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| Sunday - October 3, 2004 |
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In stock now! 
PRIDE FC 22 "Beasts from the East 2"Fight Card:
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November 8th Public Forum Scheduled to Notice Rules and Regulations By Loretta Hunt It was a single document, Bill # 1549 sponsored by Senator Liz Figueroa of Fremont, which quietly made its way to California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk last Wednesday and changed the course of mixed martial arts in the Golden State forever. Schwarzenegger signed off on the bill that extended the life of various licensing boards, including the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), and whose verbiage finally clarified that the CSAC "has complete management and control of professional ans amateur boxing, kickboxing, as well as all forms and combinations of martial arts contests including mixed martial arts." "We've been working for years to try and bring MMA to California," said an elated Dean Lohuis, Interim Executive Officer of the CSAC. "The end is in sight." Up till this point, MMA in California had been in virtual limbo, even though rule and regulations for the sport had been drafted and adopted by the CSAC some three years ago, and other states like New Jersey and Nevada had gone on to use variations of these guidelines with success of their own. Yet in California, the fledging sport had always hit a brick wall in the Dept. of Consumer Affairs and its budget office, which oversees the Athletic Commission and its spending. "They had questions, not budgetary, but whether we had the regulation authority," explains Lohuis. "That was the reason that the Department of Consumer Affairs would not approve it, because the budget office did not believe that the language was strong enough that we had the ability to regulate mixed martial arts. The question all along was whether the California State Athletic Commission had the authority to regulate MMA." With a stroke of Governor Schwarzenegger's pen, that quandary has been unequivocally answered, and Lohuis says he and his staff have wasted no time in taking the necessary steps to get MMA up and running in the State. According to Lohuis, a proposed budget has already been sent to the appropriate officials, with a decision expected by the end of this week or the beginning of next. Although there is the chance the committee could ask the Commission to scale back on their monetary requests, the budget office can no longer turn down the proposal and will have to come to some figure one way or another. Lohuis is confident the submitted budget will pass. In addition, the already tentatively approved MMA rules and regulations for California State have been picked back up and dusted off, and will be "noticed" at a public meeting currently scheduled for November 8th. Lohuis says this meeting will be a public forum where the mixed martial arts community can review, discuss and voice its concerns regarding the soon-to-be implemented guidelines. "We want to make sure these rules and regulations are [with] how the sport has evolved," he says. The CSAC is requesting that all those interested in attending acquire a copy of the revised rules beforehand at www.dca.ca.gov./csac (click on Laws and Regulations for the June 17, 2003 Proposed Regulations pdf at the bottom of the page and check back for announcement of venue). Within those regulations, MMA had been identified as Full Contact Martial Arts, with revisions both underlined and crossed-out. Additional questions have been directed to the CSAC Sacramento office at (916) 263-2195. In the CSAC office, application drafts have already been sent to its legal counsel for review, and pending approval, fighters, promoters, and officials may soon be able to register in one of the most culturally rich MMA states in the nation. When all is said and done, how soon will fans be able to catch a fully sanctioned MMA event in California? Says Lohuis, "We're gonna shoot for the beginning of 2005." |
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From Zuffa/UFC: UFC® FROM HOLDING WELTERWEIGHT TITLE FIGHT, OCT. 22 Former Welterweight Champ BJ Penn Sought To Stop Title Bout LAS VEGAS, NEV., September 30, 2004...The scheduled Ultimate Fighting Championship® welterweight title fight between former champion Matt Hughes (37-4-0) from Hillsboro, Ill., and Georges St. Pierre (7-0-0) of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, will come off as scheduled October 22 at UFC 50: War Of 04 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ, following the recent (Tuesday, Sept. 28) ruling by a Clark County (Nev.) judge that denied a motion by former champion BJ Penn that sought to prevent the title bout. Clark County (Nev.) District Court Judge Ken Cory denied the motion and an official court order concerning the denial will be issued in the near future. "The judge listened to hours of legal arguments and testimony, then ruled that BJ did not have the right to stop the UFC welterweight championship from taking place on October 22. We are pleased that the judge did not allow BJ to use the court system to prevent us from conducting our business," said Dana White, UFC president. "We have no hard feelings towards BJ and wish him well with his career in K-1." Penn won the UFC welterweight title January 31 in Las Vegas with a first-round, tap out victory over Hughes. But he then signed a contract to fight in K-1, an international kickboxing organization. |
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From the event's promoter: PRIDE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION TO ATTEND EUPHORIA Atlantic City, New Jersey -- PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko makes a stop on The Road To The Titles in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Red Devil Fight Team stand out will attend Euphoria at the Tropicana Casino and Resort on Friday, October 15, 2004. When asked why he would take time away from training for his upcoming PRIDE fight, Emelianenko replied, "I look to support a quality production" in Euphoria. This will be the first visit to the United States for the 28-year-old who won the title in March 2003, ending the 3-year undefeated streak of Antonio Rodrigo Noqueira. Euphoria looks to bring world class fighters to their ring "one day maybe I fight in Euphoria," said Emelianenko, from his home in St. Petersburg, Russia. The European and World Sambo champion shows he believes Euphoria has great potential by personally attending the first round in a series of tournaments to crown Euphoria champions. Euphoria fans will have an opportunity to meet one of the hardest hitters in the sport of MMA at an autograph session scheduled before the start of the fights. For more information on Euphoria, please visit http://www.euphoriamfc.com/. |
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From the event's promoter: Combat Zone 8: Street Justice Oct. 2, 2004 @ Club Lido, Revere, MA Trilogy/Black Belt Productions Mixed Martial Arts Co-Main Events: Joe Lauzon (Team Aggression) Won by Submission (3 - 2:14) Mike Brown (Team Elite) (Lauzon wins USKBA USA Super Welterweight Title) Eliias Rivera (Dog Pound) Won by decision (4) Jerry Spiegel (Renzo Gracie) (Rivera wins USKBA USA Super Cruiserweight Title) Undercard: Bobby Dias (Boneyard) Won by TKO (1 - 3:30) Warren "Giant Lee" Mayone (GLSMA) Rich Moskowitch (Team Santos) Won by decision (3) Andrew Calandrelli (Renzo Grazie) (Moskowitch wins USKBA NE Super Middleweight Title) John "Doomsday" Hoaard (BMAC) won by decision (2) Jason Dublin (Close Range) David Medd (Dayboll) Won by submission (2) Jim Gonsalves (BMAC) Jason Hathaway (UFS) Won by submission (1) John Gilligan (CMFC) Frank Latina (Dog Pound) Won by decision (2) Ricardo Deborba (BMAC) Muay Thai Andrew Sityodtong (SMT) Won by decision (3) Marco Castro (Boston Muay Thai) Next Show: Combat Zone 9, December 4, @ Club Lido, Revere (MA) |
| Tuesday - October 5, 2004 |
 Give Us Your Thoughts... With UFC 50 fast approaching, we'd like your opinions on who will win each of the scheduled fights. Also, we'd like to hear about anything you have on your mind ... the reasons for your picks, the state of MMA today, legislation and/or controversies affecting the sport, anything happening in the MMA world today. The results of the survey and some of the commentary we receive may appear in the upcoming issue of FCF. Click here to take the survey |
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Clementi to Face Matamoros By Joe Hall Rich Clementi will not be fighting Alberto Crane in the first round of the Euphoria MFC lightweight tournament. Crane, a BJJ black belt and undefeated fighter, is out due to a perforated eardrum, said Euphoria matchmaker Miguel Iturrate. Clementi will instead face MMA veteran Henry Matamoros. An alternate bout for the lightweight tournament between Jay Ireland and Kurt Pelligrino has also been dropped from the card because both fighters are injured. Ireland broke a rib, and Pelligrino was hurt in a recent grappling match, said Iturrate. FCF caught up with Clementi to get his thoughts on his new opponent and to handicap the other competitors in the eight-man tournament, the first round of which takes place on Oct. 15 in Atlantic City, New Jersey: FCF: You're now fighting Henry Matamoros. What's your impression of him? Rich Clementi: To be honest, I actually think he's more of a game opponent than Crane is. He has tons of experience. He's a little taller, which I kind of like fighting guys my height or shorter. He's just tough. He's been around the block like me. He's going to be hungry, looking for his shot to put his name out there. To be honest, I'm actually more concerned about Henry Matamoros than I was about Alberto Crane. ... Alberto Crane was this undefeated guy, you know. But I think Alberto Crane has a lot of hype around him, where I think Matamoros is more of a challenge, legitimate-type opponent. FCF: How do you think the fight against Matamoros will play out? RC: I picture him just trying to do anything crazy to try to take me to the ground. Jumping, flying, who knows. Hopefully I'll be able to stuff that a little bit. When I was fighting Crane, I was like, I don't mind staying in his guard because I don't think he likes getting hit too much. But since I found out I was fighting Matamoros, I've been working on a lot of standup. That's going to be the game plan. Whenever I'm on top of him, try to (throw) one or two shots, disengage, make him stand up. Let's see where his cardio is at and let's see how tough his chin is. He's a tough guy as far as taking shots on the ground, but I'm really going to turn it on when we're standing up. FCF: Is it a good thing or a bad thing that Crane is out? RC: I was really looking forward to kicking Crane's ass. I had fought with him before over in Japan (on the same card) and kind of knew what he was about. In my mind, there was no way I pictured him beating me. Me, personally, just the way I fight, I see a lot of obstacles Matamoros throws up for me. ... He's kind of reckless in what he does, will go for things not really (worrying about) the consequences. I didn't think Alberto Crane was as suave a NHB fighter as a Jiu-Jitsu fighter. FCF: You've already fought three guys in the tournament: Sergei Golyaev, Yves Edwards and Naoyuki Kotani. Of those three, who is the most dangerous on their feet? RC: On their feet, Golyaev for sure. They're actually all dangerous in different ways. As far as winning, I think Yves is the hardest guy (to beat) because he's kind of a counter puncher and waits. Kotani is very reckless. He'll just go in there and trade punches with you. Golyaev just has very good technique plus power. They're all pretty dangerous, but I would say, power-wise alone, it would definitely be the Russian. He definitely has power. FCF: Golyaev is a fighter most fans haven't seen. What was his standup game like? RC: He had good reach and he was waiting for me. He was trying to counterpunch me and, with his reach, it was tough for me to get in anyway. That was the main thing. To be honest, I wasn't really notified what kind of experience level of a standup guy he was.... All I heard was he was a pretty good Muay Thai guy. I think power-wise, he's definitely the guy to look at. If many people think that they can just trade shots with him, I think they'll get knocked out. I've only been floored by one other person—really floored—and that was when I fought Pete Spratt a long time ago. Out of my 30 pro fights, that's saying quite a bit. FCF: He showed very good striking skills against you but was vulnerable on the ground, which is where you beat him. Do you think his ground game will have improved any by the Oct. 15 show? RC: No, I don't think so. I really would have liked to have seen him matched against Yves first. I don't think he has the ground work to get past the first round. I could be wrong, but that was just my interpretation of when I was fighting him. (I) put him on his back, and he just didn't move very well. I didn't feel his strength there. They should have made that matchup because even if he loses, that's one hell of a fight that people could really anticipate. FCF: Yves Edwards defeated you at UFC 41. What's your impression of him? RC: I think Yves has a good NHB formula right now. He plays it safe; he doesn't get hurt very much. But he looks to capitalize off other people's mistakes. Josh Thomson, right before his fight, he said it perfectly. You have to kind of not push Yves so hard because he waits for you to tire yourself out a little bit and then he looks to capitalize off that. Josh hit it on the head—that's the same thing I was thinking—and then he goes in there and does exactly the opposite, really tries to push the fight and he gets caught. And then again, Yves wasn't using a lot of energy, and I think Josh was starting to get tired a little bit. FCF: Hermes Franca is another UFC veteran in the tournament. What's your impression of him? RC: I would actually like to fight Hermes. I think he's a good matchup for me. My wrestling is pretty solid, and I think Hermes' standup—you never know, he could really be improved since I saw him fight Yves—his standup doesn't really impress me that much, and I think he's kind of small. With those things, that's a fight I definitely wouldn't mind happening. FCF: Joachim Hansen is known for beating Takanori Gomi. How do you match up with Hansen? RC: He's another guy I'd like to fight, just because of his current ranking with Shooto and a lot of other MMA Web sites and stuff. I think (we) fight very similar. Real strong guy, stands up and bangs a little bit. Has a decent Jiu-Jitsu and wrestling-type style to him. That's one that I'd definitely like to fight. FCF: Who should be the favorite to win the tournament? RC: I think ... Yves is definitely the one that everyone has to look at. Just because of who's in the tournament and his record recently and the way he's been fighting. I definitely think he's the man that everybody's shooting for. ... I think everybody (in the tournament) is good in their own little way. You have a few guys like Phil Johns, who's just such a phenomenal wrestler. And then, of course, you have a Jiu-Jitsu guy like Hermes Franca. Everybody else is pretty similar. I know Kotani fights a lot like I do. All the guys are tough. FCF: Out of the eight fighters in the tournament, who do you match up best with? RC: I'll take any of those guys that I've beaten once already (Golyaev and Kotani). I don't see any of those guys beating me. If I was to fight them, I definitely don't see them beating me. Phil Johns, I'd like to fight. I actually think Hermes Franca is a really good fight for me. And then Golyaev or Kotani. I'd beat both of those guys, I think, 10 out of 10 times. FCF: Who do you match up with worst? RC: I really don't know too much about Joachim (Hansen). I haven't really seen his tapes yet. If we get matched up, I'll watch that at a later time. He has a pretty solid record and a reputation. But I would say, probably Yves (is the toughest matchup) because we're very similar. I would definitely have a different game plan (in a rematch). Yves is the man everyone's going to be shooting for, I'm sure. |
| Thursday - October 7, 2004 |
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From Zuffa: ANNOUNCE PROGRAMMING AGREEMENT FSN To Televise 4 UFC LAS VEGAS, NEV., October 7, 2004...Officials of FSN and the Ultimate Fighting Championship "Ultimate Fighting Championship," will feature two of the UFC's best bouts from its recent fight shows. The October 17 show will re-live the epic battle between top light heavyweight contenders Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell and the action-packed welterweight battle between Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler at UFC 47: It's On! from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Future fights will be announced. "The UFC is the brand for the most accomplished martial arts athletes in the world. When America sees what goes into the sport, the dedication, the discipline and the camaraderie – let alone the sportsmanship – they'll see what we've know all along," said Dana White, UFC president. "UFC is the ultimate combo of martial arts, boxing and wrestling. It is phenomenal entertainment," said George Greenberg, FSN's Executive Vice President of Programming and Production. "It's a natural extension of programming for FSN's core audience as it will satisfy our legions of fight fans." FSN reaches more than 82 million homes through its 20 regional sports channels, and serves as the only supplier of national, regional and local sports programming. For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit www.FoxSports.com. |
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From DSE/Pride: LOS ANGELES, California – Two more bouts have been added to PRIDE FIGHTING's October 31st event, HIGH OCTANE. Already headlining the event is the highly anticipated title bout between middleweight world champion Wanderlei Silva and top contender Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Now added to the fightcard: "The Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring versus rising Japanese star Hirotaka Yokoi and New Zealand's deadly striker Mark Hunt versus American Dan "The Bull" Bobish. All of these bouts are in addition to the colossal match-up of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic versus Josh "The Babyface Assassin" Barnett and the pivotal middleweight bout of Dan "Hollywood" Henderson versus Kazuhiro Nakamura. HIGH OCTANE will take place from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view via iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, and TVN on Sunday, October 31st, 2004 at 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST. At 10-1, Hirotaka Yokoi is one of Japan's most promising heavyweights; he is a veteran of the Rings organization and was victorious in his PRIDE FC debut, defeating Jerrel Venetiaan at PRIDE 23 CHAMPIONSHIP CHAOS 2. But it wasn't until the opening round of the heavyweight Grand Prix tournament at TOTAL ELIMINATION 2004 that this fighter out of Osaka, Japan, made a name for himself. That evening he gave PRIDE FIGHTING interim heavyweight champion, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, everything he could handle. The champion was finally able to defeat his young opponent using a rarely seen choke-hold, but Yokoi's fighting spirit won over the crowd. Yokoi's opponent at HIGH OCTANE will be the 6'4, 240 pound Texan, Heath Herring. Representing team Golden Glory out of Holland, "The Texas Crazy Horse" had been riding a four fight-winning streak (which included wins over the 7'2 Giant Silva at SHOCKWAVE 2003 and Yoshiki Takahashi during the opening round of the heavyweight Grand Prix at TOTAL ELIMINATION 2004), that is until he reached the second round of the heavyweight tournament against Nogueira. Like Yokoi, Herring proved to be a difficult match for Nogueira ... and like Yokoi, Nogueira used the exact same chokehold to defeat Herring! With both young fighters coming off of loses to Nogueira, which of the two will recover and take the next step forward in the heavyweight rankings? The second bout added to the HIGH OCTANE fightcard features the classic match-up of striker versus grappler. At 5'10 and 250 pounds and representing Liverpool Kickboxing out of New Zealand, Mark Hunt is known as one of the most dangerous strikers in the world. After making the move from K-1 to MMA, Hunt made his PRIDE FIGHTING debut against Hidehiko Yoshida at CRITICAL COUNTDOWN 2004. Though he was not successful in that match, Hunt showed great promise and fans are eager to see what this kickboxing legend will do next. Hunt's opponent at HIGH OCTANE will be MMA veteran and former "King of the Cage" heavyweight champion, Dan "The Bull" Bobish. This 6'1, 300 plus pound fighter combines a solid wrestling background with a brawling fight style and one thing is always certain---this bull charges forward! Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Bobish now lives and fights out of Cleveland, Ohio. In his career, Bobish has wins over "Dangerous" Dave Beneteau, "Big" Eric Pele and Mike Kyle. Will it be the night of the striker or will the grappler prove superior? Check out HIGH OCTANE to find out. More matches to be announced soon! FIGHT CARD Wanderlei Silva (Brazil) vs. Quinton Jackson (USA) (Champion) (Challenger) (This bout is for the PRIDE middleweight championship) Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (Croatia) vs. Josh Barnett (USA) Dan Henderson (USA) vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japan) Hirotaka Yokoi (Japan) vs. Heath Herring (USA) Mark Hunt (New Zealand) vs. Dan Bobish (USA) Fight card subject to change. |
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From DSE/Pride: LOS ANGELES, California – Two additional matches have been added to the fightcard for BUSHIDO VOLUME 5. Included is Ukrainian sensation Igor Vovchanchyn as he returns to the ring to take on Japanese fighter Shamoji Fuji. Also added, Masakazu Imanari of Japan versus Luis "Buscape" Firmino of Brazil. Topping the bill is Japanese star Takanori Gomi versus American Charles "Krazy Horse" Bennett. Other fighters scheduled on the card include Carlos "The Ronin" Newton, Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, and Crosley Gracie. BUSHIDO VOLUME 5 will take place from the Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view via iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, and TVN on Friday, November 19th, 2004 at 10:00pm EST, 7:00pm PST. The countdown show begins at 9:30pm EST, 6:30pm PST. "Ice Cold" Igor Vovchanchyn makes his long-awaited return to the ring after an eight month lay-off. His last bout came on February 1, 2004 at INFERNO when he defeated Dan "The Bull" Bobish via strikes. Vovchanchyn's opponent at BUSHIDO VOLUME 5 will be mixed martial arts veteran, Shamoji Fuji. At 6'0 and 217 pounds, Fuji hails from Hiroshima, Japan and represents the V-Cross team. He made a successful debut in BUSHIDO with a win over Kim Jin Oh of Korea at BUSHIDO VOLUME 3. PRIDE FC: BUSHIDO VOLUME 5 Fight Card Takanori Gomi (Japan) vs. Charles "Krazy Horse" Bennett (USA) Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (Japan) vs. Crosley Gracie (USA) Igor Vovchanchyn (Ukraine) vs. Shamoji Fuji (Japan) Ikuhisa "The Punk" Minowa (Japan) vs. Tatsunori Ueyama (Japan) Ryo Chonan (Japan) vs. Carlos Newton (Canada) Yasuhito Namekawa (Japan) vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (Brazil) Henry "Sentoryu" Miller (USA) vs. Mal "Twin Tiger" Foki (Australia) Masakazu Imanari (Japan) vs. Luis "Buscape" Firmino (Fight Card Subject to Change) BUSHIDO VOLUME 5 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: HOOKnSHOOT is gearing up for the second women's event featuring the best female fighters in the game and many new faces! "The women have taken the second show much more seriously and so have the fans" states promoter Jeff Osborne. "Although they made an impact at the first event, I personally felt that casual fans (ticket buyers) took them lightly. Most local fans who didn't attend it live were mad at themselves.....they were expecting slap fighting and they were more than impressed when we showed the event on TV" said Osborne. "The DVD opened up a whole new world for MMA. The women are taken much more seriously, more fans will watch because of the women and even some VERY important people in the entertainment industry have taken notice" continues Osborne. "One look at the Revolution DVD and Arnold Schwarzeneggar Expo organizers were sold. There's so much more mainstream interest the women can bring than the men but no one wants to admit it." This time around, many feel the lineup is stronger and support for female MMA is more rampant than ever before. Looks for UFC standouts Josh Barnett, Matt Hughes, Jens Pulver and other familiar faces at the show. Pulver may be a little more stressed than usual as his "better half" AJ Jenkins will be competing. "Evolution" will be broadcast on PPV in South Africa and Japan as well as other countries. It will also be shown on regional UPN affiliates in Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois. November 6, 2004 "EVOLUTION" A historic night of women's MMA competition. November 7, 2004 LAST WOMAN STANDING Submission Super Tournament Scheduled lineup: Lisa Ward (Washington) vs. Mandy Stewart (Australia) 125lbs Sara Boyd (New Mexico) vs. Molly Helsel (Hawaii) 135lbs Jan Finney (Ohio) vs. Rikki Burnett (Kentucky) 135lbs Shelby Walker (Texas) vs. Adrienna Jenkins (Hawaii) 130lbs Tara LaRosa (New Jersey) vs. Linda Langerak (Canada) 135lbs Kelly Kobold (Minnesota) vs. Gret Hicks (Wisconsin) 160lbs Ginelle Marquez (Washington) vs. Roxanne Modafferi (Massachusetts) 135lbs Julie Kedzie (Indiana) vs. Jen Case (Kansas) 155lbs Jennifer Howe (Utah) vs. Heather Soderquist (California) 135lbs Erica Montoya (California) vs. Megumi Fuji (Japan) The Sunday LAST WOMAN STANDING show will take place at 10:30AM and is open to all female grapplers! email: hooknshoot@aol.com to enter. You can purchase tickets securely online at HOOKnSHOOT TICKETS or email HOOKnSHOOT@aol.com. |
| Friday - October 8, 2004 |
From DSE/Pride: ARE YOU THE NEXT PRIDE FIGHTING SUPERSTAR? LOS ANGELES, California – Dream Stage Entertainment, organizers of the PRIDE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS, will be conducting their first ever talent search in the United States on Saturday, November 20, 2004 on the UCLA campus in Los Angeles. Are YOU the next PRIDE FIGHTING SUPERSTAR? Audition participants will be given a rare opportunity to showcase their skills in front of PRIDE's decision-makers and selected finalists will be offered a contract to compete in a BUSHIDO or PRIDE event. Criteria will include striking skills, grappling ability, and personality. In attendance will be PRIDE FIGHTING stars, major media, and other special guests! Besides the auditions, participants at the event will also be eligible for prizes and giveaways. DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?  Audition Date: Saturday, November 20, 2004 Location: University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Venue: Student Activities Center (next to the John Wooden Center) Interested in participating? For more details and the application form, visit pridefc.com |
| Monday - October 11, 2004 |
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Yves Edwards Interview Part 1 By Keith Mills 
On October 15th at the Tropicana in Atlantic City Euphoria MFC holds their second show, this time with the first rounds of tournaments in the lightweight and heavyweight divisions. FCF readers are probably already familiar with Loretta Hunt's in-depth reporting on this show. Now we get to hear from lightweight competitor Yves Edwards.Yves is Full Contact Fighter's #3 ranked lightweight, former HOOKnSHOOT Welterweight Champion, and an eight-time UFC vet. Eight videos are available in the FCF shop, including his fights in King Of The Cage, SuperBrawl, Extreme Challenge, and HOOKnSHOOT as well as some of his UFC fights. In this October show he faces ZST vet Naoyuki Kotani. FCF: What do you think of Kotani? YE: I think his stand-up is horrible. He comes in with his head way up in the air, he can only move in straight lines, and his takedowns are not that great. I don't know how good his ground is going to be in this situation. I've been watching tapes of him and studying him and he's been fighting in these girl fight shows where there are no punches to the face and that changes the world. It's easier for leglocks when they can't punch you in the face. I'm going through a lot right now and I think I'm going to release some aggression. FCF: I haven't seen tape of Kotani but Rich Clementi commented 'he hits hard' while I think it was Alberto Crane mentioned his boxing is underrated. Is he more than just a leglock on the ground specialist? Did you see anything in his stand-up? YE: I don't know but his stand-up looks horrible. I had to turn the television off it was so bad, just ugly. I don't know if they are being nice or just saying the guy hits hard and just giving him credit for that. He looks like the Statue of Liberty. His chin is up in the air, he's standing up straight, only moving in straight lines...horrible. That is where I'm going to try to keep the fight because I'm going to make him pay. FCF: You do have a reputation as being one of the fighters that studies their opponents the most, knows the most about their opponents. To me that seems like a huge advantage. How much time does that take to study an opponent? YE: Takes one good fight. One recent fight and you get a good idea of what the guy is all about. Just one round even of one good fight. I got a good idea of Josh Thomson from the first round of his fight with Hermes (Franca). Then again that is just the first round, you get a lot more information by the time the guy goes the distance, get to see he's tired. Everybody is good, everybody is strong the first round but as the fight goes on things change and the best guys become guys that aren't that strong. BJ Penn was awesome his first couple of fights until Jens (Pulver) took him into the second, third, fourth, fifth rounds. The world changed. 
FCF: Did studying Thomson for your fight with him have any affect on the fact that was you're the first fight of yours that ended in the first round in the last two years?YE: No, more his style bringing it and I didn't like what he was bringing so I figured I needed to shut this guy up. It's just his style, he is an aggressive fighter so I had to stay on my toes and constantly try to counter, make him pay for what he was doing. When someone gets hurt the mentality changes, the style changes, and I was trying to hurt him. He puts out a lot of energy early and he was really really strong the first minute or so of that fight but that really started to fade real quick. I don't know if he tried to cut too much weight or if he is always like that. I saw him fade a little with the Hermes fight but not so fast. I don't know if it was because I was pushing the pace back at him or trying to counter him as much as I could or he cut too much weight, or our styles just lead to that kind of fight for his body. It's not studying the tapes that made the fight a quick fight, our styles clashed in that way and at that point my style was the one that was going to win that day. FCF: As far as the balance between studying an opponent and feeling them out in the first round how much do you rely on feeling them out? YE: The feeling out process is not something I think about. I go out there and start fighting and of course I want to see 'what is he going to do with this'. I ask him a bunch of questions and see what answers he gives me. Depending on what answer he gives me then it's like 'well, if you are going to do that I'm going to do this'. It is a feeling out process but I'm not trying to feel his strength, weakness, or speed...I'm trying to feel his technique most of all, what is he going to do to stop my offense. I'm trying to get a good feel for that and when I find out what he plans on doing to stop my offense then I know what I need to do to counter his counters or how I need to lead or need to counter. FCF: To me the Thomson fight being your quickest in the last two years doesn't mean much but we talked before about decisions. How do you feel about it? YE: A win is a win. There are not a lot of people that look at my record and say 'he's 26-6-1, 15 in the first round, 12 in the second round'...well that would make 27 but you know what I'm saying. It's not a concern to me. I go out there to fight and I fight to win. I train all the time. I prepare myself for three hard rounds or whatever or for a UFC title it would be five five-minute rounds but we all know how that story is playing out. I just prepare for a long night. First round, that is just a bonus. You train extra hard and you get less injuries to go out and party afterwards. FCF: At the lower levels I wonder if a fighter did something different in training that resulted in a faster fight but I don't think that is the case with you. You are training the same as you always have? YE: Yeah. We always train pretty hard. I know I trained really hard for Hermes Franca and trained probably just as hard for Josh and I had a few things going on then. I probably missed two or three more days of training than I did for Hermes but at the same time because of the level of guys both those times I felt 'I don't know if I'm ready, I wished I trained more'. It wasn't like I took time off or was lazy or anything like that, I trained pretty much every time I could and I have a lot of time to train. When you get to that level of guy you just want to make sure you are ready and it never seems like it is enough. Be sure to check back tomorrow for Part 2 of this interview and keep an eye out for Loretta Hunt's full report on this show in a future issue of Full Contact Fighter. |
| Tuesday - October 12, 2004 |
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By Keith Mills 
In part one of this interview with Yves Edwards (see October 11th post) talked about his opponent Kotani. Now he talks more about other lightweights, the rules differences in Euphoria, and his own team.FCF: As far as there are no elbows allowed in this show is that any concern? YE: No, I'm not big on throwing elbows. I like them if they are there but that isn't one of my main tactics. I've thrown elbows before and finished some fights with them but it's no concern. I know the rules. I think I hit just as hard with an elbow as with a fist. An elbow cuts more of course, that is fine. I don't have to be so close to him to elbow him now. FCF: You came out of among others HOOKnSHOOT which used Shooto rules and these are basically the same. YE: Right. The lack of elbows isn't going to throw me off or anything. It doesn't change my game much. FCF: Back when you crossed over to shows like UFC where you could use elbows did that take any effort to add that to your arsenal? YE: No, because defending elbows is just like defending anything else. If your hands are right in the standup game you are going to defend elbows just as well as punches. As long as your positioning is correct and your hands are right then you aren't going to be exposed to elbows. On the ground you tie people up at the right time and do the right things and you won't expose yourself to getting elbowed. It's the same as exposing yourself to getting punched, you got to use your arms to punch. It all falls under the same spectrum. FCF: This fight is in a ring with the four corners. Some fighters have said it's easier to cut somebody off in a ring than in a non-square cage. How do you view this? YE: Yeah, but if you know how to cut somebody off you can cut somebody off in a circle. If you know how to do it right you can do it. I'm kind of glad to be fighting in a ring again. I fought in a ring pretty much more than anywhere else. I know how to use it the same as a cage. The only difference is it's going to be harder to ground-and-pound somebody in a ring. You can lay-and-pray but can't really ground-and-pound a guy that has good ability to stand back to his feet. I'm looking forward to that and think that is an advantage to me because guys are going to want to put me on my back. There is probably one guy in the tournament that doesn't want to put me on my back. I'm not concerned with it being a ring, I'm actually pleased to see how that will turn out. FCF: So far the public feedback is you are favored to win but I'm wondering how much of that is they don't know the other fighters. Hermes Franca, Rich Clementi, and maybe former Shooto Champion Joakim Hansen. How do you feel about the later rounds of this tournament? YE: I think about ‘this guy might win this fight' or ‘this guy might win that fight' but I'm not even thinking about who I'm fighting next. I'm not impressed with Kotani's standup and don't know how he is going to be able to handle getting punched in the face on the ground but at the same time I'm not looking past that guy. If he took a fight in this tournament he thinks he can win. I just need to prove him wrong. When I take a step back and look at this tournament as a fan of course I pick myself to win my fight but all those guys are legit. The Russian [Golyaev] is a good striker from what I hear. I've seen little clips of his Clementi fight but he has no ground game so that stands against him real strong. The other three guys I look at, Hermes, Rich, and Joakim, are for real. I think the most dangerous one of the three is probably Joakim. At the same time you can't count any of those guys out, they are for real. 
FCF: Have you seen many of Joakim's fights? YE: I've seen some clips of some of his fights and then we fought on the same show in Japan when he fought Gomi so I saw that one. He is real intense, super intense and violent. That is a good thing. I like watching him fight and wish I could get more. Hopefully I'll run into him in the tournament. I'll get a chance to study him of course and after I study him and pick out my things that I'm going to try to use against him and exploit on him then I'll get a chance to sit back and watch his fights as a fan and enjoy them. That guy is explosive and violent and that is fun to watch. FCF: For the fans that aren't familiar with him can you describe the fight you saw, Shooto in August of last year, so the fans know what to expect from this guy? YE: I don't know if everybody knows what Joakim is all about. I always thought he was going to be a striker just because he's from Europe but his jiu-jitsu is phenomenal. He's a lanky fighter like me but a little more wiry. With that comes some power. The guy isn't afraid to do anything. I've seen him stand up with Gomi and I know Gomi isn't the greatest as a fighter but is really confident in the standup game. I've seen [Joakim] throw with Gomi, saw some nice takedowns, and I've seen him work from the top and his back on the ground. The guy is well-rounded all around. Of course his ground game is stronger but I would not sleep on his standup game at all, I would not step into the ring with him thinking my standup is better. My standup is better but I'd have to stay focused or this guy will hurt me. Joakim is one of my favorite fighters at 155 pounds and probably one of my favorite fighters in the world. I think after this tournament they will have a better idea who he is and he is for real. FCF: This is a really packed card. How do you feel about this show as a whole? YE: Yeah, it is really. Ryan Schultz also. That guy is supposed to be a monster. Unfortunately I'm going to be the last lightweight that night so I don't get to really watch everybody else but [matchmaker] Miguel is good about getting tapes to me so I'll get a good shot at seeing it. Then the heavyweights...I don't know much about heavyweights or like other weight classes. You can ask me about just about any other 155 fighter and I'll know who they are but I know like Nogueira, Jens, and Palling at 145...a few of the guys in the UFC at all of the other weights and Pride but that is about it. Like the UFC heavyweights, I don't even know who those guys are. From what I hear about the heavyweight tournament it is stacked. I just don't know much about heavyweights. I'd rather watch the lighter weights, they are more exciting. 170 pounders, 155 pounders...I know a lot about those guys, some of the 185 pounders. FCF: Is it my imagination or have we seen more opportunities for the lightweights in the last couple of months? Soljah Fight Night in Hawaii with Ribeiro a couple moths ago, Extreme Challenge/SuperBrawl tournament series, WEC last I heard had two lightweight titles, AFC of course where Marcus Aurelio originated...Is it my imagination? YE: I don't think it's your imagination at all. People are starting to come around, understand lightweights put on the best fights. Even pro boxing. Take the heavyweight boxing card that has eight heavyweights on it God knows when in the next couple of weeks. Who wants to see that crap? It's garbage. I don't care what anybody has to say, heavyweights are garbage. The best heavyweights in the world are in Pride. Then you take Arlovski, he's probably the best heavyweight in the UFC but everybody else is so one-dimensional it's like you are watching a Toughman fight with guys with little gloves on. It's too bad they try to force-feed you this crap too. FCF: As far as whether the fans want only heavyweights case in point is this tournament. With the Russians coming back and the UFC vets all I see and hear people talking about is the lightweight tournament. YE: That's what they want to see. People don't want to see heavyweights, they want to see knockouts and good fights. Basically they can't fight, they land a good punch. The lightweights don't knock each other out as much, not because they don't have the power but they are more technical and are going to be more on point with their game. Basically heavyweights suck. Take the heavyweights I mentioned, that is about it. Everybody else, unless you are an up-and-comer and aren't going yet you suck. I don't care what you think about that. FCF: As far as your team you had Rocky Long in AFC and I think one other fighter in AFC but not much is known about them. Does your team have anything else coming up? YE: Rocky Long and Carlo Prater just fought a few months ago in FFC in Mississippi and won their respective weights. Carlo Prater beat Spencer Fisher and Rocky beat Jarret Becks. Becks was the champion at the time and Rocky beat him before in a very close fight and this time Rocky just knocked him out in the very first round, put that one to sleep. They have been working really hard and coming along well. They have a few things on the table. Carlo may be fighting in the next AFC show in Florida [note: October 30th]. Rocky may have a fight in Guam at the end of the month. I train with those guys of course. Timothy Credeur, his jiu-jitsu is just off the chain. I think he's like 15-1. Then there is an amateur guy named Todd Moore, a real good fighter. He's going to be training hard, coming out and making a name for himself soon too. [Note: for more on these fighters and Yves' gym the Ultimate Training Center check out www.thugjitsu.com]. 
FCF: You said you aren't looking past your opponent Kotani but as far as a next fight but are you looking at a next fight in UFC or the next round in this tournament? YE: I would like to know there is something else out there. This is my job so if I get to work I get to eat. UFC, it was possible I would fight in the UFC in Japan but of course after beating everybody the UFC put in front of me and not fighting for the title and fighting the only other guy who qualified for the title I still have to win my fight in the Euphoria tournament before I come back to the UFC and fight. Now I don't know what is going on with that because the fights in Japan aren't on. I would love to go to Japan and fight Gomi in his show in December, you know they have big cards in Japan in December and I would love to go out there for one of those New Years shows. I would like to fight Gomi out there. I'm not really looking forward to anything else, I'm not looking past this fight but at the same time I would love to have something else on the table. I love fighting and this fight is the main course but you go to a good restaurant and order a good meal, you eat that meal but that doesn't mean you don't want desert. That is the way I look at it. The next fight is the main course and the fight after is desert. If I have something on the table I know I'm going to get to eat, going to get to work. I'm definitely available up until the middle of January. |
| Wednesday - October 13, 2004 |
By Joe Hall Mike Whitehead, a heavyweight from the Miletich camp, will replace an injured John Marsh against Tra Telligman at UFC 50. The 23-year-old wrestled at the University of Missouri in 2004, finishing fifth in the powerhouse Big 12 Conference. Since wrestling season concluded, he has been training in Iowa with Tim Sylvia, Justin Eilers and others at Miletich Martial Arts. Two years ago in San Diego Whitehead won the heavyweight division of the ADCC North American Trials. Check back tomorrow for a more in-depth profile of Whitehead. |
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DVD 
UFC 48: PaybackThe premier mixed martial arts event in the world returns to Las Vegas for UFC 48: Payback. In the main event, hall of famer Ken Shamrock meets Hawaiian fighting legend Kimo in a rematch of their battle 8 years ago. The co-main event is a battle for the UFC Heavyweight Championship between former champion Tim Sylvia and top submission fighter Frank Mir. Also on the card, Frank Trigg crushes Dennis Hallman in their rematch from the controversial WFA bout years ago. The undercard features such UFC stars as Phil Baroni, Evan Tanner, Matt Hughes, “Charuto” Verissimo, Georges St. Pierre, and Matt Serra. Bonus Matt Lindland Works Out With John Hackleman Baroni vs. Tanner the Rematch Baroni vs. Tanner Post-Fight Matt Hughes Post-Fight Mir and Sylvia Prepare for War Mir vs. Sylvia Post-Fight Controversy Shamrock Vs. Kimo Payback Ken Shamrock Post-Fight UFC 48: Payback Highlights Event Bouts Trevor Prangley vs. Curtis Stout (Prelim) Georges St. Pierre vs. Jay Hieron (Prelim) Matt Serra vs. Ivan Menjivar (Prelim) Phil Baroni vs. Evan Tanner Matt Hughes vs. Renato Verissimo On the Mat With Mark Laimon (Demonstration) Frank Mir vs. Tim Sylvia Frank Trigg vs. Dennis Hallman Ken Shamrock vs. Kimo Leopoldo (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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By Joe Hall Ivan Salaverry was told Monday that UFC 50 opponent Trevor Prangley had separated a rib and would not be standing across from him Oct. 22 in Atlantic City. Instead, Salaverry will be facing Tony Fryklund, a middleweight from the Miletich camp. Fryklund last fought in the UFC in June 2002, when he stopped Rodrigo Ruas in the second round. Since that victory at UFC 37.5, he has won four of six fights outside the octagon, including a loss by decision to Matt Lindland in May and a win over Chris Myers on Sept. 5. With the change, the bout that was Phil Baroni vs. Trevor Prangley has become Ivan Salaverry vs. Tony Fryklund. Salaverry was initially added to UFC 50 as a light heavyweight replacement slated to take on Patrick Cote. He was then dropped down to a middleweight bout against Prangley, and will now fight Fryklund, his third scheduled opponent. "It sucks, but what can I do?" he says. "It's part of fighting, especially (MMA). A lot of guys get hurt prior to the fight, and you just have to deal with it. It's a little annoying because you prepare for one person, his style and certain situations, and then they switch it up on you." While some fighters will say they train the same way regardless of foe, Salaverry specializes his preparation. "You try as much as possible to train specific to (your opponent), whatever strengths or weaknesses that he has," he says. Prangley's greatest strength is wrestling, which Salaverry had been honing a strategy to counter. Now that he's fighting Fryklund, though, whose strength is on the feet, Salaverry will adjust his last week of training to focus on striking. His game plan is to use kickboxing to foil Fryklund's boxing prowess. "I'm going to try to use my legs, try to use my kicks," says the 33-year-old, who has been preparing with Maurice Smith and Josh Barnett among others. Compared to Prangley, Salaverry feels his new opponent is better rounded. However, he sees endurance as a potential weakness accompanying Fryklund into the cage next weekend. Says Salaverry, "For him to take a fight on 10 days notice, even though he said that he was (already) training for another fight, that could be a situation." By "situation," Salaverry means a soft spot in Fryklund's game that he'll strive to rip into a gaping hole. The plan calls for a fervent pace that challenges his foe's cardio. "Nowadays," he says, "you always try to come out strong and push the pace of the game. We'll see who really has it in the third round, you know? You push and push and push and say, let's see what happens in the third round, (let's see) who's really got the gas." |
From the event's promoter:
Sportfight returns to the Dome on Ocober 23rd with the best card yet, as Ed "Shortfuse" Herman takes on UFC vet and Canadian mma sensation Joe Doerkson in the main event! Matchmaker Alexander Oxendine has outdone himself with the most complete card Oregon has ever seen. Frightnight will live up to its name, as a freakish assembly of the world's toughest fighters battle for supremacy in the "Terror Dome." The matchup between Herman and Doerkson is a much anticipated opportunity for Herman to avenge teammate Chris "Light Out" Leben's only loss. Leben lost by decision to Doerkson earlier this year, in what was described by Badbreed.tv as "The best mma fight ever." Doerkson is coming off his first loss in over two years, suffered at the hands of Joe "Diesal" Riggs, and will be looking to make a strong showing. Herman is one of the fastest rising stars at Team Quest, and is 6-1 since making his pro debut earlier this year. Since that time he has fought all comers, and has victories over some very tough opponents such as Brian Ebersole and Jacen "The Sin" Flynn. Herman has dominated all his opponents this year; even in his sole loss he was dominant before a mistake led to him being choked unconscious. Doerkson will be the most high-profile fight for Herman yet, so we can expect he will be in top shape. Joining Herman and Doerkson as co-main event, UFC veteran Dennis "Superman" Hallman will face off with kickboxer Landon "The Show" Showalter. Hallman is perhaps best known for armbarring Matt Hughes in the UFC in less than a minute, and has recently moved up in weight class to middleweight. He beat Mike Seal at Sportfight Battleground: Reno in September. Sportfight fans will remember Landon Showalter from his epic main event battle with Chris "Lights Out" Leben that left both fighters bloody after three rounds and an overtime round. Showalter also has a submission win over Drew Fickett, who beat Hallman in King of the Cage last year. In a lightweight title fight months in the making, "The Piranha" Dennis Davis will defend his belt against BJJ brown belt Trevor Burnell. Burnell earned the right to compete for the strap by beating Dave Cochran at Sportfight: Stadium in August, and immediately made the fight more interesting by calling Davis "the fish" in a public call-out. Davis, one of the most popular fighters in Oregon, is coming off a first minute submission win over LW champ Donnie Raines in Utah's Cagefighting Championships. The battle to establish the next #1 lightweight contender continues with two more big matchups, as bruiser Dave Cochran takes on undefeated grappling specialist Cam Ward, and Paul "The Apostle" Morris faces kickboxer Chad Nelson. Cochran has had trouble when his fights have gone to the mat quick, but he is also responsible for some of the most exciting knockouts in Sportfight, including a five-second KO over previously undefeated Canadian Len Smith. Ward has impressive wins in Sportfight over slugger Chris Wilson and a knee bar victory over Pedro Castaneda. Morris is coming off a win he earned in impressive fashion after a war with Enoch Wilson. Chad Nelson has been clamoring for a rematch with "The Piranha" since being knocked out by him two years ago. He holds the amateur belt from the FCFF, which he earned by knocking out the very tough Jon Gunderson. The pro card is rounded off by Art Santore facing off with Justin Davis, and Buck Meredith taking on David Banks. Both Santore and Meredith train with Pride fighting phenomenom "Dangerous Dan" Henderson, and are veterans of Pankrase and King of the Cage. Highlights of the talent-laden amateur card include Bristol Murunde vs. Shaun Caitlin, Eddie Blackburn vs. JD Stanley, and a very promising matchup between featherweight toughies Ian Loveland and JT Horner. Both Loveland and Horner are undefeated and have shown the incredible toughness it takes to be successful pros someday. An explosive card packed with some of the toughest fighters in the world guarantees that with "Frightnight" Sportfight will continue to set the standard for mma in the Pacific Northwest. The Sportfight crew, including mma icons Matt "The Law" Lindland and Randy "The Natural" Couture are dedicated to ensure that Sportfight keeps its reputation as "The Ultimate in One on One Combat"™. Tickets can be purchased at www.sportfight.tv. To discuss this card and other Team Quest related news, log on to Ring Girl's Team Quest website at www.tqfc.net! SF 7 Complete Card MW Joe Doerksen V Ed Herman MW Landon Showalter V Dennis Hallman LHW Art Santore V Justin Davis LW Championship Trevor Burnell V Dennis Davis LW Dave Cochran V Cam Ward WW Buck Meredith V David Banks LW Paul Morris V Chad Nelson Amateurs Bristol Marunde V Shaun Catlin JT Horner V Ian Loveland Ron Hamilton V Rick Stuber Eddie Blackburn V JD Stanley Donovan Evans V Sebastion Austin Ward V Otis Petit |
| Thursday - October 14, 2004 |
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Russian Promoter Aims High With October 15th Tournament Event, Fedor and Pulver to Support from Sidelines By Loretta Hunt If everything goes as planned, it will be good vibrations all around for fighters and fans tomorrow night from the Tropicana Resort & Casino, where promoters EUPHORIA MFC (Mixed Fighting Championship) launch the opening round of not one, but two internationally-charged 8-Man tournaments from the shores of Atlantic City, New Jersey. With world cross-over competition a main priority for EUPHORIA as many of their promoting peers shy away from it, "The Road to the Titles" hosts an assemblage of notables and up-and-comers alike, including a diverse pool of heavyweight prospects culled from Canada to Brazil to Russia. Among them, Minnesotan Travis Wiuff leads the pack with his 16-fight winning streak in tow. Canadian's number one heavyweight Ulisses Castro is also hoping to make an impression, along with 2004 Athens Olympic Greco-Roman competitor Antoine Jaoude. With the heavyweights a precious commodity throughout the world, this tournament could speak volumes as to who might emerge the next star onto the international scene. However, it's the lightweight brackets that pack the most punch with a superior line-up—one of the strongest ever attempted in America. Well-known stand-outs Texan "Thugjitsu" master Yves Edwards and Brazilian Top Team's latest recruit Hermes Franca are onboard, but it's a group of first-timers that should peak hardcore fans' interests considerably. Former SHOOTO champion Joachim Hansen is set to make his U.S. debut along with Japan's ZST poster boy Naoyuki Kotani, while returning EUPHORIA competitors and rivals Rich Clementi and Sergei Goliaev round out the roster. The event has also garnered the support of a few select fighters outside the ring, who will lend their talents in various ways. After taking Japan by storm, current PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko will be in attendance to meet and greet with fans on his first visit to the States. Emelianenko will surely be cheering on Red Devil Sports Club lightweight teammate Goliaev, as well as heavyweights Roman Zentsov and Ibagrim Magomedov, who will face Jaoude and Wiuff respectively. "EUPHORIA, M-1, and Red Devil all have a comfortable relationship," comments matchmaker Miguel Itturate on the coup that was Fedor and the trio of companies "foreign exchange" of players. "Anything is possible," the cool 19-1 Russian annihilator quietly answered from his hotel room last night as to the prospect of competing in the States, possibly under the EUPHORIA flag. Emelianenko added that he is intrigued by the promotion's internationally-friendly intentions, and eager to see how the country clashing match-ups play out.
As part of the show taping for a future DVD release, former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver will serve as co-commentator alongside Jeff Osborne on play-by play detail, while Brazilian TV personality Jorge Guimaraes will conduct backstage and post-fight interviews. With his nationally-regarded HOOKnSHOOT promotion, heavily-experienced fight analyst Osborne has also commentated UFC events in the past. Guimaraes produces and also hosts the weekly MMA show "Passing The Guard" in Brazil, along with his involvement with the MECCA promotion. But, probably the most noticeable of the three will be Pulver, who has reinvented himself as a formidable contender in the 145-pound division since relinquishing his UFC title almost four years ago over contract disputes. "I think it's extremely important," says Pulver of the event's international undertones. "It shows that Americans and Japanese are not the only fighters. You have guys training all over the world, and they need a place to fight too. I think it's a great opportunity for American fans to [get a look at these fighters]. The biggest thing is, when you have an international show like this, you can really say, ‘Man, I'm a world champion,' because you're fighting the world's best. It's really great to know this sport is blossoming everywhere." Slated to kick off at 8:30 PM, tickets are still available at www.ticketmaster.com. With an outstanding card of characters from all corners of the globe, this unique event is one not to be missed. |
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Sportsbook.com "Where the Fight Begins" We've got the odds on UFC, Pride & more Boxing than anybody in the business. Log in and open an account for a free $10 bet on UFC 50.
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The Brazilian Beat: It's October and The Brazilian Beat finally returns after a busy month for yours truly. One of the things I attended recently was Chute Boxe star Murilo Ninja's wedding, in a beautiful ceremony held in Curitiba, where the always aggressive and active young fighter was finally "stopped" by his fiancée Ana Paula and entered a new life as a married man, in times where lots of famous fighters have been following the same path. Needless to say, all of us at FCF wish the best for the couple. Looking into the activity up in the North of the country, Jungle Fight 3 has been gathering a lot of attention as maybe the promotion's best card ever is being assembled by promoter Wallid Ismail, and we bring you some news of that show as well. So, without further delay, we present you with all of this and more MMA news straight from Brazil, as this reporter will have to hurry to the airport to catch a plane to Sweden, but the Beat will never stop here at Full Contact Fighter, always in Brazilian style!
Be sure to check out the upcoming issue of Full Contact Fighter for more Brazilian Beat! |
| Friday - October 15, 2004 |
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No Elbow Strikes, Internationally-Inspired Card Make For Stand-Out Event By Loretta Hunt Oct 14, Atlantic City, NJ - With some of the most accomplished lightweight fighters ever assembled in one place, along with a gathering of eight hungry (and hefty) heavyweights, the official EUPHORIA MFC weigh-ins, held today at the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey were a parade of talent from wall to wall. With Russia, Brazil, Japan, Spain, Norway and the United States all represented, EUPHORIA made good on its promise of international cross-over competition when all 16 tournament fighters, as well as 4 alternates, made their required numbers today under the New Jersey Athletic Control Board's watchful eye. It took less than fifteen minutes to weigh all of the participants in, while matchmaker Miguel Iturate quickly progressed into the rules meeting. Possibly hoping to get any consternation out of the way quickly, Itturate announced EUPHORIA's own amendment to the Unified Rules Of Combat currently observed the NJACB: Elbow strikes, including forearms, will not be allowed standing or on the ground at any time. Citing that the move(s) created too many fighter lacerations at the last EUPHORIA event and that numerous promotions like HOOKnSHOOT, SHOOTO and the AFC have also adopted this philosophy, Iturate visually demonstrated the foul multiple times for emphasis.
"I don't pay anybody enough money to go home with 25 stitches," Itturate answered patiently but firmly to some mild protests from fighter entourages hearing of the rule amendment for the first time. Tomorrow nights competitors, however, made no quarrels having been aware of the alteration for some time: it was stipulated in the contracts they signed to fight. It is an especially optimum situation for the Russian and Japanese visitors, whose MMA systems have also disallowed elbow strikes. However, for fighters like Travis Wiuff, a wrestler who actively uses elbow strikes on his hapless opponents, it will be an adjustment and, more importantly, a loss of a weapon. "I do use them a lot, and it's actually been hard in my training to resist the instinct to use them," Wiuff honestly commented. "I think it will be okay though. I use them most the time I'm in side mount, but I've been working in punches there." In addition to the "no elbows" topic, fighters were especially verbal regarding the "No kicking of a downed opponent" regulation, with both Hansen and Kotani asking for verification on the rule in various demonstrated scenarios. Kotani actively utilized the translator provided him, while Hansen's English was surprisingly accomplished enough to easily keep up on his own. |
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Jason Miller and Ronald Jhun comment on their welterweight title fight scheduled for this Saturday at Super Brawl By Joe Hall They're very different, yet similar. One is brash and loud, the other courteous and quiet. One will shock you, offend you, and then make you laugh, sometimes in just one sentence. The other will make you feel like an old friend, sometimes in just one greeting. Both are tough welterweights on the fringes of the UFC. One fought there in August, the other was supposed to in June. On Saturday, Ronald Jhun and Jason Miller will meet in Hawaii for the Super Brawl welterweight championship. In addition to the title, both are fighting for a higher rung on the welterweight ladder, a position one step closer to a debut or a return to the UFC. FCF spoke with both fighters on Wednesday: FCF actually caught Jason "Mayhem" Miller on the, um... john. He insisted he could do the interview, however, and after a brief pause and the sound of a flushing toilet, the interview began. To capture best how the following conversation went, imagine him laughing loudly every three for four sentences. FCF: Who have you been training with for this fight? Jason Miller: I trained for a couple weeks in Atlanta, Georgia, with the guys at Velocity Kickboxing. There are some really tough standup guys over there and, also, I had the chance to train with Rory Singer from Athens. He came down and helped me train. When I was in Vegas, I trained with Marc Laimon and the guys from Cobra Kai. I literally have the best, in America, the best submission wrestling room I've ever seen in my life. It's definitely up there. We have the best grapplers I've ever seen. I get depressed sometimes because the guys are so good. I'm used to being a big fish in a small pond, being able to beat everybody's ass. In there, man, a lot of times I just get my ass kicked. It's a humbling experience. It keeps me hungry to train all the time. What is your impression of Ronald Jhun? He's a rockheaded Hawaiian, bro. He's a tough, tough guy. That's why I'm so excited about this fight. You put two rockheads in the ring together, and there's going to be some sparks. It's going to be one of those fights that afterward I'll be like, Damn that was fun. It's not going to be one of those fights where the guy gives up. It's going to be something that my body remembers. What's your biggest advantage going into this fight? I think I'm a much more technical fighter. I think I'm a little more slick than he is. He's a straightforward fighter. I think that I'm really going to beat him on being smooth about the way I fight. He's going to slip up, and I'm going to catch him. |
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By Jim Genia The date: Saturday, October 16th. The place: Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey. The event: Reality Fighting 7 - where local East Coast up-and-comers come to battle it out in North America's only octagon-shaped ring. Four championship titles are on the line this time around, and with an additional ten bouts scheduled it should prove to be an action-packed night for MMA fans. Here's a brief look at some of the fighters: Glen Sandull, Planet Jiu-jitsu Glen Sandull is the reigning undefeated Reality Fighting heavyweight champ - a title he snatched from Carlos Cline at Reality Fighting 4 after three rounds of nonstop punishment. He's stayed at the top since then, utilizing seemingly unstoppable takedowns and a relentless ground assault, but at Reality Fighting 7 the Planet Jiu-jitsu representative faces a new and improved Cline (thanks to Team Renzo Gracie) in a rematch. Does Cline have what it takes to dethrone the dominant wrestler? Or will this be a repeat of their first meeting? "Beating Carlos in our first fight means nothing," says Sandull. "I try not to underestimate anyone and I know Carlos will be better prepared this time." He adds: "This is a new fight with two improved fighters and anything can happen." His prediction for the bout? "I would like to hit a submission on Carlos but a win of any sort would be enough. I know it's not going to be an easy task. I expect a war." Jordan Pergola, Team Renzo/Bellmore Kickboxing Academy He first came onto the scene back in 2001, grounding and pounding to earn a decision over slugger Jose Rodriguez. He resurfaced this past April, crushing an overmatched opponent with strikes in a mere 13 seconds. There's a great deal of buzz surrounding Jordan Pergola. Is it well founded? Or is it just hype? On October 16th, we'll know for sure, as the powerful wrestler-turned-kickboxer takes on veteran brawler Lance Everson in what should be a real test for both men. Laura D'Auguste, Team Tiger Schulmann When these two ladies met at Reality Fighting 5, it ended in a draw after two rounds of back-and-forth action. Now, at Reality Fighting 7, Laura D'Auguste and Amanda Buckner will have three rounds to settle things - and the undefeated D'Auguste will get a chance to avenge the only blemish on an otherwise spotless record. |
| Saturday - October 16, 2004 |
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EUPHORIA Victors Advance In Tournament Action By Loretta Hunt
Keeping their word to import a slew of foreign characters rarely seen in the U.S., EUPHORIA promoters paid a great service to the sport with their efforts, and an estimated attendance of 2,000 plus seemed to be in full agreement. There were no big surprises for tonight's results, although the evening had its share of intrigues performance nonetheless. Advancing on to the next round for the lightweights: Yves Edwards, Joachim Hansen, Rich Clementi, and Hermes Franca. In the heavyweight brackets, Travis Wiuff, Kerry Schall, Jeff Monson, and Antoine Jaoude.
The formidable Brazilian Top Team was out in full force to support newest addition Hermes Franca in all his 47 seconds of glory over an out-classed Phil Johns. Surprising some by immediately going for a single-leg takedown, Franca hopped from guard to mount and before Johns knew it, had his back for the rear naked choke.
Yves Edwards' signature move -- the very high right kick -- again sealed the deal for him tonight in his victory over ground specialist and ZST rep Naoyuki Kotani. Kotani surprised a bit by trying to stand with Edwards, which only seemed to charge the Texan more to unleash some fancy hand work in the form of uppercut-fueled combos. For the brief stint on the ground, Kotani could do nothing to slow down his adversary, who emerges the favorite in this stacked lightweight tournament.
In a down-and-out slugfest, Canada's Ulisses Castro showed a tough chin and punching power as he gave and took all the experienced Kerry Schall could handle. The two duked it out full-throttle on at least three separate occasions, one of which Castro was deducted a point for a low blow on a knee that temporarily stopped the action. Taking part of his requisite five minutes to recover, both men finished the round strong with continued shots. Castro's right eye was swollen and closed by round two, while Schall was showing the first signs of fatigue, yet just 20 seconds in, Castro landed a second questionable low blow, a solid kick that sent Schall to the mat in agony. Canadian referee Yves Lavigne disqualified Castro for the illegal shots, and Schall will move on to the second round.
In the final heavyweight match-up of the evening, Antoine Jaoude proved gamer than his four fight record let on in his dominating performance over Red Devil returnee Roman Zentsov. It was expected that the recent Olympic participant would take boxer Zentsov done fairly easily, which he did, but Jaoude impressed by keeping busy when he stood and backed out, and then jumping into guard with a powerful punch and eventually passing to side control and then mount. However, from there Zentsov successfully tied up Jaoude's arms and stalled any action, to the point where referee Lavigne had to stand the two. Complaining of rib pain, Zentsov forfeited the rest of the contest when he could not to continue. In preliminary action, Team Quest lightweight Ryan Schultz proved too much for visiting Spaniard David Gaona of the S.H.O.O.T Spain team. Schultz held a superior command of the stand-up over counter-striker Gaona who always seemed a swing behind in his efforts to connect. From a flooring straight cross, Schultz easily got mount and pummeled an overwhelmed and profusely bleeding Gaona for a referee stoppage that was a good minute too late. In the heavyweight alternate bout, recent Miletich addition Ben Rothwell fended off a sloppy Jonathan Wiezorek's charging attempts to land a few distinct punches to his opponent. Wiezorek did little to block the shots, and was quickly stopped with two (almost) consecutive uppercuts that buckled his knees and had him in obvious trouble. The referee jumped in just as Rothwell landed an unintentional, but illegal blow to the back of Wiezorek's head as he began to crumble to the mat. EUPHORIA "The Road to the Titles" Results Opening Round: 8-Man Lightweight Championship Tournament Rich Clementi (Team Extreme, USA) def. Henry Matamoros (Pedro Sauer Jiu-Jitsu, USA)- Unanimous Decision [26-30, 27-30, 27-30] Hermes Franca (Brazilian Top Team, Brazil ) def. Phil Johns (Silverbacks, USA)- Rear Naked Choke :47 Rd 1 Yves Edwards (Third Column, USA ) def. Naoyuki Kotani (Rodeo Style, Japan)- Joachim Hansen (Team Scandinavia, Norway) def. Sergei Goliaev (Red Devil, Russia)- Rear Naked Choke 3:24 Rd 1 Lightweight Alternate Bout: Ryan Schultz (Team Quest, USA) def. David Gaona (S.H.O.O.T. Spain, Spain)- TKO referee stoppage (strikes) 2:17 Rd 1 Opening Round: 8-Man Heavyweight Championship Tournament Kerry Schall (Team Extreme, USA) def. Ulisses Castro (Freelance, Canada)- Disqualification (low blow) :20 Rd 2 Travis Wiuff (Team Extreme, USA) def. Ibragim Magomedov (Red Devil, Russia)- Unanimous decision (30-27 all) Jeff Monson (American Top Team, USA) def. Pat Stano (CORE Martial Arts, USA)- TKO referee stoppage (knee to body) 3:11 Rd 2 Antoine Jaoude (Ruas Vale Tudo, Brazil) def. Roman Zentsov (Red Devil, Russia)- TKO referee stoppage (Zentsov could not continue due to rib injury) 3:30 Rd 1 Heavyweight Alternate Bout: Ben Rothwell (Team Extreme, USA) def. Jonathan Wiezorek (Valdosta Academy, USA)- TKO referee stoppage (strikes) 1:09 Rd 1 |
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From Zuffa: UFC® 50: WAR OF O4, OCT. 22, AT BOARDWALK HALL IN ATLANTIC CITY Lutter To Meet Eastman in Light Heavyweight Bout; Fryklund To Replace Prangley In Middleweight Action ‘Ultimate Fighting Championship' Special To Air This Sunday, Oct. 17 On FSN LAS VEGAS, NEV., October 15, 2004.... A training injury has sidelined light heavyweight contender Guy Mezger, so undefeated Canadian Patrick Cote (5-0-0 in mixed martial arts) from Rimouski, Quebec, gets the opportunity to fight one of mixed martial arts' top fighters, Tito Ortiz (11-4-0) from Huntington Beach, Calif., in the main event of Ultimate Fighting Championship® 50: War Of 04 next Friday, Oct. 22, at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ. Cote originally was scheduled to fight Marvin Eastman (7-3-0) from Las Vegas, Nev. Eastman will now fight UFC newcomer Travis Lutter (6-1-0) from Dallas, Tex., in the pay-per-view card's other light heavyweight match. In another card change, Middleweight Trevor Prangley has been forced to withdraw due to injury and will be replaced by Tony Fryklund (11-3-0) from Las Vegas, Nev., in his scheduled match against Ivan Salaverry (8-3-1) from Seattle, Wash. UFC officials also announced that the heavyweight fight between Tra Telligman (15-4-1) from Ft. Worth, Tex., and John Marsh (12-4-0) from Redondo Beach, Calif., has been dropped from the card. The feature bout on the seven-fight card will be for the welterweight title as former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes (37-4-0) from Hillsboro, Ill., attempts to regain the belt against undefeated Georges St. Pierre (7-0-0) from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The main event now pits Cote, a power puncher with a knockout reputation, against Ortiz, the former UFC light heavyweight champion who dominates opponents with a devastating grappling and ground/pound style. It did not take long for the war of words to start. "Tito has no chin and I have already knocked out the two fighters with the best chins in Canada with one punch each. If he thinks Chuck Liddell hit him hard, he will realize he hasn't seen anything yet," Cote said. "Big words for a little man," Ortiz responds. "Sounds like he needs to learn some respect, which will happen next Friday. Stand up or on the ground, he gets a beating." The Fryklund-Salaverry bout now matches two well-rounded fighters with excellent stand-up and ground fighting skills. Although he now fights out of Las Vegas, Fryklund is part of the Miletich Fighting Systems team from Davenport, Iowa, one of the top MMA clubs in the world. But, Salaverry also is a world-class fighter who always puts on an exciting show. Lutter is an excellent grappler and submission fighter who has earned a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under the tutelage of legend Carlos Machado. But, he will get a real introduction to the UFC from the veteran Eastman, a quick striker with an extensive wrestling background. In his UFC debut, Eastman stepped up at UFC 43: Meltdown and took on former light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort. But, with that loss now a distant memory, Eastman looks to position himself in the incredibly talent-laden weight division. UFC On FSN, 5 p.m. Local Time, This Sunday, Oct. 17 The first of four, one-hour UFC® fight show specials on FSN (Fox Sports Network) will air at 5 p.m., local time, this Sunday, Oct. 17. "Ultimate Fighting Championship" will re-live the epic battle between top light heavyweight contenders Liddell and Ortiz, and the action-packed welterweight battle between Nick Diaz and Robbie Lawler at UFC 47: It's On! from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Future fight shows will be announced. "Ultimate Fighting Championship" will air quarterly during the next year following a recent agreement signed between the UFC and FSN. UFC 50: War Of 04 will be available LIVE on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. EDT on iNDemand, DirecTV, Dish Network, Echostar, Bell ExpressVu and Viewers Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $29.95. Tickets in all price ranges, $350, $250, $150, $75 and $35, are available at the Boardwalk Hall box office in Atlantic City, at all Ticketmaster locations, http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or by calling 1-800-736-1420. For general information, call 609-348-7000. Tickets are subject to transaction fees. Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino, Trump Marina and Trump Taj Mahal are hosts of the event. |
| Sunday - October 17, 2004 |
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By Jim Genia
Results: Welterweight Title Fight Eddie Alvarez (Fight Factory-167lbs) vs. Chris Schlesinger (Bellmore Kickboxing-167lbs) Alvarez via verbal submission at 1:00. Heavyweight Title Fight Carlos Cline (Team Renzo-245lbs) vs. Glen Sandull (Planet Jiu-Jitsu) After 3 rounds, the judges declared the bout a draw. Light-heavyweight Title Fight Lance Everson (Boneyard) vs. Jordan Pergola (Bellmore Kickboxing-205lbs) Everson via ref stoppage due to unanswered strikes at 3:34 of round 2. Women's Title Fight Amanda Buckner (Academy of MMA-134lbs) vs. Laura D'Auguste (TSK-131lbs) D'Auguste via rear choke at 3:39 of round 2. Norm Schack (Martin's JJ/Renzo-224lbs) vs. Jay Frankovich (Freestyle) Schack via ref stoppage due to unanswered strikes at 1:30. Dante Rivera (Ricardo Almeida/Renzo-189lbs) vs. Jay Handley (Ground Zero) Rivera via guillotine at 1:00. Anthony D'Angelo (Panza Kickboxing-168lbs) vs. Anthony McDonald (Jay Lally) McDonald via decision. Jay Isip (Team End Game-150lbs) vs. Jesse Moreng (TSK-149lbs) Moreng via rear choke at 1:24 of round 2. Carmello Marrero (SBG) vs. Chris Dippolito (Team KOA) Marrero via rear choke at 1:02. Todd Going (Jersey Shore BJJ) vs. Mike Ciesnolevicz (Team Miletich) Ciesnolevicz via guillotine at :17 of round 2. Bill Scott (Ricardo Almeida/Renzo-187lbs) vs. Dominic Dellagatta (TSK-184lbs) Dellagatta via decision. Rich Latta (Renzo) vs. Daniel Coffman (Balance Studios-181lbs) Latta via decision. Charles Vuolo (Team KOA-160lbs) vs. Dom Stanco (Bellmore Kickboxing-168lbs) Stanco via tap out due to strikes at 0:35. |
| Monday - October 18, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: After a weekend as Euphoria Entertainment's MIXED FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP commentator, Jeff Osborne walked into his home and was mauled with bad news. The HOOKnSHOOT promoter had just lost three of his ten women's fights. "I had finally purchased all the airline tickets on Monday and was relieved and now the stress level is brutal" says Osborne. The first match to go was Julie Kedzie, a local fighter who HnS fans fell in love with at the last show, lost her opponent due to "closing on a house." Keri Crothers emailed the news but regardless, the fight many were looking forward to seeing was off. The next email was sent by Alberto Crane: THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS WITH SARAH (Boyd), SHE HASN'T BEEN TRAINING TOO MUCH, SHE LIVES ABOUT AN HOUR AWAY AND HASN'T HAD A CAR BECAUSE HER CAR BROKE DOWN SO I'VE KEPT ON HER BUT SHE STILL HAS NOT BEEN TRAINING. I WAS HOPING SHE WOULD START COMING IN THIS WEEK, BUT SHE STILL HAS NOT. NOW I FEEL LIKE SHE WON'T BE READY SO I DO NOT WANT HER TO GET HURT AND NOT REPRESENT ME WELL, SO I REGRETFULLY WANT TO PULL HER FROM THE COMPETITION. THANKS AND TAKE CARE ALBERTO CRANE Molly Helsel, whom Osborne told "the card is full", asked if she could fly herself in to fight and is now left without an opponent. "I feel horrible! I'm going to bust my ass to find Molly a new opponent but the email from Alberto hurts" says Osborne. The latest cancellation comes from Ceasar Gracie fighter Heather Soderquist. Soderquist came down with a serious staph infection that spread to her face and mouth. She tried to ride the infection out and keep training but it wasn't working and she was forced to pull out of her bout with Jennifer Howe. "While I question some of the dropouts, I don't question Heather's. She's stayed in touch with me and even tried to book flights for Jennifer Howe and Jeremy Horn" continues Osborne. Ticket sales are WAY above average and over 99% of the tickets sold are to local, hardcore HnS fans and they don't know the difference in "name" fighters. Now that worse news, a UK production company was set to start shooting a documentary-based TV show on the women of MMA. The original plan was a 13-week stint on UK TV but they have now backed out. HnS had worked for nearly 18 months on the project trying to prove there were enough women MMA fighters to warrant a series but they claim the number of women fighters (who are legitimate) is the monkey wrench. Regardless of the news, HOOKnSHOOT marches on! The show will still happen and anyone interested in filling in the spots, should contact HOOKnSHOOT immediately at hooknshoot@aol.com. 11/6/04 HOOKnSHOOT "Evolution" Women's MMA 11/7/04 LAST WOMAN STANDING GRAPPLING TOURNAMENT |
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From the event's promoter: Saturday Nov 13, 2004 Pinal County - Parks, Recreation & Fairgrounds 11 MC Road Casa Grande, Arizona Doors Open: 6 PM, Fight Time: 7:30 PM Tickets prices are $20 (General Admission Bleachers) and $30 (Floor Level Seating). The first Rage in the Cage Tucson Casino del Sol show will take place in December or early next year. This recent development enables RITC to return to Casa Grande after a 6 month absence to thank our loyal supporters in Casa Grande, Eloy, Coolidge and surrounding areas. This event will feature many popular local fighters. It will be a great night of action. Please come on out and support your favorite fighters. Fight Card: Gabe Rivas (165) vs Robert Maldonado (165) RJ Gamez (165) vs Frank Sanchez (160) Melesio Perales (185) vs Paul Arroyo (180) Richie Hightower (190) vs Jeremy Neer (185) David Marquez (165) vs Rudy Garcia (165) Carlos Ortega (150) vs Julian Samaniego (145) Eddie Castro (150) vs Matt VerHalen (145) Nick Hedrick (140) vs Cameron Mayer (135) Noel Leija (150) vs Donald Paskiewiez (140) Efram Martinez (175) vs TBA Neil Abbott (190) VS TBA Michael Barney (140) vs TBA Fight Card subject to change. Here are the directions for those traveling from Phoenix or Tucson for the event. Take I-10 to Exit 194 Head East on 287 away from CG for 7 miles Turn right on 11 Mile Corner Rd and you're there Upcoming Events: Desert Quest #11 Saturday, Dec 4, 2004 Westwood High (Mesa) RITC 67 - Whoop Ass Saturday, Dec 11, 2004 |
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Held October 14, 2004 Osaka Castle Hall - Osaka, Japan PRIDE: Bushido 5 North American PPV premiere date: Nov. 19, 2004 |
| Wednesday - October 20, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: Complete Card
MW - Joe Doerksen V Ed HermanMW - Landon Showalter V Dennis Hallman LHW - Art Santore V Justin Davis LW Championship - Trevor Burnell V Dennis Davis LW - Dave Cochran V Cam Ward WW - Buck Meredith V David Banks LW - Paul Morris V Chad Nelson Amateurs Bristol Marunde V Shaun Catlin JT Horner V Ian Loveland Ron Hamilton V Rick Stuber Eddie Blackburn V JD Stanley Donovan Evans V Sebastion Austin Ward V Otis Petit |
| Thursday - October 21, 2004 |
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Foreshadow Shaky Seven-Fight UFC 50 By Loretta Hunt Some have unemphatically dubbed it the Bore of '04, and judging from the ultra-thin turnout of spectators today at its official weigh-ins at the Trump Plaza Theatre in Atlantic City, New Jersey, early signs indicate UFC 50 will come and go as one of the less memorable editions in recent memory to a fighting franchise that has gradually been on the rise. What started as a somewhat engaging 8-fight event has slowly smoldered over the last two months with the loss of fighters Phil Baroni, Paul Buentello, John Marsh, Marvin Eastman (who later returned), and Trevor Prangley, and quickly turned into a fiasco last week when the promotion lost main eventer Guy Mezger in a training accident. Yet with catastrophe comes opportunities. In the endless reshuffling, 5-0 Patrick Cote has risen from the undercard for a shot at Tito Ortiz and instant notoriety in tomorrow's main event. Tony Fryklund is back after an extended absence dating back to the summer of 2002 at UFC 37.5. Newcomer Travis Lutter is also onboard, while Tra Telligman's clash with Buentello, then Marsh, and then Miletich rep Mike Whitehead has been scrapped all together. After a week of chaos, a weary UFC president Dana White looked gratified just to get this final card weighed-in today, hovering over each fighter as New Jersey officials read out the numbers. The fighters, themselves, were subdued and almost lethargic, save for French Canadian dynamo George St. Pierre, whose general congeniality lifted the comparatively dull proceedings. His hood pulled low and hands folded inside a bright red sweat suit, former light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz kept to the corners until his call to the stage. Flanked by a select circle of training mates including recent MTV "True Life" star Kit Cope, the silent, yet focused fighter weighed-in at 205 pounds on the dot. Canadian opponent Patrick Cote was but a pound shier, his hope being to catch the fallen champion with a hard left or right before the ground-and-pounder moves in for the kill. Looking to give his career a much-needed shot in the arm following two very high profile losses to Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, it is doubtful Ortiz will give this newcomer the window he needs.
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Atlantic City, UFC 50 Edition By Joe Hall Three weeks ago, I broke the record. In a magical six-day span, I interviewed all 16 fighters that were scheduled to compete at UFC 50. The previous in-house record at FCF was 15, which Loretta Hunt and I pulled off together when working on a previous UFC preview. Few people understand the terrible struggle it is to reach 16 fighters in the midst of 16 training camps. For six days, I punched numbers and left messages and absolutely obliterated my allotted monthly cell phone minutes. The charges I incurred were heavy, but they were worth it. I thought. You can imagine my dismay when the card began crumbling. Prangley out, Fryklund in. Marsh out, then Mezger, then Telligman. Lutter in, and a scramble of opponent swaps. My UFC 50 preview for the FCF paper had already gone to print, but would the record stand? Would there be an asterisk beside it? Forget my dismay. Put yourself in Joe Silva's shoes, or Dana White's, frantically calling around North America in search of replacements, trying to keep track of who could fight whom and at what weight. On second thought, forget Joe Silva or Dana White; put yourself in the fighters' shoes. Are you interested in fighting in the UFC? You are? Well that's great. Huh? No, not in the February show. We have a spot for you next week! Hope you've been training, fella, because we need you to fight up a division. Many fighters would take such an offer simply because they believe fighting in the UFC is the chance of a lifetime. How could you argue? More power to the guy whose shoulder is shot to hell from his day job and he takes the fight anyway. It may not be smart, but you could argue it's ambitious. Win and he suddenly has a future in the UFC. Lose and well, what did you expect? His shoulder is mangled, and his cardio was nonexistent because he's been sitting at home resting. Of course he lost. That scenario is just an example. Travis Lutter, the BJJ black belt who has stepped up at the last minute to fight Marvin Eastman, is healthy and had already been training for a fight against at the WEC. Nonetheless, he'll sacrifice to fight in the UFC. That WEC bout was at 185, which is where Lutter now prefers to fight. The opening he was asked to fill in the UFC, however, was a weight class up. He weighed in on Thursday at 199.3 pounds while Eastman was a much more solid 204.5. |
| Friday - October 22, 2004 |
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Submissions set the tone for a hot night in Natal By Eduardo Alonso The second edition of Brazilian Challenger took place in the city of Natal this past Thursday, October 21st, gathering around 3,000 spectators in the Machadinho arena, the same place that held the first two editions of HEAT FC, once again giving both the newcomers and veterans of the Brazilian Northeastern scene a chance to show their talent and try to secure a spot in bigger shows. Brazilian Challenger has the concept of serving as a feeder for shows such as HEAT FC, and at the same time creating its own stars in the Brazilian Northeast circle, therefore helping the sport spread more in the area, that has seen major growth for MMA in the last two or three years. This time, different from the first edition, the show used the single match format, and among the highlights of the show was the debut of local jiu-jitsu talent from Kimura/Nova Uniao, Sanderson Dantas, as well as the return to the winning track of Heat FC veteran Charles Andrade. The most important match of the night though, saw Deep veteran Gleison Tibau showing he is ready for bigger tasks with a submission win over Brazilian Challenger 1 tournament winner Loquinha. Here are the results from all the fights:
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From Dream Stage Entertainment: HIGH OCTANE FIGHTCARD COMPLETE! LOS ANGELES, California – Four more bouts have been added to PRIDE FIGHTING's October 31st event, HIGH OCTANE. Already headlining the event is the highly anticipated title bout between middleweight world champion Wanderlei Silva and top contender Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Now added to the fightcard: "The Demolition Man" Alistair Overeem versus Japan's Hiromitsu Kanehara, England's James Thompson versus Russia's Aleksander Emelianenko, Ricardo Arona of Brazilian Top Team versus Sergei Ignatev of the Russian Top Team, and Choi Mu Bae of Korea versus Soa Palelei of Australia. In addition, there are also four other previously announced matches including Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic versus Josh "The Babyface Assassin" Barnett. HIGH OCTANE will take place from the Saitama Super Arena in Japan and is scheduled to debut on North American pay per view via iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH Network, and TVN on Sunday, October 31st, 2004 at 9:00pm EST, 6:00pm PST.
FIGHT CARD Wanderlei Silva (Brazil) vs. Quinton Jackson (USA) (Champion) (Challenger) (This bout is for the PRIDE middleweight championship) Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (Croatia) vs. Josh Barnett (USA) Dan Henderson (USA) vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japan) Hirotaka Yokoi (Japan) vs. Heath Herring (USA) Mark Hunt (New Zealand) vs. Dan Bobish (USA) Ricardo Arona (Brazil) vs. Sergei Ignatev (Russia) Hiromitsu Kanehara (Japan) vs. Alistair Overeem (Holland) Aleksander Emelianenko (Russia) vs. James Thompson (England) Choi Mu Bae (Korea) vs. Soa Palelei (Australia) Fight card subject to change. |
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Banks on Strength for Hughes Upset By Loretta Hunt 
Georges St. Pierre is fairly certain he will shock the world tonight. Facing former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes from the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the 7-0 French Canadian will have to overcome a wealth of experience in his bid for the currently vacant 170-pound title. Illinois wrestler Hughes pillaged a weight division for two years before losing his crown last January to BJ Penn, leaving a trail of bodies behind him in the likes of Carlos Newton, Hayato Sakarai, and Frank Trigg. Simple numbers might have dissuaded others to decline a meeting with the body slamming juggernaut; but not St. Pierre, who was offered a stab at the belt following his aggressive, energized stand-up exhibition on Jay Hieron at UFC 48. His stock on the rise, yet still only in the beginning stages of a potentially fortuitous career, some may argue things are simply going too fast for the affable 23-year-old. St. Pierre doesn't think so. "First of all, I have nothing to lose and I am pretty sure I'm going to beat him, you know?" St. Pierre confidently beams. "I think I have all the skills to beat him. Every [one] of his fights, he was the strongest guy. Me, I'm very strong physically. I don't want to say I'm stronger than him. I don't know if I'm stronger than him, but one thing's for sure; he's not going to overpower me. He's not going to have a huge strength difference between me and him. I think that is the thing that will make the difference." |
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By Keith Mills Lemoore, CA -- WEC sold out another show for their "Halloween Fury III" card, a card with many big names despite last-minute changes. On the downside Mike Kyle dropped off the card days before he was to defend his Heavyweight belt but his belt was still fought for while Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez seems to have either vacated or been stripped of his belt. Also with Travis Lutter in the UFC it was up to Will Bradford to try to stop Brit Weir from taking the North American Middleweight belt across the Atlantic Ocean. A strange set of circumstances regarding the belts overall. On the bright side fans that packed The Palace got to see UFC vets Joe Riggs, Shonie Carter, Chris Lytle, Alex Stiebling, and Mark Weir as well as up-and-comers we have been hearing about Matt Horwich, Nathan Diaz, and Chael Sonnen. Local fan favorites and heroes Poppies Martinez, Doug Marshall, and Olaf Alfonso also made appearances to great crowd response.
The other major surprise on this card of mainly predictable wins was Olaf getting choked out to the point of unconsciousness in his Lightweight title fight for the belt he lost to the aforementioned Melendez last time. Although the dropouts resulted in a card it would be difficult to find people to bet on both sides one fight still kept fans guessing right up until the opening bell. Chael Sonnen and Alex Stielbling both recently fought opponents with styles similar to each other, with Stiebling managing to tap out Joe Riggs after getting pummeled most of the fight while Chael lost to Jeremy Horn by guillotine choke at last month's Sportfight. Leading up to this fight it seemed a question of whether Sonnen would fall for another guillotine or if Stiebling could wear down Sonnen like he did Riggs. The real answer though was this fight was in a cage, not a ring as Sonnen faced with Horn. For three five-minute rounds Sonnen showed his so far unstoppable takedowns and kept Stiebling pinned against the cage for face shots while Stiebling couldn't mount much of an offense. Definitely a step back into the spotlight for Sonnen.
Look for a full report in an upcoming issue of Full Contact Fighter. Full Results:
Nathan Diaz def. Alex Garcia 2:17 R3 by triangle choke Troy Miller def. Tom Owens 3:56 R2 by verbal submission (knee injury) Brad Imes def. Jeremy Freitag by split decision Mark Weir def. Will Bradford 2:11 R1 by submission to strikes Mark is new North American Middleweight Champion Gabe Ruediger def. Olaf Alfonso 3:05 R1 by rear choke Gabe is new WEC World Lightweight Champion Chris Lytle def. J.T. Taylor 2:53 R1 by choke Tosh Cook def. Rafael Del Real 1:34 R1 by rear choke Poppies Martinez def. Joe Martin 4:40 R2 by TKO Poppies is new WEC North American Lightweight Champion James Irvin def. Houssain Oushani 2:27 R1 by TKO James is new Heavyweight Champion Joe Riggs def. Chilo Gonzales 1:50 R1 by submission to strikes Shonie Carter def. Jody Poff 3:48 R1 by rear choke Chael Sonnen def. Alex Stiebling by unanimous decision Doug Marshall def. Carlos Garcia 2:45 R1 by TKO |
| Saturday - October 23, 2004 |
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Hughes Reclaims Welterweight Title; Trigg, Salaverry, Tanner Trio Impress By Loretta Hunt
In a three round war of the clinch, Boston native Jorge Rivera gave Rich Franklin a much tougher time than some expected, answering with punches and knees and even tagging Franklin out of his game in the second round. Sporting a nasty mouse and at one point bleeding heavily from a cut on his brow, Franklin had to work for his armbar victory that came late in the third round. But, it was the evenly matched clinch work that made up the majority of the fight, with Franklin edging out the Team Elite fighter with countless reversals along the fence and knees to Rivera's sides.
Welterweights Frank Trigg and Renato "Charuto" Verissimo hardly disappointed in what many correctly predicted would be the most technically-fulfilling match-up of the night. From the get go, the pair's immediate clinching yielded a stalemate for control, as both made multiple attempts at takedowns that never came. Separating, it was 6'1" Verissimo's healthy reach that delivered him a sound punch that jarred Trigg, who went on auto-pilot with a double leg takedown. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt sunk in his first of numerous triangle choke attempts, but Trigg worked free and managed himself into guard. From there, Trigg did what he does best— posting up and landing powerful punches as he folded his lanky opponent's body against the fence. But, Verissimo was a slippery target, moving to a leg lock but eating a couple of punches along the way. On their feet again, Trigg went for the throw and fell into the triangle choke again, but this time barely escaped with his consciousness intact. A depleted Trigg slumped back to his corner, but was ready to roll by the second round bell, quickly revealing that it was Verissimo lacking in the endurance department. Landing some clean shots that dazed the Brazilian on his feet, Trigg easily got his final takedown, and worked his ground and pound for the referee stoppage 2:10 in.
In preliminary action, middleweight Ivan Salaverry was on fire tonight as he met an overwhelmed Tony Fryklund at every turn with a superior grasp of all the skills that make mixed martial arts the endearing sport it is. From a quick exchange of leather, the AMC Pankration rep attacked with a lightening fast takedown, but Fryklund stayed afloat just in time to thwart a hip toss in a frenzied pace that wooed the audience immediately. Backing out, Fryklund acknowledged his opponent's prowess with a shake of his head, but went in for more. Catching Salaverry's leg, Fryklund got a good slug in as a wobbly Salaverry tried to balance and push himself off the cage. Reversing the action, Salaverry unloaded on Fryklund, who took a crisp right hook and then a brutal left kick to the face as he went down. Salaverry pounced on Fryklund's back and tried to work the rear naked choke, but it was a figure four body lock the Miletich fighter verbally submitted to as the pressure on his back became too much to ignore.
UFC 50 Results:
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| Monday - October 25, 2004 |
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Babalu prevails over Pele and De Souza wins again! By Eduardo Alonso The third edition of Jungle Fight took place in the city of Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas in Brazil this past Saturday October 23rd, going into the early hours of October 24th in Brazil. The show counted with good fights and famous athletes, such as Pride veterans Assuerio Silva, Jorge Macaco Patino, Pele Landi, Fabio Mello and UFC veterans like Renato Babalu, Bobby Hoffman and Tony de Souza. The stand outs for the 3rd edition of the event promoted by Wallid Ismail and Antonio Inoki were Tony de Souza, who kept impressing the Brazilian fans with his ground skills, with a submission win over Meca veteran Carlinhos Lima, and seasoned veteran Renato Babalu Sobral, who used control and strategy to take Pele out of his game and ride the fight into a judges' decision. Assuerio Silva was also on a good night in a winning effort over Alessio Sakara. FCF will have more on Jungle Fight 3 soon, check out the results!
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From the event's promoter: Complete Card Otis Petit def Adam Davis, Submission/ Arm bar (Round 2) Austin Ward draws John Hooley Sebastian Rodriguez def Donovan Evan, TKO due to strikes (2:45 of Round 1) JD Stanley def Eddie Blackburn, Tap out due to strikes (2:40 Round 2) Ian Loveland def JT Horner, Verbal Submission/ Knee bar (2:59 Round 2) Chad Nelson def Paul Morris, KO/ kick (00:6 Round 1) This fight should have broken some records as perhaps the fastest fight in history. Both men sprinted to center and Nelson immediately caught Morris with a high kick flush. Morris slumped to the canvas, and Nelson jumped on him, pounding away. The official time was 6 seconds, but I don't think it took more than 2 seconds for the kick and Morris to hit the mat. Cam Ward def Dave Cochran, Submission/ Rear naked choke (4:30 Round 1) Cochran is the first guy who's been able to force Ward into some standup, but Ward seemed to hold his own. They traded heavy shots for a short while in mid round, but eventually they went to the mat and stayed there. Ward is always going for subs and this fight was no different. He was able to get Cochran's back and securing the rear naked choke, bringing his record to a very impressive 7-0. Nelson and Ward will now meet up at next Sportfight to determine the #1 contender at 155. Dennis Davis def Trevor Burnell, Submission/ Guillotine (0:26 Round 3) This was an absolute war, definitely fight of the night! Burnell impressed the hell out of me, even in defeat. Burnell got the early edge, even getting Davis' back on a couple occassions, but Davis was able to escape. Davis spent a lot of time standing over Burnell who was flat on his back, trying for upkicks. Davis kept lunging in and throwing big bombs from there, occassionally landing. But Burnell landed a big upkick at one point! Davis continued to land some bombs from here. Round 2 looked much like the first, both guys having their moments. Again Burnell got Davis' back at one point, again Davis spent some time hovering over Burnell and dropping bombs. I beleive Davis also began really doing some GNP. Round 3, Davis came out swinging. He hurt Burnell early, and tried to finish him off. Burnell shot in, and Davis grabbed him in a guillotine choke. Art Santore def Justin Davis, Tapout/ Due to strikes (3:35 Round 1) Seconds into the fight Santore ran into a big punch that dropped him, but he followed up with a takedown. Santore's nose was most likely broken by the punch, as it was pouring blood immediately. They stopped the fight to check him out, and after a long debate decided to let the fight continue. Santore picked up where he left off, landing some heavy shots from the top. Wasn't long before they stopped it again, this time BOTH men were bleeding heavily! It was quite a scene. But again they restarted, and this time Santore's attack was relentless, and before long Davis tapped out. Santore showed lots of personality on the mic, he said he let Davis bust him up good so that he could make a dramatic comeback that the fans could enjoy. I hope we get a chance to see him again in Sportfight. Dennis Hallman def Landon Showalter, Submission/ Triangle choke (2:04 Round 1) Hallman shot in immediately and took Showalter down. Somehow Showalter managed to land a knee to Hallman's head with both men on the ground. Hallman clearly didn't like it. I beleive Hallman then did some sort of foul, because the fight was stood up and it appeared Hallman was being warned, and he was trying to complain to the ref about the knee. Again Hallman immediately took Showalter down, this time he wasted no time in securing a triangle from the top, and then he rolled over to sink it in and finish it. Joe Doerksen def Ed Herman, Submission/ Triangle choke (2:12 Round 3) Both these guys came to fight! The first round was extremely close, with Doerksen having the early edge with a couple very near submissions. He had Herman's back and really seemed to get the rear naked sunk in, but somehow Herman battled out. Eventually Herman got the top position and controlled the 2nd half of the round with GNP. Round 2 was again very close, but I'd have to give Doerksen the slight edge. They took turns landing on top, again Doerksen with subs, both guys with a little GNP. At one point Herman tried a wild flying knee so high that he nearly hit his head on the ceiling. With about 5 seconds left in the round, Herman achieved mount but didn't have time to capitalize. In the final round Herman came out looking for the takedown, and got it. He was trying to GNP, but Doerksen defended well from the bottom. Herman kept working mainly with elbows, but Doerksen was able to get the legs up and secure a triangle choke. Rather than tap out, Herman went to sleep. |
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From Antonio Guzman: Held Oct. 24, 2004 - Chihuahua, Mexico LUIS ORTEGA def. ANTONIO GARCIA by guillotine choke 0:51 Rd 1 CHITO REYES def. JUAN FERDANDO by TKO 1:54 Rd 1 CARLOS SANTOS def. RAMIRO GOMEZ by decision 5:00 Rd 3 FELIX MENDEZ def. ROBERTO DE JESUS by arm bar 4:18 Rd 2 EMILIO SANTIAGO def. PAUL SANCHEZ by rear naked choke 3:02 Rd 3 HECTOR MARTINEZ def. JOSE GUTIERRA by TKO 1:27 Rd 2 GIL REYES def. JUAN JAVIER by KO 2:42 Rd 1 |
| Tuesday - October 26, 2004 |
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In current issue of FCF ...| Thursday - October 28, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: Saturday Nov 13, 2004 Pinal County - Parks, Recreation & Fairgrounds 11 MC Road Casa Grande, Arizona Doors Open: 6 PM, Fight Time: 7:30 PM Tickets prices are $20 (General Admission Bleachers) and $30 (Floor Level Seating). Rage in the Cage is thrilled to announce the featured Main Event for RITC 66 will be local favorite Thomas Gil against "Big" Jim Murphy. Murphy, with a 7-0 record, is flying in from Palm Beach Florida. All his previous fights were at the local level and he's "hungry" for the opportunity to showcase his skills. It will be a great night of action. Please come on out and support your favorite fighters. Fight Card: Jim Murphy (235) vs Thomas Gil (230) Gabe Rivas (165) vs Robert Maldonado (165) RJ Gamez (165) vs Frank Sanchez (160) Melesio Perales (185) vs Paul Arroyo (180) Matt VerHalen (145) vs David Klein (155) Richie Hightower (190) vs Jeremy Neer (185) Donald Paskiewiez (140) vs Carlos Ortega (150) Nick Hedrick (140) vs Eddie Castro (145) Neil Abbott (190) vs TBA Joey Juvada (205) vs TBA More matchups to be announced. Fight Card subject to change. Here are the directions for those traveling from Phoenix or Tucson for the event. Take I-10 to Exit 194 Head East on 287 away from CG for 7 miles Turn right on 11 Mile Corner Rd and you're there Upcoming Events: Desert Quest #11 Saturday, Dec 4, 2004 Westwood High (Mesa) RITC 67 - Whoop Ass Saturday, Dec 11, 2004 Dodge Theater, Phoenix |
| Saturday - October 30, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: Huerta, now full-time MMA fighter, faces tough opponent in Short 
MEDINA, Minn. -- Despite fighting mainly as a hobby, Roger Huerta has managed to put together an impressive mixed martial arts record ... only 1 loss in 12 bouts.Now, having signed with Team Extreme manager Monte Cox, Huerta is training full-time and expects to show the results of his efforts on Friday, Nov. 12, when he faces Jake Short of Michigan in a feature bout at Extreme Challenge 60. EC 60 is scheduled at the Medina Entertainment Center with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and the first bout at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available by calling Medina at 763 478-6661 or Minnesota Combat Arts at 651 336-2777. Short is 8-5 as a pro, but is dropping down to the 155 class, where he expects his strength to be a big factor. "This is a battle of two guys going places," Cox said. "Both fighters have a good chance of ending up in the Ultimate Fighting Championships on Pay-Per-View." Two UFC veterans from Minnesota will headline the event at Medina. Former UFC middleweight champion Dave Menne will face Trevor Garrett of Dayton, Ohio... while Sean Sherk, who fought for the UFC welterweight title and has a 26-1-1 record, will take on power-punching Lee King of Houston. Also scheduled to fight are Daryl Guthmiller, Ritchie Miller, Mike Belker and Randy Hauer, a Minneapolis native who now lives in Houston, and will corner for King. |
| Sunday - October 31, 2004 - Happy Halloween |
On the same card two UFC vets from Team Elite came to town with Mike Brown successfully defending his Bantamweight belt by unanimous decision and Keith Rockel losing by armbar to Charles McCarthy. No controversy surrounded Brown's domination of ATT's Renato Tavares while there was definitely a buzz after the show about Rockel's loss.
The true champion of the show was Dave Strasser. This UFC vet had only one fighter on the card after medical requirement issues prevented the match with Brian Geraghty/Scott Johnson but he cornered three other fighters this evening out of a total of seen fights. An AFC card just doesn't seem complete without a draw and this card was no exception with Peter Walker and Rob Smith taking home the dubious distinction of 'draw of the night' in the only Heavyweight fight on the card. Finally from a team perspective ATT had their roughest night since their debut in KOTC, going 0-1-1 off of Tavares and Walker. Hermes is really BTT now but the schools are intertwined so counting him and Raphael Diaz they went 2-1-1. Boca's fight was one of the ones to be cancelled due to medical requirements when Luigi Fioravanti didn't get his Hepatitis work in on time. Pat Healy def. Dan Hardy 3:50 R1 by guillotine choke Rob Smith drew Peter Walker by majority draw (19-19, 19-19, 20-18) Carlo Prater def. Efrain Ruiz by unanimous decision (20-18x3) Raphael Diaz def. Bryan Medlin 1:16 R1 by armbar Charles McCarthy def. Keith Rockel 2:16 R2 by armbar Mike Brown def. Renato Tavares by unanimous decision (30-27x3) Hermes Franca def. Manny Reyes 0:37 R1 by KO |
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Held October 31, 2004 Saitama Super Arena - Japan PRIDE: High Octane North American PPV premiere date: Oct. 31, 2004 |
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From the event's promoter: Mixed martial arts superstars B.J. Penn (8-1-1) and Rodrigo Gracie (5-0) will square off during the main event of "Rumble on the Rock 6" at Honolulu, Hawaii's Blaisdell Arena on Saturday, November 20th. Presented by the newly formed K-1 Fighting Network, the event will also see a return to mixed martial arts action by 2003 K-1 USA champion Carter Williams (36-9) as well as Royler Gracie (3-2-1). Penn has become one of the hottest commodities in the sport of mixed martial arts since he achieved what most dismissed as the impossible by climbing from The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)'s 154 pound limit weight division to its 168 pound limit class and easily defeating reigning champion Matt Hughes by way of rear naked choke to claim the latter's 168-pound limit title on January 31st. Following the magnificent win over Hughes in the octagon, the 25-year-old Hawaiian successfully showcased his skills in Japan where he secured a victory over world Muay Thai champion and mixed martial arts contender, Duane Ludwig, by way of arm triangle choke during K-1's inaugural mixed martial arts event on May 22nd. One of seven brothers who boast the heritage of martial arts fighting's most decorated family name, Rodrigo has continued a tradition of excellence pioneered by his elder siblings during his first five mixed martial arts starts. A winner of four consecutive matchups in Japan, the 29-year-old earned his greatest victory to date during his last outing when he gained a unanimous judges decision over heralded contender, Hayato Sakurai, on February 15th. For his part, the 24-year-old Williams will make his fourth-career bid under mixed martial rules when he faces fellow American Tom "Green Beret" Howard (0-2). Last May, the California native, who has gained widespread recognition for his uncommon mix of knockout power and foot speed, shot to stardom by claiming wins over three consecutive opponents as an 18 to 1 underdog during the annual, spring K-1 USA tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada. After earning a judges' decision victory over defending tournament champion, Michael McDonald, Williams went on to score knockouts over Yusuke Fujimoto and six-time world kickboxing champion, Rick "The Jet" Roufus, respectively. Royler, another member of the famed family that brought the fighting art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to the forefront of the martial arts world and cemented its worth in mixed martial arts competition, will lock horns with Kazuyuki Miyata (7-1-4). The Honolulu event will also host the returns of UFC heavyweight veterans Wesley "Cabbage" Correira (13-6) and Wes "The Project" Sims (5-5) as well as undefeated big man Sean O'Hare (17-0). The hard-punching Correira, whose last UFC appearance saw him stop legendary brawler, David "Tank" Abbott, will face Yoshihiro Nakao (1-1) of Japan. A giant at 6'9" and 255 pounds, Sims will take on Holland kickboxing and jiu-jitsu stylist, Antoni Hardonk (9-3), and will attempt to turn around his recent competitive misfortunes that have found him winless during his last four attempts. The 6'6", 275 pound O'Hare will do battle with Japan's Shungo Oyama (2-6). Tickets for Saturday, November 20th's Rumble on the Rock 6 event are priced at $30, $60, $65, $100, $150, and $200, respectively, and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com as well as at all Ticketmaster locations. Rumble on the Rock is a Hawaii-based mixed martial arts fight promotion that was launched by Prodigy Productions two years ago. Recently, Prodigy Productions partnered with K-1 Fighting Network, a division of the Japan-based K-1 Corporation, to bring mixed martial arts sporting events to a growing fanbase. |
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