanakuli) def. Alan Alcaraz (183lbs, Ewa
Beach)
Unanimous Decision [(10-7), (12-7), (10-7)]
200
& under weight class:
James Stanford (193lbs, Waianae) def. Tommy "Tsunami"
Woo (Ewa Beach)
Unanimous Decision [(13-10), (13-8), (13-8)]
200
& under weight class Semi-Finals:
Michael Labuanan (175lbs, Makawao, Maui) def. Louis Kuamo'o (188lbs,
Nanakuli)
Unanimous Decision [(13-6), (13-6), (13-6)]
200
& under weight class Semi-Finals:
James Stanford (193lbs, Waianae) def. Alstead Anderson* (188lbs,
Honolulu)
*Alstead Anderson replaces an injured PJ Dean
Unanimous Decision [(9-6), (8-7), (9-6)]
201
& over weight class Finals:
Kaleo Westbrook (330lbs, Waianae) def. Roy Alivanu (240lbs, Waianae)
Majority Decision [(8-7), (8-7), (7-8)]
200
& under weight class Finals:
Michael Labuanan (175lbs, Makawao, Maui) def. James Stanford
(193lbs, Waianae)
Unanimous Decision [(18-13), (13-12), (13-12)] |
Hawaiian
Amazons Kickboxing Competition
am·a·zon
noun
1. Greek Mythology: A member of a nation of women warriors reputed
to have lived in Scythia.
2. A tall, aggressive, strong-willed woman.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the Englis Language,
Fourth Edition |
Do you have what it takes to become a Hawaiian Amazon?
What: Women's Kickboxing
When: May 31, 2003, Saturday
Where: Professional Training Center
803 Kamehameha Hwy.
Pearl City, Hawaii
Contestant
Requirements:
You must meet all of the following requirements:
· Female, 18 years of age or older.
· No previous professional boxing or kickboxing experience.
· Not have more than 5 sanctioned amateur wins in the
last 5 years.
· Good physical health/condition.
Contest
Rules:
· This is a Kickboxing Event
· Each bout consists of three (3), 60 seconds rounds with
a 45-second rest between each round.
· No wrestling, throws or takedowns, biting or head butts,
elbow and knee strikes.
· All kicks must be thrown to make contact above the waistline
and below the neck area.
· All boxing punches are allowed.
· Minimum of 4 kicks per round.
· 3 knockdown rule and standing 8 count are in effect.
· A prefight physical must be passed before you are allowed
to compete in the event.
Further
questions about the contest rules or contestant entry may be
directed to:
Chanelle Valdez at (808) 456-7443.
Source: Event Promoter |
ADCC
JAPANESE TRIALS - Competitors Announced!
The
competitors in the JAPANESE ADCC Trials, scheduled for Tokyo
today March 30th, are listed below.
Additionally,
the Japanese press is reporting several other Japanese competitors
have accepted invitations directly for the World Championships,
to be held in Sao Paulo Brazil on May 17 and 18. Tsuyoshi Kosaka,
Kuni Kunioku and Hirotaka Yokoi are likely to be in the main
draw as well!
65.9kg
Under
1 Satoshi Hasegawa
2 Hiroyuki Abe
3 Mitsuhiro Bitou
4 Takumi Murata
5 Masakazu Imanari
6 Takahiro Sanehara
7 Kenichi Kitamoto
8 Kazuhiro Inoue
9 Yu Ueno
10 Akihiro Tanaka
11 Masayuki Demise
12 Katsuyuki Hirata
13 Katsuhisa Hirata
14 Koichi Kuwabara
15 Seiji Ozuka
16 Hideki Kadowaki
66-76.9
kg Under
1 Mitsuhiro Ishida
2 Toru Nakayama
3 Hirokazu Takamoto
4 Hiroaki Kotani
5 Yuji Hoshino
6 Tsuchida
7 Ayumu Kobayashi
8 Tatsuya Kawajiri
9 Shigetoshi Iwase
10 Kouhei Yasumi
11 Takuto Tobita
12 Kenichi Serizawa
13 Ryan Bow
14 Tomonary Shikamata
15 Takeshi Ono
16 Satoshi Nishino
Reserve - Gaku Iino
77-87.9kg
Under
1 Ryo Sai
2 Jun Kitagawa
3 Shikou Yamashita
4 Shinya Aoki
5 Kenichirou Moriya
6 Makoto Miyazawa
7 Masato Nishiguchi
8 Takanori Oniki
9 Gen Isono
10 Hidehiko Hasegawa
11 Naoto Ono
12 Hidehiko Tokuhashi
13 Keita Nakamura
14 Shinpei Sotoyama
15 Shunnichi Akimoto
88-98.9
kg Under
1 Kenji Ikeda
2 Yousuke Mikami
3 Takayuki Yamamoto
4 Yukiyasu Ozawa
99KG
Up
1 Jun Ishii
2 Hiroyoshi Kamimoto
Source: ADCC |
2003
World Cup Wrestling Championship
Russia lineup
by: Gary Abbott
LED BY THREE WORLD MEDALISTS, RUSSIA TO ENTER STRONG TEAM AT
2003 WORLD CUP
WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP
Led
by two-time World medalist Kouramagomed Kouramagomedov at 120
kg/264.5 lbs., Russia will feature a powerful lineup at the 2003
World Cup Wrestling Championship, set for the Bank of America
Centre in Boise, Idaho, April 5-6.
Russia
is among five world wrestling powers competing in this annual
international dual meet championships, along with host United
States, Cuba, Ukraine and Germany.
Kouramagomedov
was the 1997 World Champion and won a bronze medal at the 1998
World Championships. He also captured silver medals at the 1998
and 2000 World Cup Championships and a gold at the 1996 World
Cup.
Other
star athletes in the Russian lineup include World medalists Zaur
Botaev at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. and Alexander Kontoev at 55 kg/121
lbs., along with World Cup champion Khadjimourat Gatsalov also
at 84 kg/185 lbs.
Botaev
was the 2002 European Champion and took third in the World Championships
that year. He also holds a 1998 Junior World title and a 1994
Cadet World title.
Kontoev
won bronze medals at both the 2001 World Championships and the
2001 World Cup. He also boasts a 2000 Junior World championship.
Gatsalov
was the 2002 World Cup Champion as well as a 2001 Junior World
Champion.
Four
other athletes round out Russia’s World Cup roster. They
include Prokopy Petrov at 60 kg/132 lbs., Inal Dzagourov at 74
kg/163 lbs., Sazhid
Sazhidov at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Zaiudin Ibragimov at 96 kg/211.25
lbs.
Petrov
was a competitor in the 2003 Titan Games as well as the 2002
World
Championships.
Dzagourov
captured the gold medal at the 2001 World Military Championships.
Sazhidov
was the 2001 and 2002 European Champion and took fourth place
at the 2000 World Cup. He was Junior World Champion in 1998 and
2000 and Cadet World Champion in 1995.
Ibragimov
was third in the 1998 Cadet World Youth Games.
Individual
session tickets are on sale for the 2003 World Cup Wrestling
Championship. Tickets can be purchased at all Select-A-Seat locations,
by phone at 208-331-TIXS, or on the Internet at www.idahotickets.com.
For more
information go to www.worldcupwrestling.com.
There
will be four sessions of action, featuring the best international
freestyle wrestling teams in the world. For Sessions I and III,
the session prices are $16 for adults and $13 for youth (2-18
years). For Session II, which includes Opening Ceremonies, the
session prices are $19 for adults and $16 for youth. For Session
IV, which includes the final bouts and the Closing Ceremonies,
the session prices are $26 for adults and $24 for youth.
The
weekend will begin with a major youth wrestling competition,
the World Cup Kids Open, set for Friday, April 4. Young wrestlers
will be able compete
in the tournament, then watch the world's best athletes at the
World Cup.
Medals from the World Cup Kids Open will be presented during
the World Cup
of Freestyle Wrestling. Participants must be USA Wrestling members.
For information on the youth tournament, contact R.J. Scott by
phone at (208)
587-9720 or via e-mail at rjscott64@cs.com.
Fans
will find the best combined competition / hotel facility in the
US.
The Luxurious Grove Hotel is attached to The Bank of America
Centre. Stay at a Four Diamond hotel, take the elevator to the
lobby, and walk into the Bank of America Centre without ever
going outside. Stay where the teams stay, the Grove Hotel for
only $95 per night double occupancy, or groups of 10 or more
$84 per night quad occupancy. Call 208-333-8000 and ask reservations
for the World Cup rate.
2003
World Cup Wrestling Championship Russia Team
55 kg/121 lbs. Alexander Kontoev
60 kg/132 lbs. Prokopy Petrov
66 kg/145.5 lbs. Zaur Botaev
74 kg/163 lbs. Inal Dzagourov
84 kg/185 lbs. Khadjimourat Gatsalov
84 kg/185 lbs. Sazhid Sazhidov
96 kg/211.25 lbs. Zaiudin Ibragimov
120 kg/264.5 lbs. Kouramagomed Kouramagomedov
2003
RUSSIA WORLD CUP BIOS
55
kg/121 lbs.
Alexander Kontoev
Competed in 2002 World Championships, Third in 2002 European
Championships…
Third in 2001 World Championships… Third in 2001 World Cup…
2000 Junior
World Champion… Height: 168 cm… Born December 12, 1981
60
kg/132 lbs.
Prokopy Petrov
Competed in 2003 Titan Games… Competed in 2002 World Championships…
160 cm…
Born September 5, 1979…
66
kg/145.5 lbs.
Zaur Botaev
Third in 2002 World Championships... 2002 European Champion...
2001 World
Military Champion... Eighth in 1999 Junior World Championships...
1998-99
Junior European Champion... 1998 Junior World Champion... 1994
Cadet World
Champion (88)... Born May 6, 1979…
74
kg/163 lbs.
Inal Dzagurov
2001 World Military Championships champion… Born May 5,
1980…
84
kg/185 lbs.
Khadjimourat Gatsalov
2002 World Cup Champion... Second in 2001 World Military Championship...
2001 Junior World Champion... Sixth in 2001 World Cup... Second
in 2001
Russian National Championships...
Sazhid
Sazhidov
2001-02 European Champion... 1998 and 2000 Junior World Championship...2000
Junior European Champion... Fourth in 2000 World Cup... 1995
Cadet World
Champion... Second in Russian Nationals... Height: 177 cm...
Born February
6, 1980...
96
kg/211.5 lbs.
Zaiudin Ibragimov
Third in 1998 Cadet World Youth Games... Born: 1982
120
kg/286
Kouramagomed Kouramagomedov
1999 and 2002 European Championships champion... Third in 1998
World
Championships... Second in 1998 and 2000 World Cup... Sixth in
1998 Yarygin
Tournament (Russia)... 1997 World Champion... 1996 Junior World
Champion...
1996 World Cup champion... Second in 1996 Yarygin Tournament
(Russia)...
1995-96 Junior European champion... Born March 21, 1978...
Source: ADCC |
Liddell's
Frustration Continues
By Joe Hall
Waiting
and waiting and waiting.
With
prospects of a light heavyweight showdown against UFC champion
Tito Ortiz looking as bleak as ever, a once tolerant Chuck Liddell
is finally voicing his discontent. The No. 1 challenger's restrained
silence while Ortiz shined in the spotlight against less deserving
contenders was broken again Thursday night, as Liddell rebuked
the titleholder in Lemoore, California at World Extreme Cagefighting.
Both
Ortiz and Liddell were in attendance at the event, which featured
Frank Shamrock's return to the cage. During a break in the action,
each fighter was asked to individually speak to the audience.
Liddell says the WEC promoters wanted to maintain a "mellow"
atmosphere, and asked him to avoid too much Tito talk.
"So
I got up," said Liddell, Saturday afternoon in a phone interview
with MaxFighting, "and I said, 'I'm fighting somebody else
in June. From what I understand, Tito's not going to fight me
in June, so I'll be fighting someone else. I don't know who.'
"And
they asked me who I wanted to fight. I said, 'I want to fight
Tito, but if it's not Tito, I want to fight Vanderlei Silva or
somebody else. There's a lot of tough guys out there I can fight,
but those are the two guys I'd really like to fight.'"
Liddell
said he then left the cage, but would soon return after listening
to Ortiz address the crowd: "[Tito] jumped over the cage,
got in the ring and then started talking about how he was going
to 'give me a loss' again. You know, like he did when he got
in the ring after I fought Vitor. So I just went back in the
ring, and said, 'Hey, this was the second time you've gotten
in the ring and talked about giving me a loss. Why don't you
step in the ring, so I can knock you out.' And I just walked
out of the ring."
Ortiz
wasn't finished, though. "And then he got back in,"
recalled Liddell, "and used one of the lines -- he always
uses the same lines over and over again -- and said something
about, 'Oh, that's the most words I've heard Chuck say in one
sentence,' or whatever. I go, 'I think that's the third time
I've seen him use that same line. He can't come up with anything
original.'"
The
fighters were not near coming to blows, said Liddell, but his
irritation for not getting a title shot was lucid.
"I
don't talk a lot of shit about anybody," Liddell said. "I
never talk like that about anybody before a fight. But he won't
fight me. He's ducking me. He's trying not to fight me. He's
doing everything he can not to fight me.
"I
don't want to hurt the sport, either, by starting a fight with
him in the middle of a ring and start a little riot going. If
something had started in there, there would have been a riot.
The sport doesn't need that. I think that's one of the things
he's doing too: He's putting himself above the sport. He thinks
he's more important than the sport. I mean, I love this sport.
I love fighting. I think we need to have big fights. We can't
have stuff like boxing, where guys are dodging people, just avoiding
fighting them. If he doesn't want to risk getting hurt, he should
go make movies and be a pretend badass, like he is."
Although
the scene in Lemoore has only stirred the excitement surrounding
a potential clash between the two pugilists, Liddell clearly
states that he's not trying to hype a bout against Ortiz. "I'm
just trying to get the fight, doing anything to get him to get
in the ring with me," he said. "I'm not trying to pump
up anything. I'm not a big talker. I don't do a lot of stuff
like this. But, if that's what I have to do to get him in the
ring ….
"I'd
be more than happy just to walk in the ring and fight him. Just
prove my point out there without having to talk about it. He
likes doing his talking outside the ring; I like doing my talking
in the ring. I fight the best guys. I go out there and I perform.
He doesn't want to fight. I don't even think he likes fighting.
Like I said, he wants to be a Hollywood Badass."
Whenever
the subject of Liddell comes up, Ortiz invariably and understandably
discusses his desire for a considerable payday. By this point,
however, Liddell says it's not about the money to him.
"I'd
fight him for free," he said. "I'll fight him just
to beat him."
Liddell
is dead serious, but he also realizes the probability of fighting
for free isn't likely. Even though the offer may not urge Ortiz
into the cage, it plainly demonstrates Liddell's yearning to
tangle with the titleholder.
"Yeah,
of course, I'd love a million dollar payday too," he said.
"I'd love a boxing-type payday too. I don't see where he's
done that much more in the sport, other than being the UFC's
poster boy. I don't think he's done that much more in the sport
than anybody else.
"I
mean, when was the last time he fought a top-ranked guy? I've
been the number one contender since … when Vitor fell out,
I should have fought him back in September [2001] when he fought
Vladimir. When he fought Ken, I should have fought. I was the
number one contender. No disrespect to Ken. Ken's a tough guy,
but he wasn't the number one contender at the time. Actually,
I think it was his first fight at 205.
"I
don't see [Tito], from what I understand, moving the numbers
all that much either. And he's got all that push behind him.
He's got all that push from the UFC behind him. He's got all
press they've done on him. They've pushed him really hard for
a long time."
A
deluge of rumors and allegations have flooded the MMA community
concerning why Ortiz hasn't signed to fight the No. 1 challenger.
He says he's been hurt, isn't ready and wants adequate compensation.
Some have supported him, others haven't. Those disagreeing with
the champ's refusal to sign say he's ducking Liddell. In the
past, even the UFC has been charged with protecting Ortiz by
precluding a showdown against Liddell.
Out
of all the possibilities, Liddell has his finger on what he thinks
has been the single biggest reason he hasn't met Ortiz in the
cage: "I think it's because he doesn't want it. Before,
I think, they were protecting him a little bit. Now, he just
doesn't want it. Now the UFC wants it real bad, and he doesn't
want to do it. He doesn't want a fight that he considers a tough
fight."
Asked
if he thinks he will ever fight Ortiz, Liddell said, "Not
if he has anything to do about it."
It's
now apparent the two will not fight each other in the June UFC,
but Liddell says he'll be on the card regardless. He's not sure
whom he'll face, saying, "That's up to them; that's up to
the UFC. They'll find somebody."
Ortiz's
current declination to sign to fight Liddell has spurred cries
to strip the champion of the title. Liddell says it's not time
for that just yet, and sounds as though he's still holding onto
the hope that the fight will somehow come together.
"Well,
eventually, they'd have to strip him," said "The Iceman,"
if Ortiz never signs. "I don't think that's right now. It's
only been six months since he fought.
"I
want to take it from him. I want to fight him for it. I don't
want it just being taken away; I want to take it from him."
Source: Maxfighting |
Quote
of the Day
"Never
tell people how to do things.
Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
General George S. Patton |
AFC
3 Tonight!
The Amateur Fighting Competition is tonight at the Wakiki Shell
Amphitheater.
The event starts at 6:00PM.
If you want to watch some hard hitting action, come down to the
Waikiki Shell and check out Hawaii's version of the Toughman.
Two champions will be crowned in an under 200lbs and an over
200lbs division.
Tickets are still available
$20 Advance
$25 at the door
|
Moreno
to Fight in Gladiator Challenge
Mark
Moreno is scheduled to fight Ahmad Hempstead in Gladiator Challenge
15 on April 13, 2003 in Porterville, California. |
The
ADCC Japanese Trials are this weekend!
The 5th SUBMISSION WRESTLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - UPDATE
May 17th & 18th, 2003
Ibirapuera Stadium, Sau Paulo, Brazil
The
Japanese trials will take place on March 30th, the 5th of the
TRIAL series to take place for this years ADCC World Championships
in Submission Wrestling!
All
5 weight categories will be represented, however the top two
classes, the 99 KG and up class, and the 88-98.9 KG class have
2 and 4 competitors respectively. The word is that the other
3 tourneys, under 65.9, then the 66-76.9 KG and the 77-87.9 KG
classes are packed with 16 competitors each!
The
names will be released as soon as we can compile a list.
The
weigh ins are scheduled for March 29th, at the PANCRASE p LAB
gym - more news to come as it develops!
Source: ADCC |
Shamrock
Returns in Impressive Fashion
By Josh Gross
Lemoore,
Calif. -- It was just after midnight Pacific Time when Frank
Shamrock stepped into the WEC pentagon. Inside a small tent,
adjacent to the Palace Casino, Shamrock stood face to face with
an opponent -- just so happened it was Bryan Pardoe, though it
could have been anyone -- for the first time since December 2000.
It didn’t take him long to get comfortable again.
Before
his comeback arrived into its third minute, Shamrock locked in
an armbar from the guard, securing the victory and his legacy
for at least one more fight. In the opening moments, however,
Pardoe, who looked considerably larger than Shamrock, didn’t
act the fish most fans and pundits expected him to be.
Popping
the returning star on the nose with a heavy right hand, Pardoe
forced Shamrock backwards. The upstart challenger chased Shamrock
to the mat with strikes. Pinned against the fence, Shamrock slowly
began to resemble the fighter that from 1997 to 2000 dominated
his division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and was considered
by most to be the premier fighter in the sport.
With
Pardoe in his guard, the 30-year-old former UFC champion moved
away from the fence. It was a familiar tactic, revisited many
times during his career, obviously not forgotten. Ever so slowly
Shamrock worked his flexible guard higher towards Pardoe’s
shoulders. Before the Arizona-based fighter knew what was upon
him, Shamrock started making serious attempts at securing his
right leg around the head of his challenger.
On
the third or fourth effort Shamrock finally sunk it in and had
the position securely fastened. Pardoe responded by dropping
several punches, but Shamrock easily forced him to his back.
Try as he might, Pardoe had no answer for the submission and
tapped out 1:46 into the fight.
In
victory, Shamrock roared to his feet, rekindling the amazing
feeling he must have enjoyed in previous fights. The crowd howled
as well. For some -- including this reporter -- it was the first
time they’d seen him fight live. Others, like ringside color
commentator Jeff Blatnik, had been fortunate enough to witness
the greatness of Shamrock during its heyday. Whatever the case
may be, it was clear to anyone watching that Shamrock still has
the skills and tools to be a great fighter.
What’s
next is unclear. It’s been said by him and his camp that
fighting will continue to be in his future. And while Pardoe
couldn’t provide a real indicator as to just how much --
if any -- his skills had diminished, you can bet that Shamrock’s
trainer, Javier Mendez, will continue to keep a watchful eye
on his prized pupil.
For
all of Shamrock’s talk about propping the sport on his back
so he can lead it from the depths of whatever he feels it needs
to be rescued from, the fact of the matter is that one of the
most dynamic fighters ever to compete in mixed martial arts returned
to action tonight. That, more than anything else, was the important
thing.
It
was exciting to witness.
In
other action, UFC veteran and IFC champion Gil Castillo toyed
with a completely overmatched and inexperienced Chris Williams
for five torturous minutes before the fight was finally called.
Williams, who was listed as competing in zero professional fights
before stepping into the ring with Castillo, did his best in
defeat. But it wasn’t nearly enough. And, for the next few
weeks, he’ll have a couple of nasty cuts high on his right
cheek to remind him. Any embarrassment emanating from this bout
should come from whoever put these two in the same ring in the
first place. It was a joke.
In
the best fight of the night (those seven words should are prerequisite
when talking about any Shonie Carter fight), up-and-comer Jeremy
Jackson fought a smart and patient contest that saw him walk
away with a unanimous decision victory over the always-entertaining
and tough Carter.
Rounds
one and two were excellent. Both Carter and Jackson had moments
as the crowd watched from the edge of their seats. The first
five-minute frame saw Jackson landing stiff right straights and
jarring left hooks off the clinch. Hurt early, Carter used head
movement in the latter half of round one to save himself from
Jackson’s powerful punches.
Carter’s
two takedowns in the second round pulled him even on the MaxFighting
scorecard. Again, both men scored points but Carter, who just
last week fought in Japan, continued to bob and weave effectively,
allowing him to survive into the final round.
Both
men understandably slowed from the blistering pace they set in
the previous 10 minutes. Exchanging kicks and punches the action
picked up as the round wore on, but Carter landed a takedown
that appeared to push him ahead on the scorecards. Jackson managed
to escape and induce a flurry. He rocked Carter again but the
veteran refused to give in. Bobbing and weaving from his knees,
Carter managed to avoid all of Jackson’s potentially life-altering
shots. From there Carter countered a Jackson takedown attempt
and finished the exciting bout from the top.
While
the judges saw it unanimously for Jackson, MaxFighting saw it
differently, scoring it 29-28 in favor of the man from Chicago.
Joe
Hurley made his return to action for the first time since being
choked unconscious in a WFA lightweight bout versus Vitor “Shoalin”
Ribeiro. Squaring off against the increasingly dangerous Nick
Diaz, Hurley found himself in a world of hurt early on. Stunned
from an early shot, Hurley stumbled as if he were walking across
a street marked with potholes. Diaz flew towards him hoping to
finish the fight, but Hurley hung on as Diaz took the action
to the mat.
Opening
up with punches to his downed opponent, Diaz continued to overwhelm
Hurley. Passing the guard, he secured a kimura and torqued hard.
Hurley had no option but to tap, but it appeared the tap was
too late to prevent injury to his left elbow. Diaz claimed victory
at the 1:55 mark of round one.
Mike
Swick and Kungo Ura battled back and forth for two rounds until
a sloppy shot resulted in disaster for the scrappy Japanese fighter.
Exchanging submissions, positions, strikes and anything else
you can think of, neither Swick nor Ura could gain an upper hand.
Then came the knee. Lumbering in for a sloppy takedown, Ura was
greeted with a devastating knee to his face that instantly dropped
him to the mat. Swick followed up with several shots before the
referee could rescue Ura 0:31 of the final frame.
In
other action, Brian Stromberg outgunned Levi Thornbrue en route
to a tapout victory because of strikes 1:43 of round one. Bert
Bergmark defeated Brodie Farber by TKO 3:57 of the opening round.
In light of seemingly giving the fight away, Brandon Wolff won
a tight three-round split decision over Hannibal Adofo. MaxFighting
disagreed with the judges and scored it 29-28 in Adofo’s
favor. Tim McKenzie stopped John Applebe 1:03 into their fight.
Ed Wedding impressed in his win over a strong Doug Evens as he
pulled off the armbar submission 4:37 of round one. Chris Sanford
scored an armbar of his own, defeating Jack Cardenas 2:45 of
the first frame. Poppis Martinez brutally knocked out Eric Husbands
just 10 seconds after their bout started. And Carlos Cordero
opened the 13-bout card by catching Steve Cutler in an armbar
2:31 of round number one.
Source: Maxfighting |
2nd
Black Belt Challenge
Brings Jiu-Jitsu to the
Spotlight in Sao Paulo
By Eduardo Alonso
After the major success of the first Black Belt Jiu-Jitsu challenge,
promoters had no choice but to put on a second edition of the
event, that features top black belts competing in the sport of
Jiu-Jitsu against one another in single matches under slightly
different rules (like referee stand ups) that forces the fighters
to stay active during the entire fight and for high money prizes
for Jiu-Jitsu standards. This time they brought the show to Via
Funchal, one of the biggest and most prestigious houses of spectacles
in Sao Paulo, which uses to hold music concerts and other kind
of shows. It was a risky step, since the venue holds up to 3,500
spectators and it would be tough to fill the entire place. In
fact, there were empty seats, but still a good crowd of more
than 1,500 showed up to watch the show, all paying for their
tickets, and this can be called a success for a Jiu-Jitsu event,
mostly considering the problems the promoters had to face. Problems
such as some of the most famous BJJers involved in the show dropping
out at the last minute. Names like Saulo Ribeiro, Fabio Leopoldo
and Rodrigo Comprido were all supposed to compete in the show
but ended up not being able to for a number of reasons, and late
replacements were called at the last minute.
All in all it was a good show, with most fighters fighting on
offense and looking for the finish all the time, which provided
several submissions in the 10-match card. The standouts were
Bibiano Fernandez who made quick work of Marcelo Santos to open
the event, Fredson Paixao who once again showed his usual domination
over Pablo Rodrigo, Adriano Maciel who had an amazing guard that
surprised veteran Eduardo Jamelao and Gabriel Napao who had a
very competitive match with Eduardo Telles but ended up winning
in good fashion. Hopefully the promoters will hold another edition
of the event soon, showing that Jiu-Jitsu is still alive and
will continue to thrive in the years to come if the events are
well organized and planned, and FCF will surely be there as always!
Here are the complete results of the event:
Bibiano Fernandez def. Marcelo Santos via triangle choke
Fredson
Paixao def. Pablo Rodrigo via lapel choke
Carlos
Eduardo Vieira def. Marco Barbosa via referee decision (The score
was tied)
Adriano
Maciel def. Eduardo Jamelao via triangle choke
Fabio
Negao def. Roger Coelho by 4-1 in the advantages, with a tie
of 2-2 in the match
Eduardo
Portugues def. Delson Pe de Chumbo via referee decision (The
score was tied)
Jefferson
Moura def. Bruno Bastos via armlock
Gabriel
Napao def. Eduardo Telles via score of 9-2
Felipe
Lira def. Claudio Godoy via lapel choke
Roberto
Tozi def. Fernando Paradeda via referee decision (Tied at 0-0)
Source:
FCF |
Bitetti
Combat 2 Shows the Evolution
of Brazilian Northeastern Fighters
By Eduardo Alonso
The
second edition of Bitetti Combat Nordeste took place this past
Thursday, March 20th, and FCF was there to bring you all the
action as always! Due to poor weather conditions a crowd of little
more than 5,000 spectators showed up at the huge Machadinho arena,
still guaranteeing a good public on hand. However, those 5,000
on hand were very noisy and supported the local fighters through
the eight fights of the night, and there were plenty of local
talents performing. With a massive coverage of the local press,
the presence of "The Phenom" Vitor Belfort, who is
a popular celebrity in Brazil and made his debut as an NHB referee
in the first two fights [The other referees were Amaury Bitetti
and IVC veteran Artur Mariano], and some intriguing fights on
the card, there were plenty of attractions at the event. All
in all Bitetti Combat 2 truly delivered and showed a considerable
improvement from the first edition. The production side of it
was very satisfactory, including Kipp Kollar's help providing
the gloves for the fighters, although some mistakes were present
that will hopefully be corrected for the next edition. Promoters
Amaury Bitetti and Conrado Carlos are promising a better one
for the next event, and by doing so they'll consolidate Bitetti
Combat as the second best event in South America, right behind
MECA, so let's wait for Bitetti Combat 3! Here's a brief rundown
of the fights, including the Terere's controversial loss, and
as always see the next edition of FCF for more details on the
show!
Paulo Guerreiro vs. Sergio Capoeira:
The night of fights was kicked off by this clash between a Muay
Thai fighter and a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. Capoeira started the
fight well dominating with takedowns and using ground and pound.
However Guerreiro is used to taking punishment and turned around
things managing to keep the fight standing and earning a judges'
decision after three rounds.
Josenildo
vs. Rivellino: This fight saw another reversal of fortunes as
Rivellino started off better only to see Josenildo make a comeback
and dominate the stand up action until he got a knockout from
punches still in the first round!
Wallace
vs. Lokynha: In an action-packed fight Lokynha was surprisingly
game as he brought it to Wallace on the ground and standing up!
The fight was very competitive until the Chute Boxe black belt
managed to get the better of Lokynha standing and punished him
on the ground until he could take no more in the second round.
Tiago
Pitbull vs. Carlos Indio: Tiago Pitbull proved once again he
is very talented. Using his superior Muay Thai and ring skills,
he controlled the distance and avoided all of Indio's rushes,
slowly punishing him with all sorts of strikes through two rounds,
until Indio alleged that he suffered a low blow, that (according
to all present including the referee) didn't really happen, and
refused to continue in the fight that he was going to lose anyway.
Lucas
Lopes vs. Antonio Samurai:
As an underdog, Antonio Samurai tested Lucas Lopes well, giving
him trouble in the first round with good stand up striking sequences,
until Lucas Lopes showed how tough he is and used his experience
to deliver a solid ground and pound game opening a major cut
on Samurai's eyebrow and forcing him to quit on the second round.
Claudionor
Fontinelli vs. Rivanio Aranha:
A showman in all senses. This is what Fontinelli is! From his
ring entrance to his ring showdown Claudionor captured the attention
of everyone in the arena and gave his all standing up against
a tough as nails Aranha. Both battled mostly standing up, with
some short periods on the ground, for two rounds with Fontinelli
getting the better until Aranha suffered an injury to his knee
and couldn't continue.
Tibau
vs. Fernando Terere:
This was most certainly the most anticipated and probably the
most exciting fight of the evening. For three rounds both guys
fought with the crowd literally going nuts and both had their
moments. To his credit Tibau, who is a very good fighter, dominated
the second round by avoiding takedowns and attempting a very
dangerous armbar from the guard in the first round that lasted
more than a minute! But Terere's game was impressive for a newcomer,
doing some ground and pound, dominating most of the stand up,
even cutting his opponent below the left eye and continually
advancing forward during the entire fight. After the three rounds
were over, it took more than five minutes for a decision to be
rendered, and it was announced as a 2- 1 split for Tibau, causing
a lot of controversy and animosity in the arena. Don't miss a
full report in the next issue of FCF!
Silmar
Rodrigo vs. Johil de Oliveira: Against a more experienced opponent,
Silmar Rodrigo showed great composure and the signs of a matured
fighter ready for bigger challenges. He took Johil down at will
during the entire fight and worked a ground and pound game, taking
few risks controlling the pace and winning a well deserved judges'
decision over the seasoned IVC and PRIDE veteran. He will most
certainly be back at the next Bitetti Combat.
Don't
miss a full report with more details on all that went down at
Bitetti Combat 2, straight from Natal in Brazil in the next issue
of Full Contact Fighter, where you always find the Undefeated
No Holds Barred news coverage of the world!
Source:
FCF |
A
Little Public Service Message to the US Civilians During this
time of War:
Dear
Civilians,
We know that the current state of affairs in our great nation
have many civilians up inarms and excited to join the military.
For those of you who can't join, you can still lenda hand. Here
are a few of the areas we would like your assistance
1)
The next time you see an adult talking (or wearing a hat) during
the playing of theNational Anthem ... kick their ass.
2)
When you witness firsthand someone burning the American Flag
in protest... kick their ass.
3)
Regardless of the rank they held while they served, pay the highest
amount of respect to all veterans. If you see anyone doing otherwise,
quietly pull them aside and explain how these Veterans fought
for the very freedom they bask in every second. Enlighten them
on the many sacrifices these Veterans made to make this Nation
great. Then hold them down while a Disabled Veteran kicks their
ass.
4)
(GUYS) If you were never in the military, DO NOT pretend that
you were. Wearing battle dress uniforms (BDU's), telling others
that you used to be "Special Forces," and collecting
GI Joe memorabilia, might have been okay if you were still seven.
Now, it will only make you look stupid and get your ass kicked.
5)
Next time you come across an Air Force member, do not ask them,
"Do you fly a jet?" Not everyone in the Air Force is
a pilot. Such ignorance deserves an ass kicking (children are
exempt).
6)
If you witness someone calling the U.S. Coast Guard non-military,
inform them of their mistake...and kick their ass.
7)
Roseanne Barr's singing of the National Anthem is not a blooper...it
was a disgrace and disrespectful. Laugh, and sooner or later
your ass will be kicked.
8)
Next time Old Glory (U.S. flag) prances by during a parade, get
on your damn feet and pay homage to her by placing your hand
over your heart. Quietly thank the military member or veteran
lucky enough to be carrying her...of course, failure to do either
of those could earn you a severe ass kicking.
9)
What Jane Fonda did during the Vietnam War makes her the enemy.
The proper word to describe her is "traitor." Just
mention her nomination for "Woman of the Year" and
get your ass kicked.
10)
Don't try to discuss politics with a military member or a veteran.
We are Americans and we all bleed the same regardless of our
party affiliation. Our Chain of Command, is to include our commander
in Chief. The President (for those who didn't know) is our CIC
regardless of political party. We have no inside track on what
happens inside those big important buildings where all those
representatives" meet. All we know is that when those civilian
representatives screw up the situation, they call upon the military
to go straighten it out. The military member might direct you
to Oliver North. (I can see him kicking your ass already.)
11)
"Your mama wears combat boots" never made sense to
me ... stop saying it! If she did, she would most likely be a
vet and therefore, could kick your ass!
12)
Bin Laden and the Taliban are not communists, so stop saying
"Let's go kill those Commie's!!!" And stop asking us
where he is!!!! Crystal balls are not standard issue in the military.
That reminds me...if you see anyone calling those damn psychic
phone numbers; let me know, so I can go kick their ass.
13)
Flyboy (Air Force), Jar Head (Marines), Grunt (Army), Squid (Navy)
etc, are terms of endearment we use describing each other. Unless
you are a service member or vet,you have not earned the right
to use them. That could get your ass kicked.
14)
Last but not least, whether or not you become a member of the
military, support our troops and their families. Every Thanksgiving
and religious holiday that you enjoy with family and friends,
please remember that there are literally thousands of sailors
and troops far from home wishing they could be with their families.
Thank God for our military and the sacrifices they make every
day. Without them, our country would get its ass kicked. It is
the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of
the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us
the freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who gives us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier who
salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin
is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.
Authored
by Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, Sergeant, USMC
(Please pass this on so I won't have to kick your ass!)
|
|
Quote
of the Day
It
is neither wealth nor splendor; but tranquility and occupation
which give happiness.
Thomas
Jefferson |
AFC
3 Weigh-Ins Today!
Buy your
tickets now for the AFC!
The
Amateur Fighting Competition will take place on Saturday, March
29, 2003. The event starts at 6:00PM.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!
$20 Advance
$25 at the door
Weigh-ins
are today, Friday, March 28 at 7:00 pm at the Jesus Is Lord Gym in Waipahu. |
BULL
FORCE PRESENTS
"Kick'n
it Again"
April 5,2003
Palama Settlement Gym,
6pm Gates open, seats first come first serve,
$10 tickets,
lots of booths inside, Phenom Power Source, Strong Arm Athletics,
Play Times over, Solidwear,Oica poison Ink, Bull Force Wear
(125lbs)
David Balicao vs Zane Cabacugan
(HSD) (Hapkido TKD)
(145lbs)
John Nerveza Jr, vs Edwin Cabacugan
(Bulls Pen) (Hapkido TKD)
(155lbs)
Justin Dano vs Maliepo Sitani
(HSD) ( Bulls pen)
(190lbs)
James Stanford vs Willie Chummer
( Hard Knocks) (Hawaii TKD)
(165lbs)
Brandon Absher vs Jamie Galepia
(HSD) ( Bulls Pen)
(Super Heavy)
Sheldon Abella vs TBA
(Hapkido TKD)
(165lbs)
Wayne Kamealoha vs Paul Laga
(HSD) (Bulls Pen)
(Heavyweight)
Billy Hall vs Kunta Edmonds
(Pro Train Center) (Kempo Unlimited)
15 min Intermission..........
(175lbs)
Scott Redoble vs Ben George
(HSD) (Bulls Pen)
(Semi-Main)
(160lbs)
Harris Sariento vs Craig Park
(808FF) ( Hard Knocks)
( Main Event)
(170lbs)
PJ Dean vs Shawn Taylor
( Hard Knocks)
It will be an action packed night with alot of great fights.
Featuring-
Shawn "Tornado" Taylor from Kailua/Waimanalo,
PJ Dean From Waianae(Hard Knocks Gym)
Harris Sariento from Kaneohe(808 Fight Factory)
Brandon Absher from Nanakuli(Hawaiian Self Defense)
John Nerveza Jr. Honolulu( Bulls Pen)
and lots more..............
Special Guest Referee: Timmy " The Hawk" Vendetta
Special Guest Judges:
Guy Paikai- Chief instructor Paikai Kenpo Karate.
Haru Shimanishi- Head instructor Hawaii Martial arts Center (HMC
Academy)
John Kukahiko- Head instructor KodanKan Fight Team
Thanks to all the fight teams that will be participating in our
event-
Hawaiian Self-defense
Hard Knocks
Bulls Pen
Professional Training Center
Kempo Unlimited
808 Fight Factory
Hapkido Tae Kwon Do
Hawaii Tae Kwon Do
If anyone is interested in participating in our future event
contact Derek Bright@ 551-7898
or Danny Kaheaku@ 685-4800
|
KOTC
23: PPV Bound From Vegas!
King
of the Cage 23 is coming to the Orleans Hotel Casino in Las Vegas,
Nevada on Friday, May 16th. Three K.O.T.C. World Titles will
be up for grabs!
LOS
ANGELES, California -'King of the Cage,' the hottest brand of
no-holds-barred fighting, is coming to the Orleans Hotel Casino
(www.orleansarena.com) in Las Vegas, Nevada
'King
of the Cage: Sin City ' is proud to feature a stellar fight card.
Three K.O.T.C. World Titles will be up for grabs: The K.O.T.C.
World Super Heavyweight Championship, The K.O.T.C. World Lt.
Heavyweight Championship Match and The K.O.T.C. World Welterweight
Championship Match.
The
Giants amongst men Jimmy The Titan Ambriz and Big Erik Pele will
face one another in an earth-shattering Super Heavyweight Match.
In the World Lt. Heavyweight Championship Match Jeremy Horn takes
on the fierce Champion Vernon Tiger White. And be prepared for the World Welterweight
Championship Match between Ronald Machine Gun Jhun and Mr. International
Shonie Carter.
Also on the card are MMA Legend Dan The Beast Severn, Joe Stevenson,
Tony Bonello and Diego Nightmare Sanchez. This event promises
to go off with a bang, so mark your calendars and get ready for
the best night of fights ever to hit Sin City
'King
of the Cage: Sin City ' will be held on Friday, May 16, 2003
from the Orleans Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Gates open
at 4:30pm PST, fights start at 5:30pm. In addition, 'King of
the Cage: Sin City' will be televised on pay-per-view! The pay-per-view
broadcast begins at 6:00pm PST/9:00pm EST and is available via
DirecTV, The Dish Network, TVN, Bell Express Vu, and Viewer s
Choice. For more information on pay-per-view availability, check
your local listings.
For
tickets, go to www.ticketsplus.net or call 1-800-585-3737.
For
general information, visit our web site:
www.kingofthecage.com
Source:
ADCC |
|
Return
of the Best
The
parallels are there. When Michael Jordan returned to basketball
with the Washington Wizards - an organization severely lacking
the success of his former employers, the six-time NBA champion
Chicago Bulls - many stopped to ask “why.” Why would
the greatest player in NBA history -- in his late 30s, no longer
the high-flying star that at one time took hold of the sports
world -- risk tarnishing his legacy?
After
all, the collective memories of countless past great performances
are the bricks that legends like Jordan build their legacies
upon. What could be worth endangering that? Competitors like
Jordan work on a different plane. Though expectations of winning
were tempered by age and reality, he could -- probably better
than most of the league’s current stars -- still throw a
crooked number up on the scoreboard or hit a buzzer-beating jump
shot. And we’d all accept it as truth, as if the man were
still 27 years old. But he could just as easily fail, and his
legend would be forever soiled.
From
1997 though 2000, Frank Shamrock, with much less fanfare, was
the best at what he did. He was the Ultimate Fighter. And like
Jordan, he stepped away from the game when it was clear his best
days were ahead of him.
Tonight
at the Palace Casino in Lemoore, California, Shamrock, 30, makes
his return to the fight game following a two-year self-imposed
semi-retirement. The bright lights and countless questions that
greeted Jordan’s return won’t be an issue -- they simply
won’t be there. And as strange as it sounds, that’s
the reason, says Shamrock, that his homecoming is important to
a sport which he feels is quickly taking a turn for the worse.
“I
don’t have anything else to win,” Shamrock told MaxFighting.
“I don’t have anything else to do. I’ve got a
box full of medals in my garage. I have nothing else to accomplish
except to try and change the legitimacy of the sport. Right now
the people that are in charge are not promoting and building
the sport the way it should be for the future generation.”
Ironically,
while the Zuffa-led Ultimate Fighting Championship could not
agree with the UFC great to get him back into the Octagon --
“I’ve poured my heart and soul into the sport. To see
some rich, white collar-idiots take it away is not my idea of
what I sacrificed for,” he says -- it did propel Shamrock
into the ring for the much less prestigious World Extreme Cagefighting
organization.
Shamrock
says he’s happy with the WEC, and he should be. He’s
getting paid well. But for a man that enjoys -- and deserves
-- the spotlight, you have to think that the fact his return
to mixed martial arts comes on a small stage bothers him.
Of
course, it wasn’t supposed to be like that. Talks with Showtime
Entertainment Television fell short because, says Shamrock, the
pay-per-view distributor had a problem with the fenced-in fighting
area he cultivated his stardom in. With that went the spotlight
and possibility for a big-name opponent. Instead, Shamrock gets
Bryan Pardoe, a muscle bound fighter of limited experience.
Does
Pardoe present the kind of challenge Shamrock feels would make
for a good comeback bout? “I certainly hope so,” he
answers. “I feel good. I feel comfortable. All of my training
partners are 200, 220 so I’m used to working with big, power
guys. I feel confident. I know Bryan had six, seven, eight fights
or whatever. But I think I have a lot more experience, a lot
more aggression. I don’t think he’s prepared for my
speed on the ground and my strength on the stand up.”
Shamrock
should win in a cakewalk. But as we’ve seen recently, many
of the elite veteran fighters are being pushed aside by their
younger, more-skilled counterparts. Considered by most as the
first true mixed martial artist, Shamrock laid down the blueprint
for many of today’s up-and-coming fighters and current champions.
And there would be no finer a trophy to claim than victory over
the man they’ve learned so much from.
A
Shamrock loss would be shocking, devastating to his storied career
and impressive ledger. “I think that is a concern,”
he says. “It is in the back of my mind. It spurs me to train
harder. There is, I’m sure, an unrealistic expectation of
me fighting, anyway.”
Of
course, most expect him to walk through Pardoe. But what then?
It’s just the beginning, according to Frank. Future appearances
in the UFC are doubtful. Attempts to fight in PRIDE have been
shot down numerous times, though there might be a renewed possibility
with the Japanese organization’s commitment to promoting
in the States.
For
now his goals remain simple -- and important: “I’m
just looking to make a statement that I am back,” he explains.
“And it’s OK to step in the ring, kick someone’s
ass as long as you have class about it, everyone’s taken
care of and it’s a good, positive atmosphere. I’d like
to get in there and do my part.
“I
think our sport has taken a turn for the worse lately.”
The
most glaring example Shamrock cites is the current trend of retro
fighters like Tank Abbott getting back into the picture. “I
don’t envision him being the poster boy for the sport I
want my son to move into,” Shamrock says of Tank. “It’s
not something I would encourage my kids to follow. And we’re
back in the freak show again. Unfortunately, they’re (the
UFC) the organization that has the image and the power. The image
that they’re putting out there is not one I agree with.
It’s not one that I’m supporting and promoting. And
I didn’t spend the last eight years of my life building
a sport to have it turn into that.”
Clearly,
he thinks he should be the fighter looked towards when talk swings
to creating interest and producing the almighty dollar. Though
his comments about Zuffa and Tank could be construed as petty,
there’s no denying that Shamrock has more to offer in the
ring than fighters like Abbott ever did.
Should
his performance tonight be up to standards, this will only be
step number one in his comeback. “I feel confident that
after a couple of fights I’ll be able to get in there with
anyone in the world at my weight and come out as the winner.”
“My
intention is to travel around and fight everybody,” he continues.
“I’ll probably go to England and fight over there.
Do a couple of international fights. The more places I’ve
seen and can make an impact, the better it is for the sport.”
Suddenly,
Shamrock’s policy has forced the fighter into a position
where he finds himself fighting for more than personal glory.
If he’s serious about his plans, the kind of pressure that
could accompany them would be enormous. Though he admits not
knowing whether the burden will be too much, he says “I
can’t feel good about it unless I tried.”
“I’m
a fighter and I think this sport is wonderful. I think the people
involved are incredible athletes, incredible people, and the
sacrifices and trials they go through are like nothing else in
this world. I think they should be recognized for that.”
At
his height, Shamrock was recognized as the best. Though outside
factors like the cable ban and ignorant politicians limited his
exposure, he still stepped in the ring each and every time anticipating
greatness. Fans were the true winners during his reign. And if
Shamrock has his way, many more will find out what he -- and
the sport he’s trying to carry in his own way -- is made
of.
And
like Jordan, losing isn’t something that comes easy (it
hasn’t happened since January 1997). “I love to compete.
I may lose. But my intention is they’ll drag me dead from
the ring when that happens.”
Do
we really need to ask “why?”
Source:
Maxfighting |
Quote
of the Day
"You
know the world's gone mad when the best rapper is a white guy,
the best
golfer is a black guy, the Swiss hold the America's Cup, France
is accusing
the USA of arrogance, and the Germans don't want to go to war!"
Unknown
|
Baret's
Back!
SUPERBRAWL
- Card Growing and Growing!
143lbs
3x5 minute rounds: Rami Boukai v Baret “The Finisher”
Yoshida
This
will be a technical “chess-match” type war. The younger
Boukai is trained by Chris Brennan and will have to use all his
weapons to defeat the more experienced Yoshida. Yoshida is coming
off a tough loss and a long lay-off. We will see if he has any
ring rust. Yoshida 2-1 Odds
145lbs
3x5 minute rounds: Joe Jordan v Eddie Yagin
You
won’t want to miss this one! Jordan has a tremendously aggressive
style and is not afraid to “let his hands go.” Hawaii
fans know Yagin is never in a boring fight. He is always willing
to go for “high risk” maneuvers and can bang with the
best of them. Possible fight of the night! Yagin 3-2 favorite
143lbs
3x5 minute rounds: 143lbs Bao Quach v “Kid” Yamamoto
This
has the ear-markings of an epic battle. Quach is one of the toughest
American fighters at 145lbs. He is a master of submissions but
will not hesitate to stand and throw. Yamamoto is explosive!
He has one gear….overdrive! An Olympic level wrestler who
likes to brawl. The winner of this fight will certainly be a
top challenger to the 145lb Super Brawl Championship Belt. Yamamoto
2-1 favorite
185lbs
3x5 minute rounds: Kyle Jensen v Falaniko Vitale 185lbs
Jensen
is a rising star in the mid-western fight circuit. He has amassed
his impressive record with a well rounded arsenal and tremendous
stamina. Vitale has been unstoppable as of late and will look
to impose his will on Jensen early. Vitale is fast becoming an
internationally recognized fighter and will have the eyes of
the world on him once again. Vitale 2-1 Favorite
183.2lbs
3x5 minute rounds: Masanori Suda v Egan Inoue
A
fight that has been years in the making. Suda holds the prestigious
Shooto belt and Inoue carries the Super Brawl belt. They are
both well rounded fighters who have developed Championship level
talent. Suda will likely start slow and began to push the fight
in the 2nd and 3rd round. Suda will attempt to gain top position
on the ground and score points. Suda is very adept at winning
fights that go the distance. Inoue, on the other hand, has been
finishing most of his fights by K.O. or submission. It will be
a tough decision for Inoue, if he decides to go for an early
submission or knock-out he will risk tiring later in the fight.
But if he lets Suda dictate the pace he will risk losing a decision.
Pick-em Even Odds.
Source:
Promoter
|
TONITE:
THE RETURN OF FRANK SHAMROCK!!!
World
Extreme Cagefighting 'Return of a Legend'
March 27th 7:30P.M.
PIC:
Frank Shamrock at a recent seminar - the comeback is on!
Tonite,
with little fanfare, the man who ended the 90's considered the
top fighter in the world returns to Mixed Martial Arts. The WEC
6 card features Frank Shamrockin his first fight since December
of 2000.
The
rest of the card features 14 solid fights, as the Scott Adams
production puts forth a great card under the Shamrock return
they have worked so hard to get. You may recall, Shamrock was
scheduled to fight Ricardo Almeida on the last WEC, but the match
fell thru due to injury.
More
to come from the west coast...
The
Palace Casino, Lemoore, CA.
1.
Steve Cutler V. Carlos Cordero (170)
2. Eric Husbands V. Poppis Martinez (155)
3. Jack Cardenas V. Chris Sanford (185)
4. Ed Wedding V. Doug Evans (155)
5. John Appleby V. Tim McKenzie (205)
6. Brandon Wolff V. Hannibal Adofo (170)
7. Bert Bergmark V. Brodie Farber (185)
8. Mike Swick V. Kengo Ura (185)
9. Caleb Mitchel V. Jeff Hougland (155)
10. Joe Hurley V. Nick Diaz (170)
11. Levi Thornbrue V. Brian Stromberg (265)
12. Jeremy Jackson V. Shonie Carter (170)
13. Chris Williams V. Gil Castillo (185)
14. Frank Shamrock V. Brian Pardoe (205)
Source:
ADCC |
The
UFC Lightweight Division And Title...
What Is Zuffa To Do?
There
has been much speculation, rumors, hear say and opinions on what
the UFC will do with their lightweight division and title. The
latest rumors stated that Zuffa Sports Entertainment, owners
of the UFC, would drop the lightweights as a division, but UFC
President Dana White recently said otherwise.
Lets
start at the beginning of what can only be tagged as a tough
situation for everyone. We know contract negotiations failed
between Zuffa and UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver, and he
vacated the title early in 2002 after “UFC 35: Throw Down”
to pursue opportunities elsewhere. That decision left the UFC
with a gap to fill. The title was dormant for half a year, when
Zuffa decided to put together a tournament consisting of 4 of
the top lightweights in the world. The idea was to have BJ Penn,
Matt Serra, Din Thomas and Caol Uno compete at “UFC 39:
The Warriors Return” with the winners of the 2 bouts earning
the right to compete for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship
on a future card. So far, so good. On September 27, 2002, we
saw Penn vs. Serra and Thomas vs. Uno, with Penn and Uno being
victorious in their individual bouts. The title bout was now
confirmed. The 4 men then met on February 28, 2003, at “UFC
41: Onslaught” with Penn vs. Uno in a 5-Round championship
title bout, while it was Serra vs. Thomas in a 3-Round non-title
bout. We’re still right on track. But Serra vs. Thomas ended
in controversy, with Serra being named the winner by judges decision,
a recount of the judges score cards, then a reversal of that
decision naming Thomas the winner. If that wasn’t enough,
Penn vs. Uno, the long awaited bout to name the lightweight champion,
ended in a draw. It’s now been over 1 year that the title
has laid dormant. What is Zuffa to do?
Talks
within Zuffa has been to drop one weight division. White says,
“we’ve actually talked about it (but) is it a done
deal... no.” Whether the lightweights or another division,
a decision has not been made. White wants to assure us that “when
I say dropping the lightweight, I mean the title,” as the
UFC would still have lightweight fights; there just will no longer
be a lightweight title. White says, “it’s something
we’ve been talking about... since the (lightweight) belt
was vacated.” So, before the tournament, and before the
decision reversal, and before the draw, Zuffa has been contemplating
a change in the number of division titles. White firmly states,
“the bottom line is that we do not have enough slots right
now,” referring to having 6 shows a year, with just 5 bouts
at each show making it on PPV. “There’s not enough
room to build guys,” White said, “it’s tough.”
And that it is for everyone.
Source: ADCC |
BOB
SAPP - Lightweight Bound?
PRIDE's man mountain, Bob Sapp, has been preparing for his upcoming
K-1 fight against tough Mirko 'Cro-Cop'. Upon arriving in Japan
for the match, scheduled for this weekend, Sapp has ,amde numerous
statements to the Japanese press.
Apparently,
'The Beast' left for Thailand a few weeks back to train extensively
in Muay Thai under legitimate 'masters.'
Sapp
is taking the Cro-Cop fight seriously enough that he lived in
Thailand and underwent intense training for most of March. Whether
or not training with sparring partners weighing 120 to 160 lbs
will be beneficial remains to be seen.
The
shocking news to come out of this is that Sapp has lost an estimated
40-50lbs of water-weight and is said to look incredibly lean.
Sapp,
who normally tips the scales around 400 lbs is down to the 350lbs
neighborhood, as of this past weekend.
The
Sapp vs. Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic fight is expected to generate
monumental TV ratings for K-1. The company is already a TV powerhouse
when it comes to generating numbers.
Speaking
of Filipovic, he will make his pro wrestling debut (yes another
MMA star going 'pro') on 5/2 for New Japan. He will be forming
his own team comprised of K-1 and PRIDE fighters. The team is
being called 'Cro Cop Army' (similar to Sapp's 'Team Beast').
Source: ADCC
|
KING
of the CAGE 22 - Complete Results!
March
23, 2003 // Soboba Casino, San Jacinto, California
PIC:
Denny with the choke finish!
This
past weekend, KOTC 22 went down. A non-PPV show, the KOTC 22
returned to their homebase in southern California. In the main
event, Fernando Vasconcelos of rAw Team took his second loss
in a row, losing a decision to Gokor Chivichian student Caro
Parisyan . Here is the rest of the card.
Complete
Results:
-Steve
Renaud def Brent Wooten 2:32 r1 by TKO
-Tony Bonello def Trent Wiggins 0:39 r1 by rear naked choke
-Daniel Ortiz def Mike Cordova 2:55 r1
-Louis Jablonski def David Ortiz 1:18 r1 by rear naked choke
-Timothy Mendoza drew Raul Delgado
-Wess Combs def Dale McDonald 1:40 r1 by TKO
-Louie Vaith def Bob Dowell 0:48 r1 by triangle choke
-Adam Lynn def Tadarius Thomas 1:37 r2 by TKO
-Jason House def Sust Infante 1:30 r2 by TKO
-John Delao defeated Joe Camacho 4:09 r2 by armbar
-Jason Lambert def Jimmy Breech 1:45 r1 by TKO
-Art Santore def Joe Garcia 3:10 r1 by TKO
-Thomas Denny def Justin Stanley 3:12 r1 by rear naked choke
-John Cole def Richard Solis by judges decision
-Caro Parisyan def Fernando Vasconcelos by judges decision
Source:
ADCC
|
This
Month in Mixed Martial Arts History: March
Royce
Gracie beat four opponents in one night to win the second Ultimate
Fighting Championship in March 1994. A brutal 16-man tournament,
UFC 2 left an indelible stamp on the sport that both enthralled
fans and armed politicians. Among the night's most memorable
moments were Pat Smith's savage beating of Scott Morris, Johnny
Rhodes one-sided win over Fred Ettish, and Royce Gracie's unstoppable
run to the championship. The show would be the first released
on VHS by SEG, and is widely acknowledged by many MMA enthusiasts
as their earliest exposure to the sport.
The
inaugural International Fighting Championship was held in March
two years later. A young Igor Vovchanchyn, significantly smaller
and more slender than his days in Pride that would follow, ran
the table in the eight-man tournament.
Maurice
Smith viciously knocked out Murakami Kazunari in the main event
of the final Extreme Fighting event in March 97. The punch, a
crisp right hand, violently twisted Kazunari's head upon impact,
instantly knocking him out. In other bouts, Olympic wrestlers
Kenny Monday and Kevin Jackson successfully debuted in MMA, with
wins over John Lewis and John Lober, respectively. Also, Matt
Hume stopped Pat Miletich on a broken nose.
The
same year, Carlos Barreto was the last man standing after a grueling
eight-man tournament at the sixth Universal Vale Tudo Fighting.
Barreto won the Brazilian event by submitting Geza Kalman in
the first round, coming back from momentary unconsciousness to
triangle choke Dan Bobish in the semifinals and choking out an
undefeated Kevin Randleman in a championship showdown.
Mark
Kerr gained a frustrating victory over Branko Cikatic at Pride
2 in March 98. Struggling to avoid the ground, Cikatic persistently
and illegally grabbed the ropes until he was disqualified in
the show's main event. In other action, Marco Ruas was bloodied
by but victorious over Gary Goodridge, and Kazushi Sakuraba armbarred
Vernon White.
Joel
Gerson, an unknown Canadian grappler who was training with Carlos
Newton, pulled a stunning upset over Rumina Sato the same year.
Also
in March 98, Frank Shamrock continued his demolition of top-ranked
middleweight challengers, as he knocked out Igor Zinoviev with
a slam in the UFC 16 main event. Kimo returned on the undercard,
but dropped a decision to rising Japanese heavyweight Tsuyoshi
Kosaka.
Tito
Ortiz marched toward the spotlight one year later, stopping Guy
Mezger in the UFC 19 headliner. In other bouts, Kevin Randleman
debuted in the Octagon with a win over sliding former champion
Maurice Smith, and Jeremy Horn choked out Chuck Liddell. The
loss remains the sole defeat on the record of "The Iceman."
In
perhaps the strangest of fight cancellations, the UFC 24 main
event was nixed in March 2000 after heavyweight champion Kevin
Randleman slipped on some pipes backstage. The fall knocked him
out, postponing his scheduled title defense against Pedro Rizzo.
A
star-studded cast coalesced at Pride 13 in March 2001. The long
awaited showdown between Vanderlei Silva and Kazushi Sakuraba
was the headliner, and delivered a surplus of action for the
1:13 it lasted. Unfortunately for Sakuraba, who was arguably
in his prime, Silva was the sole entertainer as he ruthlessly
pummeled the Japanese legend. On the undercard, Tra Telligman
upset Igor Vovchanchyn; Dan Henderson knocked out Renzo Gracie;
and Mark Coleman knocked out Allan Goes.
International
MMA media converged in The Netherlands the same year for Too
Hot to Handle. In the main event, Gilbert Yvel thrilled his countrymen
by knocking out Carlos Barreto, although the victory was controversial.
The
Mongols motorcycle club overtook the Morongo Entertainment Center
in Cabazon, California, in March of last year, sparking a riot
and cutting short the second Ultimate Athlete event.
Also
last March, Josh Barnett began a short and controversy plagued
UFC heavyweight title reign. After capturing the championship
from Randy Couture, Barnett tested positive for banned substances
in his post-fight urinalysis. He would later be stripped of his
belt. In other matches, Matt Hughes convincingly defeated Hayato
Sakurai, and Matt Lindland made quick work of Pat Miletich.
Source:
Maxfighting
|
Quote
of the Day
Patience,
persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for
success.
Napoleon
Hill
|
AFC
3 is This Weekend
Buy your
tickets now for the AFC!
The
Amateur Fighting Competition will take place on Saturday, March
29, 2003. The event starts at 6:00PM.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW!
$20 Advance
$25 at the door
Weigh-ins
are at 7:00 pm at the Jesus Is Lord Gym in Waipahu. Here are
some of the fighters on the card. The promoters may have a spot
or two open for the 201 & over so if you are game, contact
the promoters by clicking here or by calling 808-668-7100 and let
them know that you are interested.
Here
are some of the fighters that are scheduled to get it on...
201 & over weight
class
Kaleo
Westbrook (Hard Knocks) , Billy Saio (Freelance), Jacob Faagai
(Freelance) and More......
200 &
under
PJ Dean (Hard Knocks), Louis Kua'moo (Freelance), Cyrus Kanaole
(Freelance), Tommy Woo (808 Fight Factory) and More..... |
Second
Black Belt Challenge Partial Results
Second
Black Belt Challenge took place in Sao Paulo, Brazil, this Tuesday
March 25th at the Via Funchal. Scheduled to fight are top names
of the sport including many World Champions. Check out the results
below:
Bibiano
Fernandez v Marcelo Santos - Bibiano by triangle
Pablo Rodrigo v Fredson Paixao - Paixao by choke
Marcos Barbosinha v Carlos Eduardo Vieira - Vieira by referee's
decision after equal advantages
Delson 'Pe-de-Chumbo' v Eduardo 'Portugues' - Referees decision
for Portugues
Jamelao Conceicao v Adriano Maciel - Maciel by triangle
Fabio 'Negao' v Roger Coelho - Negao by points 2 x 2 and advantage
3 x 2
Roberto Tozzi v Fernando Paradeda - very tight match with little
action Tozzi by judges decision
Eduardo Telles v Gabriel Napao - Gabriel Napao by points 9 x
2
Felipe Lyra v Claudio Godoy - Lyra by submission (choke) after
several points
Bruno Bastos v Jefferson Moura - Jefferson by arm-lock
Source:
ADCC |
UFC
42: Adding More BLING BLING in the Lightweights!
It
is now evident that UFC 42 will be adding another explosive lightweight
match to their first Florida show.
Duane
'Bang' Ludwig, fresh of knocking out #1 ranked Jens Pulver, finally
gets his shot at UFC. But they're not giving him a 'warm-up'
fight.
Genki
Sudo is his opponent and this could mean curtains for Ludwig
if it hits the ground.
Without
disrespecting his ground game, many believe that Sudo is much
more polished on the mat that Ludwig.
While
Ludwig has K-1 and heavy striking experience, Sudo has also been
in K-1 Japan. Many believe Ludwig has a MAJOR edge in power and
punch/kick accuracy over Sudo which will be his key in scoring.
What
does this mean when two total opposite styles meet? A potentially
fast fight!
Both
wanting to fight their own game and avoid the others battle plan.
This could sometimes lead to a quick fight for the grappler (as
seen with Mir vs. Tank).
Tank's
rep was tarnished when he was finished in seconds by Frank Mir.
After so much buildup, fans who tuned in for a Tank slugfest
were left disappointed. Hopefully this will not happen with Ludwig.
Ludwig,
who's camp admits that he needs more ground work, could have
this weakness quickly exploited if it hits the ground.
Sudo
is a 'grappling poet' who is able to get smooth takedowns and
make quick transitions to finish his opponent. But, he does not
possess KO power like Ludwig.
Ludwig's
best shot is defending the takedown and working the jab to eventually
hit a power shot. If it goes into later rounds, watch out for
Ludwig's kicks.
Bottom
line: Bad for Ludwig on the ground...bad for Sudo standing!
Source:
ADCC |
Frank
Shamrock Interview Recap
Former
Ultimate Fighting Champion Frank Shamrock was a guest recently
on 'The Fitness Fiend' Radio Show. 'The Fitness Fiend' can be
heard every Saturday at 11:00am on WNJC 1360AM in the Philadelphia
area. For more info, and to read a full transcript of the interview
visit www.fitnessfiend.com
.
Frank
Shamrock joined the show and said he's been training hard for
his upcoming return to the ring. He's been doing a lot of cardio,
especially sprints. Anaerobic exercises such as sprints and plyometrics
help him train for when he needs quick bursts of energy like
when he uses takedowns in the ring.
His
goal is to really bring mass appeal to the sport of mixed martial
arts fighting. He says submission fighting is the biggest, baddest
game of 'uncle' there is.
One
of 'The Fitness Fiend' hosts Lauren asks Frank about drug use
in the sport. He says tha |