Upcoming
Events
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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2007
2/10/07
Punishment In Paradise 13
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)
2006
November
Aloha State Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
ROTR Qualfiers
(MMA)
(Kauai)
11/25/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
October
Rumble On The Rock
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
September
ROTR Qualifers
(MMA)
(Maui)
9/16/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
August
Hawaiian Open of
BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
Icon Sport 46
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
8/26-27/06
International
Masters & Seniors Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
8/18/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
8/5 or 8/12
Rumble On The Rock
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
Garden Island Cage Match 4
(MMA)
(Kauai)
Island
Warriors Fighting Championship
(MMA)
(War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)
7/22/06
ROTR Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
ROTR Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Guam)
7/22-30/06
CBJF World
Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/21/06
Punishment In Paradise 12
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)
7/20-24/06
CBJJO World Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/?/06
RAZE MMA Fight Night 2
(MMA)
(San Diego, CA)
7/7/06
Kickin' It
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
6/25/06
Quest for Champions 2006 Tournament
(Sport-Jujitsu, Sport Pankration, Sub Grappling, Extreme Sparring)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
6/17/06
ROTR Qualifiers
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
6/10/06
X-1 Battlegrounds 4
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
6/4/06
PRIDE Bushido 11: 'Bushido
Survival '06'
(PPV)
6/3/06
X-2 Extreme Wars:
Bay Area Brawl
(MMA)
(Oakland Alameda Coliseum, Oakland, CA)
2006 Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Associations Gi Tournament
(BJJ)
(Gracie Main Academy)
5/27/06
UFC 60:
Royce Gracie vs. Matt Hughes
(PPV)
5/26/06
Icon Sport 45
(MMA)
(Blaisdell 6Arena)
5/20/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
5/13/06
Got Skills Fighter Event
(MMA)
(Pagoda Hotel)
4/29/06
RAZE MMA Fight Night
(MMA)
(ipayOne center , former San Diego Sports Arena
San Diego, CA)
4/21/06
Rumble on the Rock
11: Grand Prix
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/15/06
UFC 59: Reality Check
(MMA)
(Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, CA)
4/7-9/06
2006
Pan-American Jiu-Jitsu Tournament
(BJJ)
(California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA)
4/6/06
Ultimate Fight Night on Spike TV
(MMA)
(Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV)
4/1/06
Punishment in Paradise
(Kickboxing)
(Sea Life Park)
3/26/06
3rd Maui Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku)
3/25/06
Garden Island Cage
Match #3
(MMA)
(Kapaa H.S. Gym, Kapaa, Kauai)
3/11/06
Hawaiian Championship
of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(St. Louis H.S. Gym)
Full Contact Showdown
(MMA)
(Kahuna's Sports Bar & Grill, Kaneohe Marine Corps Base)
3/4/06
Kickin It 2006
(Kickboxing)
(Venue TBA)
2/26/06
NAGA Hawaii State Championship
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Honolulu)
*Cancelled
until Summer*
2/25/06
Icon Sport 44
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
2/4/06
Kick it Up
(Kickboxing)
(Pagoda Hotel Ballroom, Honolulu)
UFC 57:
Liddell vs. Couture 3
Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV
(PPV)
1/27/06
So You Think You Tough
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Kona Gym, Kona)
January
Grappler's Quest Hawaii
(Submission Grappling)
(TBA)
***Cancelled*** |
|
May 2006 News Part
3
Wednesday
night and Sunday classes (w/ a kids' class) now offered!
 
For the special Onzuka.com
price, click on one of these banners above! |
 |
Fighters' Club TV
The Toughest Show On
Teleivision
Tuesdays at 9:30PM
Olelo Channel 52 on Oahu
Akaku on Maui
Check
out the FCTV website! |
Quote
of the Day
"An
essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail."
Edwin H. Land, 1909-1991, American Scientist and Inventor
|
X-1:
Extreme Fighting: Battlegrounds 4
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
June 10, 2006
Kickboxing:
David Balicao (HSD) VS TBA (to be announced)
Kickboxing:
Ben Rodrigues (HSD) VS TBA (to be announced)
MMA:
Peter Placido VS Ikaika Brown
MMA:
Marcus Moreno (Bulls Pen) VS Alika Rincon (Young Guns de Luta)
MMA:
Lorenzo Moreno (Bulls Pen) VS "Dirty Dave" Moreno
MMA:
Kaleo Kwon (Eastsidaz) VS Lorin Ishimine (Maui Jiu-Jitsu)
MMA:
Chad Guzman VS John Crisostomo (808 Fight Factory)
MMA:
Kimo Wolfel (Eastsidaz) VS Dylan Clay (Brazilian Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu)
MMA:
Josh Ferriera VS Bryson Kamaka (808 Fight Factory)
MMA:
Mark Oshiro (Bulls Pen) VS Joe Germain
MMA:
Eddie Yagin (Grappling Unlimited) VS Kana Hyatt (Young Guns de
Luta)
MMA:
Mark Moreno (Bulls Pen) VS Johnny Geraghty
MMA:
Marcelo "Tiger" Dantas VS Trevor Prangley (AKA)
Source: Event Promoter
|
UFC
61: Bitter Rivals
Tickets for UFC 61 "Bitter Rivals" go on sale today
(5/28) at 1pm ET. The event will take place on Saturday, July
8, 2006 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fight
Card:
Tim Sylvia vs. Andrei Arlovski 3
Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock 2
Joe Stevenson vs. Yves Edwards
Source: MMA Fighting |
Goldberg
in MMA?
By Zach Arnold
Matt
Boone reports that MMA Hawaii’s X-2 show in Oakland, California
on June 3rd may have a surprise. Boone claims that X-2 is in
preliminary negotiations to book Bill Goldberg vs. Tank Abbott.
Source: Fight Opinion
|
FIGHT
NETWORK GOES MOBILE
24-Hour
Sports Channel Rolls Out News Service for Mobile Telephones
TORONTO--(MARKET
WIRE)--May 26, 2006 -- Blackout Media Corp.'s (Other OTC:BKMP.PK
- News), The Fight Network(TM), North America's first and only
24-hour combatant sports channel, has launched FIGHT MOBILE --
a mobile telephone service that offers the latest news, insight,
interviews and features on boxing, wrestling, the mixed martial
arts and other combatant forms.
FIGHT
MOBILE is now available in the United States on Verizon Wireless
Mobile Web 2.0 network. Other first-tier carriers are preparing
to launch the U.S. service in the near future, while Canadian
national and regional carriers are in discussions to add FIGHT
MOBILE to their mobile content. When fully deployed, FIGHT MOBILE
has the potential of reaching over 220,000,000 (Two Hundred and
Twenty Million) cell phones in North America.
"We
put a lot of time and attention into building this application,"
said Mike Garrow President of The Fight Network. "We wanted
FIGHT MOBILE to be the most important single source of news for
all fight fans. I want to express our appreciation to our partners
at Setanta Mobile and Trajectory Sports for their expertise in
producing and managing mobile sports content internationally.
They have been, and will continue to be, instrumental in translating
The Fight Network to the mobile medium worldwide."
Features
currently offered through FIGHT MOBILE's WAP (Wireless Application
Protocol) programming include Headline News, Ring Results, Profiles
& Interviews, World Rankings, Event Listings, Ringside Plus,
Round-by-Round coverage, Trivia and Contests, Training Tips and
Fight Babes. These features apply to the boxing, wrestling and
the mixed martial arts.
"Fight
sports are one of the most popular sports genre worldwide, and
we are pleased to be producing this international mobile program
in association with The Fight Network. We have had a very positive
response to the program, because it is compelling content for
our Mobile Network partners in North America and around the world,"
said Anthony Dillistone, the Executive Director of Setanta Mobile
for Asia and the Americas. "Being the first ones in this
market puts The Fight Network miles ahead of the competition."
FIGHT
MOBILE also plans to move into the European and Asian markets
via Setanta Mobile's strong relationships with mobile network
operators in these markets. This can increase the potential cell
phones with access to FIGHT MOBILE to over 500,000,000 (Five
Hundred Million).
The
worldwide mobile phone market presently serves approximately
2,000,000,000 (Two billion) users, with this number projected
to double to 4,000,000,000 (Four billion) in the next two years,
according to published research reports. It is Fight Network's
goal, in partnership with Setanta Mobile and Trajectory Sports,
to be on over 1,000,000,000 (One Billion) mobile telephone handsets
worldwide within the next few years.
About
The Fight Network:
The
Fight Network is a cross-platform media company with brand interest
in television, radio, mobile and web. All four of these media
offerings are seamlessly integrated to offer fans of combatant
sports and related entertainment a true convergence experience.
The Fight Network Inc. corporate headquarters is located in Toronto,
Canada. Additional information on the company can be found at
www.thefightnetwork.com.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Baroni
placed in Bushido main event
By Zach Arnold
DSE announced the match order of the 6/4 Saitama Super Arena
card line-up. It is as follows:
Jason
Black vs. Eoh Won Jin
Welterweight Tournament: Murilo Bustamante vs. Amar Suloev
Welterweight Tournament: Paulo Filho vs. Yoon Dong Sik
Welterweight Tournament: Ryo Chonan vs. Joey Villasenor
Welterweight Tournament: Makoto Takimoto vs. Gegard Mousasi
Mitsuhiro Ishida vs. Marcus Aurelio
Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett
Hayato “Mach” Sakurai vs. Olaf Alfonso
Welterweight Tournament: Akihiro Gono vs. Hector Lombard
Welterweight Tournament: Denis Kang vs. Murilo Ninja Rua
Welterweight Tournament: Kazuo Misaki vs. Phil Baroni
Source: Fight Opinion
|
Quote
of the Day
"No
man is rich enough to buy back his past."
Oscar Wilde, 1854-1900, Irish Dramatist/Novelist/Poet
|
X-2
Extreme Wars
Pay and View Live over the Internet
Extreme Wars X2 Live Internet PPV from Oakland California
June 3rd,2006
Watch
Hawaiian Fighters Ron
Jhun, Ed Newalu and Jamal Perkins Live via streaming internet PPV from
Oakland California at www.mmahawaii.com
Extreme
Wars X2 promoters of MMA at the Oakland McAfee Arena, Oakland
California are in the planning stage of presenting a Live-Streaming
On Line PPV of the June 3rd MMA Show.
This endeavor is an attempt to provide the MMA Fans with an alternative
to television based PPV that cost upward of $30.00 and require
cable or sat. subscription service.
Recording
in High Definition and Live Streaming will allow the fans with
broadband internet service a real time experience at a fraction
of the cost usually required by television based PPV. The team
of Jeff Blatnick and Frank Shamrock will provide the viewers
with commentary and insights from cage side. The Hooters Bikini
Contest winners will be providing between rounds ring card announcements.
Oakland is a sports destination worthy of the NFL and Major League
Baseball and Extreme Wars believes MMA is ready to join these
world famous sports as an equal. Please join us in person June
3rd in Oakland or go online to enjoy this card of professional
fights.
Go
to www.mmahawaii.com for details.
Source: Event promoter
|
RENZO
GRACIE VS. PAT MILETICH
Sources in
Iowa are reporting that the matchup of Renzo Gracie vs. Pat Miletich
will take place on the IFL card in August.
Source: Fight Sport
|
FILHO:
'VANDERLEI HAS NO CHANCE'
Paulo
Filho recently spoke with Brazilian magazine 'Tatame'. Here are
some of the things Filho had to say:
Filho
on who he thinks will win the PRIDE Open Weight GP: "Minotauro
is the favorite. Fedor and Mirko Cro Cop were the only fighters
who posed a serious threat to Rodrigo. Without those two in the
tournament, things will go much smoother and I can now say 100%
that he can be the champion."
Filho
on the possibility of a Vanderlei Silva vs. Rodrigo 'Minotauro'
Nogueira matchup: "The whole world knows that Vanderlei
has no chance against Minotauro. Minotauro has withstood beatings
from guys who are much stronger and heavier then Vanderlei. Aside
from the fact that Vanderlei doesn't have good takedowns, Rodrigo's
ground game is also far superior. I also think that he won't
be able to do anything to Minotauro in the standup game."
Filho
on his upcoming fight in the PRIDE 183-pound GP: "I'm well
prepared, even though I haven't been able to train as hard the
last few days because of a cold. My strategy for this fight will
be to close the distance, take the fight to the ground, and win
by submission. I'm looking to end the fight. I want to show the
superiority of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu."
Filho
on the PRIDE 183-pound GP: "Without a doubt, this year's
card is much deeper. Because of this I don't think there's a
favorite, but I can tell you who I think has a chance to be the
champion. Murilo Ninja has a chance, just like I do. Murilo Bustamante,
Phil Baroni, Dan Henderson, and Denis Kang too."
Source: Fight Sport
|
BJJ:
Japanese Judo champ impressed
Last
two weeks, when japanese Judo team came to Brazil to train with
brazilian national Judo team, the big star of japanese team Satoshi
Ishii - the youngest world champion in Judo history ( under 100kg
category) - got really impressed by the brazilians ground technique.
' This interchange was a very nice experience. We learned a lot
of ne-waza (ground technique) with Jiu-Jitsu people. It´s
very hard to train with the brazilians in the ground because
they have a pretty flexible body and their technique is totally
diferent from europeans that uses more power', sumarized Ishii
to O Globo, one of the most important newspapers of Brazil.
Satoshi
Ishii is the youngest talent from the new generation of japanese
Judo. His international recognition came after his amazing win
last world Judo Championship when he beated in the final of absolute
category (+100kg) the world champion, Keiji Suzuki. Conquering
the most important title of the sport at the age of 19 years
and four months, Ishii beated the record of the legendary, Yasuhiro
Yamashita (four times world champion and gold medalist in Los
Angeles olimpic games 1984), that won his first world title at
19 years and 10 months.
During
the two weeks of hard trainment in Rio and São Paulo Ishii
avoided to talk about his amazing conquer with local press. 'It
was a title like any other title. My goal now is train for the
World teams competittion that will take place in Setember in
Paris', said the humble champion, who returned to Japan, last
thursday night, after realize his desire of visiting Rio de Janeiro
beaches and also the famous statue of the Christ (Christ the
Redemptor) from where He could see one of the most beatifull
views of his life.
Source: Tatame
|
International
Fight League exclusively on FSN
Hawaii Air Time!
Channel 20 (FSN)
May 21 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 23 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 23 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 25 - 8:00-9:00PM
May 25 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 27 - 4:00-5:00PM
May 28 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 28 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 30 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 30 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
June 2 - 9:00-10:00AM
Don't miss the debut of the IFL (International Fight League),
exclusively on FSN (Fox Sports Net), on May 21st, THIS SUNDAY
(part I) and NEXT SUNDAY, May 28th (part II)!
It's
an awesome show that features four teams of great mixed martial
arts fighters coached by four legends: Bas Rutten, Renzo Gracie,
Pat Miletich and Maurice Smith!
And...I
am one of the commentators!!!
CHECK
LOCAL LISTINGS FOR TIMES IN YOUR AREA!
Take
care,
Stephen
Quadros
"The Fight Professor"
http://StephenQuadros.com
IFL Color Commentator/Analyst
|
Quote
of the Day
"The
simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate,
is called a grandparent."
Sam Levenson, 1911-1980, American Humorist and Author
|
The
Icon Sport MMA Radio Show
This Morning!
Every Monday at 9:00-10:00 AM
On 1420 AM
The Icon
Sport MMA Show, hosted by T. Jay Thompson, Patrick Freitas and
Mark Kurano, will be a lively roundtable discussion featuring
athletes, industry analysts, celebrity guests, and listeners.
Listeners will also receive updates about upcoming local, national,
and global events.
The
Icon Sport MMA Show will also be available to online listeners,
via the streaming link at www.sportsradio1420.com. Hawaii listeners
can call into the show at (808) 296-1420; Mainland and global
listeners can call into the show toll-free at 1 (866) 400-1420.
Fans may also email questions and statements directly to iconsportradio@yahoo.com.
The shows will be broadcast at noon Pacific Standard Time, 1
p.m. Mountain, 2 p.m. Central, and 3 p.m. Eastern.
The
Icon Sport MMA Show is sponsored by Steinlager, Fighter’s
Corner, Tactical Strength & Conditioning, Fitness & Nutrition
/ Military Nutrition, and Dreamworld Tattoo.
Source: Icon Sport
|
Passing
of the Guard: Hughes Dominates Gracie
by Josh Gross
LOS ANGELES, May 27 — Standing at the gates of the Octagon
for the first time since helping pour its foundation in the mid-1990s,
Royce Gracie (Pictures) suddenly looked human, which is to say
vulnerable.
In
the time it took Gracie to disrobe his iconic jiu-jitsu gi —
which he used so effectively during a stint that saw him go 11-1-1
in the UFC from November ‘93 to April ’95 — the
legendary Brazilian, facing UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes
(Pictures) tonight in a non-title fight at the Staples Center,
appeared to morph from mythic figure to aged challenger before
our very eyes.
In
mixed martial arts, a sport created thanks in large measure to
Gracie’s efforts, things happen just that fast.
Promoted
as a clash of new and old, of known and unknown, UFC 60’s
main event did little to answer lingering questions — if
there were any — centering on what Gracie could do in an
era of well-rounded, top-conditioned fighters.
Rather,
after referee John McCarthy saved Gracie at 4:39 of round one,
Saturday’s outcome offered a familiar refrain: a once-great
fighter was reduced to rubble against a great new champion.
Given
time, this will happen to Hughes. It is the nature of sport,
particularly one so rooted in rudimentary realities.
“It
just seemed like I was a step ahead of him,” said Hughes,
who raised his record to 39-4-0 with the stoppage victory. “I
was really surprised.”
Promising
to attack with his burgeoning stand-up game, Hughes fiddled with
Gracie on the feet until the two clinched along the cage, where
the Pat Miletich (Pictures)-trained welterweight decided there
had been enough striking for his palette.
An
instant later, the 170-pound champion, fighting at 175 tonight,
controlled the lanky, slender Gracie from side-position.
“I
was surprised by the strength difference,” Hughes said.
“And especially when I was on the ground with him. Wherever
I wanted his hand, I put it there. I really shouldn’t be
able to do that with somebody as talented as Royce.”
But
that he did.
Hughes
went after Gracie’s left arm, popping the elbow, he said,
when the gritty Brazilian refused to give. “Sure I was wanting
the stop but he’s never going to tap,” Hughes said.
“No matter what’s going on. He would have let me break
his arm.”
Gutting
through Hughes’ onslaught, Gracie worked to get up off the
bottom, the place he earned his stripes during a previous life
in the UFC. Instead, as Hughes countered, it was Gracie that
felt the crippling sensation of having an unforgiving competitor
control you from behind.
“I’ll
probably wake up tomorrow morning and feel how surprised I am,”
Hughes said of his success on the canvas with Gracie. “I
think my wrestling had a lot to do with it. When I sunk my hooks
in and got my pressure in on him, he really couldn't go anywhere.”
Unanswered
punches to the side and back of Gracie’s skull forced McCarthy
to put a halt to the contest.
“Of
course I’m disappointed,” said Gracie, falling to 13-3-3.
“But he is the welterweight champion.”
“I
got a couple more in me,” he promised. “Let me go home
and heal this up. I’ll be back.”
While
most close observers pegged Hughes to win, few, including himself
it turned out, considered the possibility of doing it so easily.
Said
Hughes: “I think the athleticism was the big determining
factor.”
“Royce
is a great fighter,” he continued. “I think he’s
done great things in the sport. But it was just a bad match-up
for him.”
Also
on the live television portion of Saturday’s card at Staples,
which saw empty seats scattered throughout the giant building,
largely on the 200 level where tickets were priced from $400
to $800, Dean Lister (Pictures) calmly worked submissions until
locking Alessio Sakara (Pictures) up in a triangle choke 2:20
of round one.
The
Ultimate Fighter season one middleweight champion Diego Sanchez
(Pictures) made his return to the cage for the first time since
having to bow out of a March fight because of a serious virus.
His opponent, John Alessio (Pictures), waited in the wings until
Sanchez was prepared to fight, and behind a stiff jab Saturday
evening he appeared to pull off the upset.
However
three judges saw it the other way, including New Mexico’s
Richard Bertrand*, who had it three rounds to none for Sanchez.
Bertrand was joined by Cecil Peoples (29-28) and Alejandro Rochin
(29-28).
Following
15 minutes of slow fighting, the Los Angeles crowd was firmly
in Alessio’s corner, despite having just fended off Sanchez
who clung to the Canadian’s back like a magnet during the
bottom half of round three.
A
fairly even — and slow — opening period awaited both
fighters, with Alessio counter-grappling and Sanchez continually
falling short on takedown attempts. Alessio’s stiff jab
paid dividends in round two, as he opened a severe cut over the
Albuquerque fighter’s right eye.
Alessio’s
mistake in the third of attempting a jumping knee allowed Sanchez
to get in deep enough as to cause problems for the first time
in the match. Soon, he hung from Alessio like an over-stuffed
backpack. Though he effectively used his counters, Alessio was
clearly on the defensive on the third, and should have lost the
round.
Sherdog.com
scored it 29-28 for Alessio, giving Sanchez the third period.
Brandon
Vera (Pictures) and Assuerio Silva (Pictures) were expected to
go toe-to-toe and slug it out. While there was some of that in
their heavyweight clash, Vera would eventually earn the first
submission of his career, catching the big Brazilian in a guillotine
choke 2:39 of round one to up his UFC record to 3-0.
Countering
a Silva single-leg takedown, Vera caught the heavyweight’s
neck and cranked. With his right hand trapped, Silva could not
defend and eventually tapped to the pressure.
Mike
Swick (Pictures) also continued his roll, winning by guillotine
choke against Joe Riggs (Pictures). A high kick from Swick rattled
Riggs to the point that the brawler shot in for a takedown. Soon
enough, the San Diegan had grasped Riggs neck and cranked for
the stoppage 2:19 of round one.
Dark
Bouts
Jeremy
Horn (Pictures) survived Chael Sonnen (Pictures)’s early
pressure — and his promise to punch a hole into Horn’s
face — enough so that when he needed, the submission was
available.
In
round one, Horn nearly finished Sonnen with a guillotine. However
the gutsy Sonnen could not back out. In round two, the submission-savvy
Horn went from armbar to triangle-choke back to armbar, signifying
the end of the bout at the 1:17 mark of round two.
Spencer
Fisher (Pictures) offered up another beautiful knockout, this
time by flying knee. A solid opening round by late replacement
Matt Wiman (Pictures) made the opening stage somewhat exciting.
After
taking Fisher’s back and subsequently giving it up, Wiman
ate a vicious elbow that opened a gash aligned with the center
of his forehead.
Fisher
worked on it to start the second, and after connecting with a
punch that clearly hurt Wiman, the North Carolinian flushed him
with a beautiful flying knee. Referee John McCarthy halted the
contest 1:43 of round two.
Gabriel
Gonzaga (Pictures) used his formidable wrestling skills to put
Fabiano Scherner (Pictures) on the canvas. At the end of one,
Scherner was damaged underneath his right eye. The physician
at ringside looked closely at the cut, but ruled the Brazilian
could continue.
In
round two, Gonzaga connected with a stiff jab that forced Scherner
back. He followed with a nice right hand, which caused Scherner
to fall to his knees and referee Steve Mazzagatti to halt the
contest 24 seconds into round two.
The
card’s first bout saw an explosive Melvin Guillard (Pictures)
connect with multiple power punches, including the fight ender,
a beautiful overhand right that clipped Las Vegan Rick Davis
(Pictures) on the chine, 1:37 of round one.
Source: Sherdog
|
The
Quest for Champions 2006 Tournament
The Quest for Champions 2006 Tournament
Hosted by Kempo Unlimited
St. Louis High School Gym
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Source: Event Promoter
|
Murilo
Bustamante: More one GP in the Pride
By Eduardo Ferreira
One of the leaders of the Brazilian Top Team, Murilo Bustamante
will participate of the third Pride GP, being the second one
in the category until 83kg. Fot this match, Murilo afirms that
his motivation is the same one for the others GPs. "I'm
training to get the final and to win. The strategy will be the
same and the training is the same. I will change little things",
garanteed the JJ black-belt, that can face in the final his training
mate Paulão Filho. "We already talked about that.
Of course that if both get in the final we will both laugh because
the BTT would be the first and the second place in the category",
said Murilo in exclusive interview to site TATAME, that you can
check out now:
Which
is your motivation for this GP?
The
same one of the last year GP. I'm training to get in the final
and to win. The strategy will be the same and the training is
the same. I'll change little things.
Do
you know Amar Suloev's game?
I
know. I already watched a lot of his fights. He is a strong man
and I will fight wanting to put him down and to submitt. I have
been talking with Paulão, he already submitted Suloev
and when Paulão fought him and had made a strategy and
we will use the same one for this fight.
A
lot of people have been saying that you could fight with Paulão
Filho in the final. How would be this fight?
We
already talked about it. Of course that if both get the final
we will laugh, because it would be BTT as the first and the second
placed. We are too friends, but we are professionals and we would
fight for real. We can't disapoint our fans. But I think that
is too early to talk about it. People are talking too much. Let's
see what happens.
In
your opinion, this GP is stronger than last year, when you were
the second placed?
Yes,
it is stronger. We have a lot of stronger fighters, more experients
and more famous. We have a lot of names that can win this GP.
We have Paulão, me, Dan Henderson, Denis Kang, Murilo
Ninja and Phil Baroni, that for me is the best boxer of the match
and we must know how to fight against him.
Talking
about the GP Open Weight, do you think that the chances of Rodrigo
Minotauro are better now that Emilianenko Fedor and Mirko Cro
Cop won't participate?
Sure.
Fedor is a really good athlete at the Pride and he would be a
really strong adversary to Rodrigo. Cro Cop is also very good.
That would be twon strong fights for Minotauro.
The
entrance of Wanderlei Silva can disturb the plans of Minotauro
and of BTT?
No.
Wanderlei is a great fighter, but I don't see any chance for
him against Minotauro. Of course that in the ring everything
can happens, but I can't see Wanderlei defeating Rodrigo.
What
do you think of the back of Royce Gracie for the UFC? Do you
think that the event will be stronger with him?
I
think that the event already has his force. It must be really
good for the Royce, thaty probably had closed a really good contract.
At his fight against Matt Hughes, Royce has some chances to win,
if I use his guard. Hughes is not so good on the ground and Royce
must explore this. But I think that the worst adversary of Royce
will be the punches sequence of Hughes.
Source: Tatame
|
HERRING
ADDRESSES UFC RUMORS & K-1 DISPUTE
by Mick Hammond
With K-1 agreeing to allow Royce Gracie, who is a K-1 contract
fighter, to return to the UFC for this weekend’s fight with
Matt Hughes, many have speculated that perhaps more K-1 fighters
could be headed to the UFC as part of a talent exchange.
Among
the fighters rumored to be making the trip to fight in the UFC
on loan from K-1 is perennial heavyweight contender Heath Herring.
Even
though Heath could provide a major shot in the arm to a UFC heavyweight
division that is currently in need of a boost, Heath says that
it doesn't appear as though he will be fighting in the UFC anytime
soon.
When
asked about the rumors of a talent exchange between the UFC and
K-1, Herring said, "I don’t know anything about any
of that, to be honest with you. If it was true, I haven’t
heard anything about it at all... nothing regarding a fighter
exchange, nothing along those lines at all."
So,
with Heath not currently headed to the UFC as far as he knows,
the next logical question is when he'll be fighting in K-1 again.
Herring's last fight in the K-1 Hero's organization was a knockout
victory over Gary Goodridge in March of this year.
When
asked about his next K-1 fight, Herring replied with some trepidation,
"I wish I knew. Right now, I don’t have a very good
contact going with K-1... there’s not good things happening.
I can’t really get into it because I’m in a big fight
with them right now, but we’ll see what happens."
Heath
continued, "To make a long story short, my contract with
K-1 is done in November, so at that point we’ll see what’s
available and what’s going to happen."
In
the meantime, Heath will continue to keep himself active and
ready should he be called back into action.
"I
am training right now," explained Herring. "Actually,
I’m training just because I don’t know what’s
going to happen, and just on the off chance that they do say,
'You're fighting.' If not, it’s not the most intense training...
I’m going out on weekends and doing my thing, but during
the week I am training. I’m there, doing what I’m supposed
to do."
Herring
added, "If I find out I’m going to fight, I’ll
clamp down and pick it up it up a bit, but right now I’m
trying to maintain a base condition. I’m sparring three
times a week, working out, wrestling and stuff throughout the
week. I’m just keeping my base condition where it needs
to be, [keeping] my weight in check, and not going too crazy
eating lots of Burger King or anything like that. That’s
kind of what I’m doing right now. I’m in a holding
pattern, and it sucks."
While
it is currently unknown if Heath will fight for K-1 before his
contract expires in November, Heath remains optimistic that he
will be back in action sooner rather than later.
"I
sure hope [I fight again soon], but unfortunately it's not on
my table," concluded Herring. "If K-1 gets their stuff
together and gives me a fight, yeah [I'll fight]."
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived
forwards."
Soren Kierkegaard, 1813-1855, Danish Philosopher
|
Baret
Yoshida
Wins the ZST Tournament!
ZST Office Presents 'ZST GT-F2¹
Saturday, May 27th, 2006
At Differ Ariake, Tokyo, Japan
Live Gate: 974
ZST's
latest installment featured an 8 man grappling tournament, with
a heavy Japanese contigent facing off against international talent.
OF the foreign fighters, only the USA's Jason Reinhardt did not
advance past the first round. Fellow countryman Baret Yoshida would win the tourney,
winning with two chokes and a decision over Brazilian Ruben Charles.
The
undercard featured an MMA bout with Naoyuki Kotani, who won with
an arm bar.
COMPLETE
RESULTS:
GT-F2 Featherweight (65 kg & Under) Grappling Tournament
1st
Bout ­ Tournament First Round 5 min / 2R
Shuichiro Katsumura (Japan / Katsumura Dojo) vs. Jason Reinhardt
(U.S.A. / Reinhardt Martial Arts)
Winner:
1R 1:35 Shuichiro Katsumura by Submission (triangle choke)
2nd
Bout ­ Tournament First Round 5 min / 2R
Hideo Tokoro (Japan / Reversal Gym) vs. Kentaro Imaizumi (Japan
/ SK Absolute)
Winner:
2R Hideo Tokoro by Decision (3-0)
3rd
Bout - Tournament First Round 5 min / 2R
Makoto Oishi (Japan / K'z Factory) vs. Rubens Charles (Brazil
/ TT TJiu-jitsu)
Winner:
1R 3:53 by Submission (armbar)
4th
Bout - Tournament First Round 5 min / 2R
Baret Yoshida (U.S.A. / Grappling Unlimited) vs. Masayuki Okuide
(Japan / Gold Gym South Tokyo)
Winner:
1R 1:54 Baret Yoshida by Submission (rear naked choke)
5th
Bout - Tournament Semi-Final 5 min / 2R
Shuichiro Katsumura (Japan / Katsumura Dojo) vs. Hideo Tokoro
(Japan / Reversal Gym)
Winner:
1R 4:55 Shuichiro Katsumura by Submission (triangle choke)
6th
Bout - Tournament Semi-Final 5 min / 2R
Baret Yoshida (U.S.A. / Grappling Unlimited) vs. Rubens Charles
(Brazil / TT Jiu-jitsu)
Winner:
2R Baret Yoshida by Decision (3-0)
8th
Bout ­ Tournament Final 5 min / 2R
Shuichiro Katsumura (Japan / Katsumura Dojo) vs. Baret Yoshida
(U.S.A. / Grappling Unlimited)
Winner:
Baret Yoshida 1R 2:52 by Submission (rear naked choke)
ZST
Rules Single matches:
7th
Bout ­ 73 kg & Under Bout 5 min / 2R, 3 min / 1R
Naoyuki Kotani (Japan / Rodeo Style) vs. Shinya Sato (P's LAB
Tokyo)
Winner:
1R 2:10 Naoyuki Kotani by Submission (armbar)
Genesis
Bout ­ Featherweight 5 min / 1R
Masato Fukuda (Japan / Katsumura Dojo) vs. Yosuke Hatori (Japan
/ Uruno Dojo)
Winner:
Draw (0-0)
|
UFC
60 “Hughes vs. Gracie” Results
UFC 60: 'Hughes vs. Gracie'
May 27th, 2006
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
Matt
Hughes defeats Royce Gracie by TKO at 4:39, RD 1.
Dean Lister defeats Alessio Sakara by triangle choke at 2:20,
RD 1.
Diego Sanchez defeats John Alessio by unanimous decision.
Brandon Vera defeats Assuerio Silva by guillotine choke at 2:39,
RD 1.
Mike Swick defeats Joe Riggs by guillotine choke at 2:19, RD
1.
Jeremy Horn defeats Chael Sonnen by armbar at 1:17, RD 2.
Spencer Fisher defeats Matt Wiman by KO at 1:43, RD 2.
Gabriel Gonzaga defeats Fabiano Scherner by TKO at 0:24, RD 2.
Melvin Guillard defeats Rick Davis by KO at 1:37, RD 1.
|
LA
Sub X Quick Report
The
first Professional Submission League event, the LA Sub X took
place last night and definitely lived up to its billing to take
submission grappling to the next level. The audience entered
the arena to a view a huge raised platform where the action was
to take place, and a large projection screen (20 foot at least)
broadcast the action throughout the stadium, as well as providing
entrance videos and backgrounds on each of the competitors. Of
course, the highlight of the event was the world class level
of grappler the event attracted.
The
PSL rules had two four minute rounds, followed by a thirty second
overtime period if necessary. Rules further differed from standard
submission rules, in that only takedowns, mount and back were
worth points (1), where as submission attempts (catches) were
worth three points. A submission must be vigorously defended
to be considered a catch (which came into play during the night
definitely).
The
evening began with Jeff Glover taking Robson Moura. Glover quickly
pulled guard, but Robson controlled nicely from top. Robson exploded
into a series of footlocks that Glover had to defend, but didn't
look in too much danger from. Glover later responded with a knee
bar of his own that pratically made me physically ill to watch
as Robson's knee hyperextended. Robson didn't tap, and won 6-3
Rafael
Lovato Jr and Lyoto Machida went into double overtime, with Machida
winning on a takedown in sudden death to make the score 1-0.
Lovato spend the majority of the match on his back look to do
make something happen, but Machida effectively neutralized him.
Vinicius
Pezao Maghalaes defeats Robert Drysdale by a score of 1-0. First
round had very little action. Second round Maghalaes scores a
takedown for the lone points of the match. Drysdale seemed to
have in a good footlock but since Maghales didn't seem to react
no points were scored.
Megumi
Fuji over Michelle Mills by figure four toe hold. Quick match
as Fuji scores the takedown and submission early in the match.
After
the first intermission Vladamir Matuyshenko fought to a draw
with Xande Ribeiro. Tough match as both men pressed the action,
but Vladamir really suprised many by his performance against
one of the top submission grapplers around, threatening many
positions against Xande. In the end of the overtime Xande was
desperately attempting a takedown to finish the match, but Vladamir
would sprawl and dare Xande to stand again.
Leozinho
vs Naoya Uematsu was the fight of the night, as the fighters
were often a blur of action. In the second round Leozinho managed
to take Naoyas back from standing and finish with a rear naked
choke.
Saulo
Ribeiro defeats Jake Shields by a score of 2-1. Saulo sets the
pace by almost immediately hitting a sweet drop seo-nage that
clearly threw the wrestler in Shields off of his game. Saulo
later scored another point by jumping to guard and when Jakes
knees hit the mat Saulo was awarded a point. Saulo looks for
the submission from the bottom, trying an oma plata that Sheilds
shook off and we went to round 2. Jake became a bit more desperate
to make something happening, even trying to jump to guard himself,
however as the match progressed Jake seemed to get stronger and
stronger, scoring a point of his own and threatening to come
back as time expired.
After
third intermission, in what may be considered a huge upset Kuniyoshi
Hironaka defeats Jean Jacques Machado by virtue of two takedowns
and taking Machado's back.
In
their fifth match Pe de Pano and Jeff Monson fought to a draw.
The
main event of the evening was Marcelo Garcia vs Cameron Earle,
and the match definitely lived up to the hype. Cameron Earle
quickly scored the first takedown of the night, but Garcia got
back to the feet quickly. Garcia responds with a takedown of
his own, and quickly gets to side control. Cameron gets a guard,
Marcelo tries a leglock that doesn't really threaten. Cameron
looks to sweep and puts Garcia on his back, looks for a leg attack
of his own and transitions to a kneebar as the first round expires.
The second round sees a war of takedown attempts but after a
few attacks by both men Garcia gets the takedown and nearly takes
Cameron's back. Cameron somehow escapes and MArelo winds up in
side control on Cameron. Marcelo moves to north south position
an gets a fron choke on Cameron, Cameron taps with 9 seconds
remaining in regulation.
What
makes this event that much more extraordinary is that promoter
Rico Chiparelli basically took went from conception to execution
in less than six weeks. Fans and fighters alike are already clamoring
for the next PSL event.
Internet
PPV of all the matches will be coming shortly right here on OntheMat.com
Source: On The Mat
|
Thomson,
Jackson Look To Deliver Wins At Strikeforce 'Revenge'
We just
got word that Harris Sarmiento will be having a much anticipated
rematch with Razor Rob McCullough on July 27th at WFA. Their
last match ended in controversy as McCullough was announced as
the winner, but the decision was later over turned and Sarmiento
was given the victory.
Lightweight
(155 lb. limit) star Josh "The Punk" Thomson will attempt
to steer his career back on track when meets Harris "The Hitman" Sarmiento during "Revenge,"
the 10-bout Strikeforce mixed martial arts mega-card that will
take place at San Jose, California's HP Pavilion on Friday, June
9th. Middleweight (185 lb. limit) Eugene "The Wolf"
Jackson, meanwhile, will look to build on his successful comeback
when he squares off with Mike Seal during the star-studded affair.
The
27-year-old Thomson is coming off a heart-wrenching loss to Chicago,
Illinois's Clay Guida. With the vacant Strikeforce lightweight
championship on the line during March 10th's "Shamrock vs.
Gracie" card, Thomson put forth a gutsy effort as he battled,
predominantly from the guard position, to ward off the ground
and pound tactics and repeated submission attempts by a relentless
Guida. More than once, Thomson attempted to comprise his opponent's
arm, but it was to no avail as Guida escaped each time and was
declared the winner by unanimous decision after five rounds of
non-stop action.
A
former wrestling standout at NCAA Division I Stanford University,
Thomson, a resident of San Jose, has established himself as a
force in the sport of mixed martial arts. To date, he has notched
three victories in The Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC)
octagon. In his sole start with Japan's Pride Fighting Championship
on July 17, 2005, Thomson submitted Daisuke Sugie with a kneebar.
Thomson's
"Revenge" opponent, Sarmiento, is also endeavoring to rebound from a defeat
that he suffered at the hands of undefeated sensation Gilbert
Melendez during the "Shamrock vs. Gracie" event. The
23 year old Sarmiento is a native of Waipahu,
Hawaii and a rugged brawler with over 30 mixed martial arts bouts
under his belt.
In
his first start in nearly three years, Jackson systematically
wore down Mexico's Jorge "The Naked Man" Ortiz while
the two repeatedly battled for position on the ground. After
three rounds of action came to a close, Jackson was awarded the
win by way of unanimous judges' decision.
The
39-year-old Jackson, who hails from East Palo Alto, California,
entered the world of mixed martial arts eight years ago as a
rugged street brawler with no formal martial arts training. Jackson
has since evolved, adopting world-class trainers Javier Mendez
and "Crazy Bob" Cook of American Kickboxing Academy
(AKA) as his mentors.
The
Strikeforce "Revenge" bill will be headlined by a rematch
between former UFC light heavyweight champion, Vitor Belfort,
and Pride Fighting Championship superstar, Alistair Overeem.
During their first encounter at Pride's "Total Elimination
2005" event a year ago, Belfort and Overeem battled for
nine and a half minutes (Note: Pride Fighting Championship schedules
the first round of its bouts for 10 minutes) before Overeem secured
a guillotine choke on Belfort and forced the Brazilian fighter
to tap out.
Another
rematch will see World San Shou kickboxing champion Cung Le face
"Mr. Unbreakable" Brian Warren. Le, whose start marks
his second career appearance under mixed martial arts rules,
defeated Warren by way of unanimous decision in a bout contested
under San Shou rules in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 30, 2004.
The
card will also be highlighted by a matchup between undefeated
22-year-old Tyson Griffin and K-1 and UFC veteran, Duane "Bang"
Ludwig, as well as a meeting between light heavyweights Bobby
Southworth and James Irvin. Southworth introduced himself to
the masses during Spike TV's premiere season of "The Ultimate
Fighter" reality series two years ago.
Strikeforce
155 lb. champion, Clay Guida, will set out to defend his crown
for the first time and former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
superstar, Daniel Puder, will make his third career mixed martial
arts appearance during the event.
Tickets
for Strikeforce "Revenge" are on sale at the HP Pavilion
box office (408-287-7070) as well as at all Ticketmaster (408-998-TIXS)
outlets and Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com). An arena
seating chart can be easily accessed by visiting Strikeforce's
official website, www.strikeforceusa.net, and clicking on the
"Tickets" link.
Strikeforce
made history twice over on March 10th with its "Shamrock
vs. Gracie" event, the first sanctioned mixed martial arts
fight card in California state history. The star-studded extravaganza,
which pitted legendary champion Frank Shamrock against Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu black belt Cesar Gracie at the HP Pavilion, played
host to 18,265 fans, the largest-ever attendance at a mixed martial
arts fight card held in North America.
The
Strikeforce mixed martial arts event is being produced by Silicon
Valley Sports and Entertainment (SVS&E, www.svse.net), a
leading producer of major sporting and entertainment events and
the exclusive producer of such events for San Jose, California's
largest entertainment venue, HP Pavilion. SVS&E's many properties
include "Fight Night at the Tank" professional boxing;
the National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks; and the annual
ATP men's professional tennis "SAP Open" event.
Source: Event Promoter
|
International
Fight League exclusively on FSN
Hawaii Air Time!
Channel 20 (FSN)
May 21 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 23 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 23 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 25 - 8:00-9:00PM
May 25 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 27 - 4:00-5:00PM
May 28 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 28 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 30 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 30 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
June 2 - 9:00-10:00AM
Don't miss the debut of the IFL (International Fight League),
exclusively on FSN (Fox Sports Net), on May 21st, THIS SUNDAY
(part I) and NEXT SUNDAY, May 28th (part II)!
It's
an awesome show that features four teams of great mixed martial
arts fighters coached by four legends: Bas Rutten, Renzo Gracie,
Pat Miletich and Maurice Smith!
And...I
am one of the commentators!!!
CHECK
LOCAL LISTINGS FOR TIMES IN YOUR AREA!
Take
care,
Stephen
Quadros
"The Fight Professor"
http://StephenQuadros.com
IFL Color Commentator/Analyst
|
The
Icon Sport MMA Radio Show
Tomorrow
Morning!
Every Monday at 9:00-10:00 AM
On 1420 AM
The Icon
Sport MMA Show, hosted by T. Jay Thompson, Patrick Freitas and
Mark Kurano, will be a lively roundtable discussion featuring
athletes, industry analysts, celebrity guests, and listeners.
Listeners will also receive updates about upcoming local, national,
and global events.
The
Icon Sport MMA Show will also be available to online listeners,
via the streaming link at www.sportsradio1420.com. Hawaii listeners
can call into the show at (808) 296-1420; Mainland and global
listeners can call into the show toll-free at 1 (866) 400-1420.
Fans may also email questions and statements directly to iconsportradio@yahoo.com.
The shows will be broadcast at noon Pacific Standard Time, 1
p.m. Mountain, 2 p.m. Central, and 3 p.m. Eastern.
The
Icon Sport MMA Show is sponsored by Steinlager, Fighter’s
Corner, Tactical Strength & Conditioning, Fitness & Nutrition
/ Military Nutrition, and Dreamworld Tattoo.
Source: Icon Sport
|
Quote
of the Day
"It's
all right letting yourself go as long as you can let yourself
back."
Mick Jagger, English Rock Singer
|
ICON
SPORT "Mayhem v Giant Gamlin"
Results
David Beats Goliath, Mayhem subs the Giant in 46 seconds!
Icon
Sport: "Mayhem vs. Giant"
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
May 26, 2006
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
A
great build up of matches led up to number one contender, Jason
Miller inline to take on the current Icon Sport Middleweight
champ, Robbie Lawler. I believe the saying goes "the best
laid plans of mice and men…" The broken hand that Robbie
Lawler suffered in his fight against Niko Vitale and Miller's
legal problems threw the Icon Sport Middleweight division in
turmoil. However, tonight changed all that. Mayhem is back in
action, as Jason Miller made his return to the ring after being
suspended by the Icon Sport organization. What a way to make
a comeback as Mayhem, who fights at 185lbs, took on 6'7"
370lbs Stephan Gamlin. Almost quicker than the biblical David
could whip out his trusty slingshot, Mayhem submitted his personal
Goliath with an arm triangle in 46 seconds. Other highlights
on the card were the furious pace of the Stadler-Lee fight, with
Lee coming after Standler like a bat out of hell. Stadler hung
tough and submitted the wild man. Kaleo Kwon and up and comer
Marshall Harvest had a great fight turning the tide of the fight
numerous times in the three rounds. Probably the fight of the
night was Sydney Silva's match with Lawrence Shorter. This was
a classic match of the Jiu-Jitsu fighter taking on the wrestler.
Shorter lived up to his nickname as he has an incredible pre-fight
vertical leap and was overwhelmingly strong. Silva locked up
submission attempt after submission attempt, which Shorter picked
up and slammed his way out of it. After about 3 minutes, the
intensity finally slowed down a bit. In the second round, Silva
landed a punch that stunned Shorter and Silva took control of
the fight and finished him with an arm triangle. A blast from
the past, Gary Meyers met a revitalized fighter in Ray Seraille.
Seraille took some time off from the fight game to develop his
skills and make a proper comeback. It looks like he is well on
his way. The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 contestant, Anthony "The
Crush" Torres had his first fight back since appearing on
the show. After a heartfelt dedication to a brother he recently
lost in his entrance video, Icon Sport's newest superstar in
the making, Tyson Nam took on a tough Bill Dexter. Nam proved
that not only does he have star potential, but the skills to
back it up. Nam dominated the fight, but Dexter kept him on his
toes with some active guard work.
Exhibition:
Keiki Kickboxing 55 lbs
2 Rounds x 1 Minute, 1 Round Submission Grappling
Tristan Kamaka (808 Fight Factory, Waipahu) vs. Nainoa Dung (Uprising
Fight Team, Wahiawa)
Exhibition:
Kickboxing 130lbs
3 Rounds x 1 Minute
Devon Damu (Animal House, Ewa Beach) vs. Julio Moreno (Bulls
Pen, Honolulu)
MMA:
135 lbs 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Ikaika Silva (Animal House, Ewa Beach) def. Jared Santos (Bulls
Pen, Honolulu)
Submission via arm bar at 34 seconds in Round 1.
MMA:
210 lbs 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Ron Verdadero (Jesus Is Lord, Waipahu) def. Jack Richardson (Bulls
Pen, Honolulu)
Unanimous decision (29-28), (29-28), (29-28) after 3 Rounds.
MMA:
165 lbs 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Derek Stadler (Bulls Pen, Honolulu) def. Ku "The Prophecy"
Lee (Federation Koko, Honolulu)
Submission via rear naked choke at 2:07 minutes in Round 1.
MMA:
HW 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Pat Collins (Team Papakolea, Honolulu) def. Jarret "Baby
Cabbage" Lindsey (Bulls Pen, Honolulu)
Unanimous decision (30-29), (30-27), (29-28) after 3 Rounds.
MMA:
155 lbs 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Kaleo Kwon (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) def. Marshall Harvest (Animal
House, Ewa Beach)
Majority decision (29-28), (28-28), (29-28) after 3 Rounds.
MMA:
170 lbs 3 Rounds x 5 Minutes
Sydney Silva (HMC, Honolulu) def, Lawrence "Little Randleman"
Shorter (St. Louis, MO)
Submission via arm triangle choke at 1:05 minutes in Round 2.
MMA:
HW 3 Rounds x 5 Minutes
Ray "The Big Easy" Seraille (Grappling Unlimited, Honolulu)
def. Gary "Iron Bear" Myers (Muncie, IN
TKO via Referee stoppage at 2:59 minutes in Round 1.
MMA:
175 lbs 3 Rounds x 5 Minutes
Anthony Torres (Team MMAD, Kailua) def. Jerry Hackney (Advanced
BKJ, Charleston, WV)
TKO via punches from the mount at 4:12 minutes in Round 1.
MMA:
135 lbs 3 Rounds x 3 Minutes
Tyson Nam (Grappling Unlimited, Honolulu) def. Bill "Spider"
Dexter (Dean Lister/The Boxing Club, San Diego)
Unanimous decision (30-27), (30-27), (30-27) after 3 rounds.
MMA:
OPEN 3 Rounds x 5 Minutes
Jason "Mayhem" Miller (Pig Hunters, Mt. Ka'ala) def.
Stefan "Giant" Gamlin (Freelance, Peoria, AZ)
Submission via arm triangle at 46 seconds in Round 1.
|
Sherdog.com
Preview: UFC 60 “Hughes vs. Gracie”
by James Hirth
UFC 60
Matt
Hughes Vs. Royce Gracie
Alessio Sakara Vs. Dean Lister
Brandon Vera Vs. Assuerio Silva
Mike Swick Vs. Joe Riggs
Diego Sanchez Vs. John Alessio
UFC
60 PRELIM CARD
Melvin Guillard Vs. Rick Davis
Spencer Fisher Vs. Matt Wiman
Gabriel Gonzaga Vs. Fabiano Scherner
Jeremy Horn Vs. Chael Sonnen
It’s always intriguing when a superstar returns to where
his legend was cast. And when that individual has been away from
the Octagon for 11 years, the questions come in truckloads.
Time
has changed the cage Royce Gracie once called home — as
well as the sport fought inside it. Gracie faces UFC welterweight
champion Matt Hughes in a non-title affair. They didn’t
even have weight divisions the last time he was in the UFC. They
also only have 15 minutes to decide this one. Royce knew nothing
of rounds when he was there.
Said
Gracie: “This is my house. I built it.” Well, he may
have built it but someone has been paying the bills while he
was gone. Is it eviction time? Only time will tell.
Before
we get to the main event, let’s focus on the bottom half
of the under card.
The
Brazilians are back! Gonzaga, Scherner and Silva are set to fight
in the Octagon. We’ll see the return of Vera in a heavyweight
contender’s bout. Swick and Riggs go at in the middleweights.
Sanchez and Alessio bring the pain in the welterweights. And
Lister makes his UFC debut against the dangerous 205-pound “Legionarius.”
The
entire card breaks down as follows:
In
a battle of Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, Chute Boxe-trained
Gabriel Gonzaga squares off against American Top Team West fighter
Fabiano Scherner.
Alessio
Sakara from Team Centurion battles Dean Lister of City Boxing.
Spencer
Fisher of Miletich Martial Arts throws down with Tulsa Top Team
fighter Matt Wiman.
Team
Anaconda wrestler Melvin Guillard tangles with Las Vegas Combat
Club jiu-jitsu fighter Rick Davis.
Jackson
Submission Fighting’s Diego Sanchez confronts John Alessio.
Jeremy
Horn squares off against wrestler Chael Sonnen from Team Quest.
Mike
Swick of the American Kickboxing Academy and Joe Riggs from Elite
Performance take to the cage.
City
Boxing striker Brandon Vera faces Muay Thai Dream Team fighter
Assuerio Silva.
And
in the main event, Miletich Fighting Systems athlete and current
welterweight Champion Matt Hughes meets three-time UFC eight-man
tournament champion Royce Gracie in a non-title bout.
Source: Sherdog
|
International
Fight League exclusively on FSN
Hawaii Air Time!
Channel 20 (FSN)
May 21 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 23 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 23 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 25 - 8:00-9:00PM
May 25 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 27 - 4:00-5:00PM
May 28 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 28 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 30 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 30 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
June 2 - 9:00-10:00AM
Don't miss the debut of the IFL (International Fight League),
exclusively on FSN (Fox Sports Net), on May 21st, THIS SUNDAY
(part I) and NEXT SUNDAY, May 28th (part II)!
It's
an awesome show that features four teams of great mixed martial
arts fighters coached by four legends: Bas Rutten, Renzo Gracie,
Pat Miletich and Maurice Smith!
And...I
am one of the commentators!!!
CHECK
LOCAL LISTINGS FOR TIMES IN YOUR AREA!
Take
care,
Stephen
Quadros
"The Fight Professor"
http://StephenQuadros.com
IFL Color Commentator/Analyst
|
FREEMAN,
MAHOEF, TANK, MARSH ON CAGE RAGE
Cage Rage has put on some great cards over the past year but
this one may be the best card ever. Tank Abbott is one of the
many well known names competiting in the UK.
Melvin
Mahoef will fight Ian Freeman at a catch weight of 96KG, while
Curtis Stout will go toe to toe with Brazilian fighter Cyborg.
Plenty of other UFC veterans are also on the card. Here is the
full lineup.
1.DAVID
TANK ABBOTT VS AMOKRANE SABET
2 MELVIN MANHOEF VS IAN FREEMAN - CATCH WEIGHT 96Kg
3 ALEX REID VS TBA
4 CURTIS STOUT VS CYBORG
5 HENRY MILLER VS ROBERT BERRY
6 MARK EPSTEIN VS DAVE LEGENO
7 DAIJIRO MATSUI VS ZELG GALESTIC
8 JOHN MARSH VS TBA
9 BRAD PICKETT VS ROBBIE OLIVER
10 BAD BOY VS TBA
11 CHRIS BACON VS ANDY COSTELLO
12 Paul Daley TITLE Paul Jenkins WW
13 Abdul Mohammed VS Jean Silva LW
14 MARC WALDER VS EDDIE RUIZ UFC VET
15 DARREN GEISHA VS DEAN BRAY
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Inteview
with VP of Dreamstage: Turi Altavilla
By Mark Pickering
PRIDE FC has endured mixed fortunes in recent weeks with contract
disputes, sudden departures, the inauguration of their latest
tournament and the upcoming Bushido Survival show looking their
strongest to date. This week I caught up with Turi Altavilla,
Vice President of Production at Dream Stage Entertainment.
MaxFighting:
First off I’d like to thank you for taking the time out
of your schedule to answer a few of my questions. Turi, how are
you doing?
Turi Altavilla: Other than the Lakers being eliminated, pretty
good.
MaxFighting:
What’s your background and how did you discover mixed Martial
Arts?
Turi Altavilla: I attended UCLA and got my start working at a
visual effects studio in Marina Del Rey, California. I worked
under an Oscar winning visual effects producer and thought that
that’s what I was going to do with my life. We were doing
huge movies like “Air Force One” and “Starship
Troopers.” I believe it was the third largest visual effects
studio in the country at the time. Anyway, eight months later
the company went bankrupt. As determined as I was, there were
a few hundred other people out of work with tons more experience
than me, so that pretty much ended that career. From there I
began in the documentary filmmaking field and was involved in
the production of dozens of documentaries that have been featured
on the History Channel, Discovery Channel, and National Geographic.
On my own I have solo writing credits on 10 or 11 documentaries,
so people who laughed at me for majoring in English at UCLA,
I actually used the major! Anyway, from there I was introduced
to MMA and King of the Cage. This was in the fall of 1999. We
did King of the Cage 1 at Soboba Casino, but for me it was just
a side job to make extra money. I really didn’t care about
MMA. I knew about Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock from the UFC,
but I wasn’t much of an MMA fan. But as we did more and
more KOTC shows and the thing was getting big, I started falling
in love with the sport and everything about it.
MaxFighting:
How did you come to be involved with PRIDE?
Turi Altavilla: PRIDE executives Yukino Kanda, Hideki Yamamoto,
and Nobuyuki Sakakibara would occasionally attend KOTC shows
as guests so I had the pleasure of meeting them and knowing them
for a few years. By late 2002 KOTC had run its course for me
and I had made a decision to leave. It was a difficult decision.
I really agonized over it because I loved the job so much and
most of the guys I worked with, but without getting into it,
it was a combination of the job having run its course and myself
being burnt out. MMA is a hard business, it isn’t as glamorous
or exciting as fans may think. I suppose it may look that way
from the outside in, but it really isn’t when you have to
deal with the drama and problems on a daily basis. Besides that,
I never took vacations for all those years at KOTC and I was
completely burnt out. I figured I would take time off, write
more scripts, and travel. But the PRIDE opportunity was presented
to me and how could I say no? I was the first American in the
company.
MaxFighting:
What is your role in PRIDE FC/DSE?
Turi Altavilla: Just about everything. The nice thing about our
company is people can share ideas and thoughts on just about
anything we’re working on, so it is a collaborative effort.
But if I had to be more specific it would be production and marketing
related things in the North American market … the DVDs,
PPVs, the show on FSN, things like that. I also take care of
some of the athletic commission activities and also work to bring
in new fighters.
MaxFighting:
What does a typical day involve for you?
Turi Altavilla: Coffee, a ton of emails, and a lot of phone calls.
Also, dealing with the unexpected. Some days start with situations
or emergencies that you wouldn’t have imagined the day before.
MaxFighting:
On Friday DSE presented the inaugural round of the Open-Weight
Grand Prix. What were your impressions of the show?
Turi Altavilla: I thought it was a great show. At work I am focused
on business, but at the end of the day when I get home, I’m
a huge MMA fan so I loved the show. I know some fans gave us
heat for the fight card, but it ended up being an entertaining
event. It seems that whenever fans think the fightcard is lackluster
the event ends up being fantastic!
MaxFighting:
What are your thoughts on Fedor joining the tournament in round
2?
Turi Altavilla: I think it makes sense for him as a fighter and
for us a company. He’s our champion and he wants to fight
the best, so he should be there. However, it appears his injured
hand won’t be healed in time and Wanderlei Silva will be
taking his place.
MaxFighting:
What are your hopes and expectations for the rest of the tournament?
Turi Altavilla: First, my hope would be that all the fighters
are healthy and able to perform at the top of their abilities.
My expectation would be that it’s going to be the best tournament
we’ve ever done.
MaxFighting:
DSE President Nobuyuki Sakakibara recently reinforced the company’s
ambition to run in North America this year. Sakakibara stated
that DSE want to run an event in LA during October and are looking
to make an announcement by the end of May. How closely do you
feel DSE could replicate the Japanese product in America?
Turi Altavilla: I can’t comment on the first part of your
question, but as for replicating the product---we’ve said
as a company that we intend to present our product in exactly
the same way that it is in Japan. The production value is what
sets us apart from our competition I think. It’s not just
a bunch of fights, it’s “the show.”
MaxFighting:
A fundamental component of the PRIDE setting is the boxing style
ring as opposed to the more traditional cage in America. Would
you say the ring has more of a sports feel while the cage is
more of a spectacle?
Turi Altavilla: No, I wouldn’t say that specifically. I’ll
just call the cage a choice. Fans and promoters can choose the
ring or the cage. We choose the ring because we feel it’s
more spectator-friendly, production-friendly, and leads to a
better, more exciting style of MMA fight. We also feel it’s
safe, at least the way we implement it. Other promoters choose
to use a cage, but you’d have to ask them why they prefer
it.
MaxFighting:
Will the ring aid or impede your ambition to run a live event
in the US?
Turi Altavilla: Neither. Other than the slight delay in California
for the ring, the ring itself hasn’t impeded our ambitions
at all. We’re exactly where we want to be.
MaxFighting:
Do you expect the state athletic commission to change their rules
to suit pride?
Turi Altavilla: If we have to compromise on certain rules, we
might do that. There are things we’d compromise on and others
we won’t. Keep in mind that this is a young sport. A lot
of the rule debates just boil down to preferences, not safety,
and who is to say what is right or wrong? A 10 minute first round
isn’t anymore safe or unsafe than a 5 minute first round.
It’s just a choice. We have reasons why we do things and
why we believe everyone should, but that’s a preference.
All we’ve ever asked for on certain regulatory matters are
options, which is fair to everyone. Ultimately though I think
all promoters agree that safety is the most important thing.
So, while we might compromise on certain rules, at the same time
we stand by our rules in Japan. They are safe for the fighters
and that’s been proven statistically.
MaxFighting:
I recently talked to the NASC regarding PRIDE’s inaugural
show in the US. They expect you ask for minor waivers of some
of the rules e.g. a larger ring. Will this be the case?
Turi Altavilla: No, if we have an event in Nevada, we’re
not asking for any waivers. Our PRIDE ring meets the specifications
set forth in their guidelines. There are allowances in the measurements
for a ring in Nevada and our ring fits within those measurements.
MaxFighting:
Just how important is the US market to PRIDE?
Turi Altavilla: Extremely. Growth is important to any company.
But we’re not only focused on the U.S. market, but the global
market.
MaxFighting:
Is there a clash between the American and Japanese arms of the
organisation?
Turi Altavilla: None whatsoever. I have no idea how you got that.
We’re the same company, just separated into two offices.
MaxFighting:
As PRIDE approaches it’s 10th year of operation how far
would say the company has come since 1997?
Turi Altavilla: To answer this I think you just have to watch
the PRIDE 1 DVD and whatever is the newest PRIDE DVD. Everything
has improved … production value, level of fighters, the
rules, etc. I’d like to think we are the trailblazers in
this business, but all of MMA has grown, not just us. However,
as a company we are more excited about tomorrow than looking
back at what we’ve already done.
While
the companies global expansion appears to be an immediate goal
what else can be expected from PRIDE FC this year?
Who knows? Log on to pridefc.com to find out the latest.
MaxFighting:
To those reading who are unfamiliar with the PRIDE Fighting Championships
why should Mixed Martial Arts fans tune into the sports elite
organization.
Turi Altavilla: Part of the company’s philosophy is that
we are making history every event. We are creating a special
product that will continue to exist even after all of us are
gone. Next year, 5, 10, 50, 100 years from now, people can watch
and say wow. That philosophy should tell people why they should
tune in.
MaxFighting:
Any final words for PRIDE and MMA fans around the world.
Turi Altavilla: More of a general message---as well as things
are going for MMA as an industry and a sport in this country,
people should still assume we’re at a fragile state. The
sport is still growing, but most of the country is still pretty
ignorant. So fans and promoters have a collective responsibility.
Whenever fans are jerks at events and act uncivilized, they perpetuate
a stereotype of the type of people who supposedly watch this
sport. When promoters cut corners and fighters pay the price
with safety, then it perpetuates the stereotype that, yeah, the
sport is barbaric and unsafe. So just remember we have a responsibility
to prove people wrong. Football players in the NFL can be crippled,
boxers can die in the ring and people seem to accept it, but
MMA is held to a double standard. We should take that and run
with it and set a higher standard than people expect.
Source: Maxfighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"Things
don't turn up in this world until somebody turns them up."
James A. Garfield, 1831-1881, 20th President of the United States
|
ICON
SPORT
"Mayhem v Giant Gamlin"
Today!
Here's
the complete card for Icon Sport, Friday May 26.
Highlights of this card:
- The highly-anticipated return of Jason "Mayhem" Miller.
- Icon Sport's first-ever open-weight bout between Mayhem and
Giant Gamlin.
- Heart-warming return of Tyson Nam, whose brother was murdered
less than two months ago.
- Anthony Torres' first bout since appearing on Spike TV's hit
show, The Ultimate Fighter.
- Return of heavyweight "King Kong" Seraille, who left
MMA for two years to craft his jiu-jitsu skills under master
instructor/competitor Baret Yoshida.
- Eleven MMA schools from Oahu participating.
ICON SPORT "Mayhem v Giant Gamlin"
FRIDAY MAY 26
BLAISDELL ARENA
Keiki Kickboxing 2 x 1
55
Tristan Kamaka 808 Fight Factory, Waipahu
vs
Nainoa Wahiawa Jiu Jitsu, Wahiawa
Kickboxing
125
Stephen Palling Jr Jesus Is Lord, Waipahu
vs
Devon Damu Animal House, Ewa Beach
3 x 1.5
3 150 John Honda Grappling Unlimited, Honolulu vs Isaiah Adams
Animal House, Ewa Beach 3 x 1.5
OPEN Jason "Mayhem" Miller Pig Hunters, Mt. Ka'ala
vs
Stefan "Giant" Gamlin Freelance, Peoria, AZ
3 x 5
170
Kimo Woelfel Eastsidaz, Waimanalo
vs
Mike Taniguchi Animal House, Ewa Beach
3 x 3
135
Ben Shrader Freelance, Honolulu
vs
Tyson Nam Grappling Unlimited, Honolulu
3 x 3
175
Anthony Torres Team MMAD, Kailua
vs
Jerry Hackney Charleston, WV
3 x 5
HW
"King Kong" Ray Seraille Grappling Unlimited, Honolulu
vs
Gary "Iron Bear" Myers Muncie, IN
3 x 5
170
Lawrence Shorter St. Louis, MO
vs
Sydney Silva HMC, Honolulu
3 x 5
155
Kaleo Kwon Eastsidaz, Waimanalo
vs
Marshall Harvest Animal House, Ewa Beach
3 x 3
170
Wayne Perrin Big Dog, Waianae
vs
Anthony Ornellas Jus Rush
3 x 3
HW
Pat Collins Team Papakolea, Honolulu
vs
Jarret Lindsey Bulls Pen, Honolulu
3 x 3
165
Kimo Lee Federation Koko, Honolulu
vs
Derek Stadler Bulls Pen, Honolulu
3 x 3
210
Ron Verdadero Jesus Is Lord, Waipahu
vs
Kenneth Gusman Team Papakolea, Honolulu
3 x 3
135 Jared Santos Bulls Pen, Honolulu
vs
Ikaika Silva Animal House, Ewa Beach
3 x 3
|
Interview
with UFC 60 Fighter:
Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez
By Takimoto
Continuing our huge preview with the competitors of UFC 60; Maxfighting
brings you an interview with the Jacksons Submission Fighting's
Diego Sanchez. Diego was recently side-lined from UFC 58 due
to a virus acquired in the preparation for his fight against
Canadian John Alessio and this virus was muc tougher than a UFC
fight, when Diego dropped badly and had to stay under hospital's
cares. Now 100% healed, Diego is ready to keep his undefeated
16-0 record and to reach a welterweight contender's position
this year.
MaxFighting:
Hi Diego, are you 100% healed from that virus that attacked your
body in March?
Diego Sanchez: Yes. 100 percent healed and stronger mentally
because of it.
MaxFighting:
What kind of virus was this?
Diego Sanchez: It was actually a parasite called gardia.
MaxFighting:
What were the first symptoms you felt?
Diego
Sanchez: I could not hold food down and anything I ate it would
just go rotten inside my stomach then I would bloat and ounce
it would pass pure liqued.
MaxFighting:
People close to you mentioned you lost a lot of weight. Was this
the biggest problem of the sickness for you
Diego Sanchez: Yes severe dehydration- I had to be rushed to
the hospital for iv's
MaxFighting:
And when did you start training for this UFC 60 match against
John Alessio?
Diego Sanchez: I started training at April
MaxFighting:
Was it hard to comeback to training?
Diego
Sanchez: No. I was so hungry to train. I was off for about 15
days.
MaxFighting:
Are you doing the same kind of training you did for UFC 68 or
did you change something for this "new" fight between
you and Alessio?
Diego Sanchez: Yes, something different. I have Rob Garcia to
help me with my boxing and conditioning. He was training Oscar
De la Hoya when I was training for
March 4th, so it was a blessing I disguise.
MaxFighting:
Do you think if you would have fought Alessio in March, you would
be scheduled for a fight at UFC 60?
Diego Sanchez: It would have been a possibility if I was healthy.
It is the biggest UFC ever so I would have been happy to fight.
MaxFighting:
So, my prior question is regarding a fact, if you had fought
and beaten Alessio. Do you think you could be ranked as a contender?
Diego Sanchez: It was just the way things were meant to be. Nothing
was harmed, only helped I was not getting any exposure for the
UFC 58-"USA vs Canada" show so it
was a lose situation.
MaxFighting:
TUF is a success in US, how do you see yourself being a pioneer
of it and have you had a chance of watching the TUF season 2
and 3?
Diego Sanchez: I think I am the original and only ultimate fighter
not to be cocky; but I walked thru the competition and won the
final in a dominating fashion, and remain unbeteable.
MaxFighting:
Can you compare the seasons mentioned to the one that you participated?
Diego Sanchez: I watched Season 2 a little bit to support Keith
and Dan. But I stay pretty busy with training and my yoga class
was at the same time, my dad recorded some episodes. No season
3- to busy, no tv at all.
MaxFighting:
Being a TUF 1 season winner, do you still have "the responsibility"(by
your own way of thinking) of using it to increase the sport and
UFC exposure at all?
Diego Sanchez: Of course, I do. I have to bring the sport up
so fighters of the future will be able to get the money they
deserve. The first season had more energy and we did not know
what to expect. Plus I think Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture
at the time were more draw.
MaxFighting:
Your last fight at UFC was against Nick Diaz. Was this the toughest
fight of your career? If not- which one was?
Diego Sanchez: The fight with Diaz was tough, but I felt great.
My fight with Josh Koscheck was the toughest; we had trained
every day so we both knew what to expect, plus I was sick and
injured after the night of drinking I had hurt my shoulder real
bad and did not even really train. So it was all heart and being
away from my team and coaches hurt me.
MaxFighting: Did you feel you could finish Diaz in any moment
during the three rounds? When it happened, how was it and why
do you think you missed it?
Diego Sanchez: I had him in an armbar in the second round. But
the blood made us very slippery so he got out. Nick is very tough
and I did not expect to finishhim.
MaxFighting:
Back to the UFC 60's fight against Alessio. Are you going into
this fight relaxed after the tough time you had, or do you feel
a burden to show the fans you are really 100%? How do you manage
the expectations over it?
Diego Sanchez: I am very confident and relaxed I have came this
far and do not plan on stopping here. I do not feel I have to
prove to my fans I am 100%; I have
to prove I am the best same as always.
MaxFighting:
Even Alessio has more experience than you by taking a look on
the resumes. He is 16-7 and you are 14-0, although you have more
experience in the UFC's octagon. Do you think you record speaks
better for itself than his?
Diego Sanchez: My pro record is 16-0 and the matches on TUF did
not count but I was fighting pro. So, yes I think my record can
talk better.
MaxFighting:
What do you think about Alessio and what are your main worries
against him and where are you focusing your strategy to beat
him?
Diego Sanchez: I think Alessio is a super tough guy and will
be a tough fight. I also think I am better in every aspect even
striking, but will I strike with him only if it is the smart
thing to get the victory. My prediction is referee stoppage at
second round.
MaxFighting:
A quick question- Royce or Matt Hughes?
Diego
Sanchez: I gotta go with the under dog Royce late in the fight
by submission.
MaxFighting:
Thanks for your time and would you like to leave a final message
to the fans or thank the sponsors and supporters?
Diego Sanchez: I would like to thank all the fans that support
me, my mom and dad; and God for getting me this far and taking
me much further.
Source: Maxfighting
|
RANDLEMAN
INJURY UPDATE
Kevin Randleman
Fred
George, who is the new athletic trainer of Kevin Randleman, was
recently interviewed by Bodybuilding.com and answered some questions
regarding Randleman's injury. Here's what George had to say:
"Kevin
Randleman is an unbelievable talent. He is built just like a
pro bodybuilder. At 5'10" he is a solid 230, shredded. And
let me tell you, Kevin has had a very rough year. He tore his
labrum and rotator cuff of the right shoulder during a fight,
while simultaneously having his ribs cracked, on his left side.
He had to go into surgery.
If
that was not enough Kevin has also torn his right biceps tendon.
So he ended up having surgery on both the bicep and shoulder.
Due to the fracture and being intubated they found the crack
in his ribs had punctured his left lung, and a type of fungus
was growing.
He
was having trouble breathing during training. No one could understand
it because Kevin was an NCAA wrestler from Ohio State University
so cardiovascular fitness was never a factor for him. The day
of the surgery, they cut his thoracic cavity wide open from the
sternum to the middle of his back, and pulled his ribs apart.
The
doctors extracted a build up of fungus, bacteria and scar tissue
the size of three human fists. This mass was literally strangling
Kevin. Now he is recovering and preparing for a comeback."
-Fred George
Source: Fight Sport
|
VANDERLEI
SPEAKS
by Eduardo Ferreira, translation by Ricardo Alonso
Tatame:
How do you see your entry into the PRIDE Open Weight GP?
Vanderlei:
I had really wanted to fight in the first round, but they only
included me at the start of the second round and I'm ready to
fight. I accepted the offer to fight because I never run away
from the difficult challenges. Only the toughest fighters are
now in the GP. The first round is over and only the best fighters
are now left. Every one of the fighters in the second round have
the ability to win the GP.
Tatame:
Who would you like to face in the GP?
Vanderlei:
Whoever they match me up against will be fine. I've never picked
my opponents, and everyone left in the GP is a strong fighter.
It's like I've always said: I'm don't claim that I can beat everyone
but I will always face anyone. I want to show that I deserve
to be in the second round of the GP.
Tatame:
What about the possibility of having a rematch against Mark Hunt?
Vanderlei:
That would be great. I fought very well against him the first
time and I feel that I won. It will be great if they match me
up against him again. In order to beat him, you must take him
down to the ground. He has a very heavy punch, and to trade strikes
with him is not always wise. If I fight against him, I will look
to submit him.
Tatame:
There is also a possibility that you may face Rodrigo "Minotauro"
Nogueira. What would that fight be like?
Vanderlei:
It would be a great opportunity for both of us to face each other.
He's an idol in Japan, and so am I. It would have a lot of impact
in Japan and here in Brazil. There is no strategy to fight against
someone like Minotauro because he's a complete fighter. He knows
the ground game well and he's also good at boxing. My game against
him would be to stand with him and trade strikes, because that
is where my strengths are.
Tatame:
This will be the third PRIDE GP that you will have been in. Have
you now become a GP specialist?
Vanderlei:
(laughs) No. The first two GP's I competed in where in my weight
category, but this one will be different because there's the
chance of facing much heavier guys. The size of the larger opponents
can actually work to my advantage, but it can also work against
me. If a heavyweight catches you right on the button, you're
going down.
Tatame:
Do you believe that the best fighters in PRIDE are in this GP?
Vanderlei:
The best heavyweights are in it, but there are many guys from
the lower weight categories that aren't in it, such as Mauricio
Shogun and Quinton Jackson.
Tatame:
With Fedor Emelianenko not in the GP, it will always be said
that the champion of this Open Weight GP won because Fedor was
not in it. What do you think about that?
Vanderlei:
Fedor is definitely the man to beat. No one has beaten him yet,
so it's true that this GP will be remembered for not having him
in it. I think the champion of this GP will need to face Fedor
in order to set the record straight.
Tatame:
Are you doing any special training in order to gain weight? Will
you change anything in your training, as well?
Vanderlei:
I am polishing up my physical preparation. I'm weighing 94 kg
(207 pounds) and I won't gain much more weight, so that I don't
lose any agility. My training will remain the same. I had already
been in training for some time, but I stepped up the speed of
my training after being confirmed in the GP so that I will be
well prepared on the day of the event.
Tatame:
What can the fans expect from you? And what can your adversaries
expect from you, too?
Vanderlei:
My fans can expect to see me well prepared and ready to fight.
I always fight going forward and try to put on a good show. I
never run away from the tough challenges. For my opponents, I
can only say, "Silva is in the house" (laughs).
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
"Nothing
is built on stone; all is built on sand, but we must build as
if the sand were stone."
Jorge Luis Borges, 1899-1986, Argentine Writer
|
Island
Warriors Fighting Championships
On Maui!
Islan Warriors Fighting Championship
War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui
August 5, 2006
We're looking for fighters to compete.
All questions or interested schools/clubs or fighters can call
me @ (808) 870-8940
Mahalo,
Tyson
Source: Event promoter
|
ICON
SPORT
"Mayhem v Giant Gamlin"
Tomorrow
Here's
the complete card for Icon Sport, Friday May 26.
Highlights of this card:
- The highly-anticipated return of Jason "Mayhem" Miller.
- Icon Sport's first-ever open-weight bout between Mayhem and
Giant Gamlin.
- Heart-warming return of Tyson Nam, whose brother was murdered
less than two months ago.
- Anthony Torres' first bout since appearing on Spike TV's hit
show, The Ultimate Fighter.
- Return of heavyweight "King Kong" Seraille, who left
MMA for two years to craft his jiu-jitsu skills under master
instructor/competitor Baret Yoshida.
- Eleven MMA schools from Oahu participating.
ICON SPORT "Mayhem v Giant Gamlin"
FRIDAY MAY 26
BLAISDELL ARENA
Keiki Kickboxing 2 x 1
55
Tristan Kamaka 808 Fight Factory, Waipahu
vs
Nainoa Wahiawa Jiu Jitsu, Wahiawa
Kickboxing
125
Stephen Palling Jr Jesus Is Lord, Waipahu
vs
Devon Damu Animal House, Ewa Beach
3 x 1.5
3 150 John Honda Grappling Unlimited, Honolulu vs Isaiah Adams
Animal House, Ewa Beach 3 x 1.5
OPEN Jason "Mayhem" Miller Pig Hunters, Mt. Ka'ala
vs
Stefan "Giant" Gamlin Freelance, Peoria, AZ
3 x 5
170
Kimo Woelfel Eastsidaz, Waimanalo
vs
Mike Taniguchi Animal House, Ewa Beach
3 x 3
135
Ben Shrader Freelance, Honolulu
vs
Tyson Nam Grappling Unlimited, Honolulu
3 x 3
175
Anthony Torres Team MMAD, Kailua
vs
Jerry Hackney Charleston, WV
3 x 5
HW
"King Kong" Ray Seraille Grappling Unlimited, Honolulu
vs
Gary "Iron Bear" Myers Muncie, IN
3 x 5
170
Lawrence Shorter St. Louis, MO
vs
Sydney Silva HMC, Honolulu
3 x 5
155
Kaleo Kwon Eastsidaz, Waimanalo
vs
Marshall Harvest Animal House, Ewa Beach
3 x 3
170
Wayne Perrin Big Dog, Waianae
vs
Anthony Ornellas Jus Rush
3 x 3
HW
Pat Collins Team Papakolea, Honolulu
vs
Jarret Lindsey Bulls Pen, Honolulu
3 x 3
165
Kimo Lee Federation Koko, Honolulu
vs
Derek Stadler Bulls Pen, Honolulu
3 x 3
210
Ron Verdadero Jesus Is Lord, Waipahu
vs
Kenneth Gusman Team Papakolea, Honolulu
3 x 3
135 Jared Santos Bulls Pen, Honolulu
vs
Ikaika Silva Animal House, Ewa Beach
3 x 3
|
International
Fight League exclusively on FSN
Hawaii Air Time!
Channel 20 (FSN)
May 21 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 23 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 23 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 25 - 8:00-9:00PM
May 25 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 27 - 4:00-5:00PM
May 28 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 28 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 30 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 30 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
June 2 - 9:00-10:00AM
Don't miss the debut of the IFL (International Fight League),
exclusively on FSN (Fox Sports Net), on May 21st, THIS SUNDAY
(part I) and NEXT SUNDAY, May 28th (part II)!
It's
an awesome show that features four teams of great mixed martial
arts fighters coached by four legends: Bas Rutten, Renzo Gracie,
Pat Miletich and Maurice Smith!
And...I
am one of the commentators!!!
CHECK
LOCAL LISTINGS FOR TIMES IN YOUR AREA!
Take
care,
Stephen
Quadros
"The Fight Professor"
http://StephenQuadros.com
IFL Color Commentator/Analyst
|
The
Ultimate Fighter 4 premieres August 17
The Boston Herald is reporting that the fourth season of The
Ultimate Fighter will premiere Thursday, August 17 on Spike TV.
Season
4 will follow 16 UFC veterans as they battle for a six-figure
contract and a title shot for one middleweight and one welterweight.
The
UFC will do away with coaches and place Randy Couture and Georges
St. Pierre as "advisors and counsels."
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"Failure
should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay,
not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure
is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing,
and being nothing."
Denis Waitley, American Author/Speaker/Peak Performance Expert
|
Icon
Sport: Mayhem vs. The Giant
Press Conference
Today
Eastside Grill
2:00PM
|
Lockdown
in Lahaina Town
Lahaina
Civic Center, Lahaina, Hawaii
June 24, 2006
The fight card is still being put together, but Lockdown promoter,
Douglas Camanse (AKA BRADDA) will be fighting Loki out of California.
There will be a casting call for the Lockdown Ring Girls To be
held at Paradise Bluz on June 8 and the finals will be held on
June 22nd.
If you have any questions call Me (Darci, Braddas wife) or call
Bradda 808-870-2031.......
See
you there!
|
Ring
of Honor Returns!
Ring of Honor is back and we are looking for fighters.
Saturday, July 8, 2006
Waianae High School.
The event starts at 6:30 PM
Tickets will be $20 in advance and $25 at the door.
Anyone interested in selling tickets can send me an email.
We are looking for kickboxers and MMA fighters for 12 bouts,
so email me at kaikamaka@hotmail.com.
Source: Event Promoter
|
PRIDE
VS. K-1; FUJI TV VS. BOB SAPP
by Zach Arnold - Fight Opinion
This article comes from Zach Arnold at FightOpinion.com
"Last
Saturday night in Holland, Bob Sapp bolted before his scheduled
main event with Ernesto Hoost, causing a major firestorm in front
of 17,500 fans at the Amsterdam Arena. Sankei Sports, the newspaper
affiliated with Fuji TV (which broadcasted the K-1 event), declared
that “Sapp ran away” from the fight and issued a boycott
against Hoost. The newspaper quoted matchmaker Sadaharu Tanigawa
as saying that Sapp “requested unreasonable demands”
right before his fight, and that a possible “banishment”
or lawsuit could evolve from his actions. Yomiuri Sports had
a reporter quoting the ring announcer at the K-1 show talking
about Sapp being cowardly and how he left 30 minutes before the
main event.
In
a press release issued by K-1, Tanigawa mentioned that Sapp is
still under contract with K-1 and cannot leave to another organization.
According
to a Japanese source in the fight industry, former K-1 boss (and
still a powerful figure in the company) Kazuyoshi Ishii was on
hand at the Amsterdam Arena show, and not in jail as some people
thought. According to our Japanese source, here is a brief summary
of what allegedly took place between Bob Sapp and K-1:
Sapp
was rumoredly asking somewhere in between $500,000-$600,000 for
the fight against Ernesto Hoost, but K-1 had apparently not agreed
to this amount. Some insiders in the Japanese fight industry
believe that another company may have made a financial offer
to Sapp and that this was what led to the fight reconsideration.
(Daily Sports notes that DSE/Hustle and WWE are companies that
can pay big money if Sapp leaves K-1). On Tuesday, Nikkan Sports
printed a statement from DSE that denied any involvement in the
matter.
Sapp
refused to fight against Hoost (while sporting bandages) and
was admonished (either by K-1 or by K-1 Holland event promoter
Simon Rutz).
Sapp
took the admonishment seriously enough that he had bodyguards
arranged for himself in front of his hotel room (Nikkan Sports
on Tuesday said that Sapp brought at least two bodyguards with
him to the show).
Sapp
was seen arguing with K-1 and promotion staff waving around a
piece of paper (the contract). The piece of paper being waved
around was apparently a contractual release that would have made
him a free agent.
Sapp
was taken away to a “safe house” after the argument.
Yomiuri Sports newspaper noted that Sapp had an issue with not
checking into the hotel room that K-1 had designated for him
to be at.
Full
disclosure: We have placed phone calls to contacts in Seattle
to try to find out more about the story, but no success. We did
get a hold of one source, but they did not know any details about
the situation.
Influential
blogger Black Eye has a list of four theories about what he thinks
might have happened:
-A
contract or visa problem
-DSE
or another promotion made an offer and Sapp is heading elsewhere.
-Sapp
became scared of fighting Hoost and ran away.
-Sapp
was caught doping.
On
Tuesday, it was reported in Nikkan Sports that matchmaker Sadaharu
Tanigawa would start imposing financial penalties on Sapp if
he worked for any other promotion. Tanigawa claimed that Sapp
has more than two years left on his K-1 contract, and that any
time Sapp works for another promotion, he will have to pay a
penalty of 100 million yen (close to $1 million USD) per fight.
K-1 noted that all legal discussions are taking place via lawyers
at the moment.
Despite
the magnitude of this incident, it leads to a much more powerful
situation regarding PRIDE, K-1, and Fuji TV (with producer Kunio
Kiyohara calling the shots). In the much-talked about yakuza
scandal, Kiyohara’s name has been clearly associated with
his closeness to DSE President Nobuyuki Sakakibara. K-1 has had
an off-again, on-again relationship with Kiyohara and the K-1
promotion has found TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) to be a willing
partner for their bigger television shows. In the past, there
have been stories of political problems between Kazuyoshi Ishii
and Kunio Kiyohara.
Shukan
Gendai: PRIDE & Kiyohara (Fuji TV) try to stop Sakuraba from
leaving DSE
In
a short article in this week’s edition of Shukan Gendai,
the magazine talks about Kazushi Sakuraba leaving PRIDE because
they claim that he has been concerned with what has been going
on in PRIDE for a long time. Second, the magazine states that
Sakuraba was getting a few million yen per fight appearance (while
putting himself at physical risk), whereas contemporaries like
Hidehiko Yoshida and Naoya Ogawa were taking giant paydays on
New Year’s Eve. (Editor’s note — While I do believe
it is true that Sakuraba was getting paid less fight money than
Yoshida and Ogawa, I do not believe that it was just “a
few million yen” per fight.)
The
magazine notes that Kunio Kiyohara apparently called Kazuyoshi
Ishii to complain about Sakuraba leaving PRIDE and tried to stop
Sakuraba from showing up at the HERO’s 5/3 Tokyo, Yoyogi
National Stadium Gym I event. Gendai claims that Kiyohara/PRIDE
even tried sending a car to block Sakuraba’s driveway on
the day of the HERO’s show in an attempt to actually stop
him from going. The magazine claims that Ishii responded to Kiyohara’s
complaints by stating, “I thought that you and Fuji TV had
nothing to do with fighter contracts, and you didn’t take
any action when K-1 fighters left for PRIDE. Has your policy
changed?” Gendai says Kiyohara didn’t answer this question.
Source: FightOpinion/MMAWeekly
|
Gladiator
Challenge: TOP GUNZ
Cage fighting returns to its home in central California on Sunday,
May 21st, with Gladiator Challenge: TOP GUNZ. 40 of the most
talented fighters from central California and around the nation
will compete in full contact, no holds barred action at Eagle
Mountain Casino in Porterville, CA.
In the main event, Bryan Travers takes on Richard Montoya for
the Gladiator Challenge World Light Heavyweight Championship.
The undefeated Travers calls Bakersfield home, where he trains
at Eric Nolan's Academy of Martial Arts. After rising to the
top of the Gladiator Challenge heavyweight division, Travers,
a Division 1 college wrestler, cuts down in weight to take his
shot at the title at his natural weight. Standing in Travers'
way is the highly regarded Reno, NV native Richard Montoya. Montoya
, a student at the Lion's Den under legendary submission fighter
Ken Shamrock, makes his debut in Gladiator Challenge for the
belt. Travers' combination of top-notch aggressive wrestling
and crippling jujitsu has proven too much for every opponent
that he has faced, but none have carried the pedigree of Montoya.
On May 21st, the Lion's Den protege will seek to put an end to
Travers' unbeaten streak and take home the Gladiator Challenge
World Light Heavyweight Title.
Also in the main event, Erik Apple takes on Steve Ramirez for
the Gladiator Challenge Welterweight Superfight Title. Apple,
an undefeated student of Marco Ruas, is well known in the MMA
community, both in an out of the cage. Outside the cage, Apple
is a color commentator for extreme sports on ESPN and for King
of the Cage PPV events. Inside the cage, Apple is relentless,
with only one of his opponenets making it the distance with him.
Recently dropping down to welterweight from middleweight, Apple
returns to where his fight career started, this time with his
first title belt on the line. Facing Apple is the Gladiator Challenge
#4 Middleweight contender, Steve Ramirez. Ramirez also fights
for the second time in Gladiator Challenge, moving down a weight
clas for this shot at the belt. Ramirez has taken on a "who's
who" of the top fighters in central California, and his
'anyone anytime' approach to fighting has made him a force to
be reckoned with and a name to take note of in the mixed martial
arts scene.
Don't miss these exciting title fights and th mose action packed
show of the year at Eagle Mountain Casino! Gates open at 1:30pm,
and fights start at 3:00pm on Sunday, May 21st at Eagle Mountain
Casino in Porterville. For tickets, call Eagle Mountain Casino
at (559) 788-6220.
Bryan
Travers HWT Richard Montoya
Steve Ramirez 170 Eric Apple
Brian Cobb 155 Albert Hill
Felix Garcia 180 Jeremiah Metcalf
Reggie Moor 170 Justin Truesdale
Francisco Loredo 145 Shawn Klarcyk
Ernie Garcia 170 Francisco Romero
Ben Davis HWT Anthony Fuller
Sergio Cortez 155 Andy Salazar
Rolando Torres HWT Mitch Nester
Steve Dennison HWT William White
Mario Rivera 170 Bobby Reneau
Angel Davila HWT Pedro Mercado
Eddie Calantas 185 Sal Guillena
Shannon Kilgore 195 Joe Chaidez
Paul Mince HWT Buckley Acosta
Source: MATTHEW MCPHERSON
|
BENNETT
BREAKDOWN: MMA PROMOTION ROUND-UP
by Ryan Bennett
(Each week, MMAWeekly's very own Ryan Bennett breaks down the
MMA world by answering your e-mails about the state of the MMA
game. For those who are new to the sport, Bennett is the founder
of MMAWeekly.com. He also hosts the only daily MMA radio show
in the world with pro fighter Frank Trigg at mmaweeklyradio.com,
and is the lead broadcaster nationally for The Fight Network,
which is the first 24-hour television station devoted to the
fight game (MMA, boxing, and kickboxing). Bennett also does play-by-play
for some of the top MMA organizations in the world. As one MMA
promoter put it, Bennett is "the most influential person
in the MMA industry." Here is this week's edition of the
Bennett Breakdown.)
"Ryan,
what is the latest news regarding Rich Franklin and when he will
fight?" Sam Fahrmar - Los Angeles, CA
I
talked to Rich yesterday for a few minutes, and he said that
his injuries are healing well. Franklin believes that the torn
ligaments in his ankle were actually a pre-existing injury from
the Evan Tanner fight, which is pretty crazy when you think about
it. That means he fought David Loiseau on an ankle that had torn
ligaments in it for five rounds. His hand is starting to look
"normal," as he is back to lifting weights. He still
can't hit anybody or spar, but he believes that he could fight
again in October. You can catch the latest with the UFC Middleweight
Champ when he joins us live on Monday's radio show at MMAWeeklyRadio.com
"What
are the chances of Tim Sylvia fighting Jerome LeBanner?"
Chris Stoddard - Long Beach, CA
I
actually talked with Jerome at the K-1 show in Amsterdam last
weekend and I asked him straight-up about this. LeBanner told
me that he thought it would be a great fight and he would love
to do it, but he is under contract with K-1, and he felt that
K-1 would only let him fight one time in the UFC, not three.
As long as it's just a one-fight deal, the UFC couldn't do a
Sylvia vs. LeBanner fight because Sylvia is the UFC Heavyweight
Champion, and if LeBanner won the title he would simply go back
to K-1 without defending it. Anytime that a fighter competes
for a UFC championship, an automatic three-fight deal is added
to their contract, and LeBanner probably couldn't do three fights
in the UFC because I don't believe K-1 would allow him to do
it. Translation: It ain't happening as long as Tim is the UFC
champ.
"Ryan,
can you break down which promotion you think can contend with
the UFC? Is it the WFA or IFL or somebody else?" - Sam Martinez
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
This
is the most common question that I have received this week, so
let me simply break down the pros and cons of the UFC compared
to the newer MMA promotions.
UFC
Pros
-The
UFC brand has over 12 years behind it and is the most recognizable
name in North American MMA, bar none. Many casual fans simply
think of "UFC" and "MMA" as being the same
thing. That brand name alone is huge for Zuffa.
-They
are on weekly national TV and continue to make their brand name
bigger and stronger with each passing week of The Ultimate Fighter.
Just having those PPV commercials on TUF is a huge promotional
value to the company, not to mention the sales of DVDs and merchandise.
-Their
pay-per-views are starting to rival or surpass boxing's numbers.
Couture vs. Liddell drew over 400,000 buys earlier this year.
While De la Hoya vs. Mayorga drew about 870,000 buys, the vast
majority of boxing PPVs that aren't heavyweights or De La Hoya
do not draw 400,000 buys.
-Dana
White. Love him or hate him, this guy works harder than anyone,
period. He flies daily to different cities to promote the UFC
with newspapers, television outlets, and radio stations. He is
getting the brand name out there, and no one can question how
hard this guy works. Does he drive the MMA media crazy? Sure,
but he is simply outworking the competition, and for all those
who criticize his business practices with some fighters, he works
his rear-end off and that's why the company is succeeding and
it's about time people acknowledge Dana's hard work.
UFC
Cons
-Paying
fighters. While the top fighters are making better money, I still
believe that if the UFC wanted the top heavyweights in the world,
they could get them. I don't know if they will ever pay top dollar
to get the fighters like Fedor, Cro Cop, or Nogueira.
-UFC
business. If you get pissed off at somebody, you can't black-list
them forever. We should have seen Jens Pulver, Murilo Bustamante,
Matt Lindland, Josh Barnett, for a time BJ Penn, and many other
fighters back in the UFC because they are still some of the better
fighters in their respective weight classes. Instead, the UFC
was pissed at what they did and instead of making a point, they
black-listed these fighters and we haven't seen them back with
the exception of Penn. (Matt Lindland was supposedly offered
a shot at TUF 4, but being the #2 guy in the world, why does
he have to go through other guys to get a shot at Rich Franklin
when Lindland has already proven he should have that title shot?)
You can't mix personal stuff with business, and that's something
that Dana White I think would tell you he needs to work on.
All
in all, everyone can complain and bitch and moan about the UFC
all they want. The bottom line is, they will be around tomorrow
and for a long time. Zuffa lost millions of dollars the first
five years, but they have seen a boom financially in the past
year-and-a-half and are cashing in financially. Many new organizations
will pop up, but the UFC is here to stay, as they are entrenched
in cable television, pay-per-view, and soon HBO as well.
IFL
Pros
-The
IFL is doing a pretty smart thing right now. They aren't over-spending,
and they are going to stay the course with their product. The
"impulse" business sense would have been to overpay
for glamorous free agents, but instead they are trying to build
with good young fighters like Rory Markham, Mike Pyle, Urijah
Faber, and others. It seems like they are going to cater to arenas
that hold 3,000 to 5,000 fans, and let the television side of
things tell their stories to build fighters.
-Television.
Being on Fox Sports Network is going to be huge in the long run.
They may have to pay a chunk of money to do it at first, but
if you want to build a new fan base, then the fan base has to
be able to learn who these fighters are. While I'm not big on
the team concept yet, at least they will be able to tell a story
of who these guys are, and then later we may have a greater interest
in who the individual people are, much like what TUF 1 did a
great job of doing.
-The
Coaches. The IFL got the best in the business. Pat Miletich,
Maurice Smith, Bas Rutten, and Renzo Gracie are all great. I
hear that Team Canada is coming with Carlos Newton, and I also
hear that they may be putting a Japanese team together, which
could be very cool. The Hall of Fame-level coaches bring instant
credibility to the organization.
IFL
Cons
-Team
Concept. I know, I know. You've heard me talk about this on MMAWeekly
Radio. Right now, I'm not rushing out to spend 25 bucks on a
Tiger Sharks or Anacondas jersey. I'm sure there are a few available.
Fighting is a single, mano-e-mano sport. I've heard the comparisons
to college/amateur wrestling, which is an individual sport with
teams, but here's the difference. Amateur wrestling has been
around for as long as boxing. Boxing is over 100 years old. Mixed
Martial Arts is now 12 years old in the United States. The sport
of MMA is great because it is everything that boxing isn't. We
all consider MMA the greatest hand-to-hand combat sport in the
world. As the great Yogi Berra once said, "There's no 'I'
in 'Team,'" and as far as MMA goes, there haven't been any
teams in a single-fighter sport. Maybe I will change my mind
once the show airs on Sunday, but for now I think that a team
concept sounds corny, and hopefully I'm completely wrong. The
IFL is banking on it.
-Does
a League work in MMA? We are about to find out. Now that the
IFL has gone public, I believe you can buy stock into the company
on the stock market. If you are a fan and you've literally wanted
to buy into MMA, then here is your chance. An interesting thought.
The IFL has positioned itself as being an MMA league, not an
MMA promotion. With the team concept, even though I'm not big
on it, the concept of a Japanese team versus a Canadian team
does interest me somewhat. With the league format, I think it's
way too early to see if having an entire league will work in
MMA. I give the IFL a ton of credit for being innovative and
trying new things. I just think it's going to be tough a road
ahead, and I wish they would have started as a promotion first
and then ventured into positioning themselves as an MMA league
once they became successful. I guess we will find out pretty
soon if they knew what they were talking about.
WFA
Pros
-Holy
cow, this is a great first card. They landed Quinton Jackson
as a free agent, and they took Matt Lindland away from the UFC's
plans for TUF 4. Then there's Lyoto Machida, the man who KO'd
Rich Franklin, and also beat Stephan Bonnar and BJ Penn. Machida
might be a bigger free agent signing than even Rampage when all
is said and done. The WFA guys definitely opened their pocket-book,
and everyone has a right to be excited about the first show or
(re-launch, technically) of the WFA in Los Angeles on July 22nd.
-Aggressive
style. This can be a good and bad thing at the same time. These
guys aren't shy about signing the best in the business. Zuffa
had this mindset when they first started at UFC 33, as they tried
to bring in the best in the business to fight one another. Nowadays,
the UFC is running so many shows that we do see a more watered-down
version of the product. There are too many Kevin Jordans or Gabriel
Gonzagas out there fighting in the UFC (nothing against Jordan
or Gonzaga personally), but then again that kind of thing is
unavoidable if the UFC is going to run 18 shows per year. The
WFA now can run five or six shows per year and make every event
a super-card. They can also pay a select group of fighters a
lot of money and showcase them as the WFA's premiere fighters.
They have time to really build 20 great fighters, instead of
the 75 or so fighters that the UFC currently has because of how
many shows they're crank out.
WFA
Cons
-TV
or PPV deals. It's really early on for this promotion, but the
one thing that the WFA really needs is a television deal. The
WFA ran three shows a few years ago, so they do have some history
dating back to 2002, but if they want to compete and go head-to-head
with the UFC (which they do based on the talk), then they will
have to do several things. They will have to solidify a great
PPV deal, which means getting their events on live PPV or on
a delay of only 24 to 48 hours instead of six weeks, and they
will also need to secure a television deal to show some of their
fights at least once per month, if not weekly. Other MMA promotions
can compare themselves to the UFC all they want, but the UFC
does have weekly TV programming, and nobody else does.
-Money.
I have no idea how much money this first card is costing them,
but it has to be insane. I know Quinton Jackson cost a ton of
money. What I'm hearing about Bas Rutten, if the rumors are true,
is that this guy could potentially get a couple hundred grand
if he decides to come back and fight. If history tells us anything
about the previous incarnation of the WFA, it's the fact that
the promoters always put on great shows that cost them a ton
of money. It's hard to recoup that money unless you get great
advertisers and a solid level of pay-per-view buys. We know that
advertisers won't jump on right away until they see your product.
If you're throwing over a half million in salaries on one show,
and that doesn't even include the money that you spend advertising
your event, then you can just imagine how costly this thing is
going to be. As MMA fans, I think we are all pulling for the
WFA to succeed for the sake of competition, but they also better
have deep pockets in order to put on the quality shows that we've
come to expect.
Strike
Force Pros
-I
don't care if you're the UFC, Pride, or any of the big boys that
been in the MMA game for a while. If you draw over 18,000 fans
to your first show and set the all-time North American attendance
record for your FIRST SHOW, you are in good shape. Having a main
event of Alistair Overeem vs. Vitor Belfort on the second show
is a damn good main event, and the undercard will also be very,
very good. Give Scott Coker big-time props, as he has the Northern
California market figured out, and we'll find out just how much
he has it figured out when we see what kind of numbers come in
for the second show. Cung Le is being brought along very slowly,
which is smart, and I'm hearing that Frank Shamrock will be back
to fight in the organization again soon (he is currently recovering
from a broken hand). This promotion is off to an amazing start.
-Great
Negotiating. I don't know many people are dialed into the matchmaking
side of things, but this is what I do know. It is pretty amzing
for this promotion to have gone from a main event of Vitor Belfort
vs. Kevin Randleman, to the new main event of Vitor Belfort vs.
Alistair Overeem. I know how tough the paper trail is when an
MMA promotion tries to bring a guy in from another country, and
that's exactly what Strike Force did when Randleman pulled out
of the fight and they replaced him with Overeem. The fact that
Strike Force was able to go from Randleman to Overeem in just
about 48 hours is flat-out amazing. When you add to all of this
the solid names on the undercard, it's clear that Strike Force
has been able to negotiate deals better, and in a shorter time
period, than the bigger MMA organizations have. Think about this
for a moment. They could go from having a Shamrock vs. Gracie
main event for their first show, to having a Belfort vs. Overeem
main event for their second show, to possibly having a (Frank)
Shamrock vs. Phil Baroni main event for their third show (which
would be pretty insane if they can sign it). These guys are able
to negotiate with the best in the business from Pride, the UFC,
or K-1, which is pretty amazing when you think about it.
Strike
Force Cons
-They
weren't able to get the Shamrock vs. Gracie show on television
or pay-per-view, other than the Internet PPV download. Hey, I
love the Internet as much as anyone, but it's not a good thing
for the vast majority of people to not be able to watch Shamrock
vs. Gracie (or even know that it's available as a PPV Internet
download) after the promoters paid very good money to make the
match happen. Ultimately, pay-per-view and television deals have
to get done for this promotion to be successful on the national
level.
-Let's
also wait and see how this second show draws. Drawing 18,000
fans for the first show was insane, and anything over 10,000
paid for the second show has to be considered a success. But
what is the long-term strategy for this promotion? To be big
in Northern California, or to battle the UFC for superiority
on a scale outside of Northern California? We will have to wait
and see, but the success or failure of the second show should
give us a pretty good idea of where Strike Force stands in the
landscape of MMA.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"Achievement
is largely the product of steadily raising one's levels of aspiration
and expectation."
Jack Nicklaus, American Golfer
|
3rd
Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournament Results!
War Memorial Gymnasium, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Team Results:
1st place Team Relson Gracie 43 points
2nd place Maui Jiu-Jitsu 35 points
3rd place Brazilian Freestyle J.J. 22 points
4th place Longman 20 points
5th place Kamole Jiu-Jitsu 9 points
Black Belt Exhibition Super Fight:
Sapao (Ralph Gracie) def. John Rosa (Judo - Molokai)
Individual
Awards:
Fastest Submission:
White belt: Coby Jones (Brazilian F.S.)
Blue belt: Kawika Ganancial (Maui J.J.)
Purple belt: Philip Baltinado (Gracie)
Brown belt: None
Outstanding
Competitor:
White belt: Lorrin Ishimine (Brazilian F.S.)
Blue belt: Jake Scovall (Longman)
Purple Belt: Leandro Grando (Brazilian F.S.)
Brown belt: Ronn Shiraki (Gracie)
Total
Competitors:
Adults: 182
Kids: 68
Kids:
(6-9 yrs. 45-51 lbs.)
1st Josh Pulido (Maui J.J.)
2nd Souta Nardi (Maui J.J.)
(6-9 yrs. 60-64 lbs.)
1st Joshua Terao (Gracie)
2nd Hikina Gaughen (Gracie)
(6-9 yrs. 70-100 lbs.)
1st Makoa Gaughen (Gracie)
2nd Kulana Salera (Gracie)
(10-12 yrs. 65-75 lbs.)
1st Jacob Palimo'o (Gracie)
2nd Elijah Koga (Kamole)
(10-12 yrs. 85-97 lbs.)
1st Nahoa Salera (Gracie)
2nd Bryan Peralta (Gracie)
(10-12 yrs. 100-144 lbs.)
1st Izack Moniz (Maui J.J.)
2nd Krissan Kama (Maui J.J.)
(13-15 yrs. 100-110 lbs.)
1st Issac Grammer (Kamole)
2nd Steven Lloyd (Brazilian F.S.)
(13-15 yrs. 111-138 lbs.)
1st Mathew Tangelder (Kamole)
2nd Kamana'o Chun (Gracie)
(13-15 yrs. 140-155 lbs.)
1st Jordan Kekino (Evolution fight club)
2nd Braden Rapozo (Kamole)
(13-15 yrs. 165-up lbs.)
1st Joshua Asperilla (Gracie)
2nd Manu Gibson (Maui J.J.)
(Girls 96-134 lbs.)
1st Taylor Yap (Maui J.J.)
2nd Chelsea Pader (Brazilian F.S.)
Women:
(122-135 lbs.)
1st Teresa Denniston (Longman)
2nd Kimberly Clark (Maui J.J.)
(148-160
lbs.)
1st Danyel Stadlman (Maui J.J.)
2nd Kris Fukushima (Maui J.J.)
(Women's
open)
1st Heather Eischens (Gracie)
2nd Nancy Kapiko (Gracie)
White
Belt:
(122-134 lbs.)
1st Len Gumboc (Independent)
2nd Nathaniel Soju (Gracie)
(135-147
lbs.)
1st Sam Nims (Maui J.J.)
2nd Jason Blue (Maui J.J.)
(148-160
lbs.)
1st Lorrin Ishimine (Brazilian F.S.)
2nd Katieu Tieu (Fight for life)
(161-173
lbs.)
1st Coby Jones (Brazilian F.S.)
2nd Bulla Tuzon (Brazilian F.S.)
|
White
Belt Cont.
(174-187 lbs.)
1st Javin Santos (Brazilian F.S.)
2nd Richard Kim-Davis (Gracie)
(188-202
lbs.)
1st Brandon Nagata (Brazilian F.S.)
2nd Joey Corn (Team Tiger)
(203-213
lbs.)
1st Joel Tapler (Independent)
2nd Kenneth Gusman (Gracie)
(214-over
lbs.)
1st Patrick Collins (Gracie)
2nd Blaine Dorton (Gracie) Blue Belt:
(122-134 lbs.)
1st Sergio Hurtado (Longman)
2nd T.J. Gerhart (Longman)
(135-147
lbs.)
1st Jake Scovall (Longman)
2nd Desmond Thain (Gracie)
(148-160
lbs.)
1st Nick Arnold (Longman)
2nd Chad Gonzales (Longman)
(161-173
lbs.)
1st Luis Feliciano (Gracie)
2nd Keith Inouye (Brazilian F.S.)
(174-187
lbs.)
1st Kawika Ganancial (Maui J.J.)
2nd Gerald Hurd (Kamole)
(188-202
lbs.)
1st Bo Lagmay (Gracie)
2nd Kyle Enovijas (Gracie)
(203-213
lbs.)
1st David Chew (Gracie)
2nd Nick Pananganan (Gracie)
(214-over
lbs.)
1st Russell Char (Longman)
2nd Mitch Kepa (Maui J.J.)
Purple
belt:
(135-147 lbs.)
1st Luke Hacker (Longman)
2nd Dmitri Offergeld (Maui J.J.)
(161-173
lbs.)
1st Leandro Grando (Brazilian F.S.)
2nd Chris Andrion (Maui J.J.)
(174-187
lbs.)
1st Pono Pananganan (Gracie)
2nd Tyson Coloma Nahooikaika (Brazilian F.S.)
(188-202
lbs.)
1st Jake Mapes (Maui J.J.)
2nd Luiz Abraziao (Longman)
(214-over
lbs.)
1st Mike Carreno (Maui J.J.)
2nd Philip Baltinado (Gracie)
Brown
belt:
(Open)
1st Ronn Shiraki (Gracie)
|
|
Official
Press Release: Extreme Wars X2 Sports
Extreme Wars X2 promoters of MMA at the Oakland McAfee Arena,
Oakland, California are in the planning stage of presenting a
Live-Streaming On Line PPV of the June 3rd MMA Show.
This endeavor is an attempt to provide the MMA Fans with an alternative
to television based PPV that cost upward of $30.00 and require
cable or sat. subscription service.
Recording in High Definition and Live Streaming will allow the
fans with broadband service a real time experience at a fraction
of the cost usually required by television based PPV.
The team of Jeff Blatnick and Frank Shamrock will provide the
viewers with commentary and insights from cage side.
The Hooters Bikini Contest winners will be providing between
rounds ring card announcements.
Oakland is a sports destination worthy of the NFL and Major League
Baseball and Extreme Wars believes MMA is ready to join these
world famous sports as an equal.
Please join us in person June 3rd in Oakland or go online to
enjoy this card of professional fights.
Check with us at www.extremewars.tv for details for ordering
this ground breaking event.
Source: Event Promoter
|
International
Fight League exclusively on FSN
Hawaii Air Time!
Channel 20 (FSN)
May 21 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 23 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 23 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 25 - 8:00-9:00PM
May 25 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 27 - 4:00-5:00PM
May 28 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 28 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 30 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 30 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
June 2 - 9:00-10:00AM
Don't miss the debut of the IFL (International Fight League),
exclusively on FSN (Fox Sports Net), on May 21st, THIS SUNDAY
(part I) and NEXT SUNDAY, May 28th (part II)!
It's
an awesome show that features four teams of great mixed martial
arts fighters coached by four legends: Bas Rutten, Renzo Gracie,
Pat Miletich and Maurice Smith!
And...I
am one of the commentators!!!
CHECK
LOCAL LISTINGS FOR TIMES IN YOUR AREA!
Take
care,
Stephen
Quadros
"The Fight Professor"
http://StephenQuadros.com
IFL Color Commentator/Analyst
|
Royce
Gracie Interview
By Bernie Calderon
Royce Gracie is a legend in the MMA world. Every fighter knows
the name and his accomplishments. Even those who are now coming
around and accepting the sport recognize his name. UFC I was
when Gracie showed Americans the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and
has since single handedly inspired many fighters to study his
art. In an era today where fighters fight people within their
own weight classes, Gracie fought people who were usually bigger
than him and defeated them. He is a true testament to the David
vs. Goliath story.
Now
at UFC 60, Gracie will take on arguably in many people’s
eyes the greatest welterweight in UFC history Matt Hughes. This
has been one of the most anticipated match ups since it was announced.
Royce was kind enough to take time out of training for his fight
which is just around the corner two weeks away, to spend some
time answering questions for MMAFighting.com and me.
BC:
You are fighting current UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes
May 27 during the UFC 60 PPV. Has your training for this fight
been any different than any other fight?
Royce
Gracie: Well the training is the same for all my fights. What
is different is strategy. It’s based on my opponent, so
for this fight the strategy is different, but the training is
the same.
BC:
What's your game plan going into this fight?
RG:
To Win (laughs).
BC:
Why is this fight not for the UFC title? Do you have any future
fights with UFC?
RG: This fight is a one shot deal. I am still under contract
with K-1 and UFC and K-1 worked out a deal for me to fight Matt.
So if it was for the title then I would have to defend it and
that would violate my contract with K-1. (As for any other fights)
not just this one.
BC:
Do you feel you have anything to prove in this fight?
RG:
I don’t need to prove anything. I fought 4 fights in one
night, with no rules and weight limits, am the only fighter in
UFC history to win 3 UFC Tournaments, I have the second longest
fight 90 min in MMA history, I fought a guy 3 times my size.
I have nothing to prove, I look at this fight as another challenge
in life, so the only one I have to prove anything to is myself.
BC:
How do you envision your fight with Matt Hughes ending?
RG:
With my hand raised.
BC:
What made you want to come back to fight for UFC? Did UFC contact
you or did you contact them?
RG:
My manager and UFC have been working on trying to bring me back
for the last 4 years. UFC has been approaching us, but we could
never come to an agreement, well we finally did.
BC:
I personally wish there was no time limits to this fight. Do
you feel that the 5-minute rounds could hinder you and you’re
fighting style in any way?
RG:
I always prefer longer rounds or no rounds at all, I also do
not like the idea of judges, I think fighters need to decide
who the winner is in the ring, but to make MMA legal in the US
rules have to be established. So I do not agree with the rules,
but will fight under them. I don’t think that they will
hinder me, I am training for 3x5min rounds.
BC:
Fighters in the UFC have evolved since you last fought. Back
in those days most guys came in there looking for a street fight.
You brought Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to the forefront of MMA and made
it a respectable discipline. How do you feel BJJ has changed
MMA?
RG:
Well first off all, I do not feel that in the early UFC fighters
came in to look for a street fight. I think fighters came in
representing their disciplines. Since then, I showed the world
that you have to include ground into your fighting style in order
to be a complete martial artist.
BC:
Why do you wear your Gi to the cage?
RG:
Because my opponents get sweaty and Gi provides additional traction.
BC:
As one of the pioneer fighters, how has it made you feel watching
the UFC grow from what it was when you first fought to now being
on the verge of mainstream acceptance?
RG:
I think it’s great, I remember having to go on the shows
all over the country and defend what we do, and it’s great
that finally the sport is getting the recognition that it deserves.
BC:
Who are some of your favorite fighters you like to watch now?
RG: I lot of guys out there that I watch. I like to watch Noguera
brothers and Murilo they have a similar style to mine, but I
watch a lot of fighters so hard to single out anyone.
BC:
You have been known to train law enforcement officers in self-defense
techniques to assist them in having one more tool while on the
beat. Current MMA fighter and law enforcement officer Ernie Perea
once told me years ago that he had learned from you, how to do
a kimura, as a way to protect his gun. How did you get involved
in working with law enforcement and are you involved with teaching
any law enforcement departments?
RG:
Rorion and I started that a lot time ago, just modifying a little
bit of regular techniques to be aware of the weapon that an officer
has. It has become very successful, I have a program called G.R.A.C.I.E
(Gracie Retention and Control for Immediate Enforcement) that
I certify PT instructors in. It’s a week course, and I have
been doing about 8-10 of those each year with law enforcement
for all over the country.
BC:
I thank you for your time Royce it was truly an honor. Is there
anything you would like to add in closing?
RG:
I just want to thank all my fans for their support over the years,
and my sponsors – ATAMA Kimonos, Sambazon, Bladerunner,
Line-X, CytoSport, Century Martial Arts, Diamondback Tactical,
Fairtex, Serious Pimp.
Source: MMA Fighting
|
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VECC CONTINUES
AS AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHTING CEO
DENVER, COLORADO – American Championship Fighting(sm) Chief
Executive Officer Rico Vecc appeared before Denver District Court
Friday, to face sentencing for conduct stemming from a previous
real estate venture. Vecc assumed responsibility for one count
of securities fraud he incurred while engaging in a joint venture
with business partner Sean Zweifel more than a year ago. The
District Court judge decided that, with full restitution, Vecc
would receive a 4-year sentence with immediate eligibility for
a work-release program.
“I made some mistakes that resulted in legal charges. I
accept personal responsibility for this and now I have to deal
with the consequences. ACF had nothing to do with this; it is
a completely separate matter,” stated Vecc.
Vecc remains committed to ACF(sm) and will continue to support
the company as its CEO. “I want to reassure MMA fans that
this in no way affects the operations of the ACF. American Championship
Fighting was built from the ground up as a team effort from day
one. It is not all about Rico Vecc. There are a lot of great
people at the ACF that will ensure that the company will continue
to thrive.”
The ACF(sm) is a completely separate entity from Vecc’s
previous real estate venture that resulted in the current legal
situation. Apart from his involvement with both companies, neither
business has anything to do with the other.
ACF(sm) President Josh Sylva will continue to manage ACF(sm)
operations especially as the company works to finalize details
for its July 15 show to be held at a venue to be determined.
The July card is already slated to feature a title bout between
current ACF(sm) welterweight champion John Cronk and top contender
Donnie Liles, the debut of Wes Sims in the Ocho(sm), lightweight
contender Dennis Davis’ return against Omaha’s Justin
James, highly regarded middleweight Chilo Gonzalez, and more.
“We know that this situation does not come across well with
MMA fans,” remarked Sylva, “but there are a lot of
people involved in this company that have worked long and hard
towards making the ACF a success. That is not about to change,
in fact, we are ready to redouble our efforts to take the ACF
to the top of the MMA world.”
ACF reserves the right to modify the fight card.
©American Championship Fighting, LLC 2006 - All Rights Reserved.
----
About
American Championship Fighting, LLC
American Championship Fighting, LLC (ACF) is a premier mixed
martial arts promotion. Under the ownership of Rico Vecc Promotions(sm),
the ACF(sm) provides a combination of the preeminent mixed martial
arts fighters in the world in a highly entertaining atmosphere.
For more information, go to www.theACF.net or www.sorealithurts.com.
###
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Ken Pishna
Director of MMA Relations
American Championship Fighting(sm)
Phone: 303-916-6091
Fax: 720-283-3153
E-mail: Ken@sorealithurts.com
Source: Ken Pishna
|
Quote
of the Day
"Do
what you love, love what you do, and deliver more than you promise."
Harvey Mackay, American Businessman/Speaker/Author
|
X-1
Battlegrounds 4
June 10th!
Source: Event Promoter
|
Leozinho
Seminar In Hawaii on DVD!
How much is a DVD featuring 2x Abu Dhabi Champion Leo Viera
sparring with BJ Penn Worth? What if you throw in an entire seminar
by Leo? The sparring itself is worth $29.95, so support top level
athletes coming to Hawaii to share their techniques by ordering
this DVD. See the details below.
Leo
Vieira Seminar in Paradise
2
X ADCC World Champion and BJJ World Champion Leozinho Vieira
Seminar in Hawaii.
In
this 1 hour DVD Leo covers both Gi and No-Gi featuring guard
passing. Considered one of the greatest guard passers in the
game, Leo shows his incredible passing technique in a progessive,
step by step way.
In
the Gi section Leo covers guard passing including side control
and choke.
In
the No-Gi section Leo goes over takedowns, his trademark No-Gi
guard passing and other techniques.
DVD
bonus includes a friendly training session between the World
Champions Leo & BJ Penn. Watch as the two top fighters play
like cats demonstrating their mastery of guard passing and defense.
The bonus footage is worth the DVD price alone!
A
must have DVD
Order
it by going to www.bjjmart.com.
|
UFC
60 ‘Hughes vs Gracie’ – Preview and Analysis
By Al Yu
Event Date: 05.27.06
Fight
Card (In No Particular Order):
Jeremy
Horn vs Chael Sonnen
Gabriel Gonzaga vs Fabiano Scherner
Alessio Sakara vs Dean Lister
Spencer Fisher vs Matt Wiman
Melvin Guillard vs Rick Davis
Diego Sanchez vs John Alessio
Mike Swick vs Joe Riggs
Brandon Vera vs Assuerio Silva
Matt Hughes vs Royce Gracie
Jeremy
Horn (76-14-5) vs Chael Sonnen (14-7-1)
Jeremy
Horn is one of the most experienced active fighters today. The
former Miletich fighter has fought in many different organizations
including the UFC, PRIDE, and RINGS. Horn holds wins over Chuck
Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Dean Lister, and David Loiseau. At
UFC 56, Horn won a close decision over Trevor Prangley. Chael
Sonnen is a wrestler who trains with Team Quest. Sonnen is coming
off of a win over Trevor Prangley at Ultimate Fight Night 4.
Sonnen is a late replacement for Horn’s original opponent,
Evan Tanner.
This
will be the third time that these two guys meet. Horn has already
defeated Sonnen twice. I have been impressed with Sonnen lately
as he has shown a lot of improvement. Even in his loss to Renato
Sobral, he displayed good positioning and composure. On the other
hand, Jeremy Horn has lost some of his luster of late. He was
battered in a rematch with Chuck Liddell and arguably lost his
fight against Trevor Prangley. As much as Sonnen has improved,
I feel he still doesn’t possess what it takes to defeat
Horn. Chael has got good takedowns but that’s the only advantage
I see him having over Horn. Jeremy is more than comfortable fighting
from his back and has favored that position in many of his previous
fights. Sonnen will have a good first round against Horn but
will fall victim to a submission in the second, possibly by heel
hook. Hopefully it will be the last time these two need to face
each other.
Prediction:
Jeremy Horn submits Chael Sonnen RD2
Gabriel
Gonzaga (5-1) vs Fabiano Scherner (5-2)
Gabriel
Gonzaga is a four time national BJJ champion and a veteran of
Jungle Fight. At his UFC 56 debut, he knocked out Kevin Jordan
in a heavyweight snoozer. Fabiano Scherner trains with American
Top Team and is the current IFC Americas heavyweight champion.
He is also a six time world champion in BJJ. In his UFC debut,
Scherner was defeated by Brandon Vera.
Both
fighters hold a black belt in BJJ so they are good on the ground.
I’d have to give the edge to Gonzaga because I feel he’s
a better grappler than Scherner, particularly without a gi. Scherner
stated he was disappointed with his striking so he has been training
with Melvin Manhoef, Lloyd Van Dams, and Thiago Alves. I don’t
think training for such a short time will improve Scherner’s
striking. Gonzaga is not known for his striking either but I
think he will have the advantage on their feet. Aggressiveness,
ground control and striking will be the key factors for the victor
as I foresee a stalemate on the ground. Gonzaga should earn a
decision in what could be a tactical but boring fight.
Prediction:
Gabriel Gonzaga decisions Fabiano Scherner
Alessio
Sakara (8-3) vs Dean Lister (7-4)
Alessio
Sakara is a BJJ/Vale Tudo fighter who has fought around the world.
He made his debut at UFC 55 against Ron Faircloth. Sakara was
well on his way to winning that fight until an accidental kick
to the groin ended his night. At UFC 57, Alessio bloodied Elvis
Sinosic over three rounds to earn a decision. Dean ‘The
Boogeyman’ Lister is a former King of the Cage middleweight
champion and a PRIDE veteran. Lister is an accomplished grappler
and holds many titles. In 2003 and 2005, Dean won the Abu Dhabi
championship in the absolute weight division. This will be Lister’s
UFC debut.
It’s
good to see Dean finally make his UFC debut. They certainly picked
a tough opponent in Sakara as Dean will have his hands full.
A former professional boxer, Sakara has a big advantage when
the fight is standing. I don’t think he’ll knock out
Lister because Dean has a good chin. It’s no secret that
Lister wants to take the fight to the ground. Dean may be an
accomplished grappler but he has shown to be too passive and
unable to effectively use his superior grappling against better
opposition. At PRIDE Bushido 4, Lister struggled against UFC
veteran Amar Suloev. Dean was unable to execute his game plan
because of Suloev’s superior striking. In order for Lister
to win, he must be very aggressive and not be afraid to exchange
with Sakara. Dean doesn’t have the best takedowns so he
may need to rely on takedowns from the clinch and utilize the
fence.
As
much of an advantage he has on the ground, I don’t think
Lister will submit Sakara. Alessio trains with the Nogueira brothers
and holds a brown belt in BJJ. He has a pretty good guard and
I feel that he’s competent enough to avoid being submitted.
In his last fight against Elvis Sinosic, Sakara took the match
to the ground and stayed high in Sinosic’s guard. Sakara
scored points with strikes while being safe from submissions.
I think Sakara will use a similar strategy if the fight goes
to the ground. The UFC has been standing fighters up to their
feet more often. This could be a disadvantage for Lister as it
may not allow him time to fully execute his ground game.
I
think Lister's accomplishments as a grappler haven’t carried
over into MMA well. Yes, all seven of his wins have come by submission.
However, those submission wins were over sub par opponents (an
arguable exception would be Akira Shoji). If Dean is going to
win, he needs to take a page out of Paulo Filho's book and be
very aggressive. I think that's easier said than done against
an opponent like Sakara. Look for Sakara to execute a safe but
effective strategy en route to a decision victory.
Prediction:
Alessio Sakara decisions Dean Lister
Spencer
Fisher (17-2) vs Matt Wiman (6-2)
Spencer
Fisher has made three UFC appearances and trains with Miletich
Martial Arts. Fisher holds notable wins over Josh Neer, Thiago
Alves and Aaron Riley. At UFC 58, Fisher became a late replacement
for the injured Kenny Florian. In that fight, Spencer lost a
close decision to Sam Stout. Matt Wiman trains with Tulsa Top
Team and will be making his UFC debut. Before joining Tulsa Top
Team, Matt Wiman trained with the Lion’s Den for over three
years. Wiman is a late replacement for Spencer Fisher’s
original opponent, Leonard Garcia. The injured Garcia broke his
leg during training.
Wiman
is fulfilling his dream of fighting in the UFC. I have to give
him credit for taking a fight on such a short notice. Wiman is
coming off of a loss to Nick Agallar at MFC – Boardwalk
Blitz. He’s a well-rounded fighter but I don’t think
he’s ready for Fisher. Both fighters are pretty good on
the ground but Fisher is the better striker. Spencer has defeated
some solid competitors while Wiman has fallen short to the first
two credible opponents he’s faced. Wiman will probably struggle
to get past his UFC debut jitters. Look for Fisher to take advantage
of Wiman’s inexperience and finish him with strikes in the
second round.
Prediction:
Spencer Fisher TKO Matt Wiman RD2
Melvin
Guillard (19-5-2) vs Rick Davis (3-0-1)
Melvin
Guillard is a former contestant on the Ultimate Fighter season
2. This will be his third appearance in the UFC and he is looking
to rebound from a loss to Josh Neer at Ultimate Fight Night 3.
Rick Davis trains with the Las Vegas Combat Club, also home to
former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir. In his last fight,
Davis fought Henry Matamoros to a draw. This will be Rick Davis’
UFC debut.
Either
this is poor matchmaking or the UFC is looking to build Guillard.
Rick Davis is relatively unknown and hasn’t fought since
2004. He has a total of four professional MMA fights and yet
he’s getting a shot in the UFC? Guillard has a lot of athleticism,
can be explosive, and is very marketable. He reminds me of a
smaller version of Kevin Randleman. Guillard is a striker and
he looks to finish his fights. Apparently Rick Davis is also
a striker. Four of Guillard’s five losses have been due
to submissions so his main weakness is apparent. I’m not
sure if Davis can take advantage of his weakness as not much
is known about his abilities on the ground. With his experience
and exciting style, Guillard should have no problems dispatching
Davis.
Prediction:
Melvin Guillard TKO Rick Davis RD1
Diego
Sanchez (14-0) vs John Alessio (16-7)
Diego
Sanchez is a former King of the Cage Welterweight Champion and
the winner of the Ultimate Fighter season 1. He is coming off
of his biggest victory yet, earning a decision over Nick Diaz
in the main event of the Ultimate Fighter 2 finale. John Alessio
is also a former King of the Cage Champion. He hasn’t fought
in the octagon since UFC 26, where he was armbarred by Pat Miletich
in an unsuccessful title attempt. Alessio has enlisted the help
of Jeremy Horn and current UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes
with his training.
These
two were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 58 but Diego had
to pull out due to illness. This will be a good test for Alessio
as he has rarely faced a fighter with the strength of Sanchez.
Standing up, Alessio will have the striking advantage. He has
stated that his game plan is to neutralize Diego’s takedowns
and submission attempts. I don’t think he’ll be able
to suppress Sanchez’s shots and clinches. On the ground,
I think both fighters are well versed in submissions but I would
give the edge to Alessio. I feel that Alessio’s Jiu-Jitsu
is better but it’s going to be Diego’s strength that
will dictate this fight. Sanchez is going to take Alessio down
at will and wear him out with his ground-n-pound. After two rounds
of ground control, the referee will save Alessio from any further
punishment.
Prediction:
Diego Sanchez TKO John Alessio RD2
Mike
Swick (8-1) vs Joe Riggs (24-7)
Mike
‘Quick’ Swick is a former contestant of the Ultimate
Fighter season 1. Swick has been making short work of his recent
opponents. At UFC 58, Swick submitted Steve Vigneault with a
guillotine choke. Joe ‘Diesel’ Riggs is a very active
fighter who has fought in many MMA organizations. At UFC 56,
Riggs lost his shot for the UFC welterweight title when he succumbed
to a kimura at the hands of Matt Hughes. Riggs rebounded from
his loss with a decision over Nick Diaz at UFC 57. Riggs has
been training with Jeremy Horn and John Alessio. This fight will
take place at the middleweight limit of 185lbs.
It
looks like Mike Swick will face his toughest and most experienced
opponent yet since losing to Chris Leben. Middleweight is a better
division for Riggs because he’ll have more power behind
his punches and he doesn’t have to cut as much weight. Both
fighters are great on their feet. I’d have to give the edge
to Swick because of his hand speed. ‘Diesel’ is the
harder puncher, in my opinion. Riggs has a good chin and I can’t
see Swick knocking him out. However, I think Mike’s chin
is suspect and Riggs will put it to the test.
If
Riggs has a weakness, it’s his susceptibility to submissions.
Joe handled himself pretty well against Nick Diaz and I feel
that Diaz has the best ground game in the UFC. Training with
Jeremy Horn and John Alessio will also help Riggs’ submission
defense. This fight has the potential to be a good stand-up war.
Swick’s hand speed may cause problems for Riggs early on
but look for Joe to throw powerful counter punches. In the second
round, Joe Riggs will drop Swick and finish him off on the ground.
Prediction:
Joe Riggs TKO Mike Swick RD2
Brandon
Vera (6-0) vs Assuerio Silva (10-4)
Brandon
‘The Truth’ Vera is a young heavyweight who made his
debut at Ultimate Fight Night 2, defeating Fabiano Scherner with
knees. Vera holds a win over the Ultimate Fighter Season 2 contestant
Mike Whitehead. At UFC 57, Vera knocked out Justin Eilers with
a kick to the head. A former member of Chute Boxe, Assuerio Silva
is a Jungle Fight and PRIDE veteran. He made his UFC debut at
Ultimate Fight Night 3 where he lost a decision to Tim Sylvia.
Silva holds notable wins over Alessio Sakara and Fabiano Scherner.
Vera
is coming off of the biggest win of his short six fight career.
The high kick he gave Eilers is certain to be on many highlight
reels. Vera is young and looking to make an impact in the heavyweight
division. However, he has to get by Assuerio Silva first. Assuerio
had a difficult fight with Tim Sylvia. The current UFC heavyweight
champion’s height and reach made it tough for Silva to land
clean shots. Against Vera, he’s more evenly matched. On
their feet, both fighters are good strikers. Silva’s striking
is more technical than Vera but Brandon has a solid kickboxing
background and will have a reach advantage. On the ground, I
have to give the edge to Silva. Assuerio will probably be the
most aggressive fighter Vera has yet to face. Having never fought
past two rounds, can Vera withstand the pressure that Silva may
bring? Look for Silva to press the action against Vera and possibly
take the fight to the ground. After wearing Vera down, Silva
will finish him off in the third round.
Prediction:
Assuerio Silva TKO Brandon Vera RD3
Matt
Hughes (38-4) vs Royce Gracie (13-2-3)
Matt
Hughes is the current UFC welterweight champion and is considered
the most dominate welterweight in UFC history. Since his shocking
loss to BJ Penn, Hughes has won four straight fights. Most recently
at UFC 56, Matt submitted Joe Riggs via kimura in the first round.
Royce Gracie needs no introduction. A pioneer of MMA, he helped
make the UFC what it is today and put Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into
the spotlight. In his last fight, Royce faced Hideo Tokoro at
K-1 Premium Dynamite, a bout that was ruled a draw. Gracie has
not stepped into the octagon since he fought Ken Shamrock at
UFC 5.
Here
we have the much hyped ‘epic’ battle between the legend
and arguably the best welterweight today. Both fighters aren’t
known for their striking abilities. I would give the advantage
in striking to Hughes as Gracie typically uses his strikes to
setup his ground game. Hughes is well-versed in submissions.
However, the likelihood of Matt submitting Gracie is next to
none. If Matt had a weakness, it would be fighting against submission
fighters. When Hughes fought Renato Verissimo at UFC 48, he was
almost submitted on a few occasions. Many have argued that Hughes
didn’t deserve the decision victory over Verissimo. Of Hughes’
four losses, three have come by way of submission.
Royce
Grace has only fought five times since 2000. In his last fight
against Hideo Tokoro, the bout was ruled a draw because of special
rules that Royce negotiated with K-1. If the fight went to a
decision, it was automatically ruled as a draw. I’ve watched
that fight many times and I feel that Gracie would have lost
had it gone to a decision. At UFC 60, there will be no special
rules. Look for Hughes to control the fight standing and on the
ground. He will use his superior strength to control Royce and
avoid/power out of submission attempts. It’s possible that
Hughes could win by ref stoppage but I think the champion will
play it safe and retain his title. Hughes wins by decision, Gracie
gets a big payday, and the UFC enjoys the high ratings.
Prediction:
Matt Hughes decisions Royce Gracie
Source: MMA Fighting
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CHUCK
LIDDELL INTERVIEW
MMAWeekly Radio - Transcribed by Jeff Cain
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell
took time out of his busy schedule to appear on MMAWeekly Radio’s
recent 1,000th radio show. Liddell discussed the status of his
foot injury, his current physical condition, and his August rematch
with Renato "Babalu" Sobral.
MMAWeekly:
So, I was looking at our site last week, and there was a picture
of your ugly foot. That thing is ugly still.
Chuck
Liddell: Ugly still? I mean, it’s always been ugly. I’ve
got Flintstone feet.
MMAWeekly:
How is your foot doing?
Liddell:
It’s doing good. I’m cleared to do everything. I’ve
been working out. I started working out hard. It's 100 percent,
so...
MMAWeekly:
So, when you say you’re working out, you’re sparring
with it? I mean, you’re kicking the bag with the foot?
Liddell:
Yeah, I’m kicking the bag with it. I’m training with
it. Yeah, completely.
MMAWeekly:
Nice, very nice.
Liddell:
I’m back in training, getting ready to fight.
MMAWeekly:
You’re back training and training hard... are you at 80
percent, 90 percent?
Liddell:
Well, I’m coming off an injury and not being able to hit
bags for three months. That’s probably the most I’ve
taken off from hitting the bags since I was twelve years old.
I wouldn’t say I’m 100 percent, but my foot is working
100 percent. I mean, everything is working 100 percent. It will
take me a couple of weeks, three or four weeks, to get back into
decent sparring and hitting the bag shape. It’s a little
sore. I’ve been doing it for about a week, a week and a
half, and I’m a little sore.
MMAWeekly:
Bottom line, you’re still on for August?
Liddell:
Oh yeah. I’ll be 100 percent by then. I’ll be ready
to go.
MMAWeekly:
Give me your thoughts on fighting Babalu. You made it look easy
the first time. What are your thoughts going into the second
fight?
Liddell:
I thought he was a tough fighter then. I still think he’s
a tough fighter. I think he’s done some good things since
then, and he’s gotten better. I think he’s improved,
and I’ve improved. I think it will be a fun fight. I feel
as long as I show up in shape and ready to go, I’m going
to knock him out.
MMAWeekly:
What’s the thing that concerns you most about Babalu?
Liddell:
You know, he can strike and he’s got some good submission
skills. He’s a good, rounded fighter. He’s a good all-around
fighter, so he’s one of those guys who can be dangerous.
If you make a mistake, they can capitalize on it.
MMAWeekly:
Chuck, you’ve almost single-handedly cleared out the division.
If you beat Babalu a second time, what motivates you to fight?
I mean, who excites you? Who would you like to fight?
Liddell:
Well, you know who I want. I still want to fight Rampage [Quinton
Jackson], and I still want to fight Wanderlei [Silva]. Those
definitely excite me, those fights... but as long as there are
new guys coming up that people think can beat me, I like to prove
that they can’t, so it will be fun for me.
MMAWeekly:
Real quick, before I let you go, are you still tight with Willa
[Ford]? We’ve got to talk about your love life. I’ve
got to put you on the spot.
Liddell:
We’re not dating, but we’re still friends. We still
hang out. I’m going to see... she’s doing this thing
in Vegas, some kind of fashion show thing at the Hard Rock at
Body English on Friday night. I’m going to go check that
out.
MMAWeekly:
Did you hook up with Paris Hilton?
Liddell:
Hell no!
MMAWeekly:
[laughs] That was a pretty definitive answer. All right.
Liddell:
All right, bro. I’ll talk to you later.
MMAWeekly:
Thanks, man. I’ll talk to you.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean
he lacks vision."
Stevie Wonder, American Singer and Composer
|
International
Fight League exclusively on FSN
Hawaii Air Time!
Channel 20 (FSN)
May 21 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 23 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 23 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 25 - 8:00-9:00PM
May 25 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 27 - 4:00-5:00PM
May 28 - 2:00-3:00PM
May 28 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
May 30 - 12:00-1:00PM
May 30 - 11:00PM-12:00AM
June 2 - 9:00-10:00AM
Don't miss the debut of the IFL (International Fight League),
exclusively on FSN (Fox Sports Net), on May 21st, THIS SUNDAY
(part I) and NEXT SUNDAY, May 28th (part II)!
It's
an awesome show that features four teams of great mixed martial
arts fighters coached by four legends: Bas Rutten, Renzo Gracie,
Pat Miletich and Maurice Smith!
And...I
am one of the commentators!!!
CHECK
LOCAL LISTINGS FOR TIMES IN YOUR AREA!
Take
care,
Stephen
Quadros
"The Fight Professor"
http://StephenQuadros.com
IFL Color Commentator/Analyst
|
3rd
Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open Tournament
Results!
War Memorial
Gym, Wailuku, Maui
May 20, 2006
Team Title:
1st Place: Relson Gracie - 48 points
2nd Place: BFJJ - 35 points
3rd Place: Longman - 25 points
The tournament was incredibly successful with a ton of competitors,
making it the largest tournament ever on Maui. There were some
heated battles with many wins coming in the last seconds of the
match, which made for a lot of exciting matches. Relson Gracie's
top dog, Ronn Shiraki ripped through the competition to take
the open brown belt division. And BJJ beats Judo as a National
BJJ champ submits a National Judo champ.
I apologize for the subjective results, but the guys that I called
were from my academy, so they could only remember our team's
results.
Brown Belt - Open
1st Place: Ronn Shiraki (Relson Gracie - Kaneohe Team)
Purple Belt 174-187lbs
1st Place: Pono Pananagan (Relson Gracie - KTI)
Blue Belt 188-202lbs
1st Place: David Chu (Relson Gracie)
Blue Belt 161-173lbs
1st Place: Luis Feliciano (Relson Gracie - Casca Grossa)
White Belt 188-213lbs
2nd Place: Blaine Dorton (Relson Gracie - Casca Grossa)
|
PUNISHMENT
IN PARADISE: EAST vs. WEST
Friday 21 @ Dole Cannery
Jhun
chasing a DREAM!!
I just spoke to Ron Jhun this week and he said that he has
been feeling flat in his last few fights, but now he has gotten
the fire back! He told me that he is hungry and looking forward
to his fight coming up in June and that should ramp him up for
the Shooto title match.
Many fighters fight they whole life chasing a goal or a DREAM.
Come July 21, 2006 Hawaii’s very Ronald “Machine Gun”
Jhun will have a chance to make his goal, his dream be reality.
Fighting top ranked fighters his whole career and winning Championships
in King Of The Cage, Warriors Quest and IFC, Jhun said nothing
would mean as much then having Shooto Japans belt.
When
speaking with Jhun about career goal the first thing he mention
was a Shooto Championship. For those that don’t know what
Shooto is about it is an Well respected organization that have
been around for years and known for producing the most exciting
and talented fighters in the world.
This
is also a ground BREAKING event for Hawaii and its fans, This
will mark History as the first Hawaii Base event to handle a
japans Shooto Championship. And if Jhun pulls this win off for
the Pacific Rim Shooto Championship Jhun will be the first Hawaii
fighter to win a Shooto Championship in Hawaii and the 2nd Hawaii
fighter to win a Shooto Championship. First Hawaii fighters was
Enson Inoue who won a Shooto Championship in Japan.
This
card is stacking up with the best Kickboxers & MMA from both
respected sides.
SCHOOLS
PARTICIPATING
808
Fight Factory, Jus Rush, Eastsidaz, Bulls Pen, Team Sit You Down,
Jesus Is Lord, Animal House, Team Soljah, Kaneohe Jiu Jitsu,
Team Big Dogs, Hawaiian Terioist, Team Japan, Mixed Bred, Maui
Full Contact and can’t forget the freelance fighters
TICKET
INFORMATION
ON
SALE June 1st
Theirs
only 1500 seats that will be available tickets will be $30.00
advance and $40.00 day of event. Last EAST vs. WEST card was
sold out 2,000 before event started. Tickets will be sold at
a first come bases. To reserve tickets please email bdkamaka@comcast.net or 808-590-3824 or
call Kim Jhun @ 808-671-4140
Source: Event Promoter
|
PRIDE
183-POUND GP CARD
PRIDE Bushido 11: 'Bushido Survival '06'
June 4th, 2006
Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan
Below
are the matchups for both the PRIDE 183-pound GP and the rest
of the PRIDE Bushido 11 card. One more matchup is expected to
be announced for the 16-man GP:
PRIDE
183-pound GP matchups:
Paulo Filho vs. Yoon Dong Sik
Murilo 'Ninja' Rua vs. Denis Kang
Murilo Bustamante vs. Amar Suloev
Phil Baroni vs. Kazuo Misaki
Hector Lombard vs. Akihiro Gono
Ryo Chonan vs. Joey Villasenor
Makoto Takimoto vs. Gerard Mousasi
Single
matchups:
Marcus Aurelio vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida
Hayato Sakurai vs. Olaf Alonso
Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Charles Bennett
Jason Black vs. Eoh Won Jin
Source: Fight Sport
|
Alexandre
Pequeno
"I deserved more attention from the Shooto"
By Marcelo Alonso
He just came from Lima, in Peru, where he was invited to be a
referee in a Vale-Tudo event, Alexandre Pequeno just knew about
the announce of the Shooto that had lost his belt because of
his injury in his knee that didn't let him in perfect conditions
to his eighth title dispute. Pequeno, who is still sad about
the lost of his most important title, gave us the follow interview:
How
did you get hurt?
I
was training, but I got hurt so I though that would be better
the Shooto put my belt in game. Firstly, I had an injury in my
knee, so I made an operation and then I started to train hard
again. When my brother got hurt I wanted to fight at his place
at the Hero's GP facing Ivan Medivar, but the Shooto didn't let
it because I was going to defend my title. So, during the trainings,
Marcelo Brigadeiro (Brown belt of RFT) fall on my knee and I
hurted it again, so it is disturbing me to train hard.
With
your story in this event, aren't you sad about their decision?
I
think that I deserved more attention. I already get hurted a
lot of times before some fights and I fought anyway, hurted,
with dengue.The only defeats that I had was because I wasn't
100% but I fought anyway, so I decided to don't do it again.
But they didn't understand my decision and had put my belt in
game.
When
you feel better, would you like to face the winner of this combat?
First
of all, I will priories the Hero's, in August. I will prepare
myself a lot to win the GP of next year and when it get closer
of my rentire I will try to get my belt of champion of the Shooto
again. I was the only one that could defend this belt seven times
with no lost. The Shooto just took the belt away from me because
of an injury.
What
did you think about the fighters from Peru?
They
are with a really high level, they have more than 30 fights and
now I received a invitation to show some techniques and to help
the fighters from Peru. I will start giving a seminar on Monday.
What
did you think about the lost of your brother for Pitbull?
We
watched a lot of fights of him and we though that he hasn't got
too much technique, he is just good at the Wrestling. We though
that Leo would submit him quickly but we were really surprised
at the fight. Pitbull passed a good time training Boxing in Cuba
and my brother wasn't so disciplined, so he received a punch
and fall down.
We
heard something about that you will probably fight the next editions
in Peru. Is it true?
I
have been negociating with the event's promoter, this chance
exists. I can probably fight with El Pitbull.
What
do you have to say to Brazilian fighters that goes to Peru to
fight?
You
must surprise them technically, because they are agressives and
hard. You must have a good and different ground game, because
they like here to provoke the Brazilians before the fight.
In
your opinion, which are the favorite ones to win the GP of half-mediuns
and heavy ones of Pride and the light ones of the Hero's?
Paulão
Filho and Rodrigo Minotauro at the Pride. I already had the opportunity
to train with them at the BTT, they are both really good and
they have everything to win. At the Hero's, Gesias Cavalcanti
is the favorite one. He is a complete fighter. He has a good
ground game and he is now with an excellent Muay Thai. He is
too strong and hard for the weight.
Which
is the way for Minotauro wins Fedor, if the Russian get in the
second stage of the GP?
Minotauro,
you should train a lot Wrestling to put him down and try to define
the fight at the triangle choke or with the armbar.
Source: Tatame
|
Cung
Le grants Brian Warren rematch
at Strikeforce "Revenge"
By Mike Afromowitz
Since his defeat at the hands of world San Shou kickboxing champion,
Cung Le, in a bout contested under San Shou rules two years ago,
“Mr. Unbreakable” Brian Warren has desired nothing
more than a rematch with the undefeated superstar. On Friday,
June 9th, he will finally get his wish – in the cage.
“This
is the fight of my life,” said the 31-year-old Warren, who
will square off with Le in another 185-pound limit matchup during
the 10-bout Strikeforce “Revenge” card that will take
place at San Jose, California’s HP Pavilion. “I’ve
never wanted to rematch anyone in my life, but this is something
that’s haunted me since we fought.”
During
their first meeting, which was contested in Las Vegas on April
30, 2004, Le, San Shou’s most dominant force pound-for-pound,
utilized his superior knowledge of the Chinese rooted combat
system to gain favorable footing and repeatedly execute throws
on his opponent before being awarded a unanimous judges’
decision after five rounds of battle. “I was a different
person back then,” explained Warren. “I was more timid
and I gave him a lot of respect, but I don’t give him that
much respect anymore. He’s cocky and I want to change that
and show everybody how good I am now.”
Warren’s
optimistic outlook comes four days after he put forth a successful
effort at Hollywood, California’s Palladium. In the card’s
main event, Warren traded blows with Brodie Farber before securing
a triangle choke on Farber that brought an end to the bout in
the second round of action. “It was a good fight for me,”
said Warren, “because now, going into this fight, I feel
like a lot of my ring rust is finally gone and I can go in and
execute against Cung the things that I’m capable of doing.”
The
rules change for the rematch between Warren and Le expands the
number of weapons that will be at each fighter’s disposal
and, consequently, the number of possible outcomes. A submission
fighting stylist, Warren contends that this will play to his
advantage.
“This
fight is gonna be totally different. As soon as the fight was
over last time, I knew that if it had been (mixed martial arts),
it would have been a totally different story,” he said.
I’m not used to the fight just stopping and having to get
back up. I’m used to the fight continuing so that kind of
threw me off. This is something I’ve been doing for over
eight years so, now, he’s coming into my element.”
Le’s
tremendous success in San Shou competition, however, has overshadowed
his experience in grappling that helped him earn All American
honors as a high school wrestler and capture the California state
wrestling championship during his first year of study at West
Valley Junior College. After taking a long layoff from the sport
to pursue his ambitions in the world of stand-up fighting, Le,
33, recently sought the help of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu trainer Garth
Taylor as well as American Kickboxing Academy’s Javier Mendez
and “Crazy” Bob Cook in order to pick up where he left
off with his ground fighting game and prepare for the fighting
environment in the cage.
“I
want people to underestimate me,” admitted Le. “I’m
tough to submit. I’m always trying to work and improve my
game all around. It’s an ongoing learning process and I’m
excited because it’s like a new energy.”
The
fight with Warren will be Le’s second start in a mixed martial
arts rules bout. During Strikeforce’s inaugural mixed martial
arts fight card on Friday, March 10th, he made a successful debut
in the cage by scoring a first round technical knockout on Mike
Altman with a hard right hook to the head that sent Altman to
the mat 3 minutes and 51 seconds into the fight.
“(Altman)
was tough too, but the fight with him showed that, after you
take a few kicks or punches, the game changes,” said Le.
“I know Brian Warren is looking for revenge and I’m
sure he will remember what happened last time but, in the back
of his head he may have lost to me already. (The last fight)
can work for him or it can work against him. I don’t know
and I don’t care what he’s gonna come and do. I know
how hard I’ve been training and I’m confident whether
(the fight) stays standing, or it’s up against the cage,
or it’s on the ground.”
Le’s
fearsome presence in the squared circle and on the small screen,
which also showcased the fighter’s excellence during a Discovery
Channel documentary, helped him score his first role in a major
motion picture. Blizhniy Boy Final Fight, a film produced for
the silver screen in Russia, will see him kicking and punching
alongside the likes of fellow martial arts greats and actors
Eric Roberts, David Carradine, and Oleg Taktarov later this year.
The
Strikeforce “Revenge” bill will be headlined by a rematch
between former UFC light heavyweight champion, Vitor Belfort,
and Pride Fighting Championship superstar, Alistair Overeem.
During their first encounter at Pride’s “Total Elimination
2005” event a year ago, Belfort and Overeem battled for
nine and a half minutes (Note: Pride Fighting Championship schedules
the first round of its bouts for 10 minutes) before Overeem secured
a guillotine choke on Belfort and forced the Brazilian fighter
to tap out.
Strikeforce’s
“Revenge” card will also be highlighted by a matchup
between undefeated 22-year-old Tyson Griffin and K-1 and UFC
veteran, Duane “Bang” Ludwig, as well as a meeting
between light heavyweights Bobby Southworth and James Irvin.
Southworth introduced himself to the masses during Spike TV’s
premiere season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series
two years ago.
Strikeforce
155 pound champion, Clay Guida, will set out to defend his crown
for the first time since he captured the vacant title by persevering
over four-time UFC fight winner and Bay Area favorite, Josh “The
Punk” Thomson. Thomson will also return to battle and attempt
to steer his career back on track.
Former
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar, Daniel Puder,
will make his third career mixed martial arts appearance during
the event.
Tickets
for Strikeforce “Revenge” are on sale at the HP Pavilion
box office (408-287-7070) as well as at all Ticketmaster (408-998-TIXS)
outlets and Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com). An arena
seating chart can be easily accessed by visiting Strikeforce’s
official website, www.strikeforceusa.net, and clicking on the
“Tickets” link.
Source: MMA Fighting
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