"T.A.C.-ticle Observations"

Tony Cast Host

Tony discusses watching the I.S.K.A. U.S. Open....

This is AUSTIN JORGENSEN! W.T.F.? Why didn't this guy win 1st place?

AUSTIN JORGENSEN

It was late Saturday evening, early Sunday morning. I was up, as usual, channel suffering. I was looking for something to watch, that I have not seen for the one thousandth time. That's when I came across the 2010 ISKA U.S. OPEN that was held in Orlando, Florida. While watching the Adult's single forms and Adult's Weapons forms, I came across this young man from, what I am going to assume is a small town in Colorado. I did not catch the name of his home town, nor did I catch the name of his system or his Sifu. All I know is that Austin Jorgensen was the only competitor that I saw, that evening, perform anything that looked like a real Martial Art.

The other men is his division, were more Gymnasts then Martial Artists. Sure, they did impressive flips, barrel rolls, flares, "invented," signature trick moves. High risk, ankle breaking, aerials that would make even the judges on "Americas Best Dance Crew" give them props. All that to loud music and loud yelling that sounded more like they were more enraged at this "tom foolery" then I was. But, there was nothing I could put together in watching their forms that I could say, "damn that makes sense!" As a Martial Artist, I was always taught that “Kata" a.k.a. (form), told the story of the battle you are acting out.

Kata, is the foundation of a system in which all the techniques for the system derive. Now, some may not agree with this and say that is not so. I wonder if this is what the founders of the arts these young men practice would think of their performance. I wonder what they would have thought about the judging.  Because to me, it seemed that Austin Jorgensen did not even place in his division.  I would like to hear from our faithful listeners on this topic. “Traditional Forms” vs. “XMA” style forms. Which would you consider to be the best representation of your Martial Arts style? Don’t be a smart ass and tell me there are no forms in your M.M.A. gyms, dojo’s, etc. You should have some Martial Arts background, foundation, to answer this honestly. Send us your responses and we will get them up on the page and discuss this on air. Send all entries to atemicast@gmail.com attn: tony

Sayōnara Samurai’s
Tony

FIGHT TIME 1

Event Poster

Saturday August 21, 2010, Howard Davis Jr’s Fight Time Promotions and Jeff Gibson’s Elite Promotions presented the MMA event FIGHT TIME 1.  This happening was the first of what I hope is an ongoing championship. FIGHT TIME 1 was held at Club Cinema 3251 North Federal Highway, Pompano Beach Florida; a venue that seats around 3,000 people.  The Club was sold out. The standing room only crowd was treated to 8 professional MMA bouts. The main event was a heavyweight contest between Ultimate Fighting Championship veterans Jason Guida (18-22) vs Jeff “The Snowman” Monson (35-11).
 
Howard Davis Jr. is the 1976 Olympic lightweight boxing Gold Medal winner and a four time New York Golden Gloves Champion. Mr. Davis Jr. had a very respectful pro boxing career retiring with a 36-6-1 record that included three lightweight title fights. He now coaches boxing at American Top Team Coconut Creek and has trained MMA professionals like Chuck Liddell, Mike Brown, and Thiago Alves. Howard Davis Jr. is the man behind Fight Time Promotions.
Jeff Gibson is a World Champion Kickboxer and holds a 7th degree black belt. Mr. Gibson is an actor and popular public speaker and since 2001 he has been a fight sports promoter with the company he founded Elite Promotions.



Jeff Gibson, Jeff Monson, and Howard Davis Jr. flanked by OTM girls


Fight Time Promotions and Elite Promotions know the business of combat sports and worked very hard to put together a fight card that would inspire the South Florida mixed martial arts fans to part with their hard earned money and come out for an evening of premier MMA battles. FIGHT TIME 1 did not disappoint. The festivities started the night before at the weigh-ins. The weigh-ins were held at J.M. Lexus 5350 West Sample Road, Margate, Florida. One knew that this event was going to be special upon entering the car show room that had been transformed into a stage for this official Florida State Boxing Commission function. The overall feeling was that of a party. Yes, there were professional combatants attending and getting ready to face off with their opponents but there was also a DJ spinning tunes, fight sports celebrities, MMA fans, and a kickass catering table open to all. There was tension between the brawlers but it was a feeling of expectation and respect instead of the thuggish showboating that had been experienced at other promotions. There was an overall impression that the media was welcome and not just a hindrance.

The weigh-ins were fun, exciting, and very informative. They proceeded without drama even though a couple of fighters had to hustle to make weight. Note to prospective fighters: If you get contracted for an event, do yourself a favor and make weight before you show up. You might not think it matters but it is very disrespectful and trust me promoters, photographers, and media outlets talk. It is your reputation on the line so be a professional.

Saturday, August 21st was fight night. Club Cinema was sold out and the following celebrities were in attendance, three time lightweight world boxing champion Hector “Macho” Camacho, WEC featherweight Champion Mike Brown, UFC fighter Thiago Alves, UFC fighter Kimbo Slice, UFC fighter Clay Guida, UFC fighter Din Thomas, Bellator fighter Jessica Aguilar, Bellator fighter Stefanie Guimaraes, Bellator Middleweight Champion Hector Lombard, and many more. The celebrity attendance was nice but it was the eight MMA bouts that would make this a stand out event.

Contest number 1 was a 125lbs debut battle between Josh Mercado of Evolution MMA vs Abraham Estacio from ATT Vero Beach. This fight goes straight to the ground. Estacio wanted to show off his ground work but when he put Mercado on his back he got caught in a deep guillotine and was submitted by Mercado at the 1:52 mark of round 1.



Jimi “ninja” armbars Mike Benken at FIGHT TIME 1


Engagement 2 was 150lbs of conflict between Mike Benken (debut) from Fist Factory vs Jimi Chaikong (1-5). This was going to be a tough fight for Mike. Jimi “ninja” Chaikong is a journey man martial artist and he is much better than his 1-5 record states. Chaiknog takes control from the beginning and even throws in a little showmanship at the outset. Chaikong clearly out muscles Benken, gets full mount and after dropping a couple bombs grabs Benken’s right arm and lays in the armbar. Benken tries to fight off the submission but it was the strength of the “ninja” that prevailed, forcing the debut fighter to tap at 2:04 of round 1. It looked like Mike Benken may have lost his arm during the struggle. Doctors rush in to inspect the hurt fighter and concern is evident on the face of Jimi Chaikong. Benken gets to his feet and is able to walk out on his own. The Atemi Cast hopes Benken is alright and has no permanent damage. We also to congratulate Jimi “Ninja” Chaikong on his win!


Scrap 3 was a 145lbs struggle between Patrick Williams (debut) of FFA vs Shaughn Koukos (1-0) from American Top Team Vero Beach. Williams came out with guns blazing and beat down Koukos with a vicious ground and pound and won the match at the 1:40 mark of round 1. Clay Guida was doing some sideline coaching for Patrick Williams. Whatever Guida said must have worked because Koukos never got a chance to fight back.
Clash 4 was a 175lbs dogfight debut between Dalton Hicks of Fist Factory vs John Chaves ATT Miramar. John Chaves punished Dalton Hicks on the ground the entirety of round 1 and when round 2 started it did not take long before the ref stopped the fight and saved the outclassed Dalton from a career ending impairment. This was the first fight of the night to make it to round 2.



Jerry Blackman scores with a jab against Danceton Holcomb


Duel 5 was a 205lbs slugfest between Danceton Holcomb (0-1) from Fist Factory vs Jerry Blackman (debut) Rio Heroes. Blackman takes round 1 dominating the round with sloppy stand up and Holcomb’s face bares the swelling and cuts to prove it. Round 2 did not look good for Holcomb but somehow he survived. Both brawlers looked exhausted and it was Blackman’s inexperience that allowed the fight to get so far. Blackman was a little tentative with his attacks and had yet to use his reach or long legs to control the fray. This was the first fight to make it to the judges and Jerry Blackman took the unanimous decision.

Rumble 6 was a 155lbs competition between Bounmy Somchey (1-5) vs Lazar Stojadinavi (4-5). Everyone expected a grueling ground battle but Stojadinavi caught Somchey with a solid right. Somchey was rocked and Stojadinavi jumped him. Bounmy Somchey was on his belly with Lazar Stojadinavi riding his back. Stojadinavi sunk in a tight choke using his leg hooks to flatten out the dazed Somchey. Somchey never got a chance to tap before it was lights out. After the doctors did their check Bounmy Somchey walked out of the cage under his own power.

Feud 7 was a 145lbs skirmish between Denis Hernandez (0-2) FFA vs Stephen Janetis (0-1). Hernandez overwhelms Janetis and wins the fight with a TKO, referee stoppage due to strikes. Denis Hernandez was stoked, of all the winners he was the most excited. After the event he was still on cloud nine. His excitement was nice to see. The Atemi Cast cannot wait to watch him compete again.

The Main Event was a classic in the making. Fight Time promotions and Elite Promotions put together a great heavyweight match; UFC veteran Jason Guida (18-22) vs UFC veteran Jeff “The Snowman” Monson (35-11) from ATT Coconut Creek.  Guida entered the round cage shadow boxing. It was noticeable from his entrance that this big man can really move. Monson entered the cage and was just a massive specimen. He was composed and appeared relaxed. The announcer was a trip, his full body delivery of the fighter’s names and information was excellent.



Jason and Clay Guida at the FIGHT TIME 1 weigh ins


Round 1 Guida started by throwing some heavy hands and even a high head kick. Monson blocked most of those shots with open palm slaps but Jason Guida’s opening salvo gave “The Snowman” a shiner. Jeff Monson took Guida down and Jason got mount. Jason Guida was lying atop Monson and looking for a side choke but Monson had Guida’s leg trapped and was holding him down. “The Snowman” was still working from his back and when the opportunity arose took a strike against Jason Guida. Guida returned the hits from Monson with strikes to the forehead and a couple of elbows to the side of the head. Through the whole exchange of fists and elbows Monson never released Guida’s trapped leg. “The Snowman” changed things up and connected with a nasty hammer fist across the face of Jason Guida. Jeff Monson looked very content bringing damage from the bottom position.  Monson decided to walk the cage and got to his feet. Guida was now pressing Monson against the steel cage. “The Snowman” took Guida back down and this time got side mount. During this exchange Jason Guida had Jeff Monson in a triangle choke but Monson powered out of the submission. Then Guida fought to his feet. Both men were only up for a few seconds when “The Snowman” dropped down bringing Guida with him and put him in a triangle of his own, followed by Jason Guida powering out of the Jeff Monson submission. Monson rolled Guida against the cage and trapped the big man there. The roles had now reversed, Guida was in guard and Monson was dropping elbows and right hands to his head. There was a lot of fast action from these two big men. “The Snowman” started throwing devastating hammer fists to Jason Guida’s face. Jeff Monson’s attack forced Guida to hold him down till the bell rang for the end of round 1.

Round 2 started with both fighters still looking fresh. The bell rang and the warriors touched gloves. They tested each other out when Monson connected with a big left hook and followed with a shoot pushing Guida against the cage. Guida throws a knee up to Monson’s bread basket and “The Snowman” returned the favor with a knee of his own. The cage was rocking when these men used it. Guida fired off a salvo of knees to Jeff Monson’s gut. Monson went for the single leg and dropped Guida on his ass. Monson got side mount and started body, body, head, right hand combinations. “The Snowman” held Jason Guida down while he dropped mean knees to Guida’s side. Guida attempted to roll away from the punishment and ended up giving Jeff Monson his back. Monson tried to get the rear naked choke but Guida denied the effort. Monson then applied a cross face and went for the neck crank. “The Snowman” then showed his true power and submitted the struggling Jason Guida.

What a great Heavyweight match! Fight Time 1 delivered world class entertainment from two top notch competitors. What started off as a fun night of mostly local sportsmen ended with a masterly display of first rate mixed martial arts that Fight Time Promotions and Elite Promotions plan on doing again. Fight Time 2 will be held Saturday October 23rd once more at Club Cinema. Check out fighttimepromotions.com for details. Fight Time 1 had it all, great promoters who care what type of event they hold, weigh ins that were actually a pleasure to attend, celebrities who were accessible, a strong entertaining fight card, and a world class main event. When Fight Time 2 happens October 23rd it would be foolish to miss out.

THE WEIGH-INS are over and it's time to get it on tonight at CLUB CINEMA! MONSON vs. GUIDA!

MONSON faces off with GUIDA! It's fight time gentlemen...

MONSON talks with attendees ensureing a good fight with GUIDA...

MONSON shows us his victory pose he'll use tonight after his win....

OFFICIAL FIGHTER WEIGH-IN THIS FRIDAY AUGUST 20TH, 2010


Jeff "THE SNOWMAN" MONSON

 What:  Jeff “The Snowman” Monson VS Jason Guida face-off.   Come see the main event heavyweights face off  during the official State of Florida weigh-in for the MMA 10-bout fight card dubbed: "Fight Time 1".   Monson, former UFC Heavyweight Contender and American Top Team fighter will be the main event in this South Florida match-up to take place this Saturday at Club Cinema in Pompano Beach, FL.  Other fighters from gyms throughout South Florida promise to make this an action-packed night of MMA.   The co-main event features Pedro Alfonso (MMA Masters Miami) against World Grappling Champion - Saul Alancar of Coconut Creek’s American Top Team.   Special guest appearances by Kimbo Slice, former Featherweight WEC Champ – Mike Brown, Jessica Aguilar, Hector Lombard, Thiago “Pitbull” Alves and many more!

Where:  Fighter Weigh-In Lexus of Margate, 5350 W. Sample Rd.

When:  5pm this Friday August 20th, 2010

Media Note:  Please email all of your requests no later than Thursday, August 19th, 2010

All credentials must be pre-approved and picked up at the weigh-in only.  No credentials will be provided during the night of the fight.

About Event:   “Fight Time 1” is being promoted by Howard Davis Jr.’s Fight Time Promotions and Jeff Gibson’s Elite Promotions. The two companies recently joined forces to make MMA a permanent sport in the South Florida market. The MMA showcase will take place at Club Cinema in Pompano Beach, 3251 N. Federal Hwy. at 7pm.   For tickets call: 786-543-1177 or go to www.fighttimepromotions.com

                                                 Official Final Bout Card:

Josh Mercado  Debut    vs  Abraham Estacio Debut

Evolution MMA                        ATT Vero

Mike Benken  Debut      vs  Jim Chaikong 1-5

Fist Factory (Stuart, FL)                                       

Patrick Williams Debut  vs  Shaughn Koukos 1-0

FFA (Freestyle FightMiami)       ATT Vero

Dalton Hicks  Debut       vs   John Chavez Debut

Fist Factory (Stuart,FL)         ATT Miramar

Jerry Blackman debut   vs  Ruben Millhausen 2-1

Rio’s Hero’s (Miami)            Gio Boxing (Miami)

Denis Hernandez 0-2    vs   Stephen Janetis 0-1

FFA Miami                            

Bounmy Somchay 1-5   vs Sean Sorinno 2-0

                                              ATT Doral

Danceton Holcomb 0-1 vs  Alonzo Roane 2-1

Fist Factory                           Tampa Spartans

Pedro Alfonso  Debut    vs  Saul Alancar  (world grappling champion)

MMA Masters                       ATT Coconut Creek

Jason Guida   18-22          vs Jeff Monson 35-11

Chicago, IL                             ATT Coconut Creek

Media Contact                                                     

Karla Guadamuz-Davis                               

954-443-6792 or 786-543-1177           

karla@kgcmarketingteam.com

www.kgcmarketingteam.com

MIXED FIGHTING ALLIANCE HOLDS OPEN TRYOUTS!

Mixed Fighting Alliance

Rick TAC

On Saturday, July 31st at American Top Team Miramar ,Mixed Fighting Alliance, (M.F.A.),  held an open tryout. Their goal was to find new, untapped, mixed martial arts talent in South Florida. MFA is a fight sport promotions company that was started in 2008. Since MFA’s inception it has held two professional events.  New Generation 1 – Bad Blood, which featured the debut of professional wrestler and MMA star Bobby Lashley and New Generation II, held on June 25th.  Mixed Fighting Alliance is now in the process of developing their next fight card.  New Generation III will be held at Florida International University, on September 18th,  2010.

You can't be a "fighter" without a good stand up!

The MFA public auditions were one of the most professionally ran, comprehensive tryouts we have ever covered. Throughout the day, every aspect of the testing was overseen by trainers and respected professional fighters like Ailton Barbosa. After warm ups, the prospective fighters were put through a series of work outs to ascertain their overall physical and cardiovascular health. This workout was rigorous but, all of the warriors were able to tuff out the exercises.

The next trail faced by the participants was a ground fighting demonstration. The fighters were broken up into their respected weight classes and asked to wrestle each other.  The attendees would face off while standing and try to get take downs and finally submissions.

Excellent grappling was one of the skills that was required to make the cut for the MFA...

Following the ju jitsu portion, head gear and gloves were donned and the stand up section of the tryouts began.  The action was starting to get serious and the tension level was on the rise. The fighters had been told that after this light kickboxing spar they would be put in the cage for one five minute round of combat. Afterwards the Mixed Fighting Alliance would make their decision.

During the competitive portions of the tryouts, Jorge De la Noval of MFA and Andre Fleites of TKO Management, paired up the fighters on paper and created a mini fight card. The last part of the day would take place in an MMA cage. Names were called and rules explained. Two by two the fighters entered the enclosure to compete and prove their worth. This was make it are break it time. Every combatant should be proud because they all left everything they had on the mat.  MFA had some difficult choices to make.

Jorge De la Noval of MFA with four of the fighters who were trying out at ATT Miramar

The Atemi Cast would like to thank everyone involved with the Mixed Fighting Alliance, TKO Management, and American Top Team Miramar. These groups were very efficient and treated us extremely well. We would all so like to give shout outs to Action Fight League, Left Hook Productions, and MMA to the MAX and give them props for coming out and showing their support to MFA and combat sports in South Florida.

Wa San Go

(VOLCANO HIGH)



Reviewed by Rick TAC


Set in the not to distance future Wa San Go is about violence in the Korean school system, the teachers that try to control it, and the students that live by it.
The main story is about Kyeong- su Kim. He has been expelled from 8 schools and is given one last chance to graduate. He is sent to the worst school in the country Wa San Go (Volcano High). Kyeong- su finds that the high school is separated into clubs. These rival gangs fight for dominance and in the hope of obtaining from the principle a legendary Scroll of power that would make them unbeatable. Kim sees this as his last chance and has sworn off violence. The clubs have other plans.
The main clubs that Kyeong-so Kim must contend with are the Muscle club, the Rugby club, the Judo club, and the Kendo club. The Muscle club being the strongest gang and who’s leader Jang-Rhang has ties to the vice principle.



Min-a Shin as Chaei-I Yu or Icy Jade


The other powerful club is the Kendo Club. It looks like an all girl gang and its leader Chae-I Yu or Icy Jade is the most sought after girl in the school.
The film moves along like many high school movies featuring slap stick comedy, teenage angst, romance, and peer pressure. Everything changes when the special teachers are called in to help control the growing violence after an attempt on the Principles life. The special teachers are all veterans of the teacher rebellions and have formidable martial skills. They show no mercy for students that get out of line. These teachers also know that Kyeong- su Kim is a powerful fighter and target him for final expulsion.


This film is a lot of fun but do not expect any REAL martial arts. There is a lot of wire work and special effects.  When you check this movie keep in mind the X-MEN instead of ENTER THE DRAGON.
Warning! Make sure that when you watch this movie that it is not the MTV version. Several years ago MTV replaced the original dialog of this film with its own script preformed by rap stars and pop music artist. Do yourself a favor and stay far from this particular variation.

WaSanGo
Directed by: Tae-Gyun Kim
Written by: Tae-Gyun Kim and Dong-heon Seo
Stars: Hyuk jang as Kyeong-su Kim
Min-a Shin as Chaei-I Yu
Su-ro Kim as Ryang Jang

Jeff "The Snowman" Monson

PRESS CONFERENCE THIS FRIDAY JULY 30TH, 2010

What:  Jeff “The Snowman” Monson will be on hand to speak to media about the Saturday, August 21st Pompano Beach MMA 12-bout fight card dubbed: "Fight Time 1".  The Former UFC Heavyweight Contender and American Top Team fighter will be the main event in this South Florida match-up.  Other fighters, who will be on the show from other local gyms, will also be available for interviews.

 Where: Bru’s Room Sports Grill, 235 S. Federal Hwy. Pompano Beach, FL 33062

 When: 3pm this Friday July 30th, 2010

 About Event:   “Fight Time 1” is being promoted by Howard Davis Jr.’s Fight Time Promotions and Jeff Gibson’s Elite Promotions. The two companies recently joined forces to make MMA a permanent sport in the South Florida market. The MMA showcase will take place at Club Cinema in Pompano Beach, 3251 N. Federal Hwy. at 7pm. 

 Monson was eager to be on the show when he found out that Davis, 1976 Boxing Olympic Gold Medalist, who also serves as Boxing Director of American Top Team, was putting on MMA fights in South Florida.

 Monson is coming off a victory in Australia over Brazilian Ubiratan "Birao” Marinho Lima and will headline the 12 bout card.

   PLEASE RSVP TO:    Event is Open to the Public!

Media Contact                                                     

Karla Guadamuz-Davis                               

954-443-6792 or 786-543-1177           

karla@kgcmarketingteam.com

www.kgcmarketingteam.com

 Make Your Media Credential Requests Early for the August 21st Event!

IT’S FINALLY GOING TO SNOW IN SOUTH FLORIDA! 
JEFF “The Snowman” MONSON TO FIGHT ON “FIGHT TIME 1”

July 22nd, 2010 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Former UFC Heavyweight Contender and American Top Team MMA fighter Jeff “The Snowman” Monson will step into the cage on Saturday, August 21st for what’s being billed as one of the most exciting MMA fight cards in South Florida in some time. 

The event called: “Fight Time 1” is being promoted by Howard Davis Jr.’s Fight Time Promotions and Jeff Gibson’s Elite Promotions. The two companies recently joined forces to make MMA a permanent sport in the South Florida market.

Monson was eager to be on the show when he found out that Davis, who also serves as Boxing Director of American Top Team, was putting on a MMA show in South Florida.

Monson is coming off a victory in Australia over Brazilian Ubiratan "Birao” Marinho Lima and will headline the 12 bout card.

Davis was recently featured as the boxing coach on Chuck Liddell’s team on the latest installment of Spike TV’sThe Ultimate Fighter.  Davis says that he’s looking forward to the exciting card next month, which will be shown on Comcast Cable as well as streamlined via the internet.

“Fight Time 1” includes a 12-bout card, which will feature some of the latest talent from gyms throughout South Florida.  Davis and Gibson promise a quality, action-packed night. 

“Fight Time 1” will take place at the 3,500 audience capacity Club Cinema, 3251 N. Federal Hwy.  Pompano Beach, FL 33064    Ticket prices:  $35 general admission, $75 ringside, $100 VIP Ringside, $125 Seat at VIP Table.  Doors Open at 6pm.  First fight starts at 7pm.   For tickets please go to: www.stubhub.com
Via Phone at: 561-629-6212 or 786-543-1177.

 
THE GREATEST MARTIAL ARTS ENTERTAINMENT SHOW IN THE WORLD!!!! RECOGNIZE IT HUMANS!

FEG partners with investment firm and is out to revolutionize fighting sport!

NEWS » RELEASE
Sunday, 18. Jul. 2010


FEG Inc., producers of K-1 and DREAM, called a press conference at the Tokyo Imperial Hotel to discuss a new partnership and the future of fighting sport. At the press conference were FEG Inc. Director and CEO Sadaharu Tanikawa, FEG Korea Director Young-Soo Jung, DREAM Event Producer Keiichi Sasahara, with Michael Chien and Jotaro Nonaka from investment firm Puji Capitals.
To become the world's greatest fighting sport company
Tanikawa opened the press conference announcing a partnership with Shanghai-based investment bank Puji Capitals in order to "win in the world market and become the world's greatest fight sport company. To recreate or even eclipse the success of soccer's World Cup, we will bring in investors from all over the world and partner with businesses all over the world. We have formed a business entity called an SPV (special purpose vehicle) in order to create an organization like soccer's FIFA and to take the UFC and WWE head on."
Puji Capitals Managing Partner Chien along with Senior Partner Nonaka explained that their business is part of Puji Holdings, a new investment firm created 6 years ago that is based in Shanghai and is active in Beijing, Singapore, and throughout Asia. The Puji group is diversified also dealing in coal, oil and natural energy resources. They are hired by the Chinese government to develop business enterprises overseas such as in Africa and Australia. They also have interests in entertainment business based mostly in Shanghai. Chien then went on to explain the SPV created with FEG. "We will recruit partners from our international network including businesses in Europe, North America, South America, and Asia in order to create business opportunities and we will support the process as an investment bank."
   
20 to 30 billion with in 3 years
Chien continued, "This partnership is very exciting. K-1 and DREAM that grew out of PRIDE are the pioneers of professional martial arts. These sports owned by FEG have a history and have used tremendous power to carve out a huge fan base. To have two such internationally known brands is very important. Even with such recognized brands, there is still so much untapped overseas potential and we would like to completely explore that potential. We will help as advisors on the international market." He went on to explain Puji's goals of the partnership: 1. to expand FEG's platform internationally, 2. to make it into a global business, 3. to quickly construct a business model with the platform as a base.
According to Tanikawa, they met with Puji first in October of last year and began serious talks this Spring. Puji is already talking with possible investors such as China's largest media company SMG, and Infront Sports & Media which along with Dentsu helped produced the World Cup and is one of the world's top 3 sports marketing companies. Chien explained that Puji was also in negotiations with several other companies and hopes to raise twenty to thirty billion yen with in the first three years and hopes to expand the business into a hundred billion yen organization.
  
Sasahara: "We plan to replace the UFC"
FEG Korea's Jung talked about FEG's previous succesful globalization attempts in Korea. "FEG's first international success was in Korea. FEG Korea was created in May of 2007 and has hosted the WGP Final 16 for 3 consecutive years and we hope to host again this year. Korea's national sport Taekwondo has over 70 million practicioners and we are connected with the Taekwondo Association. We already prepared to debut several recommended fighters. We expect some strong Taekwondo-based fighters in K-1 soon."
DREAM Event Producer Sasahara also had some comments, "When you think of international standard in fightsport UFC may come to mind, but we plan to replace them in that respect. The numbers 20 or 30 billion have been mentioned and I think fighting sport definitely has that kind of potential. I'm sure the fans are wondering what kind of effect the partnership will have on K-1 and DREAM."
In response, Tanikawa explained, "basically nothing will change. K-1 heavyweight, MAX, under 63 kilos tournaments will be the base. DREAM also will continue to be based around the championship. FUJI and TBS will be handling the Japanese tournaments, but we'll probably be seeing a Chinese league, a North American league etc. This year's Final 16 will be on October 2nd in Korea and the World Final will be on December 11th. We'll probably be announcing new partnerships within the next two or three months. From the Fall, things should be moving right along."
With the new partnership, FEG and K-1 are ready to head into a new phase of international expansion and reassert Asia, birthplace of martial arts, as the center of the fightsport world.

ON THE WARRIOR’S PATH

Cover of the Random House Book

Book Review by Jaredd Wilson

I am an avid reader of martial arts books, much to the detriment of my wallet, my bookshelf, and my wife.  I break the books I read into two categories: Classics and Modern.  Classics include The Book of Five Rings, The Art of War, Hagakure, and other such ancient and complex writings.  Modern covers all the books written by people trying very hard to show martial arts in a modern light: what they are, why they are, and what use they are to modern man.  However, even among the modern books are a few important tomes that I label as modern classics.  These are books that describe the process of becoming a martial artist or use martial arts philosophy in a way that make the esoteric ideas readily accessible to modern students. 

Living the Marital Way by Forrest E. Morgan and Zen in the Martial Arts by Joe Hymas are the two that immediately come to mind.  I would like to add another to my list of modern classics, On the Warrior’s Path by Daniele Bolelli. 
It is an honest, humorous, and extremely human way to look at martial arts.  Mr. Bolelli does an amazing job of describing the path of a modern warrior, what is a warrior (in his interpretation), and what that warrior should do.  He uses quotes from everyone from Fredrick Nietzsche to Pearl Jam to explain the very personal philosophy of the warrior.

  He talks about the guilty pleasures of all martial artists, the UFC and martial arts cinema.  Specifically, he describes martial arts movies in terms of warriors, by classifying the warriors as one of six archetypes based on motivation.  There are many sections in various chapters devoted to how Bruce Lee changed aspects of martial arts movies and how some movies are more than just flashy wire works and actually exemplify warrior philosophy.  The last two chapters are devoted to how to apply the lessons learned through martial arts to other aspects of life.  He also describes the Taoist teaching of how martial arts should not be a separate part of your life, how one shouldn’t compartmentalize your life.  There should simply be life.

UFC veterans Steve Burno vs. Clayton McKinney at Rock N Rumble II

His writing style is a wonderful mimicry of his personal hero, Nietzsche, constantly voicing the presumed questions and opinions raised by the reader.  Doing this creates a very open atmosphere throughout the book, including maybe the most unorthodox paragraph in the English language where he compares the UFC to going down on a woman (but he does it in the beautiful, artistic, deeply Italian way… uh, the comparison, not the cunilingus.)  It feels more like you’re having a beer in a pub with him, rather than listening to a college professor lecture on martial arts philosophy.  You also get the feeling that the questions he is raising are ones he has encountered on his journey and that these are his answers – not everyone’s – but if they help you, have at it.  He alternates between the humorous and the serious seamlessly; and in fact, in the last chapter, he discusses why this should be done in all aspects of life.

  My one small critique is I think you have to be an experienced martial artist to fully understand a lot of his discussions.  This book is not written for a beginning martial arts student, but for a reader that can share in some of the examples that he presents.
Overall, however, if you are looking for a good martial arts philosophy book, I would highly recommend this book to everyone regardless of martial arts style.  I cannot give this book enough high praise and compliment.

THESE WERE THE RESULTS FOR THE JUNE 12TH IKF PKB ACOM-SPORTS/ATEMI CAST EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE AT
ATEMI-RYU JU-JITSU HOMBO DOJO. THE EVENT AND RESULTS WERE SPONSORED BY:

MATAOH (Martial Arts Training Academy of Hollywood)  

Gold N Hope - goldnhope.com  

DJ Professor Mike  

IKF PKB action from the ACOM-SPORTS/ Atemi Cast June 12th 2010.

Open Kids Division-

Marc Pichardo - 1st

Effrain Torres - 2nd

90 - 100lbs Division-

Stephen Delgado - 1st

Dominic Pose - 2nd

60lbs Division-

Ryan Montoto - 1st

Smell it! Smell it!... An awsome front kick delivered at the Acom -Sports / Atemi Cast IKF PKB event.  

Open Teens Division-

Yeyson Lugones - 1st

Hector Herboza - 2nd

140lbs Division-

Johnny Graves - 1st

Dylan Proffitt - 2nd

150lbs Division-

Paul Royes - 1st

Daniel Camargo - 2nd

 
Round house kick blocked at the IKF PKB June 12th tournament at Atemi Ryu Jujitsu Hombo Dojo.  

165 Division-

Michael Rodriguez - 1st

Ruben Rodrigues - 2nd

180lbs Division-

Lasiel Marquez - 1st

Kevin Rapalo - 2nd

195lbs Division

Hector Urbano - 1st

Jose Couarrubias - 2nd

Heavyweight Division-

Alex Cujas - 1st

Michael Dugan - 2nd

 
This hand made custom Bokken was awarded to Marc Pichardo from Tiger Dragon Kenpo. Marc was the winner of the Open Kids Division. Here his instructor Noel Castillo accepts the award. The Bokken was hand made by Andy O'Boyle and donated by Family Andy Fun Realtors.LLC. Also pictured is Rick from the Atemi Cast and Jerry Mandez from Acom-Sports.net  

Mikey A. Rodriguez from M.A.T.A.O.H. gets attended to after getting his eye piece fucked up with a vicious knee from his opponent.... "Warrior down!, Warrior down!"

ACOM/ IKF PKB TOURNMENT HEATS UP THE ATEMI-RYU HOMBU DOJO!

Story to follow....

Rock N Rumble III

By Rick

During a hot humid Friday night June 4th in Hollywood, Florida Action Fight League and the
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino held ROCK N RUMBLE III. This was the third installment
of the Rock N Rumble series and proved that Action Fight League is quickly becoming the premier South Florida mixed martial arts promoter.

ROCK N RUMBLE III featured such outstanding talent as Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett or as he wants to be known as now “Kid Kaos”, Sterling Ford,  Ailton Barbosa, Mitch McElroy, Caleb Archer, James Wynn, Bounmy Somchay, Scott Mukkaddam, John Clark, Randy Barroso, Karmin Naville, Shah Bobonis, Jason Fitzhugh, Yuri Villefort, Catia Vitoria, Jessica Aguilar,  Jeff Savoy, and Pablo Popovitch.

The first fight of the night was Caleb Archer (3-0) vs. James Wynn (2-8). American Top Team Coconut Creek fighter Caleb Archer took this fight in the 2nd round finishing James Wynn with a rear naked choke at the 2:44 mark.


Bounmy Somchay lays the smack down on Scott Mukaddam

The second altercation that evening was Bounmy Somchay (0-5) vs. Scott Mukaddam (debut).  The bell sounded and Somchay was on the attack. Bounmy Somchay aggressive assault seemed to stun Mukaddam who was immediately on the defensive.  Mukaddam weathered the initial advance and was able to actually make it a fight. Toward the end of the first round Bounmy body slammed Scott and submitted Mukaddam with a rear naked choke during the final seconds (4:45) of round one.

Battle 3 of Rock N Rumble III was John Clarke (0-1) vs. Randy Barosso (1-2). This one did not last long. The moment referee extraordinaire Troy Waugh said fight Barosso was all over Clarke. Randy dropped John with strikes and then the unthinkable. Clarke hits the ground; looks like he is about to stand when Barosso soccer kicks the downed fighters head. Clarke is immediately out. Randy looks shocked at what happened. His concern is evident.  Unfortunately what looked like a fast overwhelming win for Randy Barosso ended in his disqualification and all this happened in the first 8 seconds of the bout.

Brawl 4 featured Karmin Naville (2-4) vs. Shah Bobonis (8-6). This one ended at the 1:47 mark of the 2nd round with Karmin “Little demon” Naville knocking out Bobonis with a powerful knee to the head.
Clash 5 spotlighted the 170 pounders Jason Fitzhugh (1-0) vs. Yuri Villefort (5-0). Villefort wins by an arm-bar.  The Yuri’s victory was in 2 minutes 4 seconds of round two.

Brawl and Maul Ring Girls at Action Fight League’s Rock n Rumble III

Rock N Rumble III was half way done and not one of the conflicts had made it do the judges. This was extremely entertaining and my congratulations to the match maker.
The females represent in confrontation 6 with Catia Vitoria (2-0) vs. Jessica Aguilar (7-3).  The Get’em Girl Jessica Aguilar dominated the ground and pound game during the first round and the contest ended with referee stoppage TKO 4:17 of round 1.

The night continues with one of the most highly anticipated duels of Rock N Rumble III, Jeff Savoy (0-1) vs. Brazilian Juijitsu legend Pablo Popovitch (debut).  As expected Popovitch takes Savoy to the ground and here he rules. Pablo Popovitch’s BJJ is impressive but his lack of experience with MMA is evident when lets his guard down and is rocked by an up kick from Savoy. It seemed as if the damage done by the up kick even surprised Jeff because he hesitated before jumping the hurt Popovitch. Pablo gets saved by the bell.
Pablo Popovitch Still looks shaky at the start of round two but Jeff Savoy cannot take advantage before he is taken down and pounded into submission by Popovitch. The fight ends 3 minutes 32 seconds into round 2.

There is a short intermission before the co headliner fray between Ailton Barbosa vs. Mitch McElroy. During the break in the action the fighters Da Da 5000 and Cedric “Killa Gorilla” James are brought into the cage.  For those who do not remember Da Da 5000 won a highly contested fight against Cedric at Rock N Rumble II. Words are exchanged and it looks like these two men will face each other again at the next Rock N Rumble September 17th.  This is one to watch out for; there is no love lost between these two warriors.

The co headliner match Barabosa (5-2) vs. McElroy (3-1) was next. Round one is a bloody slug fest. Ailton Barbosa and Mitch McElroy both chose to stand and deliver in the middle of the cage. Each fighter took a beating and it was hard to say who had the upper hand.
Round 2 of this physical free for all was a ground exchange. The fight is still close but Barbosa is starting to pull ahead and looks fresh at the end of round 2 while McElroy is starting to fatigue.
Round 3 is more of the same but with Ailton Barbosa becoming the dominate contestant. This was the first fight to go the distance.  The judges ruled it a unanimous decision 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27 for Barbosa.

During the post fight interview another unexpected event takes place. Ailton Barbosa calls out Mike Bernhard.  Ailton wants to avenge his 11 second KO at the hands of Bernhard back in April 24, 2009 at Streetwise Fight League’s Raging Wolf 3. Could this also take place at the next Rock N Rumble?



The night ends with the headline melee between Charles “Kid Kaos” Bennett (22-16-2) vs. Sterling Ford (9-4). This fight started slow both men feeling each other out. At one point during the round Bennett had Ford pressed against the cage and took the time to pose for photos. This was a very evenly matched fight that went the distance.  The score cards were 29-28, 29-28, and 29-28 for Sterling Ford the winner by unanimous decision.

The Atemi Cast would like to thank Action Fight League, Roger Krahl, The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, MMA to the Max, Frank Morejon, Karla Davis, and KGC Marketing. We had a great time and ROCK N RUMBLE keeps getting better. We are definitely looking forward to the next Rumble in September. Congratulations to all the winners and those who didn’t better luck next time.

Here go the fight results for the Rock-N-Rumble as it was going down!

First fight of the night was Caleb Archer vs. James Wynn: Caleb Archer wins decisively with a rear naked choke in 2:47 of the second round.

Second fight of the night was our good friend Bounmy Somchay vs. Scott Mugotto: Somchay takes his first win in a while with a rear naked choke with 3 seconds left in the third round. Great job Somchay!

Third fight of the night was between John Clark vs. Randy Barroso: In a shocking lightning quick 8 seconds Randy Barroso ended this fight. Sadly it was done with an illegal soccer kick to the head of Clark as he went down from a powerful right hand from Barroso and Barroso was disqualified. Both fighters showed great sportsmanship afterwards with Barroso appologizing and Clark telling the fans in attendance not to "boo" Barroso cause it takes alot to get into the ring and fight.

Fourth fight of the night was between Karmin "The lil' Demon" Naville vs. Shah Bobonis: These fighters were evenly matched up. Bobonis who was trained by another good friend of the shows, (Mike Berhard) unfortunately was served up a tough defeat from Naville. The lil' Demon caught Bobonis with a vicious knee in 1:47 seconds in the second round and it was all over from that point on.

Fifth fight of the night was between Jason Fitzhugh vs. Yuri Villefort: Well, after a non eventfull 1st round, Villefort was able to catch Fitzhugh in an armbar in 2:04 seconds in the second round. Great job Yuri and excellent showing tonight.

Sixth fight of the night was between Catia Vitoria vs. Jessica Aguilar: Aguilar comes out strong and represents ATT as she usually does. Aguilar after a quick exchange, takes Vitoria to the ground and goes to quick work ATT style with technical ground work ending up in the mount position over Vioria. Working her way to a side mount Aguilar attempted, what looked like an arm triangle which Vitoria was able to get out of. Aguilar gave the attempt up and switched over to a full mount position and began to ground and pound Vitoria until the referee had to stop the fight giving Aguilar the T.K.O. victory.

Seventh fight of the night was Jeff Savoy vs. Pablo Popovitch: WOW! well all I can say about this one is that Savoy is not a finisher! Popovitch was strong in the first round with his back ground and expertise in B.J.J. but got caught with an up kick that looked like that it broke his nose and let him spend some time in a waking dream. Savoy was unable to capitalize and finish Popovitch off and the bell rung for the second round. As the second round started off Savoy prowled around the ring biding his time looking for an entry to land another heavy blow, but Popovitch was the aggressor and shot in and took Savoy down, worked his way to Savoy's back and began to rain down blows to the side of Savoy's head. The ground and pound prevailed and Savoy tapped to signal he was done and the referee called the fight.

Eigth fight of the night was between Mitch McElroy vs. Ailton Barbosa: First round action starts off with Barbosa coming out and jabbing to create and opening for a combination which gives him a take down on McElroy. After some ground work and an exchange both fighters stand back up and Barbosa gets caught with a right that staggers him and bloodies his nose. Barbosa recovers and is able to take down McElroy and survive to the second round. For the first time tonight a fight goes into the third round. Barbosa continues to try to find a way to put and end to McElroy, but the "Mighty" McElroy just won't give up and continues to give Barbosa trouble landing some decent blows of his own.
Third round was pretty much as entertaining as the second with pretty much the same result. It goes to the judges and Barbosa ends up winning the fight unanimously. Barbosa ends his time in the ring with a call out to Mike Bernhard, who was in the house with his fighter, and Bernhard entered the ring to answer the call out. This fight may happen, but you will have to stay tuned to the AtemiCast to find that out...

Ninth fight of the night was between Sterling Ford vs. Charles Bennett: After a slow start Bennett finally opens up with a short flurry which lands him some points but didn't seem to effect Ford as much. Later in the round, Bennett lands a right that does some damage but Ford is able to tie Bennett up and keep him from being effective as a striker. The crowd boos as there is little action in the first round. But Bennett, the ever entertaining fighter that he is, has time to smile for the camera. At the end of the round it also appears that Bennett has damaged his hand. Second round starts off with Ford being more the aggressor but his punches seem to lack the power to do any real damage. As of this moment this is the worst fight of the night. For the second time tonight, another fight goes into the third round.

If none of these guys can score the K.O. I see this fight going to Ford on the cards. Bennett looks tired and his hand appears to be bleeding. It almost appears that he tore the skin on his hand. The crowd boos as this fight starts to look like who will run out of gas first, Ford or Bennett. Ford seems to be the better grappler of the two and is attempting his second rear naked choke to try to put this fight to an end. The crowd begs for this with cheers of "kill him already!" FINALLY! The fight ends and Bennett I fear has lost to Ford based on his performance. This was not his best day and for Ford, well count your blessings that Bennett's hand ws injured and that it was not his day.

GOOD NIGHT ALL, it was great giving you this fight as it happend and I hope it makes for good reading.

Ous!

Tony

Congratulations to Alberto Jimenez!

He won his debut fight at DivitaCo.'s Saturday Night fights
on May 15th 2010. Alberto Jimenez a.k.a. A.J. fights for ATEMI MMA under Doctor Philip Chenique. A.J. was trained by Goshi Tony D., Shihan Scott L., and Sensei Carlos C. Keep an eye out for this up and coming fighter. Ous!

Sparks fly as Mayorga, Thomas go toe-to-toe at Shine Fights' Press Conference in NYC

Mayorga asks Thomas for a light during the press conference...

Sparks flew at yesterday's press conference to announce "Worlds Collide: Mayorga vs. Thomas" the May 15th MMA fight card that will serve as Ricardo Mayorga's introduction to the sport. The former boxing world champion and his opponent, Din Thomas, began taunting each other from the moment the two entered Victor's Café in New York City. Thomas, wearing a T-shirt that read, "I'm Din Thomas: Google Me," boasted that he considered putting Mayorga's name on the shirt's back because "that is where Mayorga will be on May 15…on his back." Not to be outdone, Mayorga scolded Thomas and warned, "You haven't been hit by your father the way I am going to hit you."

The “sweet nothings” whispered by the fighters continued until Mayorga lit a cigarette and blew smoke in Thomas' face, which elicited a shove from Thomas and a chuckle from the crowd.  Minutes later, just when things appeared to be settling down, Mayorga cracked Thomas in the face with a left jab that appeared to buckle the legs of Thomas. The two fighters were restrained and the press conference concluded. 

Among those in attendance was NY State Athletic Commission Chairwoman Melvina Latham, who is an MMA fan and who acknowledged that "she didn't hesitate for a minute" when asked if she would attend.  NY State does not license MMA bouts, so perhaps Latham's support will mean a change in government policy in the near future.

The May 15th bout will take place in a ring, not a cage, at the Crown Center in Fayetteville, NC.  Devin Price, CEO of Shine Fight Promotions, announced the choice of a ring because "we want to differentiate ourselves from others."

The event will be available in the United States and Canada on PPV via cable and satellite. It will be broadcasted in High-Definition, and will be available in both English and Spanish (where available). The MMA showdown will be distributed live on Pay-Per-View beginning at 9 PM PT/ET by MultiVision Media, Inc. on Saturday, May 15th. There will be a 30 minute countdown show prior to the live event at 5:30 PM PT/8:30 PM ET. The suggested retail price for the “Worlds Collide” is $29.95. For more information, please visit www.ShineFights.com

RASHAD EVANS AND HOUSTON ALEXANDER STAR IN DANNY TREJO’S VENGEANCE Film
expected for November 2010 release

Hollywood, CA (USA) – Mixed martial arts stars “Suga” Rashad Evans and Houston “The Assassin” Alexander are set to make their big screen debuts in Danny Trejo’s Vengeance, an upcoming film expected for a late 2010 release. Directed by Gil Medina (Vengeance, Vengeance II, Ambition), the film stars Hollywood Legend Danny Trejo (Predators 2010, Machete, 50’s Gun), Jason Mewes (Clerks, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), 50 Cent (Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Righteous Kill), Noel G (Training Day), recording artist Tech9ne and former WWE star “Diamond” Dallas Page.



or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbVl3gw7S-Y In the film, Jack (Trejo) is a retired undercover vice cop whose world is suddenly torn apart by the murder of his wife and daughter. After serving a prison term for a crime he didn't commit, Jack returns to the streets with a vengeance against crimes, and takes to vigilantism. Evans (K.O.) and Alexander (Strong Arm) both play Jack’s partners from prison known as the Gorilla Family.



Evans, a former star collegiate wrestler at Michigan State University, broke onto the mixed martial arts scene in 2005 by winning the second installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s popular reality series, The Ultimate Fighter. An underdog from the start of his career, Evans grew into a fan favorite by defeating the likes of Brad Imes, Stephan Bonnar, Sean Salmon, Michael Bisping, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin. His win over Griffin in 2008 earned him the UFC light heavyweight championship and has been the crowning achievement of his career thus far. A coaching gig on The Ultimate Fighter 10 opposite fellow UFC star Quinton “Rampage” Jackson – who he will face in the main event at UFC 114 on May 29 – brought his career full circle.



A popular radio personality and hip hop youth outreach mentor in Nebraska, Alexander is also one of mixed martial arts’ breakout stars. A single father of six children who gave a kidney to one of his daughters in 2000, Alexander’s priorities have oftentimes lain outside of the cage. “The Assassin” stormed onto the mixed martial arts scene in 2007, beating the heavily favored Keith Jardine in one of the most exciting fights of the year. Alexander went on to defeat Alessio Sakara in 2007, before losing three straight fights from late 2007-2008. He lost via unanimous decision to former street fighter turned mixed martial arts star Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson in one of the most-watched fights of 2009.



Known as Hollywood’s “ultimate bad ass,” Danny Trejo is a certified big screen legend. Having starred in films like Heat, Con Air, xXx, From Dusk Till Dawn, and the upcoming 20th Century Fox remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Predators 2010 (July 4th weekend) and also Robert Rodriguez & Quinton Tarantino’sMachete with Robert DeNiro and Jessica Alba, Trejo has certainly come a long way from his days as a troubled youth on the streets of Los Angeles. Trejo developed skills as a boxer during his teenage years, but a lengthy prison sentence snuffed out any aspirations that he had of going pro. Nevertheless, Trejo became the California state prison boxing champion and became a member of the twelve-step program, which he credits with his success in overcoming drug addiction. An avid mixed martial arts fan, Trejo was recently described as the “Spike Lee of MMA,” being a popular celebrity always on the sidelines cheering on his favorite sport.

Director Gil Medina sees Trejo’s days as a prison boxer as the reason why he appeals to fans of mixed martial arts: “they called it boxing but it was MMA,” Medina said. “He was kneeing them, elbowing them, throwing punches at them, Danny would rather knock you out then shank you but he’d shank you if he had to; so Danny was the ultimate warrior because this wasn’t sanctioned boxing…this was prison boxing and Danny was the champion of the prisons.”

Knowing that fans of combat sports and movies were looking for something real to be a part of, Trejo and Medina created the Vengeance Army (www.vengeancearmy.com) for fans of the movie to gather. The plan is to give the movie away for free to anybody who wants it, and the person who gives away the most copies of the movie will earn a prominent speaking role in the already-planned Vengeance II.

“Vengeance Army is like an army,” Medina said. “It is for everybody who’s ever been a fan of Danny Trejo, a fan of Charles Bronson, a fan of action and just badass motion pictures. Once you join the Vengeance Army and the film’s been released the film is going to be free off of our website. Let’s say you’re Tommy in Texas and you become a Vengeance Army member and you give away the most free movies. Then he will land a speaking role in our next movie, Vengeance 2. Vengeance II is written and ready to go.”

Medina and Trejo have already planned to feature MMA even more in Vengeance II: “Danny calls in MMA fighters to come in and snap the neck of Al-Qaeda terrorists that are trained in hand-to-hand combat, that’s what you’ll see in the next film. He’s calling MMA fighters in to basically defend America,” Medina said.

Tickets on Sale for "WORLDS COLLIDE”

Boxing Superstar Ricardo Mayorga vs. MMA Star Din Thomas

New York, N.Y. - He's long been considered boxing ring royalty, so colorful brawler Ricardo Mayorga is more than pleased about the name of the venue where he will make his MMA debut against former UFC stalwart Din Thomas on May 15

Ricardo Mayorga

"I like it," Mayorga said, "the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC. I like the crown because I have been a king in boxing and I will similarly rule in MMA. My critics are legion, I know, but I am hated by many, loved by some but respected by all. And no paying fan, at the arena or watching on TV, has ever requested a refund after one of my fights.
"I am a blue collar brawler and I know who pays the rent and how I buy my Nicaraguan cigars, my beers and everything else, it's the fans and I love them all even the ones who jeer me," Mayorga said. "Anyone who thinks this is some joke will be shocked at how easily I handle this Thomas character with my hand speed and dynamite power."

"To me, Thomas is just another tough guy in my way. I eat ordinary tough guys like him for breakfast and then I spit them out. I will spit him out in North Carolina, you watch!"


Din Thomas

Thomas, who has fought on nine UFC cards, is a highly respected MMA veteran who possesses a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the world-renowned American Top Team. Thomas (25-8) doesn't take Mayorga’s 29-7 record in boxing lightly by any means.

"This guy blows a lot of smoke and I don't mean from his ever present cigarettes and cigars," Thomas said. "But, with his humungous ego, he isn't coming into my house to be humiliated. I will be ready for a real rumble and I hope to make him submit. The great Oscar de la Hoya could not pound some humility into this character but I know I can do this."

Upstart Shine Fight Promotions will put tickets on sale for this historic event which many observers thought was merely being talked about. The tickets are reasonably priced at $25, $40, $50, $75, $150.
Given the Fayetteville area's strong military and ex-military population, of course there is a military discount of $5 per ticket with the exception of the $150 tickets.





WORLD’S COLLIDE: MAYORGA VS THOMAS tops an action- packed card loaded with MMA stars. Also featured on the card will be former PRIDE and EliteXC star Murilo “Ninja” Rua,  the 2009 Abu Dhabi Combat Club 88-kilogram and Absolute division champion, Braulio Estima, undefeated MMA fighter and former Olympian Rick Hawn, and UFC/StrikeForce/Bodog/EliteXC/Sengoku veteran Nick “The Goat” Thompson. The show is taking place at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC, and will be beamed on PPV on cable and satellite in the United States and Canada.
Murilo "Ninja" Rua

Information can be obtained by calling the Crown Coliseum Box Office at 910-438-4100.
Tickets cannot be purchased at the Crown Box Office - Only at Ticketmaster Charge 1-800-745-3000 or Ticketmaster.com.

The event will be distributed in High Definition and will be available in both English and Spanish (where available). The MMA showdown will be distributed live on Pay Per View beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT by MultiVision Media, Inc. on Saturday, May 15 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. 

There will be a 30 minute countdown show prior to the live event at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT. The suggested retail price for the MMA showdown is $29.95.

Shine Fights CEO Devin Price said he envisions the match as a crossover moment for fans of both boxing and MMA. And, he predicts, the live venue tickets will go flying out of the box office.

"I think this is the right market for this great event. Folks in the Fayetteville area like good fights and the name of the sport are not as important. They will be turning out to see genuine combat with a masterful MMA veteran going up against one of the great boxers, in top form and still committed to the sport of fisticuffs, for the first time in this sport. This is history in the making and the fans who watch these fights will be the real victors here. There will be excitement galore and the prices for the tickets are very reasonable.

"In my opinion, boxing and MMA are not in some knockdown, drag out war," Price said.

"It's not all one and none of the other. The sports have so much in common, especially when it comes to the courage and fighting heart of the athletes. There is room in the marketplace for both boxing and MMA, and seeing a big boxing name like Mayorga cross over without abandoning boxing is proof of this.

"It's all about an open mind because fans of one sport can learn to love the other. I really feel this. All that boxing vs. MMA nonsense is ancient history."



To learn more about Shine Fight Promotions, follow the organization on Twitter @ShineFights, Myspace (www.myspace.com/ShineFights) or become a fan on Facebook.

The Atemi Cast
www.atemicast.com

TAC attended the Grand Opening of Master Renato Tavares ATT BJJ Dojo in Vero Beach Florida on March 20, 2010. The Dojo is located at 6200 20th Street, Vero Beach, Fl. in side the mall next to Macy's. After finally getting the Navigation to work, we arrived at the mall and found the school. Master Tavares was already on the mat conducting a class on BJJ. Helping out Master Tavares was Shine fighter Din Thomas before his scheduled fight with former boxing WBA and WBC champion, Ricardo Antonio Mayorga Perez, "El Matador!" This was a perfect oprotunity to hang out with both, a great Master in BJJ and a outstanding
MMA fighter, Din Thomas.

.Din Thomas

The afternoon was filled with Master Tavares instructing the seminar and getting on the mat to work out with his students. We were given a tour of the facility, and it looks great. We wish Master Tavares the best with his new location.

Master Tavares grapples with one of his students

Known as two of the most exciting welterweights in the world, both fighters will be making their debut with Shine Fights, and each fighter is looking to secure a place in the title picture with a victory. Thompson, one of the most respected fighters in the sport, has fought all over the world, including in organizations such as the UFC, Bodog, Sengoku, EliteXC, and Strikeforce. Having compiled an impressive 22-2 record as a welterweight from 2005-2009, including victories over UFC veterans Josh Neer, Keith Wisnewski, Chris Wilson, Ansar Chalangov, Paul Daley, current Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez, and Cage Rage veteran Mark Weir, Thompson found it difficult to find challengers at welterweight and was forced to make the move to middleweight to face a tough opponent in Tim Kennedy in Strikeforce.

Thompson lost that fight and immediately sought out an opportunity to fight at welterweight for an organization on the rise. His willingness to fight and an attractive offer from a growing promotion like Shine made Thompson aware that it was time to sign on the dotted line: “I couldn’t get a fight. It was really frustrating,” Thompson said in January when agreeing with Shine. Now with an opponent in hand and a fight on the horizon, the 28-year-old has moved on to his next goal: Shine Fights gold.

“I am happy to be with Shine and I look forward to earning the first shot at their welterweight title,” said the former three-time Bodog champion. “Eduardo is a tough and exciting fighter,” Thompson said about his upcoming opponent. “He is the kind of fighter you like to fight because there will be fireworks…while he has not had a loss in the last three years, I am confident that I am the better fighter and will stand victorious when the night is over.”

One of the top welterweights in Brazil, Pamplona is now on a mission to prove that he is also one of the best 170-pound fighters in the world. Already a veteran of organizations like Pancrase, Shooto, the IFL, and M-1 Challenge, Pamplona will now bring his aggressive striking and world-class ground game to Shine Fights. Having earned victories over MMA legends Jorge “Macaco” Patino, Jose “Pele” Landi-Jons, and fellow Shine signee Daniel Acacio, Pamplona made his U.S. debut in 2007 at “IFL: Atlanta” in an exciting three round war with former EliteXC champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler. Pamplona lost a hotly contested bout that night, but the 34-year-old has reeled off seven straight victories since, bringing his record to 12-2 overall. “This fight with Thompson is a big fight for me,” Pamplona said. “He has many great victories on his record, and I believe it will be a great fight between us. I believe this fight will have a lot of movement. We both like to stand up and exchange. I believe we will stay on our feet.”

Rumble at The Rock 2

Action Fight League’s mixed martial arts series Rumble at Rock has made the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino its home, but the question that looms in the air after Friday night’s event, Rock-n-Rumble 2, is for how much longer? From the moment one entered the arena, there was this feeling that some of the magic had dissipated since its last showcase back in September of 2009, Rumble at the Rock, which featured local superstars John Kelly and Rene Martinez. Most importantly Rumble at the Rock seated a full house. The lack of luster was apparent in everything from the simple presentation of the cage to the energy of the crowd. There is one thing that might save AFL from becoming a memory and that is the action it provided inside and outside of the ring!
On paper, some of the pairings for Rock-n-Rumble 2 seemed off, mismatched, but at the weigh-ins on the night before it was obvious that the matchmaker knew what he was doing. Plain disrespect and attitude was the vibe given off by each opponent as they stepped on the scale. A couple of scuffles almost broke out and the commissioner had to continually remind them that they only needed to wait one more night! Of the ten fights on the card, the top three bouts that screamed ATTITUDE were the bouts between Mikesz vs. Rocha, James vs. Harris, and Gandulla vs. Bernhard.

Patrick Mikesz stepped on the scale a little heavier than expected, but his corner indicated that this wasn’t a problem. They claimed that Mikesz was a professional and would be able to shed the pound in moments. Rocha’s response was pure disdain hidden behind a smile. He dressed instantly after weighing in and denied Mikesz the courtesy of the traditional face-off photo op for the press. He demanded that Mikesz lose the weight to make the fight legal within the welterweight division. An hour later, Mikesz stepped on the scale for a second time and passed the bar by coming in a pound under 170lbs. No problem, yeah right!

On fight night, the two bolted out of their corners ready for a grudge match. After the customary ritual of feeling each other out with jabs and faints, Rocha pounced on Mikesz. With a successful takedown, Rocha proceeded to make Mikesz red in the face with a rear naked choke. Mikesz was able to avoid the submission, but was easily transitioned into an arm bar. For a split second Rocha could be seen smiling as he transitioned Mikesz into the arm bar, but this attempt was a failure as well. Third time is a charm, though, as Rocha transitioned himself back into the rear naked choke and was able to get the under hooks in to force the tap out. The crowd erupted. Rocha dominated his opponent with masterful skill and had represented Team Papovich with pride and honor.

The story of Cedric “The Killer Gorilla” James vs. Dhafir “Da-Da 5000” Harris read much like Mikesz vs. Rocha, with two distinct differences. The first difference was that James had to lose 6lbs, unlike Mikesz who only needed to shed a pound or two and the second difference came in a more subtle, but powerful display of anger. Harris presented himself for the photo op staring James down and for the second time during the weigh ins the officials had to separate the fighters and their camps. Again officials and promoters promising that on the next night they well have their chance to let their fists fly.

Following in the footsteps of Kevin “Kimbo” Ferguson, Da-Da is best known for his internet fights in Miami’s backyard. He entered the cage poised and ready to dominate his opponent as he had been accustomed to doing. James, on the other hand, had a different idea of how the fight was going to play out. The Killer Gorilla shot out like a bat out of hell and advanced on Da-Da as if he were the taller of the two. Landing a combination that stunned Da-Da and sent him to his knees, an overtly excited James missed the opportunity to get Da-Da’s back for a submission. Instead, James allowed Da-Da to rise again and the two exchanged death defying blows. Da-Da was landing a few shots here and there, but it was James who landed the harder blows, wobbling Da-Da for a second time and putting him flat on his back on the mat. James took the advantage this time and established himself with the full mount. From this position he executed his ground and pound game on Da-Da. The match was over as far as he knew with Da-Da unable to shake him off. Exhausted from the amount of energy he expended minutes earlier, James began to show signs of exhaustion as his strikes became lethargic. The crowd was livid as their “hero” laid on the ground unable to respond to an ever fading opponent.
That’s when the BULLSHIT began to surface. For no apparent reason other than to call the match a TKO, the ref stood up the fighters. As soon as they were stood up the ref called for the fight to continue. Dazed and confused, James continued to fight. Da-Da, the better conditioned fighter, was able to gain control of the situation and slowly began to dominate James. I am unsure whether James landed on his knees from a punch or from sheer exhaustion, but within seconds of touching the mat, James toppled over and gave up like a cheap lawn chair. Da-Da advanced on him like a snail until the ref called the fight, crowning him the victor of the fight.

Here’s a note to Da-Da’s training camp: Da-Da needs help! The backyard brawls are very different from the cage. There are no real mismatches and even laying ducks get training. Test his chin out before allowing him to step back into the ring because I fear that a more evenly matched opponent, or a better conditioned James, will knock him out! He did not beat James up. James beat himself by having to lose 6lbs the night before and then gaining them back hours later.

Last but not least, the biggest splash made at Rock-n-Rumble 2, both at the weigh-ins and at the event, was the fight between Ariel Gandulla vs. Michael Bernhard. An odd pairing, Mike “El Gringo Diablo” Bernhard the ISKA middleweight champion, cheated of defending his title at Rumble at the Rock versus Ariel Gandulla, who fought in the same fight card against Danny Babcock, most noteworthy for being the most boring fight of the night. So why did the matchmaker of AFL pen these two as worthy rivalries?

As rumor has it, Ariel Gandulla once trained at Freestyle Fighting Academy. In his time there, apparently there was an issue and bad blood started rising between FFA and Gandulla. During the weigh-ins the feud was apparent between Bernhard’s trainer and Gandulla and a shoving match broke out until officials separated the two. The tone was set for the next night.

The fight began like most others, slow and cautious. Bernhard used his height to lock Gandulla up against the cage and used his long legs to drive knee strikes to Gandulla’s thighs. Gandulla may have no game, but he isn’t a slouch. Hitting Bernhard hard in the chest, Bernhard opted to take the fight to the ground by sweeping Gandulla. Bernhard is a tactician and promptly gained control of Gandulla. Gandulla resorted to an eye gouge to ward Bernhard off. A terrible actor, Gandulla portrayed outrage to the charge of intentional eye gouging. Bernhard was given time to recoup and the fight continued.

Bernhard angry now from the previous exchange, advanced on Gandulla and backed him against the cage again. Here, Gandulla took the second of his pot shots and struck Bernhard in the groin. This time the ref had no choice, but to warn him for the misconduct and threaten him with disqualification. A true champion at heart, Mike Bernhard continued the match determined to make Gandulla pay for his lack of respect. He swiftly sweeps him to the ground they tussle for a while, but Gandulla is able to counter and stand. It is from this position that Gandulla takes his last cheap shot at Bernhard as he eye gouges him again. This time there is no doubt that the act was intentional.

Outraged at the events inside the cage, Bernhard’s corner yells obscenities to Gandulla. Gandulla rushes Bernhard’s corner, climbing the cage to continue the fight outside. Bernhard’s corner man responds by swinging at him, but only lands hard on the floor as the police tased him to the ground. Inside the cage, Gandulla climbs down and is met by Bernhard’s right cross to the face. This was enough to distract him from attacking his corner and gave security time to enter the cage. Gandulla was obviously disqualified and Bernhard was handed an empty victory at the Hard Rock.

The Rumble Rock series may have a marketing issue, but there is no doubt that the matchmaker of the event knows how to pair the opponents. Of the ten fights only two were decided by the judges and in both cases there was no mystery as to who the winner was. For the most part, the only thing that stunk more than Gandulla’s attitude was Da-Da’s performance which is to be expected when you put amateurs in the ring with trained professionals. Honestly, I look forward to the next installment of the series and await an opportunity to see Michael Bernhard versus a worthy adversary… maybe Steve Bruno?

Balls and My Word

Carlos Cata

Listen up boys and girls because if you listen to the Atemi Cast, or read our articles, chances are that you are a student of the Martial Arts and therefore it should be of no surprise that things said on our program, or literature may contain information that strikes a nerve.

Why do I bring this up? Well, just the other day a friend of mine asked me if I was concerned about how my words may come across and about the repercussions they might bring about. He expressed concern that at times I may be a little harsh, or too personal, and that maybe (just maybe) I could use a little more tact and… well for lack of a better word… fluff.

Here’s how I replied, 

“FUCK THAT!”

But wait! Let me be clearer on this subject…

Simply stated, I have not written anything that I would not say to that person aloud in a crowd. It is my firmest belief that as a MAN, regardless of whether you are a student of the Arts or not, you should say what you mean and mean what you say. [NOTE: For those conservatives out there who listen to talk radio and worship the fucking hypocrite that is Glenn Beck, let me clue you in on something, he did not coin this phrase… so don’t fucking even bother going there! This phrase, or some version of it, has been around way before his righteous ass decided it would be a catchy slogan for him to spew! Talk about someone not meaning what they say or saying what he means, luckily, this isn’t a political website so I’ll avoid the digression…

Al Pacino Scarface

If there’s one lesson that I walked away with at a very young age after watching the Masterpiece of a movie that is Scarface, it’s that as men, all we have in this world is our balls and our word; and we should not be willing to break them for anybody! So how can it be that in this world of manly martial artist men a person can’t say what they’re thinking without worrying about how it may appear in print, even though everyone else in the room is thinking it or has thought it at some point?

I say it’s because most people wrap themselves up in doublespeak and are too concerned about their ulterior motives to speak their minds. Which then leads me to what the heck ever happened to Respect, Honor, Integrity, and Loyalty? How can there be so many predators waiting in the outskirts for the first scent of blood? What happened to Honesty and Courage? One would think that in a culture where these principles are idealized there would be more followers of the Way.

Unfortunately, what I’m finding is the opposite. What I’m finding is that I have to walk on egg shells and handle people with white gloves as if they were made of glass. What I’m finding is that in the 21st Century people like me are becoming extinct and are in dire need of “Sensitivity” training (Recommended Sessions: Minimum 4 times a year).

Regardless of how much “Sensitivity” training I get forced into there is still another piece to puzzle that I use to measure a man, consider it a two prong test if you will. The first prong being the words spoken and the second are the actions that follow. After all, words can be just sounds used to distract, but a person’s actions will speak volumes as to their true intention. Therefore, if one attempts to cloak their persona behind fancy words and euphemisms their actions will reveal their true nature in time.

Case in point, follow The Four Seasons’ advice and “walk like a man, talk like a man.”

Snake in the grass (alright leafs)

Don’t let your mouth write a check that your ass can’t cash. Don’t be upset if you’re a snake in the grass and we call you out for it. Don’t cry over spilt milk if you’re the one that tipped the glass over! Check yourself at the door and think about what you’ve said and done in the past that has made the words on this page strike that nerve within you with such a violent force that it’s made you question whether I’m referring to you or not. Because if you find that that’s the case, then more than likely you’re guilty as charged!

And always remember, that the path you’ve chosen is the Martial Arts, not ballet, crochet, nor calligraphy. So let your balls drop and grow a thicker layer of skin because along the Way you will get your fair share of bumps and bruises; but as long as your actions reflect your words and the words you speak come from your heart, in the end, you will be a man who can be respected and admired.

Rumble at the Rock 2

Arial Gandula pissed off during the weighs ins

Sorry for the lack of a live Atemi Cast show last night but we were at the weigh ins for  tonights Rumble at the Rock 2. This is the best home based Pro MMA event in South Florida. Everyone who loves MMA and martial arts should get their ass out to the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood Florida and support these warriors.


The Rumble at the Rock poster featuring Da-Da 5000

Action Fight League and Revolution Fight Club have put together a great event. Mike "Gringo Diablo" Bernhard defends his ISKA Welterweight belt against WEC veteran Arial Gandula and Rumble at the Rock 2 introduces the Street Fighter phenomenon Da-Da 5000. Could he be the next big thing in MMA?

Come and see the show look for the Atemi Cast crew and please say hello. If you can not make the show stay tuned and we may have a surprise.

The Dalai Lama Comes to South Florida

“In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher."

Bellator Fighting Championships Announces Open Tryouts in Kansas City Area

Bellator Fighting Championships

KANSAS CITY (February 26, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships, Everlast and The Kansas City Power & Light District announced today that they are sponsoring an open tryout that will provide a once-in-a-lifetime chance for undiscovered fighters to earn a spot in one of the promotion’s upcoming nationally televised Season 2 events.

Two Fighters Tryout for Bellator in Florida

Professional Mixed Martial Arts fighters with valid Federal ID cards are encouraged to sign up. The open tryouts will be held in a cage and will include grappling and bag-striking. Competitors will be judged by Bellator Fighting Championships executives and officials. To participate, fighters must provide proof of at least two professional fights. Participants are expected to bring their Federal I.D. and their own protective gear.

The April 29th event is one of four that Bellator will be staging at the highly popular Kansas City Power & Light District. The Power & Light District encompasses multiple square blocks in the heart of Kansas City’s downtown area and features an exciting blend of restaurants, nightlife, and shopping, welcoming in excess of 6 million visitors annually.

Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood Florida hosted the Bellator open tryouts.

“This tryout is the kickoff event for a spring and summer of excitement the likes of which Kansas City hasn’t seen before,” said Nick Benjamin, executive director of the Power & Light District. “It’s a great opportunity for a local talent to make his name in front of thousands of his fellow Kansas Citians in Kansas City Live!1—and the millions who’ll be watching on national TV—during the first main event on April 29.” 

Tickets for the event go on sale March 6 at Tickemaster.com and at the Midland Theater box office downtown. Tickets will also be available at the tryout event and in select Power & Light District venues. Check out www.powerandlightdistrict.com for more information on ticket availability.

Dates for the Kansas City Power & Light District events are as follows:

- April 29, 2010 – Bellator XVI
- June 24, 2010 – Bellator XXIV
- August 26, 2010 – Bellator XXVII
- October 14, 2010 – Bellator XXXIV

The Great Bellator Round Ring

For more information, visit www.bellator.com.

MAYORGA MADNESS INVADES MMA IN “WORLDS COLLIDE: MAYORGA VS THOMAS”

SHINE Ring Girl

RICARDO MAYORGA IN MMA DEBUT AGAINST TOUGH, TOP RANKED MMA CONTENDER DIN THOMAS ON PAY PER VIEW, SATURDAY. MAY 15, 2010 AT THE CROWN COLISEUM IN FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

New York, N. Y. - February 24, 2010 - 'The craziest man in boxing” is bringing his unique brand of insanity to MMA.

Ricardo Mayorga

Some people call him “El Matador.” Others refer to him as “the Madman from Managua.” Sometimes, they use rougher language in referring to Ricardo Antonio Mayorga Perez, but everyone agrees that Ricardo Mayorga has achieved legendary status in boxing.

That would be enough for most athletes, superstar status in their chosen sport. But not for the swashbuckling character from Nicaragua.

Now the former WBA and WBC welterweight champion and ex-WBC junior middleweight king is out to conquer a second sport, mixed martial arts.

Mayorga, who owns a 28-7-1, 22 knockouts boxing record which includes two upset victories over the late Vernon Forrest and one over “Ferocious” Fernando Vargas along with losses to legends Oscar de la Hoya, Felix “Tito” Trinidad, and Sugar Shane Mosley, will make his MMA debut against UFC veteran Din Thomas on Saturday, May 15.



Promoted by rising MMA power Shine Fights (www.shinefights.com), Mayorga's MMA debut in WORLD’S COLLIDE: MAYORGA VS THOMAStops an action- packed card loaded with MMA stars. The show is taking place at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC, and will be beamed on PPV on cable and satellite in the United States and Canada. The event will be broadcasted in High-Definition, and it will be available in both English and Spanish (where available). The MMA showdown will be distributed live on Pay Per View beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT by MultiVision Media, Inc. on Saturday, May 15 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. There will be a 30-minute countdown show prior to the live event at 8:30 PM ET/5:30 PM PT. The suggested retail price for the MMA showdown is $29.95.

"I conquered the world in the boxing ring all the while I was puffing cigarettes anddrinking beer, “ stated the boastful Mayorga. “I won three world title belts, and I stood toe to toe with so many legends, beating some of them. Vernon Forrest, God rest his soul, was a great boxer yet I beat him back twice. I cannot be denied as I am a force of nature. Now I will shock the MMA fans and I know so many of my fans from boxing will follow me as I expand my repertoire. They can't deny me in MMA and I will destroy Din Thomas. I am going to smash him the way I smashed all the big superstars of boxing. To me, a fight is a fight in a ring, in a cage or on the street. Fighting is my middle name," added Mayorga.

Tickets may be obtained by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-736-1420, or online at www.ticketmaster.com, or in person at the Crown Coliseum Box Office. For box office hours and more info, please call (910) 438-4100.

“We at the Crown Center are extremely excited to be presenting Shine Fight Promotions Mixed Martial Arts event WORLD’S COLLIDE: MAYORGA VS THOMAS on May 15th in the Crown Coliseum. We look forward to working with Shine Fight Promotions to provide an evening of intense competition,” stated Frank Zaccaro, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Crown Center in Fayetteville, N.C.

Din Thomas

Din Thomas, a top ranked Mixed Martial Arts fighter with a 25-8 record, feels he is defending the purity of MMA from the vultures of boxing, and is doing everything he can to make this fight as big as it can be. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt with an impressive record, “Dinyero” has gained twenty of his wins via stoppage, including fourteen by submission. He has faced some of the top lightweights in the world, and will look to add the former world champion boxer to his list of victims.

Thomas stated, "I respect what Ricardo has done in boxing. He fooled many opponents with that smoking and drinking shtick but he won't fool me. I train night and day and I know he works hard also. But I will send him back to boxing, crawling back to boxing. He is about to get a violent education about the skills he needs for MMA and they are skills that an old dog like Mayorga cannot learn. I will be taking this cat to school, trust me," added the highly respected blackbelt.



Devin Price, CEO of rising promoter Shine Fights stated, “We're excited and delighted to be able to put on this great card with Mayorga testing himself in MMA against Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt expert Din Thomas. Ricardo truly believes he can be a superstar in boxing and MMA so he is stepping up,” Price said.

“We think Mayorga’s fans are just that, his fans and they will follow him to MMA. Many boxing fans are out there who can become fans of both sports and that's our target here. Mayorga inspires passion and that's what we're looking for, ” added Price.

"In my opinion, boxing and MMA are not in some knockdown, dragout war. It's not all one and none of the other. The sports have so much in common, especially when it comes to the courage and fighting heart of the athletes. There is room in the marketplace for both boxing and MMA and seeing a big boxing name like Mayorga cross over without abandoning boxing is proof of this. It's all about an open mind because fans of one sport can learn to love the other. I really feel this," Devin Price, CEO Shine Fights stated. “All that boxing versus MMA nonsense is ancient history."

Details of the exciting undercard will follow shortly.

Abu Dhabi Pro World Trials Episode 2. Jeremy May vs Radhames Familia Jr.

Jeremy May

Radhames Familia Jr.

More exciting BJJ from the 2010 Abu Dhabi Pro World Trials USA East Tournament. Jeremy May vs Radhames Familia Jr. UFC fighterJeremy BAMF May faces off against BJJ star Radhames Familia Jr.!

BORN FIGHTERS

The Ranting of an Over Analytical Mind with Carlos Cata

Carlos Cata

It’s been a couple of months now since one of our fighters entered the ring and lost for the second time. His short fight carrier is now over. Another prospective brawler has disappeared. It’s really sounds pathetic now that it’s written on paper, but those are the facts and the whole reason behind this essay. The actuality is that this is the part of the fight game people rarely see or seldom think about. 


A Fighter listens to his corner at DivitaCo.’s Friday Night Fights.

I couldn’t begin to tell you how many children have walked into the dojo over the last couple of years and have preached to us about how they were born to fight. About how their whole lives they’ve been avoiding the inevitable, but they cannot contain it any longer. They say they just need us to provide them the opportunity to step into the ring. They fight because they know they will either be victorious or die trying. But then again, I couldn’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve just stood there with a blank stare in my eyes, trying to seem interested and excited for them. I couldn’t begin to tell you how once the rubber hits the floor and these “born fighters” feel the heat against their soul and the pain in their joints and muscles how they start skipping a training session and then another, until you couldn’t even remember when was the last time they bothered giving you an excuse for not showing up.

So maybe you’ve noticed by now that I remarked about how many children have walked through our dojo’s door instead of the number of men. Understand that this is deliberate and symbolic in understanding the relationship between the fighter and his trainer. This is just one of the many lessons I have learned in this brief time I have spent as a coach, but one that women would probably claim to already know… ALL MEN ARE CHILDREN. At least “born fighters” are. For this breed of men, I imagine they react the same way when they get a new toy. They play with it nonstop for a couple of days, weeks, even months sometimes until the toy loses its pizzazz and they find they are bored with it. Mind you, in the fight game, this translates to countless hours of training, sweating, bleeding, hurting, to simply get bored and quit! What’s most mind blowing is that these “born fighters” will get bored even before entering the ring and testing their manhood. I find this appalling! After spewing all these tall tales about their destiny and pain tolerance and their might… they quit! They quit and leave the school, dojo, gym, or team they committed too. What is most appalling of all is the fact that they attempt to inspire and gather support from all those they come in contact with only to leave them all high and dry in the end.


Ralph Delatore (Training 4 Life)  being cornered at Acom-Sports.net’s IKF semi contact tournament at Tao Martial Arts 

What I’ve learned is this: most fighters don’t understand, or care, about what it takes to make a productive and successful training camp. They fail to understand that the trainers don’t just do their jobs in time allotted for them; that a good trainer spends their days looking for ways to translate the action in the ring into the sparring sessions and exercises we ask them to do. That we look for different angles at delivering the same message to ensure that they understand what is required of them in order to come out of the battle with the least amount of damage and energy usage. That it is our job to ensure that if the fight went the distance they would have the stamina and fortitude to endure the entire span of combat, without batting an eye. They think that they are the ones doing all the work, when in reality they are only doing their fair share. It’s the trainers that sacrifice time with their families and friends in order to review fight tapes, read the latest articles on exercise and equipment, think about strategy for the opponent, conspire on how to relay the message to the fighter in a way they will understand and be able to effectively react inside the ring. Whatever time a fighter spends training in a week, one can easily multiply that by two or three times to account for the time a trainer takes for the fighter.

After a training session, the fighter gets to go home, eat, and rest. The trainer on the other hand, has to evaluate the fighter’s performance, consider what can be done to improve on the results and whether to pursue it on the next training session or let it ride for a while until they can implement a new strategy to get the desired results. Day in and day out, this has to be done in order to achieve success.


American Top Team Coconut Creek’s Coach/Fighter Steve Bruno imparts his knowledge during Friday Night Fights

I couldn’t understand for the life of me why some schools charge an exhorbant amount of cash to those looking to become a fighter, but after being left high and dry a time or two, more than I’d care to discuss, I finally understand. This monetary compensation is there for our egos. It’s there to show something to our families at the end of it all. Most people do not understand combat. They don’t understand the fulfillment of learning a martial art and being able to hold your head high because you know something most do not. They don’t understand that feeling of power when you submit your opponent and stand victorious at the end of the fight; therefore they will never understand the time we spend training others to do the same. What does transcend all questions as to why we do what we do is MONEY. Therefore, in order to account for disappointments and faulty investments in “born fighters” these schools charge you in excess to deter “born fighters” or at least make them think twice about wasting their time. 

It’s a conundrum because real fighters can’t afford expensive training sessions, so how does a school find someone with true dedication and commitment without being taken for a ride? If someone out there knows the answer to this riddle, fill me in. 

If you are interested in becoming a fighter please check out these fine Systems:

Atemi Ryu Jujitsu

Tao Martial Arts

250 Federal HWY. US 1
Dania, FL

American Top Team Coconut Creek

If you train fighters and are looking for Amateur events please contact these Promoters:

Left Hook Productions

DivitaCo

Acom-sports.net

Atemi Cast Live

Coffy 1973

Do you really want us showing up at your house? That is what will happen if you do not listen to the live Atemi Cast show.

Atemi Cast Live every Thursday Night at 9:00pm – 12:00am. 

 We open the phone lines at 9:30pm call: 954 883 9981

 or use your Computer and Skype us at AtemiCast 

 You Have Been Warned!

South Florida Grappling Challenge

Abu Dhabi Pro World Trials USA East Female Competitors

South Florida Grappling Challenge.

No Gi Grappling & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournament

February 20th

Go to www.acom-sports.net

Pre-Registerinfo@acom-sports.net

Phone: 718-600-7069 

$45 Pre-registration before 2/15

Where: Davie PAL4300 SW 57th TerrDavie, Florida 33314

   

ABU DHABI PRO WORLD TRIALS USA EAST EPISODE 1


Abu Dhabi Pro World Trials USA East



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