Upcoming
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2008
11/21/08
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
11/8/08
Aloha
State Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ/Sub Grapping)
(Gym #1, UH Manoa)
10/18/08
Destiny
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
10/12/08
HFL Championships
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
10/11/08
NAGA
(BJJ & Sub Wrestling)
(Blaisdell)
10/10/08
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
10/4/08
The Quest
for Champions Martial Arts Tournament
(Sport-Pankration, Submission Grappling and Continuous Sparring)
(Kalani High School Gym)
9/7/08
2008 Samahan Filipino
Martial Arts Tournament
(Forms, Fighting, Masters Demonstrations)
(Pearl City High School Gym)
9/6/08
UFC 88:
Break Through
(MMA)
(PPV)
9/5/08
Got Skillz Fighter
(Kickboxing & MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
8/23/08 & 8/24/08
Hawaii Training Ctr Boxing
(Boxing)
(Waipio
Industrial Court)
8/15/08
MMA At The O
(MMA)
(O Lounge Night Club)
8/14/08
Paragon Fighter
(Kickboxing)
(O Lounge)
8/9/08
K-1 Hawaii Grand Prix
(Kickboxing & MMA)
(Stan Sheriff Center, UH at Manoa)
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Kalaheo High School)
UFC 87
(MMA)
(PPV)
7/26/08
Maui Jiu-Jitsu BJJ Tournament
(BJJ)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
7/19/08
Kawano B.C., Palolo B.C., & USA-Boxing Hawai Amateur Boxing
Show
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
Affliction - Fedor vs. Sylvia
(PPV)
7/12/08
Aloha State
Mixed Martial Arts Competition
10AM - 7PM
(Kickboxing & MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
7/11/08
Hawaii Fighting Championships 10
(MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballrooms)
7/5/08
UFC 86 - Jackson vs. Griffin
(PPV)
6/27-29/08
OTM Pacific Submission
Grappling Tournament
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Blaisdell Exhibition Hall)
MMA Expo
(Blaisdell Convention Center)
6/21/08
Hawaii
Xtreme Combat
(MMA)
(Lahaina Civic Center, Lahaina, Maui)
Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale
6/20/08
Paragon
(MMA Hybred)
(O Lounge)
6/15/08
Grapplefest
(Submission Grappling)
Anderson Silva Seminar
Studio 4, UH at Manoa
1-4PM
$100
Mauricio "Shogun" Rua Seminar
Tropic Lightning TKD
Waipahu
5-7PM
$60
6/14/08
EliteXC
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, HI)
6/7/08
UFC 85 - Bedlam
(PPV)
6/6/08
Punishment in Paradise
Pound 4 Pound
(Kickboxing)
(Ahuna Ranch, Maili)
6/5-8/08
World Jiu-Jitsu Championsihps
(BJJ)
(California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, California)
6/1/08
Hawaiian
Open of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ/Sub Grapping)
(Gym #1, UH Manoa)
WEC 33
(Faber vs. Pulver)
(PPV)
5/31/08
CBS EliteXC
Saturday Night Fights
(9-11 p.m. ET/PT)
(CBS)
5/25/08
Man Up Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
5/24/08
UFC 84 - Ill Will
BJ Penn vs. Sean Sherk
(PPV)
5/16/08
X-1: Legends
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, HI)
5/9/08
Man Up Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
Hawaii Fighting Championships 9
(MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballrooms)
5/3/08
Hawaii
Fight League
Season 1, Event 3
(MMA)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
Full Force 4
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
Heart-of-a-Cage-Fighter
(Kauai
Veterans Center, Lihue, Kauai)
4/25/08
Punishment
in Paradise
(Kickboxing)
(Farrington High School)
4/18/08
Local Pride
Friday, April 18, 2008
(MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
4/12/08
Man Up &Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)
4/6/08
GrappleFest: Submission
Sundays
(Submission Grappling)
(Hawaii Room, Neal Blaisdell Center)
3/29/08
Garden Island Cage Match 7
(MMA)
(Hanapepe Stadium, Hanapepe, Kauai)
Hawaii Fighting Championships 8
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial)
3/28-30/08
Pan Jiu-Jitsu Championship
(BJJ)
(Californina State University, Dominguez Hills, CA)
Registration ends 3/22/08
3/16/08
Sera's Kajukenbo Open Tournament
(Continuous
Sparring, MMA, Submission Grappling)
(Maui High School Gym, Kahului, Maui)
Icon Fitness Gym Tournament
(Submission Wrestling)
(Icon Fitness Gym)
3/15/08
Icon Sport
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/9/08
2008 Pacific Invitational BJJ Tournament
(BJJ )
(Hibiscus Room, Ala Moana Hotel, Honolulu)
3/7/08
Got Skillz Fighter
(Kickboxing/MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)
3/1/08
USA-Boxing
Hawaii, Palolo B.C. & Kawano B.C. Presents Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park)
2/29/08
X-1 at the O-Lounge
Fight Club Meets Nightclub 4
(MMA)
(O-Lounge, Honolulu)
2/24/08
Icon Grappling Tournament
(Sub Grappling)
(Icon Gym)
2/17/08
Hawaiian
Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ/Sub Grapping)
(Gym #1, UH Manoa)
2/15/07
Midwest Invasion: Team Indiana vs. Team Hawaii
(MMA)
(Coyotes Night Club, 935 Dillingham Blvd, Kalihi)
2/8/08
Hawaii Fighting Championships 7
(Kickboxing & MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
2/2/08
Man up and Stand up
(Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery
Ballroom)
1/26/08
X1 World
Events: Champions
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
1/20/08
Big
Island Open Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(Konawaena High School)
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(POSTPONED)
1/19/08
UFC 80: Rapid Fire
(BJ Penn vs. Joe Stevenson)
Newcastle, England
1/12/08
Hawaii Fight League
Season 1, Event 2
(MMA)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
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Casca Grossa Jiu-Jitsu
is now the O2 Martial Arts Academy with 6 days a week training!
We are also offering Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday nights
with Ian Beltran and Kickboxing Tuesday and Thursday with Kaleo
Kwan!
Click
here for info!
Take classes from the Onzuka brothers in a family-like environment! |
In Memory of
Lars Chase
Rest in peace my brother
March 10, 1979 - April 2, 2008 |
Looking for a hotel
room on Oahu?
Check out this reasonably priced, quality hotel in Waikiki!
For the special Onzuka.com price, click on one of these banners
above! |
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Mention Onzuka.com
or the O2 Martial Arts Academy and receive 15% off labor for
repairs! |
Check out the FCTV website! |
Fighters' Club TV
The Toughest Show On
Teleivision
Tuesdays at 7:00PM
***NEW TIME***
Olelo Channel 52 on Oahu
Also on Akaku on Maui
Fighters' Club TV Radio
The Toughest Show On
Radio
Mondays at 9:00-10:00AM
AM1500 The Team
(808) 296-1500
- Call
in with questions and comments
with hosts Mark Kurano
& Icon Sport's Patrick Freitas |
Onzuka.com
Hawaii Underground Forum is Online!
Chris, Mark,
and I wanted to start an official Onzuka.com forum for a while
now. We were searching for the best forum to go with and hit
a gold mine! We have known Kirik, who heads the largest and most
popular forum on the net, The Underground for years.
He
offered us our own forum within the matrix know as MMA.tv. The
three of us will be the moderators with of course FCTV808 being
the lead since he is on there all day anyway!
We
encourage everyone from Hawaii and our many readers around world
to contribute to the Hawaii Underground.
If you
do not have a login, it's simple and fast to get one.
Click here to set up an account.
Don't worry about using Pidgin English in the posting. After
all it is the Hawaii Underground and what is a Hawaii Underground
without some Aloha and some Pidgin?
To
go directly to the Onzuka.com Hawaii Underground Forum
click here!
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for pricing and more information!
Short term and long term advertising available.
More than
1 million hits and counting!
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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.
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Want to Contact
Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!
Sidney
Silva Submission & MMA Hawaii Seminar
This seminar MMA,NO GI, SUBMISSION GRAPPLING it is about to show
you effective positions, the ones that really work, not the fancy
acrobatics ones, the real ones, the most commons attacks, transitions
between strikes and grappling, mistakes, combinations and of
course the defenses and escapes for all that.
It
is all about the details. Every body knows how to do an arm bar,
triangle, choke … right? But also a lot of time people miss
the positions because they miss the details. A little detail
can make the position successful or not, can be the difference
between the victory and the defeat.
Also
I would like to innovate with a new seminar style, which instead
of only showing you the positions and drills, like the traditional
types of seminar, you will also be allowed to ask your own questions
about specific positions and/or moves that you concern about.
I
want you, at the end, to feel that you learned as much as possible
and especially had fun.
So
I would like to invite you and your friends to learn and have
fun on September 07 at ICON gym. The investment is only $ 40
and you can also get a free seminar t-shirt if you are one of
the first 10 registrants, if you miss the registration you can
buy one over there for only $20.
The seminar will start at 3pm until 6pm and after will have lots
of time for free training.
If you want to pre-register send a check or money order to:
SIDNEY
SILVA
1503 Punahou Street, #1C
Honolulu, HI 96822
Thank
you,
Sidney Silva
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Quote
of the Day
"The
advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the
same good things for the first time."
Friedrich
Nietzsche, 1844-1900, German Philosopher
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Bigfoot:
“Nobody in UFC can beat Nogueira”
Antônio
“Bigfoot” Silva’s life couldn’t be better.
With no losses for almost two years, the EliteXC heavyweight
champion is celebrating his win, but already thinks in his back
to defend his belt. “I’m happy, but I’m back on
training because I might come back in September to defend my
belt. I passed a week with my family and it was great, but I’m
back here (ATT) now”, said the athlete, that analyzed Rodrigo
Nogueira’s next fight in UFC.
“Frank
Mir is an excellent fighter, has a good ground game and is not
a fool standing up, but not because I’m a huge Nogueira
fan or friend, but nobody in UFC can beat him. Everything can
happen in a fight, but I believe nobody can beat him there”,
bet the athlete, cheering for his friend to keep his Ultimate
belt.
Source:
Tatame |
|
Olympics
a direct pipeline to MMA
If
the past is any indication, the Beijing Olympic competition in
wrestling and judo could be the springboard for future mixed
martial arts stars.
At
least 21 different Olympic medalists from the two sports have
gone on to compete in MMA. These days, it seems every member
of the U.S. teams in those sports has been asked numerous times
about making the jump.
But
if you’re looking at the how someone fared in Olympic competition
to predict who will and won’t make it in MMA, you’re
in for a rude awakening.
Olympic
success seems to have little correlation with later MMA success,
as many medalists hardly had distinguished careers switching
to MMA.
Arguably
the most successful mixed martial artist who made the transition,
former PRIDE double champion Dan Henderson, only placed 10th
in Greco-Roman in 1992 and 12th in 1996.
The
three most successful MMA fighters that have come out of the
Olympics were merican wrestlers Henderson, Matt Lindland and
Mark Coleman.
Henderson
(22-7), who turns 38 next week, ended up more feared for his
strong right hand than his wrestling ability. But it was the
combination of both that led him to becoming the first man in
MMA history to simultaneously hold major world championships,
the PRIDE belts, at both 183 and 205 pounds, until the company
folded last year.
Affliction’s
Lindland, 38, is the most successful MMA fighter to boast of
an Olympic medal. He captured a silver in Greco-Roman in 2000
at 168 pounds. Lindland is 21-5 in a 12-year MMA career and is
still ranked among the top middleweights in the world.
Coleman,
43, who recently signed with UFC and is looking at moving to
205 pounds after suffering an MCL tear prior to a match scheduled
for Aug. 9, with Brock Lesnar, is 15-8. The former national champion
at Ohio State placed 7th in the 1992 Olympics as a freestyle
wrestler at 220 pounds.
After
failing to make the 1996 team, he walked into the UFC and became
its top star, winning the UFC 10 and UFC 11 tournaments and then
capturing the heavyweight title from Dan Severn in his first
seven months in the sport.
Coleman
looked unbeatable in the early days of the sport as the master
of the takedown and ground and pound. In 2000, he captured the
PRIDE Open Weight tournament title, at the time the toughest
tournament in the game. His career struggled in recent years
as Coleman and teammate Kevin Randleman were always criticized
for not evolving their games past relying on their wrestling
strengths.
Back
in 1997, Henderson, Lindland and Randy Couture started experimenting,
using their Greco-Roman background to figure out what did and
didn’t work in a fight. This new form of fighting was considered
more a way for wrestlers to make some money to help continue
fund their Olympic dreams that it was considered a career path
in and of itself.
With
two weeks of preparation and a few training sessions, knowing
nothing but wrestling, Henderson made his MMA on June 15, 1997,
winning the Brazil Open middleweight tournament in Rio de Janeiro.
“I
did submit another wrestler,” said Henderson about his debut.
“It was kind of a wrestling move, a front headlock used
as a choke. I squeezed like hell, but I didn’t know what
I was doing.”
“Now
you can’t go in as a wrestler,” he said. “You’ll
get beaten up.”
Perhaps
the most famous example of this occurred four years ago. Karam
Gaber Ibrahim of Egypt, then 24, was the star wrestler in the
2004 Olympics.
Competing
at 96 kilograms (211.5 pounds) in Greco-Roman, he was throwing
world champions around like they were school children. But just
a few months after winning the gold medal, he fought on a New
Year’s Eve show in Osaka, Japan, against the larger pro
wrestler-turned-fighter, Kazuyuki Fujita, and was knocked out
cold from a punch that resembled a clothesline-style manuever
in just 1:07.
The
Gaber Ibrahim situation is common in Japan, where they look to
put their experienced MMA fighters against people in other sports
with international credentials, but inexperienced in the fight
game.
Still,
that doesn’t always work out for the Japanese.
On
the same night as the Ibrahim vs. Fujita fight, Rulon Gardner,
the 2000 gold medalist and 2004 bronze medalist as a superheavyweight
in Greco-Roman wrestling, on a rival show in Saitama, Japan,
faced former judo gold medalist Hidehiko Yoshida. Gardner’s
balance from wrestling enabled him to keep the fight standing,
and he used size and rudimentary boxing to batter Yoshida the
entire match to take the decision. But Gardner said he did the
fight as a one-time deal, had no interest in it as a career,
and never fought again.
Henderson
noted that Dremiel Byers, who placed seventh as a superheavyweight
in Greco-Roman on Thursday, has talked about training with his
camp after the Olympics. The other American superheavyweight,
freestyle Steve Mocco, whose competition begins on Thursday,
has also talked of trying MMA after the Olympics. Ben Askren,
who competed in freestyle starting on Wednesday, has brought
it up as well. Ronda Rousey, the bronze medalist at 154 pounds
in women’s judo, who trains with former Ultimate Fighter
runner-up Manny Gamburyan, talked about the possibility of going
MMA after winning her medal.
From
Olympic gold to MMA
Mark
Schultz : The 1984 Olympic wrestling gold medalist was in Detroit
on May 17, 1996, for a UFC show, when a medical exam the day
before the show revealed fighter Dave Beneteau had been concealing
a broken hand. Schultz, who had studied jiu-jitsu after being
submitted in a gym encounter with Rickson Gracie a few years
earlier, stepped in for Beneteau and decisioned Gary Goodridge.
UFC had high hopes for him, but the UFC’s image in those
days was so bad that Brigham Young University, where he was coaching
wrestling, told him he’d be fired if he fought again.
Kenny
Monday: Gold medalist in 1988 and silver medalist in 1992 at
163 pounds, Monday, considered a U.S. wrestling legend, is the
only gold medalist who won a major championship, beating John
Lewis for the Extreme Fighting Championship’s welterweight
title on March 28, 1997. But after EFC folded, and being caught
by Matt Hume in a submissions-only match, Monday never competed
again.
Kevin
Jackson: Gold medalist in 1992 at 181 pounds, the creation of
UFC’s marquee title, the light heavyweight title, originally
called the middleweight title, was due to Jackson, who was expected
to be the first champion. But Frank Shamrock submitted Jackson
with an armbar in 14 seconds in the first middleweight title
match. Due to UFC’s negative rep, Jackson, an Olympic team
coach, was, like Schultz, told if he continued to fight he would
lose his job, so ended his career in 1998 with a 4-2 record.
Hidehiko
Yoshida: Gold medalist in 1992 in judo at 172 pounds. Yoshida,
9-6-1, was one of the top stars of the glory days of Japanese
MMA, with wins over Don Frye, Royce Gracie, Tank Abbott and Mark
Hunt, plus two competitive losses to Wanderlei Silva. His matches
with Gracie and Rulon Gardner were two of the highest rated matches
in Pride history.
Pawel
Nastula: Gold medalist in 1992 in judo at 220 pounds, beating
another future MMA fighter, South Korea’s Kim Min-soo, he
is 1-3 in MMA, although his losses have been to Antonio Rodrigo
Nogueira, Josh Barnett and Aleksander Emelianenko.
Makoto
Takimoto: Gold medalist in 2000 in judo at 180 pounds, Takimoto
is 4-4, but does have wins over Yoon Dong-Sik and former UFC
middleweight champion Murilo Bustamante.
Rulon
Gardner: Gold medalist in 2000 in Greco-Roman wrestling beating
legendary Aleksander Karelin in one of the biggest upsets in
Olympic history as a superheavyweight, his December 31, 2004,
win over Yoshida in the only battle of gold medalists in MMA
history drew 27 million viewers on Japanese television.
Karam
Gaber Ibrahim: The biggest flop of the gold medalists, losing
in just 1:07 on December 31, 2004 to Kazuyuki Fujita after destroying
Olympic competition at 211.5 pounds in Greco-Roman wrestling
months earlier.
Istavan
Majoros Gold medalist in 2004 Greco-Roman wrestling at 121 pounds,
Majoros was fed to Kid Yamamoto on December 31, 2006, and knocked
out in 3:46.
Source:
Yahoo Sports |
Rankings:
Fallout after month of big fights
Never
in the yearlong history of the Yahoo! Sports pound-for-pound
Top 10 poll has there been a month like the one that just passed.
Three
of the last month’s top four fighters competed in high-profile
main events, and each looked dominant.
Last
month’s No. 1, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva,
stepped up to light heavyweight on July 19 in Las Vegas and crushed
James Irvin with a TKO in just 1:01.
Georges
St. Pierre, July’s No. 2 ranked fighter, defended his UFC
welterweight title on Aug. 9 against Jon Fitch and put on what,
from a scorecard perspective, was the second-most lopsided performance
in UFC title history. The combined 19-point margin on the scores
(50-43, 50-44, 50-44) was surpassed only by the 23-point differential
Rich Franklin laid on David Loiseau in their middleweight title
match at UFC 58 (50-43, 50-42, 50-42).
And
former No. 4 Fedor Emelianenko didn’t take long in reminding
fans why he is the most dominant heavyweight in mixed martial
arts history. The Russian’s 36-second tail-kicking of two-time
former UFC heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia at Affliction: Banned
in Anaheim, Calif., was one of the most efficient displays of
skill and striking power ever displayed on these shores.
In
the end, though, Emelianenko’s beatdown wasn’t enough
to knock Silva off his perch. Silva took 10 first-place votes
and finished with 134 points, which keeps him atop the poll for
the eighth straight month. Emelianenko jumped from fourth to
second with 119 points, including the other four first-place
votes.
In
addition to his 10 first-place votes, Silva garnered two second-place
votes and two thirds. Emelianenko’s other votes broke down
to four second-place finishes, three thirds, one fourth and one
sixth.
St.
Pierre finds himself in the odd position of dropping a spot despite
his performance against Fitch. He dropped from second to third
with 117 points after taking six seconds, five thirds and three
fourths.
For
info on the Y! Sports MMA Top 10 panel, go here.
10.
Quinton Jackson
Points: 21
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Memphis, Tenn.
Record: 28-7 (lost past one)
Last month’s ranking: 9
Most recent result: lost to Forrest Griffin, unanimous decision,
July 5
Analysis: “Rampage” still is ranked, but he faces an
uncertain future after his well-publicized escapades in Orange
County last month. There have been murmurs of a potential match
with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, but rushing Jackson back
in the octagon before his legal situation is cleared up would
be a disservice to the fighter and reflect poorly on the UFC.
9.
Randy Couture
Points: 23
Affiliation: Under contract to UFC
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Gresham, Ore.
Record: 16-8 (won past two)
Last month’s ranking: 10
Most recent results: def. Gabriel Gonzaga, Round 3 TKO, Aug.
25
Analysis: The Y! Sports poll has a one-year inactivity clause.
Fighters who go 12 months without competing are ineligible for
consideration until they next square off. This is the last month
of eligibility for the 45-year-old Couture, whose back-and-forth
legal issues with his employer continues to creak its way through
our nation’s oh-so-efficient court system.
8.
Forrest Griffin
Points: 44
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Light heavyweight (UFC light heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Las Vegas
Record: 16-4 (won past two)
Last month’s ranking: 8
Most recent result: def. Quinton Jackson, unanimous decision,
July 5
Analysis: Griffin is taking a well-deserved break after his title
win. The Sept. 6 Chuck Liddell-Rashad Evans match in Atlanta
is just step one in a chain of events over the next several months
that will determine his next opponent.
7.
Miguel Angel Torres
Points: 56
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Bantamweight (WEC bantamweight champion)
Hometown: E. Chicago, Ind.
Record: 34-1 (won past 15)
Last month’s ranking: 7
Most recent result: def. Yoshiro Maeda, TKO R3, June 1
Analysis: Not many fighters boast near-flawless, world-class
skills in as many aspects of the game as Torres. While he finally
has experienced his breakthrough year and gotten his time in
the national spotlight, it could be that the bantamweight division’s
relatively low profile is the only thing keeping Torres from
placing higher on the list.
6.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Points: 57
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Heavyweight (UFC interim heavyweight champion)
Hometown: Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil
Record: 31-4-1 (won past 3)
Last month’s ranking: 6
Recent results: def. Tim Sylvia, R3 submission, Feb. 2
Analysis: Sorry, folks, there just isn’t a whole lot to
add when a fighter sits out for nearly a year. Frank Mir will
be a prohibitive underdog when the two finally meet, and unless
the UFC does an about-face and brings Couture or Emelianenko
into the fold, it isn’t hard to imagine Big Nog enjoying
a long reign as champion.
5.
Urijah Faber
Points: 84
Affiliation: WEC
Weight class: Featherweight (WEC featherweight champion)
Hometown: Sacramento, Calif.
Record: 21-1 (won past 13)
Last month’s ranking: 5
2007 results: def. Jens Pulver, unanimous decision, June 1
Analysis: Given the way Faber has torn through the competition,
there might be a temptation to dismiss his next foe, Mike Brown,
whom Faber meets Sept. 10. But that would be a mistake. While
Brown isn’t as well known as Jens Pulver, the American Top
Team standout has won 10 of his past 11 fights, including seven
in a row, a streak that includes victories over Yves Edwards
and Jeff Curran.
4.
B.J. Penn
Points: 100
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Lightweight (UFC lightweight champion)
Hometown: Hilo, Hawaii
Record: 13-4-1 (won past three)
Last month’s ranking: 3
Most recent result: def. Sean Sherk, R3 TKO, May 24
Analysis: If there were any doubt left that Penn wants a piece
of Georges St. Pierre, the UFC lightweight champion made sure
everyone noticed him on the floor at UFC 87. Penn was seen at
cageside openly rooting for the Quebecker, then jumped into the
octagon and grabbed the microphone. While there’s no dispute
St. Pierre was the legitimate winner of their first match, there’s
also no dispute the match was close enough to merit a rematch.
There’s likewise little dispute a rematch would produce
one of the UFC’s all-time best buy rates, which is why it
probably will get made.
3.
Georges St. Pierre
Points: 117
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Welterweight (UFC welterweight champion)
Hometown: Saint-Isidore, Quebec
Record: 17-2 (won past four)
Last month’s ranking: 2
Most recent result: def. Jon Fitch, unanimous decision, Aug.
9
Analysis: If you’re looking for any further proof St. Pierre
completely has expelled the demons of his upset loss to Matt
Serra, just look at the scorecards since the loss. GSP has fought
12 rounds in his past four fights. Two of those rounds ended
in stoppage victories. In nine of the remaining 10 rounds, St.
Pierre won on all three scorecards, with at least one 10-8 score
in three of the nine. He has not lost a round since dropping
the second to Josh Koscheck on two judges’ scorecards at
UFC 74.
2.
Fedor Emelianenko
Points: 119 (4 first-place votes)
Affiliation: Free agent (WAMMA heavyweight champion)
Weight class: Heavyweight
Hometown: Stary Oskol, Russia
Record: 28-1, 1 no-contest (won past nine)
Last month’s ranking: 4
Most recent result: def. Tim Sylvia, R1 submission, July 19.
Analysis: While there’s no disputing the dominance of Fedor’s
win last month, it also is clear through the benefit of hindsight
that Sylvia, who has lost three of his past four fights, couldn’t
hang with the world’s elite heavyweights. Sylvia fell short
against Emelianenko, Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in
the past 18 months. With Fedor sidelined for now with a hand
injury, expect his next foe to be whichever freak show Japanese
promoters serve up for his annual New Year’s Eve cupcake
dinner.
1.
Anderson Silva
Points: 134 (10 first-place votes)
Affiliation: UFC
Weight class: Middleweight (UFC middleweight champion)
Hometown: Curitiba, Brazil
Record: 22-4 (won past eight)
Last month’s ranking: 1
Most recent result: def. James Irvin, R1 TKO, July 19
Analysis: If we’re going to criticize Fedor for his caliber
of competition, we’ve got to be fair and do the same for
Silva. UFC is basically serving up Patrick Cote’s head on
a platter for the UFC 90 main event in suburban Chicago in October
in what on paper seems the most one-sided title match in quite
some time. But then, that’s the downside of cleaning out
the division in the manner Silva has.
More
•
Votes for others: Lyoto Machida 5; Narofumi Yamamoto 4; Eddie
Alvarez 3; Dan Henderson, Chuck Liddell 2; Carlos Condit, Shinya
Aoki, Jon Fitch 1.
Source:
Yahoo Sports |
|
ATT
loses its head trainer
Responsible
for the physical preparation at American Top Team, André
Benkei called TATAME to announce his leaving from the team. One
of the biggest names of the world on the physical preparation
at MMA, Benkei is responsible for the preparation of all ATT
athletes, but now leaves the team. “I left the team because
of some idealogical disagreements with the ATT headcoach, Ricardo
Libório. I had no trouble with the Dan Lambert or Conan
Silveira”, said Benkei, that will continue working on some
ATT athlete’s preparation.
“The
main athletes of the team will continue working with me as a
freelancer at Prime Time, but now I’m free to work with
any athlete of different teams. I don’t fight for a team
now, but Thiago Alves, Antônio “Bigfoot”, Thiago
Silva, Gesias Cavalcante and Marcus Aurélio confirmed
that they’ll continue with me. ATT will continue its life
witha new guy and Liborio’s way of working”, told Benkei.
For more about the changing at ATT, stay tuned on TATAME.com.
Source:
Tatame |
|
Thiago
Silva ready for Lyoto Machida
Getting
closer to the most important fight of his career, Thiago Silva
faces Lyoto Machida on the fight that might define the next contender
for the light heavyweight title. Training hard at American Top
Team, Thiago still doesn’t have a strategy to face him.
“I’m ready to fight. My preparation is good, I’m
really focused. I came to now, but I was training in and will
go to everything or nothing”, said Silva, that sees both
athletes pretty equal at the division. “I think we both
came where we are and faced great athletes, and who wins have
all right to fight for the belt, and he has even more than me
(laughs). But unfortunately I have to face another Brazilian
fighter”, said the athlete to TATAME.
Source:
Tatame |
Quote
of the Day
"You
cannot create experience. You must undergo it."
Albert Camus, 1913-1960, French Author and Philosopher
|
Fighters'
Club TV Tonight
Channel
52
NEW TIME of 8:00 PM!
A new episode
that features the Pac Sub tournament at the MMA Expo.
We
talk to the pound for pound best fighter in the world, BJ Penn.
East
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belt in only 4 years!
K-
Team and Relson Gracie competitor supreme, Brad Scott talks shop.
Last,
but certainly not the least, the lovely, but fierce Mrs. Bjjtek
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known as the HG.
If
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POST
INJURY, ANTHONY JOHNSON PLANS RETURN
Fresh
off of a knockout victory over Tommy Speer in April, Anthony
Johnson seemed to have the upper hand towards a decision victory
against Kevin Burns at the July 19 UFC Fight Night. With just
90 seconds left in the fight, however, he suffered an inadvertent
poke to the eye that went unnoticed by referee Steve Mazzagatti,
but left Johnson on the losing end of a TKO with a detached retina.
Johnson
has since undergone surgery to repair the injury. “I had
laser surgery to reattach my retina and I got stitches in my
eyeball right now,” he recently told MMAWeekly.com. “The
laceration on my eye was from one end of my eye to the other.”
Johnson’s
manager, Ken Pavia of MMA Agents, has been working on an appeal
of the outcome, but Johnson doesn’t seem to let the result
faze him all that much.
“I
wasn’t really big on the whole appealing the fight anyway,”
he commented. “Every single champion has a loss on his record.
I’m trying to see myself as the bigger and better guy. If
he’s the champion one day, I’ll accept an ‘L’.
“Everybody
was hating on Mazzagatti because of the call, but he was on the
side I was blocking on, so he actually didn’t see the guy
eye gouge me. All he saw was the uppercut… he called what
he thought he saw and I respect him.”
Of
course he’s not happy with the decision. “I was disappointed
because I did lose like that… when it should have been a
no contest or a DQ. He saw what he thought he saw, so I’m
not hating on him about it.”
But
Johnson is already looking to the future instead of dwelling
on the past, planning a return to the Octagon before winter comes.
“The doctor said I can be cleared in September to fight,
but I don’t want to fight in September. I’m just going
to wait until October and get my eye right.”
Source: MMA Weekly
|
SEAN
SHERK: "I WANT TO FIGHT THE BEST OF THE BEST"
It
has been a year of anguish for Sean Sherk. First, he had to face
allegations of using a performance enhancing substance in his
UFC lightweight title defense against Hermes Franca, which was
upheld by the California State Athletic Commission. He went through
months of suspension and the stripping of his championship belt.
Then,
in his return to competition in May, Sherk suffered a rare TKO
defeat at the hands of current UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn.
Still,
Sherk keeps his head up and looks forward to his next bout, and
an eventual return to title contention.
“I
have five fights left (on my contract),” he told MMAWeekly.com.
“I feel like I have a good, strong future with the UFC still.
I feel like I’m a strong part of the organization. Maybe
one or two wins will put me back in title contention again.”
Part
of his surety of returning to fight for UFC gold is Sherk’s
particularity in selecting opponents. He’s not interested
in taking on just anyone that happens to show a spark of talent
in the lightweight division. He wants to face the toughest competition
around, the guys that, if he defeats them, will leave no one
doubting that he should be back in the mix, fighting for a UFC
championship.
“I’ve
been real careful with who I’m going to fight. I want to
fight contenders; I want to fight top guys,” Sherk stated
to MMMAWeekly.com. “I don’t want to fight up and coming
guys… I want to fight the best of the best and that’s
what I’m doing with my upcoming fight.”
Though
it has yet to be announced by the UFC, sources close to both
camps say that Sherk’s next bout has been signed and he
will face rising contender Tyson Griffin. The bout is expected
to take place in Chicago on Oct. 25 at UFC 90.
The
winner will surely be propelled within a fight or two of an eventual
title shot, although the lightweight division is currently in
flux as champion B.J. Penn lobbies for a move up in weight to
rematch UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, while retaining
the crown at 155 pounds.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Check
Mat takes No-Gi
Recently
formed by Leozinho Vieira after leaving Brasa, Check Mat is already
celebrating its first great achievement. With the results from
all the categories tallied up, the team was shown to be the winner
among teams of the 2008 No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu World Championship. The
overall result was corrected this morning by the International
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) and placed Gracie Humaita
in second, followed by Alliance. The IBJJF apologizes for the
mistake.
The
corrected final results are as follows:
Adult
1- Check Mat 52
2- Gracie Humaita 47
3- Alliance 47
Gracie Humaita has 5 champions and Alliance has 4
Master and Senior
1- Alliance 95
2- Gracie Humaitá 94
3- Gracie Barra 55
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Caio
Terra gets double in USA
Athlete takes both Gi and No-Gi Worlds at super feather
The
life of an athlete is no walk in the park. After being crowned
champion at the No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Worlds at super featherweight,
Jiu-Jitsu stylist Caio Terra only managed to make it home at
2:30 in the morning, after a 500-mile drive. On his way to his
place, though, the black belt was content with the special significance
of the medal for his career. It’s that last year Caio participated
in the No-Gi Worlds and lost in the final to Samuel Braga (Gracie
Barra). This year, however, the story went differently. Caio
submitted Rafael Freitas (Gracie Barra) with a foot lock and
took super featherweight gold.
“The
fight with Rafael Freitas was the toughest I was in, but the
only one I got the submission in. I went for the kneebar and
he attacked my foot. I was chest down and they didn’t see
his foot, but when he attacked my foot, Rafael defended the knee
turning his foot inwards and letting the hold sink,” said
the fighter.
Still
in ecstasy for his victory, the Cesar Gracie athlete tells of
how he received many phone calls and 10 emails from his proud
mother. “Everyone thinks it’s awesome I won. Mainly
because only Cobrinha, Braga Neto and I won both the Gi and No-Gi
Worlds in the same year,” said Caio with excitement.
One
week before participating in the championship, Caio said in an
interview with GRACIEMAG.com that he was not putting much emphasis
on physical conditioning because he believed in “technique
over strength.” After putting theory to practice in the
CSU Dominguez Hills gymnasium, Caio confirmed his theory.
“I
don’t usually go in with a strategy for the fight. I feel
comfortable in whatever place or situation. I change my game
according to how my opponent fights, till he makes a mistake.
I was feeling good in the fight, he was moving around a lot,
the way I like it. I sunk an armbar and felt it was in real tight,
but it slipped and he got out. Already going for the calf crunch,
which surprised me, I defended but he swept me, going 2 points
ahead. But I didn’t worry about it, if just because anyone
who’s seen my fights knows at least 10 points are scored
or there’s a submission,” he said. I was more determined
than anybody, ever since I signed up for the No-Gi Worlds. I
could only think about it. God blessed me once again,” finished
confident Caio, who went further in saying his wish now is to
be the first two-time roosterweight champion and manage a place
in the ADCC next year.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Tussa:
twice heavyweight champ
Fighter talks of win over Bruno Bastos
Roberto
Tussa (Gracie Barra) managed to take gold once again this year
at the No-Gi World Championship, becoming the first two-time
champion of the heavyweight division. Tussa, in the final, beat
Bruno Bastos (Nova Uniao) by 2 to 0 (takedown).
“I’d
been keeping up with Bruno Bastos. He’s a very strategic
fighter. I studied his fights. He fought a friend of mine, Alexandre
Dante, and it was 2 to 2 and he managed an armbar at the very
end. I also knew he was good at flying armbars, so I already
knew who I would fight against. I’d never faced him, but
I had an idea. In my opinion he’s a guy who doesn’t
risk much, so [in the final] I practically just played his game
and we just traded grips. At about two minutes he messed up with
an armdrag, but ended up going out of the ring and I gained an
advantage. Then he tried another armdrag and left the ring again,
so I ended up getting two points. When I had 2 points and an
advantage, I started administering the fight. I’ll say I
didn’t stall, because I don’t like stalling, but I
was trying for takedowns and he wasn’t taking any risks,
so I didn’t take any risks either. I ended up using his
game to beat him,” confirmed Roberto Tussa.
Tussa
tried for the absolute, but didn’t get it, stopping in the
semifinal to Antonio Braga Neto (Ralph Gracie), the standout
of the championship for winning the absolute. Tussa took third,
as he did in 2007. “We fought really well and at 6 or 7
minutes he took my back and scored 6 points. Then he managed
to put in the hooks and scored another 4, so he ended up beating
me. I took third, but it was a learning and growing experience.
The next day I competed with my head in the right place and scored
21 points and got the finish with a triangle,” said Tussa,
who intends to return to training at full blast with the objective
of competing at the No-Gi Pan-American, to take place in the
first week of October, in New York.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Minotouro
smiling again
MMA star happy about Affliction
Rogerio
Minotouro was one of the top MMA fighters to suffer most with
Pride FC's demise. Since the end of the Japanese promotion until
his return to the ring, nearly 12 months have elapsed. The comeback,
held at the already-extinct HCF, was victorious, but the end
of the Canadian organization again left his career in limbo.
The creation of Affliction, however, opened a new door for the
Brazilian standout, and the positive debut against Edwin Deewes,
by technical knockout, made it clear he’s still got it.
Currently
responsible by Team Nogueira, in Florida, Minotouro welcomed
GRACIEMAG.com special collaborator Nalty Jr. for a talk. Check
it out:
You
went a long time without fighting. What is the importance of
Affliction to your career?
I hadn't fought for four or five months. This turned out to be
good, because I came back to the U.S., and MMA is strong here.
Everybody knows that Affliction is a good promotion, with good
fights, and I wanted to be a part of it. Thank God I was able
to get into their first card.
What
is the focus of your training? What specialty are you working
on the most?
In Brazil I’ll be training a lot of wrestling with Jefferson,
Rodrigo Artilheiro, Rafael Feijão. I’ll be training
muay thai with Anderson Silva and Luis Alves. And of course I’ll
continue with my ground training.
And what can you say about your fight?
It went as I expected. The guy came kicking, and when I noticed
he was going to kick me, I was able to connect a straight punch
on top of a kick, he felt it; then he started backing up a lot,
then felt a left punch. Then I saw the chance to get a knockout
and seized it.
You’ve
fought in the world’s greatest events. With your experience,
what did you think about Affliction?
A good show. They’ve been doing a good job, Pride-style.
Everything points to their success. They have good investors,
a good organization. This was just the first event. It’s
great, but it’ll get better.
How’s
the new Team Nogueira, the Miami training center coming along?
The academy opened its doors two months ago, we already have
a bunch of students, there’s already a group training to
become professional. Next month we’ll probably have two
athletes fighting in professional MMA. And it looks to get better.
We’re doing a serious job, dividing our time between the
U.S. and Brazil. The tendency is to find talent in Brazil and
bring it here.
Is
there a name you can reveal that will be representing the team?
Some time ago we revealed Drago, last year it was Feijao, but
now I prefer to wait for these new guys to start fighting before
I name someone. We already have some great talent here, but we
want to wait for the fights.
What do you think about MMA these days?
A serious, long-term marketing job was done, by the UFC for example,
and now the new events are following the line of work. The sport
is very strong in the U.S., evolving very fast. So I think this
is the right place to be. Here you can get athletes to fight
every weekend, and that’s a dream to someone in MMA. That
means the marketing work was very well done, people love MMA,
it’s one of the biggest sports in America, just like in
Japan. And now we hope Brazil catches this fever too.
Talk about the recent success, with mainstream media paying attention
to the work of the Nogueira brothers.
This is very gratifying. We have a lot to be thankful for –
coaches, training partners. Our work hás been recognized,
and we evolve every day. Thank God the fans appreciate what we
do. The more the fans like us, the more the media wants to show
us, and that’s good not just for us, but for the sport as
well.
Source: Gracie Magazine
|
Nutrition
and Training in Cole’s Corner #1
Is a low carb /high protein diet correct for MMA training?
Dear
Mike,
While
the low carb/high protein diet is all the rage among casual dieters,
it is not at all ideal for the MMA athlete. In fact, those who
rigorously train MMA (>90 minutes per day) greatly benefit
from a diet with a greater percentage of carbs than protein.
One
of the major reasons for this has to do with the different roles
that protein and carbs play for an athlete. Protein is used to
build muscle, bone, skin, tendons, ligaments and other various
bodily tissues. Carbohydrates on the other hand (along with fats)
are used to supply energy during exercise. If a minimal amount
of carbohydrate is available to fuel an athlete, the body compensates
by breaking down its own protein stores in muscles to build its
own carbohydrates for energy. Carbohydrates provide energy for
active muscles either from the blood stream, or from glycogen,
the stored form of carbs located in the liver and within muscles
themselves.
An
excess of protein may in fact cause adverse health effects for
the kidneys, and bones.
The
nitrogen that is at the heart of every protein can’t be
stored or metabolized by our bodies. The kidneys are responsible
for excreting all nitrogen from protein in urine. So having large
quantities of protein puts extra stress on the kidneys. High
levels protein in the diet may also cause dehydration since extra
water is needed to flush out the nitrogen in the urine. (Yet
another compelling reason to keep hydrated!)
Additionally,
a high intake of protein is associated with an increase in the
amount of calcium that is normally lost in the urine. Calcium
is a mineral that is vital to the integrity of strong bones so
obviously unnecessary losses should be avoided. There is also
some evidence to suggest that this phenomenon is more common
when athletes obtain their protein from purified protein supplements
that also contain phosphorus. (Obviously if someone is getting
their protein from fatty animal sources this increases the risk
of heart disease and atherosclerosis)
So
just how many grams of carbohydrates and protein should a fighter
aim for?
This
question is more precisely answered with reference to body weight
as compared to a percentage of total calories.
For
active male athletes regularly participating in strength and
endurance training (>90 minutes daily)….
Carbohydrates:
Maximum of 4.5 grams of carbohydrate per lb of body weight
Protein:
Maximum of .77 grams of protein per lb of body weight
To
calculate your own needs, simply multiply body weight by amount
of grams
Example:
A 165 lb male athlete.
Carbohydrate needs: 165 x 4.5 = 742.5 grams of carbs
Protein needs: 165 x .77 = 127 g of protein
Best
of luck with your training!
P.R.
Cole
MS, RD Candidate
Program in Nutrition and Applied Physiology
Columbia University
New York, New York
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"If
you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people
or things."
Albert Einstein, 1879-1955, German-born American Physicist
|
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Imanari
wins bantamweight title at DEEP 37
Putting behind his featherweight title loss in May to Dokonjonosuke
Mishima, Masakazu Imanari was victorious Sunday for DEEP bantamweight
belt at DEEP 37.
Imanari,
arguably the most dangerous MMA fighter when it comes to leglocks,
captured the belt in spectacular fashion at the Korakuen Hall
with a heel hook in 29 seconds against Hiroshi Umemura, who walked
into the ring undefeated in his last eight fights.
Imanari
improved to 15-6-1 with his eleventh submission victory. Imanari
is also the holder of the Cage Rage featherweight belt.
In
a battle with the DEEP women's lightweight belt on the line,
Miku Matsumoto retained by knocking out Misaki Takimoto at 4:40
of the second round.
Source: MMA Fighting |
Minowa
taps out Frye with a kneebar at 'Gladiator'
The eccentric Ikuhisa Minowa submitted UFC 8 champion Don Frye
with a kneebar Saturday at "Gladiator" in Okayama,
Japan. The two PRIDE veterans were the headliners of the special
DEEP and CMA co-promoted event from the Momotaro Arena.
Minowa
took down Frye with a double-leg and began to work for a heel
hook before finishing with a kneebar at 3 minutes and 56 seconds
of the first round.
Frye's
last appearance in Japan was in April 2007 at the final PRIDE
event, where the 42-year-old from Arizona suffered a devastating
loss to James Thompson. Frye took a fight earlier this year at
a local event in Dallas and knocked out Bryan Pardoe in 47 seconds.
Minowa
split his recent appearances for DREAM, submitting Bum Chan Kang
with a kneebar at DREAM 1 and then losing a unanimous decision
to Taiei Kin at DREAM 2.
In
team action, the South Korea defeated Japan 4 to 1. Shooto, UFC
and DEEP veteran Jutaro Nakao notched the Japanese team's only
win with a second-round TKO over Yong Fun Lee. Michihiro Omigawa,
in his first fight back in Japan after two losses in the UFC,
lost to Chul Hyun Jung by unanimous decision.
Source: MMA Fighting |
MMAFighting.com
UFC Rankings for August 2008
Our UFC top ten rankings have been updated for August 2008 and
includes adjustments resulting from UFC Fight Night on July 19
and UFC 87 on August 9.
Georges
St. Pierre remains on the top of the welterweight division with
his successful title defense against Jon Fitch.
Brock
Lesnar might have single-handedly erased the stigma of being
a former WWE pro wrestler with a dominant win over Heath Herring.
Lesnar lands on the heavyweights list in the number six spot.
Please
note, these rankings are for UFC fighters only. Our world MMA
rankings can be viewed here.
MMAFighting.com
UFC Rankings - August 2008
Champions:
Heavyweights
- Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Light Heavyweights - Forrest Griffin
Middleweights - Anderson Silva
Welterweights - Georges St. Pierre
Lightweights - BJ Penn
Heavyweights
1:
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
2: Randy Couture
3: Fabricio Werdum
4: Gabriel Gonzaga
5: Frank Mir
6: Brock Lesnar
7: Heath Herring
8: Cheick Kongo
9: Brandon Vera
10: Cain Velasquez
Notable: E. Sanchez, S. Carwin
Light
Heavyweights
1:
Forrest Griffin
2: Quinton "Rampage" Jackson
3: Chuck Liddell
4: Wanderlei Silva
5: Lyoto Machida
6: Mauricio "Shogun" Rua
7: Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
8: Keith Jardine
9: Rashad Evans
10: Thiago Silva
Notable: M. Hamill
Middleweights
1:
Anderson Silva
2: Rich Franklin
3: Yushin Okami
4: Dan Henderson
5: Thales Leites
6: Nathan Marquardt
7: Patrick Cote
8: Michael Bisping
9: Demian Maia
10: Ricardo Almeida
Notable: C. Leben
Welterweights
1:
Georges St. Pierre
2: Thiago Alves
3: Jon Fitch
4: Matt Hughes
5: Josh Koscheck
6: Diego Sanchez
7: Karo Parisyan
8: Chris Wilson
9: Matt Serra
10: Akihiro Gono
Notable: M. Swick, D. Hyun Kim
Lightweights
1:
BJ Penn
2: Sean Sherk
3: Joe Stevenson
4: Kenny Florian
5: Roger Huerta
6: Gray Maynard
7: Frankie Edgar
8: Tyson Griffin
9: Nate Diaz
10: Joe Lauzon
Notable: R. Clementi
Source: MMA Fighting |
STRIKEFORCE
DENVER EVENT TO AIR LIVE ON HDNET
Over the past two years, Strikeforce has carefully worked to
expand its brand outside of its home base of San Jose, Calif.
They
first took steps down the street to the Save Mart Center in Fresno
and later a little further into Southern California at the Playboy
Mansion in Beverly Hills. Earlier this year, Strikeforce ventured
north, out of state for the first time, to the Tacoma Dome in
the Seattle area of Washington.
The
promotion heads back to the Playboy Mansion in September, then
again ventures outside The Golden State. On Oct. 3, Strikeforce
heads up and over the Rocky Mountains to land at the Broomfield
Events Center on the outskirts of Denver.
The
main event features a rematch as local hero and UFC veteran Duane
“Bang” Ludwig looks to avenge a past loss to Ultimate
Fighter alumnus Sammy Morgan. Several other UFC veterans also
dot the card with a bout between Frank Trigg and Falaniko Vitale,
and the participation of Phil Baroni and Pete Spratt.
Along
with taking the live events on the road, Strikeforce has also
managed to line up a couple of television deals. One is a weekly
series on late Saturday nights on NBC that features fights and
highlights from past events. The other is a deal with HDNet to
air live events on the Mark Cuban-owned high-definition subscription-based
network.
At
the time that Strikeforce announced the Oct. 3 event, it was
unclear what, if any, television coverage the event would receive
outside of highlights being featured on the “Strikeforce
on NBC” series.
Company
vice president Mike Afromowitz confirmed to MMAWeekly.com, however,
that Strikeforce’s “Denver show will be televised live
on HDNet.”
Strikeforce’s
initial agreement with HDNet calls for the network to air four
of the promotion’s events live in 2008. The first such event
was the event at the Tacoma Dome in February. The Denver/Broomfield
event marks the second event to air live on HDNet.
No
other Strikeforce events have been announced for HDNet at this
time.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
HERRING
MOVING ON, WANTS REMATCH WITH LESNAR
Heath Herring was convincingly defeated by Brock Lesnar at UFC
87 on Aug. 9 at the Target Center in Minneapolis by unanimous
decision. Unhappy with his performance and the outcome, Herring
looks to the future and would eventually like a rematch with
the Division I collegiate wrestling champion and former World
Wrestling Entertainment superstar.
Herring
had high expectations heading into the octagon against Lesnar,
but was caught by a right hand in the opening moments of the
bout that sent him and his expectations crashing to the canvas.
"I
think that shot pretty much changed the whole dynamic of the
fight," said Herring. "I sure would like to know what
would have happened if it hadn't landed."
"Once
that right hand landed it was like I was fighting half blind,
or pretty much blind at that point. It was all pretty much downhill
from there," explained the 30-year-old heavyweight. "
I just tried to come back and mount some type of offense. Unfortunately,
I was never able to mount anything that significant...After getting
rocked with a shot like that, and not being able to see, you're
more in survival mode."
"It
doesn't sit very well with me. I'll be honest. I mean, you go
out there and right at the beginning of the fight get caught
with probably the biggest shot ever and you're starting off right
away in a negative position."
Lesnar's
post-fight antics and conduct in the final seconds of the match
have received as much attention as the right hand that nearly
finished the fight in round one. When asked his thoughts on Lesnar's
actions, Herring responded, "That's kind of what everybody
expected. Isn't it? I mean, that's where he comes from. He's
got the pro wrestling background. That's kind of what they do."
"If
the fans don't like it, the fans need to make their opinions
heard on it, but I expected as much," added Herring. "If
that's how he's going to behave, that's how he's going to behave.
I'd still like another shot at it, but we'll see how that goes
later."
During
the post-fight press conference, Lesnar commented that there
was bad blood between the two camps leading up to the event that
resulted in the taunting after the win. "That was for Heath's
camp because on the way out to the Octagon there was some things
said before the fight," stated Lesnar.
Herring
disputes the bad blood claims. "I don't know really where
all of that is coming from. I just recently heard any of that
to be honest with you," said the UFC and Pride veteran.
Following
the fight, rumors swirled about alleged injuries suffered in
the loss. Herring assured MMAWeekly.com that the damage is minimal
and expects a quick recovery.
"Everything
should be all right," said the Texas native. "They
thought I had a small orbital problem. But I think that's going
to heal up and everything should be okay."</ | |