Upcoming
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2006
November
Aloha State Championship of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
August
Hawaiian Open of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
8/26-27/06
International Masters & Seniors Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/22-30/06
CBJF World Championships
Mundials
(BJJ)
(Tijuca Tenis Clube,
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/20-24/06
CBJJO World Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
5/6-21/06
Brazilian Nationals
(BJJ)
(Brazil)
4/7-9/06
Pan American &
USA vs. Brazil Team
BJJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Los Angeles, CA)
4/7/06
Rumble On The Rock
9
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/1/06
Punishment In Paradise 11
(Kickboxing)
(tba)
3/26/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
3/25/06
Garden Island Cage
Match #3
(MMA)
(Kapaa H.S. Gym, Kapaa, Kauai)
3/11/06
Hawaiian Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
Full Contact Showdown
(MMA)
(Kahuna's Sports Bar & Grill, Kaneohe Marine Corps Base)
3/4/06
Kickin It 2006
(Kickboxing)
(Venue TBA)
2/26/06
NAGA Hawaii State Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Honolulu)
*Cancelled
until Summer*
2/25/06
Icon Sport 44
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
2/4/06
Kick it Up
(Kickboxing)
(Pagoda Hotel Ballroom, Honolulu)
UFC 57:
Liddell vs. Couture 3
Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV
(PPV)
1/27/06
So You Think You Tough
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Kona Gym, Kona)
January
Grappler's Quest Hawaii
(Submission Grappling)
(TBA)
***Cancelled***
|
|
January 2006 News
Part 3
Wednesday
night and Sunday classes (w/ a kids' class) now offered!
 
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Quote
of the Day
"When
you follow your bliss... doors will open where you would not
have thought there would be doors; and where there wouldn't be
a door for anyone else."
Joseph Campbell, 1904-1987, American Folklorist and Mythology
Expert
|
New
Issue of Full Contact Fighter is Out!
Check out what's in the current issue of FCF ...
The
Year in Review: Eight events that shaped 2005.
International
Fight league - Is this the future of Mixed Martial Arts?
Pride
Shockwave 2005 draws a sea of fans to end the year right!
Full
Contact Fighter crowns the FCF Fighter of the Year for 2005.
MMA's
Popularity Soaring, Athletic Commissions Assess the Future.
North
Dakota to implement first-ever MMA-exclusive Athletic Commission.
Vitor
Ribeiro Interview - Shaolin's Path to Glory.
The
Great Elbow Debate: Elbow Strikes - Harbingers of premature stoppages
or inherent to the sport?
Rudimar
Fedrigo's 2006 Wish List - Chute Boxe honcho hopes for heavyweight
champion in New Year.
"Coach"
Shamrock - Ready for young talent at TUF 3.
Fields
K-1 Premium 2005 Dynamite!
Who
Will break Out in 2006? A look at feeder show champions at the
top of the list.
SportFighting
2: Night of the Underdog.
AFC
14: Middleweights outshine UFC vets.
Denis
Kang: Perserverant Canadian finds fame in South Korea.
Silent
Warrior - Deaf warrior Matt Hamill pins hopes on TUF 3 selection.
5th
Annual Cyclone - Brazilian National Submission Championship.
The
Mental Edge: Veteran fighter Tim Lajcik joins FCF as a guest
columnist for a series of articles that tackles the oft-untouched
cerebral side of fighting. This month: Sparring: Safety Vs. Realism.
Chris
Brennan BioFile.
Fight
fans pick their favorites for 2005 fighter of the year.
In
our monthly columns...
In
Matt Hume's techniques, Josh Barnett & Chris Leben demonstrate
a Reverse Power Half Nelson to Neck Lock.
Every
issue of Full Contact Fighter is jam-packed with fight news from
the U.S. to Brazil to Japan. FCF travels the globe to bring the
fights to you. Get yours today! Available at Tower Records stores
around the world or by subscription...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For
FASTEST service call in your credit card order
(516)676-0033
Or
Click
here to order securely online with your credit card
or print off the order form & mail it in with your payment
Source: FCF
|
Feb
1st Speeding Ticket Trap Day!
Not
sure if this is true or not, but it doesn't hurt to be safe.
On
February 1,
the city and county of Honolulu will launch a 30-day speeding
ticket frenzy. The city estimates that 9 million dollars will
be generated in speeding tickets. 1 million will go to pay police
overtime. There will be 50 police on duty at all times patrolling
the 9 main thoroughfares.
They
are the following:
H-3 both directions
H-2 both directions
H-1 both directions
Pali Hwy
Likelike Hwy
Nimitz Hwy
Kalanianaole Hwy
Kam Hwy
Farrington Hwy
Now
5 mph above the limit can justify a ticket and every officer
is supposed to pull a car over and write a ticket every 10 minutes.
They have issued 30 brand new unmarked cruisers and they are
bringing all their part timers on full time.
|
Kharitonov
vs. Overeem for February PRIDE
Russian heavyweight Sergei Kharitonov and Dutch 205-pound fighter
Alistair Overeem will meet in the ring Feb. 26, PRIDE announced
on its Web site Sunday.
At
13-1-0, Kharitonov's lone defeat came in August 2004 against
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, a heavyweight many consider second
only to PRIDE champion Fedor Emelianenko. In his last outing
in October, the Russian won an uninspired split decision over
Fabricio Werdum, causing some to question whether he was ready
to challenge for the title.
Meanwhile,
Overeem advanced to the semifinals of PRIDE's 2005 Middleweight
Grand Prix, losing to eventual champion Mauricio Rua. At 6' 5"
the Dutchman is an enormous fighter in his division, though few
have considered him much of a threat to move up in weight given
his streamlined frame.
This
bout joins a card already featuring "Shogun" Rua's
heavyweight debut versus Mark Coleman; Mark Hunt against boxer
Yosuke Nishijima; and, in a clash of veterans, Tsuyoshi Kohsaka
faces Mario Sperry.
Source: Sherdog
|
Rickson’s
way
Jiu-Jitsu icon accepts to be interviewed by three-time world
champion, replies to Wanderlei Silva, clears his criticism on
the level of MMA fighters and bets on his new tournament, which
creates a worldwide BJJ ranking and promises to valorize the
sport – and the athletes – in an unheard-of way
By three-time world champion Marcio Feitosa
My
first personal contact with Rickson happened when I was still
a purple-belt, back in 1994. I had the privilege of taking part
in one of those notorious training sessions where he would defeat
no less than ten people, most top black-belts of the time. I
was used as warming up: I tapped out in about one and a half
minute. Since I was a kid, hence, I’ve been A fan of Rickson’s.
In
the end of October, I was preparing to work as referee in the
brand new Budo Challenge here in California, when I got a call
and a proposition. The event was three days away and on the other
end of the line was Luca, GRACIE Magazine’s editor.
Then
he asked what he thought was a favor: “Could you please
interview Rickson, focusing on this news called Budo Challenge?”
At the time I could say no more than, “Are you kiddin’
me?” I was all excited with it. Of course I wouldn’t
let this chance slip by. As soon as I hung up, I knew I was in
possession of a rare opportunity: that of being, for a few hours,
in the presence of one of the greatest minds in Jiu-Jitsu.
To
my susprise, Rickson chose his own house as the place of the
interview, and, to my even greater surprise, showed the simplicity
that only the great masters possess. He treated me so well that
I never felt like a reporter at all, but instead like a family
member. He showed me the quiet neighbor where he’s been
living for the past ten years, told me priceless stories, we
discussed Jiu-Jitsu and had lunch together. As Luca pointed out,
my mission wound up occurring in the fashion of the big interviews
of magazines such as Playboy: in two days, we had more than six
hours of chat, many drafts and several tape rolls – except
I used a digital recorder.
The
interview took place on a big rug at the Gracies’, with
a great view of the Santa Monica sea for a witness. And there
I was, recorder on one hand, pen and paper on the other, and
zero experience, performing my very first interview with the
one and only Rickson Gracie, one of Jiu-Jitsu’s greatest
living legends. So many scenes of historical fights were running
trough my mind! I wanted to ask so much! If I went on asking,
and if Rickson didn’t have to pack for a trip to Japan,
it would be possible to give readers at least a thousand interviews.
The
result is here for the reader to evaluate it. In my opinion it
turned out really cool, and I even think there was no way it
could be otherwise, for everything Rickson says is pervaded with
content, roots and philosophy. That interview was above all a
great lesson of Jiu-Jitsu and life. And it reminded me of the
second time I met Rickson: it was in the first Jiu-Jitsu Pan-American,
where he showed up and made the championship stop. All the kids
ran to take pictures with their idol, and there I was in the
middle. To this day I keep my picture, very similar to the one
above.
What motivated you into challenging yourself and organizing something
entirely new like Budo Challenge?
First I would like to thank you for this visit. It’s a pleasure
to speak through you to all the readers of Gracie Mag about this
event that fills me with joy. This is a moment I could call historical
to all of us martial arts lovers. The challenge is to retrieve
the feeling that a martial art, whatever its form, can always
be beneficial to the human being, in a complete way. The challenge
is to create an event that can take the sport to another level
of valorization. All who love martial arts will doubtlessly enjoy
Budo Challenge.
Was
there any particular reason for the tournament to take place
in 2005?
This isn’t something that came from scrap and began today;
it’s rather a movement that’s been in my mind for a
long time. I’ve been pondering on the need to bring back
the benefits of martial arts. A martial art is something you
have to learn very young to practise, become an efficient person,
learn to use strategy, technique, the condition of being able
to breathe and maintain a certain balance. This whole philosophy
of the martial art that makes a warrior incorporate a potential
is nowadays mellowing with the current MMA standpoint. When we
began to build MMA it was simply with the idea of promoting the
clash among styles. We believed in Jiu-Jitsu and thought it could
do well against boxing, karate, capoeira, judo and any other
style. With the evolution of MMA, everybody trains a bit of everything,
which puts an end to the clash of styles; it’s rather a
clash of individuals who are each time more explosive, stronger,
with a time limit that’s each time shorter. All that ensues
the challenge between individuals, instead of technique against
technique. This makes martial arts philosophy get somewhat lost.
What
kind of results do you expect to reach with this event?
The concept of is that of bringing professionalism into the sport
with the gi on. Its goal is to valorize and dignify the lives
of the professionals who love the sport. I think we don’t
need to go elsewhere to become respected professionals, maintain
our families. Teaching class, which has evidently always been
a noble profession, isn’t every super-athlete’s choice
of how to make a living. And if many athletes attain their independence
by playing tennis, football, basketball or any other sport, how
come we can’t get there by fighting with the gi? That’s
what Budo Challenge is all about. MMA has in a way started to
professionalize athletes, but it’s become too much of a
show, too aggressive, violent, and distanced itself from the
values I deem necessary and that are out there to inform and
make our communities better.
And
what about the new rules? What did you have in mind when you
sat down to formulate them?
I wanted in the first place to create a competition where all
sorts of grapplers could face one another; gather, in one event,
Jiu-Jitsu, sambo, wrestling… Budo Challenge is a new sport!
I think in the future there will great technical exchange going
on among those athletes, because they will have to study a bit
of everything in order to perfect themselves and become Budo
champions. And that will be good for the gi-sports. The creation
of the rules was a lot easier than I had imagined. I took away
all that stalls the fights, like advantages or too many points
for attaining a certain position. Submission attempts are worth
a lot more than achieving positions. Submissions are considered
not only at the time of the fight, but also in the overall calculation,
which generates the yearly ranking. In my opinion, the beauty
of the gi-sport is in the submission, in the vast variety of
technical possibilities. With the gi on you have a lot more possibilities
of submitting, sweeping, taking down, controlling your foe…
Because you have a lot more grip options. Thus I reached my goal:
fights had much moving going on and technique came out –
you only have to see that the percentage of submissions was very
high. Most fights ended in that fashion. This technical advantage
gi has over no-gi was something that made me choose a gi-on competition
right away.
And
how will this yearly ranking be made?
There will be a great worldwide circuit like in many sports,
like surfing or volleyball. My goal is to hold rounds around
the globe, where the points are counted and rise according to
the aggressiveness of the athlete’s performance. For example:
winning a fight for disqualification or points will grant the
athlete half the points he would make if he submitted the opponent,
say 100 against 200. Which in the overall count of the circuit
might make a big difference in deciding who is to be world champion.
Submission must, thus, be valorized! When you train in the academy,
to test yourself, the preoccupation of winning by two points,
for an advantage or by achieving a position – that preoccupation
isn’t present, your training doesn’t stop there. That
is simply a transition from one position to another and so on,
until you get to your real goal – submission. The technically
better fighter is the one who forces the other one to tap out.
That is something that comes from the very roots of Jiu-Jitsu.
How
many athletes will this ranking feature?
In this first edition the divisions featured four fighters per
weight class. After the success of the first event we are expanding
our ideas, and we are raising that number as well as the amount
of weight classes. Another important point: In Budo Challenge
all competitors get a money prize. From the guy who lost in round
one to the champion. It’s the valorization of our profession,
and that’s something I’m not willing to give up. There
is also the possibility of crating a women’s category, which
is another important part of the sport and has been gaining a
lot of room. The technical level of women is constantly evolving.
You
don’t like entering the ring wearing a gi, after all you
feel MMA is not a gi-on sport. Were you ever against Royce’s
fighting with the gi at the UFC?
That’s a personal question. I really like my gi-less performance,
after all, based on what I believe in, even if I have less technical
options, the technical options that can be developed without
the gi are also good. Proof of this is that the ADCC champions,
who are really good fighters, come mostly from gi-on arts. On
the other hand, fighting with the gi you can have a little more
grip in order to act on your opponent’s mistakes. But it’s
a personal choice more than anything else.
Concerning
mixed martial arts, after an interview a few readers thought
you criticized the technical level of today’s fighters,
that in your opinion that level was sinking. How do you compare
today’s athletes with the ones of yours?
I don’t think the level of the athletes is sinking. I see
the time of the fights being diminished, that the athletic part
of athletes is more and more involved with hard training, sometimes
even steroids. So people become super-men, super-strong, super-aggressive,
super-explosive, and all that energy added to the low time limit
reduces the need of showing technique. You have to be a bull,
to get in there and win with your horns, not with your mind.
So this natural development of the sport makes technique be left
aside a little bit. This makes fighters level themselves down,
because the sport no longer demands them to pay attention to
detail. If you take off the gi and go into a five minute bout
where you can use all your strength at once, nonstop… Why
even bother about detail, technical carefulness? What you need
are muscles! Besides, all styles got mixed up, there is no more
style versus style, the athlete has a basic notion of how to
defend because, in general, defending is a lot easier than attacking,
so all you have to do is explode and resist for five minutes.
So most fight finales nowadays end up being sudden knockouts.
You don’t see as often a technique, a triangle, a back-taking.
It all becomes sort of void of technique.
In
your bouts we never saw you make a mistake, being knocked down.
And what about in trainings? Have you ever been KO’d or
something like it?
No. Because in fighting or training I endeavor not to confront
my opponent and give him the opportunities to checkmate me, that
is, the submission or the right distance for a trauma. So, even
though I train loosely, I try not to let opportunities appear
– which is but a technical notion. It’s not a question
of fighting fiercely every time you train. You must be aware
of the distance and remain in a zone comfortable for you.
So,
in your opinion, in order to become a great m.m.a. champion a
fighter doesn’t really need violent training?
I think not. At first look, I don’t see any great m.m.a
fighter who doesn’t have a good knowledge of ground game.
I think that is the main condition. But if you have good ground
game and still aren’t able to enter a striker’s guard
then you’re lost anyway, because these days those guys are
throwing punches very efficiently. Standing, you must know how
to neutralize your foe. I don’t need to beat him standing,
to punch him. You must know the rough way towards neutralizing
a striker and bringing down to the ground. So it’s about
the whole combination: knowing how to break your opponent’s
fortress, bring him into your own in a way he can’t defend,
and then settle the business.
You
say you don’t see any m.m.a. champion who doesn’t know
their ground game. Wanderlei Silva is a great champion at Pride.
Do you think he is a great ground fighter?
I think he fulfils his needs. He must know how to defend on the
ground, not to let the win slip, and then defeat everyone standing
– which he does very often. He is very strong standing,
he’s got a heavy hand, he is very brave and survives on
the ground, because there is no one slick enough to make him
give down on the canvas. And even good Jiu-Jitsu practitioners
aren’t able to take him down.
How
did you face his challenge, for the Pride belt?
I see that, for his being valiant and having attained and outstanding
position, he has the need of always being ready to fight. It
is no news to me that he is ready to challenge me, or that he
is ready to face anyone else. The things any champions says are
intended to defend them or show their intention of fighting whomever
they deem a profitable opponent. In reality I don’t think
Wanderlei is in a position to think he is the best. To me, regardless
of my adversary, I would only like to have a good promotion and
take part in a good event. I’m just hanging out and waiting
to see what comes along.
You’ve
said you deem the zenith of your life to be defending your values
in a ring. Would you be disappointed to end your career without
one last fight?
I see the possibility of me fighting still exists, though it’s
not certain, and I still believe one more bout would be the finale
I would like to give my career. Although I know I’ve got
nothing to prove, I feel there’s something amiss. But on
the other hand, if God doesn’t give me this opportunity,
I feel I should keep my life attached to martial arts with interesting
things such as Budo Challenge and other projects yet to come.
What
was your toughest bout? Was it the first one against Zulu?
Yes, it was the toughest because I was fighting not only my opponent,
but my own limits as well. I thought I had no condition of winning,
I doubted my own skills. But dad and my brother Rolls came up
to me and told me: “Go up there, because now it’s the
closing.” And it truly was! So it was the most difficult
fight in my life, for I was facing my own doubt. Ever since,
I lost that indecision, which made all the difference. Remembering
the combat, right in the beginning he came onto my legs and I
was fortunate to land a knee-strike right on his mouth. In my
naïvety at the time, I thought I had won the fight right
then. But he simply shook his head and came onto me again. I
was very impressed, he had just lost a tooth… We resumed
from there and it was a fight where I used up all my physical
and technical potential.
This
fight with Zulu happened back in 1980 and you already had the
knee-strike amongst your resources. How was your training for
becoming a complete fighter?
My training, especially concerning traumatism, has always focused
on self-defense. That is, the ability of capitalizing upon the
room the opponent gives you, by using traumatism, head-strikes,
knee-strikes and elbow-strikes in order to defend and attain
space. And that comes from everyday self-defense training. It
wasn’t something I did to practice standup striking. I would
practice self-defense where the guy would attack and I, with
a good base, would create opportunities to use my moves: a knee-strike,
an elbow-strike, a knee-strike… But always focusing on self-defense.
So,
using you as an example we might say that all that’s necessary
in m.m.a. or a self-defense situation on the street is already
in the Jiu-Jitsu program?
Definitely. In terms of efficiency BJJ is the art that focuses
the most on self-defense. So much that nowadays there isn’t
an m.m.a. fighter who doesn’t know the basics of that art,
who doesn’t at least know how to survive on the ground.
Even if they are a striking specialist.
Therefore,
you never had to go to muay thai academy, or a wrestling academy?
The fundamentals of self-defense present in Jiu-Jitsu give you
a clear notion of how to deal with your foe’s specialty.
I’m no great boxer, but I have deep knowledge of how to
clinch, how to avoid the right distance for punches. I’m
no great kicker either, but I know what a guy needs to kick me.
Strikers must have a certain gentlemen’s agreement to stay
in that distance, for otherwise the referee stops the bout. That’s
evident, so my specialty is precisely not to give a striker whatever
it is they need in order to strike me.
You
mentioned Rolls’ name, and where I was raised he is a hero.
How did he influence your career?
Rolls was a support, a foundation to my Jiu-Jitsu. He always
supported me in training, taught me all he could and motivated
me into competing. He was always an example of commitment with
Jiu-Jitsu, with the codes of honor and discipline that every
warrior must possess. He was my elder brother. And he left us
a little too soon, but for all the respect I have for him, regardless
of technique and training, he will always stand above me on the
podium.
Who
would you point out as the greatest influences in the fighter
you’ve become?
My father and my brothers Rolls and Rorion. On the level of technical
and philosophical influence these three stand out. Many more
have taken part in my growth – training mates, relatives,
friends… I thank them a lot too, but that is a much larger
package… There were trainings at home, in the garage, the
academy; cousins, uncles… It was an entire life breathing
Jiu-Jitsu. But those three were the greatest influences.
Kron
is certainly a great promise. How complicated is it to teach
a son?
Of course it is complicated, because I can’t let my expectations
alter his reality, stop him from living his own life. Kron is
a person starting to experience the fact of bearing the Jiu-Jitsu
banner, something he has to adapt to, and if it’s God’s
wish that will be something he will deal with very naturally.
I think my role in all of it is to support him in every way.
But never pressure him into thinking he must have good results
to please me: he must be glad in pleasing himself and trying
his best.
Ever
since you were very little, you’ve always demonstrated much
content of ideas and philosophy in your interviews. If you were
to point out the biggest defect of Jiu-Jitsu instructors around,
would you pick the technical traits or the need of and ideology
and a philosophy behind the lessons?
Man, I’ve always seen martial arts as a complex thing, which
doesn’t only teach you how to hit the other person. Thus,
the martial artist’s life is to serve! It is to help, to
be a person who participates in the community. The martial artist
must be a positive person – not someone who stimulates war
or confrontation. A person who, through that power, benefits
the whole society. So I see my functions as a fighter and a teacher
have always been alike, and in truth people sometimes distort
the image of Jiu-Jitsu or of martial arts by thinking that the
knockout or the win are the only goals. Once you learn how to
view the martial art as a whole, you learn how to handle defeat,
how to forgive your foe, how to be patient and balanced, how
to apologize as sincerely as you struggle. These are things you
learn in the academy and take to your life. You must also learn
that the weakest person in the academy is the one who needs the
most help, for that is the student who’ll be the most gratifying
to teach. Sometimes, in the midst of all this information, teachers
forget a lot and restrict themselves to teaching the guy to win
tournaments and being tough.
And
you did take that philosophy into the rings. I’ve seen you
state, before fights, that you didn’t want to beat the hell
out of anyone. I remember seeing positions where you could hit
a totally unprotected man but waited for the submission. Is there
still room for that kind of fighter in today’s mixed martial
arts?
There is, of course. With a superior, clean victory, you show
you are a noble man. You are violent only when you need; when
you don’t, it’s utterly unnecessary. You don’t
need to kill a mosquito with a .45 shot. So, if you have to use
violence to create a space at a certain moment of the fight,
okay. Otherwise, you can be almost gentle: submit and get to
the very same goal.
Do
you think Jiu-Jitsu still has to prove anything else?
I think we have established a position of complete superiority,
in terms of styles, when compared to any other martial art on
the planet. Jiu-Jitsu has its roots in efficiency. The other
styles are great sports, like wrestling, boxing, judo, but the
rules take away the conception of self-defense that, in Jiu-Jitsu,
exists in a very basic way.
Today,
something rather mystical has been created around you. What do
you think of fans wanting to see you back in the rings, pretty
much demanding a return from you? Do you feel annoyed or disrespected
with anything?
No. I strive always, more than anything else, to thank God for
placing me in this position, and try consonantly to give back
– to society, to my family, my friends and my students.
I try to live every day without the expectation of having to
fight, having to win, of having the obligation of doing something.
I try to lead my everyday life with a lot of respect towards
everyone, and the constant will of helping people. When I have
a day where I feel I’ve done something good to people and
myself, that’s a happy day for me. And I’m always waiting
for the next one.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Quote
of the Day
"There
comes that mysterious meeting in life when someone acknowledges
who we are and what we can be, igniting the circuits of our highest
potential."
Rusty Berkus, Writer/Author
|
Dan
Severn On "Gracie vs. Hughes"
By Dan Severn
I was in Calgary Canada when a big announcement was made by the
UFC President Dana White. Royce Gracie would be coming back to
the Ultimate Fighting Championships to take on the current champion
Matt Hughes. Gracie received a huge round of applause, as well
as, Hughes. I was asked by a number of people what I thought
the outcome would be.
Seeing
Royce standing in the octagon next to Matt Hughes... I did my
own tale of the tape:
HUGHES:
Younger - stronger - quicker - has given up his back in a few
previous matches which would be a major mistake against Gracie
- better striker - good stamina - and an exceptional wrestler,
but not as a submission grappler.
GRACIE:
Taller - composed under fire - exceptional submission grappler
- limited stand up striker - good stamina - and has not been
in MMA competition in some time.
As
I see it, Gracie has to get Hughes to the ground to be effective
with his height advantage. By doing this, he will have more leverage.
That could prove to be difficult against Hughes' wrestling background.
Hughes will want to keep the match on the feet striking and kneeing
at every opportunity going to the ground in the final minute
of each round for his ground and pound routine. If this match
goes the distance, Gracie will receive a great deal of damage
from strikes.
I
hope I did not offend any Gracie fans (I am one as well), I'm
just calling it as I see these two great fighters matching up.
FLASH
TO THE PAST: As I trained for my first UFC event, I only had
five days to prepare. I used my amateur wrestling skills to the
max controlling my three opponents, but having a tough time finishing
on the ground. Over the years I have had the opportunity to train
with a number of great athlete's and we shared our knowledge,
techniques, and strategies.
A
few years back I finally started to lay it all out on paper and
start shooting some VHS video tapes (dating myself), now converted
over to DVD's. And now, I am shooting a new Instructional DVD
every three months. The evolution of a champion series will eventually
cover all areas of Mixed Martial Arts. I think, let me rephrase
that, I know you will recognize some of the techniques and others
you will be wondering how did Dan ever come up with that??? It's
so easy, why didn't I think of that? The best part is - you don't
have to be a big brute to make it work! During my Law Enforcement
Training, I take one of the smaller female police officers and
have her perform the effective maneuvers on one of the larger
male officers and 100% of the time, they are amazed at how effective
it is no matter the size of you or your opponent/offender.
You
can check the current series out at www.dansevern.com. If you
do happen to order the series, let me know your thoughts and
how it benefited you for your training. Hope your training goes
well whether it is for competition, knowledge, the alternative
workout, or for the big match with life and getting the most
out of it.
All
the best from the beast,
Dan Severn
*
ALSO AVAILABLE NOW - DANGER ZONE 32: CAGED CARNAGE ON DVD!!!
SEE THE FIGHTS FROM LAFAYETTE, INDIANA ON NOVEMBER 19TH. SPECIAL
FEATURES INCLUDE: MMA TRAINING & OVER 60 PHOTO'S FROM THE
EVENT. GO TO WWW.DANSEVERN.COM FOR MORE DETAILS.
Source:
Maxfighting
|
New
Pride worries Vitor and Coelho
Announced by the Dream Stage Entertainment - company that produces
the Pride - the Pride Open Weight worried some personalities
of the fight world. Vítor Shaolin (Nova União)
is worried about the physical condition of the light athletes.
"I think that it will work out. It won't be good for the
athlete's healthy. The light will always be wronged", said
Shaolin, considering the Pride initiative as a retrocession in
the MMA evolution.
-
The Pride don't need that. The organization has already a good
division but I understand that they want to create something
new to change the things. But I think that will not be good for
some light fighter - said him.
For
the Boxing trainer of great fighters as Murilo Bustamante and
Royce Gracie, Cláudio Coelho, the Pride Open weight may
be a slaughter. "The light athlete will be really hurt in
the ring...will fall down quickly", said the trainer, who
believes that even the special rules will help in the weight
difference: "I think that they must do special rules, but
will be complicated for the light athlete. I think that a match
like that is something like a slaughter", finished him.
Source: Tatame
|
CAN
FORREST BEAT TITO ORTIZ?
by Jeff Cain
2005 was probably the most important year for American Mixed
Martial Arts in its short history. It was very much a breakout
year for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). ‘The
Ultimate Fighter’ reality show propelled the sport of Mixed
Martial Arts (MMA) into the public spotlight and closer to mainstream
than ever before. New stars like Diego Sanchez, Chris Leben,
Josh Koscheck, Stephan Bonnar, Nate Quarry and Mike Swick were
born. Veterans like Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell became superstars,
but 2005 did more for Forrest Griffin than any other fighter
in the world.
Forrest
Griffin had retired from MMA and was working as a police officer
in Augusta, Georgia when he got the call to participate on ‘The
Ultimate Fighter’(TUF). Little did he know that call would
take his fighting career out of retirement and launch him into
MMA stardom.
Griffin
went on to become ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ when he defeated
Stephan Bonnar in the light-heavyweight final of the debut season.
At one point, 10 million viewers were tuned in to watch the slugfest
that was voted by fans as the MMAWeekly 2005 Fight of the Year.
Griffin recently spoke with MMAWeekly Radio about the fight of
the year honor and his upcoming match with ‘The Huntington
Beach Bad Boy,’ Tito Ortiz.
"That’s
pretty good. There were actually a lot of good fights this year
that I saw." Forrest Griffin said about his fight being
voted Fight of the Year. Asked, "What stands out in your
mind when you watch the fight with Bonnar?" Forrest answered,
"I don’t know. It’s just lucky for me that I can’t
block a punch. You know? That fight sort of made me."
The
bout was a bloody war that ended with both exhausted fighters
going toe-to-toe as the final bell rang. Questioned if he’s
in pain when watching it, Forrest replied, "Not physical
pain. I’m in pain like wow Forrest, how long have you been
boxing again? Seven years? It looks like you’ve been boxing
two weeks there. Get your damn hands up. Put your chin down.
What are you doing? It’s like what the hell is that guy
doing? Is that me? Am I really that bad?"
Forrest
Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar beat out a lot of great fights to
be the Fight of the Year. Commenting on some of his favorite
fights of 2005, Forrest said, "I liked that Shogun/Minotoro
fight. That was one of my favorites. I was surprised maybe some
of the shows shown on Spike like when Joe Stevenson fought Luke
Cummo. I was surprised that wasn’t up there. I liked that
one a lot."
Griffin
will face his toughest test thus far, in April, against the former
five-time defending UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion, Tito Ortiz.
Forrest’s thoughts on fighting Ortiz were, "It’s
a big fight. He’s obviously got everything I want. You know?
I kind of wouldn’t mind being him. He’s got that almost
celebrity status. He was champ for four years. He’s an awesome
athlete. That’s kind of what I want to be when I grow up.
I figure the best way to do that is beat him. Right?"
What
advantages does Griffin feel he has over Tito? He commented,
"He’s a better wrestler. He’s technically probably
a better striker. Our Jits is about the same. He’s got a
lot more experience. I can’t think of any off hand. I’ve
got a much better sense of humor, so I’ve got that going
for me."
Griffin
has said in post fight interviews that he wants to fight stand-up
fighters and not guys that are going to try to take it to the
ground. Tito Ortiz is a ground and pound specialist who, if history
tells us anything, will try to take the fight to the ground.
Asked
how he will defend against a fighter who is going to constantly
shoot single and double leg takedowns, Griffin replied, "I
really can’t come up with a better way than to just fight
a boring fight than to move around. Just don’t let him back
you into any corners. Don’t leave the center of that ring
for anything. Just keep moving. Throw two or three punches, move.
Move, move, move. Don’t throw a whole lot of kicks. Just
keep moving. If you can figure out a better way, I’ll try
it."
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Pequeno
challenges Kid Yamamoto
After six months away from training due to a serious knee injury,
Shooto champion (under 65kg) Alexandre Franca Nogueira 'Pequeno'
wants to return to the Japanese ring to fight current K-1 Middleweight
champion, Kid Yamamoto. 'I signed a contract for 3 fights with
K-1 and I have just fought once against Tokoro, one week after
I seriously hurt my knee. Now I want to face the champion of
the tournament, Kid Yamamoto', challenged the king of the guillotine.
After the unexpected loss to Tokoro in the first phase of K-1
Middleweight tournament last July, Nogueira stopped training
and just returned to the mats in January.
"I
was getting crazy, I never stayed so long without training. My
knee broke and it was seriously hurting, but I put off surgery
until the last minute. Now I'm training again", revealed
Nogueira who is training 3 times a day dreaming about a possible
fight against Yamamoto. "He is very tough standing up and
proved that by knocking out Royler Gracie and Genki Sudo and
winning the tournament, but with me he will have to show his
ground skills. He already declined to fight me for the Shooto
belt. I hope He accepts my invitation now", challenged Nogueira.
Asked
about when He must defend his Shooto belt, Alexandre guaranteed
that he is ready for Shooto's request. 'They gave me 3 dates
and I chose May, because Now I'm weighing 72kg and that's a good
weight to face Kid in K-1, after that I will lose 7kg to probably
face Rumina Sato for Shooto belt', revealed Nogueira.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
"It's
beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures
your heart."
Source Unknown
|
Bill
would end 'ultimate fights'
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
Events such as “Rumble on the Rock” would become illegal
if a new House bill becomes law.
Extreme-combat bouts such as "Rumble on the Rock" and
other popular mixed-martial-arts events in Hawai'i are facing
potential knockout legislation from state Rep. Tommy Waters.
Waters,
D-51st (Waimanalo, Lanikai), has introduced a House bill calling
for a ban on all forms of extreme combat.
He
said he wrote the bill after attending neighborhood board meetings
in Waimanalo where parents told him their children were staging
"ultimate fights" after school and getting hurt. In
the language of the bill, Waters says extreme combat promotes
an environment that is "instilling violence in the mindset
of a youth."
"These
kids are looking up to these ultimate fighters and they're telling
each other, 'Let's go meet in the ring and fight,'" he said
Wednesday. "We should talk about (banning it), get both
sides."
His
proposal, however, may encounter opposition.
The
proposal would restore a ban that was in place before May 2005,
when Gov. Linda Lingle signed into law a Senate bill that provides
an exemption for promoters staging these fights, allowing them
if a set of standards is followed.
Some
lawmakers see the mixed-martial-arts events as pure sport and
note the revenue the state gets from facilities rentals and other
sales.
Rep.
Jerry Chang, D-2nd (Hilo), said he introduced a bill that aims
to expand the powers of the state boxing commission so it can
regulate and oversee the extreme-combat industry. He said he
recognizes the need to legitimize the sport.
"It
creates revenue and it's another sport," he said yesterday.
"It's all over the world and it's very popular, especially
in Japan. I just went to this last one ("Rumble on the Rock"
at the Blaisdell) and it was a packed house. Unbelievable."
Icon
Sport, previously known as Superbrawl, has staged events in Hawai'i
and all over the Mainland since 1996. The promoter, T. Jay Thompson,
said he has promoted hundreds of fights with none resulting in
serious injury or death. He said he would put his sport's safety
record up against that of high school football programs.
For
years, he and co-promoter Patrick Freitas have lobbied for increased
regulation and oversight for the sport, he said. Both see it
as the path to legitimacy.
"I
have worked for more than 10 years to put our sport in a positive
light and I find this bill to certainly be unneeded," he
said. "(The bill) portrays what we do inaccurately, and
I would say it doesn't portray what we do. We fit within the
current law, we are a martial-arts contest, we have been, and
continue to be. We've been regulated by the (state) since last
year and self-regulated before that."
Chris
Onzuka,
who along with his fraternal twin, Michael, runs Onzuka.com, a mixed-martial-arts
fans and news Web site, said some of the language in Waters'
bill referring to the number of deaths associated with the sport
is inaccurate. He echoed Thompson's feeling that the sports needs
regulation and knowledgeable management if it is to be considered
legitimate.
"We
want to make sure this thing is done the right way," said
Onzuka, who owns and operates a Brazilian jiu jitsu academy.
"The biggest thing we're worried about is that people who
don't understand the sport will run it."
Before
the exemption became law last year, mixed-martial-arts contests
and other forms of extreme combat were technically illegal, but
promoters squeezed bouts through loopholes in the law for more
than a decade. Under the law the governor signed in May, promoters
can get an exemption if they:
Supply
a referee and a licensed ringside physician;
Guarantee
safety for the fighters; and
Pay
a $500 fee to hold the contests.
Tickets
to fights range from $30 to $350, and some events have drawn
more than 7,000 people.
Extreme-combat
bouts are monitored by investigators with the Regulated Industries
Complaints Office, and any violation of the exemptions in the
law subjects the promoter to the possibility of a $10,000 fine
per offense.
In
2005, the first year complaints office sent investigators to
every for-profit extreme-combat bout in the state, the office
opened 29 investigations stemming from 29 fights.
Some
of the investigations are pending criminal prosecution or other
legal action, said Jo Ann Uchida, complaints and enforcement
officer for RICO, the enforcement arm of the state Department
of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. Statistics for the amount of
fines and facilities fees collected from extreme-combat promoters
for the past 10 years were unavailable.
"They
(extreme-combat fights) are legal (only) if they obtain an exemption
from us, they submit the request in a timely manner, and they
pay the ($500) fee," she said. "As an enforcement officer,
you're always interested in stronger and stronger laws, but whether
that happens this session remains to be seen. This particular
sport is such that the regulation is a work in progress."
Before
the law enacted last year, Uchida's office had difficulty regulating
the fights, because officers could attend only the ones they
knew about, she said. Further complicating matters was a clause
in the old law that forced complaints office investigators to
prove the bouts constituted an "unreasonably high risk of
bodily injury or death." Gathering enough evidence to prove
that precedent almost means someone has to die first, Uchida
said, so rather than waiting for tragedy, the state moved last
May to add the exemptions and remove the clause.
Uchida
says the law passed last year frees complaints office investigators
to be more thorough in their enforcement and provides for better
oversight.
Icon
Sport's Thompson said that although his fighters are profiled
on mixed-martial-arts Web sites and television shows, and in
news magazines, his fights are based on the ancient martial art
of "pankration," placing him within the parameters
of state law because pankration is a martial art.
Pankration,
according to the World Pankration Federation's Web site, is "designed
to encompass all aspects of personal combat ... and offers athletes
the opportunity to use the techniques of their disciplines in
competition with athletes of other sport combat disciplines,
and facilitates the enhancement of martial skills through exposure
to and cross training in the variety of disciplines represented."
Pankration
was introduced in 648 B.C. during the 33rd Olympiad, according
to the federation's Web site.
Reach
Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Source: Honolulu Advertiser
|
UFC
ANNOUNCES CALIFORNIA DEBUT
UFC ANNOUNCES CALIFORNIA DEBUT WITH UFC 59: REALITY CHECK FEATURING
“THE HUNTINGTON BEACH BAD BOY” TITO ORTIZ vs. FORREST
GRIFFIN
LIVE
SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2006 FROM ARROWHEAD POND OF ANAHEIM
Tickets
on Sale Saturday, Feb. 4, 2006
Las
Vegas, NV – The Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®)
organization today announced it will hold its first-ever UFC
event in the state of California when it presents UFC 59: REALITY
CHECK live from the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim Saturday, April
15, 2006.
“We
are pleased to announce that, after years of waiting, the UFC
is finally coming to California,” said Dana White, UFC President.
“We are looking forward to making our official debut with
UFC 59 at the Arrowhead Pond, an event that brings one of our
best light heavyweight fighters, Tito Ortiz, back into the Octagon™
and against one of our most popular UFC fighters Forrest Griffin.”
The
UFC 59: REALITY CHECK all-star lineup of fights will lead with
“The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Tito Ortiz in the soon-to-be-classic
battle against The Ultimate Fighter® Season 2 finalist Forrest
Griffin.
Tickets
for UFC 59: REALITY CHECK will go on sale Saturday, Feb. 4, 2006
at 11 a.m. PT priced at $400, $300, $200, $100 and $50. Tickets
will be sold at Arrowhead Pond Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets,
online at ticketmaster.com or www.ufc.com, or by phone at 714.740.2000
or 213.480.3232.
Tito
Ortiz 6’2”/205 lbs. recently made a stunning return
to the UFC when Dana White announced – during a live UFC
pay-per-view event – that Ortiz would join legendary fighter
Ken Shamrock as a coach for the hit reality series The Ultimate
Fighter Season 3. Ortiz, known for his strength and tenacity
as a submission fighter, last fought in the Octagon at UFC 51
(2/5/05) when he defeated Vitor Belfort by a three-round split
decision. Tito’s fans around the country have clamored for
his return ever since, and he promises not to disappoint them
when he takes on tough-as-nails fighter Forrest Griffin at UFC
59.
“I’ll
be in my hometown in Orange County – there will be 18,000
Tito Ortiz fans screaming their heads off, and I’ve got
to give them what they’ve paid for,” says Ortiz of
his matchup with Griffin. “But I can’t look past Forrest;
he’s tough. I’m just gonna try to buzzsaw through him
and get ready for my next match.”
Forrest
Griffin (12-2-0) 6’3”/205 lbs., fighting out of Las
Vegas, Nev., was The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 Finale light heavyweight
winner. He fought an epic battle with Stephan Bonnar, and after
a three grueling rounds of nonstop action, was declared the winner
by unanimous decision. In his first UFC pay-per-view bout, Griffin
submitted Bill Mahood at UFC 53: HEAVY HITTERS. In his second
UFC fight, he defeated Elvis Sinosic at UFC 55 by KO in the first
round. Forrest is enjoying a strong winning streak and just as
much popularity these days, and is ready to face Ortiz and prove
he can stand, or hold his own on the ground, with the greats.
“I’m
going to learn how to become an Olympic style wrestler before
April 15, so don’t be surprised if we both get a little
banged up,” said Griffin with a laugh about his fight. “But,
in all honesty, I am very excited for the opportunity to fight
Tito – it’s an honor to fight someone of his caliber.”
The
remaining fighters and bouts for UFC 59: REALITY CHECK will be
announced in the near future.
About
The Ultimate Fighting Championship®
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship® brand is the world’s
leading professional mixed martial arts organization and offers
the premier series of MMA sports events. Owned and operated by
Zuffa, LLC, and headquartered in Las Vegas, Nev., the UFC®
organization produces approximately eight live pay-per-view events
annually that are distributed through cable and satellite providers.
In addition to its U.S. distribution, UFC fight programs are
distributed throughout the world including broadcast on WOWOW,
Inc. in Japan, Globosat in Brazil and Bravo in the United Kingdom.
Zuffa, LLC licenses the distribution of its fight show DVDs through
Studioworks Entertainment, a Ventura Distribution company. For
more information, or current UFC fight news, visit www.ufc.com.
Ultimate
Fighting Championship®, Ultimate Fighting®, UFC®,
The Ultimate Fighter®, Submission®, As Real As It Gets®,
The Octagon™ and the eight-sided cage design are registered
trademarks, trademarks, trade dress or service marks owned exclusively
by Zuffa, LLC in the United States and other jurisdictions. All
other marks referenced herein may be the property of Zuffa, LLC
or other respective owners.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
UFC
57: Liddell vs Couture 3 Preview
By Al Yu
Event Date: 02.04.06
Fight Card: (In no particular order)
Keith
Jardine vs Mike Whitehead
Jeff Monson vs Brandon Lee Hinkle
Alessio Sakara vs Elvis Sinosic
Brandon Vera vs Justin Eilers
Paul Buentello vs Gilbert Aldana
Nick Diaz vs Joe Riggs
Renato Sobral vs Mike Van Arsdale
Frank Mir vs Marcio Cruz
Chuck Liddell vs Randy Couture
Keith
Jardine (8-1-1) vs Mike Whitehead (9-4)
Keith
Jardine is a King of the Cage veteran who fights out of Jackson’s
Submission Fighting, also home to Joey Villasenor and Diego Sanchez.
Mike Whitehead is coming off a win against Travis Fulton at Extreme
Challenge 61. Both fighters were contestants in the Ultimate
Fighter Season 2.
This
will be the UFC PPV debut for both fighters, who will be fighting
at light heavyweight instead of heavyweight. Mike Whitehead had
a terrible showing in TUF2, hence his departure. Since then,
he has been training with the guys from Miletich Fighting Systems.
Whitehead is a better fighter than what was depicted from the
show. Keith Jardine has the advantage in striking while Whitehead
is the better wrestler. Hopefully Mike has been working on his
stand-up game. Jardine should throw his powerful leg kicks and
avoid the takedowns. As long as this fight stays on its feet,
Jardine should come out on top.
Prediction:
Keith Jardine TKO Mike Whitehead RD2
Jeff
Monson (19-5) vs Brandon Lee Hinkle (12-6)
Jeff
Monson is a UFC veteran who has fought in many organizations.
The last time ‘The Snowman’ fought in the UFC was against
Ricco Rodriguez at UFC 35. Monson was defeated by Rodriguez via
TKO and would lose a decision in his following fight to Forrest
Griffin at World Extreme Fighting Championships 1. Since his
back to back losses, Monson has won 13 fights in a row (against
fighters of no significance, however). Brandon Lee Hinkle is
fresh off of his TKO victory over Sean Gannon at UFC 55, spoiling
Gannon’s much hyped debut. Hinkle does hold a victory over
UFC veteran Jorge Rivera.
A
lot of people don’t like Jeff Monson because of his extreme
political views. Regardless, Monson is the more experienced and
the physically stronger fighter. Hinkle is the better wrestler
of the two. Both fighters haven’t beaten any top ten ranked
opponents but I would say Monson has fought the tougher competition.
Watch for ‘The Snowman’ to take the fight to Hinkle
early, looking to keep this fight standing. Monson will wear
his opponent down on route to a rear-naked choke victory in what
will probably be an unentertaining fight.
Prediction:
Jeff Monson subs Brandon Lee Hinkle RD2
Alessio
Sakara (7-3) vs Elvis Sinosic (6-8-2)
Alessio
Sakara is a BJJ/Vale Tudo style fighter who has fought around
the world. He made his debut at UFC 55 against Ron Faircloth.
Sakara was well on his way to winning the fight until an accidental
kick to the groin ended his night. Elvis Sinosic is a UFC veteran
who has fought a lot of tough competition in his career. ‘The
King of Rock and Rumble’ does hold a win over Jeremy Horn
and faced quality opposition that includes: Frank Shamrock, Tito
Ortiz, Evan Tanner, Renato Sobral, Sanae Kikuta, and Forrest
Griffin.
Elvis
Sinosic is a very likable fighter and I guess that’s why
the UFC has brought him back. However, I think that time is not
on his side. 10 years his younger, Alessio Sakara is looking
to use the more experienced Sinosic as a stepping stone into
the light heavyweight division. Sakara, who trains in Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu and Vale Tudo, has never been KO'd. However, his ground
game has yet to be tested by a superior BJJ fighter. Sinosic
brings a solid all-around game but I just can’t see Elvis
subbing or knocking Alessio out.
Prediction:
Alessio Sakara TKO Elvis Sinosic RD2
Brandon
Vera (5-0) vs Justin Eilers (9-4-1)
Brandon
Vera is a young heavyweight who made his debut at Ultimate Fight
Night 2, defeating Fabiano Scherner with knees. Vera holds a
win over the Ultimate Fighter Season 2 contestant Mike Whitehead.
Former ISU linebacker Justin Eilers made an impressive UFC debut
by knocking out Mike Kyle. Since then, he’s dropped back
to back losses to Paul Buentello and UFC Heavyweight Champion
Andrei Arlovski.
This
is ‘do or die’ time for Eilers. One more loss and it’s
very likely that the UFC will choose to terminate his contract.
Eilers suffered a serious knee injury in his last fight against
Arlovski and that may be a factor in this fight if he hasn’t
fully recovered. Vera is an up-and-coming fighter who has been
untested, having fought only 5 MMA fights. Eilers is probably
the hardest puncher that Vera will face but I think Vera will
fight smart and surprise Eilers. Putting his debut nerves behind
him, Vera will TKO Eilers in the second round.
Prediction:
Brandon Vera TKO Justin Eilers RD2
Paul
Buentello (19-8) vs Gilbert Aldana (5-0)
A
former heavyweight King of the Cage champion, Paul Buentello
debuted at UFC 51 by knocking out Justin Eilers. Recently, ‘the
Headhunter’ made an unsuccessful attempt at the UFC heavyweight
crown when he was quickly KO'd by Andrei Arlovski at UFC 55.
Gilbert Aldana is a Rage in the Cage veteran and will be making
his UFC debut. Aldana has only been professionally fighting since
2004.
The
UFC matched these two together because they probably didn’t
want this fight to go the distance. Both fighters are known to
have heavy hands and I don’t think this fight will last
long. Buentello is more experienced and has fought better competition.
Aldana has KO’d every opponent he has faced. However, none
of the five wins were against opposition of any significance.
I’m going with Buentello in what could be the shortest fight
of the evening. It wouldn’t surprise | |