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(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)
 News & Rumors
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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?

To go directly to the Onzuka.com Hawaii Underground Forum
click
here!

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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!


Want to Contact Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!

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5/1/11

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

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