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| Thursday - January 1, 2004 |
 Full Contact Fighter Fighter of the Year It's down to the final 2! The most prestigious award in Mixed Martial Arts will go to one of the following 2 finalists... Randy Couture or Wanderlei Silva... "The Natural" or "The Axe Murderer"... one of these two champions has earned the title: Give us your thoughts on who you think should win. Bear in mind that this should be based on their performance and accomplishments in the combat arena between the dates January 1 and December 31 during the year 2003 ONLY. We'd also like your thoughts on the best of 2003 ... best fight, best promotion, best event, etc. Click here to vote for who you think should win |
| Saturday - January 3, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: Fight Card released All the bouts for the main card on the January 10th Ring of Fire show have been officially signed. Returning to the successful format of a mixed card featuring fights under both K-1 and MMA rules, promoter Sven Bean has released the final card. The talent stacked event will feature multiple world champions and all martial art styles will be well represented. The card has veterans from the UFC, KOTC, IFC, K-1, SUPERLEAGUE, PRO BOXING, SHIDOKAN and SHOOTBOXING. "This has got to be one of the best events to hit the state in a long time. I can't remember when I have been so excited about a show, and I don't mean as a promoter, I'm talking as a fan! This show is going to be great. I have been in constant contact with all the camps and everyone is so ready for this show it's scary," said Bean. The night will feature an exciting under card of 6 amateur matches before moving on to the professional portion of the event. MMA 155 lbs 3 x 3 minutes Vern Baca, CO, Colo BJJ, 2-0, Wrestling vs. James Martinez, NM, AKKA, 0-0 mma, Muay Thai K-1 Rules Heavyweight (215 lbs +) 3 x 3 minutes Leo RUSSIAN ASSASSIN Pavlushkin, CO, 3-D, 255 lbs, Kickboxing vs. Richard Symonds, NM, FIT NHB Team, Muay Thai MMA 155 lbs 2 x 5 minutes Brad Gumm, CO, Colo BJJ, BJJ vs. Carlos Condit, NM, FIT NHB Team, BJJ-Muay Thai K-1 Rules Heavyweight (215 lbs +) 5 x 3 minutes Keith Jardine, NM, AKKA, 215 lbs, KOTC vet vs. Hector Monterey, SJO, Costa Rica, 215 lbs, SHIDOKAN Hvywt Champ MMA 170 lbs Ring Of Fire Welter Weight Title 3 x 5 minutes Jay Jack, ME, AMMA-BJJ Boulder, BJJ vs Steve Gomm, UT, Bayless Combat JiuJitsu ISKA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 5 x 3 minutes Malapaiet Sitprapom, Thailand, IMTO World Champion vs. Duane BANG! Ludwig, CO, K-1 MAX North American Champion & UCC World Champion The special guest list for next weeks RING OF FIRE 11: BRING IT ON!! show reads like a who's who in Martial Arts and combat sports.
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| Wednesday - January 7, 2004 |
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Director of Rites of Passage Bobby Razak is having a DVD release party for his new DVD Sparring Chronicles. The date is Mon Jan 12th at the Ivar nightclub in Hollywood, Los Angeles and the party kicks off at 9pm. Come and meet your favorite MMA Celebes, a DJ will be spinning music all night and 4 big screens will be playing the fights that happened in Japan on New Year's Eve. Entrance is free. Check back next week here at FCF for the Sparring Chronicles DVD. |
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Much has been reported about Britney Spears and her brief marriage to friend Jason Allen Alexander. What has not been discussed, until now, are his pugilistic interests. Entertainment Tonight is reporting that Alexander took part in an "ultimate fighting challenge" in Louisiana called "Whoop Ass Wednesdays." ET has a clip from his fight on their website (http://et.tv.yahoo.com/music/2004/01/07/britsexfightclub/). Although Alexander and his opponent wear MMA gloves and the referee is wearing a Full Contact Fighter hat, the rules appear to be more like a boxing match as the pair is broken up and the fight stopped as Alexander beats on his hapless opponent -- after the fight, Alexander says they claimed he "cheated," ... that he hit the guy on the ground. ET also reports that they will "bring you insde the ring of Jason's real life fight club!" on tonight's edition of their television show. Check your local listings for time & channel (in the New York City area, that's 7:30pm on CBS channel 2). |
| Friday - January 9, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: Horn Lends Hand to Cincinnati's ICE Event FAIRFIELD, Ohio -- Jeremy Horn has fought all over the world in almost every major organization. He is the champion in about seven different events, including King of the Cage and 2 Hot 2 Handle. On Jan. 16th, Horn will fight for the first time in Ohio, at ICE 7: Meltdown at Metropolis -- and it won't be for a belt, and he won't get paid. "We're trying to build an amateur event near Cincinnati," said Monte Cox, who co-promotes the event with Kerry Schall. "We've been pretty fortunate that we have a good group of fighters from this area who want to fight in every show. But, to grow the show any bigger, we knew we had to make some changes." One of the changes was to move the event to Metropolis, a huge nightclub with three different dance floors. ICE 7 will be held in the Country & Western portion inside a "corral." "We've been holding shows in a bingo hall, so we didn't have alcohol sales... that always takes away from the crowd," Cox said. "By moving to Metropolis, we have alcohol and a little more room to work with." The second change was to "beef up" the card with some world-class competitors, not an easy task since Ohio rules do not allow professional fights. "Since I started promoting shows seven years ago, I have been helped out by the fighters I manage (Team Extreme)," Cox said. "I have had UFC champions Matt Hughes and Jens Pulver fight for like $200 each... and now, I have Horn fighting for free in an effort to help build the event." Horn, a 7-time UFC and 2-time Pride veteran, has earned more than $50,000 from events paying for him to show his skills. Fighting for free seems silly, but Cox says Horn has helped out in similar situations many times before. "I have great loyalty from the guys I manage," Cox added. "Besides Horn, Amir Rahnavardi is fighting for nothing... and Jennifer Howe is doing the same. Hughes, Pulver and former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia are also coming in to sign autographs and support the show." Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with the first fight starting at 8 p.m. A card of about 12 fights is expected. Tickets are available by calling Metropolis (513 671-2881) or SACAN Martial Arts (513 759-4488). Tickets start at $25. Horn will face local favorite Ron Fields in the main event. Fields, who has won 3 of his last 4 bouts, is taking this as a "Rocky" opportunity. "I consider it an honor to fight a legend like Jeremy Horn," Fields said. "I am in a no-lose situation. I'm going to try my best to knock him out, but since nobody expects me to win, it doesn't matter if I lose. But I'll always be able to say I fought the great Jeremy Horn... and maybe I'll be able to say I beat him." Howe, considered by most to be the world's best 125- and 135-pound MMA fighter, brings an 11-0 record into her bout with local Ashley Johnson. Rahnavardi, a two-time Pride veteran, will face Middletown's Trevor Garrett in another feature bout. Heading up the local contingent is Greg Franklin, Neal Rowe, Mojo Horn and Billy Rush... all good local draws. Fighters are expected to travel from Chicago, Detroit and even Pittsburgh to take part in the event. A few openings remain on the card. For more information, contact Schall at 513 290-3259. Confirmed bouts...
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| Sunday - January 11, 2004 |
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Vitor Belfort's 29-year-old sister, Priscila Vieira Belfort, has been missing since Friday. She was reportedly last seen when she was dropped off in front of her job at the Department of Sports and Leisure. We hope all turns out well and she turns up safe and sound. Our thoughts and prayers are with Vitor and his family. Here is the plea for information that's been posted on Vitor's website: 
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From the event's promoter: MMA Show approved by NJ State Boxing Commission scheduled for Trump's TAJ MAHAL Arena on March 13th, 2004. 'The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming.' quips matchmaker Miguel Iturrate. 'We received word from the NJ state athletic commission that the license to promote an MMA show has been approved, and we are scheduled for March 13th in Atlantic City. The theme of the event, being run by Euphoria Entertainment, will be a 'Russian Invasion', or 'Russia versus the USA' and Russia's Red Devil Team is preparing to send their team.' 'I am working to put together an American Team.' continues the matchmaker. 'This is not easy, because there is some pride at stake, and RED DEVIL is an absolutely top shelf team - and they may have 2 dozen world class athletes! This is sort of an all out invasion! There are 10 fights scheduled. The Americans signing up to do this are aware who Red Devil is, and how tough their competitors are. We will have a lineup to reveal soon.' RED DEVIL members confirmed to participate include Heavyweight Champion Roman Zentsov, international star Andrei Semenov and Musail Alaudinov. 'We are working to put the matchups together right now' explains the matchmaker. Calls to the Taj Mahal arena have the operator saying they have an 'Ultimate Boxing' event scheduled that day with more event forthcoming. 'They will find out what we are all about soon enough!' concludes the matchmaker. |
| Tuesday - January 13, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: "THE CROW" IS BACK IN CANADA TO DEFEND HIS WORLD TITLE! 
MONTREAL (CANADA) - TKO World Middleweight champion David Loiseau will defend his title for the second time in the main event of TKO 15: UNSTOPPABLE on Saturday, February 28th 2004 at the Pierre Charbonneau-Center in Montreal, Canada. His opponent will be announced shortly as TKO is still negotiating with a few contenders at this time.In the co-main event of the evening, the "Lion Heart" Steve Vigneault will try to redeem himself after losing the Canadian LHW Championship as he defends the one belt he has left. Going head to head with Vigneault for the Canadian MW Championship is none other than the pride of Manitoba - hard hitting CHRIS FONTAINE. This fight should be a war as two of the most exciting strikers in Canada collide. The event will also feature the return of The Machine, Mark Hominick as he defends his Canadian Super-Lightweight championship for the fourth time against the experienced David Guigui. Once again, this will be the classic fight between a striker and a grappler. Guigui wants the belt and thinks his experience will be too much for the young champion. Hominick knows exactly what to do against a grappler as he already dismantled the best Canada has to offer in Nancoo, Diaz and Claveau. The "Road to the Predator" will also start at TKO 15 as Bill Mahood and Yan Pellerin start their hunt for the title. Bill Mahood has deserved a title shot for quite a while, but with the Champion being unable to compete for professional reasons, "The Butcher" wanted to stay active and keep his #1 contender spot. Yan Pellerin wants two things - First he wants the title but he also wants to redeem himself after losing to "The Predator". If Mahood wins the fight, he will finally get what he deserves the most: A shot at the TKO Canadian LHW championship. If Pellerin wins, he will have the chance to do both in one night as he will have one more chance against "The Predator". Complete fight card to be announced shortly and will feature 14 professional fights. Tickets go on sale on Monday January 12th at 10:00AM on the TKO Ticket Network: 514-999-7531 - Reserve soon as this card promises to be the best card in Canadian MMA history. Ticket price: $200, $150, $75, $48 and $35. |
| Wednesday - January 14, 2004 |
 Only on Pay-Per-View K-1 Battle of the Rising Sun Masato - Duane Ludwig - Albert Kraus - Genki Sudo Friday January 16, 2004 7 PM Pacific - 10 PM Eastern |
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The Brazilian Beat: 2004 began with plenty of backstage happenings on the Brazilian fight scene, and as this is the first Brazilian Beat of the year, we took the chance to run through the most important developments over the last two weeks. With a lot of fighters changing teams and promotions starting to get their act together for what can be a key year for our sport, a sad happening suddenly brought everybody's attention in Brazil, being MMA fans or not. Vitor Belfort's sister has been missing for five days already, and nothing has been heard of her yet. TV shows are constantly reporting on the case, and Belfort is trying hard to keep his focus on fighting. When his most important battle ever was about to be fought inside the Octagon, he is now forced to face his toughest challenge ever; we hope for the best and our prayers are with the family. This kind of situation makes us all consider what's really important in life, and what kind of strange ways destiny may have in our lives. This reporter will be extremely happy if while writing the next Brazilian Beat, he can type the news about the finding of Vitor's sister, safe and sound. Let's all pray and hope for it to happen, as no one deserves to suffer this kind of problem. Apologizing for this strange yet sincere text, let's once again try to keep the rhythm, as FCF delivers the beat yet one more time in Brazilian style.
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From the event's promoter:
Gladiator Challenge starts off 2004 with a bang at Colusa Casino! Undefeated Heavyweight sensation Scott Smith takes on James Irvin for the Gladiator Challenge World Heavyweight championship. Also featured on the card - Rubin Villarreal vs Chris Marez for the Native American Heavyweight championship, 12 No Holds Barred Fights in all. Gates open at 5:00pm, fights start at 6:30pm. |
| Friday - January 16, 2004 |
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Who Will Face The Terror? By Loretta Hunt As unwelcome and untimely as they might be, injuries are a part of the game, and it looks as if fate has claimed another UFC 46 victim. 24-year old Gerald "the Finishing Machine" Strebendt has been scratched from the roster of January 31st's UFC 46: Supernatural card due to injury, leaving lightweight Matt "The Terror" Serra opponentless just two weeks out from showtime. An Eddie Bravo protégé and proponent of the hybrid "rubber guard" technique, Strebendt's clash with Renzo Gracie Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt Serra had ground game enthusiasts anticipating a heated exhibition on the mats.
Not a novice to this type of injury (Strebendt has also torn his left knee meniscus in the past), the Finishing Machine anticipates minor surgery, and hopes to get back to training in 3 months for a return to the Octagon as early as June. "Life throws curve balls at you. I learned that in the Marines. I learned that living in L.A. Everything will work out." When contacted, Zuffa refrained from commenting on just who Strebendt's replacementmight be, but the promotion has been well underway making the necessary arrangements to announce a new candidate shortly. Serra could not be reached for comment. |
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From the event's promoter:
Xtreme Reality Fighting at "The Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground®" August 11th, 2004 "The Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground®" will host the very first Reality Fighting event to take place! Xtreme Reality Fighting presents "Battle At The Legendary Buffalo Chip®" . "This is a very exciting time for us, and to offer a whole new source of entertainment to the Sturgis Rally riders is just a great situation" says XRF Director of Operations Chris O'Connor.Xtreme Reality Fighting has designed a series of five events that will take place during 2004', 2005', 2006', 2007', 2008', and only at "The Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground®" . The event has been tailored to offer not only the very exciting Reality Fighting bouts, but has added an eight man Toughman Championship to the card. Fighters from North America and Canada will make their way to Sturgis, South Dakota to provide an evening of excitement that will keep the fans on their feet. Don't miss an opportunity to meet the Xtreme Reality Fighting X Girls! The X Girls will be making appearances throughout the week at the local clubs, on the streets and of course in the ring! Don't miss the very first Xtreme Reality Fighting event to take place in Bufalo Chip® history! XRF is currently scouting fighters for both NHB and Toughman positions to be filled. Interested applicants should forward complete bio to xrfmatchmaker@yahoo.com. We look forward to seeing you there! Chris O'Connor Director of Operations Xtreme Reality Fighting Event: "Battle At The Legendary Buffalo Chip®" Date: August 11th, 2004 Location: "The Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground®" Schedule of events: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Meet and Greet with Fighters/X Girls SHOWTIME:5:30 pm Tickets: www.rallytickets.com or www.Xfighter.tv or by calling 605-892-4101 Price: $20.00 General Admission |
| Saturday - January 17, 2004 |
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WEC 9 1/16/04 The Palace in Lemoore, CA Results and photos by Keith Mills
Josh Hayes def. Tony Asam by TKO 2:05 R1 Anthony Gonzales def. Pedro Tome by KO 2:14 R1
Jack Cardenas def. John Appleby by TKO 4:54 R1 Harris Sarmiento def. Rob McCullough by split decision Poppies Martinez def. Eric Ramirez by TKO 3:24 R1 Chris Leben def. Mike Swick by KO 0:18 R2 (Chris Leben is new Middleweight Champion) Doug Marshall def. Lavar Johnson by TKO (Johnson's corner threw in towel between rounds 1 & 2) Tiki Ghosen def. Nick Gilardi by guillotine choke 4:52 R1 Yves Edwards def. Deshaun Johnson by unanimous decision Olaf Alfonso def. John Polakowski by split decision Adrienna Jenkins def. Kerri Crothers by DQ (2 intentional fouls) Yia Mua def. Adam Garcia by split decision (Muay Thai fight) Shonie Carter def. Gabe Garcia TKO 0:30 (Garcia broke wrist) Alex Stiebling def. Joseph Riggs by triangle choke R2 Mike Kyle def. Jude Hagert by TKO 4:09 R1 (Kyle is new Heavyweight Champion) |
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The 3rd edition of the already famous show in Campos is next week! By Eduardo Alonso 
With the impressive boom of Mixed Martial Arts in Brazil in 2003, when several new shows were born and the sport saw a impressive growth both in popularity and opportunities for the fighters, as well as the fact organization of the Abu Dhabi World Championships in this country, the sport of Submission Wrestling took advantage of the trend and also saw some growth, as several events appeared giving ground fighters a chance to compete and keep in shape, without having to risk themselves at the tough MMA competitions all the time, and still earn their livings. From all those Submission Wrestling shows, one rose above the competition and have been establishing itself as the premier of its kind in the country, always counting with famous names from both MMA and Jiu-Jitsu competitions in their brackets, the Submission Wrestling in Campos, a city located near Rio de Janeiro.The 3rd edition of the show would be no exception, and this next January 23rd and 24th a lot of famous names for the international fans will be competing for a good prize money in each of the divisions. The show counts with eight fighters in each division, one for fighters up to 65kg, another division for fighters up to 76kg, yet another one for fighters up to 87kg, and a division for fighters up to 105kg. The weekend of fights will also feature the absolute division, and a superfight between UFC veteran Alexandre Cafe Dantas against MECA veteran Rodrigo Riscado. The up to 87kg division will see some interesting battles as former Ruas Vale Tudo fighter Gustavo Ximu, HEAT veteran Marcelo Uirapuru, ADCC champ Marcelo Garcia and Alliance stand out Eduardo Jamelao are all in the brackets! The absolute division is, as the name suggest, absolutely stacked with competitors such as BJJ world champ Marcio "Pe de Pano" Cruz, MECA veterans Fabiano Scherner, Carlos Baruck and Gabriel Napao and UFC veteran Alexandre Cafe Dantas. All the names on the absolute division, as well as the absolute brackets will be released next week. The biggest difference on the rules in relation to ADCC is that points can be scored at all time during the bouts. Check out the brackets as FCF will keep following this show! Up to 65kg Marcelo Bocao(Brazilia Top Team) vs. Anderson Pereira (WFC) Luciano Azevedo (Cromado) vs. Carne Seca (CamposJJ) Rodrigo Damm (Alliance) vs. Marlon (Nova Uniao) Daniel Pirata (Ruas Vale Tudo) vs. Teodoro Canal (UGF) Up to 76kg Suyan Queiroz (Brazilian Top Team) vs. Israel Albuquerque (Budokan) Vitor Paes (Campos JJ) vs. Ricardo Rato (Gold Team) Leonardo Pecanha (CamposJJ) vs. Tarfis Huntreyf (Alliance) Adriano Nasal (Brazilian Top Team) vs. Claudio Matos(Gracie Barra) Up to 87kg Marcelo Garcia (Alliance) vs. Chocolate (Cromado) Bruno Bastos(Nova Uniao) vs. Rodrigo Brandão (Budokan) Eduardo Jamelão (Alliance) vs. Gustavo Ximu (Gracie Combat Team) Talles Leite (Nova Uniao) vs. Marcelo Uirapuru (Gracie Barra) Up to 105kg Andrezao Cardoso (Campos JJ) vs. Denis Gomes(Ataide JR) Daniel Barbosa (De La Riva) vs. Lucio Linhares (Alliance) Gabriel Napao (Gold Team) vs. Christiano Titi (Gracie Barra) Marcelo Pit Bull (Cromado) vs. Fernando Di Pierro (Alliance) |
| Sunday - January 18, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: FAIRFIELD, Ohio -- In a show that had a little bit of everything, it was a pair of Horns that stood out in the crowd. Local hero "Mojo" Horn recovered from being dropped in the first 20 seconds and turned around his fight with Gerald Pierson, securing an armbar after a dramatic ground-and-pound effort. Jeremy Horn followed one fight later with a standup clinic against a game Ron Fields that included dozens of strategically placed kicks and lasted just over eight minutes. It was a rare look at the under-rated standup ability of one of the sport's top performers. Labeled ICE 7: Meltdown at Metropolis, it was the show's debut at the Metropolis nightclub, one of the bigger night spots in the Cincinnati area. Besides Horn, some of the top Miletich Fighting Systems and Team Extreme competitors were on hand for the event, including UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes (who was the referee); former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver; former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia; and UFC veteran Rich Franklin. Another Team Extreme fighter, Pride veteran Amir Rahnavardi, also competed in the event, winning by triangle despite some hard ground punching by Trevor Garrett. In one of the feature bouts, Leo Sylvest pulled a surprise with a ground-and-pound win over Greg Franklin. The win came shortly after Franklin elected to continue after taking the full 5-minute rest for an unintentional low blow. A rematch is definitely in the fighters' future. ICE 7: Meltdown at Metropolis, Jan. 16, Fairfield, Ohio Results:
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| Monday - January 19, 2004 |
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Sparring Chronicles shows fighters from all over the world training. Want see what your favorite fighters training sessions are like? You may be surprised!| Tuesday - January 20, 2004 |
From Dream Stage Entertainment:
THE RETURN OF THE SMASHING MACHINE! LOS ANGELES, California - The fight card for PRIDE FC: INFERNO is now official and among a cast of giants, making his long-awaited return to the ring will be "The Smashing Machine" Mark Kerr. Kerr's last mixed martial arts match was in July of 2001. PRIDE FC: INFERNO is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view on February 8th, 2004 and the event will be held in the Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan. Heading up the INFERNO fight card will be Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic versus Ron Waterman. "Cro Cop" is coming off of a devastating loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at FINAL CONFLICT and is looking to re-establish his dominance and return to his winning ways. "H20" Ron Waterman, a Colorado native, boasts an impressive record of 10-1-2 and last appeared in COLD FURY 3 in which he defeated Valentijn Overeem of Holland. Also included on the card, qualification matches for the upcoming sixteen man heavyweight tournament (which will begin April 25th, 2004): Fresh off of his win against Giant Silva at Shockwave 2003, "The Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring takes on another giant in the 6'10, 260 pound UFC veteran "Big" Gan McGee ... Mark Kerr makes his return to mixed martial arts, going up against Norihisa Yamamoto of Japan ... undefeated Russian star Sergei Kharitonov takes on the 7'0, 400 pound L.A. Giant from California ... and "Ice Cold" Igor Vovchanchyn goes head to head against Dan "The Bull" Bobish. The winners all move on to the heavyweight tournament! Additional matches on the INFERNO fight card include Kazuhiro Nakamura versus Mexican pro-wrestler Dos Caras Jr. ... both last fought in BUSHIDO ... Nakamura is coming off a win against Daniel Gracie and the exciting Dos Caras Jr. is coming off a devastating knockout loss versus "Cro Cop" Filipovic ... also, fresh off of a flying knee KO victory against Akira Shoji at SHOCKWAVE 2003, Murilo "Ninja" Rua takes on PRIDE FC veteran Alexander Otsuka. PRIDE FC: INFERNO Fight Card: Main Event Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (Croatia) vs. Ron "H20" Waterman (USA) PRIDE FC Heavyweight Grand Prix Qualification Matches Heath Herring (USA) vs. "Big" Gan McGee (USA) Mark Kerr (USA) vs. Norihisa Yamamoto (Japan) Sergei Kharitonov (Russia) vs. L.A. Giant (USA) Igor Vovchanchyn (Ukraine) vs. Dan Bobish (USA) Additional Matches Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japan) vs. Dos Caras Jr. (Mexico) Murilo "Ninja" Rua (Brazil) vs. Alexander Otsuka (Japan) (Fight Card Subject to Change) PRIDE FC: INFERNO will premiere on North American pay per view through iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, Bell Express Vu, and Viewer's Choice on Sunday, February 8th, 2004. The premiere time is 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST and the count down show is at 8:30pm EST, 5:30pm PST. For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider. DREAM STAGE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCES 2004 SCHEDULE LOS ANGELES, California - Dream Stage Entertainment today announced its event schedule for 2004. PRIDE FC Event Schedule February 1, 2004 Osaka Castle Hall PRIDE FC 27 "INFERNO" April 2004 Saitama Super Arena PRIDE FC 16-Man Heavyweight Tournament (Opening Round) June 2004 Saitama Super Arena PRIDE FC 16-Man Heavyweight Tournament (Second Round) August 2004 Saitama Super Arena PRIDE FC 16-Man Heavyweight Tournament (Semi-Finals and Finals) September 2004 Las Vegas. Nevada Venue to be Determined BUSHIDO Event Schedule February 15, 2004 Yokohama Arena BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 May 2004 Yokohama Arena BUSHIDO VOLUME 3 July 2004 Nagoya Rainbow Hall BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 November 2004 Yokohama Arena BUSHIDO VOLUME 5 Fight cards will be announced as each individual event approaches. BUSHIDO VOLUME 2: CHUTE BOXE VS JAPAN! LOS ANGELES, California - The fight card for PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 is coming together and headlining the event will be a team competition, pitting the Chute Boxe Team of Brazil (led by Wanderlei Silva) against Team Japan! BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 will take place on February 15th, 2004 from the Yokohama Arena in Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view on March 21st, 2004. BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 will feature a three-man team competition, as the Chute Boxe Team will be taking on Team Japan. Headed by reigning PRIDE FC World Middleweight Champion and 2003 Grand Prix Champion Wanderlei Silva, the Chute Boxe Team of Brazil is one of the most successful fight teams in the world. In his first match since winning the Middleweight Grand Prix title in November of 2003 (which included victories over Hidehiko Yoshida and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson on the same night), Silva will be taking on Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa of Japan. Minowa, now training with the Brazilian Top Team, is coming off a hard-fought loss to Quinton Jackson at SHOCKWAVE 2003. In the other team matches, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (the younger brother of Murilo "Ninja" Rua) will be taking on Japanese shoot fighter Akihiro Gono and up and coming Chute Boxe star Jadson Costa will compete against a yet to be named Japanese opponent. Also scheduled to appear on the fight card, Japanese legend and fighting star Hayato "Mach" Sakurai and PRIDE FC veteran Daiju Takase. PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 Fight Card Chute Boxe (Brazil) vs. Team Japan Wanderlei Silva (Brazil) vs. Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa (Japan) Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (Brazil) vs. Akihiro Gono (Japan) Jadson Costa (Brazil) vs. TBA Additional Matches: Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (Japan) vs. TBA Daiju Takase (Japan) vs. TBA More fights to be announced soon! (Fight Card Subject to Change) PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 will premiere on North American pay per view through iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, Bell Express Vu, and Viewer's Choice on Sunday, March 21st, 2004. The premiere time is 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST and the count down show is at 8:30pm EST, 5:30pm PST. The event will be available at a reduced rate of $19.95. For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider. |
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The Brazilian Beat: Judging from different angles, a person could find all diverse types of motivations to face likely his toughest opponent ever, in a fight that means the UFC title, while he faces an never ending agony in his personal life. If you put yourself in Vitor Belfort's place, you can't help but feel confused and awkward, as the whole situation he is going trough, with his sister missing and on verge of getting his so awaited title shot, against a man who soundly beat him years ago and trying to prove he doesn't need the backup of a established MMA team to succeed, could very well be the storyline of a movie. However, we're in real life and so far Vitor has been taking the bull by the horns and showing amazing mental strength in what can also be his ultimate moment of glory. Before January is over we will find out the answers to those questions, and hopefully and most importantly, we'll find the answer to Belfort's family's hearts as we're still believing in the finding of his sister, and this reporter is eager to be able to write about those happy news. Meanwhile, the MMA world is presenting us with plenty of action in the Brazilian scene, as January will end with a great UFC show, and February will bring us action from PRIDE in Japan, fulfilling the tastes of all MMA fans worldwide. With a lot of action ahead next month, training has been tough in the Brazilian camps such as Chute Boxe and Brazilian Top Team. We'll address this matters in this edition of "The Beat", as well as some more tidbits about the game, cause FCF insists in providing the rhythm as the beats are really going down in the academies at this time of year, in the best and most aggressive Brazilian style. Enjoy!
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From the event's promoter: Card For Florida Has International Flavor Absolute Fighting Championships #7 Friday, February 27th, 2004 // War Memorial, Ft Lauderdale, Florida Doors Open: 6:30 pm / Fight Start: 7:30 pm BEST PRICE ON TICKETS ANYWHERE: GOLD CIRCLE: $35.00 / RINGSIDE: $25.00 - $35.00 / GENERAL ADMISSION: $15.00 'We have teams from Finland, Sweden, Japan and France coming to Florida for matches, and the Florida teams are stepping up for some hard fights' begins matchmaker Miguel Iturrate. The three main events feature the American TOP TEAM defending the home turf against a team of Japanese fighters. 'Izuru Takeuchi and Takuya Wada are formerly with SHOOTO and now with Pancrase - they are high ranked, veteran fighters with excellent records, and they represent BIG step up fights for Marcel Ferreira and Jorge Santiago.' explains the matchmaker. 'Takeuchi lost to ATT's Dustin Denes, and Ferreira is next for him. Santiago is coming off a loss at the last AFC and needs a win as well. These are pressure packed fights for both teams.' Returning from France will be up and comer Antony Rea, taking on Florida native Crafton 'Blaze' Wallace, a physical specimen who people can't wait to see fight! Scandinavians David Bielkheden and Sauli Heilimo will be cornered by European star Joachim Hansen for their matches. Heilimo, a skilled fighter, faces up and comer Carlo Prater, who trains at Yves Edwards Thugjitsu school in Houston, TX. Bielkheden takes on local favorite Charles McCarthy who is undefeated in AFC and looking to impress again upon his return to Florida. Also, making his MMA debut is Hugo Berto, son of Diesel Berto, who is a PRIDE judge and a legendary martial arts figure from Florida. One more match to be added. FEBRUARY 27th, 2004 - AFC #7 Card Subject To Change: 3 RDS / 185 LBS: Marcel Ferreira (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL.) v. Izuru Takeuchi (Pancrase, Tokyo, Japan) 3 RDS / 185 LBS: Jorge Santiago (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL.) v. Takuya Wada (Pancrase, Tokyo, Japan) 3 RDS / 155 LBS: Edson Diniz (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL) Hiroki Kotani (Tokyo, Japan) 2 RDS / 170 LBS: Thiago 'PITBULL' Alves (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL) v. Nuri Shakir (Team ELITE, NH) 2 RDS / 185 LBS: Charles McCarthy (Freestyle Fighting Academy, Miami, FL.) v. David Bielkheden (Team Scandinavia, Turku, Finland) 2 RDS / 205 LBS: Crafton 'Blaze' Wallace (Naples, FL.) v. Antony Rea (TOULOUSE, FRANCE) 2 RDS / 155 LBS: Gesias 'JZ' Calvancanti (American TOP TEAM, Ft Lauderdale, FL.) v. Justin Wisniewski (Duneland, Portage, IN) 2 RDS / 185 LBS: Efrain Ruiz (Freestyle Fighting Academy, Miami, FL) v. John Wood (Pires JJ, Las Vegas, NV) 2 RDS / 170 LBS: Sauli Heilimo (Team Scandinavia, Turku, Finland) v. Carlo Prater (Yves Edwards Thugjitsu, Houston, TX) 2 RDS / 155 LBS: Hugo Berto (Tiger's World, Orlando, FL) v. TBD |
| Thursday - January 22, 2004 |
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Held January 22, 2004 at Kourakuen Hall -Tokyo, Japan Results by Mark Ginther
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| Friday - January 23, 2004 |
From the event's promoter:
This is a fight card that you will not want to miss! The rematch of Boyd Ballard vs. Chris Leben for the USA Title! Two of the toughest 135lbers Jason Vellows vs. Joel Townsend for the WA State Title! The return of referee Joe Derobbio vs. tough Joel Pettit! Wrestler Brian Shaw takes on an aggressive fighter from Lacey Dustin Connor!Complete line up...
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| Saturday - January 24, 2004 |
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We announce FCF's 2003 Fighter of the Year!| Sunday - January 25, 2004 |
 J-Sect's Eastman, Pele victorious in first Florida King of The Cage Held January 24, 2004 - Sunrise, Florida Report and photos by Keith Mills Sunrise, FL -- It was a night of decisions as eight of thirteen fights ended in the judges' hands in King Of The Cage's first show in Florida.
The surprise of the night was Seth Petruzelli defeating Dan Severn, partly due to a powerful first round in which he actually got Dan's back. Eastman played arguably the most technical fight in his rematch against Vernon "Tiger" White while Jorge Santiago had the crowd cheering loudly in what was the most exciting fight of the night. Even with the cancellation of both the John Alessio and Erica Montoya fights, this card can only be viewed as a successful first run in the rapidly expanding Florida scene. Look for a full report in the next issue of Full Contact Fighter.
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Held January 24, 2004 Campbell High School Gym, Ewa Beach, Hawaii By Chris Onzuka ROH 2 consisted mostly of kickboxing matches, spiced up with five MMA matches. The crowd was filled with friends and families of the fighters, but it is steadily growing with each event. The action shown by most of the matches were fast paced. Fighters from smaller schools are getting much needed experience and you can see that their skills are growing with every fight. They are also being matched up with fighters of similar skill, making for even fights and good exchanges. Some of the highlights were the Piko-Oasay fight, where both fighters were unloading on each other for most of the fight until Piko landed an accidental low blow. That incident changed the direction of the fight and soon after, Piko was able to finish off Oasay. MMA fighter Jim Kikuchi stepped in for an injured teammate and had some great exchanges with Peter Kahananui before Kikuchi landed the blow that ended the match. Promoter Kai Kamaka's youngest son returned to the ring and had a great battle with another tough pint-sized warrior who shared the same name, Triston. The event was capped off by veterans from the 808 Fight Factory; Harris Sarmiento and Ron Jhun. Sarmiento just came off of a decision victory over Rob McCullough in WEC, but tonight it would be a kickboxing match against Alvin Ulip. Unfortunately, this match ended quickly due to Ulip injuring his knee. Ron Jhun took on Texan Andrew Chappelle in a MMA match in the main event. Chappelle showed good guard recovery, but Jhun controlled the whole match and pounded Chappelle for all three rounds on his way to a unanimous decision. Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X :45 seconds 80lbs Shawn Ahlo (Academia Casca Grossa de Jiu-Jitsu) def. Kawai Abregano (Ewa Beach Fight Club) TKO via referee stoppage in R1. Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 130lbs Exhibition Landen Bentogino (808 Fight Factory) vs. Hans Lee (Animal House) Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 51lbs Exhibition Tristin Kamaka (808 Fight Factory) vs. Triston Prebra (Ewa Beach Fight Club) Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 180lbs Teddy Piko (808 Fight Factory) def. Ryan Oasay (House of Pain ) TKO via verbal submission in R3. Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 165lbs Exhibition Jim Kikuchi (808 Fight Factory) def. Peter Kahananui (Ewa Beach Fight Club) KO in R2. Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 150lbs Exhibition Kaniala Stanton (Ewa Beach Fight Club) vs. Nick Corriera (Makakilo) Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 170lbs Daniel Devers (Freelance) def. Allan Ulip (Animal House) Unanimous decision [(30-28), (28-26), (29-24)] after 3 rounds. Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 155lbs Ben Rodrigues (Hawaii Self Defense) def. Royce Akiona (House of Pain) TKO via referee stoppage in R3. MMA - 2 Rounds X 3:00 minutes 145lbs Kevin Delima (Bulls Pen) def. Ivan Jennings (808 Fight Factory) Submission via rear-naked choke in R1. Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 180lbs Bryson "The Kid" Monterdre (808 Fight Factory) def. Shelton Gurerro (House of Pain) TKO due to Guererro not coming out for R3. MMA - 2 Rounds X 3:00 minutes 130lbs Gerald "G-Money" Arevalo (808 Fight Factory) def. Ikaika Silva (Animal House) TKO, Silva could not return for R2 due to injury. Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 140lbs Jr. Yacap (808 Fight Factory) def. Josh Baker (House of Pain) Unanimous decision [(29-26), (29-27), (29-27)] after 3 rounds. MMA - 2 Rounds X 3:00minutes 200lbs Alex Steverson (Freelance) drew Ryan Baqui (Kodenkan) Draw [(59-59), (59-59), (58-58)] after 2 rounds. Kickboxing - 3 Rounds X 1:00 minute 170lbs Harris Sarmiento (808 Fight Factory) def. Alvin Ulip (Animal House) TKO in R1 due to knee injury. MMA - 3 Rounds X 5:00 minutes 175lbs Ron "Machine Gun " Jhun (808 Fight Factory) def. Andrew Chappelle (Texas Powerhouse) Unanimous decision [(90-84), (90-87), (90-85)] after 3 rounds. |
| Tuesday - January 27, 2004 |
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From Dream Stage Entertainment: BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 ... FULL FIGHT CARD LOS ANGELES, California - The fight card for PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 is complete and headlining the event will be a team competition, pitting the Chute Boxe Team of Brazil (led by Wanderlei Silva) against Team Japan! BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 will take place on February 15th, 2004 from the Yokohama Arena in Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view on March 21st, 2004. BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 will feature a three-man team competition, as the Chute Boxe Team will be taking on Team Japan. Headed by reigning PRIDE FC World Middleweight Champion and 2003 Grand Prix Champion Wanderlei Silva, the Chute Boxe Team of Brazil is one of the most successful fight teams in the world. In his first match since winning the Middleweight Grand Prix title in November of 2003 (which included victories over Hidehiko Yoshida and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson on the same night), Silva will be taking on Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa of Japan. Minowa, now training with the Brazilian Top Team, is coming off a hard-fought loss to Quinton Jackson at SHOCKWAVE 2003. In the other team matches, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (the younger brother of Murilo "Ninja" Rua) will be taking on Japanese shoot fighter Akihiro Gono and up and coming Chute Boxe star Jadson Costa will compete against Takanori Gomi, who boasts an impressive record of 13-2 and fights out of the Kiguchi Dojo in Japan. Additional matches on the fight card include: Japanese legend Hayato "Mach" Sakurai against submission expert and rising star, Rodrigo Gracie ... the "Zen Master" Mario Sperry returns to take on a tough opponent in Mike "Batman" Bencic (representing Mirko "Crop Cop" Filipovic's Cro Cop Squad Gym) ... American star Chris "The Westside Strangler" Brennan makes his second BUSHIDO appearance, this time taking on PRIDE FC veteran Daiju Takase ... in a battle of veterans from the Rings organization, Yasuhito Namekawa of Japan faces Egidijus Valabicius of Lithuania ... and finally Ryuki Ueyama of the U-File camp will take on a yet to be announced opponent. PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 Fight Card: Chute Boxe (Brazil) vs. Team Japan Wanderlei Silva (Brazil) vs. Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa (Japan) Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (Brazil) vs. Akihiro Gono (Japan) Jadson Costa (Brazil) vs. Takanori Gomi (Japan) Additional Matches: Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (Japan) vs. Rodrigo Gracie (Brazil) Mario Sperry (Brazil) vs. Mike "Batman" Bencic (USA) Daiju Takase (Japan) vs. Chris Brennan (USA) Yasuhito Namekawa (Japan) vs. Egidijus Valabicius (Lithuania) Ryuki Ueyama (Japan) vs. TBA (Fight Card Subject to Change) PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 2 will premiere on North American pay per view through iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, Bell Express Vu, and Viewer's Choice on Sunday, March 21st, 2004. The premiere time is 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST and the count down show is at 8:30pm EST, 5:30pm PST. The event will be available at a reduced rate of $19.95. For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider. |
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From the event's promoter: March 13, 2004 // EUPHORIA ENTERTAINMENT 'Mixed Martial Arts 'RUSSIAN INVASION' Trump Taj Mahal 1000 Boardwalk at Virginia Avenue Atlantic City, NJ 08401 For more information call: (609) 449-1000 or (800) 825-8888 American TOP TEAM's Jeff Monson is just one of the fighters stepping up to take on the Russian Team. Monson will face Russian M-1 Champion Roman Zenstov in Atlantic City, NJ. www.ticketmaster.com key word 'Russian Boxing' 'We have an American Team to defend the homeland!' states matchmaker Miguel Iturrate. 'We have members of the American TOP TEAM, Team AKA, Strasser's Freestyle Academy, Team Renzo Gracie and Team Extreme. Russia is sending 10 top fighters from their famed RED DEVIL Team, including heavyweight champion Roman Zentsov and superstar Andrei Semenov, among others. The American Team looks to be up for the challenge, and Trumps' Taj Mahal casino, with it's famous 'ARENA' that seats nearly 5000, will play host to Euphoria's MMA event. This event is one not one to miss for the MMA fans.' The complete card appears below! Card Subject To Change / Pending Approval from NJ State Licensing:
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| Wednesday - January 28, 2004 |
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Garcia reigns supreme yet again in Brazil! By Eduardo Alonso This past weekend, in the city of Campos, located near Rio de Janeiro, the 3rd edition of the already prestigious and traditional submission wrestling tournament took place, bringing together some of the best athletes Brazil has to offer in this sport. The athletes were competing for generous prize money and glory in what can be called the most important tournament of its kind in the country. With famous fighters, including plenty of MMA veterans, taking part in all weight divisions, the action-packed show was held in an arena located on the beach, guaranteeing a great view for all involved. Out of all the weight divisions, one fighter shined above the rest, proving once again he is the very best at his job right now, beating everybody that was thrown in front of him. After winning last year's up-to-76kg division at the ADCC World Submissions Wrestling tournament in Brazil, where he defeated the likes of Renzo Gracie and Vitor Shaolin Ribeiro, Marcelo Garcia wanted to test his skills once again taking part in the up-to-87kg division (not his regular weight) of the Campos tournament, just to tear the competition apart and submit all three of his opponents, being literally a nightmare on everybody's back in the tournament! As if this was not enough, Garcia entered the Absolute division, and the little guy took home that title as well, scoring several points on the heavy fighters and defeating UFC veteran Renato Babalu Sobral in the final! The superfight of the show saw MECA veteran Rodrigo Riscado defeating UFC veteran Alexandre "Cafe" Dantas in a heated match that included a feud between the two fighters, causing Riscado to win by advantage, after a 2-2 tie in points, due to a foul committed by Dantas. Here are the top results of each division: Up to 65kg: Champion: Rodrigo Damm (Alliance) Runner up: Anderson Pereira (WFC) Up to 76kg: Champion: Leonardo Peçanha (Nova Uniao) Runner up: Suyan Queiroz (BTT) Up to 87kg: Champion: Marcelo Garcia (Alliance) Runner up: Talles Leite (Nova Uniao) Up to 105kg: Champion: Gabriel Napao (Gold Team) Runner up: Andrezao (Nova Uniao) Absolute: Champion: Marcelo Garcia (Alliance) Runner up: Renato Babalu (Gracie Barra) Superfight: Rodrigo Riscado (Nova Uniao) defeated Alexandre Cafe Dantas (Gracie Barra) |
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| Thursday - January 29, 2004 |
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From Joe Cunliffe: Recently, Joe Priole was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma. This form of cancer attacks the Lymphatic System, the disease fighting network that is spread throughout the body. About 54,000 cases are diagnosed annually in the United States and each year it accounts for approximately 24,000 deaths (50%) in the US.
In honor of Joe's good will and big heart, his family and friends have put together a Fantastic Event to raise funds for the treatments to save his life! Joe Priole, Jr. Cancer Fund Benefit Dinner Place: The Coliseum in Voorhees, NJ Date: Friday, March 12, 2004 Time: 7:30PM till Midnight Minimum Donation: $75.00 per Ticket Ticket Price Includes Hors d'oeuvres, Dinner, Open Bar and Live Music. Your help is needed. If you are unable to attend, donations can be made to: Joe Priole Cancer Fund 528 Mt. Laurel Road Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 Joe is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. His credentials as a person and a martial artist are endless. Joe is a World BJJ Brown Belt Masters Champion and fought Vernon "Tiger" White at Ken Shamrock's Mega Fight Show in Atlantic City, NJ. Please keep Joe and his family and friends in your prayers. Check out http://www.wantjoepriole.info |
| Friday - January 30, 2004 |
 Fans Come Out In "Supernatural" Force For UFC 46 Weigh-Ins By Loretta Hunt Fans, fans, and more fans came out of the woodwork today to witness the official UFC 46 weigh-ins held at the RA Nightclub in the Luxor Hotel & Casino. By the time the doors opened to the public at 1 pm, the line of UFC supporters had reached a most impressive size, so large that some hopefuls had to be turned away. No fighter was immune to the unending requests for snapshots and autographs, and all of tomorrow night's combatants handled the extra attention wholeheartedly. By the time the fighters made it to the stage, the room was positively packed to the gills. Under the microscope due to recent personal events in his homeland of Brazil, Vitor Belfort put on a brave face for the happenings, even smiling from time to time as he sported Scooby Doo boxers on the scales. Belfort weighed in on the dot at 205 pounds. He'll challenge light-heavyweight champion Randy Couture tomorrow night, who sneaked in just under the requisite weight at 204 pounds. "The Natural" received both the loudest and warmest ovation of any other fighter for his efforts. Weight division jumper BJ Penn must have gotten the same memo as Belfort regarding weigh-in apparel. But, his colorful SpongeBob SquarePants were in direct opposition to the Hawaiian's mood -- sober and focused, with almost a twinge of anger. Coming in at 169 pounds, fans will notice a less-sculpted competitor than what they've seen in Penn's lightweight fights. 5-Time defending welterweight champ Matt Hughes has had no quarrels in expressing his disdain for Penn's move up to his division. His face told that story as he jumped onto the scales to weigh in at 170 even. The only discrepancy for today came with the proposed swing match between welterweights Carlos Newton and Renato "Charuto" Verissimo. It seems that Canadian Newton had some visa problems this week, delaying his deliverance to Sin City till late last night. Due to these circumstances, the UFC suggested Newton and Verissimo re-sign bout agreements to fight at 175 pounds. According to Zuffa officials, Verissimo was made aware of the situation last night, and agreed upon the new weight. Subsequently, the 6"1' BJ Penn teammate weighed in at 174.5 pounds. Always-cheery Newton was the very last competitor to make it to the scales, coming in at 175 pounds. Heavyweight showboater Wes Sims seemed to bask in all the hoopla today. The 6'10" giant stands out wherever he goes, and has really blossomed as a character for the promotion. On the scales, the extrovert weighed in at 239 pounds. At the polar end of the spectrum, opponent Mir sat unobtrusively in the very last row till called to the stage, where he came in at 249 pounds. When the two squared-off for their staredown, Mir tried not to play into Sim's game, turning away from the Hammer House protégé at the first possible opportunity before Sims was ready to separate. This caused a small fit of laughter from the crowd. Since their first clash at UFC 43, speculation has surrounded this bout from numerous angles. Was Mir in trouble before Sims performed the illegal slam that cost him the match? Was it just a matter of time before Sim's resilience petered out and Mir could secure the bout-ending submission? Hopefully, all answers will be made clear tomorrow night.
Another East Coaster hoping to make a good showing tomorrow night is New Yawker Matt "The Terror" Serra. A former welterweight entry, Serra tipped the scales at 154.5 pounds. Expect Serra to be a least ten to fifteen pounds heavier when he makes the walk down the ramp tomorrow night. This might stack the cards in favor for the Terror, for last-minute replacement opponent Jeff Curran usually fights at 145 pounds. Curran came in at 154 pounds today, respectively, and boasts a Pedro Sauer Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt to match Serra's Renzo Gracie top ranking. It's a shame that the impending match-up between lightweights Josh "the Punk" Thomson and Hermes Franca is not slated to be televised this Saturday. This writer has predicted it the fight of the night for a plethora of reasons. Thomson is a monster in all aspects of the game and Franca has enough heart to fill two fighters. This bout should have plenty of steak and sizzle. Thomson and Franca both weighed in at 155 pounds. Judo-infused welterweight Karo Parisyan says he cut an extra three ounces to allow for his hair gel. His calculations paid off as he came in at 169 pounds. Canadian newcomer George St. Pierre surprisingly came in at 167.5 pounds, for he is known to be one of the "heavier" welterweights out there. He'll need all the strength (and finesse) he can muster tomorrow night to not succumb to one of Parisyan's unconventional transitions. Fans are hoping Parisyan delivers the same kind of magic that made him such a hit at UFC 44.  Click here to see UFC 46 weigh-in photos |
Jeff Curran Takes A Chance At UFC 46 When you find out you'll be fighting one of the biggest fights of your life in ten days, just what do you do? For UFC 46's last-minute entry Jeff Curran, it's not so much what you do, but how much you can fit in before you have to board that plane for Las Vegas. Welcome to the glamorous side of professional fighting. There's the physical examinations; the hepatitis and HIV tests; the most convenient optical once-over, complete with its dilation testing that can blind you for hours; not to mention the endless calls from your out-of-state manager to make sure you've faxed off the requisite papers necessary to fight within the Nevada State Athletic Commission's jurisdiction. "When you're in a hurry," Curran relates, "you gotta take any appointment you can get and everything has to fall around it." 
With the clock ticking away, so has been the way of Curran's life these last five days, with the paperwork a necessary evil that seems to keep him further and further away from the gym and his training. "I still got my training in," when asked if he's actually had a moment to even dwell on his impending battle with lightweight Matt "the Terror" Serra. " I'm not saying I didn't. It just wasn't a smooth ride."Bumpy journeys seem to be the norm among most professional fighters, but Curran has never been one to dwell on the negative. Even when his mother pulled him out of the local karate program after his older brother didn't want to go anymore, Curran still found a way to express his innate love for the combat arts. He snuck private boxing lessons with his grandfather, a pugilist in his military days, until his mother found out and quickly put that to an end as well. Mommy eventually acquiesced, though, letting her son join the high school wrestling team with the compromise that he wouldn't get hit in the face. Curran also took up karate again in a church basement, before transitioning over to the world of ground fighting when he happened upon a class. Like a game of telephone, the Gracie techniques were passed down to the future fighter through teachers that had attended the Gracie seminars. Curran didn't look back and today, those teachers are now his students. With the death of his father at the early age of 40, the 18-year old immersed himself in training. A thirst for knowledge eventually led the eager student to Professor Pedro Sauer, a man who would become Curran's mentor and inspiration. As Curran accelerated through Sauer's system, local interest began to grow in the little warehouse where Curran had set up shop. With no one around to tell Curran that a 19-year old can't open his own gym and start schooling others, the affable Illinois native did just that. The Linxx Academy of Martial Arts was born. Click here to continue reading |
| Saturday - January 31, 2004 |
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By Loretta Hunt It's hard to judge UFC 46's merits on its main event, because despite an abrupt and unfortunate occurrence that saw the UFC light-heavyweight belt change hands in the final moments, the night was an extremely entertaining one for the 11,405 in attendance. The fans were game, the stars turned out, and the night seemed to buzz along with one shocking outcome after another. From brawler Lee Murray's submission to jiu-jitsu guru Frank Mir's knockout of relentless juggernaut Wes Sims, unpredictability was the way of the day. But, jumping up from the lightweight division, Penn pulled off the upset of them all with a first round choke over champion Matt Hughes.
Here's the rundown: Not much can be said for Randy Couture and Vitor Belfort's 49-second rematch. With a missed kick and a punch by Couture, Belfort returned fire with a lightening-fast left hook. The punch (and more substantially, Belfort's glove) grazed the eye of light-heavyweight champion Randy Couture, who quickly clinched and pushed his aggressor against the fence. But, something was very wrong as Couture squinted and tried to stabilize for a takedown that never came. The fight was halted for medical officials, but the monitors told it all. With a ripped eyelid, Couture could not continue, forfeiting the match as well as the belt to Belfort in one fell swoop. Couture had to be rushed to the hospital for stitches.
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