BLOODY DC MMA

Light Out Combat comes to Manassas VA 6/22

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 23 Jun 2013 06:18:00 +0000

Northern Virginia's exciting mixed martial arts (MMA) scene continues to deliver knock outs during the Lights Out Combat Summer Mayhem 2013 at the Sports Network & Fitness in Manassas on Saturday. With a scheduled 17 fights and four title bouts, the event promises to deliver a night of action. Doors open at 6 p.m. at Sports Network & Fitness at 8320 Quarry Rd.

With Northern Virginia’s legacy of local fighters moving on the the national stage, fight fans won’t want to miss these bouts featuring some of the area’s most exciting rising amateur fighters. In the main event for the LOC Fights 155 pound title, Rob Watley( 4-1), will defend his belt against vs Cisco Isetta (4-0) fighting out of Pure Performance Martial Arts Center in Rockville, MD.
Watley an instructor at Royal Martial Arts in Maryland successfully defended his belt last April against Jeffrey Melvin. The co-main event for 185 pound title will pit Kristopher Bishop(Freedom MMA) 3-1 vs Daniel Cornett 2-1(Kaizen MMA).

The Lights Out Combat promotion has been around for seven years and have held shows in Winchester, Warrenton, Manassas and Ashbury. They pride themselves in having some of the best amateur fighters in the area.

With Bellator and UFC veterans like Kris McCray, Brian Van Hoven, Dustin Pague and recent Ultimate Fighter winner Colton Smith, all starting in our local mixed martial arts scene, fans won’t want to miss a chance to meet the next rising star of MMA from Northern Virginia.

OO Fights veteran Nate Jaime begins a violent assault on Jason Kirby who stepped up and took the challenge on just five days notice.

Event Results-
Jeff Melvin defeated Trevor Ragin by decision in a Muay Thia bout.

Jarreay Mobley defeated Pat Weaver in a submission grappling contest when Weaver's shoulder was injured.

Nathan Ferguson defeated Terrance Clark by unanimous decision.

Dave Reeves defeated Bobby Hess by submission in the first round.

Jayme Brice versus Ricky Richmond was declared a no contest when the ref stopped the fight to have the doctor check Richmond's injuries. The doctor declared Richmond unable to continue due to cuts and swollen eyes sustained from blows by his opponent. Under amateur boxing rules since this happened in the first round the fight was declared a no-contest robbing Brice of what would have been a win by referee stoppage under MMA rules.

Nate Jaime won the 135lb title defeating Jason Kirby by tko in the second round.

Mike Desantos defeated Joshua Gibbons by knock out in the first round.

Charles Fox defeated Eric Wagner by knock out in the first round.

Robert Bane defeated Travis Guthridge by submission in the second round.

Kris Bishop won the 185lb title by split decision over Daniel Cornett.

Robert Watley defended his 155lb title against Cisco Isata after Isata couldn't continue after an unintentional low blow.

Coach Johnny Curtis congratulates both Bishop and Cornett after a great, and bloody battle for the 185 pound title.

DangerZone: Chaos in the Cage 6/15 Prince William Fairgrounds Manasass

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:28:00 +0000

Mike Handleman gets a quick stoppage in his match versus John Vanderpool at DZ: Chaos in the Cage.

Mixed Martial Arts returned to Manassas last Saturday with Danger Zone: Chaos in the Cage at Prince William Fairgrounds. Local fighters competed in eight MMA bouts and 2 submission grappling matches.

Event Results

Winners in Bold

MMA Bout, 140 lbs.

John Sofield vs Robert Cantos

Submission, Rear Naked Choke

Round 2, 1:53

MMA Bout, 145 lbs.

Kevin Shipley vs Brian Rich

Opponent Disqualified for illegal knee to grounded fighter

Round 2, 0:36

MMA Bout, 155 lbs.

Chris Stout vs Tim O’Maley

Unanimous Decision

MMA Bout, 150 lbs.

Jon Peters vs John MacNaughton

Unanimous Decision

Rick McCoy referees one of two submission grappling matches at the event.

Submission Grappling Bout

Jimmy Guercio vs Roque Zapata at 150lbs was declared a draw since no submission was achieved in allotted time

MMA Bout, 170 lbs.

Mike Handleman vs John Vanderpool

TKO, Referee Stoppage

Round 1, 1:34

Submission Grappling Bout

John Sofield won vs David Hagen at 140lbs by guillotine in round 2, 0:27

MMA Bout, 185 lbs.

Anthony Shives vs Jon Chevalier

Knock Out

Round 1, 0:06

MMA Bout, 145 lbs.

Matt Schellenschlager vs Jack Bendenbaugh

Unanimous Decision

MMA Bout, 135 lbs.

Josh Trainor vs Ginseng Point DuJour

Unanimous Decision

Cage Fighter visits Cougar Wrestling Club in Manassas Park

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:28:00 +0000

All American wrestler and mixed martial artist Neil Johnson coaches Manassas Park children in the Cougar Wrestling Club.

The Cougar Wrestling Club of Manassas Park received a visit from a special guest Tuesday when all American wrestler and professional mixed martial artist Neil Johnson came by to coach the kids and talk about wrestling as a base for mixed martial arts (MMA).

Read the full story at -

http://manassaspark.patch.com/articles/cougar-wrestling-club-get-visit-from-a-cage-fighter

OOFights 22 Manassas Park VA 12-1-12

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:13:00 +0000

Great night of fights and a fantastic event in Manassas Park, VA. 12 bouts delivered non stop action.

Operation Octagon brought their A game as always and the Manassas Park Community Center was buzzing with excitement. The first five matches flew by with exciting first round finishes, but the excitement didn't stop there. In the sixth bout Ardit Hysa used his wrestling to control most of the bout, but he never stalled the action and Matt Dotson never quit trying to return fire.

In the 8th bout, Virginia state champion wrestler Brett Jenkins dominated the first two rounds, but slowed down in the third and got careless. Matt Ferguson having weathered almost six minutes of offense was able to lock in the choke and the win at the beginning of the third round. Disciple MMA's rising star, Anthony Cordero landed a devastating KO of Daniel Moreno early in the first round, followed by a high kick knock out from Scott Noble to Francis Grant in the first round of the next bout.

In the first of two championship matches Josh Aguero weathered an opening flurry from Michael Serrano before getthing the match to the mat and winning by first round rear naked choke. In the main event for the Middleweight Title Shurron Thompson looked devastating defeating Eric Kronstadt by first round TKO. Kronstadt was dropped twice in the round, but kept his composure and fended off Thompson until he could get back to his feet. The third time Thompson swarmed the dazed challeger and the ref stepped in to stop the fight.

Here's the results from the event.
Results-
1. Brian Karanikas defeats Joshua Whitlow by first round guillotine choke
2. Matt Schellenschlager defeats Shawn Joffe by first round choke
3. Patrick Parker defeats Keith Henhawk by first round choke
4. Anthony Giacchina defeats Alex Kotacka by first round arm triangle
5. Broderick Rene defeats Carlos Davila by first round guillotine choke
6. Ardit Hysa defeats Matt Dotson by unanimous decision.
7. Rob Watley defeats Ravon Dixon by unanimous decision
8. Matthew Ferguson defeats Brett Jenkins by third round guillotine.
9. Anthony Cordero defeats Daniel Moreno by first round KO.
10. Scott Noble defeats Francis Grant by first round KO
Bantamweight Title
11. Josh Aguero defeats Michael Serrano by first round rear naked choke.
Middleweight Title
12. Shurron Thompson defeats Eric Kronstadt by first round TKO.

More pics up at Bloodyknux.com click here!

OO Fights Comes to Manassas Park

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 03:25:00 +0000

Northern Virginia’s longest running mixed martial arts fight promotion brings their cage to Manassas Park Community Center on Saturday, Dec. 1.

Twenty amateur bouts are scheduled including two title fights. OO Fights (formerly Operation Octagon) is the longest running and most successful Northern Virginia fight promotion holding both amateur and professional fights in the Washington area. The event in Manassas Park will be their 22nd event to a sold-out crowd.
Packed with competitive gyms and dojos, Northern Virginia’s mixed martial arts scene stands out on the East Coast, having produced “The Ultimate Fighter” finalist Kris McCray from Gold Medal Grappling in Woodbridge and former contestant Dustin Pague of Disciple MMA in Centreville. The show currently has fighter Colton Smith, of Vanguard Gym in Manassas, competing in the semi-finals on this season of the show on TV’s FX Network.
Should Colton, a former Operation Octagon champ, win his next match he’ll be headed to The Ultimate Fighter season finale on Dec. 15 in Las Vegas to compete for a six figure UFC contract and a custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Vanguard is also home to OO Fights former lightweight amateur champ, Mike Pope, who in 2011 won gold medals in two international Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions. Mike made his professional debut with a win over Jonathan Hughes at Operation Octagon 20 last July.
Saturday’s event has a stacked card with the main event pitting undefeated middleweight champ Shurron Thompson against contender Eric Kronstadt. Kronstadt’s three fight win streak includes impressive stoppages in all his fights. Josh Aguero will face Michael Serrano for the bantamweight title and Virginia State champion wrestler Brett Jenkins will face Matt Ferguson from LA Boxing in Sterling in a heavy weight fight.
This event will benefit underprivileged families in the local area with a toy and food drive.
Bring a toy or canned food and receive a special gift from OO Fights, Saturday December 1st at the Manassas Park Community Center & Sports Complex, 99 Adams St, Manassas Park, VA. Doors open at 6 p.m. and fight will begin at 7 p.m.
OO shows began in 2008 to sell-out crowds at Prince William County Fairgrounds in Manassas. Since then, they have continued fill seats shows in Sterling and the District. In 2009, OO Fights acquired the area’s other big promotion, Valhalla Fights, merging the best pools of Northern Virginia fighters.

Visit oofights.com for ticket information.

OO XXI 10/13 Quick Results

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 06:28:00 +0000

Another great night of fights from OO Fights. Review and pics to come tomorrow, but here's the results for now.
-->

OO XXI 10/13 Sterling Virginia Results

Amatuer Fights-

Keith Flowers vs Zenon Herrera

Herrera Rd 1 Submission RNC

Abdul-Malik Ahmad vs Alex Kotacka

Rd 1 KO

Jaime Salazar vs Abby Velasquez

Velasquez RD 2 TKO

Bidhan Thakur vs Robert Bane

Bane Rd 2 TKO

Daniel Gray vs Marco Mendoza

Gray UD

Daniel Cornett vs Frederick Walker

Cornett Rd 2 RNC

Sterling Briscoe vs Chad Wiggingiton

Briscoe UD

Kirstin Murphy vs Katie McClay

Murphy Rd 2 TKO

Vince Holland vs Umit Kemal Yilmaz

Holland SD

Christian Banghart vs Shawn Carter

Banghart Rd 1 RNC

Steve Adame vs Pierre Amon

Adame UD

Eric Kronstadt vs Nick Mansburger

Kronstadt Rd 2 Triangle choke

Tony Dabbodanza vs Jonathan Vinyard 145 Title Fight

Dabbodanza Rd 2 TKO

Francisco Isata vs Jonathan Escalona 155 Title Fight

Escalona Rd 3 RNC

Pro Bouts-
Tony Horn vs Craig “The Pittbull” Pittman

Pittman UD

Sean Croushorn vs Gary Sheppard

Sheppard Rd 1 RNC

Charles Kessinger vs Bryan Robey

Kessinger Rd 1 TKO

Elder Ramos vs Jeremy Boardwine

Ramos Rd 1 Heel Hook in 43 seconds!

Jon Delbrugge vs Steven Wampler

Delbrugge Rd 1 RNC

Devon Mosley vs Willie Floyd

Mosley SD

Neil Johnson vs Terrell Hobbs

Hobbs RD 1 Submission

OO Fights returns to Nothern Virginia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:44:00 +0000

Northern Virginia’s premiere mixed martial art promotion OO Fights (formerly Operation Octagon) returns to Dulles Sportsplex, Saturday October 13^th. Local fighters from over a dozen gyms and dojos will compete in over twenty amateur and professional fights beginning with the undercard at 4pm.
Former Operation Octagon fighters from the previous twenty events have gone on to the national stage such as UFC fighter Chris McCray, Bellator fighters Neil Johnson and Brian Van Hoven and current season Ultimate Fighter contestant, Colton Smith. Fans will see national Mixed Martial Arts stars cornering and coaching up and coming talent as the next generation of talented fighters compete to make their mark in one of the most competitive fight scenes in the country.
Many former Operation Octagon amateur fighters and champs and will be competing in professional bouts on the main card. Elder Ramos from Manassas’s Vanguard Gym will face Jeremy Boardwine in a professional welterweight match. Eric Villanueve, Marcos Mendoza, Christian Banghart, and Vince Holland of Vanguard Gym will also be on Saturday’s card.
Neil Johnson, all American wrestler for George Mason University and wrestling coach for Disciple MMA in Sterling will face Terrell Hobbs from Richmond’s MMA Institute in a pro featherweight match.

Coach Tony Horn of EMIT MMA in Fredericksburg will face former WCW star turned Mixed Martial Artist Craig “The Pitbull” Pittman in a heavyweight bout that should deliver some fireworks.
Steve Adame of Woodbridge’s Gold Medal Grappling with face Pierre Amon in a welterweight amateur challenge. Sean Kroushorn and Nick Mansburger from Premier Fight Center in Woodbridge also have fights on the card. Two amateur titles will be on the line Saturday night with Francisco Isata and Jonathan Escalona facing off for the lightweight title and Chris Piriz and Tony Dabbondanza fighting for the Featherweight title.
The DVD of July’s OO XX event will be available Saturday night, and the Brain Van Hoven versus Jeff Peterson fight is worth the price alone.
Tickets for OO Fights XXI on October 13, 2012 at the Dulles Sportsplex, 21610 Atlantic Blvd in Sterling, Virginia are still available. For the complete card and more information visit http://oofights.com, and return to bloodydcmma.com for event highlights and results.

DangerZone All Out War Manassas VA 9/15/2012

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 03:49:00 +0000

Dan Severn's Danger Zone promotion returned to Virginia Saturday night with "All Out War" at the Prince William Fairgrounds in Manassas. Ten exciting bouts went by very quickly as only the final match went to the score cards. Local Virginia fighters faced off with opponents from Maryland, New Jersey, New York, DC and as far away as Michigan.

The evening opened with a quick submission by Geronimo Perry who sank in a guillotine choke in just a little over a minute on his opponent Steven Witt. Justin Hughes continued his unbeaten streak getting a first round submission on Stephen Mozingo. Noble Ryan and Kevin Tran had one of the more exciting bouts of the night trading blow into the second round. Both fighters looked the worse for wear when Ryan trapped Tran against the cage and rained down blows forcing the stoppage.

Robert Payseno and his pals from Dan Severn's MMA in Michigan had a worthwhile trip. Payseno dominated his opponent Ryan Grisby in round one, but Grisby toughed it out. At he beginning of the second round Payseno looked tired while Grisby looked fresh. Grisby looked to be taking control, when Payseno found his second wind, getting a takedown in the second round and singing in a choke to finish the bout.

The event finished with the most competitive match of the night. Doug White from Chantilly's Silverback Academy was out-wrestled in the first two rounds by his opponent Kenneth Jackson. While the rounds were very close, Jackson spent the majority of the rounds on top. The third round was much more one-sided with White dominating a tired Jackson from bell to bell. White failed to finish, and even though the fight was certainly going his way he's lost the first two round and it cost him the match. Jackson was declared the winner by unanimous decision and the night ended with Danger Zone promising to return in November.

For event results and pics visit www.BloodyKnux.com.

OO XX Quick Results

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 06:56:00 +0000

OO Fights XX results-
(bouts in reverse order)

Michael Lawrence Vs. Jon Delbrugge 155 lb title
Jon Delbrugge wins by rear naked choke rd 1

Chris Vs. Nate Jaime 145 featherweight title
Chris Piriz wins by unanimous decision

Roberto Ford Vs. Andy Tran Flyweight 135 title
Andy Tran wins by unanimous decision

Ginseng DuJour Vs Brandon Wheeler Bantam Interim Title
Brandon Wheeler wins by split decision

Jonathan Hughes Vs. Mike Pope
Mike Pope wins by rear naked choke in rd 2

Jason Hilliker vs Matt Kersse
Matt Kersse wins by submission rd 1

Phillip Estes vs Willie Floyd
Willie Floyd wins by tko in round one in his pro debut

Paul Holt rd submission to strikes vs Josh Brown
Paul Holt wins in rd 1 submission to strikes

Ryan Farhat vs Cory Alexander wins by unanimous decision
Cory Alexander wins by unanimous decision

Jeff Peterson vs Brian Van Hoven
Brian Van Hoven wins Majority Decision

Dale Arnold vs Samir Farid
Samir Farid unanimous Decision

Anthony Cordero vs Rob Statton
Anthony Cordero wins by KO in rd 2

Francisco Isata vs Matt Schellenschlager
Francisco Isata wins rd 2 tko

Paul Lin vs Chuck Yetter win by unanimous decision
Chuck Yetter win by unanimous decision

Jonathan Vinyard vs Rome Dingle
Jonathan Vinyard wins rd1 rear naked choke

Eric Kronstadt vs Kenny Wilson
Eric Kronstadt wins rd 1 KO

Dusty Thursby vs Greg Lyman
Dusty Thursby wins rd 1 by KO

Sean Carow vs Mike Wilson
Sean Carow wins rd 2 by armbar

Dashawn Boatwright vs Brian Hamill
Dashawn Boatwright wins rd 1 ref stoppage (Failure to respond)

Jared Ferguson vs Tony Dabbondanza
Tony Dabbondanza wins rd 2 TKO

John Attia vs Jon Tuxford
Jon Tuxford wins rd 2 TKO

Trey Ellis vs Esrom Montesino
Esrom Montesino win rd 1 Americana

Matt Semeisberger vs JP Saint Louis
JP Saint Louis wins in rd 2 by guillotine

Trevor Malace vs Jon Faitz
Jon Faitz wins rd 1 TKO

Aaron Bland wins rd 2 TKO vs Jeremy Gray

Bryan Walsh vs Brian Ranck

Brian Ranck wins by guillotine choke after dropping Walsh with strikes rd1

Phil Arnold vs Broderick Rene

Phil Arnold wins rd 2 choke

Eric Wilson vs Derrick Threatt

Derrick Threatt wins by unanimous decision

Anthony Deconti vs Trevor Thompson

Anthony Deconti wins by unanimous decision

Andre Hadley vs Mark Kunick

Mark Kunick Wins Rd 1 guillotine

Kendall White vs Bowdrie Rene

Kendall White wins rd 2 guillotine

Stephen Mozingo vs Kwame Yaidon

Kwame Yaidon wins rd 1 TKO

pics and commentary up at Bloodyknux.com

Local Champion Mike Pope Makes the Move to Professional Fighter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:10:00 +0000

Decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor and amateur Mixed Martial Arts champion makes the move to professional fighter at OO Fights this Saturday at Dulles Sportsplex.

OO (formerly Operation Octagon) Fights returns to Dulles SportsPlex with a Pro-Am event this Saturday, and Mike Pope of Manassas’ Vanguard gym will make his professional debut against Jonathan Hughes of Disciple MMA in Centreville.

Mike won the Operation Octagon Amateur Lightweight belt in March of 2011 and has been undefeated in amateur Mixed Martial Arts since November 2009. In 2011 Pope came home with a Gold Medals from the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Championships, in California, and Pan-Am competition in New York.

Mike grew up in Bradenton Florida, and moved to Virginia at 14 where he attended Liberty High in Bealeton Virginia.

“I did some wrestling in High School and some competition weight lifting and a buddy of mine Mikey and I watched a UFC. He told me he was going to someday fight in the UFC. A couple years later he called me and said he’d found a place, Vanguard Gym and got a two-week trial. He didn’t stay and I did, and it’s been about 6 years now. I had my first fight in 2008 and I went eight and one as an amateur.”

“Everybody in my family is really supportive, but training pulls me away from my daughter more than I like. She loves watching me train, and coming to the gym. A lot of what I do is for her. I want her to see know that life gives tough circumstances and you can’t give up on your goals and dreams. My mom still to this day is scared for my life each time I step in the cage.”

Pope’s training has taken him across the country to some of the most prestigious gyms in the world. Recently he traveled to the East Coast to train at King’s MMA with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsi legend Joao Assis. “Joao really inspired my Jiu-Jitsu game.”

While in California, Pope didn’t just focus on his ground game, but also his striking training at Freddy Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood where Manny Pacquiao holds his training camps. Closer to home he’s getting tips UFC veteran and decorated wrestler, Kamal Shalarus, who represented Great Britain in Olympic Qualifiers. “Kamal is the most explosive wrestler I’ve ever come across. He’s got an under-rated ground game, he’s very controlling from the top.”

On why he’s making the move to professional now at 145 pounds, Mike says, “I was suppose to fight Naite Jaime twice as an amateur for the 145 title and the first time I injured my knee and the second time he got hurt. I found out the day before weigh-ins. I was sick of doing this for free and a lot of the guys I met in California were telling me to go pro. I talked it over with Doug and got the green light to do it.”

“I started out competing at 145, and I was doing the cut completely wrong, starving myself and running. I looked horrible. I moved up to 155 and felt much better and was doing great. Then I did a nutrition seminar with George Lockhart who manages cuts for a lot of UFC fighters. He opened my eyes to a new way to cutting weight the healthy way. From there I got a personal nutritionist at Max Muscle in Manassas, Shelby McDaniel (www.shelbykfitness.com).“

About his opponent John Hughes of Disciple MMA in Dulles, “Someone claimed I called him a stepping stone. I never said that. I don’t pick my opponents, I just take whomever Jeff puts in front of me. He’s the next guy in front of my like I’m the next guy in front of him. I want to test my skills against him because he happens to be one of the top guys at 155 in the area right now. He’s won his past four fights in very impressive fashion. I want to be known for fighting top guys not padding my record with bums. You don’t learn anything by fighting guys you know you can beat. I don’t want the first guy I don’t know if I can beat to be in the UFC. I approach every fight like I’m facing Frankie Edgar for the UFC title.”

Outside of competition, Pope's a full time trainer for Vanguard Gym in Manassas teaching Cross Fit, Thai Boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Vanguard’s 7,000 square foot facility specializes in Thai Boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, also known as “Gracie Jiu Jitsu”, and Mixed Martial Arts. Vanguard offers classes seven days a week in Thai Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, CrossFit and a children’s program led by Operation Octagon Bantamweight champ Reed Miller. Vanguard Gym is located at 9411 Center Point Lane in Manassas, VA, and class schedules and more information about the gym can be found at www.vanguardgym.com.

OO XX “Double O Double Header” with over 30 fights on the card featuring fighters from all over the DC area including Operation Octagon champs, Willie Floyd, Brian Van Hoven and Samir Farid from Woodbridge’s Gold Medal Grappling and Operation Octagon Heavy Weight Champion Josh “the Cobra” Brown. Doors open at 3pm with over 30 amateur and professional fights on the card at Dulles Sportsplex, 21610 Atlantic Blvd, Sterling VA. Tickets information available athttp://oofights.com/tickets.

UFC returns to Northern Virginia for "The Korean Zombie vs Dustin Poirier"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:59:00 +0000

UFC returns to Northern Virginia for "The Korean Zombie vs Dustin Poirier"

The world’s premiere mixed martial arts promotion, The Ultimate Fighting Championship, returned Tuesday to the Patriot Center for the first time since 2010 with a fantastic night of fights.

UFC on Fuel 3: “Korean Zombie vs. Dustin Poirier” matched 24 fighters in 12 bouts airing on Facebook and Fuel TV and nearly five thousand excited fans watched live at the Patriot Center in Fairfax.

The UFC brought fighters from around the world to compete, but fans cheered loudest for local heroes. Ultimate Fighter winner, Amir Sadollah, from Richmond, pulled off a razor thin win over Jorge Lopez. Lopez wrestled Sadollah against the cage for much of the fight, but Sadollah stifled Lopez’s offense and took over the match in the third round to secure a split decision victory.

Falls Church’s Kamal Shalarus did not fare as well. Stunned early in the first round by a high kick, a dazed Shalarus failed to defend a rear-naked choke from Brazilian fighter Rafeal dos Anjos, tapping just 40 seconds into the opening round.

Donald “The Cowboy” Cerrone, formerly sponsored by Manassas’s own Hatfield Gunsmithing, showed his superior technique by dominating heavy-handed Jeremy Stephens for three rounds to get a unanimous decision.

In the main event South Korean fighter Chan Sung Jung, more often referred to as “The Korean Zombie” entered the arena to the cheers of local Korean fans sporting South Korean flags. For three rounds he and Dustin Poirier exchanged blows and submission attempts with Jung maintaining a slight edge. In the fourth round Jung landed several strikes dazing Poirier who shot for a takedown, but ended up trapped in a submission. Jung cinched up a choke, but Poirier refused to tap and out went unconscious. Referee Dan Miragliotta quickly stopped the fight at 1:07 of the fourth round, giving Chan Sung Jung the submission victory. According to UFC president Dana White, Jung also earned a featherweight title shot and he received the submission of the night bonus of 40 thousand dollars. Both Jung and his opponent, Dustin Poirier, earned another 40 thousand for the fight of the night bonus. Tom Lawlor won the 40 thousand dollar knock out of the night bonus for his speedy finish of Jason Macdonald just 50 second into the first round.

Mixed Martial Arts action returns to Northern Virginia on May 26^th in Chantilly when the Danger Zone holds their next event at the NOVA Dome, formerly the Northern Virginia Sportsplex in Chantilly. Ultimate Fighter Alumni Zach Davis will be in attendance. The card will include local talent including Manassas Park wrestling coach Ben Martell and former Osborne High School wrestler Corey Tangen. Danger Zone Ticket information is available at www.dangerzonemma.com.

July 28^th Operation Octagon returns to Dulles Sportsplex with the return of decorated MMA and Brazillian Jiu Jitsu fighter Mike Pope from Vanguard Gym in Manassas. For more information on that event visit OperationOctagon.com.

Operation Octagon comes to the District

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 03:37:00 +0000

Operation Octagon 17 heads to Ibiza Night Club in Washington DC tomorrow night.

Operation Octagon XVII

December 17, 2011

MMA Cagefights: 7:00-10:00 p.m.

Ibiza Night Club, 1222 1st St NE, Washington, DC 2002

Group rates available at The George, a Kimpton Boutique Hotel. Click here for reservations.

Also check out our sponsoring partner, SHAMROCKFEST by clicking the image.

Local Champ Brings International Jiu-Jitsu Gold Back to Manassas

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 03:25:00 +0000

Northern Virginia can add another name to its roster of local mixed martial arts stars as Mike Pope of Manassas’ Vanguard gym wins gold at the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition.

Pope traveled to Long Beach, California to compete in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (IBJJ) No-Gi Championship.

No-Gi refers to competition without the traditional Gi martial arts uniform and the IBJJ competition is one of the largest submission grappling competitions in the world.

Pope came home with the Gold Medal, after winning the middleweight (170 pound) Blue Belt Division. He entered a field of over 40 opponents from all over the world, submitting five and out pointing another by 20 points to win the gold. He also recently won the gold at this year’s No-Gi Pan-Am competition in New York City.

Pope currently holds lightweight (155 pound) belt of Northern Virginia’s Operation Octagon mixed martial arts promotion, and has defended his amateur title three times. He will return to cage next year after taking a little time off to focus on Jiu-Jitsu competitions.

Pope also plans to compete at 145 pounds and even considers dropping down to 135 pounds with the help of his nutritionist George Lockhart. With the addition of the bantam and featherweight divisions to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, interest in those weight classes has greatly increase.

There is no shortage of lighter competition locally.

Mixed Martial Arts in Northern Virginia boasts an incredibly active scene with fighters coming from all over the East Coast to compete in local events like Operation Octagon and Dan Severn's DangerZone. Even the big gun of fight promotions, the UFC held an event at the Patriot Center last year.

Local fighter Kris McCray of Woodbridge fought his way into the finals of the Ultimate Fighter season 11 and Dustin Pague of Centreville is on the current season on Spike TV on Wednesday nights at 10pm.

Outside of competition, Pope's a full time coach for Vanguard Gym in Manassas, and was recently awarded his purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by coach Doug Espisito, a black belt under the world famous Leo Dalla.

Pope can trace his Jiu-Jitsu roots back to legendary Rickson Gracie.

Vanguard’s 7,000 square foot facility specializes in Thai Boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, also known as “Gracie Jiu Jitsu”, and Mixed Martial Arts. Vanguard offers classes seven days a week in Thai Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, CrossFit and a children’s program let by Operation Octagon Bantamweight champ Reed Miller.

Vanguard Gym is located at 9411 Center Point Lane in Manassas, VA, and class schedules and more information about the gym can be found at www.vanguardgym.com.

DeSantis wins Operation Octagon title before her date with Justin Timberlake.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:23:00 +0000

DeSantis wins Operation Octagon title before her date with Justin Timberlake.

Justin Timberlake's date to the Marine Corps Ball, Corporal Kelsey DeSantis, defeated Stacy Sneeringer to win Women's Middleweight (145 lbs.) Championship Title.

DeSantis quickly took her opponent down and ended the fight by referee stoppage(TKO) at 2 minutes and 51 seconds of the first round. Kelsey recently gained national attention by inviting Justin Timberlake to the Marine Corp Ball on November 12th in DC (click here to see her video invitation to Justin) and he accepted.

Gold Medal Grappling fighter Willie "No Love" Floyd successfully defended his title, and Jeremy "The Brick" Shifflett defeated EJ Mecklenburg to win the vacant light heavyweight title. Shifflet showed excellent grappling against his talented opponent, and submitted the Mecklenburg with a rear naked choke in the first round.

In addition to Floyd defending his title two other Gold Medal Grappling fighters had mixed results in the cage. After Steven Stotler dominated Mosely for the first round and was doing so again in the second, the fight was stopped for an unintentional blow to the back of Mosely’s head and ruled a No Contest when Mosely couldn’t continue. Bryan Robey weathered a rough first round in he match with Somsak Saykosy, but locked in a tight choke at the end of the round. Saykosy was saved by the bell, but didn't have enough time to recover before the second round where Robey sank in a triangle choke on his still woozy opponent.

Lightweight Champ Mike Pope of Manassas' Vanguard gym worked the corner of Kevin Chung, and the excellent ground game coaching of Pope was evident in Chung's performance. Chung sank a tight armbar onto his opponent Shawn Joffe, who must have very flexible elbows as the crowd groaned at the unnatural angle of his arm, but he refused to tap. Unfazed Chung sank the same hold in on Joffe's other arm in the next round with more success earning the tap out.

Operation Octagon announced the next show will be December 17th at a new venue for them in the District.

Operation Octagon 16 Results

Lightweight 155 lbs.

Justin Munson vs Mat Schellenschlager – Schellenschlager UD (Unanimous Decision)

Featherweight 145 lbs.

Darious Thomas vs Ricardo Fearing – Thomas 32 seconds RD 1 Knock Out

Lightweight 155 lbs.

Montrez Tinson vs David Vu – Tinson UD

Welterweight 170 lbs

Nick Mansberger vs Brian Pardini- Pardini UD

Welterweight 170 lbs.

Steven Stotler vs Devon Mosely- No contest

Featherweight 145 lbs.

Kevin Chung vs Shawn Joffe- Chung 1:46 Rd 2 Armbar

Featherweight 145 lbs

Bryan Robey vs Samsak Saykosy- Robey 42 seconds Rd 2 Triangle Choke

Flyweight 125 lbs.

Andy Tran vs Ronnel White- Tran UD

Bantamweight Title Contender--135 lbs.

Brandon Wheeler vs Alejandro Zea – Wheeler 1:36 Rd 3 Topside Triangle Choke

Welterweight Title--170 lbs.

Willie "No Love" Floyd vs DJ Hilton- Floyd 2:22 Rd 1 TKO

Catchweight of 150 lbs.

Paul Cavanaugh vs Nate Jaime- Jaime 1:10 RD 1 RNC (Rear Naked Choke)

Women's Featherweight Title--145 lbs.

Kelsey DeSantis vs Stacy Sneeringer- DeSantis 2:51 Rd 1 TKO (Technical Knock Out)

Lightweight 155 lbs.

Charles Yetter vs Dominique Buck- Yetter 2:13 Rd 1 TKO

Lightweight 155 lbs.

Roshon Williams vs Orlando Torres – Torres UD

Light Heavyweight Title--205 lbs.

EJ Mecklenburg vs Jeremy Shifflett – Shifflett 2:30 Rd 1 RNC

Welterweight 170 lbs.

Francisco Isata vs Robert Streeter- Isata :29 seconds Rd 3 TKO

Heavyweight 265lbs

Steve Nowiank vs Jon Attia- Nowiank SD (Split Decision)

Light Heavyweight 205 lbs.

Garrick Evans vs Umit Kemal – Kemal 2:14 Rd 1 RNC

New Book Shines Light on UFC's Dark Shadows

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:30:00 +0000

New Book Shines Light on UFC's Dark Shadows

Raw Combat: The Underground World of Mixed Martial Arts by Jim Genia comes out Oct. 25 and takes a look at the world of combat sports outside the arena shows of the UFC.

There’s always a flood of fighter bios and Ultimate Fighter Championship (UFC) history books on bookstore shelves, but Jim Genia has staked out a territory of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) history that I haven’t seen before in print.

Focusing on the fight scene in New York and New Jersey and the conditions that have given birth to underground shows and Atlantic City main events, in his new book, Raw Combat:The Underground World of Mixed Martial Arts, Genia delivers a story of fighters and promoters living in the dark shadows of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Raw Combat delivers an insider's peek at the origins of some of the big names in the sport and at some of those names that didn’t make the cut.

While sports promotion company Zuffa, the New York State Assembly and maybe the Culinary Union, battle over the mixed martial arts legalization in one of the country’s biggest markets, tiny, more personal battles are waged in back rooms, gyms and casinos within New York City and its MMA friendly neighbor, New Jersey.

While UFC mythology looks back at Zuffa opening the doors to sanctioned Mixed Martial Arts, the cause initially had been carried in New Jersey before Zuffa took over the UFC with successful results in America’s playground.

For years, Atlantic City has been a Mecca of fight promotions on the East Coast, with MFC, the IFL, Ring of Combat, Bodog and the occasional visit by the big dog of fight promotions.

With the success of the UFC came money and interest fueled by the dreams of making it big on the MMA band wagon, while others just wanted a venue to prove their skills and maybe just to hurt someone.

Jim Genia exposes the strange underbelly of fighters bouncing between unsanctioned underground bouts in New York City to sanctioned professional bouts in Atlantic City and beyond. Fighters participating in unsanctioned matches on bloody mats for a handful of spectators hoping to prove something to themselves and learn something that will elevate them to the next level of the game. Promoter’s slapping together fight cards from a handful of mismatched hungry killers waiting for their chance to prove their mettle. Fighters, family and friends propping up hopes as dreams crumble in a sport where half the participants leave the cage losers.

Jim captures something I’ve tried to convey to my readers for going on seven years—the thrill of a live event, and the intimacy of a local show. I’ve been to big shows and where they put on a spectacular production. UFC events explode and the crowd cheers, but it’s a spectacle—like seeing fireworks or going to a NFL football game. Local shows are different, intimate and personal. Sometimes closer to a high school wrestling meet than a spectator sport. Fighters and camps make up the crowd around you.

A fighter’s family, coach and friends scream out encouragement completely invested in the duel before them. Camps face off and rivalries continue from event to event. Fighters' supporters outside the cage line up to walk in with their warrior’s, just like the legendary Gracie train at the first UFC. After the matches, fighters embrace, talk about improvement, and invite each other to cross train.

It’s often hard to cheer a favorite, knowing both participants and knowing someone’s going home defeated. Raw Combat chronicles several fighters and promoters that most of MMA fandom will never see on cable, but that’s where stars come from.

They start on the bottom of the local card and work their way up to local main events. They learn their craft in stifling hot gyms and cold backrooms. For every Eddie Alvarez or Frankie Edgar who fought their way to primetime glory, there’s hundreds who never make it out of the underground or the undercard.

Take a peak. Afterall, Jim Genia has cracked the door for you to look inside the core of MMA without the guise of glitz and glam. You might shudder and unconsciously count your teeth or, you may find yourself sitting at the local show in your town, cheering on a guy whose bloody hand you can shake as he leaves the event, and someday you can cheer as he makes his Octagon debut.

Citadel Publication publishes Raw Combat: The Underground World of Mixed Martial Arts by Jim Genia.

About the author: James Kirkland has been covering local and national mixed martial are since 2005 for BloodyKnux.com mixed martial arts fan forum and for the Northern Virginia Patch sites.

Three Title Fights Saturday at Operation Octagon 16

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 04:02:00 +0000

Kelsey DeSantis fights for the belt two weeks before her date with Justin Timberlake at the Marine Corps Ball.

Dulles SportsPlex will be packed again Saturday night as fighters from Virginia, Maryland and beyond gather to test themselves in the Operation Octagon cage.

Northern Virginia’s largest and longest-running mixed martial arts event returns to Sterling Operation Octagon’s 16. Eighteen bouts are scheduled, with three title bouts, including a women’s featherweight championship bout with Kelsey DeSantis.

Corporal Kelly DeSantis, who won a bloody battle last March in Operation Octagon, recently made the news when she invited Justin Timberlake to the Marine Corps Ball in Washington DC on Nov. 12. The pop star accepted according to the LA Times. Kelsey faces LA Boxing fighter Stacy Sneeringer.

Operation Octagon veteran EJ Mecklenburg has earned a shot at the vacant light heavyweight title after his impressive first round submission of Shaun Kama during July's Operation Octagon. He faces Jeremy Shifflett for the belt.

Defending champion Willie “No Love” Floyd proved his resilience and ability to remain calm under fire in his last bout.

The Gold Medal Grappling welterweight quickly found himself defending off his back against an aggressive Perrin Carter. Floyd kept his wits, and when Carter tried for a takedown he left his neck exposed. Floyd slipped in the guillotine choke and cinched it tight, forcing a tap out in the first round. Floyd defends his belt against DJ Hilton. Teammate Steven Stotler will also be fighting on the card Saturday, so expect a good crowd of Woodbridge fight fans to be in attendance cheering on the Gold Medal Grappling team.

With 18 fights on the card, fans are guaranteed a night of excitement. Dulles Sportsplex is located at 21610 Atlantic Blvd. in Sterling Virginia. The fights will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are going fast at operationoctagon.com.

Operation Octagon 16 Fight Card

Women's Featherweight Title--145 lbs.

Kelsey DeSantis vs Stacy Sneeringer

Light Heavyweight Title--205 lbs.

EJ Mecklenburg vs Jeremy Shifflett

Welterweight Title--170 lbs.

Willie "No Love" Floyd vs DJ Hilton

Bantamweight Title Contender--135 lbs.

Brandon Wheeler vs Alejandro Zea

Lightweight 155 lbs.

Montrez Tinson vs David Vu

Lightweight 155 lbs.

Charles Yetter vs Dominique Buck

Featherweight 145 lbs.

Kevin Chung vs Shawn Joffe

Lightweight 155 lbs.

Roshon Williams vs Orlando Torres

Welterweight 170 lbs.

Francisco Isata vs Robert Streeter

Flyweight 125 lbs.

Andy Tran vs Ronnel White

Catchweight of 150 lbs.

Paul Cavanaugh vs Nate Jaime

Lightweight 155 lbs.

Justin Munson vs Mat Schellenschlager

Welterweight 170 lbs.

Steven Stotler vs Devon Mosely

Featherweight 145 lbs

Thomas Lewellen vs Samsak Saykosy

Welterweight 170 lbs

Nick Mansberger vs Brian Pardini

Featherweight 145 lbs.

Darious Thomas vs Ricardo Fearing

Heavyweight 265lbs

Steve Nowiank vs Jon Attia

Light Heavyweight 205 lbs.

Garrick Evans vs Umit Kemal

(card subject to change)

Danger Zone "Bring It" Review and Results

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 04:27:00 +0000

Danger Zone's second event in Manassas Park delivers 12 action packed bouts

UFC Legend Dan Severn brought another action packed event to Manassas Park, and the Manassas Park Community center was packed with fight fans enjoying the show. Fighters from Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania tested each other in the cage and right from the opening bell the event did not disappoint.

Kelly Quinn quickly took the back of Pat Morris in the night's first bout, and after a minute of ground and pound action he sank in the rear naked choke to get the submission. As quick as the first bout went the second was a "don't blink" affair. Josh Trainor sank in a RNC of his own in just 18 seconds. The third tilt was a little less lopsided with Wayne Cephas putting in a competitive first round, but getting pounded out in the second by Darryn Messersmith.

Hooter girls of Manassas

The big men took to the cage and Andrew Murray proved that good cardio tops great skills as fight go to deep water. Eric Hughson showed he had better wrestling right from the start, but Murray relentlessly fought back to his feed and defended takedowns and Hughson started to slow his pace. Murray soon took control and won a unanimous decision.

Bartlett pounds Buchman

Entertaining fight continued with impressive performances by Evolve MMA's Tacuma Robinson, Justin "Tangerine" Bartlett, and Billy "The Bull" Miller. The main event didn't last long, as Dezmond Chaviera looked to want to stand and bang, but couldn't stop the takedowns of Gusevio Keisler. Keisler started off with top control and some brutal ground and pound, and then wrapped it up in the first round with a rear naked choke.

Keisler finishes Chaviera by RNC

The evening moved quickly, and aside from a few of the fights being one-sided blow outs, the event delivered plenty of action. Dan Severn posed with fans and signed autographs and TUF alumni Zach Davis chatted with fans in between coaching his Evolve MMA teammates.

TUF Season 13 Alumni Zach Davis

Quick Results

The Danger Zone presents, "BRING IT" 10/15 Results

1 Kelly Quinn defeats Pat Morris

Rd 1 1:10 Sub Rear Naked Choke (RNC)

2. Josh Trainor defeats Albert Benjamin

Rd 1 0.18 Sub RNC

3. Darryn Messersmith defeats Wayne Cephas

Rd 2 1:13 Technical Knock Out

4. Andrew "The Tank" Murray defeats Eric "Country Boy" Hughson

Unanimous Decision

5. Kevin Marks defeats Joe Lahair

Grappling Match

RD1 MARKS Triangle Choke

RD 2 MARKS RNC

6. Tacuma Robinson defeats Francisco Armodo Montoya

Rd 1 1:08 TKO

7. Sean Bennett defeats Nick Weaver

Unanimous Decision

8. Justin "Tangerine" Bartlett defeats Steve Buchman

Rd 2 1:02 TKO

9. Greg Lyman defeats Ryan Grigsby

Rd 1 0:46 TKO

10. Billy "THE BULL" Miller defeats Matt Dudding

Rd 1 1:05 Sub RNC

11. Joe "The Grim" Slaughter defeats Travis Davidson

Rd 1 1:31 Sub Guillotine

12. Gustevio Keisler defeats Dezmond Chaviera

Rd 1 1:37 Sub RNC

Northern Virginia fans wanting more MMA won't have to wait long as next weekend Operation Octagon returns to Dulles SporstPlex in Sterling for another night of fights.

Mixed Martial Arts Returns to Manassas Park Community Center

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:47:00 +0000

Mixed Martial Arts returns to Manassas Park this Saturday for another one of UFC legend Dan Severn’s Danger Zone events. Thirty-two fighters will test their skills at the Manassas Park Community Center in an all-amateur event.

The first Mixed Martial Arts event in Manassas Park brought more than a dozen exciting fights to the Cage and an evening filled with knockouts and submissions. With 16 bouts planned for this Saturday at the city's community center, fans will be sure to see lots of action, plus, UFC Hall of Fame fighter Dan Severn.

Ryan Grisby of Manassas will be making his amateur fight debut against Phillip Riggs. Grisby trains with Ron Hill, an Operation Octagon veteran, at Rage Fight Club. “This will be a good opportunity to get in there and get some experience,” Grisby said.

Emit MMA of Fredericksburg will field a team of fighters for the event, two of whom will have their first amateur matches at Danger Zone. “The team is ready for their fights, and have been training hard," Tony Horn, the coach for the team, said.

Teammate Joe Slaughter who is a veteran of Barbarian Fight Club events will be there hoping to improve his 6-2 record.

The event weigh-ins are 7-9 p.m. at Hooters in Manassas on Friday.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m.. Tickets range from $25 to $75 and are available at instantseats.com or, at the door at the Manassas Park Community Center at 99 Adams St. Below is the fight card for Saturday's event:

The Danger Zone presents, "BRING IT" Fight Card

1 Justin Sills 0-1 140 Catch Vs. Pat Morris (0-0)

2. Josh Trainor (1-1) 135 Vs. Albert Benjamin (0-3)

3.Tacuma Robinson (1-1) 130 Catch Vs. Francisco Armodo Montoya (0-1)

4 Ahria Sorbi (1-0) 145 Vs.. Tyson Lee 1-2

5. Eric "Country Boy" Hughson (0-0) 205 Vs. Andrew "The Tank" Murray (1-1)

6.Charles Kessinger 4-6 135 Vs. Open

7. Wayne Cephas (0-0) 170 VS. Darryn Messersmith 1-1

8.Steve Buchman (0-0) 145 Vs. Justin "Tangerine" Bartlett (0-0)

9. Phillip Riggs 0-0 175 Catch Vs. Ryan Grisby 0-0

10. Anthony "Bang-Bang" McClelland 3-2-0 155 VS. Billy "THE BULL" Miller (3-1)

11. Sean Bennett (2-1) vs Nick Weaver 1-1

12. Dezmond Chaviera 2-1 VS 145 2-1 Gustevio Keisler

13. Joe "Giddy Up" Jackson 1-1 260 vs. Open

14.Zach Gobel (6-4) 185 Joe "The Grim" Slaughter 6-2

15.Greg Lyman 0-1 180 Catch Vs. Mark McCaine 0-0

16. Kevin Marks Grappling Match vs Joe Lahair

(Card subject to change)

It’s a busy fall for combat sports enthusiasts, as Operation Octagon returns to Dulles Sportsplex in Sterling on Oct. 22. Dan Severn will host a wrestling clinic at Stonewall Jackson High School in Manassas in November.

UFC Fight Night Live 6 Washington DC 10/1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 22:18:00 +0000

The Nation's capital had to make a little room Saturday night for at least one more top dog. Dana White brought the UFC to Verizon Center, and Washingtonians turned out in droves for the show. While they didn't sell out the Verizon Center they did set the record for the highest UFC Live event on Versus with a reported attendance of 9,380. Dana was right out in front, walking the edge of the Octagon, posing for pictures with happy fans. Uriah Faber, Mark Munoz and Jon Jones were also cage-side, and glad handing the crowd.

Inside the cage folks weren't quite as friendly, but there was no shortage of physical contact.

Local warrior, Mike "The Hulk" Easton made his Octagon debut after almost two years since his last fight. Mike caught the attention of the world in a highly contested decision victory over Chase Beebe at UWC 7 in Fairfax Virginia. There was nothing to contest this time as Mike ended his fight with a TKO towards the end of the second round.

Several of the refs call were protested by the crowd during the evening. Mario Yamasaki's brother Fernando returned to the Octagon to referee, but earned the crowd's ire when he stopped the T J Grant / Shane Roller match when Roller was locked into an armbar. Roller was probably behind on the cards, but claimed he never tapped. The crowd also felt the stoppage was premature booing Fernando even when he returned to referee another match later in the night.

More experienced referee Mario Yamasaki also had some questionable calls, letting Rafaello Oliveira take a prolonged beating by Yves Edwards when most of the crowd felt he was not defending himself, and then stopping the Johnson/Brenneman fight after Johnson landed a solid kick to Charlie's face, but the tough Spaniard sat right up to protest that he wasn't out of the fight yet. He probably should have thanked Mario for saving him another thumping as Johnson was on his way to a solid 10-8 round. In all three cases, there isn't much doubt that the calls impacted the outcome of the fights, but the crowd was quick to criticize.

One thing the crowd had no criticism for was the rematch between Matt Wiman and Mac Danzig. It was a tough call who to root for personally. I've met Matt several times in Atlantic City where he and his corner-man Beau "One Man Army" Taylor were always quick to say hi and shake hands. but Mac came out to Astro Zombies by the Misfits and my allegiance to all things "Glenn" Danzig made it tough to choose sides. Luckily I didn't have to. They both fought their hearts out and the crowd roared in approval. Somebody had to lose, and when Wiman took the decision the crowd was mixed with cheers and boos, but when Dana handed out the bonuses, they both came out winners with well deserved 65 grand extra in each of their pockets. Their FOTN victory was a close thing though as the main event of the evening came close to stealing the show.

The Champ Dominic Cruz and the challenger Demetrious Johnson went to war, and while Cruz controlled the fight with takedowns and wrestling, Johnson never looked defeated. Johnson came out as explosive and energetic in round five as he did in round one and Cruz had to wonder if anything could stop this tiny dynamo. Known for a ridiculously fast pace himself, Cruz looked like the more weary fighter early in the showdown, but he never let the hectic pace stop him from implementing his game plan. My sympathy goes out to whoever they put in the cage at 125 pounds with that tiny tiger.

As with their last visit to Fairfax Virginia, the UFC did what they do best and the crowd in attendance left satisfied. It was great to see local mainstays like Fernando Yamasaki refereeing and Doctor Greg Banks at the side of the Octagon. Hopefully the UFC will return soon, as fight fans in DC are always hungry for more MMA.

Joe Rogan Live in DC 9/30

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:36:00 +0000

Tomorrow night the UFC comes to the DC area for the second time, though a little less convenient that their visit to the Patriot Center. As is common on the night before the fights, UFC commentator and Fear Factor host, Joe Rogan performed his stand up act. Fans packed the theater, and I ran into UFC vet Aaron Riley on the way in. Poor Aaron's jaw is wired shut after his loss to Tony Ferguson a week ago. I complemented his toughness, finishing the round with a broken jaw. I hope it doesn't hurt when he laughs, because if it does, he had a rough night.

Joe Rogan's pal, Ari Shaffir warmed up the crowd and prepared you for a pretty raw set with some diarrhea and anal sex jokes. (They were more tasteful than that sounds.)

Still, Joe's comedy is not for the easily offended, but he's the host of Fear Factor and the UFC, not Top Chef and the Westminster Kennel Club. If imagining Joe being raped by Brock Lesnar and blowing some guy for a ride in a time machine is too rude for your delicate demeanor I'd avoid Joe's stand-up.

Rogan started the show in top form, delivering a slew of new bits that had the crowd in stitches. After about an hour he started discussing topics suggested by the crowd. This was hit or miss, working great when he went on about Dick Cheney, Sarah Palin, or Nancy Grace, but falling flat when someone suggested something more obscure. He finished up with the classic Noah's ark bit, and then headed out front to meet and greet anyone who wanted to hang around for a chat. Joe delivered a solid performance, and if you think you might need some chuckles before your night of bloodsport, be sure to check him out when the UFC comes to your town.

Local Fighter Earns Shot on Spike TV's "The Ultimate Fighter"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:59:00 +0000

Centreville resident Dustin Pague (left) will star in the next season of Spike's "The Ultimate Fighter" reality show. Seen here facing Justin Hickey at UWC.

One day Dustin Pague and Chris Merritt, high school pals from Harrisburg Pa., discovered a DVD at the video store of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Like most kids, Dustin and Chris started dreaming. They made plans to own a gym in the future—Pague would compete in mixed martial arts, and Merritt would coach him all the way to the biggest fighting stage in the world, the UFC.

Now living in Centreville, Pague is working hard to make his childhood dream come true. On Wednesday at 9 p.m. on Spike TV, The Ultimate Fighter debuts its 14th season with a two-hour premiere. Pague and 31 other fighting hopefuls will compete to earn 16 spots in the Ultimate Fighter house in Las Vegas and a chance to earn a six-figure contract with the UFC. This season's coaches, UFC middle-weight contender, Micheal Bisping, and MTV Bully Beatdown star Jason “Mayhem” Miller will watch the first round of fights and choose their teams.

Pague's path to reality TV didn’t occur overnight. “In high school I played football and boxed, but I didn’t really know anything about martial arts. When we first saw a UFC DVD at the video store I thought it was fake, like wrestling," he said. "After watching it, it was all I wanted to do.”

Soon after his 18th birthday, he joined Blackman Mixed Martial Arts in Harrisburg and entered his first amateur fight six month later in 2006, winning by triangle choke. Amateur fights brought him to Virginia, where he competed in Scott Howard’s Valhalla fight promotion.

“I actually fought one of Scott’s students, Siyam Yousefi, and afterwards we became good friends," Pague said. "Scott invited me to come down and cross-train at his old gym, Evolution, in Sterling.”

But training with Howard was totally different from what he was used to, he said. In Pennsylvania, he didn't have the right training partners or the right kind of instruction.

“Now, every day I wish I had wrestled in high school," Pague said. "And I work all the time to make up for that training regularly with Neil Johnson, national qualifier wrestler for George Mason University and one of the coaches at Disciple MMA Academy.”

Pague went on to have a successful amateur career becoming the North East regional 145 and 155 pound WKA MMA champ as well as the amateur Total Cage Combat feather-weight champ and Valhalla feather-weight champion. In 2008 Pague turned professional and is currently on a five-fight win streak. He won the Ring of Combat Bantam weight title with a victory in Atlantic City this past February. He’s been out of the public eye since June 6th, when he flew to Vegas for the fight to get in the Ultimate Fighter house.

The Ultimate Fighter show gives fighters the opportunity to train with some of the sport’s biggest stars while they live in a group house in Las Vegas. Episodes end with a match between two fighters to see who moves on in the competition to be this season’s Ultimate Fighter. The seasons end with a live event where each division’s finalists face off for a six-figure contract in the UFC. Also, the two coaches eventually will face off in the Octagon and after a season of coaching opposite each other on the show there’s usually a little animosity built up.

Outside of the cage, Pague's high school dreams are also becoming a reality. His high school pal, Chris Merritt, went on to get his B.S. in Kinesiology from Penn State and is now a strength and conditioning coach. They’re partnering with striking coach Scott Howard to open Disciple MMA Academy in Sterling, which opens in October. The brand-new gym has a full cage, boxing ring and all-new equipment, and coaches include a former opponent of Pague's, Siyam Yousefi.

Pague wants people to understand that he's just an ordinary guy, too, not the stereotype of an angry fighter.

“People often have the wrong idea about fighters. I’m a Christian and I glorify God with the good spirit he’s given me to make people laugh, and the skills he given me in the cage," he said. "People think fighters have to angry to fight, but I respect my opponents and treat them like a brother. It’s just a sport.”

Discuss the interview and Season 14 of the Ultimate Fighter over at the BloodyKnux.com fan forum.

Thai Championship Fights Results

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 03:54:00 +0000

Another great night of fights, with tons of action. Here’s the results-

• Jen Gaines vs. Jenny Segovia- Gaines Unanimous Decision

• Bryan Robey vs. Scott Brain- Brain TKO Rd 2

• Andy Luong vs. Ghary Ursua- Luong Unanimous Decision

• John Ruiz vs. Adam Phillips- No Contest

• Mike Johnson vs. Luis Vallecillo- Vallecillo Unanimous Decision

• Jamal Daniel vs. Albert Ranney- Ranney TKO Rd 3

• Anthony Cordero vs. Jovan Davis- Cordero Unanimous Decision

• Caro Castro vs. Casey Terrell- Terrell Unanimous Decision

• Eric Russi vs. Joshua. Aliaga- Russi Split Decision

• Wade Houston vs. Vince Holland- Holland Unanimous Decision

190 lb Title Fight

• Mike Rybak vs. Lubomyr Murashchik- Murashchik TKO Rd !

• Kiall Wright vs. Jeraldo Cotto- Draw

• Derric Threatt vs. Hakim Andrews- Threatt Unanimous Decision

• Tariq Sirgay vs. Kevin Hansen- Sirgay Unanimous Decision

• James Rhee vs. James Chia- Rhee Unanimous Decision

• Brian Carpenter vs. CJ Gaffney- Gaffney Unanimous Decision

• Ander Bordner vs. Arnulfo Alvarado- Bordner Unanimous Decision

• Tommy McDonnell vs. Billy Reynolds- Reynolds Split Decision

• Frank Dawson vs. Konstantine Krapiva- Krapiva Unanimous Decision

The Main Event- 185 lb Title Fight

• Sean Croushorn vs. Brynnen McIver- Croushorn Unanimous Decision

I'm posting a couple more pics over at Bloodyknux in the TCB 3 Discussion thread.

Thai Championship Fight Returns to Dulles SportsPlex Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 14:20:00 +0000

Combat sports are returning to Sterling at Dulles SportsPlex on Saturday. The Thai Championship Fights will feature 22 kickboxing matches including three title fights in two boxing rings on one night.

Sean Croushorn, who trains at L.A. Boxing in Herndon, is set to take on Brynnen McIver in the main event title fight. Vanguard gym of Manassas has three fighters on the card, Billy Reynolds, Adam Phillips and Vince Holland. Vanguard Gym instructor, and current Operation Octagon Lightweight champ, Mike Pope, said they "have been training between 5 and 6 nights a week for this, they’re ready.”

Woodbridge’s Gold Medal Grappling Coach, Elijah Harshbarger, will be cornering his fighters, Brian Robey, Derric Threatt and Jamal Daniel. “These guys are all making their début. They’ve come a long way, they’re showing good distance and timing. I think people are going to be shocked at how good they are right out of the gate.”

Event promoter, Operation Octagon has previously held three Thai Championship events as well as a mixed event with both MMA and kickboxing fights. The action will take place in two boxing rings and will bring participants from all over the Washington, D.C. Metro area to compete.

Fight Card
• Jen Gaines vs. Jenny Segovia
• Bryan Robey vs. Scott Brain
• Andy Luong vs. Ghary Ursua
• John Ruiz vs. Adam Phillips
• Mike Johnson vs. Luis Vallecillo
• Jamal Daniel vs. Albert Ranney
• Anthony Cordero vs. Jovan Davis
• Caro Castro vs. Casey Terrell
• Eric Russi vs. Joshua. Aliaga
• Wade Houston vs. Vince Holland

145 lb Title Fight
• Carlos Lopez vs. Brandon Cherry

190 lb Title Fight
• Mike Rybak vs. Lubomyr Murashchik
• Kiall Wright vs. Jeraldo Cotto
• Derric Threatt vs. Hakim Andrews
• Tariq Sirgay vs. Kevin Hansen
• James Rhee vs. James Chia
• Felix DeJong vs. Juan Pablo Chang
• Brian Carpenter vs. CJ Gaffney
• Ander Bordner vs. Arnulfo Alvarado
• Tommy McDonnell vs. Billy Reynolds
• Frank Dawson vs. Konstantine Krapiva

The Main Event- 185 lb Title Fight
• Sean Croushorn vs. Brynnen McIver

Weigh-ins will be held Friday, Sept. 16, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Hooters restaurant in Chantilly at 14441 Brookfield Tower Dr., in Chantilly.

The action begins on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 5:30 pm at the Dulles SportsPlex, 21610 Atlantic Blvd., in Sterling. General admission tickets are still available for $25 at www.http://thaichampionshipboxing.com, or if tickets are available at the door, for $30.

Additional mixed martial arts events will come to Northern Virginia in October with DangerZone at Manassas Park Community Center on Oct. 15 and Operation Octagon back at Dulles SportsPlex on Oct. 22. Check back with the BloodyDCMMA.com for event previews and results.

Operation Octagon 15 Results and Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:28:00 +0000

Northern Virginia retains 5 out of 6 MMA Titles at Operation Octagon.

Operation Octagon served up a satisfying helping of local mixed martial arts last night with another sold out show and 16 exciting fights. Thousands of fans packed into Dulles SportsPlex in Sterling Virginia. Whether sitting at VIP tables served by the Hooters girls of Chantilly, in the general seats around the cage, or on the balcony overhead, everyone had a good view of the cage and the big screens above it.

In the late afternoon, camps of fighters coming from all over the DC area and beyond quietly prepared for combat, grappling, warming up on pads and wrapping their hands for a few rounds that would be anything but quiet. Soon the venue echoed with audible action, like the loud slap of a leg kick to a thigh, the screams of instruction from a fighter’s corner, the cheers of the crowd or the occasional crack of a low blow to a fighter’s cup. Local fans know nothing is quite like a live mixed martial arts event.

Northern Virginia fighters had a pretty good night, with only one title belt leaving the area. Camps from Woodbridge and Manassas had stake in five of the six title bouts, and fighters in many of the other 10 matches. Each bout consists of three rounds of three minutes each, except title bouts where the rounds are 5 minutes just like professional matches in the UFC or Strikeforce. The matches are sanctioned, refereed, and judged by the Global Combat Alliance out of Richmond, Virginia with similar rules to state athletic commission sanctioned professional fights.

Gold Medal Grappling of Woodbridge had a stellar night with three wins out of three fights and two for title belts. In the events first match, Gold Medal Grappling’s Steven Adams delivered a bloody beating to his tough but outclassed opponent forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight in the second round. In a great showing of class and sportsmanship, the defeated David Weller embraced his opponent after the fight and raised Adams hand in victory.

In the third fight of the night, relatively new competitor Samir Farid defeated Brandon Wheeler in a clear unanimous decision after dominating his opponent for three solid rounds. Samir showed excellent wrestling against his opponent and also did a good job listening to the Gold Medal Grappling coaches in his corner as they gave him advice to remain in control of the fight.

Vanguard gym of Manassas started the night with success in their first title match when Reed Miller showed he’d been working on his wrestling and submissions. Reed quickly took Cody Carter’s back and sank in a rear naked choke, forcing a tap in the first round.

Willie Floyd proved his resilience and ability to remain calm under fire. The Gold Medal Grappling welterweight first had to deal with a surprise change in opponents. Floyd quickly found himself defending off his back. Perrin Carter coming off a victory over Floyd’s originally scheduled opponent, came on strong and looked to be in control, but Floyd kept his wits, and when Carter tried for a takedown he left his neck exposed. Floyd slipped in the guillotine choke and cinched it very tight, forcing a tap out without even jumping to guard.

Vanguard’s Mike Pope defended his belt for a second time, showing the same wrestling and top control dominance he used in his last fight. Spencer Strube seemed to have a slight advantage in the striking when the fight was standing, but Pope kept the match on the ground where he was the most comfortable and won a unanimous decision, keeping his belt in Manassas.

Vanguard’s next trip to the cage was not as successful, but was an exciting fight for the fans. Local favorite Duy Le faced Michael Ledman of Southern Maryland Jui- Jitsu for the featherweight title, and the match was back and forth. Le was in control on the ground for most of the first round, but Ledman defended well. In the last 30 seconds Ledman got a sweep and poured on the leather until the bell rung. Round two showed Le’s heart as he came out blasting, and took control of the second round as he had the first, but Ledman persevered, and revesed Le again, this time hammering his opponent bloody. The referee clearly considered stopping the fight, but gave Le the benefit of the doubt holding off until the bell. Round three saw Le again come out swinging, and taking down his opponent. Le rained down strikes as if he knew he needed a finish to win the match, but again Ledman rallied, this time getting Le’s back and sinking in a rear naked choke submission. Le tapped at 2:04 in the third round making Michael Ledman the new 145 pound Operation Octagon Champ.

In the next to last fight of the event, John Attia of Team Rockhand squeaked out a split decision over Ryan Lall of Warpath Inc. in an ugly match punctuated with low blows, eye pokes, and Attia showing very little offense, preferring only to counter his opponent even thought the crowd booed disfavor at his tactic.

Luckily the evening didn’t end on a sour note as the Operation Octagon Heavyweight Title was on the line between current champ Josh “Cobra” Brown from nearby Chantilly’s Complete Fitness Concepts, and the challenger, Rich Moore from Contract Combatives. The two big men started the bout quickly exchanging strikes. Brown got the better of the standup and found himself delivering damage to his downed opponent, earning the referee stoppage one minute and 37 seconds into the first round.

In addition to the fights, a couple of local celebrities were in attendance. Ultimate Fighter finalist Kris McCray supported his teammates, and even entered the cage to announce another local martial artist would be on an upcoming season of the Ultimate Fighter on Spike. Also in attendance, Corporal Kelly De Santis who won a bloody battle last March in Operation Octagon, has recently made the news when she invited Justin Timberlake to Marine Corps Ball in Washington DC and he accepted according to the LA Times. After seeing her last fight, Justin had better be a perfect gentleman.

Fans left with their thirst for action sated, and will surely line-up to buy tickets for Operation Octagon’s next event, scheduled for October 22^nd, also at Dulles SportsPlex in Sterling. Be sure to keep your eyes on the Patch for information about it and other upcoming MMA events in Northern Virginia.

More photos and discussion up at BloodKnux.com Click here!

Quick Results

1) Steven Adams defeats David Weller by tko at 2:59 of round 2

2) Paul Cavanaugh defeats Tyson Kellerman by split decision

3) Samir Farid defeats Brandon Wheeler by unanimous decision for the 125 pound title

4) Lashawn Alcocks defeats Tommy McDonnell by tko at 21 seconds of round 3

5) Reed Miller defeats Cody Carter by rear naked choke at 3:20 of round 1 for the 135 pound title

6) Cameron Smith defeats Alex Coates bu armbar at 1:04 of round 1

7) Jordan Needham defeats Jonathan Vinyard by tko at 1:14 of round 2

8) Willie Floyd defeats Perrin Carter by guillotine choke at 2:45 or Round 1 for the 170 pound title

9) Mike Pope defeats Spencer Strube by unanimous decision for the 155 pound title

10) EJ Mecklenburg defeats Shaun Kama by rear naked choke at 41 seconds of round 1

11) Michael Ledman defeats Duy Le by rear naked choke at 2:04 of round 3 for the 145 pound title

12) Orlando Torres defeats Cary Caprio by tko at 2:43 of round 3

13) Justin Theodore Cooper defeats Greg Lyman by unanimous decision

14) Nathan Jaime defeats Jarred Ferguson by split decision

15) John Attia defeats Ryan Lall by split decision

16) Josh Brown defeats Rich Moore by tko at 1:37 of round 1 for the 265 pound title.

- Jim " DC Books" Kirkland

OO 15 Quick Results

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 07:48:00 +0000

Quick results of tonight’s event. Event coverage and pictures coming soon!

1) Steven Adams defeats David Weller by tko at 2:59 of round 2

2) Paul Cavanaugh defeats Tyson Kellerman by split decision

3) Samir Farid defeats Brandon Wheeler by unanimous decision for the 125 pound title

4) Lashawn Alcocks defeats Tommy McDonnell by tko at 21 seconds of round 3

5) Reed Miller defeats Cody Carter by rear naked choke at 3:20 of round 1 for the 135 pound title

6) Cameron Smith defeats Alex Coates bu armbar at 1:04 of round 1

7) Jordan Needham defeats Jonathan Vinyard by tko at 1:14 of round 2

8) Willie Floyd defeats Perrin Carter by guillotine choke at 2:45 or Round 1 for the 170 pound title

9) Mike Pope defeats Spencer Strube by unanimous decision for the 155 pound title

10) EJ Mecklenburg defeats Shaun Kama by rear naked choke at 41 seconds of round 1

11) Michael Ledman defeats Duy Le by rear naked choke at 2:04 of round 3 for the 145 pound title

12) Orlando Torres defeats Cary Caprio by tko at 2:43 of round 3

13) Justin Theodore Cooper defeats Greg Lyman by unanimous decision

14) Nathan Jaime defeats Jarred Ferguson by split decision

15) John Attia defeats Ryan Lall by split decision

16) Josh Brown defeats Rich Moore by tko at 1:37 of round 1 for the 265 pound title.