South Florida

Marcus Aurelio and Gleison Alves hit the crossroads of their MMA careers

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:23:36 -0700

Marcus Aurelio Gleison Tibau Alves

Brazilians Marcus Aurelio and Gleison Tibau Alves call America “the land of opportunity.”

In the midst of working toward U.S. citizenship, Aurelio, 34, and Alves, 24, of American Top Team in Coconut Creek left family and friends in Brazil for a shot at the big time in mixed martial arts.

Elieser Castillo says he wants to take on Kimbo Slice

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 01:05:54 -0700

NORTH LAUDERDALE -- Elieser Castillo sat quietly in the back row until it was his turn to talk during the prefight ESPN2 Friday Night Fights news conference.

After promoter Luis DeCubas announced the seven-bout boxing card that includes undefeated Colombian Breidis Prescott (18-0, 17 KOs) making his U.S. debut at War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale, it was all Castillo.

Florida to sanction MMA as a sport

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:30:00 -0700

Tom Molloy, Executive Director of the Florida Athletic Commission, which governs boxing and mixed martial arts, said Friday that amateur mixed martial arts will become fully sanctioned this week.

Molloy spearheaded the effort to add the amendment to the Pugilist law that Gov. Charlie Crist signed off on recently.

UFC champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's star shines as bright as South Beach

Wed, 21 May 2008 22:46:11 -0700

The nickname suits him.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira is called "Minotauro" after the mythological creature that has the head of a bull and body of a man.

After leaving a trail of defeated heavyweights from Japan to Las Vegas, he is regarded as the best mixed martial arts fighter in the world. At 31, he is the only fighter in history to hold PRIDE FC and UFC titles at the same time.

He is the Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan of mixed martial arts and one of the most recognized sports figures in Japan and Brazil. With the increased popularity of the UFC cards in the United States, he is gaining a foothold among mainstream athletes.

Inside MMA

Tue, 13 May 2008 23:11:22 -0700

Rumors had been floating around the past few weeks that the International Fight League's Friday card at the Mohegan Sun (Conn.) would be the league's last show. However, earlier this week the IFL confirmed its next event, the Aug. 15 IFL Summer Throwdown in New Jersey and announced it is in the process of developing a hexagon-shaped mixed martial arts ring for future IFL competitions. The new ring, created in conjunction with Throwdown Industries, will be unveiled at the Aug. 15 card at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. The fight card for that event will be announced next month. Dubbed "The Hex," the six-sided surface will be 24 feet across (27 feet 8 ½ inches end-to-end) and will be enclosed by five ropes. The use of The Hex will be more viewer-friendly for fans in attendance as well as the television audience. The hexagonal surface also allows strategic benefits for the fighters. The prototype is being built in Las Vegas.

UFC champions Nogueira, Silva partnering on fight academy in downtown Miami

Sun, 04 May 2008 12:00:00 -0700

UFC champions Antonio "Minotauro" Nogueira and Anderson "Spider" Silva of Brazil have moved to South Florida to open a mixed martial arts academy in downtown Miami.

Nogueira and Silva Mixed Martial Arts Academy is the first academy headed by two current UFC champions. The pair plan on training together, giving seminars and teaching adults and children of all ages and ability levels.

Like they do in Brazil, the academy's pro fighters will also work with underprivileged children, ages 4-14. In Brazil, Nogueira works with 160 kids, he said.

Parents advocate their kids involvement in MMA and are not concerned about too much violence

Sun, 04 May 2008 12:00:00 -0700

COCONUT CREEK - Gina Alvarez ran over to her father for a congratulatory high-five after beating her cousin, T.J. Vazquez, at the Alex "Bada" Andrade Mixed Martial Arts Memorial Tournament.

Louis Alvarez, Steve and Joy Erched, and several other parents sat along the grappling mats at American Top Team Coconut Creek watching their kids compete Saturday while several ATT pros, including Antonio "Big Foot" Silva, worked out in the nearby practice cage.

Between kids, parents and coaches, it was hard to figure out who was enjoying the three-hour tournament more.

Video demonstration of key MMA techniques

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 03:35:01 -0700

Ex-street fighter Kimbo Slice already face of EliteXC

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:43:59 -0700

Miami street fighter-turned-MMA fighter Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson will fight British heavyweight James Thompson on the May 31 EliteXC's prime-time television debut.

In what is expected to be the most watched card, the 34-year-old Ferguson will make his third professional mixed martial arts appearance.

Ferguson (2-0), the YouTube street-fighting star who crossed over with the help of MMA legend Bas Rutten, will take on the 6-foot-5 Thompson.

MacDonald tops Doerksen in UFC's Canadian debut

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:29:25 -0700

MONTREAL - Middleweight Jason MacDonald pounded out a win in an all-Canadian grudge match with rival Joe Doerksen on Saturday night at UFC 83 before a raucous Bell Centre crowd of about 22,000 fans in UFC's Canadian debut.

MacDonald (21-9) finished the mixed martial arts fight with a string of elbows to the head, then stood over his fallen opponent after referee Steve Mazzagatti stopped the bout 56 seconds into the second round.