Upcoming
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Us
(All events on Oahu, unless noted)
2011
12/9/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
11/11/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
November
Aloha
State Championship of BJJ
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
10/7/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
October
NAGA
9/2/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
7/22/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
7/8/11
Chozun 2
(Kickboxing)
(The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace, Honolulu)
7/1/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
6/25/11
Kauai Cage Fights
(MMA)
(Kilohana Estates)
6/17-19/11
MMA Expo
(Blaisdell Convention Hall)
6/18-19/11
State
of Hawaii Championship of BJJ
(1st day gi, 2nd day no-gi)
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Blaisdell Convention Hall)
6/10/11
Kickboxing event
(Kickboxing)
(Campbell High School Gym, Ewa Beach)
6/2-5/11
World
Jiu-Jitsu Championship
(BJJ)
(California)
5/28/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
Battleground 808
(MMA)
5/21/11
Scraplafest 3
(BJJ & Submission Grappling)
(Island School, Puhi, Kauai, behind Kauai Commuity College)
5/6/11
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
4/28/11
Destiny: Fury II
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
4/23/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
Gladiators for God
(Amateur Muay Thai)
(Wet&Wild Water Park)
4/16/11
Hawaiian
Championship of BJJ
(BJJ
& Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)
4/15/11
Destiny
& 808 Battleground presents "Supremacy"
(MMA)
(Aloha Tower Waterfront)
4/9/11
Fight Girls Hawaii
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)
4/2/11
Toughman Hawaii
(Kickboxing)
(Hilo Civic Ctr)
3/24-27/11
Pan
American Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA)
3/26/11
Mad Skills
(Kickboxing, Triple Threat)
(Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
HUAWA Grappling Tourney
(Sub Grappling)
(Mililani HS Gym)
3/12/11
X-1:
Dylan Clay vs Niko Vitale
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)
3/11/11
Chozun 1: "the Reckoning"
(Kickboxing)
(The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace, Honolulu)
3/5/11
Just Scrap
(MMA)
(Hilo Civic Auditorium, Hilo)
2/25/11
808
Battleground Presents
War of Warriors
(MMA)
(The Waterfront At Aloha Tower, Honolulu)
2/20/11
Pan
Kids Jiu-Jitsu Championships
(BJJ)
(California State University, Carson, CA )
2/19/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
2/5/11
Garden Island Cage Match 10: Mayhem at the Mansion 2
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Kilohana Carriage House, Lihue, Kauai)
Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
2/4/11
Amateur Boxing
(Boxing)
(Palolo District Park Gym)
1/29/11
Man Up & Stand Up
(Kickboxing)
Waipahu Filcom Center, Waipahu)
Battle At The Barn
(MMA)
(Molokai H.S. Gym, Molokai)
1/8/11
Hawaii Toughman
(Kickboxing)
(Hilo Civic Center, Hilo)
|
|
April
2011 News Part 3
|
Casca Grossa Jiu-Jitsu
is now the O2 Martial Arts Academy with 7 days a week training!
We are also offering Kali-Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday
nights with Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi.
Kickboxing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with Kaleo Kwan, PJ
Dean, & Chris Slavens!
Kids Classes are also
available!
Click
here for info!
Take classes from
the Onzuka brothers in a family-like environment! |
Onzuka.com
Hawaii Underground Forum is Online!
Chris, Mark,
and I wanted to start an official Onzuka.com forum for a while
now. We were searching for the best forum to go with and hit
a gold mine! We have known Kirik, who heads the largest and most
popular forum on the net, The Underground for years.
He
offered us our own forum within the matrix know as MMA.tv. The
three of us will be the moderators with of course FCTV808 being
the lead since he is on there all day anyway!
We
encourage everyone from Hawaii and our many readers around world
to contribute to the Hawaii Underground.
If you
do not have a login, it's simple and fast to get one.
Click here to set up an account.
Don't worry about using Pidgin English in the posting. After
all it is the Hawaii Underground and what is a Hawaii Underground
without some Aloha and some Pidgin?
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go directly to the Onzuka.com Hawaii Underground Forum
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O2
Martial Arts Academy
Your Complete Martial Arts School!
Click here for pricing and more
information!
O2 Martial Arts features Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu taught by Relson
Gracie Black Belts Chris and Mike Onzuka and Shane Agena as well
as a number of brown and purple belts.
We also offer Boxing and Kickboxing classes with a staff that
is unmatched. Boxing, Kickboxing, and MMA champions Kaleo Kwan
and PJ Dean as well as master boxing instructor Chris Slavens
provide incredibly detailed instruction of the sweet science.
To top it off, Ian Beltran & Erwin Legaspi heads our Kali-Escrima
classes (Filipino Knife & Stickfighting) who were directly
trained under the legendary Snookie Sanchez.
Just a beginner with no background? Perfect! We teach you from
the ground up!
Experienced martial artist that wants to fine tune your skill?
Our school is for you!
If you want to learn martial arts by masters of their trade in
a friendly and family environment, O2 Martial Arts Academy is
the place for you!
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Want to Contact
Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!
Follow O2 Martial Arts news via Twitter at:
http://www.twitter.com/O2MAA
Egan
and Enson's Ganbatte Japan fundraiser this weekend TODAY
Pacific Beach Hotel
Sunday, May 1st
We have some great stuff going on...
Fitness classes, autograph signings by Chris Leben, BJ Penn,
Sunny Garcia and more.
Mike Fowler will be doing a BJJ seminar and Egan's teaching a
MMA Bootcamp class.
There will also be silent auction, keiki fun zone, health &
beauty zone and much more.
For more info please contact me at 271-3779 or minoue@estudiohawaii.com.
Enson just arrived here today and will be showing footage at
the fundraiser of his trips to the evacuation centers, etc.
We hope you'll join us in promoting this great event.
Thank you.
Here is the Press Release:
EGAN AND
ENSON INOUE TO HOST "GANBATTE JAPAN" FUNDRAISER FOR
JAPAN EARTHQUAKE/TSUNAMI RELIEF
Brothers
aim to raise $100,000 at May 1 event
HONOLULU
- Egan and Enson Inoue, two of Hawaii's most decorated athletes
and mixed martial art (MMA) fighters, today announced the formation
of the "Ganbatte Japan" fund to benefit victims of
the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that struck the Tohoku region
of Japan. To benefit the fund, the brothers will host a fundraiser
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 1 at Pacific Beach Hotel's
Grand Ballroom, of which 100% of all proceeds will go directly
to Japan relief efforts.
"I've
spent the last 20 years living in Japan, and immediately after
the catastrophe, I felt compelled to do something," said
Enson Inoue. "I recently returned from a trip to Tohoku,
where I delivered much-needed supplies, and the devastation I
witnessed there was heartbreaking. It left me convinced that
we must all do our part to help the people of Japan as they show
their ganbatte ("do your best") spirit."
Scheduled
events include high-energy classes such as Zumba, CardioMix,
Turbo Kick Box taught by Hawaii's top instructors, performances
by noted traditional Japanese singing instructor Dennis Oshiro's
students and Egan Inoue's popular Bootcamp classes throughout
the day. Other events include martial arts demonstrations, gourmet
bake sale, silent auction, keiki fun zone and health & beauty
zone. MMA champion BJ Penn and surfing legend Sunny Garcia are
just some of the names scheduled to appear for an autograph sessions.
Tickets
are $30 for adults and $15 for children between 4 and 15 years
of age; children under 4 are free. Tickets can be purchased
online at www.hawaiifitcamp.com or www.showclix.com/event/33582.
Free parking will be provided with all advanced ticket purchases;
otherwise, parking is available at Pacific Beach for a $5 fee.
Source: Marcia Inoue
|
others
Source: MMA Weekly
|
UFC
Targeting Cain Velasquez for October; Could It Be in a Stadium?
by Damon Martin
UFC
heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez at UFC 121
UFC
heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez is on the comeback trail,
looking to defend his belt later this year in what could be the
biggest fight of his career.
Velasquez
has been sidelined for the past few months after suffering a
shoulder injury that required surgery and put him on the shelf
until later in 2011.
The
UFC's top heavyweight will watch with a special interest in the
upcoming fight between Junior Dos Santos and Brock Lesnar, because
the winner will be the one welcoming him back to the Octagon
later this year.
According
to UFC president Dana Whtie, Velasquez is right on track and
they have targeted a time for his return to action.
"Cain's
good. He's coming along great. He's actually going to be here
for this fight," White commented on Wednesday.
"I
think we were talking about him in October."
Velasquez
will be in Toronto to participate in the UFC Fan Expo as well
as the "Super 7" presentation with all seven of the
UFC's champions making an appearance on stage prior to the weigh-ins
for UFC 129.
When
Velasquez is ready to return, if the cards are dealt correctly,
he could also get a shot at headlining a stadium show. Dana White
has stated that after the success of UFC 129 in Toronto, that
another huge show could follow and a heavyweight title bout may
just fill the bill.
"I
think stadium shows are going to be one off shows. Every time
there's a huge, great fight, I think GSP vs. Anderson Silva if
that fight happened, would be a stadium show. Depending on who
wins out of Dos Santos and Lesnar against our heavyweight champion,
could be a big fight, so who knows," White stated.
Lesnar
has proven to be a huge asset whenever he's involved in a pay-per-view,
so if he's successful in his fight against Dos Santos, thus earning
the rematch with Velasquez, it may be just the fight the UFC
is looking for to fill the need for another stadium show.
Dallas
Cowboys Stadium has been mentioned as one of the biggest options
for a future UFC stadium show, but whether or not that will come
to fruition in 2011 remains to be seen.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Coker
Reflects on Promoting with Zuffa
Now
that Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has had the chance to promote
under the Zuffa banner, he is confident that he made the right
decision to sell his company to the UFC owners.
"I'm
glad it's all moving forward and people can see the fights are
still going to happen, that I'm still running Strikeforce and
we're going to have a contract with Showtime still," Coker
said recently during a "Savage Dog Show" interview.
"People say it's not business as usual, but really, if you
watched the telecast on Saturday night, it looked like business
as usual. There might be some changes in the back, but at the
end of the day, I love promoting fights and I get to continue
promoting fights."
Coker
was referring to the April 9 Strikeforce "Diaz vs. Daley"
card, which featured a thrilling main event between Nick Diaz
and Paul Daley. Although the Showtime telecast looked like a
typical Strikeforce event, Coker appreciated the help Zuffa provided
backstage.
"It's
nice to have a big staff working toward one goal," he said.
"In the past we had a smaller staff. Our smaller staff was
obviously very good. It's just that the Zuffa machine has a lot
more people, a lot more marketing, a lot more PR, a lot more
bodies around in the back. Believe me, they do it right. I think
that where we had to cut some corners in the past, they don't
need to do that. They're on top of everything. They have a great
system."
The
sale to Zuffa came after Coker's partners at Silicon Valley Sports
& Entertainment decided to exit the MMA business.
"For
[Silicon Valley Sports] it was just a business deal," Coker
explained. "For me it was something that I had a lot more
passion behind. ... When I think of Strikeforce, it's like your
baby. You grew it, and you're seeing it grow up. But at the end
of the day, it is a business. ... When you take the emotion out
of it, it made a lot of sense. It made good business sense to
do it."
Coker
also countered the belief that the UFC plans on absorbing Strikeforce.
He said he expects Strikeforce to succeed at a level where merging
will not make sense.
"That's
what I believe," Coker said. "My goal is to make [Strikeforce]
as profitable as I can and make it such a rich venture that they'll
keep it going for many years to come."
Source:
Sherdog
|
Randy
Couture comments on why he wanted Lyoto Machida as his final
opponent
By Zach
Arnold
KENNY
RICE: "I think this is different, though, than any other
time we've had you on because going into this fight now we might
actually be talking about, is this going to be your last fight
win, lose, or draw?"
RANDY
COUTURE: "I think it is. I think it's time, you know, I
kind of want to go out on my own terms, don't want to wait until
there's an injury that forces me out or you lose two or three
fights and everybody's thinking you should retire. I've been
on a good run, I've probably pushed it further than anybody's
going to push it in a long while and I've got a lot of other
things that I'm working on that I want to focus on and I think
it's time."
KENNY
RICE: "You know, we've talked about this before, several
times it's been bounced around for the last year or so. Was there
a particular moment where you said, this is it, I've decided
that the (Lyoto) Machida fight is it. Is it just something that's
progressed, Randy?"
RANDY
COUTURE: "It's more something that's kind of progressed,
you know, there's kind of been a transition. I've been getting
more, more and more acting jobs and betting acting jobs, and
obviously all the other businesses that I'm involved in are doing
very well, the gym is great and the clothing line and all those
things are doing fantastic. So, I really want to focus on those
things and, to be frank, I want to enjoy life a little bit. I
don't want to grind out another camp, I'm not interested in making
a run at the title or any of those things. Regardless of the
win record is right now, it's been about fighting. It's been
about going out and doing what I have a passion to do and what
I love to do and I've wanted this fight for a long time and this
seems like, it's my 30th fight, it's a great fight to finish
on."
TITO
ORTIZ: "So, Randy, what do you think are some of the key
elements for you to win this fight?"
RANDY
COUTURE: "Well, I think everybody who's faced Machida has
to pressure him. I think he doesn't do well backing up, he's
not a big fan of standing and banging, he doesn't really like
to get hit or trade that way and so I think using the cage effectively,
using footwork to cut him off, we saw that with Shogun, we saw
that with Rampage. Try to keep him off-balance and not walk into
any of those things. If you play around and stay out of his distance,
he's got some pretty sharp kicks, he's got a great straight left
hand. He's a very elusive guy, so sometimes during camp I felt
like I've been in a track meet rather than a fight. But, it's
been a fun and interesting camp to train and get ready for."
TITO
ORTIZ: "Sounds like you've done homework because those are
the mistakes I made when I competed against Machida, so I wish
you a lot of luck."
RANDY
COUTURE: "Thanks, I appreciate it, Tito."
KENNY
RICE: "And you've learned from that?"
TITO
ORTIZ: "Yes."
KENNY
RICE: "And Randy watched your tape. Has he thrown something
at you, Machida, that, you know, you talk about the track meet
and the speed and all that that he brings into it. Has he been
somewhat different than anybody else you've faced in your distinguished
career?"
RANDY
COUTURE: "You know, he has been different. He's got a very
complex and very unique style, I think based on his Kyokushin
Karate background. The footwork that he uses, his stance, the
way he moves and sets up things, even the feints that he uses,
the little hip movement and moving his feet the way he does are
all different and not used to seeing a lot of that, it's not
grounded in boxing or Western kickboxing. It takes you some time
to try to get used to seeing what you're seeing and until you
get used to it, you get hit with a lot of different things, things
that you don't expect that come from weird places. So, it's been
a little frustrating at the beginning but, you know, no different
than having 280-290 pound guys on top of you for the first three
weeks of camp and having that frustration, so it's been frustrating
but in a different way."
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Renan
Barão: "I'm focused on finishing the fight"
at UFC 130
By Guilherme
Cruz
Undefeated
for 26 fights, Renan Barão had been chosen to fight Demetrius
Johnson in UFC 130, which happens in May 28th. But, things changed
and the Brazilian's opponent was replaced by Cole Escovedo, the
first champion in WEC's history.
On
an exclusive interview with TATAME, Renan talked about his trainings
and the expectations for debiting in Ultimate, commenting his
game plan for the bout. "The two fights I did in WEC I came
in willing to strike, and both fights ended on the ground. What
I can tell you is that I'm focusing on finishing the fight",
guarantees, without minding the title yet. "Every UFC employee
has dreamed or still dream about winning that belt (laughs),
but I'm focused on my next fight".
Demetrius
Johnson bases his game on Wrestling. What do you know about your
new opponent?
If
we check his numbers, which don't say who's the better fighter,
they show that Escovedo may be a more dangerous guy than Demetrius
on the ground than striking, because he won with submissions
ten times, which is almost the total number of fights Demetrius
did, without mentioning Escovedo's win by knockout, which were
six, and one decision, with a total of 17 wins. But Demetrius
has better Wrestling, and fought tougher guys on his two last
fights.
This
replacement will change your trainings or your game plan?
I
was dedicating myself on training Wrestling a lto for Demetrius
and on the ground game, since my game plan was striking. But,
on the other hand, I've improved my conditioning, which was one
of Demetrius' strongest points, so I intend to use it against
Escovedo all the time... As for the trainings, I changed my focus,
but I won't change my sparring trainings much, I'll just try
to train with guys taller than me.
He's
a former champion of WEC on the division above yours and he kept
changing divisions. Do you think it makes any difference for
you, once you used to fight on the heavier division before joining
WEC's cast?
I
don't think so. I'm fighting MMA since I was 16 and I've fought
a lot on the division above, and even on the division above that.
And, as a consequence, with bigger and heavier athletes than
Escovedo. I'm evolving a lot physically, because when I'm in
Natal I work hard with Adriano Coringa, who's doing an excellent
work with me, and when I'm in Rio I continue to work on my conditioning
with Ramon Carrisso, who's a black belt from Nova Uniao, who
has helped me a lot on that part too.
After
two good wins on WEC, what are your expectations for debuting
in UFC?
I
hope to get better and better every time I fight and thanks'
God I believe I'm on the right track. On my debut on WEC, I finished
the fight on the third round, on the second I finished it on
the first round. I'm training for fighting three rounds, but
my goal is to finish it before the end and, if possible, present
myself better than I did on WEC, because I can tell I've evolved
since my last fight.
Escovedo
conquered most of his wins by submission, just like you did.
Will it take place on the ground?
MMA's
unpredictable, that's why it's growing so much. Just for you
to know, the two fights I did in WEC I came in willing to strike,
and both fights ended on the ground. Actually, on the second
fight, against the striker Cris Cariaso, I focused on striking
rather than the ground game, and it went to the floor anyway.
What I can tell you is that I'm focusing on finishing the fight.
Now, if it'll be standing up or on the ground, only God knows.
In
case you beat him down, you'll be undefeated for 27 fights. Do
you wonder about the belt?
Every
UFC employee that got there determinate and willing to win has
dreamed or still dream about winning that belt (laughs), but
I'm focused on my next fight. The most important thing is what
I'm doing now, which is training. I'm really training a lot.
I'm in Rio de Janeiro a while now and I'm focused for this fight.
I miss my home so much, my family and friends. But I'm here training
this hard for me and for them too.
Do
you want to leave a message?
I'd
like to thank TATAME for the support, also Joao from Rip Dorey,
and all the guy of Nova Uniao, because I've got everything I
need right here, good trainings and friends, and my family Kimura
Nova Uniao, that even when I'm not there they always call me
check how I'm doing.
Source:
Tatame
|
Shooto
world champion Beição comments on WOCS GP
by Carlos Eduardo Ozório
Beição
with South American and World Shooto belts. Photo: Rogério
Gomes
Four
fighters will step up for the WOCS 11 welterweight Grand Prix
this Friday in Campo Grande, Brazil. Facing off in the cage are
beasts like Luis Beição, André Chatuba,
Mauro Xuxa and Tico Pedroso. The GP format is a show all its
own.
"I've
been in two GPs in my career. You have to be physically prepared
for it, and you have to be more strategic in your fights. It's
important to always try and get the submission or knockout as
quickly as possible in the first fight so you'll have an advantage
in the second. It's a different and exciting system of fighting,"
remarks Beição, the Shooto world and South American
champion.
The
Nova União rep is keen to his opponents.
"I
feel the GP is at a high level, with top fighters from around
Brazil. Tico entered last - he's an excellent striker from a
traditional muay thai school. I think Xuxa and I made our MMA
debuts at practically the same time; he comes from a Chinese
boxing background but trains Jiu-Jitsu with the guys at CheckMat.
Chatuba is a finisher, has good takedowns and has a really potent
weapon in his arm-triangle. We don't know who we'll be facing,
so I'm training a bit of everything for the event," he advises.
And
WOCS forges ahead in its marathon of events with two more GPs.
On May 7 the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, will host the under-66-kg
(featherweight) GP, and on the 13th Brasília will host
the under-83-kg (middleweight) GP.
Check
out the card for Friday's event:
WOCS
11 - Campo Grande MS - 29 de abril
Under-77
Kg (welterweight) GP
André Chatuba (Relma / Minotauro)
Luiz Beição (Nova União)
Mauro Xuxa (CheckMat)
Tico Pedroso (World Strong)
Superfights
William Viana (TFT) vs. Luizinho da Silva (Gracie BarraMS)
77
kilos
Ivan freitas (TFT) vs. Gilmar Sanches (GB MS)
62
kilos
Fábio Larvinha (TFT) vs. José Elias (GB MS)
77
kilos
Nilson Pulgatti (TFT) vs. Davi Sutil (Freestyle) 84 kilos
Wande Lopes (TFT) vs. Cleiton Alves (Dojô Fight CG)
Over
93 kilos
Bruno Swarts (TFT) vs. Sergio Freitas ( Dojô Fight CG)
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
Report:
Marketing Agency Sues Over 'Fan Expo' Title
by Mike Whitman
Ultimate
Fighting Championship parent company Zuffa, LLC, is reportedly
being sued by a Canadian marketing agency over the use of the
term "fan expo" in the promotion of UFC 129.
As
reported Tuesday by ComicBookResources.com, Toronto-based Hobby
Star Marketing, Inc. -- which operates the annual Fan Expo Canada
comic book and gaming convention -- has filed an injunction against
Zuffa and partners Reed Exhibitions. Hobby Star has reportedly
filed trademark infringement charges against the parties over
use of the "UFC Fan Expo" title, as well as the web
domain UFCFanExpo.com and the slogan "The Ultimate Fan Experience."
The
injunction, reportedly filed in Toronto's Federal Court, would
prevent the promotion or sale of any items or events bearing
the trademark. Hobby Star is also seeking that all goods violating
the injunction be either handed over or destroyed under oath.
The
UFC has held multiple events in the past bearing the "Fan
Expo" title, both in the United States and abroad. The UFC
129 event will be held at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto
and will begin on Friday, April 29. The expo will feature question-and-answer
sessions with UFC personnel, autograph opportunities with fighters
and a four-man exhibition grappling tournament.
Fan
Expo Canada was founded in 1994 by Hobby Star Marketing and is
a multi-genre fan convention similar to San Diego's famous Comic-Con.
The convention, which caters to fans of comics, sci-fi, anime,
horror and video games, is the largest Canadian event of its
kind.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Ivan
Salaverry Comes Out of Retirement to Fight at BAMMA 6 in the
U.K.
The
full card for BAMMA 6 has been announced by the British promotion
and it includes the return of former UFC middleweight Ivan Salaverry.
While
quite a few fighters lately have been calling it a career, Salaverry
has now decided to end his retirement and come back in the U.K.
this May.
Prior
to his announcement to retire, Salaverry had dropped two fights
in a row in the UFC in 2006 and 2007, and then opted to walk
away from the sport and focus on training new fighters. It appears
the itch to fight got back in Salaverry's blood.
Salaverry
will actually be stepping onto the BAMMA card to replace fellow
UFC vet Phil Baroni who was knocked off the show due to injury.
Salaverry will now face Matt Ewin on the May 21 show.
The
other main card bouts for the show include the main event pitting
BAMMA champion Tom "Kong" Watson against Murilo "Ninja"
Rua.
Also
co-main event fight featuring Frank Trigg against John Phillips
and Kurt Johnson taking on Kenny Moyston.
The
BAMMA 6 card will air live in the U.K. on SyFy and in other areas
on BAMMA.tv.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
Why
do we allow MMA promoters to hire referees/judges when it's illegal
to do in boxing?
By Zach Arnold
That
is the question that friend to the site Rob Maysey of the Mixed
Martial Arts Fighters Association asked us the other day in response
to the uproar over comments judge Chuck Wolfe made in regards
to his scoring of the Joe Warren/Marcos Galvao fight.
On
his Tuesday radio show, Jordan Breen addressed the topic in this
manner.
"In
regards to it, I don't see that much of an issue. Obviously,
one of the things that we like to say about Mixed Martial Arts
that makes the sport, you know, clean or... pure or, more civil,
than many spectators and naysayers choose to believe is that
the Government helps regulate this sport and that the refs &
judges & these people are not decided on by promoters, there's
no favoritism involved and, so forth. So, that's nice. But the
fact is, there's still massive chunks of the world that MMA existing
there is vital and there's no way around the fact that referees
are going to get paid to be there. Unless, I mean, simply it's
not a conscience-able stance to say that unless MMA is regulated,
it shouldn't exist because every Brazilian fighter you know is
about to go down the tubes then. There's no, I shouldn't say
there's no regulation in Europe, I mean there's regulation, you
know, in Sweden for instance, but if you ever want to see another
British fighter again, sayonara. Eastern Europe? Done. Brazil?
Brown broad. Perish the thought. Japan? You're never going to
see a Japanese fighter ever again, not until the Japanese Boxing
Commission gets on board. These things are not happening, so
it's ridiculous to act as though that all refs and all judges
should be appointed by an athletic commission by virtue of the
fact that most MMA at this point in time still isn't regulated.
So, then it becomes a question of, well, if you're not regulating
Mixed Martial Arts, who's appropriate to use as an official?
And regardless whether or not you have to pay them, surely the
best people to use as officials are good, experienced referees
and judges. On top of that, as John McCarthy pointed out in his
treatise that he posted on The Underground , he's often being
paid in many situations because he's being put on a poster and
his image and his presence helps to sell and market the event.
And if that's the case, he deserves to be compensated for his
likeness and whatever intangible presence he brings, whatever
infusion of interest he brings to the table. I don't see anything
wrong with that."
In
other words, he views the situation through the prism of realpolitik.
"The
question that really informs the whole discussion, though, is
how are we supposed to feel when these refs or judges are brought
in another jurisdiction, paid to perform by a promotion, what
is their responsibility? Do they have any responsibility to the
promotion to, you know, favor a certain guy or can we ever put
in a situation where because they're being paid by a promotion
that referees will be inclined to act a certain way? Well, I
can't speak for every referee or every judge, I can't, but if
you're the kind of person that feels like you want the promotional
poster boy to win because that promotion happened to pay you,
you're probably not a good person, you're not that rational and
you're not doing a good service for Mixed Martial Arts and you
probably shouldn't refereeing, that's about as straightforward
and simple as I can make that. On top of that, there's simply
no realistic, better alternative, which I think is the most important
thing to consider. If there was a better thing to do than to
have a promoter pay John McCarthy $2,000 to fly and do their
event or pay Herb Dean to come to their resort or casino that
they're having a card in South Africa or Costa Rica or the tip
of Argentina, have him show up and all-expenses-paid hang out
and do your thing and ref some fights Saturday night. Now, is
there a better alternative to that? Not really, not at this point
in time. There are so few well-trained judges and referees all
around the world that if you want to have a legitimate world-class
event you're better having a ref or a judge or judges who are
aware of these things so bringing them in is relatively important
to begin with. But on top of that, the options that are available
to you locally, regionally are probably not as good."
Source:
Fight Opinion
|
Brazil's
new generation wants to invade Worlds
by Carlos Eduardo Ozório
They
are two submission-savvy aces brought up at Fabio Andrade's goodwill
project in Bangu, in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, and
they represent the country's new generation in Jiu-Jitsu. Now
they want a shot at the greatest championship of all, the World
Championship.
Marcio
André figured in the article "Ten fighters to keep
an eye on in 2011" (reread it here). Proof GRACIEMAG.com's
scouting is up to snuff, Marcio is still carrying on strong.
At the World Pro the blue belt had five matches and got the finish
in three of them before capturing the gold over another revelation,
João Miyao, in the 62kg division. Now Iris Batista had
four matches in Abu Dhabi to take top honors in the over-63-kg
division.
The
athletes boast major IBJJF titles on their CVs, like the Brazilian
Nationals, Brazilian Team Nationals and the Rio International
Open. However, the aim now is to reach the top of the world,
at the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship to take place June 2 in California.
"As
I often say, there may very well be someone as happy as me, but
there's no way there's anyone out there happier than me! Teaching
at a goodwill project and coming up with talent that can stand
up to the top guys is a gift of God; I feel so privileged for
it. They want to tear into the Worlds, and I'm running around
trying to find backing for us to do it. If anyone is interested..."
remarks Coach Fabio Andrade of Nova União team pridefully.
Source:
Gracie Magazine
|
The
Real Tiger Mask
by Tony Loiseleur
TOKYO
-- The massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami that devastated
the northeast of Honshu, Japan, has united people the world over
in bringing relief to the Tohoku region's survivors. Japan's
mixed martial arts community has also answered the call, as grassroots
promotions and Dream conduct charities, while fighters like Hayato
"Mach" Sakurai , Ryo Chonan and Enson Inoue have made
headlines by volunteering their energies and funds toward raising
money and shipping supplies north.
However,
one helping hand has been hesitant to receive this same kind
of attention. Partly by personal preference, Shuichiro Katsumura
has flown under the media radar despite regularly traveling to
Tohoku to deliver emergency supplies.
More
surprisingly, he is doing so while in the midst of fight camp
for his first defense of the Shooto 132-pound world championship
at Shooto Tradition 2011 on Friday, when he is slated to meet
former 132-pound Pacific Rim champion Koetsu Okazaki in the co-main
event.
At
first glance, Katsumura looks like the type to shy from attention.
He has a subtle, ever-present smile which widens into a full
grin at a moment's notice. Incredibly polite and quick to laugh,
he has the quiet, soft-spoken patience one would expect from
a mild-mannered elementary school teacher.
In
truth, he actually happens to be one, but he is also the lead
instructor of Reversal's Yokohama Ground Slam gym and Shooto's
current 132-pound kingpin. While he admits to being no angel
during his younger days, teaching and charity work are to the
adult Katsumura like striking and grappling are to the nature
of MMA.
"When
the earthquake happened, I was in the gym. We don't have a television,
so we couldn't tell what was really going on, but I knew it was
serious because the trains stopped and people couldn't return
home," says Katsumura. "After I realized what happened,
I wondered if there was anything I could do. When the Great Hanshin
earthquake happened in 1995, I was still young and selfish, and
I didn't do anything. I regretted that. Now that I can do something
though, I am."
Consulting
a close friend whose family manages the non-profit volunteer
nursing group Cannus, Katsumura immediately volunteered to make
supply runs to Tohoku. In addition, he vowed to donate his next
fight purse to charity.
Those
familiar with Katsumura will attest that this type of magnanimity
is nothing new. Before becoming a school teacher, he worked at
a child welfare center and often donated his fight purses to
charity. It was these characteristics that earned him the nickname
"The Real Tiger Mask" during his brief stint in K-1.
No
Longer Anonymous
The
Tiger Mask mythos is an attractive one for Japanese who grew
up in the 1960s and 1970s, watching cartoons and reading comics
about the masked professional wrestler's heroic in-ring exploits
and his unmasked alter ego's pure-hearted mission to care for
orphans. Thus, many looked up to Tiger Mask as a role model,
and while fighters like Ikuhisa Minowa and Katsumura have had
the rare and enviable ability to momentarily become him in the
ring, it is only recently that everyday Japanese have begun emulating
Tiger Mask by way of charity.
It
started with an anonymous donation of "randoseru" knapsacks
-- sturdy leather backpacks costing upward of $300, which serve
both as companion bags designed to accompany children through
their first six years of elementary school and a strong visual
and ideological symbol of Japanese compulsory education -- to
child welfare offices on Christmas Day. Copycats have anonymously
donated food, money, stationary and yet more backpacks across
the nation's 47 prefectures in the weeks following. Linking these
donations was the name in which they were made: Naoto Date, Tiger
Mask's civilian name. This wave of anonymous donating was appropriately
dubbed the "Tiger Mask Phenomenon" by the local media
earlier this year.
For
the most part, this kind of anonymous philanthropy seems to suit
someone like Katsumura quite well since he has attempted to deny
the Tiger Mask association in the past. However, it was his public
blogging of his efforts in Tohoku that surprisingly resonated
amongst friends and fans. He inspired many of them to similar
action.
"It
was something I hadn't counted on happening," he says, with
excitement. "I didn't know whether it was good to be competing
at a time like this, so I decided to donate my next purse. When
friends and others heard about this, more and more volunteered
to help, so it's [a movement that is] getting bigger and bigger."
Listening
closely to this excitement, one can tell Katsumura is more enamored
with how his recent recognition benefits the relief effort. He
will be the first to tell you that the "Real Tiger Mask"
gimmick was something that was foisted upon him because the character's
background as a champion for orphans coincidentally aligned with
his own work helping and teaching children. Katsumura grew up
with no special affinity for the comic character or professional
wrestling. Consequently, he wanted to distance himself from the
comparison, so much so that he had a Reversal brand T-shirt printed
with the words "I'm not [the] real Tiger Mask" emblazoned
on the front.
"When
people in the media started calling me 'Real Tiger Mask' [in
2006], I didn't like it, even though I was a fighter already
involved with charity. But now, I'm kind of changing my mind
about that since I think it's something that I might be able
to use to help more people," he admits, with an embarrassed
laugh.
Given
that the Tiger Mask character went to great lengths to keep his
real identity as Naoto Date a secret, it is perhaps no surprise
that Katsumura may want to do the same if, in fact, he is secretly
a masked superhero.
"Actually,
I do kind of feel the same way [that Tiger Mask does]. I don't
think I should brag about doing charity or donating a fight purse.
That's not why I do those things," he says.
After
renouncing the gimmick following his run in K-1 MMA, Katsumura
has finally come to accept it, not because he enjoys it -- if
anything, it dredges up dark ghosts of the past for him that
he is reticent to talk about -- but because it has new utility
given the circumstances of Japan's recent crises.
"In
the beginning, when media outlets like Sherdog started asking
me to talk about what I was doing in Tohoku, I didn't really
want to do it," admits Katsumura. "But then I thought
about it and realized that more could be done if more people
knew about it. To be honest, I still don't really like the [Tiger
Mask] association, but I realize now that it can help.
"If
I tell people what I'm doing, then those around me tend to want
to do the same. If I wasn't a fighter that people already knew,
then maybe I'd continue to do this anonymously, but because people
know who I am from fighting, I suppose the Tiger Mask thing is
something that can help," he concedes. "Some people
may still criticize the idea of coming out of anonymity, saying
that I might be doing it only because I want attention, but I
believe that it's more important to move others to help than
to worry about what some people may think."
Katsumura
debuted in Shooto in 1999 and, over the next five years, became
one of its top talents. A 2004 loss to Marcos Galvao, however,
saw Katsumura diverge from Shooto to compete in ZST.
"When
I debuted in Shooto, I thought I wanted to be there for the rest
of my career. I was one of the top-ranked Shootors then, but
when I lost to Galvao, I began thinking that aiming for the top
would be too difficult," recalls Katsumura.
Utilizing
the Rings "King of Kings" rules, ZST is particular
for its closed-guard and ground-and-pound moratoriums, which,
in theory, promote grappling action. ZST has thus produced idiosyncratic
fan favorites like Hideo Tokoro , Masanori Kanehara , Masakazu
Imanari and, in a sense, Katsumura himself. In fact, it was
seeing Tokoro "having fun in the ring" that finally
convinced Katsumura that ZST was the place he wanted to be.
Likely
due to ZST's connection to Rings, Katsumura also competed in
K-1 "Dynamite" and Hero'S in 2006 and 2007. K-1's MMA
efforts at the time were spearheaded by Rings founder Akira Maeda.
"I
was hesitant [to fight in K-1] because it would be difficult
fighting bigger opponents," says Katsumura, who at the time
was a featherweight stepping into lightweight competition. "But
the people around me encouraged me to participate because the
fights would be televised and everyone would see it."
As
expected, K-1's media savvy and slick promos characterizing Katsumura
as the child welfare worker who moonlighted as a professional
fighter -- in essence, "The Real Tiger Mask"-- boosted
his visibility. However, turmoil in his personal life and budding
stardom made for a bad mix, leading Katsumura to resent the attention
and ultimately alienating him from the sport . It is a time about
which he offers little detail or explanation, speaking of it
only in the broadest of terms.
"I
lost twice in a row, but because I was on television, I got pretty
popular. I didn't feel like myself at the time, which is something
I only realized much later. I didn't really like what I had become,"
he says, quietly and with apparent difficulty. "I wasn't
doing well in work or in my private life, so I decided to leave
MMA for a little while."
Katsumura's
hiatus lasted approximately one year, during which serious soul
searching and the encouragement of his closest friends finally
saw him found the Groundslam gym with ZST's blessing and assistance.
"When
I returned, the people that came to me during the time I was
on television had all gone. The only people left were my friends
who had known me for a long time. With their encouragement, I
realized what was important to me, and I came back to start this
gym," says Katsumura. "I opened it as a way to show
my appreciation and thanks to those that supported me. It wasn't
my intent to return to fighting, but after six months, the gym
was doing well and ZST and Shooto asked me to fight."Birth
of the Ninja Choke
In
his November 2009 Shooto return, Katsumura defeated tough contender
So Tazawa by brabo choke, immediately earning a shot against
then 132-pound world champion Masakatsu Ueda -- a fundamentally
solid wrestler with wins over current UFC fighter Takeya Mizugaki
, Dream veteran Atsushi Yamamoto , Koetsu Okazaki and Eduardo
Dantas Katsumura's rushed shot against the then Top 5 bantamweight
seemed a harsh second turn in his Shooto homecoming. The fight
was justified primarily on the drought of strong title contenders
to Ueda and on Katsumura's own grappling prowess, though pundits
and fans predicted Ueda to neutralize him for a 15-minute decision
victory.
Katsumura's
subsequent upset of Ueda to take the title at "The Way of
Shooto 2" in March 2010 came with much surprise. Most shocking,
however, was that he tapped Ueda in the second round with a modified
brabo choke. While most fans point to Eddie Bravo for naming
the creative finisher, given his history and penchant for naming
everything he encounters, the responsibility in fact lies solely
with Katsumura.
"Actually,
I named it the ninja choke," says Katsumura, with a proud
grin.
The
process of inventing the choke lasted years, according to Katsumura.
Enamored with both Bravo's rubber guard system and its slick
implementation by Dream lightweight champion Shinya Aoki, Katsumura
sought to create a signature choke that not only finished an
opponent without the typical arm-in setup but one that was also
effective in minimizing the risk of ground-and-pound damage.
Naming it was also an exercise in practicality.
"I
wanted to find a way to be remembered when I went to fight in
Lithuania [in 2006] and thought that the easiest way for people
to know me as a Japanese fighter was to enter the ring dressed
as a ninja."
"Before
I left Japan, I told everyone that if my choke happened, I'd
call it the ninja choke since that would be easy to remember,
too," says Katsumura.
Though
the spectacular choke catapulted Katsumura back into relevance,
his following title reign was unfortunately not without turbulence.
One of the more confounding practices of Japanese MMA is the
tendency to give reigning champions non-title fights between
defenses. Shooto, while not strictly a promotion, is no exception
to this practice, often putting the legitimacy of its champions
uncomfortably into doubt whenever non-title bouts do not go swimmingly.
Such
doubt was cast when, in the main event of "The Way of Shooto
5" in September, Dream and Strikeforce veteran Darren Uyenoyama
brutally smashed Katsumura to a second-round technical knockout.
"I
admit I wasn't at my best, and my motivation wasn't very high.
Darren definitely studied me very well, however, and had the
perfect game plan," admits Katsumura.
A
Ralph Gracie black belt, Uyenoyama's jiu-jitsu was used less
to put Katsumura on grappling notice than to escape his submission
attempts and counter with punches on the ground. Katsumura latched
on multiple heel hook attempts that left Uyenoyama sore in the
knees after the fight, but the champion was still outgunned for
nearly nine minutes. Uyenoyama's only serious injury was to his
hand, which he used to batter the champion to the stoppage.
"A
few years back, I became friends with Joachim Hansen and Antonio
Carvalho. I learned a lot of stuff from them but never got to
incorporate it into a fight. The way I fought Katsumura is a
way that I've trained but just never got to show until then,"
says Uyenoyama.
While
the opportunity for a title rematch never arose as promised to
Uyenoyama, another door with potentially greater opportunity
opened for the American; he is slated for Dream's upcoming Japan
Grand Prix bantamweight tournament. Uyenoyama hopes for an eventual
return to Shooto, but he admits that a return to Dream is something
he cannot deny. Unfortunately, this still leaves the legitimacy
of Katsumura's reign in question.
"I
feel kind of the same way," says Katsumura, agreeing to
the subsequent criticism and doubt that the non-title loss has
wrought. "Certainly, if it can happen, it's a rematch I
want. I thought we were going to do it, but it didn't [happen]
and I don't know why. I didn't have a choice in it, unfortunately."
Despite
both longing for a rematch that now seems distant at best, Krazy
Bee's Atsushi Yamamoto lies ahead for Uyenoyama in the Dream
tournament. Meanwhile, former Shooto 132-pound Pacific Rim champion
Okazaki awaits Katsumura at Shooto Tradition 2011. The main event
on Friday will be the first time Katsumura officially defends
his title and the second time that Okazaki will vie for it. At
7-1-1, Okazaki's only loss came to the aforementioned Ueda in
a fight that began the stalwart wrestler's reign.
Okazaki
rebounded with a win over Hiromasa Ogikubo to capture the Pacific
Rim title and a subsequent defense against Tetsu Suzuki , ensuring
his ranking and an immediate turnaround for a second crack at
the world title. Given his otherwise stellar record and in-ring
performances, many pundits, even in Japan, are leaning toward
the Osaka-based fighter to steal the title from Katsumura.
"He
fought with Ueda for the title and lost, but that's his only
loss. He's won all his other fights so he's incredibly good,"
says a wary Katsumura. "Okazaki can strike and grapple and
do everything, but he's a lot better in striking than I am, I
believe." Given that even Katsumura concedes his opponent
is the favorite in the fight, it makes his decision to split
his time between driving supplies to Tohoku and training that
much more remarkable.
"As
an athlete, I know that I might receive criticism for not devoting
everything to training for such an important fight, but even
though I'm a fighter, I'm also a human being," Katsumura
explains. "Coming not from the perspective of a fighter
but as Katsumura Shuichiro, the person, I asked myself what there
was that I could do. Taking a few days off to help in Tohoku
and to spread the word is more important than training."
Though
Katsumura is hesitant to admit it in such stark terms, his stance
is one in which moral failure lies with those who act only to
seek attention for its own ends, at the expense of those who
have suffered. He is keenly aware that there are those who, in
the wake of the recent disasters, have been moved to action,
not out of humanitarian concern but to build a name and craft
a narrative focused on one's self off of the backs of the Tohoku
disaster's survivors. While the emergence of these types of people
is inevitable, Katsumura is wary of becoming one.
It
is thus with no small effort that Katsumura reconciles his otherwise
natural need to do charity with that of accepting recognition
for it.
Despite
the potential for criticism, Katsumura has come to accept recognition
and a label in "The Real Tiger Mask" that is reminiscent
of troubled times of the past because it now presents a way to
inspire others to help him build a brighter future for the people
of Tohoku. He may not realize it, but his critics -- if, in fact,
any exist -- can find all the justification they need in this
fact, as well as the revelation that his charity work is more
important than committing to a full fight camp in a title defense
that most expect him to lose.
It
is this selfless will to charity that, in concert with his acceptance
of the Tiger Mask mantle, makes Katsumura not only an admirable
champion and human being but a fitting and true successor of
the Tiger Mask legacy, whether he wants that distinction or not.
Yuko
Komiyama and Go Yamamoto contributed to this story.
Those
interested in contributing to the ongoing relief and rebuilding
effort in Japan are encouraged to donate directly to the Japanese
Red Cross Society. Donations can be made online via Paypal.
Source:
Sherdog
|
Diego
Sanchez Meets Matt Hughes at UFC Event This Fall
By Damon Martin
Diego
Sanchez will face a UFC Hall of Famer this fall, as he has been
scheduled to meet former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes.
The
UFC made the announcement about the match-up on Thursday.
While
no date has been set for the fight, the UFC stated the bout will
take place this fall.
"A
match-up between two welterweight fan favorites has been verbally
agreed to as Diego 'The Dream' Sanchez will face former UFC welterweight
champion and Hall of Famer Matt Hughes," said UFC president
Dana White. "Sanchez is coming off of a Fight of Night winning
performance against Martin Kampmann and Hughes is looking to
add another great victory to his incredible UFC career."
Sanchez
has gone two-for-two in his last couple of bouts, picking up
wins over Martin Kampmann and Paulo Thiago. The former "Ultimate
Fighter" winner also re-joined his old team at Jackson's
MMA in New Mexico, and has been raving about the results he's
had since then.
Matt
Hughes enters the fight coming off a fast first-round knockout
at the hands of B.J. Penn last November. The multi-time UFC welterweight
champion had been riding a three-fight win streak, including
victories over Matt Serra and Ricardo Almeida.
The
bout will likely take a main slot in one of the upcoming cards
in the fall.
Source:
MMA Weekly
|
|