Opportunity is knockin’
Chattelle prepares for ultimate test against former UFC veteran Howard
LINCOLN, R.I. (Feb. 21, 2012) – Todd “The Hulk” Chattelle will make the jump from spectator to contender when he faces a fighter he’s spent most of life admiring from afar.
The reigning Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., middleweight champion will put his title on the line against Boston, Mass., native and Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) veteran John “Doomsday” Howard in the main event of CES’ “Never Surrender” mixed martial arts event at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I., on Friday, April 13th, 2012.
“I’ve always looked up to him because of what he’s accomplished,” said Chattelle, who was named the Boston Herald Fighter of the Year and Comeback Fighter of the Year in 2011, “but if he’s going to stand in the doorway, then I have to push through.”
Chattelle (10-6, 8 KOs), a Pawtucket, R.I., native, has followed most of Howard’s career, including “Doomsday’s” UFC debut in 2009 when he defeated Chris Wilson in Las Vegas, and his win over Tamdan McCrory seven months later in Philadelphia, both of which Chattelle attended. Now he has the opportunity to beat one of his idols in a fight that could take his career to the next level.
“Why not?” Chattelle said when asked if a win could land him a spot on a future UFC card. “I’ve faced four Top 5 guys in a row, and this will be the fifth.
“This is a big fight. I’m training harder than ever because he’s a UFC veteran, and because he is who he is. He’s been there, and I’m trying to get there.”
For Howard (15-7, 4 KOs), the goal is to get back to the UFC after the promotion released him in July following a three-fight losing streak, which culminated in a controversial, unanimous-decision loss to Matt Brown on June 26th. Howard had won his first four UFC bouts in the competitive welterweight division before the landslide began with a knockout loss to Jake Ellenberger in 2010, a fight stopped in the third round due to the swelling around Howard’s left eye. Beating Chattelle on April 13th won’t punch Howard’s ticket back to the UFC, but it’s a step in the right direction.
“I’ve got to take it fight by fight,” Howard said. “Right now, I’ve got to treat every fight like it’s the biggest fight of my career. Don’t think for a second I’m sitting back thinking, ‘Yeah, I’m a badass,’ or resting on past accomplishments.
“I’m not taking it lightly because I can’t. This is a lose-lose situation for me. If I win, it’s because I’m supposed to. If I lose, people will say, ‘You’re supposed to be in the UFC?’ For him, it’s a win-win. This is his test. I have nothing new to prove. I’ve been to the big show. This will be his chance to see where he belongs on the food chain. This is an opportunity for me to get back into the swing of things.
“I’m real confident, but I respect him.”
Chattelle might have the edge in familiarity; the fight will take place at his customary weight of 185 pounds, while Howard will be stepping above the welterweight division for the first time in five years. A less strenuous weight-cut could prove beneficial for Howard, who typically walks around at 205 pounds or heavier, though he admits he’s a “little nervous” about bulking up to face Chattelle.
“We’ll see what happens,” he said. “I’ll try to use my skill and experience to my advantage.”
“The fact of the matter is he’s just another opponent,” Chattelle countered. “Yeah, he’s a UFC veteran, but I’m the No. 1 fighter in New England. He doesn’t eat rock. He doesn’t eat metal. He’s a man, just like me.”
Considering he won’t turn 29 until March 1st, Howard can afford to take the one-fight-at-a-time approach.
“To tell you the truth, you really don’t hit your prime in this sport until you’re 32 or 33,” Howard said. “Look at [former UFC light heavyweight champion] Chuck Liddell. He started at 28. Look at him now. I’m just getting my second wind at 28. When I hit 30, I’ll hit my prime. That’s how I look at it. Some guys didn’t start until late in their career. Look at [UFC middleweight champion] Anderson Silva. I have the skill and the power and I’ll be ready to pursue it and become a No. 1 contender when I hit my prime.”
Chattelle has been doing his homework, starting with watching film from Howard’s previous fights, and continuing with a new workout regimen designed to improve his conditioning.
“He’s well-rounded,” Chattelle said of Howard. “He’s not great at any one thing, but he has a lot of heart and will fight until the end. He will last the whole fight, so I have to be well-conditioned and take my conditioning to the next level.
“I added new supplements, plus new training programs. I’m doing a lot of private training with certain people to make sure I’m ready for this. I’m doubling up on my workouts, morning and night.”
Chattelle, who previously worked 40 hours a week as a concrete finisher while training for upcoming fights, was recently laid off from his job, which has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
“Now I can put everything into it, like a professional should, and see if I have what it takes to make it to this level,” he said. “I’m going real hard morning and night. I hope he’s ready to bang, because I’m not afraid to bang with anybody.”
“He’s the champion of CES, and I want to fight the champion,” Howard added. “This is a weird situation, because I really like him as a friend. He’s real down-to-earth, real humble. He’s coming up in the world, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. He hits real hard, and is really, really powerful, but he’s a raw talent. He’s got a lot to learn in this game.”
Chattelle is expecting a packed house at Twin River on April 13th. His phone hasn’t stopped ringing since CES announced the match-up at its previous show on Feb. 3rd.
“I’m usually doing all he calling, but this time, people are calling me,” he said.
“It’s pretty incredible. The fact of the matter is I never thought I’d be where I am at this point. When I started, I just wanted to try it out. I think it’s a good lesson; anything you do in life, if you believe in it and stick with it, it’ll turn out well, even if things don’t always go as they should.”
Tickets for “Never Surrender” are $35.00, $55.00, $100.00 and $125.00 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254, online at www.cesmma.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Players Club booth at Twin River, or through any TicketMaster location. Doors open 6 p.m. with the first bout scheduled for 7.
(Twin River has waived its 18+ rule for “Never Surrender.” Anybody under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must enter through the West entrance).
‘ON THE RAMPAGE’ IN TOYKO QUINTON JACKSON PUMPED TO BE BACK IN JAPAN FOR UFC 144 CLASH WITH RYAN BADER THIS SATURDAY
Las Vegas, Nevada – Former unified UFC & PRIDE light heavyweight champion ‘Rampage’ Jackson is pumped to finally be fighting again in Japan – where he made his legend – after an absence of exactly six years.
Jackson last fought in the Land of the Rising Sun in February 2006, defeating elite judo competitor Yoon Dong-Sik at the PRIDE® 31 event. Since then, Jackson has predominantly fought in Las Vegas, where the Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization is headquartered; and he is reveling in finally getting another chance to return to the scene of some of his career-defining victories.
“I had a lot of success here, but the real reason I was so anxious to be on this UFC 144 card is that have a special bond with the Japanese fans,” Jackson said from his hotel room in Tokyo. “I’ve really missed fighting here, just the whole energy of the place and how they go crazy but they are also so respectful at the same time. I was so determined to make sure I was on this card. I must have asked Dana (White, UFC President) about it a thousand times. I guess he got tired of me asking and put me as the co-main event with Ryan Bader. Honestly, I’d have been cool as a prelim guy for this fight, just put me on the card!
“I’m so happy, so excited to be here. I’ve seen some old friends, fans of mine who became friends, who are coming to the fight and I can’t wait for UFC 144 this weekend.
“I’m going to go on the Rampage in Japan. I’m going to go back to my old style that and just whup his ass. He’s a good fighter, he can punch and wrestle like me, but I want to fight like I did in Japan, just fight and give the fans a fight they will remember for years like they do my PRIDE days. That’s all I care about. I’m looking to do some slams, my powerbomb and knocking Ryan Bader out!”
To commemorate Rampage’s return to Japan, the UFC presents a limited edition UFC 144 poster in the style of Japanese ‘Manga’ movies. A strictly limited number will be printed, but five of them are up for grabs at the UFC.com’s official Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/UFC.
To view the digital version of the UFC 144 Program, click here: http://www.ufc.com/program
UFC® 144: EDGAR vs. HENDERSON will air live on Pay-Per-View in North America on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. In the night’s main event, reigning UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar defends his crown against former WEC® champion Benson Henderson.
GO FIGHT LIVE TO STREAM JOE SCHILLING VS. SIMON MARCUS WINNER-TAKE-ALL MAIN EVENT AND ENTIRE FEB. 25 LION FIGHT PROMOTIONS WBC CHAMPIONSHIP MUAY THAI FIGHT CARD
LAS VEGAS (Feb. 21, 2012) – Go Fight Live (www.gfl.tv) will deliver a live, Internet Pay-Per-View stream of Lion Fight Promotions’ World Boxing Council (WBC)-championship full rules Muay Thai event from Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev. on Sat., Feb. 25.
Fight fans around the world can tune into the entire 12 bout fight card (7 professional main card bouts and 4 amateur, preliminary card bouts), including the highly-anticipated, winner-take-all light heavyweight (175 pounds) main event between WBC champion Joe Schilling (12-1, 10 KO’s) and undefeated rival Simon Marcus (22-0, 17 KO’s), by logging on to GFL’s dedicated web page for the event and paying a fee of $14.99.
Go Fight Live’s new “Free View Try It” feature will allow fans to watch the first 15 minutes of the event free of charge, before making a decision to purchase the Internet Pay-Per-View event. A one-time credit card payment will allow purchasers to watch the event both live as well as after its completion.
The winner of the much-talked about, non-title matchup between Schilling and Marcus will take home not only his purse, but also his opponent’s entire purse, a rarity in combative sports.
“We are excited to partner with Go Fight Live, once again, to deliver another night of incredible world-class Muay Thai action under the Lion Fight Promotions banner, to a global audience,” said Lion Fight Promotions CEO Scott Kent. “Go Fight Live has done an exceptional job of helping build the Lion Fight Promotions brand by leveraging its online technology and media platform to reach millions of fight fans around the world.
“There has been a tremendous buzz online about the matchups that Lion Fight Promotions has put together for this card – particularly the main event between Joe Schilling and Simon Marcus – and Go Fight Live is looking forward to being able to make the event available to the entire world,” said David Klarman, CEO of Go Fight Live. “Lion Fight Promotions is aggressively pioneering the incredible sport of Muay Thai in North America and Go Fight Live is proud to be able to support their efforts.”
In other Lion Fight Promotions: Battle In The Desert 5, Live from The Joint main card action, streaking Las Vegas star and WBC International Middleweight Champion Chaz Mulkey (7-4, 3 KO’s), fresh off his fifth consecutive win at Lion Fight Promotions’ last event on Nov. 19, will face his toughest test to date in two-time world champion and WBC No. 5 ranked super middleweight (168 pounds) contender Gregory Choplin (59-9, 22 KO’s) of Miami, Fla. by way of Paris, France in the middleweight (160 pounds) co-main event and non-title bout.
Phanuwat “Coke” Chunhawat (146-24-1, 24 KO’s) of Oakland, Calif. via Thailand will return to the squared circle an attempt to avenge a June 2011 defeat when he battles 21-year-old young gun Matt Embree (19-3, 9 KO’s) of Toronto, Ontario, Canada with the vacant WBC international lightweight (135 pounds) championship at stake.
The matchup between Chunhawat and Embree will serve as a rubber match. In Sept. 2010, Chunhawat edged out a split decision over Embree, who returned the favor by winning in the same fashion in the second meeting.
Jose Palacios (5-2, 3 KO’s) of San Jose, Calif. will meet Shane Oblonsky (6-2, 3 KO’s) of Santa Ana, Calif. in a welterweight (147 pounds) matchup. Vivian Leung (2-0, 1 KO) of Las Vegas via Saskatoon, Canada will face Tiffany Van Soest (1-0) of San Diego, Calif. in a super bantamweight (122 pounds) bout.
Power striker Scotty Leffler (4-2, 3 KO’s) of Las Vegas will meet Sheldon Gaines (2-4, 1 KO) of Los Angeles, Calif. in a 142 pound catch weight fight and 21-year-old top prospect Anthony Castrejon (2-0, 1 KO) of Las Vegas will make the third start of his promising young career in a super bantamweight (122 pounds) fight with 28-year-old Francisco Barragan of Dallas, TX.
The live stream of the event will begin at begin at 5 p.m.
Complete Professional Fight Card:
*All professional bouts will be 5 x 3 minute rounds with 1 minute rest period in between rounds
Main Event
Joe Schilling (Los Angeles, CA) (Champion) vs. Simon Marcus (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Light Heavyweight (175 pounds) / Non-Title Bout
Co-Main Event
Chaz Mulkey (Las Vegas, NV) (Champion) vs. Gregory Choplin (Miami, FL/ France)
Middleweight (160 pounds) / WBC Super Fight (non-title bout)
Phanuwat “Coke” Chunhawat (Dallas, TX/Thailand) vs. Matt Embree (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
Lightweight (135 pounds) / WBC Vacant International Title Bout
Vivian Leung (Las Vegas, NV/ Saskatoon, Canada) vs. Tiffany Van Soest (San Diego, CA)
Super Bantamweight (122 pounds)
Jose Palacios (San Jose, CA) vs. Shane Oblonsky (Santa Ana, CA)
Welterweight (147 pounds)
Scotty Leffler (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Sheldon Gaines (Simi Valley, CA)
Catch Weight (142 pounds)
Anthony Castrejon (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Francisco Barragan (Dallas, TX)
Super Bantamweight (122 pounds)
Complete Amateur Card:
Josh Shepard (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Tariq Rahman (Chandler, AZ)
Middleweight (160 pounds) / USMTA title / 5×2 rounds
Johnny Parsons (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Beto Rodriguez (Los Angeles, CA)
Welterweight (147 pounds) / 3×2 rounds
Gabriella Lakoczky (Las Vegas, NV/ Sweden) vs. Miranda Cayabyab (San Jose, CA)
Super Flyweight (115 pounds) / 3×2 rounds
AJ Williams (Las Vegas, NV) vs. Reuben Fairbanks (Fresno, CA)
Super Middleweight (168 pounds) / 3×2 rounds
About Lion Fight Promotions
Lion Fight Promotions is a Las Vegas, Nevada-based world championship Muay Thai kickboxing promotion dedicated to producing matchups between the best Muay Thai fighters in the world in their respective weight classes. Led by former Las Vegas casino executive, Scott Kent, the promotional company has been developed in consultation with Christine Toledo, one of the sport’s most popular champions and star of the Oxygen Network reality television show Fight Girls. Both Kent and Toledo share a common passion for Muay Thai and are working together to promote the sport.
About Go Fight Live (GFL)
GFL Combat Sports Network is a pioneer in Internet Sports Broadcasting. Over the years GFL has broadcast more than 1100 live events with over 5500 combat sports videos in 196 countries. GFL is especially proud to have served greater than 5 million public viewers over the years with more than 250 combat sports related website affiliates in its network. GFL is now available on Roku, Android, IPhone, IPad, as well as other internet ready devices.
About Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is Las Vegas’ off-strip playground, just minutes and less than three miles from McCarran International Airport. The premier destination entertainment resort is owned by Brookfield Real Estate Finance Fund II, a division of Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM) and managed by WG-Harmon, LLC, a subsidiary of Warner Gaming, LLC. Built in 1995, the property completed a $750 million expansion in 2010. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino offers an energetic entertainment and gaming experience with the services and amenities associated with a boutique luxury resort hotel. The property is known for its innovative nightlife and music scene where acts such as The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Paul McCartney, Incubus, Linkin Park, Foo Fighters and Carlos Santana have all performed. Features of the property include an 11-story Casino Tower with 640 guest rooms, 17-story Paradise Tower with 490 rooms and suites and the all-suite HRH Tower with 359 suites, eight spa villas and seven penthouse suites; 72,000 square feet of casino space; 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting and convention space; more than $3 million in rare music memorabilia throughout the hotel; the luxurious Vanity Nightclub; Reliquary Water Sanctuary & Spa; Reliquary Salon; 4.8 acres of tropical pool paradise; REHAB, the trendsetting Sunday afternoon pool party; The Joint concert venue; Hart & Huntington Tattoo Co.; restaurants including traditional steakhouse with an edge 35 Steaks + Martinis, tapas hotspot Johnny Smalls, Mexican cantina Pink Taco, ‘round the clock diner Mr. Lucky’s Café and world-renowned Nobu; numerous cocktail lounges including The Lounge across from Pink Taco, Peacock Lounge and Blitzed Sports Lounge; and a state-of-the-art Fitness Center. For room availability and additional information call 800.HRD.ROCK (800.473.7625) or visit www.hardrockhotel.com.
INVICTA FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS UNVEILS ALL-WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MMA SERIES APRIL 28 IN KANSAS CITY
SUPERSTAR MARLOES COENEN TO REMATCH ROMY RUYSSEN IN INAUGURAL MAIN EVENT
Tickets On Sale Fri., Feb. 24
Jessica Penne To Face Lisa Ellis-Ward In Co-Main Event
Strikeforce Stars Liz Carmouche And Sarah D’Alelio To Also See Action
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (Feb. 20, 2012) – The term “girl power” is about to take on a whole new meaning
Invicta Fighting Championships, an all-women’s world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series led by longtime MMA industry executive Shannon Knapp, will launch with a stacked, 11-bout fight card headlined by a long-awaited featherweight (145 pounds) rematch between superstar Marloes Coenen (19-5) of The Netherlands and Romy Ruyssen (5-1) of France at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. on Sat., April 28.
Tickets for the first-ever Invicta Fighting Championships event, priced from $35, go on sale Fri., Feb. 24 at Memorial Hall box office (913) 549-4853), online at Ticketmaster.com and InvictaFC.com and by phone at (800) 745-3000.
In the co-main event, two 29-year-old submission specialists – Jessica Penne (8-1) of Laguna Hills, Calif. and Lisa Ellis-Ward (14-7) of Lacey, Wash.- will square off with one another at strawweight (105 pounds).
Strikeforce bantamweight (135 pounds) stars Liz “Girl-Rilla” Carmouche (5-2) of San Diego, Calif. and Sarah D’Alelio (4-2) of San Jose, Calif. have also been enlisted for action. Carmouche, a United States Marine who did three tours of duty in The Middle East, will square off with unbeaten prospect Ashleigh Curry (1-0) of Kansas City, Mo. while D’Alelio will face Shana “Rock Solid” Nelson (5-2) of Hibbing, Minn.
“The time has come for a platform dedicated exclusively to building the growing women’s division in our great sport,” said Invicta Fighting Championships Vice President Knapp, who has held positions with the UFC, the IFL and, most recently Strikeforce, where she served as head of fighter relations and a core member of the promotion’s matchmaking team, until shortly after Strikeforce was acquired by the parent company of its top competitor, the UFC. “Invicta is committed to increasing the depth of the women’s field and building female superstars by providing women athletes with the opportunity to compete and hone their skills on a consistent basis throughout the year.
“I am honored to headline Invicta’s first fight card and I am looking forward to earning another win over Romy,” said the 5-foot-9, 30-year-old Coenen, a former champion in Strikeforce’s 135 pound division and the premiere female competitor out of Holland’s famed Team Golden Glory. Coenen submitted Ruyssen with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their first meeting in Basel, Switzerland on Aug. 2, 2008.
Ruyssen is a slick and dangerous 22-year-old grappler who has claimed all five of her career victories by way of submission in the first round of battle. Four of the five wins came via armbar.
“My first fight with Marloes is the only loss of my career so far, and I intend to avenge that loss on April 28” said Ruyssen. “Marloes is a great fighter, but she doesn’t quite have the ground game that I have. I am going to take her down and finish her.”
Penne, regarded as one of the most promising, up and coming female talents in MMA, was unbeaten through her first seven professional starts before losing a unanimous decision to Zoila Gurgel on Aug. 19, 2010. In her last effort on Nov. 19, 2010, she bounced back, submitting Amy Davis with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their matchup.
Ellis-Ward will look to return to the win column after two straight losses at the hands of Megumi Fujii and Jessica Aguilar, respectively. Prior to the slide, Ellis-Ward had reeled off two consecutive wins – a first round submission (rear-naked choke) of Stephanie Frausto and a unanimous decision over Aisling Daly.
In other main card action, Leslie Smith (3-2) of Pleasant Hill, Calif. will face off with Kaitlin Young (7-5) of St. Louis Park, Minn. at bantamweight and Sally Krumdiack (9-4) of Bellingham, Wash. will duke it out with Sarah Schneider (5-5) of Kansas City, Mo. at flyweight (115 pounds).
The 28-year-old Carmouche jumpstarted her career with five straight wins, only one of which went to the judges’ scorecards. She is looking to return to her winning ways after suffering back-to-back losses at the hands of Coenen and another superstar in Sarah Kaufman.
After scoring a first round TKO (punches) on Jessy Forman in her professional debut on June 12, 2010, the 26-year-old Curry will return to the cage for the first time. Curry has been touted for her western boxing skills.
D’Alelio, a 31-year-old, 5-foot-7 grappler, was victorious in her first four career fights – three by submission and one by TKO – but is looking for her first win since losing back-to-back fights against Julie Kedzie and undefeated rising star and Olympic Judo medalist Ronda Rousey.
The 31-year-old, 5-foot-7 Nelson, a hard-hitting striker who competes out of Minnesota Fight Factory, reeled off wins in her first four professional bouts and is coming off a first round TKO (punches) of Lina Eklund on Feb. 18.
In preliminary card action, Nicdali Rivera-Calanoc (7-5) of Tulsa, Okla. will take on Amy Davis (2-2) of Idaho Falls, Idaho at strawweight. Sarah Maloy (2-2) of Ada, Okla. will meet Michele Gutierrez (3-2) of Las Vegas, Nev. in a super flyweight (125 pounds) tilt. Mollie Estes (1-0) of Lake Lotawana, Mo. will face Randi Miller (0-0) of Broomfield, Colo. at featherweight. Unbeaten Ashley Cummins (2-0) of St. Louis will battle Sofia Bagherdai (4-1) of Upland, Calif. at flyweight. Jessica Philippus (0-0) of Marshall, Mo. will make her professional debut against Meghan Wright (1-3) of Cincinnati, Ohio in a strawweight matchup.
All bouts have been approved by the Kansas State Athletic Commission.
About Invicta Fighting Championships:
Invicta Fighting Championships is a world championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fight series dedicated to providing female athletes with a major platform to hone their skills on a consistent basis. Founded in 2012 by longtime MMA executive Shannon Knapp and sports aficionado Janet Martin, Invicta is committed to pioneering the future growth of women’s MMA by promoting the best possible matchups between female competitors and identifying and developing future superstars of the sport.
Walt “Big Ticket” Harris & Champions Freestyle Fight Team
It was the nasty hook heard around the world that put Anthony Hamilton to the ground. In 1:15 seconds into Round 1 at Superior Cage Combat 4 in Las Vegas on Feb. 16 the light at the end of the tunnel for “The Freight Train” was “Big Ticket”. Lights out to be exact.
The matchup– Anthony Hamilton – the rising star that is an 8:0 undefeated pro heavyweight from the world famous Jackson gym. Greg Jackson is a mixed martial arts trainer, who operates the Jackson’s MMA training camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Jackson has trained many successful fighters, including current UFC welterweight champion Georges St.-Pierre and UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Sherdog.com reports that Jackson’s camp has a win percentage of 81%. Jackson has recently been reported in the news as being the corner man to Jon Jones at UFC 145. Greg Jackson has won 3 World MMA Awards. He won “Best Coach” and “Best Gym” in 2009 as well as “Coach of the Year” in 2010. Escorting Hamilton to the octagon was former UFC veteran Keith Jardine. In 2011, Jardine signed a deal with Strikeforce. He holds notable victories over the likes of Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin. Pretty intimidating statistics.
His opponent was Walt “Big Ticket” Harris – a 3:1 pro MMA heavyweight from a tiny little gym located in Birmingham, Alabama. As an amateur, Walt had a 23:1 record. Escorting Walt to the octagon were his coaches – Coach Jon Dye and Coach Al Price of Champions Freestyle Fight Team. It was all over in less than 75 seconds. By way of KO – the victor Walt Harris.
How does a tiny little gym in Alabama rise to the same level of professional athletic competition as a world famous gym? How does a fighter go from small town Alabama to knocking out an undefeated Greg Jackson fighter?
By putting in a lot of hard work and time, and hard work, and dedication and did I mention hard work. There is no secret formula to success. It all boils down to coaching, training, preparation and according to Coach Dye “God’s gift of amazing athletic abilities”. All of which played a key role in Walt’s success. Other factors include studying fight footage of Hamiltons’ and identifying his weaknesses. Coach Dye studied video after video and analyzed his technique and realized that when Hamilton got fighters to the ground he would allow enough space to dig an underhook. According to Coach Dye “we worked on digging that underhook and getting back to our feet.” Getting back to his feet included having his teammates hold him down while Walt learned how to get back to his feet. One of his teammates; a former Linebacker from 2009 National Championship Alabama Crimson Tide, Eryk Anders. “I also noticed Hamilton threw a weak jab. I knew Walt was fast enough and good enough to pull it off and everything we worked on happened perfectly. Anthony jabbed and Walt threw it over the top just like we worked on”. Walt remembers hearing Coach Dye yell at him to watch the kicks and let his hands go. He did. A few seconds later Hamilton was down and out. Awarding Harris the “KO of the Night”.
While in Vegas, Walt and his coaches were at Randy Couture’s gym watching their pro’s practice. Coach Dye remembers thinking that as much talent as they have at that gym that he has just as much talent at his own gym in Birmingham. “I want every fighter to know that you don’t have to come from a Couture or Jackson gym to be a top fighter. No one from Alabama has ever knocked out an undefeated Jackson fighter until now and it’s a good feeling. The best feeling in the world is to take a guy that didn’t know how to fight and in 3 years time take him to Vegas and have him knock out a guy from one of the big name gyms. I told Walt what to do to win and it worked.” Just last year Walt signed with First Round Management, based in Miami, FL. His sponsors are Lemak Sports Medicine, Gamma Labs, Full Contact Fighter, Elite Nutrition, Dreammakers Inc, and Combat Corner.
What is next on the agenda for Walt and Champions Freestyle Fight Team? Walt’s next fight will be announced shortly. The Team – Coach Dye has some amazing athletes at his tiny gym including, Corey Jones, Fred Weaver, Adrian Miles, Tyler Sly, Kyle Causey, Cole Mason and Eryk Anders. His team will be fighting this Friday, Feb. 24 in Biloxi, MS for Kage Wars 5 and Sat. Feb 25 in Jackson, MS for Beatdown in Jacktown. For more information on Champions Freestyle MMA contact Jon Dye at (205) 410-2698.
It’s Showtime: Jimmy Lennon Jr. to Announce “Cagesport XVIII”!
Tacoma, WA (February 17, 2012) – Legendary ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. will serve as the master of ceremonies for “Cagesport XVIII”.
The card takes place Saturday, February 25 at the Emerald Queen Casino and is promoted by Halquist Productions. Tickets starting at $35 are available at the casino box office or on EmeraldQueen.com.
A member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, Lennon Jr. has announced numerous big-time fights for the most respected networks, appearing on Showtime, HBO and Fox Sports amongst others. Globally recognized for exclaiming “It’s Showtime!” prior to the main event, he also called five cards in 2011 for Halquist Productions.
“We are always excited to have Jimmy announce our shows,” said Halquist Productions’ CEO Brian Halquist. “It’s truly an honor to have the best in the business working with us.”
Known as “Classy”, Lennon Jr. is thrilled to be back in Tacoma and passed up other opportunities to make it happen.
“I am fortunate enough to be asked to announce shows all over the world,” said Lennon Jr. “(The same weekend as Cagesport XVIII) I was asked to announce a show in London, but I chose to be in Tacoma with Halquist Productions. I love the atmosphere, I love the fights and I love the fans in Tacoma. It’s truly something I am proud to be a part of.”
Cagesport XVIII has a total of ten world-class mixed martial arts bouts, headlined by a five round welterweight title match-up between local favorite “Fast” Eddy Ellis and David “Hollywood” Hulett.
Doors for CageSport XVIII open at 6 pm and the first match takes place at 7 pm. For more information, go to Halquist Productions.com
MIESHA TATE ON THE FIGHT THAT CONVINCED HER SHE HAD THE HEART OF A CHAMPION
“Sometimes we wait our whole life to find the answer…my moment of realization arrived in my very first mixed martial arts amateur bout.”
By STRIKEFORCE Bantamweight Champion Miesha “Takedown” Tate:
You often discover whether you possess fight or flight instincts when the going gets tough. Is it our instinct to escape the situation and run to the nearest safe haven, or do we decide to stand and fight, despite obvious risk, pain and embarrassment? Sometimes we wait our whole life to find out the answer to this kind of question, yet, luckily for me, my moment of realization arrived in my very first mixed martial arts amateur bout in 2006.
I was 19 years of age at the time, had wrestled for four years, but had no clue what MMA was and had never before heard of the UFC. In fact, I had no desire to ever fight at this stage. I was just interested in learning a bit more about submission wrestling, having wrestled with the boys’ team since during high school.
As I became more and more interested in the sport of mixed martial arts, though, I started to contemplate the idea of actually competing and using my wrestling skills as a solid foundation in the sport. One day I decided to attend my first mixed martial arts fight and, though it was only an amateur event, it appealed to me and was something I wanted to see more of in the future. Then, as the event ended, the announcer grabbed the mic and revealed to the crowd that he would be hosting an all-female fight card in three weeks and that all fighters were welcome to try out and compete.
So, with only my wrestling background and just three weeks of striking training, I decided to give it a go and compete at that event. I went up against a dangerous Muay-thai kickboxer that night and, knowing how little striking experience I had, naturally realized I would be up against it. She and her husband owned their own Muay-thai gym and, of course, she was very well-drilled on her feet and had been doing it since she was a young girl.
I won the first round thanks entirely to my wrestling skills. I was able to go out there, take her down very quickly and then keep her there for the majority of the round. I used a little bit of ground-and-pound once I had secured the takedowns, but, for the most part, was just looking to control and outmaneuver her. When I went back to the corner, I was told by my trainer that I needed to punch more when we were on the ground and that I should look to score more damage when in advantageous positions.
The idea of doing physical damage to my opponent was something completely new to me at this stage, though, as I was still very much in pure wrestling mode.
I went out for the second round and remember throwing a flurry of one-twos, which backed my opponent up to the corner. It was then that she put me into a Thai clinch and started going to work. I had no idea what this thing was that she had me caught in and had no clue how to defend or escape it. So, while I tried desperately to take her down, she was happily kneeing me in the face over and over again. One of the knees then shattered my nose, breaking it immediately.
Nevertheless, I kept trying for that double-leg and eventually got it. By this time, though, I was very dazed and didn’t really know what was going on. This allowed her to capitalize and get her hooks in when we did finally hit the ground. I was now curled up in a ball, wary of being hit and choked out. I basically had nowhere to escape. She then postured up and began raining down punches on my ears, just for good measure.
This was a very pivotal moment for me in my career, because after taking severe punishment like that for the first time in my life, I reached an unexpected moment of clarity. I watched the blood pour from my nose and accumulate in a red pool beneath my face, and yet wasn’t at all intimidated or scared by what was about to come. It was a strangely serene moment, one that highlighted just why I was there and what I needed to do to get myself out of this situation.
I thought to myself, ‘Well, this is the route you chose, Tate – now you’ve got to get your ass off the floor and deal with it’. I finally realized what I was there to do, and accepted the harsh truth – this wasn’t a wrestling match… it was a fight!
Without a second thought, I tried everything in my power to get out of a potential submission and start kicking her ass again. I bucked her off like crazy, she slipped into the guard position and that allowed me to get up on my tip toes and wail away with punches as hard as I possibly could. Blood was going everywhere. It was all over my face and her gloves. I didn’t care anymore.
Now fully amped and excited, I walked back to my corner at the end of the round with a spring in my step, eager for the next round to hurry up. I now understood what I was there to do and realized what being a fighter was all about. I wanted more of it. Unfortunately, it was at this very moment that my trainers looked at me with disgust, in a way that suggested my nose and face were beyond repair and that I had no chance whatsoever of going another round.
They made an executive decision and pulled me out of the fight, something which obviously bummed me out a little bit, but, in hindsight was the right decision. After all, I wasn’t getting paid for the fight and all medical expenses were on my head.
Still, I quickly knew after that fight – after the blood had dried and my nose returned to its normal place – that MMA was the sport for me. I was pushed beyond my limits, physically and emotionally, and yet was still craving more at the end of it all.
I was all fight, not flight.
My March 3 challenger and opponent, Ronda Rousey, has never faced this type of make or break moment during her 4-0 mixed martial arts career. Yes, she was very accomplished as a judo player, winning a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics, but she has yet to taste her own blood in a grueling MMA bout. She’s yet to prove she can battle back from any adversity at all. Questions have never been asked of her.
All four of her MMA wins so far have arrived inside the first minute, and she has yet to face anybody that has so much as tested her, let alone come close to disfiguring her face and beating her. She’s been carefully matched, she’s been pampered and she’s been protected. The truth is, going into this world title fight with me, Ronda is still to discover whether she is even a real fighter.
However, on March 3rd, the night we meet for my STRIKEFORCE world bantamweight champion, Ronda Rousey will learn just how hard and horrible the sport of mixed martial arts can be. I will take great pleasure in dragging her into deep waters for the first time in her life and then drowning her there…
For more updates from Miesha Tate, follow here on Twitter @MieshaTate
STRIKEFORCE®: TATE vs. ROUSEY will air live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), while preliminary fights will be shown live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on West Coast).
Tickets for STRIKEFORCE®: TATE vs. ROUSEY are on sale now and are priced at $125, $75, $45 and $25. Tickets are available at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations, at ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the FOX Sports Ohio Blue Line store at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing and ticket outlets at Chiller Dublin, Chiller Easton. Applicable service charges may apply.
For more information or the latest STRIKEFORCE news, visit www.strikeforce.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
Two New Fights Featuring Local Athletes Added to The Score Fighting Series March 16th event in Hamilton
- Shane Campbell vs. Derek Boyle in a lightweight matchup
- Ryan Dickson vs. Chris St. Jean in a welterweight scrap
TORONTO, February 16th, 2012 – The Score Fighting Series has announced two additional bouts for its Friday, March 16th event at Hamilton Place Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario. World Muay Thai champion Shane Campbell of Stoney Creek will face off with fellow power striker Derek Boyle of Lethbridge, Alberta at lightweight (155 pounds) and unbeaten prospect Ryan Dickson (2-0) of Hamilton will duke it out with Chris St. Jean (5-3) of Ottawa at welterweight (170 pounds).
The matchup between Campbell (5-1) and Boyle (7-5), both winners of four of their last five fights, pits two of Canada’s most exciting, young, up-and-coming strikers against one another.
The 24-year-old, six-foot Campbell, comes from a strong lineage of kickboxing talent at Stoney Creek’s Iron Muay Thai, under master trainer Kru Alin Halmagean. Since he made his MMA debut in June 2008, Campbell has taken on the grueling task of simultaneously maintaining his kickboxing career where he holds an overall record of 45-10 (11 KO’s).
Campbell’s opponent, 27-year-old, six-foot Boyle (7-5), has earned more than half of his victories by KO. He is coming off an incredible flying knee KO of Alex Popov in September.
Dickson (2-0) is the prize student of local MMA icon Jeff Joslin, the first and only Hamiltonian to date to fight in the UFC. The 22-year-old prospect claimed both his victories to date by way of submission.
St. Jean, 27, (5-3), who fights out of the Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts under Pat Cooligan, has proved to be one of the more durable fighters in the sport after competing seven times in 2011. All five of St. Jean’s career wins have come by way of either KO or submission.
St. Jean is hungry to return to the win column after his five-fight win streak was snapped in his last start at the hands of Brandt Dewsberry, who submitted St. Jean with a triangle choke in the second round of their meeting last October.
Tickets for The Score Fighting Series start at $30 and are on sale now at the Copps Coliseum box office and online at www.ticketmaster.ca.
In the main event, UFC and PRIDE veteran and Xtreme Couture team member John “The Natural” Alessio (33-14) will square off with Strikeforce and WEC veteran and Team Quest member “Diamond” Ryan Healy (19-9-1). For more on Alessio, check-out this video feature from theScore.com.
Undefeated Stoney Creek sensation Josh Hill (7-0) will take on rising star Eric Wilson (5-1) from Saskatoon at bantamweight (135 pounds).
In a featured welterweight bout, UFC veteran Forrest “The Meat Cleaver” Petz (24-9) of Cleveland, Oh. will take on kickboxing champion Sergej Juskevic (11-6-2) of Toronto via Lithuania.
Unbeaten Jason Meisel (2-0) of Caledonia will battle Mike Sledzion (3-2) of Barrie at lightweight. Lyndon Whitlock (5-2) of Hamilton will face Cory Houston (4-1) of Winnipeg at featherweight (145 pounds). John Macphearson (1-1) of Hamilton will lock horns with Craig “War Dog” Hudson (1-1) of Brantford at heavyweight (max 265 pounds).
Additional fights will be announced soon.
RONDA ROUSEY DISCUSSES EARLY JUDO CAREER, ENTRY INTO MMA AND HER THOUGHTS ON CHAMPION MIESHA TATE
Miesha may have been involved in more MMA bouts than I have, but I have been fighting all of my life.”
By ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey:
In one month, on March 3 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, I will challenge for the women’s bantamweight championship of the world.
While I may only have four professional mixed martial arts bouts to my name, I’m far from inexperienced. You might think that, but you’d be wrong. Miesha Tate, my next opponent and current Strikeforce world bantamweight champion, is convinced I’m inexperienced and therefore undeserving of a shot at her belt on March 3rd. Again, she is wrong, deluded even, wary that I have the ability to make her look ordinary and one-dimensional, regardless of how many MMA bouts I may have taken part in.
If anything, I am actually more experienced than she is, at least in terms of competing and fulfilling my potential at big events, under intense pressure and scrutiny. Yes, Miesha may have been involved in more MMA bouts than I have and, yes, she may have been training MMA for a longer, but I have been fighting, in one way or another, all of my life and have been striving to become the best in the world at absolutely everything I have ever tried my hand at. Let me explain…
A pale white girl with a thick North Dakota accent, studying in a 99% Mexican-Catholic school, it’s fair to say I never really felt as though I fitted in while growing up. I didn’t have that many friends and found it hard to find my place in the world. I started doing judo on my eleventh birthday – a little late, perhaps, when you consider most kids start when they are five or six – and that acted as the social outlet I was in need of at the time. When it came to judo practice, nobody was judged and there were no preconceived notions. You would just turn up, train, learn and then later compete. You were allowed to just be yourself.
I took to judo right away and it soon replaced swimming as my number one passion. Swimming was very one-dimensional in comparison. You could do the breaststroke one way and the butterfly one way, but, once you’d mastered those skills, there was little room for creativity. Judo, on the other hand, really encouraged creativity and individual flair. It allowed me to create my own style and personality and play around with the textbook. You could try things out, improvise a little and think outside the box. There were just so many different things to learn and pick up on, and that really excited me. I didn’t feel I could necessarily learn how to become a better swimmer – you simply practice and practice until you hopefully one day became one. Judo was very much a learning process for me, though. It was something I could get my teeth into and study.
My mom (Ann Maria Rousey DeMars, the first American to win a World Judo Championship) was against me doing judo at first, because she felt people would expect too much from me given who she was and what she had achieved in the same sport. It was actually her team-mates, who were my coaches at the time, who persuaded my mom to let me do it. In all honesty, I didn’t feel any additional pressure because of the fact my mother was previously involved in the sport. If anything, I’m the one that puts pressure on myself when it comes to goal-setting. I don’t feel right unless there is some element of pressure. You need that in order to bring the best out of yourself, I think. Six years after starting out, later I made my first Olympic team. I really had a knack for it.
The whole reason I focused on judo to begin with was so that I could one day reach the Olympic Games and win a gold medal. That was literally my sole aim from day one, and nothing else crossed my mind from that point. I wasn’t interested in being involved in judo to become a mere also-ran. Even after my very first practice, I remember thinking to myself, ‘Yep, this is definitely going to work out – I’m going to win the Olympics’. It was all or nothing for me, and I’m sure my mom shared a similar attitude when she first started out in the sport.
Some may call it arrogance, but I like to think I’m just ultra competitive. Even after winning the bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics, I stopped judo and started working as a bartender, believe it or not, and was convinced I was going to be the best goddamn bartender in the world. If they had an Olympic Games for bar-tending, I was going to crush the competition and take home that gold medal. It’s funny because some people would treat a job like that as just a means of making money, whereas it quickly became a genuine passion for me. I would spend much of my spare time researching drinks mixes and recipes or asking our customers questions, probing for ways in which I could improve my own job. I wanted to get all I could out of the experience and I wanted make sure that I was the best bartender I could possibly be. Ultimately, if I get my claws into something, it very quickly becomes an obsession.
Mixed martial arts and Miesha Tate are my current obsessions, and I plan on getting my claws into her world championship belt on March 3rd…
Follow Ronda on Twitter @RondaRousey
This is the first installment of Ronda Rousey’s blog detailing her journey into MMA and her thoughts on her opponent leading up to her March 3 title fight against Miesha Tate in Columbus, Ohio.
STRIKEFORCE®: TATE vs. ROUSEY will air live on SHOWTIME® at 10 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast), while preliminary fights will be shown live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on West Coast).
Tickets for STRIKEFORCE®: TATE vs. ROUSEY are on sale now and are priced at $125, $75, $45 and $25. Tickets are available at the Nationwide Arena Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster locations, at ticketmaster.com or 1-800-745-3000. Tickets are also available at the FOX Sports Ohio Blue Line store at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing and ticket outlets at Chiller Dublin, Chiller Easton. Applicable service charges may apply.
For more information or the latest STRIKEFORCE news, visit www.strikeforce.com. All bouts live and subject to change.
VIDEO: Miesha Tata – Rhonda Rousey video shoot
ESPN News- Pacquiao, Roach rip Mayweather, back Bradley February 21, 2012Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. both realize almost every boxing fan wishes Floyd Mayweather Jr. had been standing next to Pacquiao at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday. […]Associated Press
- HBO PPV secures rights to Pacquiao-Bradley February 21, 2012HBO made it 2-for-2 in securing the rights to the first two major pay-per-view fights of the year on Tuesday, announcing that it had finalized an agreement to produce and distribute Manny Pacquiao's defense against Timothy Bradley Jr. […]Dan Rafael
- V. Klitschko says still owes Chisora a knockout February 21, 2012WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko wants to fight Britain's Dereck Chisora again -- so he can knock him out. […]Associated Press
- Chisora apologizes 'wholeheartedly' for brawl February 20, 2012Dereck Chisora apologized "wholeheartedly" Monday for the brawl with David Haye that followed his loss to WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko. […]Associated Press
- V. Klitschko tore shoulder ligament vs. Chisora February 19, 2012Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko suffered a torn ligament in his left shoulder during his unanimous decision win over Dereck Chisora on Saturday in Munich, Germany, but he will not require surgery. […]Dan Rafael
- Stars honor Ali at 70th birthday gala in Vegas February 19, 2012President Barack Obama lauded Muhammad Ali Saturday as he joined some of the world's most famous people in a birthday celebration for the boxer known simply as "The Greatest." […]Associated Press
- Esparza, Underwood, Shields win boxing trials February 19, 2012Claressa Shields screamed, sidestepped and finally hopped around the ring, unable to contain her glee when she was named the outstanding fighter at the first U.S. Olympic team trials for women's boxing. […]Associated Press
- Gamboa, Rios agree to April 14 bout in Vegas February 17, 2012Former unified featherweight titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa will jump up two weight classes and face former lightweight titleholder Brandon Rios in a fight that matches two of boxing's most crowd-pleasing fighters. […]Dan Rafael
- Boxer banned for threat, sparking ring riot February 17, 2012The IBF on Thursday banned former junior flyweight titlist Luis Lazarte from participating in any fight the organization is associated with following Lazarte's actions during a bout last Friday. […]Dan Rafael
- Ward cleared for training as long as hand OK February 16, 2012Unified super middleweight champion Andre Ward has received medical clearance to resume using his left hand, as long as it feels OK, after fracturing it in two places. […]Dan Rafael
- Pacquiao, Roach rip Mayweather, back Bradley February 21, 2012
