Upcoming
Events
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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)
Icon Sport 46
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
8/26-27/06
International
Masters & Seniors Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/22-30/06
CBJF World
Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/20-24/06
CBJJO World Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/?/06
RAZE MMA Fight Night 2
(MMA)
(San Diego, CA)
5/26/06
Icon Sport 45
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
5/20/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
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)
3/25/06
Garden Island Cage
Match #3
(MMA)
(Kapaa H.S. Gym, Kapaa, Kauai)
Valley Isle MMA Event
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
3/18/06
Extreme Wars X-1
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
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)
(Filipino Cultural Center, Waipahu)
UFC 58: USA vs Canada (MMA)
(Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV)
2/26/06
Pride
31: Unbreakable
(MMA)
(PPV)
NAGA Hawaii State Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Honolulu)
*Cancelled
until Summer*
2/25/06
Icon Sport 44
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
|
|
March 2006 News
Part 1
Wednesday
night and Sunday classes (w/ a kids' class) now offered!
 
For the special Onzuka.com
price, click on one of these banners above! |
 |
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! |
Fight
To Defend Mixed Martial Arts In Hawaii!
The Hawaii Government is trying to ban or restrict MMA in Hawaii.
Please
contact your local representative and let them know that you
support MMA in Hawaii. Click the link below to look up your Representative
and his contact info!
HB3223
has been passed with Amendments. Basically the bill has been
rewritten to create a MMA Commission to regulate MMA in Hawaii
and passed on to the Consumer Protection & Commerce Committee
and the Judiciary Committee for further hearings.
Get
all the details concerning the two MMA Bills by clicking here
|
Quote
of the Day
"Happiness
is something that comes into our lives through doors we don't
even remember leaving open."
Rose Lane, 1886-1968, American Author and Journalist
|
Video
Press Release on San Diego's First World-Class MMA event:
http://gofish.com/userVideoPlayer.gfp?gfid=30-1019652
PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Patrick Freitas
RAZE MMA FIGHT NIGHT
Media & Sponsor Relations
(808) 375-1645
razemma@yahoo.com
RAZE M.M.A.
FIGHT NIGHT COMING TO SAN DIEGO
March 10, 2006 Honolulu, HI Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is the fastest
growing sport in America. Many would argue that it is the world’s
most exciting athletic competition. With an understanding of
the safety, legitimacy, and popularity of this flourishing sport,
the California State Athletic Commission opened its doors to
this flourishing sport in December 2005.
On Saturday, April 29th, 2006 Southern California will experience
its first world-class event as the promoters of two of the United
States’ oldest and most established MMA promotions –
Hawaii-based Icon Sport and Iowa-based Extreme Challenge –
come together for their collaboration, RAZE MMA FIGHT NIGHT.
This first-ever event will take place at ipayOne Center (formerly
San Diego Sports Arena) in the heart of San Diego.
More RAZE MMA FIGHT NIGHT updates will be distributed in the
coming week.
WHO: RAZE MMA FIGHT NIGHT
WHAT: San Diego’s First World-Class MMA Event
WHEN: Saturday, April 29th, 2006
WHERE: ipayOne center (San Diego Sports Arena)
Source: Patrick Freitas
|
STRIKEFORCE:
Gracie vs. Shamrock
The HP Pavillion, California
March 10, 2006
A pretty amazing scene is ready to take place tonight as the
first ever MMA show in California will be held in San Jose. Promoter
Scott Coker is putting on the first ever MMA show under the Strike
Force Promotion Banner featuring Frank Shamrock against Cesar
Gracie.
Last
night the weigh-in's took place in what may have been the longest
weigh-in in the history of MMA. A three hour weigh-in was held
as the California State Commission took their time going over
paper work, paper work and more paper work, which frustrated
some fighters who had to wait three hours to just weigh-in.
After
the lengthly delay most of the fighters made weight. (A few of
them will weigh in this morning) The HP Pavillion is housing
the first ever show in California and has opened additional seating.
It's believe that 15,000 tickets have already been sold and a
few event coordinators told MMAWeekly.com last night that they
will open the arena to hold it's capacity of 17,000 seats.
Jimmy
Lennon Jr, who was the Master of Ceremonies, told the weigh-in
crowd that the event already has become the largest North American
crowd in attendance in MMA history with the tickets pre-sold.
One
other interesting note about tonight's event is the fact that
it's a coming out party for many former UFC fighters. Eugene
Jackson is returning to the fight game for the first time in
two years. Mike Kyle is looking to get back in the heavyweight
mix facing Krzysztof Soszynksi. Josh Thomson makes his return
to 155, while former WWE wrestler Daniel Puder makes his second
apperance in MMA.
Gilbert
Melendez looks forward to defending his Shooto title next month
in Japan by getting a warm up fight against Harris Sarmiento
tonight in San Jose, while Cung Le makes his MMA debut. Nathan
Diaz, the brother of Nick Diaz is also on tonight's card.
A
very confident Frank Shamrock looks to be in incredible shape
against Cesar Gracie. Gracie who was announced having a record
of 14-0 at the weigh in, tipped the scales at 181, while Shamrock
stepped in at 185.
WEIGH-IN'S
Official
Fight Order:
Prelims:
- Scott Graham - 195 vs Chris Yee - 198
- Anthony Juarez - N/A vs Nathan Diaz - N/A
- Jose Palacios - N/A vs Sean Bassett - 154
Main
Card:
- Crafton Wallace - 185 vs Ray Routh - n/a
- Harris Sarmiento - 155 vs Gilbert Melendez - n/a
- Daniel Puder - 222 vs Jesse Fujarcyk - 211
- Brian Ebersole - 185 vs Matt Horwich - 185
- Mike Kyle - 237 vs Krzysztof Soszynski - 250
- Eugene Jackson - 183 vs Jorge Ortiz - 182
- Josh Thomson - 155 vs Clayton Guida - 155
- Cung Le 183 - vs Mike Altman - 183
- Frank Shamrock - 185 vs Cesar Gracie - 181
Source: MMA Weekly
|
HAWAIIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU
Tomorrow
Saturday, March 11,
2006
Saint Louis School Gymnasium
3142 Waialae Ave - Honolulu, HI
Start Time: 10:00 AM / Rules Clinic
FORMAT: Gi & No Gi Sport BJJ Rules; Single Elimination /
DIVISIONS: Various Age, Rank and Weight
This year we're expecting some Pan American caliber medals, great
T-shirts as usual, and awards also going-out for 3rd place finishers.
The Hawaii Institute of Massage Therapy will be back to provide
all athletes with complementary massages.
REGISTRATION:
$60 Adults / $30 Kids (Applications available at weigh-in) -
fee provides entry to multiple divisions.
WEIGH-IN & REGISTRATION for Oahu Residents is FRIDAY, March
10th at: Site A) UH Athletic Complex Studio #4 / Noon-1pm, and
again at 7:30-8:30pm; or Site B) HKF Martial Arts Center (Waipahu)
@ 94-295 Pupuole St., 2nd Fl., 7:30-8:30pm (NOTE: All Oahu residents
expecting to weigh-in on Saturday could be turned away or assessed
a $10 late fee). Registration for Outer-Island Residents is SAT.,
March 11th at Tourney Site 7:30-9:00 am.
CONTACT:
223-9363 / 392-8330
or visit Website at www.brazilian-freestyle.com
E-mail: info@brazilian-freestyle.com
Source: James Tanaka
|
Tickets
Almost Sold Out On Kauai!
Tickets are going fast, remember this is once in a lifetime event,
First ever womens MMA ever on Kauai
First ever outdoors MMA on Kauai
Largest card ever, 16 fights
Also
getting this much UFC/Icon Fighters to attend was a tremendous
feat with all their busy schedules.
Autographs,
weigh ins, Kukui Grove, March 24th 5pm
Event, Hanapepe Stadium, March 25th 5pm
See
you there!
Source: Event Promoter
|
CUNG
LE READY FOR CALI'S FIRST MMA EVENT
by Mick Hammond
Since the announcement that California State Athletic Commission
had finally approved MMA rules for events outside of Native American
casinos, the community has been buzzing about the first state-sanctioned
event taking place this weekend in San Jose. Among the featured
fights on the undercard of highly anticipated showdown between
Frank Shamrock and Cesar Gracie is the MMA debut of San Shao
superstar Cung Le.
Le,
who had shot to fame through K-1 PPVs and via exposure on Martial
Arts specials produced by the likes of the Discovery Channel,
will be entering into a cage for the first time in his fighting
career to take on an old adversary in front of his hometown crowd.
Recently MMA Weekly caught up with Le as he finalized preparations
for his match to discuss the fight and his future inside and
outside the combat arena.
MMA
Weekly: It’s almost here, you’re just a few days away
from making your MMA debut, how are you feeling Cung?
Cung
Le: I’m very nervous but excited. I feel my preparation
has been well balanced from the stand up to the ground to the
takedowns. I’ve been working with the guys over at AKA (American
Kickboxing Academy), especially Javier Mendez working with my
boxing and Garth Taylor with my Jiu-Jitsu. I’ve got a lot
of good sparring partners there and all my students/fighters
who have stepped up and given me rounds.
MMA
Weekly: I understand you’re quite familiar with the opponent
you have lined up in this fight.
Cung
Le: Yes, I fought him back in 1999, he took a San Shao fight
against me on short notice. He’s a tough fighter out of
Houston named Mike Altman. I don’t know much about him as
an MMA fighter but I know him as a San Shao fighter. He’s
got really heavy hands and good takedown defense. He’s been
begging for a rematch for the longest time, ever since he took
the San Shao rules fight with me a couple years ago at the last
minute. He’s definitely looking for revenge.
MMA
Weekly: So we can definitely expect a real war with him wanting
revenge and you wanting to make a good showing in your debut?
Cung
Le: Yeah definitely, I feel that he’s going to come swinging
for the fences. He will be better shape this time, so he says,
and he doesn’t think I’m going to be able to take him
down, so we’ll see. I’m just looking forward to fighting
in the cage in front of a huge crowd. I hear that over 14,000
tickets have been sold, from my gym alone we’re probably
going to hit $80,000 worth of ticket sales for Scott Coker (K-1/ISKA
Promoter).
MMA
Weekly: How important was it for you to want to be a part of
this historic MMA card in your hometown?
Cung
Le: Very important, that’s a big reason I stepped up and
took this fight on because it’s history in the making. It’s
the first CSAC sanctioned MMA cage fight in California. Plus
it’s going to be in San Jose and so I want to get out there
and try it out and give the fans something to cheer. I’ve
always been a big fan of MMA, I always enjoy watching it and
going to the live events, so here’s the chance for me to
get in there and have a little fun.
MMA
Weekly: All right, let’s talk a little about what’s
going on with your career away from the sport for a minute. I
understand you’ve had a lot going on in your business life
lately.
Cung
Le: Business-wise the school is doing really good, the gym is
doing well, but what’s taking off for me is my acting career.
I was in Vietnam coaching the US National San Shao team, which
under my coaching, 10 fighters earned six medals, 2 silver and
4 bronze, which was the most we’ve ever brought home, when
I was told to call this guy about a movie.
Basically
my mother had called me at like 2 in the morning telling me to
call this guy, which I thought was crazy because I was coaching
the finals the next day, but she pleaded with me so I called
him. Two days later I was on a flight from Saigon to Hong Kong
to Chicago to Toronto and 25 hours later I was being driven to
the location of the set and was told I was the star of the movie.
MMA
Weekly: What can you tell us about that project?
Cung
Le: I’m not sure what the name is exactly because it’s
in Russian, but translated it means “The Final Fight.”
It’s going to open throughout the country in Russia and
will probably come out here on DVD. I became the main actor,
the hero of the movie, and my supporting cast is David Carradine,
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa who was the villain in Mortal Kombat, Eric
Roberts, Gary Busy, Oleg Taktarov (UFC vet), and Bolo (Yeung)
who’s worked with Bruce Lee. They’re already talking
to me about the next project we might be working on.
MMA
Weekly: With all the traveling did you have any chance to train?
Cung
Le: It was hard to be in New York for one week because it was
during the blizzard time, but I did get a chance to do a lot
of running and springs. One of my fighters came out to do a fight
scene and they basically let us spar for like three hours without
any gear while they were filming. It was pretty full contact
so I did get my sparring in and came home banged up [laughs],
so I got my work in.
MMA
Weekly: What about your fighting career, what do you see for
yourself in that part of your life this year?
Cung
Le: I’m going to take one fight at a time. There’s
a lot of great fighters in the MMA world and I’m just starting
on the bottom in this new arena with a big name already, but
I’m going to take one fight at a time and see what direction
the lord takes me to. I’m always going to be a San Shao
fighter at heart but once I cross into the MMA arena I would
hope the fans would consider me an MMA fighter.
MMA
Weekly: So we’ll be seeing you do this for quite some time
to come huh?
Cung
Le: I don’t want to jinx myself, I enjoy it but I’m
already 33 years old. So I don’t know how long I’ll
be it for, I mean I look up to Randy Couture, but I don’t
want to be fighting when I’m 40 years old [laughs].
MMA
Weekly: Understandable. Thank you so much for your time Cung,
we appreciate it. Is there anything you’d like to say as
we close out the interview?
Cung
Le: The first thing I’d like to say is I’d like to
thank all fans for their support not only to me but the world
of MMA and Martial Arts in general. I’d like to thank my
sponsor Xyience for taking care of me and giving me a chance
to train full time as a fighter and also giving me unlimited
supplies of NOX and supplements which helps in my training and
progression as an athlete and hopefully an MMA fighter.
I’d
like to thank Sprawl shorts for the shorts and support they’ve
given me and Cobb 28 as well. I want to also thank you and MMA
Weekly for the interview and for your support of me over the
last couple of years. I want to let the fans know that I’m
going to go into that cage and I’m going to fire both guns
and once the smoke clears I’m sure they’re going to
be happy with the fight that I’m going to put on.
For
more information on Cung Le and his USH! Fight Team and gear
please visit his official website www.CungLe.com.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Shogun
out of Pride GP Openweight
All
the expectation around the participation of Maurício Shogun
at Pride GP Openweight is now finally finished. Shogun went yesterday
morning to the doctor that is taking care of his injury, Dr.
Carlos do Vitta, and he said Shogun needs about two or three
months to get healed. Shogun got hurt during the fight against
Mark Coleman, at Pride 31. "I need to stay at home for about
45 or 60 days. I won't even take care of my physical condition.
The first stage of the GP takes place on May 5 and will be very
hard to me to be able to participate. I think that I'm out -
said Shogun, who after falling down he broke a bone of his right
arm.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
"Optimism
means expecting the best, but confidence means knowing how to
handle the worst. Never make a move if you are merely optimistic."
The Zurich Axioms
|
HAWAIIAN CHAMPIONSHIP
OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU THIS SATURDAY!
Saturday, March 11,
2006
Saint Louis School Gymnasium
3142 Waialae Ave - Honolulu, HI
Start Time: 10:00 AM / Rules Clinic
FORMAT: Gi & No Gi Sport BJJ Rules; Single Elimination /
DIVISIONS: Various Age, Rank and Weight
This year we're expecting some Pan American caliber medals, great
T-shirts as usual, and awards also going-out for 3rd place finishers.
The Hawaii Institute of Massage Therapy will be back to provide
all athletes with complementary massages.
REGISTRATION:
$60 Adults / $30 Kids (Applications available at weigh-in) -
fee provides entry to multiple divisions.
WEIGH-IN
& REGISTRATION for Oahu Residents is FRIDAY, March 10th at:
Site A) UH Athletic Complex Studio #4 / Noon-1pm, and again at
7:30-8:30pm; or Site B) HKF Martial Arts Center (Waipahu) @ 94-295
Pupuole St., 2nd Fl., 7:30-8:30pm (NOTE: All Oahu residents expecting
to weigh-in on Saturday could be turned away or assessed a $10
late fee). Registration for Outer-Island Residents is SAT., March
11th at Tourney Site 7:30-9:00 am.
CONTACT:
223-9363 / 392-8330
or visit Website at www.brazilian-freestyle.com
E-mail: info@brazilian-freestyle.com
Source: James Tanaka
|
UFC
58 : Full Report
By UFC.tv - Thomas Gerbasi
LAS VEGAS – It was supposed to be Rich Franklin’s toughest
test yet, but after a five round battering of courageous challenger
David Loiseau at UFC 58 – USA vs Canada before 10,362 at
the Mandalay Bay Events Center, the only question has to be,
who has a legitimate shot to challenge the UFC middleweight champion?
The
unanimous five round decision read 50-42 twice and 50-43 for
Franklin, who defended his crown for the second time and did
it with a broken left hand - and possibly a broken foot and right
hand - from the second round on.
“It’s
the first fight where I’ve gone to a decision, so I’m
very displeased with myself,” said Franklin, who could now
be dubbed ‘The Punisher’ after his dominating performance.
Kicking
was the weapon of choice early on. Loiseau missed his first high
kick, but landed his second, producing nary a pause from Franklin,
who responded with a kick of his own that was in turn answered
by ‘The Crow’. Both decided to test their hands moments
later, and though Loiseau’s handspeed was superior, it was
Franklin who jarred the challenger and sent him sprawling into
the fence briefly. Loiseau answered with a flush shot of his
own, but Franklin took it well. With under 1:30 to go, Franklin
picked up his pace a bit, though many of his shots were deflected
or avoided by Loiseau. The respect both fighters had for each
other was obvious though, and it appeared that the combatants
were settling in for a long battle, something that almost didn’t
happen when Franklin put Loiseau on the deck at the bell with
a right to the jaw.
Looking
to follow-up on his good fortune from the previous round, Franklin
aggressively pursued Loiseau, who refused to engage when the
champion attacked. Loiseau then suffered a delayed reaction to
a punch from Franklin and the champ pounced and put the challenger
on the mat. Once the two rose, Loiseau, with a nasty knot over
his right eye and a bloody nose, was even less amenable to trading
with the champ, even turning his back on Franklin on a few occasions.
With under two minutes left, Franklin continued to dominate from
corner to corner as Loiseau’s legs didn’t even seem
to want to hold him anymore. With less than 30 seconds left,
Franklin went for the finish, slamming Loiseau and pounding him,
but the bell intervened.
Loiseau
opened up with some kicks to start the third round and make a
charge for the title, but again it was Franklin with a quick
takedown that turned into a sequence where he got Loiseau’s
back and looked to end the bout. ‘The Crow’ survived,
but when he rose, the knot over his right eye worsened and he
was cut over both eyes. After the doctor allowed the fight to
continue, Loiseau finally struck paydirt, knocking Franklin to
the mat with a left hook and suddenly putting the Cincinnati
native in trouble.
“I
wasn’t hurt, I wanted to create a little drama,” joked
Franklin. “That’s a lie. Dave clipped me.”
Franklin
was able to buy some time along the fence though, and he again
put it on the Montreal native, whose face was battered beyond
recognition. Loiseau, who was obviously having trouble seeing,
started to paw with his arm to at least touch Franklin and know
where he was, undoubtedly a bad sign, but he was able to survive
the third stanza.
At
the start of the fourth, the two combatants again touched gloves,
this time even smiling at each other in appreciation of the courage
both were showing. By the end of the opening minute, Franklin
again got Loiseau’s back and battered the courageous Canadian,
who refused to give in. A slam by ‘Ace’ at the three
minute mark didn’t help matters, and referee John McCarthy
was watching the fight closely, but when Loiseau rose, he was
ready to fight again. Franklin, way ahead at this point, took
the pace back a bit as looked to reload his guns for another
run in the final round.
Far
behind, Loiseau went for broke in the fifth, still throwing leg
kicks with brutal power. Franklin was just too strong at this
point in the fight, and he easily took ‘The Crow’ down
again. Loiseau tried to fight his way out of trouble, but Franklin
put him right back in a precarious spot and got his back once
again – usually a sure way to end a fight, but it was as
if Loiseau got it in his head that he would not give in at any
cost.
He
didn’t. And even though he lost his fight for the UFC middleweight
title, David Loiseau definitely earned the crown as the toughest
fighter in the world.
Georges
St. Pierre was the spitting image of a 9 to 5 businessman when
he entered the UFC Octagon at 5:08pm local time to warm up in
a suit, tie, and no shoes. But once he returned to fight former
UFC welterweight champion BJ Penn, he was all fighter, as he
survived a bloody pounding in the first round to win the next
two on two of the three judges’ cards and earn a split decision
in the highly anticipated bout that actually lived up to the
hype.
Scores
were 29-28 twice and 28-29 for St. Pierre, who earned a rematch
against current UFC welterweight king Matt Hughes with the win.
Penn, who entered the bout wearing the championship belt he never
lost in the Octagon, was disappointed with the verdict.
“I
just feel that I probably did more damage,” said Penn. “But
he fought well.”
Penn
- making his first UFC appearance in two years after a contract
dispute and lawsuit kept him out of the Octagon - was barely
able to contain himself as he awaited the opening bell, and the
roar of the crowd was ear-splitting. Penn came straight out at
his foe, looking to land a bomb, but St. Pierre kept his cool
in perhaps the biggest fight of his life. A flurry by Penn left
St. Pierre blinking his eye from an inadvertent thumb, but also
left his nose bloodied. “I “saw two BJ Penns,”
said St. Pierre.
At
the three-minute mark, the two clinched and St. Pierre walked
Penn to the fence and tried to work his knees. Penn responded
with knees of his own and fought off St. Pierre’s takedown
attempts. After a break, the two traded, and St. Pierre picked
up his pace with punches and kicks. Penn calmly stood in the
pocket though and picked at his opponent with accurate shots
that opened a cut under St. Pierre’s right eye.
“This
is the first time in my career I bled a lot and I learned a lot,”
said St. Pierre, who fought much of the fight with his face covered
in crimson. “I was really hurt in the first round.”
Looking
to turn the tide, St. Pierre came out fast in the second, shooting
out jabs and kicks that surprised Penn. After locking up again,
St. Pierre was finally able to put Penn on the mat, where he
worked from inside the Hilo native’s guard briefly before
standing and landing a couple of shots on the prone Penn. With
a little over three minutes left, both fighters stood and St.
Pierre was able to bully Penn back to the fence for a moment
before ‘The Prodigy’ fought his way back to the center
of the Octagon. Again, St. Pierre was able to land kicks, but
his strikes were having little effect on Penn, whose hands were
considerably heavier, though not as active. With under a minute
to go, Penn opened up a bit more with his back to the fence,
but it was St. Pierre who ended the round the strongest when
he took Penn down to the mat just before the bell sounded.
With
the fight seemingly up for grabs, the third began with both fighters
looking to trade, but it was St. Pierre who was able to outland
Penn, an amazing feat given the way the bout began and with the
amount of blood lost by the Montreal fighter. With under four
minutes left, St. Pierre scored his biggest takedown, picking
up Penn and slamming him to the mat. Penn was able to work his
way back to his feet, but St. Pierre put him right back against
the fence. At the 2:15 mark Penn went for his first takedown
of the fight, but St. Pierre avoided it adroitly and again smothered
Penn against the Octagon fence before taking him down again with
just under a minute left in the fight. Penn, a jiu-jitsu ace,
looked to submit St. Pierre in a last ditch effort on the ground,
but it was not to be.
“Do
the fans want to see me fight for the title?” asked St.
Pierre.
Yes
we do.
Middleweight
Mike Swick was forced past the 30 second mark for the first time
in the UFC but he still didn’t see round two yet, as he
submitted Quebec’s Steve Vigneault in the opening stanza
of their swing bout.
“I
gave him all the respect in the world and I trained like I never
trained before,” said Swick, a member of the cast of the
first season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ reality show.
Swick
looked to make it three sub-25 second KOs in a row, but Vigneault
smothered his foe’s attack and held on until referee Steve
Mazzagatti broke the two. After another flurry that didn’t
hit the sweet spot, Vigneault again clinched until a break. Swick
was able to then land a flying knee, and while Vigneault held
the knee and brought Swick to the canvas, ‘Quick’ immediately
sunk in a guillotine choke and forced a tap out at 2:09 of the
opening round.
“That’s
a Swickotine,” said Swick. “It’s a little quicker
and stronger.”
In
another middleweight battle, Wyoming native Nathan Marquardt
outlasted Manitoba’s Joe Doerksen in a quality bout between
two of the most seasoned veterans in the sport.
All
three judges scored the bout 30-27 in a bout that was a lot closer
than the judges’ scores would indicate.
Marquardt,
looking to erase the memory of his less than compelling debut
win over Ivan Salaverry, immediately remedied that problem by
scoring with punches and kicks and almost securing a guillotine
choke, but Doerksen weathered the early storm and traded with
Marquardt evenly until the two tumbled to the mat with a little
over a minute to go. After a lull in the action, the fighters
stood and looked for openings on the feet, with Doerksen scoring
effectively with a couple of leaping punches to the head.
Doerksen
started off the second round much the way Marquardt began the
first, and he took his foe to the mat. Marquardt quickly got
out of trouble though and soon reversed his position on the ground
before the combatants stood again and traded for a bit before
another trip to the floor. This time around, Marquardt was able
to land a couple of strikes when Doerksen allowed him breathing
room, and continued his good fortune when on the feet moments
later. But just as soon as that line was written, Doerksen briefly
stunned Marquardt with a bomb to the chin, but was unable to
follow up. After the two wrestled on the mat, Marquardt stood
and had his bearings back, and he ended the round behind some
strong striking.
“He’s
got a tough chin,” said Marquardt. “I’ve caught
a lot of guys not as hard as that and they went down.”
In
the third, both fighters came on strong, with Marquardt gaining
the upper hand after sending Doerksen’s mouthpiece flying
with heavy shots and then putting him on the mat. After a brief
respite on the ground, referee John McCarthy stood the fighters
up, and again Doerksen was rocked by Marquardt. To his credit,
Doerksen stood in the pocket and fought back hard before tumbling
to the mat with ‘Nate The Great’ in tow. With the fight
apparently sown up, Marquardt ran out the final minute of the
bout, and moved to 2-0 in UFC action.
Mark
Hominick had plenty on his mind entering his UFC debut against
one of MMA’s pound for pound best, Yves Edwards, but with
his father’s fight against cancer inspiring him, the Ontario
lightweight upset the heavily favored Texan, submitting him in
the second round of a scheduled three rounder.
Both
lightweights immediately got to business, with Edwards landing
knees in the Thai clinch and Hominick fighting him off effectively
and continuing to stalk his foe. ‘The Machine’ was
cool under the pressure of his first UFC bout, and he was able
to land uppercuts while in Edwards’ clinch. Edwards remained
the consummate pro though, waiting for his opening while still
being busy enough to score points. Hominick appeared to gain
confidence with each passing second and aggressively pursued
the Texan, but Edwards showed the little extras that don’t
always appear in heavier weight bouts, including slick defense
and body punching with both hands.
In
the second, Edwards looked for the takedown, but Hominick fought
it off and responded with a flurry of shots that stunned his
opponent and put him on the defensive. Hominick’s aggression
allowed Edwards to succeed on a second takedown attempt, but
once on the mat, Hominick was able to sink in a triangle choke
that forced Edwards to tap at the 1:53 mark of the second frame.
In
undercard action…
In
the first lightweight bout in the UFC since 2004, Sam Stout showed
his ‘Hands of Stone’ as he pounded out a close three
round split decision over Spencer Fisher in a bout that showed
why the lightweight division has the most exciting fighters in
mixed martial arts.
Scores
were 29-28 twice, and 28-29 for Stout, who was scheduled to fight
Kenny Florian until a back injury forced Florian out and brought
Fisher in on three days notice.
The
bombs went flying instantly, landing with a thud, and after a
brief trip to the mat, the lightweight bombers got back to throwing
heavy shots. One minute in, Fisher scored a beautiful takedown,
but Stout immediately jumped up to this feet. Fisher walked forward
with little regard for Stout’s punching power and landed
a couple of flush shots before scoring another takedown. Fisher
effectively worked his ground and pound on the mat, but Stout
hung tough as he worked to better his position. Fisher stood
and scored with a kick to the chest, but that decision also allowed
Stout to get back to his feet and trade with his foe until the
bell.
Stout
opened the second round effectively, mixing in punches and kicks
from long range as Fisher pursued. Fisher’s face started
to show the wear of battle and he seemed to also be showing the
effects of being forced to drop to the 155 pound weight limit
from welterweight in just two days. ‘The King’ kept
moving forward though, scoring well with a knee on the inside
that caught Stout by surprise. The action didn’t let up
throughout the round, and Stout’s strong round brought the
first chants of ‘Canada, Canada.’ In the final minute,
Fisher got Stout to the mat again and almost sunk in a heel hook,
but the London, Ontario native escaped.
With
the fight's result hanging in the balance, both fighters stood
and looked for the shot that would turn the tide. Stout worked
punches and kicks well from long range, and Fisher tried for
the takedown but paid for getting inside by getting nailed with
quick 1-2s. With a little under three minutes left in the fight,
Fisher got his takedown, with Stout working his way out by the
two minute mark. When the fight went to the mat again with 1:30
left, Stout scored with some strikes, but Fisher soon worked
his way into side control. A move to full mount was avoided as
Stout pushed his tired foe off and jumped to his feet, where
the bout ended with a rousing cheer from the crowd.
The
wait to get to the UFC was a long one, but for Jason ‘The
Punisher’ Lambert it was worth it, as he submitted ‘The
Ultimate Fighter’s Rob MacDonald in less than two minutes
in a light heavyweight bout.
Long
Beach, California’s Lambert – who owns wins over UFC
vets Marvin Eastman and Travis Wiuff - immediately came out looking
for the takedown, but MacDonald sprawled his way out of trouble.
Not for long though. Lambert slammed MacDonald to the mat, and
though the TUF 2 alum fought his way back up, Lambert dropped
him a second time and this time quickly secured a kimura, forcing
a tap-out at 1:54 of the opening round.
“It
was so tight I though I was gonna rip it off and take it home
with me,” said Lambert of the submission lock that ended
the bout.
In
the heavyweight opener, Tom Murphy, a cast member of season two
of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ reality show, got his first
UFC victory with a dominating third round stoppage of late replacement
Icho Larenas, who took the fight on one day’s notice after
original opponent Christophe Midoux was forced out with a hernia.
Looking
to make a good impression in his Octagon debut, Murphy struck
first, bulling Larenas into the fence and following up with a
loud takedown. From there, the Vermont resident worked on a ground
and pound strategy as Larenas simply tried to stall enough to
force a restart. He got his chance with 2:15 left, and both quickly
locked up and traded inside the Thai clinch and a clash of heads
left both men cut, with Larenas getting the worst of it as he
emerged with a nasty gash on his forehead. Murphy quickly pounced
and dropped Larenas to the mat again, where he opened up with
his right hand until the bell rescued the Montreal native.
The
second saw more of the same, with Larenas showing no defense
at all for Murphy’s takedowns. And once on the ground, the
TKO heavyweight champ was unable to deal with Murphy’s ground
and pound. After a standup by referee Yves Lavigne, the bout
was halted briefly to have the ringside physician check the cut
on Larenas’ hairline, but when action resumed, Murphy put
Larenas back on the canvas. After another standup, Larenas attempted
to show some offense as he swung for the fences, but after a
wild miss it was the same story as Murphy put Larenas down, got
side mount and opened up with an array of forearms.
The
chants of ‘USA, USA’ went up between rounds, and the
third round began the same way the other two started. Murphy
made a concerted effort to finish though, and after another series
of unanswered shots, Lavigne finally called a halt to the one-sided
bout at the 1:59 mark.
Source: Maxfighting
|
Puder
Feeling ‘Tough Enough’ For
Shamrock vs. Gracie Challenge
New
York, NY….World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) “Tough
Enough” reality show winner, Daniel Puder (1-0), will return
to his roots when he faces Jesse Fujarcyk (2-0), in a heavyweight
contest during “Shamrock vs. Gracie,” California’s
historic first mixed martial arts fight card that will take place
on Friday, March 10th at San Jose’s HP Pavilion.
“I
want to beat down a lot of people (laughs), but I haven’t
set specific goals yet because I want to get past this first
fight,” said the 6 foot 3 inch, 235 pound Puder, whose blonde
hair, blue eyes, and surfer’s tan give him the All-American
look that the sport has sought in an effort to further its mainstream
appeal. A former protégé of “Shamrock vs.
Gracie” main event constituent, Frank Shamrock, the 24-year-old
has since been taken under the wings of American Kickboxing Academy
trainers Javier Mendez and “Crazy” Bob Cook as well
as Jiu-Jitsu expert Dave Camarillo. “It would be nice to
knock him out in the first minute or two or armbar him. I don’t
care if he takes me down or if he wants to stand up.”
The
pinnacle of Puder’s run on the UPN-televised reality show,
which aired between October and December 2004, came when he was
granted the opportunity to grapple with 1996 Olympic Gold medalist
and professional wrestling legend, Kurt Angle. To the amazement
of WWE officials and the millions of TV viewers looking on, Puder
successfully placed Angle in a “kimura” submission
hold, bringing about a tremendous upset victory for the young
contender.
Puder’s
first place finish on the show earned him a one-year contract
with the WWE, which he completed in October. “I probably
learned more doing WWE for one year than I did in five years
of my life just because I was on the road so much, I was by myself,
I got to read the Bible a lot,” he noted. “I got to
talk to a lot of my friends on the phone, but I wasn’t around
too many people, so it was a good time.”
To
date, Puder remains the only professional athlete officially
endorsed by Myspace.com. According to the fighter, his presence
on the wildly popular business and social networking website
helped him capture the attention and gradually win the affection
of “Tough Enough” viewers whose votes cast after each
episode influenced the process by which competitors were eliminated
from the show.
Puder’s
big heart holds more than his love for sport combat, which explains
why he dedicates a great deal of his leisure time to helping
the youth of Northern California. His two non-profit organizations,
“Puder Strength Training” and “Tough Enough Kids,”
the second of which sends him on hospital visits to lift the
spirits of terminally ill children, have had a significant impact
on the community. “It’s a big reason why I’m doing
professional sports,” he said. “Its nice to go into
to a hospital where there’s a dying 12 year-old sad as hell
and, when I walk in, he couldn’t be happier.”
Before
he became a recognizable TV star and hero, Puder made his professional
mixed martial arts debut in Japan on September 6, 2003. He earned
a three round unanimous judges’ decision over fellow American
Jay McCown.
The
13 bout “Shamrock vs. Gracie” card will be headlined
by the long-awaited showdown between bitter rivals Shamrock (20-7-1)
and Cesar Gracie (14-0) as well the mixed martial arts debut
of Cung Le (16-0), who will face seasoned veteran, Mike Altman
(19-8). Rising stars and former collegiate wrestling standouts
Josh “The Punk” Thomson (10-1) and Clayton Guida (19-3)
will square off with each other while undefeated prospect, Gilbert
Melendez (10-0), will do battle with Harris Sarmiento (18-12).
Fan favorite, Eugene “The Wolf” Jackson (12-7-1), will
make his long-awaited return to action when he meets Jorge “The
Naked Man” Ortiz (7-2). In the event’s other heavyweight
matchup, Mike “Mak” Kyle (14-4) will take on Krzysztof
“The Experiment” Soszynski (9-4).
Tickets
for “Shamrock vs. Gracie” are officially on sale and
can be purchased at all Ticketmaster (408-998-TIXS) outlets and
Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) as well as at the
HP Pavilion box office (408-287-7070). Fans can also purchase
tickets by logging on to the official “Shamrock vs. Gracie”
website, www.shamrockvsgracie.com, and clicking on the “Tickets”
link where a ticket order form is located. All completed forms
should be returned for processing to Ms. Julie Lin either via
fax: 408-863-0153 or email: juless8000@aol.com. Ticket prices
start at $30.
Doors
to the event will open at 5 PM Pacific Standard Time on March
10th. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6 PM.
The
“Shamrock vs. Gracie” bill is being promoted and produced
by Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment (SVSE, www.svse.net),
a leading producer of major sporting and entertainment events
and the exclusive producer of such events for San Jose, California’s
largest entertainment arena, the HP Pavilion. SVSE’s many
properties include “Miller Lite Fight Night,” world
championship boxing; the National Hockey League’s San Jose
Sharks; and the annual ATP men’s professional tennis “SAP
Open” event.
Source: Maxfighting
|
UFC
is a "Joke" and a "Shame"
Charles:
Here’s my take on the UFC USA vs Canada. I have watched
every UFC to date as well as all the PRIDE events. UFC 58 is
a joke... the match ups suck except for BJ coming back. Also
the 205 lbs class sucks for the UFC, and PRIDE has the top 205
lbers in the world. Liddell would lose to Shogun, Silva, little
Nog and Arona, and if anyone says he wouldn't... “F”
them and “F” the Iceman.
Brazilian top team rules and Liddell is the champ in weak 205
lbs class beside Babulu. (note: letter received prior to UFC
58 actually taking place).
Editor:
Hey Charles... Typically, Smokin Joe is our resident angry fan,
but your attack on the UFC is welcome nonethe less. We are about
exploring different views and drilling down on the issues. However,
I dop want to say, I am not sure that I follow your point. I
suppose your letter is just a general rant, which is fine. If
so, I will just say that UFC 58 was a fine card on paper. BJ
Penn returning was indeed something to watch, as is St. Pierre
no matter who he faced. Franklin/Loiseau was something I was
looking forward to, not to mention the return of the 155 lbers.
Also the chance to see Mike Swick back in action and if Nathan
Marquardt can get back on track to prove himself, both provide
us with some fights of value. I have always said, we don't need
8 main-event fights on one card... The main-event, a couple of
features, and some up-and-comers on the undercard is the right
formula... That is pretty much what we got. Some results were
expected, some were unexpected... For me, the Hominck/Edwards
fight was the biggest upset of the night. Congrats to Hominick
even though I personally could not see how he could win it. Good
stuff I would say.
Then what's with the redirection on the Chuck Liddell attack???
While it may be true that he is the top dog in a weak field of
205 lbers in the UFC, he has paid his dues against some tough
opposition and is worthy of a top 5 status. I have said this
before also... A Silva/Liddell fight is a pickem, and I feel
the same about Shogun, little Nog and Arona. Those guys could
beat Liddell, and he could most definitley beat them as well...
but then again, "F" me, right?
Bobby Lee
Rich, Excellent article you wrote on the UFCs questionable practices!!!
You covered all the questions that an educated fight fan asks
regarding the sad state of affairs that the fight game is in
today, especially the UFC. The first thing that jumps to mind
as far as current fights go is "How the hell are B.J. Penn
or GSP not fighting Matt Hughes for the title and Riggs is!!!!!!?
Even worse, how is B.J. Penn not still the champ after whipping
Huges' ass in convincing fashion!!!!?"
You'd think the most widely known MMA organization would try
to have some structure about it, but for every knowledgeable
fight fan there are 20 that just don't care what they see as
long as they see two guys going at each other. Quantity NOT quality
is the UFCs motto. What a shame! Keep up the excellent work.
Editor:
Hello Bobby, thanks for your letter. I am glad that you have
found some value in my previous letter responses. You may notice
from my response above (to Charles), I do think that the UFC
occassionally puts a together a show properly, and I have no
problem saying it and even defending them under those circumstances.
But that is just one show, and there is so much more that needs
to be done for the larger picture. As I have stated in other
articles, their overall direction is off, especially if one considers
them as the leader of MMA in the USA. I am not sure what any
of us can do to make a difference, but time will tell.
About the Welterweight Title picture. We know that BJ was stripped
of the belts so of course he did not come in as the champ. However,
I have illustrated why it really doesn't matter since the UFC
belt is merely an award that the UFC brass can pass around to
whomever they choose (the mentality seems to be, why not give
Riggs a title bout, since it essentially protects the champ and
gives him another title defense to tout). Really, what may have
been a more appropriate course, and this is a discussion I had
with another maXfighting reader, was that there should have been
a BJ/Hughes rematch for the title... then St. Pierre would be
in line as the next contender. This makes sense, even in the
murky world of the UFC Championship scene. But that is not how
it happened, and that is not how things work apparently. Logic
be damned, because Hughes is the TUF Coach this season, and we
can't have him potentially losing the "title" just
now.
The bottom-line is, and you hit it right on the head, for every
"educated" fan that is pained by these issues, there
are droves of casual fans and blind supporters who are satisfied
just to see the action (honestly, I think your 1 to 20 ratio
is a bit low, because even a number of long-term {I don't say
"educated" fans for this group} are willing to swallow
this stuff just because there are fights on regular TV... hooray!!!
Thanks again for your letter.
Source: Maxfighting
|
Reports
are Buzzing Over the International Fight League's Debut
By Sean McClure
It is being reported that the International Fight League’s
(IFL) inaugural live event date has been confirmed to be held
at the Trump Taj Mahal, Atlantic City, New Jersey on April 29,
2006
Four
teams will compete in the first LIVE event. Each team will consist
of five fighters, one representing each weight division of the
International Fight League (lightweight, welterweight, middleweight,
light-heavyweight and heavyweight), and one head coach.
Team
Name / Coach
#1
The Silverbacks / Pat Miletich
#2
The Pitbulls / Renzo Gracie
#3
The Anacondas / Bas Rutten
#4
The Tiger Sharks / Coming Soon
Tickets
go on sale TODAY at 12pm EST and are available through Ticketmaster
Online!
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/02003C62CECF932F
http://www.ifl.tv
Source: Maxfighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"The
successful person has the habit of doing the things failures
don't like to do. They don't like doing them either necessarily.
But their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their
purpose."
E.M. Gray
|
Garden
Island Cage Match 3 Tickets Now on Sale!
Garden Island Cage
Match 3
Hanapepe Stadium, Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii
March 25, 2006
Hi All,
Tickets are now on sale at the following locations:
Meyvn
skate and Surf- Lihue
Tropical Tantrum- Kapaa
Dynamic Tinting- Puhi
Tutu's Cafe - Kalaheo
Sweet and Sassy - Eleele
Wong's Restaurant- Hanapepe
M&H Service- Waimea
Westside sporting goods- Waimea
Thanks
to our sponsors!
Kuhio Motors
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Island Radio 98.9
Source: Event Promoter
|
Extreme
Wars X-1 2 Fight Card
Blaisdell
Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
March 18, 2004
Fights start promptly
at 7:00 PM so come early!
MMA: 145lbs - 2 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Kevin Delima (Bulls Pen) VS Dave Moreno
MMA:
165lbs - 2 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Bryson Kamaka (808 Fight Factory) vs. Peter "Boy" Kahananuui
MMA: 210lbs - 2 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Randy Leuder vs. Derik Thornton
MMA:
145lbs - 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Albert Manners (BJ Penn's MMA) VS Lorenzo Coca
X-1
135lbs Championship Match:
MMA: 135lbs - 3 Rounds x 5 Minutes
Ed Newalu (808 Fight Factory) VS Lafayette Barelo
MMA:
145lbs - 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Eddie Yagin (Grappling Unlimited) vs. Donald Gonzalez Jr.
MMA:
160lbs - 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Jamal Perkins (808 Fight Factory) VS "Sugar" Shane
Nelson (BJ Penn's MMA)
MMA:
Open - 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Shane Carwin Vs Matt Nelson
MMA:
185lbs - 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Jay Carter (BJ Penn's MMA) vs. Joshua Ferriera
MMA:
205lbs - 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Walter Saliss Vs Jr Sua
MMA:
185lbs - 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Daniel "Death Roll" Higgins VS Fernando Gonzales
MMA:
Open - 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Miles Tynannes VS Reuben "Warpath" Villareal
Open
XMA: 3 Rounds x 2 Minutes
Mike Malone (Eastsidaz) VS Tupu AluAlu (Gee Yung)
X-1
155lbs Championship Match:
MMA: 155lbs - 3 Rounds x 5 Minutes
Harris Sarmiento (808 Fight Factory) Vs Kola Koka (Team MMAD)
MMA:
235lbs - 3 Rounds x 5 Minutes
John "The Bull" Marsh (228 St Gym) Vs John "Big
J" Kailiuli
X-1
170lbs Championship Match:
MMA: 170lbs - 3 Rounds x 5 Minutes
Ross "Da Boss" Ebanez (BJ Penn's MMA) VS Mark Moreno
(Bulls Pen)
Main
Event:
MMA: 210lbs - 3 Rounds x 5 Minutes
Marcelo Tiger VS John "The Machine" Lober
Source: X-1
|
PRIDE
FC official statement regarding pay per views
PRIDE FC released a statement today addressing untelevised fights
and mismatches.
Here
at Dream Stage Entertainment we are looking for ways to improve
our products and services for you, the fan. We're always committed
to the goal of providing you with the best possible product,
whether through our live PRIDE Fighting events, pay per view
broadcasts, or through our line of merchandise. The information
that our fans provide us with helps us in our continuing process
of improving our quality of products and services.
In
the past, we have received complaints about all fights on the
card not being televised. To address this issue, we have a disclaimer
in our advertisements that states that all fights many not be
shown due to a limited three hour time slot set by the PPV company.
In addition, the order of the fights as they appear on the card
may not always be the same as the actual live event because the
fight order may not be preferred by Japan or the rest of the
world.
As
far as "mismatched fights" are concerned, mixed martial
arts is not limited to fighting in the same weight class as your
opponent. We allow practitioners of different sizes and weights
to compete against one another to prove who is more skilled and
which fighting styles are better.
Our
ultimate aim is to create action packed PPV's that our fans will
never forget. Keep in mind that we are reading all your emails
and taking them into account.
For
more information on PRIDE FC, visit pridefc.com!
Source:
MMA Fighting
|
The
mentor, part 1
The story of grandmaster Carlos Gracie, the first Gracie to ever
learn Jiu-Jitsu
The Gracies’ first archenemy was no Japanese, but one tough
native. In the early 1900s, little Carlos, grandson of a Scottish
immigrant who had set up his home in Para, Belem’s capital,
didn’t think twice before challenging a wide-eyed, sharp-nailed
opponent. One would often see the kid play catch with an alligator
that lived in the river nearby. Gracie would always take the
edge: curious and owner of a keen sense of observation, Carlos
had noticed the reptile couldn’t see under water, only swam
in a straight line, and had to stick its head out in order to
make turns. By simply getting out of the direction of the animal’s
teeth, Carlos would always win.
This
and many stories were rescued by daughter Reyla Gracie and will
for the first time appear on the book where she wishes to tell
the story of the man born September 14th, 1902, and the first
family member to make contact with the martial art that, in all
of the blooming century, would be bound to the name Gracie. Jiu-Jitsu,
thus, was Carlos’s life (and vice versa) ever since his
father, Gastao, trying to canalize the energy of the boy who
seemed limitless, made him learn a new fight style with a Japanese
friend of his, Mitsuyo Maeda, a.k.a. Count Koma. At 14, thus,
Carlos began a saga that, to the whole world’s surprise,
would pervade academies and rings across the planet. Or could
| |