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| Wednesday - November 2, 2005 |
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News and Notes from Canadian MMA By Kelsey Mowatt Nick Ring Continues March to PRIDE Debut
Ring, by all accounts, looked rather impressive in taking out Malone, moving the fight to the ground and ending it via strikes from full mount at 3:04 of the first round. "It was a pretty quick fight and Malone did not hurt me," Ring explained. "In the fight we got to the clinch fairly early and I took him down a couple times from the clinch, I got a mount position on him the second time we hit the ground and I finished the fight with punches from the mount." Ring was also quick to give Malone due credit and wished him all the best. "I want to take a moment to give respect to Malone and thank him for taking the fight, I have heard some good things about him and I want to wish him luck for his next competition." Fighting in Hawaii has been an interesting experience for Ring, whose last fight in July also took place in the same venue. That night at Super Brawl 41, Ring defeated Hawaiian fighter Kimo Wolfel by rear naked choke, much to the chagrin of the Honolulu crowd who, according to Ring, let the Canadian "mainlander" know he was not the evening's fan favorite. Although this past Saturday's fight saw a rather similar reaction from the Honolulu crowd, Ring understands it's all in good fun. Click here to continue the article |
| Friday - November 4, 2005 |
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Stout-Ouimet Rematch at Saturday's TKO 23 By Kelsey Mowatt MMA up North is well represented this weekend, as two headlining fights highlight this Saturday's TKO 23 from Victoriaville, Quebec. Sam Stout will put his Lightweight Championship belt on the line in a rematch bout against Donald Ouimet, while Ultimate Fight Night 2 veteran Jonathon Goulet hopes to continue on his path back to the Octagon with a win over veteran fighter Shonie Carter. For Goulet, the welterweight "Super Fight" against Carter is of paramount importance, as the 26-year-old Victoriaville resident is hoping to get by Carter unscathed in order to take on undefeated Russian fighter Ansar Chalangov at UFC 56. Goulet brings a record of 14-5 into TKO 23, while Carter's extensive record now sits at 69-13-7. Goulet is being careful not too overlook his next opponent in Carter and realizes that "Mr. International" does indeed present him an extremely tough fight. "Shonie is a very well-rounded fighter and he has lots of experience," Goulet explains, "but I'm ready for everything he can bring to the table -- this is MMA." "My training is going very well," says Goulet, who is looking forward to fighting the crafty Carter in front of his hometown Victoriaville crowd. The last couple of years have seen Goulet garner much attention within the Canadian MMA world, as the Team Legion member has now won nine fights in a row, an impressive winning streak that includes victories over Travis Galbraith, John Alessio, Tony Fryklund and most recently, Jay Hieron. The victory over Hieron, at UFN 2 on October 3rd, marked the pinnacle of Goulet's career, a preliminary fight on the card which saw Goulet earn a TKO victory when a bloodied Jay Hieron was not allowed to continue in the third round due to a doctor's stoppage. Goulet, although happy with the win, felt he could have done more in his UFC debut. "I really enjoyed my experience in the UFC," Goulet tells FCF. "It was a dream for me, but I was very nervous in that first fight. The UFC fans didn't get to see the real Jonathon Goulet, but the next time I step in the Octagon they will realize why I'm in the UFC." First up, however, is Carter, and Goulet has the game plan he hopes will grant him victory and send him on his way to UFC 56. "Being younger, I think my cardio will be much better than his and I will try to take advantage of that in the fight. I will keep my distance and wait until I have a chance to knock him out." Click here to continue the article |
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From the event's promoter: Mainstream - MMA will tale place on Friday Nov. 18th, 2005 at the Vets Memorial Coliseum in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mainstream - MMA will feature some of the best professional athletes in the Midwest today, such as UFC veteran Tyrone Roberts and the exciting ground and pound styles of Chris Harrison. Also Jon Strawn will defend his I.C.U.F. lightweight title against Chris Mickle. 
Tickets for Mainstream - MMA are going fast and the beatdowns are drawing near. Seating is broken down into three sections and moderately priced at: balcony seats $15.00, floor seats $20.00, and cageside $30.00.If you miss out on cageside seating don't fret about missing a second of the action. Our cameras and big screen will be into every hit, kick, and slam as well as backstage interviews. For tickets contact Woody's Showclub 319 841-9250 or for additional information contact Bryan Bresler at 563 570-5209. This event is open to all ages. Pro Bouts Tyrone Roberts vs. Albert Newberry Jon Strawn vs. Chris Mickle Chris Harrsion vs. Eldred Nunn Dan Anderson vs. Dennis Reed Aaron Griffith vs. Paul York BJ Albrecht vs. Brian Price Amateur Bouts Erik Barnhill vs. John Eldridge Nick Marin vs. Dan Kesem Joe Veedapoe vs. Jesse Lenox Greg Klemp vs. Josh Wright Mike Leinbrigg vs. Jeff Carson Ryan Mood vs. Donnovan Ward |
| Sunday - November 6, 2005 |
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Sanchez Shuts Down Diaz Morgan KO'd by Slam, Jardine Chops Down Schall, Guillard a Speed Demon in Dark Bouts By Loretta Hunt (November 5th, Las Vegas, Nevada) The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 had its final word tonight from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, the culmination of a 13-week reality show that whittled down eighteen hopefuls into potentially four future stars of the UFC. Of the quartet, two walked walk away with UFC contracts, while FCF, perched above the Octagon on the standing-room-only balcony, was there to witness and report on the entire evening's happenings. Luckily for the promotion, for Spike TV (which has hosted a plethora of UFC programming along with the series since August), and chiefly for the fans, heavyweights Brad Imes and Rashad Evans waged a heavy-handed battle in their finals bout, while welterweights Joe Stevenson and Luke Cummo dragged each other through the ringer in a mostly mat-friendly, 3-round affair. At the tail end of a night brimming with action in front of the cameras, Evans bested Imes with the split decision and odds-on favorite Stevenson unanimously surpassed the "Rocky"-esque underdog Cummo – earning both winners the right to call themselves the ultimate fighter. The cherry on the top came from headliners Diego Sanchez and Nick Diaz, who proved the most technical pair of the night as their bodies tangled into positions reserved for the most versed of ground practitioners. If there was any doubt of TUF 1 victor and UFC golden boy Sanchez's abilities, his handling of Cesar Gracie purple belt Diaz can only serve to silence the most adamant of non-believers. With a practically perfect strategy, Sanchez all but neutralized Diaz for the first two rounds, then rode out his opponent's third round rally for the unanimous decision. Both traded war wounds in the process, with Diaz getting cut along his hairline and Sanchez cutting above his right eye. The two fighters were treated separately at the hospital with stitches. Click here to continue the article |
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By Jim Genia (November 5th, Atlantic City, New Jersey) It was "USA vs. Japan" here at Mixed Fighting Championship 5, but really it was all about overwhelming striking and unstoppable submissions. Tonight the star from Fight Factory shone brightly, the hard-hitting local veteran proved to be too much for the Japanese rookie, and the heavy-handed American Top Team heavyweight was too much for the submission master from the Far East. Highlights of the event included:
The full results: Eddie Alvarez vs. Daisuke "13" Hanazawa Alvarez via ref stoppage due to unanswered strikes at 4:00 of R1. Wilson Gouviea vs. Kazuhiro Hamanaka Gouviea via KO at 0:39 of R1. Hiroyuki Abe vs. Joey "Knockdown" Brown Abe via heelhook at 1:40 of R1. Carlo Prater vs. Pat Healy Prater via head/arm choke at 3:57 of R2. Toraji vs. Chris Ligouri Ligouri via decision after three rounds – a hard fought war. Kurt Pellegrino vs. Kazuki Okubo Pellegrino via ref stoppage due to unanswered strikes at 0:38 of R1 – a complete domination. Jose Rodriguez vs. Yuichirou Tsuchida Rodriguez via ref stoppage due to unanswered strikes at 0:31 of R1 – a totally one-sided dismantling!
Shinichi "BJ" Kojima vs. Chris MacGrath Kojima via rear choke at 3:17 of R1.
Haigh via armbar at 1:46 of the first round. Haigh got to shave Miyazaki's head at the intermission. Mark Burch vs. Jay White Burch via KO at 1:48 of R1. Bristol Marunde vs. Rich Attonito Marunde via ref stoppage due to unanswered strikes at 1:51 of R3. Jason Guida vs. Pat Stano Guida via ref stoppage due to unanswered strikes at 3:05 of R1. Steve Bruno vs. Jay Jack Bruno via ref stoppage due to unanswered strikes at 4:02 of R1. |
| Monday - November 7, 2005 |
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Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium, Hilo, Hawaii November 5, 2005 By Michael Onzuka ROTR has come back to its roots at the Edith Kanakaole Tennis Stadium with match ups that proved to be short, but action packed. The time keeper was busy, but the judges weren't as all the fights ended in the first round with the majority of the fights ending with a mata leao or reverse naked choke. Some fights to note in the very fast paced event were Mercado/Rodrigues fight where both fighters were highly touted boxers. Rodrigues hit Mercado with a wicked hook that stunned Mercado who kept his bearings and took the fight to the ground where he controlled the positioned and eventually secured the choke and the Carter/Dacquel fight were both fighters were hurt during this very quick bout. Both fighters clinched and Carter kept a Muay Thai clinch throwing knees, but Dacquel kept his head up and fired back with some devastating punches that stunned Carter. Carter countered with blows on instinct in an attempt to create some space to recover and caught Dacquel with a vicious knee that opened a cut that required 14 stitches and finished with straight right to drop Dacquel and cause a halt to the fight. It was a blood bath due to the huge cut, but it was probably the most action packed 38 seconds I have seen in a while. I would not doubt that these two fighters may rematch in the future because both were very well matched and other than the cut, the fight was going back and forth. Relative unknown Carlos Condit, a 21 year old sporting an impressive 12-2 record, proved that he is the real deal by taking some solid shots from a hard hitting Ross the Boss and was very active with some slick Muay Thai elbows and knees as well as some smooth arm bar attempts from the guard. Condit eventually swept Ibanez, mounted, and pounded until the referee saw enough and called a halt to the bout. The main event was the most anti-climatic fight of the night as boxer Sua came out swinging some huge hooks while Cabbage countered with some crisp jabs. Cabbage softened up Sua with some leg kicks and then body locked Sua eventually to the ground after Sua was holding the cage numerous times. Once they hit the ground, Sua immediately tapped and did not let Cabbage do any damage on the ground. Ikaika "Crazy Brown" Brown (Dirty Curty Team Submit) vs. Mike Bickers (Nova Uniao) Bickers by reverse naked choke at 0:54 into R1 Devin Telles (Da Barn) vs. Mike Justo (Nova Uniao) Justo by corner stop due to punches from half guard at 1:02 into R1 Maluhia Kuahiwinui (Puna Boyz) vs. Buddy Betts (Nova Uniao) Betts by reverse naked choke at 2:55 into R1 Gaven Mata vs. Albert Manners (Puna Boyz) Manners by reverse naked choke at 0:27 into R1 (Mata was put to sleep) "Sugar" Shane Nelson (BJ Penn MMA) vs. Isaac Kuikahi (Mix Breed) Nelson by reverse naked choke at 3:09 into R1 Justin Mercado (Grappling Unlimited) vs. Brent Rodrigues Mercado by reverse naked choke at 1:10 into R1 Scott "Superman" Spencer (Nova Uniao) vs. Patrick Fonohema (Team Tama) Spencer by reverse naked choke at 1:49 into R1 Jay "Excalibur" Carter (BJ Penn MMA) vs. Jason Dacquel (Mix Breed) Carter by TKO (referee stoppage) at 0:38 into R1 (Dacquel had a major cut) Ross "Da Boss" Ebanez (BJ Penn MMA) vs. Carlos Condit (Fit NHB) Condit by TKO (referee stoppage due to punches from the mount) at 1:27 into R1 Wesley Correira (BJ Penn MMA) vs. Junior Sua (LAP) Correira by tap out as soon as Correira took his opponent down at 1:21 into R1 |
| Tuesday - November 8, 2005 |
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From Jeff Osbourne: If you live in Evansville, IN or the surrounding area, you're no stranger to HOOKnSHOOT or three-time Golden Gloves Champion, Gerald Rice. Last weekend tragedy struck the area when people had their homes leveled by a tornado while they slept. "I'm being called insensitive for saying that a tornado is worse than a hurricane" says Jeff Osborne (promoter of HOOKnSHOOT). "The fact that these people had less than 2 minutes to find shelter (and most of them couldn't) is no comparison to people who are given 5-7 days to evacuate for a hurricane. They're both two horrific disasters but the worst disaster comes without warning when you're sleeping" continues Osborne. Gerald Rice, a prominent figure in boxing for the last 60 years, recently moved from training boxers to helping train MMA fighters in Indiana. While he took some flack for going to MMA, he didn't care. "These guys want to train harder and fight! I'm sick of boxers saying they're fighters but they never fight ... the MMA guys are here for every training session" said Rice back in September. Rice, a retired police officer on a fixed income, was hit by an uninsured motorist in January. The "accident" caused serious injuries to his wife and eventually the motorist at fault had NOTHING so Rice had to absorb the medical and car repairs himself. This past Sunday, Rice lost everything and says he's lucky to be alive when a tornado completely leveled his home and leaving him with NOTHING. His two cars and prized Harley-Davidson were demolished and tossed hundreds of feet away. HIS HOME IS COMPLETELY GONE AND REDUCED TO RUBBLE ON A CONCRETE PAD. Luckily, they were dug out of the basement hours later. Many of the fighters he trained wondered how he weathered the storm but could not reach him. On Tuesday, Jeff Osborne called his cel phone to find out the horrible news. Rice said he had only 2 shirts and two pairs of pants and will have to live with his son until something can be done. Gerald Rice canceled his first ever boxing show scheduled for 11/26 and lost $4,200 in deposits, event insurance and advertising costs. Rice took a monumental leap in moving to MMA after 6 decades of boxing and took some flack. Anyone who cares to help "one of our own", please feel free to make a PayPal donation to hooknshoot@aol.com. ALL OF THE PROCEEDS WILL GO TO RICE AND HIS FAMILY! Thanks! |
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By Kelsey Mowatt Sam Stout defended his TKO Lightweight Championship Saturday night at TKO 23 in Victoriaville, Quebec by knocking out former champion Donald Ouimet at 4:43 of the first round. The impressive victory erases any doubt about the legitimacy of Stout's championship; the Canadian secured the title by narrowly defeating countryman Ouimet by split decision at TKO 21 in July. With his title defense now over with, Stout readily admitted his anticipation for the rematch. "I'm not going to lie going into this fight I was very nervous." Stout explained, "The last fight with Donald Ouimet was a very tough fight that went the entire three rounds. I was sore for days after it. Donald is very well known for his very good chin and his willingness to fight wars. This fight was scheduled for five rounds and I expected it to go the distance." The fight began, like their initial match, with the fighters exchanging from their feet, however, this time around, Stout found the leg kicks he utilized so effectively in their July fight being quickly negated by Ouimet. "When I came out in the beginning of the first round my kicks were not working as effectively as they had in the first fight," Stout said, "and Donald worked a few good straight punches in on me. He then got a takedown and landed in side control. " Expecting another standing assault from Ouimet once again, Stout had also worked on his jiu-jitsu just in case the fight did go to the ground. "Luckily," Stout added, "I had been spending time working on my jiu-jitsu defense with Team Curran in Crystal Lake, Illinois and I was able to get back to having him in my guard and tie him up until the fight was stood up." On their feet, K-1 veteran Stout landed a sharp right hand to the jaw of Ouimet, rocking the former champion, who has had a legendary reputation of an extremely solid chin. "I was able to land a punch that shook Donald up and gave me the opportunity to end the fight." Stout recalled. "When I landed the first punch that wobbled Ouimet I was just trying to inflict as much damage to him as possible because I expected him to recover quickly. I had been told that he had never been knocked down, let alone knocked out. I was a little surprised to see that I had knocked him out." Ouimet, who had predicted a knockout in his favor last week to FCF, was gracious in defeat according to Stout, who spent some time with the former champion after their encounter. "Donald has been the lightweight champion since I began fighting for TKO and he and I have always had a lot of admiration and respect for each other," said Stout, "so I brought a beer to his dressing room and we hung out for a while and talked about the fight. He was a very good sport and I'm sure we will continue to be friends in the future." The victory brings the TKO Lightweight Champion's record to 8-1-1 while Ouimet's falls to 10-5. Stout was ecstatic in erasing any doubts about his previous victory over Ouimet and is looking forward to life as champion now that he has successfully defended the title against its former holder. "I felt that I won the first fight fair and square but I knew not everyone agreed," Stout explained, "so I was definitely happy to win in a way that can't be argued about his time." With rumors continuing to circulate about a possible return of the lightweight division to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Stout is eagerly looking ahead to a fighting future that might include his debut in North America's largest mixed martial arts promotion. "Hell yes, I would be interested," he said of a potential crack at the Octagon. "Fighting in the UFC would be a dream come true." |
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Thai Combat Vale Tudo debuts with emotions running high By Eduardo Alonso This past Saturday, November 5th, in the city of Macapa, capital of the small state of Amapa in Northern Brazil, the first edition of Thai Combat Vale Tudo took place in front of a crowd of around 2,000 spectators. An event like this just goes to show that Brazilian MMA talent go far beyond the confines of Rio de Janeiro or Curitiba, with talented fighters spread all around the country.
Muay Thai: - Mequias and Ricardinho fought a No Contest. - Dimy def. "Frances" by unanimous judges' decision MMA: - "Pe de Pano" (Macapa) defeated Nando by armbar in R1 - Demetrius def. Torrinha by forfeit in R2 - Guigui def. Ari "Mão de Pedra" by armbar R1 - Preguica def. Rogelson "B.A." by KO in R2
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| Wednesday - November 9, 2005 |
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Belfort to Cage Rage, British MMA Reality TV Show to Debut By David West With three weeks until fight night, Cage Rage has announced the addition of Vitor Belfort (12-6) to their December 3rd card. The legendary Brazilian puncher will face France's Anthony Rea (9-4). Both men have fought Marvin Eastman but with different results. Belfort stopped Eastman with a knee and nasty cut at UFC 43, while Eastman stopped Rea by TKO at WEF 15 in July. Rea is tough and has heavy hands, so he could upset Belfort if he finds the mark before the Brazilian does. In other CR bouts, Matt Lindland has stepped in to take on Antonio Schembri, while the hugely experienced Akira Shoji (12-12-5) will be dropping down to middleweight when he represents Japan against Britain's Mark Weir (17-9-0). Shoji has fought monsters like Igor Vovchanchyn and Mark Coleman and it will be interesting to see how he performs in the 185-pound division. Gladiator Challenge veteran Tyrone Glover (4-0-0) will make his British debut against Brazilian Top Team's Luiz "Buscape" Firmino (10-3-0), who is coming off two losses at PRIDE Bushido. MMA Reality TV Hits UK In addition to their live promotions, Cage Rage has announced that they are planning a British MMA reality TV show set to start shooting in February 2006. House Rage will show 16 British fighters sharing a house, training together and competing against one another in a series of elimination fights. Already attached to the project are Paul Jenkins, Ross Mason, Sol Gilbert and Paul Daley. Cage Warriors Marches On Cage Warriors are gearing up for their "Night of Champions" show on November 26th. After weeks of rumors going back and forth, it seems Jeff Monson will be defending his heavyweight title at the event after all, rather than appearing at Cage Rage in December. Monson will face Emmanuel Marc, from France. Denmark's Martin Kampmann will put his middleweight belt on the line against Damien Riccio, and Women's Under 60 kg (132 lbs.) Champion Rosi Sexton defends her title against contender Sabrina Cohen. |
| Thursday - November 10, 2005 |
 Give Us Your Thoughts... We'd like to get your picks for UFC 56: Full Force. The results of the survey and some of the commentary we receive may appear in an upcoming issue of FCF. Click here to take the survey |
| Friday - November 11, 2005 |
FCF would like to thank those who have served their country and wish everyone a happy and healthy Veteran's Day. |
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UFC Debut or TUF 3 Imminent? By Kelsey Mowatt Hot off an "upset" victory over fellow Canadian Joe Doerksen, Jason "the Athlete" Macdonald sat down with FCF this week to discuss his recent win at Ultimate Cage Wars 3, and his hopes that this win will ensure a call from the UFC to hire his services. Macdonald, who is a full-time corrections officer in Red Deer, Alberta, has been on the "fringe" of the 205-pound division for some time and recently dropped to try his hand at the middleweights. His record includes notable victories over Bill Mahood, Anthony Rea, Shannon Ritch and Chris Fontaine, and with the recent addition of Joe Doerksen to this list Macdonald feels now, more than ever, that his shot in the "big show" should finally come. "I feel like the UFC has overlooked me for some time," Macdonald said, "I just want a chance. If Edwin Dewees has had two chances why not me? I mean it would be stupid of me to come out and call out the champion because I've never fought for them, but I'd fight anyone they put in front of me if they gave me a chance. I'd like to fight Chris Leben, same thing with Patrick Cote, although I think he might be back up to light heavyweight." With next season's auditions for The Ultimate Fighter being held at the end of November, Macdonald's management team has been in touch with the organization trying to ensure that Macdonald receives thorough consideration. Click here to continue the article |
| Monday - November 14, 2005 |
From DSE/Pride:  YOSHIDA VS OGAWA ANNOUNCED FOR SHOCKWAVE 2005 TOKYO, Japan – The bout of Hidehiko Yoshida versus Naoya Ogawa has been announced for PRIDE FIGHTING'S upcoming event, SHOCKWAVE 2005, which is scheduled to premiere on North American pay per view on Sunday, January 1st, 2006 at 9:00 pm ET, 6:00 pm PT. Previously announced bouts include the finals of the lightweight and welterweight tournaments held at BUSHIDO Volume 9 ... for the lightweights Takanori Gomi will face Hayato "Mach" Sakurai and for the welterweights Dan Henderson takes on Murilo Bustamante. In one of the main events of SHOCKWAVE 2005, Olympians will clash as Japan's Hidehiko Yoshida is set to face fellow countryman, Naoya Ogawa. Both are legendary judokas with Yoshida winning the gold medal in the 78kg weight class at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and Ogawa winning the silver in the 95kg weight class at the same games. Each has gone on to have successful mixed martial arts careers. However, beyond the Olympic glory and their successes in the MMA ring, there is a long-standing rivalry. Both men attended Mieji University in Japan where they practiced judo. Being the senior, Ogawa is said to have been harsh on Yoshida with the two being fierce and bitter rivals. At the Olympics both teammates medalled, but two years later at the 1994 All Japan Judo Championships, teammates faced off and Yoshida (86kg) garnered the victory over Ogawa (132kg) by a 2-1 decision. The victory ended Ogawa's domination of the event as 5-time consecutive champion. Now the rivalry and bad blood between both men will be settled once and for all ... in the PRIDE ring! FIGHTCARD: Takanori Gomi (Japan) vs. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (Japan) (This bout is the final round of the lightweight BUSHIDO tournament) Dan Henderson (USA) vs. Murilo Bustamante (Brazil) (This bout is the final round of the welterweight BUSHIDO tournament) Hidehiko Yoshida (Japan) vs. Naoya Ogawa (Japan) More bouts to be announced soon. Fight card subject to change. SHOCKWAVE 2005 premieres on North American pay per view via iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, VU!, and Viewer's Choice Canada on Sunday, January 1st, 2006 at 9:00 pm ET, 6:00 pm PT (including a countdown show at 8:30pm ET, 5:30pm PT). For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider. |
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The Brazilian Beat: Time insists on flying through the year of 2005, and we're already reaching mid-November! As time flies, news never ceases to pop up on the Brazilian MMA scene, and the countdown has started for the fifth edition of Jungle Fight coming November 26th, with developments pointing to the best edition ever. When such a show is approaching, the camps get heated and obviously lots of training goes on, producing many interesting stories. However, the biggest stories are being produced by the PRIDE New Year's Eve show, with many rumors and negotiations for it proposed fights abounding. With those two major MMA happenings already shaking up "our world", and of course the usual news and bits from smaller promotions shaping up, there's surely plenty to read! So, get your fill of Brazilian MMA news, as Full Contact Fighter serves the beat from below the line of Ecuador.
Click here to continue The Beat |
| Tuesday - November 15, 2005 |
From the event's promoter: HOOKnSHOOT "UNLEASHED" November 19, 2005 Evansville, Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum This Saturday marks another historic show for HnS. 8-women will compete in a one-night, single-elimination tournament to see who leads the future of women's MMA. Ginele Marquez officially pulled out on Saturday due to serious neck and back issues. This stems from TWO auto accidents in the last year. "I wanted this more than anything" said Marquez. "I just can't do it and risk my neck, my back and my future" Marquez will be back in 2006 after full rehabilitation. Fighters will be paid match by match with the two finalists receiving the larger chunk of cash and the winner taking home $3,200 championship belt. Tournament Elimination Matches JULIE KEDZIE vs. MISSY KARR JAN FINNEY vs. MYSTEE BLACKWOOD TANYA VLAHAC vs. MOLLY HELSEL KELLYN HEUHN vs. LISA WARD Also scheduled are: JASON BRYANT vs. STONIE HAYHURST DARRON MORSE vs. BRANDON BISHOP JORGE SHELBY vs. JUSTIN TAYLOR SCOTT HENZE vs. SCOT DEES Those traveling to the event can stay at the Executive Inn (812) 424-8000. The event is being filmed by STRIKER PRODUCTIONS out of Orlando, Florida for nation wide DVD release. Striker Productions will also be launching www.HOOKnSHOOT.com in the upcoming days to promote an nation-wide ad campaign and future projects. If all goes well, HOOKnSHOOT is looking at having a 2006 tournament with the likes of Jennifer Howe, Tara LaRosa, Megumi Fuji, Roxanne Modaferri, Erica Montoya and many others "top ten" fighters. "Last year, we brought the absolute best women to the forefront of MMA. This year, I want to take the lesser-known women or those who are looking at breaking out and see who has what it takes to be a champion" said Osborne. |
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From DSE/Pride: KONDO, NAKAMURA ADDED TO SHOCKWAVE 2005 CARD TOKYO, Japan -- Two additional bouts have been announced for PRIDE FIGHTING'S upcoming event, SHOCKWAVE 2005 ... Kazuhiro Nakamura versus Yuki Kondo and Makoto Takimoto versus Sanae Kikuta. SHOCKWAVE 2005 is scheduled to premiere on North American pay per view on Sunday, January 1st, 2006 at 9:00 pm ET, 6:00 pm PT. Representing the Yoshida Dojo, judo expert Kazuhiro Nakamura is coming off a huge career victory over Ukraine's Igor Vovchanchyn at FINAL CONFLICT 2005. Previous to this, Nakamura was eliminated in the 2005 middleweight tournament after a victory over Kevin Randleman and a spirited loss to PRIDE middleweight champion Wanderlei Silva. His opponent at SHOCKWAVE 2005 will be mixed martial arts veteran and Japanese star, Yuki Kondo. A veteran of both the UFC and Pancrase, Kondo has held the prestigious title of "King of Pancrase." His illustrious Pancrase career has included victories over such tough competitors as Semmy Schilt, Frank Shamrock and Guy Mezger. In the second announced bout, Judo Olympic gold medallist Makoto Takimoto will take on Abu Dhabi gold medallist, Sanae Kikuta. Representing the Yoshida Dojo, Takimoto is an Olympic champion having won the gold medal in Judo in the 81kg weight class at the 2000 Sydney Games. Thus far in his MMA career, Takimoto is 2-1 with wins over Henry "Sentoryu" Miller and Yoon Dong Sik. His opponent, Sanae Kikuta, is a PRIDE veteran, having last fought at PRIDE 20 "Armed and Ready" in which he defeated Alexander Otsuka. Kikuta is an amateur judo champion and in 2001 won the gold medal at Abu Dhabi (88kg weight division). In addition, Kikuta is a former Pancrase light heavyweight champion and founder of Team Grabaka in Japan. Previously announced bouts include the finals of the lightweight and welterweight tournaments held at BUSHIDO Volume 9 ... for the lightweights Takanori Gomi will face Hayato "Mach" Sakurai and for the welterweights Dan Henderson takes on Murilo Bustamante. In addition, in one of the main events of SHOCKWAVE 2005, Olympians will clash as Japan's Hidehiko Yoshida is set to face fellow countryman, Naoya Ogawa. Both are legendary judokas with Yoshida winning the gold medal in the 78kg weight class at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and Ogawa winning the silver in the 95kg weight class at the same games. Each has gone on to have successful mixed martial arts careers. However, beyond the Olympic glory and their successes in the MMA ring, there is a long-standing rivalry. Both men attended Mieji University in Japan where they practiced judo. Being the senior, Ogawa is said to have been harsh on Yoshida with the two being fierce and bitter rivals. At the Olympics both teammates medalled, but two years later at the 1994 All Japan Judo Championships, teammates faced off and Yoshida (86kg) garnered the victory over Ogawa (132kg) by a 2-1 decision. The victory ended Ogawa's domination of the event as 5-time consecutive champion. Now the rivalry and bad blood between both men will be settled once and for all ... in the PRIDE ring! FIGHTCARD: Takanori Gomi (Japan) vs. Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (Japan) (This bout is the final round of the lightweight BUSHIDO tournament) Dan Henderson (USA) vs. Murilo Bustamante (Brazil) (This bout is the final round of the welterweight BUSHIDO tournament) Hidehiko Yoshida (Japan) vs. Naoya Ogawa (Japan) Makoto Takimoto (Japan) vs. Sanae Kikuta (Japan) Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japan) vs. Yuki Kondo (Japan) More bouts to be announced soon. Fight card subject to change. SHOCKWAVE 2005 premieres on North American pay per view via iNDEMAND, DIRECTV, DISH NETWORK, UrbanXtra, TVN1, VU!, and Viewer's Choice Canada on Sunday, January 1st, 2006 at 9:00 pm ET, 6:00 pm PT (including a countdown show at 8:30pm ET, 5:30pm PT). For additional replay times, please contact your pay per view provider. |
| Wednesday - November 16, 2005 |
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By Kelsey Mowatt Lethbridge hosted Rites of Passage 3 Saturday night at the Roadhouse Nightclub, which marked the latest of numerous MMA and kickboxing cards that have now been held in the city over the last few years. The Rites of Passage event is the sister card of Rumble in the Cage, formerly known as the Roadhouse Rumble, which has held twelve cards in Lethbridge since the year 2000. Rites of Passage is an event designed to showcase young or inexperienced fighters, a chance for fighters to gain some experience before moving onto the Rumble in the Cage. "The Rites of Passage came about because we decided to do a show to give the beginner fighter, in both MMA and Kickboxing/Muay Thai a chance to showcase their talent in front of a smaller crowd," promoter Gayle Sabey says of the show's concept. "It is just as it sounds, a Rite of Passage, growth of a green athlete into a seasoned pro fighter. We try to stick with the majority of fighters having under four fights for this card, with the exception of the main event. These green fighters are sometimes more fun to watch because they don't really know what to expect when they step in the cage, the just let their hands fly. " Typical Rites of Passage events have drawn around 500-600 people, while the Rumble cards, with more experienced fighters competing, usually draw an attendance of around 2,000. Lethbridge is also home to several local gyms such as the Canadian Martial Arts Centre and the Progressive Fighting Academy, which have trained numerous fighters up to the professional ranks, many of whom have fought consistently on the Rumble events. Notable MMA veterans that begun there career in Lethbridge include Jesse Bongfeldt and Justin Tavernini, who still continue to fight for the promotion. Rites of Passage 3 featured twelve fights in total, including five MMA fights combined with seven kickboxing matches. The Canadian Martial Arts Centre team impressed, winning nine of the ten bouts their fighters were in. Click here to continue the article |
| Thursday - November 17, 2005 |
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IVC 2| Friday - November 18, 2005 |
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By Loretta Hunt "Joe Riggs is a pound and a half over," UFC MC Bruce Buffer announced to a standing-only crowd at UFC 56's official weigh-ins, held this afternoon at Studio 54 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Although welterweight Riggs' actual weight was not mentioned, by past Nevada State Athletic Commission protocol, it could be assumed the former 185-pound competitor had rung in at 172.5 pounds and with a one pound allowance would have two hours to cut the rest. Shrugging it off as a formality, fans left the nightclub expecting to watch Riggs challenge welterweight champion Matt Hughes tomorrow night for his belt. Three additional tries later, however, Riggs would fail to make his required mark and the bout will now be a non-title one.
Approximately a half hour later, Riggs emerged from backstage and weighed in once more. When 172 pounds was recorded once again, Riggs' crew questioned its validity and the fighter angrily kicked his shirts across the room and stormed off the stage spewing expletives all the way. Riggs' reps continued to pressure Lato for answers as to why their fighter had gained weight in his third go. Now flanked by Hughes' manager, Monte Cox, and entering UFC representatives, it was decided the scale would be recalibrated. Riggs has already left the circle though and was observed drinking water in a corner, possibly on route back to a sauna to try and cut in the final half hour he was allowed. Called back to the stage, he weighed in at 172.5 pounds this fourth and final time, and at 5:36, he was overheard pronouncing his intention to stop trying. Under NSAC statutes, ten percent of Riggs' purse will be fined and the bout will no longer hold its title status. The NSAC announced it would be Zuffa's call to make if the fight would go down to three rounds or remain at five. Hughes' camp requested it remain its intended length, however, due to NSAC health concerns from Riggs' weakened condition, the bout was settled on three rounds upon the champion's agreement. |
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By Eduardo Alonso A "battle on the sidelines" has been going on for over a month now in Sweden to defend the right for combat sports to be held in the country. On October 17th, a law was presented to the Swedish Parliament to, first and foremost, ban all combat sports. This includes strikes to the head and only considers the chance to allow exceptions after each sport is individually analyzed and approved by a special committee through the local government. The proposed law is based on the fact that professional boxing has been banned in Sweden for around thirty years, and although the law seems to be specific to that one discipline, Swedish Sports Minister Bosse Ringholm wants it to address all combat sports in general. In theory, the analysis made by the special committee could open doors for some combat sports, including pro boxing, to stay alive or come back. However, people in Sweden tend to believe this is not going to happen, and that what may come could be a dark age for fighting sports in Sweden at a time where MMA has been growing so much there. The law is to be voted on in December, and if approved, can be up and running by 2006, with a six-month jail period foreseen for those who promote combat sports following the proposed ban. With European Vale Tudo holding numerous events in Sweden and offering many athletes from the Nordic countries, as well as the rest of the world, the opportunity to showcase their talents, this possible ban couldn't come at a worse time for the sport. With the growing quality of fighters and instructors involved there, it would seem this area is yet another one ripe with potential for MMA. A movement to prevent this ban has been gathered and initiated by Shooters Organization founder, MMA fighter and instructor August Wallen, and plenty of work has been done to save not only the sport of mixed martial arts, but all other combat sports in this country. More information about the Swedish movement to prevent the ban is available at www.kampsportsfakta.se. FCF will keep you posted on the developments. |
From DSE/Pride:
NEW FSN/PRIDE FIGHTING EPISODE PREMIERES SUNDAY NIGHT! New Episode Premieres Sunday, November 20th at 9:00 PM Local Time LOS ANGELES, California – A new episode of PRIDE FIGHTING'S FSN series will premiere this Sunday, November 20th at 9:00 pm local time. Hosted by Jay Glazer and Bas Rutten, "The PRIDE Fighting Championships" program looks back at some of the most exciting fights in PRIDE'S history. Included in this upcoming episode: Carlos Newton vs. Jose Pele Landi Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Akira Shoji Igor Vovchanchyn vs. Francisco Bueno "The Beast" Bob Sapp vs. Yoshihisa Yamamoto Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Dan Henderson Mark Coleman vs. Emelianenko Fedor These are the world's elite mixed martial artists squaring off in the PRIDE ring exclusively on FSN! FSN reaches more than 81 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. FSN, based in Los Angeles, serves as the cable TV home to 62 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States, and produces over 4,500 live events each year. In addition to home team games, FSN telecasts a wide variety of national sports events and programming, including Best Damn Sports Show Period and Beyond the Glory. For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX Sports/FSN website at www.FoxSports.com. |
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News and Notes from Canadian MMA By Kelsey Mowatt This week's edition of the Northern Touch brings word from top-ranked Canadian super lightweight fighter Antonio Carvalho, as he prepares for his championship fight with Jeff Curran this Saturday night. Also in this week's column, FCF catches up with up and coming fighter Kevin Barkhouse, and we have news from Canuckles spokesperson Lindsey Marin about the recent rumors that team instructor and fighter Max Marin is retiring. Ironheart SLW Championship: Curran vs Carvalho November 19th Team Shah Franco standout Antonio Carvalho will fight UFC 46 veteran Jeff Curran this Saturday in Hammond, Indiana, for the Ironheart/ American Shooto Championship at 145 pounds. Carvalho, who comes into this fight with a record of 8-0, will be facing one of the State's better super lightweight (SLW) fighters in Curran, whose record stands at 23-7-1. Carvalho, who has defeated such notable fighters as Tommy Lee and Lion Takeshi, acknowledges that Curran is stiff competition. "For sure Jeff will be my toughest opponent that I have ever faced," Carvalho said. "I don't think I have ever fought someone so well-rounded. This fight will be interesting for me because I really don't know how this one will go." Curran has been on a tear since his loss to Matt Serra at UFC 46 in January of 2004, and is currently on a seven-fight winning streak. The stretch includes victories over Masahiro Oishi, Jason Dent, and Luke Spencer, with six of the seven victories coming way of submission. Carvalho is quick to praise Curran for his well-rounded skills, but seems to have studied up on his championship bout opponent. Click here to continue the article |
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From Pancrase: "PANCRASE 2005 SPIRAL TOUR" Sunday, December 4, 2005 Doors Open; 3:00PM Amateur Bout Starts; 3:30PM Differ Ariake (Tokyo,Japan)
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| Sunday - November 20, 2005 |
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St. Pierre Shrugs Off Sherk at UFC 56; Ortiz, Shamrock, and Penn Return in Surprise Announcements By Loretta Hunt Las Vegas, November 19 – Rich Franklin couldn't have done much more to demonstrate the keen stand-up prowess he possesses that kept the golden belt around his waist once again this evening. The easy going middleweight champion utilized his speedier hands and killer combinations to land a left and its follow-up twin for his first knockdown of overmatched Team Quest member Nate Quarry in tonight's UFC 56 main event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Referee John McCarthy swooped in quickly to get a better vantage point as Quarry's back brushed the cage while Franklin briefly halted his ground onslaught in anticipation the bout would be stopped, but both confirm no contact was made and the action continued. A resilient Quarry managed to his feet, but was simply no match for Franklin's fluid movement. The knockout punch came shortly after when Franklin countered Quarry's missed jab with a full-range left.
St. Pierre really began to connect with his punches in the second set, fulfilling his spinning back kick quota before rushing in to take Sherk down again. With elbows, St. Pierre crowded a quickly panicking Sherk and cut him, signaling a final flurry that left the bloody Minnesota fighter as overwhelmed as he's ever been in his career before referee Herb Dean jumped in to call it. St. Pierre's heartfelt plea on his knees for another crack at the title might or might not lead him there – murmurs of BJ Penn as his next opponent were overheard although this information is far from concrete at this time. Click here to continue the article |
 Reality Fighting 10: Mad Monkey Mayhem By Jim Genia (November 19th, Atlantic City, New Jersey) It was another sell-out show and another exciting night of fights. Reality Fighting 10 unfolded before 2,800 spectators, and a stacked card of up-and-comers plus two thrilling championship bouts had the crowd on their feet. There were punches and submissions galore, seesaw battles and dominant performances, and at the end of the evening a Mad Monkey was crowned king. Highlights of the night included:
Welterweight Championship Carlos Nieves (Team Evolution) vs. Nick "Mad Monkey" Serra (Team Serra/Longo) Serra via triangle in the second round. Serra is the new Reality Fighting welterweight champ! Middleweight Championship Dante Rivera (Team Renzo) vs. Jerry Spiegel (Team Lionkill) Rivera via triangle at 1:26 of the R1. Rivera is the new Reality Fighting middleweight champ! Main Card
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| Monday - November 21, 2005 |
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By Loretta Hunt The votes are in and reviews seem favorably mixed on what was this Saturday's UFC 56: Full Force experience. Scanning the list, UFC president Dana White's treasure trove of special announcements -- which included the returns of "spirits past" Ken Shamrock, Tito Ortiz, and BJ Penn -- received high marks, while the heavyweight non-fight that was Kevin Jordan versus Gabriel Gonzaga unanimously flunked (Godspeed to the three judges that would have had to decide that one if it had gone to the cards). Some more tidbits from the weekend ... St. Pierre Injury Rumors Just That Why was that blue elbow brace slapped on Georges St. Pierre's arm following his rousing victory over Sean Sherk this past Saturday? The affable Canadian with the million dollar smile confirms it was nothing more than a sponsor, also dispelling fight week whispers that he was nursing an injured hand going into to his demolition demonstration on Minnesota wrestler Sherk. Believing the fictitious fact's origin might have come from a misleading photograph the superstar fighter took side by side with one of his bandaged teammates, St. Pierre was content to play along with the charade -- that is until he entered the cage. Polite Prangley Begs to Differ It seems a substantial room of witnesses agreed with Trevor Prangley's assessment of his three-round grind with Jeremy Horn, when thunderous boos filled the MGM Grand Arena following the Utah fighter's hand getting raised to the sky. The quiet South African's face could not hide his astonishment with the announcement that Horn had unanimously captured all three identical scorecards with 29-28s. "I was ready to celebrate as you can see," Prangley admits. "It took me a minute to realize they didn't call my name." While the bout's second round has been verbally reappraised by the public in the last 36 hours, the courteous Prangley now only wants Horn to get his due. "The only thing I could see the judges thought was that Horn was a little more aggressive in the later rounds. That's all I could possibly see. Next to Babalu [Renato Sobral], that's the toughest fight I've ever had, so I don't want to steal his thunder." Pep Talk Herb Dean-Style What did referee Herb Dean say to halted heavyweights Gabriel Gonzaga and Kevin Jordan after their bout reached an all-time lull in the second round? "I told them they needed to start fighting or I would take a point from one of them," the referee shares. Dean says he hoped this message would encourage at least one of the heavyweights to step up his game so he could take a point from the other. Gonzaga's Missed Memo Somebody forgot to pass Gonzaga the memo that fighting not to lose is passé these days. "I knew the audience would like to see a knockout, so I looked at all times for that," the Brazilian grappling standout told FCF through his translator, adding he'd wait for it as long as he had to. "It was my debut and I didn't want to lose." Ultimate Fight Night 4 Murmurs Monday, January 16th seemed to be the date escaping many fighters' lips when asked when they'd be springing into action next. Fighters' camps rattled off these match-ups: Drew Fickett vs. Jonathan Goulet, Josh Koscheck vs. Jeremy Jackson, Tim Sylvia vs. Assuerio Silva, and Stephan Bonnar vs. James Irvin. These bouts and supposedly three more would complete the roster for the first Spike TV televised fight night of the new year. |
| Wednesday - November 23, 2005 |
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By Kelsey Mowatt
Since his UFC 46 loss to Matt Serra by unanimous decision, Curran has defeated eight opponents in a row, besting the likes of Dan Swift, Masahiro Oishi, Steve Kinnison and now Antonio Carvalho. Losing to Curran, however, is nothing to be ashamed of as the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Professor Pedro Sauer also has notable victories over Baret Yoshida, Jeremy Bolt and Ryan Ackerman. Curran also went the distance against top-ranked fighter Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, at SuperBrawl 29 in 2003, only to lose by unanimous decision. Despite this record and now winning the Shooto title, Curran continues to remain pessimistic about his immediate MMA career, and his likelihood of competing on the world's bigger events. "Shooto has done nothing but ignore me," explains Curran. "I've done well against other Shooto guys so I got a position to fight against Antonio. I'm a threat to them, there's no one they have that wouldn't have a tough time against me. I can't keep putting my body through the training for $1,000 dollars, I'm kind of at a crossroads now, I want to fight MMA but the shows aren't here for smaller guys, that's why I turned to boxing. I mean look at this last fight against Antonio, there was no hype, we are both jiu-jitsu black belts, two of the best fighters in the 145-pound division and no one cared." Frustrated with the lack of interest from Japanese MMA organizations or the larger North American promotions, Curran tried his hand at professional boxing this past summer. Turning pro after only five amateur fights, Curran managed to win by knockout in his professional boxing debut. In the hopes that the UFC might in fact re-introduce a lightweight division at some point, Curran acknowledged he would be willing to step up a weight class to fight for the organization. "I wouldn't put my North American Shooto title in front of fighting for the UFC. I would need about four months notice to bulk up with just muscle to get ready, but I would do it if an organization like that invested in me. Some of the best fighters to watch are the smaller guys, I mean look at that Kevin Jordan fight this weekend, you don't see 145, 135 pound guys laying on each other out of breath doing nothing. Let's hope the UFC does it, K-1's doing it, Bushido, it doesn't make sense for them not to do it." To find out more about Curran's fight with Canadian Carvalho, check out The Northern Touch below. |
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News and Notes from Canadian MMA By Kelsey Mowatt Carvalho and Curran Battle it Out for America's Shooto SLW Championship UFC 46 "Super Natural" veteran Jeff Curran defeated Canadian Team Shah Franco fighter Antonio Carvalho by majority decision this past Saturday, earning Curran the 145-pound Shooto Championship for the North American region. By all accounts the fight between the pair of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts was extremely close, with one judge declaring it a draw, and the other two awarding it to Curran. The first portion of the fight saw the fighters standing and exchanging mostly from the clinch, with the latter half of the contest fought on the ground. With a slight edge in the exchanges from the clinch, and through striking and remaining active in his guard, Curran was awarded the victory. "It was a very tense fight for sure," reported previously undefeated Carvalho. "The first round was pretty much us working in the clinch and trying to get an advantage over each other. It was more of a feeling out round. I really didn't know what to expect from Curran so I was also a little too cautious, which meant that the round wasn't very exciting for the fans. The second and third round we opened up more and it was pretty much a ground war. I certainly know that the third round was my strongest round in the fight." Click here to continue the article |
From DSE/Pride:
LOS ANGELES, CA – PRIDE Fighting and DIRECTV present your "Last Chance" to see the historical 2005 middleweight tournament! Premiering November 21st, this last chance promotion runs until November 28th on All Day Ticket (6:00am ET to 6:00pm ET) on Channel 122. PRIDE FIGHTING'S 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament spanned three events … TOTAL ELIMINATION (opening round), CRITICAL COUNTDOWN (Second Round) and FINAL CONFLICT (Semi-Finals and Finals). Featuring a collection of some of the world's elite middleweights (including Wanderlei Silva, Kazushi Sakuraba, Quinton Jackson, and Shogun Rua), DIRECTV's "Last Chance" features all of the tournament bouts from these events. Tournament Matches: (Shown in order from first to last) Kevin Randleman (USA) vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura (Japan) Dean Lister (USA) vs. Ricardo Arona (Brazil) Igor Vovchanchyn (Ukraine) vs. Yuki Kondo (Japan) Vitor Belfort (Brazil) vs. Alistair Overeem (Holland) Dan Henderson (USA) vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (Brazil) Kazushi Sakuraba (Japan) vs. Yoon Dong Sik (Korea) Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (USA) vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (Brazil) Wanderlei Silva (Brazil) vs. Hidehiko Yoshida (Japan) (Also featured will be the Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, and Finals of the Tournament) This is your last chance to check out PRIDE Fighting's 2005 Middleweight Tournament! Sixteen fighters began, only one will be champion! This last chance opportunity is available from November 21st to November 28th on ALL DAY TICKET. Don't miss all the knockouts, slams, and submissions, as the world's biggest and best mixed martial artists go head to head! For DIRECTV's schedule, please click here. |
| Thursday - November 24, 2005 - Happy Thanksgiving |
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RusFighters' Alexander Shlemenko Ready for Pele! By Eduardo Alonso 
With many tough fighters coming out of Russia, including PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko, it would seem obvious that MMA promoters are turning their eyes to this country in search of talent. However, what seems obvious is not always what happens, and although Russia produces many quality fighters, few of them actually get to "see the light," as politics and other issues make it tough for them to reach the bigger stages.This clearly isn't the case with Wallid Ismail's Jungle Fight, as one of the most important fights on next Saturday night's card in Manaus, Brazil will feature MMA legend Jose "Pele" Landi-Jons, against RusFighters Sport Club representative Alexander Shlemenko. Coming from a young team, the hardworking Shlemenko is only 21 years old himself with numerous wins already under his belt in lower level Russian shows. With an aggressive and entertaining style, Shlemenko is mainly a striker who's eager to brawl with Pele and show his own skills in what could be the most important bout of the night. FCF got the opportunity to talk with the promising Russian before he becomes a star. FCF: Russia is a country that has produced many great fighters in many fighting styles. How and when did you start training Martial Arts? AS: When I was nine years old, I started Greco-Roman wrestling. Although I did it for a short period of time, I competed in a few tournaments and took fourth place in Omsk, my home city. When I was 10 years old, I started kickboxing. When I was 14, I started Muay Thai, and when I turned 15, I started Army Combat Fighting. I still do it; I study in a sports institute. My specialty is Army Combat Fighting. [Writer's note- Army Combat Fighting is a sport very close to MMA. All kinds of striking and grappling techniques are allowed, even kicking and punching a downed opponent. Competitors wear gis and special helmets to protect their faces.] FCF: I understand you have a lot of experience in Army Combat fighting, which is very traditional in Russia. I'm sorry if I sound ignorant, but do you also have military experience? AS: No, not yet. However I took part in multiple Army championships, I represented airborne troops [Marines] -- it's an elite troop in the Russian army. And I won most of them. Click here to continue the article |
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By David West Murray Back in Training; Teammates Reid and Gilbert Prepare for Cage Rage
Asked if Murray has suffered any after-effects from his injuries, Demetriades responds emphatically, "There are absolutely no long term effects. He got stabbed four times. He got stabbed in the heart. The heart's a muscle that will repair like any other muscle. He had to have open-heart surgery because obviously he got stabbed through into his heart so they had to get to it, they broke his chest plate and they opened him up with clamps and did open heart surgery. So the thing that will take the longest time to recover will be the bone fuse, his actual chest plate. Pad work is no problem, a lot of the kicking, punching, the stand-up wrestling stuff is okay, but the jiu-jitsu, the ground work, he's still not able to have somebody on top of him fully and put their weight on him, because obviously he's in pain. Murray is already hungry to get back in competition, says Demetriades. "He wanted us to pencil in a fight for him, but we're waiting. After the new year we're looking to start training properly and get a fight within two or three months. Murray has faced a series of setbacks in the past year, from being denied a visa to return to the UFC to breaking his hip in the gym. "We were signed to fight Baroni," says Demetriades. "It was going to be announced the day before he got into trouble. There are loads of great fights happening at the moment in Cage Rage [though]. We're real interested in Curtis Stout, Anderson Silva, Matt Lindland, any of these fights would be great for us. It's just a matter of Lee recovering really well and having a warm-up fight before he jumps into top-level competition. We're definitely looking forward to getting him back in the ring as soon as possible." Click here to continue the article |
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From the event's promoter: Saturday 26th November Skydome Arena, Coventry, UK Final Confirmed Card All bouts are to be held under Professional CWFC MMA rules and are scheduled for 5x5 minute rounds (unless stated) Card is subject to change 
Antonio "Pezão" De Silva Junior (3-0-0) Wolfslair Academy, (Brazil/UK) vs. Ruben "Warpath" Villarreal (9-6-1) (No Limits Underground) USA CWFC Heavyweight Title Bout (Champion) Jeff "The Snowman" Monson (18-5-0) American Top Team, USA vs. Emmanuel Marc 3-3-0 (Haute Tension) France CWFC Light-Heavyweight Title Bout (Champion) Michael "The Count" Bisping (9-0-0) Wolfslair Academy vs. Ross "The Gladiator" Pointon (4-5-0) Gladiator Gym, Stoke-on-Trent CWFC Middleweight Title Bout (Champion) Martin "Hitman" Kampmann (10-2-1) Kung Fu Toa, Denmark vs. Damien Riccio (8-10-0 with 1 NC) Team Riccio, France Vacant CWFC Welterweight Title Bout Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy (9-4-0) Rough House Gym, Nottingham vs. Matt "12 Gauge" Thorpe (5-3-0) Northern Cartel CWFC Lightweight Title Bout (Champion) Alexandre "Xandinho" Izidro (3-4-0) Total Dojo, Milton Keynes vs. Thomas Hytten (14-3-1), Team Frontline Norway CWFC Featherweight Title Bout (Champion) Danny Batten (7-6-2) Total Dojo, Milton Keynes vs. Augusto Frota (5-1-0) Frota Team, Brazil/Switzerland CWFC Women's Title Bout (Champion) Rosi Sexton (4-0-0) SBG Manchester vs. Dina van Den Hooven (2-0-0) Tatsujin Dojo, Holland CWFC Bantamweight Title Bout (Champion) Paul McVeigh (4-3-0) Dinky Ninjas, Ireland/Scotland vs. Phil "Billy" Harris (9-4-0) Team Warriors, Portsmouth UNDERCARD Light-Heavyweight (3x5 minute rounds) Christian Smith 2-0-0 (Tap or Snap/Derby Shoot) vs. Martin Wojcik (Pro debut) Wolfslair Academy (Sweden/UK) |
| Friday - November 25, 2005 |
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By Loretta Hunt With a 233-190 vote, the House of Representatives chose last week not to form a U.S. Boxing Commission, which would have created a 3-person appointed committee to oversee the sport at a national level. Currently, combat sports are sanctioned and regulated by individual states and their appointed entities. Although the rejected bill applied solely to the pugilistic arts, there was warranted concern the bill could later be amended to include mixed martial arts. Nick Lembo, Attorney General for the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, which oversees both boxing and MMA in its state, supported the vote. "We [the NJSACB] didn't think it was necessary. It would add another layer of bureaucracy and we'd be concerned about political patronage hires. What we do think is necessary and where Congress could be of great help to any combative sport, is to pass uniform medical rules, have medical health and safety standards that are followed in every state." |
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By Eduardo Alonso The stage is set here in the Tropical Hotel in Manaus, Brazil, for the fifth edition of Jungle Fight. Continually growing with each show, and establishing itself as the biggest show in Latin America, promoter Wallid Ismail seems to have once again overcome the usual difficulties and extracted the best out of each delicate situation. Just one day before to boarding his plane on the way to his bout against Jungle Fight veteran Helio Dipp, American fighter Mark Sursa suffered an injury. In an extremely quick negotiation Ismail was able to get rising sensation Edson Drago, a Meca and Minotauro Fight winner, to replace Sursa, who's already safe and sound at the hotel. Drago is undefeated in MMA and has a series of knockouts under his belt; he has been a long-time rival of Dipp, who is making his Chute Boxe team debut, due to their origin in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. Other than that and a few minor issues, everything ran smoothly during the weigh-ins. Main event star, Pele Landi weighed almost 4 pounds over the limit of 185 lbs, and had to weigh-in again about three hours later, to be able to perform against Russian fighter Alexander Shlemenko. During the traditional face to face picture, Pele and Shlemenko captivated most of the attention with their staredown and grins, giving fans hopes of a barn burner. As always, the rivalry between Chute Boxe and Brazilian Top Team is also one of the main "courses" of the show, as Abu Dhabi runner up Alexandre "Cacareco" Ferreira and Julio Cesar Jamanta will finally fight, in a bout that was supposed to take place in Portugal about a month ago, with both fighters weighing a bit over their bout limit, but agreeing to fight anyway. With fighters like Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, Fredson Paixao, and others completing the card, emotions will run high in the Tropical Hotel arena Saturday night. Jungle Fight starts tomorrow at 8 PM local time, with a live broadcast on Brazilian Pay-Per-View. FCF will bring you all the action straight from Manaus. |
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From the event's promoter: Tickets are available now at www.ticketswest.com or by calling 800-992-8499 Portland/Gresham OR. -- Sportfight fans will see the Return of the best the NW has to offer in the first edition of the Proving Ground series Presented By Sportsbook.com "The Largest Sports Book and Casino On The Planet" Sportfight is the Ultimate evolution of one-on-one combat. Sportfight is an all age sporting event fun for the whole family. Sportfight is sanctioned and licensed by the Oregon boxing and wrestling commission December 03, 2005 7:30 pm doors open at 6:30 at Mt Hood Community College For more information about the event visit www.sportfight.tv.
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| Saturday - November 26, 2005 |
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Check out what's in the current issue of FCF ...| Sunday - November 27, 2005 |
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Held November 25, 2005 At the Squamish Nations Rec Centre Vancouver, British Columbia By Mike Neva As the clock struck 11PM, Jason MacDonald bounced lightly from left foot to right only pausing momentarily to take advice from his cornerman as he calmly awaited the arrival of adversary Kalib Starnes. With fights against five former UFC or Pride veterans under his belt, MacDonald took the fight on short notice against the lesser known, but highly touted Starnes. Originally Starnes was slated to face ATT - Olympia king pin, Dennis Hallman, who unfortunately re-aggravated a nagging groin injury only days before the event. As both fighters shook hands during the pre-fight instructions, the partisan Vancouver crowd began a chant of "Kalib ... Kalib ... Kalib." The bout began with both fighters cautiously measuring the distance with neither man landing any telling blows. Starnes then bull rushed into a clinch position, which MacDonald briefly fought within before being dumped onto his back with Starnes landing in the full mount. After a series of punches from Starnes, MacDonald gave his back which lead to Starnes locking in a rear-naked choke. Much to MacDonald's credit, he was able to free himself from the precarious position only to have Starnes repeatedly land punch after punch as Macdonald's head began to ricochet off the canvas until referee Kevin Dornan wisely called a halt to the bout late in the first round.
In other action, Tim Thurston was able to outlast Myles Merola winning via punches in the third round. With the victory, Thurston took home the NFC light middleweight championship. Kyle Keeney was also able to avenge a previous loss by submitting Paul Daniel with a rear-naked choke, and Garrett Davis was able to knock off Matt Lininger for the second time with an arm-triangle choke.
Look for a full report in the next issue of Full Contact Fighter.
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| Tuesday - November 29, 2005 |
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By Loretta Hunt For all intents and purposes, the wait is over. As of 4:16 pm yesterday, the sport of mixed martial arts became legal in California when the Secretary of State stamped approval for a set of regulations overseeing the sport in the Golden State. Following a standard 30-day period, MMA regulations will go into effect on December 28th. "No public comment would have an impact on the regulations during this administrative procedures period," a staff counsel representative for the Office of Administrative Law stated this morning, solidifying the fact the rules have passed their final step of scrutiny. Somewhat comparable to the Unified Rules of Combat currently recognized by various regulatory bodies from coast to coast, including the New Jersey Athletic Control Board and the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the Golden State's version does have its own unique variations. Currently, MMA events can only be held in a cage (the Commission opted to not allow a ring for contests at an August 30th meeting), while verbiage makes reference to the tournament format in which a fighter may compete more than once in a night. The California State Athletic Commission has already publicly acknowledged that the regulations, first drafted in 2001, could potentially be amended and tweaked in the coming new year. CSAC Executive Director Armando Garcia was initially unavailable for comment regarding his agency's protocol for beginning the licensing of promoters, officials, and competitors, but made his intentions known to speak with FCF shortly. |
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Jungle Fight 5 Delivers By Eduardo Alonso This could be likely one of the toughest times for a promoter to hold and MMA event in Brazil in recent years, with so many international shows gathering most of the best fighters in the country on their cards. However, promoter Wallid Ismail managed to deliver one more time in the fifth edition of his Jungle Fight show, establishing it as the premier MMA event in Latin America nowadays, and surely one of the best in the world. Counting with famous names from our sport such as MMA legend Jose "Pele" Landi, submission wrestling star Alexandre "Cacareco" Ferreira, Pancrase and Cage Rage veteran Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, Jiu-Jitsu icon Fredson Paixao, and hot prospects Edson Drago, Luciano Azevedo, Jose Aldo and Russian Alexander Shlemenko among others, Jungle Fight 5 had a solid card on paper, and proved to be exciting after the main event was finished. Even some problems like last minute injuries from American Mark Sursa, and local hero Leopoldo Montenegro didn't faze the show, as replacements were found right away.
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Circus Tavern - Essex, England - November 27, 2005 Results by David West Beset by last minute drop-outs, the thirteenth show from the UK Mixed Martial Arts Championships still packed plenty of action into eight bouts, with four professional contests and four amateur matches. Martin Hills claimed the Vacant Amateur British Lightweight Title in a great back-and-forth brawl with Graham Cooke. James Evans-Nicolle completed the first defense of his World Middleweight Title against tough challenger Rafael Silva from Portugal. Silva had good wrestling and gave the champion trouble early in the first round when he took his back, but Evans-Nicolle escaped back to his feet and took the fight to Silva. In the third round Evans-Nicolle took mount and blasted Silva with more than ten elbow strikes to the face, opening up a deep gash on Silva's left eyebrow, forcing the ref to stop the contest.
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| Wednesday - November 30, 2005 |
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Standouts at Smack Girl 2005 By Roxanne Modafferi
Larosa wasn't the only one to shine in Japan's most noted female promotion Naoko Ohmuro from Wajitsu Keishukai challenged long-time Smack Girl champion Satoko Shinashi, who returned to defend her title after a three-year absence from the ring. In a feverish battle back-and-forth that saw action both standing and on the mats, Shinashi was awarded the decision after three rounds to retain her Flyweight Championship title for the promotion. Smack Girl 2005 Results Morifuji Miki def. Yui Tachikawa - Decision Kazuna Moroboshi def. Itsuka Yokose – Armlock 0:29 R1 Fuuka def. Emi Kuroda – Armlock 1:37 R2 Masako Yoshida def. KM-Maki – Armlock 2:43 R1 Seri def. Hikaru Shinohara – Unanimous decision Tara Larosa def. Kumiko Maekawa – Decision Hisae Watanabe def. Yasuko Mogi – TKO (ref stoppage) 4:03 R1 Flyweight Title Bout Satoko Shinashi def. Naoko Ohmuro – Unanimous decision Full Contact Karate Bout Yuka Kobayashi def. Kiyoko Yamamoto – Decision Check out the full report and pictures in the next issue of Full Contact Fighter. |
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