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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2006
November
Aloha State Championship of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
August
Hawaiian Open of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
8/26-27/06
International Masters & Seniors Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/22-30/06
CBJF World Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
7/20-24/06
CBJJO World Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
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*
2/11/06
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)
1/20/06
ROTR 9
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
January
Grappler's Quest Hawaii
(Submission Grappling)
(TBA)
***Cancelled***
|
|
January 2006 News
Part 2
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night and Sunday classes (w/ a kids' class) now offered!
 
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out the FCTV website! |
Quote
of the Day
"The
final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other
men the conviction and the will to carry on."
Walter Lippmann, 1889-1974, American Writer/Journalist/PoliticalCommentator
|
Rumble
On The Rock Tonight!
Rumble on the Rock 10: Grand Prix
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii
January 20, 2006
Rumble
World Welterweight Grand Prix
Anderson Silva (Muay Thai Dream Team) vs. Yushin Okami
Ronald
Jhun (808
Fight Factory) vs. Frank Trigg (R-1 Training Center)
Jake Shields (Cesar Gracie) vs. Dave Menne
Renato"Charuto"
Verissimo
(Nova Uniao) vs. Carlos Condit
Superfights
Eric "Butterbean" Esch vs.Wesley" Cabbage" Correira (BJ Penn's MMA)
Ross "Da
Boss" Ebanez
(BJ Penn's MMA) vs. Josh Donahue
Scott Junk (BJ Penn's MMA) vs.
Vilafonu
Vonakalafi
Mike Malone (Eastsidaz) vs. Kengo
Ura
Source: Event Promoter
|
PUNISHMENT
IN PARADISE POUND 4 POUND
April 1, 2006
After
a successful EAST vs. WEST , Punishment In Paradise will do it
K-1 STYLE RULES a 170lbs tournament with winner of tournament
receiving $1,500.00 and Runner up getting $500.00. Along with
the tournament we will still be doing american kickboxing rules
with all experiences welcome.
So
far commitments from Punishment In Paradise Champions such as
Wayne Perrin, Kaleo Kwan, Domi Lopez, Kevin Smith, Val Ulafale,
Cisco Bringas and Keoni Bryant. Look to see an exciting card
with 3 Big main events.
Interested
teams contact promoter Brennan Kamaka bdkamaka@comcast.net or 408-916-8082 or
contact Assistant matchmaker John Kukahiko 808-351-4898
Source: Event Promoter
|
ROTR
PROFILE: CHARUTO VERISSIMO
By Ken Pishna
Charuto center
When you’re the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor of a fighter
aptly title “The Prodigy” and you decide to step into
the ring, you better be good. And if you’re invited to participate
in the Rumble on the Rock 175-pound Grand Prix along with the
likes of Dave Menne, Frank Trigg, Jake Shields, Anderson Silva,
and more, you better be damn good.
While
he may not yet have garnered the attention of his prize pupil,
BJ Penn, Renato “Charuto” Verissimo hasn’t exactly
kept himself on the down low either. Known as a BJJ maestro,
Charuto has yet to submit an opponent in MMA competition despite
his impressive 6-2 record. All but one of his victories have
come via TKO, typically from strikes or a cut.
He
hasn’t skated through with easy opponents either. In just
the fourth fight of his career, Charuto stopped UFC veteran Gil
Castillo. Following that fight, he got the call to the Octagon
and was impressive, dominating Carlos Newton en route to the
only decision victory on his resume.
Seemingly
put on the fast track, Charuto then had to face Matt Hughes,
who was coming in fresh off a loss to Penn. It was a tremendous
battle, which Charuto nearly finished early on with a triangle
choke, but ended up losing when the judges awarded Hughes a very
controversial decision.
With
such a great showing against Hughes, Charuto was given another
shot in the UFC, this time against then number-one contender
Frank Trigg. Again Charuto nearly secured victory in the first
round with a tight triangle choke, but like Hughes, Trigg fought
his way out and then turned the tables on Charuto in the second
round. Charuto suffered the first decisive loss of his career
when Trigg finished the fight by TKO from strikes.
It
would be more than six months before Charuto would enter the
ring again, but return he did, this time on his home turf at
Rumble on the Rock 7 where he stopped Yuichi Nakanishi due to
a cut. By the time he enters the cage against Carlos Condit at
the Grand Prix it will have been more than eight months since
that win over Nakanishi.
That
said, will ring rust be a problem? Probably not, Charuto is the
type of guy that is continually training, whether he has a fight
coming up or not. Not to mention that he is very active anyway.
With a love for the outdoors, Charuto has a passion for activities
that help keep him in shape. He can often be found surfing the
waves of Hawaii or even hiking or cycling around the islands.
Even
though it may sound as if Charuto has it easy in the first round,
just because most people haven’t heard of Condit, don’t
be fooled, he’s a solid fighter with a 13-2 professional
record. His only losses were to a very tough Carlo Prater and
number-one ranked Pancrase welterweight Satoru Kitaoka. A well-rounded
fighter with a very aggressive style, Condit could be the dark
horse in this tournament and should not be overlooked.
If
this fight hits the mat, things definitely swing into Charuto’s
favor. He isn’t BJ Penn’s jiujitsu coach for nothing.
Condit is good on the ground, but not in the league that Charuto
is. But with a solid wrestling base, it’s possible that
Condit will be able to keep this fight on the fight, at least
for a time, and this is where he wants to be against Charuto.
With a very aggressive and confident style, Condit is not afraid
to strike with anyone. He handily decisioned UFC veteran Pete
Spratt in a recent kickboxing bout, only the third of his career.
If
a dark horse emerges from this tournament, it is likely to be
Condit. He is a young fighter that is good enough that he doesn’t
realize that he shouldn’t be defeating fighters with the
worldly experience that the fighters in this tournament bring.
But Charuto has only lost to Matt Hughes and Frank Trigg, so
he’s used to difficult challenges. This is a tough fight
to call. If it goes to the ground, expect a win for Charuto unless
Condit can gain a ground and pound position. If the fight is
on the feet, don’t be too surprised at an upset.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
SHOOTO
Champion Suda Retires
by Stephen Martinez
TOKYO, Jan. 17 — Current SHOOTO light heavyweight (183 pounds)
champion Masanori Suda announced today, through the official
SHOOTO Web site in Japan, his retirement from professional SHOOTO
and mixed martial arts competition.
While
details are still unclear at this moment, Suda has expressed
interest to counsel teenagers in his local hometown in Japan
after his fighting career was over.
The
official ceremony when Suda is going to return his SHOOTO professional
license along with the light heavyweight belt will be held at
Yoyogi No.2 Gymnasium as part of the regular show held by the
International SHOOTO Commission on Febraury 17.
With
his retirement and official return of the SHOOTO light heavyweight
crown, Suda joins the latest trend of SHOOTO Japanese champions
like Ryota Matsune (featherweight 132 pound champion - injury),
Rumina Sato (lightweight Pacific Rim champion - unavailable to
defend title) and Koutetsu Boku welterweight Pacific Rim champion
- injury) who returned their respective belts in the last couple
of months.
This
basically leaves the oldest MMA organization in the world with
the difficult task of crowning four new champions in four different
weight division in 2006.
SHOOTO:
"The Victory of The Truth
The
International SHOOTO commission made official three new matches
for the upcoming February 17 Yoyogi No.2 Gymnasium show.
SHOOTO
Lightweight Rookie of the Year tournament winner Tenkei Fujimiya
is getting his first shot at a SHOOTO Class A fighter as he takes
on Hiroyuki Abe, while female sensation and Abe's teammate Megumi
Fujii fights Misaki Takimoto.
The
latest announced match features SHOOTO Welterweight Rookie of
the Year tournament champion Mizuto Hirota taking on Brazilian
Danilo Cherman.
Finally,
there are strong rumors in Japan that the International SHOOTO
commission is looking to place either Jeff Curran or Joao Roque
as Rumina Sato's opponent, with the winner securing a title match
against either Alexandre Franca Nogueira or Gilbert Melendez
later this year. Also, Japan's grappling prodigy Shinya Aoki
is schedule to take on current SHOOTO middleweight champion Akira
Kikuchi in a non-title match.
Official
card: Main Event SHOOTO World Welterweight Title Bout 5 min./3R
Tatsuya Kawajiri (Japan / T-BLOOD) vs. Joachim Hansen (Norway
/ Team Scandinavia)
Lightweight
Bout 5 min./3R
Rumina Sato (Japan / roots) vs. TBA
Lightweight
Bout 5 min./3R
Makoto Ishikawa (Japan / PUREBRED Omiya) vs. Lion Takeshi (Japan
/ Shooting Gym Yokohama)
Lightweight
Bout 5 min./3R
Hiroyuki Abe (Japan / AACC) vs. Tenkei Fujimiya (Japan / Shooting
Gym Yokohama)
Featherweight
Bout 5 min./3R
Kenji Osawa (Japan / Wajiu-tsu Keishu-kai) vs. Naoya Uematsu
(Japan / Cross Point)
Welterweight
Bout 5 min./3R
Mizuto Hirota (Japan / GUTSMAN Shooto Dojo) vs. Danilo Cherman
(Brazil / Nova Uniao)
Women's
Bout 5 min./3R
Megumi Fujii (Japan / AACC) vs. Misaki Takimoto (Japan / Zendo-kai)
Source: Sherdog
|
Quote
of the Day
"When
someone is impatient and says, "I haven't got all day,"
I always wonder: How can that be? How can you not have all day?"
George Carlin, American Stand-Up Comedian and Actor
|
Leozinho
Vieira seminar
There are a couple
of open spots left!
Monday Jan 23
6-9pm
3 hrs
cost:$50.00
Wahiawa BJJ (right next to Jack-in the box)
World champion and ADCC champion Leozinho Vieira will presnt
a three hour seminar one night only. This is your chance to learn
from one of todays best grapplers, All are welcome!!!!!
For info call: Tammy (808) 228-1711 or email
centraloahujiujitsu@yahoo.com
|
Miller
Likely to Fight Lawler, Says Icon Promoter
By Derek Callahan
Jason Miller
Nearly a month after popular fighter Jason Miller turned himself
into the Kalihi police station following an incident where he
allegedly broke into an ex-girlfriend's Hawaii home and fought
with a man who was spending the night in the house, Icon promoter
T. Jay
Thompson
remains optimistic his star competitor will be able to fight
in February.
Miller
voluntarily reported to local authorities on December 16 following
the altercation and was later charged with first-degree burglary;
a court date awaits him on January 20, according to Thompson,
who has vested interest in Miller's future.
The
date is set for, "a preliminary hearing where the judge
will decide if there's enough evidence to go on with the charges,"
says Icon's Thompson, with whom Miller recently signed a lucrative
multi-fight contract. Despite the incident, Thompson is confident
that Miller will still be able to challenge champion Robbie Lawler
February 18th for the Icon Middleweight title.
"The
announcement is very, very likely that Jason is fighting, but
we won't know for sure until the 20th," says Thompson. Part
of what makes Thompson confident, is that even if the charges
are pursued, "it's a long process," he says, and may
leave room for a fight. "I still publicly support whatever
action is taken. You've got to be responsible for your own actions."
According
to Thompson, fences have been mended between the three parties
involved in the December incident. "As far as the people
involved in the incident, it's done," says Thompson. That
being said, Thompson maintains that pending the extent of Miller's
punishment, he is welcome to fight out the duration of his contract.
"The
only way it would be affected is on his side, if he couldn't
fight anymore," he says.
Repeated
attempts to contact Miller were not answered.
Source: FCF
|
Charuto: Home Field Advantage?
by Mike Sloan
Renato
Verissimo, more commonly known as “Charuto,” is preparing
to defend his home turf of Hawaii this Friday night. No, he’s
not involved in some sort of street skirmish with dozens of other
tough guys like in The Warriors.
Charuto
is about to go head-to-head with a solid competitor — and
in his mind, that’s exactly how he likes it.
Participating
in one of the featured bouts on the stellar Rumble on the Rock
card this Friday night in Honolulu, Hawaii, Charuto will fight
in front of teammates, friends and plenty of family with hopes
of electrifying those in attendance by scoring a victory over
the rugged Carlos Condit.
While
not exactly the second coming of, say, vintage Frank Shamrock,
Condit will provide a sturdy enough test for Charuto, a fight
he could very well lose.
Charuto
scoffed at the notion of losing because, he said in a recent
interview with Sherdog.com, he is fully prepared for everything
imaginable and he trains with the best team on the planet.
“Training
has gone very good,” he said. “I feel real good and
I am very prepared for my fight. My team, B.J. Penn’s MMA,
has really gotten me prepared. I think I have the best teammates
in the sport. We really know how to work with each other and
they really have me focused.”
Charuto
has never seemed this relaxed before and never has he sounded
more confident. There are several factors that could explain
how composed he is, but it could also be because he knows very
little about his opponent. It also could be because he lives
in glorious Hawaii. But either way, a relaxed Charuto doesn’t
stress over the fact that Condit isn’t well known.
“I
don’t know too much about him, to be honest, aside that
he is a good fighter,” Verissimo claimed. “I haven’t
seen hardly any of his fights. But it’s OK, I know he is
a tough guy and I am sure that he’ll be just as ready as
me and I expect a good, tough fight. I expect to win, of course,
but I think it’ll be tough. He has good submission skills
and his striking seems to be good. It should be a good fight.”
Many
fighters spend countless sleepless nights studying and reviewing
stacks of film on their opponents, but Charuto has no such luxury
for this battle. Not knowing what to expect once the bell rings
could work against some fighters, while at the same time knowing
every single twitch in one’s opponent could also spell doom
for the “thinking” fighter. But to Charuto, it doesn’t
really matter either way because, he says, he has never felt
more focused in his life.
“It’s
not really hard to train for a fighter that I know very little
about,” he explained. “I just stick with my team and
my team never changes. It is always the same corps of guys with
B.J.’s MMA. I don’t know if it would be easier to train
for an opponent if I knew everything about him, but I am confident
that I have done enough training and preparations. I would like
to know ahead of time what he is capable of, though, but it’s
OK. I am confident in myself and my team.”
Charuto
also doesn’t appear to be the type of guy who seeks vast
fortune and fame from his fighting career. Naturally, he’d
like to get paid handsomely, but Charuto’s main goal is,
in reality, to enjoy what he does. Training and fighting are
what makes him content and as long as he is able to continue
to do that, life will be grand.
“Well,
I just want to stay active and keep fighting the best guys I
can,” he said. “I like to train and I like to compete
and I want to keep doing what I am doing. This is something I
truly enjoy doing and I look forward to doing it more and more.
I hope that I can keep fighting for Rumble on the Rock because
it is a very good organization. I’ll fight anybody, anytime,
but the most important part is that I am enjoying myself.”
The
happy-go-lucky Hawaiian is also undeterred by the sometimes-negative
press or fan reaction to his career. Charuto hasn’t scored
a string of enormous wins over the cream of the crop and some
“insiders” gripe about how the welterweight is overrated
and simply riding Penn’s coattails. Charuto, of course,
isn’t fazed by such gibberish and simply lets anything negative
towards him roll off his back.
“Oh,
it doesn’t matter to me,” he said about some of the
criticism he’s received. “People can say whatever they
want. I am not fighting for them or to please them. I fight because
I like to and because it makes me happy. Because I lost to Matt
Hughes (Pictures) and (Frank) Trigg doesn’t really matter
to me. I actually hear more positive things about me than negative,
but you know you can’t please everybody. There will always
be somebody who has something negative to say no matter how good
you are. It doesn’t bother me. I just enjoy what I am doing.”
And
provided the Hilo native wins Friday night, he’ll have plenty
to be happy about.
Source: Sherdog
|
MMAWEEKLY
RADIO LIVE FROM HAWAII
Aloha from Hawaii as MMAWeekly Radio gets ready to go live the
rest of the week from the islands as we get set for the Rumble
on the Rock Grand Prix Tournament. The forecast? A high of 82
and a low of 70 and plenty of beatings ahead.
MMAWeekly
Radio goes live at our regular time today, however Thursday and
Friday we go at a different time. Hosts Ryan Bennett and Frank
Trigg will be LIVE at 9am Pacific/12 Noon eastern and 7am local
Hawaii time. As always, the show is absolutely free by logging
on www.mmaweeklyradio.com.
For
those of you in Hawaii that want to see the show live, go to
the Waikiki Sand Villa Hotel and the guys will be doing the show
on the 2nd floor pool side this week. Wednesday we will have
Charuto Verissimo, JD Penn, BJ Penn and more.
Thursday
and Friday we will be going live at 9am Hawaii time, 11am Pacific,
2pm Eastern so please adjust accordingly later in the week.
We
will also have a big announcement on Friday that WON'T change
the MMA world forever, but it will make you very, very happy.
See you at our regular time today at 9am Pacific/12 Noon Eastern
and 7am Hawaii time and if you want to see the show live stop
on by.
Source: MMA Weekly
|
***For
Immediate Release***
For more information, contact Mike Afromowitz, (917) 566-8754
or muaythaimes@aol.com.
Shamrock-Gracie
Finally A Go
Cung Le To Debut In California’s
Historic First MMA Event
January
10, 2006; New York, NY….Mixed martial arts’s oldest
family rivalry will be re-ignited when former Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC) middleweight king Frank Shamrock (20-7-1)
collides with undefeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Cesar
Gracie (14-0) in a showdown at San Jose, California’s HP
Pavilion on Friday, March 10th. Undefeated world San Shou kickboxing
champion, Cung Le (16-0 (10 KO’s), will make his highly
anticipated mixed martial arts debut while rising star Josh “The
Punk” Thomson (10-1 (1 no contest) and seasoned veteran
Eugene Jackson (12-7-1) will return to action during what will
be the first mixed martial arts fight card sanctioned in California
since the sport was officially legalized there last month.
“This
guy came out and challenged me, hid behind his name, hid behind
his students and, now, I’m finally gonna get a crack at
him,” said Shamrock of his opponent and the feud that has
been brewing between the two for the last two years. “I’ve
always wanted to fight a Gracie and they’ve always ran from
me but, suddenly, this one’s gone nuts so I’m gonna
take care of him.”
At
33 years of age, Shamrock, a San Jose resident, is recognized
as one of the greatest forces in mixed martial arts’s 12-year
history. During his career, he has defeated the likes of former
UFC light heavyweight king Tito Ortiz; Bas Rutten; and 1992 Olympic
Gold Medalist, Kevin Jackson, whom he stopped in a world record
14 seconds by way of armbar submission. His victory over Japan’s
Minoru Suzuki in January of 1996 earned Shamrock the prestigious
King Of Pancrase championship.
The
matchup with Gracie will be Shamrock’s first since March
27, 2003 when he easily submitted Bryan Pardoe by way of armbar
in less than two minutes. In 1999, Shamrock temporarily retired
to pursue a career in Hollywood. To date, he has appeared in
the former HBO hit prison drama series, OZ, and Chuck Norris’s
former CBS television blockbuster series, Walker Texas Ranger,
as well as a nationally televised spot for fast food conglomerate,
Burger King. Later this year, Shamrock will make his silver
screen debut in the cage fighting drama No Rules that stars Gary
Busey, Pamela Anderson, and Tom Sizemore. The film also features
appearances by mixed martial arts legends Randy Couture and Don
Frye.
A
veteran of over 200 Jiu-Jitsu contests, Gracie has become a fixture
in Pleasant Hill, California where, as a trainer, he has produced
a host of world-class mixed martial arts talent by imparting
on his students the teachings of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, the progressive
style of combat conceived in the early part of the 20th century
by his grandfather, Carlos. “This is a great opportunity
for me to showcase my skills,” said Gracie. “Of course
there’s a lot of pressure in terms of upholding the family
legacy but, ultimately, the only person I can represent is me
and I’m going to do that and show the world what I’m
made of when I come face to face with Frank.”
The
Shamrock-Gracie saga began twelve years ago when Gracie’s
cousin, Royce, defeated Shamrock’s brother, Ken, en route
to becoming champion of the first-ever UFC. The two fought to
a draw during a rematch a year and a half later.
Le’s
transition from the world of stand-up combat serves as a response
to fight fans who have long beckoned the 185-pound limit, Vietnamese-born
fighter to test his superior technique in the fiercely competitive
waters of mixed martial arts.
Le’s
last start came on June 4th at the HP Pavilion where he earned
a unanimous decision over Shamrock protégé, Brian
Ebersole, in a bout contested under San Shou rules. Le is also
a four-time victor of K-1 “Superfights” staged in Las
Vegas, Nevada.
Thomson
is a veteran of both the UFC and Japan’s Pride Fighting
Championship. His last start, a Muay Thai rules on the Le-headlined
June 4th card, saw him quickly stop Toshiyuki Nakagawa only 54
seconds after the opening bell rang.
The
matchup between Shamrock and Gracie was originally scheduled
to take place on October 1st of last year. A delay in the proceedings
necessary to ratify the bill sanctioning mixed martial arts in
the state of California, however, caused a postponement of the
bout.
Tickets
for “Shamrock vs. Gracie” will officially go on sale
on Saturday, January 28th at the HP Pavilion box office and at
all Ticketmaster (408-998-TIXS) outlets nationwide. Tickets
can also be purchased by calling the Ticketmaster hotline at
408-998-TIXS or by visiting Ticketmaster online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Ticket prices will start at $30.
Doors
to the event will open at 5 PM Pacific Standard Time on March
10th. The first preliminary bout will begin at 6 PM.
The
“Shamrock vs. Gracie” bill is being promoted and produced
by Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment (SVSE, www.svse.net),
a leading producer of major sporting and entertainment events
and the exclusive producer of such events for San Jose, California’s
largest entertainment arena, the HP Pavilion. SVSE’s many
properties include “Miller Lite Fight Night,” world
championship boxing; the National Hockey League’s San Jose
Sharks; and the annual ATP men’s professional tennis “SAP
Open” event.
Source: Mike Afromowitz
|
GCM
MARS PROJECT
"GCM
Mars Project" takes place on Saturday, February 4th 2006
at the Ariake Colosseum in Japan. The event is being produced
in association with FEG, the same group behind K-1 Hero's. Here
is the latest lineup:
FIGHT
CARD
-
Eiji Mitsuoka (Bushido 1 and 4) vs. Vitor "Shaolin"
Ribeiro (Shooto, Cage Rage 12 and 13)
- Hidetaka Monma vs. Rodrigo Gracie (Pride 19 and 24, Bushido
1 and 2)
- Hiroki Ozaki vs. Kazuhiro Hamanaka (Pride 26, Bushido 1)
- Takumi Yano vs. Rani Yahya
- Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. Ryan Schultz (Team Quest)
- Osami Shibuya vs. Thales Leites
- Ian "The Barn Owl" Loveland (Team Quest) vs. Akitoshi
Tamura
- Anthony Rea vs. Mikko Rupponent
Source: MMA Fighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"Standing
in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked
down by the traffic from both sides."
Margaret Thatcher, Former Prime Minister of Great Britain |
PELE:
'MY STRATEGY WILL BE TO GO FOR THE KO'
Jose
'Pele' Landi-Jons recently spoke with Brazilian magazine 'Tatame'
regarding his upcoming match against Travis Lutter on the Cage
Rage 15 card on February 4th. Here's what Pele had to say:
"The
preparation has been good, but right now I'm only concentrating
on physical conditioning, and in two weeks I'll study my opponent's
game. For sure my strategy in the octagon will be to go for the
knockout." Jose 'Pele' Landi-Jons
Source: Fight Sport |
IT'S
SHOWTIME CARD
It's
Showtime
May 13th, 2006
Amsterdam Arena,
Amsterdam, Holland
K-1
will team up with the Dutch promotion called It's Showtime, for
the It's Showtime card on May 13th:
Ernesto
Hoost vs. Bob Sapp
Remy Bonjasky vs. Jerome Le Banner
Semmy Schilt vs. Lloyd Van Dams
Ramon Dekkers vs. Joerie Mes
Dave Dalgliesh vs. Fatih Kocamis
Fikri Tijarti vs. Drago
Murat Drekci vs. Ray Staring
Source: Fight Sport
|
ROYLER
POSSIBLY ON NEXT HERO'S CARD
Royler
Gracie told Brazilian magazine 'Tatame' that he may be participating
on the K-1/HERO's card in March, but that nothing is signed yet.
Here's what Royler had to say:
"There
is a big possibility that I will fight on the HERO's card in
March, in Japan, but nothing is certain as of yet. The event
will only consist of single fights, but I don't know who my adversary
will be. I only know that I'm old, but the people still want
to see this old man fight. (laughs)
I'm
40 years old and I think I can still fight until I'm 45. Royce
is 39 years old and still thinks he can fight a few more years.
Rickson, who is 46 years old, is still thinking of doing one
more fight. Still, you have a lot of guys who think they're at
the end of their career when they reach 27 years of age. If you
take care of yourself, you can really extend your vale tudo career."
-Royler Gracie
Source: Fight Sport |
Quote
of the Day
"Standing
in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked
down by the traffic from both sides."
Margaret Thatcher, Former Prime Minister of Great Britain |
Cesar
Gracie vs. Frank Shamrock on!
During
an exclusive to our friends from MMAWeekly.com, UFC veteran Frank
Shamrock confirmed his MMA fight with Cesar Gracie. After two
years of standby, American fighter confirmed the date of the
challenge: March 10th, San Jose California, at the HP Pavilion,
The Shark Tank. He also enjoyed the interview to tease Brazilian
fighter calling him a pussy.
-
I think he's a pussy, and I don't think he's got any skills.
But I've always wanted to fight a Gracie. I've been waiting my
whole life and my whole career every since Ken got choked out
by a skinny guy, Royce. I've been waiting my whole career to
stomp a Gracie, and now finally one of them has the nuts to accept
the challenge, so I'll take care of it - teased Shamrock.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Carter
taps out at Unfinished Business
Mr
International Shonie Carter did not stand after tapping out due
a triangle choke applied by his opponent Mike Pyle, at World
Extreme Cagefighting, in Leemore, California. The submission
was applied in early round one, surprising the whole audience
at 2min06s. Called 'Unfinished Business' the show was held last
Friday (13) featuring ten bouts in the card. Check out below
the full results of the show.
COMPLETE
RESULTS:
World
Extreme Cagefighting: 'Unfinished Business'
Friday,
January 13, 2006
The
Palace Indian Gaming Center - Lemoore, CA
-
Josh Green defeated Rafael Real by No Contest (Unintentional
Knee) at 3:26 in R1;
-
Devin Cole defeated Mike Kyle by TKO (Strikes) at 2:56 in R2;
-
Richard Crunkilton defeated Nick Ertl by TKO (Strikes) at 3:55
in R2;
-
Chris Lytle submitted Savant Young by Strikes at 3:50 in R1;
-
Scott Smith defeated Justin Levens by KO at 1:58 in R1;
-
Mike Pyle submitted Shonie Carter by Triangle Choke at 2:06 in
R1;
-
Casey Olsen defeated Joe Martin by Unanimous Decision;
-
Billy Evangelista defeated Ryan Healy by TKO (Strikes) at 2:06
in R2;
-
Vernon White defeated Jason Guida by TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at
5:00 in R1;
-
Brian Olsen submitted Lavar Johnson by Knee Injury at 0:14 in
R2.
Source: Tatame |
Wagnney
wins at Apex Freedom Fight
BJJ
black belt of Nova União Canada, Wagnney Fabiano did a
great home work at Apex Freedom Fight, MMA event which took place
last Saturday, January 14 at Palais des Congres, in Quebec. Leonardo
Santos' brother fought Matt Fiordirosa and defeated him by unanimous
decision. Check out the complete results below and also the pictures,
hosted at www.mmaxtreme.com.
COMPLETE
RESULTS
Apex:
Freedom Fight 2006
Saturday,
January 14, 2006
Palais
des Congres, Quebec - Canada
-
Daniel Grandmaison defeated Nick Castiglia by TKO at 2:55 in
R3;
-
Shaun Krysa submitted Randy Newell at 2:24 in R1;
-
Jamie Helmer defeated Jerry Spiegel by unanimous decision;
-
Mark Holst defeated Shane Savage by TKO in R1;
-
Nabil Khatib defeated Chester Post by TKO at 1:59 in R1;
-
Nuri Shakir defeated Kevin Manderson by TKO at 3:21 in R1;
-
Wagnney Fabiano defeated Matt Fiordirosa by unanimous decision;
-
Craig Brown defeated John Clarke by TKO at 2:21 in R1;
-
Stephan Potvin defeated Art Santore by split decision.
Source: Tatame |
Quote
of the Day
"The
desire of knowledge, like the thirst for riches, increases ever
with the acquisition of it."
Laurence Sterne, 1713-1768, British Author |
Fighters'
Club TV Episode 36 Tonight!
Episode 36
- Rumble On The Rock Highlights
- David "Tank" Abbott vs Wes "Cabbage" Correira
(with interview with Tank)
- Highlights from X-1 Battlegrounds at the O-Lounge
- Interview with event promoter, Curt Tsuneyoshi
Technique of the week:
- Bruce Kawano teaches the Cuban slip and punch
questions,
comments, suggestions?
email us at: fightersclubtv808@hotmail.com
If you have
not checked out the Fighters' Club TV website, check
it out.
The show is still on every Tuesday night at 9:30PM on Channel
52 and on Akaku in Maui.
|
Leozinho
Vieira seminar
Monday Jan 23
6-9pm
3 hrs
cost:$50.00
Wahiawa BJJ (right next to Jack-in the box)
World champion and ADCC champion Leozinho Vieira will presnt
a three hour seminar one night only. This is your chance to learn
from one of todays best grapplers, All are welcome!!!!!
For info call: Tammy (808) 228-1711 or email
centraloahujiujitsu@yahoo.com
|
ULTIMATE
FIGHT NIGHT RESULTS!
JANUARY
16th
The Joint - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
PRELIM
RESULTS:
- Jason Von Flue defeated Alex Karalexis by side choke 1:17 into
Rd. 3
- Spencer Fisher defeats Aaron Riley, ref/Dr stoppage due to
broken jaw 5:00 of Rd. 1
- Duane Ludwig defeats Jonathan Goulet 0:11 of Rd. 1 by KO (punch)
- Josh Neer defeats Melvin Guillard by Triangle Choke at 4:20
of Rd. 1
MAIN
CARD RESULTS:
-
Chris Leben defeats Jorge Rivera by TKO (strikes) at 1:44 Rd.
1
- Josh Burkman defeats Drew Fickett by Guillotine Choke at 1:07
in Rd. 1
- Stephan Bonnar defeats James Irvin at the 4:30 mark of Rd.
1 by Kimura
- Tim Sylvia defeats Assuerio Silva by unanimous decision (30-27,
30-27, and 29-28)
Also announced
was Royce Gracie vs Matt Hughes in a future UFC!
Source: MMA Weekly |
ROTR
Press Conference on Thursday!
The ROTR
press conference will be held on Thursday at 5:00 pm at Ala Moana
Center Center Stage. Come check out the fighters as they prepare
for battle on Friday night at the Blaisdell.
Don't
wait to buy your tickets and expect that you can get them on
fight night. There were some upset people when ROTR sold out
in one of their previous shows. Don't be left out on this killer
175 lb tournament and the showdown between Cabbage and Butterbean! |
ROTR
PREVIEW: YUSHIN OKANI
At the upcoming Rumble on the Rock January 20th show there will
be a gathering of eight of the best fighters around to compete
for the company’s first ever 175lb tournament title. Among
the eight fighters is one that not many American fans may be
familiar with, but he could just end up being the dark horse
that wins the whole thing. That fighter is Yushin Okami, the
tournament’s Japanese seed and x-factor.
Okami
is a veteran of nearly every promotion in Japan, including Greatest
Common Multiple, Pancrase, Pride and K-1. He’s faced off
against some of the toughest competition in each promotion and
has so far amassed an impressive overall record of 17-2.
Originally
debuting as an amateur on Pride’s Pre-Pride and The Best
series in 2002, Okami quickly proved that he was an all-around
style fighter that could take the fight anywhere. During his
first 10 fights, all of which he won, Yushin showed a penchant
for standing and trading, while also being able to take advantage
of the ground game and if necessary, outlast opponents to decisions.
It
was only until he fought Amar Suloev at an M-1 show in Russia
that Okami could be stopped. Perhaps going too far above his
natural weight, Okami had difficulty against the larger, hard-hitting
Russian fighter. In the end the size difference was just too
much to overcome as Suloev ended Yushin’s winning streak
at 10 via KO in the first round of their bout.
Determined
to not let the loss set him back, Okami returned and knocked
out fellow Japanese fighter Kousei Kubota and was impressive
enough that he would be welcomed back to Pride, this time on
their Bushido imprint. At Bushido 2, Okami stifled Ryuta Sakurai
for 15 minutes and won the fight by unanimous decision.
While
not as impressive as his previous fight, his performance was
strong enough to earn him a trip to Hawaii to take on fan favorite
Niko Vitale at in Superbrawl. During one of the closest fights
of the year in the company, Yushin lost a tight split decision
to Vitale.
Since
the loss Yushin has been on a tear, winning five straight, including
a win over future UFC veteran Nick Thompson in GCM. Most recently
Okami steamrolled Myun Joo Lee at K-1 Hero’s Korean event
this past November and continues to look impressive both on the
ground and standing. With his successes in Japan Okami would
be invited to be the Japanese representative in ROTR’s 175lb
tournament.
In
the first round of the tournament Okami is set to face off against
UFC alum Renato “Charuto” Verissimo. And while Yushin
has faced off against some tough talent in the past, this fight
could easily represent the toughest of his career, as when Verissimo
is on his game, he’s one of the toughest fighters to beat
in the middleweight division.
Patience
should be the key for Okami against Charuto. If he rushes and
decides to slug it out right away with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
blackbelt, he could find himself being taken down, as Verissimo
has used such a tactic against past opponents. If Okami takes
his time and picks his shots carefully he can neutralize Charuto’s
attempts to get Yushin to rush in and eventually work his way
to guard where Verissimo is dangerous.
Charuto
in the past has been prone to set himself in a submission and
not continue to work to stop position changes. Such is the case
when Verissimo fought Matt Hughes and Frank Trigg, in those fights
he had both in a lot of trouble but was too content to sit in
one submission and got caught with position changes. So if Okami
gets caught in a submission he must continue to work and use
the overconfidence of Charuto against himself.
Some
feel that Okami is being used as a set-up opponent for Verissimo’s
advancement in the tournament, but he has shown in previous bouts,
he’s not someone to be overlooked or underestimated. If
the field does that, you could very well see Yushin make a long
run in the tournament, possibly to the finals and ultimate victory.
Not
many fans are expecting much out of Okami, with possibly less
to lose than the other fighters, and that makes him a most dangerous
opponent in the tournament. With the Japanese market always on
the lookout for the next great hero to get behind, Okami could
quickly fill that role and become a star overnight if he does
well. And that’s incentive enough to play the role of the
tournament’s wild card fighter, win the whole thing, and
be overlooked no more.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
RICCO
UPSET IN RITC IN ARIZONA
UFC fighters Matt Hughes, Joe Riggs, Edwin Dewees and Gilbert
Aldana made special guest appearances at RITC 78 welcoming fans
to a new year of Rage in the Cage action.
In
a stunning upset, Robert Beraun decisively beat UFC and Pride
veteran Ricco Rodriguez by unanimous decision. Beraun landed
many hard punches to the head and was able to withstand Ricco's
submission skills on the ground for the well deserved win. This
impressive victory earned Fighter of the Night ( FOTN ) for Beraun.
Beraun was coming off a KO victory over Aaron Brink two months
ago where he earned FOTN honors for that showing.
Other
notable fights included Jamie Varner winning the vacant Welterweight
championship and Rich Beecroft upsetting Andy Montana with a
perfectly executed kimura.
Other
candidates for FOTN were David Smith, Sean Ballantine, Joe Lira,
Jeremiah Navarro, Rich Beecroft, Gerald Perkins, Steve Cantwell
and Jamie Varner.
Three
schools went undefeated for the evening: ACMMA ( 4-0 ), Team
Sacrifice ( 3-0 ) and One Kicks Gym ( 2-0 ).
Results:
Fight
#1
Jesse
Barrett ( 183 ), ACMMA
won by ref stoppage ( strikes ), 1:03 Rd 1
Justin Fisher ( 185 ), Team Brausa
Fight
#2
Daniel
Betzold ( 161 ), ACMMA
won by decision ( 3-0 )
Josh Donahoo ( 153 ), Team Brausa
Fight
#3
David
Smith ( 148 ), One Kicks Gym
won by submission ( arm bar ), 2:47 Rd 1
Rosco McClellan ( 150 )
Fight
#4
Sean
Ballantine ( 197 ), US Army
won by submission ( ankle lock ), 1:47 Rd 1
Chris Devno ( 207 ), AJJA
Fight
#5
Andrew
Brittin ( 173 ), ACMMA
won by submission ( key lock ), 1:04 Rd 2
John Ivicevic ( 171 ), AMAC
Fight
#6
Jamie
Schmidt ( 177 ), ACMMA
won by ref stoppage ( strikes ), 1:14 Rd 1
Jason Cassel ( 184 ), Freestyle
Fight
#7
Joe
Lira ( 150 ), Team Sacrifice
won by ref stoppage ( strikes ), 2:04 Rd 2
Robert Davis ( 140 ), AMAC
Fight
#8
Jeremiah
Navarro ( 161 ), Team Sacrifice
won by submission ( choke ), 1:41 Rd 2
Richie Reyes ( 168 ), Devil's Den
Fight
#9
Rich
Beecroft ( 236 ), No Regrets
won by submission ( kimura ), :38 Rd 1
Andy Montana ( 261 ), Genesis JJ
Fight
#10
Gerald
Perkins ( 174 ), Team Hardcore
won by submission ( choke ), 2:16 Rd 1
Anthony Triliegi ( 179 ), Freestyle
Fight
#11
Steve
Cantwell ( 205 ), One Kicks Gym
won by submission ( arm bar ), 2:01 Rd 1
Mike Ashford ( 204 ), Devil's Den
Fight
#12 ( Welterweight Championship )
Jamie
Varner ( 169 ), ACS
won by submission ( choke ), 1:07 Rd 2
Leonard Wilson ( 164 ), C.C.K.K.
Fight
#13 ( Main Event )
Robert
Beraun ( 256 ), No Regrets
won by decision ( 3-0 )
Ricco Rodriguez ( 330 ), Team Punishment
Visit
www.rageinthecage.com for more information.
Source:
John Petrilli ( RITC )
|
Quote
of the Day
"My
religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."
Dalai Lama, Spiritual and Temporal Leader of the Tibetan People
|
ULTIMATE
FIGHT NIGHT TONIGHT!
SPIKE CHANNEL
559 OCEANIC DIGITAL
STARTS 8:00 PM HAWAII TIME
JANUARY 16th
The Joint - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
MAIN
CARD ON SPIKE TV
- Assuerio Silva VS Tim Sylvia
- Stephan Bonnar vs. James Irvin
- Chris Leben vs. Jorge Rivera
- Josh Burkman vs. Drew Fickett
PRELIM
CARD
- Jason Von Flue vs. Alex Karalexis
- Aaron Riley vs. Spencer Fisher
- Duane Ludwig vs. Jonathan Goulet
- Melvin Guillard vs. Josh Neer
Source: MMA Weekly
|
BENNETT
BREAKDOWN:
QUINTON, FRANK, KEN & MORE
MMAWeekly.com's Ryan Bennett has his latest installment of his
Bennett Breakdown which talks about Quinton Jackson, Frank and
Ken Shamrock, Josh Thomson and more.....
"What
an amazing live show from the WEC this weekend. I will tell you
right now remember the names Mike Pyle, Scott Smith and Justin
Levens. Those three are ready for the UFC right now. Levens I
think needs to cut to 185 but he has so many skills, even in
the loss he impressed me. Smith is a bulldozer and he may be
another guy that should cut to 185, but I don't know if he can.
He has power in both hands and can KO anybody if he hits you.
Pyle
is a special talent at 170 and needs to face top flight competition.
He is that good. He trains in Las Vegas with Randy Couture, Heath
Herring, Forrest Griffin and company.
One
other WEC note. Vernon Tiger White looked impressive in a win.
He then went on to call out "Chuck the EYES-man Liddell"
was his specific quote in his post fight interview. Vernon still
believes the reason he lost was a finger in the eye, not the
punches.
Onto
other MMA News....
I
had it confirmed that Quinton Jackson and Frank Shamrock both
have fights coming up in February and March respectively. Jackson
confirmed it to to me this weekend that he will be fighting in
the upcoming Pride show at the end of February against an opponent
to be named soon. The show is scheduled for February 26th at
the Saitama Arena. I've also heard that Nogueira, Mauricio Shogun
Rua, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, Sergei Kharitonov, Mario
Sperry, and possibly Josh Barnett are expected to compete.
Frank
Shamrock vs Ceasar Gracie finally will happen in mid March. The
fight is scheduled to take place in San Jose, California for
the Strike Force promotion. Shamrock apparently is expected to
fight in Japan after this fight, as I hear Sakuraba wants to
face Frank, but in order to fight in Japan, he has to fulfil
the signed contract to face Gracie first. That's why this fight
is on the fast track to finally happen and it looks as though
Strike Force event will take place in San Jose in mid March.
Josh
Thompson will also be a part of the Strike Force card in March
as Thompson told me he is set to square off against either Hermes
Franca or Charles "Crazy Horse" Bennett for the event.
Speaking of Thompson he told me this weekend that after his next
fight in Strike Force, he will then head to Japan to compete
in Pride for their April show.
I
talked to Ken Shamrock over the weekend. I asked him if he will
attempt a Lion's Den type of crazy training that you saw on MMAWeekly
TV for the upcoming Ultimate Fighter show... Ken said "No,
these guys know what to expect. They should already be in shape
by the time they get into the house. I will test them more mentally,
than physically." Taping for the Ultimate Fighter Show begins
this upcoming week from Las Vegas featuring the 185 pound weight
class and the 205 Light Heavyweight Division.
This
is an amazing month for MMA and it will become the norm now.
The UFC is expected to put on a live show per month. For January
we saw the WEC put on a spectacular card Friday, Monday is Ultimate
Fighter on Spike
and Friday
is the Rumble on the Rock card from beautiful Honolulu, Hawaii. Three stacked shows
in 9 days. Great for the MMA fans.
What
to watch for....
-
Ultimate Fighter - Stephan Bonnar vs James Irvin - Bonnar went
from unknown to Ultimate Fighter Superstar overnight. This is
a great spot for Irvin who I think has been disrespected to an
extent by the hardcore MMA fans. This could be a coming out party
for Irvin if he can overcome the "moment" of the UFC
that froze him for the Mike Kyle fight. I don't think Irvin has
shown what kind of fighter he is in the UFC yet and he has chance
to showcase his skills against Bonnar. For Bonnar it's simple.
With a win Stephan puts himself on the fast track to face a Top
10 fighter to show he is legit at the weight. So far we've seen
his friend in Season 1 like Diego Sanchez, Mike Swick and Chris
Leben show they are legit. Speaking of Leben...
-
Jorge Rivera vs Chris Leben - I have no idea who will win this
fight. Rivera is nasty in the clinch and is a very hard puncher,
but will he get frustrated when he can't knockout Leben? Leben
has a concrete head as Patrick Cote found out. Cote he hit him
flush and Leben smiled back at him. If Rivera can be patient
like he was in his win over David Loiseau, he will do well in
the fight. Leben may not be the most talented striker, but he
has heart and will not back down from anyone, not to mention
an iron chin which will be tested once again. Great fight all
the way around and the fans no doubt win.
RUMBLE
ON THE ROCK
I
haven't been this excited about a tournament in a very long time.
I truly believe every single underdog on this card can win. The
favorites should be the favorites, however let me give you some
info about the underdogs.
Carlos
Condit is from the same gym in New Mexico as Diego Sanchez and
Nathan Marquardt. This guy has very good skills and I hear their
gym is extremely confident that he will not only beat Charuto Verissimo, but be the dark horse
in the tournament. Very well rounded and ready to go. Should
be a great battle.
Ronald
"Machine Gun" Jhun is still dangerous at this point of his career.
If any of you have seen his fight with Team Quests' Ryan Schultz
you can see how dangerous he truly is. Jhun is very much like
the University of Hawaii football team. Very good at home, not
very good on the road. Jhun has fought well in Hawaii and has
trained very hard and will be tough to beat in Oahu. Trigg still
has to answer the questions about his losses to Hughes and St.Pierre
mentally. After two difficult losses, you wonder how he will
react if he gets rocked in the fight. Will Trigg come out tentative
in this fight or aggressive. This could be a great scrap in Hawaii.
Yushin
Okami is a huge underdog against Anderson Silva. Word in Japan
is that Okami has good ground skills and he doesn't expect this
fight to be on it's feet much. Silva's last few fights have been
against strikers. For Anderson to win this tourney he will have
to go through Okami, Menne or Shields and possibly Trigg or Charuto.
Silva won't have a chance to show off his stand up skills for
very long in this tournament in my opinion. We will have a great
idea where Anderson Silva is after the tourney. Okami hopes to
be the first to pull off the upset.
Not
sure if Shields is an underdog to Menne or not. I guess when
the odds come out next week we will all know who the underdog
truly is in the oddsmakers point of view. Shields has great submissions
and is a bit disrespected in the fight game, especially being
a former Shooto champion.
This
is Shields chance to prove he is a legit Top 10 fighter. For
Menne this could be a coming out party or the end of era for
the former UFC Champion. We've seen a downslide for guys that
have had almost too many fights. Shonie Carter found that out
this weekend and is defintely on the decline. Is Menne at the
same point of his career? We should have a better idea if Menne
is on his way down or if he's still a top contender. Menne believes
this can be his coming out party showing the world he's ready
to return to the Top 10.
One
other thing regarding the Tournament it's not all in one night.
The first round is Friday night, then in April will be the completition
of the tournament with the semi-finals and finals. Cabbage vs
Butterbean should be interesting to say the least.
This
week the radio show goes live from Hawaii starting Wednesday
as we will have more information upcoming throughout the week.
Enjoy one of the best MMA months in recent memory and see you
live from Hawaii starting Wednesday. Aloha.
Source: MMA Weekly |
BONNAR
NOT WORRIED ABOUT FIGHT
UFC superstar and star of the first season of The Ultimate Fighter
Stephan Bonnar joined the radio show "Between The Ropes"
on Central Florida's Sports Radio 740 The Team to discuss his
fight with James Irvin on Spike TV's Ultimate Fight Night this
Monday night.
Stephan
started off talking about his fight on Monday on Spike TV with
James Irvin. He just wrapped up his intense training on Wednesday
night and planned to take the next four days to recover and prepare.
He said the Irvin flying knee probably won't be a problem since
he's taller and doesn't shoot from the outside. But Irvin has
a heavy right hand and can be dangerous.
"I
talked to Chris Leben the other night and we're actually in the
same boat. He's fighting Jorge Rivera. We're both guys who like
to stand up and throw down, but we both feel we're better than
our opponents on the ground. So I kind of like it. I'm really
not worried about anything. I can let my hands and my feet go.
I'm not worried about him taking me down because I like it on
the ground. He's going to be worried about me taking him down.
If the opportunity is there, I'll do it. If not, I'll just pull
out and trade more. So I feel pretty good going into it."
Stephan
said his broken hand is doing fine now. He said the injury didn't
hinder his training much since he was able to do most everything
with the cast. He was ready to fight back on November 19, but
UFC wanted to save it for Spike TV.
Bonnar
got into martial arts at age 10 with wrestling. He started tae
kwan do at age 12. He got into jiu-jitsu after seeing the early
UFC events. He noted the tae kwan do is more useful than he thought
it would be, particularly mixing it with boxing to surprise an
opponent with a spinning back kick or the like.
Asked
if there are greater expectations on him coming off the notoriety
of The Ultimate Fighter reality series, Bonnar said every fight
is do or die for him and every fight is the most important. He
said he always hears from people about the classic fight with
Forest Griffin when he goes out and it's usually good for a free
drink. He said he's not worried about having to live up to the
expectations of the first fight with Griffin if there was a rematch.
He believes their styles mesh well enough to produce a good fight
every time.
Bonnar
discussed his training, particularly in the Chicago/Indiana region
where he's from. Since he's not affiliated with any specific
team, he's more of a lone soldier. He goes to the jiu-jitsu school
to work on his ground, but no one there can help him work on
his stand up. So he has to move on Windy City Boxing to train
in stand up. He goes from gym to gym that specialize in different
fighting styles throughout the region.
Asked
how he would describe his fighting style, he said he's pretty
much a hybrid. He prefers to throw down, but he also enjoys grappling
and submissions. For him, the fun is throwing spin kicks and
landing good punches.
Bonnar
was asked who he would like to face if he can get past Irvin
on Monday. "I'm no dummy so I know my chances with [Chuck]
Liddell get better with his age so I'm in no hurry with that.
But I would like to beat Irvin and to fight a big name would
be nice, like a [Ken] Shamrock or a Vitor Belfort. To get a big
name like that to fight that would be a honor. I've been idolizing
those guys since I was like 19. I remember watching Vitor Belfort
bust on the scene when I was in college at Purdue at 19 years
old. I was like, 'Holy crap, this dude is awesome.' It's just
amazing that I could actually fight him now. It's funny, he's
a veteran of the sport. He's been doing it since then. And I'm
kind of a rookie but we're about the same age."
Bonnar
said he's a fight junkie and watches tapes of any MMA he can
find. He used to watch a lot of NBA and NFL, but now it's mostly
fighting. He recently watched some K-1 World Max DVD's and loved
them. He never misses a PRIDE event and loves to watch ESPN Classic
Boxing.
Asked
what he thought of the 'kiss of death' involving Heath Herring
at the PRIDE New Year's Eve show, "I don't blame Heath Herring
at all. That's just something you don't do. You don't kiss your
opponent before the fight. He was asking for it. If you're going
to kiss your opponent on the lips like that, you better have
both hands up by your chin."
Bonnar
ended by discussing his training regimen before Monday night's
fight. He's been training a lot lately with a lot of sparring
to get his wind up. He trained every day last week with a couple
of two-a-day's and Sunday off. He continued Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday of this week. From that point on, it's mainly preparation,
resting, and stretching for four days to allow his body to recover
for Monday night.
To
listen to the Stephan Bonnar interview, including some interesting
stories of instigating fights back in school with special ed
kids and more UFC thoughts, and the entire January 11 edition
of Between The Ropes in streaming audio, visit the show online
at http://www.BetweenTheRopes.com. Join us for Between
The Ropes for two hours every Wednesday night at 10:00pm ET on
Central Florida's Sports Radio 740 The Team and worldwide on
BetweenTheRopes.com.
Source: MMA Weekly |
GRACIE
WORLD EVENT
This year the competition will be held at the Nationwide Arena
adjacent to the Greater Columbus Convention Center. This venue
is a "State of the Art" Professional sports Arena and
holds 17,000.00 plus spectators.
Events:
March
3rd
Weigh-ins for Gi competition
*weigh-ins
for No Gi amateur and professional will be held on March 4th
at Nationwide Arena
*weigh-ins
for amateur MMA will be held at the competition on March 4th
and 5th
March
4th
Gi Competition-All belts, weights and age categories
Professional No Gi Qualifier
Gracie Junior Worlds
Amateur MMA
March
5th
Amateur and Professional No Gi Competition
Amateur MMA
New
for 2006
Friday
evening, March 3rd GFC Professional MMA "Pay Per View-Indemand
Event"
Gracie
Fighting Championships Amateur MMA
Gracie
Junior Worlds-Rotary Scholarship
Please
visit our website for more Registration fees, weigh-ins times
and location and general updates on all of the events www.gracieworlds.com
|
ROTR
PREVIEW: YUSHIN OKANI
At the upcoming Rumble on the Rock January 20th show there will
be a gathering of eight of the best fighters around to compete
for the company’s first ever 175lb tournament title. Among
the eight fighters is one that not many American fans may be
familiar with, but he could just end up being the dark horse
that wins the whole thing. That fighter is Yushin Okami, the
tournament’s Japanese seed and x-factor.
Okami
is a veteran of nearly every promotion in Japan, including Greatest
Common Multiple, Pancrase, Pride and K-1. He’s faced off
against some of the toughest competition in each promotion and
has so far amassed an impressive overall record of 17-2.
Originally
debuting as an amateur on Pride’s Pre-Pride and The Best
series in 2002, Okami quickly proved that he was an all-around
style fighter that could take the fight anywhere. During his
first 10 fights, all of which he won, Yushin showed a penchant
for standing and trading, while also being able to take advantage
of the ground game and if necessary, outlast opponents to decisions.
It
was only until he fought Amar Suloev at an M-1 show in Russia
that Okami could be stopped. Perhaps going too far above his
natural weight, Okami had difficulty against the larger, hard-hitting
Russian fighter. In the end the size difference was just too
much to overcome as Suloev ended Yushin’s winning streak
at 10 via KO in the first round of their bout.
Determined
to not let the loss set him back, Okami returned and knocked
out fellow Japanese fighter Kousei Kubota and was impressive
enough that he would be welcomed back to Pride, this time on
their Bushido imprint. At Bushido 2, Okami stifled Ryuta Sakurai
for 15 minutes and won the fight by unanimous decision.
While
not as impressive as his previous fight, his performance was
strong enough to earn him a trip to Hawaii to take on fan favorite
Niko Vitale at in Superbrawl. During one of the closest fights
of the year in the company, Yushin lost a tight split decision
to Vitale.
Since
the loss Yushin has been on a tear, winning five straight, including
a win over future UFC veteran Nick Thompson in GCM. Most recently
Okami steamrolled Myun Joo Lee at K-1 Hero’s Korean event
this past November and continues to look impressive both on the
ground and standing. With his successes in Japan Okami would
be invited to be the Japanese representative in ROTR’s 175lb
tournament.
In
the first round of the tournament Okami is set to face off against
UFC alum Renato “Charuto” Verissimo. And while Yushin
has faced off against some tough talent in the past, this fight
could easily represent the toughest of his career, as when Verissimo
is on his game, he’s one of the toughest fighters to beat
in the middleweight division.
Patience
should be the key for Okami against Charuto. If he rushes and
decides to slug it out right away with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
blackbelt, he could find himself being taken down, as Verissimo
has used such a tactic against past opponents. If Okami takes
his time and picks his shots carefully he can neutralize Charuto’s
attempts to get Yushin to rush in and eventually work his way
to guard where Verissimo is dangerous.
Charuto
in the past has been prone to set himself in a submission and
not continue to work to stop position changes. Such is the case
when Verissimo fought Matt Hughes and Frank Trigg, in those fights
he had both in a lot of trouble but was too content to sit in
one submission and got caught with position changes. So if Okami
gets caught in a submission he must continue to work and use
the overconfidence of Charuto against himself.
Some
feel that Okami is being used as a set-up opponent for Verissimo’s
advancement in the tournament, but he has shown in previous bouts,
he’s not someone to be overlooked or underestimated. If
the field does that, you could very well see Yushin make a long
run in the tournament, possibly to the finals and ultimate victory.
Not
many fans are expecting much out of Okami, with possibly less
to lose than the other fighters, and that makes him a most dangerous
opponent in the tournament. With the Japanese market always on
the lookout for the next great hero to get behind, Okami could
quickly fill that role and become a star overnight if he does
well. And that’s incentive enough to play the role of the
tournament’s wild card fighter, win the whole thing, and
be overlooked no more.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Quote
of the Day
"It
is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is
because we do not dare that they are difficult."
Marcus Annaeus Seneca, 3 B.C. - 65 A.D., Roman Philosopher/Dramatist/Statesman |
Punishment
In Paradise: East vs. West II
Sea Life Park, Honolulu, Hawaii
January 14, 2006
By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com
Punishment
In Paradise returned with an event that was held in an interesting
venue, Sea Life Park. A large tent was erected and fight fans
from the East side and West side crammed in to watch a great
night of fights. Head instructor of the Koden Kan fight team
took on recent transplant James Martinez. Kukahiko executed a
perfect strategy by pressing the action, staying inside and out
punching Martinez. A great match up that had fans on their feet
cheering was the Val Ulafale-Hansen Apo fight. Both young fighters
went after each other and had great exchanges with Ulafale started
to take the edge in the fight as Apo tired. The unassuming Henry
Hori proved that he has heavy hands by rocking Kapena Abilla
enough for the referee to step in and protect Abilla from further
punishment. Kyle Miyahana executed a beautiful climbing arm lock
on PJ Dean quickly ending a short, but fast paced fight.
The
main event pitted two boxing technicians in Kaleo Kwan and Kevin
Smith. Both fighters displayed a balance of skill and power.
As the fight went on, Kwan's experience started to turn the tide
in his favor. Smith fought back like a warrior and stayed in
the fight, but Kwan kept up the pressure and slowly picked apart
Smith.
Lightweight
Kickboxing Bout: 3 Rounds - 1.5 Minutes
John Kukahiko (Koden Kan, Waimanalo) def. James Martinez (Freelance)
Unanimous decision [(29-28), (30-27), (29-28)] after 3 rounds.
Kickboxing
Bout: 3 Rounds - 1.5 Minutes
Bronson Kamaka (808 Fight Factory, Waipahu) drew Jason Pembelton
(Fairtex San Francisco)
Draw [(28-28), (29-29), (28-28)] after 3 rounds.
Welterweight
MMA Bout: 2 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Marshal Harvest (Animal House, North Shore) def. Keoni Bryant
(Jus Rush, Kailua)
Unanimous decision [(20-18), (20-18), (20-18)] after 2 rounds.
Flyweight
MMA Bout: 2 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Chas Schmidt (Team MMMAD, Kailua) drew Jay Bolos (Freelance,
Waipahu)
Majority Draw [(19-19), (18-18), (18-19)] after 2 rounds.
132lbs
Kickboxing Bout: 3 Rounds - 1.5 Minutes
Bronson Mohika (808 Fight Factory, Waipahu) def. Devin Damo 'Pihana
(Valentino K.B ,Ewa)
Split decision [(29-28), (28-29), (29-28)] after 2 rounds.
Heavyweight
Kickboxing Bout: 3 Rounds - 1.5 Minutes
Val Ulafale (Team Bigdogs, Waianae) def. Hansen Apo (Eastsidaz,
Waimanalo)
Unanimous decision [(29-28), (29-28), (29-28)] after 2 rounds.
165lbs
MMA Bout: 2 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Fatu Tuitafa (808 Fight Factory, Waipahu) def. Jimmy Nakamura
(Koden Kan/JKD, Kailua)
Unanimous decision [(20-18), (20-18), (20-18)] after 2 rounds.
145lbs
Kickboxing Bout: 3 Rounds - 1.5 Minutes
Henry Hori (Koden Kan, Kailua) def. Kapena Abilla (Valentino
Kickboxing, Hilo)
TKO via referee stoppage in Round 2.
Heavyweight
MMA Bout: 2 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Keahi Kuikahi (Team Bigdogs, Waianae) def. Kealoha Emsley (Jus
Rush, Kailua)
Split decision [(20-18), (20-18), (20-18)] after 2 rounds.
Light
Heavyweight MMA Bout: 2 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Maui Wolfgram (Team MMAD, Kailua) def. Ron Verdadereo (Jesus
Is Lord, Waipahu)
Unanimous decision [(20-18), (20-18), (20-18)] after 2 rounds.
150lbs.
MMA Bout: 2 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Albert Manners (BJ Penn's MMA) def. Kaipo Gonzales (Team MMAD,
Kailua)
Unanimous decision [(20-18), (20-18), (20-18)] after 2 rounds.
163lbs.
MMA Bout: 2 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Kyle Miyahana (Team MMAD, Kailua) def. PJ Dean (Bad Intentions,
Waianae)
Submission via arm bar from the guard in Round 1.
170
Kickboxing Bout: 3 Rounds - 1.5 Minutes
Wayne Perrin III (Bigdogs, Waianae) def. Bryan Ingram (808 Fight
Factory, Waipio)
Unanimous decision [(30-27), (30-27), (30-27)] after 3 rounds
Lightweight
MMA Bout: 3 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Makoa Hainake (Team MMAD, Kahuku) def. David Padilla (Jesus Is
Lord, Waipahu)
Unanimous decision [(29-28), (29-28), (29-28)] after 3 rounds
Lightweight
MMA Bout: 2 Rounds - 3 Minutes
Kaleo Kwon (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) def. Kevin Smith (Team Bigdogs,
Waianae)
Unanimous decision [(30-27), (30-27), (30-27)] after 3 rounds.
|
Shogun
Elected Best of 2005
By Alexandre Lobo / Team TATAME
Pride
GP Middleweight champ Maurício 'Shogun' Rua was elected
by a team of specialists as the number 1 fighter of 2005. The
election was held by the most important MMA magazine in Brazil,
TATAME Magazine, and included names such as Master Carlson Gracie,
Quinton Jackson, Rodrigo Minotauro, among others. “I’ve
no doubt to say: Shogun was the fighter of the year, due to his
technique, his cardio conditions, his heart and determination.
Shogun has the blood and the soul of a real fighter”, stated
one of the most important fighters of the MMA history, Master
Carlson Gracie.
Shogun’s
opponent at the Pride GP Middleweight 2005 first round, Quinton
Jackson agrees with Master Carlson and says that Shogun is also
a great guy outside the ring. “He is not only the best of
the year, but he’s the best fighter nowadays. Shogun also
has a great mood outside the ring”, Jackson says. Brother
of Rogério Minotouro, Shogun’s opponent at the GP
second round, Rodrigo Minotauro confirms: “2005 was Shogun’s
year. He beat some of the better fighters on his weight, such
as Ricardo Arona and Minotouro. He deserved the GP’s belt”.
Shogun thanks everybody for the nice words and promises to his
fans another great year.
"I’m
very happy to be chosen the best of 2005 and I promise I’ll
repeat the good performances now in 2006”, Shogun states.
Source: Maxfighting
|
Alexandre
"Cacareco" Ferreira
- Brazilian Fighting Machine
Two
quick victories by submission in last two fights turned the plans
of any fighter. This would not be different to BTT's Alexandre
"Cacareco" Ferreira, who had in his mind just the plans
of a career focused in Submission Grappling competitions. We
caught-up a motivated Cacareco after his less thgan one minute
submission victory over ChuteBoxer Julio Cesar "Jamanta"
in last edition of Jungle Fighting Championship (fifth edition)
in last November '05 in Brazil
Takimoto-
Cacareco, tell us how does your rivalry with Julio Cesar "Jamanta"
started?
Alexandre Ferreira- It started in Portugal, because besides the
fact that he didn't reach the weight to fight against me, he
kept calling me a chicken, that he were going to knock me out
and send me to the hospital. After my victory in 15 seconds,
he said that I had won against a "dead man" [because
of the weight cutting]. After this fight, Wallid
Ismail had interest to put our fight together in Jungle Fight
5 and it happened like that… That fight was personal I put
all my angry off and lasted only 52 seconds to submit him.
Takimoto- Tell us what happened at breakfast in the hotel after
the JFC fight against Julio Cesar.
Alexandre Ferreira- What happened is that they do not know how
to lose and Chute Boxe took a beating in Jungle. Only CYBORG
won and, even him, won against a tomato can. If the guy had a
little more knowledge about fighting and stamina, he would surely
have won the fight. They, when they lose, they can not stay with
anyone socially. It is hard to stay around them. They tried to
come at me with a group of people, but I took the initiative
and they hesitated… So, Fabio Piemonte called me to fight.
I took off my watch and went straight forward him. But at this
time Carlos Barreto, along with Marcelo Alonso (TATAME Magazine
editor) and others held us.
Takimoto-
A lot of people criticized your gestures after your victories
over Julio Cesar and Alexandre "Cafe" Dantas [at a
submission event]. What do you have to tell about this?
Alexandre
Ferreira- With Julio Cesar it was personal. He did not know how
to respect me and my team. That gesture was to but off my emotion,
to showed that the ones who talk too much are out. The thing
with Cafe Dantas, I am regretted because I did that, he did not
deserve what I did. After all, he treat me well and is a guy
that I already trained with. I apologize to him once again.
Takimoto- Do you have any bad feelings toward any fighter or
academy?
Alexandre Ferreira- No, I do not. The few problems that I had
were solved with talk or insidethe ring.
Takimoto- Do you consider yourself better in submission or MMA?
Alexandre Ferreira- I consider myself better in submission, but,
as incredible as it can be, I let my game flow more in MMA, where
I obtain more finishes.
Takimoto- How is it to train in one of the best Jiu - Jitsu and
MMA academies of the world?
Alexandre
Ferreira- It is very good, there I feel myself at home, and it
only has tough trainings. You look at your side and only see
champions and this thing gives me spirit to train harder to conquer
my goals.
Takimoto- What do you think about Chute Boxe?
Alexandre
Ferreira- It is, without a doubt, a great team. Everybody knows,
any guy from there can be a champion in any event of the world.
And I clap hands to Rudimar Fedrigo for consider him the fight
genius, because he went to a city that did not had this fight
culture and built an empire. Congratulates to him.
Takimoto- Who do you consider the bests of the world?
Alexandre Ferreira- At 83kg, without a doubt, Paulo Filho. At
93kg, there is Ricardo Arona, Wanderlei Silva, Mauricio "Shogun"
Rua, Renato "Babalu" Sobral, Alistair Overeen, Rogerio
"Minotouro" Nogueira and Tito Ortiz. At the heavyweights,
I think the best are Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira and
Emelianenko Fedor.
Takimoto-
You said Sobral's name and was his teammate, what do you have
to tell about him?
Alexandre
Ferreira- I consider Sobral one of the world's best, if not the
best. His game is very similar with Fedor's game. A lot of stamina,
wrestling, ground and stand up. In a little time, he will be
the best.
Takimoto- Your next fight will be against Alistair Overeen at
Cage Rage. What do you expect about this fight?
Alexandre Ferreira- I expect to do a tough fight and, of course,
I expect to win. I know that he is one of the Pride's top 5 and
winning, it will bring to me a big reward.
Takimoto- When will we see you at bigger events, like UFC and
Pride?
Alexandre
Ferreira- If God wants, it will happen in a little time. Jose
Mario Sperry is trying to put me in the UFC at 83kg. We are waiting
and if Rodrigo Nogueira had fought in Pride, I was going to be
in his corner for the Japanese audience to know me, but it was
not this time.
Takimoto- Leave a message to your fans.
Alexandre Ferreira- To all fighters who are starting now, be
careful with the false managers who promise this and that. Look
for a good academy, train hard and
keep going forward that everything is going to be right.
Source: Maxfighting
|
UFC
v. WFC - "FIGHTING" It Out In Court
By WFC - Joe Mesa
Denver
CO, January 11, 2006: The Ultimate Fighting Championship and
its ownership company Zuffa LLC, has filed a federal lawsuit
against the Worldwide Fighting Championship for using the words
“fighting,” and “championship,” within its
name.
The
lawsuit was filed Wednesday, January 11, 2006 stating that the
use of the terms “fighting,” and “championship,”
is a violation of copyright law and somehow misleads fans into
thinking that the two promotion companies are somehow related.
In addition to the suit, Zuffa LLC, is moving to stop the WFC
from using its name as well as stopping the event “Rumble
in the Rockies,” slated for January 21, 2006 at the Budweiser
Events Center.
The
WFC feels that the verb “fighting,” and the noun “championship,”
is a generic term used to describe the type of sports event being
produced. The term “Fighting Championship,” is the
MMA industry’s equivalent to the term “Operating System,”
or “OS,” used in the technology industry. Many different
companies such as Microsoft Windows XP, and Macintosh OS 10,
are companies that use and rely on the term to provide consumers
with a description of the service provided.
The
unprecedented lawsuit by Zuffa LLC, has far reaching ramifications,
and poses the question of whether the UFC will now file against
MMA companies like the Japanese super-promotion PRIDE Fighting
Championship for the same reason.
This
controversial action by Zuffa LLC is the latest of moves intended
to alienate the promotion company from the rest of the MMA industry
in a negative manner. The first such action came as the UFC banned
all online media from covering UFC events except for in-house
and mainstream media outlets.
The
WFC prides itself on openness and accessibility and will continue
encourage and invite all forms of media to cover WFC-related
events and promotions. The WFC feels that the lawsuit is completely
baseless and a ploy to create an illegal monopoly by claiming
ownership of a generic term.
The
UFC has been criticized within the MMA industry as of late for
its lack of serious championship contenders and lackluster fight
cards. UFC has elected to handle this matter with lawsuits against
other companies rather than delivering a superior product.
The
bottom line is that the WFC feels that this frivolous lawsuit
will be dismissed in a timely manner and plans for “Rumble
in the Rockies,” are in full force and fans will again fill
the Budweiser center. It is obvious that the UFC fears the competition
from this relative new kid on the block and the WFC will continue
unencumbered, as the fastest-growing MMA promotion company in
the country.
For
tickets, visit www.comcasttix.com, or for more information please
check www.thewfc.com or www.Budweisereventscenter.com. We invite
all writers and photographers to cover the event and media credentials
can be reserved by contacting J. Mesa at jmfighterinfo@hotmail.com.
See you ringside – J.
Source: Maxfighting
|
Quote
of the Day
"Remember
that fear always lurks behind perfectionism. Confronting your
fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically,
make you a far happier and more productive person."
David M. Burns
|
PUNISHMENT
IN PARADISE Tonight!
EAST vs. WEST II
Friday Jan 13,2006 6pm
Sea Life Park
For
ticket Outlets or Fight Information feel free to call or email
me at bdkamaka@comcast.net or 408-916-8082
Tentative Fight Card
Lightweight MMA Bout
Kaleo
Kwon (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) Vs. Kevin Smith (Team Bigdogs, Waianae)
Lightweight
MMA Bout
Makoa
Hainake (Team MMAD, Kahuku) Vs. David Padilla (Jesus Is Lord,
Waipahu)
Middleweight
MMA Bout
Kimo
Wolfel (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) Vs. Dylan Clay (Maui Freestyle
Jiu Jitsu)
163lbs.
MMA Bout
Kyle
Miyahana (Team MMAD, Kailua) Vs. PJ Dean (Bad Intentions, Waianae)
170
Kickboxing Bout
Bryon
Ingram (808 Fight Factory, Waipio) Vs. Wayne Perrin III (Bigdogs,
Waianae)
143lbs
MMA Bout
Chico
Cantiberas (Eastsidaz, Kailua) Vs. Gene Gregory (Mixed Bred,
Waipahu)
Heavyweight
MMA Bout
Kealoha
Emsley (Jus Rush, Kailua) Vs. Keahi Kuikahi (Team Bigdogs, Waianae)
150lbs.
MMA Bout
Kaipo
Gonzales (Team MMAD, Kailua) Vs. Issac Ukiah (Mixed Bred, Waipahu)
Light
Heavyweight MMA Bout
Maui
Wolfgang (Team MMAD, Kailua) Vs Ron Verdadereo (Jesus Is Lord,
Waipahu)
145lbs
Kickboxing Bout
Jarret
Iha (Koden Kan, Kailua) Vs. Kapena Abilla (Valentino Kickboxing,
Hilo)
165lbs
MMA Bout
Jimmy
Nakamura (Koden Kan/JKD ,Kailua) Vs. Fatu Tuitafa(808 Fight Factory,
Waipahu)
Heavyweight
Kickboxing Bout
Hansen
Apo (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) Vs. Val Ulafale (Team Bigdogs, Waianae)
140lbs
MMA Bout
Scott
Miyamoto (Team Koden Kan, Kailua) Vs. Isiah Cobb Adamms (Animal
House, Ewa Beach)
Flyweight
MMA Bout
Chas
Schmidt (Team MMMAD, Kailua) Vs. Jay Bolos (Freelance, Waipahu)
132lbs
Kickboxing Bout
Bronson
Mohika (808 Fight Factory, Waipahu) Vs. Devin Damo ‘Pihana
(Valentino K.B ,Ewa)
Welterweight
MMA Bout
Keoni
Bryant (Jus Rush, Kailua) Vs. Marshal Harvest (Animal House,
North Shore)
Lightweight
MMA Bout
John
Kukahiko (Koden Kan, Waimanalo) Vs. Shane Nelson (BJ Penn MMA,
Hilo)
Mahalo
& Happy New Year,
Brennan
Kamaka |
Rodrigo
Minotauro
By By Alexandre Lobo
Searching
for the throne
For
a long time, Rodrigo Minotauro was the great fighter of Pride.
With his danger ground game and race, he dominated Japanese rings
until Emelianenko Fedor shows up. After two matches against the
Russian, Minotauro is preparing himself to get back the Heavyweight
belt of Pride. During this exclusive to TATAME web site, Rodrigo
talks about his absence at Pride Shockwave, his preparation to
GP 2006 and the possible dispute with Fedor.
So,
why are you out of Pride Shockwave?
I
was going to fight Zuluzinho but later they gave him Emelianenko
Fedor. Then I didn't know what was going on until the last days.
they were planning to set up a fight against Fabrício
Werdum, but he got his foot injured and the fight got cancelled.
Now I am on my way to France... I will spend New Year's Eve there
and then fly to Madagascar and run a seminar.
Are
you upset because Pride's delay to inform your opponent?
I
think that we can't think about if we will fight or not. I already
though in other opportunities that I was going to fight and it
didn't happen. So, this is normal. At this time I hurt myself
during the trainings and it disturbed me also in the negotiations,
because I didn't confirmed my participation. After that, everything
was right for me to fight against Werdum and he also got hurt.
So, they gave me Zuluzinho, but after that they put him to fight
with Fedor. I am still training.
This
year you've just fought one time. What changed in your relation
with the Pride?
Since
2003, I hurt my right elbow and them I hurt the left one. I spent
all this time recovering myself and I am close to 100%. Against
Pawel Nastula, I did not have conditions, but I had a deal with
Pride and I gave my best. In October, I decided to don't fight
until I recover myself totally. I need to take care of myself
to be 100% for the upcoming GP 2006.
Don't
you think fighting once is just bad?
A
lot of fighters have done that yet. I was the different one.
I was fighting like five times per year. Now my job is for the
GP, which will take place in February or April. I want to be
one of the finalists.
What
about Fedor?
He
is the strong name to be beaten. I bet all my job to face him.
After
three fights with the Russian fighter, you already know his game
well. What is your tip for Zuluzinho?
The
strong thing in Fedor is the beats and take downs. Zuluzinho
must keep the distance to don't fall. I think he should use the
jab and walk around the ring. So he will not be easy.
Source: Tatame
|
HUNT
SPEAKS
Mark
Hunt
Mark
Hunt was recently interviewed by the PRIDE website. Here's what
Hunt had to say:
Interviewer:
What did you do after your fight on December 31st?
Hunt:
I went to Yoshinoya and ate gyudon (beef on rice). Yoshinoya's
gyudon is one of my favorite Japanese foods. (laughing) After
that, I went back to the hotel and went straight to sleep.
Interviewer:
You didn't go out drinking and partying?
Hunt:
No, I didn't. I'm going to lead a moderate life for my next fight,
so I'm not going to go crazy.
Interviewer:
That's very stoic.
Hunt:
Of course! I only fought once in 2005. I'm being careful about
my conditioning and thinking about my body now so I will be able
to fight a lot this year.
Interviewer:
I'd like you to look back on your fight with Mirko (Filipovic).
How did it feel to fight him?
Hunt:
I think it was a good fight. I think his strategy was probably
to make me tired, but I didn't like it because Mirko wouldn't
come out to face me.
Interviewer:
You looked frustrated during the fight. Did you feel frustrated?
Hunt:
Exactly. I was frustrated many times. If you run around like
that, you can't fight a real fight and I wasn't able to do what
I wanted to, either. So, I'm not just frustrated with Mirko.
I'm frustrated with myself, too.
Interviewer:
You wanted to strike more with Mirko?
Hunt:
Yes, because that's what a good fight is.
Interviewer:
You personally hate fighters that just look for counters and
keep their distance?
Hunt:
It's not about liking or hating him. That kind of fighting style
isn't a fight. The fans buy tickets and come to see a fight.
You have to show them a fight in your match.
Interviewer:
It seems that Mirko had a cold and his foot was injured. What
do you think about that?
Hunt:
I didn't know anything about it. When I fought Mirko in 2001,
I only had 2 weeks (notice) before the fight. But, I don't want
to make that into an excuse. A loss is a loss, no matter what
the reason. If Mirko's condition was really bad, that's too bad.
I'm not going to hold back because Mirko's sick, and if our positions
were reversed, I wouldn't want Mirko to hold back just because
I'm sick. When you're a pro, you give your best in the ring,
no matter what the conditions are.
Interviewer:
I see. What were you thinking of doing in the fight?
Hunt:
I wanted to stagger Mirko with punches and then body slam him
from the top rope. (laughing)
Interviewer:
You're not allowed to use the ropes. (laughing) For example,
did you want to ground and pound, since you have been doing MMA
training?
Hunt:
No, I just wanted to KO him with punches.
Interviewer:
When did you hurt your leg during the fight?
Hunt:
I don't know exactly when, but I think I hurt it because I was
always blocking Mirko's kicks.
Interviewer:
You defended perfectly against Mirko's specialty, his left high
kick. Was that something you planned before the fight?
Hunt:
My conditioning was good and I was able to see his movements.
I trained on defense a lot, too. And even if I'm hurt, I recover
quickly.
Interviewer:
Did you feel rusty during the fight, after being away for so
long?
Hunt:
I didn't think it would affect me so much, but really looking
back on it, my timing was off and I wasn't able to lead the fight
like I wanted. I think it did affect me.
Interviewer:
I think a lot of your punches actually hit their mark. Did they
feel good to you?
Hunt:
I wanted them to be better. I wasn't able to grab Mirko well
and after being away from fighting for a year, my timing was
off.
Interviewer:
You seemed to be throwing a lot of body shots yesterday. Was
that something you had planned before the fight? Or did you think
during the fight that they would be effective?
Hunt:
I always thought that body shots would be effective. I used them
during the fight to stop Mirko from running around.
Interviewer:
Your wrestling was really good, too. Did you train that especially
for this fight?
Hunt:
No, I train striking and grappling equally.
Interviewer:
What gym do you train at? Do you have coaches for each area of
your training?
Hunt:
I have a coach that I train with. There aren't many fighters
where I live in Oceania that can fight in PRIDE. For example,
there aren't any good organizations like Brazilian Top Team or
Russian Top Team. So, I want to create that kind of gym.
Interviewer:
Some fans and media in Japan are beginning to think that you
might be the only one that can beat Fedor, since you beat Fedor's
rival Mirko. What do you think about that?
Hunt:
Fedor is an incredibly good fighter. He's good at striking and
grappling. If I have the chance this year, I'd like to fight
him.
Interviewer:
If you hit him with your punches, would Fedor go down?
Hunt:
Sou desu. ("That's right" in Japanese).
Interviewer:
After the event, Dream Stage Entertainment CEO Sakakibara said
that there is a possibility of an open weight grand prix. Are
you interested in that?
Hunt:
Is that fair? I would probably win if I just punched a fighter
smaller than me. If I got an offer, I would fight of course,
but isn't it dangerous to have me fighting in an open weight
class?
Interviewer:
I think a lot of Japanese fans want to see a fight that goes
beyond weight categories, like your fight against Silva.
Hunt:
But Silva almost weighs 100 kg (220 pounds). Silva is less than
93 kg (205 pounds) so he is a light heavyweight, and I'm more
than 93 kg (205 pounds) so I'm a heavyweight. Personally, I think
Silva and I are in about the same weight category.
Interviewer:
If you think so, I think that's fine.
Hunt:
Good, because I just want to fight a lot next year!
Source: Fight Sport
|
SPERRY
POSSIBLY IN PRIDE 31
Mario Sperry
Mario
Sperry spoke with the Brazilian media and stated that he will
most likely be participating on the PRIDE 31 card on February
26th.
Source: Fight Sport
|
GRACIE
FAMILY ARTICLE
The following article is courtesy of Gracie Magazine:
Gracie
Family Values
What makes them so victorious?
by
Martin Rooney III
Most
people that I have met around the world describe only two things
when they are asked about the Gracie Family: fighting and blood
ties. This is one of the most inaccurate descriptions that I
could ever think of to describe this family. This limited observation
has two causes: these people have only seen the Gracie's fight,
and they have never met any of them. This article is going to
give any people that hold the narrow belief mentioned above insight
into what it means to be a member of this family.
I,
like many others, was first introduced to the Gracie Family when
Royce Gracie entered the Octagon at UFC 1 and dominated the competition
in 1993. At that point, even to me they were just a family of
fighters connected by a history of techniques and blood. Two
and a half years later, a friend of mine told me about a charismatic
fighter that I had to meet. His name was Renzo Gracie. Since
my first training session at his New York City academy all those
years ago, Renzo treated me like a brother. I have been lucky
to have met many members of the Gracie family and have accompanied
them on trips all over the world. The relationships I developed
even got me the honor of writing for Gracie Magazine. The trip
to Japan for PRIDE Bushido, held in October of 2003, however,
would be one of the most historic events I would be involved
with the Gracie family to date. It would be the day that they
were to take on Japan.
On
my flight to Japan to see PRIDE Bushido, I was definitely caught
up in the hype that the Gracie "Family" was taking
on Japan. I was excited and also nervous about the pressure that
this event could have in store for the Gracie's that were competing.
Could this be the end of a revolution that this family started
over ten years ago in MMA? Could this be a historical event that
could threaten the legacy for what this family has worked for
over the last century? These were the questions that everyone
was asking, and I too was listening to the propaganda.
The
training session on the morning of PRIDE Bushido eased much of
my apprehension. Renzo's punches were crisp and accurate, Rodrigo
looked strong and explosive, Ryan was aggressive and focused,
and Daniel looked relaxed and confident. Everyone also discussed
how great Ralph looked, and that he was surely ready for his
match. I think that session calmed many of the people that were
there, and demonstrated how ready the Gracie's were for action.
As the entire team left the hotel for the arena later that day,
Rodrigo Gracie let out a roar, "Are we ready for a war?"
As I saw all of the people that left with us in the same black
and white Team Gracie shirts, the army that I was now with put
me at ease. It was not until the bus ride to the Saitama Super
Arena that all of my fears and doubts were completely gone. When
I rode for that hour over to the arena I had an epiphany of what
this family is all about. By the time the PRIDE event was over
that night, every belief that I developed on that bus ride came
true.
There
are many characteristics of a successful family. When a family
has the characteristics of a quality family, they can take on
anything. As I am about to show, these values are as important
to the Gracie's success as is their technique and fighting history.
These values are the glue that has held this family together
and allowed them to take on not just a single country, but the
world. The following paragraphs are going to be a back stage
description in chronological order of PRIDE Bushido and what
it taught me about this family.
The
first essential characteristic of a family that I learned on
that bus ride was Unity. A family must be unified in their beliefs
and purpose if they are to be successful. If there is not unity
present, a family is sure to break down. There may not be total
alignment at all times within a family, but there must be unity.
For instance, there is an old saying, "If it is you versus
me, I choose me, but if it is you versus them, I choose us!"
Everyone on that bus was unified with only one purpose in mind:
victory.
The
next characteristic that came on that bus ride was Support. A
family is nothing if it does not have a culture in which every
member supports the other. This characteristic could not be denied
from the Gracie family on this day. There were so many members
of the family and a support staff from all over the world that
it was absolutely amazing. Everyone was there to help in any
way possible. Every member of the team was also supported equally.
There was no one that lacked the attention and the support of
the entire group.
An
interesting characteristic that many people may not understand
is that a family must be able to Agree to Disagree. There are
going to be arguments. There are going to be differences in opinion
and conflict. No family is free from this, and that includes
the Gracie's. A family must allow these opinions to make sure
there is proper communication. If this is not allowed, the relationships
will be superficial. During the bus ride, and during our wait
before the fights in the locker room, the Gracie brothers (Ryan,
Ralph, and Renzo) argued about things as simple as whose gloves
were whose and what to wear. To an outsider, this conflict could
be seen to undermine the situation, but this did not threaten
the integrity of the family or the day. That is because a simple
argument cannot disrupt a family that knows it can express its
opinions. When conflict is allowed, relationships and the family
actually grow stronger.
A
critical characteristic that was displayed throughout this day
by the Gracie family was Trust. Without trust within a family,
the family is going to dissolve and fragment for sure. Each member
knew what their responsibilities were on this trip. For the fighters,
their responsibility was to represent the Gracie legacy and win.
For the corner men, their responsibility was to make sure the
fighter was physically and mentally prepared, as well as deliver
the right strategy at the right time during the fight. When we
were in the locker rooms preparing the fighters for the event,
every family member had a job to do. Whether it was preparing
the gloves and water bottles, making sure there was enough to
eat, stretching and warming the athletes, giving last minute
advice or keeping the press out of the room at critical times,
everyone was trusted in their position. This trust is not something
you are given in a family, this trust is earned. Every member
of the team this day earned that responsibility with accountability
over time. Because of this fact, there would surely not be anyone
let down on this day.
As
the fights began I was aware of two characteristics that the
family also displayed: Tradition and Pride. A family is about
history, and a family will often do anything to defend that honor.
Why they defend that history is because of their family pride.
When a family has enough tradition and pride present, they command
respect. I can only try to imagine the feeling a fighter faces
jumping into the ring to fight. Add the fact that your family
tradition and pride is at stake, and the pressure could be overwhelming.
Because of who these Gracie's are, and what their family represents,
they had no problem taking that weight on their shoulders. When
the fights were tied 2-2, I could feel the tension in the air.
As I stood on the platform behind the curtain with Ryan Gracie
and the other members of Team Gracie, I knew what was at stake.
Ryan was focused and eager to accept the responsibility of the
deciding fight. As the curtain rose and Ryan burst out toward
the ring through the cheering fans, he had only one purpose:
deliver a win for the family.
Could
he win the fight? Could the Gracie family defeat Japan? One might
think that for one family to take on the traditions and pride
of an entire country would be impossible. On closer examination,
however, it should be easy to see why one might take the family
over the country to win. Throughout history, countries are often
divided by civil war. People within countries are often divided
by different interests and desires. This leads to lack of unity,
communication, support, and trust. Each member of Team Japan
may have felt pride to represent their country, but every fighter
was surely first there for themselves. This was not true for
any member of the Gracie family on this day. Each man was there
for a bigger reason than personal fulfillment and country pride.
There is one characteristic that Team Japan may have been lacking
that could not allow them to defeat Team Gracie: Responsibility.
Ryan went into the ring with the responsibility to produce a
victory. That is something his opponent may not have possessed.
When
Ryan delivered his final foot stomp and the referee pulled him
away from his knocked out opponent, the Gracie Team swarmed the
ring. As different members of the family were hoisted onto the
shoulders of other family members, I learned the most important
family characteristic of all: Love. To see all the joy and love
in the ring at that moment was magical to be a part of. No one
that only sees a fight in the ring can ever understand how much
love this family has. This is where all of their strength comes
from. Not only is this love for members of the immediate family,
but it is for the "adopted" members of the family as
well. When Ryan addressed the adoring Japanese fans, he yelled,
"I love you, I love Japan!" For that moment, he made
the Japanese fans part of the family too, and not one of them
would deny the invitation.
The
Gracie family is amazing in their ability to make people feel
part of their family. This family has touched the lives of so
many people around the world that it is difficult to calculate.
So when everyone was saying that this was Japan versus the Gracie
family, I don't think anyone really understood what that meant.
It was not just 5 fighters in the ring connected by blood, but
all the things that you cannot see that made the difference on
this night.
With
the understanding of what type of family culture the Gracie's
possess, one should be able to see that nothing can threaten
this legacy. There is no one win or loss that can disrupt who
the members of this family are and what they have done. When
a family's culture is interwoven with unity, support, trust,
tradition, pride, and love, they can take on anything. That is
exactly what this family did in Japan; victoriously.
Source: Fight Sport
|
Quote
of the Day
"Chance
favors the prepared mind."
Louis Pasteur, 1822-1895, French Microbiologist and Chemist
|
PUNISHMENT
IN PARADISE
EAST vs. WEST II Weigh-Ins Tonight!
Friday Jan 13,2006 6pm
WEIGH
INS!!
Boardriders,
Kailua @6PM Sharp!!
Friday
Jan 13,2006 @ Boardriders Kailua, we will be hosting EAST vs.
WEST 2nd Anniversary Weigh Ins. Come met the fighters take pictures
and sign autographs. 98.5 will be on hand for the weigh in LIVE.
Also, this is the last day to purchase Presale Tickets... what
ever is left!! To let you know about how fast the tickets are
going, 1500 were made and almost gone.. Just a reminder we are
only letting in 2,000 people.
For
ticket Outlets or Fight Information feel free to call or email
me at bdkamaka@comcast.net or 408-916-8082
|
Recovered,
Pequeno is back to train
The
biggest champion of the Shooto history, Alexandre Pequeno is
back to training after a surgery in his knee. Since the beginning
of January, the star of Shooto Brazil Dojo has been training
his ground skills with his pupils in Rio de Janeiro and earlier
today, he's done his first Muay Thai train, supervised by Toniko
Junior. "Now I'm working to improve my knee. But I'm 100%
recovered," stated Pequeno, who has been improving him physical
condition with trainer André Vinícius Aurnheimer.
Alexandre Pequeno was operated on last November 2 due to a broken
knee.
Source: Tatame
|
GFC
with Gracie vs. Hammer House
Announced by site TATAME in first hands, the event of the governor
of California and the "Terminator" Arnold Schwarzenegger
has already the date confirmed. The Gracie Fighting Championship
(GFC) will take place on March 3, in Colombus, Ohio (USA), and
will put face-to-face representatives of the Gracie family against
athletes of the team Hammer House, of Mark Colleman.
Black-belt
of Royler Gracie, Daniel
Moraes
can be one of the representatives of the Gracie family in the
competition. After the victory against Rodrigo Damm in the V
Brazilian Cyclone of Submission, in December, Daniel, said to
team TATAME that he would make his debut in Vale-Tudo in the
beginning of this year, in an event created by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Source: Tatame
|
Vitor
Shaolin:
Another
challenge ahead
Black-belt
of Jiu-Jitsu from Nova União, Vitor Shaolin is getting
ready for another challenge. On February 4, Shaolin returns to
Japan to fight at Mars against Japanese Eiji Mistsuoka, who already
defeated his teammate Gleidson Tibau. Because of it, Shaolin
will have to postpone his holidays. "I've never fought during
this season. so I will pass my Christmas and the New Years Eve
training hard and on diet," he said. Read more about the
Nova União star below.
You
are confirmed to fight in Japan in 2006. Tell us more about this
event...
I
am going to Japan on January 29 to fight on February 4, at Mars.
This event is a union of GMC with K-1, like Rumble on the Rock
made in Hawaii. I will face Eiji Mistsuoka, who already defeated
Gleidson Tibau.
So
you already know Mitsuoka's game?
Not
yet. Mitsuoka defeated Tibau fighting until 77kg, but we will
fight in the category until 70kg...despite of I have asked to
fight until 73kg. I will get the tape of his fight against Tibau
and I will study his game. This will happen soon.
How
will be your preparation?
I've
never fought during this holiday season, so I will pass my Christmas
and the New Years Eve training hard and on diet. I will just
eat one sweet "rabanada", but I will get there well
and I will conquer more one victory in more one different event
that I fight.
This
is a great chance to pride people see you in action. What do
you think about that?
I'm
not thinking about that. One day they will call me to fight there.
I don't know why they take so long, but one day they will call
me. But I hope that they have one person there to put me in the
Pride.
Talking
about Pride, we have Murilo Bustamante fighting Dan Henderson.
What are you expecting of this fight?
I'm
anxious to see Murilo fighting. That is a pity that the fight
won't pass by television, but I am sure Murilo will win. He made
so many things for the Jiu-Jitsu and for the Vale-Tudo. If he
wins, will be something really good, like was to Romario to be
the best player of the Brazilian soccer championship at age 40.
We
also have the belt dispute between Wanderlei Silva and Ricardo
Arona...
If
Arona trained hard, I can't see him losing to Wanderlei Silva.
I don't know Wanderlei, but I respect him a lot. I just don't
think his game had changed since the GP. Arona's game is not
very good for Wanderlei. Arona is really strong, explosive, he
beats and kicks strongly and he can put the adversary down really
well.
Source: Tatame
|
Quote
of the Day
"What
we have done for ourselves alone dies with us. What we have done
for others and the world remains and is immortal."
Albert Pike, 1809-1891, American Author
|
BEING
A FATHER OF FIVE & FIGHTING
Ronald ‘The Machine Gun’ Jhun takes on MMAWeekly’s
own Frank ‘Twinkle Toes’ Trigg in the opening round
of the Rumble on the Rock 8 welterweight tournament that kicks
off January 20th. Sixteen fighters in sixteen days is back by
popular demand with Ronald Jhun talking about his first round
match up with Frank Trigg.
Ronald
Jhun is a father of five and a full-time construction worker
trying to balance work, family life, and a fighting career. Ronald’s
had a roller coaster career in Mixed Martial Arts looking impressive
at times. His career has been marked by peaks and valleys and
is in a valley. He holds wins over Dave Strasser, Pete Spratt,
Shonnie Carter, Ryan Schultz, and ‘The Ultimate Fighter’
season two participants: Joe Stevenson and Jason Von Flue, early
in their careers. The last year and a half have been rough. Jhun
has lost four of his last five fights and is determined to make
Frank Trigg the beginning on an upward track.
With
five kids and a full-time job, can Ronald put in the time training
to be a serious fighter? He said, "I work construction,
so for me I feel that is a workout, doing the daily working:
climbing the ladder, carrying material; for me that’s like
a workout in a day. I come home at night and I train. I’ve
got a solid wife who takes care of the kids. She knows that I’ve
got to get into my training. She plays a big role in my fight
career."
Ronald continued, "I’ve been training at a high level
too, trying to step up my game. I guarantee it’s going to
end up in probably a greco-Roman fighting, dirty boxing fight
in the clinches . . . I think that whoever withstands the storm
and is in better shape is going too win that night."
Trigg
has commented that he plans to stand and trade with Jhun, but
Ronald isn’t buying it. He said, "They all say they’re
going to stand and they do something else, so . . . This is MMA.
I mean whatever he feels like doing. You’re out there to
fight. You stand and if you get hit, who knows? You take the
guy down. I just think Frank Trigg is going to bring a war."
Ronald
added, "Frank Trigg has fought the best in the world. Like
I said, I’ve always trained for a big fight no matter who
I take. Fighting someone like Trigg just steps my game up a notch.
I ain’t taking him light, and I hope he ain’t taking
me light."
Questioned what concerns him most about Frank Trigg, Jhun replied,
"I can’t say I ain’t concerned about Trigg. It’s
just more myself I’m worried about me showing up and me
reacting. Trigg has got a great wrestling background. He’s
a solid wrestler, always comes forward. Just being consistent.
Just me reacting to his movement out there, and trying to counter
his wrestling, and his stand up, and his Thai and all of that.
The thing that concerns me is that he’s unpredictable. If
you’ve watched his last three or four fights, he comes out
and fights to the style of the fighter . . . I mean he’s
unpredictable."
Jhun
feels he has one advantage over Frank Trigg and that it will
pay off in their fight. He commented, "You can’t question
my heart. Trigg, like I said, he brings it. I don’t think
Trigg has ever faced anyone like me, someone who never gives
up. I think that alone speaks volumes right there."
Jhun
brought up an interesting point about the pressure on him and
Trigg entering this fight. He said, "I think it’s better
for me than him because if he wins they’re going to say
Trigg should have won. If I win, I’m back on the map."
Asked
if there are holes in Trigg’s game that he can exploit,
Jhun answered, "A lot of fighters have holes in their armor.
Basically, at the level we fight, the first man that makes a
mistake and you capitalize on it. That’s basically what
I saw in his last few fights. Trigg was doing good. He made a
mistake and his opponent capitalized on it. If you don’t
recover and turn the fight around and capitalize on the other
guy’s mistakes, it could be short night for anybody."
Closing
out the interview, Jhun was asked his prediction for the fight.
He answered, "I’m not one to predict man. I expect
a war. Anytime I fight, my name is on a fight card, some big
things are going to happen."
Source: MMA Weekly |
FEDOR
VS JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAM
The following was reported on a few or the Russian websites this
week. This was taken from the European FightSport Magazine.
"After
the victorious fight on New Year's tournament PRIDE Fedor Emelianenko
has once again visited Paris under the invitation of the magazine
"FightSport" for carrying out of masters - classes.
American
actor Jean Claude Van Damme having learned(about his latest win)
about it from pages of magazine has invited Fedor Emelianenko
to a meeting and a dinner in one of the Parisian restaurants.
Jean
Claude appeared to be an old admirer of Fedor and saw practically
all his fights in tournaments of PRIDE. Van Damme has expressed
the interest about Fedor Emelianenko's participation in the second
part once very popular film "BloodSport".
Shootings
of the film are scheduled for August and September of 2006. After
exploratory talk of the his future producers of the film will
send the scripts and the contracts to Fedor for a role in the
movie.
Beforehand
we assure Fedor's fans, that in case of his(its) consent, Fedor's
participation in shootings the film will not be reflected by
his participation in tournaments or PRIDE Fighting Championships.
Source: MMA Weekly |
UFN
3 PREVIEW: LEBEN VS RIVERA
For the third edition of the UFC and SpikeTV’s Ultimate
Fight Night they have finally put together an inspiring card
that doesn’t have to rely solely on recent participants
of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). Although Chris Leben is a season
one TUF veteran, his brotherhood is actually in the minority
for this show.
For
Ultimate Fight Night 3, the UFC has brought in some fighters
that have been in the UFC before and are earning their way back
to a shot at pay-per-view glory as well as some newer talent
that has yet to be seen in a UFC event. Leben’s opponent,
Jorge Rivera, falls into the first category.
In
September of 2003, Rivera made his successful Octagon debut,
launching himself into the ranks of the UFC middleweight contenders
by defeating Canadian, and now number one ranked middleweight,
David “The Crow” Loiseau. Maybe it was too much too
fast as Rivera then dropped his next bout, at UFC 46, to a very
tough Lee Murray. But Rivera wasted no time gaining entry back
into the UFC and took current champion Rich Franklin to the wire
before submitting to an arm bar less than a minute before the
final bell.
The
loss to Franklin again left Rivera on the outside of the Octagon
looking in, but it didn’t slow him down. The Massachusetts
Submission Academy fighter took the loss to heart and has gone
3-1 since, losing only to Anderson Silva and defeating the likes
of Dennis Hallman and Alex Reid. On January 16th, he finds himself
returning to the Octagon once again, this time to face Leben.
Following
a much different path to the UFC, Chris Leben will be making
his fourth UFC appearance since graduating from The Ultimate
Fighter. He may have lost twice on the reality show (those bouts
were counted as exhibitions and not declared on the fighters’
official records), but Leben has since gone 3-0 in the UFC with
the sole loss of his career coming at the hands of fellow UFC
veteran Joe Doerksen at the Freestyle Fighting Championships
in Biloxi, Mississippi.
At
first glance, and second glance, and third… you get the
picture… this fight appears to have all the makings of a
stand up war. Sure, Leben has trained for many years with Team
Quest and is also working with Matt Hume now up in Washington,
but make no bones about it, Leben is a strong kid that loves
to throw down. And when he throws down, he likes to throw bombs.
Just ask Mike Swick. Leben had his cage rattled by Swick in the
first round of their bout at WEC 9 before coming out in the second
and knocking Swick cold just 18 seconds in. Or talk to Benji
Radach about his broken jaw via the hands of Leben.
Then
again, this fight isn’t chalked up as a stand up battle
just because of Leben’s propensity to drop the hammer down.
Rivera is also known for his desire to trade blows. He and Loiseau
put on a veritable Muay Thai clinic in the fight that launched
Rivera’s UFC career and he and Franklin were knocking each
other silly before Franklin had finally had enough and went with
the arm bar instead. Yes, Rivera is schooled in submissions,
that much should be obvious considering his training with Keith
Rockel at the Massachusetts Submission Academy, but again, his
love is for the art of striking.
In
short, Leben and Rivera both like to stand and trade, both are
good at it, and that is what they will do. The question is only,
“Who’s stand up style will win out?” As stated,
Leben’s style is a much more raw, bone-crunching, power
game while Rivera has a much more Muay Thai-influenced technical
style. That’s not to say that Rivera can’t lay the
hammer down as well, it’s just that he looks much sharper
doing it.
This
is an important fight with the winner most liking putting himself
in position to challenge the winner of the Rich Franklin vs.
David Loiseau fight in March. Just who will win probably comes
down to a couple of different factors. Though both fighters have
a fair amount of experience and successes, Rivera is about eight
years older than Leben. His strength in maturity has been seen
as a week point in Leben’s game. The other factor is the
means with which each fighter uses to get to the end. Again,
while Leben’s power cannot be denied, his technical ability
is open to scrutiny while Rivera’s technique is sharp as
a razor, as are his elbows.
If
Leben can keep from getting cut up by Rivera’s slashing
style, not a given considering his fight with Kenny Florian on
TUF, or if he can land big early, he has a very good shot at
taking Rivera out and moving a step closer to title contention.
With the odds stacked a little more in his favor, Rivera’s
chin has passed the test before as witnessed by his fights with
both Loiseau and Franklin, and he should be able to land blows
at about a rate of three to every one of Leben’s. He probably
won’t be able to knock him out, but his style lends itself
to opening up fight ending cuts.
This
is a tough one to call. I’d lean in favor of technique over
brawn, but I wouldn’t lay any money down on this one. It
should be a classic battle with a good shot at “Fight of
the Night” honors.
Source: MMA Weekly |
Quote
of the Day
"Jealousy is no more than feeling alone against smiling
enemies."
Elizabeth Bowen, 1899-1973, Irish Novelist and Short Story Writer
|
PUNISHMENT
IN PARADISE
EAST vs. WEST II
Friday Jan 13,2006 6pm
WEIGH
INS!!
Boardriders,
Kailua @6PM Sharp!!
Friday
Jan 13,2006 @ Boardriders Kailua, we will be hosting EAST vs.
WEST 2nd Anniversary Weigh Ins. Come met the fighters take pictures
and sign autographs. 98.5 will be on hand for the weigh in LIVE.
Also, this is the last day to purchase Presale Tickets... what
ever is left!! To let you know about how fast the tickets are
going, 1500 were made and almost gone.. Just a reminder we are
only letting in 2,000 people.
For
ticket Outlets or Fight Information feel free to call or email
me at bdkamaka@comcast.net or 408-916-8082
Tentative Fight Card
Lightweight MMA Bout
Kaleo
Kwon (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) Vs. Kevin Smith (Team Bigdogs, Waianae)
Lightweight
MMA Bout
Makoa
Hainake (Team MMAD, Kahuku) Vs. David Padilla (Jesus Is Lord,
Waipahu)
Middleweight
MMA Bout
Kimo
Wolfel (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) Vs. Dylan Clay (Maui Freestyle
Jiu Jitsu)
163lbs.
MMA Bout
Kyle
Miyahana (Team MMAD, Kailua) Vs. PJ Dean (Bad Intentions, Waianae)
170
Kickboxing Bout
Bryon
Ingram (808 Fight Factory, Waipio) Vs. Wayne Perrin III (Bigdogs,
Waianae)
143lbs
MMA Bout
Chico
Cantiberas (Eastsidaz, Kailua) Vs. Gene Gregory (Mixed Bred,
Waipahu)
Heavyweight
MMA Bout
Kealoha
Emsley (Jus Rush, Kailua) Vs. Keahi Kuikahi (Team Bigdogs, Waianae)
150lbs.
MMA Bout
Kaipo
Gonzales (Team MMAD, Kailua) Vs. Issac Ukiah (Mixed Bred, Waipahu)
Light
Heavyweight MMA Bout
Maui
Wolfgang (Team MMAD, Kailua) Vs Ron Verdadereo (Jesus Is Lord,
Waipahu)
145lbs
Kickboxing Bout
Jarret
Iha (Koden Kan, Kailua) Vs. Kapena Abilla (Valentino Kickboxing,
Hilo)
165lbs
MMA Bout
Jimmy
Nakamura (Koden Kan/JKD ,Kailua) Vs. Fatu Tuitafa(808 Fight Factory,
Waipahu)
Heavyweight
Kickboxing Bout
Hansen
Apo (Eastsidaz, Waimanalo) Vs. Val Ulafale (Team Bigdogs, Waianae)
140lbs
MMA Bout
Scott
Miyamoto (Team Koden Kan, Kailua) Vs. Isiah Cobb Adamms (Animal
House, Ewa Beach)
Flyweight
MMA Bout
Chas
Schmidt (Team MMMAD, Kailua) Vs. Jay Bolos (Freelance, Waipahu)
132lbs
Kickboxing Bout
Bronson
Mohika (808 Fight Factory, Waipahu) Vs. Devin Damo ‘Pihana
(Valentino K.B ,Ewa)
Welterweight
MMA Bout
Keoni
Bryant (Jus Rush, Kailua) Vs. Marshal Harvest (Animal House,
North Shore)
Lightweight
MMA Bout
John
Kukahiko (Koden Kan, Waimanalo) Vs. Shane Nelson (BJ Penn MMA,
Hilo)
Mahalo
& Happy New Year,
Brennan
Kamaka |
ROTR
8 World Championships Hosts 8-Man Welterweight Tournament at
Blaisdell Center Arena January 20th
Event
to Feature World’s Top MMA Athletes and Debut of Local Favorite
“Butterbean”
HONOLULU, HAWAI'I - Jan 09, 2006 On January 20th Rumble World
Entertainment, promoters of Hawai‘i’s largest and most
respected Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event Rumble on the Rock (ROTR),
will hold the first ever ROTR World Championships at the Blaisdell
Center Arena in Honolulu. The event will be the preliminary test
in an attempt to crown the first ROTR world champion at the highly
anticipated ROTR Welterweight Grand Prix in April 2006.
RWE
searched the world to find eight of the best welterweights in
MMA today. In Los Angeles they found UFC contender and World
Fighting Alliance (WFA) Champion ranked 5th in the world Frank
“Twinkle Toes” Trigg. In Brazil they found Cage Rage
Champion Anderson Silva and hailing from Japan is K-1 representative
Yushin Okami. Former UFC Champion Dave Menne, former Shooto champion
Jake Shields, New Mexico’s Carlos Condit, jiu-jitsu champion
and ROTR veteran Renato
“Charuto” Verissimo and former King of the Cage (KOTC) champion
Ron “Machine
Gun” Jhun
were also signed to give the ROTR 8 card a bevy of undisputed
champions.
To
top off the star-studded evening, two Superfights featuring ROTR
veteran and Hawai‘i football star Scott Junk as well as
Hawaiian knockout royalty Wesley “Cabbage” Correira
against Eric “Butterbean” Esch will draw the event
to a close with Superfights that are the kind that make MMA history.
Promoters
are hopeful that bringing these legends to Hawai‘i’s
shores will help to further Hawai‘i’s appreciation
of MMA and the caliber of fighters coming to compete in the tournament.
According to JD Penn, “The athletes we’ve signed for
this event are the very best in the sport right now, the top-
ranked group in the welterweight division today. We originally
scheduled this event for November but postponed it so that we
could bring the fans a card packed with the world’s best.
We’ve put together a card we’re proud of and we hope
that the fans enjoy it,” he said.
In
the first match-up of the evening, Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert
and coach to BJ Penn, Renato “Charuto” Verissimo (5-2) will take on
the up-and-coming Carlos Condit (13-2). Verissimo, ranked #6
in the world, is known to be the most technical in his division
holding victories over Carlos Newton in the UFC and Yuichi Nakanishi
in ROTR 7. Condit is a rising star with recent wins over Ross
“Da Boss” Ebanez in a ROTR Qualifier event in November
2005 as well as Pete Spratt in a recent kickboxing match.
Hawai‘i’s
most experienced professional fighter Ronald “Machine Gun” Jhun (23-15-2) will take
on former WFA champion Frank “Twinkle Toes” Trigg in
the second match-up of the evening. A former KOTC champion, Jhun
is considered to be a heavy underdog. Trigg, known for his flashy
antics and exciting style, is currently ranked #5 in the world
after beating Verissimo in UFC #50. A possible re- match between
Trigg and Verissimo in April’s ROTR Grand Prix Championships
is highly anticipated.
The
third match-up of the evening will bring together Dave Menne
(38-12) and Jake Shields (11-4-1). Menne, UFC’s first-ever
middleweight champion, is arguably the most skilled and experienced
tournament fighter and will move down a weight class to take
on former Shooto champion Shields who is currently ranked #9
in the world.
Former
Shooto Champion, current Cage Rage champion and Pride veteran
Anderson Silva (14-3) of Brazil will compete against K-1 representativeYushin
Okami (13-2) of Japan. Silva who is ranked #1 in the middleweight
division will drop a weight class and attempt to capture the
ROTR Welterweight Grand Prix Title. Standing in his way is Demolition
of Octagon Gear champion and K-1 rival Yushin Okami.
Two
Superfights will draw the evening to a close. The first will
feature the comeback of football star Scott Junk who returns
to ROTR after his impressive debut against UFC veteran Ricco
Rodriguez at ROTR 7.
The
final Superfight of the evening will be between two knockout
artists likely to cause fireworks in the Blaisdell Arena. With
a professional record of 63 wins and 3 losses, Eric “Butterbean”
Esche of Alabama will make his transition into MMA against Hilo’s
Wesley “Cabbage” Correira (17-8). Nicknamed the “King
of four-rounders” and “The man Mike Tyson refused to
fight,” Butterbean proved to be very popular in K-1’s
World Grand Prix event in May 2005 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.
Hawai‘i fans were so impressed with Butterbean that RWE
promoters decided to bring him back to compete in ROTR.
Rising
off three straight wins in October, November and December 2005,
Cabbage is on a warpath with a vengeance. The relentless 27-year-old
Hilo native has come to be known for a willingness to accept
bouts with some of the toughest fighters in the sport today.
The heavyweight Superfight between Butterbean and Cabbage promises
serious knockout power when one of the most famous boxers of
our time will make his debut against a Hilo boy who just wants
to scrap.
The
evening’s grueling tournament promises to bring the action
and excitement that has made ROTR the fastest-growing event in
the U.S. and Hawai‘i’s premiere MMA event. The event
will be held under MMA rules with three, five-minute rounds held
in an octagon-shaped cage. A press conference will be held Thursday,
January 19 at Ala Moana Centerstage at 5pm. On January 20, doors
to the Blaisdell Center Arena will open at 6pm.
The
event will also feature world-renown Polynesian entertainment
group Malu Productions, known for their Snoop Dogg video performance
on MTV as well as their performances with the NFL and the Hawai‘i
International Film Festival. Malu Productions highlight the Polynesian
dance styles of Tahiti, Hawaii, New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa.
Tickets
to ROTR 8 can be purchased at the Blaisdell Box Office, at www.ticketmaster.com,
or by calling Ticketmaster toll-free at 1-877-750-4400. Tickets
are priced at $35, $60, $100, $200, and $300 Up-to- date event
news can be found by visiting www.rumbleontherock.com.
ROTR
8 will be broadcast on Canadian pay-per-view and worldwide Internet
pay-per-view on January 21 by visiting www.rumbleontherock.com and clicking on “RumbleVision.”
About
Rumble World Entertainment
Rumble World Entertainment (RWE) is a Hawai‘i-based entertainment
company who produces Rumble on the Rock (ROTR), ROTR Qualifiers,
and RumbleVision. In less than two years, RWE, formerly Prodigy
Productions, has taken ROTR from a small Hilo-based show to a
globally recognized event broadcast in 90 countries including
Japan Pay-Per-View and U.S. Pay- Per-View. Known as Hawai‘i’s
premiere MMA event, ROTR draws record audiences of 12,000. RWE
hopes to bring their events to California and Las Vegas in the
near future.
Website:
http://www.rumbleontherock.com
Source: Rumble World Entertainment |
One
Bout Added to UFC 57
UFC
57 - One Bout Added
February 4, 2006
Mandalay Bay Events Center
Las Vegas, Nevada
Full
Line-up:
Heavyweight
Bout - New bout
Keith Jardine vs. Mike Whitehead
Heavyweight
Bout
Jeff Monson vs. Branden Lee Hinkle
Heavyweight
Bout
Paul Buentello vs. Gilbert Aldana
Heavyweight
Bout
Brandon Vera vs. Justin Eilers
Light
Heavyweight Bout
Alessio Sakara vs. Elvis Sinosic
Light
Heavyweight Bout
Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs. Mike Van Arsdale
Heavyweight
Bout
Frank Mir vs. Marcio "Pe De Pano" Cruz
Welterweight
Bout
Nick Diaz vs. Joe Riggs
Light
Heavyweight Title Bout
Champion Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture
==============================
UFC
58 - Sneak Peak
Welterweight
Bout
George
St. Pierre vs. BJ
Penn
Middleweight
Bout
Rich
Franklin vs. David Loiseau
Source: MMA Weekly |
CONVERSATIONAL
BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE
Brazilian Portuguese
(Brazil) Sat 06/11 - 07/23 21
8:30-11:30 a.m.
$21
Room U202
"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience
with yourself. Do not lose courage in CONVERSATIONAL BRAZILIAN
PORTUGUESE
NUTSHELL
COURSE DESCRIPTION
With concentration on everyday, modern Brazilian usage, special
attention is paid to quickly gain understanding of polite, informal
and colloquial language, verb conjugations, past & present
tenses, masculine-feminine nouns & adjectives (big obstacles
in Romance language-learning) with goals of attaining native
pronunciation and fluency of speech. Brazilian regional variations
in pronunciation and vocabulary are recognized.
This
class is ideal for:
1) Those interested in travel to Brazil
2) English speakers with Brazilian friends/spouses/partners
3) Practitioners of Brazilian martial arts (Capoeira, Jiu Jitsu)
4) Speakers/students of other Latin-derived languages.
ABOUT
THE INSTRUCTOR:
Sandy
Tsukiyama de Oliveira, a Honolulu native, was drawn to the musical
culture of Brazil while studying for her BA in Ethnomusicology
at UH Manoa in the 1970s.
Portuguese language studies were at UH-Manoa with Dr. Stefan
Baciu, and at Windward Commnunity School for Adults with Cecy
de Souza Browne. Sandy worked as a Spanish & Portuguese-speaking
tour escort for over 10 years, receiving hands-on experience
in the language locally while promoting the Hawaii visitor industry.
She
lived in Rio de Janeiro, from 1980-83; spending the first year
at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Escola de Música
on Rotary International Post-Graduate Fellowship for International
Understanding, afterward working as a vocalist in upscale restaurant/bars
and teaching English.
Performing
in Brazilian music groups (The Rio Trio, Mistura, Banda Carioca)
after her return to Hawaii, Sandy maintained her contact with
Brazilian culture in the community while pursuing education in
simultaneous conference interpretation at UH Manoa Center for
Interpretation and Translation Studies. She then continued in
the field of Secondary Education, receiving certification for
Spanish and Special Education.
Sandy
has worked freelance as an English/Spanish/Portuguese interpreter/translator,
as well as in Federal and State courts, for the Honolulu Police
Dept., US Immigration and Naturalization Service, various international
conferences, is on staff for the Bilingual Access Line of Helping
Hands Hawaii and is a member of the Hawaii Interpreters and Translators
Assn.
Currently a Special Education teacher at Roosevelt High School,
she has been teaching Portuguese at FCSA for the past four years.
TEXTBOOK:
Fala Brazil! Português Para Estrangeiros
by Pierre Coudry & Elizabeth Fontão (Pontes Editores)
Accompanying cassettes/CD available
RECOMMENDED
SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKS:
501
Portuguese verbs
by John J. Nitti & Michael J. Ferreira (Barron's)
Portuguese
Verbs and Essentials of Grammar
by Sue Tyson-Ward (Passport Books)
For
information on registration, location, dates, fees & class
times, please visit the Farrington Community School for Adults
website:
http://fcsa.k12.hi.us
or call: (808)832-3595
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