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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2005
12/10/05
Proving
Grounds -
ROTR
Qualifer
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center)
11/19/05
ROTR 9
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
11/14/05
3rd American National BJJ Championships
(Torrance Unified School District, Torrance, CA )
10/29-30/05
Brazilian Team Titles
(Equipes)
(Brazil)
10/05
Proving
Grounds -
ROTR
Qualifer
(MMA)
(Lahaina Civic Center, Maui)
9/05
Proving
Grounds -
ROTR
Qualifer
(MMA)
(Kauai)
8/27-28/05
International
Masters & Seniors BJJ Tournament
(Tijuca Tenis Clube, Tijuca, Brazil)
8/05 (tentative)
ROTR 8
(MMA)
(Las Vegas, NV)
7/23-31/05
World BJJ
Championships (Mundial)
(Tijuca Tenis Clube, Tijuca, Brazil)
7/21-23/05
World Cup of BJJ
(BJJ)
(São Paulo, Brazil)
7/9/05
Proving
Grounds -
ROTR
Qualifer
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center)
5/7/05
ROTR 7
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
5/7-8 & 14-15 & 21-22/05
Brazilian National BJJ Tournament
(Youth, Adult, Master & Senior)
(Tijuca Tenis Clube, Tijuca, Brazil?)
4/16-17/05
2005 Junior
Olympic Male and Female State / Regional Boxing Championships
(Boxing)
(Palolo Boxing Gym
/ Rec Center)
4/15 or 16/05
Punishment In
Paradise 10
(Kickboxing, MMA)
(McKinnley H.S. Gym)
4/9/05
Super Brawl
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/1-3/05
Pan American
& Team Title USA vs Brazil BJJ Tournament
(BJJ)
(California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA)
3/26/05
Proving
Grounds -
ROTR
Qualifer
(MMA)
(Lahaina Civic Center, Maui)
3/25/05
Shooto Hawaii: Pro/Am
(MMA)
(Blaisdell - Hawaii Suite)
3/19/05
Super Brawl: Full Contact Showdown 2
(MMA)
(Kahuna's Sports Bar & Grill, Kaneohe MCBH)
3/12/05
The Second Annual Maui
Jiu-Jitsu Open
BJJ tournament
(BJJ)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Hawaii)
3/11/05
ROTR - Proving Grounds
4
(MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ball Room, Honolulu)
3/6-7/05
Hawaii State High School Wrestling Championships
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/5/04
SUMA
(Kickboxing)
(Hyatt Waikiki)
So You
Think You Tough 7
(Boxing, MMA)
(Kauai)
Proving Grounds -
ROTR
Qualifer
(MMA)
(Honolulu)
3/4-6/05
Arnold
Schwarzenegger Gracie World Submission Championships
(BJJ & Submission Grappling)
(Columbus, Ohio)
|
|
March 2005 News
Part 1
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 8:30PM on
Olelo Channel 52
New Time! |
Quote
of the Day
"Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped
with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must
flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe."
Winston Churchill, 1874-1965, British Statesman, Prime Minister
|
Onzuka.com
Exclusive
Marcelo
Tigre Is Back In Hawaii And Fighting In Proving Grounds 4
This Friday,
March 11, 2005
Dole Cannery Ballrooms
Fights start at 7:00 pm
The
rumor that Marcelo Tigre is back in Hawaii is true AND it is
also true that he will be fighting on ROTR: Proving Grounds,
the feeder show for Rumble On The Rock on March 11th. This will
be Proving Grounds' first event on Oahu, the events are usually
held in Hilo, Hawaii.
After
finding out that Tigre was on the fight card, the big question
everyone was asking was who will be his opponent? Not to be confused
with Bazooka Joe, Tigre's opponent will be Taxi Joe. Jody “Taxi
Joe” Demeritt is 6’4”, 200lbs and a street fighter
with a background in Karate. He claims to be undefeated, but
we could not obtain any proof of that record. Tigre told me that
his bout at Proving Grounds will be a tune up fight for his appearance
in Rumble On The Rock, where he may face a "name" opponent.
Tigre is looking to get back in the big picture and what better
place than in one of the fastest growing promotions in the world,
Rumble On The Rock.
The
event will also feature a 8-man MMA tournament, which may crown
Hawaii's best fighter at 155lbs. This tournament features fighters
from almost every top MMA school in Hawaii. The tournament is
stacked with some of Hawaii's most successful lightweights. Some
of the fighters that will be going head to head are Harris Sarmiento
(808 Fight Factory), Mike Aina (BJ Penn's MMA), Neal Andres (HMC)
and Kaleo Kwan (Eastsidaz). There will be a couple individual
matches, adding to the already action packed event. Proving Grounds 4 will
be held at the Dole Cannery Ballroom in Honolulu on March 11th.
|
2nd
Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
War Memorial Gymnasium, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
Saturday, March 12, 2005
THE TOURNAMENT
IS THIS SATURDAY! THERE ARE STILL OPEN AIRFARES TO MAKE IT TO
THE TOURNAMENT!
The
Onzuka Brothers and the Relson Gracie Casca Grossa Team will
be there, so make your arrangements to get to Maui for the tournament.
Last year's tournament went extremely well, with a ton of talented
JJ fighters who had a great time.
For Tournament information, please email us and we can email you details and registration
forms.
Aloha
Airlines
has $125 tickets and Hawaiian Airlines has $138 tickets.
Click on the companies to go to their websites because these
fares are available online only.
Dear
Friends,
It
is our great pleasure to invite you and your organization to
attend and compete in the 2nd Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu open Tournament.
The event will take place on Saturday, March 12, 2005 at the
War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. We also welcome
back all who attended last year's event. We expect this years
tournament to be even larger, with bigger and better competition!
Competition
will consist of matches in all belt levels and weight divisions
with medals, trophies, and prizes to the winners. There will
also be a team competition this year, as well as a number of
exhibition matches between advanced level competitors. (Anyone
interested - please contact us).
Weigh-ins
will be held on Friday March 11, at the new Maui Jiu-Jitsu academy
location on Hanamau Street, near the airport (directions included)
from 1 pm to ??. Opening ceremonies and late registrations will
held at the War Memorial Gym at 8:00 am, Rules briefing at 9:30
am, Competition to begin promptly at 10:00 am.
Neighbor Island competitors can weigh-in on the day of the event,
but it is strongly urged that all competitors weigh-in on friday
in the interest of starting on time.
It
is our hope that you and your organization will join us in the
spirit of sportsmanship and competition, and help us in promoting
the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu throughout the State of Hawaii.
Please
feel free to contact us should you have any questions.
2nd
Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu open Tournament
732 Makaala Drive
Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii 96793
Email: mauibadboy@aol.com
www.mauijiujitsu.com
Ph. (808) 298-7698 Lee
(808) 357-0657 Luis
Thank you for your interest in the 2nd Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu
Open Tournament. Your support for our tournament is greatly appreciated,
and it is Maui Jiu-Jitsu’s goal to support and compete in
many other tournaments hosted by our friends statewide.
One
of the greatest obstacles of having a successful tournament is
of course, the substantial cost of traveling to the neighbor
isles. Understanding this, We at Maui Jiu-Jitsu would like to
provide you with some information on accommodations and transportation,
while here on Maui.
Hotel
options:
1.
Maui Beach Hotel – 170 Kaahumanu Ave. Ph. 877-0051 ( 2 miles
from airport & gymnasium)
Probably
the best option – better than average rooms, approx. $110
/ night.
2.
Maui Seaside Hotel – 100 Kaahumanu Ave. Ph. 877-3311 (next
door to Maui Beach)
Slightly
cheaper, but not quite as nice as Maui Beach – decent.
3.
Maui Islander – 660 Wainee Street Ph. 667-9766 or 1-800-367-5226
(A little farther away – 20 miles)
As
another option, we are currently in the process of building our
new academy and should be on schedule to move in within the next
2 weeks. We would like to offer anyone who in the interest of
saving money, would want to stay at the academy. Accommodations
would be limited to sleeping bags on the matted training area,
but if you don’t mind, plenty of space is available as well
as bath facilities. Call us for more info.
Thanks
again for your support of our tournament. We hope to make your
experience here as enjoyable as possible, and hope that we will
continue to grow and make this event better in the years to come.
Mahalo!
Luis
Heredia and Lee Theros
(Event Promoters)
|
Villaver
International Production Inc. Presents
Only The
Strong Survive
Neal Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
Friday,
March 11, 2005
Doors open at 6:30PM
Starts 7:30PM
Rey
“Boom Boom” Bautista (WBO Asia-Pacific Champion, Philippines)
Vs.
Aree
Phosuwangym (Former Amateur Thai National Champion, Thailand)
Plus
exciting preliminary local bouts!
Hawaii
vs. California
Tickets
available at the Blaisdell box office, charge by phone toll free
at 877-750-4400 and ticketmaster.com.
|
GROSSMAN
INSIDER:
SPIKE TV PULLS SUPERBRAWL ADS
My
source at Spike TV, known as 'Cable guy', tells me that Spike
TV will stop airing all SuperBrawl commercials Superbrawl effective
immediately.
It's
interesting to note that the UFC reality show is also on the
same Spike TV cable channel, and SuperBrawl could possibly be
seen as the competition.
Source: Fight Sport
|
GRACIE
VS. NAKAMURA
The
Japanese media reports that the matchup of Ryan Gracie vs. Kazuhiro
Nakamura may possibly take place in the first round of the PRIDE
Middleweight GP on April 23rd.
Source: Fight Sport
|
Macaco
mocks rival Roberto Godoi
They
were as close as brothers, and in fact they were partners of
the biggest Jiu-Jitsu team in São Paulo, the 'Godoi -
Macaco' Team. Ever since they broke up over misunderstandings
regarding the organization of the team, Jorge Patino 'Macaco'
and Roberto Godoi have simply started to hate each other's guts.
They not speak to each other and they already fought once in
a Jiu-Jitsu bout, with a victory for Patino.
A
rematch in the rules of MMA has been a major topic of conversation
in Brazil, but Patino believes that this fight never will happen:
'The
fight with Godói is only marketing, It's never gonna happen.
The man is asking for R$50.000 (about US$ 20.000) to get into
the ring, and the dude only has 3 fights, a victory and two defeats.
Godói is using the media to get attention, because nobody
speaks about him. It's been 3 years since his last win. I have
33 fights and 25 victories, and I'm asking for R$20.000 (about
US$ 7.000) to go fight, then comes this dude and asks for HUGE
value - it is clear he does not want to fight. But I don't care
about Godói, there are many better fighters out there
that can give me a better fight than him'.
Source: Tatame
|
A.
Jaoude wants Olympics of 2012
Star
Brazilian wrestler in the last years, also having participated
in the Olympic Games of Athens, Antoine Jaoude plans his career
in Wrestling and waits to even fight in the Olympic of 2012:
-
I'll be 35, the same age that the Alexander Karelin was three
times Olympic champion, the Georgian who I fought in the Olympics
was champion world-wide with 35 years, at last, some good athletes
with international prominence who had finished giving spirit
to me. I was half discouraged, finding that Athens had been mine
last Olympics, but from what I saw, I wait to be well financially
with a good sponsorship to be able to compete ok.
The
wrestler discloses the name of new fighter that it is for blunting
internationally:
-
My brother Adrian is a serious case, he it is a born talent,
even more than I, because he almost does not compete, but when
he arrives in the competition seems like he fought the entire
year. He is a born talent that if not to invest in it, will be
wasted. And he certainly will bring medals. I always look for
to give instructions, to be on his side, but I always am made
an impression when he goes to compete. In World-wide I was in
his corner, he fought against a Turkish and an Ukrainian, people
finding that he went to be bad, but was a fight of highest level,
I had been hard fights. He goes to give what to speak.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
"No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise
your sights and see the possibilities - always see them, for
they're always there."
Norman Vincent Peale, 1898-1993, American Christian Reformed
Pastor, Speaker, Author
|
Press
Release
“Lock
Down in Paradise”
Maui’s
First Mixed Martial Arts Cage Event
This event
is coming up very quickly so make sure you buy your tickets now
to ensure that you will be able to get in. The venue is relatively
small and with this line up, the show may be a sell out!
Title
fights:
Ronald
“Machine Gun” Jhun
Vs.
Jay
Hieron
Fabiano
Iha
Vs.
John
“Razor” Cox
Professional
fights:
Tyson
Coloma-Nahooikaika
Vs.
Jason
Dacquel
Kendal
Groves
Vs.
Savant
Young
Under
card Featuring:
Pako
Woods, Sonny Boy Ka’anana, Eha Souza, Adam Ah Sue, Shaun
Souza and many more!
_____________________________________________________________
Saturday,
March 19, 2005, at 6:00 pm
At
Lahaina Civic Center
Lahaina,
Maui, Hawaii
Lahaina
(March 7, 2005) - The all new “Lock Down in Paradise”
makes it’s debut at the Lahaina Civic Center, on Saturday
March 19, 2005. This is sure to be the greatest Mixed Martial
Arts Fight Maui has ever seen. Headlining this historic event
is Ronald “Machine Gun” Jhun (28-14-2 MMA record) from
808 Fight Factory, Honolulu, HI, taking on Jay Hieron (4-1 MMA
record) of Long Island, NY.
In
the co-featured main event, Jiu Jitsu master, Fabiano Iha (8-5-0
MMA record) of Huntington Beach, CA, battles John “the Razor”
Cox of Los Angeles, CA., for the Super Weight title belt. The
title holders will be back to defend their titles in “Lock
Down in Paradise 2” held in June 2005.
Also
featured is Maui’s own Tyson Coloma-Nahooikaika (3-2 MMA
record) in a Middle Weight showdown against professional fighter,
Jason Dacquel (2-0 MMA record) from Honolulu, HI.
Rounding
out the Professional fights is Kendal Groves (4-1 MMA record)
of Kihei, Maui, fresh off of his TKO win in Mexico, against Savant
Young (3-1 MMA record) of Los Angeles, CA.
Highlighting
the undercard will be 6 action packed bouts, showcasing the best
MMA fighters in the islands of Hawaii.
Tickets
are available at Ainokea in the Queen Kaahumanu Center, Paradise
Audio in Lahiana, and at Paradise Bluz on Front St.
The
tickets are $25 presale and $30 at the door, kids 5 and under
are free. There will also be floor seating upgrades for $20 available
for purchase at the event. Doors open at 4:30 and the show starts
at 6:00.
Source: Promoter
|
PRIDE
STILL WORKING ON FEDOR
According
to Zach Arnold at PuroresuPower a source close to DSE reports
that PRIDE management is in Europe right now trying to work with
management of Emelianenko Fedor to get him signed.
In
the latest edition of Kakutogi Tsushin, it's been reported that
DSE management would like to get Fedor to work their 4/3 Yokohama
Arena (Bushido) show.
However,
no agreement has been reached between Fedor and DSE management
yet. They say money is a main issue.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Pessoa
and Santos ruled Nagoya
BJJ
fighters from Nova União Eduardo Pessoa and Leonardo Santos
did a great job at X-Premium Professional Jiu-Jitsu, which invaded
Chikusa Cultural Theater Nagoya, Japan, last Saturday (5). Meanwhile
Leo Santos gave no changes and submitted Daisuke Amazon Sugie
by sleeve choke at 7:33, Eduardo Pessoa had a hard time and only
defeated Japanese Shinya Aoki by points (5x2).
X-Premium
Professional Jiu-Jitsu
Saturday,
March 5, 2005
Chikusa
Cultural Theater Nagoya, Japan
COMPLETE
RESULTS:
-
Hororigo Jun Hirakawa defeated Ayumu Gozo Shiota;
-
Eduardo Pessoa defeated Shinya Aoki by 5x2;
-
Mauricio Souza defeated Shinuke Fukuzumi by 9x0;
-
Takashi Watanabe defeated Daelcy Carvalho Junior;
-
Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa defeated Marco Antonio Barbosa by 4x3;
-
Leo Santos submitted Daisuke Amazon Sugie by sleeve choke at
7:33.
Source: Tatame
|
Pequeno
negotiates to fight in Europe
Shooto's
Lightweight champ since 1999, Alexandre Pequeno is negotiating
to fight in an European tournament for the first time. His manager
in Europe, Sergio Cunha, is talking with the biggest shows in
the continent and remembers Pequeno will still continue fighting
at Shooto. "His contract says in Japan he can only fight
in Shooto, but he's free to fight in any tournament outside Japan",
explains Cunha.
One
of the biggest MMA tournaments in England, Cage Rage can be the
first show to have Shooto's Lightweight champ fighting at. "We've
talked with the British guys and we know their show need more
lightweight representatives", states Cunha. About Pequeno
fighting in an octagon, Cunha says that's ok: "it's better
for his game. Could you imagine Pequeno being put against that
fence? He'll put everyone to sleep!".
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
To make a man happy, fill his hands with work, his heart with
affection, his mind with purpose, his memory with useful knowledge,
his future with hope, and his stomach with food.
Frederick E. Crane, Chief Judge, New York Court of Appeals
|
INTERVIEW
OF THE WEEK: BAS RUTTEN
Earlier
this month it was confirmed that Pride Commentator and MMA legend
Bas Rutten would be traveling to Gresham, Oregon to work with
Randy Couture and Team Quest in preparations for Couture's upcoming
UFC title defense against "The Iceman" Chuck Liddell
in April. MMAWeekly's Mick Hammond spoke to Rutten amidst his
hectic traveling schedule to talk about Couture, sobriety and
the upcoming Pride Middleweight Grand Prix.
MMAWeekly:
First off Bas, tell us about your plans to go up to Oregon and
work with Randy for his next fight.
Bas
Rutten: Randy is a great guy, he's in my decade in the age department,
actually I just entered his, I just turned 40, and this guy has
an unbelievable mind and body. He's so mentally and physically
strong and everything. I know Chuck is training really hard so
we are going up to help Randy all we can. My little sis (Shannon
Knapp) is helping him out as his personal assistant and I'm going
to help him prepare for Chuck.
MMAWeekly:
I know you've been up to Oregon for things other than training.
You've done seminars up there and attended Sportfight, are there
other activities on the docket along with training?
Bas
Rutten: This is the first time I've worked with him. You're right
I've gone to do a seminar there, but this is our first time really
training together. The seminar is on Saturday (March 12th) and
that's going to be after a week of long work together. A Swedish
TV station is going to come over to do an interview. They are
going to come over and shoot stuff with the whole gym. The greatest
thing is that Duane "Bang" Ludwig is coming too. I
haven't seen him in a while. The last time was he came to California
was when he was training to fight (Serkan) Yilmaz in K-1. I'm
sure that Randy and Matt (Lindland) are going to have a lot of
fun with him.
MMAWeekly:
What can people expect from a Bas Rutten seminar?
Bas
Rutten: First of all you'll meet the whole Team Quest, Randy,
Matt, and all of them will be there. Little sis and Bang will
be there, and let's not forget El Guapo himself (laughs). It's
going to be lots of fun, lots of striking and submissions teaching.
There will be some takedowns too, sometimes when people are new
I don't like to do takedowns because they are not used to it
and they get injured, so we do a lot of striking. If you want
to come to a seminar and learn and have fun this is the one you
want to go.
MMAWeekly:
You mention your little sis Shannon being part of the seminar
and helping Randy as an assistant. I know she also plays a big
part in Bas Rutten Enterprises and is working on the upcoming
Sportfight TV show. How happy are you to see her starting to
make an impact in the MMA community?
Bas
Rutten: She's great, she keeps going and is great at doing what
she's doing. She is working on Sportfight with Randy, they are
working on getting that on TV and she's wonderful on it. She
will be boom up to the same speed we do (Rutten and Mauro Ranallo)
in front of the camera. In the strength department, she's just
as strong as anyone and a great trainer.
MMAWeekly:
Sounds like she has a chance to become more popular than you
are.
Bas
Rutten: It's okay, she can be more popular because I'm better
looking (laughs).
MMAWeekly:
Do you ever get the urge to return to fighting?
Bas
Rutten: You know what, all the fighters that have come and trained
with me they say that I should go back, but the answer is real
easy, I'm going to be home for five days over the next few weeks.
Needless to say my lifestyle is too busy right now for fighting.
I have a family and I want to spend time with them, but it's
hard with everything I do. It's different when money talks and
you have to make a living to support yourself and your family.
If they (a fight promotion) came to me with a good deal and I'd
have to put everything aside and train for 2 or 3 months and
I can't do it. I came to California be an actor, that's my first
goal, if that doesn't work guess I can go back to fighting, it
wouldn't be easy but I'm still kooky enough to do it (laughs).
MMAWeekly:
You mention that you're only going to be home for a short time
due to your schedule, how do you balance it all?
Bas
Rutten: I feel like I'm in not in good shape sometimes. My stomach
is bad, all tied up, it's like an ulcer. It's too crowded, it's
too much, sometimes, and it really affects me. Right now as I'm
talking to you I'm in San Francisco doing a seminar, then I go
to Portland, come home on 13th, then I leave on the 16th for
Holland, I come home on the 29th and then on the 31st I'm in
Japan for Pride. That's like 5 days in total I'll be home. The
trick is to stay sober. I stopped drinking and that's the only
way to do it.
MMAWeekly:
I know those of us in the industry that know you and your friends
were concerned about your drinking at one time. What finally
made you decide to clean up that aspect about your life?
Bas
Rutten: The thing is that I don't want to have a real job (laughs).
I love what I do and I want to keep doing what I do. I don't
care if I go for 18 hours straight as long as I'm focused. When
you are working very hard, it's difficult to stay focused and
do it right, and it's worse when you drink. I know that to stop
drinking it's for a better future and it's going to be. I stopped
drinking so I have a future for myself and my family.
MMAWeekly:
The next big thing for Pride is the upcoming Middleweight GP
that starts in April. Tell us your thoughts about it.
Bas
Rutten: I think the people around the world know those 16 guys
in the middleweight tournament, they are freakshows. They are
all going to be unbelievable fighters. Everybody from Wanderlei
(Silva), (Ricardo) Arona, Rampage (Quinton Jackson), (Dan) Henderson,
sixteen of those guys all in one tournament, it's a scary middleweight
tournament this year.
MMAWeekly:
At the last Pride, Fists of Fury, we saw perhaps some precursors
to the GP with some of the fights on the card. Who were you most
impressed with that could possibly be entered into the GP?
Bas
Rutten: You know what to tell the truth, the thing about being
me is I know everybody and it's difficult to watch fights and
not be bias. So with Quinton against Ninja (Murilo Rua) I heard
on the net that Bas is bias, but hey I just put down one of my
best friends. It' was a great fight and I hope both of them get
a chance in the GP. I think personally the biggest impression
I got was from Igor Vovchanchyn. He has a big chance to win the
whole GP. I mean him and Wanderlei they match up so good, it
could be the best fight of the year if they fought in the GP.
That for me is the biggest breakthrough in last three years that
Igor went to middleweight. I saw him in 1996 in the Ukraine,
he was 196lbs fighting in a tournament and the lightest guy he
faced was like was 300lbs, he knocked out everybody, I was blown
away and now he's back to the weight. I think that Jackson, Silva,
and Vovchanchyn could all win the tournament. There are so many
good middleweights now in Pride, Shogun (Mauricio Rua) I think
for Chute Boxe has a great chance too. I think he's better than
Ninja at this point. He's accurate, got the reach, is good on
the ground, he's just a complete fighter. They (Chute Boxe) are
exciting, they will never be boring; I look for him to have a
great tournament.
MMAWeekly:
Someone else that made quite an impression was Mirko "Cro
Cop" Filipovic. He continues to evolve into such a complete
fighter and very quickly. What are your impressions of his performance
against Mark Coleman?
Bas
Rutten: Mirko is just scary. I think I was the first that said
that Cro Cop when he came to Pride, I said watch this guy he
is going to be a champion a lot of people gave me grief about
it. But this guy's sprawl is better in a month than mine was
and is to date. I mean now I have a good one but he's better.
He's so strong and fast and if Mark Coleman cannot take him down
he's unbelievable. He and Fedor (Emelianenko) will make a great
fight. I think in the future when we and go back in history that
this is the best fight ever, it's gong to be a super match.
MMAWeekly:
How important is a Cro Cop VS Fedor bout for Pride?
Bas
Rutten: I think it's very important for Pride. They want to have
Japanese fighters in the title fight, the reason that K-1 is
not big in the US is because they don't have an American champion,
so for Pride the next best thing is to have Fedor and Mirko fight.
In Japan it's about unorthodox fighting, in Japan they would
love to have a Japanese guy against a foreign guy, but I think
with all the fights available the biggest draw would be Mirko
and Fedor. I think that show would be sold out six weeks before.
These guys could sell out a show if it was just them fighting,
that's how big it can be.
MMAWeekly:
Let's talk about some of your other business ventures you've
got coming up. I know one thing you mentioned on the last Pride
and the last time I interviewed you was the Big DVDs of Combat,
tell us where that project is at right now.
Bas
Rutten: The DVDs are going to take longer than I expected. They
will be out soon and anyone who buys it they are going to be
happy with it. It's going to be the biggest instructional set
in the world. It's got over 12 hours of instruction, over 60
armbars alone with escapes. It's not like a separate thing, all
the techniques and instruction is on one thing. Like with the
leglocks, I show how to apply it and then right away show to
escape it. The menu is great also. It's set up for like if you
want to see an armbar from sidemount you can go into the menu
and find it easily. The menu is going to be big for sure. People
keep telling me I should split it all up and sell it individually
and make more money and I could have split it up, but I'm not.
I'm simple guy from Holland who likes to do things simply and
everybody is going to get it all in one set for 100 bucks.
MMAWeekly:
Also recently you were featured on TV as well. Tell us how the
acting career is going.
Bas
Rutten: Yesterday I was on the Extreme Makeover, I didn't see
the King of Queens because I was traveling. I did something called
Kingdom of Ultimate Power, it's a short comedy and we are talking
to HBO about it. I've seen a really bad rough version of it and
I like it a lot. If I like it in this rough way then I say it's
going to be the funniest thing in the world when it's completely
done. This is going to be like Bas Rutten on 40 cups of coffee
it's really funny; I play 4 different characters and have a blast
in it. It's a lot better than anything I've done so far.
MMAWeekly:
Sounds great Bas, can't wait to see it, is there anything you'd
like to say to the fans before we close out this interview?
Bas
Rutten: Okay guys this is El Guapo saying he loves you all. When
I'm walking around anywhere talking to little sis people stop
me and tell me I'm great and how big a fan they are. That shows
how great that MMA is breaking through into the States and the
world, I get stopped everywhere by fans, it's unbelievable. I
stopped fighting 4 years ago and I'm more popular now than ever
and it's thanks to all of you fans.
MMAWeekly:
Thanks for the interview as always Bas, it was an honor as always.
Have a safe trip up to Oregon and when you get there take it
easy on Randy, okay?
Bas
Rutten: Anytime my friend and I should ask Randy to take it easy
on me (laughs). When people in the future ask me how many times
I train I will know it because after training with Randy I won't
need to train for a year (laughs).
Source: MMA Weekly |
BARONI
IS BACK WITH WIN
Coming
off of four consecutive UFC losses, Phil Baroni knew that he
would need to defeat Chris Cruit at Saturday night’s EFC
XI. But who could have guessed that he’d need to do it twice?
In
a fight that was contested largely on the ground, Baroni used
devastating knee strikes and a series of chopping, hatchet-like
punches to force Cruit’s corner to toss in the towel midway
through the first round.
And
then things got interesting.
Cruit
cited a miscommunication with his corner and begged the event’s
promoters to allow him to continue. Baroni, in a testament to
his honor and dedication to his fans, gave up the assured victory
and agreed to keep fighting.
Over
the remainder of the fight, Cruit proved tough and elusive but
seemed to have a hard time mounting a significant attack. Baroni
continued to control the action on the ground, at one point hammering
Cruit’s head into the canvas six times in succession. Baroni
finally closed the show early in the second round with a flawlessly
executed arm bar.
After
the bout’s second and final stoppage, an emotional Baroni
took the microphone and addressed the packed house, thanking
his fans for their support and vowing to come back stronger than
ever.
“It’s
the start of a new era,” Baroni said, “I’m 1-0…I’m
1-0 now.”
As
the arena emptied, Cruit smoked in his dressing room, drank his
trademark Mountain Dew, and commented candidly on Baroni’s
performance. “He’s a killer,” said Cruit, “I
hurt…I hurt a lot.” Despite his bruises, the likeable
Cruit remained upbeat and told MMAWeekly that he hoped to secure
a fight with Jeremy Horn in May.
As
a whole, Bo Kimly’s EFC XI event was another huge success,
drawing a capacity crowd including notable faces like Mark “The
Hammer” Coleman, Shonie Carter, and boxers Vinny Pazienza
and Hector “Macho” Camacho. In what can only be described
as a fan’s dream, all 16 bouts on the card were decided
by knockout or submission.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Ismail
Talks Penn VS Machida, Announces
Jungle Fight 4 Date
Last
week a lot of buzz was started when it was announced that BJ Penn would be fighting
in a heavyweight bout against young Inoki prospect Ryoto "Lyoto"
Machida at the upcoming Romanex 2 show later this month. Not
surprisingly many people have little knowledge of Machida and
are unsure how to view the fight, but there is one man who has
his mind made up about the outcome. Wallid Ismail, a champion
BJJ practitioner, veteran MMA fighter, and promoter of the well
received Jungle Fight series in Brazil, offered his insight on
the fight to MMAWeekly when contacted this past weekend about
the fight, his promotion, and the state of MMA.
"BJ
Penn is in for a big surprise," said Ismail, "I don't
know why he accepted the fight." For sure many people immediately
questioned Penn's move into the heavyweight division after having
spent the majority of his fighting career on the opposite side
of the weight spectrum at 155lbs. But according to Ismail, it's
not the weight difference that Penn should be worried about.
Ismail
trained Machida at the Inoki Dojo in Los Angeles and gave the
fighter that NJPW's website claims is "The Second Inoki"
one of his first breaks into MMA when he fought on the inaugural
Jungle Fight in September of 2003. So having such first hand
knowledge of what Machida can do, Ismail is extremely confident
in Machida's chances against Penn. "Lyoto's a tough guy
and it's going to be a hard fight. He's very good, he's a real
fighter, he does not play around when he is fighting. He trains
very hard and has been training for many years."
Initially
to those unfamiliar with Machida, it could be possible for them
to write him off as a pro wrestler who has just gotten lucky
in his forays into MMA, but that's not the case according to
Ismail. "He's a real fighter, he beat Rich Franklin and
Stephan Bonner, and they are both very tough guys. He is really
going to surprise a lot of people in the fight. He can fight
stand up and on the ground, a fight is a fight, he comes to win
every time."
So
confident in Machida's skills are Ismail; that according to him,
if he were a betting man, he'd wager a rather substantial amount
of money on Lyoto. "I would bet all my money, everything
I had on Lyoto," said Ismail with the utmost confidence.
Among
other topics discussed in the conversation with Ismail was his
growing MMA promotion Jungle Fight. The company is quickly approaching
their fourth edition, to which Ismail exclusively announced to
MMAWeekly first would be taking place on April 9th in Manaus,
Brazil. "Your site is the first site to know the official
date of the show. Originally we were in talks to have it in March,
but we have decided on April 9th as the official date."
The
fourth edition of Jungle Fight will be extremely important for
the company, as it is to lay the foundation for their next event,
which will be taking place for the first time outside of Brazil.
"The official name for Jungle Fight 4 is Jungle Fight Championships:
Road to Las Vegas, " proclaimed Ismail. "We are hoping
to have the next Jungle Fight (5) in Las Vegas in July."
There are also plans to take Jungle Fight to Asia according to
Ismail, "We are hoping to go to Japan at the end of the
year."
One
reason for the expansion outward from their established home
in Brazil has been the success of the three previous installments.
"The Jungle Fight broke all the PPV records for Brazil.
It sold more than the UFC and Pride. Brazil is the land of Vale
Tudo/ MMA; people go crazy for it in Brazil. We've just had three
shows and already it's been a success. It's very big in Brazil
and I've been getting calls about it from all over the world,
" said Wallid.
It
would be easy for people to understand if monetary gains were
the main reason behind Ismail's involvement in Jungle Fight,
but according to him, there are more important reasons for getting
into the promotion game. "We have the Jungle Fight in Manaus
to help the people there and bring them something they do not
have. We have it in the forest so we can bring attention to preserving
the Amazon rain forest. We want to help show that people can
make a living there without having to destroy the forest because
it won't be around if man keeps cutting down and burning the
forest."
Ismail
continued, "At the show we are going to do in Vegas, we
are going to an expo about the rain forest. We are going to try
to bring activism and attention to it. We are going to bring
in people to show people the right way to treat the forest and
we are going to give money to our foundation to save the forest.
This is the first time an MMA show is going to do something really
nice for the environment and put on a great show with great fighters
at the same time."
Beyond
his strong environmental connections involved in Jungle Fight,
Ismail also has a very passionate desire to use the company to
help usher along the next generation of fighters. "I love
promotion and giving opportunity to new kids. Like Lyoto fought
in the first Jungle Fight and now he's going to become a big
star. Fabricio Werdum fought twice in Jungle Fight and now he
is a star in Pride. I love to see the new guys come up and make
something for themselves. Jungle Fight opens doors for next generation.
I know what needs to be done to make a better future for MMA.
This is the sport for the next generation. I've talked to famous
people in LA like Sylvester Stallone and James Caan and they've
told me in their generation it was football, boxing, and baseball
which were 'the' sports, the next generation it is MMA."
So
passionate has Ismail become about promoting his organization
and the sport that his prospects to returning to the ring himself
looks far off in the horizon. "I love a challenge, like
back when I was one of the first to challenge Luta Livre in 1991,
it was to find out what was the best, BJJ or Luta Livre and I
took it on myself to show how strong BJJ was. Promoting is the
challenge I do now. When I fought I enjoyed it very much; it
was tough and rewarding. The promoting is like fighting; we have
to do business every day to get better like how a fighter trains.
When the show finish I'm very happy like how when I was when
I won a fight. I'm not sure if I will fight again, you never
know, I'm very happy with what I do right now. I can help with
the new generation, help my country and the amazon. I made my
name fighting and training and I use that now to show the world
how great the area I come from is and how great MMA is. I still
train every day, but I am more focused to make the Jungle Fight
big. I am born for this, I love the promotion, I love to see
the young fighters and next generation."
Ismail
is very quick to point out the success and growth of Jungle Fight
is not his doing alone, the involvement of legendary Japanese
pro wrestler Antonio Inoki has been indispensable. "I have
the best teacher in the world, Mr. Inoki, for me is the best
promoter of all time, in wrestling and MMA," exclaimed Ismail.
" People don't understand that before Inoki the fight game
in Japan was small. He was the first man to book the (100,000
capacity) Tokyo Dome. Everybody says he was too crazy because
it's too big, but he's filled the dome. He has big vision of
the fight game. I'm lucky to have him to teach me how to the
promotion. He loves the fight game and wants to see it grow like
I do."
Not only is Ismail determined to see his own organization grow,
he has great admiration for other promotions' efforts to bring
MMA to the masses and is adamant about cooperation between companies
for the better good of MMA. "The UFC is doing great for
the sport, they appreciate the sport. We don't compete against
the UFC, we are here to promote the sport and make it grow like
they do. We need to work together and not compete against each
other. I don't like guys who come in and just try to make money,
I like the guys who come in and try to make the sport the biggest
sport in the world. I knew in those early days when we were fighting
for 100 dollars that MMA was going to be big. Today now I promote
fights and I still believe this sport is going to grow every
day and month and people will appreciate the product, but we
need to work together to make it the greatest sport in the world."
Source: MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
"We must combine the toughness of the serpent and the softness
of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart."
Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968, American Civil Rights Leader,
Nobel Prize Winner, 1964
|
So
You Think You Tough 7 Results
Swing Zone, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
March 5, 2005
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
The
latest event returned to its earlier days by taking the event
outdoors. The weather was perfect for the night of fights under
the stars. The level of young boxers has steadily increased with
every event. Crisp punches thrown in fast combinations help to
warm up the crowd for the matches that this event is known for,
Grudge matches. These matches are meant to settle personal scores
between people and for the most part it works. Most of the time
the details of the issue are not known, however, whatever Tyson
Decker did to Nigel Stevens was enough for Stevens' supporters
to come to the event with a banner saying "Kick Ass, Stop
your lippin' (crap)" and those same supporters were heckling
Decker the whole time. Unfortunately for the Stevens crowd, Decker
was the one that would have the final word by choking Stevens
into submission. Other matches brought the crowd to their feet
were the come from behind wins from Gersaba and Lindsey.
The
night was capped off with something that you would only see in
Kona. In the main event match, right after the Doctor signaled
to the referee to put a halt to the McBraun-Fuga match due to
Fuga injuring his elbow, Bounty hunter Leland Chapman, son of
famous bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman, came into
the cage, handcuffed Pat McBraun and took him away with the Sheriffs.
McBraun had an outstanding bench warrant and the promoter felt
that it was safer to allow the Sheriffs and Chapman to apprehend
McBraun in the cage instead of in the crowd. A&E television
cameras were there following Chapman around all night and got
a taste of how unruly a crowd can be when one of the cameras
was pushed or hit while following McBraun out of the area. On
a side note, Leland Chapman's Da Kine Bail Bonds has been one
of the event's sponsors and provided a lot of support to the
event for a long time. McBraun was seen later in Lulu's, a popular
bar later that night and had no hard feelings toward the promoter.
Exhibition
Boxing: 3 Round X 1.5 Minutes
Ezra Cabang (AP Hilo Boxing Club) def. Kevin Eichorn (Kona Boxing
Club)
Decision after 3 rounds.
Exhibition
Boxing: 3 Round X 1.5 Minutes
Michael Goodman (A.P. Hilo Boxing Club) def. Russell Ariola (Kona
Boxing Club)
Decision after 3 rounds.
Exhibition
Boxing: 3 Round X 1.5 Minutes
Joesia Cabang (Hilo) def. Keoni Burgo (Ocean View)
Decision (87-84) after 3 rounds.
Grudge
Matches/MMA: 2 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Tyson Decker (Kona) def. Nigel Stevens (Kona)
Submission via rear naked choke at 48 seconds in Round 1.
Grudge
Matches/MMA: 2 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Nick "Bad Boy" Gersaba (Kona Boxing Club) def. Arnold
Santiago (Puna Boyz)
Submission via arm bar at 2:53 minutes in Round 1.
Women's
Grudge Matches/MMA: 2 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Kahea "Da Bull" Keli'ipio (Kona) def. Taura Gaspar
(Kona)
By forfeit, Gaspar was a no show.
Grudge
Matches/MMA: 2 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Carry "Da Haole" Hill (Kona) def. Keoki "Da Local"
Kama (Kona)
TKO via referee stoppage due to strikes at 1:50 minutes in Round
2.
MMA:
2 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Aaron Castrol (A.P. Hilo Boxing Club) def. Albert Manners (Puna
Boyz)
Verbal submission after the end of Round 1.
MMA:
2 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Kainea Walters (Young Guns) def. Malu Kuahiwinui (Puna Boyz)
Submission via rear naked choke at 2:52 minutes in Round 1.
MMA:
2 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Chris Crisnero (Young Guns) def. Ashton Castrol (Puna)
Submission via guillotine choke at 2:34 minutes in Round 1.
MMA:
2 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Tama Emelio (Kalihi) def. Paki Fukafuka (Kona)
TKO via referee stoppage at 33 seconds in Round 1.
Co-Main
Event
MMA: 3 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Rocky "The Rock" Lindsey (Kona Boxing Club) def. Mr.
T Samoa (Waianae)
Submission via guillotine choke at 2:45 minutes in Round 1.
Co-Main
Event
MMA: 3 Rounds X 3 Minutes
Pat McBraun (Puna) def. Pama Fuga (Kona Boxing Club)
TKO via doctor's stoppage due to injured elbow after the end
of Round 1.
|
Warriors
squeeze past Lahainaluna;
Low wins third title
By
Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Kamehameha
edged Lahainaluna by two points, 128.5 to 126.5, last night to
deny the Lunas a historic first Neighbor Island team state wrestling
championship at Blaisdell Arena.
Saint
Louis' Brandon Low went on to pin Moloka'i's James Blair in a
semifinal match at 125 pounds. Low then beat Kaiser's Bricen
Yakabe for his third state title.
Kamehameha's only individual champion was Gerritt Vincent at
171 pounds. Vincent beat Mike Egesdal of Punahou, 13-8.
"It
was just the team," said Vincent, explaining the Warriors'
first state title since 1999. "Everybody didn't give up,
and when it came to the really important matches, every guy came
through. Everybody just had fun out there."
In
addition to Vincent's title, Kamehameha got a runner-up finish
from Alapa'i Bungo (135) and third-place finishes from Reggie
Torres (130 pounds), Jared Sandobal (140), Bryson Vivas (145)
and Gaison Ontai (160), plus a sixth-place finish from Kenrick
Pai (152).
The
Warriors actually were 10 points behind leader Lahainaluna entering
the championship, third-place and fifth-place finals.
"I
guess 'rebound' is the key word," Kamehameha coach Billy
Venenciano said. "The kids pulled through. They didn't give
up, wrestled within themselves and made the best out of their
opportunities. All of their hard work paid off."
Lahainaluna's last chance to win the team trophy came in the
championship final at 189 pounds, but Roosevelt's Jonathan Duquette
defeated the Lunas' Patrick Kaina, 5-4.
Duquette
took a 5-1 lead early in the second period, but Kaina closed
it to 5-3 with two escapes entering the third period. Kaina got
another escape early in the third, but could not score again
in the final 40 seconds.
Lahainaluna
also lost two tough title bouts at 119 and 160.
At
119, Waiakea's Landon Kurata defeated Michael Villoria, 5-3,
in overtime. And at 160, Baldwin's Ryan Tuzon rallied for an
8-6 victory over Nathan Harris.
Baldwin
(123 points) took third place, followed by Punahou (112.5), Kahuku
(106), Saint Louis (87.5) and Iolani (84).
Meanwhile,
Saint Louis' Brandon Low won his third straight state championship,
this time at 125 pounds. Low, a junior, won the 112-pound title
as a sophomore and the 119 crown last year.
Last
night, Low defeated Kaiser's Bricen Yakabe, 5-0. Low took a 2-0
lead on a takedown in the first period. After a scoreless second
period, Low scored on an escape and then a takedown to close
out the third.
"I
saw (Yakabe) wrestle and I knew I had to avoid his leg ride,"
Low said. "I've been practicing defending leg rides for
the past month, and everything the coaches told me worked out."
Low
became the 15th boy wrestler in the 40-year history of the state
tournament to win three championships. If he should win next
year, Low will join Iolani's Patrick Higa (1986) and Saint Louis'
Jonathan Spiker (2003) as the only boys to win four titles.
Low
said he did not feel the pressure of that feat this weekend.
"This
probably was the least nervous I've been for the state tournament,"
Low said. "My coaches and my dad tried to calm me down.
I'm really happy right now. Now I'm going to focus on relaxing,
on anything but wrestling for a while."
In
addition to Low, Kahuku's Daniel Morita (135), Hilo's Johanson
Quist (140) and Konawaena's Dylan Rush (215) also were repeat
champions last night.
Morita
defeated Kamehameha's Bungo, 10-4, Quist defeated Baldwin's Mikey
Lauer, 8-3, and Rush defeated Leilehua's Michael Mullen, 10-1.
SCORING
POINTS IN WRESTLING
INDIVIDUAL
POINTS
Takedown:
2
Reversal:
2
Near
Fall: 2-3 (4, if stopped for injury time)
Escape:
1
Stalling:
(warning after first violation, 1 point awarded after second,
3 points after third and wrestler is disqualified after fourth)
Locking
of the hands/Illegal hold: (1 point is awarded after first violation,
1 for second and wrestler is disqualified after third)
Championship
matches: 4 points for win plus bonus. Most points possible is
6.
TEAM
POINTS
Third
and fifth place matches: 2 points for win plus bonus (pin, superior
decision). Most points possible per match is 4.
Source: Honolulu Advertiser |
Raider
girls use their depth to edge
Baldwin by a point
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Iolani
became the first private school to win a girls wrestling state
title since the tournament began in 1998, edging Baldwin by one
point in the team standings, 130.5 to 129.5.
Iolani's
Carla Watase, top, rallied to beat Kahuku's Danica Auna in overtime
in the 103-pound final. The Raiders became the first Hawai'i
private school to win a girls state wrestling title.
The Raiders also won state championships in boys basketball,
and boys and girls swimming eight days ago, but last night's
victory broke new ground.
"Four
years ago, we had only two girls in our program, and three years
ago, we only had four," said Matthew Ha, who coaches Iolani's
girls wrestlers. "But these seniors made a pact — they
said they didn't want anyone laughing at them anymore."
The
Raiders got the last laugh thanks to individual champions Kira
Tamashiro (98 pounds), Carla Watase (103) and Joleen Oshiro (108),
plus key victories in the consolation rounds by Catherine Chan
(114), Brandee Toyama (120) and Akemi Holmes (220).
Every
one was crucial, down to Holmes' win by fall over Farrington's
Ashlee Lilo for third place in the tournament's final match.
That pushed Iolani past Baldwin by one point. Kahuku (116 points)
took third, followed by Moanalua (92), Pearl City (91) and Farrington
(86).
"It
actually was everybody who won it for us," Ha said. "Everybody
had to score on the front side (championship rounds) and everybody
had to score on the back side, and that's exactly what they did
for the team. The whole team needed all of the points they got."
Two
of the individual Raiders champions won by slim margins. Tamashiro,
who did not qualify for any of the past three tournaments, trailed
her title match 4-1 to Kealakehe's Joyce Transfiguracion before
rallying to tie it with 15 seconds left in regulation. Tamashiro
then scored a pin with four seconds left in overtime.
"It
was all for the team, to go for the extra pins," Tamashiro
said. "Coach (Ha) said we were in third place, that we were
still in the running for the team championship, so I told myself,
'Don't be lazy. Just do it, go for the pin.' "
Iolani's
Kira Tamashiro won the girls' 98-pound division by pinning Kealakehe's
Joyce Transfiguracion in overtime last night.
Watase, last year's state champion at 98 pounds, also needed
overtime to defeat Kahuku's Danica Auna, 4-2. Auna took a 2-0
lead in the first period on a takedown. Watase tied it at 2-2
early in the third period on a reversal, then won with a reversal
16 seconds into the overtime period.
Oshiro,
who won last year's 103-pound title, defeated Farrington freshman
Tani Ader, 10-4.
Chan,
the No. 2 seed, was upset in Friday's quarterfinals but came
back to win third place over Word of Life's Sarah Aoki.
"I
was disappointed (Friday), but I felt like I owed it to my teammates
(to win in the consolation rounds)," said Chan, a senior
who won a state judo championship in 2004. "I found the
motivation to do what I can on the mat. It's awesome for my teammates,
because they all worked so hard. We came far, and I'm glad I
got to be part of it."
Toyama
also lost in the quarterfinals but came back to take sixth place.
Iolani's other wrestlers were Courtney Whang (125), Sridevi Fourmier
(140) and Lindsey Tufono (175).
Waipahu's
Delilah Joung repeated as the 155-pound champion, defeating Moanalua's
Alicia Fu, 7-6. And Kamehameha's Hoku Nohara retained her 220-pound
title, pinning Wai'anae's Chasity Molina.
Source: Honolulu Advertiser |
State
wrestling results
BOYS
Team
scoring
SCHOOL
POINTS
1,
Kamehameha 128.5
2, Lahainaluna 126.5
3, Baldwin 123
4, Punahou 112.5
5, Kahuku 106
6, Saint Louis 87.5
7, Iolani 84
8, Roosevelt 72
9, Pearl City 64.5
10, Waiakea 55.5
11,
Wai'anae 54.5; 12, Hilo, Konawaena 49.5; 14, Mililani, Waipahu
48; 16, Leilehua 45; 17, Moloka'i 31; 18, Hana 29; 19, Pahoa
26. 20, Kealakehe 24; 21, Kaiser 22. 22, Honoka'a, Kalaheo 21.
24, Moanalua 20; 25, Farrington, Mid-Pacific, Moloka'i Christian
15; 28, Nanakuli 17; 29, Maui 14; 30, King Kekaulike 13; 31,
Hawai'i Prep, Kapolei 11; 33, 'Aiea, Radford 9; 35, McKinley
7.5; 36, Damien 6; 37, Castle, Waialua 5; 39, Kalani 4; 40, St.
Anthony 4; 41, Academy of the Pacific, Christian Academy 2.
103
POUNDS
Championship
Nick
Matayoshi (Iolani) defeated Bryson Fukushima (Punahou), 8-4.
Matayoshi opened with a takedown in the first quarter, but Fukushima
tied the match with a point for stalling by Matayoshi and an
escape in the second period. Matayoshi took the lead for good
on a takedown in the second, then had two more takedowns.
Third
place
Richie
Mitchell (Honoka'a) dec. Nathan Duarosan (King Kekaulike), 10-0
Fifth
place
Brandon
Mina (Waipahu) dec. Joshua Tingman (Moanalua), 15-1
Semifinals
Matayoshi
dec. Mitchell, 15-5
Fukushima
dec. Duarosan, 7-4
112
POUNDS
Championship
Aaron
Ishikawa (Iolani) defeated Lean Gumbac (Baldwin), 6-5. Ishikawa
fought back after being down 3-1 after the first period and having
a 4-1 deficit early in the second. He scored on a takedown to
make it 4-3, then escaped to tie the match at 4 early in the
third period. He had a takedown with 39 seconds left for the
6-4 lead, then was penalized for stalling for Gumbac's final
point.
Third
place
Royce
Madarang (Waipahu) dec. Lopaka Samudio (Lahainaluna), 4-2
Fifth
place
Lee
Inouye (Roosevelt) dec. Dylan Klink (Kahuku), 4-3
Semifinals
Gumboc
dec. Klink, 12-3
Ishikawa
pinned Mandarang, 4:52
119
POUNDS
Championship
Landon
Kurata (Waiakea) defeated Michael Villoria (Lahainaluna), 5-3,
in overtime. Kurata took a 2-0 lead in the first period, before
Villoria tied it at 2-2. Villoria took a 3-2 lead in the second
period on an escape, but was called for an illegal hold in the
third period to send it into overtime. Kurata then scored on
a reverse in the opening moments to win it.
Third
place
Richard
Torres (Kahuku) dec. Zach Matayoshi (Iolani), 6-2
Fifth
place
Keani
Nishigaya (Saint Louis) dec. Kauila Moore (Roosevelt), 4-1
Semifinals
Kurata
dec. Torres, 14-10
Villoria
dec. Matayoshi, 4-2
125
POUNDS
Championship
Brandon
Low (Saint Louis) defeated Bricen Yakabe (Kaiser), 5-0. Low took
a 2-0 lead on a takedown in the first period. After a scoreless
second period, Low scored on an escape and then a takedown to
close out the third.
Third
place
Daniel
Chow (Punahou) dec. Bailey Ball (Lahainaluna), 3-2
Fifth
place
Jared
Kawamata (Mililani) dec. James Blair (Moloka'i), 14-6
Semifinals
Low
pinned Blair, 5:54
Yakabe
dec. Ball, 9-8
130
POUNDS
Championship
Brenden
Whitt (Punahou) defeated Van Michael Shiroma (Roosevelt), 6-3.
Whitt had a takedown in the first period, and neither scored
a point in the second. Whitt had a takedown and a reverse in
the third, and Shiroma scored on a reverse and escape.
Third
place
Reggie
Torres (Kamehameha) dec. Kelsey Kokubun (Iolani), 14-8
Fifth
place
Torey
Seminara (Pearl City) pinned Nevin Kamaka'ala (Kahuku), 6:37
Semifinals
Whitt
dec. Kamaka'ala, 2-0
Shiroma
pinned Torres. 1:35
135
POUNDS
Championship
Daniel
Morita (Kahuku) defeated Alapa'i Bungo (Kamehameha), 10-4. Morita
opened with a takedown, but Bungo took the 3-2 lead on an escape
and a takedown. Morita had an escape to tie and a takedown to
take the lead for good, then extended his lead with two more
takedowns and an escape, against one point off an escape by Bungo.
Third
place
Steven
Chong (Punahou) dec. TJ Dowell-Howko (Mililani), 16-2
Fifth
place
Lindsay
Baybayan (Lahainaluna) dec. Chad Fujiyoshi (Waiakea), 3-1
Semifinals
Morita
dec. Chong, 8-3
Bungo
dec. Dowell-Howko, 14-6
140
POUNDS
Championship
Johanson
Quist (Hilo) defeated Mickey Lauer (Baldwin), 8-3. Quist took
a 4-1 lead in the second period, before Lauer closed to 4-3 on
a reverse. Quist then scored a takedown to take a 6-3 lead into
the third period, and scored another takedown to seal it.
Third
place
Jared
Sandoval (Kamehameha) dec. Seth Ching (Pearl City), 14-6
Fifth
place
Chris
Bovo (Kalaheo) dec. Andrew Byron (Punahou), 11-7
Semifinals
Quist
dec. Ching, 18-3
Lauer
dec. Sandobal, 6-3
145
POUNDS
Championship
William
Smithe (Mililani) defeated John Stricklin-Pu (Hana), 7-4. Smithe
scored on three takedowns and an illegal hold by Stricklin-Pu,
and allowed Stricklin-Pu four points on escapes for the win.
Third
place
Bryson
Vivas (Kamehameha) pinned Garrett Roan (Waiakea), 4:38
Fifth
place
Josh
Green (Wai'anae) dec. Darell Poole (Kalaheo), 8-4
Semifinals
Stricklin-Pu
dec. Roan, 17-9
Smithe
dec. Vivas, 7-4
152
POUNDS
Championship
TJ
Kuahine
(Baldwin) defeated Clinton Manley (Moloka'i Christian), 8-3.
Kuahine took a 5-0 lead in the second period, then Manley closed
it to 5-3 early in the third with a reversal. Kuahine then scored
an escape and reverse to seal it.
Third
place
Bryson
Pascua (Pearl City) dec. Charles Smiley (Saint Louis), 7-1
Fifth
place
Simon
Ioane (Farrington) def. Kenrick Pai (Kamehameha) by forfeit
Semifinals
Kuahine
dec. Pascua, 16-0
Manley
dec. Pai, 2-1
160
POUNDS
Championship
Ryan
"Bulla" Tuzon (Baldwin) defeated Nathan Harris (Lahainaluna),
8-6. Tuzon fell behind 2-6 on three takedowns by Harris early
in the second period after a scoreless first period. Tuzon scored
point off two escapes, tied the match at 6 with one minute remaining
on a takedown, then took the lead with 30 seconds to go on a
near fall.
Third
place
Gaison
Ontai (Kamehameha) dec. Jordan Alencastle (Saint Louis), 8-4
Fifth
place
Thomas
Iinuma (Pearl City) dec. Jared Hao (Kealakehe), 6-3
Semifinals
Tuzon
dec. Iiuma, 6-0
Harris
dec. Ha'o, 8-3
171
POUNDS
Championship
Gerritt
Vincent (Kamehameha) defeated Mike Egesdal (Punahou), 13-8. Vincent
dominated, recording five takedowns to Egesdal's one, jumping
out to a 4-2 lead after the first, and an 8-5 lead after the
second.
Third
place
Nicholas
Kuhn (Lahainaluna) dec. Keoni Leong (Baldwin) by technical fall,
3:13
Fifth
place
Ikoa
Rosa-Paris (Leilehua) dec. Samson Tanele (Wai'anae), 3-2
Semifinals
Vincent
dec. Long, 15-7
Egesdal
dec. Kuhn, 9-8
189
POUNDS
Championship
Jonathan
Duquette (Roosevelt) defeated Patrick Kaina (Lahainaluna), 5-4.
Duquette took a 5-1 lead early in the second period, but Kaina
closed it to 5-3 with two escapes entering the third period.
Kaina got another escape early in the third, but could not score
again in the final 40 seconds.
Third
place
Yancy
Medeiros (Wai'anae) dec. Jared Silva (Saint Louis), 11-6
Fifth
place
Matt
Maze (Hawai'i Prep) dec. Jorey Baysinger (Konawaena), 5-0
Semifinals
Duquette
dec. Silva, 3-2
Kaina
dec. Medeiros, 10-4
215
POUNDS
Championship
Dylan
Rush (Konawaena) defeated Michael Mullen (Leilehua), 10-1. Rush
recorded two takedowns, an escape, a reverse and a near fall
for three points for his 10 points before Mullen scored his lone
point on an escape at the end of the match.
Third
place
Joshua
Gisa (Nanakuli) dec. Elijah Medeiros (Hilo), 7-6
Fifth
place
Clellan
Aalona (Kahuku) dec. Nicholas Spotkaeff (Wai'anae), 10-2
Semifinals
Rush
pinned Spotkaeff, 5:25
Mullen
pinned Medeiros, 2:55
275
POUNDS
Championship
Matt
Tanielu (Moloka'i) defeated Max Fairclough (Kahuku), 3-1. Tanielu
had a takedown to give him the 2-1 lead in the second period
after Fairclough scored a point for an escape, and Tanielu added
a point for an escape in the third period.
Third
place
Matt
Wharton (Pahoa) pinned Russell Fisher (MPI), 4:11.
Fifth
place
Shannon
Faili (Waipahu) dec. Philip Trani (Kapolei) 4-3.
Semifinals
Tanielu
dec. Saili, 7-2
Fairclough
dec. Fisher, 6-4
GIRLS
Team
scoring
SCHOOL
POINTS
1,
Iolani 130.5
2, Baldwin 129.5
3, Kahuku 116
4, Moanalua 92
5, Pearl City 91
6, Farrington 86
7, Kamehameha 82
8, Kealakehe 77
9, Punahou 67.5
10, Waipahu 62
11,
Aiea, Kaiser, Kapolei 37; 14, Wai'anae 35; 15, Lana'i, Roosevelt
29; 17, Lahainaluna 21; 18, University, Word of Life 20; 20,
Castle 19; 21, Kaimuki 18; 22, McKinley 16; 23, Kailua 15; 24,
Maui 14; 25, Kohala, Mid-Pacific 11; 27, St. Anthony 10; 28,
Leilehua 8; 29, Maryknoll 7; 30, Kamehameha-Hawai'i 6; 31, Moloka'i
5; 32, Hawai'i Prep, Konawaena, Kamehameha-Maui 4; 35, King Kekaulike
3.
98
POUNDS
Championship
Kira
Tamashiro (Iolani) pinned Joyce Transfiguracion (Kealakehe) at
6:56. Transfiguracion took a 4-1 lead early in the third period
on a reversal, but Tamashiro got a point pack on an escape and
then tied it at 4-4 with 15 seconds remaining on a takedown.
Tamashiro finally took control at the end of the overtime period
and got the pin with four seconds left.
Third
place
Candace
Sakamoto (Castle) dec. Agriana Aquino (Kahuku), 4-2
Fifth
place
Kristanlyn
Daquip (Baldwin) pinned Erin Uwaine (Mid-Pacific), 3:21
Semifinals
Tamashiro
pinned Aquino, 1:37
Transfiguracion
dec. Sakamoto, 10-7
103
POUNDS
Championship
Carla
Watase (Iolani) defeated Danica Auna (Kahuku), 4-2, in overtime.
Auna took a 2-0 lead in the first period on a takedown. Watase
tied it at 2-2 early in the third period on a reversal, then
won with a reversal 16 seconds into the overtime period.
Third
place
Samantha
Batoon (Farrington) pinned Keri Kaneshiro (Kaimuki), 2:47
Fifth
place
Tonya
Kageno (Pearl City) pinned Ashley Hayase (Lahainaluna), 2:03
Semifinals
Watase
pinned Kaneshiro, 3:16
Auna
pinned Batoon, 3:14
108
POUNDS
Championship
Joleen
Oshiro (Iolani) defeated Tani Ader (Farrington), 10-4. Oshiro
jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first period, then went up 6-2
in the second after a takedown before closing it out in the third.
Third
place
Shaelene
Kamaka'ala (Kamehameha) dec. Vanessa Chavez (Baldwin), 10-4
Fifth
place
Lisa
Katsura (Moanalua) dec. Vickey Milanio (Lahainaluna), 5-1
Semifinals
Oshiro
pinned Katsura, 1:37
Ader
pinned Chavez, 3:57
114
POUNDS
Championship
Cori
Arisumi (Roosevelt) pinned Danica Lute (Lana'i) at 4:58. Arisumi
took a 3-0 lead early in the second period before Lute closed
it to 3-2 with a takedown. Arisumi then went up 7-2 after an
escape and reversal and 9-3 with a takedown before the pin.
Third
place
Catherine
Chan (Iolani) dec. Sarah Aoki (Word of Life), 14-7
Fifth
place
Lianne
Tomishima (McKinley) pinned Clarissa Reidy (Kapolei), 3:31
Semifinals
Arisumi
pinned Reidy, 1:06
Lute
dec. Tomishima, 9-5
120
POUNDS
Championship
Shyla
Iokia (Baldwin) defeated Lauren Primiano (Punahou), 13-6. Iokia,
who defended her state title, opened to a 7-1 lead early in the
second period behind a couple of takedowns, then held off Primiano
in the third period with two more takedowns.
Third
place
Ashley
Poling (Kaiser) dec. Ashlee Estioko (Kahuku), 6-4
Fifth
place
Cherae
Pascua (Pearl City) dec. Brandee Toyama (Iolani), 6-4.
Semifinals
Iokia
dec. Estioko, 11-6
Primiano
dec. Poling, 6-5
125
POUNDS
Championship
Danica
Kamakana (Moanalua) pinned Chaelyn Tan (Kapolei) at 1:22. Kamakana
took an early 2-0 lead with a takedown before scoring the pin.
Third
place
Nicole
Chorney (Punahou) dec. Natasha Chang (Baldwin), 4-0
Fifth
place
Kalimari
Billings (Pearl City) pinned Shante Ho'okano (Kaiser), 4:14
Semifinals
Tan
pinned Billings, 3:27
Kamakana
pinned Ho'okano, 5:59
130
POUNDS
Championship
Kara
Takasaki (Punahou) defeated Pukea Kalalau (Baldwin), 10-4. Takasaki
jumped to a 7-1 lead in the second period off three takedowns,
then scored three points in the third period on a near fall.
Third
place
Merisa
Wong (Kealakehe) pinned Jackie Baniaga (Waipahu), 2:11
Fifth
place
Ku'uipo
Bedayos (Wai'anae) dec. Punahale Luafalemana (Moloka'i), 4-2
Semifinals
Takasaki
pinned Luafalemana, 3:38
Kalalau
dec. Baniaga, 19-3
140
POUNDS
Championship
Summer
Alo (Kahuku) defeated Krystal Kiyuna ('Aiea), 8-6, in overtime.
Kiyuna took a 6-3 lead after a reversal early in the third period,
but Alo scored on an escape and then Kiyuna was called for stalling
with 22 seconds remaining, tying it at 6-6. In overtime, Alo
scored an early takedown to win it.
Third
place
Nicole
Young (Pearl City) dec. Ku'ulei Barton (Kealakehe), 9-1
Fifth
place
BN
Alafonso (Farrington) pinned Candace Coratibo (Baldwin), 1:41
Semifinals
Alo
pinned Young, 1:17
Kiyuna
dec. Alafonso, 7-3
155
POUNDS
Championship
Delilah
Joung (Waipahu) defeated Alicia Fu (Moanalua), 7-6. Joung successfully
defended her state title by scoring two takedowns in the third
period to break a 3-3 tie.
Third
place
Lani
Visesio (Maui) dec. Amanda Soliai (Kahuku), 10-8
Fifth
place
Penny
Rodrigues (Kealakehe) pinned Faye Toyama ('Aiea), 4:56
Semifinals
Joung
pinned Rodrigues, 4:41
Fu
pinned Visesio, 3:14
175
POUNDS
Championship
Talina
Kawa'a (Kamehameha) defeated Desiree Memea (University High),
6-1. Memea took a 1-0 lead early in the second period, but Kawa'a
quickly went up 5-1 after a reversal and near fall. Kawa'a was
awarded a point in the third period after an illegal hold, and
held on for the victory after being briefly injured.
Third
place
Leolani
Corpuz (Baldwin) pinned Stacey Ikawa (Pearl City), 0:30
Fifth
place
Kiele
Lehel (Kailua) dec. Christine Meredith (Kahuku), 6-5
Semifinals
Kawa'a
pinned Corpuz, 4:14
Memea
pinned Ikawa, 5:47
220
POUNDS
Championship
Randolyn
"Hoku" Nohara (Kamehameha) pinned Chasity Molina (Wai'anae)
at 1:01. Nohara, who defended her state title, scored early on
a takedown, then prevented Molina from escaping from her hold,
pinning her halfway through the first period.
Third
place
Akemi
Holmes (Iolani) pinned Ashlee Lilio (Farrington), 0:59
Fifth
place
Andrea
Reyes (Moanalua) dec. Autumn Williams (Pearl City), 2-1
Semifinals
Nohara
pinned Lilio, 1:41
Molina
dec. Holmes, 3-2
Source:
Honolulu Advertiser |
Iolani
girls, Kamehameha boys win wrestling titles
Raiders come from behind to top Baldwin for the state girls crown
By Billy Hull
The
phrase "every match counts" might seem like nothing
more than a clichŽ, but for the Iolani Raiders, their belief
in it is why they are now called state champions.
A
year's worth of dedication and hard work all came down to the
final weight class of the HHSAA/Chevron 2005 State Girls Wrestling
Championships as unseeded Akemi Holmes, needing a victory by
pinfall, defeated Farrington's Ashlee Lilo in such fashion to
give Iolani a come-from-behind one-point victory over Baldwin
to win the school's first-ever girls state wrestling title yesterday
at Blaisdell Arena.
"It
has come full circle for these girls," Iolani coach Matt
Ha said. "In 2003 I think the girls got tired of people
laughing at them. We only had four wrestlers and while they would
all win, we would get crushed in the dual meets."
Holmes,
who had been pinned by Lilo earlier in the season, had no idea
that the team championship was going to come down to her match.
"I
think I was glad I didn't know," she said. "In the
ILH (championships), I knew it might come down to me and I got
a little pressured, but this time I just went out there focused,
concentrated and gave it my all."
A
fast start by the Raiders yesterday set the table for Holmes'
final match as Iolani claimed the first three weight divisions.
In
the opening and arguably most exciting final, top-seeded senior
Kira Tamashiro forced overtime against third-seeded Joyce Transfiguracion
by scoring a takedown with just 5 seconds left to tie the score
in regulation, and then turned the clinching takedown into a
pin with 4 seconds left in the extra period to claim the 98-pound
state title, her first.
"I
really don't know what happened at the end; it's all a blur,"
Tamashiro said of the overtime period. "I just was thinking
about the team and how hard we all worked. Our one-team spirit
is really strong."
"She
could have just gotten up after the takedown and won," Ha
added. "But she kept with it and pinned her and that was
so huge because we needed it in the end."
Continuing
Tamashiro's trend, top-seeded Carla Watase also needed overtime
to win the 103-pound title, defeating Kahuku's second-seeded
Danica Auna 4-2 with a takedown 17 seconds into the extra period.
Only a sophomore, Watase kept her dreams alive to become a four-time
state champion. She was the 98-pound champion last year.
"That's
my goal since I started," Watase said. "This was definitely
the hardest match of the year. When the referee said 'OK girls
this is sudden death' I was really nervous."
Completing
the trifecta for Iolani was Joleen Oshiro, the top seed at 108
pounds. After two overtime matches, last year's 103-pound state
champion made the final in her new weight class seem easy, defeating
Farrington's third-seeded Tani Ader 10-4 to complete an undefeated
senior season.
"This
one is actually better than last year's one," Oshiro said.
"Everyone wanted to take me down and I was the target this
year, so I had to work a lot harder. I felt like I had all this
pressure because people expected me to dominate."
The
only other returning state champions to successfully defend their
titles were Kamehameha's Randolyn Nohara, who needed just 61
seconds to pin Waianae's Chasity Molina, and Waipahu's Delilah
Joung, who narrowly defeated Moanalua's Alicia Fu 7-6 in the
155-pound championship.
In
an all-freshman 125-pound final, unseeded Chaelynn Tan's dramatic
run to the finals ended on a sour note as she was pinned by Moanalua's
Danica Kamakana with 38 seconds left in the first round. Tan
had knocked off top-seeded Nicole Chorney on Friday.
Other
surprise unseeded winners included 114-pound champion Cory Arisumi
from Roosevelt, 175-pound champion Tilana Kawaa of Kamehameha,
and Kahuku's Summer Alo, who tied the 140-pound final late in
regulation, and then scored a takedown with 18 seconds left in
overtime to beat defending state champion Krystal Kiyuna.
Baldwin's
Shyla Iokia and Punahou's Kara Takasaki successfully lived up
to their No. 1 seeds, winning the 120- and 130-pound titles.
The
Warriors earn their fourth boys state crown and first since 1999
By Paul Honda
The
worthy challengers came from the island of Maui, but Kamehameha's
Warriors fought them off down the stretch.
Kamehameha
amassed 128.5 points to edge Lahainaluna (126) and Baldwin (123)
to win the Chevron State Boys Wrestling Championships last night
at Blaisdell Arena. It is Kamehameha's fourth state boys crown
and the first since 1999.
It
was a special night for the Warriors and coach Billy Venenciano,
who originally hails from Molokai of the Maui Interscholastic
League.
"The
key was that last round. Our kids were in the finals and we could
get extra points," he said.
Some
key performances by his grapplers, like Reggie Torres Jr., gave
the Warriors the valuable points they needed. Torres, wrestling
in the 119 weight class, came through with a win in his third-place
battle for two valuable points.
"When
I asked the kids who they wanted in their corner, Reggie wanted
his dad," Venenciano said.
So,
he called on Reggie Torres, who also happens to be the head coach
of Kahuku.
"Reggie's
style is more mental, and he beat the wrestler from Iolani. That
really helped," Venenciano said.
Most
of the top seeds won, but there were some remarkable upsets.
Unseeded
Jonathan Duquette knocked out No. 1 seed Jared Silva of Saint
Louis in the semifinals and went on to edge Lahainaluna's Patrick
Kaina, 5-4, to win the 189 championship.
Another
big upset came from Landon Kurota of Waiakea. He won the 119
state crown with a 5-3 overtime win over Lahainaluna's Michael
Viloria.
At
145, Mililani's William Smithe outquicked the taller No. 1 seed,
John Stricklin-Pu of Hana, 7-4, for a state championship title.
In
one of the most intense matches of the night, Molokai's Matthew
Tanielu and Kahuku's Max Fairclough went back and forth in a
defensive battle for the 275 crown.
After
an even opening period, Tanielu became the aggressor. However,
the slippery Fairclough got away and scored for a 1-0 lead midway
through the second quarter.
Tanielu
came through with a leg shoot for two points late in the second
to take the lead. Early in the third, he slipped away from Fairclough's
grasp to take a 3-1 lead.
Tanielu
escaped four leg shoots by Fairclough in the final minute to
pull out the win.
Another
classic duel came from two MIL wrestlers, Ryan "Bulla"
Tuzon of Baldwin and Nathan Harris of Lahainaluna.
Harris
was the more aggressive wrestler from the start, but the first
period ended without a score. That changed quickly. Harris scored
two points shortly into the second period, and added another
two-point score for a 4-1 lead with a minute left in the third.
Harris
led 6-2 late in the second period, but Tuzon chipped away, escaping
Harris' clutches twice to pull within 6-4 with 1:37 left. Tuzon
then came through with a pair of two-point moves to take an 8-6
lead with 29 seconds remaining. Tuzon hung on in the final seconds
for the win.
Harris
was unseeded, but the close battle wasn't a surprise. Tuzon outpointed
Harris in overtime at the MIL championships.
Perhaps
the most decisive win came from two-time state champion Dylan
Rush of Konawaena.
Rush
led just 2-0 going into the second period, but was in complete
control. The 6-foot-3 junior added three more points in the second
en route and was cruising to a win when the unseeded Mullen surprised
Rush midway through the fourth.
Mullen
came relatively close to getting a hold on Rush, but the Wildcat
escaped and was never threatened again. Rush captured his second
state championship in a row at 215.
Source: Honolulu Star Bulletin |
Tournament
Draw Finalized For K-1 Korea Event
Defending
champ Kaennorsing leads pack of eight fighters
Twenty-one
year old martial arts fighting sensation, Kaoklai
Kaennorsing, will set out to defend his first career K-1 tournament
championship when he faces China's Zhang Qing Jun during the
quarterfinal round of the K-1 "World Grand Prix Seoul"
Pay-Per-View
televised event in Seoul, Korea on Sunday, March 20th.
At
5 feet 11 inches and 170 pounds, Kaennorsing of Thailand is a
physical anomaly in K-1's original weight class that has
traditionally been comprised of fighters who weigh a minimum
of 200
pounds. During his debut in "The New Fighting Sport"
the smallest
superheavyweight in K-1 history shocked the world last July by
conquering three challengers in one night of action during the
first-ever "World Grand Prix Seoul" tournament.
Kaennorsing's
victory in Korea gained him a bid into the annual
December "World Grand Prix Finals" eight-man tournament
in Japan's
Tokyo Dome where he was confronted with the seemingly impossible
task
of stopping 283-pound American powerhouse, "Mighty Mo"
Siligia. Once
again, though, Kaennorsing astonished the masses when he launched
a
flying roundhouse kick that caught Siligia on the side of the
head
and put the big man out of commission during the first round
of the
fight.
This
time around, the Thai knockout artist will be faced by another
member of the sport's new generation in the 18-year-old Qing
Jun.
Last July, the 6 foot 1 inch, 228 pound Chinese kickboxing stylist
made what remains his sole K-1 appearance to date during the
inaugural event in Seoul. There, he gained a judges decision
over
sumo wrestling legend, Akebono.
The
winner of the matchup between Kaennorsing and Qing Jun will face
the victory of a quarterfinal round bout between Japan's Hiraku
Hori
and Korea's Lee Myeon Ju.
The
other half of the "World Grand Prix Seoul tournament"
draw will
see Akebono return to action in a one of a kind matchup with
Japanese
Seido Kaikan Karate Master, Nobuaki Kakuda. Kakuda's appearance
comes after he originally announced his retirement from competition
two years ago.
The
final quarterfinal round contest pairs two newcomers - 7 foot
2
inch, 353 pound giant, Hong-Man Choi, of Korea and 5 foot 11
inch,
309 pound, Wakashoyo, of Japan -against one another.
The
winners of each semifinal round bout will square off with one
another in the tournament's championship round.
The
live broadcast of World Grand Prix Seoul will begin at 9 PM
Eastern Standard Time (6 PM Pacific Standard Time) and will be
available on iNDemand, DirecTV, and TVN.
K-1
is a martial arts fighting sport that derives its name from its
inclusion of a wide array of combat disciplines, including Karate,
Kung-Fu, and Kickboxing ("K"), and its intent to determine
one
champion in one ring ("1"). After being staged for
the first time in
Japan in 1993 under the direction of founder Master Kazuyoshi
Ishii,
it later evolved into the country's most popular sport and achieved
popular culture status there as its athletes turned into
larger-than-life celebrities.
Source: Mike Afromowitz |
Quote
of the Day
"Once we realize that imperfect understanding is the human
condition,
there is no shame in being wrong, only in failing to correct
our mistakes."
George Soros, American Businessman, Financier
|
Brandon
Low Makes it 3 in a Row!
The next great thing in Hawaii High School Wrestling continued
on the road to become the third four-time state wrestling champion
behind Pat Higa and Jonathan Spiker (Low's former teammate at
St. Louis). Brandon pinned all three of his opponents to make
it in to the finals where he fought a tough and game opponent,
but proved to be too much and won his third state championship
by points.
The
team titles went to Iolani for the girls and Kamehameha (Oahu
Campus) for the boys both teams winning by a point and two points
respectively over two tough Maui teams.
Congratulations
to all the competitors of the Hawaii State Wrestling Championships
and the newly crowned champions!
|
'Bang'
Ludwig On His Way To Oregon
As
a further sign of how training has begun to kick into high gear
around Team Quest, MMA Weekly has learned that Bas Rutten and
Duane "Bang" Ludwig will be traveling to Oregon to
help prepare and train with Randy Couture and Matt Lindland for
their upcoming fights in April. Rutten is no stranger to the
Quest facilities, having gone to Oregon last year to work with
Team Quest as well as attend Sportfight, the promotion run by
Couture and Lindland.
For
Ludwig however, this is his first time heading north to work
with Quest. When contacted by MMA Weekly, Ludwig seemed very
enthusiastic about the trip, "It's my first time going up
there," said Ludwig. "Bas is going to help train Randy
and we're going to do a seminar. It's going to be fun, I'm looking
forward to good times."
Word
has it that Rutten is not the only former UFC Champion to be
heading to Oregon, sources close to the situation say that Don
Frye will also be making the trek to work with Team Quest also.
This is no surprise considering that Team Quest has long been
a location for many fighters to train outside their normal routines.
Fighters who've gone to the famous Gresham facility include Middleweight
King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt, UFC veterans BJ Penn, Caol Uno,
Ricco Rodriguez, The Ultimate Fighter's Mike Swick, and renowned
trainer Marc Laimon.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Brazilians
fight at Pancrase tonight
Nilson
de Castro (Chute Boxe Academy), Gustavo "Ximu" Machado
and teammate Flavio Moura (Gracie Barra Combat Team) will be
fighting tonight (6) at Pancrase 2005 Spiral Tour, which happens
at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium, in Kanagawa, Japan. Check out
full results later at TATAME.com. Stay tuned!
Pancrase
2005 Spiral Tour
Sunday,
March 6, 2005
Yokohama
Cultural Gymnasium - Kanagawa, Japan
COMPLETE
LINE UP (subject to change):
-
Asaki Honda (P's LAB Yokohama) vs. Yuki Takaya (SK Absolute);
-
Hidenobu Koike (Grabaka Gym) vs. Hirokazu Takamoto (Unplugged
Kokubunji);
-
Hisae Watanabe (AJ Gym) vs. Naoko Omuro (Wajutsu Keishukai Tokyo
Hombu);
-
Masahiro Yamagishi (YMC Nagano) vs. Ken Orihashi (Team POD);
-
Takuya Wada (SK Absolute) vs. Hiroki Nagaoka (Dobuita);
-
Sehaku (Wajutsu Keishukai RJW) vs. Ryuta Noji (Pancrase Megaton);
-
Hidehiko Hasegawa (SK Absolute) vs. Satoru Kitaoka (Pancrase
ism);
-
Keiichiro Yamamiya (Pancrase Grabaka) vs. Nilson de Castro (Chute
Boxe Academy);
-
Yuki Sasaki (Pancrase Grabaka) vs. Gustavo "Ximu" Machado
(Gracie Barra Combat Team);
-
Kazuo Misaki (Pancrase Grabaka) vs. Flavio Moura (Gracie Barra
Combat Team);
-
Akihiro Gono (Pancrase Grabaka) vs. Yuji Sakuragi (Seiken Kaikan).
Source: Tatame
|
Maurício
Shogun Getting some room
Few
years ago he was known by Murilo Ninja's brother. After four
knockouts at the main stage of international MMA (Pride), Maurício
Milani Rua is known as Maurício Shogun. At age 24, Shogun
fought nine times as Professional (8-1-0) and now he will have
his great chance: Pride GP Middleweight, which first round happens
in April and his main opponent may be teammate Wanderlei Silva.
During exclusive interview to team right after returning from
Pride 29, Shogun comments his last victory over Hiromitsu Kanehara,
his challenge to Quinton Jackson and his chances at Pride GP.
Do
you have any relation with Marco Ruas?
No.
It's a Portuguese name came from my dad. But of course I am a
fan, because he was one of the pioneers of Vale-Tudo. In the
past, the guys were great on the ground or in the stand up game.
He was the first one to show his skills in both ways. This worked
as an incentive for me.
How
did you start fighting?
My
brother started to train with Zito. So I train until red belt
graduation and ended moving to my dad's house, when I was 17
years old, in Santa Catarina. In there I started to train Jiu-Jitsu
and nowadays I am a brown belt. I am 23, Murilo, 25 and the youngest
brother is only 19.
When
ring bells it seems like you and your brother turn on a motor
and just end punching and kicking when the fight is over. What's
the secret of the family Rua?
I
guess it's genetic. My mother join marathon proves. She is 50
and she occupies the 5th place of the ranking. But I have to
say this energy is due to our train.
Do
you think of fighting among heavies?
Mestrão
Rudimar decides. But I prefer to have more experience among the
middleweights. Who knows someday I will fight as a heavyweight?
What
are you expecting of this Grand Prix?
Our
goal is done. We are on the top of middleweight fighters in the
world. Now I want to win as much I can and help Wanderlei to
keep his belt.
According
to Rudimar, you and Wanderlei would do a real fight in the tournament.
As
far I know, we will be in different brackets and may fight the
final. During a tournament like this, where is fulfilled with
tough fighters, the last think I am concerned is the final match.
Are you crazy? Fighting with Wandeco is rough. But it's my job
and we are professional fighters... if I reach the final, we
gonna fight.
Quinton
seemed enjoying your challenge. At this time he wanted to give
a Pride trophy to your brother...
I
guess he's learned the lesson, Wandeco taught him with punches.
No doubt he is way far humble.
What
has impressed you the most in this event?
Minotouro
fought very well. He presented a good Muay Thai and showed himself
well prepared. Igor Vovchanchyn also fought very well. I guess
Middleweight GP will be one of the most disputed ones. But the
favorite one is still Wanderlei.
You've
got nine fights and just one loss (to Renato Babalú).
Would you like a rematch?
I
am a Professional of Vale-Tudo. I'll fight anyone. But no doubt
I still have a hard time accepting this loss. If I have a chance
I would like to face him one more time.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
"Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is active;
it is concentrated strength."
Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton, 1803-1873, British Novelist, Poet
|
So
You Think You Tough Today in Kona!
The hallmark event of Kailua-Kona on the big island is back.
So You Think You Tough 7
Kona Gym, Kona, Hawaii
March 5, 2005
The main event pits two of the big islands' heaviest hitters.
Kona's Kaleo Padilla faces one of Puna's most dangerous punchers
in Kaimi Santiago. The undercard will feature boxing and mixed
martial arts matches.
Onzuka.com will be there covering all the action. If you are
on the big island and have never been to one of Sonny Westbrook's
events, you are missing out. From the raw cage to the infamous
grudge matches, there are no padding records or conservative
fighters, the competitors come to fight and lay it all out in
the cage.
|
For
Immediate Release
Contact:
Patrick Freitas
(808) 375-1645
superbrawl21@yahoo.com
Super
Brawl XXXIX: Destiny
Masanori Suda vs. Falaniko Vitale
for the 185-Lb Title Belt
 
Honolulu, HI., March 3, 2005 – A world championship event
two years in the making is finally confirmed. On April 9, 2005
at the University of Hawaii’s Stan Sheriff Center, Falaniko
Vitale will fight for possession of the 185-lb Super Brawl Title
Belt, currently held by Japan’s Masanori Suda, in the main
event of “Super Brawl XXXIX: Destiny.”
Masanori
Suda, undefeated in the last three years, is regarded as one
of Japan’s preeminent Mixed Martial Arts (M.M.A.) fighters.
Suda is also one of the most feared fighters ever to compete
in Hawaii He has never lost to any of the State’s athletes,
tallying wins over Ray Cooper, Ronald Jhun, and Egan Inoue. Suda
earned the 185-lb Super Brawl Title Belt with his dominant victory
over Inoue at the highly publicized May 9, 2003 Super Brawl XXIX.
Over 8,000 fans witnessed this match first hand, making it one
of the largest fight events ever held in Honolulu.
Two
years ago – at the time of Suda’s victory over Inoue
- Falaniko Vitale was the top student at Inoue’s Grappling
Unlimited training academy in Halawa Valley. Vitale, a football
phenom from Waipahu High School, went on to a decorated college
football career at the University of Hawaii. Although a knee
injury sidelined his opportunities into the NFL, Vitale found
professional athletic success immediately after college in Arena
Football and in the burgeoning M.M.A. circuit.
Vitale
flourished under Inoue’s tutelage at Grappling Unlimited,
going undefeated in Super Brawl over a four year span. Vitale’s
only loss since 2001 came by decision in U.F.C. (Ultimate Fighting
Championship) #45 against U.S. Olympic Wresting Silver Medalist
Matt Lindland; Vitale had already beaten Lindland by knockout
in U.F.C. #43 just five months earlier. Vitale hopes to win the
belt not only for his own accomplishment, but also for the honor
of Hawaii’s M.M.A. athletic community. Vitale has stated
on numerous occasions that he believes Hawaii, per capita, has
the most talented pool of M.M.A athletes in the sport. With a
win over Suda in Super Brawl XXXIX, he would surely establish
his position among the elite 185-lb fighters in the world.
Tickets
for Super Brawl XXXIX: Destiny will go on sale in mid-March.
Ticket prices TBA. Call 944-BOWS, log on to www.etickethawaii.com,
or visit the Rainbowtique for more information.
Source: Event Promoter
|
FIREWORKS
BETWEEN TRIGG AND PENN ON MMAWEEKLY RADIO!
 
One of the better shows, maybe the best so far this year as Frank
Trigg and BJ
Penn went
toe to toe for a half hour on yesterday's show.
If
you missed it you definitely want to check out the radio archive.
It was some quality smack talk between the two fighters.
Part
of the smack talk originated from Wednesday's show where Jens
Pulver and Trigg had plenty to say about BJ Penn going up in weight. Here was part
of the exchange with Pulver on Wednesday...
Ryan
Bennett: I want to get your thoughts Jens. Today (Wednesday),
have you read MMAWeekly?
Jens
Pulver: Of course. I start my morning off with MMAWeekly. What
are you talking about? It's my favorite site still.
Bennett:
There you go. Good. I've got to roll a promo on that. Hey, BJ Penn, fighting a guy that
you know because Rich Franklin lost to him. What do you think
about that Penn facing Lyoto?
Jens:
He's crazy man. More power to him. Rock on. Fire it up.
Bennett:
Can he win that fight?
Jens:
That one, he may have bit off a little more than he can chew....If
you get hit with heavy shots, it hurts. It's an MMA fight right?
Bennett:
Yep.
Jens:
He can take him down and bear it out Rodrigo [Gracie] style.
He needs to stop flushing his toilet and floating his boat after
he beats people like this. You know, I beat a Gracie. Yeah, you
beat one that's got no stand up and has submission skills, and
he's in your game plan. OK, good. Thank you. You know, I want
to fight Horn. Well, I know Horn will fight anybody and everybody,
so you didn't try too hard. Jens is ducking me. Nah, I'm just
waiting for a payday higher than ten thousand. Don't offer me
retarded money, and I know [Frank] Trigg and Matt [Hughes] would
fight him right now. So he's doing this big mountain climb, which
more power to him. Hey have a great time. You know, become this
most amazing fighter, but do I need to. I'll go get a fat crippled
man and fight a heavyweight too if I really need to. He may have
bit off a little more than he can chew with this guy.
The
guy brings the thunder, so we'll see what happens. It's been
fun to watch. It's entertaining. I enjoy entertainment like anyone
else, but on the same token, to say I'm the world's greatest
and fight in all the weight classes. To be the world's greatest,
fight all the weight classes. Fight the best that's in the weight
class. OK, that's different. I'll take my hat off to you. He's
a good fighter, so BJ Penn is BJ Penn and he can do what he wants
to do. We'll all watch it and see what happens.
Bennett:
That sounded almost like Frank Trigg right there. [laughs]
Jens:
Like Trigg says, you don't duck the best guys. There's enough
tough guys at 170. There really was no reason to go up, and then
to go up and beat who? To fight who? OK, Rodrigo Gracie. I don't
care if his name is Gracie. What's that mean anymore? Nothing.
I mean, is this 94' and I only know Karate? No. It means nothing,
you know, anymore to me. And the guy what? Got stuck on his back
and couldn't out grapple BJ in what BJ is strongest at in grappling.
OK, thank you. Good deal. Did you knock him out on your feet?
No. OK.
When
you get probably the top five contenders in each weight class,
thin it out a little bit like boxers do, and then go up. OK,
my hat will come off to you. I mean holy cow, this guys is as
bad as it gets. Right now, I think it's funny. I think it's fun.
More power to him if he wants to gain weight and fight heavier,
but don't ever, don't act like he can't fight Jeremy Horn. Jeremy
Horn fights, he'll fight for a thousand dollars on a weekend
show before his big Pride fight. He don't care. When he does
that, he'll have bitten off more than he can chew. Don't fight
Jeremy Horn. BJ, I'm telling you right now, don't fight Jeremy
Horn. He'll hurt you.
Bennett:
Is that fight being talked about right now Jens?
Jens:
I just remember when it was being talked about. My thing is this,
the most underrated and disrespected fighter on the planet is
Jeremy Horn. In my opinion, this is my view, mine, he's the best
all around fighter I've seen in my life. Did you see what he
just did? I'm going with the mentality that he's as calm as anybody
can be. He can stand up. He can go to the ground. He can do it
all day long. I mean, best all around fighter I've ever seen.
Bennett:
Trigg, do you agree with Jens' assessment on BJ?
Frank
Trigg: Yeah, totally. He's quite the knucklehead. He's out there
trying to keep his name in the limelight doing all these crazy
things. He's becoming almost a circus act. Like Jens said, there
was no reason for him to jump out of 170. There are more than
enough tough guys out there for him to stay in there and keep
trying to bang them out. The only reason why he came out of 155
is he got lazy and didn't want to cut the weight anymore. Now
he weights 180.
Bennett:
Let me say this in BJ's defense. Isn't it impressive that he
went from 155 up to 170. He beat Matt Hughes. He went up another
weight class to 185, and whatever you think of Rodrigo Gracie,
the guy was still undefeated at the time. Isn't that still impressive
in your books?
Jens:
Oh it's impressive. It is impressive, but on the same token,
I'm saying if you're going to act like you're cleaning out the
weight classes, then clean it out. Beat the top five guys in
each one. Do like it is supposed to be done. That's all I'm saying.
OK, he went up to 185 because he didn't want to cut weight, alright
you beat Rodrigo Gracie. Fantastic. More power to him. Maybe
I couldn't have done it. I mean, who knows? The thing is, clean
it out man. There's some tough guys at 185. Fight them.
Bennett:
Jens, will we see you ever fight BJ Penn again?
Jens:
Me?
Bennett:
Yeah.
Jens:
I'm back at 160. I weigh 170 now. I've spent the last three and
a half months lifting weights and getting big. I don't see why
not.
Bennett:
What weight would you fight BJ Penn at?
Jens
65.
Bennett:
65?
Jens:
65 would be fine.
Bennett:
OK.
Jens:
I know how it's going to go. It doesn't matter. He's going to
try to beat me on the ground. I already know. If he don't, he'll
get knocked out. He knows what's going to happen. He ain't going
to take me down. I spent twenty minutes on the ground with him
last time. I ain't hearing about almost had arm bar. Stop it.
Let it go. I went two more rounds with you on the ground and
I beat you like you were nothing. If you were America's best
then I guess I was the world's best on that day because I beat
you like you were nothing. The five minutes I finally got standing
up, you almost got knocked out. Had to kick me in the balls to
save himself. Whatever. I'll fight him anytime. I don't care.
I'm done.
Bennett:
I've got two guys on the line right now that both want a shot
at BJ Penn. How about that Trigg?
Trigg:
Yeah, how about that? It was really hard to arrange. All you
had to do is close your eyes and put your finger in the phone
book and not hit Hawaii and you'd be fine.
Bennett:
(Laughs)
Jens:
I ain't asking for a shot at BJ Penn. I ain't ducking him and
that's all I'm saying. I've got my career. I've got things to
do. You know what I'm saying? I need to gain weight. I tried
to shoot the lights out with Gomi. I got shocked. It happens,
so I've got to get heavier for one, my punches are more effective,
and two, the heavier punches aren't as, you know, I need to learn
to drill them a little better. I've got things to do right now
too right now. I've still got the Pride lightweight Grand Prix.
If he really wanted to get conquering everything, come enter
the tournament....
Trigg:
BJ is running around like Napoleon challenging everyone... eventually
he's going to find his Waterloo.
As
mentioned before, Jens had a lot more to talk in the conversation.
To hear the interview in it's entirety, click on the radio archive
for Wednesday and while your at it, listen to the epic Trigg
vs Penn fireworks show yesterday.
Yesterday's
show Penn discussed plenty of things including....
-
If he thinks will return to the UFC
-
His breakdown of the Trigg vs Hughes fight at UFC 52
-
What the possibilities are for him to fight at the Pride Grand
Prix
-
If he will ever fight Takanori Gomi...
-
Why he was calling UFC President Dana White today
The
archive is available to MMAWeekly Premium Members 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week and while the LIVE radio show is free, the
archive is just five bucks per month and this week has been incredible.
Yves Edwards, Ivan Salaverry, Stephen Quadros, Monte Cox, Jens
Pulver, BJ Penn and more.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Nova
União ready to fight in Japan
Nova União is ready to step inside the Pro Jiu-Jitsu X's
mats, event which happens in few hours at Chigusa-ku Culture
Theater, in Nagoya, Japan. The fight show will put face to face
top Brazilian fighters facing five Japanese. Leo Santos faces
Daisuke Sugie, Eduardo Pessoa gets on Shinya Aoki. Mauricio Souza
fights Shinsuke Fukuzumi, Daelcy Junior gets on Takashi Watanabe
and Marcos Barbosa fights Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa.
COMPLETE
CARD (subject to changes):
Pro
Jiu-Jitsu X
Chigusa-ku Culture Theater, Nagoya, Japan
Saturday, March 5, 2005
-
Tatsuya Onose (PUREBRED Omiya) Vs Masakazu Imanari (Barbosa Tokyo);
-
Eduardo Pessoa (Nova União) Vs Shinya Aoki (PARAESTRA
Tokyo);
-
Mauricio Souza (Academia Bonsai) Vs Shinsuke Fukuzumi (Nagoya
BJJ);
-
Daelcy Junior (Barbosa JJ) Vs Takashi Watanabe (PARAESTRA Niigata);
-
Marcos Barbosa (Barbosa JJ) Vs Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa (TRI-FORCE);
-
Leonardo Santos (Nova União) Vs Daisuke Sugie (ALIVE).
Source:
Tatame
|
Carlos
Gracie prepares for the U.S.
Carlos Gracie Jr., the owner of Gracie Barra and the president
of the Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, is reportedly preparing
to move to the United States. His protoge, Marcio Feitosa, is
already here and there is speculation that Carlos is making the
move in order to get the CBJJ organization firmly entrenched
in American soil. Carlos currently has a near monopoly on the
Brazilian market hosting the country's largest tournaments, the
Nationals and the Mundial's (the World's). With Jiu-jitsu quickly
becoming America's fastest growing martial art, it is easy to
see why Carlos would make this move.
Source:
Gracie Fighter
|
Randy
Couture Gives His Thoughts On His Rematch With Liddell, The Ultimate
Fighter, And His Career
by "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr.
Randy Couture - a born fighter who evolved into a superb wrestler
and fought his way into becoming a living legend. That would
be the simple definition of describing the man known as “The
Natural”, but there is so much more, with so much more to
come.
At
the age of ten, Randy was introduced to wrestling, and from there
his passion for the sport grew into what it is today, his career.
Honing his skills in Greco-Roman wrestling while in college,
he competed in a multitude of tournaments and earned his way
into being a three-time All-American in college, a two-time runner-up
at the NCAA National Championships, a four-time World Team member,
and a Pan America games champion, just to name a few of his accolades.
After
witnessing a good friend compete in the UFC, Couture tried his
hand in MMA and in his UFC 13 debut, he defeated two men in the
same night to win the four-man tournament. Since his first match
in the UFC in 1997, Couture has handed out losses to a list of
superstars in MMA such as Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, Jeremy Horn,
and Chuck Liddell, whom he is set to face in a rematch April
16th at UFC 52 for Couture’s light heavyweight title.
Couture
has competed in Rings and Vale Tudo Japan, but it is primarily
in the Ultimate Fighting Championship where Randy has become
a four-time champion powerhouse and the warrior he is today.
Couture
is highly respected in mixed martial arts and is looked upon
as a fighting machine that is still competing with the young
guns successfully at the age forty-one. With all his accolades
Randy has an easygoing demeanor, but is easily transformed into
a gladiator of the octagon when he faces his opponents.
A
vicious athlete who is a wicked wrestler, Couture continues to
awe the fans and others with his unwillingness to stop, his uncanny
ability to win and his neverending gratitude to the fans. After
his time on Spike TV’s Ultimate Fighter, Randy is set to
make another successful showdown with Chuck Liddell in April,
and he looks to continue his reign as the light heavyweight champion
as well as the all-time octagon warrior. Randy took the time
out of his training to chat with MAX FIGHTING and give his thoughts
on his future, the rematch and the Ultimate Fighter.
Benny
Henderson Jr. - How are you preparing for your rematch with Chuck
Liddell at UFC 52 in April, and can you give us your thoughts
on the fight itself?
Randy
Couture – Well, my preparation is going very well; everything
is going great. I have developed some new skills and new techniques
that I’m anxious to try out against Chuck and I think it
will be a very exciting fight. He is going to come out throwing
hard and trying to find a way to knock me out and I think that’s
going to play right into my hands, and being more aggressive
is going to make him more vulnerable to be taken down. I’m
going to try to take him down as much as I can and put him on
the bottom and frustrate him and wear him out and score as much
as possible.
BH
- How is it working with Chuck on the Ultimate Fighter knowing
that you two already fought once and in the near future are pretty
much planning on beating the piss out of each other?
RC
- It’s not really an issue. Chuck and I love to fight and
he’s a great competitor, so you know it is an honor for
me to get in there and compete against him. He’s one of
the best guys in the business so you know it is just what we
do. We are both pretty easy to get along with, we don’t
talk a lot of trash, and we just like to fight. What better guy
to fight than Chuck?
BH
- So is there any kind of tension in the air whatsoever when
you two are around each other, honestly?
RC
- Not really at all; I don’t notice any and you know I can’t
speak for Chuck but I don’t have an issue with it at all.
I have never had that kind of problem with people or guys that
I fight; it’s not really about animosity or anything like
that. It’s just a competition and may the best man win on
fight night.
BH
- Do you feel that the reality series Ultimate Fighter can and
will bring a new fan base to the world of mixed martial arts,
and how does it feel to be a part of the series?
RC
– Well, there is no question that we are getting a lot of
mainstream notoriety and exposure through the vehicle of this
reality TV show, and I have been very pleased, first of all with
my experience during the filming of this show and working with
the guys and being at the training center and working with the
assistant coaches and learning new skills and techniques and
kind of imparting some of what I know to be a part of the fighting
to the guys in the show. I have been very pleased with the episodes
and how the show has come out of the editing process. Now I haven’t
agreed with everything they have done, but for the most part
I think they have accurately represented what took place during
the training and during the two months we spent in Vegas.
BH
- You have had some pretty monumental bouts in your time in MMA,
so out of your career which would be your top three most memorable
bouts?
RC
- That is pretty easy to pick actually, the first most memorable
bout was with Vitor Belfort the very first time back in October
of 1997 in Bay St. Louis Mississippi. Then the other two would
be Chuck Liddell the first time and Tito Ortiz. I think in all
those instances I was a huge underdog and nobody really gave
me any chance of wining those fights. Anytime that you come through
those odds and kind of prove everybody wrong that is a special
thing.
BH
- What is the hardest aspect of being a No Holds Barred fighter?
RC
- Hmm, well there are a lot of difficult things but I think the
biggest thing is the sacrifice you end up making with your family,
traveling and training and being a part of this lifestyle is
very difficult for the family and the family life. It has its
advantages too, but on the whole it is not a real normal existence.
It’s not your typical nine to five and weekends free type
of job like that, and that’s probably the hardest thing
to keep in perspective and try and get through.
BH
- I was backstage in the media room before the show at UFC 51;
you came in with your girlfriend and answered questions for this
radio show and of course they asked about your age. Your girlfriend
told me people always ask you questions about your age, so all
I want to know, do you ever get tired of people asking about
your age and usually making that a hot topic in your interviews?
RC
- (Laughs) It’s not a huge issue for me, I think that the
fact that I’m competing and beating guys in their mid to
late twenties at the age of almost being forty-two is kind of
astonishing to a lot of people, and it doesn’t surprise
me that that is a very common theme and common question that
I get asked. I have really no explanation for that other than
I work really hard at what I do and I have done a diligent job
of taking care of my body and I have been blessed with some gifts
and genetics that have allowed me to be pretty competitive at
this age and my body has held up very well. So it doesn’t
bother me that people are interested in that and that they tend
to focus on that, it is just part of the mystique that goes along
with my fight career.
BH
- Ok one question, what about your age? (Laughs) Sorry, just
kidding man.
RC
- (Laughs) That’s all right.
BH
- What is your daily workout regime?
RC
- Well it depends on the time of year I fight. Usually two to
three times a year generally when I’m peaking for a fight
- what I call the peaking phase - I like to have about ten weeks,
and during that time frame I’m working out six days a week
usually. Generally twice a day, and morning workouts tend to
be more conditioning oriented with some technique involved but
mostly circuit training or cardio vascular training. Afternoon
workouts tend to be more sparring on certain situations, sometimes
focusing on stand up fighting and kick boxing and sometimes grappling
but most of the time just mixed martial arts in general and cross
training.
BH
- To date, how would you define your career?
RC
- Obviously I have had some great fights and have been very successful.
I have been in a lot of championship fights but I think the most
notable thing has been the attitude and integrity I have tried
to bring to this sport of mixed martial arts, and if that is
what I am remembered for then I’ll be happy.
BH
- How much longer do you feel you can and will continue as a
mixed martial arts fighter?
RC
- I don’t know the answer to that, but I’m enjoying
what I do and again, my body is holding up very well, I’m
able to prepare and train the way I know I need to for these
fights, and as long as I continue I don’t see any reason
to quit fighting. I love fighting. I’m blessed with the
ability to be able to do what I love for a living, so I’ll
hang in there as long as I can.
BH
- Any advice that you would give to a young fighter?
RC
- The most important that a young fighter needs to do is find
the right atmosphere, the right gym, and the right training environment
to progress. Find people that care about you that are going to
take care of you and not put you out there too soon. Make sure
they bring you along and teach you all the pieces of the puzzle
and that can be a difficult thing to find. You are only as good
as your workout partners, so find a group of guys that you match
up well with, and just be willing to check your ego at the door,
so to speak, and take care of each other.
BH
- Any predictions for UFC 52?
RC
- I’m not real big on predictions; I know I’ll be prepared.
I’m going to go out and get into Chuck’s face and make
him work, and I feel confident that I have the skills and the
tools to win that fight, but it is still a fight. Chuck is a
very good opponent and I know he’s going to bring it too,
so it’s going to be good.
Source:
Maxfighting
|
THE
MAN WHO WILL FACE AARON RILEY
Tonight
will mark the HOOKnSHOOT and Shooto 'Invasion' of Columbus, Ohio.
MMA Action returns to the Buckeye state with a card that is to
feature a number of Ohio's best and up-and-coming fighters. However,
there is one Texan that is ready to make some noise of his own
at this event and beyond. One of tonight's featured (and highly
anticipated) match-ups will feature rising star Andrew Chappelle
meeting the always tough UFC veteran Aaron Riley. For fans that
may not know, Chappelle is a fighter that is no stranger to tough
opponents. This fighter out of Texas boasts impressive grappling
and striking skills and MMAWeekly's Tim Spagnola sat down with
'The Powerhouse' right before tonight's show to talk about his
MMA background, the match-up with Riley, and his future overall
future goals in this sport. MMAWeekly is pleased to feature Andrew
Chappelle as one of our 'Names in the Game'.
MMAWeekly:
Andrew-
thanks for taking the time to speak with MMAWeekly. Can you tell
us a bit about your fighting background?
Chappelle:
Thank
you, I am more than happy to take the time out for MMAWeekly.
My background started off with a lot of Jiu-Jitsu. I've always
loved boxing, and wrestling- even before I started training Jiu-Jitsu.
Of course I now train MMA like all professionals do. I train
a lot of Thai boxing, and I should be fighting professionally
in both Thai boxing and boxing soon.
MMAWeekly:
How
you first got involved with MMA?
Chappelle:
I
got involved with MMA thanks to my good friend Eric Williams
(Black Belt under Pedro Alberto). He asked me if I wanted to
fight in a local show almost 3 years ago, gave me a lot of advice,
and helped me train. He really opened my eyes to see that this
is a real sport with real athletes.
MMAWeekly:
And
today, who are you currently training with?
Chappelle:
I
train with Team Rangel at San Antonio Muay Thai Academy. I like
to take trips to Houston, TX. and New Orleans, LA. as well. When
I go to Houston I will try and call up my buddies Carlo Prater,
and/or Eric Williams. If I have any business, or pleasure in
New Orleans, I definitely hit up Rich Clementi, Kyle Bradley,
and the rest of Team VooDoo. Most important- my number one training
partner who will make his mark soon enough, Travis Lamb. He has
helped me more than anyone in the gym.
MMAWeekly:
Now
most might know you for you background in Muay Thai, but most
of your professional wins have come with the submission. Where
is your ground game at this point in your training?
Chappelle:
I
don't see ANYONE at my weight class messing with me on the ground!
I mean that. I have always had a strong ground game, but now
I am so much smarter and mature.
MMAWeekly"
Now
you currently hold a professional MMA record of 4-2 correct?
Chappelle:
As
a professional, Yes.
MMAWeekly:
And
you have faced tough talent in the likes of Carlo Prater and
Ronald
Jhun- who
has been your toughest fight to date? And why?
Chappelle:
Wow,
you know- those fights were both very tough. Carlo had the better
stand up, and Jiu-Jitsu, but Jhun
was so much stronger. I can't say which fight was tougher, but
I will say that if I were to have a rematch with both fighters
that Carlo would probably be more of a challenge than Jhun. I would love a rematch with both
fighters. My only real mistake was letting them go to decision.
MMAWeekly:
Now
a few weeks ago you were set to face Chatt Lavender correct?
What happened with that fight?
Chappelle:
Chatt
Lavender injured himself in his prefight warm ups. I flew all
of the way to Atlanta, and didn't even get to fight. Chatt did
tell me he was sorry he couldn't fight, and will fight me in
the near future.
MMAWeekly:
This
weekend you will be facing a tough competitor in UFC veteran
Aaron Riley, what are your overall thoughts about the upcoming
fight?
Chappelle:
You
know Aaron Riley can fight, no question about that, and I am
glad he is accepting this fight with me. I see this fight going
my way. If I play my cards right I should be too much for him
too handle. I really don't know how good he really is, but I
know where I am at- and I have the weapons to beat him.
MMAWeekly:
Care
then to make a prediction?
Chappelle:
I
am not planning to finish him in any particular way. I will try
to KO him standing and if it goes to the ground, I will go for
submission after submission.
MMAWeekly:
Any
fights planned beyond this HOOKnSHOOT event?
Chappelle:
I
am hoping to fight Chatt Lavender in April, but nothing is official.
MMAWeekly:
That
is a fight I am sure fans want to see happen. What are your goals
overall in this sport?
Chappelle:
My
overall goal is too not only become a world famous fighter, but
to be known for my skills. I am interested in fighting in the
UFC. I would like to fight in Pride as well. There are a lot
of top fighters out there I would like to fight.
MMAWeekly:
Now
fans may know you as the 'The Powerhouse'. Before I let you run-
care to share the story behind that name?
Chappelle:
I
am a former gymnast. I use to do most of my conditioning in a
gymnasium. My old trainer Jamie Miller and I were thinking about
a name to call our Team, and I had mentioned how people at the
gymnasium would call me 'The Powerhouse'. He told me someone
had said the same thing to him, so we named our Team: Team Powerhouse
and My nickname became 'The Powerhouse'.
MMAWeekly:
Makes
sense now knowing that story. Anything you would like to say
to your fans?
Chappelle:
Yes,
I would. Thank you all for supporting the Sport of MMA. Too all
of my fans; pass the word. If you don't know about Andrew Chappelle,
you are in for a surprise!
Thanks
for taking the time to speak with MMAWeekly, and best of luck
to you this Friday at HOOKnSHOOT.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair,
but manifestations of strength and resolutions."
Kahlil Gibran, 1883-1931, Lebanese Poet, Novelist
|
So
You Think You Tough This Saturday in Kona!
The hallmark event of Kailua-Kona on the big island is back.
So You Think You Tough 7
Kona Gym, Kona, Hawaii
March 5, 2005
The main event pits two of the big islands' heaviest hitters.
Kona's Kaleo Padilla faces one of Puna's most dangerous punchers
in Kaimi Santiago. The undercard will feature boxing and mixed
martial arts matches.
Onzuka.com will be there covering all the action. If you are
on the big island and have never been to one of Sonny Westbrook's
events, you are missing out. From the raw cage to the infamous
grudge matches, there are no padding records or conservative
fighters, the competitors come to fight and lay it all out in
the cage.
|
Fighters'
Club TV Episode 29 Preview!
Episode 29 is cut and submitted to programming. It will air:
March 8 and 15
Tuesday night
8:30pm
Oceanic cable Channel 52.
This
episode was cut by Enson Inoue himself and sent to us. It's a
great highlight real of his career in Japan and a must see for
diehard Yamato Damashii fans so don't miss it.
Comments,
questions, suggestions?
Email
us @: fightersclubtv808@hotmail.com
|
BANG
MOVES UP TO 170 TO FIGHT IN MMA
Duane "Bang" Ludwig hasn't fought in MMA since his
loss to BJ
Penn on
K-1's Romanex card. He's ready to fight again soon, not only
in MMA, but moving up a weight class as well in MMA.
Ludwig
is our featured interview where he talks Bas Rutten, how many
MMA fights he will have this year, and training with Team Quest.
Bang sits down with our Ryan Bennett, in our Interview of the
Week,
MMAWeekly
- It's been awhile since we've seen you fight MMA. I hear you
are about to make your MMA return. Can you tell us about that
and also about how many MMA fights you will compete in this year?
BANG
- MMA is all I want to do from now on. I plan on fighting at
least 3 times this year. My first fight will be in the Ring of
Fire April 9th but the opponent is up in the air as Manny Reyes
would not take the fight. Jakuro Nakio has been mentioned but
nothing set. After that fight if I win, I plan on doing another
fight somewhere and then hit the UFC by the end of the year.
MMAWeekly
- I know you will still stay active in K-1. Rumor has it you
may be participating in a K-1 video game?
BANG-
Actually, with my weight moving up, I will no longer fight K-1
rules but maybe in their MMA division. K-1 has 154lbs and 200
plus so fighting at 170 is not an option unless it's MMA. I'm
excited about the K-1 MAX video game, K-1 has always been my
main dream but it never came true so being on their video game
is really cool man. I get to play with myself and it's OK. They're
even paying me a little for the game. Now I get to fight Masato
again, JWP, Kraus and Genki, I may even get the K-1 MAX TITLE
FINALLY. YA BABY, I'M GETTING REALLY EXCITED MAN.
MMAWeekly
- What is the deal with you and s#&# talker extraordinaire,
Manny Reyes. We saw Hermes Franca take him out in a big way,
and it seems like he's been talking smack about you as well.
What gives?
BANG
- He says that he wants to be the most hated guy in MMA and so
far, he has it but that's something I wouldn't want. He talked
all this crap about me, Yves, Jens and the whole lightweight
division. I'm glad that Hermes KO'd him, that was so funny man.
THANKS HERMES. I'm making my MMA return so I really wanted to
kick the shit out of him so my manager Sven BOOGIE Bean got it
set up for Manny and I to fight in the AFC but Manny turned it
down. Looks like he wasn't serious about the fight. He said that
the AFC was too small of a show so we set it up for the Ring
of Fire and he turns that down too. Making excuses like crazy.
Shows his true colors huh? Seems a little to me.
MMAWeekly
- I heard some talk you may be working with Mayhem Miller for
his upcoming UFC bout. How do you two know each other and what
will you be doing to help him out?
BANG
- If it works out, I will go to Vegas to help him with is Cardio
and stand up, those are my 2 qualities so that's what I can offer.
It got hooked up through KTFO.TV Craig and also my buddy Eric
from NHBFIGHTS.COM.. St. Pierre is a really good fighter so it
will be big test for Jason, but we all know that Jason will scrap
so there are no worries there.
MMAWeekly
- Speaking of the UFC, it sounds like you are moving up in weight
to 170 from 155. Why are you moving up and how will that affect
your power?
BANG
- I'm moving up because I'm just getting bigger and bigger man.
It's been hard as hell to make 155 for the last year or so, really
hard. I'm walking around at 183 now man. When I landed in Japan
for the 2004 K-1 MAX Qualifier against JWP I was 176 man, I cut
18lbs in 2 days but I was still 4lbs heavy and could not make
the weight so they had me wear these big gloves that looked like
I was fighting at the county fair. It was a joke man. It was
all my fault though, I didn't make the weight and that is what
happens.
It
was weird though; I would get hit and go down and be back up
in less then 2 seconds. I could not take a hit from cutting the
weight at all. I can take some good shots in the gym but when
I would cut that much weight, I couldn't handle it. Now things
are good though, I can eat pizza for dinner if I want and it's
cool. I'm so much more happy. Training is fun again and I'm back
to having that natural raw energy in training. When I was making
155, I was always cranky and hated training, it was like a job
I hated and you have to love fighting or it's not worth it. My
power is way stronger, my right hand is like taking a round kick
on the Thai pads according to my pad holders, I don't throw with
full power in sparring, just on the pads.
MMAWeekly
- Mick Hammond did an article where he said you will be up with
Team Quest training with Couture and Lindland. Talk about why
you are heading up to Oregon?
BANG-
The thing is we all know that Randy is the man, Matt Lindland
is a stud and my wife just grabbed my belly from behind me and
said I had a fat gut. Sorry, it just happened and it was funny.
Team Quest is the best place for a fighter of my style to go,
if I can stay off the ground and let my strikes fly, I'm happy.
Plus, Bas will be there for a while so it's going to be the best
of both worlds for me, BAS'S STAND UP AND TEAM QUEST'S WRESTLING=ONE
BIG BANG!
MMAWeekly
- A guy that has always been in your corner is the great Bas
Rutten. Talk about your relationship. How did you get to know
Bas and obviously you guys are close because I always see him
in your corner....
BANG
- When I first met Bas was at the first ever K-1 in Las Vegas,
he was with Peter Aerts and of course I knew them but I was still
an amateur Thai boxer at the time so they did not know me at
all. It was just the 3 of us and I really wanted to get a pic
with them. I grabbed someone in the hall to take a pic of Bas
and I then the person leaves but I still wanted to get a photo
with Peter Aerts and there was no one around so Bas just grabs
my camera and takes the photo for me. I was like damn man, that
is so cool of you. Bas was really a cool guy. Everyone that knows
Bas, knows that he is just 100% genuine. Everyone loves the guy.
I met some other fighters there that were not as happy to take
photos with me but Bas was just as happy as I was. It blew me
away. Then a local promoter used Bas's name for his shows out
here and would fly Bas out to be here for them. The Bas Rutten
Invitationals. Once Bas realized the benefit of altitude training,
he came here to train for his fight with Randleman and I helped
him everyday I could until I was kicked in the groin without
a cup during sparring and had to get surgery so I could no longer
help him train. It wasn't Bas who kicked me though. From there
I would train with Bas as much as I could, our styles were similar
and we are a lot a like. Bas has always helped me in anyway he
could, he must have saw something in me. I go to Bas for advice
in a lot of situations, I look up to Bas a lot, I love his energy
and his openness to help others. I'm not too sure how you would
label our relationship but I wouldn't be too happy if someone
was messing with Bas.
MMAWeekly
- Anything else before I let you go...
BANG
- That should be it, I'm just excited to train at Team Quest
and make my MMA return.
MMAWeekly
- Bang always look forward to speaking with you and can't wait
to see you fight, especially in MMA.
BANG
- Thanks Ryan, I have to thank a few sponsors, KTFO.TV, there
making it possible for me to train at Team Quest, GLCDIRECT.COM
for keeping me healthy, Real Fight Gear for hooking me up with
pads and gear and MMAWEEKLY for the time. I'd also like to thank
Team Quest for letting me train with them and you can see what
training is like at Team Quest by reading my daily training log
on DUANEBANGLUDWIG.COM THANK YOU TO THE FANS, THERE WILL BE A
BETTER DUANE BANG COMING THIS YEAR. I WILL NOT BE KNOWN AS JUST
A STRIKER, THERE WILL BE CHANGES.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
BAS
ON KING OF QUEENS!
by Ivan Trembow
Former UFC Heavyweight Champion and current Pride color commentator
Bas Rutten had a guest role on the March 2nd episode of the long-running
CBS comedy, King of Queens. Rutten played the role of a bouncer
in a scene where Doug and Carrie (played by Kevin James and Leah
Remini) were trying to get into an exclusive nightclub. Doug
tried to make friends with Rutten and went to put his hand on
his shoulder, causing Rutten to firmly say, "Don't touch!"
with his Dutch accent. A few seconds later, Rutten let Doug's
wife into the club, but not Doug. Doug went to tap Rutten on
the shoulder from behind, causing Rutten to spin around, put
Doug in a choke-hold, and repeat, "Don't touch!" in
the same Dutch accent.
I
assumed that would be all we would see of Bas Rutten on the show,
but he also appeared in the final scene. The Doug character played
by Kevin James works for a fictional mail delivery company, and
he knocked on an apartment door. Bas Rutten answered from the
other side of a chain lock, so they could see each other but
the door still wasn't open. Rutten said that the package was
for his roommate who wasn't home right now, but he would take
the package. Doug recalled that he was the bouncer who didn't
let him into the club the other night, and then said he would
need the roommate's signature for the package, and then hilariously
said, "Don't touch!" several times in a parody of Rutten's
accent. At this point, Rutten ripped the chain and opened the
door, causing Doug to scream in a girl's voice and run frantically,
and in the process of doing so he dropped the package.
Kevin
James is a big supporter of MMA in general, and a couple of weeks
ago on King of Queens, James' character was wearing a UFC t-shirt
that prominently displayed the letters "UFC" on primetime
network television. Bas Rutten does training sessions with many
celebrities, with two of them being Kevin James and Will Smith.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
***For
Immediate Release***
For More Information and Fighter Interviews, Contact Mike Afromowitz,
(917) 566-8754 or mike@k-1usa.net
Williams
Gearing Up For K-1 Superfight With Aerts
Former
K-1 USA tournament champion Carter Williams (20-6-1 (15 KO's)
will kick off his fourth year in the professional fight game
in dramatic fashion when he faces all-time great Peter Aerts
(78-23-1 (57 KO's), in a three-round Superfight during K-1's
"World Grand Prix Seoul" mega-card on Sunday, March
20th. The event will air live on Pay-Per-View television from
Seoul, Korea's 20,000-crowd capacity Olympic Stadium.
"I'm
ready to go," said the 24-year-old Williams, whose last
appearance came on November 20th in Honolulu, Hawaii where he
laid to rest fellow American contender, Tom "Green Beret"
Howard, with an onslaught of punches during the first round of
their meeting. The young gun's latest challenge finds him eager
to get back to business. "I think it's a nice, high-caliber
matchup between Peter and myself. Once again, here I am fighting
a more experienced K-1 fighter. But, like I've said before, I
think its time for the up and coming dog to come up."
In
May 2003, Williams put his name on the map by capturing the K-1
USA tournament title as an 18 to 1 underdog. The event in Las
Vegas, Nevada saw him defeat three straight adversaries, including
defending champion Michael McDonald and six-time world kickboxing
champion, Rick "The Jet" Roufus. Williams's impressive
first round stoppage of Roufus during the final matchup of the
tournament confirmed that the world of martial arts fighting
had a new superstar on its hands.
Universally
recognized as a living legend, the 34-year-old Aerts is one of
only two fighters in history who has been crowned a champion
of K-1's annual "World Grand Prix Finals" tournament
three times. From the old elite to the standout talent of today,
the 6 foot 4 inch, 230-pound Dutchman has met and defeated nearly
every K-1 rival of any consequence.
Williams
is one of two Americans who were selected to take part in the
second-ever K-1 event in Korea. The other, former world heavyweight
boxing champion, "Merciless" Ray Mercer (33-5-1 (25
KO's), will square off with reigning K-1 king, Remy Bonjasky
(48-10 (29 KO's), in a three-round Superfight.
The
live broadcast of "World Grand Prix Seoul" will begin
at 9 PM Eastern Standard Time (6 PM Pacific Standard Time) and
will be available on iNDemand, DirecTV, and TVN.
K-1 is a martial arts fighting sport that derives its name from
its inclusion of a wide array of combat disciplines, including
Karate, Kung-Fu, and Kickboxing ("K"), and its intent
to determine one champion in one ring ("1"). After
being staged for the first time in Japan in 1993 under the direction
of founder Master Kazuyoshi Ishii, it later evolved into the
country's most popular sport and achieved popular culture status
there as its athletes turned into larger-than-life celebrities.
Source: Mike Afromowitz
|
Remy
Bonjasky: The Flying Gentleman
by "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr.
Remy
Bonjasky, the fast paced heavyweight known to the K-1 world as
“The Flying Gentleman”, secured his place at the top
of K-1’s elite last December when he became the two-time
World Grand Prix champion, defeating his opposition for the night,
ending with a decision win over Musashi to continue his reign.
Bonjasky defeated Musashi in the last K-1 World GP Championship
finals to gain the title and with this win remains superior over
his competition.
Born
in the Netherlands, Remy was engulfed in soccer as a boy, but
after being sidelined due to injuries he was introduced to kickboxing
and his life in the sport exploded from there. Working a full
time job, Remy didn’t have much time to train, so when he
was twenty-five years old he was forced to make a difficult decision
- dedicate his life to the sport he loves or continue to be a
full time employee. Well, we all know the outcome. He chased
his dream and in December of 2003 Remy entered the K-1 tournament
and finished up as the victor.
Throughout
his sensational career Bonjasky has had victories over such names
as Ray Sefo, Francois Botha, and Bob Sapp. And he still continues
his claim to the top with his slick style and flexibility in
the ring. The 6’4” 29-year-old champion has his sights
set on the future and more titles, and with his hard work, dedication,
and ability to win, he should have no problem doing so. The reigning
K-1 champ took the time out to talk to MAX about his back-to-back
wins at the World K-1 GP Championship as well as his future in
the sport
Benny
Henderson Jr. - First I would just like to congratulate you on
your second World GP championship. Can you give us your thoughts
on this year’s tournament?
Remy Bonjasky - This year’s tournament was very tough, but
I’m very happy to be the champ again. I’m looking forward
to the ’05 finals. I’m going to try to keep my belt.
BH
- You now have two K-1 World GP Championships back to back; how
does it feel to fulfill your dream of being the best K-1 fighter
in the world, and do you consider yourself to be so?
RB - Of course I think I’m the best fighter this moment,
but every year you have to keep up the mental and physical strength
to stay the best.
BH
- You have battled it out with some heavy hitters in your career
like Sapp, Botha, and McDonald. Who would you say has been the
hardest hitter you have ever faced?
RB - Botha of course, he is definitely the hardest hitter; I
can still feel his punches!!
BH
- You faced Musashi and defeated him in both final GP bouts to
become the Champion. What were the differences in the two matches
you and he had?
RB - Musashi has been training with the former heavyweight champion,
Franky, and I can really see the improvement. If he will keep
on doing like this, maybe he can be a real problem for me in
the future.
BH
- What do you feel your best quality is as a fighter?
RB - My flexibility and speed as a heavyweight.
BH
- What inspired you to want to compete in the K-1 tournaments?
RB - The K-1 images I saw when I was younger. I thought, this
is it, this is what I want.
BH
- Is there any particular fighter you would like to face in the
ring, and why?
RB - I would like to face Mike Tyson, although he is one of my
favorite fighters in the world, I would still like to beat him
because it will be another crown on my career.
BH
- What has been your toughest K-1 bout to date?
RB - Francois Botha.
BH
- What would you like to accomplish in the future, and is there
anything you would like to add in closing?
RB - I want to end up in Hollywood, making a movie, and I want
five K-1 titles in my name, but without the support of my wife
and son, I will never be able to accomplish my dreams. So I hope
they will stand by me through thick and thin. They are everything
to me.
Record:
58 fights 48 Wins 10 Losses 29 KOs
Titles: W.P.K.A. World Super Heavyweight Champion
2003 K-1 World K-1 GP Champion
2004 K-1 World K-1 GP Champion
Source:
Maxfighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but
how high he bounces when he hits bottom."
Gen. George Patton, 1885-1945, American Army General during World
War II
|
BJ
Penn in a Heavyweight challenge
The weight difference is really big (98kg against 77kg), but
BJ Penn is being scheduled to face Heavyweight Lyoto Machida
on March 26th K-1 Romanex. In an interview to our partners from
MMAWeekly.com, BJ remembered he would have, literally, a big
challenge on next K-1. "This will be really a big challenge.
There's some bad blood between two of us and this will be a good
fight", stated the former UFC's Welterweight champ.
Source:
Tatame
|
MMAWEEKLY
EXCLUSIVE!!
BJ PENN FIGHTS A HEAVYWEIGHT!
In another MMAWeekly.com exclusive, MMAWeekly has learned that
BJ Penn will fight again very soon . He's scheduled to be on
the K-1 Romanex card that has been scheduled for March 26th in
Japan.
BJ
Penn told MMAWeekly in an exclusive that, "I'm looking forward
to my next challenge and this will be a big challenge literally"
Penn told MMAWeekly.com.
How
big? Try 220 pound Ryoto Machida. If the name sounds familiar
it should. Machida is the one who won by TKO over Rich Franklin,
giving Franklin his only loss in his professional career.
"There's
some bad blood between the two of us, so this will be good to
fight him" Penn told MMAWeekly.
What
is the bad blood about? Penn will talk more about the story tomorrow
on MMAWeekly Radio at 9am Pacific/12 Noon Eastern.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
2005
Hawaiian Championships of BJJ Results
Team Points
Team:
Relson
Gracie
Gracie Kailua
Brazilian Freestyle Jiu Jitsu
Longman Jiu Jitsu
Baret Submission Grappling
Team MMAD
Grappling Unlimited
Nova Uniao
North Shore Jiu Jitsu
Bullspen
Kamehameha Judo Club
Koa's Gym
U.S. Army |
Points
49
27
12
8
8
6
4
4
3
3
3
1
1 |
Purple/Brown/Black Belt
Open
Division:
1) Ron Shiraki
Relson Gracie Kaneohe
2) Baret Yoshida
Baret Submission Grappling
Kids
No Gi Division
9 - 11 year olds:
1) Sage Yoshida
Brazilian Freestyle Jiu Jitsu / HMC
2) Noah Hashimoto
Relson Gracie Kaneohe
Kids
Gi Division
8 year olds - Beginner:
1) Makoa Gaughan
Relson Gracie Kaneohe
2) Paliku Victorino
Relson Gracie
8
year olds - Intermediate:
1) Rocky Mori
Kamehameha Judo Club
2) Paliku Victorino
Relson Gracie
9
- 11 year olds:
1) Bryan Peralta
Relson Gracie Kaneohe
2) Noah Hashimoto
Relson Gracie Kaneohe
12
- 14 year olds:
1) Keola Knight
Gracie Kailua
2) Kekoa Biroan
Koa's Gym
15
- 17 year olds:
1) Ryan Fukuda
Relson Gracie Casca Grossa
2) Justin Wong
HMC / Nova Uniao
Middleweight
Yellow Belt:
1) Michael Bright
Relson Gracie Kaneohe
2) Travis Onzuka
Relson Gracie Casca Grossa
Mens
White Belt
Super
Featherweight:
1) Keiichi Matsumoto
Relson Gracie Team HK
2) Nathaniel Saho
Relson Gracie
Featherweight:
1) Greg Davis
Gracie Kailua
2) Greg Yamasaki
Brazilian Freestyle Jiu Jitsu
Lightweight:
1) Lyle Koleso
Gracie Kailua
2) Fabio Roman
Brazilian Freestyle Jiu Jitsu
Middleweight:
1) Ramon Franco
Gracie Kailua
2) Keith Inouye
Brazilian Freestyle Jiu Jitsu
Light
Heavyweight:
1) Anthony Lynch
Gracie Kailua
2) Luis Feliciano
Relson Gracie Casca Grossa
Heavyweight:
1) Imiola Lindsey
Relson Gracie
2) Frank Prinea
Relson Gracie Casca Grossa |
Mens
Blue Belt
Featherweight:
1) Kirk Wah Yick
Nova Uniao / BJ Penn
2) Noa Moke
Longman
Lightweight:
1) Luke Hacker
Longman
2) Steven Ariel
Relson Gracie
Middleweight:
1) Daniel Espinoza
Gracie Kailua
2) Ahmed Diallo
Brazilian Freestyle Jiu Jitsu
Light
Heavyweight:
1) Henry Stasiukiewicz
North Shore Jiu Jitsu
2) Dan Pandaru
Brazilian Freestyle Jiu Jitsu
Heavyweight:
1) Kyle Enovijas
Relson Gracie
2) John Creedon
Gracie Kailua
Freeweight
215+:
1) Patrick Kaawaloa
Gracie Kailua
2) Raymond Seraile
Grappling Unlimited
|
Mens
No Gi Novice
Super
Featherweight:
1) Keiichi Matsumoto
Relson Gracie Team HK
2) Ross Hirahara
Baret Submission Grappling
Featherweight:
1) Jake Scoval
Longman
2) Greg Davis
Gracie Kailua
Lightweight:
1) Makoa Hanaike
Team MMAD
2) Steffen Dilullo
Gracie Kailua
Middleweight:
1) Adam Ah Sue
2) Ramon Franco
Gracie Kailua
Light
Heavyweight:
1) Kaipo Miller
Team MMAD
2) Anthony Lynch
Gracie Kailua
Heavyweight:
1) Imiola Lindsey
Relson Gracie
2) Kyle Enovijas
Relson Gracie
Freeweight
215+:
1) Matt Mazany
Relson Gracie Team HK
2) Jason Norris
U.S. Army
Mens No Gi Advanced
Featherweight:
1) Scott Miyamoto
Baret Submission Grappling
2) Luke Hacker
Longman
Lightweight:
1) Mike Pedro
Brazilian Freestyle Jiu Jitsu
2) John Simpson
Relson Gracie
Middleweight:
1) Baret Yoshida
Baret Submission Grappling
2) Alessandro Glorioso
Relson Gracie
Light
Heavyweight:
1) Steven Byrnes
Bullspen
2) Ermin Fergerstrom
Brazilian Freestyle Jiu Jitsu
Super
Heavyweight:
1) David Chew
Relson Gracie
2) Dexter Kauahi
Relson Gracie Casca Grossa
Freeweight
215+:
1) Raymond Seraile
Grappling Unlimited
2) Patrick Kawaaloa
Gracie Kailua
|
Source: Event Promoter
|
Ricco’s
Return
by Derek Callahan
Ricco Rodriguez
has a new career waiting for him in the ring. After three straight
losses, Rodriguez picked up a win in Mexico and is now awaiting
an opportunity to take a meaningful fight. As a former King of
the Cage, and UFC heavyweight champ, Rodriguez really has nothing
else to prove, except that he can come out of a skid unaffected,
and get back to winning fights.
BoxingInsider.com:
It’s still relatively fresh in your mind, what did you think
of the Tito/Vitor fight?
Ricco
Rodriguez: I think it was one of the best fights Tito ever fought,
and it’s one that Tito can actually look back at and say,
‘that was great fight.’ I think Vitor had a great fight
himself, it was great judging by the judges, I think it really
was a split decision, I think it was awesome. Showed a lot of
heart from both fighters, they both have nothing to be ashamed
of.
BoxingInsider.com:
What, in your mind, won that fight for Tito?
Ricco
Rodriguez: Tito definitely won the fight, they just gave a round
to Vitor. It could go a couple of ways. Tito was definitely in
shape, conditioned. He was definitely aggressive, constantly
on Vitor. Even when he was injured he was still scrambling and
hustling. That shows great athletic skills from Tito. On the
other hand, Vitor did do a lot of damage. Broke Tito’s nose,
he was constantly in Tito’s face, backing Tito up. There
were some good points, but at the end of the round, Tito caused
more damage every single round. On all three rounds, Tito always
had Vitor on his back, causing damage. The bottom line is, he
was always adding pressure, constantly on him. That to me, made
it decisively perfect.
BoxingInsider.com:
What was different about Tito in this fight than in, say, the
Liddell fight?
Ricco
Rodriguez: Listen, the reality of it was I didn’t train
with Tito for the Chuck fight, I wasn’t there in front of
Tito’s face screaming at him. Granted we trained together,
but you’re partners. I’m realizing as I get older,
this is a one-on-one sport, but you need good training partners
and good people. I really think if anything, thanks should go
to his training partners because those guys really put a lot
of pressure on him, and Tito did good. He really pulled that
camp together in three weeks to be honest. He probably trained
on his own, but I saw him train for only three weeks. If you
want to talk about the Chuck fight, it’s just one of those
things where I don’t think he was physically and mentally
prepared, and that can go to any fighter. You could have the
best training method of all time, three months in Big Bear, whatever.
If you’re mentally not prepared, you’re mentally not
prepared, that goes to any fighter.
BoxingInsider.com:
How was it holding the camp with Tito for the Vitor bout?
Ricco
Rodriguez: Everything was great, I was the verbal coach inside
the octagon just because we’ve had so many years together
and we know exactly what to say to each other when we’re
inside the octagon. I got injured during the training camp so
I didn’t get to finish out. I was there for the first two
weeks. His intensity was there, there was a lot of pressure for
Tito. It was the last fight on his contract, he wanted to show
the fans and Zuffa that he’s still the fighter he is, and
I think that was an awesome fight. That was truly a great fight,
one that I wouldn’t mind watching again. I wouldn’t
mind watching Chuck and Tito again.
BoxingInsider.com:
What were some key things that you saw Tito do against Vitor?
Ricco
Rodriguez: If you really look for key things, we worked in camp
on closing the gap, not letting Vitor punch. Every time we back
Vitor up we were winning the fight no problem,. Every time Tito
got backed up, he was losing the fight,. If you really want to
know what won the fight, [it was] scrambles. People don’t
understand how much energy and time consuming the scrambles take
out of you. That’s wrestling with MMA. Every time he got
u[ he went straight at Vitor.
BoxingInsider.com:
Tito and Ken Shamrock have kept up their noise.
Ricco
Rodriguez: This is the fight that fans ant to see more than anything.
I think Tito is a marketable guy, he can fight anybody he wants
to fight. The reality of it is, it’s gonna be a good showing
every time Tito fights.
BoxingInsider.com:
Would you work on the same gameplan as for the last fight?
Ricco
Rodriguez: That all depends on whether its signed or not, I’m
not gonna go into what’s gonna happen because nothing’s
signed. We could talk about dream fights all day long until the
contracts are signed and people are stepping into the ring.
BoxingInsider.com:
Do you think this is a fight Tito would really want since he’s
already got a win?
Ricco
Rodriguez: Oh definitely, it’s got great marketing and it’s
a good payday, why not get paid for it again?
BoxingInsider.com:
Switching gears, how are you feeling on your own comeback trail?
Ricco
Rodriguez: I really have no interest right now because there’s
nothing signed for me. I think I’m worth a certain amount
of money and I know how hard it takes me to train for something
like this. If I want to do something, great. I had to take a
fight for myself in Mexico because I had three losses. That was
just horrible, I couldn’t live with that so I went and fought
a small show in Mexico, they paid me decent, what I thought was
worth it, and just got a W on my record. Whatever’s gonna
happen, happens. I want to fight in Pride, K-1 or UFC but there’s
bad blood between me and the companies, we’re at a standstill.
There’s nothing I can do but sit back on the sidelines and
watch people I beat become champions.
BoxingInsider.com:
How does that make you feel being pushed to the side?
Ricco
Rodriguez: I have no one to blame but myself, and just live with
my actions. I would love to step up and fight, I know what I’m
capable of doing, I believe the fans know what I’m capable
of doing. It’s all a matter of what I decide I want to do.
BoxingInsider.com:
I can guess after the Nogueira fight why you don’t want
to go back to Pride, but why not the UFC?
Ricco
Rodriguez: I don’t think there’s any bad blood, I think
it comes down to money negotiations. I know what I’m capable
of and what I should get paid. I won’t fight for anything
less than what I think I’m worth. I think the sport is growing,
they’re making money and if other fighters want to fight
for $500 to show and $500 to win, or $3000 to show and $3000
to win, well that doesn’t cover my training expenses. My
coaches, trainers, sparring partners. Tito spends about 25, 30
thousand dollars for camp and that’s why he’s the best.
You’ve got to spend money to make money. I’ll help
all my friends out—any fighters that want to become a champion,
I’ll help them out. I know a formula and it works. If I
were the guys that were champions, like Paul Buentello and Andrei
Arlovski, I’d be calling me up. ‘Hey, how about squashing
that loss?’
BoxingInsider.com:
Did the fight in Mexico wet your appetite at all to compete more?
Ricco
Rodriguez: Oh it did, it’s something I really, really want
to pursue. I want to be back on top, I have to train, get myself
together, focus. Once I do all that I’ll be on track, I’m
just waiting for a window of opportunity to open for me. Once
it does, I’ll be in the spotlight once again, They can’t
hold me down forever. Give me one shot at one person and I’ll
guarantee I’ll be back in the mix. Who do I have to beat?
Tim Sylvia, Arlovski? I beat Arlovski. I’ve got to beat
Mir? No problem I’ll fight Mir. Mike Kyle? No problem. Who
really is in the UFC top 5 heavyweights. You’ve got Mir,
Arlovski, Sylvia, Pedro’s out he went to another company.
Mike Kyle and then you’ve got Paul Buentello now. You’ve
got 5 guys that really are not even in the top5. I’m just
sitting here. Give me a time and a date and I’m ready to
go to work.
BoxingInsider.com:
You seem like you’re waiting for a big pay day, but off
of three losses and a small win, do you feel you need to work
your way back up?
Ricco
Rodriguez: I’m sure I have to work my way up. To me, working
my way up means taking a pay cut. I’ll take a pay cut compared
to what I used to make, no problem. It can happen to anybody,
I just think I know what I’m worth and if not, go build
someone else up. For a lot cheaper than me I guess, but everybody
wants to see me fight—you called me right? You want to know
what’s going on in my life. I’m telling you, nothing.
Just training my friends and kicking back. I got tons of time
but right now I’m in my prime, I should be fighting at least
3 or 4 times a year. I’m working something with K-1 right
now, possibly doing Abu-Dhabi. Just see what’s going on.
This is stuff I already completed in my life, I want to move
to a next chapter. I’d like to hold another title, maybe
retire as champion and move on to something else. Connections
in the movies, something like that. Just having fun, chilling
in Vegas.
BoxingInsider.com:
From the Tim Sylvia fight to the Pedro Rizzo fight, what changed
in your...? What brought you to that point?
Ricco
Rodriguez: I had a really poor relationship in my life. Because
of my choices and my behavior, my feelings basically went down
to shit, Once I won the title from Couture, I completed a goal
that I had tacked in my head. When you say you’re gonna
do something and you do it, you’re left with somewhat of
an emptiness because you have no new goals. My goal was to always
be champ and blah, blah, blah but I didn’t foresee that
happening. I completed a task, and ‘okay now what.’
I wasn’t really into the Sylvia fight. I was physically
prepared I wasn’t mentally prepared. With the Pedro fight,
I was in physical shape. I weighed in about 245, I was running
4 miles a day, I was physically there. It just wasn’t there
for me, Nogueira, that was a fluke. I trained for two weeks and
I still went out and kicked ass, just got a bad call. I really
do not count that one as a loss. I’m willing to have a rematch
with Sylvia, Rizzo, and just clean it up. Those opportunities
are far in between.
BoxingInsider.com:
So what do you do now?
Ricco
Rodriguez: I would love to be back in the mix of MMA. I’m
very grateful to the UFC, I’m very grateful to Pride, two
organizations that took care of me at points of my career. Maybe
time will heal it and I’ll be ready to rock and roll. I’m
here, I’m just waiting to go.
BoxingInsider.com:
Ken Shamrock and Rich Franklin are supposed to fight. What are
your thoughts on that one?
Ricco
Rodriguez: I think this is a very underestimated fight. Every
time I think Kenny is old he always comes back and does something
surprising. Rich Franklin is a new, young buck coming up. I think
he’s paid his dues and people don’t really give him
the respect that he deserves because the reality of it is, he’s
a stud. At the same time, he’s fighting a veteran. He’s
a 185-pounder coming up to 205, we’re gonna see how that
plays. Ken walks around at about 215. 10 pounds for Kenny isn’t
too bad. Great fight. I’d rather see Tito and Ken, but Franklin
can do something.
Source:
Boxing Insider
|
BENNETT
BREAKDOWN:
UFC 52 PRELIMS, LEBEN ON TUF,
UFC 52 TICKET SALES
Alright people plenty to talk about after I made it back from
Japan and K-1. I've had 8 billion emails over the past two weeks,
and 7.9 deal with the same four questions...without further ado,
here you go.
Do
you believe it's Chris Leben coming back next week on the Ultimate
Fighter?
I
think so. I've heard all the rumors about why he's coming back.
Some people believe in theory that Bobby Southworth next week
will ask for a "third" round vs Stephan Bonner and
Randy Couture is rumored to say then bring Leben back and we
will give you a third round.
Then
I've heard other people on forums saying they are bringing Leben
back for ratings. While that's a nice thought, how can they bring
a guy back for ratings, when this show was taped months ago and
they had no prior knowledge that Leben would even be a ratings
getter? The show is taped. If it really is Leben, then he was
brought back months ago with no knowledge of current ratings.
Dana White could have a crystal ball, but I haven't talked to
him lately to find out.
Finally
I know some of you have plenty of time on your hands. If you
want to be Inspector Gadget watch the previous six episodes and
see who has those gray van shoes that the guy returning has.
(For the record my wife believes those are Alex Karalexis's shoes)
Why
isn't the Ultimate Fighter's finale on Spike TV in a bigger arena?
I heard Cox Pavilion has only 3,000 seats?
Not
only that, but it will more likely be around 2,500 seats because
of stage, TV, etc. Bottom line, I don't think the UFC originally
planned on having Ken Shamrock on the card. Couple that with
the fact that from what I've heard, there was NO WHERE to get
an arena in Las Vegas for April 9th. Most big arenas already
have concerts, shows or fights planned ahead of time for that
arena, so Cox Pavilion was a quick way to get an arena this late
of notice.
Which
fights do you believe will be the prelims for UFC 52?
Good
question. I believe these three fights have to be the prelims.
-Matt
Lindland vs. Travis Lutter - This sucks for both guys, because
they are great, but unfortunately for Lutter, while you and I
know him, no one outside of Marvin Eastman in the general public
knows who this guy is, thus both Lutter and Lindland are screwed.
By the way, I hear that if Lindland wins this match he is fighting
for the title against Tanner next.
-Georges
St. Pierre vs. Jason Miller - The description above is basically
the same description for this one. Miller is a very talented
fighter and I think he will give St. Pierre some problems in
this fight.
-Mike
Van Arsdale vs. John Marsh - If Mike Kyle and James Irvin were
on the prelim card, then I believe these two fighters will be.
Usually the UFC likes to showcase the heavyweights, but there
are too many "what if" questions for this fight in
my opinion. The other fights are safer picks.
WILL
UFC 52 BE THE BIGGEST GATE IN UFC HISTORY?
I
hate to sound like an optimist, but yes, this UFC in my opinion
will be the biggest show in the history of the UFC. Why am I
so confident? Look at the early numbers folks.
This
UFC has already sold 7,000 tickets and that was on February 28th.
The show isn't until April 16th. The previous record was Tito
Ortiz vs Ken Shamrock at UFC 40 where the biggest gate ever was
14,400.
The
MGM is slotting 15,000 seats for this show, which if it hits,
will be the biggest live gate in the history of MMA in North
America. Folks, it's time to get on the train, MMA is officially
blowing up in the United States. I will have more next week...
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Exciting
Action from Japan
Just over a week away, another great line-up of exciting Shooto
action is set to take place at the Kourakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
For
the 4th consecutive year, the Japan Shooto Association unveils
its annual Rookie tournament. This system is designed to develop
the talent and name-recognition of the next "big thing"
in the Shooto circuit. The current Shooto Welterweight World
Champion (regarded as the BEST 154 lbs fighter in the world)
came up through the Rookie tournament format back in 2002, as
did other Shooto stand outs like Kuniyoshi Hironaka (who defeated
the very talented Nick Diaz) and Hiroyuki Takaya (top contender
for the Shooto Lightweight World Title). This proves that the
Rookie tournament format helps bring the cream to the top.
Another
former rookie tournament champion, Hideki Kadowaki, is on the
card as well... He is facing a Class-B opponent in Akitoshi Tamura,
who himself is looking to make a name for himself. Kadowaki has
been hot and cold lately, winning some, but losing out in the
big fights. This is a make or break time for him while Tamura
can potentially catapult into the upper echelon of the Shooto
network with a win over a respected name.
In
Class-A action, striking sensation ‘Lion’ Takeshi will
bring his formidable skills up against savvy veteran Jin Kazeta.
Kazeta has faced the best in the business such as Shooto standout
Naoya Uematsu, so he will serve as a solid litmus test for the
undefeated up-and-comer in Takeshi.
With
all of that exciting action on the undercard, it is a surprise
that the main-events promises to be greater still... Shooto superstar
and snap submission specialist Rumina Sato is making his bid
for a Shooto title one again. He has faced the likes of Kaoru
Uno and Takanori Gomi for the Shooto 154 lbs title in the past,
coming short each time. He has changed gears in his fighting
style a bit, becoming more strategic and methodical (like his
controlled submission win over Bao Quach, and his impressive
KO over Katsuya Toida) so he is set to climb back to the title
contention picture. For this bout he will fighting the powerful
and aggressive Makoto Ishikawa for the newly developed Shooto
Pacific Rim title. It will allow Sato to achieve the championship
recognition that he craves, or it could give Ishikawa the chane
that he needs to assert himself as the top guy for the World
title, should he win.
Finally,
long time Champion and master of the guillotine, Alexandre "Pequeno"
Nogueira will defend against fellow countryman, Joao Roque of
Nova Uniao. Arguably one of the best pure grapplers in the fight
game, Roque has been waiting a long time for this shot. Competing
in Japan as for back as 1997 Vale Tudo Japan, Roque has always
been one of the top names for the lower weights... But Nogueira
IS the top name at 143 lbs, so Roque’s quest for top status
is in jeopardy.
Total
card:
March
11th
Kourakuen Hall
Tokyo, Japan
Promtoer – Sustain
Complete
Line-up (subject to change)
Light
Heavyweight (Class-B) 2005 Rookie Tournament
First Round
Ryuhei Sato (R-GYM) vs. Yoshinori Ashikawa (RJW G2)
Lightweight
(Class-B) 2005 Rookie Tournament First
Round
Tenkei Fujimiya (STG Yokohama) vs. Keisuke Yamada (K'z
FACTORY)
Lightweight
(Class-B)
Hideki Kadowaki (Keisyu Kai) vs. Akitoshi Tamura
(Tanaka Juku)
Lightweight
(Class-A)
Jin Kazeta (Philoctetes Niigata) vs. Lion Takeshi (STG
Yokohama)
Lightweight
(Class-A) Pacific Rim Championship
Makoto Ishikawa (PUREBRED Omiya) vs. Rumina Sato (K'z
FACTORY)
Lightweight
(Class-A) World Championship
Alexandre Franca Nogueira (World Fight Center) vs.
Joao Roque (Nova Uniao)
Source:
Rich Santoro, Shooto USA
|
SALAVERRY
RECAP ON MMAWEEKY RADIO
by Jeff Cain
MMAWeekly broke the story that Trevor Prangley is out of UFC
52, and Ivan Salaverry's new opponent is Joe "Diesel"
Riggs. Ivan was set to face Prangley once before, at UFC 50,
but an injury forced Trevor out and Tony Fryklund stepped in.
This time it's Joe Riggs stepping in for Prangley to face Salaverry.
Ivan was the featured guest on MMAWeekly SoundOff Radio Tuesday
and spoke about the change of opponent, his new opponent, Joe
Riggs, as well as the rumors that he will be involved in a new
Team Punishment.
Ivan
doesn't think the opponent change will have any impact on his
training. He stated, "Right now, we're just getting a lot
of the conditioning, the cardio. We're doing a lot of technique
work which really doesn't pertain to the individual. That goes
later on in the training, but I was training a little bit harder
for a southpaw, and you know what, it hasn't changed. They're
both southpaws. It's good for me that it came out that way. >From
what I gather, Trevor lost his South African fight he had with
a big cut, so they had to pull him out and I got Joe Riggs. That's
what I've got for right now, at this time."
Discussing
"The Diesel," Ivan said, "This guy is the new
generation of fighter. You know what I mean? He's one of those
hybrid fighters that grew up on the UFC, and cage fighting, and
no hold barred. Not only that, but his coaches, you know his
coaches are from my gym...This guy is well rounded. From what
I've heard, he's very, very strong tough kid. He came from heavyweight
down to 185. He's a strong guy."
Salaverry
hasn't seen much tape on Riggs' fights. He's only really seen
highlights. Ivan commented, "I'm dying to get some film
work. I'm going to get that here, hopefully soon, and I'm going
to study him. Like I've told you before, I study all my opponents
very well, and I'll have a game plan for sure."
Talking
a little about how he approaches fights, Ivan said, "I don't
do anything deliberate. What I seek is what I see open. If the
stand up is what I see that I can work with, I'll be standing
up. If it's clinch and bang on the stand up, I'll do that. If
it's down in the ground and pound, that. If it's Jiu-Jitsu or
submissions, I'll do that. Whatever I see open, I will go there."
Salaverry
went to to add, "I have nothing but wanting to fight Joe
Riggs. Not in a malicious way, but just to challenge myself....I
think it's a fantastic fight for the crowd. It's going to be
exciting. He's a very aggressive fighter, and I consider myself
a very aggressive counter fighter as well. I think it's going
to be a good fight, a very good fight. It's a very good card
to be in as well."
Ivan
was defeated by Matt Lindland back at UFC 39: The Warriors Return,
back in September of 2002. It was a full two years before Salaverry
would make his way back to the UFC at UFC 50. Ivan was asked
if he'd like a rematch with Lindland and he responded, "Absolutely.
That's my brother from another mother. You know, my Northwestern
cousin in Oregon, and out of complete respect, I would love to
have a rematch with him. He's a wonderful guy, a great fighter,
and I think I can show more of a good fight. The thing about
it, that fight, he nailed me. He totally read my situation and
controlled me, and he won. To me, it was a boring fight, and
I think that's what the judges and the people in the UFC saw
and that's when they were like, you know what, we need more excitement,
and from there, they didn't call me. That's what I perceived
as what happened, but I'd love to get a rematch with Lindland.
It would be fantastic."
Ivan
was then questioned about fighting someone he's trained with
in the past and knows so well personally. He replied, "We're
all professionals and the Martial Arts community, the MMA community
is very small. We're all going to be training each other somewhere
or another. We're going to be doing something in Japan, in Hawaii,
in California, in Miami, where ever. We're going to see each
other. We're going to train with each other. We're going to fight
with each other many times, especially in a certain weight division.
We are going to see each other's faces all the time. Matt Lindland's
in Oregon, yes he's going to come up. Yes, I'm going to go down.
We're professionals. At the end of the day, we're fighting for
a paycheck, and my job is to beat the heck out of him, and his
job is to beat the heck out of me, and that's that."
Near
the end of the interview, Ivan was asked about training with
Tito Ortiz for Tito's last match with Vitor Belfort, and about
the rumors that he may be involved in a new Team Punishment.
Ivan commented, "The thing about Tito, he called me so I
could be his training partner, and so and forth, down at Big
Bear. It was a fantastic experience. I thought it was great,
but no. He's out of the picture right now. I'm back in Seattle
training with the guys up here..." About a new Team Punishment,
Salaverry said, "They're planning it. I hope that they have
me in mind. The truth is, I have a great relationship and I live
up in Seattle. That's the one thing. If I lived in Huntington
Beach or in California, it would be a different story maybe.
You know what, I'm always happy at any time, so if Tito picks
up the phone and calls me, wants me to come train with him at
Big Bear or whatever, hey my pleasure. I wish him the best of
success and if I can influence that or help him in that, great."
To
hear the interview in it's entirety, click on the radio archive.
Salaverry had much more to say. Also on the show was "The
Fight Professor," Stephen Quadros. If you missed the show
live, it is definitely one worth listening to.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
'CRO
COP' SPEAKS
The following is from an internet chat Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic
did with with his fans on a Croatian website (translation by
Igor S.):
Question:
What is the measurement of your quadriceps?
Cro
Cop: Hell, I don't know. I've never measured that, but it is
sufficient.
Question:
Mirko, how often do you visit Privlaka?
Cro
Cop: Every time I can. I am going tomorrow.
Question:
Mirko, I read in a newspaper interview, where you said that you
are equal with Fedor on the ground. Do you think that you have
progressed enough to fight with a Sambo champion on the ground?
Actually, he beat Minotauro on the ground, and you lost to the
Brazilian. Salute.
Cro
Cop: I lost to the Brazilian one and a half years ago. In that
period I have progressed sufficiently to fight everyone, including
Minotauro, on the ground. Trust me or not.
Question:
Is there a possibility to arrange this fight in Zagreb?
Cro
Cop: Well, I am planning to organize a tournament this year,
in which I will participate also.
Question:
Mirko, when will you get a title shot?
Cro
Cop: As soon as Fedor signs the contract. Japanese representatives
will go this weekend to Russia to try and sign the fight.
Question:
Mirko, are things going in Cibalia (soccer club in which Cro
Cop plays)?
Cro
Cop: So, so. I don't train enough beacuse of my busy schedule.
Question:
Why do they call you Zeljko Filipovic?
Cro
Cop: Well, I don't know if anybody calls me that, except for
the time they mistakenly called me by that name on the Vlahov
show.
Question:
How much weight can you lift on the bench?
Cro
Cop: I have never gone for maximum because I don't need to. But,
I can lift 150 kg (330 pounds) for three repetitions.
Question:
Do you think that Fedor is scared of a possible fight for the
title against you?
Cro
Cop: I think he is not afraid. He is too great of a fighter to
be afraid of the fight.
Question:
Someone said you deceived Mike Bencic (Cro Cop's previus jiu-jitsu
trainer)?
Cro
Cop: People usually talk nonsense. I don't know in what way he
was deceived by me.
Question:
That you have not paid the full amount he deserved...
Cro
Cop: I don't know what to say about that. Bencic was paid every
last cent, and I don't know what he is trying to do by making
those comments in the newspapers. Maybe he wants to "thank"
me for getting him a chance, through my name and my blood, to
fight in PRIDE and to make money. So he tries to return a favor
like that. But, by talking like that, he talks about himself,
not about me. And I don't want to talk anymore about Mike Bencic.
I just want say that if he would like to promote himself in the
future, let him do it through his own eventual success.
Question:
Do you drink coffee, and have you special nutrition?
Cro
Cop: I don't drink coffee, and yes, I have special nutrition.
Question:
Dinamo or Hajduk? (Croatia's two most popular soccer clubs)
Cro
Cop: Cibalia.
Question:
Mirko, what do you think, will you win the fight against Fedor?
Cro
Cop: I will.
Question:
How many hours a day does your training consist of?
Cro
Cop: Depends on the training phase. But I always train two times
per day. On an average, at least one and a half hours per training
session.
Question:
Of all the PRIDE fighters, with who do you have good relations?
Do you go to lunch or coffee together?
Cro
Cop: We don't have lunch or coffee together. My best pal from
PRIDE is (Quinton) Jackson, but With Fedor I always have warm
grettings.
Question:
Do you watch handball? What did you think of the finals?
Cro
Cop: I watched our handball team with pleasure.
Question:
Do you know to swin?
Cro
Cop: Swimming, yes I do, but swinning I don't.
Question:
Who is your favorite Croatian sportsman?
Cro
Cop: Goran Ivanisevic and Stipe Drvis.
Question:
For how long have you been a member of the anti-terrorism unit
in Lucko?
Cro
Cop: One and a half years.
Question:
Why didn't the Croatian police use your name for promotion, when
they could? Why did they fire you from the job?
Cro
Cop: I don't know. They didn't fire me, I left by my own accord.
Question:
How much will you earn if you beat Fedor?
Cro
Cop: Go to the ring, beat him, and you will find out.
Question:
Who is your idol?
Cro
Cop: I don't have one, but I respect sportsmen.
Question:
Do you listen to Hip-Hop music?
Cro
Cop: Sometimes, but I prefer 80's music.
Question:
It would be very nice and original if one of your fights can
take place in the arena in Pula. What do you think about that?
Cro
Cop: It is high unlikely.
Question:
Just to say, to all of those people who are surprised by your
striking ability, that you were an amateur boxing champ and K-1
fighter. Now in PRIDE they are surprised when you finish your
fight with boxing. You are the best boxer In PRIDE, that's for
sure.
Cro
Cop: Well I am mistaken by them just because I am alive.
Question:
When you said about the possibility of fighting Minotauro in
Zagreb, where would that fight take place?
Cro
Cop: Maybe Dom sportova hall, or Maksimir stadium.
Question:
In which part of the fight is Fedor better than you?
Cro
Cop: Fedor has the best ground and pound on earth. It is incredible
how powerful his strikes are on the ground. But unlike Fedor,
I am not planning to be in that postiton too long.
Question:
Are you bothered by your so called, popularity?
Cro
Cop: I am not bothered by my so called popularity.
Question:
Would you be able to live in Japan?
Cro
Cop: Well, some people live in jails, so I could live anywhere.
Japan is a very beautiful country, but Croatia is the only place
I want to live in.
Question:
Did you fight a lot in school as a young boy?
Cro
Cop: Actually, I didn't.
Question:
Which team will be the Croatian soccer league champion?
Cro
Cop: If I was a visionary, I wouldn't be fighting now. Instead,
I would be making money by betting.
Question:
Did someone ever offer you a bribe?
Cro
Cop: Never.
Question:
Who is stronger, Superman or Batman?
Cro
Cop: You probably wanted to be funny. To tell you the truth,
you are not.
Question:
Would you pose naked for the appropriate money?
Cro
Cop: Depends on the money.
Question:
Or make some tatoo on your body?
Cro
Cop: Depends on the money, too.
Question:
What do you think about cheating (women)?
Cro
Cop: I don't have an opinion.
Question:
What was thr problem between you and Branko Cikatic? He allegedly
threatened to kill you?
Cro
Cop: That is finished story, and I don't want to talk about that.
Question:
If you saw a general, what would you do?
Cro
Cop: I would salute him.
Question:
Do people flatter you because of your size and strength?
Cro
Cop: I am not so big.
Question:
Are you a pizza master?
Cro
Cop: Hey boy, I think you missed the real guest? Naked chef acts
are on the weekend.
Source:
Fight Sport
|
Quote
of the Day
"I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that
I can borrow.
Woodrow Wilson, 1856-1924, Twenty-eighth President of the USA
|
HIGH
SCHOOL WRESTLING
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Crusaders
take ILH crown
By Billy Hull
bhull@starbulletin.com
Unfortunately for the Saint Louis seniors, wrestling in yesterday's
Interscholastic League of Honolulu championships meant missing
their senior luau.
Hopefully
winning a team championship made it a good trade-off.
Led
by Brandon Low's third consecutive ILH individual championship,
the Crusaders used a balanced lineup from the lower weights to
the heavyweights to claim the 2005 title. Saint Louis edged Kamehameha
162-153 yesterday at Hemmeter Fieldhouse.
Jared
Silva was the Crusaders' other champion, defeating Pac-Five's
Micah Mussel in the 189-pound final.
"I'd
rather you talk to my captains," Crusaders head coach Kendrick
Kakazu said after the meet. "They are the ones that did
it; I had little to do with it."
Despite
both Iolani and Kamehameha winning more individual titles, the
Crusaders won with a balanced attack, sending eight wrestlers
to the finals, including Keani Nishigaya, Jordan Alencastre and
Ana Tuiasasopo, who scored upsets as No. 3 seeds.
"We're
really young and emotional," Kakazu said. "But when
we use that emotion properly, good things happen, and our team
really pulled together and fed off of each other's success."
Kamehameha
finished with six individual champions, including Kenric Pai
inthe 152-pound weight class. Pai, an ILH champion last year,
was seeded second, but overcame a bloody mouth suffered early
in the match to defeat Charles Smiley of Saint Louis.
"I
just bit my tongue," Pai said. "I lost to (Smiley)
in the preseason in double overtime, but I knew if I just wrestled
my own game, I'd be fine."
Jarrod
Sandobal (140), Bryson Vivas (145), Gaison Ontai (160), Gerritt
Vincent (171) and Kazden Ikehara, who needed to go a second overtime
period in the 215-pound weight class, were Kamehameha's other
champions.
Iolani,
the two-time defending champion, swept the first three weight
classes. Brothers Nick and Zachary Matayoshi won the 103 and
119 titles, and Aaron Ishikawa won his third-straight ILH title
at 112 pounds, pinning Mark Caberto in 46 seconds.
"Coaches
tell us to get on and off the mat," Ishikawa said. "If
you wrestle sharp, things will come."
Punahou's
Brenden Whitt and Steven Chong also won titles at 130 and 135
pounds, respectively, while Pac-Five's Russell Fisher won the
275-pound title, pinning Tuiasasopo with 11 seconds left in the
second round.
Punahou's
"A" team won the junior varsity title, beating Kamehameha's
"A" team by half a point, 159 to 158.5.
Kamehameha
girls win
Sophomore Randolyn Nohara pinned her way to a second straight
ILH championship, defeating Akemi Holmes in the final match of
the girls meet to push the Warriors past Iolani 128-126.
Trailing by 10 points heading into the finals, Iolani claimed
the first four weight divisions as Kira Tamashiro won the 98-pound
title, followed by Carla Watase, Joleen Oshiro and Catherine
Chan, who all repeated as champions. But the Warriors regained
the lead, finishing strong by winning three of the final four
divisions, anchored by Nohara's pin.
"I
just wanted to go out and pin her in the first round," Nohara
said.
Kiana
Parilla won her first championship in the 140-pound weight class,
and Maile Nitta won the 155-pound crown, as nobody else competed
in her division.
"This
is a very tenacious group with a lot of heart," Warriors
girls coach Brandon Shimabukuro said. "I had no real expectations,
but I believed in them.
Lauren
Primiano, Nicole Chorney and Kara Takasaki won titles for Punahou,
while Pac-Five's Desiree Memea was the only No. 2 seed to win,
upsetting Tilana Kawaa in the 175-pound final.
ILH
championships
At Hemmeter Fieldhouse
2/26/05
Varsity boys Team
1. Saint Louis, 162; 2. Kamehameha, 153; 3. Punahou, 137;
4. Iolani, 123.5; 5. Pac-Five, 54; 6. Damien, 21.
Individual
103--1. Nick Matayoshi, Iol; 2. Bryson Fukushima, Pun; 3. Jordan
Lai, StL.
112--1. Aaron Ishikawa, Iol; 2. Mark Caberto, StL; 3. Ginoa Pelosi,
Dam.
119--1. Zachary Matayoshi, Iol; 2. Keani Nishigaya, StL; 3. Joshua
Plechaty, Pun.
125--1. Brandon Low, StL; 2. Daniel Chow, Pun; 3. Kealii Kobylanski,
Kam.
130--1. Brenden Whitt, Pun; 2. Kelsey Kokubun, Iol; 3. Reggie
Torres, Kam.
135--1. Steven Chong, Pun; 2. Alapai Bungo, Kam; 3. Keigo Kaminaga,
Iol.
140--1. Jarrod Sandobal, Kam; 2. Andrew Byron, Pun; 3. Kai Iwasaki,
Iol.
145--1. Bryson Vivas, Kam; 2. Sheldon Shimoda, Pun; 3. Jeffrey
Kahler, StL.
152--1. Kenric Pai, Kam; 2. Charles Smiley, StL; 3. Evan Killips,
Iol.
160--1. Gaison Ontai, Kam; 2. Jordan Alencastre, StL; 3. Duane
Fukumoto, Iol.
171--1. Gerritt Vincent, Kam; 2. Mike Egesdal, Pun; 3. Matt Balkin,
Iol.
189--1. Jared Silva, StL; 2. Micah Mussel, Pac; 3. Kainoa Carlson,
Pun.
215--1. Kazden Ikehara, Kam; 2. Bubba Tokioka, StL; 3. Miaki
McWayne, WLA.
275--1. Russell Fisher, Pac; 2. Ana Tuiasasopo, StL; 3. Eddie
Williams, Dam.
Varsity
girls Team
1. Kamehameha, 128; 2. Iolani, 126; 3. Pac-Five, 90; 4. Punahou,
65.
Individual
98--1. Kira Tamashiro, Iol; 2. Erin Uwaine, Pac.
103--1. Carla Watase, Iol; 2. Kelsie Ann Mita, Pac.
108--1. Joleen Oshiro, Iol; 2. Shaelene Kamakaala, Kam; 3. Brittany
Atiburico, Mryk.
114--1. Catherine Chan, Iol; 2. Sarah Aoki, Pac; 3. Raena Campos,
Kam.
120--1. Lauren Primiano, Pun; 2. Brandee Toyama, Iol; 3. Jamie
Ahuna, Kam.
125--1. Nicole Chorney, Pun; 2. Sadie Smith, Kam; Natasha Bunin,
WLA.
130--1. Kara Takasaki, Pun; 2. Grace Toyomura, Kam; 3. Elizabeth
Grossman, WLA.
140--1. Kiana Parilla, Kam; 2. Rebecca Jong, Pun; 3. Sri'devi
Fournier, Iol.
155--1. Maile Nitta, Kam.
175--1. Tilana Kawaa, Kam; 2. Desiree Memea, Pac; 3. Lindsey
Tufuno, Iol.
220--1. Randolyn Nohara, Kam; 2. Akemi Holmes, Iol.
Junior varsity boys Team
1. Punahou "A", 159; 2. Kamehameha "A", 158.5;
3. Pac-Five "A", 147.5.
Individual
103--1. Sam Yonezawa, Pac.
112--1. Brysson Morita, Iol.
119--1. Chris Shimizu, Pun.
125--1. Kamalu Beamer, Kam.
130--1. Paul Swain, Kam.
135--1. Omar Mirza, kam.
140--1. Rudie Schaefer, Pun.
145--1. Kenneth White, Pun.
152--1. Kekoa Rosales, Kam.
160--1. Jared Ellis, Pac.
171--1. Keola Williams, Iol.
189--1. JJ Autele, Pun.
215--1. Kanoa O'Conner, Pun.
275--1. Jamin Meletia, Kam.
Source:
Star Bulletin
|
ROTR
NEWS
According to the Japanese media, K-1 will be heavily involved
again in the next 'Rumble on the Rock' card.
B.J.
Penn will once again be in the main event fight, possibly against
another Gracie.
Renato
'Charuto' Verissimo, Gilbert Melendez, and Jake Shields are also
scheduled to participate on the card.
Source:
Fight Sport
|
AFP
TOP TEN FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY
HEAVYWEIGHT
1.) Fedor Emelianenko Russia
2.) Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira Brazil
3.) Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic Croatia
4.) Frank Mir USA
5.) Andrei Arlovski Belarus
6.) Fabricio Werdum Brazil
7.) Heath Herring USA
8.) Josh Barnett USA
9.) Tim Sylvia USA
10.) Pedro Rizzo Brazil
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT
1.) Vanderlei Silva Brazil
2.) Randy Couture USA
3.) Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson USA
4.) Ricardo Arona Brazil
5.) Chuck Liddell USA
6.) Rogerio "Minotoro" Nogueira Brazil
7.) Tito Ortiz USA
8.) Vitor Belfort Brazil
9.) Renato "Babalu" Sobral Brazil
10.) Murilo 'Ninja' Rua Brazil
MIDDLEWEIGHT
1.) Dan Henderson USA
2.) Kazushi Sakuraba Japan
3.) Murilo Bustamante Brazil
4.) Evan Tanner USA
5.) Ryo Chonan Japan
6.) Anderson Silva Brazil
7.) Jeremy Horn USA
8.) Paulo Filho Brazil
9.) David Terrell USA
10.) Matt Lindland USA
WELTERWEIGHT
1.) B.J.
Penn USA
2.) Matt Hughes USA
3.) Frank Trigg USA
4.) Renato
'Charuto' Verissimo Brazil
5.) Sean Sherk USA
6.) Antonio Schembri Brazil
7.) Daiju Takase Japan
8.) Crosley Gracie Brazil
9.) Carlos Newton USA
10.) Akira Kikuchi Japan
LIGHTWEIGHT
1.) Tatsuya Kawajiri Japan
2.) Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribeiro Brazil
3.) Joachim Hansen Norway
4.) Takanori Gomi Japan
5.) Yves Edwards USA
6.) Hermes Franca Brazil
7.) Kaoru Uno Japan
8.) Din Thomas USA
9.) Genki Sudo Japan
10.) Ralph Gracie Brazil
FEATHERWEIGHT
1.) Alexandre 'Pequeno' Nogueira Brazil
2.) Jens Pulver USA
3.) Joao Roque Brazil
4.) Norifumi 'Kid' Yamamoto Japan
5.) Rumina Sato Japan
6.) Gilbert Melendez USA
7.) Ivan Menjivar El Salvador
8.) Hiroyuki Takaya Japan
9.) Jeff Curran USA
10.) Yoshiro Maeda Japan
Source:
Fight Sport
|
UFC
52 SHOWDOWN:
JOE "DIESEL" RIGGS VS IVAN SALAVERRY
MMAWeekly.com broke the story yesterday morning on the Soundoff
Forum that Ivan Salaverry has a new opponent.
His
orginal opponent, Trevor Prangley lost over the weekend in South
Africa and will not be in UFC 52. Now enter Joe Riggs into the
equation. Riggs was supposed to fight David Loiseau at the last
UFC, but because of an injury couldn't fight.
Now
Riggs is healed and will end up in a great showdown against Ivan
Salaverry. Both fighters have a lot of respect for each other.
Salaverry told MMAWeekly yesterday "He's a big strong fighter.
He has great skill and I respect him a lot. I can't wait to fight
somebody his caliber."
Meanwhile
the Diesel also has respect for Ivan. "He's a tough guy.
He's a great fighter and he's beat some tough guys. I still plan
on knocking him out in this fight." Riggs told MMAWeekly.
Salaverry
has an MMA record of 11-3, while Riggs enters this fight with
a 21-5 record. Should be a great fight at UFC 52. Ivan Salaverry
will be today's featured guest on MMAWeeklyRadio.com at 9am Pacific/12
Noon eastern with UFC fighter Frank Trigg and MMA Broadcaster
Ryan Bennett.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
THE
ULTIMATE FIGHTER: EPISODE 7
GROUND AND POUND
By Ken Pishna, MMAWeekly.com
Last
week on The Ultimate Fighter, we finally saw the showdown between
Josh Koscheck and Chris Leben. After an uninspiring battle, Koscheck
emerged the winner by unanimous decision. Chris Leben, the guy
everybody loved to hate, was sent packing.
Prior
to this week’s fight, the majority of the episode was fairly
uneventful. Instead of the usual confrontation that Leben brought
to the show, this week was spent building characters and storylines
to fill his absence.
Talk
started early amongst Team Liddell about teammate Sam Hoger not
fitting in. They even went so far as to say that they believed
that Hoger was somewhat of a trader, buddying up with Team Couture.
With
Leben’s exodus, Couture’s team was left with only one
middleweight, Nate Quarry. And with the MRI results not back
yet, Quarry’s injury has left his future on the show in
doubt. As a result, Chuck Liddell was once again forced to send
one of his fighters over to Couture. Liddell expressed extreme
distaste for having to make the move, but eventually ended up
sending Josh Rafferty to Team Couture.
This
far into the show, Rafferty was rather unhappy about having to
switch teams and Team Couture wasn’t so thrilled to have
him. Rafferty is now the black sheep of the green team setting
up future discord.
This
week, the light heavyweights were run through a team challenge
called “The Ring.” All six fighters were harnessed
to a UFC logo metal ring. Circled around the fighters were flags
of each team’s color. Each fighter on each team was charged
with capturing two of their team’s flags. The first team
to gather six flags won.
Finally
working together as a unit, Team Couture finally won a challenge.
As a result, they were charged with selecting one light heavyweight
fighter from each team to fight for their spot on the show. After
much discussion, they chose their own Stephan Bonner to face
Team Liddell’s Bobby Southworth.
The
fight between Bonner and Southworth was much more entertaining
than the Koscheck/Leben fight last week. The two went back and
forth through the entire two rounds. Bonner scored with solid
takedowns and submission attempts. But Southworth held his own
dominating the striking category, coming away with the more effective
strikes and doing much more damage than Bonner. In the second
round, Southworth even stunned Bonner a couple of times and appeared
on the verge of knocking him out.
Both
fighters were preparing for a draw, which means that they would
have had to fight an overtime round. To everybody’s surprise,
Dana White announced that the judges had awarded a split decision
in favor of Stephan Bonner.
Southworth
and Liddell were shocked and vehemently disagreed. Couture and
White were both very surprised thinking that the fight was going
to go to the overtime round. Everyone but Southworth put it in
a realistic light though, saying that you never want to leave
the fight in the hands of the judges.
Southworth
stormed away as the show ended.
Up
Next Week: The controversy over the split decision continues
as Bobby Southworth disrespects Dana White. The rift between
Sam Hoger and the rest of Team Liddell continues to widen. And,
surprisingly, a previously eliminated fighter returns to the
show.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
PULVER
FEATURED IN GAMING SITE
One of the largest community based video game sites, Teamwarfare.com
did a big write up on Little Evil, Jens Pulver. Teamwarfare is
a free, not-for-profit site with almost 400,000 members &
60,000 teams. Here is part of that interview...
"What
does one of the baddest men on the planet do? Well, he plays
Call of Duty: United Offensive with the Silent Warriors on Teamwarfare.com.
The
name Jens Pulver might not immediately ''ring any bells'', but
if you watch ESPN's Tuesday Night Fights, are a fan of Pay-Per-View
fights, or own a copy of the Ultimate Fighting Championship:
Ultimate Knockouts, than chances are you have seen him at least
once. His fights are the things that highlight reels are made
of.
Utilizing
his years of wrestling experience in concert with the Miletich
Fighting System, developed by five time UFC World Champion Pat
Miletich and which combines boxing, jiu-jitsu, and kickboxing,
Pulver has become one of the most powerful and successful lightweight
fighters in Mixed Martial Arts competition. Weighing in between
145-155 lbs. and standing at 5'7'', his stature is deceptive.
His devastating and lightning fast left hand has knocked out
more than a few opponents and ended at least one career.
At
the end of 2001, Pulver, though undefeated, was forced to relinquish
his UFC Lightweight Champion title. Since then, his has been
a tale of despair, personal loss, fortitude, dedication, success,
and finally....online gaming. Yes, you read that last part correctly,
he plays online video games.
For
some adults this may seem absurd, but this is not your old Atari
2600 we are talking about. Today's online video games are astoundling
realistic and graphically advanced. Online game play and real-time,
multi-person voice systems allow for team play in a totally immersive
environment. Just like Pulver, millions of adults all over the
world are competing on teams that play video games.
Here
is Pulver's own story of triumph, Ultimate Fighting, and online
gaming:
''I
gave up everything, I had 2 bags, and I had no idea what to do''
Jens,
could you tell the members of Teamwarfare.com a little about
yourself? Just some basics like where you are from, your athletic
background, and how you ended up fighting in the UFC.
I
was born in Seattle lived all of my life between Seattle and
Portland, Oregon. My parents were jockeys in the thoroughbred
industry, so when the racetrack would close in Washington we’d
go down to Portland Meadows and we’d run horses there until
the track opened up again after the winter in Seattle. Basically,
we traveled back and forth between each state till I was in high
school and then I stayed in Seattle for high school for wrestling
purposes.
So
I stayed in Seattle and then I went to college at Boise State
University in Idaho. And so from there, I basically wrestled
out my season there and when it came down to it I had a degree
in criminal justice minor in sociology.
I
got my first pay-per-view fight in UFC, I think it was UFC-24,
and I had my first fight and I kind of tested myself right there
and I said that if I did well, than this is something that I’ll
continue to do, and if I got smoked then I’ll go back to
working in something with my degree. I did well, I won I stayed
in fighting, I told my job ‘you know, this is what I want
to do’ and they gave me their blessing.
And
with that being said, I moved down with Bob Shamrock because
Ken Shamrock, as everybody knows, was so big at the time and
so his dad (Bob) was kind of a good way of getting me into the
fight world. Take over and kind of guide me the same way he did
Ken. I moved down to California and spent 6 months in Lodi and
the problem was, I was ready to train full time and a lot of
people their idea of full time wasn’t 8 hours a day. It
was more that they had other jobs and they couldn’t make
a living fighting so they worked other places and then came back
and then went to the gym in the evenings, so I was kind of hung
out in the morning and the afternoon with myself.
So,
I went back to Idaho and said, ‘I’m going to go back
and wrestle for a while and train and if anything comes up as
far as fights, just let me know’ and that’s when Bob
said ‘As hard as it is for me to lose you, I’m telling
you to stay there because there’s not much down here for
you and you obviously want to go at it much harder than a lot
of people are willing to’. At that point, I was like ‘You’ve
got to be kidding me’. The house that I rented....now I’m
staying on the couch, with other people renting it, and all of
the sudden I’m a guest and I have nothing. I moved out,
I gave up everything, I had 2 bags and I had no idea what to
do. Bob said, ‘Well, I’m going to make one call’
and he called Monty Cox in Iowa and I knew who he was because
they had a great team with Pat Miletich, and Matt Hughes was
starting in the UFC. So with 2 duffel bags, I hopped on a train
and said ‘This is where I’m going to go, and this is
what I’m going to do’ and 2 1/2 days later I showed
up in Iowa and started fighting.
''When
I hit him, I retired him''
What
stands out as your big fight? What really made people stand up
and take notice of Jens Pulver?
Oh,
without a doubt it was the John Lewis knockout. To this day its
one of the most vicious knockouts anybody has ever seen in this
sport. To this day in all of their [UFC’s] Ultimate Knockouts
they’re constantly showing it, I feel bad for him. That
was without a doubt my turning point because what it was, these
guys came in to Vegas, the guys who now own it [the UFC], the
Fertittas, and basically their representation was John Lewis.
Nobody knew at the time that they were planning on buying the
UFC, but John Lewis did, and going into the fight it was the
biggest for me because John Lewis has been a name for a long
time and he was a gigantic 155 pounder and the physical condition
that I was in was one where basically I had to lay on my bed
2 weeks before the fight because my back was hurting so bad &
my sciatic nerve was burning so bad that I couldn’t train.
Jeremy Horn told me ‘Look, I’d rather have you in the
least amount of pain and be out of shape rather than to be in
shape and be as crippled as you are’. I could barely walk,
but it’s not even a question when you have to get paid,
well, you don’t have a choice you’ve got to fight.
I
remember the 4 days leading up to the fight. I trained in my
hotel room so nobody could see how bad I was. I couldn’t
keep from limping and it was real obvious that I was hurting.
Him [Lewis] being the ground guy that he was, I knew he was working
on his stand up and I knew he was feeling overconfident so all
we did was work on countering, over the top of the head jab,
and hitting him as hard as I possibly could. I really didn’t
have much of a choice, I had to just hit him hard and get out
of there as fast as I could.
With
that fight coming up I stayed hidden, made the weight, and when
I got into that ring it was kind of like everybody was holding
their breath. They knew this was John Lewis and that was definitely
the point right there when they realized, ‘This kid [Pulver]
is definitely for real, not only does he have a good take down
defense, not only is he a constant, constant go-getter, but now
he has knockout power’.
When
I hit him, I retired him, literally. I busted his jaw, shattered
his molars, I mean I destroyed him. Knocked him out in 12 seconds,
had the fastest knockout in UFC history. At that point the new
owners of the UFC were sitting ringside and were like ‘Oh
my god, besides Tito Ortiz, this is the kid we’ve got to
build’. That, without a doubt, was the biggest turning point
of my career and definitely the biggest match as far as taking
me to that next level as one of the elites in the fighting game.
''You
know what? Here’s your belt''
You
were the UFC Lightweight Champ and then you suddenly parted ways.
Are you at liberty to discuss what transpired with the UFC?
Basically
what happened was that I won the title, they went and got me
the #1 ranked fighter in the world, we went over to Japan and
watched him defend his title in a show called Shooto. His name
was Caol Uno. When I beat him, I turned around and had 2 more
defenses and the last fight that came up, I fought B.J. Penn
and I was a 6 to 1 underdog. The UFC wanted to be known as having
the recognized, legitimate World Champion. They didn’t want
any other show to be able to say, ‘Well, we have best guy’.
They wanted to be looked at as being recognized as the #1 fighter
in the world.
Believe
it or not, everybody was paid more than me, and I was the Champion.
All of the challengers got paid more. I remember it came down
to a question of, I wanted more money because I didn’t get
to fight that often. Being the champion I got to fight maybe
twice a year, so I kind of priced my self against what the heavyweights
were making, against what the middleweights were making, what
the lightweights were making, and I was like ‘What is keeping
me from making the same amount of money?’ So when I asked,
they basically gave me a number and I basically asked for....not
much of a raise more, but just a little more. I said I wanted
to be paid the highest paid lightweight. We kind of ran into
a crossroad where they weren’t going to give in and I basically
had to say ‘You know what? Ok, here’s your belt. I’m
not going to re-sign.’ And that was it. ''I had 12 fights,
and I knocked out 11 of them.''
There
is plenty more to this interview. To read it just click on www.teamwarefare.com
and Pulver will be tomorrow's featured guest on MMAWeekly Radio.com
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Kimberly Moran & Noah Gold
Brener Zwikel & Associates Inc.
(818) 344-6195, ext. 121, 108
Kimberlym@bzapr.com; noahg@bzapr.com
REALPROWRESTLING
PUTS TEAMS UP FOR BID
LEAGUE READY TO TALK TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS FOR 2006 SEASON
LOS
ANGELES (March 1, 2005) - RealProWrestling announced today its
intent to begin searching for prospective investors of eight
regional teams for the second season of the new wrestling league.
The league is working to put teams in big-market regions where
wrestling is a large part of the community including New York,
California, Illinois, Iowa, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Pennsylvania
and Texas. RealProWrestling provides wrestlers an opportunity
to compete beyond collegiate and Olympic competition in a professional
atmosphere comparable to leagues such as the NFL, MLB and NBA.
The
first season of RealProWrestling, the first Olympic style-wrestling
league, was taped in front of a live studio audience on October
8-9 at the Los Angeles Center Studios. The league is looking
to branch out with competitions of regional teams throughout
the season.
RealProWrestling
announced its national television debut of the first Olympic
style-wrestling league on PAX TV and Fox Sports Net. RealProWrestling
will launch its national television debut on PAX TV on Sunday,
March 27, 2005 at 4-5pm EST and on Fox Sports Net Wednesday,
March 30, 2005 at 3-4 p.m. EST (schedule subject to change).
The
RealProWrestling League will be an eight-week series on PAX TV
with the 8th and final episode lasting two hours in duration.
Fox Sports Net will air RealProWrestling for nine weeks with
the last championship episode spread over two weeks.
The
league consists of eight teams from around the country made up
of seven different weight classes ranging from 55 kg/125 lbs.
to 120 kg/250 lbs. Regional teams will include the New York Outrage,
California Claw, Chicago Groove, Iowa Stalkers, Oklahoma Slam,
Minnesota Freeze, Pennsylvania Hammer and the Texas Shooters.
Currently
privately funded, RealProWrestling plans to branch out to local
communities to give the sport of wrestling a professional outlet
for future generations. The regional teams would allow fans to
come out and experience the professional wrestling league and
begin building support for the teams and athletes involved. The
regional teams are a part of RealProWrestling's plan to increase
exposure of the league, provide a professional outlet to wrestlers
in addition to what is currently available, attract sponsorship
and drive television ratings.
Toby
Willis, president of RealProWrestling said, "The sport of
wrestling, which has been around for centuries, has a rich and
deep-rooted history and we are thrilled that through the creation
of teams, RealProWrestling will be able to further promote the
sport and keep it thriving for years to come."
The
investors would be responsible for developing their selected
team, drafting and trading wrestlers, selecting coaches, and
promoting their team and league.
According
to the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA), more
than one million wrestlers participated in collegiate and high
school programs in the United States in 2003 with an additional
20 million individuals currently living in America having participated
in the sport of wrestling in the past. Studies by National Federation
of High Schools (NFHS) show that wrestling is the sixth highest
participant sport in America despite not having a professional
league or marketing efforts.
Fan
favorite and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Rulon Gardner will
headline the cast of Olympic wrestlers, including Dan Gable (wrestling
legend and Olympic Gold Medalist), Bobby Douglas (wrestling legend
and Olympic coach), and Steve Abas (2004 Olympic silver medalist),
as they gear up for the inaugural season of the first Olympic-style
wrestling league.
For
additional information about the franchises please call Rich
Christensen (641-394-3200) or visit www.realprowrestling.com.
Brener
Zwikel & Associates, Inc. (BZA)
6901 Canby Avenue, Suite 105
Reseda, CA 91335
T 818-344-6195 Ext. 121
F 818-344-1714
kimberlym@bzapr.com
Source:
Kimberly Moran
|
Quote
of the Day
"Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without
getting a few drops on yourself.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803-1882, American Poet, Essayist
|
Onzuka.com
Exclusive
Marcelo
Tigre Is Back In Hawaii And Fighting In Proving Grounds 4
By Chris Onzuka
The
rumor that Marcelo Tigre is back in Hawaii is true AND it is
also true that he will be fighting on ROTR: Proving Grounds,
the feeder show for Rumble On The Rock on March 11th. This will
be Proving Grounds' first event on Oahu, the events are usually
held in Hilo, Hawaii.
After
finding out that Tigre was on the fight card, the big question
everyone was asking was who will be his opponent? Not to be confused
with Bazooka Joe, Tigre's opponent will be Taxi Joe. Jody “Taxi
Joe” Demeritt is 6’4”, 200lbs and a street fighter
with a background in Karate. He claims to be undefeated, but
we could not obtain any proof of that record. Tigre told me that
his bout at Proving Grounds will be a tune up fight for his appearance
in Rumble On The Rock, where he may face a "name" opponent.
Tigre is looking to get back in the big picture and what better
place than in one of the fastest growing promotions in the world,
Rumble On The Rock.
The
event will also feature a 8-man MMA tournament, which may crown
Hawaii's best fighter at 155lbs. This tournament features fighters
from almost every top MMA school in Hawaii. The tournament is
stacked with some of Hawaii's most successful lightweights. Some
of the fighters that will be going head to head are Harris Sarmiento
(808 Fight Factory), Mike Aina (BJ Penn's MMA), Neal Andres (HMC)
and Kaleo Kwan (Eastsidaz). There will be a couple individual
matches, adding to the already action packed event. Proving Grounds
4 will be held at the Dole Cannery Ballroom in Honolulu on March
11th.
|
Shooto
Hawaii is back!
Bradda to fight Santino Defranco
Shooto Hawaii: Unleashed
Neal Blaisdell - Hawaii Suites, Honolulu, Hawaii
March 25, 2005
Fights Start: 7:30pm
Amateur
Shooto 2X3 Min Rounds - 143.3 9 Lightweight
Edmund Li (Freelance) Vs. Ryan Fukuda (808FF/Casca Gross JJ)
Amateur
Shooto 2X3 Min Rounds - 200.6 & over Cruiserweight)
Rob Chung (Kodenkan) Vs. Jason Ryan (808FF)
Amateur
Shooto 2X3 Min Rounds - 114.6 Flyweight
Shane Dulatre (JIL) Vs. Bryson Sanchez (Kodenkan)
Amateur
Shooto 2X3 Min Rounds
Jarret (Bulls Pen) Vs. Hansen Apo (Kodenkan)
Amateur
Shooto 2X3 Min Rounds - 132.3 Featherweight
Austin Hernandez (Bulls Pen) 137 Vs. Colin Mckenzie (17 yrs 130
6'0 Waianae, JIL)
Amateur
Shooto 2X3 Min Rounds - 167.5 Middleweight
Brandon Ramos (JIL) VS. Nolan Hong (JKD Unlimited)
Kickboxing
3x2 Min Rounds – 125lbs
Bruce Niimoto (JIL) Vs. Bruno Escalante 16, (Eastsidaz)
Kickboxing
3x2 Min Rounds 185lbs
Josh Versola (Advanced Kenpo) Vs. Chevas Lamoya (Team Big Dog)
Kickboxing
3x2 Min Rounds – 165lbs
Kevin Smith (Team Big Dog ) Vs. Ben Rodriquez (Nanakuli Kickboxing)
Kickboxing
3x2 Min Rounds – 182lbs
Wayne Perrin (Team Big Dog) Vs. Denver Gonsalves (Nanakuli Kickboxing)
International
Kickboxing Match – 145lbs
Randy Rivera (HMC) Bs. Tony Rodriguez (Team Big Dog)
Professional
Shooto Class B: 2X5 Min - 200.6 & over Cruiser Weight
Cory Daniels (Team MADD) Vs. TBA
Professional
Shooto Class B: 2X5 Min - 132.3 Featherweight
Ryan Lee (Bulls Pen) Vs. TBA
Professional
Shooto Class B: 2X5 Min - 183 Light Heavy Weight
Casey Daniels (Team MADD) Vs. TBA
Professional
Shooto 3X5 Min Rounds - 154.3 70KG
Ray "Bradda" Cooper VS. Santino DeFranco (Arizona Combat
Sports)
Source:
Event Promoter
|
2nd
Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
War Memorial Gymnasium, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
Saturday, March 12, 2005
The
Onzuka Brothers and the Relson Gracie Casca Grossa Team will
be there, so make your arrangements to get to Maui for the tournament.
Last year's tournament went extremely well, with a ton of talented
JJ fighters who had a great time.
For Tournament information, please email us and we can email you details and registration
forms.
Aloha
Airlines
has $125 tickets and Hawaiian Airlines has $138 tickets.
Click on the companies to go to their websites because these
fares are available online only.
Dear
Friends,
It
is our great pleasure to invite you and your organization to
attend and compete in the 2nd Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu open Tournament.
The event will take place on Saturday, March 12, 2005 at the
War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. We also welcome
back all who attended last year's event. We expect this years
tournament to be even larger, with bigger and better competition!
Competition
will consist of matches in all belt levels and weight divisions
with medals, trophies, and prizes to the winners. There will
also be a team competition this year, as well as a number of
exhibition matches between advanced level competitors. (Anyone
interested - please contact us).
Weigh-ins
will be held on Friday March 11, at the new Maui Jiu-Jitsu academy
location on Hanamau Street, near the airport (directions included)
from 1 pm to ??. Opening ceremonies and late registrations will
held at the War Memorial Gym at 8:00 am, Rules briefing at 9:30
am, Competition to begin promptly at 10:00 am.
Neighbor Island competitors can weigh-in on the day of the event,
but it is strongly urged that all competitors weigh-in on friday
in the interest of starting on time.
It
is our hope that you and your organization will join us in the
spirit of sportsmanship and competition, and help us in promoting
the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu throughout the State of Hawaii.
Please
feel free to contact us should you have any questions.
2nd
Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu open Tournament
732 Makaala Drive
Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii 96793
Email: mauibadboy@aol.com
www.mauijiujitsu.com
Ph. (808) 298-7698 Lee
(808) 357-0657 Luis
Thank you for your interest in the 2nd Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu
Open Tournament. Your support for our tournament is greatly appreciated,
and it is Maui Jiu-Jitsu’s goal to support and compete in
many other tournaments hosted by our friends statewide.
One
of the greatest obstacles of having a successful tournament is
of course, the substantial cost of traveling to the neighbor
isles. Understanding this, We at Maui Jiu-Jitsu would like to
provide you with some information on accommodations and transportation,
while here on Maui.
Hotel
options:
1.
Maui Beach Hotel – 170 Kaahumanu Ave. Ph. 877-0051 ( 2 miles
from airport & gymnasium)
Probably
the best option – better than average rooms, approx. $110
/ night.
2.
Maui Seaside Hotel – 100 Kaahumanu Ave. Ph. 877-3311 (next
door to Maui Beach)
Slightly
cheaper, but not quite as nice as Maui Beach – decent.
3.
Maui Islander – 660 Wainee Street Ph. 667-9766 or 1-800-367-5226
(A little farther away – 20 miles)
As
another option, we are currently in the process of building our
new academy and should be on schedule to move in within the next
2 weeks. We would like to offer anyone who in the interest of
saving money, would want to stay at the academy. Accommodations
would be limited to sleeping bags on the matted training area,
but if you don’t mind, plenty of space is available as well
as bath facilities. Call us for more info.
Thanks
again for your support of our tournament. We hope to make your
experience here as enjoyable as possible, and hope that we will
continue to grow and make this event better in the years to come.
Mahalo!
Luis
Heredia and Lee Theros
(Event Promoters)
|
FEDOR
VS. 'CRO COP' POSSIBLY IN 2H2H OR M-1
According to people close to the camp of Fedor Emelianenko, the
negotiations between Fedor's manager and DSE/PRIDE have not been
going too well, especially now that DSE/PRIDE are trying to strong-arm
Fedor into signing a new contract by pushing the angle in the
media, to their fans, that Fedor does not want to fight Mirko
'Cro Cop' Filipovic.
Fedor's
management is upset that the offer they are recieving to re-sign
with DSE/PRIDE is supposedly not even half the amount of what
they signed their light heavyweight champion, Vanderlei Silva,
for.
According
to these same sources, if no deal is reached with DSE/PRIDE,
Fedor will challenge Cro Cop to face him in either the M-1 promotion
or the 'Too Hot To Handle' promotion.
Too
Hot To Handle, or '2H2H', recently signed two big television
deals, and is negotiating with some name sponsors for their next
show. According to these sources, 2H2H would offer Cro Cop the
same amount of money he is currently making with DSE/PRIDE, in
order to sign him to face Fedor.
Source:
Fight Sport
|
Akebono in K-1
K-1 World GP 2005
March 19 2005
Olympic Gymnasium-1
Seoul, Korea
Sungle
fights:
Remy Bonjasky vs. Ray Mercer
Peter Aerts vs. Carter Williams
Asia
GP tournament:
Akebono vs. Nobuaki Kakuda
Wakashoyo vs. Hong-Mam Choi
Hiraku Hori vs. Lee Myeon Ju
Kaoklai Kaennorsing vs. Zhang Qing Jun
Source:
Fight Sport
|
UFC
EXHALES AS BABALU VS WIUFF
STILL SET FOR 52
 
Renato Babalu vs. Travis Wiuff
Nothing makes the UFC more nervous than having two fighters compete
in other organizations about 40 days before they face one another
at UFC 52. That was the case for Babalu Sobral and Travis Wiuff
who are on a collision course to face each other in the Octagon
on April 16th in Las Vegas.
Babalu
made short work out of Pierre Guilett. Babalu dominated the fight
as he won by TKO at just 1:57 of Round 1. Meanwhile, Travis Wiuff
is finally getting his due. The fighter who has won 18, count
them, 18 straight fights, put on another impressive performance
defeating highly regarded Pedro Rizzo/Marco Ruas fighter Antoine
Joaude. Joaude, a Pan American Silver Medalist, had a perfect
4-0 record entering the fight. Many people thought Wiuff would
be KO'd if he chose to stand with Joaude, but Wiuff didn't listen.
He stood toe to toe, banging out a very impressive decision.
Now
the UFC can exhale as the showdown is on. Renato "Babalu"
Sobral, a fighter that has won 25 of his last 30 fights, against
Travis Wiuff (pronounced VIEW) who has won 18 straight fights,
and 33 of 37 fights. Wiuff drops in weight from 250 in his last
UFC fight, to 223 in Euphoria to 205 at UFC 52. Can he make it?
One of his trainers said "He's got to 223 still eating ice
cream. He hasn't even began to try and cut. He will make 205
no problem."
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
COFFEE
GUY EXCLUSIVE:
RIGGS MAY REPLACE PRANGLEY FOR UFC 52
By Coffee Guy
The
following exclusive report was sent to us by our Zuffa informant
called 'Coffee Guy':
The
word going around the office is that Trevor Prangley might get
yanked off the UFC 52 card, due to losing a fight in South Africa
last weekend.
Joe
Riggs is rumored to be his replacement.
Source: Fight Sport
|
IMPRESSIVE
START FOR IGOR VOVCHANCHIN
With Pride 29: Fists of Fire having come and gone, the company
is preparing to launch the largest middleweight tournament in
major MMA history with their upcoming grand prix. While at this
time not an official entrant, the “Ukraine Freight Train”
Igor Vovchanchyn has made more than his case for entry in what
should be the year’s premier happening.
It’s
hard to believe that it’s only now after nearly 60 documented
fights that Vovchanchyn is making the move down to 205lbs. Having
had success for so long at heavyweight against much larger fighters,
the 5’9” (depending on who you ask) Ukrainian has faced
some of the biggest names in the sport and come out on top more
often than not. Yet after years of being one of the most consistent
and popular fighters in Pride, ultimate success has seemingly
eluded the grasp of Vovchanchyn. And so now he moves down in
weight to pursue the long overdue championship that he’s
come close to yet never quite achieving.
Few
in the sport will argue that Igor is one of the hardest hitting
fighters in the business. He’s knocked out or submitted
nearly all his opponents from strikes and boasts one of the best
finish percentages in MMA. His willingness to stand and trade
with the biggest fighters in the sport is part of the reason
why he’s so popular, and yet it may also have been his biggest
hindrance to a stellar career.
For
Igor, size has been much like a double-edged sword. It’s
helped him maintain something of a David over Goliath type aura
in his victories over bigger fighters who normally towered above
him in the ring. It’s also cost him when he’s been
overpowered and out-leveraged by opponents who were fighting
in a division where their body mass was more appropriate to their
height than Vovchanchyn’s.
Case
in point have been losses to Mark Coleman, Heath Herring, and
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic. In each case Vovchanchyn
was facing a naturally larger opponent carrying weight more akin
to their frame. He was unable to get within range to do the kind
of damage he has normally done against fighters closer to the
middleweight class than the unlimited heavyweight class in Pride.
And while he fought without valiantly and without pause each
time, his size could not overcome the naturally larger opposition.
So
after an injury sidelined Igor after he qualified for 2004’s
Heavyweight Grand Prix against ironically much larger Dan Bobish,
Vovchanchyn decided to change things up a bit and take a 9 month
layoff from the sport. When he returned, a svelter, streamlined
Igor appeared and is looking like the Vovchanchyn that was once
regarded as the best striker in the heavyweight division.
Against
Naoya Ogawa disciple Shamoji Fujiii at Bushido 5 the new 205lb
Vovchanchyn made his debut in spectacular fashion. Before the
weight loss Vovchanchyn had always possessed quick hands and
decent mobility, but against Fujiii, Igor looked sharper than
ever, moving less lumberingly as he had in the past. No longer
possessing a stocky thick frame, his new body being more appropriately
sized to his height allowed him to move quickly, flowing more
naturally in his footwork. It only took four minutes before Igor
was in position after a crushing kick to Fujiii’s chest
that he was on top of him raining punches down finishing the
fight in oldschool Igor style.
Then
at this past Fists of Fire, Vovchanchyn returned to the big show
against an overmatched Yoshiki Takahashi and made quick work
of the former Heavyweight King of Pancrase. After a lot of posturing
by Takahashi, Vovchanchyn quickly asserted himself, aggressively
maneuvering Takahashi to the ropes where he would not be able
to avoid the always fast stone hands of Igor and one right hand
was all it took to put Yoshiki on the mat. Again Vovchanchyn
proved that he is still a force to be reckoned with in Pride.
Now
with just under two months until Total Elimination 2005, Vovchanchyn
appears to be one of the wildcards going into the tournament.
Depending on the match-ups that are chosen for the first round
we could easily see Igor in a sleeper type match early in the
show as much of the attention could be placed firmly on the matches
of such fighters Wanderlei Silva, Kazushi Sakuraba possibly returning
Vitor Belfort. Make no mistake about it though, while the main
spotlight may not be on him now, Igor Vovchanchyn is a fighter
who deserves it and will make a definite impact in the middleweight
division and the Middleweight GP if given the chance. And then
perhaps could the glory and titles finally fall the way of one
the most likable, entertaining, and deserving fighters in the
history of Pride.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Darrel
Gohlar is back to Brazil!
After four months out of Brazil, since he had a serious health
problem, the american wrestler has already returning to train
Brazilians fighters in Rio de Janeiro. "I am 100% now, ready
to go ahead with a normal life", stated. Darrel can be found
at Chamapions Factory Team, at Copacabana Beach, and at Royler´s
Gracie Gym, in Tijuca (RJ).
Darrel
Gohlar moved to Brazil in 2001, when he was contacted to ride
wrestling trainning at Brazilian Top Team. After that he teached
some months in Wallid´s Brazil Dojo and finally returned
to USA on last August.
Source:
Tatame
|
Final
Thoughts from PRIDE 29
by Masa Fukui
TOKYO, Feb. 24 –If you get to come to backstage at a PRIDE
event, there is so much information you can get that you’d
never see on a pay-per-view. So I’ll share some of that
info with you and add a few of my thoughts, as usual.
Let’s
start off with Sherdog.net forum regular Tom Erikson against
wonder man, Fabricio Werdum. In this fight, most Japanese fans
focused on newcomer Werdum because Mirko "Cro Cop"
Filipovic mentioned his name whenever he had a chance; also Fabricio’s
entry for PRDIE 29 was announced pretty early. So a lot of people
must have a good image of this young man.
He
is a jiu-jitsu world champion and trains with Cro Cop, who has
been proving himself is the best striker in MMA. (Sounds like
Fabricio is in the perfect environment for MMA training. Well,
the fight ended perfect for him, too, finishing Erikson in the
first round.)
If
my memory is correct, I met Werdum at the world famous Beverly
Hills Jiu-Jitsu Club, and my good friend female fighter Mayra
Conde told me the Brazilian went to Abu Dhabi as Mark Kerr’s
partner. Then, because Ricco Rodriguez didn’t join the tournament,
Werdum replaced Ricco and amazingly advanced to the final.
This
guy is a natural.
But
let’s look at the other corner. This man Erikson had an
offer to fight just 12 days before the scheduled date. Twelve
days notice, fellas! And fighting against the guy who’s
already got on the top of the world in jiu-jitsu competition.
So
Erikson hasn’t fought in PRIDE or any MMA competition for
three years. And he took this 12-day notice fight. Should he
have passed on this offer? What would you have done if you were
a wrestling coach at Purdue University?
He’s
been looking to fight in a big organization for a long time and
he finally he got this offer from PRIDE. What would you do if
you were him? Would you take this offer? To be honest, I’d
take this offer if I were him. And either win or lose, I will
appeal for next fight in any PRIDE show. And that’s what
happened on him. I think it’s very smart move by Erikson.
For him to take this offer is very professional.
No
sarcasm is involved in my words at all. As a professional fighter,
to be exposed in the media is very important. If you want to
fight, you should come out in front of the media and say what
you want.
This
time, in the post-fight interview, Erikson appealed for another
fight in PRIDE. Yes, he has a right to say that because he paid
for it by his blood and braveness. He took this offer, which
is setting him up against some kinda world champion in 12-days
notice. Boy, you need a pair of hardcore cajones to take this
offer.
In
the fight, anything can be happen. How many times have we seen
a fighter break his nose or get a serious injury? Let’s
say Werdum is a grappler who may not have real good strikes.
But, still, he can be knocked out (Travis Lutter put The Beastman
into sleep). And this concussion can give you some serious brain
damage. Or at least you’ll be suffered by anxiety headache.
While
Quinton Jackson was complaining about fighting on short notice
(more than twice as much as Erikson had) he took this offer.
In addition, I agree with Quinton. One month is still very short
if fighters wish to perform their best in the ring or octagon,
especially in MMA. Let’s talk about this short notice issue
another time.
Hopefully,
somebody is listening to what Erikson said after the fight and
he’ll get another shot in PRIDE. I don’t have any problem
with that. I’d like to see how much he could improve his
skill from here, when he has plenty time to prepare for the fight.
This
sports evolves very quickly. The latest fight style can be old
fashion in six months, so I hope he can adjust his style to the
all the "new schoolers" with cooperation from his friend
Gary “Big Daddy” Goodridge or his student Jon Fitch.
Otherwise, his wrestling background can work only for brown hair
Alice Cooper—I mean curly hair Silva. Good luck big man!
Let
me see, my notes that I took at the Saitama Super Arena say,
“Brazil is in carnival season. … And Kazu Nakamura
is pissed.” Sorry it must be written by somebody else. I
don’t remember. But let’s talk about this Japanese
gentleman Nakamura.
He’s
the only Japanese guy who won in PRIDE 29. It’s kinda sad.
We host the show, but we had only one winner. (Oops, my bad.
Mr. Tamura won the fight too.) Anyway, Kazu Nakamura focused
well even though his opponent was changed right before the fight
from Ryan Gracie to Stephen Leko. These two are very different
fighters.
“I
heard that my opponent is changed to Leko on Thursday last week.”
Nakamura said after the fight. “When I heard that I can’t
fight Ryan, I couldn’t train all day on that day because
I was very disappointed.”
Since
his opponent was changed, he faced other pressure. Leko has been
finished in every single fight. Then what kind of pressure could
he have? How about how he beats Leko? That’s how people
evaluate Nakamura. And he told us so in the interview. But the
fight went how he wanted.
He
was saying in an interview before the fight he wants to beat
his opponent until he cries. Well, Leko didn’t cry in the
ring. He may be crying in his heart, but, well, I’m not
gonna talk about Leko anymore. I already wrote about that. And
Kazu won with ease.
Anyhow,
you know what? Nakamura should have gone after Ryan really bad
on New Years Eve. He should have put a fire in Ryan’s heart,
like Josh Koscheck and Bobby Southworth pushed Chris Leben to
the edge (without saying “fatherless bastard”).
After
the fight against Leko, Kazu actually spoke on the mic 10 times
better than what he did to Ryan’s face. “If there’s
somebody who knows Ryan, tell him not to run away from me,”
he said. “I’ll be the main, most featured fighter in
up coming middleweight tournament. So, please remember my name.
Just Kazu is good. And thank you for your support.”
It
was short but at least he said “DON’T RUN AWAY FROM
ME” to Ryan this time. That’s a progress. I think just
those five words may make it done deal of Kazu-Ryan. Hopefully
it happens.
In
the post-fight interview, there was a question: “Would you
fight Yoshida if you have to fight him in the tournament.”
And this young soldier answered the question right away. “Yes,
I don’t have any second thought for fighting against my
sensei,” he said.
Wow,
interesting. Hey, anyone reading this column, can you try to
knockout your instructor? Some maybe really want to do that,
but that’s just not me.
Next
Choi. I wasn’t a fan of this guy but after this PRIDE, I
became his fan. He made me one. I am not a fan of his strength,
but I like his character is good. Every time he come up to the
show, he puts smiles on people’s face.
Didn’t
he even make the Russian killer laugh? Sergei Kharitonov never
changes his face. It’s like he wears a mask. The only time
I see his face is changed is when he speaks. He open his mouth
when he talks. Did you laugh? I’ve never seen such a stare
up and down from right from left.
This
is just my Idea, but I think he finally got enough attention
from the Japanese audience, which is big enough to bring him
back in this ring. Yeah, he’s not the main dish of dinner
yet, but he’s definitely became something you kinda want
on the table, like salt and pepper, or more like soup or salad.
Now
Japan is in the middle of a big Korean boom. Lots of Korean culture
such as TV drama, movie, and music come to this island. Choi
caught a good wave to surf. I’m very happy for him. I’m
looking forward to see his next performance. Come on PRIDE usually
has about 10 fights a night. We can watch some real fight that
is tiny bit comical.
Two
UFCs ago, my mentor Mike Sloan had a little problem when he wrote
that Rich Franklin looks like a zombie when he cuts a lot of.
Hope I don’t get the same problem by saying that Igor Vovchanchyn
looks like zombie. (OK, “zombie” is too strong. But
among Japanese anime characters he definitely belongs to dark
side.)
Man,
Igor looks so different. But even if he lost lots of weight from
his belly or face, he still kept his devastating power on his
punches. He knocked out this tough guy, former Pancrase heavyweight
champion Yoshihiro Takahashi.
Takahashi
spit out how he felt after getting knocked out. “I’ve
never been knocked out by a single punch until today,” he
said after the fight. “I’m still dizzy and have headache.”
“I
was very excited when I saw Igor is facing me in the ring because
that’s Igor Vovchanchyn looking at me to beat me up! That’s
very exciting,” he said.
Holy
Motown! I don’t want to face off against any of those guys.
I think, Igor’s effort to lose weight made his dream come
true. It’s not finished yet, but I think this flashy win
will bring him to the middleweight tournament. Hey boys, would
you like to see Igor vs. Tito or Igor against Wanderlei? Either
fight sounds awesome for me.
Igor
is a brawler with decent technique. I think all of you remember
that war against Enson Inoue against Igor in PRIDE1 0. It’s
a fight that people still talk about as such a tough war. Enson
started to brawl without worrying about anything. But If Igor
didn’t fire back that fight could be not exciting as it
really was.
To
have a legendary battle, there should be brave fighter against
brave fighter. And Igor definitely can be one of those brave
men. He’ll put on a great show in April.
On
a final note, we’d like to say a big thank you to Yoshinori
Ihara from Boutreview.com. He always helps us at the shows. Visit
Boutreview.com or Boutreviewusa.com. Cheers for Mr. Ihara
Peace
Source:
Sherdog
|
LEBEN
ARTICLE IN PORTLAND TRIBUNE
The following article appeared in this weekend's Portland Tribune....
By JASON VONDERSMITH
Portlander
Chris Leben came off as part sore loser, part problem child during
his six-week appearance on the SpikeTV reality series “The
Ultimate Fighter.”
Already
branded with a reputation as a drinker and troublemaker in the
series involving men competing for Ultimate Fighting Championship
contracts in Las Vegas, Leben ingloriously exited the show last
Monday.
Leben
had promised retribution and destruction in his match with fellow
middleweight Josh Koscheck, who disrespected Leben by spraying
water on him while he slept in the previous episode; this after
Koscheck’s buddy called Leben “a fatherless bastard.”
But
in the highly anticipated elimination match among the combat
sports set, Koscheck took Leben down and rode him for most of
the two rounds of their elimination fight, and judges awarded
Koscheck with the unanimous decision.
Rather
than congratulate the winner, Leben whined about Koscheck’s
wrestling tactic and the length of the bout being two rounds
instead of three. He vowed that he would get revenge eventually.
The last scene was of Leben sobbing, slumped over in the front
seat of an SUV headed out of town.
Oh,
what drama.
“I
don’t think he did enough to win the fight,” says Leben,
24, a teacher and competitor at Team Quest in Gresham. “If
you’re wrestling somebody, I don’t think you’re
fighting. It’s within the rules, but if you lay and pray,
take me down and hold me, you’re not doing any damage.”
On
the other hand, relying on wrestling technique in mixed martial
arts has made Leben’s mentor, Randy Couture — a trainer
in the show — the greatest UFC competitor ever. Leben had
to expect Koscheck, a four-time All-American wrestler at Edinboro
(Pa.) University, who went 42-0 in 2001, to try to strictly wrestle
him.
Leben,
a reputed street fighter who wrestled at Benson High, came out
way too tentatively.
“I
was waiting for (his) shot; knew he wanted to shoot,” Leben
says. “My strategy was to sprawl and brawl. I think I probably
gave him too much respect, as far as his wrestling skills go.
“If
I would have been more relaxed, I could have thrown my hands
better. I was pretty upset (with Koscheck). The thing about fighting
is it’s just like … basketball. You can’t get
nervous before the last shot, or be mad before the shot at the
buzzer. You need to be relaxed. I really wanted to knock his
jaw off.”
Was
Leben embarrassed by his post-fight display and other bad behavior?
“Nobody likes to lose. I wish I would have won, but I wasn’t
embarrassed,” he says. “I feel I did my job, he just
came out with the ‘W.’ ”
Besides,
Leben says, although he likes being the bad guy, the show’s
editors do a pretty creative job of building characters. His
behavior wasn’t as bad as edited footage made it appear.
“They can really skew things so that they can portray you
in any light,” he says, citing a few examples.
Leben returned to Portland more focused, he says. “I haven’t
been out drinking and partying as much.”
Says
Couture: “Chris Leben grew more as an individual than anybody
(on the show). He’s matured a whole bunch; he’s trying
to clean up his personal life and extracurricular activities.
Trying to take advantage of his opportunities. He’s been
one of my best instructors (since his return). … I see something
in him you can’t teach — a tenacious desire. I’d
like to see it tempered with some common sense.”
Through
six episodes, Couture’s team has taken a beating in competitions
against Chuck Liddell’s team.
“There’s
no substitute for poor coaching,” Couture quips. “But
you have to keep in mind, it’s a reality show, and there’s
a lot of twists and turns.”
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
John
Hackleman Jr. vs Rusty Giminski Rematch
John Hackleman Sr. & The Most Handsome Man In The World,
aka Chris Onzuka...and most modest...
On the 9th of April we will be hosting our kick-boxing smoker
at the Gracie Sports Center. One of the most anticipated matches
will be John Hackleman Jr. vs Rusty Giminski. The two had recently
fought in Sacramento where Rusty won by split decision. John
Hackleman Sr. has asked for a rematch and Rusty's coach, Wade
Vierra, has agreed to the fight. We will also see many of our
top fighters competing against some of the area's best kick-boxing
practitioners.
Source:
Gracie Fighter
|
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