FORMER MIDLEWEIGHT UFC CHAMPION MURILO BUSTAMANTE AND UFC FIGHTER ROUSIMAR “TOQUINHO” PALHARES

STAMFORD, CT – May 6, 2012 – On May 10, two of the arguably best fighters in the world will be visiting Stamford, CT. Former UFC Middleweight champion Murilo Bustamante and Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares who on Saturday, May 5, fought Alan Belcher at UFC on FOX TV as the UFC made its third appearance on the TV network, will be visiting C3 Athletics for a four-hour seminar that is open to the public.

Murilo Bustamante is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Middleweight Champion. He is one of the founders of the Brazilian Top Team. He holds notable victories over  Dave Menne (twice), Matt Lindland and Ikuhisa Minowa. Murilo Bustamante is a black belt under the renowned Carlson Gracie. He has won numerous world titles in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, including the World Championships of Jiu-Jitsu. His impressive MMA resume includes wins over Jerry Bohlander of the Lion’s Den, Ikuhisa Minowa, Ryuta Sakurai, Dave Menne (which won him the UFC middleweight championship) and top ranked and previously undefeated Middleweight Matt Lindland.

Rousimar “Toquinho” PalharesEver since Palhares entered the fray at UFC 84 he has solidified his reputation for spectacular submission finishes. With a penchant for heel hooks and an astonishing ten of his fourteen victories coming by way of bone-crunching tapout, ”Torquinho” is always favored to end the fight once he secures a limb.

Rousimar Palhares was born in a town called Dores do Indaiá in the interior region of Minas Gerais – in 1980. He was raised in an extremely humble environment, working from a young age on nearby farms. When he was 15, after watching some Mixed Martial Arts competitions, he decided he wanted to become a fighter and started training every chance he had after work with Iran Brasileiro, a black belt from the Pantera Negra gym.

Competing in a few minor shows for the “Pantera Negra” gym, he believed he had potential to fight on a bigger stage, but in order to do so he needed to leave his home town and find professional training. He borrowed 300 reals (around 170 dollars) from his brother to go to Rio de Janeiro and pursue his dream.

Rousimar sought out the Brazilian Top Team (BTT) – the most famous MMA team at the time in Brazil – from a magazine and went there to train. As money was scarce and Rousimar had to make the most of his brother’s loan, he lived on the streets for the first three weeks of training to save money for food. When Murilo Bustamante and Bebeo Duarte (the BTT owners) found out about this, they took Rousimar under their wing and gave him shelter.

Still, his times in the beginning were hard and it is said that he gave his first prize money to his mother so she could buy pots and pans.

In 2005 “Touquinho” put his name on the Jiu Jitsu map. Although he had MMA in his mind, he was convinced by his trainers that participating in the ADCC (The World’s most prestigious Submission Grappling event) would give him notoriety and it would promote him for MMA. Rousimar was just a purple belt then, but he raised quite a few eyebrows as he won the Brazilian trials submitting World Black Belt Champion Romulo Barral along the way. Unfortunately for him, this wasn’t enough as his Visa was denied and he could not compete in the finals.

Rousimar continued his successful MMA career and by the end of 2007 he received his Black Belt in Jiu Jitsu from the hands of Murilo Bustamante and Bebeo Duarte.

Having had his chance to compete at the world’s biggest grappling event ADCC denied on 2 separate occasions, (once because of not being able to get a visa, and once because of injury) in 2011 Toquinho was once again invited, and this time he finally managed to come through and compete at the highest level. Rousimar did not disappoint, and made a fantastic run in his weight division winning a silver medal.

Rousimar has competed in the UFC ten times, with seven wins, most by submission.

The seminar at C3 Athletics, Stamford is open to the public and is for all levels. BEGINNERS ARE WELCOME. The seminar reservations can be purchased at C3 Athletics or online at https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/asp/home.asp?studioid=10193. We are close to capacity for the seminar, so please call Chris Mangone at C3 Athletics before you purchase tickets online to make sure there is still room. Along with your purchase you will receive a FREE 30 day trial at C3 Athletics. If you have been wanting to come by and check out C3 Athletics, then this will be a great opportunity to do so. The seminar will be a great combination of Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Boxing. Our trainers, coaches, and fighters are the best in the business and would like to share what they do with you in a friendly, fun and safe environment. So join us along with our friends Murilo Bustamante and Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares on May 10th. Come see what we are really all about.

About C3 Athletics
C3 Athletics is lower Connecticut’s premier fitness and martial arts training center. They home numerous expert trainers, including: Sean Hinds whose Muay Thai career spans 16 years and 30 professional fights; Cesar Pereira who is a 3^rd degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under Master Cassio Cardoso, Carlson Gracie Club Jiu- Jitsu; Danny “Joey” Valle is an undefeated professional boxer who is also the Golden Gloves champion with the fastest knock out, 6 seconds. In addition to Boxing, Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, they also offer fitness classes, children’s classes and personal training.

C3 Athletics is having a MMA Seminar on May 10th from 5-9PM. It will be hosted my former UFC Champion Murilo Bustamante and UFC Fighter Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares. Toquinho who will be fighting this Sat May 5th on UFC on FOX. http://www.ufc.com/event/FOX3#/fight/Rousimar-Palhares-Alan-Belcher. The Seminar is open to the public and is for all levels. BEGINNERS WELCOMED The seminar can be purchased here at C3 Athletics or online at https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/asp/home.asp?studioid=10193. Please hurry spots are limited and going fast. Along with you purchase you will receive a FREE 30 day trial at C3 Athletics. If you have been wanting to come by and check us at then this will be a great opportunity to do so. The seminar will be a great combination of Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Boxing. Our trainers, coaches , and fighters are the best in the business and would like to share what they do with you in a friendly, fun and safe environment. So join us along with our friends Murilo Bustamante and Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares on May 10th. Come see what we are really all about.

Daniel – From google maps.

If you are like me then you are very skeptical about where you train and who you train with because of all those who pass themselves as masters of an art they know very little about. Its true that good training is hard to find. I started out with karate when I was little with an authentic master from Japan and couldnt tell you how many times I’ve seen people pass themselves as karate masters without knowing a Kata or the essentials or karate. However, I realized not too many things about karate are paractical, although a good foundation, and searched for a gym where I could find some good boxing, jiu jitsu, and muay thai coaches. In Connecticut there are very few, especially when you try to get all three arts. I would argue there are only two. One being C3 athletics. The boxing coach is second to none, if you want to learn everything from the fundamentals to the pros Joey Valle is the one too do so with. Coming from a boxing family strining from a Puerto Rican( 1 of 3 master countries in boxing) boxing lineage he is undefeated amateur and pro. Our Jiu Jitsu coach is a 3rd degree black belt. Hes done an amazing job turning people I thought wouldnt fit in jiu jitsu and making them tournament champs. Our Muay thai coach Sean Hinds, is a legend in the New York scene, all you have to do is attend a muay thai event in New York and see how well he is respected by those he doesnt even teach or train with. There is also Stephane Smart a rising star straight out of Connecticut. Still you can have all the amazing coaches in the world but if they are not focused or ambitious to teach then there is no point, and luckily all these coaches love to teach. They’ve built great programs. There is tons of sparring, rolling, pad work, and technique learning which is why I’ve decided to stay with C3 for so long. A gym without putting all the techniques in practice is useless. You will have the opportunity to spar and train with many champions and many professional fighters even before you have your first amateur fight. The last and best part is the friendships you will make trainning at this gym. The trainers here are all great people and there are plenty of personalities and fun people. If youre not having fun doing something there is no point in doing it. I am not quick to recommend a gym but would do so for this one in a heart beat, but dont take my word for it come in and try it out for yourself see what you think about it.

<