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Feb 7, 2006
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Morango back to EliteXC in November

With no losses for more than two years, Fabrício “Morango” Camões is in his greatest period on the MMA career. After a 47 seconds submission against Sam Morgan, in August, he told TATAME.com that he’ll be back in action in November 8th, same edition where Rafael “Feijão” Cavalcante fights for the light-heavyweight belt. “I’ll keep working hard, because my training here is very good”, said Morango, that trains at Universidade do Jiu-Jitsu (UJJ), in San Diego, California, with great BJJ champions like Xande Ribeiro, André Galvão, Ronaldo Jacaré, Tarsys Humpreys and Saulo Ribeiro, also with Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez. Prepared to come back, the Brazilian fighters still doesn’t know who he will face. “They like to make a little surprise and tell me my opponent just 15 days before the event”, jokes Morango, that celebrates a perfect moment in UJJ, when all his sparring will fight and training is even better. “Shogun came here to train with us and it was cool, and Ninja might come too for his fight in October… Diego (Sanchez) fights in October, Saulo and Xande in September, and there are other guys here ready to fight in Canadian events too… It’s very good here”, said the back belt.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Galvão wants more MMA this year

The victory in MMA debut was great to the two times BJJ world champion André Galvão, and he already received proposal from other events. “A Canadian event invited me to fight in October, Strikeforce called me too and WEC’s matchmaker, that came to watch my fight, showed some interests too”, said Galvão, that wants to fight twice this year. “I’m ready, physically well and I wanna do other fights. I got out with no injuries, so I’m ready for the next fight”. Still in San Diego helping the training of the BJJ world champion Xande Ribeiro, that debut in Sengoku, and Ronaldo Jacaré, who’s on the Dream middleweight GP’s finals, Galvão already dreams with a MMA belt. “I know it’s too soon, but it’s my dream. I wanna do my way in MMA and get my welterweight belt in a big event. To achieve that, I’ll keep training Jiu-Jitsu and try to become a more complete fighter”, said the athlete.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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DANZIG SEES GUIDA AS KEY TO TOP LIGHTWEIGHTS

With the recent success of both Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans, “The Ultimate Fighter” has been proven a successful building ground for future champions. The winner of Season 6, Mac Danzig, is hopeful to keep that formula alive. His next step up the lightweight ladder is Wednesday night against Clay Guida.

In his first fight out since the show, Danzig put away Brazilian Jiu-jitsu ace Mark Bocek at UFC 74 in Montreal, but following the fight he was forced to take some time off with a knee injury.

Coming into the fight with Guida, the former Pittsburgh native says he is 100 percent healthy and ready to compete.

“The knee’s good going into the fight,” Danzig said during an appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. “I could stand to have a little bit more range of motion with it. It’s still not at 100 percent range of motion wise, but there’s no more pain or anything.”

In a previous interview discussing his opponent, Danzig had been quoted as calling Guida a “gatekeeper,” but the Xtreme Couture team member wants everyone, including Guida, to know that it was not meant as an insult to him at all.

“I think I said he’s kind of like a gatekeeper, but I didn’t mean that in a bad way,” Danzig commented. “A lot of people they just saw that quote and they didn’t read the rest of my interview, because that’s how people are, and they whined and cried about it and said that I was insulting him, but I’m not.

“He’s a gatekeeper to the Top 5, Top 10 of the weight class. He’s arguably still in the Top 10 in the UFC’s 155er’s. Beating him puts you in a position where you’re going to be fighting those Top 5 guys. That’s huge.”

Guida, of course, presents an extremely tough challenge to Danzig with his well rounded skills and cardio that seems to go forever. It’s that challenge that gives Danzig all the motivation he needs leading into the fight.

“It’s not hard to get motivated to train for this fight. I’ve always trained hard for every fight I’ve had, but this fight is just like, it’s a great fight for both of us and our careers,” he commented.

“His style definitely poses problems for me. Since he is so wrestling oriented, the best style match-up for me isn’t a guy who wants to take me down and he does want to take me down.”

Ultimately, facing Guida could be the catapult to making Danzig a true contender in an already stacked 155-pound division. The former King of the Cage champion understands that all too well.

“Beating him puts me a in a really good position in my career.”

Danzig will get his chance as he faces off against Guida on Wednesday night at UFC Fight Night 15 in Omaha, Neb.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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WEC CHAMP MIGUEL TORRES DEFENDS IN DECEMBER

Top ranked bantamweight Miguel Torres is gearing up to defend his World Extreme Cagefighting title in December, and while his opponent has yet to be named, he expects it to be undefeated Manny "The Mangler" Tapia.

"I fight Dec. 3. I don't know who I'm going to fight yet, but I'm going to fight whoever they bring to me," Torres told MMAWeekly.com. "I don't know the venue. I think it might be in Vegas."

While he will fight whomever the WEC lines up, he has his sights set on Tapia. "Like I said, I'm down to fight whoever they have in my weight class. I think Manny Tapia will be an exciting fight because he'll want to bang the whole time. Brian Bowles too, is very explosive standing up and has a good ground game. But I'm hoping to fight anybody," said Torres.

"They have a long list of guys for me to fight, but I think the guy next in line is going to be Manny Tapia. I think him first and then after that, whoever."

Defending his title and the opening of his new gym are Torres’ main focus these days, but the Chicago resident thinks a super fight with WEC featherweight titleholder Urijah Faber will happen somewhere down the line.

"I'd love to do that fight, man. I know it's going to have to happen eventually," commented the 135-pound fighter. "He's the champion in his weight class. I'm the champion in mine. It's a super fight. It's going to have to happen."

Torres has a 34-1-0 professional mixed martial arts record and became the WEC bantamweight champion on Feb. 13 when he defeated Chase Beebe by guillotine choke in the first round.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Postponement Afflicts Fighters with Frustration

First came Affliction “Banned,” then came Affliction Postponed.

Less than two months after Affliction’s heavyweight-loaded debut card on July 19, the fledgling mixed martial arts promotion last week set tongues a waggin’ throughout the fight world by abruptly postponing its scheduled second show on Oct. 11 and rescheduling it for Jan. 17.

Ticket sales for “Day of Reckoning” were slow, at least in part because unlike the July 19 card, MMA superstar Fedor Emelianenko, the top-ranked heavyweight in the world, was not in the Oct. 11 plans. The decision to delay the event was met with concern over Affliction’s long-term viability as a fight promotion.

At a joint press conference in Las Vegas on Saturday, Affliction and Golden Boy Promotions -- a high-profile boxing organization headed by 10-time world champion Oscar de la Hoya -- confirmed a hotly rumored landmark partnership between the two Southern California companies that includes the controversial plan to commingle boxing and MMA. Whether or not Affliction’s partnership with Golden Boy puts worries about its viability to bed remains to be seen.

Nothing concrete was provided at the news conference on reports that Emelianenko will headline the Jan. 17 show at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., scene of Affliction’s debut. The Oct. 11 card was to have been staged at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.

Whatever factored into the decision on the corporate level, the sudden postponement rained down upheaval on the long-planned schedules of the fighters who had been training for Oct. 11 bouts, producing reactions from understandably deep frustration to a more resigned, MMA world-weary feeling.

Heavyweight Paul Buentello, who had been scheduled to fight International Fight League champion Roy Nelson, is among the former.

“It took the wind out of my sails, man,” said Buentello, back home in Amarillo, Texas, after leaving his training camp at the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif. “It’s totally frustrating. I was pretty fired up. The past couple weeks of training has been really hard, and I walk into the gym ready to go and thinking about sparring, and then I got the news from [AKA trainer] ‘Crazy’ Bob [Cook].”

Buentello did not believe Cook until one of his AKA teammates, Trevor Prangley, walked into the gym. Prangley was set to take on 2000 Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland in a middleweight bout at “Day of Reckoning.”

“I’m like, ‘Are you serious?’ I thought [Cook] was joking around,” Buentello said. “You know, I didn’t believe him until I saw Trevor Prangley’s face walk into the gym, and Trevor Prangley is like, ‘Did you hear about the news?’ And it was downhill from there. I didn’t want to train. As soon as I left the gym, I made my reservations, and I came back home.”

Buentello plans to stay on top of his training but says “now it’s time to focus on me and on the family, relax a little bit and find out” what the future holds for Affliction and where he fits into the picture. Reached by Sherdog prior to Saturday’s news conference, Buentello indicated he had “no idea” why the Oct. 11 card was cancelled.

“I’m just crossing my fingers [that I’ll be on the January card],” Buentello said. “So we’ll see what pans out.”

For welterweight Jay Hieron, who had been slated to fight Drew Fickett on the Affliction card, the postponement was déjà vu all over again.

“I’m pretty much used to that,” Hieron (15-4) said. “The same thing happened back in August with the IFL. I was training for that fight [against Brad Blackburn] for Aug. 15, and they ended up cancelling that show. And the promotion went under.”

Even so, the frustration is palpable, he said.

“The life of being a fighter,” Hieron said with deep resignation in his voice. “Ups and downs.”

Hieron learned of the postponement via a phone call from Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio.

“He told me big things are going to be happening. That’s why they postponed the show. From what he was saying, it’s a good thing,” said Hieron, also contacted by Sherdog before Saturday’s news conference and therefore unwilling to divulge the contents of his conversation with Atencio – which apparently included Affliction’s partnership with Golden Boy.

Not wanting the training for his now-canceled bout to be for naught, Hieron said he is actively attempting to secure another fight for October.

“The good thing about my [Affliction] contract is that it’s non-exclusive, so I’m trying to find something around the same time to jump on somewhere,” he said. “I’m just keeping my body in shape. I’m keeping the intensity up [in hopes of landing that other fight].”

Despite his disappointment, Hieron put his best foot forward.

“I really try not to stress stuff that I can’t control, like this whole situation,” he said. “Of course, on Wednesday [upon learning about the postponement] I was a little stressed out about it, but whatever. I got in the gym [at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas], and I started sweating. It’s water under the bridge now.”

According to Hieron, assurances from Atencio that he would be on the January card -- presumably still fighting Fickett -- helped alleviate some of his concerns.

Heavyweight Ben Rothwell, who was to have fought Pedro Rizzo on Oct. 11, struck a more philosophical note upon hearing of the postponement, also in a phone call from Atencio.

“That’s just MMA,” Rothwell (29-6) said. “Just like it is in the ring, you think you have a sure thing, and you don’t. Don’t ever assume anything in our sport. Luckily, my past has prepared me for such things. I’ve been on shows and had them canceled, pulled out from underneath ya. I’ve got kinda used to it.”

Even so, Rothwell admitted in such instances, “you’re putting time into something, and it sucks.”

But not as much as, for say, fellow Affliction heavyweight Andrei Arlovski, who at considerable expense moved his training camp from Chicago to Los Angeles for the now-postponed card.

Unlike Arlovski (13-5), Rothwell did not incur major expenses.

“I have everything I need here [at Miletich Fighting Systems in Bettendorf, Iowa],” he said, “so it doesn’t cost me that way.”

Rothwell, also reached by Sherdog ahead of Saturday’s news conference, said that while Atencio told him why the card was being postponed, he was not at liberty to discuss their conversation.

“It’s a smarter choice for them to do what they’re doing,” he said in an apparent reference to the Golden Boy partnership. “It sucks for me, because I ain’t getting this fight in now, but overall, to see them progress and be legitimate to our sport and keep helping the fighters and challenging the UFC more, I think ultimately it’s gonna be better for all of us.”

Rothwell’s manager, Monte Cox, president of the Adrenaline MMA promotion, said he thought it was “silly” for Affliction to have scheduled a show without Emelianenko as a centerpiece.

“He’s the horse they’re riding,” Cox said, “and if he’s not involved, then I think they’re making a mistake.”

Rothwell hopes to be on Affliction’s January card, but he has learned not to hold his breath.

“I don’t think there are any guarantees,” he said. “I don’t live my life with guarantees. I hope and I prepare for the best, but anything can happen.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Golden Opportunity

Further proof that perspective is everything: Affliction CEO Tom Atencio’s announcement Saturday that his fledging MMA banner would partner up with Golden Boy Promotions for a series of mixed-discipline fight cards beginning in 2009 was trumpeted as a “major announcement” by executives.

And it was, for reasons we’ll get to shortly. But MMA fans, spoiled to the gills with loss-leading mega-fights and a steady schedule of three or four-hour events, cried foul. They don’t want boxing infecting their sport, to have ponderous stand-up bouts diluting their free-for-all wares.

It’s a valid argument. Too bad they have things mixed up: Boxing isn’t contaminating MMA. MMA is injecting itself into boxing.

(Sick of the labored medical metaphors? Good, because I’m fresh out.)

As a viscera-loving fight fan that doesn’t give one red turnbuckle about the comparatively one-dimensional sport of boxing and who will absolutely be checking out for bathroom or snack duty at regular intervals during one of these integrated cards, I’m nonetheless appreciative.

This experiment isn’t for me, or for you -- it’s for a generation of ruddy-faced boxing purists who would sooner eat a boiled leather glove before sitting down for an evening staring at the Spike network, crude home of the human cockfight.

Atencio and Co. strapping themselves, Yoda-like, on the back of Golden Boy is a move designed to attract an entirely new demographic to the sport, one that hasn’t yet had the UFC logo practically seared into their brains with a branding iron. It’s a market that has yet to be directly appealed to despite their proven willingness to spend gobs of money when properly solicited. (The May 2007 Oscar De La Hoya/Floyd Mayweather snotbuster yielded 2.4 million viewers, over double that of the UFC’s biggest single-night earner.)

These fans have disposable cash and they like when athletes get punched in the face. An unholy marriage this isn’t.

Reaching out to ignored (and ignoring) audiences worked very well for the UFC earlier this year, when Brock Lesnar rallied his pro wrestling audience into ordering UFC 81 650,000 times. That’s a record for 2008 likely to be broken only by -- wait for it -- Lesnar’s meeting with Randy Couture in November. It was the rare white flag from the sport, which usually preoccupies itself with a superiority complex and dismisses everything from fake grappling to boxing as spectacles either for mental deficients or elderly men resembling Bert Sugar.

The industry can benefit from this amalgamation, providing it loses a little of that hubris.

Critics mewl about the odd tonal shifts, claiming that boxing will look rigid next to an MMA fight, and MMA’s stand-up battles will look awkward next to a polished set of hands on the undercard. True? Perhaps -- and perhaps boxing fans who have dismissed MMA as a sloppy bar dispute will be interested to see how someone like Andrei Arlovski fares in both areas, as has been rumored. Alternately, their interest in the “sweet science” could conceivably dwindle when it’s mashed up against the more dynamic options available in a freestyle fight.

Dilution? Fact is, out of any substantial MMA event, there are usually only three or four truly compelling bouts out of nine or 10 scheduled. Assuming Affliction weeds out the chaff and leaves its marquee bouts in place, I don’t see any appreciable loss of quality in the proposition.

The idea that someone like De La Hoya would strap on a pair of four-ounce gloves would obviously merge two disparate demographics together. That’s clearly not going to happen, but De La Hoya plying his trade on the same card that Fedor Emelianenko is plying his -- certainly a feasible possibility -- is the kind of synergy that can only help both sports.

If the Olympics telecast can entertain 70 percent of the world’s population by alternating swimming with judo with gymnastics, I think the fight industry can weather a slightly less jarring blend of athleticism.
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Another publicly-traded company gets involved in MMA

CORAL SPRINGS, FL, Sep 15, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- CineMaya Media Group (PINKSHEETS: CNMY) subsidiary The MMA Independent Alliance announced their first featured event in what is a series of many titled "BRUTAL FIGHTNIGHT" for November 6, 2008 at the MYTH Nightclub in

Minneapolis, MN and November 22, 2008 in St. Cloud, MN.
Nick Gamst, President of MMA Independent Alliance, and a MMA Veteran, has produced several past events under the Brutal Fightnight banner. The events have been extremely successful and he is planning additional events under the Brutal Banner in the future throughout the country.

The MMA Independent Alliance is working on an aggressive sponsorship program that will generate additional revenues and profits.
"Our Marketing Dept. is working on a publicity campaign for Nick Gamst which will include web, financial, print and broadcast. Nick will detail his business model and how The MMA Independent Alliance will complement organizations such as the UFC and add a new dynamic to the industry," stated Rick Papaleo, President of CineMaya Media Group Inc.
"
I look forward to the challenges associated with The MMA Independent Alliance and I am confident of its success. What we have is the total package for growth and developing fighters as well as turnkey complete program for promoters, advertisers, sponsors and fans alike. Our new MMA Website should be launched this week and our Social Network is under development as well. I have advised Rick to setup a forum with the shareholders as I welcome the opportunity to discuss the new entity and our bright future ahead. I think it is important for everyone to understand the value we are developing and realize the great profitability involved with this venture. Our goal is not to compete with the UFC but to work and grow with the industry and combine different aspects of sports and entertainment under one roof so that we can appeal to a mass audience but maintain our focus and message," stated Nick Gamst, President of MMA Independent Alliance.

The MMA Independent Alliance plans 18-20 Fight Events in 2009.
About The MMA Independent Alliance
The MMA Independent Alliance is a consortium of Independent Mixed Martial Arts Producers that will produce 3-5 events a year for the alliance under the MMA Independent Alliance Banner. The Alliance will supply national marketing and advertising, public relations (for events and fighters), business development services as well as working partnerships with entertainment live event producers. The business plan also includes acquisitions which will include fight promotions, management / merchandising and public relations opportunities.

About CineMaya Media Group Inc.:
CineMaya Media Group Inc. is a business development company with of a consortium of Independent Event Promoters and Managers in the Sports and Entertainment industry with Media and Marketing Divisions that include strong support and promotional strategies.
Services to include: Sporting and Entertainment Live Events, Sports Management, Traditional & New Media /Marketing /Publicity /Public Relations, Merchandising and Licensing services and a distribution for Pay Per View Events and the sale of Merchandising and Event Films
 
Jul 24, 2005
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Guillard Arrested on Drug Probation Violation

by Loretta Hunt )



UFC lightweight contender Melvin Guillard was arrested Aug. 13 in Houston for violating probation on a 2007 drug charge, a Harris County deputy told Sherdog.com.

The 25-year-old New Orleans native is in custody at the Harris County jail in Houston, the deputy said last Thursday, and will be released to a drug treatment facility as soon as space becomes available per the terms of his recently amended probation.

Details of the violation were not readily available.

Guillard (21-7-2) was quietly pulled last week from a scheduled bout with Spencer Fisher at UFC 90 on Oct. 25 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill. Fisher will now face southern California standout Shannon Gugerty (11-2).

Guillard, who is 4-3 inside the Octagon after a 36-second onslaught on German Denis Siver at UFC 86 in July, was originally arrested on Aug. 3 2007 for possession of a controlled substance (less than a gram). Under a two-year probation finalized on Oct. 10, 2007, Guillard was deferred jail time in favor of a fine, restitution and/or community service, and had to report regularly to a parole officer.

The 25-year-old fighter’s indiscretions have stalled his career before. The Nevada State Athletic Commission suspended Guillard for eight months after he tested positive for Benzoylegonine, a metabolite of cocaine, following his April 2007 loss to Joe Stevenson at UFC Fight Night 9 in Las Vegas.

Guillard admitted to using cocaine six days before the contest, believing the substance would be out of his system within 72 hours.

Calls to Guillard’s management were not returned
 
Jul 24, 2005
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RASHAD EVANS: "I'M EXCITED TO FIGHT SOMEBODY A LOT LIKE MYSELF"

By Percy Crawford | September 15, 2008

"I knew I was going to get his ass. I knew I was going to get him and when I did, it was like people were about to cry. It got so quiet in there…I'm excited to fight somebody a lot like myself. We were both Ultimate Fighters and now it's season 1 vs. season 2," stated UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans as he talked about his impressive KO of Chuck Liddell and his future plans. Check out what else he had to say about his performance, the criticism he's received about his celebration, his anticipated title challenge with Forrest Griffin and much more. read More

http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content3428.html?PHPSESSID=697f6e00942c0995f5ddb330c8481ca4
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Gesias Cavalcante Interview

After his losses in Dream's lightweight GP, Gesias Cavalcante is back on training in American Top Team after a knee surgery. In an exclusive interview for TATAME, Gesias spoke the preparation for back on fighting, the recovering from the knee injury, his plans for the next year and commented Thiago Silva and Antônio "Bigfoot"'s problems. Check below the complete interview with the two times Hero's champion, Gesias Cavalcante.

Will you fight again this year?

Probably by the end of this year. The way things are going, I might be back by new years eve.

Do you know who’ll be your opponent?

I have no idea. They don’t tell me two weeks before, why will they tell three months?

How is your knee?

Everything is fine now, thanks God. I went to the doctor today and he told me is fine… He’ll prepare an kneepad for my knee so that I can come back to training.

What are your plans for 2009? Will you continue in Japan or go to USA? Did UFC talk to you?

I’ll stay in Japan. I have two more fights to do and let’s see how it’s going to be. UFC doesn’t go after you, they want you to knock on theirs door and ask for a chance…

What did you think about Bigfoot Silva’s problem with the drug test?

Bigfoot’s doping is something like, if I could, I’d bet my life believing on him. If he could put his life in danger taking some drugs he’d risk my life too… He would become a homicide and a suicide. Antônio is doing the right thing, he’s with an excellent lawyer and trying to prove his innocence. Athletic Comission thinks that is more powerful than anything… I had some problems with them too in the past, when I fought at K-1 Dynamite USA and they charged me for not making weight for the fight, but they had some problems with the scale and everybody had problems. After that they knew that they were wrong, but they did nothing to show it to media and clean my image. If a weight can do this, imagine something like doping…

How is Thiago Silva after the injury?

His situation is more simple. He’s with a vertebra injury and a muscle contraction… He can’t train normally for a fight that can put him for the belt. People have to understand that a fighter are normal human beings and injury is the most normal thing in this sport. The level today is so high that you can’t fight without being 100%... Thiago is an excellent fighter and knows what he wants, and it’s not an incident like this that will chance his focus. Now is moving forward and faith in God!
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Greg Jackson: The Swamp Fox of MMA

"I love the mist coming off the trees," Greg Jackson says staring at the early morning fog enshrouding the Georgia pine. "It reminds me of Francis Marion." Just the fact that he knows who Francis "The Swamp Fox" Marion is turns my head. I'm an Army officer who sees the world through historical blunders and tactical victories, so Jackson is treading on my turf. Like he cares. Shocking people has become a hobby of his and he'd just pulled off his biggest surprise party the night prior when Rashad Evans knocked Chuck Liddell off the ‘top ten light heavyweights in the world' list. I've had a relationship with Jackson for over a year, but like the rest of the world, I'm learning that he has a knack for unpredictability; a facet that reinforces his nearly mythical status.

It's roughly eight o'clock in the morning and we've just finished an hour-long workout with Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The soldiers catch their breath and cool down, but Jackson, covered in grass and sweat, is amped. "I can't think of a better way to start the day," he tells the troops. His days immediately after a stressful event like UFC 88 should be reserved for decompressing and relaxation, but instead he's on a road trip with me to spend a couple of days with soldiers in the muggy southern heat. That doesn't stop the MMA world from trying to find him despite the poor cell phone coverage.

"You have to continually evolve or perish," he tells a writer as he throws his feet on the dashboard (good thing it's a rental). "Chuck got predictable. We noticed that he dropped his left when he threw a right uppercut, so when Rashad saw it coming he did exactly what we practiced. He threw that overhand and found an unprotected chin."

Few, if any, gave Evans a chance of beating Liddell, much less knocking him out cold. But the X factor was Jackson and his ability to spot flaws in a fighter's game like no one else, so there's a justifiable hint of "I told you so" in his voice. In a brief moment of vexation, he releases his internal filter about certain MMA pundits. "They only see round-by-round, not the whole battle. It's short-sighted," he says tossing his iPhone on the dash.

Jackson is at Fort Stewart to pass along his knowledge to soldiers in the hopes that he can teach them something that might save their life in combat. But before that happens, they want to pass along some of their skills to him. The Cotton Baler Battalion, a unit steeped in tradition going back to the War of 1812, treats Jackson to a weapons range, something he revels in. Although a firm believer in liberal principles, he's got no problem with guns and smiles like he's just deciphered Sun Tzu when a sergeant hands him an M4 carbine and four clips of ammo. An hour later he's blown through those and four more, completing the standard qualification table against an array of pop-up targets.

"That was fun as hell," he says putting his weapon back on the rack. But fun isn't actually the goal. The range forces him to wear the same gear that troops do in combat-body armor and Kevlar helmet-so he gets an appreciation for just how encumbered they are and how difficult fighting is while wearing it. He makes a mental note of it for the seminar.

After a quick lunch in the mess hall we're on the way to the gym when a nagging issue gets the best of him. "Did you have guys on that WEC card?" our driver, Sergeant Venn asks, referring to the WEC 36 event that got postponed two months due to Hurricane Ike. "Yeah. I don't know how the hell I'm going to get them ready now," Jackson says scratching his beard. "It's tough enough getting a fighter prepared and doing all the things necessary to make sure he peaks at the right time. Then you tell him he has to wait eight weeks and…man that's tough. I don't know how I'm going to do it."

I'm sure he'll find a way, but there's no time to dwell on it. It's time for the main event. One step inside the gym door and Jackson's demeanor flips like a light switch as fifty sets of eyes descend upon him. This is his world. He downs an energy drink and commences teaching the Cotton Balers techniques they can use in any situation from Baghdad to Cleveland. Quick chokes, takedowns, and takedown defense comprise the first two hours before transitioning to the ground for the last one. "Forget jiu jitsu," he tells them. "With all that gear you need good old ground and pound."

"I can't believe how simple and effective some of these moves are," Captain Reza Shams remarks about the Jackson method for achieving a quick rear choke position. "That's one I'm going to keep with me."

On the mat Jackson sheds his "aw shucks" demeanor and takes charge like a true leader getting down to the most serious business possible-building better fighters and possibly saving lives. It's clear that teaching is what he was born to do. It's an all-consuming passion that fuels his insomnia and forces a daily regimen of energy drinks that makes outsiders cringe. Most people have three meals a day. Jackson has a cocktail of synthetic fuels that would give a rhino cardiac arrest.

The impetus for spending his life energy on others is fear. He's afraid of disappointing those who count on him-an act of selfless service that soldiers know well. Two nights prior it wasn't Rashad Evans who Jackson was nervous for. It was Nate Marquardt, who stopped Martin Kampmann in his tracks and ended his nine fight win streak by outstriking a striker. "I would have blamed myself a long time if he hadn't won," Jackson admits. "I always think I could have done more when a fighter loses."

That dedication to his men is reciprocated in their devotion to him; a point the Cotton Balers recognize and reward when the Battalion Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Greg Sierra, presents Jackson with a Battalion coin; a small symbol of respect among men who don't dole it out easily.

Were he still alive, Francis Marion would dub Greg Jackson ‘The Swamp Fox of MMA.' He leads an underrated band of devotees and uses the cover of his enemy's misplaced confidence to hit and run promotions from Las Vegas to Fairfax before withdrawing with as little fanfare as possible. He refuses to stagnate like the British who mired themselves in major urban areas and sought refuge behind futile fixed positions. The Redcoats were incapable of adapting to the unconventional ways of Marion's raiders or give them any respect for the formidable fighting force they were and in the end were defeated by their own contempt. Jackson's harassment of the sport and innovative thinking is no different.

But his days of being underestimated are numbered. Evans' KO was the shot heard round the MMA world that brought more attention to The Swamp Fox than he bargained for. Like Randy Couture, who was roundly doubted for coming out of retirement to fight Tim Sylvia, Jackson will find it very difficult to be the underdog after so many upset performances from his stable of fighters. The MMA community will expect more from the man who finds comfort in anonymity and then what will he do?

I'm betting he'll surprise us all again.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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5 Oz. Exclusive: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira predicts Couture to defeat Lesnar in new interview

Former PRIDE heavyweight and current UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is only 32 years of age but is already a legend in the martial art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the sport of mixed martial arts.

Despite an amazing resume that includes a 31-4-1 record with notable victories over Tim Sylvia, Josh Barnett, Fabricio Werdum, Ricco Rodriguez, Mirko Cro Cop, Sergei Kharitonov, Mark Coleman, Dan Henderson, Bob Sapp, and Semmy Schilt, Nogueira still has yet to become the star in the U.S. that he was in Japan.

However, starting this Wednesday at 11 p.m. ET, things for Nogueira will change as make his reality television debut and begins to reap the benefits of being attached to the UFC’s most prominent marketing vehicle: “The Ultimate Fighter.”

Nogueira and Frank Mir will serve as opposing coaches on this year’s show as they each will get the opportunity to work with four lightweight and four light heavyweight fighters striving for the goal of becoming the next Ultimate Fighter. Then on Dec. 27 in Las Vegas, the two will square off for Nogueira’s interim heavyweight title and the right to face the winner of the Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar heavyweight title fight scheduled for UFC 91 on Nov. 15.

Even though the show has yet to air, Nogueira is already reaping the benefits from being involved with the show, as he’s receiving a lot of exposure after having done a media tour for the show on behalf of Spike TV last week. During his tour, FiveOuncesOfPain.com received an opportunity for an exclusive interview where we discussed Minotauro’s experience on TUF; his feelings about the return of Randy Couture and whether he resents him for leaving in the first place; his prediction on the Couture vs. Lesnar fight; his thoughts on Rafael Feijao and Lyoto Machida, and more.

Sam Caplan: Can you talk about your experience as a coach on “The Ultimate Fighter?”

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: I had a good time and I had a good team. Before I became a professional fighter I was a jiu-jitsu coach and I did some boxing as well. So I had good coaching experience. I coach the Nogueira team with my brother in Brazil, where I coach jiu-jitsu and MMA. So to me it wasn’t that hard of a job. My team helped me a lot. They were all very good. So it was a good time and a good experience to coach on the show.

Sam Caplan: When Randy Couture left, you expressed in interviews that you would have liked an opportunity to fight him for the title. Did you take it as a sign of disrespect that he was so focused on a fight with Fedor that he felt he need to walk away instead of fighting you?

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: I don’t care what other people say. I care about doing my job and reaching my goal. My goal is to fight for the belt. I wanted to fight Couture when I came to the UFC and he left. But he is back now and I could have a chance to fight against him. My goal is to fight Randy and to win the fight. I am thinking a lot about it and I intend to do everything in my strength to fight for the belt.

Sam Caplan: How do you feel about Brock Lesnar getting the first opportunity to fight Randy Couture for the heavyweight title?

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: Brock Lesnar is a marketable fighter. He could be big in the UFC and I think he’s good for business. He’s a good fighter and in his early fights he’s shown he’s legit and that’s why he’s getting a chance. He’s a fighter with a style that makes things harder for Randy Couture because he’s a wrestler. Lesnar will probably try to play the top. But Couture is a more experienced fighter and I think he’s going to do better in the stand up with his hands and that’s why I think he’s going to be the winner of that fight.

Sam Caplan: Your twin brother, Rogerio Minotoro, is an extremely talented fighter in his own right. Has he ever been offered an opportunity to compete for the UFC?

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: Rogerio Nogueira is fighting for Affliction now and he’s very satisfied there. (But) I’d love to see us fighting again for the same organization. The UFC might be good for him. It’s a good name and a good brand. But for now, he’s fighting for Affliction.

Sam Caplan: You’re a co-trainer of EliteXC light heavyweight Rafael Feijao. He has demolished his competition so far. How do you think he would be in the UFC light heavyweight division?

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: I think that whenever he goes to the UFC that he’s going to do great. He’s a really good talent; a great fighter. He’s one of the best at 205 in the world right now. He’s new to a lot of people but they’ve got to see this guy. I first saw him a couple of years ago. I was going to buy a farm and he was studying to be a veternarian and I saw him walking a goat. He said some things to me. So I go to his house and he had mats there and I found out he was a black belt in jiu-jitsu. So I rolled with him. The first time I trained with this guy I thought he was going to be a champ. So I asked him to become a professional fighter and to move to my place. And he immediately started out very well in his training but I pushed him very hard for years. He trained three times a day every day for three or four years and now he’s a big name. He’s going to going to be the champ for Elite(XC) for sure and in the future when he gets to the UFC he’s going to be a beast.

Sam Caplan: Speaking of Feijao, I was at his last fight in July in Stockton when he beat Travis Galbraith. And after the fight I went back to my hotel the same night after he had fought I saw you and your brother out jogging at night while everyone was at after-parties. It just surprised me to see you working so hard so late at night with your fight still many months away. Can you talk about the motivation for pushing yourself like that?

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: The motivation is that if I want to be the champ, I’ve got to train. My brother was supposed to fight in October so it wasn’t that far. When he has a fight, we train together. And when I have a fight, he trains me and motivates me. That’s why we workout together and we’ve worked together successfully for many years. It’s easy to become a champ but it’s hard to stay there. He keeps me up all the time. He makes me food every day. He takes care of my diet and he takes care of my training. And I take care of his MMA and his jiu-jitsu because I’ve coached boxing and coaches jiu-jitsu. We’ve worked together very hard.

Sam Caplan: I wanted to ask you about another fellow countryman, Lyoto Machida. Do you feel he’s getting the respect he deserves?

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: Lyoto Machida deserves a title shot. He’s a good fighter. He’s very successful in his fighting. He’s a very respectful guy. He has a lot of power and good jiu-jitsu. He has good Karate with good kicks. He’s a good athlete and good all-around. He uses combinations and puts on a good show. In his last fight vs. Tito (Ortiz), he dominated the fight. Tito couldn’t put him down or control him. He had a hard time with him so I think he deserves to have a title shot. And when he gets his title shot I believe he’s going to be the 205 champ of the UFC.
 
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Gono updated his blog

Akihiro Gono updated his blog.

I had an interview with a Japanese MMA magazine, "Kakutougitsushin." In the interview, I had a talk with Genki Sudo. We used to train together when he was a fighter. He is one of famous celebrities in Japan now and I hadn't seen him for a long time. I felt kinda strange today. He used to be a close friend of mine, but I felt he was not so close friend anymore when I saw him. The longer we talked, the more I remembered fond memories of him. He hasn't changed at all. I had great time with him. He told me about his life plan when we trained together, and he is living as he planned. He is a very positive and ambitious guy. He brought me lots of positive energy today. I suppose he hasn't accomplished his goal yet. I like the way he lives and I'm sure he is the one who inspires me to greater efforts.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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David Loiseau inches closer to UFC return with win over Solomon Hutcherson

David Loiseau defeated Solomon Hutcherson over the weekend via fifth round technical knockout to earn the Xtreme MMA (XMMA) middleweight title at the Claude Robillard Sports Complex in Montreal, Canada.

It was a big (and gutsy) win for “The Crow” — his third straight since a controversial split decision loss Jason Day earlier this year — because it gets him once step closer to a UFC return.

The Canadian was at one time a top 185-pound title contender. In fact, he challenged then-champion Rich Franklin for his belt at UFC 58: “USA vs. Canada” in 2006, losing to “Ace” in a lopsided unanimous decision.

Loiseau had won four of five bouts inside the Octagon, including stoppages of Evan Tanner, Charles McCarthy and Mark Weir, to earn the opportunity.

After the loss to Franklin, however, Loiseau dropped three of his next four and fell of the radar. He was cut from the promotion rather abruptly after a unanimous decision loss to Mike Swick at UFC 63: “Hughes vs. Penn” in September 2006.

Loiseau — who trains with welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and Patrick Cote, among others — has been working hard ever since in smaller shows to be invited back.

And he may have done it this weekend, which would be good news for him and the middleweight division.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Gary Shaw Talks Golden Boy-Affliction Partnership

The news of Affliction Fighting's new partnership with Golden Boy Promotions wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire around the boxing folks at the MGM Grand this weekend. They were in attendance for the Joel Casamayor-Juan Manuel Marquez fight. Affliction and Golden Boy are fooling themselves if they think ANY of the boxing media on hand was happy to learn that they may have to watch future cards featuring both boxing and mixed martial arts fights. There's simply no experience amongst the 'young' fellas in the boxing media with MMA and they view it as competition akin to taking bread off of their plates. And if you've seen much of the boxing media, you know not to mess with their plates.

One guy in attendance does have an open mind but not necessarily with this merger. Gary Shaw, a boxing promoter and the former frontman for EliteXC, doesn't think the Affliction-Golden Boy partnership has a chance in hell of working.

Shaw described the MMA fans as a sort of cult who won't be open to the pacing of boxing. He also said there is no market in boxing for apparel. The apparel market in MMA has exploded because the fans live the sport's "lifestyle." Shaw thinks that boxing doesn't have fans that follow the sport with such loyalty to buy t-shirts and gear that runs $40+.
 
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RENZO GRACIE DOCUMENTARY ANNOUNCED

The inaugural U.S. Sports Film Festival, the most comprehensive sports film festival in United States history, today announced the first series of nine films selected to be screened during the three-day run from October 23-26.

The festival will debut the Mixed Martial Arts documentary “Renzo Gracie: Legacy,” the life story of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu master and the American patriarch of one of the world’s fastest rising sports, as well as “Kassim The Dream,” the story of Ugandan-born boxing world champion Kassim Ouma, a kidnapped child soldier and his struggles to break free and regain his life as a professional athlete, will lead the fight films track for the festival.

“Philadelphia is a city whose fans and teams are always battling for recognition, and we felt that the city that gave us ‘Rocky’ and Smokin’ Joe Frazier would really take to a track of new films on MMA and boxing. These two are certainly amongst the most compelling,” said festival founder and president Stephan Hartman. “Given MMA’s rising popularity worldwide and its recent approval for competition in the state of Pennsylvania, the debut of the life story of such a living legend as Renzo Gracie was a perfect fit. We also think the story of Kassim Ouma, both as an athlete and a person, is one that fans will really be blown away by. It is our pleasure to lead our first series of festival announcements with these two amazing life stories of two incredible fighters.”

Each film will include a series of events involving the stars and makers of the films, who will be on hand to discuss all the elements that went into making these landmarks. Already, nearly 100 films have been submitted for review ranging from the traditional sports to Mixed Martial Arts, Extreme Endurance Racing and even Pin Trading. The remaining list of 10 films, many to be seen on a big screen for the first time, will be released in the coming weeks.

Additionally, the first 10 films also include a series of classic films by director Mark Ciardi, including “Invincible,” “Miracle,” and “The Rookie.”