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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
November
Pride
Bushido 5
(MMA)
(Yokohama Arena, Japan)
August
Pride All Stars
Show
(MMA)
(Japan)
July
Bushido 4
(MMA)
(Nagoya Rainbow Hall, Japan)
July 9-12
BJJ
World Cup (CBJJO)
(BJJ)
(SESC gym, Salvador, Brazil)
June
Pride Heavyweight
Grand Prix
(MMA)
(Japan)
May
Pride
Bushido 3
(MMA)
(Yokohama Arena, Japan)
4/25/04
Pride Heavyweight
Grand Prix
(MMA)
(Japan)
4/24 /04
Warriors
of the Ring 6
(MMA)
(Wailuku, Maui)
4/3-4/04
Pan American BJJ
Tournament
(BJJ)
(California State University Gym, Dominguez Hills, Carson (Los
Angeles), CA)
4/3/04
Super
Brawl 33
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/26/04
Shooto Hawaii 2
(MMA)
(Campbell H.S. Gym)
3/13/04
Rumble On The Rock
5
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/5-7/04
Arnold Schwarzenegger
World Gracie Professional Submission Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Columbus, Ohio)
2/15/04
First Maui Invitational
of Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kahului, Maui, Hawaii)
Punishment
in Paradise 2
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Campbell H.S. Gym)
Bushido
II
(MMA)
(Yokohama Arena, Japan)
2/13/04
Amateur
Fighting Compeition 5
(Toughman)
(Campbell H.S. Gym)
2/8/04
Pride
FC: Inferno
(MMA)
(Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan on PPV
Ring of
Honor 3
(Sub Grappling)
(Campbell H.S. Gym)
2/7/04
Super
Brawl 32
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
1/31/04
UFC
46: Super Natural
(MMA)
(Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV)
|
|
January 2004 News
Part 3
Wednesday
night and Sunday classes (w/ a kids' class) now offered!
 
For the special Onzuka.com
price, click on one of these banners above! |
Tuesdays at 6:00PM on
Olelo Channel 52 |
Quote
of the Day
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, German-born American Physicist
|
Warriors
of the Ring 5: Maui vs. Oahu
Maui War Memorial Gymnasium, Wailuku, Maui
January 25, 2004
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
For
WOTR 5, the promoters chose to add boxing exhibition matches
and mix them with amateur MMA matches. Maui has a lot of boxing
gyms and has produced boxers that have competed on many different
levels from the Junior Olympics to the professional level. Hopefully
this will to bring MMA to the Maui main stream and introduce
the sport to local boxing fans. WOTR has always found the right
promotional mix and draws the largest number of Maui fight fans.
Three out of the four boxing matches were kids' matches, but
in every bout the kids showed technique well beyond their years.
All three matches displayed crisp punches that were thrown in
combinations at lightning quick speed. The fourth boxing match
had the young ladies show that they are tough fighters too. The
MMA matches were even more exciting. Every fighter went after
each other like there was a bonus given for the fastest fight
(no bonus was offered, I checked). There were a lot of reversals
that had Maui fight fans on their feet and screaming at the top
of their lungs. The action peaked when Kendal Groves had Corey
Daniels in a nasty looking arm bar that had Daniels' arm well
past 180 degrees. Daniels understood that stomping was allowed
so he started stomping Groves' head to get out of the arm bar.
That is when the referee stopped the fight and both corners rushed
the ring and everyone had to be held back. The fight was ruled
a no contest due to this incident. The action could not have
gotten any higher than that but Ed Searfoss and Casey Daniels
fight brought it as close as they could have. Searfoss went after
Daniels and almost finished him off in the first seconds of the
match, but Daniels showed that he is no push over and fought
back from having Searfoss on top of him raining down punches.
Daniels almost reversed the fight, but Searfoss took his back
and literally lifted Daniels off the ground as he pulled him
back and sunk in a tight rear naked choke for the submission.
The
next event is scheduled for April 24, 2004, any fighters interested
in completing or becoming a sponsor can contact Ira Hookano at
(808) 873-0137.
Exhibition
Boxing - 3 Rounds X 1 Minute
Kid's bout:
Masu "Boy" Manangan (Southside Boxing) def. Rocky Balala
(Central Maui Boxing)
Unanimous decision [(30-27), (30-27), (30-27)] after 3 rounds.
Exhibition
Boxing - 3 Rounds X 1 Minute
Womens bout:
Elizabeth Markoff (Southside Boxing) def. Nicole Dye (Southside
Boxing)
Unanimous decision [(30-27), (30-27), (30-27)] after 3 rounds.
Exhibition
Boxing - 3 Rounds X 2 Minutes
Kids Bout:
Chazz Moleta (Central Maui Boxing) drew Thomas Buswell Ordonez
(Southside Boxing)
Majority Draw [(29-29), (28-28), (29-28)] after 3 rounds.
Exhibition
Boxing - 3 Rounds X 1 Minute
Keola McKee (Wailuku Kickboxing) def. Ryan Balainbin (Central
Maui Boxing)
Unanimous decision [(30-27), (29-28), (29-28)] after 3 rounds.
Amateur
MMA - 3 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Bryson Monterde (808 Fight Factory) def. Dillon Clay (Jorge Oliveira
JJ)
Disqualification due to illegal elbows to the back of the head
at 2:28 minutes in Round 1.
Amateur
MMA - 3 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Zeke Prados (Freelance) def. Ron Foster (808 Fight Factory)
Submission due to exhaustion/smother head and arm choke at 39
seconds in Round 2.
Amateur
MMA - 3 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Dennis Lee (Maui Full Contact Fighting) def. Blake Huttendorf
(Kodenkan)
Unanimous decision [(29-28), (29-28), (29-28)] after 3 rounds.
Semi-Main
Event:
Amateur MMA - 3 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Kendal "Too Pretty" Groves (Maui Full Contact Fighting)
vs. Corey Daniels (Kodenkan)
No contest at 1:35 minutes in Round 1 due to riot that ensued
when the referee stopped the fight because Daniels started stomping
Groves while in the arm bar.
Main
Event:
Amateur MMA - 3 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Ed "Full Force" Searfoss (Maui Full Contact Fighting)
def. Casey Daniels (Kodenkan)
Submission via rear naked choke at 1:06 minutes in Round 1.
|
BJ
PENN LOOKING FOR THE
HUGE (or HUGHES) UPSET
While
many people feel it would be a huge upset if BJ Penn, goes up
in weight to 170 and face the most dominant fighter in the sport
in Matt Hughes. The oddsmakers agree as the lastest odds has
Matt Hughes as the big favorite at -300 to Penn's +275. (Read
Best Bets page to get more information on the numbers)
Penn
dismantled one of the strongest fighters in the 155 pound weight
class in Takanori Gomi. While that performance was one of the
most dominant in his career, many believe his next challenge
is not comparable to anything he has ever seen.
Matt
Hughes is arguably the strongest pound for pound fighter in the
world today. Team mate Jens Pulver, who fought BJ Penn and defeated
Penn in five tough rounds said "BJ has no idea what is coming
his way. He is going to get hurt real bad."
While
that is the common perception by many fans, that Hughes will
dominant this fight, some thoughts have changed since Penn spent
some time in Oregon with Team Quest.
Randy
Couture came on MMAWeekly Radio recently and said "BJ is
one of the harder guys to take down in any weight class. I think
people will be surprised how hard it will be to get him down
to the ground."
B.J.
has fought twice for UFC titles but never got to wear the belt.
After his loss to Pulver, Jens left the UFC and the Lightweight
belt vacant. Penn fought for the vacated title against Caol Uno
at UFC 41. Having beaten Uno in one of the fastest knockouts
in UFC history, 11 seconds, B.J. looked poised to be the next
Lightweight champion. It wasn't to be. The two fought to a draw
and the UFC Lightweight Championship has been up in the air every
since.
After
Penn's rematch with Uno, B.J. said he took some time off because
he was getting burned out. He, much like Hughes, have nearly
run out of fighters to fight in their weight division. Some have
questioned why B.J. would want to go up in class and fight Matt.
It is a no lose situation for Penn. Either he pulls off on of
the biggest upsets in MMA history or he loses to pound for pound
the best fighter in the world.
Could
it be for the chance to fight for the title? When B.J. appeared
on MMAWeekly Radio on January 12th, he stated, "It has always
been about fighting the best and I am just happy to fight a guy
the caliber of Matt Hughes." He said that he is approaching
this fight as just another fight. It is just another fight, another
title fight for Penn, another chance to get a UFC belt.
This
is the fight B.J. said he wanted and he isn't taking it lightly.
Penn has been training with Team Quest in preparation for what
Hughes can bring. Trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, surprisingly,
Penn only has one submission win over Gomi in his last fight.
With two of Hughes' three loses coming by way of submissions,
many feel this is Penn's best chance at victory.
B.J.'s
future and what weight class he will be fighting in, won't be
answered until after UFC 46. There are certainly some fighters
at 155 pounds that he would still like to fight but with the
Lightweight Championship still undecided, Penn said he's got
nothing better to do than fight Hughes.
Win
- Joey Gilbert - TKO (ref stoppage) - UFC 31 - 5-4-2001
Win - Din Thomas - KO - UFC 32 - 6-29-2001
Win - Caol Uno - KO - UFC 34 - 11-2-2001
Loss - Jens Pulver - Decision (majority decision) - UFC 35 -
1-11-2002
Win - Paul Creighton - TKO (ref stoppage) - UFC 37 - 5-10-2002
Win - Matt Serra - Decision (unanimous) - UFC 39 - 9-27-2002
Draw - Caol Uno - Draw - UFC 41 - 2-28-2003
Win - Takanori Gomi - Submission (rear naked choke) - Rumble
on the Rock 4 - 10-10-2003
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
IS
HERMES FRANCA NOW THE BEST AT 155?
Hermes
Franca is currently one of the most talented and well rounded
fighters in the world today. Hermes is a well decorated BJJ black
belt who is ready to make his mark in the MMA world for 2004.
He
currently boasts an unblemished record of 8-0-0 with his last
victory being a KO over former #2 ranked lightweight Caol Uno.
Franca has defeated many top fighters in the HOOK n SHOOT and
WEF promotions as well. Unlike your stereotypical BJJ fighter
who will just ‘lay and pray’ a victory out, Franca
employs the most aggressive submission transitions in his division,
if not the world.
Seven
out of all eight of his MMA bouts have ended with him finishing
his opponent. In his UFC debut against Rich Crunkilton, Hermes
was taken to a judges decision for the first time in his career,
but not before dislocating Crunkilton’s arm in a arm bar.
Now,
in his third appearance in the octagon Hermes Franca will face
yet another top competitor from the 155 division in hopes to
stake a claim for UFC dominance. Hermes’ opponent will be
another young up and coming lightweight, Josh Thomson.
Thomson
actually trains with Rich Crunkilton’s and is looking to
avenge his teammate’s loss to Franca. Thomson possesses
some of the most dangerous hands in the 155 division and will
be looking to punish Franca with his meat hooks.
Franca
does not mind getting hit, nor exchanging blows with Thomson
and will be egger to push the pace in this fight. When the fight
goes to the ground Franca will apply his transition of smooth
submission attempts. If Thomson can weather the storm, we could
be in for high paced, balls to the walls battle. If not, Thomson
may just be another notch on Hermes’ belt.
Win
- Mike Thomas Brown
Submission (Triangle Choke)
HOOKnSHOOT - Kings 1
11-17-2001
Win
- Mike Willus
Submission (Triangle Choke)
HOOKnSHOOT - Overdrive
3-9-2002
Win
- Don Kaecher
Submission (Triangle Choke)
WEF 12
5-11-2002
Win
- Yohei Suzuki
Submission (Guillotine Choke)
HOOKnSHOOT - Relentless
Win
- Anthony Hamlett
TKO (Punches)
HOOKnSHOOT - New Wind
9-7-2002
Win
- Ryan Diaz
Submission (Guillotine Choke)
HOOKnSHOOT – AFC 1
12-13-2002
Win
- Richard Crunkilton
Decision (Unanimous)
UFC 42 - Sudden Impact
4-25-2003
Win
- Caol Uno
KO (Punch)
UFC 44 - Undisputed
9-26-2003
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
DAILY
FIGHTER DIARY: HERMES FRANCA
In
an MMAWeekly exclusive, Hermes Franca will be giving you his
daily diary of what will go on this week for him as he gets prepared
to fight on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Hermes will break down
his daily activities in preparation to fighting Josh Thomson
in the Octagon. Here's his first installment of the fighter diaries
with Hermes Franca. (translation help from John Hartnett).
Hello
to all the fight fans at MMAWeekly.com. I will do my best to
go behind the scenes and give you information of what I'm doing
to get ready for UFC week.
MONDAY
Today,
being Monday, it's not too exciting. My day will start out this
morning eating a very light breakfast.
My
day will continue with a stop to my gym at American Top Team
here in Florida. I will swing by the gym and say hello as well
as goodbye to many of my friends who have got me ready for this
fight. Many of them can't make it to Las Vegas so I will say
good bye to many of my close friends and family.
Later
I will check my weight and see how much I weigh at the gym. I
should be right around 164 pounds. After that I will stop at
the dentist to have him look at my mouth. Got to get a checkup
in...
Then
I will make some time for lunch. I won't eat a lot this week.
I will eat some chicken and just make sure I eat lean food. I'm
pretty aware of what I've been taking in this week.
Then
I will spend some time with my wife and kid and just spend some
relaxing time with them. Then after a brief dinner I will pack
and get everything ready for the trip. I head on to Las Vegas
tomorrow morning so I will get a good night sleep and get ready
for a long trip across country.
As
I said on the underground, I would like to take this time before
I leave to thank all the people who have supported me in preperation
for this fight. I would like to thank my coaches and teammates
here at American Top Team for getting me in shape and always
being there for me.
I
would like to thank Dana White and the UFC for providing me with
this opprotunity to live out my dream.
I
would also like to thank all my sponsers for helping me. SPRAWL
Fight Shorts (www.SPRAWL.tv), Ground 'n' Pound Fight Wear (www.GnPgear.com),
Sherdog.com (www.Sherdog.com), Showdown Fight Gear (www.Showdown.ca)
Most
importantly I would like to thank you the fans of the UFC and
this sport! Without you guys none of this would ever be possible!
Next Saturday I will fight my heart out for all of you. THANK
YOU ALL AGAIN!!! Thank you to MMAWeekly.com for the opportunity
and I will have more tomorrow as I get ready to fight at UFC
46.
TUESDAY
"Today
is travel day for me. It's always a long day going from one side
of the country to the other. My day will start early as I hit
the gym at 8am to pick up some of my gear. I will have to pick
up my training gear and equipment and take it on the plane so
I will have clothes to train in, in Las Vegas.
I
will eat a big breakfast today, because this will be the last
good meal I can have so after a large breakfast, it will be time
to get take my bags and board the airplane.
I
board a plane today from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and I will fly
to Las Vegas. I will get into Las Vegas in the early afternoon.
Then I will check into the hotel.
The
toughest part about today is knowing I still have to wait five
more days to fight. The hardest part is waiting for the fight.
The fight itself is easy. I just get impatient waiting. I want
to fight tomorrow, not wait until Saturday. That will be the
toughest part for me to overcome.
I
eat a light dinner and I will plan on getting some cardio work
in tonight. Nothing exciting. I will hit the exercise bike, do
the treadmill and jump some rope. I won't do any rolling around
tonight.
That's
about it. I will drink plenty of fluids, wash out my body from
a long day of travel, so basically make today a travel day and
let my body recover.
I've
put in all my work in up to this point, so this week I will just
maintain and keep my cardio up. My body will be able to heal
this week so I will be in optimal fighting shape for Saturday.
Alright guys time for my long travel day and I will catch you
tomorrow. Thanks for your support and reading me here at MMAWeekly.com.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
NOW
OR NEVER FOR SERRA
Matt
Serra makes it perfectly clear. "I miss competing in the
UFC." Serra views this fight as his "comeback"
fight to set himself back in the public eye at the 155 weight
class.
Serra
told MMAWeekly recently "It's been a tough month. I was
training for Javier Vasquez, then they changed my opponent to
Gerald Strebendt, then he got hurt, last I heard I was fighting
(Ivan) Menjivar and now it's Jeff Curran. You tell me am I still
fighting him?" Serra laughs.
Serra,
who has went through five different possible opponents knows
that Jeff Curran is the most important fight in his career. Serra
has to be ready to go because this could be his last fight in
the UFC.
"I
don't think about it like that. I know there is pressure to win
the fight and I have to win this fight. The UFC has been very
good to me and I'm not ready to leave the organization."
Serra's
last fight in the UFC was a split decision win.....then loss
to Din Thomas. Referee Larry Landless raised Serra's hand as
the winner; as Bruce Buffer announced Serra winning a split decision.
Only problem? After rechecking the official judges scorecards
there was a mistake.
It
was actually Din Thomas who was supposed to be announced the
winner, so after Serra was celebrating with his team in the lockeroom,
UFC President Dana White delivered the bad news.
"It
was like something out of a horror movie. I won, I was happy,
then it was like a brick hit me, as they changed the outcome.
What can you do, you know?"
Serra's
last UFC win was at UFC 36 against Kelly Dullanty. Serra now
hopes ten UFC's later that he will be victorious at UFC 46. If
not, he knows this could be the last time he steps through the
bright lights and big crowds of the UFC Octagon.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
|
Parisyan
brings "The Heat" to UFC
Pressure
in the Octagon comes in all forms. From the champion defending
his belt to the adrenaline-charged debut, the difference between
victory and defeat is often found in how a fighter deals with
the pressure.
For
Karo Parisyan, the pressure came in his UFC debut against Dave
Strasser. Not only was it his first time under the unforgiving
eyes of fans, but he had the added impetus to represent his core
discipline of judo.
After
dispatching Strasser in September with an impressive series of
throws and takedowns, the end coming with a picture-perfect drop
into a kimura, Karo "The Heat" Parisyan displayed the
beauty and technique of his art. It couldn't have been scripted
better.
"There
was a lot of pressure," Parisyan tells MaxFighting. "People
would come up to me and say, 'I bet $3,000 on you.' I was OK,
but I could definitely feel the pressure. The thing is, there
have been judo players in the UFC before. The only good judo
player I saw before was Christophe Leninger, and he wasn't really
a flow guy. I don't mean to brag on myself, but I don't think
they were at my level. I was ranked No. 4 on the U.S. team."
Parisyan,
18-2-0, has beaten Antonio McKee and Fernando Vasconcelos, both
powerful wrestlers. He's also been a national junior judo champion.
Facing Georges St. Pierre, who is unbeaten in four fights, in
UFC 46, he's quickly becoming known as a fighter to watch.
"I
like to let it flow," he says. "Honestly in a fight
I never make predictions and I never know what's going to happen."
Armenian by descent, Parisyan was schooled in judo by the legendary
"Judo" Gene LeBell, and has worked as a Hollywood stuntman.
But
the L.A.-based fighter is no mere contemplative judoka -- on
the feet he comes to bang, is aggressive, and strikes with confidence.
It's why his moniker of "The Heat" is more than a convenience
of rhyme -- Parisyan fights like a man double-parked who can't
afford the ticket.
He's
served notice that there's a new threat in the 170-pound division
who is willing to end a fight on the ground or standing. It's
only after the clinch comes that the smooth stylings of judo
take over and the aggressive, street fighter approach gives way
to a remarkably skilled judo player.
"I
don't know where it comes from, honestly," he says regarding
his strike-first standup mentality. "Ever since my first
fight, I just was that way. I don't like to dance around."
Fighters
are injured, sometimes so often that it's hard to tell where
the effects of one end and the other begin. Such was the case,
Parisyan says, in both of his fights with Sean Sherk, who is
responsible for the lone pair of blemishes on the Armenian's
record.
"I
had just turned 18, and I took the fight on three weeks notice,"
he recalls. "I'd just got back from the U.S. Open and three
days later I flew to St. Louis to take part in an eight-man tournament.
If you lose, you lose. But in my opinion -- and that of a lot
of people there -- I won. I was all over Sherk on the feet, bro.
And even though he got the decision he went to the hospital afterwards
and couldn't fight. And he won! The second time I was sick. I
couldn't keep anything down and lost 10 pounds the week of the
fight, but I still fought him hard for three rounds."
Win
or lose, injuries are always a factor to contend with.
"Against
Strasser I popped a rib before the fight. I went to the doctor
and he said I can't do anything for you, because it's just in
a weird place. I got a cortisone shot and that really helped;
in fact, Strasser kneed me in the ribs in that very spot in the
fight. If I hadn't had the cortisone, man. Every fight I've been
injured. I've got bad ankles, knees. I'm only 21 years old and
my knees are messed up. I can't imagine them when I'm 30. You
should see my knees!"
Parisyan
is a levelheaded young man, who takes a realistic view of the
talent-rich welterweight division and its imposing champion,
Matt Hughes.
"After
I beat Strasser," says Parisyan, "[the UFC] offered
me Nick Diaz, Carlos Newton, or Spratt. We went with Spratt,
and then St. Pierre after he beat Spratt. As for my future, I
really look to Randy Couture as an inspiration. I'd like to be
in this sport for 10 years.
"As
far as Matt Hughes, he's really strong. He has one really strong
thing about him and that's the wrestling. I would say he is an
average submissions fighter, but he just takes people down and
ground-and-pounds them. People tell me I'd give him fits on the
ground, but he's the iron man of the division."
But
while many speculate on how he'd match up with others -- Diaz
and he would be a great match of up-and-comers -- Parisyan knows
that it's a clear-cut task in front of him in UFC 46 with St.
Pierre.
"I
have three fights of him [on tape] and he's pretty aggressive,"
he says. "He's a solid wrestler and a decent jiu-jitsu guy.
I think he'll be tougher than Strasser. God willing, they'll
give me Newton or Renato Verissimo if he beats Newton. But the
more you win, the tougher the fights get."
And
with tough fights under his belt, "The Heat" will definitely
be one to watch when that time comes.
Source:
Maxfighting |
Quote
of the Day
"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together
as fools."
Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929-1968, American Civil Rights Leader,
Nobel Prize Winner
|
COUTURE
ON NATIONAL TV LAST NIGHT
Randy Couture continued his media tour as he traveled to Los
Angeles to tape on the Jimmy Kimmel show last night on the ABC
Network in front of a national television audience.
The
showed opened with some video of him fighting Chuck Liddell.
They promo'd his fight coming up Saturday and Jimmy asked if
he gets nervous before fights.
Randy
said he doesn't get nervous before the fights, he says he gets
excited for competition...
Couture
talked about why he got into the sport. He said he got in to
ultimate fighting through his wrestling background. Said his
freinds were making money and wanted to try it. Couture went
into detail and talked about the rules of the UFC and broke them
down very well...talked about being a dad says his three kids
enjoy watching him compete.
Jimmy
Kimmel talked about how people love this sport and how it's growing.
Couture talked about growing up as a kid and said he didn't get
into fights. Randy talked about his diets of eating "greens"
and vegetables.
When
asked how much longer he will continue to fight, he says that
he takes it one fight at a time. Couture was on the show for
about five minutes and of course Randy made a very good account
of him and the UFC.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
Showing at Round Table!
Round Table Pizza in Waikiki is showing UFC 46 with a special
deal of $10 with all you can eat pizza. UFC Veteran and SuperBrawl
Star, Niko Fitale will appear.
|
PRIDE
BUSHIDO 2
Place: Yokohama Arena
Date: February 15th
Start: 15:00
Card
Subject T0 Change:
Hayato 'MACH' Sakurai vs Rodrigo Gracie
Daiju Takase vs Chris Brennan
Yasuhito Namekawa vs Egidijus Valavicius
Mario Sperry vs Mike 'BATMAN' Bencic
Ryuki Ueyama vs TBD
CHUTE
BOXE VS JAPAN (3 VS 3)
Wanderlei Silva vs Ikuhisa Minowa
Mauricio Shogun vs Akihiro Gono
Jadson Costa vs Takanori Gomi
Also
announced was the fight order of PRIDE 27:
7th
Match
Mirko Cro Cop vs Ron Waterman
6th
Match
PRIDE GP SURVIVAL MATCH
Heath Herring vs Gan McGee
5th
Match
PRIDE GP SURVIVAL MATCH
Mark Kerr vs Yoshihisa Yamamoto
4th
Match
Kazuhiro Nakamura vs Dos Caras Jr.
3th
Match
Murilo Ninja vs Alexander Otsuka
2nd
Match
PRIDE GP SURVIVAL MATCH
Kharitonov Sergey vs LA Giant (prowrestler , 210cm, 180kg)
1st
Match
PRIDE GP SURVIVAL MATCH
Igor Vovchanchyn vs Dan Bobish
Source:
Booker K
|
Matt
Serra: More than A Win-Loss Record
Think
it’s easy being a fighter? Just ask Matt Serra, who has
seen three opponents fall out on him before Jeff Curran was finally
solidified for this Saturday’s lightweight bout at UFC 46
in Las Vegas. But in typical Serra fashion, the New Yorker is
unfazed by the turn of events that would leave most fighters
in a panic.
“You’ve
got to expect that these things happen,” said Serra, who
at various times was scheduled to face Javier Vazquez, Gerald
Strebendt, and Ivan Menjivar before Curran. “But I’ve
got to tell you, after the fourth guy, it was getting a little
crazy. I was just trying to keep my focus, and I said, ‘you
know what, they’re gonna get me somebody. Whoever they get
me, I’ve got to be ready to fight. I’ve got to be ready
to go to war. That’s what kept me focused.”
And
though a replacement opponent might mean an easy walkover in
some combat sports, Curran is no joke, with quality wins over
Bao Quach and Baret Yoshida to his credit. In his most recent
bout, last May, Curran dropped a decision to highly regarded
Norifumi ‘Kid’ Yamamoto.
Serra
is well aware of Curran’s pedigree.
“I
think he’s definitely a quality guy,” said Serra. “He’s
an experienced guy, a black belt under Pedro Sauer, and he swings
standing up. I think it has the makings of a really good fight.
I’m happy that they got someone of Jeff’s quality.”
Happy?
There’s no happy in mixed martial arts. This is the realm
of testosterone, poker faces, and trash talk, ain’t it?
Someone forgot to tell Serra, one of the good guys in the game,
and someone who, frankly, loves this stuff, and isn't afraid
to tell you.
“I
enjoy the whole process,” said Serra. “I love my job.
And I know win or lose, I’m going to go in there with the
right intention, and I’m never gonna go in there and disgrace
myself, no matter what happens. When you step in that cage you
know that there’s always that chance that something can
go wrong. You can either dwell on it, or else you could just
say, ‘screw it, man, I’m going in there, and I’m
going to fight.’ I’m getting paid to go in a cage and
fight another guy to test my skills. I look forward to it.
The
carefree attitude is in stark contrast to Serra’s approach
to the cage. Fighting each fight as if it’s his last, ‘The
Terror’ is just that once the bell rings. Unfortunately,
it takes two to tango, and fighters such as BJ Penn and Din Thomas
have found ways to delay the dervish en route to close decision
wins, victories that many believe could have been defeats. Serra
may not have agreed with the judges’ verdicts, but he did
take some lessons away from both losses, lessons that he plans
to put into action on Saturday.
“There’s
always corrections to be made, and I try to improve my game regardless
of a win or loss,” said Serra. “I come to fight; a
lot of guys lately haven’t been coming to fight me. I’m
not going to use that as an excuse –‘oh, well they
don’t want to fight; that’s why I haven’t been
winning.’ No. I switched things up so if this guy comes
in and fights the way he normally does, and comes to fight me,
that’s great and I’m looking forward to that. If he’s
gonna run, I’ll catch him. I’ll get him. I’ve
been working on tons of things.
For
Serra, a win will be a welcome change, and will also put him
back into the thick of things at lightweight. And let’s
face it, if Zuffa is planning on reinstating the UFC lightweight
title, it helps if one of the challengers has an over .500 record.
But that’s just a boxing guy talking. Serra understands
the assumption that casual fans might make about a fighter with
a 2-3 record, but also makes it clear that he is not someone
who can fairly be judged solely by his won-loss slate.
“You
can’t go by my record,” said Serra. “I look at
it like, I’m coming to fight and I’m leaving it out
there. I have no regrets. In hindsight everything is 20/20. The
(Shonie) Carter fight set the stage for who I am. I could have
stayed in the guard and rode the clock out. Why did I get up
and go after him? That was just an instinct. Of course technically
it wasn’t the best thing in the world, but I don’t
regret it. I went out like a warrior. I don’t regret the
intentions of what I was doing.
“They
(the fans) have seen how exciting I could be, in victory or defeat,”
continues Serra. “Look in Japan, at a guy like Ninja (Rua).
I like that guy. I don’t know how great his record is, but
that guy’s battling; he’s always fighting. He’s
winning, he’s losing, he gets a decision, he gets stopped
by a cut, but then he just knocked a guy out with a knee. That’s
an exciting fighter. I’d pay to watch that guy fight. I
don’t care about his record.”
Thankfully,
Zuffa management has seen fit to return Serra to the Octagon,
where he remains one of the most exciting (and most skilled)
fighters in the lightweight division. What remains to be seen
is if a new champion will be crowned in the near future. Serra
disregards the rumors regarding the 155-pound class though, and
if it does get scrapped, he’s got a back-up plan.
“I
don’t really pay attention to the rumors,” said Serra.
“If worse comes to worse, I’ll go right up to welterweight.
I don’t care. I hate the damn dieting. Right now I’m
going to see a movie with my girlfriend and I can’t eat
popcorn and pretzels. I’m going to get a fruit and nut mix
and a protein bar. It’s brutal. It gets me mean though.”
He
laughs, and you’ve got to like the Long Island native. And
whether he’s 2-3, 5-0, or 0-15, you would want to see him
fight because he leaves it in the cage every time out. You can’t
say that for every fighter. And to Serra’s credit, he hasn’t
asked for a gimme or two to get his record back on the positive
side.
“I’m
not one of those guys who pick and choose an opponent,”
said Serra. “As far as getting a gimme, I think in the UFC
you can’t expect or look to get an easy fight. You have
to expect that every guy you get is going to be a killer. It
don’t get bigger than the UFC. This is the major leagues.
I’m there to fight whoever they give me. I don’t want
to steal Royce’s line from back in the day, but ‘if
you put the devil on the other side, I’m going to walk in
to fight.’”
“In
this game, the bigger risk, the more the reward,” Serra
continues. “I don’t mind being the underdog, and I
like fighting a guy that I could possibly lose to. I’m in
it for the fight; I’m not in it for a pretty record. I don’t
have a pretty record as far as the UFC goes. It’s not that
I don’t care; of course you want to win. But I’m not
going to change the way I fight. When people think of me, and
when, down the road, they remember me, they’re going to
remember a guy that comes to fight. That’s what they’re
going to remember, and that’s what I’m going to bring
every time. They know I’m going forward. I might be giving
away my game plan, but I’m going forward.”
So
Jeff Curran knows this: Matt Serra is coming forward, and he’s
coming to go to war. Pretty simple, but Serra says you ain’t
seen nothing yet.
“I
still feel that I have so much to show that I haven’t shown
yet. And hopefully in this coming fight I get to show some more
stuff.”
Sounds
like some Superbowl Eve show.
Source:
Maxfighting |
ANOTHER
CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE DEFENSE:
HUGHES PROFILE
Matt
Hughes' name has become synonymous with champion. The thirty
year old Miletich fighter from Illinois, boasts a 33-3-0 mixed
martial arts record and will be defending his UFC welterweight
title for the sixth time against a game BJ Penn.
Hughes
has always been a champion, winning two high school Illinois
state wrestling titles, was a two time junior college All-American
and a two time NCAA All-American at Eastern Illinois University.
Arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world, Matt
makes it look seemingly easy.
Hughes
made his UFC debut back in September of 1999, at UFC 22. He has
become known for his overwhelming strength and patented slams.
Matt is literally running out of fighters to beat in his weight
class.
He
is on, an unheard of, thirteen fight win streak. Hughes is a
kind of genetic freak of nature. In the past, the Illinois farm
boy, hardly had trained for his fights. That was the Matt Hughes
of old, he has been reportedly training hard for this match and
wants to show the world that no one is gonna move up a weight
class and take his belt.
Hughes
captured the UFC welterweight title at UFC 34 with a controversial
win over Carlos Newton. He would put the questions and critics
to rest when he convincingly beat Newton in a rematch at UFC
38. Matt then went on to beat Gil Castillo, out wrestled Sean
Sherk, and devastated Frank Trigg with a first round win by a
rear naked choke.
Matt's
stand up has vastly improved according to his manager Monte Cox
and fellow Miletich fighter Tim Sylvia says, "it is gonna
be scary to see what he (Hughes) is gonna look like in the ring."
Who
better for the best 170 pound fighter in the world to fight other
than the best 155 pound fighter in the world? Many feel that
if anyone can beat Matt it is BJ Penn. Others think that Newton
is stronger and better on the ground and he couldn't get the
job done so Penn won't either. How will Penn compensate for the
power of Hughes?
Is
BJ the one to pull off the unthinkable? Can anyone beat a focused,
prepared Matt Hughes? All these questions will be answered Saturday,
January 31st, when the two face off at UFC 46 "Super Natural."
Win
- Erick Snyder - Submission (slam) - JKD Challenge 2 -
Win - Craig Quick - Submission (strikes) - JKD Challenge 1 -
4-25-1998
Win - Victor Hunsaker - TKO ( Extreme Challenge 21 - 10-27-1998
Win - Dave Menne - Decision (unanimous) - Extreme Challenge 21
- 10-27-1998
Loss - Dennis Hallman - KO (choked out by guillotine) - Extreme
Challenge 21 - 10-27-98
Win - Ryan Stout - Submission - Extreme Shootfighting - 12-11-1998
NC - Daniel Vianna - JKD Challenge 3 - 2-6-1999
Win - Joe Stern - Submission (punches) - Extreme Challenge 23
- 4-2-1999
Win - Akihiro Gono - Decision (unanimous) - Shooto: 10th Anniversary
- 5-29-1999
Win - Valeri Ignatov - Decision (unanimous) - UFC 22 - 9-24-1999
Win - Joe Doerksen - Submission - Extreme Challenge 29 - 11-13-1999
Win - Tom Schmitz - Submission (eye injury) - Extreme Challenge
29 - 11-13-1999
Win - Laverne Clark - Submission (rear naked choke) - Extreme
Challenge 29 - 11-13-99
Win - Jorge Pereira - TKO (doctor stoppage due to cut) - WEF
8 - 1-15-2000
Win - Eric DaVila - Submission (keylock) - Superbrawl 17 - 4-15-2000
Win - Alexandre Barros - Decision (unanimous) - WEF 9 - 5-13-2000
Win - Sean Peters - Submission (triangle choke) - Extreme Challenge
32 - 5-20-2000
Win - Marcelo Aguiar - TKO (doctor stoppage due to cut) - UFC
26 - 6-9-2000
Win - Joe Guist - Submission ( arm bar) - Extreme Challenge 35
- 6-29-2000
Win - Christopher Haseman - Decision (unanimous) - Rings - 8-23-2000
Win - Robbie Newman - Submission (triangle choke) - Rings - 9-30-2000
Win - Maynard Marcum - Submission (figure 4 key lock) - Rings
- 11-12-2000
Loss - Dennis Hallman - Submission (arm bar) - UFC 29 - 12-16-2000
Loss - Jose Landi-jons - KO (knee) - Warriors War 1 - 2-8-2001
Win - Brett Al-Azzawi - Submission (arm bar) - Rings USA - 3-17-2001
Win - Bruce Nelson - Submission (front choke) - FCC 4 - 3-31-2001
Win - John Cronk - Submission (strikes) - Gladiators 13 - 5-11-2001
Win - Scott Johnson - KO - Extreme Challenge 40 - 6-16-2001
Win - Chatt Lavender - Submission (side choke) - Extreme Challenge
41 - 7-13-2001
Win - Hiromitsu Kanehara - Decision - Rings 10th Anniversary
- 8-11-2001
Win - Steve Gomm - TKO (ref stoppage) - Extreme Challenge 43
- 9-8-2001
Win - Carlos Newton - KO (slam) - UFC 34 - 11-2-2001
Win - Hayato Sakurai - TKO (ref stoppage) - UFC 36 - 3-22-2002
Win - Carlos Newton - Submission - (verbal submission from strikes)
- UFC 38 - 7-13-2002
Win - Gil Castillo - TKO (doctor stoppage) - UFC 40 - 11-22-2002
Win - Sean Sherk - Decision (unanimous) - UFC 42 - 4-25-2003
Win - Frank Trigg - Submission (rear naked choke) - UFC 45 -
11-21-2003
Source:
MMA Weekly |
Scottie
Wrestlotti
One of the owners of American fight site "On the Mat",
Scott Nelson abandoned his camera and for few minutes fought
at the 3rd Submission of Campos, held on last weekend in Rio
de Janeiro. The two throws he got at the bout were not enough
to blue him off. Scott got defeated by Brazilian Júnior
Mancha (Gracie Barra) at the up to 75kg amateur category.
"The
main difference between Brazilians and Americans are that Brazilians
are more technical and American are best wrestlers," commented
the 34 years old fighter from California.
Source: Tatame |
|
Jorge
Rivera: Comfortable in the Spotlight
As
you're reading this, the New England Patriots are, in all probability,
humping across a warm Texas gridiron, preparing for their second
turn in the big show -- the Super Bowl -- in only the fourth
year of this new millennium.
Meanwhile,
back in the frigid Massachusetts air, middleweight mixed martial
artist Jorge Rivera is completing the last leg of his training
for his fight against U.K. brawler Lee Murray at UFC 46: "Super
Natural," Saturday, January 31 in Las Vegas. Rivera is quick
to liken himself and his training partners to the Patriots in
terms of makeup and work ethic.
"Of
course I'm rooting for [the Patriots] to take the Super Bowl,"
he confides. "You look at the team and, you know, it's not
really stars; [it's] just a bunch of normal, everyday hard-working
guys. That's just like us."
The
"us" he refers to is Team Elite, which consists of
such New England-based fighters as Nuri Shakir, Mike Brown, Jim
DeSousa, head trainer Keith Rockel, who recently competed in
UFC 45, and, of course, Rivera.
Taking
a cue from teams like Miletich Fighting Systems and Team Quest,
Team Elite was formed to create a regional stronghold for MMA
in the New England area, while allowing its fighters to benefit
from one another's skills. As a result, Rivera feels confident
in all the requisite phases of UFC combat.
"I
prepare for every fight the same," Rivera points out. "I
do a lot of wrestling, a lot of Thai fighting, jiu-jitsu …
everything. I don't focus more on one thing than another; I try
to do as much of everything as I possibly can so that no matter
what happens in a fight, I can be well prepared for it. I feel
I'm in really good shape for this fight. I've been giving it
all I've got in and out of the gym. I'm doing my sparring, my
cardio, and everything else that I need to do and I'm ready to
go."
Rockel
seconds this assessment: "Everyone should realize that Jorge
has been training very hard and will be ready for anything Murray
throws at him."
Much
of the attention Rivera's opponent, Lee Murray, has gleaned stems
from his upset knockout of Jose 'Pele' Landi-Jons in Europe and
a post-UFC skirmish with Tito Ortiz back in 2002. This is, however,
his first time in the UFC.
For
Rivera, like his beloved Patriots, he's returning to the big
show and feels a lot more comfortable being there than he did
in his UFC 44 debut. He admits that nerves played a role in his
performance against David Loiseau (a fight Rivera won by unanimous
decision), but doesn't feel he has as much to prove when the
spotlight hits him as Murray does.
"The
only thing in my thought process is: What do I have to do to
win and how do I continue to win and move forward?" Rivera
says. "I'm not worried about how other people view me or
how they gauge me. I could care less. I'm more interested in
my agenda and in what I have planned for myself and how I go
about obtaining my goals. I'm not worried about anything else
besides that."
Some
of those goals include becoming the UFC champion at 185 pounds,
an unenviable task considering the disarray that weight class
is currently in. While Rivera certainly has his sights set on
UFC gold, at present Murray is all that's important to him, and
he's geared his training to be able to take him apart.
"He's
a kickboxer," says Rivera, offering what knowledge he has
of his opponent. "I know he hits very hard. I know he's
got a good left hand and right hand. I know that he's tenacious
and that he's traveled around and trained with some of the better
camps. I think he's going to be ready and that this is going
to be a good fight. He'll be a good challenge for me and I like
that … I live for that."
Competitors
who are willing to charge without hesitation into the challenges
the octagon may hold for them seem to fit the profile of athlete
Zuffa has in mind as its campaign to gain legitimacy in the United
States continues.
Jorge
Rivera seems ready to take his position in the limelight, all
while retaining his humility and firm sense of focus on what's
in front of him.
"I've
always felt that everything's been written and I'm just here
to live it out," says Jorge. For New Englanders, that may
mean two big victories this weekend.
Source:
Maxfighting |
Quote
of the Day
"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together
as fools."
Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929-1968, American Civil Rights Leader,
Nobel Prize Winner
|
Fighters'
Club TV Episode 18 airs Tonight
(Tuesday) on Channel 52 @ 6pm!
EPISODE
18 FEATURES:
-Our
favorite techniques of the weeks from 2003
-Falaniko Vitale's Toe hook/Foot lock
-Egan Inoue's heel hook
-Enson Inoue's arm bar from the guard
-Don Frye's standing side choke
-Chris and Mike Onzuka's takedown to triangle from the mount
-Also,
highlights from Superbrawl 32 of both
-Egan Inoue vs. Jason Miller (+ interview with Jason)
-Masanori Suda vs. Shannon Ritch (+ interview with Suda)
and
of course, everyone's favorite FCTV hosts, Mark Kurano and Mike
Onzuka
(stay
tuned for the credits where we have some exclusive training footage
of one of Hawaii's up-and-coming fighters)
Comments,
Questions, Suggestions?
Please email us at: fightersclubtv808@hotmail.com
We're
also looking at alternate timeslot availability and would like
to hear what time our viewers would prefer--so let us know!
|
AFC5
Info
Source: Promoter
|
MMA's
Joe Priole - Cancer Fund Details!
Joe
was affiliated with Relson for a while I believe and if you can
help, I'm sure it would be appreciated.
Recently,
Joe Priole was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. This form
of cancer attacks the Lymphatic System, the disease fighting
network that is spread throughout the body. About 54,000 cases
are diagnosed annually in the United States and each year it
accounts for approximately 24,000 deaths (50%) in the US.
Joe
is an accomplished athlete who has given his time and abilities,
often at no charge, to teach children to swim, self-defense classes
for women and karate to those of all ages. Unfortunately, this
disease is unbiased and unkind. The treatment that Joe must receive
comes at a very high cost.
In
honor of Joe's good will and big heart, his family and friends
have put together a Fantastic Event to raise funds for the treatments
to save his life!
Joe
Priole, Jr. Cancer Fund Benefit Dinner
Place: The Coliseum in Voorhees, NJ
Date: Friday, March 12, 2004
Time: 7:30PM till Midnight
Minimum Donation: $75.00 per Ticket
Ticket
Price Includes Hors d'oeuvres, Dinner, Open Bar and Live Music.
Your
help is needed. If you are unable to attend, donations can be
made to:
Joe
Priole Cancer Fund
528 Mt. Laurel Road
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054
Joe
is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. His credentials
as a person and a martial artist are endless. Joe is a World
BJJ Brown Belt Masters Champion and fought Vernon 'Tiger' White
at Ken Shamrock's Mega Show in Atlantic City, NJ. Please keep
Joe and his family and friends in your prayers.
Check
out http://www.wantjoepriole.info
Source: ADCC |
Frank
Shamrock Instructional Training
Frank
Shamrock is probably one of the most intriguing and sought after
Mixed Martial Artists in the world. A professional fighter and
five-time undefeated UFC World Middleweight Champion, Shamrock
has helped submission fighting become recognized as a world-class
sport. He is a technical and thorough instructor who can significantly
improve your power and effectiveness within a single instructional
seminar. His training methods condition the physical body, but
also help to develop your mental and spiritual well-being. By
studying the healing arts and integrating them into his training,
Shamrock has added another dimension to his cross training, and
has become an even more balanced all purpose fighter.
Shamrock
partnered with Warrior Yoga founder Sensei Jeremy Corbell in
developing an instructional training program. Warrior Yoga was
specifically designed as a training program for Mixed Martial
Artists. Although the Warrior Yoga program can be used by anyone,
martial artists require a physical wellness program that directly
addresses their lifestyle and needs. This unique form of yoga
combines the most powerful aspects of a typical yoga practice,
with a motivational philosophy and instructional format that
comes directly from the martial arts tradition.
The
partnership of Shamrock and Corbell has initiated a new level
of understanding within the martial arts community. By sharing
information about these two worlds, athletic and holistic training,
both men have been able to resurrect the true design and purpose
of the martial arts that were created many millennia ago, the
melding of the body, mind, and spirit. These core beliefs were
the fundamental reason the martial arts were formed. Unfortunately,
over the centuries, some of these principles were lost, and regrettably
for the sport of MMA, were never established to begin with. But
the joint venture of Shamrock and Corbell has once again united
these values, and the martial arts community as a whole is better
off because of it.
This
instructional training has something for every student of the
martial arts. On the athletic side, Shamrock offers specific
teachings, combined with detailed training techniques, in the
sport of Submission Fighting. But that is not all. Corbell offers
the athlete a unique look inside his holistic approach to the
martial arts by including an entire Warrior Yoga workout. Fans
of traditional martial arts, as well as martial athletes, will
have an important teaching tool that will help them achieve a
new level of knowledge and understanding in training, and even
more importantly, their day to day lives.
The
instructional training is available at www.customflix.com/205394.
For
more information, contact Corbell at sensei@quantumjujitsu.com.
Source:
ADCC
|
Randy
Couture on Jimmy Kimmel Show Last Night!
Our friends at http://petersreviews.com/ wanted to let the
fans know that UFC Champion Randy 'The Natural' Couture is scheduled
to be on the Jimmy Kimmel show tonight. Couture is scheduled
to take on Vitor Belfort in this weekend's UFC 46. This is the
champion's last press stop before heading to Las Vegas for the
weekend's fights.
Here's
the official Kimmel listing: http://abc.go.com/primetime/jimmykimmel/index.html/
Monday,
Jan. 26: Actress Jennifer Beals, UFC heavy weight champion Randy
Couture, Musical Guest Jonny Lang
Source: ADCC |
Marcelihno
Garcia beats Renato 'Babalu' Sobral in Submission Wrestling Finals!
Renato Babalu
Right
after winning the category up to 87kg in the Submission Wrestling
event heldin Campos, north of Rio de Janeiro, bjj blackbelt and
ADCC World Champion Marcelo Garcia put his rntire game on display
to defeat Renato Sobral in the finals of the absolute category,
again leaving a Submission Wrestling show the talk of the event.
He took home prizes totalling of about US$ 1.500.
Weighting
81kg, Marcelinho had to fight and defeat guys about 20kg heavier,
like 105kg-guy Gabriel 'Napão' in the semifinals. Against
Sobral, Marcelo swept the vale-tudo champion and, with the hooks,
got the victory by points 6 x 0.
About
his way of defeating the big guys, Garcia showed spoke humbly
as usual: 'Well, I always want it really bad! And I never give
up, I keep fighting until the end, making my quick moves all
the time and waiting for the opponent's slip up. That's how I
win!', celebrated Fabio Gurgel's pupil.
Marcelinho's
way to the title in the Absolutes was:
(1st
fight): 2 x 0 over Ricardo Bastos
(2nd fight): Rear naked choke over Marcao
(Semifinals): 4 x 0 over Gabriel Napao
(Finals): 6 x 0 over Renato 'Babalu' Sobral
Source:
ADCC
|
Boxing:
Lewis given title deadline
Lennox
Lewis has been given a deadline of 15 March to decide if he will
defend his heavyweight title, according to BBC Radio Five Live.
The
report says if he fails to agree on another defence, he will
automatically be stripped of the title by the WBC.
Lewis'
trainer Emmanuel Steward said he believes the champion will either
fight Vitali Klitschko again or retire.
Source: ADCC |
The
HAMAGUCHI 'phenomenon'
Athens, 24 January 2004
Fascinating
battles were given on the tapis of the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall
today, on the second day of the Athens Women's Wrestling International
Tournament 2004. The Tournament, organised by OCOG ATHENS 2004,
is a Sport Event held in preparation for the Olympic Games. Once
again today, the protagonist was undoubtedly Japan's Kyoko HAMAGUCHI,
who won the gold medal in the 72 kg category, defeating Spain's
Maider UNDA with 5-1 and proving one more time that she is by
far the strongest contender for the gold medal at the Athens
Olympic Games. Nevertheless, in order to make it to the final,
the diminutive Japanese athlete, who has already won five times
the World Champion's title (two in 72 kg and three in 75 kg),
needed to draw on all her reserves to overcome the 'obstacle'
of American Toccara MONTOGOMERY in the semi-final. The match
was especially close, and was decided in extra time (the score
was a tied 3-3 at the end of normal time), with HAMAGUCHI winning
one more point and qualifying for the final. The bronze medal
in this category, whose matches stole the show today in Ano Liossia,
went to American Toccara MONTGOMERY, who defeated Russian Svetlana
MARTYNENKO with 6-1 in the match for third place.
Japan's
Chiharu ICHO took highest position on the podium in the 48 kg
category, winning her first gold medal in this category, as so
far the 28-year old athlete has been competing in the 51 kg category,
in which she was in fact World Champion in 2003. In the final
of the 'lightest' of the Women's categories, ICHO defeated with
8-0 Russia's Lorisa OORZHAK, who had to settle for the silver.
The great 'disappointment' in the 48 kg category was Germany's
Brigitte WAGNER, World Champion in 2002, who did not live up
to her reputation here at Ano Liossia, losing today the match
for third place with 3-0 in extra time to Canada's Lyndsay BELISLE,
whose only distinction in a World Championship so far was a fourth
place (in the 2001 World Championship, in the 51 kg category),
and who had merely finished 12th in the last World Championship,
in the 48 kg category.
In
the 63 kg category, American Sara MCMANN needed only five minutes
to win the gold medal. The 24-year-old athlete, who had defeated
Spain's Aurora FAJARDO in 2'47'' in the semi-final on technical
superiority, appeared in very strong form in the final against
Russia's Alena KARTASHOVA and, within just one and a half minute
had already won eight points, going on to win another four points,
and the victory, just four seconds before the end of the five-minute
period, on technical superiority (12-1). The bronze medal in
the same category was won by default by Spain’s
Aurora FAJARDO, as her opponent appeared with her left arm in
a sling and was unable to compete for third place.
In
the 55 kg category, the great victor was China's Yamzi GAO, who
defeated American Tina GEORGE with 4-0 in the final. The bronze
medal was won by Canada's Tonya VERBEEK, who turned the match
for third place into a one-woman show. VERBEEK won six points
in the first three minutes, to finally walk away with a 6-0 win
over Germany's Christina OERTLI.
On
the Greek side, Konstantina-Katerina TSIMPANAKOU, finished sixth
in the final ranking for the 55 kg category, since she did not
show up to compete in the match for fifth place scheduled for
this morning. The Greek athlete was suffering from pain in her
waist and, as a precaution, chose not to risk fighting in this
particular match. As far as the other Greek athletes were concerned,
in today's preliminaries for non-Olympic categories (51, 59,
and 57 kg), Myrsini KOLONI, in the 51 kg category, defeated this
morning Zoi ATHANASIADOU by a fall, but in the afternoon she
lost to Poland's Sylwia BILENSKA and this failed to secure a
ticket for the top four positions. She will therefore compete
in tomorrow's repechage matches against Russia's Natalia GUSHINA
and Germany's Alexandra DEMMEL. It is interesting to note that
the Polish wrestler, who won first place in Pool 3 of the preliminaries
and thus secured her presence in the semi-finals, also defeated
ATHANASIADOU by 3-0. The Greek wrestler finished in the ninth
(last) place in the 51 kg category.
In
the preliminaries for the 59 kg category, the two Greek athletes,
Christina SKOULIDA and Evgenia STAMATAKOU, failed to gain distinction.
SKOULIDA was defeated twice, losing to Japan's Rena IWAMA by
a fall and to China's Lihui SU on technical superiority, while
STAMATAKOU lost to IWAMA by a fall.
In
the 67 kg category, Eirini DANTOUTI lost to Poland's Agnieszka
WIESZCZEK on technical superiority, and to Germany's Mara MULLER
by a fall, and was eliminated from the rest of the competitions,
while Sofia KAMPANARI lost by a fall to Bulgaria's Galina IVANOVA
and by 4-0 to Japan's Norie SAITO.
Final
rankings in four Olympic categories, the matches for which have
been concluded today, are as follows:
48
kg
1.
ICHO (Japan)
2. OORZHAK (Russia)
3. BELISLE (Canada)
4. WAGNER (Germany)
5. MIRANDA
(USA)
6. BERTHENET (France)
7. DE PAOLA (Italy)
8. VOITOVA (Ukraine)
9. PSATHA (Greece)
10.SADOWSKA (Poland)
11.WANG (China)
12. SANCHEZ (Spain)
13. TZEKOVA (Bulgaria)
14. POUMPOURIDOU Katerina (Greece)
55
kg
1.
GAO (China)
2. GEORGE
(USA)
3. VERBEEK (Canada)
4. OOERTLI (Germany)
5. GIAMPICCOLO (Italy)
6. TSIMPANAKOU (Greece)
7. GODO (Hungary)
8. BASSA (Poland)
9. KRYGINA (Ukraine)
10. SEKINE (Japan)
11. POMPOURIDOU Sofia (Greece)
12. GOMIS (France)
13. LUBENOVA (Bulgaria)
14. IVASHKO (Russia)
15. CRISTEA (Moldova)
16. STERN (Austria)
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