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| Thursday - July 1, 2004 |
From Dream Stage Entertainment: BRAZILIAN TOP TEAM VS. JAPAN FOR BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 LOS ANGELES, California - The fight card for PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 has been assembled and will feature Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Dean "The Boogey Man" Lister, Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, and a team match between the Brazilian Top Team and Team Japan. BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 will take place from the Nagoya Rainbow Hall in Nagoya, Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view for customers of iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, and TVN on Sunday, July 25th, 2004 at 3:00pm EST, 12:00pm PST (please check each respective carrier for later evening replays). For customers of DISH Network, the premiere will be Sunday, August 1st, 2004 at 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST. The first match on the card features Croatia's Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic against Japanese fighter Shungo Oyama. Looking to re-position himself among the elite heavyweights, "Cro Cop" has re-dedicated himself to his mixed martial arts career and is looking to begin the road to title contention once again. His last two victories have been at BUSHIDO (a TKO win over Norihisa Yamamoto at VOLUME 2 and a decision win over Hiromitsu Kanehara at VOLUME 3) and now he faces PRIDE FC veteran and Judo practitioner Shungo Oyama. Also, scheduled to make his PRIDE FC debut is Dean "The Boogeyman" Lister. Training out of San Diego, California, Lister is a former King of the Cage middleweight champion and winner of the absolute division of the Abu Dhabi Submission Championships. His first PRIDE FC match will be a difficult challenge as he faces Amar Suleov of Russia. A member of the Red Devil Sport Club, Suleov boasts a strong wrestling and kickboxing game and is a veteran of the UFC. In addition to these matches, BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 will feature the Brazilian Top Team versus Team Japan. One of the elite fight teams in the world (team members include Mario Sperry, Murilo Bustamante and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira), the Brazilian Top Team will send representatives Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (twin brother of Rodrigo), Paulo Filho, and Fabio Mella. In a revenge match, Nogueira will face the prized protégé of Hidehiko Yoshida, Kazuhiro Nakamura, who is 3-1. Nakamura's only loss---to Nogueira back at PRIDE FC 25 BODY BLOW. In another revenge match, Akira Shoji will attempt to avenge his arm bar loss to Paulo Filho (the two faced off originally at PRIDE FC 22 BEASTS FROM THE EAST 2). In the final match, Fabio Mella will make his PRIDE FC debut, taking on one of the best middleweights in the world in Takanori Gomi (15-2). This is just the beginning of stellar fight card! PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 Fight Card Brazilian Top Team vs. Team Japan Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (Brazil) vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japan) Paulo Filho (Brazil) vs. Akira Shoji (Japan) Fabio Mello (Brazil) vs. Takanori Gomi (Japan) Additional Matches: Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (Croatia) vs. Shungo Oyama (Japan) Dean Lister (USA) vs. Amar Suloev (Russia) Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (Japan) vs. TBA Ikuhisa Minowa (Japan) vs. Kenichi Yamamoto (Japan) Dokonjonosuke Mishima (Japan) vs. Marcos Aurelio (Brazil) Hiroyuki Abe (Japan) vs. Luis "Buscape" Firminho (Brazil) Kyosuke Sasaki (Japan) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (Japan) (Fight Card Subject to Change) BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 will take place from the Nagoya Rainbow Hall in Nagoya, Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view on Sunday, July 25th, 2004 at 3:00pm EST, 12:00pm PST for customers of iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, and TVN (please check each respective carrier for later evening replays). For customers of DISH Network, the premiere will be Sunday, August 1st, 2004 at 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST. The event will be available at a reduced rate of $19.95. For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider. |
| Friday - July 2, 2004 |
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Lawler Tries Middleweight On For Size, Opponent Jhun Revisits Roots By Loretta Hunt
"I think it will be better on my body," the former welterweight said of his recent decision to jump classes. "When I go down to 170, I'm a little too lean and I don't think it's good on my joints, so I'm gonna see what it feels like at 185." Breaking onto the scene back at UFC 37 with an inspiring three round stand-up display against veteran Aaron Riley, Lawler impressed fans early on with his "caution to the wind" fighting style. He matched that performance with brutal back-to-back knockouts of Steve Berger and Tiki Ghosn at UFC's 37.5 and 40, before succumbing to kickboxer Pete Spratt at UFC 42. Sustaining a groin injury that shelved the aggressive fighter for seven months, Lawler returned at UFC 45 with a decision win over Chris Lytle. Coming off a second round knockout loss to Nick Diaz at UFC 46, the Iowan brawler insists that neither this nor the fact that fellow Miletich Martial Arts teammate and former champion Matt Hughes remains at welterweight had any bearing on the move. "That had nothing to do with it," the 8-2 fighter says, adding, "We wouldn't do that [fight each other]. We don't get paid enough." Although he hasn't set his sights on any middleweights in particular, 21-11- 2 Jhun will get the first crack at the Miletich standout who says he walks around at 185 to 192 pounds naturally. "I'm game," Jhun excitedly commented about his impending UFC debut. "A lot of guys tell me wow, he's kind of dangerous. But, you know what? I would have been fighting Robbie [at welterweight] anyway, but I don't think he wants to fight at 170, because I heard he has to lose a lot of weight." A former middleweight himself, Jhun has spent the last two years in the 170 pound division locking horns with UFC vets like Shonie Carter and Dennis Hallman. "It wasn't like I was forced into fighting at 185," Jhun says of his recent assignment. "They offered it to me, and I thought it was a big opportunity." However, if all goes well, Jhun says he will look to secure a welterweight match-up next. |
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The Brazilian Beat: We're sailing through the year of 2004 and as we enter the month of July the second half of our run has already started. As one might guess, all the focus in Brazil is now geared towards Pride Bushido 4, mostly on the Brazilian Top Team camp as the team is having an extremely busy period, with almost all of their professional fighters competing in shows everywhere. Well, since the very end of May BTT had two fighters at Jungle Fight 2, two fighters at Meca 11, two fighters at the last Pride show, five fighters at Gladiator FC in Korea and will now feature four fighters at Pride Bushido 4! Pretty impressive if you ask me, and with Rodrigo Minotauro preparing for his tough task ahead at the final leg of the Pride Heavyweight GP, training is going berserk in the academy. Because of that, most of this column is dedicated to news regarding the Brazilian Top Team, as lots of things are taking place in Rio de Janeiro. However, this is not all, winter has brought more than cold for Brazil as plenty of minor MMA shows are giving fighters a chance to keep active, and, as always, we'll report on that and a bit more, so pick-up your blanket and fight the cold of the strange Brazilian winter as FCF warms things up with a melodious Beat straight from Brazil!
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| Sunday - July 4, 2004 |
 Happy Independence Day! |
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"Demolition" & "Total Elimination 2003" Pre-order now! Arriving in less than 10 days! 
PRIDE FC 21 "Demolition"Single Disc Fight Card:
PRIDE FC "Total Elimination 2003"Fight Card: Tournament Matches:
(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 |
| Tuesday - July 6, 2004 |
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From Pancrase: We, Pancrase organization, feel very sorry to inform you that our first event in Korea on Saturday, July 17th which is called "2004 World Pancrase Series in Seoul" was cancelled due to the Korean promoter, July Media Co., Ltd.'s contractual issue. First, payment of fighters purse from them delayed one month and over and it is still unpaid until now. Also they made us a request to reduce the total amount of fighters purse even though they have already agreed upon and signed on the contract. Furthermore, they finally had adjourned the confirmed event date. Finally they made their final decision to cancel the event and they notified us dated July 2nd. Although we had negotiated with them to find any solution of the above matters day after day, finally agreement was not reached. Their requests are not acceptable for us to secure all fighter's fight schedule and purse. When we attended the official press conference on June 24th in Korea to announce all match-ups, we received a hearty welcome from many people who is doing fight business out there, reporters, and fight fans. We never forget their hospitality and we would try our best to hold Pancrase event in Korea as soon as possible. We are pleased to consider all fighters from Korea, Japan, America, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa who lined up on the card for future Pancrase event in Japan. Best regards, Masami Ozaki President World Pancrase Create, Inc. |
| Wednesday - July 7, 2004 |
From the event's promoter: DANGER ZONE FIGHT NIGHT SERIES CONTINUES Call (517) 278-4908 and reserve your seats today! The reserved tables can be paid for either in advance or at the door. We need to make sure you give us an accurate count on your party. Saturday July 24th come to the 101 Lounge in Angola, IN and watch the action live. We would like to you to the most exciting sport on the planet. This is the bedrock of mixed martial arts fighting. We have assembled the best rules and regulations, equipment, officials, and together with various state agencies, have created The Danger Zone Mixed Martial Arts Production. The Danger Zone was formed by Dan "The Beast" Severn, the only triple crown Ultimate Fighting Champion. Severn has a tremendous reputation in the sport as a fighter and is now bringing his knowledge of the promotion area to the United States. The Danger Zone is an event where two athletes of different disciplines may be able to display their skills against one another. This event puts competitors in their proper weight classes, skill level, and promotes sportsmanship through competition. This type of competition is intense, a physical and psychological chess match. You can no longer be a one-dimensional athlete. You must be well versed in the combination of wrestling, Judo, Sombo, Jui Jitsu and the stand up arts: Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, karate, Tae Kwan do and Kung Fu. There is never a dull moment in the action of this sport. The matches start on their feet where a KO or TKO can end a match. If there is a clinch, the action doesn’t stop there. They are headed to the ground where the match may be ended with a submission, joint manipulation, KO or TKO! Dan Severn has been involved in this type of competition since the sport began in 1994. Some of the titles that this world class athlete holds are: International Fighting Champion, Super Brawl Champion, USWF Champion, U-Japan Superfight Champion, and Tough man champion along with being the only Triple Crown winner in the UFC history. With this background and knowledge of the game, Severn hopes to bring The Danger Zone to new heights in the sport today. Thank you, Dan "The Beast" Severn |
From the event's promoter:
What: Soljah Presents: Soljah Fight Night Weigh-in
When: Thursday, July 8 2:00 p.m.
Where: Hard Rock Cafe
1837 Kapiolani Boulevard
Who: Soljah Fight Night Competitors
Honolulu Before the first fist is thrown at Soljah Presents: Soljah Fight Night A Shooto Double World Championship, the weigh-in for the highest caliber of mixed martial arts fighters seen in Hawaii will be taking place on Thursday, July 8 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hard Rock Cafe.Nearly 20 fighters, including 2 Shooto World Champions (Masanori Suda and Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro) and local fighters Ray "Bradda" Cooper and Stephen "Bozo" Paling will be weighed in to certify their eligibility to fight on Friday night at Soljah Fight Night A Double Shooto World Championship. Tickets for the event are currently on sale and may be purchased at the Neal Blaisdell Arena Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations 877-750-4400. Shooto is a contemporary martial art developed in Japan during the early 1980s. Hawaii-based Soljah Clothing Company has been producing innovative and eye-catching surf apparel since 1992. Soljah Clothing products can be found in Oahu at Macy¹s in Ala Moana Center and Pearlridge Center, Sera¹s Surf and Shore, Turbo Surf Hawaii, Koa Boardsports, Hale Nalu Surf & Bike, Tropical Rush and RV¹s. On the Neighbor Islands, Soljah clothing may be purchased at all Sears locations. |
| Thursday - July 8, 2004 |
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Awaits New Opponent By Loretta Hunt 
Rumors make the MMA world go 'round, but Ron "the Machine Gun" Jhun is hoping one particular weed of gossip will get trampled as quickly as it has sprouted up. Despite the confirmed news that opponent Robbie Lawler has withdrawn from his upcoming bout with Jhun due to a recurring rib injury aggravated in training, the experienced 21-11-2 Hawaiian rep says he's still on the roster for August 21st's UFC 49, pending a new adversary to be announced."I got some bad news," Jhun recounted from UFC matchmaker Joe Silva's recent phone conversation with the UFC's newest middleweight entry. "Don't worry, your still fighting, but Robbie's out." After word had gotten back to Jhun that he himself had been injured, the Hawaiian says he wasn't surprised by the development and continues to train at full speed. Earning his nickname for his fast and aggressive hands in the cage, Jhun seemed a game opponent for fellow brawler and Miletich Martial Arts fighter Robbie Lawler, and even though the Hawaiian has grown accustomed to fighting at welterweight for the last two years, he eagerly took the opportunity at middleweight. A replacement for Lawler has yet to be suggested, yet Jhun anticipates the bout to remain at 185 pounds in observation of the promotion's current efforts to build up that weight division. "I'm always ready for whoever they put in front of me," the construction worker by day comments. "In this sport, you have to accept all challenges." |
| Saturday - July 10, 2004 |
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"Hawaii & Japan vs. the World!" Held July 9th, 2004 - Neal Blaisdell Arena Results by Chris Onzuka Photography by Keith Mills Arguably the most talent-laden fight card to ever grace Hawaii, Shooto, under the guise of the title "Soljah Fight Night," returned to Hawaii. Hawaii has had many great MMA cards, but this may be the best card talent-wise due to hosting two current Shooto champions fighting top ranked contenders and crowning a third champion. Unfortunately they planned on a fourth champ, but perennial champ, Alexandre "Pequeno" Nogueira's match fell through due to visa problems.
This event was highly anticipated for Hawaii fans as it includes some of Hawaii's best fighters and match-ups that have fight fans' interest piqued. The event delivered a ton of action. From Dave Yeung's quick knockout of Jim Kikuchi, which ended with Kikuchi punching the referee by mistake to Ed Newalu and Kyle Takao going at each other for all three rounds.
The battle of the heavy hitters in Moreno and Dean was expected to be a slugfest, but it turned out to be more of a grappling match. A couple of the fighters that flew in to hopefully jump up to the next level of their fight career with a win is the always tough Bao Quach and ATT's Dustin Denes. Both fighters stood to gain tons of notoriety with a win over Sato and Sudo respectively. However Quach found out how dangerous Sato's submissions are and Denes received a gift of a majority draw.
Jens Pulver vs. Stephen "Bozo" Paling was expected to be a striking war and it was. Paling threw everything but the kitchen sink, while Pulver showed how dangerous fundamental boxing technique and a heavy left hand can be.
The main event started out action packed with Shields and Cooper exchanging positions, until Shields was able to capitalize on a mistake when Cooper allowed Shields to secure a modified back mount and slip in a rear-naked. Shields claimed the vacant Shooto Middleweight title.
On top of an incredible card, Shooto wanted to give back to the local community, so they partnered up with the Hawaii National Guard's Youth Challenge. Youth Challenge is a boot camp styled school for a lot of teens that took the wrong path in life. For many of the kids, this is their last chance to obtain their GED (high school equivalency diploma) and get their life back on track before it is too late. There is nothing like a great event supporting a great cause. It was a great night of fights and a fight fan's dream with so many MMA fighters at the Blaisdell Arena. B Class: Light Heavyweight 2R Sydney Silva (Brazilian Freestyle) def. Sean "Tornado" Taylor (Grappling Unlimited) Submission due to arm triangle choke at 4:57 into R1. B Class: Welterweight 2R David Yeung (HMC, Hawaii) def. Jim Kikuchi (808 Fight Factory, Hawaii) KO (kick to the head) at 0:15 into R1. B Class: Featherweight 2R Ed Newalu (808 Fight Factory, Hawaii) def. Kyle Takao (HMC, Hawaii) Majority decision [(19-19), (20-19), (20-19)] after 2 rounds. B Class: Middleweight 2R Mark "El Toro" Moreno (Bulls Pen, Hawaii) def. PJ Dean (Freelance, Hawaii) Submission due to rear-naked choke at 3:09 into R2. A Class: Lightweight 3R Rumina Sato (K'z Factory, Japan) def. Bao Quach (Team Oyama, California) Submission via armbar at 3:03 into R1. A Class: Welterweight 3R Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro (Nova Uniao, Shooto Welterweight Champion, Brazil) def. Mitsuhiro Ishida (Tops, Japan) Unanimous decision [(30-27), (30-26), (30-26)] after 3 rounds. A Class: Lightweight 3R Jens Pulver (Miletich Fighting Systems, #6 ranked in Shooto, USA) def. Stephen "Bozo" Paling (Jesus is Lord, #3 ranked in Shooto, Hawaii) KO via kick to the head at 1:47 into R3. A Class: Shooto Light Heavyweight World Title Fight Masanori Suda (Club J, Shooto Light Heavyweight and Super Brawl World Champion, Japan) drew Dustin "Clean" Denes (American Top Team, #1 ranked in Shooto, USA) Majority draw [(29-28), (30-30), (29-29)] after 3 rounds. A Class: Shooto Middleweight World Title Fight Jake Shields (Cesar Gracie, #1 ranked in Shooto, USA) def. Ray "Bradda" Cooper (#2 ranked in Shooto, Hawaii) Submission due to rear-naked choke at 3:29 into R1. *Jake Shields becomes the Shooto Middleweight Champion. |
| Sunday - July 11, 2004 |
 Give Us Your Thoughts... This month, we'd like your thoughts on the recent UFC and Pride events (UFC 48 & Pride Critical Countdown) and/or the upcoming UFC 49 and Pride Grand Prix shows. You may also feel free to discuss anything else on your mind that has to do with MMA ... contoversies, potential match-ups ... anything. The survey results and some of the commentary we receive will appear in the July 2004 issue of FCF Click here to take the survey |
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 |
| Monday - July 12, 2004 |
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St. Pierre vs. Hughes? By Loretta Hunt 
23-year-old French Canadian fighter Georges St. Pierre has an important decision to make in the next few days. The talented welterweight, who made quite an impression on fans just three weeks ago with a sharp stand-up dismantling of opponent Jay Hieron at UFC 48, says he's been offered a fight with former champion Matt Hughes for the vacant UFC welterweight title sometime in October. No contracts have been signed, and although the 7-0 newcomer has voiced some reservations about facing off against such experienced 34-4-0 opposition so early on in his career, he also concedes it might be an opportunity to good to pass up.A 2nd degree black belt in Kyokushin Karate, as well as a black belt in Japanese Ju-Jitsu, St. Pierre is a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Nova Uniao's Wagnney Fabiano and Brazilian Top Team's Fabio Holanda. He has studied boxing and Muay Thai for the last year and a half and began wrestling with the Canadian National team three years ago. Nicknamed "Rush" for his explosive fighting style, St. Pierre currently trains alongside fellow MMA stands-outs David Loiseau and Ivan Menjivar. With a solid ground and pound debut against a tricky, judo-infused Karo Parisyan at UFC 46 paving the way for his return to the Octagon two shows later, St. Pierre has already displayed a promising range of skills. But, will it be enough for stalwart wrestler Hughes? "I have to establish a good strategy and train hard," the always-polite Quebec native commented of the proposed match-up. "I think that I'm going to do pretty well." |
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From the event's promoter: CombatZone 7: The Gravel Pit July 10, 2004 @ Club Lido, Revere, MA USKBA MMA US Light Heavyweight Championship Drew Ficket (Arizona Bombat Sports) WSDEC3 (30-28, 30-27, 28-29) Kenny Florian (BBJJ) USKBA MMA US Middleweight Championship Matt Lee (Team Elite) WUDEC3 (30-27, 30-27, 30-25) John Mahlow (Team MASH) USKBA MMA US Cruiserweight Championship Brendan Seguin (Team MASH) WTKO2 (2:53) Jay Jack (Renzo Gracie) Undercard Marcis Davis (Team Miletich) WTKO1 (1:33) Shaun Gay (VMAC) Joey Brown (Renzo Gracie) won by default Ricard Deborba (BMAC) Joe Lauzon (RSD) won by tapout (Rd. 1 - :41) Rinat Myrabekov (Renzo Gracie) David Medd (Dave Dayboll) won by no contest diue to injury Jim Gonzalez (BMAC) Lance Everson (Boneyard) WUDEC2 Dave Vitkay (Team MASH) Phillipe Nover (Rodrigo Gracie) Draw Jason Dublin (Close Range) Next Show: CombatZone 8, October 2, 2004 @ Club Lido, Revere (MA) |
| Thursday - July 15, 2004 |
BEST OF ADCC #1 DVDThis re-release features bonus never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage From ADCC 2003! It was the very first DVD produced for the MMA industry and was raw, but for historical purposes, the DVD is available again! FEATURES:
Regular price: $44.95 ... FCF Price $29.95! (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 |
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The Brazilian Beat: As cold continues to make its presence known during the Brazilian winter, in the coldest July the country has seen in years, the MMA scene manages to stay hot and present all sorts of action for the avid fight fans. Pride Bushido 4 next weekend continues to be the current favorite dish on everybody's menu, with the Brazilian Top Team army ready to conquer Japan. However, other happenings made sure there is a bit of everything for every taste, as a new "wave" of MMA shows are just around the corner in Brazil, and plans for international events in later months are already in the works. From established promotions, such as Heat, to new ones, such as Brazilian Challenger and Real Fight, and even international ones like the AFC, Brazil will have numerous shows in the coming months, and FCF has news from them all, plus training news from the top camps and tidbits from the international shows. So, enjoy summer in America and Europe, as this reporter freezes while FCF lights the fire and brings the beat straight from the uncharacteristically cold Brazil!
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On July 11th, the New York Post published a less-than complimentary (to say the least) article on the upcoming UFC reality show by columnist Phil Mushnick. UFC President Dana White was quick to respond to the piece. Here is a link to the original NY Post article. Below is a copy of the letter Dana sent to the editor of the tabloid:
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From the event's promoter: October Event Becoming More Defined! October 16th, 2004, Atlantic City, NJ 'Euphoria MFC is announcing our upcoming tournaments, scheduled to start in October,' states matchmaker Miguel Iturrate. The tournaments will crown Euphoria MFC Champions in the lightweight and heavyweight divisions. 'The first round matches are determined, but the 2nd round will be decided at the event,' states the matchmaker. Euphoria has added a CONTENDERS tournament at 155 lbs. that will run along side the CHAMPIONSHIP tournament at 155 lbs. 'At the end, you have a 3-0 fighter to face the newly crowned champion,' elaborates the matchmaker. 'One of our long term goals is to add structure, and with the current state of the game today, 155 lb. represented a BIG opportunity. There is a depth of talent there, and we think this series of tournaments will shine a light on that.' In the heavyweight division, a match between Ben Rothwell and Johnathan Wiezorek has been agreed upon as an alternate match. 'These are 2 young heavyweights with a lot of fights and potential. Rothwell is coming off some down time and a change in training, and Weez is coming off a disappointing UFC showing. Both are stepping up with something to prove,' states the matchmaker. In the heavyweight tournament, RED DEVIL will be sending Ibragim Magomedov in place of injured Sergei Kaznovski. The opponent will be MFC veteran Travis Wiuff. 'This is exciting, because Magomedov is coming off an 8 man tournament win in Holland, 3 fights in one day. Wiuff still gets no respect it seems, but he is on a HUGE roll -- these could be the two favorites in the tournament!' the matchmaker speculates. Much more to come on this series of events. All matches are subject to approval by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board. Card Subject to Change: FIRST ROUND - 8 MAN LIGHTWEIGHT CONTENDERS TOURNAMENT (146 to 155 LBS.): - Jay Ireland (Team TAP or SNAP, Detroit, MI) v. Kurt Pelligrino (Team Renzo Gracie, NYC, NY) - Darrell Smith (Animal House, Kokomo, IN) v. Henry Matamoros (Matamoros JJ, Milwaukee, WI) - Jorge Gurgel (Team Extreme, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) v. Keith Wilson (Team AKA, Denver, Colorado) - Ryan Schultz (Team Quest, Portland, OR) v. David Gaona (SHOOT Spain, Valencia, Spain) FIRST ROUND - 8 MAN LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT (146 to 155 LBS.): - Joachim Hansen (Team Scandinavia, Oslo, Norway) v. Sergei Golyaev (RED DEVIL, St. Petersburg, Russia) - Hermes Franca (ATT, Ft Lauderdale, FL) v. Phil Johns (Silverbacks, Canton, IL) - Yves Edwards (Thugjitsu, Houston, TX) v. Naoyuki Kotani (Rodeo Style, Tokyo, Japan) - Rich Clementi (Team Extreme, New Orleans, LA) v. Alberto Crane (Santa Fe JJ, Santa Fe, NM) |
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From Dream Stage Entertainment: GIANT SILVA ADDED TO BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 FIGHTCARD! LOS ANGELES, California - An additional match has been added to the BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 fightcard as Paulo Cesar "Giant" Silva will face Takashi Sugiura of Japan. Already previously announced are matches featuring Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, Dean "The Boogey Man" Lister, Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, and a team match between the Brazilian Top Team and Team Japan. BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 will take place from the Nagoya Rainbow Hall in Nagoya, Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view for customers of iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, and TVN on Sunday, July 25th, 2004 at 3:00pm EST, 12:00pm PST (please check each respective carrier for later evening replays). For customers of DISH Network, the premiere will be Sunday, August 1st, 2004 at 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST. Matches shown in ascending order: PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 Fight Card Brazilian Top Team vs. Team Japan Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (BTT) vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura (Yoshida Dojo) Fabio Mello (BTT) vs. Takanori Gomi (Kiguchi Dojo) Paulo Filho (BTT) vs. Akira Shoji (Free) Additional Matches: Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (Cro Cop Squad Gym) vs. Shungo Oyama (Free) Paulo Cesar "Giant" Silva (Free) vs. Takashi Sugiura (NOAH) Ikuhisa Minowa (Free) vs. Kenichi Yamamoto (Free) Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (Japan) vs. Brady Fink (Team Oyama) Dean Lister (City Boxing) vs. Amar Suloev (Red Devil Fight Club) Dokonjonosuke Mishima (Cobra Kai) vs. Marcos Aurelio (American Top Team) Bushido Challenge Matches: Hiroyuki Abe (AACC) vs. Luis "Buscape" Firminho Kyosuke Sasaki (U-File Camp) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (RJW-Central) (Fight Card Subject to Change) BUSHIDO VOLUME 4 will take place from the Nagoya Rainbow Hall in Nagoya, Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view on Sunday, July 25th, 2004 at 3:00pm EST, 12:00pm PST for customers of iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, and TVN (please check each respective carrier for later evening replays). For customers of DISH Network, the premiere will be Sunday, August 1st, 2004 at 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST. The event will be available at a reduced rate of $19.95. For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider. |
| Saturday - July 17, 2004 |
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It's finally time to boogie down in Japan for Dean Lister! By Eduardo Alonso Ever since he started dedicating himself to Martial Arts, Dean Lister's life has been always progressing as he continued to improve as a fighter and was always taking his time and measuring his steps with smarts and caution, making sure he would be in for a long and fruitful run, in a sport where a fighter can burn bridges as easily as one can count to three. His smart decisions, along with his grappling skills and physical strength, are probably his most impressive characteristic in the MMA game and now Lister is likely taking his most important step to date, landing in one of the biggest fighting promotions on earth, Pride! This coming weekend "The Boogey Man" Dean will take the magic he worked in the most diverse places in the past, such as the Brazilian mats in Abu Dhabi 2003, or the fearsome cage of KOTC, to the Pride Bushido Ring, facing probably the most dangerous striker he ever fought in Amar Suloev. Always in a good mood, the American fighter took his time to talk to FCF about this coming match-up, and several other matters on his career, just one day prior to his departure to the land of the rising sun. As Full Contact Fighter gets heated up for Pride Bushido 4, Dean Lister shares his thoughts on the fight game, enjoy! FCF: After you've reached your moment of glory winning the Abu Dhabi absolute division in 2003, you have been dedicating yourself to MMA. Will this be a trend from now on in your career? DL: I always try to train actions and positions that work in MMA and also are effective in grappling competitions. I just train more in Kickboxing and takedowns when I have a fight coming close. FCF: Over the course of your MMA career you have only fought at KOTC. How did you develop this relationship with the event, and why did this happen? Weren't you invited by other shows such as the UFC? DL: I have had many shows ask me to fight but I had a contract with King of the cage and they treated me well. I have had some tough opponents in the event and had a good chance to develop my personal style. FCF: Your last fight was a judges' decision loss to tough Jeremy Horn, at KOTC 31. What's your take on the decision, and what do you think you could've done better in that fight? DL: Jeremy Horn is a very tough and smart opponent and it was absolutely a very close fight, a big factor in my loss was the blood. I received an elbow, the first strike I received from Jeremy Horn in the fight, and it cut me badly. The blood loss took my strength from me, blinded me badly and didn't look good in the eyes of people watching the fight. I feel I won rounds 1 and 2, I lost round 3 and round 4 was close with me winning the end of the round. I only feel I win a fight if I finish my opponent so I don't feel I deserve the victory but I don't think of it as a loss, I think of the fight as being very close than most people know, after all one judge out of three gave me the decision, he felt I won the fight, but overall I let educated fans watch the fight and make their own decisions, but it was a great learning experience. |
| Monday - July 19, 2004 |
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Held July 19, 2004 Rainbow Hall - Nagoya, Japan PRIDE: Bushido 4 North American PPV premiere dates: iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, and TVN: Pay Per View Premiere: Sunday, July 25th, 2004 at 3:00pm EST, 12:00pm PST Count Down show: 2:30pm EST, 11:30am PST Price: $19.95 (Please check each respective carrier for later evening replays). DISH Network: Pay Per View Premiere: Sunday, August 1st, 2004 at 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST Count Down show: 8:30pm EST, 5:30pm PST Price: $19.95 |
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Alaska Fighting Championship Held July 14, 2004 in Anchorage, Alaska Lightweights Jimmy Gainey winner by ref. stopage 2:48 of 3rd. vs Nate Weiblans Rodney Rhoden Winner by Tap out :32 of 2nd round. vs. Eric Soellner Middleweights Craig Brow vs. Yoter Blalock Winner by KO :35 sec. of 1st round Jimmy Carswell winner by ref. stopage 2:12 of the 2nd round. vs. Heath Clark Shane Hatcher vs. Marcus Facine Winner :40 sec of first round fighter quits Heavyweights Ed Schultz Winner 1:39 of first round fighter quits vs. Joe Phipps Womens 135 lb class Linda Langerak vs. Jennifer Howe Winner, end of round 2 fighter quits Light-heavyweight Ralph Dillon vs. Rich Franklin Winner @ 2:55 of the first round by keylock. Jeremy Horn Winner @ 4:08 of first round , TKO ref. stoppage vs. Kyle Seals |
| Tuesday - July 20, 2004 |
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By Joe Hall Jake Shields recently completed his climb to the top of Shooto by submitting Ray Cooper and capturing the promotion's middleweight (167-pound) championship on July 9 in Hawaii. The bout for the vacant title brought revenge for Shields, who had dropped a majority decision to Cooper in August 2002. It also marked the culmination of Shields's undefeated run through the Shooto ranks that had begun in December 2002 with an upset win over Hayato Sakurai. FCF caught up with the new Shooto Middleweight Champion to get his thoughts on the bout, his opponents over the last two years and his Cesar Gracie teammates. FCF: Describe how the rematch against Ray Cooper played out from your perspective. Jake Shields: Basically, I came out and was trying to strike with him a little bit. I wanted to strike with him for a little while then take him down, but he ended up taking me down. I wasn't ready for that. I got caught off guard and then ended up sweeping him with a half guard sweep. He kind of scrambled back to his feet. Then I believe I took him down, passed his guard and ended up taking his back and choking him. I believe it took about three minutes. FCF: There have been some claims that you held on to the choke too long. Describe how the match ended from your view. JS: I put my head on one side and started choking him. He started tapping the mat on the other side, so I couldn't really feel what was going on. I felt that he was going out, but I couldn't feel him tapping and I didn't want any controversy. There's been several fights where someone doesn't tap or says they didn't tap and they have to restart it. I just wanted to end the fight. I didn't feel anyone tap. I stopped when I felt the ref. I mean, Cooper is somebody I have a lot of respect for, but I just wanted to finish the fight. Click here to continue the article |
| Wednesday - July 21, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: August 7, 2004 - Las Vegas, NV K-1 martial arts fighting will make its highly-anticipated return to Las Vegas, Nevada's Bellagio Hotel and Casino on Saturday, August 7th. Superstars Ray Sefo, Cung Le, Carter Williams, Dewey "The Black Kobra" Cooper, and "Big Daddy" Gary Goodridge are the first five competitors to be appointed to the "Battle At The Bellagio III" card, tickets for which will go on sale in less than a week. "Battle At The Bellagio III" will be highlighted by K-1's signature eight-man, single-elimination tournament as well as several, single "Superfights." Sefo, Le and Goodridge will compete in separate Superfights against opponents who have yet to be determined while Williams and Cooper will see action in the tournament. For each of the tournament competitors, the single-elimination playoff represents the final opportunity to qualify for a subsequent leg of competition that will take place on September 26th in Japan. Be the first to get your hands on the best seats in the house before they go on sale at the Bellagio box-office, call Geoff Moss at (310) 200-1942 or by email Geoff@k-1usa.net. |
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Now in Stock!
PRIDE FC "Total Elimination 2003"Fight Card: Tournament Matches:
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From the event's promoter: August 7, 2004 - Germany Kombat Komplett Promotor Christopher Robert signed the contracts for the venue of the Vale Tudo Events and thus decided for the arena Trier! The ARENA TRIER is one of the newest and biggest sport complexes in Germany with a total capacity of 4500 spectators places and with the modern'st technical equipment! This Hall is a popular location for liveshows of popstars and -groups like Udo Juergens - Meet Loaf - Die Fantastischen Vier etc. as well as mainly for the german federal basketball league! - For Kombat Komplett 1 are available two largeTV wall screens, on which the public can watching the Live Camera Pictures and the close-ups of the fights! - Tickets are offered in different categories like Gallery - Ringside - and VIP Tables! THE FIGHT CARD ...Subject to change! INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE FIGHT (-77 KG) Paul 'Hands of Stone' Jenkins (UK) Cage Rage, Xtreme Brawl, Cage Wars, Ultimate Combat vs. Daniel 'Junior' Weichel -Shoot Boxen - (GER) Shooto Japan, Xtreme Brawl, EVT, OC 2 INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE FIGHT (-84 KG) Lars 'Bad Boy' Besand - Skagen Fight Gym - (DK) Fight Back, Xtreme Brawl, Ultimate Combat, EVT ... vs. Miomir 'Miki' Vujovic - Fight Team Impakt - (L) French Champion Kickboxing, Loke & Choke Ulf 'Fenriz' Fritzmann (GER) Team Fenriz - Berlin vs. Nordin Asrih (GER) Taifun Luta Livre - Düsseldorf Marc Wisniewski (GER) Team Fenriz - Berlin vs. Sonny Nielsen (DK) Odense Advanced Fighting - Danmark Raouf Omar (GER) MMA A. Soppers vs. Tomas 'Xtreme' Schwegler (CH) City Fighting Zürich - Swiss Alex Wiebe (GER) Fight Center - Minden vs. Daniel Lecks (GER) Shoot Boxen - Wetzlar Mohamed Omar (GER) MMA A. Soppers vs. Dennis Siver (GER) Team Kiboju - Mannheim Sebastian 'Roockie' Korschilgen (GER) Team Fenriz - Berlin vs. Jesse-Björn Buckler (GER) IMAG - Berlin Stephan Holtmann (GER) Fight Center - Minden vs. Barbaros Arican (GER) Team Thaikido - Hamburg Nelson Siegert (GER) IMAG- Berlin vs. Michael Kryzyzk (GER) Shoot Boxen - Wetzlar Fatih Balci (GER) MMA A. Soppers vs. Michael Brandt (GER) IMAG- Berlin |
| Friday - July 23, 2004 |
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By Loretta Hunt
Going into its sixth season, Blind Date introduces the scenario in which strangers are paired up and followed through various engaging activities in the course of one day, in the hopes of sprouting a relationship. Some make "love connections" along the way, but the truly entertaining moments come when the couples just don't seem to click. Relocating to Las Vegas for the week, Date's cameras captured the fighters and their new companions in a host of locations. UFC 47 veteran Tiki Ghosn toured Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum before rustling up this date for some mechanical bull-riding, while lightweight standout Josh Thomson tried his hand at some indoor skydiving. Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia led his date through magician/comedian Amazing Jonathan's Funhouse, which hosts a collection of gadgets and optical illusions. Welterweight striker Pete Spratt and company were given a generous stipend to gamble at the Green Valley Ranch, one of eleven casinos owned by UFC proprietors Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, and on his date's own suggestion, heavyweight ham Wes Sims partied away with his gal at a Vegas strip club. All of the dates culminated with dinner and drinks, as well as the familiar dip in the hot tub for some, although Date reps were tight-lipped as to just who took the plunge. In total, each fighter spent 10 to 12 hours with his date. Click here to continue the article |
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From the event's promoter: Event: MODERN RINGSPORT Place: Clear Channel Metroplex, Little Rock, Arkansas Date: Saturday July 17th, 2004 Kickboxing: Spyder Eppley (LDMA) def. Tyler Mounts (Payne's Kickboxing) TKO 3rd Round Daniel Dring Jr (LDMA) def. Caleb Manry (Oudthone Muay Thai) Unanimous Decision Terri French (Bill Barton) def. Deanna Willis (McFann's Martial Arts) Unanimous Decision Kayla Oudthone (Oudthone Muay Thai) def Kanisha Washington (Boxing) Unanimous Decision Mercedez Mallonee (Oudthone Muay Thai) def. Leslie Spence (LDMA) Unanimous Decision Jason Craig (Hot Springs Taekwondo) def. Chris Henderson (Little Rock Taekwondo) Unanimous Decision Murrya Collier (Payne's Kickboxing) def. Kimberly Runkle (McFann's Martial Arts) Unanimous Decision Josh Morden (LDMA) def Ernessto Perez (Bill Barton) TKO 3rd Round Jennifer Schwarz (LDMA) def Windy Collier (Payne's Kickboxing) TKO 3rd Round Charles George (McFann's Martial Arts) def Russell Baker Unanimous Decision Josh Masey (Hot Springs Taekwondo) def. Stewart Godfrey (McFann's Martial Arts) Unanimous Decision Matthew Puckett (LDMA) def.Christopher Davis (Impact Martial Arts) Unanimous Decision Todd Sinclair (LDMA) def. Drew Pulver Unanimous Decision Sammy Whitlock Jr. (LDMA) def Scott Stephens (Whitlow's Taekwondo) Split Decision Christopher Thompson (Oudthone's Muay Thai) def. Jared Tillman (LDMA) Majority Decision Submission Wrestling: Cameron Smith (McFann's Martial Arts) def. Eric Clark "The Shoot" (LDMA) Points Seth "Dr Kevorkian" Klienbeck (LDMA) def. Matt Parrish (Combat Jiujitsu) Can Opener Submission MMA: Paul Fox (Lunsford's Kickboxing) def. Josh Meadows (McFann's Martial Arts) TKO 1st Round Don Johnson (LDMA) def. Terry Roper (Freelance) Submission 2nd Round |
| Sunday - July 25, 2004 |
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In the current issue of FCF...|
Held July 23, 2004 At the Croation Cultural Centre Vancouver, British Columbia By Mike Neva
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| Monday - July 26, 2004 |
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By Loretta Hunt
Under NSAC regulations, a respondent has 20 days from the date he was served a complaint to file an answer with the commission. If a response is not provided within the allotted time, the NSAC deems it "...an admission of all matters and facts contained in the complaint...," as well as a waiver to the right to an evidentiary hearing. In the past, unarmed combatants have utilized their formal responses to either admit or deny NSAC complaints filed against them, as well as submit an introductory defense on any or all of the claims suggested. Heavyweight fighters Josh Barnett and Tim Sylvia both faced steroid use allegations during their tenures as UFC champions. Barnett chose to contest the charges brought against him, and following a formal hearing in which his representation explained his case, was sentenced to a 6-month suspension. Barnett was subsequently stripped of his UFC title by the promotion. In comparison, a remorseful Sylvia admitted to the allegations put before him, renounced his title, and received a 4-month suspension which he as has since served. Kimo is the fourth mixed martial artist to be handed a NSAC complaint of this kind. "It could have helped him possibly if he could have had some sort of reasoning," explains NSAC Michael Mersch of Leopoldo's inability to reply. "Certainly, if he does not file a response, it's not going to be an aggravating factor. The only thing that filing would have done would have been would be to hopefully explain some of the reasons why it occurred. Assuming that the content had some sort of value to his case or brought up any sort of mitigating factor, then yes, we certainly would have considered it." Regardless of a late facsimile or phone conversation on Kimo's behalf in the next day or so, Mersch says the commission is moving forward in processing the fighter's case. "Assuming that he decides not to file any sort of response, then all of the allegations in the complaint are deemed admitted and the commission will have a short hearing rather than a long one. Mr. Leopoldo will still probably be ordered to appear in front of the commission to respond to the charges." Mercsh anticipates Leopoldo's case will appear on its agenda in early to mid August, where a formal hearing in front of the -member board will determine disciplinary action for the fighter. Leopoldo's license to fight in Nevada could be suspended for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Commission, including permanent suspension or revocation of license. In lieu of or in addition to the suspension or revocation of his license, the NSAC can also administer a penalty not to exceed $250,000 or 100% of Leopoldo's fighting purse, whichever may be greater. Reaching Kimo late today, the fighter expressed his intent to contact the NSAC, as well as issue a formal public statement as early as tomorrow. |
| Wednesday - July 28, 2004 |
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Rare Collector's Item!|
Looking for talented web designer for some fixing up--if you've got skills please send sample link to your work [no downloads]. Email FCFNEWS@aol.com |
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From the event's promoter: Homer vs. Shane Farber vs. Marrero (RITC Middleweight Championship) Dodge Theater Saturday, August 7, 2004 Doors Open: 6 PM, Fight Time: 7:30 PM Ticket prices: $15 (club level), $20 (rows 28-36), $30 (rows 17-27), $50 (rows 1-16) and $75 (VIP - Stage). $5 off above prices on tickets ordered prior to fight day. Kids under 12 are free in the $15 section. Tickets available at the Dodge Theater Box Office or by phone through Ticketmaster at 480-784-4444. RITC 64 will feature entertainment from DIABOLIC (formerly known as Animals of Evolution) along with the Arizona Dream Girls dance team and DJ Steve Levine on the wheels of steel. RITC 64 has an incredible line-up of exciting fights scheduled for Aug 7 at Dodge Theater. Tickets now on sale. A massive radio and TV advertising campaign is underway for RITC 64. Get your tickets early for best seat selection. Fight Card: Homer Moore (210) vs. Shane Johnson (210) Hans Marrero (185) vs. Brodie Farber (185) Rich Alten (215) vs. Steve Sayegh (210) Cory Timmerman (330) vs. Jim Else (310) Gabe Rivas (165) vs. Kyle Sprouse (160) Rich Moss (190) vs. Matt Hendricks (180) Ray Elbe (175) vs. David Canuas (185) Matt Hauser (230) vs. Joe Grant (230) Ed West (150) vs. Chris David (150) Carlos Ortega (150) vs. Matt Ver Halen (150) Justin Popovich (150) vs. Darrell Parrish (150) Brandon Oliver (135) vs. Cameron Mayer (135) Michael Barney (145) vs. Donald Paskiewiez (150) Fight Card subject to change. Dodge Theater 400 West Washington St Phoenix, AZ 85003 (602) 379-2888 www.dodgetheater.com Upcoming event: RITC 65 - Whoop Ass Sept TBD, 2004 Dodge Theater |
| Thursday - July 29, 2004 |
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From Dream Stage Entertainment: MATCHES ANNOUNCED FOR FINAL CONFLICT 2004 LOS ANGELES, California - The match-ups for the semi-finals of the sixteen-man heavyweight tournament, as well as additional non-tournament matches, have been announced for FINAL CONFLICT 2004. The event will take place from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view for customers of iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, and TVN on Sunday, August 22nd, 2004 at 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST. For customers of DISH Network, the premiere will be Thursday, August 26th, 2004 at 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST. At TOTAL ELIMINATION 2004 in April, sixteen fighters started, now four remain ... only one will be champion! 
Tournament Semi -Finals: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Sergei Kharitonov Fedor Emelianenko vs. Naoya Ogawa Tournament Finals: (Same Night) Winner Nogueira/Kharitonov vs. Winner Emelianenko/Ogawa Reserve Match: Kevin Randleman vs. Ron Waterman Non-tournament Matches: Wanderlei Silva vs. Yuki Kondo Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic vs. Aleksander Emelianenko Additional matches will be announced shortly. Fight card subject to change. |
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The Brazilian Beat: Cold still reigns in the South of Brazil, meanwhile sun continues to shine up in the Northeast of the country, as the very end of the month of July will see a new show debuting, giving chance to new talents of our sport to show their work as Brazilian Challenger will guarantee MMA excitement to the fans here, even in the last moments of July. The international scene also continues to shake things around the major Brazilian academies, as Brazilian Top Team has been training hard preparing Rodrigo Minotauro Nogueira for his tough task in the finals of the Pride Heavyweight Grand Prix next month, and his teammate Murilo Bustamante continues to train and negotiate for a possible fight in the same fighting card, without anything certain at this very moment. Among a lot of other happenings MMA related, Jiu-Jitsu also gathered most of the attention of the past days, as CBJJ promoted their 9th BJJ world championship where Ronaldo Jacare and Roger Gracie fought one of the most exciting matches of the year in the "smooth art". With all that and a bit more, Full Contact Fighter doesn't hide from the cold and leads straight for the heat as the Brazilian Beat is back, enjoy!
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From the event's promoter: K-1 superstar Ray "Sugarfoot" Sefo (46-11-1 (32 KO's) will make his long-awaited debut in Las Vegas K-1 competition during a "Battle at Bellagio III" Superfight at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino on Saturday, August 7th. The bout, which will be televised live on Pay-Per-View along with the card's eight-man tournament, will see Sefo face K-1 newcomer, Leo "The Assassin" Loiacono (17-4 (14 KO's). "I'm really excited and I'm really looking forward to fighting because its been a long time coming for me to fight there," said Sefo, an eight-year veteran of K-1 martial arts fighting whose best finish in "The New Fighting Sport" came in 2000 when he placed as runner-up during the annual "World Grand Prix Finals" tournament. Staged in Tokyo, Japan's 70,000 crowd capacity Tokyo Dome, the event saw Sefo defeat two consecutive opponents before losing a judges decision to "Mr. Perfect" Ernesto Hoost. "I think, for me, physically and mentally I'm in the best shape of my life. Three years ago, I tried to put on a little bit of weight and I was coming into the ring at 240 or 245. Then, I got really sick right before the Grand Prix last year and, by New Years Day this year, I was like 260 pounds. It was a good wake up call for me. I knew it was time to get back in shape. I hired a few personal trainers and went from 260 to walking around at 230." A native of New Zealand, the 33-year-old Sefo last saw action on June 26th when he went to war with 6 foot 3 inch, 360-pound former NFL football player, Bob "The Beast" Sapp, in Shizuoka, Japan. After trading blows with Sapp for a round, Sefo stepped up his game and unloaded a barrage of punches on the mammoth fighter. A Sefo right hook sent Sapp down for the 10-count at the 29 second mark of the second round. Aside from his achievements in the K-1 circuit, Sefo is a four-time world champion in the sport of Muay Thai. His charisma and competitive nature in the squared circle have gained him an enormous international fanbase as well as a host of product endorsements. Loiacono, a 35-year-old from New Jersey, comes to K-1 from the world of professional boxing where he earned 14 of his 17 career wins by way of knockout. Thoroughly impressed with his level of power, K-1 executives recently signed the fighter to a three-fight contract. "It's a great opportunity to be a part of something as big as K-1 and I'm looking forward to getting started," said the 6 foot 1 inch, 225-pound knockout artist, who has trained alongside some of the biggest names in "the sweet science," including former world champions Roy Jones, Jr, Ray Mercer, and Bobby Czyz. On January 12, 1996, Loiacono scored a first round stoppage on Robert Kirish during the undercard of a bill headlined by Jones, Jr. in New York City's Madison Square Garden. "This guy had been in there with so many more people than me, but there's a certain side that comes out of me when I fight. People used to call me lionheart and it's really a lion that comes out. So, my first K-1 opponent is gonna be in for a rude awakening." Tickets for Saturday, August 7th's K-1 "Battle at Bellagio III" extravaganza can be purchased both online in the K-1 USA website (www.k-1usa.net) store as well as at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino box office by calling 1-800-963-9634. Tickets are priced at $50, $100, $150, and $250, respectively. The live Pay-Per-View television broadcast of the event will begin at 10 PM Eastern Standard Time (7 PM Pacific Standard Time). K-1 is a martial arts fighting sport that derives its name from its inclusion of a wide array of combat disciplines, including Karate, Kung-Fu, and Kickboxing ("K"), and its intent to determine one champion in one ring ("1"). After being staged for the first time in Japan in 1993 under the direction of founder Master Kazuyoshi Ishii, it later evolved into the country's most popular sport and achieved popular culture status there as its athletes turned into larger-than-life celebrities. |
| Friday - July 30, 2004 |
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By Loretta Hunt
Mezger and Ortiz first met in the Octagon seven years ago at UFC 13, where the Lion's Den fighter submitted the young alternate in its tournament finals with a guillotine choke 3:00 in. Ortiz got the opportunity to avenge that loss twenty-two months later at UFC 19 with a TKO referee stoppage via strikes some ten minutes into the match. Following the victory, Ortiz donned what would become one of his calling cards in the sport, a derogatory T-shirt that read, "Gay Mezger is my bitch." The bold move put Ortiz on the fast track to stardom, and he would later go on to become a UFC champion. While Lion's Den patriarch Ken Shamrock was less than amused by Ortiz's theatrics, Mezger, who made his fighting debut at UFC 4, says he's moved on from those days and is just looking forward to returning to his roots. "To me, this is just a fight between me and a guy who beat me. It's not even personal. What he did with the whole T-shirt thing, that was a stupid thing and I've learned to forgive him about it. It was kind of asinine on his part." Instead, Mezger has placed a wholly different importance on this match-up. Win, lose, or draw- the 36-year old Texan has expressed unequivocally that this will be the very last fight of a relatively fruitful 30-13-2 career spanning ten years. "Cool, I get to retire him," replied an upbeat Ortiz to the news. It was a mere twenty-four months ago that Ortiz had told FCF pointblank that he had no interest in ever re-matching Mezger again. But, two years and two crucial career losses later, it seems that the Huntington Beach Bad Boy has changed his tune somewhat. "I guess I'm becoming excited now, you know?" the bleached blonde bomber commented. "It's time to get my head back into it. If Guy Mezger's the guy they want me to fight, then eh, he'll be that guy. It's just one of those matches I need to take for the UFC and for some of the fans, and at the same time, I guess they want to kind of build me up again. There's no one else to fight. Either I fight a no name or do I just do the best of three kind of match. This is what they came up with." More so than his potential opponent, it seems that Ortiz is drawing his inspiration from getting the opportunity to fight again after a six month layoff. "I just want to get back in the Octagon. I'm just sick of waiting. I'm sick of sitting in the stands and watching." For Mezger, the trailblazer is simply hoping his swan song does not disappoint. "I'll never go down as being the Mohammed Ali of mixed martial arts," he remarked, "but I wanna go down as a true warrior who fought anybody they put in front of him and was scared of no man. Some days he was the champion and some days he wasn't, but he never put up an excuse and he never backed down from a fight. Being known as a consummate competitor and warrior will be satisfying enough for me." |
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By Joe Hall
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Temporary Fate of UFC Welterweight Title is of First Concern By Loretta Hunt
The appeal is the most timely one made in a 21-page civil action lawsuit Penn and his reps filed against Zuffa on June 8, 2004, in response to the fight promotion's decision to strip Penn of the title he had procured on January 31, 2004 following his victory over Matt Hughes, when the Hawaiian took a separate offer to fight in the rival K-1 promotion in May. In Penn's complaint, the fighter claims he was unlawfully stripped of his title since Zuffa's promotional exclusivity over him had run out on September 27, 2003, as per his contract. Penn's attorneys also argue that no extension of exclusivity ever legally kicked in since the fighter was not a UFC champion at the time of the term's expiration, nor could these exclusive rights be legally imported into a separate bout agreement Penn signed thereafter, according Nevada State Athletic Commission Administrative Code. Following NSAC statutes, Penn's attorneys also contest Zuffa's legal right to declare fighter exclusivity in its bout agreements, as well as question the manner in which the fight promotion drafted its own contracts and bout agreements. Current NSAC regulations state that it "shall prepare all forms of contracts between sponsors, licensees, promoters, and contestants." According to Penn's representation, the fighter is seeking reinstatement of his title, as well as the right to defend it at the earliest possible opportunity. Penn is also seeking monetary judgment for both legal fees and damages; however Nevada protocol dictates that an actual figure can not be named at this time. Zuffa has refrained from commenting on the case with FCF, however, a formal statement released two days ago on their official website declares they will "aggressively defend" their stance. Of immediate consideration, Penn's lead counsel, Steven Strauss, is asking the courts to consider the request for injunctive relief in regards the UFC welterweight title till such time that this action suit has played itself out. Strauss anticipates a hearing in front of the Nevada court in as early as three to four weeks, where he says a decision could be reached as early as that day. "It depends on the judge," says Strauss. "A judge can rule from the bench, which is at the time of the hearing, or they can take an issue under submission and they can think about it or require additional briefing, and then they can rule sometime later. On injunctive relief matters, they typically rule within a relatively short period of time of it being presented, whether it be on the bench, or within ten days to two weeks afterwards, depending on the urgency on the matter." Although Zuffa had made no official announcements, news sources have reported a proposed match-up between Hughes and Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight title at UFC 50, scheduled for October 22nd in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Strauss is confident that at least a preliminary ruling will be made prior to that time. |
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Hearing Is Forthcoming By Loretta Hunt
Leopoldo faces allegations of steroid and stimulant use following his participation at June 19th's UFC 48 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where a post-fight urinalysis revealed the presence of Stanzolol metabolite, as well as three separate stimulants not approved for use by the NSAC. Leopoldo was given a requisite twenty days to file a non-mandatory reply from the date of being served, but failed to make a July 23rd deadline in which to do so. Mersch says, however, that he is still willing to offer the heavyweight fighter a bit of leniency. "Even though the timeline has run for him to do so, I will encourage both he and his manager to try and reduce their position on the matter to writing in some form prior to the hearing. I think that's in their best interest. Whether they choose to do that or not, is up to them. I've never seen the Commission not consider a written reply, even though at this point it is late." Mersch estimates Leopoldo's formal hearing in front of the five-member board to take place sometime between August 15th and 30th. "Certainly, the Commissioners, at this point, are going to more than likely have questions for him as to what were the circumstances that led to this, why did it happen, how can we be assured it's not going to be a recurring problem- things of that nature. All those will certainly be factors in the level and amount of discipline that is imposed on Mr. Leopoldo." FCF spoke with Kimo on Monday, prior to his contacting the NSAC, where he expressed his intentions on making a public statement on the matter. FCF has been unable to connect with the fighter since. |
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