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2009
November
Aloha
State Championship
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
10/10/09
NAGA
Hawaii
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Hawaii, Tentative)
August
Hawaiian
Open Championship
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
8/29/09
MAUI OPEN 2009
Submission Grappling Challenge
(Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym)
UFC
102
(PPV)
8/9/09
WEC
(Las Vegas, NV)
8/8/09
UFC
101: Declaration
(BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian)
8/1/09
Affliction: Trilogy
Fedor vs. Barnett
(Honda Cetner, Anaheim, CA)
7/20/09
Dream 10: Welterweight GP Final
(Japan)
7/11/09
UFC
100: Lesnar vs. Mir
(Las Vegas, NV)
6/27-28/09
OTM's 2009
Pac Sub
(Gi & No-Gi competition)
(Blaisdell Exhibition Hall)
6/20/09
The
Ultimate Fighter 9:
Team US vs Team UK Finale
6/13/09
Destiny
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
UFC
99: Comeback
Silva vs. Franklin
(Cologne, Germany)
6/7/09
WEC: Brown vs. Faber 2
(Versus)
6/6/09
Quest for Champions 2009 Tournament
(Sport Pankration, Sub Grappling)
(Kalani HS Gym)
Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields
(St. Louis, MO)
6/4/09 - 6/7/09
World
JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA)
5/30/09
Event of the Champions
(Triple Threat, Kickboxing, Grappling)
(Elite Auto Group Center)
5/26/09
Dream 9
5/23/09
UFC
98: Evans vs. Machida
(PPV)
5/16/09
KTI's Scrappa Lifestylez
Scrapplers Fest
(BJJ/Submission Grappling)
(Kauai)
5/9/09 - 5/10/09 &
5/16/09 - 5/17/09
Brazilian Nationals JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Carson, CA)
5/9/09
X-1 Kona
(MMA)
(Kekuaokalani Gym, Kona)
15th Grapplers Quest Las Vegas
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Las Vegas, NV)
5/2/09
Destiny
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
Uprising MMA
(MMA)
(Maui)
May 2009
Abu Dhabi World Submission Wrestling Championships
(Sub Grappling)
(Tentative)
4/25/09
MMA Madness Water Park Extravaganza
(MMA)
(Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, Kapolei)
4/18/08
Kingdom
MMA
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
NY
International JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
4/11/09
Hawaiian
Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser High)
X-1: Temple of Boom
(Boxing & MMA)
(Palolo Hongwangi)
4/10/09
HFC: Stand Your Ground XII
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
4/4/09 - 4/5/09
NAGA
World Championship
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(NJ, Tentative)
3/28/09
Garden Island Cage Match
(MMA)
(Hanapepe Stadium, Hanapepe, Kauai)
3/27/09
- 3/29/09
Pan
Am JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Carson, CA)
3/27/09
Tiger Muay Thai Competition
(Muay Thai)
(Tiger Muay Thai Gym, Sand Island Road)
3/21/09 - 3/22/09
$30k Grapplers Quest/Fight Expo/Make a Wish Weekend
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Del Mar, CA)
NAGA US Nationals
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Georgia)
3/14/09
Hawaii Amateur Pankration Association: "Hit and Submit"
(Pankration & Muay Thai)
(O-Lounge Night Club, Honolulu)
NAGA Vegas
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
3/7/09
UFC 96
(PPV)
(Columbus, OH)
Grapplers Quest Beast of the East
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Wildwood, New Jersey)
2/27/09
X-1 World Events
NEW BEGINNING"
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
2/21/09
Destiny
(MMA)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
UFC
95
(PPV)
(London, England)
2/15/09
X1 World Events
Temple of Boom: Fight Night III
(MMA)
(Palolo Hongwanji)
2/8/09
IWFF
Submission Wrestling Tournament
(No-Gi)
(IWFF Academy, Wailuku, Maui)
2/7/09
4th Annual Clint Shelton Memorial
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)
Manup and Standup
(Kickboxing)
(Kapolei Rec Center, Kapolei)
UFC Fight Night
(PPV)
(Tampa, FL)
1/31/09
UFC 93 BJ vs GSP
(PPV)
(MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV)
1/30/09
MMA Event
(MMA)
(Schofield Barracks)
1/24/09
Eddie Bravo Seminar
(BJJ)
1/17/09
UFC
93
(PPV)
(Dublin, Ireland)
1/10/09
MAT ATTACK Jiu-Jitsu & Submission Grappling Tournament
(Sub Wrestling)
(Lihikai School, Kahului, Maui)
1/3/08
Uprising - Maui
(MMA)
(Paukukalo Hawaiian Homes Gym)
Hazardous Warfare - Maui
(MMA)
(Lahaina Civic Center)
|
|
June
2009 News Part 1
|
Casca Grossa Jiu-Jitsu
is now the O2 Martial Arts Academy with 7 days a week training!
We are also offering Kali-Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday
nights with Ian Beltran and Kickboxing Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday with Kaleo Kwan, PJ Dean, & Chris Slavens!
Kids Classes are also
available!
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Hawaii Underground Forum is Online!
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O2
Martial Arts Academy Day Classes Start May 2!
Women & Kids Kickboxing Class starts May 4!
Click here for pricing and more
information!
O2MAA Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Day Classes will be held on Monday,
Wednesday, and Fridays from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm and will be taught
by one of Relson Gracie's first black belts, Sam Mahi!
We will be starting a Womens and Kids kickboxing class on Sunday
afternoons from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The class will be taught
by none other than O2's Kaleo Kwan! It will be a non-competitive,
fun atmosphere and allow the ladies and kids to get in a quick
workout and learn some legitimate kickboxing technique before
the long work week starts.
New
O2MAA Kid's Jiu-Jitsu Class Starts Friday, December 5 from 5:30
to 6:30 PM!
Adult Wrestling Class Starts Starts Friday, December 5 from 8:30
to 9:30 PM!
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Want to Contact
Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!
Quote
of the Day
“Chance
is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool
where you least expect it, there will be a fish.”
Ovid
|
WEC
41 LIVE RESULTS AND PLAY-BY-PLAY
MMAWeekly is on location from the Arco Arena for Sunday night's
WEC 41 "Brown vs. Faber 2" in Sacramento, Calif., bringing
you live results and round-by-round play-by-play.
The
main event pits the top two featherweights in the world against
each other in a highly anticipated rematch. WEC featherweight
champion and No. 1 ranked Mike Brown defends against Urijah Faber,
the No. 2 ranked featherweight and the man that Brown won the
belt from last November.
The
first preliminary bout is scheduled to being at 6:00pm ET/3:00pm
PT, and the main card, which airs live on Versus, begins at 9:00pm
ET/6:00pm PT.
WEC
41 PLAY-BY-PLAY:
-Mike
Brown vs. Urijah Faber
R1:
Faber starts the fight with a kick. He throws a hook that misses
and Brown clinches with him along the fence. They seperate and
the crowd is going wild. Faber lands a straight right that gets
the crowd going. Brown misses a huge hook and Faber lands another
right. Brown goes for a takedown and gets it after some struggling.
He gets Faber's back but Faber gets to his feet. Brown lands
a big knee. They clinch and Faber lands a couple of knees before
they seperate. Faber staying busy on the feet as he tags Brown.
He goes for a kick and falls on his back, Brown goes for an anaconda
choke but escapes. Brown has Faber's head caught but Faber gets
back to his feet as the round ends. Close Round.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Faber.
R2:
Brown miss a combination to start the round, Faber waiting for
his moment. Brown partially lands a head kick that doesn't faze
Faber. Fighters being cautious, not wanting to make a mistake.
Brown lands a combination and takes Faber down. Brown is side
mount but Faber scrambles to his knees. Brown tries to get Faber's
back and that lets Faber get back to his feet. Brown lands a
couple of punches before taking it to the ground. Faber reverses
out and back to his feet. Faber lands a couple of knees as they
seperate. Brown misses a combination as Faber uses his speed
to get out of the way. Brown muscles Faber to the cage and lands
a nice combination as they seperate. The round ends with fighters
stalking each other.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Brown.
R3:
Brown misses a pair of hooks to start the round. Faber lands
a knee then a punch. He goes for a takedown but is caught in
a guillotine choke. Faber escapes but Brown is now on top. Brown
is all over Faber on the ground but Faber gets back to his feet.
Faber lands an elbow then a knee. Brown is pressing the fight
as he clinches with Faber along the fence. Brown goes for a takedown
but Faber defends and gets on top. Brown goes for a leg lock
but Faber gets back to his feet. Faber lands a kick but Brown
lands a straight right. Brown clinches the fight along the fence
and drops for a takedown as the round comes to an end.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Faber.
R4:
Faber lands a body kick to start the round and lands a punch
as Brown clinches up. They seperate in the middle of the cage.
Brown lands a good combination against the fence. Brown starting
to find his mark on the feet with strikes. Brown misses a hook
and Faber circles out. The cinch for a brief moment before seperate.
Brown is finding his mark as Faber seems to have hurt his right
hand. He is only throwing elbows and not punches as Brown lands
with more power. They finish the round clinched along the fence.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Brown
R5:
Faber lands a left to start the round. Faber lands a couple of
shots as he gets busy in the final round. Brown gets a takedown
but Faber gets back to his feet. Brown lands a nice left hook.
Faber then lands one of his own. They are clinched along the
fence and Faber locks on a guillotine but Brown slams his way
out of it. Faber is able to get back to his feet and Brown is
stalking Faber. Brown gets a takedown but Faber gets back to
his feet. Brown lands shots while they are clinched. Faber locks
on a guillotine but Brown is able to escape after some struggling.
Brown slams Faber to the ground but Faber gets back up and Brown
gets the takedown as the fight ends. Close Round.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Brown and the fight 48-47 for Brown.
Mike
Brown def. Urijah Faber by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46,
48-47), R5.
-Cub
Swanson vs. Jose Aldo
R1:
Aldo lands a flying knee that drops Swanson, he lands a couple
of punches and the fight is stopped.
Jose
Aldo def. Cub Swanson by TKO at 0:08, R1.
-James
Krause vs. Donald Cerrone
R1:
Krause starts the figth with a low kick then goes for a takedown
but Cerrone defends well. They trade kicks before Krause gets
the takedown. Cerrone goes for an omoplata but Krause escapes.
Back on the feet and Krause gets another takedown but is caught
in an omoplata and is reversed. Cerrone on top now but they get
back to their feet. Cerrone looks crisp on his feet as Krause
goes for another takedown but gets his head caught in a guillotine
choke, that Cerrone uses to knee him. Cerrone drops him with
a right and gets his back instead pounding on him. Krause is
able to stay out of trouble as Cerrone peppers him with punches.
He locks on the choke and Krause taps.
Donald
Cerrone def. James Krause by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at
4:38, R1.
-Josh
Grispi vs. Jens Pulver
R1:
Both fighters throw kicks to start the fight and Pulver goes
for a takedown but is caught in a guillotine choke. He struggles
for a bit but Grispi tightens it up and forces Pulver to tap.
Josh
Grispi def. Jens Pulver by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 0:33,
R1.
-John
Franchi vs. Manny Gamburyan
R1:
Gamburya presses the action early and gets a takedown. He pushes
Franchi against the cage and starts to work with strikes. He
lands a couple of strikes and falls back for a leg lock but Franchi
escapes and ends up on top. Gamburyan has a hold of an arm and
goes for an armbar but Franchi defends it. Franchi escapes but
soon finds himself on his back again. Gamburyan working from
top with stirkes but they are stood back up. Neither fighter
asserting himself on the feet as they circle around one another
until Gamburyan goes for a takedown. Franchi defends and the
end the round clinched along the fence.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Gamburyan.
R2:
They stalk one another to start the round until Gamburyan attacks
with a combination that drops Franchi. He pounces in him but
is unable to finish him as Franchi survives. Franchi throws his
legs up for an armbar and Gamburyan defends and lands a ton of
stinging punches. Gamburyan controlling the fight with some solid
ground and pound. They are stood up even though Gamburyan was
working. They trade shots and Franchi lands an uppercut on Gamburyan's
groin, forcing a stop to the action. Action restarts, Franchi
lands a nice combination as Gamburyan goes for a takedown. Franchi
defends and they trade shots before Gamburyan gets a takedown.
Gamburyan lands some decent ground and pound. He stands in Franchi's
guard and drops a couple of punches and ends the round in Franchi's
guard.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Gamburyan.
R3:
They two fighters trade shots to start the round but quickly
find themselves on the ground. Gamburyan is on top and lands
a series of solid punches. Franchi throwing punches from the
bottom but Gamburyan responds with harder punches. Franchi starting
to use rubber guard but Gamburyan stands up and dives back into
Franchi's guard with a punch. Gamburyan stands up again and lands
a series of low kicks before diving back into Franchi's guard.
After some punches, Gamburyan stands back up and starts to taunt
Franchi, who lies on his back doing nothing. The same thing plays
out again but Gamburyan lands a super man punch and bloodies
Franchi with punches as the fight comes to an end.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Gamburyan and the fight 30-27 for Gamburyan.
Manny
Gamburyan def. John Franchi by Unanimous Decision (30-27 on all
three judges cards), R3.
-Kyle
Dietz vs. Rafael Rebello
R1:
Dietz comes out guns blazing but Rebello gets him in a muay thai
plum to prevent damage. Rebello is able to get the fight on the
ground and tries to pass but Dietz's gets to his knees. Rebello
catches his head but then lets go and gets his back. Rebello
locks in the choke and forces Dietz to tap.
Rafael
Rebello def. Kyle Dietz by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 2:55,
R1.
-Anthony
Pettis vs. Mike Campbell
R1:
Campbell goes for a takedown but is caught in a guillotine choke.
He escapes but is soon caught in an armbar. He is narrowly able
to escape and gets on top, landing a couple of punches. He tries
to pass guard but gets caught in a triangle choke, Pettis adjusts
it after some struggling from Campbell and gets the tap from
Campbell.
Anthony
Pettis def. Mike Campbell by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 1:49,
R1.
-Antonio
Banuelos vs. Scott Jorgensen
R1:
They trade and Banuelos lands a nice combination that forces
Jorgensen to retreat. They clinch up in the center of the cage
and Banuelos gets a takedown. Jorgensen is able to get back to
his feet and they are clinched again before seperating. Banuelos
looks the crisper of the two on the feet as he tags Jorgensen.
They trade and both fighters land some nice shots. they clinch
along the fence. They seperate again and Jorgensen lands a head
kick then goes for a takedown and lands a hook. Banuelos lands
another combination and they clinch again. They seperate as the
round comes to an end.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Banuelos.
R2:
Banuelos starts the round with a combination and follows it up
with another. They clinch up and Banuelos goes for a takedown
but Jorgensen defends it. Jorgensen lands a nice elbow on the
feet as they seperate. They trade shots as Jorgensen lands a
couple uppercuts. They clinch up again but seperate shortly after.
Jorgensen starting to land some better shots on the feet as he
is starting to stalk Banuelos. He lands a nice combination and
follows it up with a big knee. They continue to trade and both
fighters land shots as the round comes to an end. Very close
round.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Jorgensen.
R3:
Jorgensen continues to stalk Banuelos and hurts him with a combination
that forces him to go for a takedown. Jorgensen locks on a guillotine
but Banuelos gets out and they are back on their feet. Jorgensen
landing some clean shots and Banuelos returns fire but doesn't
land much. Jorgensen starting to get the bettter of Banuelos
on the feet. He is landing hard shots that cut Banuelos under
his left eye. Banuelos is starting to tire very quickly. He goes
for a takedown but Jorgensen defends and circles to his back.
Jorgensen is now top and is landing some big shots, he goes for
a guillotine choke but Banuelos escapes. Jorgensen stands over
Banuelos as the fight comes to an end.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Jorgensen and the fight 29-28 for Jorgensen.
Antonio
Banuelos def. Scott Jorgensen by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29,
29-28), R3.
The
crowd boos the decision very loudly.
-Noah
Thomas vs. Frank Gomez
R1:
Thomas starts the fight with low kicks but is met with a straight
right from Gomez. They trade shots and Gomez hurts Thomas, he
lands a couple of knees as Thomas goes for a takedown. They are
clinched along the cage as Thomas trying to get the fight on
the ground. Thomas falls to his back and Gomez follows him down.
Gomez landing some nice ground and pound, while Thomas works
from his guard. Gomez landing some good elbows. Gomez lands a
big elbow that opens a huge cut on Thomas. Gomez continues to
punish Thomas as the round comes to an end.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Gomez.
R2:
Gomez goes for a flying knee to start the round but Thomas avoids
it and clinches with him along the fence. Thomas falls to his
back and Gomez follows him down. Gomez continues his ground and
pound attack as he has Thomas bloodied again. Thomas trying to
go for armbars but Gomez is keeping his elbows tight. Gomez moves
into side mount and gets a side choke, he locks it on and forces
Thomas to tap.
Frank
Gomez def. Noah Thomas by Submission (Side Choke) at 3:12, R2.
-Seth
Dikun vs. Rolando Perez
R1:
Both fighters trade but neither lands anything to start the round.
Perez starts to get the better of the exchanges and Dikun goes
for a flying triangle choke. Perez seems to be struggling but
is holding on, Dikun still has it locked on and after some readjusting
by Dikun, forces Perez to tap.
Seth
Dikun def. Rolando Perez by Submission (Triangle Choke) at 2:30,
R1.
WEC
41 QUICK RESULTS:
WEC
41 MAIN CARD (on Versus)
-Mike Brown def. Urijah Faber by Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46,
48-47), R5.
-Jose Aldo def. Cub Swanson by TKO at 0:08, R1.
-Donald Cerrone def. James Krause by Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
at 4:38, R1.
-Josh Grispi def. Jens Pulver by Submission (Guillotine Choke)
at 0:33, R1.
WEC
41 PRELIMINARY CARD
-Manny Gamburyan def. John Franchi by Unanimous Decision (30-27
on all three judges cards), R3.
-Rafael Rebello def. Kyle Dietz by Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
at 2:55, R1.
-Anthony Pettis def. Mike Campbell by Submission (Triangle Choke)
at 1:49, R1.
-Antonio Banuelos def. Scott Jorgensen by Split Decision (29-28,
28-29, 29-28), R3.
-Frank Gomez def. Noah Thomas by Submission (Side Choke) at 3:12,
R2.
-Seth Dikun def. Rolando Perez by Submission (Triangle Choke)
at 2:30, R1.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Roger
Gracie is the name of the BJJ Worlds
With
the golden medal in the weight anda t the open class, Rger Gracie
was the big name of the BJJ World Championship of 2009. Submitting
all the opponents, the Gracie conquered his second title at the
open class, and promises to go after the third in 2010. Check
below the champions of the BJJ Worlds 2009 in the black belt.
BLACK
BELT ADULT
ROOSTER
FIRST
BRUNO MALFACINE ALLIANCE
SECOND
CAIO TERRA BRASA
THIRD
BERNARDO PITEL NOVA UNIÃO
THIRD
FELIPE COSTA BRASA
LIGHT
FEATHER*
FIRST
GUILHERME MENDES ATOS
THIRD
CARLOS VIEIRA CHECK MAT BJJ
THIRD
DANIEL BELEZA ACADEMY OF COMBATIVE
*the
second place was disqualified for chest bumping Mendes after
Mendes did a simulation sword fight slashing an imaginary sword
around in victory.
FEATHER
FIRST
RUBENS CHARLES ALLIANCE
SECOND
BRUNO FRAZATTO ATOS
THIRD
RAFAEL MENDES ATOS
THIRD
MARIO REIS GRACIE BARRA
(Hawaii's Baret Yoshida choked his first opponent unconscience,
but then lost to Mario Reis)
LIGHT
FIRST
MICHAEL LANGHI ALLIANCE
SECOND
GILBERT BURNS ATOS
THIRD
PHILIPE DELLA MONICA GRACIE BARRA
THIRD
RAFAEL BARBOSA SOUL FIGHTERS
MIDDLE
FIRST
MARCELO GARCIA ALLIANCE
SECOND
SERGIO MORAES ALLIANCE
THIRD
LUCAS LEITE CHECK MAT BJJ
THIRD
ALAN DO NASCIMENTO CHECK MAT BJJ
Rylan Lizares fought a tight battle in his first round match,
but was caught with choke from the back.
MEDIUM
HEAVY
FIRST
ROMULO BARRAL GRACIE BARRA
SECOND
TARSIS HUMPHREYS ALLIANCE
THIRD
OTAVIO DE SOUZA GRACIE BARRA
THIRD
VICTOR ESTIMA GRACIE BARRA
HEAVY
FIRST
BRAULIO ESTIMA GRACIE BARRA
SECOND
ALEXANDRE DE SOUZA GRACIE FLORIANÓPOLIS
THIRD
ALEXANDRE CECONI RILLION GRACIE
THIRD
RAFAEL LOVATO GRACIE HUMAITA
SUPER
HEAVY
FIRST
ROGER GRACIE GRACIE BARRA
SECOND
RICARDO GONZALEZ NOVA UNIÃO
THIRD
THIAGO GAIA NOVA UNIÃO
THIRD
BERNARDO FARIA ALLIANCE
ULTRA
HEAVY
FIRST
GABRIEL VELLA ALLIANCE
SECOND
RODRIGO CAVACA CHECK MAT BJJ
THIRD
MARCIO CORLETA WINNER
THIRD
ANDRE DE FREITAS CESAR GRACIE
OPEN
CLASS
FIRST
ROGER GRACIE GRACIE BARRA
SECOND
ROMULO BARRAL GRACIE BARRA
THIRD
CLAUDIO CALANZAS ATOS
THIRD
GABRIEL VELLA ALLIANCE
BROWN/BLACK FEMALE
LIGHT
FEATHER
FIRST
LETICIA RIBEIRO GRACIE HUMAITA
SECOND
MICHELLE NICOLINI DRYSDALE JJ
THIRD
CLAUDIA MARTINEZ KVENBO C QUENCE JIU JITSU
THIRD
NYJAH EASTON LLOYD IRVIN
FEATHER
FIRST
BIANCA BARRETO GRACIE BARRA
SECOND
SHIODA SAYAKA AACC
THIRD
JENNIFER PETRINA GRACIE HUMAITA
THIRD
FABIANA BORGES GRACIE BARRA
LIGHT
FIRST
LUANNA ALZUGUIR ALLIANCE
SECOND
KYRA GRACIE RENZO GRACIE
THIRD
JULIANA BORGES AMERICAN TOP TEAM
THIRD
ANA CAROLINA VIDAL GRACIE HUMAITA
MIDDLE
FIRST
HANNETTE STAACK ANDRE NEGAO
SECOND
MONICA VANESSA SILVA SANDRO BALA E JULIO PUDIM
THIRD
SHANTI ABELHA CHECK MAT BJJ
THIRD
ANA MARIA SOARES CHECK MAT BJJ
MEDIUM
HEAVY
FIRST
PENNY THOMAS GRACIE HUMAITA
SECOND
VALERIE WORTHINGTON CARLSON GRACIE TEAM
THIRD
CAROLINE DE LAZZER SUL JJ
THIRD
FERNANDA MAZZELI AGNALDO GOES
HEAVY
FIRST
LANA STEFANAC TRINITY BJJ
SECOND
LUCIANA DIAS GRACIE HUMAITA
THIRD
DIANA DE SOUZA BON SAI
THIRD
EMILY WETZEL CARLSON GRACIE TEAM
OPEN
CLASS
FIRST
LANA STEFANAC TRINITY BJJ
SECOND
KYRA GRACIE RENZO GRACIE
THIRD
GABRIELLE GARCIA ALLIANCE
THIRD
PENNY THOMAS GRACIE HUMAITA
Source: Tatame
|
Rubens
Cobrinha
With
only nine years of career in Jiu-Jitsu, Rubens Charles “Cobrinha”
won an historic achievement. In the last weekend, at the World
Championship of Jiu-Jitsu of California, the black belt of Alliance
putted for the fourth time the gold medal in the chest, matching
Royler Gracie’s record. After dominating once again among
the feathers, Cobrinha talked with TATAME.com about his way to
the title, revealed what he and Royler talked after his conquest,
the rivalry with Rafael Mendes and more.
Talk
a little about your path to the final.
I
made four fights, and won two by submission. In the final, I
made a hard fight with Bruno Frazatto, came in half guard...
It was a good fight, they like to do a pressure and don’t
let to get in the position... The final was a good fight.
And
the confrontation that everyone expected, between you and Rafael
Mendes, in the semifinal. How is this rivalry between you two?
It
is another thing. It is important the rivalry to stay inside
the tatami, and outside be friend. The other had six minutes,
I think I made some mistakes, I had already won him twice, but
lost there. It’s part of it, you win today, but tomorrow
you can lose.
The
guard that him and Frazatto do is complicated?
It
is what they do, the 50-50... Long ago we made this position,
but we do to shave. Now, some athletes are doing to hold the
position for ten minutes, and I think this only makes the sport
go back, because it stays boring, the audience looking at a position
for ten minutes.
Beyond
the feather, the Alliance stayed with the gold in the light weight,
with Langhi, Vela in super heavy and closed the middle with Marcelinho
and Serginho... What’s the secret?
I
think it's the union, everyone wanting to help the other. We
have the General Fábio Gurgel and Romero Jacaré,
who always makes the team remain united. We have no pride in
training, one helps the other. I think this has made the Alliance
have such wonderful results that we had today (yesterday).
After
the title, you went to compliment Royler. What did he told you
that time?
He
called me there and said 'now we are equal' (laughs)... Thank
God I got my fourth world title, closing it the best way.
Source: Tatame
|
Yoshizo
Machida
If
Lyoto Machida’s game appears indecipherable to the opponents,
the responsible for that is Yoshizo Machida. Master and father
of the champion, the Japanese is the man behind the preparation
of the light heavyweight king of the UFC, undefeated after 15
fights. In interview to TATAME.com, Yoshizo spoke about the fight
against Rashad Evans, in UFC 98, the emotion with the conquest
and the big challenge that comes ahead, to keep the belt in the
MAchida family, and more.
How
was the party for the conquest in the UFC?
They
closed the airport, the firemen were waiting for us, Lyoto walked
on top of the fire truck and we run the whole city, but it was
raining a lot. The plane delayed nearly 40 minutes and we were
all soaked by the rain (laughs). But the people really cheered
for us, and we were grateful. On Monday, the mayor called us
for breakfast, said they liked a lot, because it was the first
world title of Pará. People were very happy. Lyoto, now,
is traveling. He went to Brasilia, then goes to Rio Grande do
Norte, Ceará... He has to rest, because he was three months
training very tight, so he took the family and went to travel.
And
what did you think of the fight? Were you at the corner?
Shinzo
stays guiding, but I also guide a bit, because our program is
that. He really trained for three months, but mainly trained
Karate, hit bag a lot, the makiwara... He trains a lot of basement,
and I think the success is this. Everything that we used there
was Karate stroke, the kick, the punch...
In
the last fights, Lyoto showed a big improvement in his performance...
His
punch improved, because we hired a professor of physical education
to do the working out job, these things, and this improved a
little. He trained that a lot.
What
was the strategy for this fight? Did you imagine that he would
want to fight standing, instead of trying to go to the ground?
I
imagined, because Rashad didn’t attack, and Lyoto neither.
But, in the first round, we analyzed his rhythm, studied the
distance, everything. Then, from the second round, he shook his
arm, the elbow behind, and we expected this to enter. Technically,
we were already prepared.
How
was the emotion of seeing your son knocking out Rashad and getting
the UFC belt?
Now
is the most difficult. Half was happy, half has to take care,
because we have to keep this belt. He is already scheduled to
train, because I think the next fight is already scheduled for
October, this is more or less certain.
The
next opponent may be Shogun. How do you think the fight will
be?
He’s
a very good opponent, so it’s good for Lyoto. It can be
against anyone, we aren’t worried about the opponent. Our
training is a little different from the other people, is more
psychological concentration and the technical part. Most of them
become nervous, anxious, but we are calm. Before the fight, behind
the scenes, we didn’t even train... Our training is totally
different.
This
is category is the most movimented in the UFC, with the belt
changing hands all the time. How to keep the title for a longer
time?
Our
style is different, you see that the guys are from Kickboxing,
Jiu-Jitsu, and our is really like the old Karate, we’ve
shown them our Karate. If anything happens, okay, we go again
from the beginning.
This
conquest served, also, to put the Karate for once in the MMA...
Yes
... People from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, who train
with me, were praising my son, that the Karate is coming back,
because he had fallen too much. Our team was, including, Brazilian
champion, we brought 36 medals. Both sides were successful. The
mayor called us now to create an arrangement of needy people,
and this will greatly improve in Pará, working also with
the Secretary of Environment and Tourism, because here it’s
really stopped.
Source: Tatame |
JOE
RIGGS BREAKS BOTH HANDS; STILL WANTS SHIELDS
In his dominating performance against Phil Baroni at Saturday
night's Strikeforce event, Joe Riggs wasn't around to celebrate
afterwards. He was off to the hospital with two broken hands.
You'd
never have known it from the way he fought at the Scottrade Center,
putting on a striking clinic against Baroni en route to a unanimous
decision victory.
"Yeah,
I broke both my hands again," he told interview Gus Johnson
afterwards. But said he continued on because, "I got a family
to support. I got a wife and a baby, I gotta work hard."
Even
with two broken hands, Riggs was already pushing for another
opponent, the man he was originally supposed to have fought on
Saturday night.
"I
want Jake Shields. I don't want to be disrespectful to him any
more; he's a tough fighter. But yeah, I'd like to fight Jake
Shields."
Later
that night, Strikeforce officials confirmed Riggs' broken hands
and said that he was taken to the hospital for treatment. They
said that both Andrei Arlovski and Scott Smith were also taken
to the hospital to get checked out.
Arlovski
was knocked out in spectacular fashion by Brett Rogers. Smith
was picked apart over two-plus rounds by Nick Diaz, receiving
hundreds of punches and several hard knees.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
SIMPLY
THE BEST, BROWN DEFEATS FABER AGAIN
If there was any doubt left as to who the top featherweight in
the world is, the answer was given on Sunday night at WEC 41
as champion Mike Brown once again defended his title successfully,
and for the second time defeated former champion Urijah Faber.
Brown
did a great job of using his power, takedowns and elusiveness
to give Faber problems in the fight, while the former champion
suffered some injuries during the bout that seemed to affect
him throughout.
The
opening round saw Faber use his speed against Brown, as he fainted
punches, and then unloaded a quick shot, only to circle away
from his opponent's power hand. Brown landed some good shots
of his own, and managed to get Faber to the ground and almost
take his back, but the "California Kid" did a great
job of getting back to his feet.
In
the second, Brown was able to use his superior grappling skills
to get Faber down and keep him grounded for a large part of the
five-minute session. Brown used beautiful transitions to keep
Faber guessing at his attack method, moving from side control
to a headlock and back again.
Both
fighters came out furiously again in the third with Faber seeming
to favor his right hand that looked to have been injured earlier
in the fight. He started throwing elbows to compensate, severely
limiting his reach. Again, the former champion used his speed
to stay away from Brown's lead hand, but he wasn't able to land
with any real power. Brown tagged Faber late in the round with
a hard right hand, but Faber persevered and kept his composure.
The
pace slowed a bit in the fourth round as it was confirmed after
the third that Faber did indeed break his right hand earlier
in the bout. It was painfully apparent during the fourth round
that Faber couldn't use his right at all, and at one point actually
yelled out in pain from the injury. Brown became more aggressive
in the later part of the round, chasing Faber down and hitting
him with heavy shots, trying to secure the win.
Faber
had a great moment in the final round as he secured a north-south
choke, but his injuries prevented him from locking anything,
and Brown escaped. Brown pushed the pace late in the fight, landing
a couple of good takedowns, and controlling Faber's position
with his power.
After
five rounds of action, WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown
secured his place as the No. 1 145-pounder in the world, and
possibly a spot among the best pound-for-pound fighters on the
planet.
Always
humble in victory, he complemented his opponent as one of the
best fighters in the world, and was proud of his win on Sunday
night.
"Urijah's
tough, I just couldn't really get my gloves on his head, and
he's a world class fighter," Brown said. "My night
again, we're the two best guys in the world. I'm happy."
Faber
confirmed the injuries to his hands and actually showed an extremely
swollen right hand to the camera as he talked about his second
loss to Brown.
"That
happened midway through the first round," Faber commented
about the injury to his right hand. "I apologize. You know
I like to go out there and bang (expletive) up, my weapons are
gone, hurt both my hands and just stayed in there, I was all
elbows after that. I'd love to get back in here and get another
shot at this title."
As
champion, Brown only gets to celebrate for so long and that time
ended as soon as No. 1 contender Jose Aldo's name was mentioned.
"He's
awesome, I think it would be a great title fight," Brown
stated about Aldo.
The
champ will now travel home to Florida with American Top Team
to celebrate his second title defense victory.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
BROWN,
FABER, ALDO, DIKUN WIN WEC 41 BONUSES
Sunday night's WEC 41 event in Sacramento, Calif., was loaded
with highlights. The Fight of the Night and Knockout of the Night
were pretty easy to figure out, but Submission of the Night wasn't
as simple with several to choose from.
Each
of the fighters winning a bonus took home an extra $10,000 for
their efforts. MMAWeekly.com learned of the WEC 41 awards and
bonuses on Sunday night from WEC officials.
Mike
Brown and Urijah Faber, fighting for Brown's WEC featherweight
title in the night's main event, gave it their all and then some
en route to Fight of the Night. Brown mauled Faber all night
long, while Faber, despite breaking his right hand early in the
fight, never relented, continually firing whatever weapons were
left available to him. The bout went all five rounds with Brown
proving his mark as the No. 1 featherweight in the world.
Just
as he did at WEC 38, Jose Aldo made it easy for WEC officials
to select the Knockout of the Night winner. In just eight ticks
of the clock, Aldo ended Cub Swanson's night with a flying left
knee. The knockout blow opened up a cut on Swanson's lower left
eyelid and another gash above his left eyebrow.
With
six submissions on Sunday night, the fighters didn't make it
easy on WEC officials for the Submission of the Night bonus.
Josh Grispi may have had Jens Pulver contemplating retirement
with his 33-second guillotine choke of the former UFC lightweight
champion, but the bonus went to Seth Dikun. In the event's opening
bout, Dikun nabbed his first WEC win and first WEC bonus check
with a flying triangle choke midway through the first round.
WEC
41 AWARDS AND BONUSES
(All awards include a $10,000 bonus for each fighter.)
WEC
41 Fight of the Night
– Mike Brown and Urijah Faber
WEC
41 Knockout of the Night
– Jose Aldo
WEC
41 Submission of the Night
– Seth Dikun
PULVER
TOPS WEC 41 DISCLOSED FIGHTER SALARIES
MMAWeekly has obtained the fighter salary information from the
California State Athletic Commission for WEC 41 featuring Mike
Brown vs. Urijah Faber, which took place on Sunday, June 7, at
the Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif.
The
following figures are based on the fighter salary information
that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic
commissions, including the winners' bonuses.
Although
mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining
or a union, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just
as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed
bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but does not
disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically, pay-per-view
bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are not included
in the figures below.
In
the listings below, "Main Event Fighters" are defined
as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. "Main
Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear
on the main card, but not in the main event. "Preliminary
Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose matches take
place before the live broadcast goes on the air, regardless of
whether or not those matches end up airing on the TV or Internet
broadcast.
MAIN
EVENT FIGHTERS
–
Mike Brown $25,256 (includes win bonus of $13,000) def. Urijah
Faber $25,790
*Brown and Faber also earned an additional $10,000 for “WEC
41 Fight of the Night”
MAIN
CARD FIGHTERS
–
Jose Aldo $17,625 (includes win bonus of $11,000) def. Cub Swanson
$8,940
*Aldo also earned an additional $10,000 for “WEC 41 Knockout
of the Night”
–
Donald Cerrone $17,682.54 (includes win bonus of $9,000) def.
James Krause $1,692
–
Josh Grispi $17,381 (includes win bonus of $9,000) def. Jens
Pulver $31,253
PRELIMINARY
CARD FIGHTERS
–
Manny Gamburyan $26,960 (includes win bonus of $14,000) def.
John Franchi $3,108
–
Rafael Rebello $3,650 (includes win bonus of $2,000) def. Kyle
Dietz $1,840
–
Anthony Pettis $3,302.10 (includes win bonus of $2,000) def.
Mike Campbell $2,950
–
Antonio Banuelos $9,840 (includes win bonus of $5,000) def. Scott
Jorgensen $5,530
–
Frank Gomez $3,962.41 (includes win bonus of $2,000) def. Noah
Thomas $2,630
–
Seth Dikun $3,940 (includes win bonus was $2,000) def. Rolando
Perez $2,890
*Dikun also earned an additional $10,000 for “WEC 41 Submission
of the Night”
WEC
41 DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $216,222.05
Source: MMA Weekly
|
URIJAH
FABER BREAKS RIGHT HAND
It
was quite obvious to most everyone watching the Mike Brown and
Urijah Faber rematch at WEC 41 that midway through the fight,
something was wrong with Faber's right hand. He had stopped punching
with it completely, reverting to only throwing elbow strikes
with the right arm and using it to deflect Brown's attacks.
Later
in the fight, he had an opportunity for a chokehold, but it appeared
that he couldn't grasp his own arm in an attempt to secure the
choke.
"That
happened midway through the first round," Faber commented
after the fight, confirming the break to his right hand. "I
apologize. You know I like to go out there and bang (expletive)
up, my weapons are gone, hurt both my hands and just stayed in
there, I was all elbows after that. I'd love to get back in here
and get another shot at this title."
WEC
general manager Reed Harris again confirmed the injury at the
post-fight press conference at the Arco Arena in Sacramento,
Calif., saying that Faber was unable to meet with the press as
he was taken to a local hospital to attend to the broken right
hand.
Faber
later posted the above pictures to his Twitter account. The x-rays
clearly show at least two breaks in his right hand.
After
five-rounds of unrelenting action, Brown was awarded a unanimous
decision, defending his WEC featherweight title and solidifying
his position as the No. 1 145-pound fighter in the world.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
FEDOR
SAYS NO TRAINING ISSUES, READY FOR WORK
WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko said his trainer,
Vladimir Voronov, spoke out of turn in a critique of his performance
against Andrei Arlovski.
“We
discussed what he had said, and my answer is that sometimes his
emotions... he might say a few extra words, more than what needs
to be said,” Emelianenko told MMAWeekly.com at a Los Angeles
press conference for Affliction: “Trilogy” on Aug.
1 in Anaheim. Emelianenko headlines the event against Josh Barnett
in a long anticipated match between the top-ranked friends.
Not
an hour after Emelianenko plucked the former UFC heavyweight
champ out of the sky at January’s “Day of Reckoning,”
Voronov was breathing a sigh of relief backstage.
“(Fedor)
won with his old baggage, with his old tricks,” he said.
“We did everything we can to get him ready for this fight.
But for these title fights, for these dangerous fights, we can’t
train the way we trained for this fight.”
Emelianenko
wrapped an action movie alongside Rutger Hauer and Michael Madsen
last November and canceled an American press tour citing a need
to prepare for the January fight. In November, he suffered his
first loss in Sambo in eight years.
Next
time, Voronov asserted, they wouldn’t get off so easy.
“If
he wants to keep winning, he can’t be spending too much
time on these commercials and these movies,” he said. “Afterwards,
after the win. For a fighter, the most important thing is work,
work, work. Fedor wants to keep winning, and keep winning well.
He needs to train professionally.”
Emelianenko
countered that his training was fine.
“I
wasn’t distracted by any movies or any other schedule conflicts,”
he stated. “I was in great shape, I was fully prepared for
the last fight and I’ll be prepared for this fight.
The
virtually undefeated Russian says he'll depart to Russia after
finishing his PR duties, where he will begin honing his game
plan for Barnett. He and Voronov are taking the process seriously.
“For
every fight, I try to prepare as much as I can to the maximum
abilities that I can, to be in the best shape and best form that
I can be,” he said. "We’ve talked about what we
need to do, and as soon as I’m done with (this), I’m
in training camp.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
CERRONE
AND GRISPI HAVE SHORT NIGHTS AT WEC
Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone looks to have earned another
shot at the WEC lightweight title on Sunday night in Sacramento,
Calif., while featherweight contender Josh Grispi may have been
the last fight in the storied career of an MMA legend.
Ever
since losing to WEC champion Jamie Varner in January, Cerrone
has been chomping at the bit to get back in the cage and earn
another shot at the title. He may have just solidified that spot
with a dominant first round victory over the previously undefeated
James Krause at WEC 41.
Noted
as a slow starter, Cerrone did give up a couple takedowns early
in the fight, but he used his tremendous jiu-jitsu game to lock
on two different oma plata attempts that kept Krause on the defensive.
Back on the feet, Cerrone locked on a standing guillotine choke
that looked like it could be a fight finisher, but he opted for
a knee strike instead and the fight kept going.
Krause
tried to strike with Cerrone, but the "Cowboy" made
him pay for that mistake by landing a left hook followed by a
straight right hand that put his opponent on the ground for the
last time in the fight. Cerrone quickly followed up taking Krause's
back and locking on the fight ending rear naked choke.
It
was quickly apparent after the fight that Cerrone's attention
was solely focused on WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner,
who sat cageside.
"I
think he's taking a lot away from me saying I don't deserve to
fight him, I don't belong in the same ring with him. You're a
tough guy behind the computers and the cell phone, so we'll see,"
Cerrone said. "Hopefully, Jamie will get out of the intensive
care unit and be able to fight."
Sources
have indicated to MMAWeekly.com that Varner could make his return
to action as early as September for a possible show back in California,
although the promotion has made no official announcement about
the event.
Josh
Grispi took another major step forward in the ever-expanding
WEC featherweight division, as he was able to submit former UFC
lightweight champion Jens Pulver in under a minute in their match-up
on Sunday night.
Both
fighters came out aggressive early, and Pulver quickly snatched
Grispi's legs for a takedown, but he left his head in the wrong
spot and found himself on the wrong end of a guillotine choke.
Grispi wrenched up on the hold, and while Pulver tried his best
to pull his head out of his opponent's vice grip, he could not
and was forced to tap out.
Following
the bout, Grispi, who has now won nine fights in a row, tried
to talk to the crowd, who let it be known who they were rooting
for in this fight.
"I'd
boo me too if I was fighting Jens," Grispi said to the crowd,
who didn't seemed pleased with the result. "I love the guy."
An
emotional Pulver spoke to the crowd as well, obviously disappointed
in his performance, and reflecting on a legendary career that
also started in Sacramento.
"I
think I just ended in the same place I started," Pulver
said emotionally to the crowd in Sacramento. "I'm not saying
I'm done yet, but it's been incredible. Thank you for making
an old man feel good. I love you guys very much."
Grispi
moves forward in a stacked 145-pound weight class, and hopefully
Pulver will take time to reflect before making a major decision,
but if he does retire, the sport will miss "Lil' Evil"
because there will never be another fighter like him.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
NEXT
IN LINE, JOSE ALDO CONTINUES KO STREAK
Reminiscent of Takanori Gomi's six-second knockout by knee over
Ralph Gracie, but perhaps even more explosive, Jose Aldo on Sunday
night at WEC 41 proved once again why he deserves to be the next
contender in the WEC featherweight division.
In
just eight ticks of the clock, the Brazilian came flying across
the cage with a jumping left knee that dropped Cub Swanson face
first to the mat. He followed with a couple of left hands, but
they were unnecessary, as Swanson wasn't making any moves to
defend or get back to his feet. The damage had already been done.
The
knee opened up a cut following the bottom of Swanson's left eyelid,
as well as a gash above his left eyebrow, that caused referee
Steve Mazzagatti to call a hault to the bout.
Though
not officially announced, this fight was largely believed to
determine the next challenger to the WEC featherweight championship.
Now with a record of 15-1, Aldo has proven that he deserves to
be that challenger. He is currently on an eight-fight winning
streak, including finishing all five of his WEC opponents by
either knockout or TKO.
Asked
where his fearless attitude in the cage comes from, Aldo responded,
"It comes from my goal. I want to be the champ. I want to
fight for the title."
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Leonardo
Santos and the future at Sengoku
After
five consecutive victories in Brazil, being the last four in
the first round, Leonardo Santos returned to the Japanese MMA,
where he made his debut in the professional rings. Facing Kazunori
Yokota, the Brazilian made the fight that would determine the
next candidate for the belt of the event, against the champion
Satoru Kitaoka. In 15 minutes of fight, the black belt of the
Nova União ended defeated in the split decision, but disagrees
with the result.
"The
fight was very tight, but I didn’t give all that I trained.
I was well trained, confident and happy, but I think I felt the
time zone, I was a little sleepy. In my opinion, of other reporters
and even Kitaoka, I won the fight", says Léo, recalling
the fight. "The fight was very tight. I won the second round,
I was more aggressive. I dominated the four minutes of fight,
passed, got the back, but, remaining 30 seconds, he left the
position and turn in front of me. He came like a crazy trying
to beat me, but nothing that hit me, just showing aggressiveness
in this 30 seconds, which impressed the judges".
Even
winning the fight that would determine the next challenger to
the title, Yokota wasn’t scheduled to face the champion,
who will defend, on August 2, the title against Mizuta Hirota.
"We sent a letter to there complaining, because whoever
won the fight would fight for the belt, but they didn’t
put Yokota to fight with Kitaoka, so I'm waiting to see what
happens", said the black belt in the expectation for the
definition of his future in Sengoku. "I have more fights
in the contract, but we have to wait. I have a contract of one
year with them. We didn’t ask for a rematch, we only said
that we don’t agree with the result. We’ll let on their
hands to see what will be done", concluded the fighter.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
“Turbulence
is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use
it for change.”
Ramsay Clark
|
Team
Relson Gracie World Championships Results!
Team Relson
Gracie captures 8 medals at the 2009 World BJJ Championships
Rhalan
Gracie (Hawaii) 2nd brown meio-pesado
Shama Ko (Austin, TX) 2nd purple female pena
Hannes Vetter (Colorado) 1st blue pesado
Randall Silva (Kauai) 3rd blue meio pesado
John Hommel (Kaneohe, HI) 3rd blue juvenile
Enselmo Gutierrez (Colorado) 3rd white pessidisimo
Brigitte Deperrot (Colorado) 2nd white female meio pesado
Lana Hunter (San Antonio, TX) 3rd white female pena
|
Fighters'
Club TV Tonight!
Channel
52
8:00 PM
If
you are not on the Onzuka.com Hawaii Ground forum, you are missing
the latest news from upcoming events, get to rub elbows with
numerous promoters and fighters, and get to voice your opinion
on any subject you can dream up. Hit the links above to sign
up for a free account and start posting away!
|
Destiny
this Saturday!
5 days
more before this exciting action packed event.
Get
your tickets while they last @ West Side Fight Gear, OTM Fight
Shop, Fighters Corner and all TCA Wireless Locations islandwide.
Or call (808) 277-2335
$30
gen presale, $35 @ door
$40 reserved seating, $50 @ door (guarantees you a seat whether
you are early or late)
Main
Event
-145lbs
Tim "Majik" Moon vs Ricky "Real Deal" Wallace
2
former Cobra Kai students go at it...Tim "Majik" Moon
has trained with UFC veteran Joe Stevenson @ his Cobra Kai school
in Cali and also with grappling sensation Baret Yoshida.
While
Ricky "Real Deal" Wallace has trained under Cobra Kai
vegas under Marc Laimon/Sonny Nohara and also UFC veteran Chris
"The Crippler" Leben.
June
13th, you'll see two top technical fighters go head to head...with
the high level of instructors these two fighters have had over
the last couple of years, it'll make for an exciting, fast paced
fight...I guarantee this fight will end in KO or Submission.
Won't go the distance for a decision.
Note:
Moon is going into this fight with a 15-2 record and hasn't lost
a fight in nearly 2 years...His last four fights have ended in
the 1st round in under a minute with all wins coming by way of
ko or submission! Winner of this fight will be fighting for
our DESTINY 145lb World Belt on Aug 22nd in Maui.
-145lbs
Toby "2quick" Misech (LAVA MMA, Hilo) vs Chad Pavao
(Hakulia)
Two
of the best up n coming 145lb stand up fighters in Hawaii will
battle it out for our now VACANT 145lb DESTINY Amateur championship
belt...Belt became vacant after our former champ Dustin Kimura
declared he'll be turning pro in our next event.
This
will most likely be the fan favorite fight of the night, with
stand up fireworks that Hawaii fans come to enjoy @ DESTINY Events.
Toby Misech, nicknamed "2quick" by our promotion after
displaying some unbelievable handspeed in our very 1st DESTINY
event against than undefeated Bulls Pen fighter Julius Fajotina,
will square off against one of the most underated and probably
most unknown fighter in Hawaii right now in Chad Pavao.
Chad
hasn't had a time to shine in the bigger events yet, but trust
me this young fighter is a stud in the making...Multiple time,
undefeated kickboxing champion who owns a win over current pro
MMA Hawaii top 10 fighter Tyson Nam. Don't leave your seat during
this fight!
-135lbs
Keola Silva (HMC) vs Mark Tajon (Bulls Pen)
Highly
touted HMC fighter Keola Silva makes his return to MMA against
Mark Tajon. Both fighters anxious to get back into the cage after
a little lay off...
Ola,
at one time was considered by many as the future of the 135lb
pro division after going undefeated in his amateur career and
impressively winning the 140lb X1 Tourney in which he beat 3
different fighters in one night to take home the belt. Unfortunately,
his pro debut ended in a no-contest due to accidental foul in
the 1st rd...and he's been sidelined without a match since. Not
because he wanted to, but because nobody wanted to face Ola,
until Mark Tajon stepped up.
Mark
is another up n comer who is over looked a lot by many. Not too
many people know that he owns a submission win over top 10 135er
Russel Doane...Tajon upsetted Doane right after Russell put himself
on the map with his KO win over Tyson Nam in ICON. He'll look
to play that spoiler roll again and move himself closer to the
crowning of our flyweight championship sometime later this year.
-145lbs
Justin Wong (HMC) vs Nui "Soljah Boy" Wheeler (Team
Souljahz)
-205lbs
Aron Rose (Team SYD) vs Larry Pereira (Team C.A.T.)
-135lbs
Joshua Santos (Lava MMA, Hilo) vs Jourdan Fontes (Inner Circle
Grappling)
-145lbs
Richard Barnard (Gods Army) vs Miles Hayes (Team M.A.C.P.)
-205lbs
Corey Basconis-Taum (freelance) vs Nathan Patopoff (Team C.A.T.)
-135lbs
Zachary Close (freelance) vs Steve Albanese (Team M.A.C.P.)
-145lbs
Pedro Garcia (freelance) vs Charles Matias (freelance)
-145lbs
Hizson Linkee (Gods Army) vs Layton Pacheco (freelance)
-125lbs
Joel Garcia (freelance) vs Jan Quimoyog (Inner Circle Grappling)
-155lbs
Ikaika Cabebe (freelance) vs Trey Corrales (Team C.A.T.)
-185lbs
Chris Santiago (Gods Army) vs Charles Hazelwood (Combat 50)
-140lbs
(female amateur bout)
Lii Furuta vs T.J. Rodrigues (Bazuko MMA)
Our
very first every femal match in DESTINY MMA World Events!
-140lbs
Jonah Visante (Team SYD) vs Jai Troche (No Remorse/UFS)
-125lbs
Jaycobi Visante (Team SYD) vs Jamin Tayaba (Inner Circle Grappling)
FIGHT CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE
Source: Destiny
|
STRIKEFORCE
LAWLER VS SHIELDS LIVE RESULTS!
MMAWeekly is on location from the Scottrade Center for tonight's
Strikeforce "Lawler vs. Shields" in St. Louis, bringing
you live results and round-by-round play-by-play.
No.
2 ranked middleweight fighter Robbie Lawler squares off in a
182-pound catchweight bout against No. 4 ranked welterweight
Jake Shields in the main event. The supporting cast is strong
as well with Nick Diaz and Scott Smith in another catchweight
bout, this one at 180 pounds, and former UFC heavyweight champion
Andrei Arlovski facing top Strikeforce contender Brett Rogers.
The
first preliminary bout is scheduled to being at 7:45pm ET/4:45pm
PT, and the main card, which airs on Showtime, begins at 10:00pm
ET/7:00pm PT.
Refresh
your browser page often for the latest results and blow-by-blow
coverage.
PLAY-BY-PLAY:
Robbie
Lawler vs. Jake Shields
R1 – They start off trading blows, but Shields quickly shoots
for the takedown. Lawler defends well and they start to scramble
on their feet. Clinched against the fence, they trade knees and
Lawler throws body shots. They separate and Shields tries to
find a rhythm by testing things with his jab and a few sparing
kicks. Shields charges, Lawler leaves his head out and Shields
secures a guillotine choke while standing and Lawler quickly
drops to his knees and taps out.
Jake
Shields def. Robbie Lawler by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at
2:02, R1
Andrei
Arlovski vs. Brett Rogers
R1 – Arlovski throws a low kick and just like that, Rogers
rocks Arlovski with a left hook then follows with a three-hook
combination that drops him to the floor for the knockout.
Brett
Rogers def. Andrei Arlovski by KO (Punches) at 0:22, R1
Nick
Diaz vs. Scott Smith
R1 – They start trading blows right away, but end up in
a clinch, Diaz with his back on the fence. Smith lands a right
hand as they separate. Diaz starts teeing off on Smith, picking
at him with his hand speed and timing. About 2 minutes in and
Diaz stuns Smith a punch combination. Diaz keeps going and rocks
Smith again. They clinch with Smith against the fence, Diaz peppering
him. Diaz taunts Smith, but Smith lands a strong straight right
that snaps Diaz' head back. They clinch again. Smith gets to
Diaz' back in a standing clinch and takes Diaz down, but they
pop right back up and trade a couple heavy shots. Smith lands
a hard right inside leg kick. Smith flurries as the round ends.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Diaz
R2
– Diaz opens with a flurry. Smith clinches him briefly,
they separate, and then Smith clinches Diaz from behind and then
throws a hard right that rocks Diaz a bit. But Diaz recovers
and starts and onslaught of punches. Smith fires back, but his
shots are coming one at a time, while Diaz is relentless. Smith
gets close and tries to land the elbow, but misses; Diaz continues
his non-stop punch attack, wobbling Smith. Smith clinching, but
Diaz landing short body shots and knees. They separate and the
pace slows a bit, but Diaz is still landing many more shots than
Smith. Diaz finishes the round working body and head, Smith gets
dropped to the canvas eating shots as he tries to shoot.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Diaz.
R3
– A frenetic pace from both fighters to start the round,
and then they clinch, Diaz' back to the fence. Referee John McCarthy
separates them and they start slugging again. Again Diaz is getting
the advantage with his flurry of punches. They get near a clinch
and slump to the mat, Diaz taking Smith's back. He locks on the
rear naked choke and Smith taps out.
Nick
Diaz def. Scott Smith by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:41,
R3
Phil
Baroni vs. Joe Riggs
R1 – After a quick dance, they clinch and Riggs scores the
takedown, and quickly moves around and takes Baroni's back. Baroni
is able to turn and gain butterfly guard, but Riggs is landing
heavy punches. Riggs then moves to side control, takes the back,
and then gets caught in Baroni's half guard. Baroni gets back
to his feet, but repeatedly gets put back on the ground, finally
landing in Riggs' guard where he starts his own ground and pound
attack. They are stood up by referee John McCarthy due toinactivity.
Riggs immediately leaps in with a punch and then takes Baroni
down, but Baroni transitions to Riggs' back and lands a few punches
before the round ends.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Riggs.
R2
– Riggs starts off kicking, both high and low, but not landing
ay real damage. Riggs lands the left superman punch, then shoots
in and takes Baroni to the mat, but Baroni gets back to his feet
and then takes Riggs down, starting to ground and pound from
guard. Riggs works his way up to the feet and then lands knees
and a good punch combination that hurts Baroni. Riggs sprawls
out on Baroni's takedown, but follows with a huge knee and right
hand, then drives in with another knee that lands, but Baroni
drops down and starts to work for the takedown. Riggs separates
and they start trading again. But again, Baroni shoots and eventually
gets the takedown, ground and pounding from Riggs' guard. Riggs
locks on the triangle choke, but Baroni slips back enough that
Riggs gives it up. Baroni starts ground and pound again from
guard.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Riggs.
R3
– Riggs lands a knee as they close the distance, separates
and lands a flying knee followed by a head kick. Riggs lands
a right-left punch combination, then another knee and several
more punches. Baroni has no answer. Riggs land a straight left,
then a left leg kick. Left kick to the body by Riggs. Baroni
backpedaling, Riggs landing nearly everything in his arsenal,
another knee and a head kick. Riggs is now using Baroni for target
practice, but Baroni isn't going down, eating knees, punches,
kicks, everything thrown at him, but he's not firing back. Riggs
scores takedown to end the fight.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-8 for Riggs, the fight 30-26 for Riggs.
Joe
Riggs def. Phil Baroni by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Kevin
Randleman vs. Mike Whitehead
R1 – Whitehead starts things off with several inside leg
kicks. Randleman scores a takedown, but Whitehead works back
up to his feet. They clinch and Whitehead gets Randleman to ground,
but Randleman escapes and they're back to their feet. Whitehead
scores another takedown, but Randleman reverses and gets up.
Whitehead again scores the takedown and starts pounding to the
ribs from half guard. Randleman again reverses and gets back
to the feet where Whitehead starts leg kicks and Randleman tries
to punch. Whitehead moves in and scores and uppercut that snaps
Randleman's head. He clinches and takes Randleman down again
and the round ends.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Whitehead.
R2
– Whitehead lands a hard right cross then shoots and trips
Randleman to the mat, landing in half guard. He passes to side
control, punching to the body and rubbing the forearm across
the face. Whitehead lays a forearm across Randleman's neck and
leans his weight into it then moves to full mount, but Randleman
somehow escapes and they're back on their feet. Randleman lands
an uppercut. Whitehead punching in slow motion now, both fighters
looking gassed as the round ends.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Whitehead.
R3
– Randleman swinging for the fences, but Whitehead lands
a hard right. Randleman pushing forward, both are throwing, but
not landing much. Randleman then throws a straight left hand
that drops Whitehead, he follows him down and tries to do more
damage, but Whitehead gets back up and they take center cage.
They clinch with Whitehead's back against the cage. They separate
and start throwing punches, but Whitehead shoots the double-leg
and gets it, immediately starting to work from half guard, looking
for the wristlock. Randleman escapes and gets back to his feet.
Again at center cage, Whitehead lands right hook. Randleman lands
a stiff jab and they finish out the round standing.
MMAWeekly
scores the round 10-9 for Randleman, the fight 29-28 for Whitehead.
Mike
Whitehead def. Kevin Randleman by Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)
Jesse
Finney vs. Josh Baumgartner
R1
– Finney starts off with leg kicks and gets the takedown,
landing in side control. Nice ground-n-pound from side control.
Finney secures the Kimura for the finish.
Jesse
Finney def. Josh Bumgarner by Submission (Kimura) at 1:55, R1
Rafael
"Feijao" Cavalcante vs. Mike Kyle
R1
– The fighters exchange, lots of feeling out. Feijao is
the better looking of the two through the opening round, but
neither fighter commits to much or does any real damage.
R2
– Feijao scores the first takedown. Kyle gets back to his
feet. A nice exchange by both. Feijao gets rocked. Kyle follows
him down and finishes him off with strikes.
Mike
Kyle def. Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante by TKO (Strikes)
at 4:05, R2
Booker
DeRousse vs. James Wade
R1
– Technical Difficulties (loss of internet)
Booker
Derousse def. James Wade TKO (Referee Stoppage) at 4:06, R1
Tyron
Woodley vs. Salvoder Woods
R1
– Woodley lands a left hook, gets a takedown, and lands
in side control. He stands up and Woods follows. After a few
exchanges, Woodley gets a second takedown. Woods is on bottom,
pop-shotting up at Woodley, who scoots him to the cage. Woodley
sits up and throws punches. He passes Woods' guard and laces
him up in an Anaconda choke.
Tyron
Woodley def. Salvoder Woods by Submission (Anaconda Choke) at
4:20, R1
Scott
Ventimiglia vs. Lucas Lopes
R1
– Nice exchanges. Ventimiglia gets takedown. He has good
ground and pound from side control. Ventimiglia works for a Kimura,
but doesn't get it. He stands up and then fires off a knee to
the head of Lopes, who is still down, causing a stop to the bout.
Scott
Ventimiglia DQ'd (Illegal Knee) at 3:26, R1
Pat
Benson vs. Dave Cochran
R1
– Slow start. Benson gets the takedown. Cochran creates
a scramble and gets to his feet. Cochran then gets a takedown
of his own, but Benson secures the armbar for the win.
Pat
Benson def. Dave Cochran by Submission (Armbar) at 2:18, R1
QUICK
RESULTS:
STRIKEFORCE
MAIN CARD (on Showtime)
-Jake Shields def. Robbie Lawler by Submission (Guillotine Choke)
at 2:02, R1
-Brett Rogers def. Andrei Arlovski by KO (Punches) at 0:22, R1
-Nick Diaz def. Scott Smith by Submission (Rear Naked Choke)
at 1:41, R3
-Joe Riggs def. Phil Baroni by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27,
30-27)
-Mike Whitehead def. Kevin Randleman by Unanimous Decision (29-28,
29-28, 29-28)
STRIKEFORCE
PRELIMINARY CARD
-Jesse Finney def. Josh Baumgartner by Submission (Kimura) at
1:55, R1
-Mike Kyle def. Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante by TKO (Strikes)
at 4:05, R2
-Booker DeRousse def. James Wade by TKO at 4:06, R1
-Tyron Woodley def. Sal Woods by Submission (Anaconda Choke)
at 4:20, R1
-Lucas Lopes def. Scott Ventimiglia by DQ (Illegal Knee) at 3:26,
R1
-Pat Benson def. Dave Cochran by Submission (Armbar) at 2:18,
R1
Source: MMA Weekly
|
RIGGS
AND WHITEHEAD DOMINATE AT STRIKEFORCE
The night did not start so well for former Team Hammer House
fighters as both Phil Baroni and Kevin Randleman dropped unanimous
decisions in their fights at Strikeforce on Saturday night as
Joe Riggs and Mike Whitehead both picked up dominant victories
to kick off the live Showtime broadcast.
It
appears that training full time at Arizona Combat Sports has
paid off for former middleweight Joe Riggs as he battered Baroni
for the better part of all three rounds. Showing great wrestling
early in the fight, Riggs was able to put Baroni down, and actually
took his back early in the round, but couldn’t lock on the
submission.
In
the second round, Riggs almost put an end to the bout when he
hooked Baroni with a beautiful triangle choke, but the New Yorker
battled out and the fight continued. It was the final round that
truly separated the two fighters as Riggs started to mix up his
strikes and pummeled Baroni from one side of the cage to the
other.
A
very humble and emotional Joe Riggs admitted after the fight
that he broke both hands during the match-up with Baroni, but
gave massive respect to his veteran opponent.
"It
was fun to fight a tough guy like Phil, Phil's a stud, he'll
be back, he's a world class fighter, he's a tough guy,"
Riggs said after the fight.
Originally,
Riggs was set to face former Elite XC welterweight champion,
Jake Shields, on the Strikeforce card in April, but the bout
was pulled when Shields opted to fight in the main event on Saturday's
card against Robbie Lawler instead. Riggs made no secret as to
who he'd like to face next following the dominant win.
"I
want Jake Shields," Riggs stated. "I don't want to
be disrespectful to him anymore, he's a tough fighter, but yeah
I'd like to fight Jake Shields."
The
comeback trail for Kevin Randleman took a detour on Saturday
night as he was defeated by another All-American wrestler in
Mike Whitehead, dropping a unanimous decision after three rounds
of action.
Despite
his wrestling pedigree, Randleman could not stop the takedowns
of Whitehead, who continuously took his opponent down and controlled
the top position. In the first round, Randleman was able to use
hip control to elevator his way out of the bottom position a
few times, but he started to lose wind and his power faded with
it.
Whitehead
did a great job putting Randleman on his back, while always working
to improve his positions trying to get a finish.
The
third round saw Randleman's best shot to win as he landed a big
left hook that sent Whitehead crashing to the mat, but the former
Ohio State legend couldn't capitalize and his opponent quickly
recovered. Whitehead was able to get back to his feet and land
another takedown before the round ended.
A
few struggles aside in the third round, Mike Whitehead controlled
Randleman throughout the fight and won 29-28 on all the judges'
scorecards.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
CARANO
VS CYBORG; THOMSON VS MELENDEZ AUG 15
On Saturday night, Strikeforce announced the two headline fights
for their next big show on Aug. 15. Gina Carano returns to action
to face Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, while lightweight
champion Josh Thomson will square off against the fighter he
took the strap from in Gilbert Melendez.
The
fight between Carano and Santos will be the first time a women's
MMA fight has been featured as a main event on a highly publicized
broadcast such as Showtime, and will be the most anticipated
fight in women's MMA history.
Carano
has been out of action since Oct 2008 when she defeated Kelly
Kobald, but was soon unemployed when Elite XC went out of business,
leaving the Las Vegas native looking for a new fight home.
Santos
has been on a roll winning her last seven in a row, including
her Strikeforce debut in May in which she defeated Hitomi Akano
by TKO.
The
other headliner on the card will feature Josh Thomson's first
defense of the Strikeforce lightweight title against the fighter
that last held the belt in Gilbert Melendez.
"I
just got the walking boot off about five weeks ago. I've been
training every day since I got the boot off," Thomson said
on Saturday night. "I think I have to open up a lot of other
things. There's no damn way I'm going to come out and fight him
the same way I did the last time."
Melendez
returned to action in April for the first time since suffering
the loss to Thomson, and he did so in emphatic fashion punishing
Rodrigo Damm to win by TKO in the 2nd round.
"Josh
fought a great fight (the first time)," Melendez commented.
"This time I'm going to be training harder. It's going to
be a different story."
Stay
tuned to MMAWeekly.com for more information on this blockbuster
card as it becomes available.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
ROGERS
STUNS ARLOVSKI; DIAZ STOPS SMITH
Brett Rogers at Saturday night's Strikeforce event in St. Louis
served notice on the heavyweight division. He's here to compete
with the biggest of the big boys. It took only 22 seconds for
him to prove his place in the division by knocking out former
UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.
Arlovski
came out and threw a low leg kick, but that was the only modicum
of offense that he would muster. Rogers followed by rocking Arlovski
with a left hook then followed with a three-hook combination
that sent the Belarusian to the canvas in a heap.
"That's
what happens when you work hard," proclaimed Rogers after
the fight. "I wasn't feeling respected. I gotta thank Arlovski
for giving me the chance to come out here and prove that I can
hang with the boys in the Top 10."
It
hasn't been announced what is next for Rogers, but he definitely
has his opinion since he was originally supposed to have faced
Alistair Overeem (who withdrew due to injury) at this event for
the Strikeforce heavyweight championship. "Anybody, anybody,
I'm ready for anybody. Most of all, I want that title."
It
took him until round three, but Nick Diaz finally finished Scott
Smith on Saturday night. The way the first two rounds went it
appeared he was trying to box him into submission. In the end,
it was a submission that finished the job, but of the more traditional
variety, a rear naked choke.
For
rounds one and two, Diaz and Smith went toe-to-toe, but Smith's
one shot at a time approach was no answer for Diaz' constant
barrage of ticky-tacky punches. As the minutes wore on, the accumulated
punishment had Smith wobbly, searching for answers.
Just
under two minutes into the final round, they came together and
slumped to the mat, Diaz immediately taking Smith's back and
locking on the fight-ending choke.
"I
just do what I gotta do to get the job done," said Diaz
after the bout, but added no kind words for Smith's training
partners. "I know him. I know his partners. They're not
loyal training partners. They're not good friends to have. We
work a lot harder than they do."
But
he gave Smith his due. "He fought a great fight. He should
come down to my school and train with a real team."
Source: MMA Weekly
|
SHIELDS
SUBMITS LAWLER IN FIRST ROUND
There have been some stunning moments when lighter weight fighters
move up to face bigger challenges in the sport of MMA. Another
big bout made the list on Saturday night in front of 8,867 fans
in St. Louis as top ten welterweight Jake Shields moved up to
182 pounds and submitted the No. 2 ranked middleweight in the
world in Robbie Lawler.
The
bout headlined Saturday's Strikeforce "Lawler vs. Shields"
event.
It
appeared early on that Shields was going to struggle in the fight,
as he was unable to secure his first takedown attempt when Lawler
outmuscled him and kept the match standing.
Shields
tried to settle into his stand-up game, throwing some solid body
kicks and a few jabs to keep Lawler guessing in the opening part
of the round.
A
notoriously slow starter, Lawler kept pursuing Shields, but never
unloaded any heavy punches, even though it appeared he had his
opponent panicked for a moment when he couldn't land the takedown.
In
a sport where the momentum can shift in just seconds, Shields
seized his opportunity when Lawler ducked his head down in the
clinch. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt sunk in a tight guillotine
choke. Shields wrenched up on the hold, and while Lawler fought
valiantly to get out of the choke, it was just too much and he
tapped out at just over two minutes into the first round.
"I
got a chance to get on his neck, and once I got it, I wasn't
letting go," Shields said about the submission after the
fight.
Losing
for the first time since 2006, Lawler showed great respect in
defeat, and realized the exact moment that Shields capitalized
on his mistake.
"I
got an underhook cause I needed to defend his takedowns, and
I just put it too deep and he was able to sink the other arm
in over the top. I didn't have a defense for it," Lawler
said. "Once he sunk it on, I couldn't do anything."
Picking
up his 12th win in a row, Shields was also very respectful towards
his Lawler, and considered it a great victory being able to get
past him on Saturday night.
"It
was an honor to get a chance to fight him, and he's a great fighter,
it just happened to be my night tonight," Shields commented.
"I'm sure a year or two down the road, people are going
to want to see the rematch, cause obviously we were setting up
for a war, I just happened to catch him. That's how it goes in
this game."
After
dominating the welterweight division during his time with EliteXC,
Shields has now opened up a whole new weight class to try and
take over, with Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le now
locked in his crosshairs.
"I
want the title. Cung Le's a good friend of mine, but I think
Cung, you either got to give me that belt or you have to step
up and fight me," said Shields. "You're a great friend
of mine, but that belt, I want it."
Shields
will now celebrate with teammate Nick Diaz as both were victorious
on Saturday night, and then they will head back to camp to help
another Cesar Gracie teammate, Gilbert Melendez, prepare for
his August title fight against Josh Thomson.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Cobrinha
and the fourth title in California
With
only nine years of career in Jiu-Jitsu, Rubens Charles “Cobrinha”
won an historic achievement. In the last weekend, at the World
Championship of Jiu-Jitsu of California, the black belt of Alliance
putted for the fourth time the gold medal in the chest, matching
Royler Gracie’s record. After dominating once again among
the feathers, Cobrinha talked with TATAME.com about his way to
the title.
"I
made four fights, and won two by submission. In the final, I
made a tough fight with Bruno Frazatto, came in the half guard...
They like to do a pressure and don’t let get in the position...
The final was a good fight", commented Cobrinha, who revealed
what he and Royler spoke after Cobrinha’s conquest: "he
called me there and said 'now we are equal' (laughs)... Thanks
God I got my fourth world title, ending it the best way",
says the black belt.
Click
here and check an exclusive interview with the champion, who
also spoke about the tough guard used by athletes from Atos team,
the domain of the Alliance in the World Cup and the rivalry with
Rafael Mendes.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
“Pleasure
in the job puts perfection in the work.”
Aristotle
|
UFC
98 FIGHTERS TEST CLEAN
On Monday, the Nevada State Athletic Commission released the
post-fight drug test results for the fighters of UFC 98, held
May 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Ten
fighters were tested for performance enhancers and drugs of abuse
following their bouts: Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, Matt Hughes,
Chael Sonnen, Frank Edgar, Brock Larson, Kyle Bradley, Krzysztof
Soszynski, Yoshiyuki Yoshida, and George Roop.
All
fighters came back negative.
The
event saw the light heavyweight title change hands once again
when Lyoto Machida knocked out Rashad Evans in the second round.
Machida is expected to return in October or November. Evans will
fight again in December against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
after they conclude a stint as rival coaches on The Ultimate
Fighter: The Heavyweights.
So
far, 2009 has been a quiet year for the Las Vegas-based promotion.
Karo Parisyan remains the sole fighter to be flagged by the NSAC
for illicit drug use. The Armenian-born fighter remains suspended
until January of 2010.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
PATRICK
COTE SIGNS NEW 4-FIGHT DEAL WITH UFC
It looks like the "Predator" will do his stalking in
the UFC for the foreseeable future. Patrick Cote has signed a
new four-fight deal with the promotion, as confirmed to MMAWeekly.com
on Monday by sources close to the negotiations.
Cote
has been out of action since an October 2008 loss to UFC middleweight
champion Anderson Silva. The Canadian blew out his knee in the
third round, forcing a stoppage in the title fight.
Currently
rehabbing and waiting for clearance from his doctors, Cote has
one less thing to worry about now that he knows for the immediate
future he will continue to call the Octagon his home.
"I
want a big fight right away. I want a top five or top ten guy,"
said Cote when speaking to MMAWeekly Radio in late April about
his return fight. "I already say that to the UFC management.
They say they are able to do it. They are going to give me a
top guy, for sure."
While
nothing is set in stone for his official UFC return, all signs
are pointing towards a possible bout in October at the show announced
for the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Oct. 24.
When
Cote spoke to MMAWeekly Radio he commented that within a few
months he hoped to get back to training full speed. He will resume
his fight camps splitting time between Montreal and Mark DellaGrotte's
Sityodtong camp in Boston.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
KIMBO
GOING TO THE UFC VIA ULTIMATE FIGHTER 10
Though the promotion has been otherwise tight lipped about participants
for Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter, dubbed "The Heavyweights,"
UFC president Dana White on Monday confirmed to Kevin Iole of
Yahoo! Sports that Kevin
"Kimbo Slice" Ferguson is one of the 16 chosen participants.
This
season, which is currently heading into filming, will feature
only heavyweights, the first season of the series to highlight
only one weight class.
White
has consistently poked fun at Kimbo, saying that he's not a real
fighter and was pushed into headlining bouts way too soon by
his former employer, EliteXC.
The
brash executive noted in the past, the only way Kimbo would make
it into the UFC is via The Ultimate Fighter. Well, it appears
he is willing to go that route despite rumors that he was either
headed to Japan or into a possible professional boxing career.
“It
should be interesting, given some of the things I’ve said
about him,” White told Iole.
Indeed.
Kimbo's entire career into and in mixed martial arts has been,
at the least, "interesting." He made his way into the
public conscience as a YouTube sensation; noted for his illegal
street fights and backyard brawls. EliteXC picked up on his unique
appeal and signed him as the focal point of its promotion.
After
some training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, and under the guidance
of former UFC champion Bas Rutten, Kimbo's skills slowly started
to come together. He was immediately thrown into headlining bouts,
however, roundly receiving criticism from both industry professionals
and fans alike.
Following
the self-destruction of EliteXC, he was courted for a time by
Strikeforce; the promotion that filled EliteXC's position as
the MMA centerpiece for Showtime and CBS. The two sides were
never able to come to terms, so Kimbo now finds himself angling
his way into a shot at the UFC.
On
The Ultimate Fighter, he will fall under the tutelage of either
of two former UFC light heavyweight champions, Rashad Evans or
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. The outspoken trio of Evans,
Jackson, and Slice, in any combination, has the potential to
inject an amazing amount of ratings fuel into the venerable Spike
TV reality series as it enters its tenth season.
None
of the other 15 contestants for The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights
has been revealed.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Jose
Aldo looks for 5th WEC win
Fighter comments on possibility of facing Miguel Torres
Jose
Aldo will be back in action this Sunday (June 7), when he tries
for his fifth straight win in the WEC. The Brazilian’s adversary
in the event to be held in California will be Cub Swanson, another
promising up-and-comer with a slick ground game and six submissions
on his record.
“I’ve
seen a bit of him and I think he will try and take me down. He’s
a Machado brothers black belt and I’m ready for him. I trained
a lot of ground and a bit of everything, striking and wrestling
too. We’ll see what happens,” he told Portal das Lutas.
In
four WEC appearances, Aldo has won all by knockout. A Jiu-Jitsu
black belt, the fighter emphasizes that he has not yet shown
his groundwork to the American public, which could happen in
his next bout.
“I
think folks will be surprised. I’ve trained a lot of subs
recently and I come from a Jiu-Jitsu background. I haven’t
shown him yet and the gang will be able to see I’m good
there too.”
On
the same day, in the WEC cage, Mike Brown and Urijah Faber go
at it for a second time in a title bout, for the same featherweight
category Aldo is in. On the bout, the Nova Uniao fighter believes
the title will remain with the current holder.
“It’ll
be a tough fight. Faber will come on full force, since he lost
to Brown, but I think Brown will come out on top again. He has
good handwork and has good ground skills,” he assessed.
Last
week the MMAJunkie website broke news of the possibility of Jose
Aldo facing Miguel Torres, the organization’s current bantamweight
champion.
“They’ve
commented on that possibility, but right now all I’m thinking
about is Cub Swanson, my next adversary. If this fight happens,
it’ll be at featherweight or an intermediate category, because
I can’t make 61kg,” he finished.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Worlds:
Cyborg wants heavyweight gold
Fighter switches category and dreams of medal
Roberto
“Cyborg” Abreu is all set for the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship
2009, to be held this weekend in Long Beach, California, and
has but one thing on his mind: becoming champion.
He,
who has fought and won other competitions, can’t get the
desire to win his first world title out of his head. “I
have all the important titles Jiu-Jitsu has to offer. I won the
South American at weight and absolute, won the European, the
Pan-American, now all I’m missing is the world title. That’s
my dream, and now’s the time,” stated Abreu.
“I’ve
just missed several times. At black belt I have five Worlds medals,
one silver and four bronzes,” said the fighter, who this
year won the Grapplers Quest absolute in the gi and the No-Gi
Americas Cup, in Orlando, Florida.
The
news is that Cyborg for this worlds is coming in at a different
weight. The athlete, who tends to compete at super heavyweight,
will be competing as a heavyweight. And he knows there’s
no hiding. “I’m going in as a heavyweight for the first
time. Just as it is for anyone in any category in the Worlds,
it’ll be a battle. Braulio, Tussa, Alexandre Sousa, among
others, are in it, but I’m going in to win,” said a
confident Abreu.
And
the black belt seems to already feel the atmosphere of the California
State University Long Beach gymnasium. “The Worlds is an
event like no other, I always try and take as many students of
mine as possible to compete or at least to watch the event. There’s
nothing like the energy and excitement of the Worlds. The art
of Jiu-Jitsu is present there, it’s enchanting,” finished
the competitor.
Want
more on the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship 2009? Stay tuned to
GRACIEMAG.com. In the coming days our reporters will be in the
Californian gymnasium keeping up with all the goings-on and bringing
it all to readers first hand.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Getting
in the Worlds mood
GRACIEMAG.com put together some special analysis
And
what if GRACIEMAG.com were to risk analyzing the numbers for
the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship 2009, to take place from Thursday
to Sunday, in Long Beach, California? There is so much data that
any statistics aficionado would go crazy. With sign-ups done,
240 black belts will dispute the 2009 Worlds. It is a greater
contingent than the total number of participants in many competitions,
counting all the belts.
40
athletes make up the most populous category, the medium heavyweight
one.
7
is the lowest, the roosterweight category.
With
the absence of Xande Ribeiro felt, there are two former asolute
champions, Roger Gracie and Rodrigo Comprido. Curiously, they
are in the same weight group (super heavyweight), precisely the
second most empty division, with 14 signed up.
Now
we should take a look at the medals list. In the absolute there’s
something curious: only one black belt became champion without
having made it to the winners’ stand in previous years.
The author of the achievement? Comprido, in 1999. He had just
moved up from brown belt, with the reputation of dominating the
absolute at other belts, and is the inspiration for other newbies
this year.
However,
the tendency is for the strong candidate to keep up the roll.
Or in other words, the champion should figured among the top
three at prior world championships. Gold in 2007, Roger Gracie
is the favorite. Marcelo Garcia, Romulo Barral, Braulio Estima
and Gabriel Vella will try and keep in the fray. Featherweight
Rubens Cobrinha may indulge, and it’s is always fun to see
how far he will go. The big question, though, is: who will be
able to fill the void left by Xande this year, after his knee
injury? The prediction, now, friends, is nobody.
Predictions
for the absolute: Roger Gracie and Romulo Barral.
Weight-group
placement*:
2008
1) Alexandre Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá); 2) Roger Gracie
(Gracie Barra); 3) André Galvão (Brasa); 3) Gabriel
Vella (Alliance)
2007
1) Roger Gracie (Gracie Barra); 2) Romulo Barral (Gracie Barra);
3) Alexandre Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá); 3) Robert Drysdale
(Brasa)
2006
1) Alexandre Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá); 2) Roger Gracie
(Gracie Barra); 3) Roberto Abreu (Nova Geração);
3) Marcelo Garcia (Alliance)
2005
1) Ronaldo Souza (Brasa); 2) Roger Gracie (Gracie Barra); 3)
Braulio Estima (Gracie Barra); 3) Saulo Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá)
2004
1) Ronaldo Souza "Jacaré" (Brasa); 2) Roger
Gracie (G. Barra); 3) Alexandre Ribeiro (G. Humaitá);
3) Marcelo Garcia (Alliance)
2003
1) Marcio Cruz (Gracie Barra); 2) Roger Gracie (Gracie Barra);
3) Alexandre Dantas (Gracie SP); 3) Fabricio Werdum
2002
1) Marcio Cruz (Gracie Barra); 2) Saulo Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá);
3) Alexandre Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá); 3) Gabriel Gonzaga
(Macaco)
2001
1) Fernando Pontes (BTT); 2) Saulo Ribeiro (Gracie Humaitá);
3) Marcio Cruz (Gracie Barra); 3) Rodrigo Medeiros (Alliance)
2000
1) Rodrigo Medeiros (Alliance); 2) Fernando Pontes (Godoi/Macaco);
3) Léo Leite (Alliance); 3) José Mario Mc Cord
(Alliance Sul)
1999
1) Rodrigo Madeiros (Alliance); 2) Roberto Magalhães (Gracie
Barra); 3) Antonio Nogueira (De La Riva); 3) José Mario
Sperry (Carlson)
1998
1) Zé Mario Sperry (Carlson); 2) Roberto Magalhães
(Gracie Barra); 3) Murilo Bustamante (Carlson); David Meyer (Machado)
1997
1) Amaury Bitetti (Protesto); 2) Fabio Gurgel (Alliance); 3)
Royler Gracie (Gracie Humaita/Iate); 3) José Mario Sperry
(Protesto)
1996
1) Amaury Bitetti (Carlson); 2) Ricardo Liborio (Carlson)
*Official
results provided by the IBJJF on the organization’s website.
For more, ibjjf.org.
And
stay tuned, throughout the week GRACIEMAG.com will be bringing
special analysis of each black belt category. An appetizer for
the greatest Jiu-Jitsu party on the planet.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Y!
Sports exclusive: Kimbo gets TUF
LAS
VEGAS – Kimbo Slice, the controversial heavyweight who in
2008 headlined the most-viewed mixed martial arts card in history,
will be one of 16 contestants on the forthcoming season of “The
Ultimate Fighter,” the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s
reality TV series.
Dana
White, the UFC’s outspoken president, has repeatedly mocked
Slice for his lack of fighting ability. Slice, whose real name
is Kevin Ferguson, became a cult figure by competing in street
fights that were posted on YouTube. Slice’s “bouts”
drew tens of millions of views and led him to turn professional.
He
fought for the now defunct Elite XC, garnering massive media
attention but getting mocked by White and others affiliated with
the UFC for a lack of ability.
White
has called him a “joke,” a “bum” and “not
a real fighter,” among other less than kind descriptions.
He said that Slice would “get murdered if he fought in the
UFC” and suggested that his lightweight champion, 155-pound
B.J. Penn, would “annihilate” the 230-pound Slice.
The
UFC president has repeatedly insisted he would not allow Slice
to compete in the UFC unless he won his way onto the show by
competing on “The Ultimate Fighter,” which beings taping
Wednesday and is scheduled to air in September.
Slice
has called White’s bluff and will appear on Season 10 of
the highly rated Spike TV series, White has confirmed. Fighters
live in the same house and train together, and then fight during
the show in a bid to earn a UFC contract.
His
appearance, along with that of former UFC light heavyweight champions
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Rashad Evans as coaches,
should guarantee massive ratings.
“It
should be interesting, given some of the things I’ve said
about him,” White said.
Slice,
who has a 3-1 professional record, appeared in the main event
of the first MMA card shown on network television in the U.S.
when he fought James Thompson on May 31, 2008, on CBS.
Slice
won by third-round stoppage in a bout that attracted a record
6.5 million viewers and remains the most-viewed MMA bout in history.
But
Slice hasn’t fought since Oct. 4, when he was knocked out
by a jab from late replacement Seth Petruzelli, a light heavyweight,
just 14 seconds into another fight broadcast on CBS. The plug
was pulled on Elite XC, which reportedly lost millions of dollars,
in the aftermath of the fight.
White
promised “some major surprises” as he announced on
a Thursday conference call that Jackson and Evans, each of whom
is a former light heavyweight champion, would serve as coaches
on Season 10.
He
declined to say anything further but urged reporters on the call
not to miss media day, which is Tuesday at the UFC Training Center
in Las Vegas.
White
worked hard to keep Slice’s appearance on the show a secret,
hoping to have unveiled him Tuesday. Season 10, which is being
called “The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights,” was originally
slated to feature a cast of eight heavyweights and eight middleweights,
but the UFC quietly informed the middleweights who tried out
that it was going with an all-heavyweight show.
And
unlike in recent seasons, where the competitors had to win a
fight to earn their way into the house, there will be no such
arrangement this time. All 16 fighters – Spike and the UFC
are keeping names of the others a closely guarded secret –
will automatically move into the house.
Though
White goes to great lengths to insist that nothing on the show
is scripted, it’s virtually guaranteed that Slice won’t
fight early in the competition. Having him around and alive in
the competition is going to keep ratings elevated.
If
Slice is able to advance to the live Dec. 5 finale, with a chance
to earn a UFC contract with a win, ratings would likely be the
largest in Spike history.
Source: Yahoo Sports
|
Brown
keeps cool before hot fight
Winning
a world championship is supposed to be a life changing experience
for a fighter. But for World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight
champion Mike Brown, going into what is being billed as the biggest
featherweight fight in mixed martial arts history, not much has
changed.
“There’s
not a lot of difference,” said Brown, who ventures to Urijah
Faber’s home town of Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday night
in a battle of the consensus No. 1 and No. 2 fighters in the
world in the weight class. “I have the same friends. I drive
the same car. I live in the same place. I train at the same gym.”
And
even walking into the highest-profile match of his career, aside
from the difference in training for a five-round fight –
a distance he’s never gone in competition – even that
isn’t a lot different.
“To
me, every fight is a big fight,” said Brown (21-4), who
trains with the American Top Team in Florida. “I get nervous
before every fight. I would get nervous facing a guy who is 3-3
on a local show, as much as being in a championship match on
national television.
“I
think there’s pressure for me in every fight,” said
Brown, who is ranked No. 9 in the Yahoo Sports! pound-for-pound
rankings, one slot ahead of Faber. “I hate losing so bad.
It doesn’t matter how small or how big the fight is. It
goes on your permanent record, every fight. So every one is important.
And I do think it’s the biggest fight because the weight
class is growing. The popularity of it is growing. So you know
each time more and more people are interested in the weight class
so I think at this point this is going to be the biggest fight
in featherweight history, and it’s going to be a good one.”
A
crowd of about 12,000 fans, which would rival the WEC record
set on June 1, 2008, when Faber won a five-round decision over
Jens Pulver in what was marketed last year as the greatest featherweight
bout in history, is expected at Arco Arena. Advance ticket sales
are said to be slightly ahead of the pace of last year’s
big match in the same venue. It is expected to end up being either
the highest or second-highest rated WEC event on Versus.
The
fight’s story line: the most popular smaller fighter in
the country, Faber, trying to regain the crown he owned, against
a significantly tougher adversary than he’s ever faced.
When
Brown knocked out Faber in 2:23 on November 5 in Hollywood, Fla.,
near Brown’s home base, a lot of viewers saw it as a fluke.
Faber,
who came into the fight with a 21-1 record, was out of position
throwing a spinning elbow that missed, and Brown countered with
a hard right hook to the jaw. Faber crumbled from the punch,
and it was stopped seconds later after punches on the ground.
It
was not a shock to those who follow the sport closely, because
Brown was physically overpowering a lot of people as a lightweight
earlier in his career, and was even stronger in comparison as
a featherweight. But he had never had a fight on a live national
broadcast, so to most, Faber was facing an unknown fighter.
Faber
had been champion just shy of three years and was almost a marketer’s
dream. He had entertaining fights in the cage, most noted by
his quick scrambling techniques on the ground, combined with
strong stand-up, to go along with his charismatic presence outside
the cage.
Even
after losing the title, Faber is featured in one television commercial
after another whenever a WEC event airs on Versus, either for
the promotion or for various products he’s endorsing. Faber
comes across likeable both on television, and in person, and
Brown isn’t immune from nearly everyone else’s reaction.
“He’s
a great guy,” said Brown, who noted there is no grudge in
this fight. “I’ve traveled with him and we’ve
hung out together. I can’t say anything bad about him. When
you put two great guys in, one is going to walk out the winner.”
Both
men had similar starts to their careers. Brown was a state high
school wrestling champion in Maine in 1992, and wrestled at Division
III Norwich University. Faber wrestled at Division I Cal-Davis,
where he set the school’s all-time win record and went to
the NCAA tournament twice at 133 pounds.
A
different experience for Brown will be the heavy booing he’s
going to face in Faber’s home town. Brown heard some boos,
although nothing like he’ll likely face on Sunday, in his
previous fight against Leonard Garcia, a native Texan, in Corpus
Christi.
“I
heard the boos coming in, and I actually, I almost liked it,”
said Brown. “You know, it almost makes me want to fight
more. I think when I’m the hometown guy, I notice when people
cheer for me. I almost am like nervous, like, oh no, I don’t
want to let these guys down. But when I’m booed it almost
makes me want to fight. You know, like it feels like somebody
is almost picking a fight with you.”
Those
who may have at first dismissed Brown as an unknown guy who got
the title because he took advantage of Faber making a mistake
have largely recognized there was a lot more to him when he brutalized
Garcia on March 1, in his first title defense. Brown was all
over Garcia, who had never been stopped before in his career,
landing hard punches immediately, before finishing Garcia with
an arm triangle in just 1:57. It quickly dispelled any notion
that Faber was just going to show up and it was a given he would
regain his belt.
Not
that Brown expects to walk in and smoke Faber.
“I
expect it’s going to be completely different,” said
Brown. “I’m anticipating going five rounds. I’ve
never done it, and he’s only done it once (the win over
Pulver).”
Brown
started training camp at about 168 pounds, and said he’s
in the low 160s as he goes into the final days of training. Making
the 145-pound weight limit gets harder every year, since he says
he feels like he’s putting on about two pounds per year.
The
cut isn’t going to be easy, as he terms it, “the fight
before the fight.”
It’s
widely anticipated that the Faber-Brown winner’s most likely
next opponent will be the winner of the Jose Aldo vs. Cub Swanson
semifinal. According to WEC vice-president Peter Dropick, the
company is planning its first pay-per-view event later this year,
and that would be the most obvious fight to debut on pay-per-view.
Source: Yahoo Sports |
Quote
of the Day
“Do
not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen.
Keep in the sunlight.”
Benjamin Franklin
|
UFC
CONFIRMS CRO COP VS AL-TURK AT UFC 99
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Monday officially confirmed
the return of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic to the promotion.
Cro Cop will face British fighter Mostapha Al-Turk at UFC 99,
the promotion's debut in Cologne, Germany.
Despite
making his UFC debut in early 2007 to much fan fare, Cro Cop's
first stint in the Octagon ended up being a disappointment. He
defeated the unheralded Eddie Sanchez at UFC 67 before dropping
back-to-back bouts to Gabriel Gonzaga and Cheick Kongo then headed
back to Japan to re-build himself.
Fighting
for Dream and K-1, Cro Cop defeated Tatsuya Mizuno and Hong Man
Choi, and fought to a No Contest with Strikeforce heavyweight
champion Alistair Overeem on his road back to the UFC.
Following
a successful run in the now defunct Cage Rage, Al-Turk made his
UFC debut losing to Kongo at UFC 92 late last year. The former
Cage Rage heavyweight champ will have no easier task in his second
Octagon outing, welcoming Cro Cop back to the UFC on June 13
in Germany.
Wanderlei
Silva vs. Rich Franklin, fighting at a catchweight of 195 pounds,
headlines UFC 99.
Source: MMA Weekly |
SOBRAL
VS. MOUSASI CONFIRMED FOR AFFLICTION 3
Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Renato "Babalu"
Sobral will face Gegard Mousasi at Affliction 3 on Aug. 1 in
Anaheim, Calif.
The
bout was initially announced by M-1 Global on its website on
Monday. MMAWeekly.com subsequently confirmed the bout with Sobral's
manager, Richard Wilner, who said, "It will be a light heavyweight
bout, not a catchweight."
Mousasi
had originally planned to fight Vitor Belfort in a catchweight
at the event, dubbed "Trilogy," confirming the bout
on the M-1 Global website last week. The bout had apparently
been talked about, but Belfort did not want to move up out of
his new home at middleweight, while Mousasi has repeatedly stated
that he can no longer make the 185-pound limit.
Sobral
has been on a roll as of late, winning five straight bouts, including
the capture of the Strikeforce light heavyweight championship
from Bobby Southworth last November. He most recently defeated
Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at Affliction's sophomore effort in
January.
Sobral
had been in plans to face Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante
for Strikeforce on June 6, but had to withdraw due to familial
considerations. Wilner says that Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker
has been nothing short of "wonderful" to work with,
and has "always been a man of his word" in supporting
big fights such as this. Plans now call for Sobral to return
to Strikeforce shortly after Affliction 3 to defend his title.
Considered
one of the top middleweight fighters in the world, Mousasi recently
vacated the Dream middleweight championship and made the move
out of the weight class to fight in Dream's openweight "Super
Hulk" tournament, defeating Mark Hunt in the first round
of their quarterfinal bout. He weighed in at 218 pounds for that
bout, but will have to come back down to 205 for the fight with
Sobral.
The
bout is expected to be officially released later this week at
press conferences in New York and Los Angeles confirming the
Aug. 1 event. No. 1 ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko is set
to face No. 2 ranked Josh Barnett in the main event of Affliction
"Trilogy."
Source: MMA Weekly |
ISHII
PASSES ON UFC, HEADS TO SENGOKU
Olympic Gold Medalist Satoshi Ishii has chosen pride before promotion.
The
decorated judoka signed with World Victory Road and will fight
for Sengoku in the near future the promotion announced on Monday.
The
news upends expectations that Ishii was headed for the Octagon.
Last
December, he was captured by UFC president Dana White’s
video blog meeting fighters and talking to Japanese press. Afterwards,
Ishii announced his intention to sign with the promotion.
The
news drew a stern response from Fight Entertainment Group (FEG)
president Sadaharu Tanigawa, who had reportedly reached an agreement
with the Olympian to fight for Dream and appear on K-1 Dynamite’s
New Year’s Eve show.
"It's
unfortunate that the man with the Japanese MMA world on his shoulders
is going abroad," Tanigawa then said.
It
appears, though, that FEG was not willing or able to sign Ishii
in subsequent talks.
In
a press conference announcing the signing, Ishii said he was
loyal to his homeland and felt Sengoku had the depth of talent
desired to make his start. He also expressed his desire to fight
Josh Barnett, who’s currently slated to fight Fedor Emelianenko
at Affliction “Trilogy” in August.
Ishii
gave no timetable for his debut.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Sheikh
wants Jiu-Jitsu in 500 schools
Sheikh
Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the responsible for the tempting
checks that awarded the champions of the first Professional World
Championship in the history of Jiu-Jitsu, has ambitious plans
for the gentle art. After performing the World Cup and sponsor
the Art of War 12, in China, the Sheikh wants to increase the
importance of the BJJ in UAE.
"I
believe that Jiu-Jitsu is very important, my son is learning
the Jiu-Jitsu", said the always Sheikh in an interview to
a Chinese TV channel, revealing the interest in making the Jiu-Jitsu
as the number one sport in the country: "by 2015, we’ll
have 500 schools in Abu Dhabi teaching Jiu-Jitsu... Each one
of my schools will have the Jiu-Jitsu as the number one sport",
said Mohammad Bin Zayed.
Source: Tatame |
All
about the BJJ Worlds 2009 at TATAME
Coming
to another Jiu-Jitsu World Championship, TATAME.com brings all
the details of the big festival of the gentle art, which will
happen on June 4, 5, 6 and 7, in California, USA. If you won’t
be in the U.S. watching the show live, which will have big names
like Roger Gracie, Marcelinho Garcia, Kron Gracie, Tarsis Humphreys
and more, that’s ok. After the success of our coverage in
2008, we decided to repeat it in 2009 with the exclusive area
on the World Championship with interviews, reports and videos
about the most important competition of Jiu-Jitsu. Click here
and check everything about the 2009 World Cup.
Source: Tatame |
Fredson
on WEC 42 card
Opponent will be Cole Province
On
course to recover from the loss he suffered at the hands of Wagnney
Fabiano at WEC 40, Fredson Paixao is all set for his August 9
return to the ring, at WEC 42. According to MMAJunkie, the Brazilian
black belt will face Cole Province, who holds a record of five
wins and only one loss in professional MMA.
The
main event at WEC 42 features the much-anticipated show down
between reigning bantamweight champion Miguel Torres and top-contender
Brian Bowles.
Source: Gracie Magazine |
Onzuka.com
Goes to the Worlds!
Chris and
I are leaving today with a contingent of the O2 Martial Arts
Academy team to represent the Relson Gracie Team in Long Beach,
California. We will try to update the site, but we always run
in to some problems so please be patient.
The
competitors are:
Dave Padilla - White Belt
Jon Tetsutani - Blue Belt
Andrew Marshall - Purple Belt
Kyle Olivares - Brown Belt
Also competing are Todd Tanaka - Brown Belt and head of Team
HK, John Hommel (blue belt) of K-Team, Pono Pananganan (Brown
Belt and head of KTI) and some of his students from Kauai as
well as Rylan Lizares of Pedro Sauer along with a couple of his
students.
Wish the boys luck! Everyone is well prepared and ready to kick
ass and take names.
|
Quote
of the Day
“Wisdom
outweighs any wealth.”
Sophocles
|
OPPORTUNITY
KNOCKS, JAKE SHIELDS LISTENS
Jake Shields didn’t give much pause in stepping up a weight
class to face Robbie Lawler.
“As
soon as Showtime called me... I said yeah, right away,”
he recently told MMAWeekly Radio. “I didn’t even have
to think about it.”
The
former EliteXC welterweight champion headlines with former EliteXC
middleweight champion Lawler for Strikeforce Saturday night in
St. Louis.
His
original opponent, welterweight Joe Riggs, spared no expletives
in his feelings about the decision, but Shields brushes those
aside.
“I
think Joe’s just being immature and whining, trying to get
some attention,” he said. “Showtime called me and said
they wanted me to fight Robbie, it was a bigger fight for me,
more money, main event. I’d be stupid not to take it. I
wasn’t trying to disrespect Joe Riggs. I just think he’s
being immature, but whatever. Maybe if he wins a couple fights,
I’ll give him a beating too.”
Shields,
and his manager/father Jack, are trying to craft a move to the
upper echelons of the sport, where higher paydays and top-tier
opponents are the norm. Shields is on most Top 10 lists as a
welterweight, but at this point, he won’t be able to establish
himself beyond the hardcore fan base as long as he remains outside
the UFC.
After
the breakup of EliteXC, Shields was adamant about a trip to the
Octagon, and had been close to challenging his ProElite contract
in court when Strikeforce acquired it. Strikeforce CEO Scott
Coker wanted to make him happy.
“I’m
sure there are some great 170 pounders out there, but I felt
at this point I had kind of made myself the top 170 pounder outside
of the UFC,” said Shields. “I needed to go for a bigger
challenge. I didn’t really see anyone that I felt was a
fight that would be that hyped.”
The
first gesture of goodwill was Lawler. He wouldn’t be a pay-per-view
star, but he’d be on Showtime, and possibly CBS down the
road. He decided the glass was half full.
“I
figured it definitely wasn’t worth getting caught in a lawsuit,
especially since it seemed like they really wanted to work with
me,” said Shields. “First, I was really disappointed,
because I really was kind of stuck on (moving to the UFC). As
long as I keep getting really good opponents here, and getting
treated well, I’m happy. I’m taking it one fight at
a time and see what happens from that.”
Once
he got the fight, he quickly ruled out the idea of matching Lawler’s
size.
“I’ve
got a really good strength trainer that I’ve been working
out with, doing some powerlifting stuff, and I’ve upped
my calories, more protein and stuff,” said Shields. “So
I’ve put on a little weight. But I’m not really stressing
over the weight – I’m just going to go out there and
fight. Sitting there trying to gain too much weight might slow
me down. So I’ve put five, six pounds on and I’m just
going to go out there and fight, and I think I’ll feel well.”
How
the size difference will feel inside the cage is a wait-and-see.
“I
won’t really know until I lock up with him,” Shields
continued. “I think I’ll be at least close to as strong.
Lawler looks like a strong middleweight, but I don’t think
I’m going to be totally overwhelmed.”
To
prepare, Shields has been sparring less with teammates Gilbert
Melendez and Nate Diaz, both lightweights, and logging more hours
with Nick Diaz and bigger training partners.
“I’ve
been bringing in lots of big wrestlers to train with, guys that
are around 200 pounds, and I’m guessing Robbie’s somewhere
around there, so I’m going to have guys at his weight that
I’m fighting with,” he said.
Shields
thinks a win over Lawler would make him the number one contender
to middleweight belt holder Cung Le. He would also take a fight
against former champion Frank Shamrock.
“(Frank)
Shamrock just got embarrassed, so I would still fight him (because)
he’s a big name, it’s almost one that makes sense after
how bad Nick beat him,” said Shields. “Cung Le’s
a friend of mine, so that part kind of sucks, but it’s business,
so ultimately I think if I beat Lawler that fight makes sense.”
It’s
no secret about what’s going to happen on June 6: Lawler
will try to take Shields’ head off, and Shields will try
to get the fight down. For both, it’s an end to the uncertainty
of previous months. Shields wants to make the most of the opportunity.
“I
think it’s a fight I can win. Lawler’s a tough, legitimate
opponent, but I’m in really good shape right now, and I’m
feeling confident about it,” said Shields. “I’m
going to go out there and fight my hardest and try to finish
him.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
LARSON
CONTINUES SUCCESSFUL UFC RETURN
It’s taken just over a combined five minutes in two fights
for welterweight Brock Larson to continue to wash away the stigma
of his previous UFC experience and establish himself as someone
to watch again in the welterweight division.
Prior
to rejoining the UFC this past April with a win over Jesse Sanders,
Larson had gone 1-1 in his preceding UFC appearances, not looking
particularly impressive in either outing.
After
stepping in for Josh Koschek at UFC 98 this past weekend, Larson
was intent on continuing the momentum he had began with his win
over Sanders as he stepped in to face fellow replacement fighter
Mike Pyle.
“I
knew going in I had to be a little bit patient, because I really
didn’t know what to expect,” Larson told MMAWeekly
on facing Pyle on short notice. “I knew I had to be cautious,
take my time and let my technique do the work, and put the muscle
and aggression on the shelf a little bit.
“Once
it got going and we got going and entangled, we were moving pretty
good, and I think it was pretty entertaining. He put some submission
attempts on me, and I countered them and then caught him with
my own.”
Having
made a name for himself in the WEC, Larson admits there was some
trepidation towards returning to the UFC this year in fear of
a repeat of his previous experience.
“I
was nervous about coming over and being lost (in the shuffle),
being the king of the undercard and just beating guys up here
and there when they needed me,” he admitted. “(The
fight) got aired on the pay-per-view, and I think it did make
a bit of a statement that I can knock off one of the better guys.
“I
think all in all it was a good night for me, I got out of there
injury-free and got the Submission (of the Night) bonus, so it’s
all good. For all the 170-pounders, it opened their eyes that
night.”
Prior
to returning to the UFC, Larson’s main motivation was to
get a return match with Carlos Condit for the WEC welterweight
title. With Condit’s loss in his UFC debut in April, he
was asked if that’s still a fight he would want, or if his
attentions have now shifted elsewhere.
“If
it works and he ends up getting back on the winning track and
puts together a couple wins and looks good, of course that’d
be a fight I would be interested in,” responded Larson.
“He’s a Top 10 fighter and I want to fight the best
fighters, and he’s one of them.
“It
would be sweet to regain one of my losses and come out with win,
but at the same time, I’m not looking for that fight. If
it happens, it happens and that’s a bonus. If not, then
I’m going to beat up the next guy in front of me and move
on until I eventually get that title fight.”
Whatever
is next for Larson will apparently have to wait, as he plans
on taking time off to recoup from all his recent activity.
“I
fought on April 1, then at the end of May, and that’s a
lot of training and getting geared up for that,” he stated.
“I’m hoping to take time off, let my body heal and
do some other types of training, like training with a gi for
jiu-jitsu and work on getting my black belt.
“I’ll
hopefully take something up in the fall or winter, and basically
go from there.”
With
an impressive win over a name opponent on a UFC PPV, Larson has
set the stage for himself to make the kind of impact in the promotion
he wanted to have from the start.
“Thanks
to the fans,” he concluded. “Hopefully I’ll be
back in the fall and they’ll be cheering for me then. I’ve
got to thank DTMF, Bowtech and Tapout; all my training partners,
Anytime Fitness and MMAWeekly.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Ice
cream and Chuck Norris: highlights from Miguel Torres' chat
If
you missed Cagewriter's chat with WEC champ and the best pound-for-pound
fighter in the U.S., Miguel Angel Torres, you missed out on some
good laughs and insights into fighting. You can read the whole
transcript here, but here are the highlights. The questions,
from our readers, are in italics, with Miguel Torres' answers
following.
If
you were to fight anyone living or dead, who would it be?
I would say Jesus, then I could talk to him about the way of
fighting without fighting.
Outside
of the daily grind of fighting and practicing, what are some
of your interests? Any particular hobbies?
Video games, soccer, ice cream, spending time with my daughter,
and teaching. I like chocolate ice cream.
Before
you were a rising star, before you had the belt, before your
first pro fight even, what drove you to go to the gym and train?
What drove you to get better even though there was no guaranteed
future in the sport?
The will to be the best. Fighting is the most honorable thing
in life, there is no lying in it. The best will always prevail
and you get what you put into it. I always wanted to do this
since I could remember. I know that it takes time to do great
things so I put my time in.
Have
you ever tried that inverted triangle in training that we saw
on Bellator?
I have been doing that for 8 years.
One
of your best attributes is your cardio. Do you adhere to old
school road work, new age caveman intervals, or a mix?
In all honesty, I train by balls off, road work, running in sand,
tons of mitt work, and a ton of sparring, I train so hard that
I break my own will to continue, when that happens, I slap myself
and go for more. I temper my mind to make my body indestructible.
Who
is your favorite fighter and why?
Chuck Norris, his beard, tight pants, and boots are the standards
all men should live their lives by. But really Fedor Emelianenko
and Anderson Silva.
You
hit Mizugaki with huge shots. Where you surprised he stood in
there trading all five rounds? And lasted that long with you?
Not surprised, I figured there was someone out there as tough
as me, just a matter of time until I found him. I think he was
a robot.
Have
you ever felt bad for knocking someone out?
Never. People know the risk and they are trying to knock me out.
There was one time that I broke someone's nose very badly and
they only made 300 dollars. I felt horrible for that because
he had such a long drive back and was not compensated for what
he was worth. That is when i understood that in the long run
of things, I am just cattle and when i am done no one will remember
or care. We are just entertainment.
You
are a little guy, do you get drunk real easy when not in training?
Nope, I am a little guy but am Mexican. Never forget that.
Who
sculps your mullet?
I craft my own fro ... Been cutting my own hair for about 13
years. Can't you tell?
Source: Yahoo Sports |
Shaolin
and Aoki’s subs
Brazilian to face Ground wiz in July
After
over a year away from the ring, during which time he dealt with
a series of injuries, Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro made
his come back with an impressive win over Katsuhiko Nagata, at
Dream 8, on April 5. Now the black belt will have another opportunity
to perform for the Japanese organization. In an enticing match-up,
the submission mater from Nova Uniao will face off against Shinya
Aoki, another ground-fighting specialist, on the 20th of July.
“It’s
one of those things, I like fighting on the ground and so I think
it will be an awesome fight. I’m totally focused on training
and putting on my best performance. As everyone should expect,
there should be a lot of ground action, but it is an MMA fight,
so I’m working on everything. He’s another tough opponent,
like so many others I’ve faced in my life in Jiu-Jitsu,
submission wrestling and MMA,” said Shaolin to Portal das
Lutas, GRACIEMAG.com partner site.
A
Jiu-Jitsu ace, Vitor knows he’s coming up against another
specialist, one with 12 submissions on his record.
“He’s
shown he’s a good fighter, who’s at ease with his back
to the ground for the submissions he’s had, both with foot
locks and omoplatas. He’s a dangerous guy, who you can’t
go leaving an arm or foot exposed against. He fights for the
submission and is really aggressive in that respect. He gets
a position and tries to catch you. He’s a guy to be respected,
but only to a point. I’ll go in looking to impose my game,
which I’ve been learning these past 17 years with Dede,”
he said.
Now
living in New York, Shaolin explained how he’s organized
his training routine for the big challenge: “I’m going
to try and work with his game in mind, to improve the skills
I have and iron out some of the positions I know will work. I’m
going to bring down the pace in teaching some to focus on my
life as an athlete, training twice a day and resting. I’m
working on bringing my crew from Brazil over as quickly as possible
to help me out. Nothing works without training, that’s my
motto in life,” said Shaolin. “I’m completely
focused on my gym here. Marco Loro and Danilo Cherman are here
and Marcelino Freitas and Giovanni Diniz should arrive soon.
I should be going to Brazil in June to get my visa and train
with Dede for around 10 days.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Kyra
craves World title
'I’ll be two-time absolute and four-time champ at weight’
Kyra
is already in Miami getting ready for the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship,
to take place June 4 to 7 in Long Beach, California, with her
uncle Rilion Gracie.
And
the black belt, well before entering the competition, already
has cause for celebration, as she just had her 24th birthday
last Friday. “I’m going to collect my present at the
Worlds,” joked Kyra.
Should
she win again, the Gracie Barra athlete will be a four-time world
champion, as she has won the championship before in 2004, 2006
and 2008. And she is optimistic about her chances. “I expect
the best, I’ll be two-time absolute champion and four-time
at weight,” she said.
Kyra
also tells of how much pressure there is on her and how she will
use that as a strategy in her favor. However, as time goes by
she feels she is stronger and more mature as a professional.
“These days I’m a much more mature competitor. My head
is strong point. I have the privilege of being from a family
with the best Jiu-Jitsu teachers in the world, learning everything
at home, each person teaching me detail here another there, they
help me to become better and better,” said the fighter in
finishing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
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Affliction:
Emelianenko-Barnett officially set for Aug. 1
The
consensus No. 1 heavyweight publicly affirmed his consent to
the match-up on Thursday and the man paying him reinforced the
message several hours later: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Josh Barnett
has been formally signed for Aug. 1.
"I
actually have the California contracts," Affliction Entertainment
matchmaker Tom Atencio told me Thursday night. "That's the
fight I'm looking at."
Emelianenko-Barnett
would pit the top two heavyweights in the USA TODAY/SB Nation
consensus rankings against each other, in a pairing that would
headline a potentially potent show if Affliction can keep its
fight card together: Atencio hinted that other fighters intended
for the card include heavyweight teammates Tim Sylvia and Ben
Rothwell, as well as rising star Gegard Mousasi.
I
talked to Atencio late Thursday about Affliction's plans for
its third show. Excerpts from our conversation:
Q:
So is Fedor-Barnett a done deal?
Atencio:
It is. I actually have the California contracts. That's the fight
that I'm looking at.
Why
did it take so long to put it together?
There's
a bunch of reasons, and I say this all the time: The fans treat
us like this is our 15th event, our 10th event, whatever it is,
and they want the next fight, which is understandable; but the
sponsors and the people we're getting money from, and the venues
and everything else, they're treating us like it is our third
event.
We
need to prove to everybody that we're here and we're viable,
and that's really what it kind of comes down to. We learn from
our mistakes. We move forward and we correct the things that
we did wrong. We're being more methodical in each and every event
and making sure we do things right the next time.
This
isn't something that we come from. We weren't putting on MMA
shows prior to this. We went straight from doing nothing to holding
one of the biggest MMA cards in history. It's definitely a process.
Looking
back, what sort of mistakes did you make in your first two shows
that you've been able to avoid this time.
First
and foremost, having a band. Music doesn't translate over television
very well. It's great at the venue, but then you have the cost
factor. You have the cost of bringing the band there. You have
the cost of setting up. You have the cost of rehearsals, and
everything else involved. So that's one thing.
Eleven
fights versus 10 fights. The first fight, Justin Levens wasn't
able to fight. The second fight, Jay Hieron became the swing
bout and fought after Fedor fought.
The
logistics in the back. Getting people on time. Just the basics.
Just the little things that you don't think of until you put
a show on.
Do
you have a date set for your third show?
It
is Aug. 1. We're going to do a press release June 1st announcing
a good portion of the card and the venue and everything else.
The
other possible Affliction fight that's been generating some buzz
lately has been between Gegard Mousasi and Vitor Belfort. I gather
there's some dispute over what weight they're willing to fight
at. Where does that stand at this point?
There
is no dispute. Vitor came out and said he's not going to fight
Mousasi at 195, (which) is what we were trying to make it at.
Mousasi fights at 205 now — he wants to fight at a heavier
weight, but he was willing to fight Vitor at 195.
Vitor
chose not to take the fight with Mousasi. He says that Mousasi
isn't well-known enough. Mousasi is ranked, I believe, No. 5.
I believe it's a great fight, but that's Vitor's choice not to
take the fight.
Have
you lined up a new opponent for Mousasi?
Yeah.
I apologize once again, Sergio, but we'll announce it in the
press release.
Do
you have any M-1 Global fighters that you're going to be bringing
in this time?
We
are talking about some undercard fighters right now. We haven't
finalized that, but there is a chance we'll work with some other
M-1 fighters, for sure.
How
many fights do you intend to have on the Aug. 1 card?
Oh,
it's going to be 10 this time. The 10 seems to work for us —
five on HDNet and five on pay-per-view.
Will
you be using the same broadcast team?
Yeah,
we will be.
Speaking
of the broadcast team, I know Tito Ortiz says he's recovering
from his back injury. How much interest at this point do you
have in using as a fighter down the road?
I
would love to bring Tito on board. We've spoken quite a few times.
But until his contract's up and until we reach an agreement,
it's just something that I'm sure he's talking to other people
about as well.
One
of your guys, Andrei Arlovski, is fighting pretty soon against
Brett Rogers. How did that come about?
It
just worked out. We have a great relationship with Scott Coker
and Strikeforce; we talked about different things and it just
turned out to be the right thing to do. It's going through and
we're working with Scott and using some of their fighters as
well. It's just part of the relationship that we have.
Who
will be paying his purse?
That's
between us and him, as well as Strikeforce and him. I don't really
like to talk about finances.
We
haven't seen two of your other high-profile heavyweights, Tim
Sylvia and Ben Rothwell, since your first show. Have you figured
out what you're going to do with them yet?
Yeah,
we have, and that'll be addressed in the press release too.
It
sounds like they're going to be fighting this time around.
That's
a good assumption.
There
seems a lot of speculation that this is going to be your last
show. How close is that to the truth, and if it isn't, how do
you convince people that it is not?
I'm
not even worried about that any more. They've been saying that
since the first show. I love when people doubt me — it just
makes us work harder.
So
just rumors. I can assume who it's coming from. They've been
saying that about us since day one. They said that I said in
the last show that our last show was the last one, so now people
are reading into this being the last show. It is what it is.
I think it's actually pretty funny.
So
what's your criteria for success with this third show?
I
think it's the same as before. If we're successful, the arena
does well, the show comes off, more people learn about us, more
people want to come to the next event — then I think it's
very successful. If we mix any mistakes that we made at our last
event and bring those down to a minimum, then I consider it very
successful.
So
if you got the same number of pay-per-view buys that you got
the last time around, that would make you happy?
We
did a 50% increase from the first show to the second show, so
if we do another 50%, then absolutely, I think it'll be very
successful.
At
some point, are you looking at bringing female fighters into
the mix?
Everybody
asks me that. I think Cyborg's probably the best (female) fighter
out there, aside from Gina Carano. But I don't see it really
working for us right now.
I
have a lot of friends who are fighters, including female fighters.
I'm a huge fan, but I don't see it working for our event right
now.
And
I say right now, because I never want to close the door on anything,
because I'm a huge fan of just combat sports in general.
Source: USA Today
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Strikeforce
out to make bigger mark starting with June 6 card
Like most promotions outside the Ultimate Fighting Championship,
Strikeforce doesn't have many fighters in top-10 lists such as
the USA TODAY/SB Nation consensus mixed martial arts rankings.
But
where past promoters such as EliteXC's Gary Shaw saw insult or
ignorance, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker sees opportunity, especially
now that his promotion has regular live broadcasts on Showtime
such as the June 6 card featuring Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Shields
(10 p.m. ET).
TOP
FIGHTERS: USA TODAY/SB Nation consensus MMA rankings
"We
have a lot of fighters that are going to surprise you,"
Coker says.
"It's
just people's opinions, so it's hard to put too much into them,"
Shields says. "But it is nice to be ranked. I'm not going
to lie; if I'm not in the rankings, it (stinks), and I hope I
get ranked higher."
Strikeforce
has been willing to let fighters move outside their weight classes
to set up bigger matchups. The promotion's last main event was
a catchweight bout between Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz, who
defeated normally larger Shamrock. The June 6 main event features
two former EliteXC champions, welterweight Shields and middleweight
Lawler.
"There's
great guys to fight but no one I thought was a big name that
would push my career up except Robbie Lawler," Shields says.
Shields
expanded his name recognition, though maybe not his ranking,
with a bout on MTV's Bully Beatdown, which features MMA fighters
taking on bullies nominated by their victims.
Shields
didn't have much trouble with his opponent, though he wasn't
able to land the maximum five submissions in three minutes.
"He
knew a couple of basic escapes," Shields says. "You're
forced to do things really fast on that show, so you don't really
have time to properly set things up."
Some
of the top fighters in Strikeforce have little opportunity for
such exposure because they split time between countries. A prime
example is Alistair Overeem, who holds theStrikeforce heavyweight
championship but often fights in Japan.
"Clearly,
I think he's a top-five guy, if not top-three," Coker says.
But
Strikeforce also can lay a bigger claim to the rankings by bringing
in fighters who've gained exposure elsewhere. Former UFC heavyweight
champion Andrei Arlovski, last seen in an Affliction main event
against top-ranked Fedor Emelianenko, will fight Brett Rogers
on the June 6 card.
Coker
is trying to work out reciprocal agreements with Japanese promoters
that would bring a couple of fighters onto Strikeforce cards.
"These
guys are top-10 guys for sure," Coker says.
Source: USA Today |
The
Status of Chuck Liddell
John Pollock
Fight Network Journalist
On
April 18th, the mixed martial arts world said goodbye to the
career of Chuck Liddell...well kind of.
When
Liddell exited the ring at UFC 97 in front of a raucous Bell
Centre crowd it was the type of applause that was reserved for
a fighter that fans knew would never be returning and a ‘thank
you' more than anything was given to ‘The Iceman'.
The
immediate reaction from Liddell was his popular stock answer
that he would go home and discuss his options and if he retired
it would be in the gym when he couldn't put out the same work
ethic he had demanded of himself throughout his career. However,
after the post show press conference there was little doubt as
to the future of Chuck Liddell with UFC president Dana White
emphatically telling the press that Liddell had entered the octagon
for the final time and would remain with the company in a non
fighting capacity for life.
When
the 4:28 mark of the first round signaled the end of the fight
the emotion I felt during that knockout of Liddell was one of
sadness, seeing this once dominant champion succumb to a punch
that a younger Liddell would have eaten without flinching and
would drown him into a forced retirement. My immediate thought
was that it is time for Liddell to call it a career and not stay
on the stage after the audience has stopped clapping (and you
could easily make the argument that that he did stick around
for one fight too many). In this fight he looked tentative, he
looked slower and his chin was no longer an attribute to his
style but a hindrance.
So
was that the last night in Chuck Liddell's career? People are
on the fence as they look at the on paper value of a Liddell
headlined Pay Per View and cannot fathom UFC president Dana White
not wanting to cash in that gigantic lottery ticket that can
still earn millions.
The
fact is, Chuck Liddell does not want to retire, nor does he want
to bite the hand of the UFC, which has fed him since 1998 and
take a fight with a rival promotion (who would pony up millions
for the services of Liddell and offer a fraction of the tough
fights the UFC could offer).
If
there is one thing fans have a soft spot for, it is nostalgia
and with the UFC running so many Pay Per Views and only having
a finite amount of available main event level draws, it begs
the questions if Dana White would be able to continually turn
down requests from Liddell to fight ‘one more time'. There
is no reason for Liddell to fight other than his own personal
desire - the man is a millionaire many times over and won't have
to work another day in his life, his legacy is cemented amongst
fight fans as one of the key stars of the first generation mainstream
UFC talent and he has the respect of his peers.
Where
I think you could appease both parties is contingent on the outcome
of a heavyweight bout in August between Randy Couture and Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira. With a Couture win, it would be smart business
to milk one more title fight out of Couture before he himself
calls it a career. However, with a Couture loss you find both
‘The Natural' and ‘The Iceman' in the same position
where they will be shoved towards the side and into retirement
and that is where a farewell fight could do tremendous business
for the UFC.
When
the UFC exploded in 2005, it was largely done on the backs of
Liddell and Couture as the coaches of the inaugural season of
‘Ultimate Fighter' and their bouts in 2005 and 2006 did
record business at the time as the two faces of the UFC.
The
company is poised to generate a ton of money and do a proper
‘farewell fight' where both men go into a December New Year's
bout with the clear indication that this is the last fight for
both men in their careers - win or lose. Liddell has always stated
he is willing to fight at heavyweight and conversely Couture
would be amicable to move down to light heavyweight.
The
two were rumored to fight this year but both men seemed luke
warm on the idea of a fourth fight between seem citing hesitation
in fight fans wanting to see them fight again. Under the right
context - and a retirement fight is that context - this would
do monster business for the UFC, would not be a case of feeding
one of these legends to a young lion and allow both men to go
out on their sword on their terms and ease into retirement.
I'm
not crazy about another Chuck Liddell fight but for a man that
played such a huge part in building the foundation that the current
talent rests upon, I feel if the man wants one more fight that
it is within reason that his wish is granted.
In
an industry that is constantly evolving and seeing new talent
usurping older talent, it would be nice to see a proper retirement
and allow fans to do something they rarely get to do and that
is say ‘goodbye' to two legends at once.
Source: The Fight Network
|
Quote
of the Day
“To
acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one
must observe.”
Marilyn vos Savant
|
Fighters'
Club TV Tonight!
Channel
52
8:00 PM
If
you are not on the Onzuka.com Hawaii Ground forum, you are missing
the latest news from upcoming events, get to rub elbows with
numerous promoters and fighters, and get to voice your opinion
on any subject you can dream up. Hit the links above to sign
up for a free account and start posting away!
|
UFC
101 FIGHT CARD COMPLETE WITH FINAL 2 BOUTS
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship on Sunday rounded out its first
fight card for Philadelphia, announcing the final two bouts for
UFC 101. Thales Leites returns to face Alessio Sakara in a middleweight
showdown, and Aaron Riley will rematch Shane Nelson.
Following
a disappointing loss to middleweight champion Anderson Silva,
only the second of his career, Leites looks to get back on track
against Sakara. Before Silva, he had been on a five-fight winning
streak.
Sakara
is likely fighting for his position in the promotion. He is 4-4
(with one no contest) since entering the Octagon in late 2005,
defeating Joe Vedepo at UFC Fight Night 15 in September, his
most recent action.
Riley
and Nelson rematch at UFC 101 in an attempt to complete their
fight from UFC 96, which ended in controversy due to what many
called a premature stoppage.
UFC
101 is headlined by a title bout pitting UFC lightweight champion
B.J. Penn against No. 1 challenger Kenny Florian on Aug. 8 at
the Wachovia Center. In addition, Anderson Silva will make his
next appearance in the 205-pound division, facing former light
heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
CUB
SWANSON KEEPING IT SIMPLE AGAINST ALDO
Featherweight Cub Swanson is trying not to get ahead of himself
when thinking about his fight with Jose Aldo at WEC 41.
“This
fighting it’s all about highs and lows and when you experience
lows, you can’t wait for the highs,” Swanson told MMAWeekly
Radio. “I think being back (up) is going to mean that much
more to me, after being down in the dumps.”
On
June 7 he faces a fighter touted by many as the next big thing
in the division. Aldo, a standout in Muay Thai, has stopped all
of his opponents by strikes, the last two within the first round.
Critics say he hasn’t faced quality opposition, but no one
doubts he’s a serious threat.
Aldo’s
hype has made Swanson the underdog in betting lines, but that’s
nothing new for him.
“All
that means is that if some of my friends and family bet on me,
they’ll make a little more money,” Swanson commented.
It’s
actually the second time around for the match-up. Swanson was
supposed to face the Brazilian at WEC 34, but a broken hand kept
him from rolling out the welcome mat. Since then, he’s kept
an eye on the prospect.
The
26-year-old Palm Springs resident has battled ups and downs since
losing a highly touted grudge match against Jens Pulver, a bout
that was supposed to be his time to shine, but instead ended
in heartbreak. Pulver has struggled mightily with the division’s
upper echelon and is now at a major crossroads in his career.
“If
I’d have won that fight I would have had a title shot, and
maybe I wasn’t ready for it,” said Swanson. “I
know I’m a better fighter now, so I can only go with how
things turn out.”
He
now has a school and student to keep watch over, keeping reflection
to a bare minimum. A rematch with Pulver isn’t a pressing
issue anymore, though he’d still take it. In the end, he
believes the loss and subsequent injury may have been a blessing
in disguise.
“I
don’t know how much sense it would make now, except for
closure for myself,” he said. “I’ve won all my
fights since then, and he hasn’t won since then, so it’s
kind of like, what good is that? Except for getting to beat him
up for flipping off my fans. That would be nice. Hopefully he
wins a couple of fights and it would make it worth it.”
Swanson
has collected two wins since the Pulver fight, though his hand
kept him out of action for much of 2008. His last win, over Hiroyuki
Takaya at WEC 37, re-established his momentum. He says there
are misconceptions about his time off.
“I
know a lot of people think I haven’t been training, just
because I haven’t had a lot of fights. But the only time
I’ve taken off in the last six years is because of a broken
hand. And that’s it.
“I’m
the guy that’s in the gym rolling with a cast on. Even when
I’m taking a day or two off, I’m watching fights. It’s
what I do; it’s my life.”
For
now, he'll put all the "next step" thoughts aside.
Title dreams complicate things; he just wants to put on a good
show.
“Realistically,
the only thing I think about for this fight, is putting on a
good fight,” said Swanson. “I haven’t been thinking
about Mike Brown, Urijah Faber, the next match-up, what’s
next. I don’t care. Whatever. All I’m thinking about
is Jose Aldo, getting in there, performing, and putting on a
great fight for the fans.
“I
want to put on a fight I can be proud of.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
MMAWEEKLY
WORLD MMA RANKINGS UPDATED
The latest MMAWeekly World MMA Rankings were released on Sunday,
May 31. This system ranks the Top 10 MMA fighters from all across
the world in each of the seven most widely accepted weight classes.
Taken
into consideration are a fighter's performance in addition to
his win-loss record, head-to-head and common opponents, difficulty
of opponents, and numerous other factors in what is the most
comprehensive rankings system in the sport.
Fighters
who are currently serving drug-related suspensions are not eligible
for Top 10 consideration until they have fought one time after
the completion of their suspension.
Fighters
must also have competed within the past 12 months in order to
be eligible for Top 10 consideration.
Below
are the current MMAWeekly World MMA Rankings, which are up-to-date
as of May 31.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
HEAVYWEIGHT
DIVISION (over 205 pounds)
#1
Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko
2.
Josh Barnett
3.
Frank Mir
4.
Andrei Arlovski
5.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
6.
Randy Couture
7.
Tim Sylvia
8.
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic
9.
Brock Lesnar
10.
Fabricio Werdum
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
LIGHT
HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)
#1
Light Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Lyoto Machida
2.
Rashad Evans
3.
Forrest Griffin
4.
Quinton Jackson
5.
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
6.
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
7.
Wanderlei Silva
8.
Keith Jardine
9.
Thiago Silva
10.
Renato "Babalu" Sobral
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
MIDDLEWEIGHT
DIVISION (185-pound limit)
#1
Middleweight Fighter in the World: Anderson Silva
2.
Robbie Lawler
3.
Yushin Okami
4.
Nathan Marquardt
5.
Jorge Santiago
6.
Dan Henderson
7.
Vitor Belfort
8.
Kazuo Misaki
9.
Yoshihiro Akiyama
10.
Demian Maia
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
WELTERWEIGHT
DIVISION (170-pound limit)
#1
Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre
2.
Jon Fitch
3.
Thiago Alves
4.
Jake Shields
5.
Josh Koscheck
6.
Matt Hughes
7.
Martin Kampmann
8.
Carlos Condit
9.
Nick Thompson
10.
Mike Swick
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
LIGHTWEIGHT
DIVISION (160-pound limit)
#1
Lightweight Fighter in the World: Shinya Aoki
2.
Eddie Alvarez
3.
B.J. Penn
4.
Tatsuya Kawajiri
5.
Joachim Hansen
6.
Kenny Florian
7.
Gesias "JZ" Calvancante
8.
Josh Thomson
9.
Frankie Edgar
10.
Satoru Kitaoka
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
FEATHERWEIGHT
DIVISION (145 pound-limit)
#1
Featherweight Fighter in the World: Mike Brown
2.
Urijah Faber
3.
Hatsu Hioki
4.
Wagnney Fabiano
5.
"Lion" Takeshi Inoue
6.
Jose Aldo
7.
Raphael Assuncao
8.
Leonard Garcia
9.
Joe Warren
10.
Antonio Carvalho
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
BANTAMWEIGHT
DIVISION (135 pounds or less)
#1
Featherweight Fighter in the World: Miguel Torres
2.
Brian Bowles
3.
Masakatsu Ueda
4.
Takeya Mizugaki
5.
Akitoshi Tamura
6.
Will Ribeiro
7.
Damacio Page
8.
Joseph Benavidez
9.
Manny Tapia
10.
Marcos Galvao
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Leo
Leite heads to Romania
Judoka gives his predictions for Worlds in California
Leonardo
Leite this year completes a decade since his first Jiu-Jitsu
World title, in 1999. And the party could not have started out
better, with gold at the Rio state championship and, this month,
the Brazilian national title as an ultra heavyweight, which he
won by finishing three of his four opponents with a breadth of
different attacks (a choke from the back, an Americana and, in
the final, his trademark clock choke).
All
that with an injured fighter on his right hand and injured toe
on his right foot. “The pain is part of being an athlete,”
asserts Leo, repeating what “Mao Santa” Oscar, a Brazilian
basketball star, would say. “I have a good tape of him I’ve
been watching,” he chided.
For
all of that, Leo would be one of the attractions at the 14th
Jiu-Jitsu World Championship, June 6 and 7, but… “Impossible,”
he laments in a chat with GRACIEMAG.com. “I fight on the
same day in Romanio, at the Judo World Cup in Bucharest.”
“It’s
rough… I end up not doing to much groundwork in judo, since
my ground game is specifically for Jiu-Jitsu, slower. Judo is
more dynamic, and your opponents close themselves up really well.
But I’ll try,” he said enthusiastically.
Before
embarking, this coming Wednesday, he left his predictions for
the Worlds, with the credentials of having nabbed silver at ultra
heavyweight last year:
“In
the absolute, Roger [Gracie].”
“At
weight, as I think Roger will be a super heavyweight, I think
it’s between Luiz Felipe “Big Mac” and Gabriel
Vella.”
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Fedor
addresses Barnett
‘It can be one of the most anticipated in MMA history’
Not
having fought since January, when he knocked out Andrei Arlovski
at the second installment of Affliction, Fedor Emelianenko seems
to be very much excited about his next challenge, set for August,
when he will face Josh Barnett in the organization’s third
production. The Russian phenomenon even elevated the bout to
being possibly “one of the most anticipated in MMA history.”
“I
consider Josh as one of the truly best in MMA, I think he is
really in his prime right now. Just like when I fought Cro Cop,
he was in his prime as well. At that time it was one of the most
anticipated fights in MMA history, my fight with Josh can be
that as well, said Fedor to M-1Global.com.
Adversaries
in the ring, Fedor and Barnett would often meet up amicably behind
the scenes at Pride. “We often had drinks after our fights
in PRIDE and Affliction so I do consider him a friend,”
he added.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Pablo
looking for the third World title
The
first year of black belt of Pablo Silva (Gracie Barra BH) has
been golden. At the beginning of the year, the athlete went through
difficult times before winning the European of Jiu-Jitsu, in
Portugal. After being deported and coming back for the gold medal,
the fighter won the Brazilian Championship, getting another gold
in the category.
"After
I had that problem in Europe, I came with everything at this
Brazilian, which was a dream I had. When I started to train Jiu-Jitsu,
I showed for my mom at home some fights of (Bernardo) Pitel and
used to say that someday I wanted to be like him and today I’m
here fighting against him and getting this result", said
the black belt, who submitted Bernardo Pitel (Nova União)
in the semifinal, and beat Philipe Freitas (PH Team) in the grand
final by 2x0. Now Pablo gets back his focus to the Worlds 2009,
which happens in June, in California. "I'm already subscribed
at the World Cup and everything is right, I just need to keep
training and let’s go. The BJJ World Cup involves many quality
fighters and I’m training seriously for this and I hope
to reap good results", concluded.
Source: Tatame
|
Ronaldo
Jacaré
Dream
9, which happened last Tuesday (24), ended in a dramatic way.
In the main event of the night, Ronaldo Jacaré and Jason
Miller fought the middleweight belt, but, with just over two
minutes of fight, Jason set an illegal soccer kick in the Brazilian,
which caused a big cut in the face of the Brazilian, ending the
fight with a No Contest. Back in Brazil, Jacaré is revolted
with his opponent’s posture. "Nobody knew he was that
crazy with the ability to do that... He offended me. I wanted
to fight, he wanted to offend", says the black belt, who
has already defeated Jason in 2008 and is waiting for a possible
third meeting. Check below an exclusive interview with Jacaré,
who claimed the decision of the judges, of not declassify the
American, and the trainings with Paulo Filho, to his return at
the Dream 10 against Melvin Manhoef.
What
did you think of this whole controversy in the fight?
Nobody
knew he was a crazy man with the ability to do that...
Just
before the end of the fight, you started a discussion. What happened?
He
offended me. I wanted to fight, he wanted to offend... He said
that I hit my head on his and opened his face, but what opened
his face was the first punch I gave.
After
the fight, he gave an interview talking trash to the fans who
cheer for the Brazilians...
He
has this habit, at the time of the interview he grows, but at
the time of the fight he cried, apologized to his coach, then
came toward my cornea saying I was an idiot, and also apologized.
He is proving that isn’t a person of only one face, he is
a two-faced. After the fight gave 'No Contest' he cried, apologized
to the coaches, and that everyone saw, but I don’t know
if everyone saw him getting in my cornea calling me an idiot
and apologizing too. Otherwise everything is alright, I’m
not very worried about him. I had a "damage", but it
was superficial. It was big, but superficial.
Do
you think the fight could have continued even with the cut?
Man,
it was bleeding a lot, it wasn’t possible to continue fighting.
At the time I didn’t mind, I wanted to fight, didn’t
care if there was blood, if it was red or blue, I wanted to fight.
But watching the video I saw that I wasn’t able to continue,
it was bleeding a lot.
And
what do you want now? Do you want the third fight with him?
Dude,
I already beat him once, was winning this one... For me, if I
have to fight, I fight, if I don’t, whatever. The problem
is his, has already lost once and at the second made this shit.
Did
you agreed with the judges, who gave 'No Contest'?
That
was absurd, I don’t even have what to say about this...
The
Dream 10 is scheduled for July 20. Do you think you will have
time to recover to this event?
I
don’t know what they’ll do... Honestly, I don’t
know, they didn’t say anything. I trained three months to
this clown come and do what he did, now I won’t fight in
July, not for a while. I’ll take a rest and wait.
What
did you think of the event itself?
The
event was good, was excellent, it was beautiful. The balance
was very positive in relation to the show, to the public.
And
what is the expectation for the next edition, which have Shaolin
facing Aoki and Filho fighting Manhoef?
Getting
these beasts together the show can’t be anything but beautiful,
especially Dream, which knows how to do the show.
You
are helping Paulo to return to the rings... How do you think
will be his fight against Manhoef?
Paulão
is that: after he puts down, there’s no way that Melvin
can get out. Paulão is getting stronger every day, is
growing gradually, is heavy, in a weight he likes to fight, is
good for him, it won’t have much problem with weight. Paulão
submits or ends beating Melvin and he doesn’t take the pressure.
You
and Paulão came from the Jiu-Jitsu to the MMA. How are
you seeing this exchange of experiences with him?
It
is good for both of us, because he is an experienced guy and
I’m an openweight world champion man, so we’re helping
each other a lot. When I started to train he was already black
belt, I always liked to see him fight and is a pleasure for me
and I’m sure is a pleasure for him, everyone is happy.
Source: Tatame
|
Rolles
Gracie
In
his second MMA fight, Rolles Gracie, son of the legend Rolls
Gracie, was the big star of the Art of War 12, which did a mega
event in Beijing, China. Doing justice to the last name, the
Gracie showed that the ground game is his area, submitting the
Russian Baga Agaev with a rear naked choke. After the victory,
which was watched closely by a lot of fight icons such as Rickson,
Royler, Royce, Werdum, Demian, Shaolin and Thales, the black
belt chatted with TATAME.com about the emotion of the victory.
Check below the chat with Rolles, who spoke about his life in
the United States, career goals and more.
This
was your first fight in MMA?
This
is my second, I fought another a year and a half ago, and spent
that time giving lots of classes, focusing on the academy to
compete at the No-Gi Pan American, but this year everything is
set for me to fight for at least two more times... It will be
good.
Are
you higher than Roger (Gracie)? What is your height and weight?
Yeah,
I'm a little bit higher than Roger, and weighted 113kg for the
event. I have 1.95 m.
How
was your first experience in MMA?
I
was very calm. Despite having just few experience in MMA, I'm
already living in the center of the fight for a long time, competing
in Jiu-Jitsu. I was well trained and that makes me confident...
When you enter and know that haven’t trained enough, you
get worried thinking "should I had to have trained more?",
but as I was training the whole year...
Did
you see any video of your opponent? When you heard about the
fight, how much time to train did you have?
I
had almost three weeks to train, but I was already training because
I was suppose to have fought in April, but I hurt my knee and
thought it was best to stop a little, then this opportunity appeared.
I was in Renzo's house and asked if I could fight the event,
but not as a guest, I said I wanted to go there to fight, and
then I made the contact and happened.
You
never had much contact with your father, because you’re
too young... Do you feel much pressure to be the son of a legend?
I
don’t feel pressure because of my father, but I want to
win and pressure myself, and the pressure is normal for any athlete
who is there and wants to win and be in the heads, and not be
there to make numbers.
What
is your dream, do you dream of fighting in the UFC?
We
are organized, with a manager focused to get us the fights and
I want to fight in the best organizations, UFC, Japan, everything.
Will
you fight the ADCC?
Yes,
I have signed, it is certain. This year I should do two more
fights in MMA and the ADCC... It will be no time until the end
of the year.
After
you have won the prize, Rickson said anything to you?
It
was nice... Two or three days before the fight we went to the
academy, made some positions, stayed together, he showed his
view, it was quite nice, because I had said that, when I was
younger, with 14 or 15 years old, I had a little class with him,
where he showed me a way to defend the arm-locks that I use until
today. I told him that, the things he showed me I do today, I
liked a lot of the experience with my family, Royler, Royce.
Where
are you living? How is your life?
I
was living in New York, now I moved out of there, and we opened
a new academy.
Is
there any modality that you train more than Jiu-Jitsu?
Before
I begin to fight MMA, I always liked to train the falls standing,
Judo, Wrestling. I like to train everything, punch, kick, but
the thing I practice more is Jiu-Jitsu, I practice almost every
day, along with other modalities. I believe a lot in Jiu-Jitsu,
which for me is the backbone of MMA. A guy who doesn’t know
Jiu-Jitsu won’t survive for a long time in MMA.
How
would you define the importance of your father in Jiu-Jitsu?
What
I hear my uncles and my older cousins talk is that he was almost
a bridge of the old Jiu-Jitsu to the new Jiu-Jitsu, making the
modality more aggressive. Formerly it was more a defense fight
and he began to see the offensive part and began to fight to
get it, to do it fast. When he died, I was four years old and
Igor was two. I have many memories of him, remember him taking
us, taking to the Parque da Cidade, in Rio, to the academy, putting
us to roll in the mat, playing... I was a child, but I had a
good contact.
Who
is your idol in Jiu-Jitsu and MMA?
My
uncles, my cousins and, always when I was a child, different
from other boys who wanted to be a soccer player, fireman, I
wanted to be equal to my uncles. They were my idols and I never
saw myself doing anything different.
Now
you have 30 years old. When you were with 15, Royce was starting
to shine...
Yes...
No only the MMA part, but I already knew that I would end up
getting involved with the part of Jiu-Jitsu.
And
what did you think of the event itself, of the MMA getting into
China?
I
think that it will explode, because China is a big market, South
Asia also... The guys said that they’ll show this event
on TV after for 300 million people, roughly the population of
the USA. Then, they should take this event to Singapore, Hong
Kong, Shanghai... They have a TV show every Sunday, began with
an hour, now they have MMA the whole day in the weekend. It has
everything to explode. The event is very well organized, the
production is cool, the card also, the fights were great, of
course is still starting…
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
“Search
others for their virtues, thyself for thy vices.”
Benjamin Franklin
|
WEC
CHAMP VARNER EYEING SEPTEMBER RETURN
There's not a much sweeter win in all of MMA than defending a
world title, but for WEC lightweight champion Jamie Varner his
last victory came at the cost of his bodily health. Following
a win over top contender Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, it
was the champion who had to undergo several surgeries that will
likely keep him out of action until late summer.
The
champion stopped by MMAWeekly Radio recently, and disclosed that
all in total he had two hand surgeries, two pins, six screws,
and a plate inserted into his hand, a broken blood vessel in
his eye, and a broken foot. All told at this point, Varner says
he is about a month out from being able to punch again on his
broken hand, and then he's ready to get back into camp and fight.
"September's
when I'm looking to get back in there," Varner said. "I'm
thinking the WEC will have me headline the card in September,
and I'm hoping for that. I'm going to start training coming into
this next week."
As
for possible opponents, Cerrone's name still remains at the top
of the list following the stoppage in their last fight, and the
champion is more than happy to settle the unfinished business
between to two fighters.
"If
it's Cowboy, I'd love to shut him up. I'd love to shut all of
his fans up. Whoever his web manager is, I'd like to smash his
face in, too," stated Varner. "You go to his website,
they have him down as 10-0 on his website. So funny, I'm pretty
sure he's 9-1 cause if he was 10-0 he'd have a world title sitting
on his mantle."
Admitting
that sitting out has been just about the hardest thing ever,
Varner says that he doesn't want a warm-up fight when he comes
back, he only wants to face the best in the world because that's
what champions are supposed to do.
"When
you're a world champion there is no easy fight," said Varner.
"You don't have time to get ring rust. You've got to be
ready to face the best in the world whenever they call you. I
love it, and I'm ready for it."
He
also commented on his place in the ever-expanding lightweight
division, where top fighters are all scratching and clawing to
get to the top of the weight class.
"I
feel I am one of the best lightweights in the world. Top five,
bar none," he said. "There's not too many people in
the world at 155 pounds that can beat me, and since my injury,
I've gotten more confident. I believe in myself a lot more than
I ever have, and I'm just ready to get back in there and just
do my thing."
Jamie
Varner will continue to coach and work with teammates at Arizona
Combat Sports before getting back into his own camp for a possible
September return.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
KOSCHECK
VS. TRIGG AT UFC 103 IN SEPTEMBER
A welterweight bout is nearing completion for an as of yet unannounced
UFC 103 show in September. American Kickboxing Academy fighter
Josh Koscheck looks to get back into action, and he will welcome
back former top 170-pound contender Frank Trigg. The bout marks
Trigg's first fight back with the organization since signing
a new four-fight deal with the UFC earlier this week.
The
bout was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the fight
on Friday, who indicated the fight has been verbally agreed to
at this point.
Koscheck
suffered a foot injury that kept him out of his last fight, a
bout against Chris Wilson that was to take place at last weekend's
UFC 98 card in Las Vegas.
The
former "Ultimate Fighter" season one competitor has
been chomping at the bit to get back in action since his first
round TKO loss to Paulo Thiago in February.
By
fight time, it will have been over 4 years since Trigg competed
in the Octagon, but he will look to get back in strong form facing
a Top 10 competitor in Koscheck.
Since
exiting the UFC, Trigg has competed in numerous organizations
including Pride, Icon, Strikeforce and Sengoku. This will be
Trigg's first fight back at welterweight since moving to the
185-pound class in 2006.
The
bout between Koscheck and Trigg is all but guaranteed to end
up on the main card of whatever show the UFC promotes in September.
While no official announcement has been made, Sept. 26 has been
the proposed date, and England has been mentioned as a possible
location.
Source: MMA Weekly
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ROGERS
WANTS RESPECT AGAINST ARLOVSKI
Brett Rogers has taken the short, sure way to gain respect in
the MMA world: take on opponent widely perceived to be on a higher
level.
Andrei
Arlovski, his charge on June 6, is a bona fide Top 10 heavyweight.
The former UFC heavyweight champion fell short in his chance
to knock off the number one guy, Fedor Emelianenko, but he’s
still a talented and dangerous fighter.
Never
mind that, Rogers says.
“Now,
it’s about building respect,” he told reporters Wednesday
on a Strikeforce teleconference promoting his June 6 fight with
“The Pitbull.” “I’m just at that point where
I have a great gym now, we have top coaches, and I’m doing
everything I need to do to take on top fighters.”
Rogers
was originally scheduled to take on Alistair Overeem on the main
card of the St. Louis fight, but Overeem injured his hand in
a barroom brawl in Holland and was forced to withdraw. Arlovski
stepped in, still under a non-exclusive contract with Affliction,
and suddenly, Rogers had the biggest challenge of his career.
The
undefeated heavyweight bristles at Overeem’s recent fortune,
but thinks everything worked out for the best.
“He’s
a pro fighter and he’s going to act the fool a couple weeks
beforehand, regardless of the family situation,” said Rogers.
“But I’m moving on to bigger and better (things), I
get the fight with Arlovski, knock him out, hopefully move on
to someone better. This isn’t going to be forever, so I
(need) to make my move like right now while I’m healthy,
nothing’s wrong.”
Rogers,
who grew up in the Cabrini-Green Projects in Chicago’s North
Side, has quit his day job at Sam’s Club in St. Paul, Minn.,
for good, he says. In the next year, he wants to make a serious
run at the Strikeforce heavyweight title and beyond. He’s
training at Ambition MMA in Eagan, Minn., alongside his Team
Bison teammates and the pro football players, bodybuilders, and
other athletes who come to get a serious workout. He feels the
switch to full-time has helped him turn a corner.
After
a yearlong layoff, a lot was riding on his April return. Bills
needed to get paid, and as he put it, opponent Ron “Abongo”
Humphries was going to pay them.
“You
call anybody from the street and tell them that you gonna get
X amount of money, you’re definitely going through that
pressure,” said Rogers. “Because you’ve got to
get out there and do whatever. So I went into that fight with
that kind of mindset. I knew about Abongo’s background,
and I really wasn’t trying to give him no chance at all
of doing anything.”
Thankfully,
Rogers dispatched Humphries with vicious knees and punches at
“Shamrock vs. Diaz,” and the pressure let up a bit.
A month and a half later, it’s back.
“I
still feel like I’m in the same situation with Arlovski,”
he said. “If I move forward, it’s great, but if I don’t,
it’s just going to be promises. I’ve gotta get in there
and do work with him too.”
He
was a fan of Arlovski’s when he got into the game, but those
feelings have to be put aside.
“He’s
just another man,” said Rogers. “You know, he walks
around with vampire teeth and all that. If we don’t go out
with and bang, then I’m gonna want the tooth. That’s
the way I see it. I want to go in there and just hurt... that’s
all I’m thinking. I just want to hurt. None of that soft,
tappy stuff, I just want to hurt.”
At
the gym, he’s been working on countering Arlovski’s
technical skills, especially his footwork and boxing, without
running out of energy.
“I’ve
been more concerned about speed, working with guys with a lot
of speed ever since I heard about the fight,” said Rogers.
“Arlovski, he’s going to want to move around a lot.
I definitely want control of this fight. Arlovski’s a lighter
heavyweight, and he’s real light on his toes, so definitely
more conditioning and more control.”
He’ll
get plenty of respect if he can control The Pitbull.
“I’m
still undefeated, and I plan on being that way after the 6th,”
said Rogers.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Jungle:
Minotouro to fight in September
Wallid Ismail negotiates Nogueira’s second Jungle Fight
Wallid
Ismail is charging full steam into production of Jungle Fight
Sao Paulo, which he says is set to take place August 1st. After
Minotouro’s debut in Brazil, at Jungle Fight Ceara last
May 9, Ismail wants to secure another performance from the black
belt.
“Yesterday
I had a talk with Minotouro here in Sao Paulo and we’re
moving ahead in our negotiations. I want to set up another fight
for him here in September, two Jungle’s from now,”
said Ismail.
Minotouro
on his part stated he loved the experience of fighting in Brazil.
“I can tell you I’ll fight again here many times,”
he said to NOCAUTE magazine, soon on newsstands throughout Brazil.
Wallid
carries on excited about the repercussions from Jungle, which
was this Sunday featured in the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.
“What
Jungle does is bring guys from abroad to fight here, discover
new talents and bring back great athletes from the past. For
example, I sometimes hear people criticizing Johil, but I’m
really happy to see him fight and win. Those are the things that
make me happy,” said Wallid, referring to former UFC fighter
Johil de Oliveira.
And
Wallid wants to see some of the stars from Jungle Ceara back
in his event fighting in Sao Paulo: “I want Alexandre Pulga,
Johil, Andrezinho Nogueira and Denis Gomes to fight,” said
the Carlson Gracie black belt in finishing.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Worlds:
Felipe Costa’s farewell
Black belt bids farewell to adult category
Sign-ups
over, many black belts guaranteed their presence at the Jiu-Jitsu
World Championship 2009, to take place between the 4th and 7th
of June, in Long Beach.
And
one of those gunning for a medal in the roosterweight category
is Brasa stalwart Felipe Costa, black belt world champion in
2003. For 2009, Felipe hopes to have one of his best performances
to date, as he will be bidding farewell to the adult division
to next year compete as a master.
“This
time I did my preparations more seriously, both in physical conditioning
and technique. I’m hoping this will be my last Worlds in
the adult category,” revealed Felipe to GRACIEMAG.com.
“I
want to win and then move on to fight as a master. I’ve
been over 30 years old since last year. So I’m looking at
this as a farewell. Of course competing or not comes and goes.
It’s not definitive, but my intention at this time is to
go in as an adult and then move on. I feel I have nothing left
to prove. I’ve won all the important titles,” stated
the fighter.
“I
think this is a natural decision for one who makes a living just
on Jiu-Jitsu and doesn’t move over to MMA. I like to fight,
but I’m not going to fight forever. I rather stop at the
right time than go putting it off. Since there’s a master
category, which is a way for us to feel a part of it, and it’s
a category that gets tougher with every year, I don’t think
I’ll lose the pleasure of competing,” he finished.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Xande
out of Worlds
Knee injury ends dreams of winning third world absolute this
year
Xande
Ribeiro will be the biggest name left out of the Worlds 2009,
reports Marcelo Dunlop. The Gracie Humaita fighter and Sengoku
star suffered a knee injury in training this week, has been trying
to recover in time but should be announcing his absence officially
soon, in an open letter to the press. The fighter is the current
absolute world champion, a title he also won in 2006.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Ninja
plans return to Dream in August
Returning
to the Japanese rings after nearly three years, Murilo "Ninja"
Rua hasn’t got much luck. Seeing the opponent being changed
one day before the fight, the Brazilian was defeated by Riki
Fukuda in the unanimous decision. Back to trainings, the Universidade
da Luta athlete expects to return to the rings as soon as possible.
"I
was with a shoulder injury, but everything is alright now. I’m
not training hard, but there is nothing certain yet. I think
I will return to the Dream in August or September", said
Ninja, who needs the victory after two losses. "Now I need
to win, because I couldn’t do a good fight (against Fukuda),
didn’t have a good presentation for the fans and for myself",
finished the Brazilian.
Source: Tatame
|
Langhi:
“The goal is to win the World Cup”
The
return of the phenomenon of Jiu-Jitsu, Fernando Tererê,
to the competitions, seems that served as inspiration for many
fighters at this Brazilian Championship. Such as Alan "Finfou",
another athlete who got the gold based on Tererê was Michael
Langhi, lightweight fighter of Alliance, which defeated, at the
final, Vinícius Marinho (GFTeam) with an arm-lock.
"This
is my second Brazilian at the black belt, last year I made the
final with Vinícius too, who is a very tough athlete and
is congratulated. I’m very happy with this second title.
I always enter to win in all competitions and this is my life...
It is part of the life of the athlete who trains a lot and this
is the best time, time to come compete and put into practice
all you learned”, celebrated Langhi, who ensures that goes
with everything to the World Championship.
"The
biggest goal is to lead the World Cup, the Brazilian has already
served as a preparation, it was a practice. I’ll achieve
this title, even knowing that the lightweight category is one
of the most disputed”, finalized the black belt, who this
year won the European, the Pan-American, the World Professional
and now the Brazilian.
Source: Tatame
|
Destiny
Saturday,
June 13, 2009
Waipahu Filcom
Main Event
-145lbs
Tim "Majik" Moon (freelance) vs Lorenzo Moreno (Bulls
Pen)
Semi-Main
-145lbs
Ricky "Real Deal" Wallace vs Albert "Alwayz Bad"
Manners (Hilo)
-145lbs
Chad Pavao (Hakulia) vs Toby "2quick" Misech (LAVA
MMA, Hilo)
-135lbs
Keola Silva (HMC) vs Mark Tajon (Bulls Pen)
-145lbs
Justin Wong (HMC) vs Nui "Soljah Boy" Wheeler (Team
Souljahz)
-155lbs
Shaison Laupola (Gods Army) vs Nathan Haring (Team C.A.T.)
-145lbs
Richard Barnard (Gods Army) vs Miles Hayes (Team M.A.C.P.)
-205lbs
Jon Wright (Kurrupt Ambitionz) vs Nathan Patopoff (Team C.A.T.)
-135lbs
Zachary Close (freelance) vs Steve Albanese (Team M.A.C.P.)
-145lbs
Makenzie Young (Kurrupt Ambitionz) vs Charles Matias (freelance)
-155lbs
Ikaika Cabebe (freelance) vs Trey Corrales (Team C.A.T.)
-145lbs
Hizson Linkee (Gods Army) vs Layton Pacheco (freelance)
-140lbs (female amateur bout)
Lii Furuta vs T.J. Rodrigues (Bazuko MMA)
-185lbs
Chris Santiago (Gods Army) vs Charles Hazelwood (Combat 50)
MORE
BOUTS WILL BE ADDED. FIGHT CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE!
Japheth
"Jay" Bolos
CEO
DESTINY Entertainment, LLC
Westside Fight Gear
94-144 Farrington Hwy. Ste# 112
Waipahu, HI 96797
Store# (808)381-2790
T-mobile Cell# (808)277-2335
Sprint Cell# (808)368-5568
|
Quest
for Champions 2009
The Quest
for Champions 2009 Tournament featuring
Sport-Pankration, Submission Grappling and Continuous Sparring.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Kalani High School Gym
Email kunltd@hotmail.com for more information.
|
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