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Sunday - December 1, 2002 |
From Pancrase: Pancrase Tour 2002 Spirit Tour Saturday,November 30,2002 Doors Open; 5:00pm/Fights Start; 6:30pm Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium (Kanagawa,Japan) Live Gate: 5,900 Sell Out
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From RITC/John Petrilli: This Saturday Night!! Club Evolution 63 East Congress St Tucson, Arizona Saturday, December 7, 2002 Doors Open: 6 PM, Fight Time: 7:30 PM All seats only $20!!! (Open seating on first come, first serve basis) Tickets available at the door or in advance at Lee's Liquor, 1202 N Stone Ave, 520-798-3233. Directions: Club Evolution is located 1 mile east of I-10 Exit #258. Double Main Event: Andy Montana (225 lbs), Asher Combat Academy vs Cory Timmerman (300 lbs), Brausa Academy Robert Maldonado (170 lbs), Tucson Judo vs Gabe Casillas (170 lbs), Debrazil Academy Super Fight: Lyle Steffens (190 lbs), Tucson Judo vs TBA Fighters from Debrazil Academy, Tucson Judo, Savage Te Dawg Pound, Asher Combat Academy, Brausa Academy and others will be on the card. It's been 2 years since Rage in the Cage held an event in Tucson. We have more RITC Tucson dates selected for next year in anticipation of a large turn out of local fans on Saturday night. It will be an exciting night of fights and entertainment. For Phoenix fans it's an easy 90 minute drive to Club Evolution and for Casa Grande fans it's half that time to see one of their top fighters in a Main Event fight. For more information, please visit www.rageinthecage.com or e-mail Roland Sarria at doomstr@primenet.com. |
From Koichi "Booker K" Kawasaki: PRIDE.24 DATE: December 23rd, 2002 OPEN: 3:00 PM START 4:30 PM PLACE: Marine Messe Fukuoka, Japan (Fykuoka-Pref, Japan) PRIDE heavyweight championship Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Brazil/Brazilian Top Team) vs. Emelianenko Fedor (Russia/Russian Top Team) |
Monday - December 2, 2002 |
By Jim Burman Jorge Rivera [pictured beating on Andy Langden] was one of a few fighters who put in dazzling performances in Saturday's Cagewarriors show. The American import impressed UK fight fans with a technical display, showing why many are tipping him for the future. After landing some solid leg kicks at the opening of the match he took the fight to the mat. Once there he worked meticulously for a submission and secured the rear naked for the tap out. Also impressing the crows was 17-year-old Ross "Angry" Pettifer who demonstrated his improved stand up skills recently developed at the infamous Peacocks Gym. Fast gaining notoriety in the UK for his aggressive fighting style he KO'd Glen Appleby in a mean 17 seconds with a roundhouse kick. The fight of the night was delivered by Jean Da Silva (Brazil) and Sammy Shiavo (France). Showman Da Silva demonstrated his usual flamboyance with attempted flying kicks and a jumping oma plata attempt along with his solid grappling game whilst Shiavo punished him with great striking. Da Silva hunted for the submission but Shiavo utilized some great knee strikes and ground and pound skills of his own to neutralize the offence of the Brazilian. Eventually in the third round Da Silva managed to take Shiavo down, take his back and tap him out with a rear naked choke. All in all Cagewarriors pulled off a great show with high production values and some impressive matches with none going the distance.
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Tuesday - December 3, 2002 |
WFA Promoters Lewis and Huntington Speak Out Regarding Recent Media Woes It's usually a good thing when fans and press are still talking about a mixed martial arts show a week later, but in case of the World Fighting Alliance: Level 3 event held last week in Las Vegas, the less gab the better. With rumors still running rampant regarding a media mishap that took place just prior to the second to last fight of the night, promoters John Lewis and John Huntington are hoping to set the record straight as to just what went down.
Among those asked to leave the stage was the photographer for Full Contact Fighter, the oldest running MMA publication out there. Alongside "the Mouth of NHB", representatives from numerous media outlets were also affected, including MMAWeekly.com, Sherdog.com, Maxfighting.com, and FightSport magazine. World-renowned Japanese photographer Susumu Nagao also received the cold shoulder from the venue's security team; while Josh Gross, there to supervise the coverage of the event for Maxfighting.com and FightSport magazine, spent the rest of his evening retrieving his photographer Peter Lockley, who'd been removed from the building all together. With someone having to take the blame for this media mess, all fingers pointed to Huntington, the "non-MMA" half of the WFA promotion team and the one who supposedly gave the orders in question. Huntington is the owner of "Club Rubber," a string of successful touring club events that have spanned the country. Teaming up with UFC and Extreme Fighting veteran Lewis, Huntington brings all the "night club" aspects to the mix. Just where was Huntington during all the commotion? For the entire run of the show, Huntington says he was in a control booth located at the back of the house, a substantial distance from the stage. Running the lighting, video track and clips, DJ and fighters' entrance cues via headset, Huntington says he was first approached by the venue's technical director Nick Cavazas regarding not the media, but the fighters' entourages loitering onstage. Huntington recalls Cavazas expressing concern over safety issues regarding wiring and equipment in the area and asked Huntington to address the onstage overflow. At this point, between split-second cues, Huntington told Cavazas to find John Lewis to deal with the situation. But Lewis says he was fighting his own battle downstairs with the Aladdin box office that had shut down for the night and was turning customers away (including those trying to pick up will-call tickets). Lewis entered the box office only to be told by the female supervisor on-duty that standard Aladdin protocol had them close the box office thirty minutes after a show is in progress. "I was very upset and I got loud with her and told her she needed to open the box office back up. Needless, to say she was upset that I was in there in the first place and she asked me to leave the room. I walked out and they opened the box office again and everything was fine -- fine except for the people that were turned away and left -- but at least the matter was dealt with." If that were not the least of his problems, about thirty minutes following the box office altercation, Lewis says he was approached by five Aladdin security personnel and two uniformed police officers, who escorted the promoter up to his room to pack his belongings and then proceeded to kick him out of the casino… forever! Back up in the control booth, Huntington recalls being approached by Nick Cavazas again, urging him to clear any unauthorized persons off the stage. With Lewis gone, Huntington knew he would have to deal with the situation on some level. "I told him that anyone with the proper credentials could stay onstage and those without would have to leave." Huntington also says that Cavazas did not cite any names or publications, but took these orders and exited the control booth. Click here to continue the article |
Wednesday - December 4, 2002 |
By Keith Mills
Jimmy Ambriz makes his return to KOTC in his first fight since beating Daniel Bobish for the Heavyweight belt back in August. This 307 lb fighter's opponent hasn't been announced yet but looks to be set to be the main event. One of the more interesting fights on the card is Ron Jhun of 808 Fight Factory taking on Fernando Vasconcelos, the man who made such an impression when he beat Marcos Santos in KOTC at Soboba this past October. Jhun has been on a bit of a slide since losing to Jermaine Andre in WFA 1 a year ago only picking up one win against Shannon Ritch in Warriors Quest a month after the WFA before going on a three fight losing streak in SHOOTO and UCC and finally a draw against Shonie Carter in Super Brawl 27 last month. This fight will determine if Jhun can get back to his peak streak from '99-'01 or if Vasconcelos will step further into the spotlight of rising stars.
Robert Emerson also makes his return to MMA, his first since losing a decision to Jens Pulver in Ultimate Minnesota this summer. He takes on Warriors Quest and Gladiator Challenge vet Jamal Perkins who most recently beat JR Palmer back in October. At fourteen total fights this card is bound to have some hits. Tickets are still on sale.
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Thursday - December 5, 2002 |
Inside "Outside The Lines": The Skinny on ESPN's Hour-Long MMA Documentary By Loretta Hunt On Thursday, December 5th at 7:00 PM (Eastern Time), there is no doubt where the majority of the MMA world will be. They will be sitting on their couches watching ESPN's Outside The Lines hour-long episode on mixed martial arts. Two years in the making, the show has been a collaborative effort among numerous producers and their crews, with filming spanning from November 16, 2000 all the way up to late November 2002, when cameramen will record their last moments of footage at UFC 40. Outside The Lines, a weekly show for the juggernaut sports network, focuses on lesser-known aspects of the sports world. Shows in the past have included subsets of the major sports or certain elements of them that have not necessarily been exposed to the public. On occasion, OTL has even had the opportunity to introduce something completely new to its audience. It would seem that MMA's turn has come. No one I spoke with at ESPN is quite sure how this came about, but in the beginning, early seeds for the show were planted when the words "extreme fighting" appeared on a topic board at an ESPN producers meeting for future shows. Discussion on the topic was strong and warranted a little field research, so ESPN producer Jon Fish was dispatched for some reconnaissance work in the trenches. An opportune phone call from then-manager Dana White (he managed fighters Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell) led Fish to the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey and UFC 28. When Fish returned to ESPN headquarters with excited descriptions of his experiences at the event, the folks at ESPN knew they were on to something. "Our objective at Outside The Lines is to not do the most obvious thing," explains Mike Cambareri, who joined the project as head producer last March. "This was an opportunity to show the public something they normally wouldn't see." With company approval, the wheels were set in motion to produce an entire OTL episode exploring the intriguing world of MMA. Producers were assigned. Meetings were held. Topics were introduced and then scratched. Camera crews were fanned out across the country. As the team dug deeper into their subject, Cambareri says they dedicated more of their time to work on it. Now, two years later, and months and months of phone calls, road trips, live interviews and beta tapes later, ESPN's OTL will be ready to unveil the fruits of its labors. The show itself will attempt to cover a wide range of matter. Cambareri confirmed that the episode's format will consist of possibly 4 to 5 major segments of yet to be determined length, while the remaining time will be sprinkled with smaller pieces. What will these main stories consist of? Apparently a lot. One segment will focus on "MMA's attempt to carve a niche in America's sports culture", and most specifically, the Ultimate Fighting Championship's quest to get into the mainstream. OTL has been following the popular promotion since November 2000, and, in addition to interviews from UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC president Dana White (among others), footage will take fans behind the scenes the day of a UFC event to get a first hand look at the preparations and emotions leading up to fight time. Cambareri also added that the piece will touch upon the improvements the sport has enjoyed since Zuffa Sports Entertainment became a part of it. Producer Jon Fish's segment tracks the UFC heavyweight champion and will most likely revolve around former champion Randy Couture's story. Fish was there when Couture made his triumphant return to the organization at UFC 28, besting Kevin Randleman for the heavyweight title. Fish was also there when Couture lost the belt to Josh Barnett at UFC 36 in March, and most recently observed Couture unsuccessfully try to get it back at UFC 39 in September. Expect the piece to offer a closer look at the 2-Time Champion's life through those that know him best. The segment will also cover Josh Barnett's fall from grace via charges of steroid use. Being the first ESPN representative "on the scene" two years ago, Fish has been an influential figure for the show, as his reports on the sport have helped the other producers in their own planning and research. For Fish, doing a piece on MMA was an appetizing prospect from the beginning. "I like boxing and I like Olympic wrestling. My impression going into this was one of excitement to see this up close and personal." Click here to continue the article |
ESPN OTL Press Release: Ultimate Fighting: Spectacle or Sport? Outside The Lines will report on ultimate fighting - described as "mixed martial arts" by its followers and called "human cockfighting" by it critics - as it attempts to carve its niche in American sports culture. The one-hour special will air Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. ET, and re-air Dec. 7 at 11 p.m. on ESPN2, and Dec. 11 at 4 a.m. and 3 p.m. on ESPN. Outside The Lines -- Ultimate Fighting: Spectacle or Sport? will present insight into the large and small organizations within the sport, profile fighters, examine the violence, and document illegal fighting in underground "fight clubs." Ultimate fighting includes elements of Greco-Roman wrestling, Marquis of Queensbury prizefighting rules, and multiple disciplines of martial arts dating back centuries. The show, hosted by Jeremy Schaap, will include the following segments: ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP - THE FIGHT FOR LEGITIMACY OTL has been monitoring the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the largest promoter of "ultimate fighting" in the U.S., for two years. When it began in 1993, it was promoted as "no holds barred" with no time limits, no weight classes (a 160-pound karate expert could take on a 450-pound sumo wrestler), with fights ending by knockout or by submission. In 1996, Senator John McCain embarked on a state-by-state crusade to ban ultimate fighting, and shortly thereafter the Ultimate Fighting Championship was dropped from pay-per-view TV. In 2001, new owners purchased the UFC hoping to bring ultimate fighting into sports' mainstream. In its quest for legitimacy, the UFC has made rule changes to appeal to a larger audience and subsequently, returned to pay-per-view in 2001. While it has gained popularity in the United States, the organization faces challenges from critics who think it is too violent, and from states that still won't sanction its fights. -- Steve Delsohn CRITICS FIGHT ULTIMATE FIGHTING When a promoter attempted to bring a cage fight to Carmel, Ind. (an Indianapolis suburb), Mayor Jim Brainard and the City Council banished all cage fighting from their town although ultimate fighting is legal in the state. OTL will look at why a number of states, including New York and Illinois, have refused to legalize any form of ultimate fighting. - Steve Delsohn FIGHT CLUBS - BEYOND THE MOVIE While most ultimate fighting is legal, OTL investigates the underground, illegal world of fight clubs and how they avoid the law. Venues include a residential garage in San Diego, which is home to the Metal Mulisha fight club, and a Los Angeles bar that can be closed down and turned into "Kaged Combat." OTL examines why fighters risk breaking the law and how they get away with it. -- Jeremy Schaap FIGHTING FARM LEAGUES Like other sports, mixed martial arts have "minor leagues" where fighters literally fight their way to the top. OTL reports on why these combatants compete for little or no money, and profiles the aspiring ultimate fighter - it could be your neighbor. - Tom Rinaldi TRACKING THE UFC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION(S) Outside The Lines has followed the fate of 39-year old Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champ Randy Couture for nine months. In that time he lost his championship to 24-year old upstart Josh Barnett, who was subsequently suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for steroid use. He was stripped of his belt by the UFC giving Couture a chance to re-gain the title. OTL profiles Couture and Barnett, and the impact the pursuit of the UFC heavyweight championship had on their lives. -- Greg Garber THE GRACIES - MIXED MARTIAL ARTS' FIRST FAMILY OTL profiles the Gracie family, the first family of mixed martial arts who have popularized Brazilian jiu-jitsu within today's ultimate fighting and spawned a stable of athletes who spread their knowledge internationally as teachers and fighters. There is 90-year old patriarch Helio Gracie, who can still apply a vicious chokehold, and Royce Gracie, the first champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993. While learning about the family business -- fighting and teaching fighting -- OTL was invited to a private class with student Ed O'Neill, who played Al Bundy in TV's Married With Children. -- Curry Kirkpatrick. MINI-SEGMENTS |
From the event's Promoter: Tentative Fight Card Main Event Shooto Class A - Middleweight 76KG 167.5 Ray "Bradda" Cooper (Jesus Is Lord) VS. Jay Buck (Team Hell House) Semi-Event Shooto Class A - Welterweight 65kg 143.3 Stephen "Bozo" Paling III (Jesus Is Lord) VS. Ryan Ackerman (Grappling Works) Shooto Class B 65KG 143.3 Neal Andres (HMC) VS. Josh Corlione (Kodenkan HI) Shooto Class B Constructed 56KG 125 Antonio Rodriguez (Team Big Dog) VS. Will Armstrong (808 Fight Factory) Shooto Class B 60KG 132.3 Kyle Takao (HMC) VS. Thin Nguyen (Wailuku Kickboxing) Shooto Class B 70KG 154.5 David Padilla (Gamebred) VS. Derek Matsumoto (HMC) Shooto Class B 76KG 167.5 Sean Taylor (Freelance) VS. Tyson Coloma-Nahooikaika (Wailuku Kickboxing) Shooto Class B 65KG 143.3 Tommy Lee (Team Hell House) VS TBA CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE |
Friday - December 6, 2002 |
Give Us Your Thoughts... ESPN & MMA This month we ask you, the fans of our great sport, to comment on the recent ESPN Outside The Lines show on "Ultimate Fighting". Did they portray the sport fairly? Did they go out of the way to sensationalize it in a poor light? What did you think of the show overall? What did you think of the individual segments? Will it hurt or help the sport or make no difference at all? Whatever you want to say, we're all ears. The results of the survey and some of the commentary we receive may appear in the upcoming issue of FCF. Click here to take the survey |
The Brazilian Beat: After Combat Nordeste, the "Brazilian Beat" is back in great fashion with several pieces of hot news! PRIDE 24 is drawing all the attention in Brazil now, with some of the best Brazilian fighters competing on the card and STORM Muay Thai is coming up, so all of the camps are hard at work! So, without further delay, let Full Contact Fighter bring you the beat straight from Brazil!
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From Josh Hedges/Zuffa: ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP TO PRESENT BEST OF 2002 FIGHT SHOW ON PAY-PER-VIEW STARTING DEC. 14 Two-Hour Spectacular To Feature Best UFC Mixed Martial Arts Fight Action Of This Year; Show To Air Until December 31 LAS VEGAS, December 3, 2002… The all-new Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will debut UFC: Best of 2002, a two-hour, pay-per-view fight show spectacular featuring the best UFC fights of this year, at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST, Saturday, December 14, on iN DEMAND and DIRECTV and at 12 a.m. EST/9 p.m. PST on Bell ExpressVu. The suggested retail price is $19.95. UFC: Best of 2002 will include the year's most memorable fights with knockouts and submissions by such UFC stars as Middleweight Champion Murilo Bustamante, Light Heavyweight top contender Chuck Liddell, fast-rising Welterweight star Robbie Lawler, world-ranked British Middleweight Mark Weir, Lightweight top contenders Matt Serra and Yves Edwards, Heavyweight contender Frank Mir and Russian Middleweights Andre Semenov and Amar Suloev. UFC: Best of 2002 will air until December 31. [Following its debut, the re-play schedule includes: iN DEMAND, Sunday, Dec. 15/Monday, Dec. 16, 12 a.m. EST/9 p.m. PST, 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST, channel iN2; Wednesday, Dec. 18, 10 p.m EST/7 p.m. PST, channel iN1; Thursday, Dec. 19, 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST, channel iN1, 11 p.m. EST/8 p.m. PST, channel iN2. On DIRECTV, re-plays will air from 6 a.m. to 6a.m. on its All Day Ticket on Dec. 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30. The Bell ExpressVu re-play schedule includes: Friday, Dec. 20, 9 p.m. EST/6 p.m. PST and 12 a.m. EST/9 p.m. PST; Sunday, Dec. 29/Monday, Dec. 30, 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST, 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST, 12 a.m. EST/9 p.m. PST, 2 a.m. EST/11 p.m. PST, 4 a.m. EST, 1 a.m. PST, 6 a.m. EST/3 a.m. PST; Tuesday, Dec. 31, 6 p.m. EST/3 p.m. PST, 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST.] The UFC's next live pay-per-view event will be UFC 41: Onslaught at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on Friday, February 28, 2003, from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. Live event tickets for UFC 41: Onslaught, $300, $200, $100, $60 and $30, are now on sale at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., at all Ticketmaster locations and at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets also may be ordered by phone, 1-800-736-1420. |
From the event's Promoter: Grappling/BJJ Championship Date: Saturday, December 14, 2002 Super Fight: Marc Laimon (Nova Uniao) vs. Edwin Dewees (Brausa Academy) Location: Westwood High 945 West 8th St Mesa, AZ 85201 Weigh-Ins: 12:00 Noon Fight Time: 1:00 PM All teams and individual competitors are welcomed to participate. Competitor entry fee: $30 for one Division or $50 for both. Spectator admission only $5. Come on out and support your team. Planned weight classes:
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From John Petrilli (RITC):
Celebrity Theatre Phoenix, Arizona Saturday, January 18, 2003 Doors Open: 6 PM, Fight Time: 8 PM Ever since Todd Medina made his Rage in the Cage debut 2 years ago, the RITC fans have highly anticipated this showdown matchup. The time has come to announce: Super Main Event: Todd Medina (195 lbs), Carlson Gracie Freestyle vs. Edwin Dewees (195 lbs), Brausa Academy An outstanding supporting card of Super Fights will be announced in the weeks ahead truly making this the biggest RITC event ever. |
Saturday - December 7, 2002 |
By Jim Genia Promoters Lou Neglia and Ray Longo are at it again, this time bringing their "Ring of Combat II" show to the Meadowlands Exposition Center, in Secaucus, New Jersey. The action begins at 8 p.m. on Saturday, December 7th -- and it's the usual mix of kickboxing, Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts bouts. As usual, the card is subject to last-minute changes, but stepping into the ring will be representatives from Martin's Jiu-Jitsu/Team Renzo Grace, Team Tiger Schulmann, Serra Jiu-jitsu, Pitts Pen, Combined Martial Arts, and the Dog Pound. Here's a brief look at some of the fighters:
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Sunday - December 8, 2002 |
Step Over The Line?... This month we ask you, the fans of our great sport, to comment on the recent ESPN Outside The Lines show on "Ultimate Fighting". Did they portray the sport fairly? Did they go out of the way to sensationalize it in a poor light? What did you think of the show overall? What did you think of the individual segments? Will it hurt or help the sport or make no difference at all? Whatever you want to say, we're all ears. The results of the survey and some of the commentary we receive may appear in the upcoming issue of FCF. Click here to take the survey |
In the ever-changing world of matchmaking... The latest word from the Mezger camp is that Pride wants Guy Mezger to take on Rodrigo Gracie and not Rogerio "Minotoro" Nogueira as previous stated. Stay tuned kiddies. |
A Solid Night of Action By Jim Genia (Secaucus, New Jersey - December 7th) Promoters Louis Neglia and Ray Longo can chalk up another successful event, as Ring of Combat II brought a solid night of action to the Meadowlands Exposition Center. Gathering together some strong local talent to compete in Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, and American kickboxing, the show delivered more than a few back-and-forth wars to thrill the crowd. Highlights of the event include:
Muay Thai William Hamilton vs. Derek Riddick Hamilton via split decision after 4 rounds. MMA Steve Anshelewitz vs. Kadir Kadri Anshelewitz via submission, triangle choke at 8:40. Anshelewitz is still the 195-pound Limit East Coast MMA Grappling Champ. MMA Erick Shaver vs. John Rotendello Shaver via submission, keylock at :52.
Pete "Drago" Sell vs. Ted Govola Drago via decision - this was the fight of the night! MMA Elvis Garcia vs. Themi Papadimitriou Garcia via tap out due to strikes at 1:22. MMA Andy Ruggiero vs. Erik Certo Ruggiero via submission, forearm across throat at 8:53. Kickboxing Mike Ryan vs. Kadir Kadri Ryan via split decision - yes, Kadri fought twice. Muay Thai Shennen Maceo vs. Miguel Araoz Maceo via TKO at :56. |
From John Petrilli (RITC): Steffens Named Fighter of the Night A high energy crowd welcomed Rage in the Cage back to Tucson after a two year absence. Knockouts, choke outs and arm bar submissions highlighted the evening's entertainment. Lyle Steffens, a physical specimen attending the University of Arizona on an academic scholarship, put on another thrilling performance. He won by submission in round 1 over tough Glendale fighter Sid Fisher. This win earned Fighter of the Night (FOTN) honors for Lyle and moves him to the #5 spot in the RITC Light Heavyweight rankings. Other candidates for FOTN honors were Gabe Casillas and debut fighter Justin Nauling. Results:
Desert Quest #3 - Grappling / BJJ Championship Westwood High 945 West 8th St Mesa, Arizona Saturday, December 14, 2002 Weigh-ins: 12 Noon, Fight Time: 1:00PM Super Fight: Marc Laimon (Nova Uniao) vs Edwin Dewees (Brausa Academy) Title belt awarded to winner of BJJ Absolute Division. Title belt awarded to winner of Submission Grappling Absolute Division. Spectator admission only $5 !!! RITC 43 - The Match Celebrity Theatre Phoenix, Arizona Saturday, January 18, 2003 Doors Open: 6 PM, Fight Time: 8 PM Super Main Event: Edwin Dewees (195 lbs), Brausa Academy vs Todd Medina (195 lbs), Carlson Gracie Freestyle |
Tuesday - December 10, 2002 |
From John Petrilli (RITC): Two Super Fights Added Celebrity Theatre Phoenix, Arizona Saturday, January 18, 2003 Doors Open: 6 PM, Fight Time: 8 PM Ever since Todd Medina made his Rage in the Cage debut 2 years ago, the RITC fans have highly anticipated this showdown matchup. Super Main Event: Todd Medina (195 lbs), Carlson Gracie Freestyle vs Edwin Dewees (195 lbs), Brausa Academy Super Fights: Roger Mejia (200 lbs), Asher Combat Academy vs Rob Woodin (200 lbs), Arizona Combat Sports John Lansing (165 lbs), Brausa Academy vs RJ Gamez (175 lbs), Asher Combat Academy More Super Fights will be announced in the weeks ahead making this a blockbuster RITC event. There will be 12 fights (the Arizona Commission Limit). Fight Card subject to change. |
From Pancrase:
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Wednesday - December 11, 2002 |
From Richard Santoro (SHOOTO): Here is comes... Shooto's year end mega-card. Shooto promoter, Sustain, always finishes out the year strong with a huge and exciting event line-up. While this one is not quite as blockbuster as some others in preceding years, it certainly promises to be a memorable one featuring titles bouts and hot up-and-comers. Shooto middleweight rookie tournament Champion, Kuniyoshi Hironaka, is taking on 18 year old Cesar Gracie student and newly 'crowned' BJJ purple belt Nick Diaz. Both men are young, skilled and ready to make their mark. Next is the fighter formerly known as Takumi Nakayama (now just Takumi) taking on Norwegian Shootor Joachim Hansen. Takumi is coming is coming off of a draw with Rumina Sato after breaking his two fight losing streak by defeating respected fighter Takeshi Yamazaki. Hansen who is 2-1 in the Finnfight promotion also won his Shooto debut in Scandinavia's first ever professional Shooto event. Will this be enough experience to put down Takumi??? Next up is Shooto Featherweight rankers Hisao Ikeda and Masato Shiozawa. Ikeda has a win and a draw this year, is now looking to cement his place as the top contender at this weight despite the tournament that is running to establish that very spot. Shiozawa has two wins this year and wants to make his mark. He is ranked 9th and was left out of that Featherweight tournament so a win here could be for him. Another Shooto rookie tournament winner is on the card ready too not only prove that he is a major player in the Shooto circuit, but on the world stage as well. After winning the Shooto Welterweight tourney and climbing up the Shooto rankings, Tetsuya Kawajiri is stepping up to face the very dangerous Vitor Ribeiro. Ribeiro, who has already dispatched two Shooto rankers in the past, sees this a big step toward vying for the belt. You can bet the winner of this one will be very close to obtaining that goal. Shooto veteran and stalwart competitor Jake Shields will be laying it down against one of Shooto's hottest commodities Hayato Sakurai. Shields lost his Shooto debut against Ray Cooper by a very close majority decision, but he has had a good measure of success in other venues. He is looking to translate those victories over into Shooto, where a win would really shake things up. Sakurai is getting back into the ring after quite a lay-off. He has been nursing and injured back and bruised ego after his disappointing loss to Matt Hughes in the UFC. This is the first step for him to get back on track and work towards reclaiming his status as the top fighter in this weight class, not to mention reaqcuiring the Shooto Middleweight crown which was vacated by Anderson Silva (who defeated Sakurai for the belt in the first place). Then there is the highly anticipated rematch between Alexandre Nogueira and Hiroyki Abe. Abe defeated the champion by KO in a non-title fight and now this is his chance to take the belt once and for all. However, Nogueira will be twice as dangerous because this is not only a title bout, but also a chance at redemption. This scenario played itself out before when the Champ soundly defeated Tetsuo Katsuta in a rematch after Katsuta had also won a non-title bout. Even if Nogueira does win, he won't be able to relax because the Shooto lightweight division is quickly becoming one of the toughest in the business. Number two ranked Stephan Paling dispatched another opponent this past weekend and is primed and ready for his chance at the champ. There is also Norifumi Yamamoto the bruiser who decimated Katsuta, the ever dangerous Naoya Uematsu, and the new kid on the block Bao Quach. The possibilities at this weight are very interesting. Finally, closing out the card is the long awaited match-up between Dokonjonosuke Mishima and Takanori Gomi. Gomi is still the only undefeated fighter at this level and he is the proud owner of the Shooto Welterweight Championship belt. Mishima has his work cut out for him, but he has the size and grappling expertise to truly challenge the champion. However, it is Gomi's aggression and striking that could be the main factor in determining the outcome for this one. The entire card is listed below: Official Shooto Promoter: Sustain Location: Chiba, Japan Date: December, 14 2002 Bout #1: Middleweight [76 Kg] 167.5 lbs Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. Nick Diaz Bout #2: Welterweight [70 Kg] 154.3 lbs Takumi vs. Joachim Hansen Bout #3: Featherweight [60 Kg] 135.3 lbs Hisao Ikeda vs. Masato Shiozawa Bout #4: Welterweight [70 Kg] 154.3 lbs Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Vitor 'Shaolin' Ribeiro Bout #5: Middleweight [76 Kg] 167.5 lbs Hayato 'Mach' Sakurai vs. Jake Shields Bout #6: Lightweight [65 Kg] 143.3 lbs Championship Bout Alexandre Franca Nogueira vs. Hiroyuki Abe Bout #7: Welterweight [70 Kg] 154.3 lbs Championship Takanori Gomi vs. Dokonjonosuke Mishima |
Thursday - December 12, 2002 |
By Keith Mills Ft. Lauderdale, FL-HOOKnSHOOT move beyond Indiana this weekend with a show in the Sunshine State to end their year in style and warmth. HOOKnSHOOT were heavily involved with Ring Of Fury in MA earlier this year but this is the first time they are hitting the road using their name, a move we can expect to see more of next year as they pursue sanctioning in NV and possibly WA.
Tickets for this show are still available. The War Memorial Auditorium is located at 800 NE 8th Street. Get your tickets fast for what is bound to be one of HOOKnSHOOT's best cards of the year.
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From the event's promoter: DAVENPORT, Iowa -- Justin Eilers, the leading tackler on last year's Iowa State University football team, will continue his mixed martial arts career Saturday when he competes in the feature event at the 2002 MMA Nationals. Eilers, 9-1, is coming off a decision loss to Dan Severn. His opponent will be Jeff Gerlick, 3-2. The MMA Nationals are scheduled for Stars & Stripes nightclub at 3 p.m. The event pits winners from the year's Trial events against each other in five weight divisions. Winners in each division will receive pro contracts to fight in either Extreme Challenge or Super Brawl. |
From GQ promoter Brian Cimins: Apology to Team Tiger Schulman's Karate(TSK): At the 2002 Grapplers Quest World Championships on October 19th, an incident occurred which involved the disqualification of a Team Tiger Schulman's Karate competitor, Mike Stine, who was involved in a match against a Team Marcello Mello competitor, Albert DeSilva. Referee, Francisco Neto due to a perceived slam from the knees, disqualified Mike Stein. A heated controversy immediately ensued in which the Marcello Mello camp demanded that the disqualification was appropriate, while the TSK camp maintained that an illegal slam didn't take place and that DeSilva actually submitted. At this point, I approached the ring and attempted to calm the situation down. I immediately viewed the videotape and felt that, if anything, the slam was at best questionable; nevertheless, I was compelled to stand by my referee's decision, as there were few other options available to me at the time. I was concerned that an "overtime" of the match could only fuel the situation. Subsequently, in the days following the event, I had carefully reviewed the videotape. It became abundantly clear to me that the Grapplers Quest "no slamming" rule needs clarification and modification. With a clearer explanation of the "no slamming" rule, the unfortunate disqualification of Team Tiger Schulman competitor, Mike Stine, would have been avoidable. Slamming has always been an extremely sensitive subject to me. I severely injured my neck (2 herniated disks) and back (2 crushed vertebrae and 2 herniated disks) in December of 2000 from a full slam at a tournament. After my injury, Grapplers Quest instituted a "no slamming" rule, but had no clear explanation as to what constituted an illegal slam (i.e. from knees, standing, jumping, etc.). It simply stated, no slamming at all. As children as well as adults attend our tournaments, we felt that it is of the outmost importance to protect, especially the children, from injury. As there was a lack of clarity in the slamming rules to begin with and as this was a questionable slam that resulted in a disqualification, we would like to publicly apologize to Team Tiger Schulman in general and Mike Stine in particular. We are now in the process of reviewing, updating, and clarifying all of our rules. We will pay special attention to what will constitute illegal or disqualifying techniques and we will put forth efforts to insure that all of our referees adhere to the same regulation and are constantly updated as to any changes. I want all teams to know that Grapplers Quest's main purpose is to orchestrate the best events possible by creating a non-biased and safe tournament environment. If any competitor or team ever feels that they are being treated differently, I would ask them to contact me directly to resolve the situation immediately. We are looking to grow this sport and if we all work together, I know that we will. Sincerely, Brian Cimins President, Grapplers Quest |
Lahaina Civic Center Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii December 7, 2002 Fight Results and Descriptions by Michael Onzuka Pictures by Lisa Onzuka Mike@onzuka.com Ray and Monica Cooper once again wear the hat of promoters after a couple of Amateur Fighting Championship shows, which were tough man type of competitions with some modifications. They now turned their attention to their first MMA card. As they say, behind every strong man stands a strong woman and this is the case once again. Not only has Ray "Bradda" Cooper promoted his first official Shooto card, he also headlined it. Without the help of his very organized and detailed oriented wife, I am sure he would agree that all this would not be possible. The Coopers were contacted by the Shooto organization to start building amateur Shooto fighter in Hawaii. Since they are a fighting family and have fought in numerous events, they feel that the fighters come first and it showed in their first MMA event. Travel arrangements, great hotel accommodations, and a very professional venue welcomed Maui fans. Maui fans have already had a taste of MMA events and showed up in force for this event. The Coopers pulled out all the stops, including inviting Frank Shamrock to enjoy the night of fights, entrance lights, and ring ramp to give the Maui fans a taste of a big time show in a very small city. Shooto Class B 60 kg 132.2 lbs Kyle Takao (HMC) vs. Thin Nguyen (Wailuku Kickboxing) Takao wins by armbar from the mount at 3:25 min in the first round. Both fighters came out throwing some big punches in their first exchange. Takao circled and shot in for a double leg and took the fight to the ground. After a guard pass, Takao mounted his opponent in textbook fashion and controlled his position. After some punches to soften his opponent up, Takao finished Nguyen with an armbar from the mount. Takao showed impressive stand up and polished ground game in only his second fight. Keep your eyes on him. He may be the next great Hawaiian fighter, if promoters can find other 132 pound fighters to sharpen this diamond in the rough. Shooto Class B 65 kg 143.3 lbs Neal Andres (HMC) vs. Josh Corlione (Kodenkan HI) Andres wins by unanimous decision after two rounds. After a win against up and comer Jim Kikuchi in a controversial stop, Andres returned to the ring to show his skills. Both fighters traded blows from the start with Corlione getting the better of the stand up in the beginning. Corlione took Andres down, but did not advance his position. After a scramble, Andres recovered his feet and took down Corlione twice and punished him with vicious leg kicks while Corlione was on his back in the open guard. The second round almost mirrored the first with Andres taking down Corlione and controlling his opponent from inside the guard and scoring enough to win the unanimous decision. I'll end it here and skip the Godfather references. I do not want to go against the family. Ok, it slipped. Shooto Class B 56 kg Constructed Weight Class Antonio Rodriguez (Team Big Dog) vs. Will Armstrong (808 Fight Factory) Rodriguez wins by knock out at 0:12 seconds in the second round with a left kick to the head of Armstrong. Armstrong who was very impressive in his last fight in Warriors Quest took on local kickboxing powerhouse Tony "the Tiger" Rodriguez who is know for his aggression and hard hitting style while kickboxing. Rodriguez made his MMA debut in this fight and Armstrong seemed to have a good strategy against the kickboxer. Armstrong took Rodriguez down with a double leg and ended up in Rodriguez's guard, but did not utilize this advantageous position and only sparingly hit the Tiger. Rodriguez on the other hand was busy from the bottom with a lot of punches, but could not generate much power from the bottom position. Round two ended quickly. As Armstrong set up another take down, Rodriguez threw out a blindingly fast left roundhouse head kick that put Armstrong in never-never land. Armstrong never went down, but his corner wisely saw that the cash register was empty and stopped the fight.
David Padilla (Gamebred) vs. Derek Matsumoto (HMC) Padilla wins by doctor's stop after round one over Matsumoto due to excessive swelling of Matsumoto's eye. Padilla took down Matsumoto early in the bout and just held his position. Matsumoto jumped at this stagnant opportunity to go for a knee bar which he locked and obtained a catch for both a knee bar and a toe hold. Padilla defended the numerous leg attempts very calmly and threw some heavy blows which caused some excessive swelling in the eye of Matsumoto as the round ended. After round one ended, the ringside doctor halted the fight and David Padilla was declared the winner by TKO. Shooto Class B 76 kb 167.5 lbs Sean Taylor (Freelance) vs. Tyson Coloma-Naho'oikaika (Wailuku Kickboxing) Coloma-Naho'oikaika by referee stop because of punches from the back mount at 3:51 minutes in round one. Coloma took down Taylor after both fighters exchange of kicks and knees from the clinch. Coloma, an experienced Jiu-Jitsu competitor, controlled the ground game and after an attempted mount, ended up on the back of Taylor and starts to deliver punishment and gets a deep rear naked choke in. Taylor defended and his mouthpiece fell out of his mouth. Taylor, while still being choked, puts in his own mouthpiece and continues to fight. After giving up on the choke, Tyson puts some leather to the head of Sean Taylor and causes referee Haru Shimanishi to stop the fight at 3:51 minutes in the first round.
Stephen "Bozo" Paling III (Jesus Is Lord) vs. Ryan Ackerman (Grappling Works) Paling wins by kimura (reverse key lock) while triangling Ackerman late in round one. Bozo starts this match with a takedown after obtaining a body lock and rains his usual big blows from the guard. Paling let Ackerman stand to deliver more punishment, but Ackerman takes Paling down and passed his guard. Paling recovered full guard and slapped a triangle on Ackerman. Since Ackerman was protecting his arm from going across his body, Paling switched to a kimura (reverse key lock) while holding his triangle to finish Ackerman at 4:21 minutes in round one and continue his quest to be Shooto's next champion. Shooto is literally running out of opponents for Paling who has time and time again proven that he not only beats everyone in his path, he takes on all comers and is probably the most active fighter in his weight class. Paling will be watching the Noguiera/Abe fight very closely because he should be the next in line for the championship.
Ray "Bradda" Cooper (Jesus Is Lord) vs. Jay Buck (Team Hell House) Cooper wins by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) over Buck after three rounds. This three round fight saw Ray Cooper trying to hold on to his top 5 ranking in Shooto while ducking no one and staying busy himself. Buck has been on a tear in the Midwest and making a huge name for himself culminating in the Ironheart Crown. Buck showed a good mix of stand up and ground while trading blows with the very patient Cooper throughout the fight. The first two round saw "Bradda" Cooper taking down Buck and punishing him in Ray "Bradda" Cooper style. Buck attempted a couple of triangles, but was unsuccessful. Round three was to be Buck's round as he took down Ray after taking a hard shot standing that caused his eye to bleed. Cooper recovered guard, but Buck held his position well and rained down some blows in Cooper's open guard. Unfortunately, it was a little too late and Ray Cooper continues in his quest for a Shooto title shot by winning a unanimous decision after three tough rounds. With Anderson Silva vacating the title, Ray Cooper's name has to be mentioned when the Shooto committee plans the crowning of their next champion. The Shooto Hawaii show seemed to be blessed to avoid the production problems that normally plague beginning promotions. Maybe it's from their strong religious beliefs and maybe due to a whole lot of planning and preparation. Everything went very smoothly and the Maui crowd seems very educated about MMA and enjoyed the action packed fights, including the technical ground work. Excellent sportsmanship by not only the fighters, but the crowd really made a good impression on the mainland based fighters. There is a place for mixed martial arts in Maui. There is no question about that. |
From the event's promoter: Tijuana, B. C. - Mexico December 8th, 2002 Official Fight results! Yahír Reyes Pankration/Lozano's Submission, Tijuana, Mexico, 3-3 over Angel Yocupicio Wrestling/Pentathlon, Tijuana-Mexico, 0-1 by arm bar at 3:19 minutes of 2 RD. George Pelayo Todd Medina's Freestyle Fighting, New Port Beach, CA, 1-0 over Ethién Rascón Pankration/Lozano's Submission, Tijuana-Mexico, 0-1 by majority decision. Victor Prado Wrestling/Pentathlon, Tijuana, Mexico, 1-0 over Micelli Villalba Pankration/Academia Defensa Total, Tijuana-Mexico, 1-2 by TKO at the 4:55 minutes of the 1 RD. Victor mounted punching down on Micelli. Xavier Curiel Pankration/Reyes Kick Boxing Gym, Tiijuana, Mexico, 1-0 over Luis Alfonso Jacobo Judo/Kick Boxing, Mexicali, Mexico, 2-1 by tap out at the 2:46 minutes of the 1 RD. Luis suffered a left shoulder injury that forced him to tap before receiving undo punishment while Xavier had gained the mount setting to unload. Brad McCall Chris Brennan's Next Generation, Irvine, CA, 3-1 over Mario Mendoza Pankration/Academia Defensa Total, Tijuana-Mexico, 1-1 by submission at the 3:15 minutes of the 1 RD. (Rear naked choke). Enrique Cuellar Cuellar's Tjakai, Aguascalientes, Mexico, 4-1 over Shawn Ibsen Galindo's Lion's Den, San Diego-CA, 0-1 by TKO at the 4:12 minutes of the 2 RD. After a very even 1st round action Cuellar gained the mount and began a barrage of strikes to the face of his opponent that merited the intervention of the referee stopping the actions. Sean Ruiz Todd Medina's Freestyle Fighting, New Port Beach, CA, 1-0 over Víctor Álvarez Wrestling/Pentathlon, Tijuana-Mexico, 0-1 by submission at the 3:25 minutes of the 1 RD. (Rear naked choke). Akbarh Arreola Pankration/Lozano's Submission, Tijuana, Mexico, 2-1 over Fernando Zatarain Cuellar's Tjakai, Aguascalientes, Mexico, 0-1 by KO at the 00:14 seconds of the 1 RD. Setting up with a front kick to Fernando's midsection Akbarh followed up with a devastating left round house kick to Zatarain's face that produced the quickest knock out to date in Reto Maximo. Mike Rose Caique Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Los Angeles, CA, 2-0 over Adolfo de la Torre Pankration/Academia de Defensa Total, Tijuana, Mexico, 1-2 by arm bar submission at the 1:22 minutes of the 1RD. A game De la Torre couldn't put out enough to beat one of Caique's top BJJ brown belts. Walter Nakagawa Pit Bull Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, draws Steve Magdaleno Caique Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Los Angeles, CA. This was the card's co-main event in a special rules match between two extraordinary BJJ representatives. Submission only - no points match up. Walter and Steven displayed their grappling expertise in a no gi fight that peaked twice. Steven first put Walter in a bit of trouble when spinning from the half guard into a knee bar that Walter managed to escape; Walter returned the favor by taking Steven's back setting to apply a rear naked choke. Magdaleno defended Nakagawa's intentions to put him in the oniric realm taking the 2 x 5 minute match to the limit for a draw. Brodie Farber Perry's Full Circle Sambo, Sacramento, CA, 5-2 over Hector Figueroa Pankration/Academia de Defensa Total, Tijuana, Mexico, 2-2-1 by submission at the 4:05 minutes of the 1 RD. The main event of the night pitted one of Mexico's top judo champions, Figueroa, versus Farber, who has made a following for himself in Tijuana after two previous successful appearances. Hector controlled the actions first by getting inside Brodie's stand up defense and throwing him with one of his trademark leg moves. What would have certainly ended the fight in a judo contest this time required a follow through; Hector assumed side control and was active landing knees and elbows to the body of his opponent. The first three minutes were on Hector's side but his mistake came when shifting from side control to the mount. Brodie bridged himself out of the bottom position and both swiftly moved to stand up again. Hector shot in again on Brodie but this time he was caught by Farber in a standing guillotine that forced Figueroa to tap out. General Notes: Lovely Uta (King of the Cage/The Price is Right) stepped on two occasion into the ring to throw out posters bearing her image as gifts to the appreciative yet respectful audience that were pleased to see such beauty gracing the event. Univision Television Network filmed the event to edit a report on MMA for "Primer Impacto". The show should air soon. Maybe within 2 to 3 weeks. At attendance were many top celebrities of the fight world game including MMA, BJJ, Kick Boxing, and Boxing. Namely: Jacqueline Nava (IKF - North American Kick Boxing Champion and Undefeated in Boxing) - Mexico Brenda Lopez (Bronze Medal at the Muay Thai World Cup Championships 2002, Thailand) - Mexico Edwin Aguilar (Mexico's National Kick Boxing and Vale Tudo Champion) - Mexico Pedro "Pit Bull" Fernandez (IKF - North American Kick Boxing Champion/K1 - USA veteran) - Mexico Carlos "Caique" Ellias (Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Torrence, CA,/Caique BJJ in Los Angeles, CA) - USA Vernon "Tiger" White (Lion's Den/KOTC World Champion, Mega Fight World Champion) - USA Tony "The Bull" Galindo (Lion's Den /KOTC World Champion, head of San Diego's Lion's Den) - USA Dean Lister (Dean Lister BJJ/KOTC World Champion, North American ADCC Trials Champion) - USA Chris Brennan (Brennan's Next Generation/KOTC 3X World Champion, Shooto veteran) - USA Julio Cesar Chavez (5X World Boxing Champion/One of Professional Boxing's All Time greatest) - Mexico A warm welcome to the MMA fan community!!! Thanks to each and everyone that supported our event including government authorities, sponsors, news media, production team, coaches, fighters, and last but not least. . . special thanks to all the fans! Pankracio - Reto Maximo III is coming February 9th, 2003. |
Friday - December 13, 2002 |
From DSE USA/Pride:
Event Information: DATE: Dec 23rd, 2002 GATE OPEN 3:00 PM FIGHT START 4:30 PM PLACE: Marin Messe Fukuoka (Hakata, Fukuoka-Pref., Japan) Pay-Per-View; SkyPerfecTV (JAPAN, Dec 23rd Live PPV) DIRECTV, DishNetwork, TVN (Jan 11th, Taped Delay PPV) Bell Express Vu, Viewer’s Choice Canada (Jan 11th, Taped Delay PPV) |
From the event's promoter: January 25th 2003, 8pm ET Pierre-Charbonneau Center Montreal, Quebec, Canada Montreal (Canada) - The anticipation has been building for months and now the time has come for Canada's premiere Mixed Martial Art promotion to once again explode on the international sport scene. UCC 12: ADRENALINETM will feature some of the world's best MMA athletes including UCC World Middleweight Champion David "The Crow" Loiseau, MMA's best pound for pound fighter "Little Evil" Jens Pulver, UFC veteran Anthony "The Freak" Fryklund, Muay Thai phenom and K-1 veteran Duane "Bang" Ludwig, the hottest 145 pound fighter in the world today Ivan Menjivar, UCC World Welterweight champion John "The Natural" Alessio, undefeated MMA top prospect Jason Black, highly ranked super-lightweight Jeff Curran and many other spectacular world class athletes. UCC 12 will take place just a week before the company's third year anniversary, for this historic event the UCC will return to the venue where it all started. The Pierre-Charbonneau Center will be the place where history goes down as some fighters will become legends and some will go back to the drawing board. The Pierre Charbonneau center is known as a fight fans delight as EVERY seat in the house allows for a spectacular view of the action. The UCC has once again rose above the rest with a fight card to rival any promotion on the planet: 3 World Championships, 2 Canadian Championships, 3 Superfights and grudge matches will all ignite the Pierre Charbonneau center on January 25th 2003. UCC 12 will go down in history as Canada's brightest moment in MMA history!
ALSO ON THE CARD: UCC 12 will also feature the return of JEFF CURRAN (8-4-1) as he competes for the vacant UCC World Super Lightweight Championship. His opponent will be announced very shortly. UCC fight fans will also have the pleasure to see in action for the first time one of the most exciting fighter from Western Canada, KULTAR GILL (2-1-0) from Gibson Pankration. Gill is one of the best prospects in the country and he's ready to show his stuff in Canada's #1 MMA promotion. Also back in UCC action will be "LOAF" JUSTIN BRUCKMANN (5-2-0) as he starts his climb to the top of the UCC Canadian Lightweight division! All this plus 2 other explosive fights to be announced shortly. The fight world will be watching closely as The Crow faces yet another big step in his young career. Fans and experts from abroad are anxiously awaiting the result of Bang Ludwig vs. Little Evil Pulver to finally determine who is the best pound for pound striker in MMA. The long awaited grudge match between Alessio and Black is one not to miss. When the Lion Heart and BAM BAM clash it is sure to blow the roof off of the Pierre Charbonneau Center. UCC fans are all looking forward to what the Machine Hominick will do to his next challenger. Stay tuned for more information on this great event! UCC 12: ADRENALINE Saturday January 25 2003 - 8pm Eastern Time Pierre Charbonneau Center Montreal, Canada Tickets go on sale soon....DON'T MISS IT!!!!!!!! |
Sunday - December 15, 2002 |
Crowns A Welterweight Champ By Jim Genia (December 14th) The Bayside Academy of Martial Arts' (BAMA) Fight Night 19 took place at its usual spot at the South Plainfield Middle School in New Jersey, and the few hundred fans that filled the gymnasium were treated to an all-out war as four tough competitors vied for the belt in a welterweight tournament. Rounding out the action: bouts of Muay Thai, shootfighting, and mixed martial arts, featuring a wide range of local talent. Congrats to promoter Dan Miragliotta for another good event. Highlights of the night included:
MMA Leonard Elmera def. Robert Gaurino - armbar from the guard at 6:39 Shootfighting Tournament - Semi-final Glenn Ortiz def. Paul DiAndrea - heelhook at 0:42 Muay Thai Bout Tom Dowd def. Anthony Valero - decision Shootfighting Tournament - Semi-final Jay Isip def. Peter Lavalle - guillotine at 1:34 MMA Mark Papadimitriou def. Jay Beckett - tap out due to strikes at 1:19 Shootfighting Mike Winkler def. Eric Colon - armbar at 4:20 Muay Thai Bout Shawn Kenny def. Mike Alfano - decision Shootfighting Carmine Zocchi def. Jerry Fatjo - triangle choke at 2:01 Shootfighting Judah Ciervo def. Michael Correa - Kimura armlock from the guard at 3:21 Shootfighting Chris Alvarez def. John Calvano - keylock from the mount at 5:37 Shootfighting Jay Beckett def. James Williams - neck crank at 7:03 Shootfighting Joe Tabakhman def. Art Ravenell - rear-naked choke at 2:14 Shootfighting Tournament - Final Jay Islip def. Glenn Ortiz - decision - Isip is now the BAMA Fight Night Welterweight Champ |
Now available for pre-order ULTIMATE KNOCKOUTS & ULTIMATE SUBMISSIONS BOXED SET 23 KNOCKOUTS - 24 SUBMISSIONS Includes tons of extras... Tito Ortiz' Corner at UFC 33, Gil Castillo wrestles an NFL Lineman, UFC 30 Post Fight Press Conference, Shonie Carter cutting weight at UFC 31, BJ Penn Interview at UFC 32, Robbie Lawler Interview, Dana White Interview, Lorenzo Fertitta Interview, Gil Castillo wrestles an NFL Lineman, Matt Serra Jiu-Jitsu Demonstration, UFC 32 Rules Meeting with Big John McCarthy, Ricco Rodriguez Submissions Demonstration, UFC 34 Post-Fight Press Conference and more! For a full list of the KOs & submissions inclded in this set, please visit the FCF Shop (516)922-1081 Or Click here to order securely online with your credit card or print off the order form & mail it in with your payment |
By Eduardo Alonso On December 8, 2002 the city of Curitiba was once again the stage for another edition of the now famous STORM Muay Thai event. The beautiful Opera de Arame, one of Curitiba`s most important landmarks, held the 18 Muay Thai fights fighting card and received almost a packed house to witness the local fighters battle against each other. Organized by the Chute Boxe team, the event counted with the presence of several Chute Boxe fighters both inside and outside of the ring. With names like Vanderlei Silva, Murilo Ninja, Anderson Silva, Rafael Cordeiro and master Rudimar Fedrigo among those on hand for the event, the resposibility of the fighters inside the ring grew and there was always the demand for lots of guts and huge determination, in the most traditional Chute Boxe style. The "Axe Murderer", Vanderlei Silva, himself worked as a referee in the event, as also did Murilo Ninja and Chute Boxe K-1 winner Nilson de Castro, among others. One of the most important attractions of the event were the participation of MECA veterans Marcelao and Paulo Bueno, as well as IVC and MECA veteran Silvio Urutum who fought in the event as well. STORM veterans Marlon Matias, Mauricio Veio, Nelson and Fabio Pelezinho also returned to event to continue their roll of victories on their young but promising careers.
Another MECA veteran that performed on the night was Marcelao. Marcelao, who is 2-0 at MECA, fought in his usual aggressive style and ended up winning by doctor stoppage in the first round after his opponent suffered a severe cut on his face. Chute Boxe fighter Silvio Urutum came back to the fighting scene after MECA 7 scoring a solid win on STORM. Facing a tough opponent in Urso, Urutum took advantage of his strong hands and punched his way to a judges' decision scoring several knockdowns on the process, and showing that he is still a tough fighter with a lot of fuel in his tank. In one of the most wild and exciting fights of the night Nilson de Castro student Bruno Serafini won his fight by knockout with only 8 seconds remaining on the fight! Bruno took a severe beating on the first two rounds, even suffering some knockdowns but manage to fight his way back with a lot of guts and no fear at all! The crowd went nuts with the fight and Nilson seemed even more tired than his student after it! The most technical fight of the night was a draw between Chute Boxe`s future star Fabio Pelezinho and MECA veteran Paulo Bueno. The two fighters showcased a lot of skilss using all sorts of kicks, punches, knees and blocks, with Pelezinho getting the better of the exchanges in the beggining of the fight and Bueno coming back strong in the final round. In the last fight of the night STORM veteran Nelson scored yet another win against Silvio, getting a judges' decision in a well deserved win. After all it was great to see that Muay Thai, and fighting in general, are still strong in Brazil and around 2.000 people paid to see a local Muay Thai event that showcased the future of fighting sports, since lots of fighters that appeared on the show will be headlining NHB events in the future. Names like Anderson Silva, Mauricio Shogun Rua, and others fought in STORM before they made their way into NHB competition, so pay attention to some of those names, as Full Contact Fighter is always bringing you the action on the spot, no matter where or when it happens!
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Monday - December 16, 2002 |
From the event's promoter: DAVENPORT, Iowa -- A decision loss to Dan Severn a few weeks ago apparently didn't have a lasting affect on former football star Justin Eilers. The leading tackler on Iowa State's football team a year ago, Eilers gave a flawless performance in the ring Saturday at Stars & Stripes. He knocked out Jeff Gerlick with punches from the mount only 2:56 into the first round of their main event bout to improve his overall record to 10-1. Eilers, 6-2 and 245, countered a takedown attempt by Gerlick, 6-3 and 285, and put the muscular heavyweight on his back. After gaining mount, Eilers picked the right moment to rise up and land a couple heavy blows that rendered his opponent helpless. In the amateur portion of the show, two fighters from Meat Truck, Inc., won titles... Billy Rush at 170 and Michael Patt at 210. However, 19-year-old Bart Palaszewski of Linxx Academy of Martial Arts stole the show, beating a pair of top opponents en route to taking the 150 title. At heavyweight, two Miletich Martial Arts fighters made the final with JD Patterson winning the championship. A few fighters failed to make the show when a death in the family prevented representatives of the Minnesota Trials from attending. Another highlight of the show was a 3-round boxing exhibition between former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver and No. 9-ranked 145-pounder Jeff Curran. Results: Main event: Justin Eilers def. Jeff Gerlick, 2:56 TKO, strikes from mount. 150 division: Semifinals -- Cleve Tuttle def. David Hynes, 1:20 rear choke; Bart Palaszewski def. Jevgenijs Minajevs, 9:16 triangle choke; Final -- Palaszewski def. Tuttle, 7:27 armbar. 170 division: Final -- Billy Rush def. David Sosebee, 7:05 ankle lock. 210 division: Final -- Mike Patt def. John McCall, 4:46 TKO. Hwt division: Semifinals: Brandon Quigley def. Jamie Schell, 7:35 armbar; JD Patterson def. Mike Wells, unanimous dec. after OT (13:00); Final -- Patterson def. Quigley, 3:06 guillotine choke. |
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By Keith Mills
Not one, but two old school legends came back for this show, with Matt Hume easily dispatching Pain Peters by armbar while Conan Silveira had trouble with Wes Sims' reach and striking power, losing to a TKO for unanswered strikes after almost finishing Sims in round 1 with a rear choke.
The only disappointment with the evening came with the Pearson/Smith draw decision. Despite moving beyond Shooto sanctioning and obtaining sanctioning through the Florida Boxing Commission this show kept the two-round length for the undercard, formerly the "B Class" fights under Shooto rules. With Smith scoring the first round and Pearson the second the draw was inevitable but if HOOKnSHOOT went to a three-round system for future bouts these disappointing endings could be a thing of the past. Overall despite the cancellation of the women's 135 lb belt bout fans have been looking forward to all summer the show was very exciting. Next HOOKnSHOOT is back in IN on March 9th where they kick off their "boot camp" series spotlighting the up-and-comers while the next FL show is already scheduled for March 28th with tickets on sale now.
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Tuesday - December 17, 2002 |
From Koichi "Booker K" Kawasaki: PRIDE.24 DATE: December 23rd, 2002 OPEN: 3:00 PM START 4:30 PM PLACE: Marine Messe Fukuoka, Japan (Fukuoka-Pref, Japan)
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From Josh Hedges/Zuffa: ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP PRESENTS ANNUAL BASH: 'ULTIMATE NEW YEARS EVE' SHOW ON PAY-PER-VIEW, DEC. 31 Six-Hour Special to Feature Best Bouts, Top Fighters During its 10-Year History LAS VEGAS, NEV., December 17, 2002... For the eighth consecutive year, UFC is bringing viewers the ultimate pay-per-view party event on the ultimate night of the year: Ultimate New Year's Eve. UFC's annual six-hour fight show features the very best action and top UFC Mixed Martial Artists of the last 10 years. It will air on pay-per-view Tuesday, December 31, starting at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST. "Ultimate New Years Eve" will be available on iN DEMAND, DIRECTV, Bell ExpressVu and Viewers Choice Canada for the suggested retail price of $24.95. An encore performance will begin immediately after the telecast. This classic show will provide a memorable trip through UFC history and includes fights from UFC 1: The Beginning, held in November of 1993, right up to last month's UFC 40: Vendetta, which sold out the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Some "Ultimate Fights" from 2002 alone include "New York Bad Ass" Phil Baroni's war with Russian powerhouse Amar Suloev. Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell putting his number one contender status on the line against the dangerous Renato "Babalu" Sobral, and the fight many consider to be one of the best UFC fights of all time, "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler vs. Aaron Riley just seven months ago at UFC37: High Impact. UFC legends like Don Frye, Mark Coleman, Bas Rutten, Tank Abbott, Frank Shamrock and Ken Shamrock, the latter of whom just fought Tito Ortiz for the light heavyweight title at UFC 40, are also featured. Ultimate Fighters like Lawler, Matt Hughes, BJ Penn, Vitor Belfort, Chuck Liddell, Murilo Bustamante, Randy Couture, Matt Serra, Ricco Rodriguez and, of course, Royce Gracie all make their way once again to the Octagon in these vivid highlights. As an added bonus for purchasers, the show will include three fights never before televised. The UFC's next live pay-per-view event will be UFC 41: Onslaught at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST on Friday, February 28, from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The eight-fight card will feature the return of Tank Abbott to the Octagon. |
From Assistant Organizer Dustin Ware: World Gracie Submission Championships The 3rd annual Arnold Schwarzenegger World Gracie Submission Championships is one of the premier Professional/Amateur Submission Grappling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments in the World! Year after Year, the "Top Grapplers" in the World have come out to showcase their talents, and this year will be no different! We would also like to announce the addition of the FIRST EVER Professional Women's No-Gi Division held in the U.S.! The addition of an Professional Women's division will finally allow the Female Grapplers the chance to not earn a "Big Pay Day" if they are victorious! We have already been contacted by some of the most technical and dominate Female grapplers in the World, so we encourage that you or any high level Female grapplers you know to get involved in this event! As in years past, the 2003 event will offer Prize Money to the top Professional Male & Female athletes in our World Class Submission tournament, with prizes/awards going to the top Amateur competitors in both the Gracie World Championship Gi Tournament and the Submission Grappling tournament. This World-Class event will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center between February 28th - March 2nd! I know you are wondering were you are going to find out weight classes, times for weigh-ins, and so on! So please go to http://gracieworlds.com for all the information & updates you will need about the event. Please know that the pre-registration date for this event is February 10th. If you are interested in registration for the Male or Female Professional No-Gi divisions, please submit your "Grappling Resume" to gracieworlds@aol.com As Soon As Possible! For further information please call 1-800-765-6999 or email us at gracieworlds@aol.com |
Wednesday - December 18, 2002 |
Belfort Almost Ready Again; Assuerio Going to Switzerland! The Brazilian Beat: The year of 2002 is almost at an end, but there's still plenty of NHB action about to go on, therefore training is continuing strong in Brazil! PRIDE 24 is coming soon and the two most successful NHB teams in the country will be involved in it. With the participation of Murilo Ninja in PRIDE 24 and the likely fight of Assuerio Silva at Antonio Inoki's event, things were heated at the Chute Boxe camp this week, and concentration was so high that even the team's biggest star having a knee surgery on the same week didn't distract the team's focus at all. In the Brazilian Top Team, with both Nogueira brothers looking to finish the year continuing with the team's success achieved in 2002, and Minotauro finally getting a chance to answer all questions in regards to whether his decision loss to Dan Henderson was fair or not. With all that at stake and some of the sports biggest stars recovering from surgeries, FCF kicks off the holiday celebrations by providing "The Beat" right out of Brazil, before Santa comes to town!
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From the event's promoter: Montreal (Canada) - Already heavily consumed preparing its greatest show ever, the Universal Combat Challenge proudly announces the biggest news in Canadian Mixed Martial Arts broadcast history. The UCC has reached an agreement with CTV Specialty Television Enterprises© that will see it's incredible brand of MMA entertainment to be delivered to millions of eager fight fans on Canada's Sports Leader - TSN. This 2003 season on TSN will include the best fights from past UCC's as well as future events, for a total of 48 broadcasts on TSN and 112 broadcasts on ESPN CLASSICS CANADATM. Setting the standard in Canadian sports broadcasting, TSN's comprehensive schedule includes it's flagship news program 'Sports Centre' as well as NHL and International Hockey, NBA Basketball, CFL Football, PGA/LPGA Golf, MLB, NASCAR, F-1, and CART auto racing, not to mention World Cup Soccer, The Olympic Games, great Amateur sports action, and of course live WWE programming. TSN is majority owned by CTV Specialty Television Enterprises Inc, and is available in over 8 million households. TSN's programming, as well as its news content is also available online at www.tsn.ca Now with TSN on board, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is reaching another giant step before exploding on the world sports scene. "I have never been more excited for the sport of MMA and the UCC as I am today" said UCC owner and president, Stephane Patry. "Canada is home to one of the most incredible and innovative fight promotions on the planet, so it didn't take much time before TSN added our product to their regular programming schedule" added Patry. The UCC made its long awaited debut on TSN in the month of September 2002 with a two-part showcase of "UCC 10: Battle for the Belts". After the initial success of that show, TSN was quick to jump on the idea of making the UCC a part of its regular programming line up. The UCC is already rising to the top as the fastest growing promotion in the sport, with it's highly successful pay per view shows featuring world class fighters such as David "The Crow" Loiseau, Jens "Little Evil" Pulver, Jeremy Horn, John "The Natural" Alessio, Sean Alvarez, Georges "Jungle" St-Pierre, Tony "The Freak" Fryklund, Jermaine "Bamm Bamm" Andre, Duane "Bang" Ludwig, Mark "The Machine" Hominick, Ivan Menjivar, as well as a great roster of the world's best fighters known for their exceptional performances in the UCC ring. The events will be broadcast on Saturday nights at midnight (Eastern Time) right after NHL Hockey and Sports Center. The first show will air on February 23rd 2003 and will feature the best fights in UCC history. The Universal Combat Challenge (UCC), a Canadian owned and based company has his headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The UCC is Canada's #1 Mixed Martial Art fight promotion. Owned and operated by Stephane Patry and Cansports Communications, the UCC produces 5 pay-per-view events yearly that are broadcasted on Viewer's Choice Canada (pay-per-view), Bell Express Vu (satellite provider), Indigo (pay-per-view), Star Choice (pay-per-view). UCC events are also broadcasted on Canada's Largest Sport Network (Canadian version of ESPN), The Sports Network (TSN). The UCC also has its own weekly show on RDS's sports channel, and all the events are distributed on DVD and video cassette. The Canadian based company also produces 10 "Proving Ground" events yearly to nurture new talents. For more information please visit www.ucczone.ca or www.tsn.ca FABIANO STRIKES OUT... Montreal (Canada) - The Universal Combat Challenge (UCC) regretfully announces the release of former UCC World Lightweight Champion Wagnney Fabiano. After a string of disappointing last minute withdrawals from UCC competitions, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt decided to pull-out once again of his upcoming fight against highly ranked MMA star Ivan Menjivar. This is not the first time the UCC has had issues with Wagnney Fabiano but this time Fabiano cited money has the main problem. Wagnney Fabiano was first stripped of his title for not defending it in over two years. Fabiano was offered numerous occasions to defend the title but something would always come up: injuries, seminars, visa problems and now money issues. Reached at his Montreal office, UCC president Stephane Patry was enraged by the entire situation. "...this is absolutely amazing! Sometimes I wonder if Wagnney Fabiano thinks he is bigger than the sport. I mean, we are talking about a guy who has ONE MMA fight: a decision win against someone who never won a fight. After stripping him of the title for obvious reasons we give him a chance to shine again and fight for the #1 contender spot. Now he's not happy with the money... That's strange... I'm wondering what really led up to that, is it really the money or Menjivar's performance last week-end at the Montreal Grappling tournament?" According to Stephane Patry, the offer made to Wagnney Fabiano was an excellent offer considering the fact that Fabiano has only one fight in MMA and that his scheduled UCC 12 bout was a preliminary fight. Patry added "...how much is worth a guy with one win. I mean he beat someone who never won a fight in this sport and constantly backed out of fights in the last two years. I'm very, very disappointed. We tried our very best with Wagnney Fabiano, but this time I give up, you'll never see him in the UCC again... Good luck to whoever wants him on their show..." The UCC is actively looking at a replacement for Wagnney Fabiano. More news should be available in the next few days as who will fight Ivan Menjivar at UCC 12. |
Friday - December 20, 2002 |
Finishes Stellar Year for UK MMA By Jim Burman The last big show in a great year for UK MMA was held on Sunday when long-serving promoter Andy Jardine put on the first in a series of new shows. In a larger venue to previous Millennium Brawls, the show provided a lot of bang for your buck (or punch for your pound?), with 13 high action fights. The last of four promotions within three weeks of each other, each show bringing in approximately 1000+ fans, Extreme Brawl raised the rafters at the Bracknell Sports and Leisure Center and helped prove that the supply has not exceeded the demand in the ever more competitive MMA market place.
Full Results Super Cruiserweight Luke Tamura vs. Nick Francino Francino by sub (Rear naked) 1st rd Middleweight Rob Hannis vs. Adam Dicks Hannis by sub (Arm bar) 1st rd Scott Ireland vs. Barry Williams TKO 1st rd
Ronaldo Campos (Bra) vs. Robbie Oliver (UK) Campos by sub (Choke) 2nd rd Welterweight Ricky Moore vs. John Waite Moore by sub (Triangle) 1st rd Super Lightweight Chin Weakasingh vs. Kevin Capel Draw British Middleweight Title Khris Hughes vs. Paul Ramsdale Ramsdale by sub (Rear naked) 1st rd British Light Cruiserweight Title Matt Ewin vs. Alex Reid Reid by sub (Triangle) 1st rd Super Heavyweight Jarred Speed (UK) vs. Tendez Tedoradze (Georgia) Tedoradze by tapout (Punishment) 1st rd Super Heavyweight Kickboxing Craig Amer vs. Chris Ballard Ballard by TKO 1st rd Welterweight Roli Delgardo (USA) vs. Neil McLeod (UK) Delgado by sub (Triangle) 1st rd Super Middleweight Kyle Jensen (USA) vs. Jeremy 'Bad boy' Bailey (UK) Jenson by TKO 1st rd Super Lightheavyweight Matt Shaw (USA) vs. Alex Evans (UK) Evans (Shaw unable to continue) |
Saturday - December 21, 2002 |
From the event's promoter: for Middleweight Tournaments Veteran mixed martial arts promoters T.Jay Thompson (Super Brawl) and Monte Cox (Extreme Challenge) will combine to host a pair of middleweight (185 pounds) tourneys early next year. The first 8-man event, Extreme Challenge 49, is scheduled for Salt Lake City on Feb. 23. The second 8-man event, Super Brawl 30, will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii, in April. "We're hoping this tourney helps discover middleweight talent in a similar fashion to the last two heavyweight events we held," Thompson said. "We had six fighters advance to the UFC or Pride from the first show, and we've already got three in UFC from the last one. We hope the trend continues." The tourneys are set up similar to the past events. The first event in Salt Lake City will serve as a qualifier for the main event in Honolulu. The top two finishers in the qualifier are guaranteed spots in Hawaii. And, depending on performance, more fighters could advance to either the main draw or alternate bouts. The day prior to Extreme Challenge 49, UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes will host a seminar at the Bayless Combat Jiu-Jitsu school. Hughes will then serve as referee for the event. "We're looking for middleweights who have the talent to fight in the big shows, but haven't had the opportunity to get the necessary exposure," Cox said. "This will be a tough tourney... just like before. But it is a perfect way to prove yourself and show the world what you can do." Fighters interested in competing should email Cox at Fiteiowa@aol.com. A bio and photo would be most appreciated. |
Monday - December 23, 2002 |
Held December 23, 2002 Marine Messe Arena - Hakata, Fukuoka-Pref., Japan PAY-PER VIEW AIR DATES: DIRECTV, DishNetwork, TVN (January 11th, Taped Delay PPV) Bell Express Vu, Viewer's Choice Canada (January 11th, Taped Delay PPV) SkyPerfecTV (Japan, December 23rd Live PPV) |
From Susumu's Gallery: Hello, I have added many photos from Pride 23, Shooto and Pancrase. (This Pride is not the latest "24".) Please enjoy! I hope the photos from Pride 24 will come soon from Susumu. Visit Susumu's gallery at http://come.to/susumu. |
From Josh Hedges/Zuffa: ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP AIRS FIGHT SERIES ON TSN, CANADA'S SPORTS LEADER One-Hour Shows Present World's Best Mixed Martial Arts Fighters LAS VEGAS, NEV., December 23, 2002…The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world's leading mixed martial arts sports association, has started airing "Ultimate Fighting Championship," a series of one-hour fight shows on TSN, Canada's sports leader. For millions of Canadian sports fans, the series offers the opportunity to watch the world's best mixed martial arts fighters in action. "Ultimate Fighting Championship" features videotaped championship fights and top matches in each of the UFC's'five weight divisions and brings Canadian fight fans an insider's view of mixed martial arts in personal interviews with its top stars. The host is UFC live event announcer Mike Goldberg. TSN's broadcast schedule for Ultimate Fighting Championship for the next month is as follows: Saturday, December 28, 12:30 a.m. PST; Sunday, January 12, 2003, Midnight EST; Wednesday, January 22, 7:30 p.m. EST and Sunday, February 2, 12:30 a.m. EST. UFC champions and top stars, who will be featured, include Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez, Light Heavyweight Champ Tito Ortiz, Light Heavyweight top contender Chuck Liddell, former Heavyweight Champ Randy Couture, Heavyweight contenders Pedro Rizzo, Andre Arlovski and Ian Freeman, Welterweight top contender Carlos Newton, as well as Lightweight top contenders BJ Penn, Din Thomas, Matt Serra and Caol Uno, and many other top fighters. The UFC also is offering Canadian fight fans with Bell ExpressVu service two pay-per-view shows during the holidays. Currently available is Best of 2002, a two-hour spectacular featuring the best fights of this year. The suggested retail price is $19.95. The viewing schedule is Sunday, Dec. 29/Monday, Dec. 30, 8 p.m. EST/5 p.m. PST, 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST, 12 a.m. EST/9 p.m. PST, 2 a.m. EST/11 p.m. PST, 4 a.m. EST/1 a.m. PST, 6 a.m. EST/3 a.m PST; Tuesday, Dec. 31, 6 p.m. EST/3 p.m. PST. Then at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST, Dec. 31, the UFC will bring Canadian fans its annual ultimate pay-per-view party event, "Ultimate New Years Eve," a six-hour fight extravaganza on Bell ExpressVu for $24.95. This classic show will provide a memorable trip through UFC history and includes fights from UFC 1: The Beginning, in November of 1993, right up to UFC 40: Vendetta, which sold out the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. An encore performance will begin immediately after the telecast. The UFC's next live pay-per-view event will be UFC 41: Onslaught at 10 p.m. EST/7 p.m. PST Friday, February 28, from Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. That eight-fight card will feature the return of UFC legend Tank Abbott to the Octagon. |
Tuesday - December 24, 2002 |
For FASTEST service call in your credit card order (516)676-0033 Or Click here to order securely online with your credit card or print off the order form & mail it in with your payment |
Wednesday - December 25, 2002 |
From Koichi "Booker K" Kawasaki: INOKI BOM-BA-YE 2002 INOKI BOM-BA-YE 2002 DATE: December 31st, 2002 OPEN: 3:00 PM START 5:00 PM PLACE: Saitama Super Arena, Japan (Saitama-Pref, Japan) Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Masaaki Satake Tadao Yasuda vs. Jan "The Giant" Nortje Bob Sapp vs. Yoshihiro Takayama Kazuyuki Fujita vs. Mirco "Cro Cop" K-1 rules: Gary Goodridge vs. Mike Bernardo Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Cyril Abidi |
Thursday - December 26, 2002 |
From the event's promoter: CURRAN vs. MENJIVAR THE REMATCH FOR THE UCC WORLD SLW CHAMPIONSHIP! Montreal (Canada) - What is already being billed as one of the best Mixed-Martial-Art fight card in North American history, UCC 12: AdrenalineTM will again take it one step further with today's announcement. JEFF CURRAN has become the #1 contender for the UCC World Super Lightweight championship by knocking-out highly ranked grappling sensation Baret Yoshida back in September at UCC Hawaii. Since then, Curran kept improving while winning to earn a spot in the Top-10 rankings in his weight class. At the other end of the continent a young El Salvadorian-born superstar is raising eyebrows with spectacular wins while building an incredible 10 and 1 record. At only 21 years of age, IVAN MENJIVAR is one of the hottest 145 pounds fighters in the world today. His intense wrestling abilities coupled with his always improving boxing skills make him one of the most unstoppable forces in this division today. Training full time with the likes of UCC World Middleweight Champion David Loiseau and UCC Canadian Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre, Menjivar is yet another superstar coming out of Montreal, Canada. This will not be the first time these two have met in the UCC ring. Back in June 2002 at UCC 10, Ivan Menjivar scored the upset of the night by defeating Curran by unanimous decision in an all-out war. Since their first epic battle at 155 pounds, both athletes have since made the permanent drop to the Super Lightweight division. This should make for an even more exciting battle as two of the best Super Lightweight fighters in the world collide for the title at UCC 12: Adrenaline. The fight world will be watching closely as David "The Crow" Loiseau faces yet another big step in his young career in the form of Anthony "The Freak" Fryklund. Fans and experts from abroad are anxiously awaiting the result of Bang Ludwig vs. Little Evil Pulver to finally determine who is the best pound for pound striker in MMA. The long awaited grudge match between John Alessio and Jason Black is one not to miss. When the Lion Heart Steve Vigneault and BAMM BAMM Jermaine Andre clash it is sure to blow the roof off of the Pierre Charbonneau Center. UCC fans are all looking forward to what the Machine Hominick will do to his next challenger. Stay tuned for more information on this great event! UCC 12: ADRENALINE Saturday January 25th 2003 - 8pm Eastern Time Pierre Charbonneau Center Montreal, Canada Tickets are on sale now! CANADA, call 1-800-361-4595. USA, call 1-800-678-5440. |
Friday - December 27, 2002 |
Give Us Your Thoughts... 2002 was a banner year for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. We'd like your thoughts on the events, fights and behind the scenes politics effecting MMA in the year 2002. The survey results and some of the commentary we receive will appear in the January 2003 issue of FCF Click here to take the survey |
From the event's promoter: It now appears that HOOKnSHOOT will be seen on DirecTV and many cable providers around the United States. Following the success of their local show in Evansville, Indiana's WTSN which does incredibly well in the ratings, HnS is ready to produce a program for the SUNSHINE NETWORK. Sunshine Network will air a 30-minute episode of HnS this coming weekend which will include matches from Florida, Indiana and Massachusetts.
"I had an external drive holding the entire TV show that went caput. I was quoted a price of roughly $4,000 just to TRY to retrieve the drive so I just decided to completely redo the show on two days notice" said Osborne. "It was the most stressful few days of my life just before Christmas but I think it turned out decent. We hope to do more projects like this down the road" Osborne said. Sunshine Network currently reaches 5.7 million homes throughout the state of Florida and via satellite across the U.S. The network achieved the three million mark in just three years -- making the basic network the fastest growing regional cable network in history. Sunday 12/29 at 1:30pm Eastern. Monday 12/30 at 1:00pm Eastern. DIRECTV Channel 632 You can also verify dates and times at www.SUNSHINENETWORK.com. |
Saturday - December 28, 2002 |
Mino to Become an Action Figure and Chute Boxe Coming Strong in 2003! The Brazilian Beat: Well folks, 2002 is coming to a close and even with the holidays there are still plenty of things going on in the Brazilian NHB scene. With UFC 41 rapidly approaching, the Ruas Vale Tudo camp is working hard to prepare Pedro Rizzo for yet another battle. Also, camps like Chute Boxe and the Brazilian Top Team never really stop and as our beloved sport of NHB is always growing and gaining in popularity, Rodrigo Minotauro Nogueira and Vanderlei Silva are both working on new ventures, meanwhile their teammates continue to train hard and prepare for a tough and action-packed year of 2003. Fans can expect to see a lot more action coming out of both camps in the next year and as always "The Beat" will continue to cover it all for you. 2002 was surely a year full of happenings, both happy and sad for all of us. For the sport of NHB it was a year of great victories, with the UFC breaking new ground in America, getting on TV and finishing the year in impressive fashion with UFC 40, with PRIDE and K-1 holding the biggest event ever in Japan with Shockwave, with the stars of our sport gaining popularity and expanding their products, such as Tito Ortiz, Vanderlei Silva and Minotauro, and with the smaller events growing at an amazing pace due to the great work of promoters, fighters, press and the fans. For our personal lives 2002 was a tough year, full of uncertainties, doubts and never ending struggles, but it was also a year full of great memories both with and without our sport. In 2002 I went through tough times, but managed to grow and learn more about life itself and all in all it was great to have this space and to see it develop. For me, 2002, despite all the problems will be remembered as the year when "The Brazilian Beat" began, and hopefully we will share this space for lots of years to come, since 2003 will be an important year for FCF. As the year ends, I want to take this chance to thank all the fighters, promoters, friends, writers, editors and most importantly all the fans and readers for sharing all we went through in 2002 with us! In the last "Brazilian Beat" of the year I apologize for the long text, and want to leave you all with a big thank you for the support, and with the hopes of meeting you all in 2003 for more Brazilian NHB coverage. I take my time to dedicate this last piece of the year to my late Grandfather Jose Alonso Filho, who couldn't live to see this space grow, but will always be remembered in my heart. But as "The Beat" never stops, Full Contact Fighter manages to turn up the volume and provide one last bit of Brazilian groove in 2002! Enjoy the news and happy New Year everyone!
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Monday - December 30, 2002 |
Press Conference By Mark Ginther INOKI BOM-BA-YE 2002 To be held: December 31, 2002 Saitama Super Arena Saitama-Pref, Japan Line-up
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Tuesday - December 31, 2002 |
Your friends at FCF hope that you all have a very happy and safe New Year's Eve, and we wish you all of the best in the new year. |
Results By Mark Ginther INOKI BOM-BA-YE 2002 December 31, 2002 Saitama Super Arena Saitama-Pref, Japan Results:
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From Susumu's Gallery: Hello, We have added 20 photos from Pride 24 held on December 23rd. Please enjoy! Visit Susumu's gallery at http://come.to/susumu. |
Rumble On The Rock Results Held December 28, 2002 Edith Kanaka Ole Tennis Stadium, Hilo, Hawaii By Chris Onzuka - Chris@Onzuka.com Just like when he is fighting, when BJ "The Prodigy" Penn and his family decide to do something, they concentrate all their efforts to be successful at it. This is BJ's first MMA event and what better place to host it than in his own hometown of Hilo on the big island of Hawaii. They billed it as a "World Class Event" and it was just that with a custom built 24-foot octagon, stage lighting, entrance ramp and two 20-foot screens. They chose the same venue that the world renown, Merry Monarch Hula Festival is held. The fighters from the big island, Oahu and the continental U.S. performed to a sold out house of MMA fans. The matches were action packed with good matchmaking, coupled with the fact that every fighter came out to fight. The crowd even got treated to a BJJ demonstration by three BJJ black belts, which included BJ Penn. They also included some eye candy by bringing out the ladies who made the final round of bikini contest. The event was very well run and enjoyed by the fans and the fighters alike. Their next event is tentatively scheduled for February and I, for one cannot wait for it. All Matches were coprised of two 5-minute rounds
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From John Petrilli (RITC): Celebrity Theatre Phoenix, Arizona Saturday, January 18, 2003 Doors Open: 6 PM, Fight Time: 7:30 PM Tickets $20 (rows 14-25), $30 (rows 4-13) and $40 (rows 1-3). The discount that will be offered is $5 off on all advanced tickets purchased (walk up or by phone for will call) PRIOR to fight day. Advanced General Admission Tickets only $15!!! Day of the fights (if available) $20!!! Advanced Reserved Seats and Advanced VIP seats will be only $25 and $35 respectively!!! Day of the fights (if available) $30 and $40. Rage in the Cage will kick off the New Year with the biggest MMA event ever held in Arizona. California fighters will be coming to Phoenix to challenge top RITC hometown fighters. Todd Medina, who has appeared in the UFC, WVC, Meca and KOTC against world class opponents, will face local favorite Edwin Dewees in the Super Main Event. Herb Dean, a KOTC referee, who trains under Larry Landless at the Submission Factory in California, will provide a stern test for Joseph Riggs, the reigning RITC Heavyweight Champion. Super Main Event: Todd Medina (195 lbs), Carlson Gracie Freestyle vs. Edwin Dewees (195 lbs), Brausa Academy Super Fights: Joseph Riggs (220 lbs), Brausa Academy vs. Herb Dean (240 lbs), Submission Factory Cory Timmerman (300 lbs), Brausa Academy vs. Andy Montana (225 lbs), Asher Combat Academy Vince Lucero (260 lbs), Asher Combat Academy vs. Justin Lyon (380 lbs), Savage Te Dawg Pound John Lansing (165 lbs), Brausa Academy vs. Mike Mendoza (160 lbs), Arizona Combat Sports Sean Ruiz (195 lbs), Medina Freestyle Fight Team vs. Matthew Houser (215 lbs), Las Vegas Combat Club Roger Mejia (200 lbs), Asher Combat Academy vs. Rob Woodin (205 lbs), Arizona Combat Sports Emmitt Olivera (185 lbs), Medina Freestyle Fight Team vs. Robert Maldonado (175 lbs), Tucson Judo Matt Asher (210 lbs), Asher Combat Academy vs. Melville Calabaca (230 lbs), Savage Te Dawg Pound RJ Gamez (175 lbs), Asher Combat Academy vs. Michael Chavez (165 lbs), Savage Te Dawg Pound Del Hawkins (140 lbs), Team Phoenix vs. James Attwood (150 lbs), Brausa Academy There will be one or two fights added to this already stacked card. Fight Card subject to change. Don't get shutout. Get your tickets early. Tickets for RITC 43 are available at the Celebrity Theatre Box Office (602-267-1600) or at Ticketmaster (480-784-4444). Please visit www.rageinthecage.com for more information. |
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