Upcoming
Events
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event on Onzuka.com?
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2007
11/10/07
Aloha State
Championship of BJJ
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Klum Gym UH Manoa)
8/12/07
Punishment
In Paradise 17
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Hawaiian Waters, Kapolei)
7/28/07
Maui Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gymnasium, Wailuku, Maui)
7/21/07
Garden Island Cage Match 6
(Kickboxing, MMA)
(Hanapepe Stadium, Kauai)
6/23/06
Ultimate Fight Night
(BJ Penn vs Jens Pulver)
(Spike TV)
6/22/07
Got
Skills
(Kickboxing/MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
6/16/07
Hawaiian Open of BJJ
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Klum Gym UH Manoa)
6/12/07 or 6/13/07
Full Contact Showdown
(San Shou, Kickboxing, MMA)
6/3/07
The Quest for Champions 2007
(Sport-Pankration, Submission-Grappling, Continuous Sparring
and Sport-Jujitsu)
(Saint Louis High School Gym)
5/26/07
Memorial Day Mayhem
(Kickboxing)
(Kalaheo High School Gym)
5/20/07
Pride
Fighting Championships:
(PPV)
(Lightweight Grand Prix)
5/19/07
Kickin it
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
5/12/07
Punishment In Paradise: Untouchables
(Kickboxing)
(Hawaiian Waters, Kapolei)
USA-Boxing Hawaii Fundraising Event
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)
5/5/07
Punishment
In Paradise 16
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery)
4/28/07
Pride
Fighting Championships:
(PPV)
(Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV)
Maui MMA Event
(MMA)
(Maui)
K-1 World GP
(Kickboxing)
(Honolulu)
4/27/07
XMA
(MMA, Kickboxing)
4/24/07
Professional Boxing
(Boxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
4/20/07
Kickin It 2007 Part 3
(Kickboxing)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
4/7/07
Got Skills
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
Papakolea Jiu-Jitsu Club Tournament
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(King Intermediate, Kaneohe)
4/6/07
Hawaii Fighting Championships: Stand Your Ground 3
(MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
4/5/07
Ultimate
Fight Night
(Spike TV)
3/31/07
Icon Sport
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/25/07
Kickboxing Benefit Event for Mrs. Faagai
(Kickboxing)
(Waianae H.S. Gym)
3/24/07
Garden Island Cage Match
5
(MMA)
(Kauai)
The 2007
Hawaii State/Regional Junior Olympic Championships (Boxing)
(Palolo District Park)
UFC:
Tito Ortiz vs. Dana White boxing match
(Nevada)
*Cancelled*
3/17/07
X-1
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
Island Warriors
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial)
3/13/07
Ultimate
Fight Night
(Spike TV)
3/10/07
Hawaiian Championship of BJJ
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Klum Gym UH Manoa)
3/3/07
UFC 68
(PPV)
(Columbus, Ohio)
Kickin It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom)
2/24/07
Pride Fighting Championships:
(PPV)
(Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, NV)
2/17/06
Got
Skills
(Kickboxing/MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
2/16-17/07
USA-Boxing Hawaii State & Regional Championships
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
2/16/07
Punishment
In Paradise 15
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Hawaiian Waters)
2/9/07
Icon Sports
(MMA & Kickboxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)
2/3/07
UFC
67
(Lutter vs Silva)
(PPV)
2/2/06
Got
Skills & Kickin' It
(Kickboxing/MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
1/23/07
Ultimate
Fight Night
(Spike TV)
1/20/07
IFL
(MMA)
1/14/07
NAGA Hawaii
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
1/13/07
USA Boxing Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)
1/12/07
K-1 Dynamite
(MMA)
(PPV, 5:00 PM Ch: 701)
|
|
April 2007 News
Part 3
|
Casca Grossa Jiu-Jitsu
is now the O2 Martial Arts Academy with 6 days a week training!
We are also offering Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday nights
and Kickboxing Tuesday and Thursday!
Click
here for info!
Take classes from the Onzuka brothers in a family-like environment! |
 
For the special Onzuka.com
price, click on one of these banners above! |
 |
Fighters' Club TV
The Toughest Show On
Teleivision
Tuesdays at 7:00PM
***NEW TIME***
Olelo Channel 52 on Oahu
Akaku on Maui
Check
out the FCTV website! |
Got a question for us? Email info@onzuka.com
or click here to send us
an email.
Fighters'
Club TV LOGO ANIMATION CONTEST
Everyone
knows that Onzuka.com's loyal readers are the most talented in
the state, if not the world! (can you already see where our fluff
complement is going already?) FCTV is looking for a talented
computer graphics whiz to animate our logo for the show. Winner
receives the snazzy RAZE Fightwear shirt and whatever else we
can dig up!
Here
is our logo:
If you have seen the show, you have seen how our old logo has
been animated. We are basically looking to create a cool animation
for our new logo.
We need a long version (10 Seconds) and a short version (3 Seconds)
if possible. Also, any ideas you may have as to what to do with
it would be appreciated too.
Email
entries to: fctv@onzuka.com
Mahalo,
Mark
|
Quote
of the Day
"If
you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that
at
least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things."
René Descartes, 1596-1650, French Philosopher/Mathematician/Scientist
|
Jason
“Mayhem” Miller to debut for the WEC
Jason “Mayhem”
Miller
is set to make his WEC debut against Hiromitsu Miura on May 12
in Las Vegas, according to the fight card released Thursday by
the WEC.
Miller
recently completed his contract with Icon Sport and is now fulfilling
his WFA contract that was bought by Zuffa to bring him into the
WEC.
Miura
was supposed to make his WEC debut last March but his opponent
Joe Riggs had to withdraw from the fight — the day of the
fight — due to a back injury.
Coming
off a win over then-undefeated Jason Gilliam at UFC 68, Jamie
Varner will face Richard Crunkilton to determine the number one
contender for the lightweight title. The winner is guaranteed
a title shot when “Razor” Rob McCullough is ready to
return, possibly in August.
Crunkilton
was originally scheduled to challenge McCullough for his title
but McCullough needed more time to heal from an injury suffered
during his championship-winning fight against Kit Cope in January.
In
the main event, Doug Marshall will defend his WEC light heavyweight
belt against Justin McElfresh, who won the XFO light heavyweight
title last November.
Fight
Card:
205
lbs: Justin McElfresh vs. Doug Marshall
155 lbs: Richard Crunkilton vs. Jamie Varner
185 lbs: Hiromitsu Miura vs. Jason Miller
205 lbs: Gary Padilla vs. Ariel Gandulla
155 lbs: Marcus Hicks vs. Sergio Gomez
170 lbs: Tom Speer vs. Sidney Silva
135 lbs: Brandon Foxworth vs. Manny Tapia
155 lbs: Ed Ratcliff vs. Johnny Sampaio
185 lbs: Eric Schambari vs. Art Santore
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Robinho
wants vacant for ADCC
Robson Moura, knew as Robinho from Nova União team, disputed
three events in and was consagrated the champion in all of them.
On April 1st, Robinho was the Pan-American champion, on April
14th he was the champion of the Grappling Quest (Submission)
that was held in Las Vegas and on the last weekend, on April
21st, he did a bout in the event called Planet Submission, in
Florida , against Renato Tavares (ATT) and won by 8x0. With these
results, Robson Moura wants to be invited for the ADCC in the
category under 66kg. “In less than one month I won three
of the biggest Championships here in and I am waiting now hoping
the ADCC organization to call me”, said Robson Moura.
Source: Tatame
|
Exclusive
Forrest Griffin Interview
Ultimate-Fighter.ca was kindly granted the opportunity to interview
UFC fighter Forrest Griffin via telephone on April 24, 2007.
Special thanks is given to Frank Bishop of the Hardcore Gym in
Athens, Georgia for arranging the interview.
Forrest
Griffin is one of the newest fighters to grace the world of Mixed
Martial Arts. The 27 year-old Ohio-born brawler was the funny
man and eventual winner of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter
on Spike TV. His victory on the show earned him an official contract
with the UFC, as well as a reputation as someone who never goes
into a fight without a trademark grin on his face and a powerful
sense of humor. Leave it to a man who would go several years
fighting in the MMA without health insurance to never take anything
too seriously. He was indeed the perfect addition to a reality
show based around the sport.
Griffin
grew up never having much of an interest in professional sports
let alone professional fighting for that matter. His career of
choice would be police officer, finishing his degree in Criminal
Justice at the University of Georgia. Taking root in Athens,
Georgia, he would first be exposed to martial arts during police
academy where the Gracie Grapple System was being used to teach
self-defense and defensive tactics to officers. One of his instructors
would also show him a video of a UFC bout, which eventually sparked
Griffin’s interest. “I’d seen it on ‘95 when
I was in middle school or high school,” Griffin would comment
during an interview. “and it was the most boring thing I’ve
ever seen. I was like ‘why is that guy wearing pajamas�why
is that guy wearing tights?’ Then I saw Belfort knock out
somebody and I was like ‘oh my God, that’s the coolest
thing I’ve ever seen. Man, I gotta do this’”.
Griffin
would soon join the HardCore Gym and be coached by the gym’s
owner’s Adam and Rory Singer. Together they would get him
ready for his first official MMA bout. In October 2001 he would
face one of the most seasoned fighters in MMA history, future
UFC hall of fame inductee Dan Severn. “I was prepared for
the Dan Severn that I had seen on film,” Griffin said. “The
Dan Severn that I fought that night wasn’t too overly aggressive,
he wasn’t really what I expected at all. I made the mistake
of being afraid to take chances and I ended up just laying down
for him.”Griffin would lose his first fight by unanimous
decision with Dan Severn, but seeing how it was Dan “The
Beast Severn” he didn’t take the loss too hard. Here
is what Forrest had to say:
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
Hello Forrest. This is Jason Hatcher calling on behalf of the
Ultimate Fighter Discussion. I am a moderator and blogger for
the site. We are a MMA fan site and forum based out of Canada.
My username is Jasunami. How are you today?
Forrest
Griffin: Great …
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
Let me start by saying that you have a lot of fans on the site
and several of them posted questions for you answer. Shall we
get started?
Forrest
Griffin: Go for it boss …
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
You used to live in Athens, Georgia and fight out of the Hardcore
Gym. Where you living now?
Forrest
Griffin: Ah, Las Vegas.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
The Hardcore Gym is now part of American Top Team. What do you
think about that?
Forrest
Griffin: It’s great. You know, ah, that’s the best
gym. I think it is probably one of the most talented gyms in
that part of the country.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member BadassBJ: Do you still
visit Athens, Georgia?
Forrest
Griffin: Oh, of course. But not as often as I like. Um, every
now and again. About once every three months.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
Most fans are aware that you were a former police officer. Is
it true that you were also once a bouncer at a strip club?
Forrest
Griffin: It is true, ah …
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
What was the name of the strip club?
Forrest
Griffin: Toppers
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
Hahaha … I have actually been there before.
Forrest
Griffin: Hahaha …
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member Spittin Toofs: What’s
the strangest, funniest or most memorable situation that you
encountered as a cop or a bouncer?
Forrest
Griffin: Aw man, I don’t know man that’s a good question.
Yeah, I don’t know man. Ah, a Lot of bizarre things. I almost
shot a kid for pulling out a cell phone one time.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
Wow, so you though it was a gun?
Forrest
Griffin: I did. It was dark … it was night … he was
drunk … he wasn’t listening to anything. I was telling
him, you know, I was giving him verbal commands and he wasn’t
… he was kinda doing his own thing … He wasn’t
paying attention, I mean you know he pulled something black out
of his pocket … okay, I see how it is …
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum owner Michael, also known as
The M: You are a hilarious guy. Have you ever considered a career
in standup comedy?
Forrest
Griffin: I’ve actually done stand-up comedy. That shit is
hard. It takes real talent. And another thing … I’ve
DJ’d a little at strip clubs as well you know … I have
to have about ten beers before I feel comfortable getting on
stage and talking in front of people like that so I that kind
of … ah … kinda limits what you can do what you can
do I guess unless you are willing to become an acoholic for the
ah … for the cause.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member MMAson: Other professional
fighters such as of Nate Quarry have pursued a career in Hollywood.
Would you ever consider acting in a movie?
Forrest
Griffin: Well you know, I’ve got a damn fine response to
that. I’m a pretty decent fighter … nothing special
… but I’m a shitty actor. I’d rather be a decent
fighter than a shitty actor.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member The Phenom: Do you plan
on breaking your eating record by finishing 80 chicken wings
next time around?
Forrest
Griffin: Whew … I tell you what … seriously I used
to fancy myself as a competitive eater. I’ve retired that.
As you get older man you can’t eat as you once did …
so I don’t … yeah … that’s ah, 74 wings and
two pitchers of beer … and ah then two martinis and then
I lay down on the ground and try to die. It’s horrible …
horrible. I don’t eat anymore. This kid was like …
you know, we were at a sub shop and they have 20 inch subs and
we both ate 20 inch subs. And he was like I am going to eat another
and I was like I’m not … I am done bud.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member pitbull: Do you keep in
touch with Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell or anyone else from The
Ultimate Fighter Season one?
Forrest
Griffin: Ah, I work out at Randy’s gym five times a week
.. so, yeah … if by keep in touch you mean punch and occasionally
try and get thrown on my head by him [Randy Couture] … yeah
I keep in touch.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
Many MMA fans are calling 2007 the year of the upsets. What was
your reaction to the TKO of Georges St. Pierre and the knockout
of Mirko Cro Cop?
Forrest
Griffin: I am stoked about both those things. You know, I really
didn’t think either one would happen the way it did. You
know, so I think it’s a great thing.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
Can you explain why you think the upsets are a good thing?
Forrest
Griffin: It’s fun. It’s makes it a better a sport.
You know, usually we kinda know who is going to win. But, you
know … big upsets make it exciting. They make it a fun sport
you know. If you always know who is going to win what fun is
it?
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member asugar: After your loss
to Keith Jardine, what did you do to refocus and what adjustments
have you made to your game?
Forrest
Griffin: Nothing. I mean, after that you know I just took a little
break you know. I went home for two weeks and did other stuff.
I didn’t worry about it you know … This is something
I plan on doing for another seven or eight years. Not ah …
I don’t have to give up on it in one day you know …
or one month … or one year even. You know? I just went home
and let the body heal up and got mentally fresh.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum members hitekredneck and Oscaraps:
do you want a rematch with Jardine?
Forrest
Griffin: Of course I do!
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member norcalmatt: How do you
feel about the Feritta brothers purchase of PRIDE FC?
Forrest
Griffin: Ah … I think it’s great. Those guys know how
to run a business … they know how to run an organization.
You know, they’ll do great.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member norcalmatt: Would you
ever compete in an open weight grand prix?
Forrest
Griffin: Yeah … if the money was right I’m sure I would.
But you know … ah … I’m a fatty for one thing
… that would make open weight great for me. I hate making
weight. But the other thing I just got knocked out at 205. I
don’t really want none of those big boys hitting me man
… those guys will hurt you.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from one of our forum administrators known as
$m0k3: Who is your favorite fighter?
Forrest
Griffin: Ah, I have no idea. It used to be Aaron Riley. I am
not sure who it is these days …
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This is another question from our forum administrator known as
$m0k3: Is there anyone from Pride you would like to cross over
and fight?
Forrest
Griffin: Yeah man I wouldn’t mind fighting, like ah I think
Ninja or someone like that would be a good fight.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
What about Shogun Rua?
Forrest
Griffin: Yeah that would be a good fight too. You know, I think
Shogun is a little better. Might be a little out of my league
right now.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
And yet another question from our forum administrator $m0k3:
How would you feel about fighting in the Pride ring?
Forrest
Griffin: I like fighting in the ring a lot.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member MiltownBadboy: What are
your thoughts on Stephan Bonnar using steriods before your second
fight?
Forrest
Griffin: Man, you know …. shit happens. If I thought I could
get away with it I’d do it too. Hahaha. He made a mistake.
And you know he’d paid for it. I feel bad for the guy. His
suspension is almost over. He’ll be back.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from one of our forum moderators known as Havik:
Would you ever fight Bonnar again?
Forrest
Griffin: I’d rather not … I mean … not in the
next couple of years. Maybe down the road but you know …
there’s just so many good guys right now. Why fight the
same guy again and again. I’d really like to fight Tito
again. I’d like to fight Keith again, you know. I’d
like to fight a lot of guys.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member Whirleybird1123: Many
fans believe that you won the fight with Tito Ortiz. Do you feel
maybe a rematch win over Ortiz could put you in the contender
picture again?
Forrest
Griffin: Ah … yeah … I mean. It takes some time you
know. I’m fighting Hector Ramirez June 15th … or June
16th I guess … whatever. So that’s the most important
thing. I don’t worry. As long as they’ll let me keep
fighting people I don’t even give a shit if I’m on
the main card. As long as I can get paid to go fight and not
have to get a job I don’t give a shit.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum members MMAson and Oscaraps:
Do you think Rashad will win his upcoming fight against Tito?
What’s your prediction?
Forrest
Griffin: I don’t know. Um, I’m a gambing man. I’d
like to see the odds on it. I think Rashad is an amazingly talented
guy who has gotten better by leaps and bounds. You know, Tito
is a little bigger and probably a little stronger. But Rashad
is explosive. Anything could happen.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member elikhom: You were a first
hand witness to the Rashad and Tito argument. What exactly happened?
Forrest
Griffin: Ah, you know, I’m not really sure. You know Tito
came over to Rashad and they started close talking each other
… I think Tito pushed Rashad. I’m not really sure …
and uh, hahaha … me and Matt Hughes were kinda … I
didn’t know whether to get in or stop it or let it go or
you know … I didn’t know what to do … hahaha.
It was pretty funny man. I thought it was great. I actually …
I don’t know … I think stuff like that is fun sometimes.
It gets the blood up. It’s good.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member Sandman: How long did
your recent staph infection affect your training? What did you
do?
Forrest
Griffin: Ah, a couple two or three weeks. You know, I just didn’t
feel well. The antibiotics made me feel bad … it was pretty
bad … it got in my blood and all that bad stuff …
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member Maine-iac: What do you
think about the Chuck Liddell versus Quinton Jackson fight?
Forrest
Griffin: Um, man I don’t really know. Um … I think
Chuck will win. And I think he’s just in that zone that
some athletes get in but you know … but if there’s
anyone that could possibly beat him … it’s Quinton.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This is another question from our forum member Maine-iac: How
do you feel about fighting either Liddell or Jackson in the future?
Forrest
Griffin: Well you know to me that’s kinda a ridiculous thing
… you know your putting the cart in front of the horse or
if you’ve got a better expression you can use that. You
know, I would love to fight those guys but I understand that
I have to earn it … you know? Ah … a lot … those
guys are top of the heap and I am kinda at the bottom right now,
you know.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member duckula: What do you wish
your legacy to be in the sport of MMA?
Forrest
Griffin: Ah, my legacy? I want to be able to do this for seven
or eight more years and then provide for my family for the rest
of my life. I want to make a little money. I want my legacy to
be able to send my kids to college.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member The Phenom: Will there
be an “All Access” of you coming up soon on SPIKE TV?
Forrest
Griffin: Ah, I don’t know … actually … yeah, I
guess there is … for the Ireland fight. Yeah, there is …
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member MMAGator: If you weren’t
a pro fighter what would you most likely be doing now?
Forrest
Griffin: I was a cop before. So I’d probably still be a
cop. It’s the only thing I am qualified to do man.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member asugar: What do you think
about Michael Bisping and how do you think you’d do against
him?
Forrest
Griffin: Aw, I don’t know … it would be a good fight.
I’ve worked out with the guy. Ah, he’s very impressive.
He’s another guy that’s getting better by leaps and
bounds. Um, I was really impressed by a lot of the things he
did in the last fight against Elvis. He did a lot better against
Elvis than I did. He came in so quick and landed two shots and
got out. You know, I was impressed with he way he was able to
go in and out on him. And ah, I was impressed with that overwhelming
ground-and-pound that’s kinda a reversed ground-and-pound
or the antithesis of ground-and-pound of what you know Randy
and Tito do … it’s more of a running, active, passing
… you know … just positional changes and he uses he
great endurance and everything to hit you from all angles again
and again and again. I was impressed.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member Adamo: What influenced
you to get in to MMA?
Forrest
Griffin: I’m not even really sure. I always kinda liked
fighting but I didn’t really like hurting people. Seemed
like the appropitate way to do it. MMA that is …
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
This question is from our forum member duckula: What is his motto
in life?
Forrest
Griffin: My motto? I’d have a quote for a motto. So um,
I guess the one I really like is um … “You’ll
never regret having worked too hard.” You know, you’ll
never look back and say “Wow, I shouldn’t have worked
that hard” … Did you ever read 1984? Orwell …
um, “when in doubt work harder” … that was his
motto.
Ultimate-Fighter.ca:
Well, Forrest on behalf of the Ultimate Fighter Discussion I’d
like to thank you for taking the time to answer all of the forum
members’ questions.
Forrest
Griffin: You bet boss … anytime …
Thanks
to Forrest Griffin for taking the time to talk to Fans! Every
single question in this interview came from fans on our forum.
We look forward to doing a ton more interviews in the coming
year as we continue to grow as the best damn fan run community
on the internet. And if you are an MMA fighter looking for some
exposure, or would like to do an interview, shoot us an email.
Source: Ultimate Fighter.ca/MMA.tv
|
Sportfight
Hits Rose Garden May 5 for a Night of Cinco de Mayhem
Tickets
On Sale Now – Tickets Start at $22
Who: portfight XIX – Cinco de Mayhem
When: Sat, May 5, 2007 ? 7:30p
Where: Rose Quarter – Rose Garden
Portland, Oregon
Tickets:
Tickets are priced at $48.00, $32.00, and $22.00 and a limited
number of VIP seats are also available. Tickets are on sale now
and can be purchased at the Rose Quarter Box Office (M-F 10a-5p),
all participating Safeway/ Tickets West outlets, by calling 877.789.ROSE
(7673), For more information please visit RoseQuarter.com
What:
Sportfight XIX Cinco de Mayhem returns for more epic battles,
hard hits and non-stop action at the Rose Garden on Saturday,
May 5 at 7:30p. Sportfight delivers the best Mixed Martial Arts
(MMA) fighting from Oregon, Washington and Idaho as well as conditioned
fighters from all over the country.
Sportfight
is bigger and better with an all new grand stage complete with
two large video screens that will make the fighters larger than
life before going into the ring. MMA can not be categorized as
one type of fighting when wrestling, karate, jiu-jitsu, boxing
and several other techniques are used to be the best competitor.
Enoch
Wilson (5-2-1) and Travis Bush (1-1-1) will rematch after there
was a heated draw in the last face-off between the opponents.
The other main event, Ed Nuno (9-1) and Eddy Eillis (14-6) will
be the co-main featuring a welter weight title match up
Portland’s
own Matt “The Law” Lindland and his partner six-time
UFC Champion Randy “The Natural” Couture are proud
to bring Sportfight back to the Rose Garden for a night of unparalleled
mixed martial arts fighting.
Many
local fighters that participate in Sportfight work on their MMA
skills at Team Quest. Team Quest has also recently trained several
members of the International Fight League’s Portland Wolfpack
led by Portland’s own Olympic silver medalist and Ultimate
Fighting Championship (UFC) star, Matt “The Law” Lindland.
Sportfight
XIX fight card:
Main Event:
155
Enoch Wilson - Tigard, OR (5-2-1) vs Travis Bush - Coeur d' Alene,
ID. (5-1-1)
170
Ed Nuno - Gresham, OR (9-1-0) vs Eddy Ellis - Yelm , WA. (14-6-0)
Fights:
185
Jon Krohn - Gresham, OR (5-1-0) vs Whisper Herbert Goodman Reno,
NV (4-0-0)
HW
Paul Wermecki - Boise, ID. (3-3-0) vs Josh Bennitt, Vancouver
WA (Pro Debut)
155
Blake Fredrick - Vancouver, BC. (12-4-1) vs James Birdsley Hollman,
UT (8-2-0)
170
Tyson Jeffries - Troutdale, OR. (3-0-0) vs Dave Colburtson -
Salem, OR. (4-0-1)
185
Greg Thompson - Beaverton, OR. (3-1-0) vs Steve Storwick - Olympia,
WA, (5-1-0)
170
Tim Sternod - Seattle, WA. (3-1-0) vs Mike Pierce - Gresham,
OR. (3-0-0)
170
Lyn Bentley - Salem, OR. (2-0-0) vs Peter Aspenwal - Corvallis,
OR. (5-2-0)
170
Jon Clift - Milwaukie, OR (0-2-0) vs Casey McEuin - US Army (0-0-0).
HW
Rob Stalcup - Estacada, OR vs Travis Bell Yelm, WA
(Card
subject to change)
Media:
All interested media that would like to inquire about interviews,
attend and review, photograph and/or videotape this event should
contact Danielle Pakradooni at 503.797.9671 or Danielle.Pakradooni@rosequarter.com.
Contact:
Danielle Pakradooni
Assistant Marketing Manager
Rose Quarter - Global Spectrum
One Center Court - Suite 150
Portland, OR 97227
p 503.797.9671
c.503.572.4224
f 503.736.2182
Danielle.Pakradooni@rosequarter.com
·
Rose Quarter - Rose Garden, Memorial Coliseum, Exhibit Hall,
Theater of the Clouds & The Commons
Source: Matt Lindland
|
Quote
of the Day
"The
impersonal hand of government can never replace the helping hand
of a neighbor."
Hubert H. Humphrey, 1911-1978, American Politician and Former
Vice President of the United States
|
K-1
World Grand Prix 2007 Hawaii Results!
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
April 28, 2007
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
Photos
courtesy of Greg Honda (Big thanks to Greg!)
Remy Bonjasky
kneeing Glaube Feitosa
K-1
returned to Hawaii after a two year hiatus. This time the event
did not feature MMA bouts, but it did feature the world's best
kickboxers. There were some delays and limited distribution of
press credentials for local and national media sources that normally
cover events in Hawaii. This reporter received a pass for myself
and my photographer, but we could not get ringside access and
were placed at the top of the riser seats, which is behind the
floor seating.
Logistics
aside, K-1 lived up to its record of high percentage of fights
ending in a KO. Out of 14 fights, every fight ended via KO or
TKO except for four. One of the matches that reached a decision
was a war between Ernesto Hoost disciple, Jerrel Venetiaan taking
on Australia's Peter Graham. Great exchanges by both fighters
took place throughout, but Peter Graham's size seemed to be a
major factor in the fight. In one of the preliminary bouts, Mighty
Mo Jr, whose likeness to his father was unmistakable, stepped
into the ring, unfortunately for "Little Mo" he was
on the wrong end of spinning back kick.
Preliminary
Fight
K-1 Special Rules: 3 Rounds - 2 Minutes
Ky Holleneck (USA) def. Mighty Mo (USA)
KO 1:48 in Round 1.
Preliminary
Fight
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Takumi Sato (Japan) def. Billy Hall (USA)
KO in Round 1.
Reserve
Fight
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Peter Graham (Australia) def. Jerrel Venetiaan (Holland)
Unanimous decision [(30-27), (28-27), (30-28)] after 3 rounds.
The
tournament quarter finals saw Mighty Mo breeze through a large
opponent in Kyoung Suk Kim and Jan Nortej come back from Julius
Long's accurate punching to finish a tired Long. The Ernesto
Hoost-trained Patrick Barry fired off some devastating leg kicks,
and after staggering Goodridge a few times, a flurry of punches
and kicks resulted in a huge gash above Goodridge's eye causing
the doctor to stop the fight. Newcomer, Aleksandr Pitchkunov
showed off great boxing skill and fluid kicking to pick apart
Tatsufumi Tomihira, who showed the heart of a lion.
K-1
USA GP 2007 Tournament Quarter Finals
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Mighty Mo (USA) def. Kyoung Suk Kim (Republic of Korea)
KO (glancing overhand right punch) in Round 1.
K-1
USA GP 2007 Tournament Quarter Finals
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Jan "The Giant" Nortje (South Africa) def. Julius "Towering
Inferno" Long (USA)
TKO via referee stoppage in Round 2.
K-1
USA GP 2007 Tournament Quarter Finals
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Patrick Barry (USA) def. Gary Goodridge (Canada)
TKO via doctor stoppage due to a cut in Round 1.
K-1
USA GP 2007 Tournament Quarter Finals
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Alexandre Pitchkunov (Russia) def. Tatsufumi Tomihira (Japan)
TKO via referee stoppage in Round 3.
Super
Fight
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Junichi Sawayashiki (Japan) def. Randy Kim (Republic of Korea)
TKO via referee stoppage in Round 2.
The
semi-finals featured Mighty Mo looking for a spot to land his
patented over hand right and Nortej did a good job of defending
it until the second round. Mo pushed Nortej into a corner and
landed the over hand right, followed by a left hook that sent
Nortej to his knees and Mo added another vicious right hook to
seal the deal. Patrick Barry did not look as impressive against
Aleksandr Pitchkunov in their fight. Pitchkunov continued his
active punching campaign and rocked Barry a few times, almost
finishing him in the second round, but somehow Barry survived.
Pitchkunov looked weary, but continued to pound on Barry winning
the unanimous decision, tiring himself further.
K-1
USA GP 2007 Tournament Semi Finals
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Mighty Mo (USA) def. Jan "The Giant" Nortje (South
Africa)
KO in Round 2.
K-1
USA GP 2007 Tournament Semi Finals
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Alexandre Pitchkunov (Russia) def. Patrick Barry (USA)
Unanimous decision [(30-26), (29-25), (30-25)] after 3 rounds.
Super
Fight
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Hong-Man Choi (Republic of Korea) def. Mike "Rocky"
Malone (USA)
TKO in Round 2.
Photos courtesy
of Greg Honda
The
only local fighter to participate in the main card was Mike "Rocky"
Malone, who faced a giant who destroyed his last opponent in
Hawaii. Hong-Man Choi destroyed 6' 8" 400lbs+ Akebono in
his last appearance in Hawaii. Choi towered over Mike Malone,
who weighed in just over 200lbs. Malone ran around the ring and
tried to stay outside of Choi's power. Choi's knees sent Malone
to the canvas twice. Choi also landed a hook after after Malone
landed his own hook of his own. In the second round, Malone taunted
Choi while running around the ring avoiding Choi's strikes. Unfortunately
for Malone in the second round, Choi started landing a couple
more strikes and after a kicking exchange, Malone cut his shin
to the bone and could not continue.
Super
Fight
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Remy Bonjasky (Holland) def. Glaube Feitosa (Brazil)
Majority decision [(30-29), (30-29), (29-29)] after 3 rounds.
Photos
courtesy of Greg Honda
This
match was a technical battle between two highly skilled combatants
with exchanges of punch and kick combinations. The hype of the
fight was Bonjasky's flying knees pitted against Feitosa's Brazilian
Kick. Unfortunately, both fighters kept a tight guard due to
the level of their opponent. The technical battle continued throughout
all three rounds with Bonjasky edging out Feitosa for the decision.
K-1 Heavyweight Title Match
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Badr Hari (Morocco) def. Yusuke Fujimoto (Japan)
KO in Round 1.
Badr Hari becomes
K-1 Heavyweight Champion.
Photos
courtesy of Greg Honda
K-1's
bad boy from Morocco took on the "Japanese Cannon"
in Fujimoto. Hari established his speed off the bat firing off
some quick punches and kicks. A perfectly timed straight left
hand sent Fujimoto to the canvas at the opening of the round.
After Fujimoto stepped in to press Hari, Hari landed a knee and
a right hook that set up his devastating left kick to the head
that KO'd Fujimoto to earn Hari the K-1 Heavyweight championship.
K-1 USA GP 2007 Tournament Finals
K-1 Rules: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Mighty Mo (USA) def. Alexandre Pitchkunov (Russia)
TKO in Round 2.
Mighty Mo becomes the K-1 USA Grand Prix 2007 Tournament Champion.
The
tournament finals was as expected with Pitchkunov coming into
the bout battle weary after two wars and Mo pressing the action
with his power and size. Pitchkunov continued to stick and move,
but Mo's power punching and pressure took its toll on Pitchkunov.
Pitchkunov had his moments and landed a spinning back kick that
dropped Mo and cut his head. Mo came back to send Pitchkunov
to the canvas a few times in the bout, but Pitchkunov fought
back and landed another spinning back kick, which caused both
of them to go down. In the end, Mo's pressure and combination
of body and head punches took their toll and sent Pitchkunov
to the canvas a few times and finally for the last time to earn
him the tournament championship.
|
UFC®
Returns to The Pearl at The Palms for The Ultimate Fighter®
5 Finale
Jens “Lil’ Evil” Pulver vs. BJ “The Prodigy” Penn
Saturday, June 23 Live on Spike TV
Tickets
Go On Sale Thursday, April 26 at 12pm PT
Las
Vegas, Nev. – April 24, 2007 – When former UFC®
Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver defeated the seemingly invincible
BJ Penn in 2002, he shocked
the world and proved that when it comes to the Octagon™,
nothing is impossible. Since then, Penn has plotted his revenge
and waited seemingly in vain for the opportunity to avenge his
first and most bitter defeat. But on Saturday, June 23rd, these
two 155-pound pioneers - who matched wits for six weeks as coaches
on The Ultimate Fighter® Season 5 - square off in a rematch
five years in the making and finally get the chance to settle
their score with their fists when they battle in the main event
on The Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization and Spike
TV’s The Ultimate Fighter 5 Season finale live from The
Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas.
“Jens
Pulver and BJ Penn were the first two lightweights to ever headline
a UFC event, and they basically launched and legitimized this
division,” said UFC President Dana White. “BJ has been
dying for this rematch, and he claims that Pulver has been ducking
him all this time, and Pulver’s side of it is, ‘I beat
you, deal with it, and I will fight you again when I feel like
it.’ The athletes in this sport always have so much respect
for each other, but these two don’t at all – that always
makes for an interesting fight.”
Tickets
for The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale are $150.00, $250.00 and $350.00,
plus any additional box office or service fees, and go on sale
Thursday, April 26 at 12:00 pm. Please visit any Ticketmaster
location, call 702-474-4000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com to
purchase tickets.
The
Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale will also telecast live to millions
of viewers on Spike TV starting at 9:00pm ET/PT.
UFC®
Fight Club™ members have the opportunity now to purchase
tickets to this event via the website www.ufc.com. A special
Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to UFC newsletter
subscribers Wednesday, April 25 at 10am PT. To access this presale,
users must register for the UFC newsletter through www.ufc.com.
The
Ultimate Fighter 5 live finale features an anticipated matchup
between Penn and Pulver, the two coaches of Spike TV’s hit
reality series.
Jens
“Lil’ Evil” Pulver was the first lightweight champion
in UFC history, and was undefeated in the UFC from 1999 to 2002,
scoring victories over David Velasquez, Joao Roque, John Lewis,
Caol Uno, and Dennis Hallman. Yet his greatest victory occurred
in his first fight with BJ Penn at UFC 35 in January of 2002,
where he became the first man ever to defeat “The Prodigy,”
Pulver would leave the UFC after the fight due to a contract
dispute, but after returning to the Octagon late in 2006 and
following a stint as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter, he will
now try to make it two in a row over his bitter rival.
BJ
Penn was nicknamed "The Prodigy" due to his meteoric
rise as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and then through the
mixed martial arts ranks. A fearless fighter who has competed
against heavyweights as well as lightweights
and
welterweights, this Hawaiian battler may be best remembered for
scoring one of the biggest upsets in mixed martial arts history
when he rose 15 pounds in weight to take on and defeat Matt Hughes
in his first-ever welterweight bout in 2004 . But despite his
success, the night of January 11, 2002 still haunts him, and
the only way to erase that memory is to defeat Pulver on June
23rd.
All
bouts are live and subject to change.
For
more information about The Ultimate Fighter 5 finale or current
UFC fight news, visit www.ufc.com or uk.ufc.com.
Source: UFC.tv
|
The
Gracie Fighting Championships
"The Best of 2007"
The Gracie Fighting Championships stakes claim to the land of
elite Mixed Martial Arts fighting with it’s premier show
“Evolution” This full throttle event comes to light
on May 19th, 2007 in the capital of MMA, Columbus, Ohio. Jiu-Jitsu
phenomenon “Jacare” and “The Snowman” Jeff
Monson lead the pack of Elite MMA fighters in a night of adrenaline
fight action.
GFC Fight Card- "The Best of 2007"
Jeff
Monson vs. Wes Sims
"The Wildman" Thomas Denny vs. Steve Heath
Alex Fierra "Cacareco vs. Brandon Lee Hinkle
Chris Brennan vs. Adam Disabato
Ronaldo de Souza "Jacare" vs. Jeremy Jackson
Daniel Moraes vs. Matt brown
Vinicious Malgahaes vs. George Bush
Leopoldo Serao vs. Robert Wince
Rafeal Dias vs. Phil Cardella
Nissen Osterneck vs. Chris Meyers
Damian Maia vs. Ryan Stout
Adriano Nasal vs. Michael O'Donnell
Miguel Torres vs. TBA
Source: Gracie Fighting Championships
|
What’s
happening in the world of mixed martial arts now…
By Loretta Hunt
IOWA, NEBRASKA
CONTEMPLATE MMA REGULATION
With
the rush of MMA promotions and TV shows onto the scene, it is
understandable that there has been recent movement in legislation
stateside.
Known
for its rich pool of wrestlers and one of MMA’s strongest
fight teams in Miletich Martial Arts, Iowa is currently waging
a battle within its State Senate and House of Representatives
to de-regulate the sport.
In
March, the Hawkeye State’s Senate passed a de-regulation
bill, citing the sport was “too dangerous” to be regulated
at all. MMA contests in the State had been labeled as “shoot
fights” and overseen by an athletic commissioner under the
Iowa Division of Labor -the bill would put that system to rest.
The
MMA de-regulation proposal was tacked onto a larger budget bill
this week and put in front of the House of Representatives for
a vote.
Prominent
manager and Extreme Challenge promoter Monte Cox, who has steered
numerous Miletich athletes onto championship titles, believes
de-regulation will lead to shadier events prone to safety concerns
with the fighters.
“Nothing
has happened yet,” said Cox this morning. “We are still
fighting not to pass the bill.”
In
Nebraska, Legislative Bill 471 passed a first-round approval
Monday to regulate MMA in that State with a basic set of guidelines
which include rounds and time limits, and a mandatory referee
for bouts. The state athletic commissioner could introduce additional
regulations as well.
COUTURE DOES
THE UNIT
Continuing
his thespian aspirations, UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture
got back to his roots last Friday, shooting a guest-starring
role on the CBS military drama “The Unit”, which airs
Tuesdays at 9 PM EST/PST. Couture served in the US Army from
1984-1988.
In
the season finale episode, Couture became “Sergeant Strickland,”
sharing screen time with stars Robert Patrick (“Terminator
2”) and Dennis Haysbert (“24”).
An
air date for the episode has not been announced.
STEELE CAGES
Market
over-saturation be denied. Retired Hall of Fame boxing referee
Richard Steele has launched Steele Cage Promotions, and will
debut his first MMA event at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on
July 7, the same night UFC 73 touches down in Sacramento, CA.
Steele’s event will be sanctioned by the little known International
Fight Organization (IFO).
Steele Cage
Promotion’s “Fireworks in the Cage” Tentative
Card
July 7
Orleans Arena
Las Vegas, NV
IFO
Light Heavyweight Championship: Marvin Eastman vs. Rob Kimmons
IFO Featherweight Championship: Brandon Shelton vs. Stephane
Vigneault
David Loiseau vs. Chilo Gonzalez
Zac George vs. Thierry Quenneville
Joey Gorczynski vs. TBA
Lee Gibson vs. Sergio Perez
Richard Ho vs. Damacio Page
Tony Barker vs. Chris Kennedy
Kelly Gray vs. James Funny
Jake Chavez vs. David Graham
PENN-PULVER 2 SET FOR JUNE 23
The
rematch of their Jan. 2002 UFC 35 match-up has been set. Lightweights
BJ Penn and Jens Pulver – coaches of “The Ultimate
Fighter 5” reality TV series currently rolling out on Spike
TV - will meet again on June 23 at the Pearl inside The Palms
Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The bout will headline the season
finale of the popular TV show, which is whittling down 16 lightweight
fighters in the hunt for one UFC contract. Pulver earned a majority
decision over Penn in five rounds at UFC 35.
Source: The Fight Network
|
Quote
of the Day
"Love
is life. And if you miss love, you miss life."
Leo Buscaglia, 1924-1998, American Author and Expert on Love
and Human Relationships
|
K-1
World Grand Prix 2007 Hawaii Tonight!
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
April 28, 2007
The K-1 World Grand Prix 2007 Hawaii will be hosted by celebrity
guest MC, Bruce Buffer and will feature all 18 fighters on the
K-1 Fight Card.
K-1
USA GP 2007 Tournament
Mighty Mo (USA) vs Kyoung Suk Kim (Republic of Korea)
Jan "The Giant" Nortje (South Africa) vs Julius "Towering
Inferno" Long (USA)
Gary Goodridge (Canada) vs Patrick Barry (USA)
Alexandre Pitchkounov (Russia) vs Tatsufumi Tomihira (Japan)
K-1
Heavyweight Title Match
Badr Hari (Morocco) vs Yusuke Fujimoto (Japan)
Super
Fight
Remy Bonjasky (Holland) vs Glaube Feitosa (Brazil)
Junichi Sawayashiki (Japan) vs Randy Kim (Republic of Korea)
Hong-Man Choi (Republic of Korea) vs Mike "Rocky" Malone (USA)
Reserve
Fight
Jerrel Venetiaan (Holland) vs Peter Graham (Australia)
Source: Justine Mitchell, Harris Agency, LLC
|
KALA
KOLOHE HOSE PROMO VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0VksdOL3f8
PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Patrick Freitas
Icon Sport Promoter
(808) 232-3481
superbrawl21@yahoo.com
Lawler
to Face Hawaiian Striker Hose
in Icon Sport: FEARLESS
April 27, 2007 Honolulu, HI. “Styles make fights.”
That phrase is one of the oldest adages of both MMA and boxing.
On June 30th in the Icon Sport: FEARLESS event, Icon Sport World
Middleweight Champ “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler will face
a confident Hawaiian fighter who mirrors his style: heavy-handed
striking. Lawler’s opponent is one of the fastest rising
stars in the Icon organization, Kala Kolohe Hose. Hose will represent team Bad Intentions
of Waianae, which is on the west side of the island of Oahu.
Many will consider Hose an underdog in this match-up, but he
is very confident that he will walk out on June 30th with the
Icon World Title. Hose stated:
“If (Lawler) thinks I’m a stepping stone…he better
think twice. I’m here to come after (Lawler) and HE will
be my stepping stone. It’s my time to shine. My time is
now.”
Hose came to Icon in 2005 as an oversized light heavyweight.
Never to refuse a challenge, he took on collegiate Hall of Fame
wrestler Reese Andy in his very first MMA bout. Hose lost via
decision to Andy, who has since tallied up a 6-1 record. But
Hose has gone undefeated since that first loss. And each of his
victories ended with him delivering a thunderous knockout. Icon
Sport President T.Jay Thompson said of Hose:
“Robbie (Lawler) has a lot to worry about when he faces
Kala Kolohe Hose in FEARLESS. Hose has that rare gift of one-punch
knockout power, so Lawler better not take him lightly. Hose is
hungry. He’s been dreaming of fighting Lawler. No matter
what happens, this match-up has all the markings to be one of
the most memorable in Icon Sport history.”
Hose has done the remarkable over his fight career, cutting from
250lbs down to 185lbs through strict dieting, cardio fitness,
and MMA training. As he lost the excess weight Hose added speed
and agility to his already-powerful frame. In many ways Hose’s
path closely reflects that of Joe “Diesel” Riggs, a
former super-heavyweight who cut down to lighter weight classes
without sacrificing his “heavyweight power.” Riggs
now competes in the U.F.C.
As a star fullback for the Waianae High School Searider Football
team, Hose was accustomed to overpowering any competition. And
even though Lawler is now ranked as high as 7th amongst all world
middleweights, Hose views him as just another opponent who he
will overpower.
WHAT: Icon Sport: FEARLESS Press Conference / Main Event Announcement
WHO: “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler & Kala Kolohe Hose
WHEN: 2:15 p.m. Friday, April 27th.
WHERE: California Rock and Roll Sushi (Ward Avenue, adjacent
to Dixie Grill, across Sports Authority.)
Source: Patrick Freitas
|
Burkman-Parisyan
added to UFC 71 Card
By Thomas Gerbasi
Welterweight contenders Josh Burkman and Karo Parisyan will look
to move one step closer to a shot at 170-pound boss Matt Serra
on May 26th, when they face off on the UFC 71 card being held
at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Tickets
for UFC 71, which is headlined by the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship
bout between Chuck Liddell and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson,
are on sale now.
Known
as ‘The People’s Warrior’, Josh Burkman’s
aggressive attack has gained him a large following among fight
fans. Winner of two in a row and five overall in the Octagon,
Burkman is coming off a three round decision win over Chad Reiner
in January.
One
of the most underrated welterweights of this era, Karo ‘The
Heat’ Parisyan is ready to make a leap from contender to
champion in the UFC. A world-renowned judoka, the 24-year old
Parisyan has faced a Who’s Who of welterweights over the
course of his career, including Serra (who he defeated at UFC
53 in 2005), Georges St-Pierre, and Diego Sanchez. Most recently,
he defeated Drew Fickett at UFC Fight Night last December.
Also
made official for UFC 71 was a welterweight matchup between veteran
Din Thomas and UFC debutant Jeremy Stephens.
Source: UFC.tv
|
BARONI,
TOMPKINS TEAM UP FOR SHAMROCK FIGHT
By Mike Russell
Acclaimed
Team Quest Temecula striking coach Shawn Tompkins will be traveling
to Las Vegas on June 3 to help Phil “The New York Bad Ass”
Baroni (10-7-0) make final preparations for his June 22 Strikeforce
match against Frank Shamrock (21-8-0), scheduled for the HP Pavilion
in San Jose, CA.
London,
Ontario native Tompkins, who recently took the helm of the International
Fight League’s Los Angeles Anacondas team, believes Shamrock
will have his hands full June 22.
"I
think people are going to see a different Phil Baroni,"
predicts Tompkins. "He is so talented and hard-working.
I just think he was lacking someone to train him. To be honest,
I'm more excited training Phil for this fight than I've been
for any other fight."
June
22’s showdown will culminate a bitter feud between the two
fighters that has been fueled in recent months by an online war
of words.
In
February,, former UFC Middleweight Champion Shamrock suffered
his first loss since 1997 when he was disqualified in his EliteXC
contest with Renzo Gracie for illegally kneeing the Brazilian
fighter in the back of the head.
“The
New York Badass”, who was dropped by the UFC in 2005 as
a result of four consecutive losses, fought his last six fights
in the PRIDE organization before it was purchased by UFC owners
Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta. Coming off an eight-month layoff
since his last fight -- a Kimura submission victory over Yosuke
Nishijima at PRIDE 32 in October of last year - Baroni is confident
as always that his hand will be raised and has extra incentive
to knock out Shamrock.
In
a video interview posted on the Pro Elite website, Baroni said
that UFC president Dana White has offered to double his purse
should he knock Shamrock out. White could not be reached to verify
this statement, though the promoter has stated publicly that
he would bring Baroni back to his organization if he wins.
Source: The Fight Network
|
UFC
70 draws average of 2.8 million viewers on Spike TV
UFC 70 was a hit for Spike TV as the three-hour event drew a
1.84 household rating (1.7 million homes) and an average of 2.8
million viewers.
The
final fifteen minutes of the show, featuring Mirko Cro Cop vs.
Gabriel Gonzaga, had an average of 3.5 million viewers.
The
highlight of all this for Spike TV were the ratings for the 18-34
year-old male demographic. UFC 70 show drew more viewers in that
category than any other show on broadcast and cable. The UFC
trumped NASCAR, the NBA Playoffs and Major League Baseball.
UFC
70: Nations Collide was the first pay-per-view caliber card to
be televised on Spike TV. All prior live cards were either part
of the UFC Fight Night series or The Ultimate Fighter Finales.
The
highest rating for a UFC event on Spike TV was last October’s
Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock 3: The Final Chapter, which received a
3.1 rating.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Five
Ounces of Pain: Parity in MMA is good for growth
By Sam
Caplan
Special to CBS SportsLine.com
Many diehard MMA fans around the world have suddenly been diagnosed
with post-traumatic stress disorder following upsets at UFC 69
and UFC 70.
First, it was Matt Serra stunning Georges St. Pierre at UFC 69
several weeks ago, which ranks as the greatest upset in the history
of mixed martial arts.
Then
it was Gabriel Gonzaga's surreal victory this past weekend against
Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 70. Gonzaga was nowhere near the underdog
that Serra was. However, seeing a motionless Cro Cop lying on
the mat in Manchester following a textbook high-kick delivered
by a Jiu-Jitsu black belt of all things was almost as shocking.
The
upsets have also created heated debate within the MMA community
as to whether parity is good for the sport, or if the lack of
dynasties could cause MMA's popularity growth to plateau.
My
initial reaction while perusing Internet message boards following
Cro Cop's loss was, why is this even an argument?
Parity
in MMA is good.
No,
scratch that.
Parity
in MMA is great!
Why
is it so great? It's great for the same reasons why the NFL is
the most watched sport in North America. And it's great for the
same reasons why the NCAA Tournament is considered by many to
be the best concept in sports today.
The
NCAA Tournament was built on upsets. Not to mention the unpredictability
of its games is why so many people who don't watch college hoops
during the regular season are glued to the tube once March comes
around.
Unpredictability
makes for great entertainment. When things become stagnant, interest
wanes. I mean, Jerry Bruckheimer movies were cool at first but
his style of filmmaking is now mocked by many. Who doesn't like
surprises? What if Darth Vader wasn't Luke Skywalker's father,
and instead was just some evil dude who merely wanted Luke dead?
Yes,
I understand the argument that without dominant megastars who
can be marketed to audiences over a prolonged duration that it's
hard to build gate attractions. My counter, though, is that the
sum of MMA is bigger than its parts. MMA's raw concept is the
primary reason the sport has grown so big as opposed to the warriors
who participate in its battles.
Stars
in this business have always come and gone, and it's an aspect
of MMA that will never change. Getting to the top in MMA is hard.
Staying on top might be harder.
Just ask Ken Shamrock.
Newer MMA fans may not recall the days when Shamrock was known
as "The World's Most Dangerous Man." While it might
be hard to believe if all you have seen are his losses to Rich
Franklin and Tito Ortiz, Shamrock was once the face of MMA.
As
a former Shamrock fan, it's sad to say he didn't leave the sport
with his head held high. But the UFC is 10 times more popular
today than it was when Shamrock was in his prime. The sport grew
in spite of Shamrock's demise, so I don't buy the argument that
the losses of St. Pierre and Cro Cop are bad for business. When
one star falls, a new one is born.
Seeing
a favorite fighter get dominated by an opponent they were supposed
to steamroll isn't always pleasant. But is Georges St. Pierre
any less of an exciting fighter because he got caught with a
shot to the back of the head? Is there some sort of mandate that
we have to like him any less simply because he lost a fight he
should have won?
As
a Philadelphia sports fan, I deal with disappointment on a regular
basis. However, seeing one of my favorite fighters lose doesn't
have the same negative impact on me as when the Phillies begin
the season 5-11. I'm a GSP fan, but when he lost I wasn't angry.
Instead, I was happy to witness a dramatic event with an exciting
conclusion. That's the beauty of MMA, you can walk away satisfied
regardless of who wins or loses, so long as the fights are entertaining.
Dynasties
can equate to big business in the short term for a sport. but
I contend they are bad in the long term. Boxing was at an apex
during Mike Tyson's reign over the heavyweight division. However,
once Buster Douglas knocked Tyson off his throne in one of the
biggest upsets of all time, boxing lost a lot of steam with the
mainstream.
Putting
all of your eggs in one basket is never a good thing for a sport.
Just ask the NBA, which hasn't been the same since Michael Jordan
retired for the final time. When a player becomes bigger than
the sport he plays, there will always be a huge letdown when
that player walks away. Jordan left and David Stern had nobody
waiting in the wings. Cro Cop losing no doubt screwed up a lot
of the UFC's business plans, but Gonzaga's emergence at least
gives UFC president Dana White something to fall back on. I don't
think Gonzaga is a fluke but should he prove to be, unlike the
NBA, the UFC's business model isn't built around one star.
MMA
isn't the WWE. The UFC doesn't have writers sitting in a room
making long-term plans for how they can protect current stars
and also build new ones. This is real, and as I'm sure you've
heard before, anything can happen in a fight.
Nothing
is safe when it comes to mixed martial arts and isn't that a
big reason why we've all become so fixated with it? Would you
still be willing to shell out $39.95 next month if there wasn't
at least a little bit of doubt that MMA's biggest dynasty, Chuck
Liddell, could lose to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson?
News
and Notes
• A lot of people want to discredit Cro Cop and claim he's
overrated following the loss to Gonzaga. They are failing to
see the big picture by realizing just how good Gonzaga has become.
White has spoken glowingly of Gonzaga in the past, and I know
that both White and Joe Silva believed he had the potential to
emerge as one of the world's top heavyweights. I just don't think
they planned on him arriving at that level so soon.
Let
me come out and say it -- and I know it's blasphemous to count
out Randy Couture at this point -- but I don't think he's getting
past Gonzaga. Yes, I think Cro Cop lost to the next heavyweight
champion of the UFC.
Also,
writing Cro Cop's obituary is a bit premature. While in Pride,
he suffered a devastating knockout loss to another ground specialist,
Kevin Randleman, in 2004 and bounced back strong. He'll do it
again.
•
White portrayed a picture last week during a conference call
to promote UFC 70 that a deal between the promotion and HBO is
in the bag. White stated various times during the call that the
UFC will be airing on HBO starting this summer. However, it appears
he might have been a little trigger happy on the announcement,
because when contacted by CBS SportsLine, Ray Stallone, head
of public relations for HBO Sports, said that no deal is in place
with the UFC. But Stallone did confirm to us that both sides
are engaged in negotiations.
•
While HBO may not be ready to officially announce a deal with
the UFC, there's little doubt at this point that an agreement
will be signed, sealed, and delivered. The biggest hurdle in
talks was overcome recently when White relented on his demand
that Zuffa retain control of all production on any UFC event
televised by HBO. As a result, HBO will hire its own announcers
to cover MMA, meaning Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan will not be
used on telecasts. When asked by a reporter if Jim Lampley, who
is a harsh critic of the UFC, would be involved with the HBO
telecasts, White responded "Hell no!"
•
White indicated last week that the company's recent big signee,
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, could make his debut for the company
during the UFC's potential summer debut on HBO. One possible
opponent that has been rumored for Nogueira is Brandon Vera.
•
It was confirmed last week that while Pride heavyweight champion
Fedor Emelianenko has a contract with the company, it's non-exclusive,
and allows him to fight for other promotions. Based on Emelianenko's
contract status, there had been some reports he was contracted
for more fights with Bodog Fight in addition to his April 14
bout against Matt Lindland.
Bodog
Fight creator Calvin Ayre cleared up any rumors about Emelianenko
by telling CBS SportsLine that Fedor is currently not contracted
to the company for any future fights.
"As
far as I'm aware, Fedor has a non-exclusive contract with Pride,"
Ayre confirmed through an e-mail. "But he is not contracted
to us for any fights other than the one with Lindland (on) April
14 in Russia."
•
We also asked Ayre to address Internet rumors that Bodog Fight
was in contract talks with another Pride fighter, Wanderlei Silva.
"No,
we are not pursuing him," Ayre stated succinctly.
During the UFC 70 conference call, we asked White about Silva's
contract status with Pride. According to White, Silva had previously
signed a six-fight contract and has four fights remaining on
the deal.
• In exclusive comments to CBS SportsLine, standout Pride
heavyweight fighter Josh Barnett (ranked number four in the world
by MMAWeekly.com) responded to a statement White made during
the UFC 70 conference call.
Barnett,
a former UFC fighter, had a falling out with Zuffa (the parent
company of the UFC) several years ago and quotes have been attributed
to him on the Internet about being less than thrilled with the
change in Pride's ownership. Barnett's comments led some to express
concern about his fighting future.
When
asked to address the Barnett situation, White said, "Yeah,
Josh doesn't like me very much, and you know, I don't know if
it's one of those things that he can get over or not get over,
but we are interested in Josh still fighting, so it is going
to be up to him."
In
his response to what White said, Barnett put to rest any doubt
as to whether he's willing to work with Pride's new ownership.
"In
response to the comments made by Dana White I am completely open
to fighting in the UFC and the new Pride Worldwide," the
former UFC heavyweight champion told us. "I do not have
any personal issues with Dana.
"I
may have my opinions on how an MMA show should be and they may
differ with some of the promoter's ideas out there but I am not
one to refuse to do business. Like I have said before, I have
no problem fighting in the UFC."
•
Despite being promoted on Spike TV's UFC 70 Countdown show, the
Ryoto Machida vs. David Heath bout did not air during Spike's
tape-delayed coverage of the event this past Saturday night.
Eyewitness reports indicate that the decision behind not showing
the match was likely because it was awful. Machida has put the
UFC in a tough position. He's a talented fighter who continues
to win, and could one day be in line for a UFC light heavyweight
title shot. The problem is that his matches aren't exciting enough
to air on TV, limiting his exposure with non-hardcore MMA fans.
•
Mike Swick revealed to CBS SportsLine that for his next fight
he will drop from middleweight to welterweight. Swick gave up
a lot of size and strength to his opponent at UFC 69, Yushin
Okami.
"I
plan to fight my next fight at 170," declared Swick. "I
came in lighter than ever for this one and I think it's best
to drop."
•
Bluff Media officially announced last week plans to launch a
new mixed martial arts magazine appropriately titled FIGHT! The
debut issue of FIGHT! will go on sale June 26. Bluff also plans
to launch a website for the magazine at FightMagazine.com. Yours
truly has been hired as a contributing writer for the publication.
•
Retired Hall of Fame boxing referee Richard Steele's latest project
involves a new MMA promotion appropriately called "Steele
Cage Promotions." Steele Cage's first show is scheduled
for July 7 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Marvin Eastman
and David Loiseau have both been booked for the show. According
to the promotion, Eastman is still under contract to the UFC
and Loiseau is still with EliteXC. The MMA promotion has signed
a television deal with Mark Cuban's HDNet and has launched a
web site at SteeleCage.com.
•
It was announced during UFC 70 that Matt Serra and Matt Hughes
will serve as the coaches for the sixth season of The Ultimate
Fighter. The two are likely to fight shortly after the season
has finished airing. But considering that the current season
of The Ultimate Fighter hasn't even finished airing, it appears
that it will be a long time before Serra and Hughes fight again.
•
One thing that has become apparent to me following the shocking
conclusions to UFC 69 and UFC 70 is that there's a real need
for a post-event radio or Internet audio call-in show following
major MMA cards. When it comes to the other major sports, as
fans we have plenty of outlets to turn to after a big game is
over or a major development takes place, whether it be coverage
on ESPN SportsCenter or the ability to pick up the phone and
call our local sports talk stations. It seems like our only option
as MMA fans when we need to express ourselves is to run to our
keyboards to visit message forums and hit refresh a hundred times.
Granted, there are various MMA Internet audio shows, but none
to my knowledge air immediately after events and field calls.
Was I the only one out there who felt a strange need to randomly
call friends at 1 a.m. following Serra's win just so I could
discuss what I had just seen?
•
Like a lot of people, I became a huge fan of Michael Bisping
during the third season of The Ultimate Fighter. However, is
it too much to ask to see him against some real competition?
No disrespect to Elvis Sinosic, who is a serviceable mixed martial
artist, but he doesn't belong on major shows anymore.
•
James Hergott, who wrote the script for Imperia Entertainment's
upcoming MMA movie Never Submit, is no longer involved with the
project. Hergott had philosophical differences with Imperia's
ownership and resigned as the company's president. In response
to Hergott's decision, Imperia removed him as director of the
film. As a result, there could be legal troubles pertaining to
the film. According to Hergott, his compensation for writing
the script was employment as the company's president and the
movie's director. Now that he's neither, the true owner of the
script has come into question. Despite that issue, pre-production
on the project is continuing with a new director, Don Dunn, at
the helm. Filming could begin as early as next month.
Sam
Caplan is a Philadelphia-based sports talk show host and freelance
sportswriter. He's also an amateur mixed martial artist (and
we do mean amateur) who trains out of the Mixed Martial Arts
Academy of Philadelphia. Sam can be reached via e-mail at SCaplan8@comcast.net.
You can also check out his blog at: http://www.FiveOuncesOfPain.com
or on MySpace, at MySpace.com/FiveOuncesOfPain.
Source: CBS Sportsline
|
Quote
of the Day
"The
jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves."
William Penn, 1644-1718, British Religious Leader and Founder
of Pennsylvania
|
PRESS
RELEASE
Contact: Patrick Freitas
Icon Sport Promoter
(808) 232-3481
superbrawl21@yahoo.com
Lawler's
Fearless Hawaiian Opponent Named Today!
April 25, 2007 Honolulu, HI. 2007 has been a year of upsets in
the world of MMA. In the UFC, Matt Serra, a ten-to-one underdog,
shocked the world when he TKO'd middleweight champ Georges St.
Pierre. Just days ago, the MMA world was rocked when heavily-favored
Mirko "Cro-Cop" Filipovic was KO'd by unknown underdog
Gabriel Gonzaga at the "UFC: Nations Collide" event
in London.
In
Icon's March 31st "EPIC" event, few were giving "Ruthless"
Robbie Lawler much of a chance against top-ranked Frank "Twinkle
Toes" Trigg. But Lawler took out Trigg with a devastating
4th round KO. With the win Lawler found himself ranked among
the top ten middleweights in the world.
On
Saturday, June 30th, Icon Sport will showcase one of its greatest
cards ever assembled in the event simply named "FEARLESS."
One World Title and two State Titles go on the as Lawler (185lb
Champ), Mark Oshiro (135lb Champ), and Bronson Pieper (145lb
Champ) defend their titles, respectively. FEARLESS will also
be highlighted by the return of Charuto Verissimo, Po'ai Suganuma
and Tyson Nam, the MMA debut of 38 year old judo black belt Mark
Kurano, and the dynamic match-up of pro boxer Jeremy "Half
Man, Half Amazing' Williams against Hawaii kickboxer Mike Malone.
The
FEARLESS main event will feature a to-be-named Hawaiian knockout
artist. This fearless underdog has been begging Icon promoters
for one shot at Robbie Lawler. Based upon his heavy-handed striking
style, his desire, and his string of three consecutive KO wins,
Icon felt he was ready for the match. He will make his first
media appearance this Friday at Icon Sport Main Event Announcement.
WHAT: Icon
Sport: FEARLESS Press Conference / Main Event Announcement
WHO: "Ruthless"
Robbie Lawler & To-Be-Named Hawaiian Opponent
WHEN: 2:15
p.m. Friday, April 27th.
WHERE: California
Rock and Roll Sushi (Ward Avenue, adjacent to Dixie Grill, across
Sports Authority.)
Source:
Patrick Freitas
|
Fundraiser
for Team Five-O & Team Hawaii!
We're trying to fundraise for Team Five-O & Team Hawaii,
2007 USA-Boxing Hawaii Junior Olympic Regional Team
110lbs-Gino Ramos (KawanoB.C.)
114lbs-Ezra Cabang (A.P. Big Island B.C.)
119lbs-Taylor Rodrigues (Unattached Maui)
125lbs-Michah Matsushima (Oki B.C.)
132lbs-Kylie Delacruz-Kaheaku (Five-o Boxing)
138lbs-Boston Salmon (Kawano B.C.)
145lbs-Antone Pereira (Waianae B.C.)
154lbs-Josh Nakagawa (Southside MauiB.C.)
165lbs-Faleauto Manutulila ( Hawaii Youth B.C.)
189lbs-Jacob-Jon Callos (Wailuku B.C.)
Only Female
119lbs- Helena Delacruz-Lopes(Five-o Boxing)
Team Manager- Bruce Kawano
Team coach's- Danny Kaheaku (Five-o Boxing)
Anthony Pagan (A.P.Big Island Boxing)
The
Team will be traveling to Marqette Michigan to the U.S Olympic
Education Center.
We would like our team to have uniforms and gear to show the
rest of the world that we dont live in grass shacks.
Hawaii Has two former Champions, who had full scholarships to
the US Olympic Education center.
Brian Viloria - Waipahu Boxing (95-96)
Samson Guillermo - Waianae Boxing(97-98)
A Benefit Concert
for Five-o Boxing and Team Hawaii
Ewa Ranch, Ewa Beach, Hawaii
May 27, 2007
Gates open @ 5:00pm
Concert starts @ 5:30pm
Koa'uka & BET, Paakane And many more
$15 pre-sale/$20 @ door
tickets available @ Tamura's in Waianae
Hair Hut in Ewa Beach
or call 590-9084 853-8586
HELP BRING BOXING BACK and show our aloha spirit.
Aloha, Thanks for your Support
DANNY KAHEAKU
|
Nogueira:
Anxious for UFC Competition
by Gleidson Venga
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is one of the most recent and celebrated
UFC acquisitions. The Brazilian, a former PRIDE heavyweight champion,
is another fighter trying to shine on American soil while attempting
to reach the same success he had in Japanese rings.
"I've
been thinking about fighting in the USA for a long time, and
now, I'll actually fight there," Nogueira told Sherdog.com.
"I started my career in the USA, and now I'm back in a very
different situation since my first fight at WEF."
After
signing his name on a UFC contract, Nogueira said he enjoyed
the reaction from a receptive American crowd.
"I'm
welcomed by the fans, and this is the best thing to me,"
he stated. "The fans recognized me even though I've been
fighting a lot on the other side of the world and was crowned
champion in two different organizations (PRIDE and RINGS). The
UFC will market my name and I hope to be more famous before my
debut in the Octagon, and write my name in UFC history."
Nogueira
isn't sure when his debut will happen, nor does he know the name
of his opponent. But he warns future opponents that he is already
training for his UFC debut.
This
change in "Minotauro's" career will not be easy, as
it's been almost eight years since he last fought in a cage.
Add to that the fact that the UFC uses the Unified Rules, which
offers several obvious differences from the rules used by PRIDE
during his time with the Japanese organization, and you can see
what sort of adjustment he'll need to make.
I
know there are a lot differences and I'll have to adapt my game,"
he explained. "But I always looked for the submissions,
and I believe that my adaptation will be good. Maybe because
of the fact the fight is in the Octagon my opponent will be able
to avoid my takedowns. But I can handle it, and we will see how
things are going to work. About the rules, here in UFC elbows
are allowed, but when the opponent uses it, he opens more spaces
and this will make things easier for me."
Though
Nogueira is looking forward to fighting in his new home, the
Brazilian heavyweight took some time to reflect on his time with
PRIDE, as promoted by Dream Stage Entertainment.
"I'm
sad," he said. "I was part of the organization's history
along with Brazilian Top Team. We have a rivalry against Chute
Boxe and it helped the organization grow. But PRIDE still exists
and this partnership with UFC will help keep PRIDE FC on top."
The
American audience, said Nogueira, can expect an amazing performance
and then they will be able to watch one of the most talented
heavyweights in the world.
"My
expectations about making my first fight in the Octagon are big,"
said Minotauro. "I'm anxious to show the same submission
game I showed in Japan. I want to prove that I'll be successful
in the UFC and my first step will be my debut fight. Now I have
to train and wait for the great day."
Source: Sherdog
|
UFC
Belfast card filling in
By Chad Edward
UFC Matchmaker Joe Silva has confirmed three undercard matchups
for UFC 72 June 16 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The card is
headlined by former UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin.
As
rumored, Hector Ramirez stands as Forrest Griffin’s first
challenge since his TKO loss to Keith Jardine.
On
a card headlined by the architect of his last loss, Jason ”The
Athlete” MacDonald will face TUF 3 alumnus Rory Singer.
In
what Silva described as "the best fight of the night",
Tyson Griffin and Clay Guida will tussle in the lightweight division.
Tuesday
the UFC confirmed Danish kickboxer Martin Kampmann as Franklin’s
opponent in the main event. At the UFC 70 post-fight press conference,
Dana White commented that Kampmann is "a tough, up-and-coming
guy. That's why we've got him fighting Rich. This is a tough
fight for Rich."
Welterweight
Marcus Davis has also said, “Yeah, I’ll be fighting
in Ireland.” Luke Cummo has been rumored a possible opponent
for Davis.
Lightweight
fighter Dustin Hazelett, from Jorge Gurgel’s Academy, is
also rumored to be on the Belfast card.
UFC
72: Victory will either air on pay-per-view or Spike TV.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Report:
No drug testing for UFC 69 or UFC 70
By Zach Arnold
Steve Sievert in the Houston Chronicle drops a bombshell this
morning in a report claiming that Zuffa LLC, the parent company
of UFC, did not administer drug tests to fighters for either
the UFC 69 (Houston) or UFC 70 (Manchester, UK) events.
According
to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the agency
that oversees everything from manicures to midwives and combative
sports in the Lone Star State, drug testing at UFC 69 was the
responsibility of the “sanctioning body” of the event.
Well,
there’s just one problem with that - the UFC itself was,
in essence, the sanctioning organization for the event, which
put the promotion in the awkward position of having to police
its own fighters and administer drug tests. It did not.
This
sounds like the kind of story that needs the investigative reporting
work of someone like Charles Jay of BoxingScene.com, who caused
quite a stir in 2003 with his article series on alleged malfeasance
by Pennysylvania state athletic commission executive director
Greg Sirb.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Quote
of the Day
“History
will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
Winston Churchill, 1874-1965, English Politician/Author/Nobel
Prïze Wïnner
|
A
WORD FROM THE ASIAN SENSATION...
…ironic.
i·ron·ic
(i--ro(n'i(k)
adj.
1.
Characterized by or constituting irony.
2. Given to the use of irony.
3. Poignantly contrary to what was expected or intended.
Two
UFC’s have past. Two stunning upsets have been the focus
of discussion. Matt Serra shocked the world by being the first
man to finish Georges St. Pierre. Gabriel Gonzaga followed suit
with an impressive knockout of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic.
Fans and pundits were left speechless.
Oh
the irony.
While
it seemed plausible for Gonzaga to pull off an upset, it’s
safe to say that no one predicted the Croatian star would fall
victim to a move he practically patented – the high kick.
Numerous opponents have been defeated with Mirko’s signature
finisher and a majority of the MMA community concurred that the
Brazilian heavyweight would be the next target.
After
controlling most of the opening round, Gonzaga threw a right
high kick that crumbled the Pride Open Weight Grand Prix Champion
with just seconds left. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt ambitiously
stated he was “going for a knockout.” Shockingly, he
achieved his objective.
Like
Serra, credit must also be given to Gabriel Gonzaga for making
April the month for big upsets. I never thought it could get
any worse than last February, but this month has left me disconcerted
and speechless.
So
what holds for Mirko’s immediate future?
Retirement?
Unlikely. Mirko is getting older, but there’s still much
for him to accomplish in the Octagon. Although he may have forfeited
his chance at UFC gold, there are many intriguing match-ups left
for him.
The
UFC heavyweight division used to be a barren wasteland, but has
been given new life with recent acquisitions. In his quest for
title contention, “Cro Cop” may meet some formidable
opposition in the near future that includes Brandon Vera, Andrei
Arlovski, Tim Sylvia, and a rematch with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.
The knockout loss was devastating, but Mirko will rebound like
a true champion.
zaga
was one of the UFC’s most underrated heavyweights. “Napao”
executed the perfect game plan and his high kick was a thing
of beauty. Hats off to Gabe for defying the odds and flooding
the Internet with animated gifs. I look forward to his imminent
showdown against Randy Couture.
Shooto
Fans Rejoice
Togashi?
Fujimiya? Sasaki? “Wicky”? In California?
Shooto’s
partnership with California-based Warrior’s Cup is a step
in the right direction. Kauhiro Sakamoto, president of Sustain,
the leading Shooto promoter in Japan, wants to make a presence
in the U.S. “Warrior’s Cup is a quality show and we
chose to work with them because of a strong relationship with
James Grunsky and because Shooto rules are approved in California,”
stated Sakamoto.
The
lower weight classes are starting to garner more attention in
the U.S. Many of the top ranked lighter weight fighters in the
world fight in Shooto. Diehard fans will finally get the opportunity
to see some of their favorite fighters on American soil. The
partnership with Warrior’s Cup is a great start and the
beginning of a bridge for Japanese talent.
Will
the influx of Shooto fighters be well accepted? I think so. In
particular, Akiyo “Wicky” Nishiura has a recklessly
aggressive style that would appeal to most fans.
I
don’t expect Shooto to make a significant impact until they
finally debut with a Professional Shooto event. Shooto’s
future entry into the U.S. market won’t be an ambitious
large-scale invasion like Pride’s and I don’t think
that is their intent/approach. Sustain intends to bring in more
Shooto fighters in hopes that they will develop a fan base and
allow American fans to familiarize themselves with Shooto rules.
For
the time being, fans can get a taste of what’s to come on
July 21st in Stockton, California. It may still be a little while
before we see a Professional Shooto event in the U.S., but I
eagerly anticipate that day…
Source: MMA Weekly |
THE
LONG-AWAITED RETURN OF JAKE SHIELDS
2006 was a bittersweet year for Jake Shields. After winning the
Rumble on the Rock 175-pound tournament in April, Jake only fought
one other time the rest of the year, mired in fight cancellations
and promotions falling through.
After
the frustrations Shields faced last year, things appear to be
headed upwards for him after signing a deal with EliteXC and
participating in Season 3 of BodogFight on ION Television, which
debuted this past Tuesday night.
“The
fight went pretty well for me,” said Jake of his 90-second
win over tough Ray Stienbeiss. “I just came in, threw a
kick, shot in, took a single [leg], passed guard and went to
mount. I landed a few punches and somehow he rolled out of mount,
so I just hopped right to a headlock and jumped to a guillotine
and finished it.”
For
Shields, fighting in BodogFight presented its own unique conundrum
with the reality television format the show uses, meaning Jake
had to wait months before being able to talk about the win.
“It’s
hard because you go out and fight, you come back and all your
friends want to know about it, but you’re not supposed to
talk about it,” explained Shields. “So that’s
really weird, and then they show it two months later and everyone’s
congratulating you. [Laughs] So it’s kind of unusual, but
not too bad.”
On
the plus side, after competing in stuffy venues for portions
of his career, Jake was rewarded by fighting just feet from the
ocean on one of Costa Rica’s premier beaches.
“I
thought it was awesome,” exclaimed Jake. “At first
I thought it was weird, but it was nice. We’re right on
the beach, we had the breeze blowing through, nice weather, and
the audience was all just fighters.”
Shields
continued, “So it was a knowledgeable audience, a really
harsh audience if you were making mistakes, but really knowledgeable.
So I thought it was great.”
After
months of frustrations due to the World Fighter Championships
falling through and then the cancellation of the Gracie Fighting
Championships originally scheduled for January, Jake could have
easily lost heart, but he digressed and now is happy to have
a stable contract situation.
“You
know, it sucks not really knowing what you’re doing when
things are getting cancelled,” admitted Shields. “I
had several contracts that fell through and it gets frustrating
when you’re training, but you never know when you’re
going to fight. Trying to peak yourself out, and having stuff
cancelled, it’s just something I don’t like to do.”
“Hopefully
now I’m on much more stable shows and it should be better
now that I know how often I’m fighting, so I feel a lot
better,” added Jake with a sense of relief.
As
for being with EliteXC, Shields is genuinely enthusiastic about
his new promotion.
“I’m
excited to fight for them,” expressed Jake. “I’ve
dealt with Rumble on the Rock [the promotion EliteXC’s JD Penn also works for] and
they always treated me real good, so I’m hoping they’ll
be treating me really good here.”
Shields
further stated, “I’m looking forward to being on Showtime.
They’re coming out here I guess on Monday to do some filming,
and I’m excited about it. It should be a really good experience.”
Not
only does EliteXC bring some stability to Jake’s career,
but the chance of perhaps performing for the promotion’s
other allied partners, K-1, Strikeforce and BodogFight, also
invigorates Shields.
“I’m
very happy about that [alliance],” said Jake. “I think
it’s awesome that they’re working together. It sucks
to be exclusive to one show and not be able to fight anywhere
else. It’s exciting because hopefully I can try to unify
the belts between all those shows and take them all – that’s
my plan.”
So
with visions of adding more welterweight gold to his waist strongly
motivating Shields, he knows all that needs to come now is the
opportunity to showcase his skills against some of the best 170-pound
fighters in the world.
“I
just want to win fights,” exclaimed Jake. “Hopefully
I’ll get some good fights and I want to stay active. I’m
feeling great right now, and if I can, get in four more fights
or so.”
“I
want to fight top competition, and we’ll see who they can
get to throw at me. I’m just training my ass off, doing
my part, and see what these promotions can pull up for me to
fight,” added Shields.
With
new contract, new promotion and new opportunities awaiting him,
this could very well be the most productive year of fighting
Jake has had in a long time, and he urges everyone to keep their
eye on him.
“ION
[Television], BodogFight, definitely check that out,” concluded
Shields. “I’d like to thank Tapout and Fairtex for
sponsoring me. And I’d like to thank all the fans for their
support. Watch EliteXC June 2nd [on Showtime], I’m going
to be beating somebody up.”
Source: MMA Weekly |
MIGUEL
TORRES WINS AT IMMAC, MOVES TO BODOG
CHICAGO,
ILL. – The UIC Pavilion made a perfect venue for the well-produced
IMMAC Attack II event held on Saturday, April 21. The IMMAC promoters
pulled out all the stops for a stellar show, although crowd attendance
did not meet expectations.
The
main event featured featherweight powerhouse Miguel Torres versus
Keith Hackney Martial Arts protégé Darius Turcinskas.
Turcinskas's last fight was during February's Total Fight Challenge
at the Hammond Civic Center where he knocked out his opponent
in the first 20 seconds of round one. It appeared Turcinskas
might have a repeat performance over the seasoned veteran as
his first head kick landed and crumpled Torres to the mat. Torres
made a quick recovery, absorbed a few more big shots and then
dominated the rest of the match.
"The
fights are getting harder and harder. The field of competition
is getting a lot tougher," said Armando Reyna, Torres's
long-time friend and trainer. Torres, who has grown accustomed
to winning with relative ease, was sporting a few minor bruises
and cuts following the fight.
Torres
has been competing in MMA events for the last seven years and
is placed as one of the top MMA featherweights in the world,
especially in the Shooto World and Americas rankings. So as a
featherweight... where can he go from here?
"Bodog
and the W.E.C. both offered me contracts. Bodog made a higher
bid, so I am going with them. Since they are offering me more
money than any other featherweight fighter in the world, I am
going to invest all my time and energy into training. For the
last three years, I've been doing a lot of teaching. I am really
going to focus on fight training," Torres said.
Other
IMMAC highlights took shape in the 205-pound division as Carlson
Gracie fighter Anthony Gomez put on a side control/ground-and-pound
clinic in a unanimous decision over Derrek Thorton and Krzysztof
Kulak battled Bill Hill to a bloody standstill.
The
Kulak/Hill match up was the best fight on the card.
Kulak
has fought all over the world, while his opponent Bill "the
Truth" Hill has been tested against the likes of UFC light
heavyweight challengers Jeremy Horn, Stephan Bonnar, and Terry
Martin.
Kulak
came out swinging and seemed to have Hill out on his feet with
his first barrage of punches. With his nose bleeding profusely,
Hill mounted a courageous comeback to get through the first round
and steal the second round with landed strikes and takedown points.
It was an unintentional Kulak elbow (elbows aren't allowed in
IMMAC events) to Hill's left eyebrow in the third round that
caused the ringside doctor to stop the fight.
IMMAC
has a great thing going and their organizers don't skimp on the
budget for production value. All they need is a good-size crowd
to enjoy the attraction, so look for an event coming to a town
near you.
IMMAC
Attack 2
Saturday, April 21, 2007
UIC Pavillion
Chicago, Illinois
Miguel
Torres def. Darius Turcinskas via sub (rear naked choke) - R2
(0:57)
Krzysztof Kulak def. Bill Hill via doctor stoppage (cut) - R3
(3:20)
Adam Maciejewski def. Bobby "Gunz" Martinez via sub
- R2 (2:40)
Andrew Gerdes def. Charles Wilson via TKO (strikes) - R1 (2:36)
Anthony Gomez def. Derek Thornton via unanimous decision - 3
rounds
Darrin Elkins def. Daniel Wanderley via corner stoppage (injury)
- after round 1
Kevin Knabjian def. Jedrzej Kubski via TKO (strikes) - R2 (1:20)
Adril Villa def. Chris Erickson via verbal sub (strikes) - R1
Anthony Lapsley def. Andre Novaes Pimenta via sub (triangle choke)
- R1 (2:15)
Rafal Skibinski def. Pierre Davis via sub (armbar) - R1 (2:06)
Jason Wagner def. Kyle Dietrich via unanimous decision - 3 rounds
For
more information, go to the IMMAC website at www.immacfight.com.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
“Humor
is everywhere, in that there's irony in just about anything a
human does.”
Bill Nye, American Scientist/Engineer/Television Host
|
SUPPORT
THE YOUTH OF EAST O'AHU
WAIMANALO BOXING CLUB
East O'ahu- Waimanalo Boxing Club is sending fighters to Kansas
City and Palm Springs to compete in two different tournaments-
Desert Showdown & Ringside Amateurs- in the hopes of bringing
home a championship belt and a national amateur title. The young
fighters (ages 8-16) humbly ask for your help to assist them
in achieving this goal.
We
are planning a fundraising kickboxing event Saturday May 26,
2007 at Kalaheo High School Gymnasium called, “Memorial
Day Mayhem”. We are asking for your assistance/ sponsorship
to help make this a successful event:
PACKAGE
# 1
$150.00-
Championship belts will be awarded to the winner of each bout.
You will be the official sponsor one of these belts and will
also be recognized at the presentation of the belt when the winner
is announced. As a sponsor you also have an opportunity (if you
wish) to have a representative present the belt to the winner.
In addition, your company/ business/ family/ organization will
be recognized on all the promotional ads and posters as well
as the event programs, and you will also receive 3 tickets to
“Memorial Day Mayhem”.
PACKAGE
# 2
$250.00-
You will receive everything in package # 1 AND also have your
sponsoring company/ business/ family/ organization’s name
engraved on one of the nights performance award trophies which
will be given to the “outstanding fighter of the night”,
competitors in the “fight of the night”, and the winner
of the “sportsmanship award”. You will also receive
2 more tickets to “Memorial Day Mayhem” (for a total
of 5) and you will be able to hang your company/ business/ family/
organization’s banner at the event.
Donations
in the amount of $ 75.00 will be accepted and appreciated and
will allow your company/ business/ family/ organization to be
recognized on all the promotional ads and posters as well as
the event programs. You will also Receive 2 tickets to “Memorial
Day Mayhem”.
Also, seeking opponents for the event. Most of our fighters are
boxers who have never participated in kickboxing so we're looking
for green kickboxers to match our kids up with (1-3 kick max/
above the waist). Here's a list of participating fighters who
need opponents...
OPEN
(no kick count)
Seeking
fighters in the open class 16 yrs. and up weighing between 128-215
lbs.
AMATEUR
(bouts will be 1-3 Kick Max/ Above the waist)
Seeking
fighters in the amateur class ages 7-16 yrs. weighing between
50-120 lbs.
If your interested, drop me a line on myspace.com/richdaboss or email me @ richdaboss@yahoo.com or call me @ 294-1234.
Your Generosity and support is greatly appreciated.
Mahalo and Aloha
|
ADCC
mat material produced in Brazil
That
material that will protect the mats of the ADCC 2007, which will
be held in New Jersey city on May 5th and 6th, will be made in
. The Koral landmark, which produced this special material for
the event in 2005, will be the responsible company for the fabrication
for this year. “In 2005 we received many complains of the
athletes, beyond them Fabrício Werdum, who got his knee
hurted. We are delivering the mat materials of the four total
mats, with a special softless.
The
material used to paint the sponsorships of the event and to paint
the Abu Dhabi mark will be a special material, which won’t
disturb the bout and the skin of the fighters”, said Victor
Costa, owner of the Koral, who already knows what will do with
that material after the ADCC. Victor wants to do Submission clothes
with that, like shorts or something like that, with the material
used by the best ones of the world.
Source: Tatame
|
Carlson
Gracie may be statue in Rio
The
unforgatable Máster Carlson Gracie may win a beautiful
and fair tribute at the Rio de Janeiro city, in . The BJJ brown
belt and director of the sports of the Suderj, Marcelo Arar,
just did a requirement asking for the Stadual Secretary of Esports,
Mr. Eduardo Paes, to do a statue of the Master Carlson Gracie
at the Siqueiro Campos subway station, in Copacabana neighboorhod.
Unffortunally, he did say anything.
According
to Marcelo Arar, this iniciative was taken because of the importance
that Máster Carlson Gracie had at the popularization of
the BJJ under . After the tentative of changing the name of the
Street Silva Castro, in Copacaban, to Carlson Gracie Street,
that was not done because of the resistence of some people who
lives there, this is the second iniciative of the pupils and
former-pupils in a great tribute to the big Master Carlson Gracie.
Source: Tatame
|
Wallid
Ismail dominates America
The
promoter of Jungle Fight, Wallid Smail is working really hard
as agent. After put Ronaldo Jacaré in Gracie Fighting
Championship, that will be held in May 19th, in Columbus Ohio
, the Carlson Gracie BJJ black belt did help to put at the same
event, Alexandre Cacareco (BTT) and Demian Maia (Brasa) “I
am working hard, trying to put as much as more Brazilian fighters
as I could in the . The Brazilian fighters have to train more
because the doors will be open”, said Wallid who also said
why Marcelo Garcia did get out of the card. “We didn’t
have the deal. The event was receipted and me too, because he
is focus in the ADCC. He wants to win the category and absolute
because he is a warrior”, said Wallid.Check out now the
complete card:
COMPLETE
CARD (subject to change):
Gracie
Fighting Championship
Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio (USA)
Saturday, May 19th, 2007
-
Jeff Monson vs. Wes Sims;
- "The Wildman" Thomas Denny vs. Steve Heath;
- Alexandre Cacareco vs. Brandon Lee Hinkle;
- Chris Brennan vs. Adam Disabato;
- Ronaldo Jacaré vs. Jeremy Jackson;
- Daniel
Moraes
vs. Matt Brown;
- Vinícius Pezão vs. George Bush;
- Fabio Leopoldo vs. Robert Wince;
- Rafeal Dias vs. Phil
Cardella;
- Nissen Osterneck vs. Chris Meyers;
- Damian Maia vs. Ryan Stout.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
“Individual
commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work,
a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
Vince Lombardi, 1913-1970, Hall of Fame American Football Coach
|
New
Fighters' Club TV on Tonight!
Channel
52
Tuesdays at 7:00 PM
The latest Fighters' Club TV episodes features a good filling
of Mark and Mike as well as...
Interview
with new Icon Sport Middleweight Champ Robbie Lawler.
They don't call him Ruthess for nothing. I think he calls out
Mike not once, but twice during this relatively short interview.
Between you and me, I would try to take a grazing punch and lay
down. So what?!
Charuto Verissimo is back in action as he features his world
class Jiu-Jitsu technique in the last Icon Sport with a post
fight interview. This footage is the closest you will get to
being in the fight without being in the ring! Make sure that
you listen in closely when the leather is flying.
He is definitely in the Icon Sport championship mix.
One
of our favorite segments, FCTV Mail, is starting to gain momentum.
This episode we discuss the following topics:
BJJ vs Traditional JJ
Myspace
School Coverage
Why are we so sexy? Ok, I added that one in.
Not enough description? You better tune in...and please write
in with your questions to fctv@onzuka.com and if it is absolutely,
positively, spell binding and memorizing, we will read it on
the air. Who are we kiddng? Maybe we'll read it even if it sucks.
Kalihi native, now Cali boy Jason Mayhem Miller does a great
Dan Henderson impersonation. Was that Mayhem's last fight in
Hawaii?
Enson Inoue teaches us a mount neck crank in our Technique of
the Week!
Finally, one of the most exciting and talented new stars in Hawaii
MMA, Justin Buchholz teaches us about the power of the loco moco.
Of
course, it wouldn't be a FCTV show without a little eye candy
spread out in very strategic locations throughout the fights.
Daddy like!
If
you have anything to comment on or want to see on the show, please
email us at fctv@onzuka.com.
|
THE
UK IS A SUCCESS FOR THE UFC
The UFC returned to a “sellout” crowd of 14,921 in
the UK after nearly a 5 year absence. The last time was at UFC
38 at the Royal Albert Hall in 2002, were the attendance was
around 5000. Not only has attendance changed a lot since then
but the show brought in 1.31 pounds (around $2.6 million dollars)
at the M.E.N. Arena. Even merchandise sales were among the best
as Marshall said that “I’m also lead to believe that
we broke every merchandise record, we sold more merchandise in
the venue than any other event that’s ever been through
here.” Needless to say that it is a new era for the UFC
as they expand internationally.
So
what is the next step for the UFC in Europe? When will the UFC
enter other countries in the European Union? According to UFC
president, Dana White, they are still focusing on the UK for
this year. The next show in Europe will be UFC 72 in Belfast,
Ireland. After that probably back in London in September and
according to White, “a couple more fights this year, then
we’re gonna start mapping out a plan for Europe…”
There
are also talks of doing The Ultimate Fighter UK, as White said
that he was in discussion this weekend to make it happen. White
said, "We're taking to him (David Clark) about that right
now. We're talking about doing The Ultimate Fighter UK, I was
talking to him all night about it…” A deal isn’t
done yet but White seems confident, “Yeah we'll do it. it's
coming."
When
Dana White was asked what the highlight of UFC 70 was for him
he said that it was the fact of getting back into the UK and
seeing the sold out crowd and their reaction to Michael Bisping.
But is Bisping ready for a title shot? Bisping said, "once
I get a bit of time, keep winning, do what I can, that's what
I want though." Chances are good that Bisping could fight
for the title in the UK, but White feels he needs more experience,
saying, "I don't think anybody's too excited to fight Chuck
Liddell these days. Bisping responded, "I was going to say-
I'm not."
Source: MMA Weekly |
MIRKO
CRO COP RETURNS HOME
For the first time in five years, the UFC returned to England.
At the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, UK, 14,921 fans witnessed
one of the biggest upsets of the year. UFC 70: Nations Collide
was headlined by title elimination match between Mirko “Cro
Cop” Filipovic and Gabriel Gonzaga. Coming into the fight
as a big underdog, Gonzaga did the unthinkable and knocked out
Mirko Filipovic with a right high kick.
Just
one day after his shocking loss, Mirko returned to Zagreb, Croatia.
Upon his arrival, Mirko spoke with Hrvatski Sportski about his
unfortunate loss. “I got what I deserved after a performance
like this,” said the Pride Open Weight Grand Prix Champion.
“That seems to be the cross I’m carrying. I fall down
every once in a while and I don’t know why. I’ve been
through two times of crisis. Against [Kevin] Randleman, I came
back; against Fedor [Emelianenko], I came back. I’ll come
back after this. It’s part of my career.”
The
knockout loss was the most devastating in the Croatian star’s
career. After such a defeat, some fans wondered if “Cro
Cop” would continue fighting. “Of course I will finish
my [UFC] contract,” responded Mirko. “I have 4 fights
left.”
When
Gonzaga landed the right high kick, Mirko fell to mat, landing
awkwardly on his right leg. According to Nokaut.com, Mirko’s
ankle remains swollen and does give him some discomfort. He is
expected to have an exam on Tuesday to further diagnose the injury.
With
the win, Gabriel Gonzaga earned a shot at Randy Couture’s
heavyweight belt.
Source: MMA Weekly |
U.K.
FIGHTERS MAKING BIG MOVES
Arguably one of the top 3 Featherweights (145-pounds) in the
UK, Danny Batten has just inked a three fight deal for the Pancrase
organization in Japan. He will be fighting next weekend against
the current King of Pancrase Featherweight Title Holder Yosihiro
Maeda.
Batten
was originally scheduled to fight on the Enter the Roughouse
Cage Warriors show on the 28th of April, but withdrew due to
lack of opposition. The move paid off and he now finds himself
making a return to Japan, this time much more prepared and advanced
skills-wise than his previous run there.
With
a record of 11-4-3, Batten has been a key figure in the UK featherweight
movement, but has always wanted to return to the land of the
rising sun. His last fight against Shooto veteran Kyotaro Nakao
on the Anger Management card proved his resilience and drive.
UK
MMA legend Lee Hasdell has an offer on the table from Cage Rage
to fight BTT leader, BJJ legend and Pride veteran Mario Sperry
on the July 14, 2007. The contract will be inked by Hasdell on
Monday and has been awaiting Sperry’s signature first.
This
event marks a welcome return to active competition to one of
the trailblazers of the UK scene, a fighter who debuted in 1996,
held a 6-year fight contract in the Rings organization in Japan
and has fought Top Flight competition in Fedor Emelianenko, Mirko
“Cro Cop” Filipovic (kickboxing), Renato “Babalu”
Sobral and Gilbert Yvel. This fight further adds excitement to
a card featuring Herb Dean, Butterbean vs. Tengiz Tedoradze,
Mustapha Al-Turk and Ross Pointon.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
"Unless
commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes...but no
plans."
Peter F. Drucker, 1909-2005, Austrian-born Management Consultant
and Author |
Murilo
Bustamante Update
I bumped
in to Murilo at Pearl Nightclub at Ala Moana Center on Saturday
night and talked with him a bit. I congratulated him on his win
in Deep and he said that he is down in Hawaii for a couple of
weeks to relax. He did confirm that Arona was sick and all he
could do was to support him mentally so that he could try to
fight through it. He said that he did not have anything lined
up, but may be game for a seminar the next time he comes down
here.
Thanks to Steve Byrnes for taking care of us while we were there!
Mike |
Full
Contact Showdown is Back!
Icon Sport's feeder event, Full Contact Showdown is back after
a hiatus. It is tentatively planned for either June 12 or June
13.
The event will offer the following:
3-4 bouts of Pro MMA
4 bouts of amateur San Shou (kickboxing with takedowns)
4 bouts of amateur Kickboxing (no leg kicks, unless otherwise
agreed upon)
If you have young fighters who are interested, please let me
know asap. I would like to match make this event in the next
2 weeks. Thanks!!!
Patrick Freitas
superbrawl21@yahoo.com
|
PUNISHMENT
IN PARADISE
Hawaiian Waters, Kapolei
Saturday May 12, 2007
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!
THIER ARE ONLY 800 SEATS AVAILABLE FOR THIS SHOW!!
WEST OUTLETS
WATERPARK, KAPOLEI
TEAM RUTHLESS, COLIN (387-5857)
JESUS IS LORD, DAVID (282-2232)
TEAM BIGDOGS, WAYNE PERRIN
SIT YOU DOWN, JOHN (688-7391)
EN FUEGOS GRILL, KAPOLEI (674-8805)
EAST OUTLETS
JUS RUSH, CISCO (620-3004)
SMITH TAEKWONDO, KANEOHE
HMC, KALIHI
BUY ONLINE WWW.PIPHAWAII.COM
FOR FIGHT OR TICKET INFO CALL (808)631-9164
Source: Brennan Kamaka
|
Kazushi
Sakuraba-Royce Gracie rematch pending approval
Royce Gracie and Kazushi Sakuraba have agreed to fight on the
"Dynamite!! USA" card June 2 at the Los Angeles Coliseum,
according to a report by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer.
The bout is pending approval by the California State Athletic
Commission.
Gracie
and Sakuraba met in May 2000 at the Pride Grand Prix and their
epic 90-minute battle easily became considered one of the most
important fights in mixed martial arts history. Sakuraba was
the victor when Gracie's corner threw in the towel in the sixth
round.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Update
on Ed Fishman lawsuit
By Zach Arnold
Last Monday, the next court-approved meeting for the Fishman
Companies vs. DSE Inc. was originally set for May 17th at 9 AM
PST in Clark County (Las Vegas), Nevada. However, there is a
new hearing scheduled for Wednesday, April 25th at 9:30 AM PST.
For
the 4/25 hearing, the lawyer for the hearing on behalf of Fishman
Companies will be Lawrence Semenza III (replacing Todd Bice as
the lawyer for Fishman Companies). The 4/25 date is for the plaintiff’s
motion for a hearing on waiving compliance.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Jacaré:
'I only want to do MMA!'
Black belt comments on ADCC absence
Ronaldo
Jacaré has one fixed idea. In 2007, the two-time absolute
world black belt champion is only going to fight in mixed martial
arts events. In an exclusive interview given to GRACIEMAG.com,
the Brazilian commented on his absence from the ADCC for the
first time: "I had already said I was going to fight only
MMA this year. I want new challenges." Training in Manaus,
Amazonas, to face Jeremy Jackson at Gracie Fighting Championships,
to be held May 19 in Columbus, Jacaré also revealed that
he won't be taking part in the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship either.
In
spite of the distance in time between the competitions, Jacaré
guarantees that he has Jiu-Jitsu in his heart and blood: "I
love Jiu-Jitsu and I train with the kimono on twice a day."
The Henrique Machado-trained black belt ended the conversation
with the goal of this new phase of his life: "I want to
be an MMA champion."
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Ricardo
Arona: Feeling better to get the ADCC
By Bernardo Seabra and Joana Carvalho
The athlete from BTT Ricardo Arona, in exclusive interview to
site TATAME, commented about the treatment of his disease, which
surprised the black belt just after his bout against Sokoudjou
on last Pride. “I didn’t watch anything about him yet.
I don’t know how he will act when someone takes him down
or when someone punches his face. But Sokoudjou, for me, is still
a luck guy”, said Arona, who will face Roger Gracie at the
super bout of the ADCC 2007. “Experience is calm. He is
also experienced. This bout will be pretty excited to watch.
That will be good to watch, that will be pretty technique”,
commented Arona about his bout against Roger. Check out now the
complete interview:
Are
you already feeling yourself better from the disease?
The
doctor gave me this exam proving my disease and I wanted to show
it to my fans. I know that I lost; everyone saw that, this is
not an excuse, but I want to give this explication for everyone
who always supported me. The doctor also said that if I did continue
fighting at that fight, I would lose much blood and I believe
that everything that happened was good for me, God knows the
right thing to do. I am treating myself now. I can’t train
hard yet. But I hope that on the weekend I will be already able
to be back to trainings.
What
do you think about your bout against Roger at ADCC?
This
is a unique opportunity. I was worried about getting in this
category, to do five bouts and then get into the absolute. Having
only one bout is much easier for me to get myself better from
this disease and be able to train for it.
Do
you think you are the favorite one for this bout? Do you think
you are able to submit this fight?
When
we get some level, it is pretty hard to point a favorite one.
I don’t fight with no gi for a long time and Roger have
been training a lot. Every possibility can happen at this bout.
My plan is getting myself better and fell myself fine and healthy
for this bout, this is really important.
Do
you think that your Submission experience could be the biggest
difference for you?
Experience
is calm. He is also experienced. This bout will be pretty excited
to watch. That will be good to watch, that will be pretty technique.
Who
will be the highlights of the ADCC?
I
think that Toquinho will be the highlight. He has much energy.
He is not worried about facing athletes heavier or smaller than
him. He has the potential to create some specifics positions
for him. For me, he is the biggest highlight of the ADCC.
You
didn’t consider any defeat in any bout you were considered
the loser. Do you consider this bout against Sokoudjou like a
defeat? Do you want to revenge Sokoudjou?
All
the bouts I lost were defeats for me. I just like to say that
if I was felling myself 100%, it would be pretty hard to anyone
to defeat me. He did a hard blow under me, but health is everything,
the most important thing. Of course that I want revenge. Who
knows me knows that my performance at that bout wasn’t even
close of what I am able to do. I was pretty bad, my strategy
was terrible, and I had fever for four days. I would like to
see that people that have been talking about me do what I did,
to get up in the ring feeling sick as I was and face it with
courage as I did.
Shogun
was pointed by the most part of the web users of site TATAME
as the man able to defeat Sokoudjou, at the TATAME poll. Do you
think you can win Sokoudjou?
I
can’t talk about Sokoudjou. I didn’t watch anything
about him yet. I don’t know how he will act when someone
takes him down, when someone punches his face. I know Shogun’s
game, but Sokoudjou, at my opinion, is still a luck man.
Source: Tatame
|
The
Butterfly Called Discipline
By Martin Rooney, MHS, PT, CSCS, NASM
Over the last ten years, I have had the luxury of working with
a multitude of top level athletes in almost every sport one can
imagine. From fighting to football, from bobsled to basketball,
I have found that there are many attributes that all athletes
must share to enjoy success.
About
a year ago, a World Cup soccer player I was training asked me
what I believed to be the most important quality an athlete could
possess. At first, a number of qualities came to mind, but when
I really examined the question at length, I believe there is
one quality that encompasses them all. This quality is discipline.
Every other quality that an athlete can possess and nature must
be done using the maximal amount of discipline. If the right
amount of discipline is not present, every aspect of performance
that it affects will eventually suffer. When I use the term discipline,
I am defining the term as control over yourself. You are the
only one that can really let yourself down. When you lose discipline,
or self control, usually less than desirable results occur. During
this article I will give you some memorable tools to ensure that
breakdowns in your discipline will happen as little as possible.
When
I was an athlete on the US Bobsled team, there were a number
of times I did not demonstrate the right amount of discipline.
From missing a workout to going out partying to being late for
meetings, I will not say I was ever perfect. Around this time,
my father saw that I was not focusing myself as well as I could.
That is when he introduced me to what in science is called The
Butterfly Effect. The Butterfly Effect can best be described
as the fact that nothing is predictable, and that enormous positive
or negative effects can often be produced by very tiny causes.
The example that is often used is that science has shown that
the tiny flapping of a butterfly’s wings in Japan could
lead to a monstrous storm in Brazil. So always keep in mind that
as small as you think something is, it can have a huge positive,
or negative effect.
Now
examine for a second the ways that you flap your wings each day
when it comes to your training. Do you ever miss a workout? Do
you always eat correctly? Do you push yourself as far as you
need to go? The answers to all of these questions are most often
no. Many athletes I have asked these questions usually say, “Who
cares, I am only missing one workout” or “Don’t
worry, I will eat well tomorrow.” But now let me illustrate
the Butterfly Effect as it relates to discipline. Let’s
say that over a training period of 12 weeks leading up to a competition
you miss 6 workouts which is only one every two weeks. Let us
also say that you didn’t eat well 20 of the 84 days of training.
Then when the competition came, you were defeated because you
narrowly lacked the strength and stamina needed for the win.
Even though you felt you prepared, you now see how small breakdowns
in discipline at the time lead to very big consequences. Understanding
this, you must see that there are no small aspects to anything
in training because tiny flaps of your wings can lead to a victory
or defeat up to years from now. This knowledge should help you
to sharpen your discipline so that you question the result of
every decision you make about your training.
Another
method to examine the Butterfly Effect and your discipline is
a question I often ask my athletes, “How would you train
if you knew this was your last competition?” Many answer
that they would now attack every aspect of their training with
a new overall zest for achievement. I am usually disappointed
with this answer because it shows that none of the athletes believe
that they are working as hard or as smart as they could. This
further shows that there is a breakdown in their discipline along
the way in their training. What you must realize, my friends,
is that we only have a finite number of competitions and days
to train, so you must treat each of those as if it were your
last. If you are not living each workout to the fullest, you
are not flapping your wings as hard as you could to cause great
positive effects later.
An
excellent way for an athlete to attempt to examine their current
level of discipline is what I call the Discipline Curse. After
working with athletes for so long, I have also noticed a trend
among most of them once their career was over. Most believe that
their lack of discipline or knowledge did not allow them to achieve
the level that they wanted. They can also usually pinpoint the
times in their careers when this discipline as missing. I always
tell my athletes that the worst feeling an athlete can be cursed
with the regret of looking back on their career and feeling empty
because they could have done much more. If they knew their shortcomings
then and regretted it, this means you can pinpoint your errors
now to avoid the shortcomings that could haunt you later. No
one is perfect, you are going to make mistakes and have breakdowns
in your discipline. If you can minimize this as much as possible,
great things are bound to happen. There will be good and bad
days, just search for the lesson in each. Just make sure you
are always looking to avoid the Curse.
The
final example I will use to demonstrate the importance of discipline
is with the Law of the Shark. A shark, as we all know, must forever
keep moving forward, or he cannot breathe and dies. Imagine the
discipline that the shark has to possess. Perhaps there are days
he wants to stop and take a rest, but this is not an option.
You must attack your athletic career with the same ideals. Just
like the shark, you must constantly try to move forward. If you
are not constantly bettering yourself, you are only staying the
same or getting worse. You must become disciplined enough to
never let yourself stay at one level for too long. We all know
there are going to be tough days. There are going to be times
that that voice in your head says “Don’t worry, you
can quit right here.” Those are the days to utilize the
examples I gave above to make sure that your discipline doesn’t
falter. Before you ever quit, miss a workout, stay out too late,
or eat what you know is wrong for you, ask yourself, “Am
I flapping my wings to move forward like a shark, or am I placing
a curse of regret on myself for years to come.”
"Martin
Rooney is director of the Parisi Speed School and conditioning
coach for Team Renzo Gracie. He has trained fighters for the
ADCC, UFC, and Pride FC". His "Training for Warriors"
book and DVD are at www.parisischool.com..
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Quote
of the Day
"Our
lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that
matter."
Martin Luther King, Jr., 1929-1968, American Civil Rights Leader
and Nobel Prïze Wïnner
|
Sifu
Richard Bustillo Seminar Today!
Sunday,
April 22 9:00-4:00
Filipino Martial Arts: Kali/Eskrima/Arnis
Saturday, Aprl 28 9:00-4:00
Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do
Trappling/Grappling/Jiu-jitsu
Seminar tuition
$65 Both days (pre-registration) $75 Both days (at the door)
$55 One day
These seminars will be held at the
Ko Olina Resort Fitness Club Facility
Follow H-1 west bound to Farrington Hwy. Take the Ko Olina
Resort exit and pass the sentry booth. Take the 2nd left off
Aliinui Drive to Ko Olina Golf Club. The Fitness Club Facility
is located between the tennis courts on the left.
Contact:
James Tanaka for more information at 223-9363 or email him at
jkt@pmitchelltrust.com
|
UFC
70 Results
UFC 70 "Nations Collide"
Saturday, April 21, 2007
M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, England
Preliminary
Bouts:
1.
WW: Paul Taylor, 169 lbs def. Edilberto Crocota, 169 lbs via
TKO (strikes) at 0:39 of round 3.
2.
WW: Jess Liaudin, 168 lbs def. Dennis Siver, 167 lbs via submission
(armbar) at 1:21 of round 1.
3.
LH: Alessio Sakara, 204 lbs def. Victor Valimaki, 203 lbs via
TKO (strikes) at 1:44 of round 1.
4.
LW: Junior Assuncao, 155 lbs def. David Lee, 155 lbs via submission
(rear naked choke) at 1:55 of round 2.
5.
LW: Terry Etim, 154 lbs def. Matt Grice, 155 lbs via submission
(guillotine choke) at 4:38 of round 1.
Main
Card (Spike TV):
7.
HW: Cheick Kongo, 229 lbs def. Assuerio Silva, 241 lbs via majority
decision after 3 rounds.
8.
LH: Lyoto Machida, 199 lbs def. David Heath, 205 lbs via unanimous
decision after 3 rounds.
9.
LH: Michael Bisping, 204 lbs def. Elvis Sinosic, 205 lbs via
TKO (strikes) at 1:20 of round 2.
10.
HW: Andrei Arlovski, 238 lbs def. Fabricio Werdum, 233 lbs via
unanimous decision after 3 rounds.
11.
HW: Gabriel Gonzaga, 243 lbs def. Mirko Cro Cop, 225 lbs via
KO (kick to the head) at 4:51 of round 1.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Kickin
It 2007 Part 3 Results!
Filcom Center, Waipahu
April 20, 2007
APRIL FOOLS DAY CAME 19 DAYS LATE. FOR KICKIN IT THOUGHT IT WAS
GOING TO BE A SMALL EVENT BEING THAT THIS CARD WAS PUT TOGETHER
LAST MINUTE (2 1/2 WEEKS). THE PLACE WAS PACKED AND SO WAS THE
POSITIVE ENERGY FROM THE CROWD. OUT OF 36 FIGHTERS, THERE WERE
22 OF THEM THAT MADE THEIR KICKIN IT DEBUT LAST NIGHT. A LOT
OF THE FIGHTS THAT WERE STOPPED BY THE REFEREE (TIMMY VENDETTA)
WERE DUE TO THE FIGHTER BEING TOTALLY EXHAUSTED TO WHERE SOME
FIGHTERS SWUNG, MISSED, FELL AND HAD A HARD TIME GETTING UP.
THIS EVENT HAD LOADS OF LAUGHS AS WELL AS ITS SHARE OF BUMPS
AND BRUISES.
ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE FIGHTS LAST NIGHT WAS THE FIGHT AGAINST
DAVID LUI VS VAN RINGWEST. FIRST TIME FIGHTER VAN FOUGHT HMC'S
DAVID IN A WINNERS NEVER QUIT AND QUITTERS NEVER WIN MATCH. VAN
BROUGHT MAJOR GAME IN THE FIRST ROUND. BUT WHEN THE FIRST ROUND
WAS OVER DAVID SHOWED THE CROWD THAT CONDITION IS KEY. DAVID
CREATED HIS OWN TATTOO SHOP AND VAN WAS HIS FIRST CUSTOMER WHILE
DAVID SCORED AT WILL AGAINST A TIRED VAN RINGWEST. VAN'S LEGS
WERE LIKE NOODLE IN THE THIRD ROUND BUT HE FINISHED THE FIGHT
LIKE A TRUE WARRIOR AND GOT EVERYONES RESPECT. EVERY WARRIOR
KNOWS THAT SHAME HIDES IN THE HEART. IF YOU AINT GOT NO HEART
THAN ITS A SHAME TO CALL YOURSELF A WARRIOR. DAS RIGHT
RICKY MURRILLO AND HIAPO KOLO'S FIGHT WAS POSTPONED DUE TO SOME
HEALTH PROBLEMS. SO THE ORIGINAL SEMI MAIN EVENT (SAGE YOSHIDA
AND ROBBIE OSTOVICH) WERE MOVED UP TO THE MAIN. THIS 13 AND 14
YEARS OLD FIGHTERS SHOWED EVERYONE WHY THEY ARE CHAMPIONS. THESE
YOUNGSTERS WERE SERVING A WHOLE LOT OF KNUCKLE SANDWICHES BUT
NEITHER ONE MUST HAVE BEEN HUNGRY BECAUSE BOTH OF THEM AVOIDED
A LOT OF IT. ROBBIE HAD HIS SHARE OF MAKING SAGE BACK UP BUT
HE ALSO HAD HIS SHARE OF BODY SHOTS FROM YOSHIDA. SAGE HAD ROBBIE
ON THE ROPES MOST OF THE TIME WHICH WON HIM THE FIGHT.
THE FIGHT OF THE NIGHT TROPHIES WENT TO THE SEMI MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS
STEVE LIM AND MATT KANHELE. THEY FOUGHT LIKE SPARTANS FROM THAT
MOVIE 300. NEITHER ONE OF THEM MADE AN EFFORT TO BACK DOWN BEFORE
THE FIGHT EVEN STARTED WITH STEVE COMING IN AT 149# AND MATT
AT 164# WEIGH IN NIGHT. MATT CAME IN WAY OVER THE 150 # THAT
WAS AGREED ON BUT STEVE WASNT GOING TO LET HIM OFF THAT EASY.
STEVE TOOK MATT'S LEG THROUGH RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEY BY BANGING
IT EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. HIS LEGS DIDNT LOOK THE SAME BY THE END
OF THE NIGHT. BUT IN THE END MATT WON THE FIGHT WITH HIS SOLID
COMBOS AND HIGH KICKS. MUCH PROPS FOR A JOB WELL DONE.
JUSTIN KAHALE 90 KILEY ROMERO
TEAM ANILAND HMC
KAHALE
BY DECISION
MAKANA VERTIDO 220 TY KAHALUA
VEGAS FIGHT CLUB HSD
VERTIDO BY TKO
ANDREW GANABAN 145 VAN SHIROMA
WESSIDE CONNECTION HMC
GANABAN BY DECISION
KEKOA CONCEPTION 130 IKAIKA PATCHO
NAKOA FIGHT CLUB TEAM DEVASTATION
CONCEPTION BY DECISION
RYAN MURAKAMI 155 CHAD VALENTINE
LAUPAHOEHOE MUAY THAI HMC
VALENTINE BY TKO
SHAWN ORTIZ 135 ISAIAH GANABAN
FREELANCE FREELANCE
DRAW
GARON REBALIZA 105 SOLOMON DIXON
INNER CIRCLE HMC
DIXON BY DECISION
JENNIFER KAKIO 130 JENNIFER SYLVA
LAUPAHOEHOE MUAY THAI ANIMAL HOUSE
SYLVA BY DECISION
DAVID LUI 135 VAN RINQUEST
HMC TEAM DEVASTION
LUI BY DECISION
KONA KAOLULO 240 JOE LAWE
TEAM ANILAND FREELANCE
KAOLULO
NICK TERRY 230 KINGSTON PATCHO
TEAM ANILAND TEAM DEVASTATION
TERRY BY DECISION
NUI WHEELER 135 KOICHI TANJI
MAILI SOLJAHS HMC
DRAW
WOODLAND KEKAOHU 240 RANDY DUENESS
TEAM ANILAND FIVE 0 BOXING
KEKAOHU BY DECISION
ABE CAGANAP 145 RICHARD BERNARD
LAUPAHOEHOE MUAY THAI HSD
BERNARD BY DECISION
MIKE UEMOTO 150 ROYCE POAHA
ANIMAL HOUSE TEAM DEVASTATION
DRAW
OTTO HOOPII 300+ JUNIOR CHAVEZ
TEAM ANILAND HSD
HOOPII BY DECISION
STEVE LIM 145 MATT KANAHELE
LAUPAHOEHOE MUAY THAI BIG TYME FIGHT
KANAHELE BY DECISION - FIGHT OF THE NIGHT AWARD
ROBBIE OSTOVICH 125 SAGE YOSHIDA
JESUS IS LORD HMC
YOSHIDA BY DECISION
KICKIN IT WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE FANS AND SUPPORTERS
THAT MADE THIS LAST MINUTE EVENT POSSIBLE. ALSO MUCH MAHALO TO
THE FILCOM CENTER FOR SLIDING KICKIN IT THAT LAST MINUTE CANCELLATION
WHICH MADE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE. SEE YOU GUYS AT THE NEXT KICKIN
IT ON MAY 19.
Source: Derrick Bright
|
Cage
Rage 21 "Judgement Day" Results
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Wembley Arena in London, England
1.
MW: James E Nicoll def. Sunnat Ilyasov via majority decision
after 3 rounds.
2.
MW: Xavier Foupa Pokam def. Tom Watson via submission (triangle
choke) at 2:27 of round 2.
3.
FW: Alex Owen def. Brad Pickett via unanimous decision after
3 rounds.
4.
LH: Cyrille Diabate def. Ryan Robinson via submission (armbar)
at 1:16 of round 1.
5.
WW: Abdul Mohammed def. Ross Pointon via KO at 3:20 of round
1.
Mohammed knocks out Pointon with a spinning back fist.
6.
WW: Paul Daley def. Paul Jenkins via KO at 0:41 of round 2.
Daley retains the Cage Rage welterweight championship title.
7.
LH: Mark Epstein def. Rowman Webber via KO at 4:27 of round 2.
Epstein announced during the post-fight interview that he will
move down to middleweight.
8.
MW: Mark Weir def. Daijiro Matsui via unanimous decision after
3 rounds.
9.
MW: Murilo "Ninja" Rua def. Alex Reid via TKO at 0:28
of round 1.
The doctor stopped the fight due to Reid suffering a broken right
shin.
10.
K-1 Kickboxing: James McSweeney def. Michael McDonald via unanimous
decision after 3 rounds.
11.
LH: James Zikic def. Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos via
unanimous decision after 3 rounds.
Zikic is the new Cage Rage light heavyweight champion.
12.
LH: Vitor Belfort def. Ivan Serati via TKO (strikes)
13.
HW: Gary Turner def. Tank Abbott via TKO (strikes)
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Derek
Thornton
Loses Decision in Chicago
IMMAC Attack 2
Saturday, April 21, 2007
UIC Pavillion in Chicago, Illinois
1.
Jason Wagner def. Kyle Dietrich via unanimous decision - 3 rounds
2. Rafal Skibinski def. Pierre Davis via sub (armbar) - R1 (2:06)
3. Anthony Lapsley def. Andre Novaes Pimenta via sub (triangle
choke) - R1 (2:15)
4. Adril Villa def. Chris Erickson via verbal sub (strikes) -
R1
5. Kevin Knabjian def. Jedrzej Kubski via TKO (strikes) - R2
(1:20)
6. Darrin Elkins def.Daniel Wanderley via corner stoppage (injury)
- after round 1
7. Anthony Gomez def. Derek Thornton via unanimous decision - 3 rounds
8. Andrew Gerdes def. Charles Wilson via TKO (strikes) - R1 (2:36)
9. Adam Maciejewski def. Bobby "Gunz" Martinez via
sub - R2 (2:40)
10. Krzysztof Kulak def. Bill Hill via doctor stoppage (cut)
- R3 (3:20)
11. Miguel Torres def. Darius Turcinskas via sub (rear naked
choke) - R2 (0:57)
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Smith
calls California Commision's denial "age discrimination"
Last month a proposed IFL super fight in Los Angeles between
former UFC heavyweight champion Maurice Smith, 45, and "The
King of the Streets" Marco Ruas, 46, was not approved by
the California State Athletic Commission due to safety concerns.
Unable
to have the bout sanctioned in California, the IFL has moved
the bout to Chicago, Illinois on May 19.
In
this interview with MMAFighting.com, Smith shares his
opinion on the CSAC's decision and expresses why he feels he
should have been allowed to fight.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Arona-Roger
headlines ADCC
BTT athlete to substitute Lister
What was only speculation is now official. Ricardo Arona is going
to be Roger Gracie's opponent at the superfight of ADCC 2007,
which takes place on the 5th and 6th of May, in Trenton, New
Jersey. The Brazilian Top Team black belt replaces current champion
Dean Lister, who injured himself during trainings.
Deemed
as one of the best fighters to have ever gone through ADCC, Arona
will try to repeat his 2003 feat, when he defeated Mark Kerr
to become superfight champion. The title, however, was not defended
at the following edition, in 2005, because Arona prioritized
Pride's middleweight Grand Prix, where he was the runner-up.
In
an interview given GRACIEMAG.com, Arona had already shown his
interest in facing Roger eventually. His own place in the 99kg
category will be filled by Alexandre Cacareco.
Stay
tuned to GRACIEMAG.com and we'll soon be back with info on ADCC
2007. Watch out also for exclusive interviews which will appear
in the following weeks.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
UFC
OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES NORTHERN IRELAND EVENT
Press Release
Manchester, England (UK) – The Ultimate Fighting Championship®
(UFC®) organization announced it will bring the world’s
most exciting mixed martial arts event straight back to Europe,
this time to fight fans in Northern Ireland. Topping off the
international lineup of fights will be the middleweight main
event clash Rich “Ace” Franklin vs. Denmark’s
Martin Kampmann, and the light heavyweight special feature Forrest
Griffin vs. Hector Ramirez. UFC 72: VICTORY will take place live
from Belfast at the Odyssey Arena Saturday, June 16, 2007.
“We
are very excited to bring the UFC to Northern Ireland,”
said UFC President Dana White. “We are having our first
fight in Manchester this Saturday, and we are ready to come right
back and have another blockbuster event in Europe. UFC 72 will
be one of many record-setting events -- our London office is
already working on more fights for 2007, and a regular series
of fights for 2008. Our goal is to bring the best fights with
the best fighters to all of our UFC fans, whether they are based
in Nevada or Northern Ireland.”
Tickets
for UFC 72: VICTORY go on sale Saturday, April 21 at 9:00am BST
with prices starting at £30.00. Tickets are available through
the Odyssey Arena Box Office or by calling 028-9073-9074. Tickets
are also available online through www.odysseyarena.com and www.ticketmaster.ie.
This
first ever UFC event in Belfast features the main event middleweight
bout Franklin vs. Kampmann. Franklin, (23-2-0) fighting out of
Cincinnati, Ohio, is an extremely well-rounded fighter possessing
great striking and submission skills. He fought most of his career
as a light heavyweight before moving to the middleweight division.
At UFC 53, he knocked out UFC champion Evan Tanner to capture
the middleweight crown. He made his first title defense against
Nate Quarry at UFC 56 winning by first round KO and his second
defense against Canadian David Loiseau at UFC 58, winning by
decision after dominating “The Crow” through all five
championship rounds. He faced Anderson Silva in his third UFC
title defense, but was KOd by the Brazilian in the first round.
At UFC 68, he returned to the Octagon™, and in front of
his home state crowd, stopped Canadian Jason MacDonald at the
start of the second round. At UFC 72, Franklin faces Denmark’s
Martin Kampmann for the fight that could make him the number
one contender for the middleweight title.
“This
fight is crucial, I am sure my next fight will be a title shot
if I secure a victory in Belfast,” said Franklin. “I
believe Kampmann and I will be a great match-up for the fans.
We both like to stand, so this fight will not be anything less
than exciting.”
Martin
“The Hitman” Kampmann (12-1-0) came to the UFC in 2006
with a reputation as a fierce standup fighter. In his first bout
against kickboxer Crafton Wallace, Kampmann displayed his all-around
mixed martial arts game as he quickly took Wallace down and submitted
him in the first round with a rear naked choke. In his second
fight, Kampmann showed what he could do while standing as he
pounded out an impressive three round unanimous decision over
Thales Leites last November. The 24-year old native of Aarhus,
Denmark then defeated Drew McFedries at UFC, making for three
consecutive victories in the Octagon. Now, Kampmann will attempt
a fourth win, this time over the former champion and mixed martial
arts superstar Rich Franklin.
“I
have a lot of respect for Rich Franklin, but I’m going to
train hard and I’m going to finish the fight by knockout
or submission,” said Kampmann. “This going to be a
good fight – it’s going to be a war.”
Also
on the card is the special features Forrest Griffin vs. Hector
Ramirez. Forrest Griffin (13-4-0), fighting out of Las Vegas,
Nev., is a well rounded fighter whose freestyle propelled him
to become the Light Heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter®
Season 1. Never one to back down from a challenge, Griffin has
faced serious opposition in the Octagon, taking on Tito Ortiz,
Stephan Bonnar, Elvis Sinosic and most recently, Keith Jardine.
Originally, scheduled to fight at UFC 70, Griffin was sidelined
to due illness, but is back in full form and ready to rock against
Hector “Sick Dog” Ramirez. Griffin wants to reclaim
his status as a rising light heavyweight while winning over the
Belfast crowd with a spectacular victory at UFC 72.
Ramirez
(6-2-1), who hails from the same East Los Angeles neighborhood
that produced boxing superstar Oscar De La Hoya, is a well-rounded
competitor who is known for his explosive right hand. Also known
for his wrestling and kickboxing skills, Ramirez possesses the
power to knock out his opponent with either a swing or a kick.
He made his UFC debut at UFC 65 last November, and is excited
to take on Griffin and prove he belongs in the high ranks of
the UFC.
The
remaining bouts for UFC 72: VICTORY will be announced in the
near future. All bouts are subject to change.
For
more information about UFC 72, or current UFC fight news, visit
www.ufc.com or uk.ufc.com.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"A
slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue
you may never get over."
Benjamin Franklin, 1706-1790, American Scientist/Publisher/Diplomat
|
UFC
70 Today!
UFC 70 FIGHT-BY-FIGHT PREVIEW
by Lee Whitehead
UFC 70
Hawaii Air Times!
6:00 pm to 9:30 PM
Channel 559 (Spike) Digitial
Channel 76 (Spike)
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (22-4-2) vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
(7-1-0)
It’s
no surprise who the heavy favorite is in this match, you guessed
it – this bout appears to be a mere formality for Cro Cop
before he faces the venerable Randy Couture for the UFC Heavyweight
Championship. Cro Cop has single-handedly injected the flat-lined
division with a new lease on life and the potential match-ups
for the Croatian killer are huge, but this isn’t one of
them.
Cro
Cop isn’t just a fighter, and in this respect his most dangerous
asset is revealed, he is a soldier, pure and simple. He isn’t
going in to compete; he goes in for the kill, presses the action,
always moving forward, never afraid to engage. No other fighter
in the division shares this mentality.
I
fully expect Cro Cop to nullify any takedowns with the most impressive
sprawl in MMA and to land sharp, precise blows on his Brazilian
opposition. From a standing point of view, Gonzaga won’t
be able to trouble him. Although a credible fighter in the division,
he isn’t at the Croatian’s level. Will we see his trademark
high-kick? Most likely, but expect his hands to fly early with
that vicious straight left and uppercuts.
Prediction:
First Round KO - Cro Cop
David
Heath (9-0-0) vs. Ryoto “Lyoto” Machida (9-0-0)
Hmm,
someone is coming away with their first loss… and my pick
is that this is upset time for Machida – call me mad, call
me stupid, but I really feel that this is going to be David Heath’s
chance of making a name for himself as a top-contender in the
205 division.
Machida
is everything they say he is, brutal strikes, excellent submissions
and wrestling with cardio for days. He is riding the same 9-fight
undefeated win-streak as Heath, but arguably against tougher
opposition in Franklin, Penn, Bonner and Tiger White. He will
surely be a contender to the throne in future, but at the moment
I feel an upset coming by way of Heath’s heavy hands in
the second. I feel Heath can stay out of danger on the ground
and has the chin and heart to be able to absorb any punishment
en-route to a TKO victory via strikes.
Prediction:
Second Round TKO - Heath
Michael
Bisping (13-0-0) vs. Elvis Sinosic (8-9-2)
I
really hope Bisping hasn’t been glossing over the challenge
that Sinosic presents. Sure his record isn’t the best and
he has dropped fights when faced with ranked opposition, but
all it takes is a simple mistake and he can sub you easily. I
know a lot of forums and MMA insiders aren’t giving him
a chance and feel he’s there to bolster Bisping’s record,
a hometown win if you will, but I think he is a dangerous opponent
to overlook.
That
said, I expect Bisping to eek out the win, but I don’t think
it will be as easy as anyone expects. Sinosic’s standup
was horribly robotic in his last bout against former Bisping
nemesis Mark Epstein, but when push came to sub the armbar was
slapped on slick and fast. I expect this will be the toughest
challenge yet for Bisping, mainly because Sinosic doesn’t
know when to go down, but I feel that he will be able to pound
out victory if he plays it smart against the Australian.
The
biggest variable in this fight will be how Bisping deals with
the huge expectation of fighting in front of the biggest crowd
he has ever seen there to support him. Hometown pressure is a
heavy burden… one he welcomes, but one that still can cause
distractions.
Prediction:
Decision - Bisping
Andrei
Arlovski (12-5-0) vs. Fabricio Werdum (9-2-1)
This
fight sets up a huge grudge match for Arlovski and Cro Cop as
Werdum is Cro Cop’s BJJ instructor and training partner;
assuming of course he gets past the former Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
World Champion.
Tough
fight, Arlovski is surely the money shot in waiting for the UFC
when he faces Cro Cop in the future, both are excellent strikers
and both like to engage from the bell. Werdum has all the tools
to put a big spanner in the works with his methodical BJJ game.
We saw holes in Arlovski’s repertoire during his match with
Pe De Pano, who appeared to be very close to pulling the Belarusian’s
leg off (save for some strategic cage grabbing and a cheeky kick
to the head). I think the difference here is that Werdum is a
better striker, or better prepared to deal with the strikes and
setup the mat-based fight he needs.
Arlovski
wants a shot at the belt again, but I feel he needs to work through
some opposition first, gain some wins and get back into his stride.
I think the planning of this match would play to Arlovski’s
strengths, but I really feel this will be Werdum’s night.
Prediction:
Second Round Sub – Werdum
Assuerio
Silva (32-4-0) vs. Cheick Kongo (19-3-1)
This
fight will be the one where the UFC fans will fully appreciate
the tools Silva brings to the cage. He hasn’t really shown
his true worth in the UFC picking up 2 of his losses there against
Sylvia and Vera, unfortunately back to back and thus, to those
he is new to, he doesn’t appear to be that much of a threat.
Kongo
is an exciting striker with devastating knees in the clinch.
He has good conditioning for a heavyweight. He is an exciting
fighter in the heavyweight division and this is a really tough
fight for him to bounce back from a loss to. With solid kickboxing
skills in both fighters’ arsenals and a clear edge in experience
and submission to Silva, I think we will see a hard fought battle
of wills with the Brazilian chalking the win.
Prediction:
Second Round TKO - Silva
Matt
Grice (9-0-0) vs. Terry Etim (9-0-0)
In
similar style to Heath vs. Machida, both Grice and Etim are riding
9 fight win streaks and are undefeated. I know what Etim brings
to the table in this bout, but I have to admit to not knowing
too much about Grice other than having a solid background in
wrestling and that is one area where the British flags behind
the US. We don’t have access to college wrestling and as
such we usually tend to play catch-up to higher level Greco/Freestyle
competitors.
Unfortunately,
styles make fights and I have to go with Grice to play on his
wrestling background and nullify Etim’s submission offense.
Prediction:
Decision - Grice
Junior
Assuncao (5-2-0) vs. David Lee (5-2-0)
Dave
Lee had a difficult debut against the very highly regarded Tyson
Griffin and found himself on the wrong end of a submission finish.
As testament to his potential, the UFC have invited him back
to prove himself again, this time at home against Brazilian submission
fighter Assuncao.
Lee’s
training incorporates highly regarded champions in Danny Batten,
Ze Marcello and Alexandre Izidro – all at Brazilian Top
Team – and a formidable camp at that. A camp that should
have him well prepared for the task ahead as Assuncao will more
than likely be looking to ground the fight as well. I think we
will see a technical battle on the ground from both as they are
coming off Octagon losses, have good cardio and very similar
games.
Prediction:
Decision - Lee
Victor
Valimaki (8-3-0) vs. Alessio Sakara (14-4-0)
I
am a big fan of Sakara, and I would love to see him drop the
weight and try his hands at 185 – a division loaded chock-full
of strikers and one where his strengths will come to the fore.
His boxing ability is without question and his ground-game is
improving continually via the Cesar Gracie Camp. I think it will
take another loss before he bows to pressure and cuts to middleweight,
as he is a small light heavy anyway.
Valimaki
is also a good boxer and although competent on the ground, I
don’t think that is where this fight will go. I think this
match has all the hallmarks of being another fight in the style
of Lawler vs. Riley, a classic full-on tear up with every form
of offense being thrown into the mix. Both fighters are game
and I think this will be the fight of the night. I hope so at
least!
Prediction:
Decision - Valimaki
Dennis
Siver (10-3-0) vs. Jess Llaudin (10-8-0)
Opportunity
knocks for both fighters and you can expect a war between the
two. Llaudin’s record belies his potential and skill. He
has fought some exceedingly tough fights over the years and more
importantly in weight classes outside of his natural category.
For 2007, he is finally in a place where his head, business and
training are all in the right place – a welcome UFC addition
indeed, as is Siver. A Cage Warriors veteran, Siver is a solid
submission guy in his own right. They bolster a division that
is already stacked with talent; at least now the UFC really becomes
a worldwide fight network encompassing France and Germany.
Anyway,
on to the fight… I think Llaudin will employ a strategy
similar to his Mason fight, to make the German think he will
be looking to trade, stay on the outside and stick and move.
I think he will frustrate him into shooting and from there, the
game opens up. Llaudin has chiseled Muay Thai having trained
in Thailand, but his core is in submissions and wrestling. Siver
is a very close match in skill set, but I think experience and
smarts will pay off in this bout.
Prediction:
Third Round Sub - Llaudin
Edilberto
Crocota (10-0-1) vs. Paul Taylor (7-1-1)
Taylor
is a warrior with loads of heart. His fight with Pride export
Zelg Galesic was testament to that as he fought through to the
win with a broken arm. His overturning of the Che Mills verdict
from Contenders proved to be a masterstroke as the verdict belies
the fact that he was losing that fight. I know the reasons for
the overturn, I was there, but I feel as though his performance
wasn’t quite gelling and I hope he comes into this fight
sharper.
Crocota
is the kind of fighter that you know will be dangerous from the
off. He has been training on his boxing with the Nogueira brothers
and his ground skills are comparable with the typical Brazilian
competing at this level in MMA. I have my doubts on Taylor being
able to pull a win out of this match and expect it be a slow-burn
debut for both fighters.
Prediction:
Decision – Crocota
Source: MMA Weekly
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Carlson
lives on in Chicago
The grandmaster's students go to battle
Miguel
Torres, Grandmaster Carlson Gracie’s Mexican pupil, returns
to the ring this Saturday, in Chicago, at Attack 2, the region’s
pioneer event. And the beast from Torres Martial Arts in only
one of the event’s attractions, which has a partnership
with Ticket Master, from the University of Chicago, Illinois
(UIC) and a local TV network, Univision. Full of Brazilians,
the Carlson Gracie Jr. team in Chicago promises to put on a good
show.
André
“Madiz” Pimenta, 80 kg, muay thai black belt and Jiu-Jitsu
Brown belt, fought in one of the best fights of the first attack
event, and now returns to face Anthony Lapsley, of Indiana. His
colleague Daniel Wanderley (70kg) will face Darren Elkins. Another
to show up on the card is Derek Thornton, Marcelo Tigre's student.
“Team
Carlson is ready. Our Jiu-Jitsu and MMA training is overseen
by Carlson Jr., and we brush up our wrestling at the University
of Chicago,” said Anré Madiz to GRACIEMAG.com. The
main event will have Miguel, the Mexican in Indiana w 42 wins
and 1 loss. Attack is on its way to becoming the biggest event
in the American Midwest. The large Mexican, Puerto Rican, Polish
and German communities are also present, as they are all represented
in the event." For more, check out www.immacfight.com.
IMMAC
Attack 2
UIC Pavillon, Chicago, Illinois
April 21, 2007
Miguel
Torres vs Darius Turcinskas
Krzysztof Kulak vs Bill Hill
Adam Maciejewski vs Bobby Martinez
Jedrzej Kubski vs Kevin Knabjian
Andrew Gerdes vs Charles Wilson
André Pimenta "Madiz" vs Anthony Lapsley
Daniel Wanderley vs Darrin Elkins
Anthony Gómez vs Derek Thornton
Adril Villa vs Chris Erickson
Rafal Skibinski vs Pierre Davis
Derek Langone vs John Schaefer
Kyle Oderrich vs Jason Wagner
Krzysztof Zadorozny vs To be defined
Source: Gracie Magazine
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Bob
Sapp out of Cage Rage 21
Tank Abbott is the substitute to fight Gary Turner
Chosen to fight in the main event on Saturday, Bob Sapp is out
of Cage Rage 21. The information was released on the official
site of the British organization. According to the release, Sapp
informed the organization that personal reasons were impeding
him from making it to England on time. To not disappoint the
fans, the organizers called up the folkloric Tank Abbott to fight
against the Briton Gary Turner. "Abbott was more than happy
to get off the bar stool and catch the plane to fight in the
cage," said the release.
At
42 years of age, Tank Abbott has not fought since October of
last year, when he was knocked out by Paul Buentello at Strikeforce.
Here is the updated card:
Cage
Rage 21
London, England
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Gary
Turner vs Tank Abbott
Ivan Serati vs Vitor Belfort
Evangelista Cyborg vs Jamez Zikic
James McSweeney vs Michael McDonald
Daijiro Matsui vs Mark Weir
Murilo Ninja vs Alex Reid
Roman Webber vs Mark Epstein
Paul Jenkins vs Paul Daley
Ross Pointon vs Abdul Mohammed
Cyrille Diabate vs Ryan Robinson
Alex Owen vs Brad Pickett
Xavier Foupa Pokam vs Tom Watson
James E Nicoll vs Sunnat ilyasov
Source: Gracie Magazine
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FEDOR
NON-EXCLUSIVE TO PRIDE, SAYS WHITE
UFC Prez Looking to Lock Up World’s Number-One Fighter;
Reveals More PRIDE Details
By Loretta Hunt (loretta@thefightnetwork.com)
When
the March 27 bombshell dropped that Ultimate Fighting Championship
owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta had unequivocally purchased
PRIDE Fighting Championships, the biggest question was obvious
– what would happen to the fighters?
In
particular, UFC president and mouthpiece Dana White was not-so-quick
to tout that his business partners (White owns a share of the
UFC along with the Las Vegas casino-owning brothers) had acquired
the services of PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko.
Maybe White’s silence on the matter should have been read
into a little deeper.
So
what is the world’s top-ranked mixed martial artist’s
current status?
“We’re
still working on that right now,” White chimed in today
during a teleconference for Saturday’s UFC 70 “Nations
Collide” in Manchester, England. “His contract wasn’t
an exclusive with PRIDE and we don’t do non-exclusive contracts.”
While
White’s admission and the fact the Russian sambo champion
participated and won handily at this past weekend’s BodogFIGHT
“Clash of the Nations” in St. Petersburg should be
an indication, MMA’s most ambitious promoter refuted Emelianenko
being tagged a “free agent.”
“He
has a contract with PRIDE,” White reconfirmed, though the
37-year-old publicly proclaimed he had a problem with the mega-star
fighter appearing elsewhere.
White
even went as far as to say he would take legal measures to ensure
Emelianenko stay off any other roster besides his own.
“He’s
not a free agent and absolutely we’d slap an injunction
on him,” White said.
There
is no indication White and/or the Fertittas took legal action
against Emelianenko last weekend when he competed in his homeland.
Emelianenko, 30, celebrated his 26 career win this past Saturday,
taking out Olympic wrestling silver medalist Matt Lindland with
a first-round armbar submission two seconds shy of the three-minute
mark.
Afterwards,
the Stary Oskol native was invited back to the Kremlin Palace
by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended the event at
the Ice Palace.
Other
PRIDE-related notes White shared today:
•
White said all PRIDE contracts will be honored, though he indicated
any non-exclusive contracts would be altered.
•
Double title-holder Dan Henderson – who captured his second
consecutive belt from former PRIDE Middleweight (under 205 lbs)
Champion Wanderlei Silva at Feb. 24’s PRIDE 34 – would
not be stripped of either of his titles, said White. “We
wouldn’t strip him [Henderson], but I have no idea how that
would work out.” White had stated in a previous interview
that Henderson would be considered a U.S. middleweight (under
185 pounds) in the future by the promotion.
•
PRIDE 2005 Middleweight (under 205 lbs) Grand Prix Champion Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua will be staying in PRIDE, though the Brazilian
Chute Boxe fighter’s representation had stated that their
young prospect had recently renewed his contract to fight two
times in PRIDE and two times in the UFC. “I have no idea
what that means,” White said of the claim. “It’s
not the truth."
•
White said he believed Wanderlei Silva had four fights left on
his PRIDE contract, deflating rumors Silva was a free agent as
well.
•
White predicted he’d secure a major deal for PRIDE in both
US and Japan within a year, reiterating he will control the building
of PRIDE stateside.
•
A PRIDE USA event is still planned, while PRIDE’s Los Angeles
and Las Vegas offices would “probably” remain open.
White had no a date or venue ready to announce for the event.
•
White did not confirm nor deny statements made by PRIDE representative
Takada this Monday to Japan’s Nikkan Sports newspaper that
the previously scheduled PRIDE Lightweight Grand Prix’s
kick-off date had been moved to July 16. “How solid that
date is how fast we can get the infrastructure up and running,”
commented White.
•
Contrary to an advertisement released recently by the PRIDE organization,
no UFC fighter would appear in the 16-man tournament. “Not
true,” said White to the ad that featured UFC welterweights
Diego Sanchez and Matt Hughes. “You won’t see a UFC
versus a PRIDE fighter before the big show we are planning.”
•
White stated PRIDE’s U.S. telecast would undergo changes,
including its commentating staff. When asked, White said PRIDE
commentator and fighter Frank Trigg would no longer appear on
the telecast, and that American producer Jerry Millen’s
fate with the new owners remained questionable. White said new
talent is currently being sought after.
•
Japanese PRIDE card rosters would be announced quicker than the
one-week lead times the Japanese-run organization had been accustomed
to.
Source: Fight Network
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Royce
Gracie joins Bodog Fight: Costa Rica Combat
BodogFight: Costa Rica Combat debuts Tuesday, April 17th at 11
p.m. / 10 p.m. Central on ION Television.
The
latest series of Bodog Fight promises to be its most impressive
effort to date, as Bodog founder Calvin Ayre welcomes mixed martial
arts superstars Royce Gracie, Josh Barnett, Phil Baroni and Denis
Kang to the beaches of Costa Rica for their insight and analysis.
Joining
them will be veteran play-by-play man and World Boxing Hall of
Fame inductee "The Colonel" Bob Sheridan. Sheridan
will call the fights alongside MMA Broadcaster Paul Lazenby and
Bodog Fight Commissioner Jeff Osborne, while former Canadian
Super Heavyweight Boxing champion and Battlestar Galactica star
Aleks Paunovic conducts ringside interviews.
Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu legend Gracie will also join the play-by-play team
as a special guest commentator. The most famous member of the
first family of BJJ, Gracie has been credited by many of today's
stars as their inspiration to enter the world of MMA.
Barnett
will be pulling double duty in Costa Rica. A staple of the Japanese
pro-wrestling and MMA circuits, "The Baby Faced Assassin"
will corner several of Bodog Fight's Japanese combatants in addition
to sharing his wealth of knowledge with the television audience.
Fellow
MMA stars Baroni and Kang will conduct pre and post fight interviews,
as well as offering up assessments of the fights themselves.
Bodog
Fight is committed to becoming the premier organization in the
mixed martial arts community and will continue to partner with
current superstars and past legends of the sport to produce an
exciting and entertaining brand of mixed martial arts.
In
addition to being broadcast on ION Television, all episodes of
the series will be available worldwide through video streaming
on www.BodogFight.com. Online, MMA fans will get access to previews,
recaps, behind-the-scenes exclusives, fighter bios and additional
footage.
Source: MMA Fighting
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