Upcoming
Events
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2007
2/10/07
Punishment In Paradise 13
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)
2006
November
Aloha State Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
RWE Qualfiers
(MMA)
(Kauai)
11/25/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
10/21/06
Pride Fighting Championships
(PPV)
(Las Vegas, NV)
October
Rumble On The Rock
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
September
ROTR Qualifers
(MMA)
(Maui)
9/16/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
August
Icon Sport 48
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
8/26-27/06
International
Masters & Seniors Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
8/18/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
8/17/06
Ultimate
Fight Night 4
(MMA)
(Las Vegas, NV)
8/12/06
Hawaiian Open of
BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
8/5 or 8/12
Rumble On The Rock
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
Garden Island Cage Match 4
(MMA)
(Kauai)
Island
Warriors Fighting Championship
(MMA)
(War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
7/22/06
RWE Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
RWE Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Guam)
7/22-30/06
CBJF World
Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/21/06
Punishment In Paradise 12
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
7/20-24/06
CBJJO World Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/?/06
RAZE MMA Fight Night 2
(MMA)
(San Diego, CA)
7/7/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
7/3/06
Got Skills 2
(Kickboxing/Boxing & Wrestling/Sub Grappling)
(Pagoda Hotel Ballroom)
s 2006 Tournament
(Sport-Jujitsu, Sport Pankration, Sub Grappling, Extreme Sparring)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
7/1/06
Pride
(MMA)
(Saitama Super Arena)
6/24/06
The Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale
(MMA)
(The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV)
6/17/06
RWE Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Afook
Chinen Civic Auditorium, Hilo)
USA-Boxing Hawaii
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park)
6/10/06
X-1 Battlegrounds 4
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
6/4/06
PRIDE Bushido 11: 'Bushido
Survival '06'
(PPV)
6/3/06
X-2 Extreme Wars:
Bay Area Brawl
(MMA)
(Oakland Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, CA)
2006 Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Associations Gi Tournament
(BJJ)
(Gracie Main Academy)
5/27/06
UFC 60:
Royce Gracie vs. Matt Hughes
(PPV)
5/26/06
Icon Sport 45
(MMA)
(Blaisdell 6Arena)
5/20/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
5/13/06
Got Skills Fighter Event
(MMA)
(Pagoda Hotel)
4/29/06
RAZE MMA Fight Night
(MMA)
(ipayOne center , former San Diego Sports Arena
San Diego, CA)
4/21/06
Rumble on the Rock
11: Grand Prix
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/15/06
UFC 59: Reality Check
(MMA)
(Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA)
4/7-9/06
2006
Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(BJJ)
(California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA)
4/6/06
Ultimate Fight Night on Spike TV
(MMA)
(Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV)
4/1/06
Punishment in Paradise
(Kickboxing)
(Sea Life Park)
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*** |
|
June 2006 News Part
2
Wednesday
night and Sunday classes (w/ a kids' class) now offered!
 
For the special Onzuka.com
price, click on one of these banners above! |
 |
Fighters' Club TV
The Toughest Show On
Teleivision
Tuesdays at 9:30PM
Olelo Channel 52 on Oahu
Akaku on Maui
Check
out the FCTV website! |
Quote
of the Day
"Effective
leadership is not about making speeches or being liked;
leadership is defined by results not attributes."
Peter F. Drucker, American Management Consultant and Author
|
Fighters'
Club Television Episode 40
Tonight!
Fighters' Club Television Episode 40 is cut and submitted to
Olelo Programming. It will air in our timeslot of 9:30pm Tuesday
nights on June 6, 13, 20, and 27.
Episode
40 features:
-
Highlights from Rumble on the Rock's 175 lbs tournament:
- With special interviews done by our guest host, Jason "Mayhem"
Miller from the weigh-ins
- Interview with tournament winner Jake Shields
-
Featured bout from Brennan Kamaka's Punishment in Paradise between
Ryan Cayetano (Smith TKD) vs Ikaika Choi Fu (JIL)
-
Featured bout from Icon Sport: David "Kawika" Padilla
vs Adam Bass
-
Technique of the Week:
Jason Miller demonstrating his famous "D'arce" Choke.
and
don't miss the credits where you can catch FCTV's Mike and Chris
Onzuka (and the other guy, Mark Kurano), hamming it up after
the fights. Somebody actually "threw in the towel"
on us - you don't want to miss that!
Questions,
Comments, Suggestions:
fctv@onzuka.com
|
The
Quest for Champions 2006 Tournament
The Quest for Champions 2006 Tournament
Hosted by Kempo Unlimited
St. Louis High School Gym
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Source: Event Promoter
|
Full
card for The Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale
The Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale
Saturday, June 24, 2006
The Joint, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
The
Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale airs live on Spike TV at 9pm.
If
you missed any of the episodes, the season 3 marathon airs the
same day from 9am-9pm.
Televised
Bouts
-
Lightweight Main Event: Sam Stout vs. Kenny Florian
-
TUF 3 Light Heavyweight Final: Josh Haynes vs. Mike Bisping
-
TUF 3 Middleweight Final: Kendall Groves vs. Ed Herman
-
LHW: Keith Jardine vs. Wilson Gouveia
Preliminary
Bouts
-
LHW: Wes Combs vs. Mike Nickels
-
LHW: Matt Hamill vs. Jesse Forbes
-
MW: Solomon Hutcherson vs. Luigi Fioravanti
-
MW: Kalib Starnes vs. Danny Abbadi
-
MW: Rory Singer vs. Ross Pointon
Source: MMA Fighting
|
JEREMY
HORN AND UFC OFFICIALLY PART WAYS
by Ken Pishna
Though many fans felt it had been a long time coming when Jeremy
Horn finally made his Ultimate Fighting Championship return,
in which he lost to current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck
Liddell, it seems that Horn's stint with the most prominent MMA
promotion in the United States has come to an end.
Horn’s
last fight, a middleweight victory over Team Quest’s Chael
Sonnen, was also the final fight of his three-fight contract
with the UFC. According to manager Monte Cox, it was obvious
to both sides that there is currently no room for Horn in the
promotion as long as he wants to fight in the middleweight division.
“It
only makes sense. As long as Jeremy stays at middleweight and
Rich [Franklin] holds the title, there’s really not much
of a future for him in the UFC,” said Cox. “He and
Rich won’t fight, so all he would be doing is picking off
their top contenders, which doesn’t really make sense for
them.”
Cox
said that it was an amicable split and that they already have
Horn’s immediate future secured… they just can’t
say what that security entails. “We’ve already got
a couple of things done, but we have to respect the promoter’s
wishes and wait until they are ready to announce it,” Cox
said, refusing to elaborate more on the specifics.
He
did acknowledge that rumors of Horn having been offered a shot
in Pride were true, but the parameters of the deal just weren’t
quite right at the time. Cox said that they did find an appropriate
deal for Horn’s services that seemed a better fit for him
at this time, and he added that the specifics regarding Horn’s
future should be announced soon.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
PRIDE
Critical Countdown Absolute 2006
PRIDE FC announced two new matchups for Critical Countdown Absolute
2006.
-
Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshiki Takahashi
- Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
The
remaining eight tournament fighters who will battle to become
the 2006 PRIDE FC Absolute (open-weight) champion:
-
Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
- Wanderlei Silva vs. Kazuyuki Fujita
- Fabricio Werdum vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
- Mark Hunt vs. Josh Barnett
Critical
Countdown Absolute will premiere on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH
Network, and TVN pay per view on Sunday, July 2, 2006.
The
show takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan on Saturday,
July 1, 2006.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"If
your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more,
do more and become more, you are a leader."
John Quincy Adams, 1767-1848, 6th President of the United States
|
CABBAGE LOSES TO PRO WRESTLER
BY CUT STOPPAGE
Hawaiian fighter Wesley
"Cabbage" Correira lost via cut stoppage to pro wrestler Mike Plotcheck
in the main event of the "Rumble on the Rock: Qualifier
Beatdown" show in Hawaii this weekend.
Though
Correira's opponent used the stage name of Mike Barton, which
is one of his pro wrestling aliases, his actual last name is
Plotcheck.
Correira
initially took control of the fight on the ground and tried to
finish Plotcheck with a rear naked choke, but a strike from Plotcheck
opened up a big cut on Correira's face. The ringside doctor ruled
that the cut was too severe for the fight to continue, and so
Plotcheck was declared the winner by TKO after less than two
minutes of action.
Correira's
last three MMA fights have all been in the Rumble on the Rock
promotion, and they have all been losses. Correira lost in January
to Eric "Butterbean" Esch when he was unable to come
out for the third round. That particular fight had special rules
that limited ground fighting to no more than 15 seconds at a
time, and Correira also suffered a fracture to his elbow shortly
before the fight. This past April, Correira lost to Pride veteran
Kazuhiro Hamanaka by submission in another ROTR fight.
Mike
Plotcheck, also known as Bart Gunn in WWE and Mike Barton in
All Japan Pro Wrestling, was making his MMA debut against Correira
at over 40 years of age. When WWE held its first and only shoot-fighting
tournament in 1998 (called the "Brawl for All") with
the intention of getting over a wrestler named Steve Williams,
Plotcheck threw those plans into disarray by knocking Williams
out and going on to win the entire tournament.
Unfortunately
for Plotcheck, WWE then decided to bring in Eric "Butterbean"
Esch to face Plotcheck in a shoot-fight at WrestleMania in March
of 1999, which turned out to be a big mistake. Plotcheck was
knocked out very quickly in devastating fashion, and he never
wrestled for another major company in the United States again.
Prior to making his MMA debut, Plotcheck had spent the past several
years working in the Japanese pro wrestling industry. He is now
seeking a rematch with Esch.
Full
Results
-Mike
"Bart Gun, Mike Barton" Plotcheck def. Wesley Correira by TKO (doctor stoppage
due to a cut) at 1:46 of Round 1
-Ross Ebanez def. Joe Cronin by
unanimous decision
-Marc
Rodrigues def. Zak Dudoit by submission (rear naked choke) at
1:30 of Round 1
-Mike
Aina def. Rosco Mcclelan by TKO at 2:20 of Round 2
-Albert
Manners def. Gene Gregory by submission (rear naked choke) at
0:44 of Round 1
-Shane
Nelson def. Tyler Kahihikolo by unanimous decision
-Chad
Fujita def. Aaron Castro by submission (keylock) at 2:50 of Round
1
-Chris
Henriques def. Isaac Carbalo by KO at 0:46 of Round 2
-Michael
Bickers def. Ashton Castro by submission (triangle choke) at
1:52 of Round 1
-Kirk
Wah-Yick def. Kabel Gebeke by TKO at 0:24 of Round 1
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Palolo
Boxing Smoker Results!
USA-BOXING HAWAII ASSOC. INC
USA-Boxing Hawaii, Palolo B.C. and Kawano B.C. Smoker
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Palolo District Park
70 lbs: 3 Rounds x 1 Minute
1). Justly Laquihon (Unattached) def. James Hashimoto (Palolo
B.C.)
Via RSC in Round 2.
105
lbs: 3 Rounds x 1.5 Minutes
2). Dustin Ah-Chong (A.P. Big Island) def. Jonard DeVera (Kalakaua
B.C.)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
100
lbs: 3 Rounds x 1.5 Minutes
3). Jenson Juan (Kalakaua B.C.) def. Devin Ah-Chong Jr. (A.P.
Big Island)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
145
lbs: 3 Rounds x 1.5 Minutes
4) . Alexander Palacios (Oki B.C., Kauai) def. Joshua Nakagawa
(Southside, Maui)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
140
lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
5). Christopher Williams (A.P. Big Island) def. Edward Carrillo
(Unattached)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
130
lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
6). Lean Jeffrey Gumboc (Central Maui B.C.) def. Akihiko Arima
(Palolo B.C.)
Via RSC in Round 2.
110
lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
7). Ezra Cabang (A.P. Big Island) def. Gino Ramos (Kawano B.C.)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
145
lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
8). Noah Abdil (Southside Maui) def. Hoku Dusenberry-Lee (Oki,
B.C. Kauai)
Via RSC in Round 2.
135
lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
9). Aaron Echales (Central Maui B.C.) def. William Miura (A.P.
Big Island)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
160
lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
10). Paul Gutierrez (Kawano B.C.) def. Joseph Bissen (Central
Maui B.C.)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
175
lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
11). Kainoa Oca-Kauhane (Kawano B.C.) def. Francis Maddela (Central
Maui B.C.)
Via RSC in Round 2.
155
lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
12). Todd Park (Pearlside B.C) def. Josiah Cabang (A.P. Big Island)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
132
lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
13). Tommy Buswell- Ordonez (A.P. Big Island) def. Amadeo Ezzo-White
Jr. (Unattached)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
Female
-100 lbs lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
14). Sasha Tatsuhara (A.P. Big Island) def. Gina Ramos (Kawano
B.C.)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
125 lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
15). David Tangjian Jr. (Kawano B.C.) def. Matt Takata (Palolo
B.C.)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
Special Main Event Bout - 5 Rounds
200 lbs. lbs: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
16). Isaiah Vasquez (Evolution B.C.) def. Gabe Aio (Kawano B.C.)
Via decision after 3 rounds.
If
you have any question email me at bkawano@aol.com
We
had an excellent show with a great turnout. Maybe we can bring
Boxing back a little. It showed that boxing isn't dead yet in
Hawaii. We still have some Boxing Fans!!!
Thanks You For Your Time.
Bruce
Kawano
USA-Boxing Hawaii Junior Olympic Chairman
USA-Boxing Hawaii Board of Dir./Gov
National Coaches Committee
Ringside Board of Advisors
Source: Bruce Kawano
|
Kendall
Grove Interview:
"I'm Living In a Dream World Right Now!"
by KawikaVeeka
"Da Spyder" Kendall Grove has Hawaii MMA fans standing
proud to see their local boy representing the 5oth State with
pride on "The Ultimate Fighter 3" reality show on Spike
TV. How does a boy from Maui become a man while working for his
dream of fighting in the UFC? Kendall was nice enough to take
the time out of his busy schedule to talk with the Hawaii Fight
Network about his opportunity to make it big in the world of
MMA.
HI-FN:
We seen that you made it into The Ultimate Fighter 3 middleweight
finals. What kind of things have you been doing to prepare?
Kendall
Grove: Ah man!! I'm stoked. I'm more stoked that everybody knows
now, because it sucked holding it in. I'm glad that I got to
show more of my skills. I know in my previous fights I was too
gun-shy to let my hands go. This fight told it all. I broke out
of my shell. Thanks to Tito Ortiz, Saul Soliz, and Dean Lister.
They made me mature as a fighter and here I am now, up here at
big bear training with pretty much the A-Team. I got Tito Ortiz,
the other half of Team Dagger Solomon Hutcherson, Matt Hamill,
Josh Burkman, Josh Barnett, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson,
Jason "Mayhem" Miller, my cornerman from Vegas Troy
"Rude Boy" Mandaloniz, and Joe Stevenson.
HI-FN:
Can't forget Joe!
KG:
No, you can't forget Joe. His pudgy ass is up here trying to
lose some weight, because he's fighting Yves Edwards. (laughs)
HI-FN:
When did taping for the show take place?
KG:
January 19th to March1st.
HI-FN:
Have you realized your new found stardom amongst regular people?
KG:
Oh yeah. Well, for me, I'm a simple man. You know what I mean?
I'm a straight up island boy, so it's kinda weird up here too,
especially here in the mainland. Little kids and grown ass people
who act like little kids coming up to me and asking, "Can
I get your autograph?", "You're my favorite fighter!",
"I hope you make the finals!" I love that. Especially
with the kids. It hits me in the heart. They're the reason why
I fight so hard. It's the little kids. They're the future. One
day they're gonna grow up and kick my ass. (laughs)
HI-FN:
What got you motivated to participate in MMA?
KG:
Growing up I didn't really get into it. The first fight I seen
was Kimo versus Royce. I got an interest in the sport after that.
I kind of dropped out of it until after high school. Then I started
training with my boys Jon Kim and Eddie Ferreira, back yard style.
Then I started to get into the sport and started really looking
up to Tito Ortiz, BJ Penn, Rampage, Wanderlei, Shogun, and Ninja.
They'd go out there and beat the shit outta you. That caught
my eye.
HI-FN:
You now get to rub elbows with some of the fighters you mentioned.
What kind of feeling do you get when you realize that you’re
preparing yourself with and learning from fighters you idolized?
KG:
I'm living in a dream world right now! Who would have thought
2 years ago that Tito would ask me to help him spar for a fight.
It's shocking! I just thank God for this opportunity. Tito took
me under his wing and now I'm the newest member of Team Punishment.
HI-FN:
With the training partners you mentioned earlier, it sounds like
Punishment and Cobra Kai have formed a union.
KG:
Actually, there's no official connection between the two gyms.
I had to go out and evolve my training. Don't get me wrong. Cobra
Kai is an awesom gym and I'm unbelievably greatful. I thank God
for that school, because all my jiu jitsu and all my ground game
came from Marc Laiman at Cobra Kai. Being that Cobra Kai is straight
jiu jitsu, I have to take it to the next level with FIGHTING
and train with these guys out in Cali. I actually plan on moving
here after my next fight. I love it out here. There's a bunch
of sick, retarded guys I train with who don't mind getting beat
up everyday. Luckily, that's how I am.
HI-FN:
That's a good explanation of your evolution and what most fighters
have to go through to become a better fighter. You can't stay
in your comfortable realm and moving around is the logical thing
to do.
KG:
Yeah, that's what I tell a lot of people. If you wanna be a great
fighter you have to push yourself. Every fighter out there gym
hops. It's like a memory bank. When I'm with Laimon, I'm drilling
the same stuff over and over. Training with Tito is totally new.
Who knows how long I'll be here? Two or three years may go by
and BOOM, I'll be at a different place looking to get better
there. That's just the way the sport goes.
HI-FN:
You keep close ties with Laimon?
KG:
Yeah, for sure. I just talked to him a couple days ago. He's
a great guy and I love him to death. Like I said, if it wasn't
for him, my game would be where it's at right now. (pause) THAT'S
ANOTHER THING!! The fight game might seem big, but it's small.
Everybody knows each other. That's some advice I'd like to give
to people. DON'T BURN YOUR BRIDGES! Everybody's friends in the
fight world. It's a small community. Try and keep the peace with
everybody. I seen a lot of fighters burn bridges. You burn a
bridge one place, you don't know that they're real good friends
with another good place and you try to go there, you're shit
outta luck. The best advice I can give would be to keep good
relationships with trainers.
HI-FN:
Moving on to the fight with Kalib, what did you expect from him
going in?
KG:
I expected everything that you guys seen. I didn't expect to
injure him. I actually expected to go to a decision. I did not
break his rib. I separated the cartilage from his rib which is
almost the same feeling. That should answer a lot of questions
about breaking his rib. I was mad going into that fight because
everybody in the house called me a 3 to 1 underdog. Only Bisping,
Solomon, and my coaches knew I was going to win. Jesse (Forbes)
was the only one to answer my question about me being an underdog.
I had to thank him because I needed to hear that. I love being
the underdog and when guys under estimate me. The night before
picking fights Kalib was like, "Who does this kid think
he is coming in and challenging ME?" That pissed me off.
He bleeds like me. He can die like me. He's human. I went in
amped. He was either going to give me his respect or I was going
to take it from him. I was stoked that after the fight because
he said he respected me. The only thing Tito demanded from me
was to never give up and always push myself. That's what I did
and I came out of the fight victorious.
HI-FN:
Has the training from Team Punishment changed from TUF to preparing
for this fight?
KG:
Everything you guys seen on the show is what we do everday. We'll
drill takedowns and spar five 5's. After that we'll go do jiu
jitsu or wrestling. Then drill techniques like single and double
leg defense, wall walks, and other drills. We do it fifty times
each. It's the same stuff we did on the show. It's harder in
Big Bear at 7,000 feet elevation though. (laughs) It's beating
the shit outta my lungs right now. I got back into some light
training a month and a half ago to prep for The Finale and I
sparred five 5's the day before I came up to this mountain. I
was good and could have gone more. WHEN I CAME UP HERE, it's
a whole new ball game. (laughs) THIS ELEVATION IS CRAZY!!!!
HI-FN:
That's almost like training at Haleakala.
KG:
Maybe like a little bit before the crater. That just shows how
much of a cardio machine Tito is. I was up here for two weeks
this time and we'd go out and run for about 3 miles under 23
minutes, almost all uphill. I'm trying to push myself by doing
stuff like this. You're working when you're at the gym and your
vacation is the fight. I'm just going everyday and trying to
represent Hawaii as much as I can. I'm trying to inspire a lot
more people to get off their asses and start training and become
great fighters. We have the potential in Hawaii. You just gotta
put your mind to it. Look at me, I'm a skinny, tall, goofy............SASQUATCH!!!
(laughs) I just had a dream and never had quit in my heart. Now
I'm here working hard to fullfil that goal.
HI-FN:
Tito mentioned you in his UFC 59 post-fight interview. What happened
with Tito's injury during the Forrest fight?
KG:
His knee went out on the show and it was bothering him. It was
hard for him because he jumped in with Forrest right after that
and didn't get back to 100% before fighting. The training wasn't
at max. We'd only do 4 days of total training to prep for that
fight with only 2 days at all out, hardcore training. Even THAT
was putting a toll on his injuries. He did something to his back
also. He was aching because he never had any recovery time. He
fought Forrest at about 70%. He tried to give everything in the
first round and the second and third was just pure heart. I had
to piggy back him to the dressing room when we got to the back
because he couldn't walk. His knee was so jacked. You can actually
see his knee buckle in the fight when he goes for a shot.
HI-FN:
As you get ready for this bout at The Finale, you mention training
with "Mayhem". What's your take on him?
KG:
Aw man! I love that guy to death. He's one of the guys who helped
me blossom as a fighter early in my career. I give the utmost
respect to that guy. That's another guy who trains his ass off.
He deserves every good thing he gets.
HI-FN:
Is it true that it's an ultimately retarded time when the two
of you are together?
KG:
Yeah it is! That guy brings out the worst in me. (laughs) He's
just naturally mental! I'll usually try to keep it cool, but
when I'm around him, I just can't help acting like a Mayhem Monkey.
(laughs)
HI-FN:
What number did he give you?
KG:
I'm high up there. I didn't get a myspace til after the show.
HI-FN:
Let him know I'm still waiting for mine.
KG:
I'll let him know tomorrow. (laughs)
HI-FN:
You fight at 185. What do you walk around at?
KG:
It all depends. I try to keep it under 205. I'll probably be
ten pounds over the week of my fight. Brah, I'm the worst when
it comes to chocolate. I LOVE CHOCOLATE! I grind ice cream and
pound root beer. It's hard for me not to eat all that crap, but
it pays off when you don't.
HI-FN:
Backtracking to your prior career stats. How many fights have
you had all together?
KG:
Nine all together. Eight professional fights and one amateur
fight. I used to hold the 185 pound international championship
for Total Combat. They used to be in Tijuana, but now they hold
it in San Diego since they legalized the sport in California.
I love fighting in Hawaii though. Depending on what happens with
the UFC, I'd love to comeback and fight at home again. Rumble
on the Rock, ICON....I love fighting in Hawaii. That's my peeps!
I love my home crowd.
HI-FN:
Which fight prior to The Ultimate Fighter would you consider
your most memorable?
KG:
There's actually two. A fight that made me feel really good inside
was my win over Kaipo Kalama from Oahu. I was a big time underdog
in that one. Everybody from Oahu thought I was going to lose.
He's a tough guy and that was actually the first fight where
I went to a second round. The fight that changed my career would
have to be the one against Joe Riggs. I matured a lot as a fighter
in that fight. I lost that fight by a devastating knockout by
elbows, but I grew up in that fight. I feel I went from a kid
to a man in that one. That fight pushed me to get better.
HI-FN:
I remember you telling me at a club that you couldn't belive
that he was as strong as a MACK truck.
KG:
Yeah. That was a big truck with elbows for side mirros. (laughs)
HI-FN:
Being that there is somewhat of an inlet to the UFC for you with
TUF3, you think there's a chance for a Riggs rematch in the future?
KG:
I definitely want to fight Riggs again. That's if he stays at
185. I'd like to fight him in about a year. Maybe this time he'll
stand with me.
HI-FN:
One thing I want to let you know on a personal note, is that
when you're on the show, you're actually being the Kendall that
everyone who knows you actually knows. You're not buttering up
for the camera or anything.
KG:
Yeah. All my friends in Hawaii know how I am. So why should I
fake it for the rest of the country and the world? Before I went
on the show I did a video interview, which is mandatory along
with a highlight tape. I got wasted for the video interview because
I was kind uncomfortable in front of the camera at the time.
I just got full blown wasted and the producers were like, "That's
the Kendall Grove we want on the show!" I just did my thing
on the show and kept it real. Spit in the house everthing. (laughs)
My mom was pissed at me when she seen that though.
HI-FN:
You want to do an official apology?
KG:
Yeah. Mom, I'm sorry for spitting in the house on the first episode.
Alcohol does that to you.
HI-FN:
Great interview. Really appreciate the honesty and info. Good
luck in the finals. You want to thank anyone before we wrap things
up?
KG:
First of all, I'd like to thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Without him we wouldn't be here. I'd like to thank my trainer
"Rude Boy" Troy Mandaloniz for helping me out this
whole time and going through the bullshit when I'm cranky. The
other half of Team Dagger, Solomon for coming up and helping
me out. The whole Team Punishment crew, Tito, Justin McCully,
Josh Burkman, Matt Hamil, Rampage, Mayhem Miller, and all those
guys who help me train. I'd also like to thank my sponsors Temper
Tantrum Athletics, who's always been there for me. Da Hui, who
just picked me up! HELL YEAH, one love to them! MY MOM and DAD!!
Gotta love those guys for telling me that I can do this. My mom
was fully against it, but then after a while, she told me I should
move back to Vegas to become a better fighter. Thank God for
her for just having my back along with my whole family. Also
Submit One for hooking me up. Punishment Athletics, and ALL MY
FANS IN HAWAII for the support!! I'm trying to open some doors
for the fighters at home and get the exposure because we deserve
it. Without the fans though, I don't think this game would be
the same. Thank you!!!
Source:
hawaiifightnetwork.blogspot.com
|
Denis
Kang - Road to the Welterweight Crown
By Al Yu with Robby Park
From inside the Saitama Super Arena, a voice could be heard.
“This
is my tournament…I’m going to be the champion!”
Still
full of adrenaline and spoken with utmost confidence, these were
the words of Denis Kang. In one of the most anticipated fights
of PRIDE Bushido 11, Kang only needed 15 seconds to dispatch
of Murilo ‘Ninja’ Rua. Not only did Kang move onto
the next round of the welterweight tournament, he arguably handed
the Chute Boxe fighter the worst loss of his professional career.
Kang
has been making an impact in PRIDE and is undefeated in four
fights.
Though
his impressive victory over Murilo Rua has caught the attention
of the MMA world, there are still many that do not know about
the fighter who represents the Korean flag.
Born
to a Korean father and a French mother, Denis and his family
emigrated from the French island of St. Pierre of Miquleon to
Vancouver, Canada when he was two. After his parents separated,
Denis’ mother left and his father moved back to Korea. Denis
was raised by his uncle and his family.
While
holding multiple jobs, Kang began practicing Jiu-Jitsu. Denis
had success early on, winning numerous competitions in British
Columbia. The former Canadian heavyweight Muay Thai champion
studied under the tutelage of Marcus Soares, a well respected
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor and one of Carlson Gracie’s
greatest students. Earning a black belt from Marcus Soares, Kang
became the first man ever from Vancouver to be awarded with that
honor.
Denis’
early MMA career yielded a record of 5-7-1, a record considered
sub par by today’s standards. At that point in his career,
MMA seemed more like a hobby to him. Seeking the accomplishments
indicative of a champion fighter, Kang decided to rededicate
himself to the sport. To help bring out his potential, Denis
moved to Florida and joined American Top Team, also home to Jeff
Monson, Marcus Aurelio and his future wife Shelby Walker.
In
2004, Denis went back to Korea and competed in Spirit Martial
Challenge. Seen as an opportunity to be reunited with his father,
Kang never expected his success to be a defining point in his
life and career. At the time, Korean MMA was in its infancy.
Kang’s success and Korean heritage made him very popular
and he was proud to have contributed to the growth of MMA in
Korea. Participating in the 2004 Spirit MC Grand Prix, Denis
finished three opponents to win the 8-man tournament.
Not
only did the Spirit MC Grand Prix tournament receive a lot of
media attention in Korea, it also received coverage in Japan.
Kang’s tournament victory caught the attention of PRIDE
Fighting Championships. Shortly after, Kang signed a contract
and made his debut at Bushido 6.
Now
sporting a record of 22-7-1, Kang is considered a favorite to
win the welterweight Grand Prix. Since his rededication to MMA,
Denis has been on an impressive unbeaten streak of eighteen fights.
Joining American Top Team has also helped Denis develop into
a complete fighter. Working with Olympic gold medalist boxer
Howard Davis Jr, Kang has improved his striking skills. Denis’
punches are more powerful and accurate and his technique is refined.
Training with a talented team has greatly improved his abilities
as a fighter.
The
Bushido welterweight tournament has been seeded with some of
the best fighters in the world. The competition in the second
round will be tough and the potential match-ups may provide competitive
yet entertaining fights. PRIDE has found a new star in Denis
Kang. His exciting style has earned him many new fans and he
continues to mature as a fighter.
Denis
Kang is a fighter on the rise. He is a man who is proud of his
Korean heritage. He embodies the meaning of hard work and dedication.
All of the remaining fighters are formidable opponents for Denis
and his style has yet to produce a boring fight in PRIDE. Though
the path to the welterweight title will be difficult, the accolades
at the end of the road will be great. Can Kang overcome the opposition
and proudly represent his heritage?
One
thing is for sure, my money is on Kang.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Sherdog
Q&A: Sperry on Past, Present and Future
by Gleidson Venga
Brazilian Top Team leader Mario Sperry spoke to Sherdog.com’s
Gleidson Venga about the politics of managing BTT while being
an active fighter, what he thinks of Wanderlei Silva’s participation
in the PRIDE Open-Weight Grand Prix, and why Brazilian Top Team
fighters have not fought in the UFC.
Ze
Mario also answers questions about his up-and-down career, what
we should expect from Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, BTT fighters
competing in the U.S. and who best adapted his Brazilian jiu-jitsu
game to mixed martial arts.
Sherdog.com:
In light of a half-year that hasn’t started very well with
your loss in PRIDE 31, what do you expect from yourself for the
rest of the year?
Mario
Sperry: I had good plans for this year. I was excited, feeling
like I was in the best shape of my life. Well prepared, training
well with everyone, both wrestling and ground fighting. In that
respect I was feeling very good about myself. If I had won, I
would be in this Open-Weight Grand Prix. I hurt my knee and my
hand, and this disturbed my plans a little. My hand is still
not 100 percent. My goal right now is to get better; it’s
my main objective. After that I will study the offers, like Cage
Rage and PRIDE. Meanwhile, I’ve been dedicating my time
to train the guys. We are planning a new event in the near future.
I’m focusing my energies in other points, plus my training,
for now.
Sherdog.com:
You had lost some fights to fighters theoretically weaker than
you, but had important victories in fights when you were the
underdog, just like against Igor Vovchanchyn in PRIDE 17, when
he was in his prime. How do you analyze this?
Sperry:
I analyze that unemotionally. It’s evident that MMA is not
a sport like the others. It is a blood sport where you can’t
miss a thing and this is evident in both cases when I had the
advantage in technical terms, experience and strength. But for
some reasons unrelated to my will the victory flied from my hands.
That shows how MMA is an ungrateful sport, when any mistake can
be fatal.
Sherdog:
What can we expect from “Minotauro” on this Grand Prix?
Sperry:
About Nogueira, he has a very big chance to be the champion this
year. He is stronger, heavier. It was something I was trying
so hard for a very long time and I couldn’t do: an athlete
who is very strong and very technical. Stronger, I think he can
count on more weapons, plus his techniques. Besides that, Fedor,
who is notoriously a hard fight for anybody — and he showed
to know how to stop Nog’s game — will not fight. Because
of this, his chances get higher.
Sherdog.com:
What do you think about Wanderlei Silva’s participation?
Sperry:
Other than being lighter than Nogueira, Wanderlei is a hard fight
for anybody. He was the best light heavyweight and, in my opinion,
has an excellent contract — which he deserves — and
[faces] a new challenge: fighting in the heavyweight division
to give more emotion to his athletic life and improve his career.
I believe that with him this Grand Prix gets more interesting.
I think that he can offer a great expectation from the fans in
relation with how he will present himself, and even more, with
him replacing Fedor, we will have a more exciting Grand Prix
with parity. Fedor, even being the best in the world, doesn’t
show many surprises in his fights. And Wanderlei does.
Sherdog.com:
How is the situation between Ricardo Arona and the PRIDE organization?
Sperry:
Arona still has a contract with PRIDE. He has a contract until
the first half of 2007, with more three fights, if I’m right.
They have interest in using him. He was invited to this Grand
Prix, but he injured his foot in the fight against Wanderlei.
He was unsure about putting his name in it, because he wasn’t
recovered from this injury until February. Because he didn’t
want to fight, they took him off the card. But he is recovering
himself and is back to training. With the end of the Grand Prix
and starting to reduce the absence of fighters from the GP …
I believe that Arona will be back in September.
Sherdog.com:
Now, Paulo Filho is the best BJJ fighter of BTT? And who is the
best striker?
Sperry:
I like to work with statistics. Paulo is very good on the ground,
but I wouldn’t say he is the most complete. He could not
impose his game against Murilo Ninja, who didn’t have a
good fight against Paulo. We have more athletes with a good BJJ
game, like the Nogueira brothers. It’s all about having
the chance to show your game plan. Everyone on BTT has improved
a lot in boxing skills; we are more confident about using Muay
Thai and boxing. We’ve been working on that a lot. In my
eyes those who have better boxing skills are Rogerio Minotoro,
Rodrigo Minotauro and Edson Drago, for now. Murilo Bustamante
has a good boxing too. But he has a different style. Rogerio
is the Brazilian champion. We have excellent boxers and ground
fighters, but Paulo is the one who knows how to use his ground
game better in MMA.
Sherdog.com:
Who are the possible BTT athletes to dispute the middleweight
belt this year?
Sperry:
We are in several negotiations. There are a lot of rumors, but
those who choose the fighters are not the PRIDE promoters, not
even the athletes. Those who choose the fighters are the Japanese
crowd. It’s their choice. There is a tendency that I see
in my travels to Japan, in a title shot against Wanderlei, that
maybe happens against Rogerio “Minotoro.” But for that
happen, we have considering his fights on this Grand Prix. If
he wins a couple of fights it will be difficult for him to go
back to fighting in the middleweight division. But if he fights
it will probably be against Rogerio. If that does not happens
in September, it will be on New Year’s Eve. Before that
Rogerio will have one or two more fights.
Sherdog.com:
What are the plans of the team in the USA? Would you think of
putting someone to fight in the UFC or other organizations like
IFL and WFA?
Sperry:
I am in a huge struggle with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
We are keeping contact before the events, but we have a big barrier,
the visa, which is a complicated point. I’ve already sent
a lot of DVDs of our athletes, but they never give us the visa.
It’s part of our plans to put one of our guys to fight over
there, especially in the UFC. We are keeping contact with other
events also, but the visa always is the main barrier. I don’t
know how far it can go, but it is our biggest problem.
Sherdog:
BTT has various top athletes in the same the weight division,
like yourself, Arona, “Minotoro” and in past days Murilo
Bustamante and Paulo Filho, who are lighter know. How do you
guys do the management, considering that it’s not always
possible for everyone be fighting at the same event, and there
are not many events that pay as well as PRIDE? Considering that,
is it hard to be a fighter and manager at the same time?
Sperry:
It’s a little complicated, but this is the kind of problem
all teams wish they had. We have top athletes, and this is good.
We let them know that those decisions come from the promoters,
but definitely nowadays being a great athlete is not enough.
Your position outside the ring counts a lot, your image, etc.
It’s PRIDE’s choices, not ours. Sometimes, considering
the physical condition, we point out one or other. It’s
not usual, but happens. In my position of being an athlete and
manager, its evident it stays a little complicated. But I’m
focused on fighting, different than the other managers, because
I’m training and living every situation inside and outside
the ring, which helps me in my decisions, choosing the best situation
to the athletes. As a manager, I have to benefit the athletes.
My participation in the ring helps me in my work as a manager.
Sometimes I’m absent, but I counter balance being at training
with my opinions, which gives me advantage to the other managers.
Sherdog.com:
Tell us about your times with Carlson Gracie’s Team, of
Carlson influences in BTT and about a possible tribute to him
on BJJ championships.
Sperry:
Carlson was very important in our history. It was in his gym
that we, BTT leaders, started our careers. But unfortunately
destiny put us in different ways. During that time, under his
influence, we always had a lot interest in training mixed martial
arts and that was because in the 1990’s, Carlson’s
Team stood out in MMA. And this is BTT’s way, being successful
very quickly. Under his influence in our lives we reached success.
About the tribute, we were thinking about joining all gyms for
a single BJJ World Championships and I agreed with that, despite
that I’m not that focused on gi tournaments, but I will
support it. We’ve made a shirt to honor [Carlson] and wore
it on the last PRIDE editions. All kinds of tributes to Carlson
Gracie, I will support.
Sherdog.com:
Do you think that, someday, a new generation of fighters as talented
as yours can emerge from BTT’s history?
Sperry:
I think so. That will depend a lot on working on it, especially
if we can keep the energy from our athletes on training. We give
it at BTT; I think this made us different. Our biggest incentive
is to keep them on hard work, offering them access to all the
competitions. I like to emphasize they are in a privileged condition,
in privileged times, on a privileged team, with teachers in contact
with the organizations. In my personal opinion, I try to motivate
them, giving the example, showing myself always motivated.
Sherdog.com:
To finish this interview, would you like to send a message to
all BTT fans?
Sperry:
I would like to thank everyone who supports Brazil as the top
of MMA World. It doesn’t matter if they like BTT or not,
critics and admirer are always very important, once we improve
with them. Thanks to everybody, I wish you all the best.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Leozinho
Seminar In Hawaii on DVD!
How
much is a DVD featuring 2x Abu Dhabi Champion Leo Viera sparring
with BJ Penn Worth? What if you throw in an entire seminar by
Leo? The sparring itself is worth $29.95, so support top level
athletes coming to Hawaii to share their techniques by ordering
this DVD. See the details below.
Leo
Vieira Seminar in Paradise
2
X ADCC World Champion and BJJ World Champion Leozinho Vieira
Seminar in Hawaii.
In
this 1 hour DVD Leo covers both Gi and No-Gi featuring guard
passing. Considered one of the greatest guard passers in the
game, Leo shows his incredible passing technique in a progessive,
step by step way.
In
the Gi section Leo covers guard passing including side control
and choke.
In
the No-Gi section Leo goes over takedowns, his trademark No-Gi
guard passing and other techniques.
DVD
bonus includes a friendly training session between the World
Champions Leo & BJ Penn. Watch as the two top fighters play
like cats demonstrating their mastery of guard passing and defense.
The bonus footage is worth the DVD price alone!
A
must have DVD
Order
it by going to www.bjjmart.com.
|
Quote
of the Day
"Life
is my college. May I graduate well, and earn some honors."
Louisa May Alcott, 1832-1888, American Author
|
The
Got Skills Event Is Back!
Got Skills 2
Pagoda Hotel Ballroom, Honolulu, Hawaii
July 3, 2006
6:00PM Doors open
6:30PM Event starts
1st
Round – Kickboxing
2nd Round – Boxing with takedowns
3rd Round – Submission Grappling
|
Amidst
Allegations of Organized Crime Ties,
PRIDE Keeps Pay-Per-View for Now
By Nori Yoshida
PRIDE Fighting Championships, the world's largest and most popular
fighting promotion, continues to reel from Fuji Television Network's
June 5 announcement that it would no longer nationally televise
its events for what it described as "damages to [Fuji Television
Network's] programming credibility, dignity and image,"
and thus a "breach of contact." In what has become
a trickle-down effect of separation from the event's promoters,
Dream Stage Entertainment (DSE), in recent days has at least
stopped with their pay-per-views, aired by Sky Perfect Television,
which agreed yesterday to at least carry PRIDE's next two events,
the June 17 pro-wrestling event "Hussle Aid" and July
1's second round of the PRIDE Open-Weight Grand Prix.
"We
have not made any concrete decisions and therefore do not plan
to make any changes in the upcoming schedule," Sky Perfect
Television representatives said Monday in an official announcement.
"However, if new facts come to our attention, there is a
strong possibility that we will make changes."
On
June 7, Japanese news publication Sports News had reported that
Sky Perfect Television announced that although they had met with
DSE CEO Nobuyuki Sakakibara, "It would be difficult to independently
continue the programming work that Fuji Television had been doing,"
and that, "there are many voices within the (Sky Perfect
Television) network in favor of canceling [PRIDE] broadcasting."
PRIDE
executives have called Sky Perfect Television their "lifeline,"
and are sure to be doing all they can to maintain good relations
with their last hope for remaining on the airwaves for now until
a new TV arrangement materializes, if at all.
Yesterday's
announcement was a bit of reprieve for the promotion that has
been under the microscope this last week. Fueled by recent reports
in the tabloid news publication Shuukan Genndai (Modern Weekly),
it has been speculated that DSE has been tied to "bouryokudan"
(criminal organizations).
Speculation
of DSE's involvement in criminal activities dates back to 2003,
when then and still current PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor
Emelianenko made an appearance at rival promotion Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye's
televised event. Three members of an organized crime group reportedly
demanded 200,000,000 yen (nearly 1.8 million dollars) in restitution.
The three were arrested on charges of attempted blackmail in
February of this year.
At
a June 8 emergency press conference, DSE CEO Sakakibara called
the recent accusations unfounded. "(Those reports) are completely
groundless. We have never broken the law, nor have we been subject
to any criminal investigation." In tears, Sakakibara finished
his statement, assuring the fans that he would "defend PRIDE
with his life, as long as there is the support and passionate
expectation from the fans." He also included in his statement
that DSE was currently in the process of filing a lawsuit against
Shuukan Genndai.
With
54 PRIDE Fighters backdropped behind him, Sakakibara announced
that even without the backing of Fuji Television, they would
continue with all of the events that are scheduled for the rest
of the year, including their first American event in Las Vegas
on October 21, as well as their largest annual event on New Year's
Eve.
PRIDE's
2005 New Year's Eve event scored a 17% viewer rating on Fuji
and Sports News has reported that it generated nearly 800 million
yen (approximately 7.3 million dollars) in revenue. They also
estimate that Fuji Television sponsorship accounts for 1-2 billion
yen (approximately 9-18 million dollars) throughout the year.
DSE CEO Sakakibara said that this is only 10-15% of total revenue
and that they would still be able to continue with the events
as scheduled. However, Sky Perfect Television revenues are also
estimated by Sports News to be around 10% of the total, which
could add to a total 25% drop if new developments were to occur.
Source: FCF
|
Interview
w/ UFC Welterweight: Thiago Alves
By Denis Martins
Welterweight UFC fighter and ATT member Thiago "PitBull"
Alves will step into the octago for the 4th time, on June 28
at The Joint - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Nevada. PitBull
is 2-1 in the UFC and will try to become a contender when he
| |