TDA Training

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 7-21-08!

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Fryer) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:19:49 -0500

Hello and welcome back to the MMA Weekly Wrap Up. The first of (hopefully) many challenges between the UFC and Affliction took place over the weekend. Prior to this Saturday's Ultimate Fight Night and Affliction: Banned event, there was a lot of speculation about which organization would win the hearts and minds of MMA fans everywhere.

Who would get the most viewers? Who would put on the best/coolest show? Which fights would be the most exciting to watch?

Well, the fights are over, the numbers are in, and the viewers have been heard; The official winner of the Affliction vs. UFC competition is... (drumroll)... the Fans!

That's right people, you heard it here first! Both organizations put up some really great fights - The kind of stuff that we'll be talking about for a long time to come. The real winners of this situation are those of us who love combat sports, the people that like to see athletes, at the top of their game, demonstrate their full capabilities. Both organizations had that this weekend and it made for one very exciting evening.

FEDOR DOMINATES SILVA

First up was Afflictions Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia fight. Sure, almost everyone on the planet expected Fedor to win, but most of us also thought that the former UFC Heavyweight Champ would at least give him a run for his money. It didn't happen.

Instead, Emelianenko caught Sylvia with a mean left uppercut/hook combo that put him on the canvas during the opening moments of the fight. Sylvia tried to pull out a ground game, but Emelianenko quickly took his back and sunk a rear naked choke, ending the fight.

Not that anyone was seriously doubting Emelianenko's abilities before the fight, but his utter domination of Sylvia has cemented Emelianenko's reputation as the most dangerous and power fighter in the world.

Seriously, who can even challenge this man? As the clip below shows, he's even beginning to take on the mythical "Chuck Norris" status.

Okay, that question about challenging this man was supposed to be rhetorical. -As it turns out, Randy 'the Natural' Couture has been trying to set up a fight with Emelianenko for quite some time. Couture, who has been battling legal contract disputes with the UFC, hopes to get the issues solved in court sometime this week.

Just think; Couture vs. Emelianenko! WOW! What a fight.

Randy has forgotten more about fighting MMA than most pros will ever learn. He has the knowledge, the experience, the power, and the heart to stand up against Fedor, but he's also been out of the ring since October 2007 at an age when most fighters are safely considering retirement.

This could be an incredibly tough match for Couture as the advantage would now have to go to Emelianenko.

ANDERSON SILVA ROCKS THE UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION

Not to be outdone by the Affliction fights, the UFC brought out it's biggest gun in Anderson 'the Spider' Silva to face James Irvin for Ultimate Fight Night. Silva moved up to the 205 weight class for this match.

If there was a lot of anticipation and stress leading up to this fight, you'd never have known it by looking at Silva. He looked more like someone casually entering a family reunion than someone about to enter the Octagon and face a dangerous opponent.

On his way up to the cage, he was busy giving out hugs to friends, cornermen, and training partners. Completely relaxed and confident, he gave little indication of the amount of violence he was about to inflict on Irvin.

As the first round started, Silva tested the waters with a few low kicks and Irvin tossed out a couple of jabs. Then, suddenly Irvin threw a strong roundhouse kick and all hell broke loose.

Silva countered by tying up the leg, Thai-style, and then jacked his right hard into Irvin's face.

Irvin went down hard, as Silva followed blasting another eight rights into Irvin's head before the referee could stop him.

Anderson's entrance into the Light Heavyweight division was over in a matter of seconds as the referee waved Irvin out.

After the fight, Silvas hostilities disappeared as quickly as they came, as he once again returned to the humble and friendly guy who'd entered the cage just a few minutes before. After having his hand raised in victory, Silva dropped to his knees and presented a formal bow to his opponent, then stood and gave Irvin a big hug as thought they'd been good friends forever.

During the postfight interview, he graciously thanked his trainers, the fans, and in broken English, even his deceased Mother. How can you not love a guy like that?!

He's a true combat sport champion, who shows what winning with class is all about.

Here's a quick clip of Silva interview after the fight - still showing his humility and grounded attitude.

ELITE XC BACK ON NETWORK TELEVISION THIS SATURDAY.

After all of the excitement this past week, it's going to be real hard for CBS to match the intensity with another Elite XC show on Saturday. The biggest draw will be a rematch between Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith, which was called early last time by the fight doctor. However, the rest of the card seems pretty weak. (No Kimbo or Gina this time around!)

Other fights include:

Thomas Denny vs. Nick Diaz
Nick Thompson vs. Jake Shields
Christiane Cyborg vs. Shayna Baszler
Justin Eilers vs. Antonio Silva
Travis Galbraith vs. Rafael Feijao
Brian Caraway vs. Wilson Reis

Here's a quick promo of the event.

ROAD RAMPAGE
Finally, if you haven't already heard, the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson was arrested in California this week after a hit-and-run accident and police chase that included Jackson driving on the wrong side of the road and blowing out one of the tires on his pickup truck.

This is extremely sad news and certainly a very trying time for Jackson. All reports indicate that alcohol or drugs did not contribute to his arrest. UFC President, Dana White is understandably keeping mum about the whole situation, but Internet chatter seems to speculate that Jackson is suffering from some stress induced psychosis.

For more information, here's a clip from CelebTV.com;

Just a couple quick notes for anyone thinking about leaving the scene of an accident.

1st. Be sure that you are not a well-recognized and internationally known athlete.

2nd. Make sure that you don't have a life-sized picture of yourself on the side of your monster truck. (Granted, the rest of the truck was painted camo - but unless he was planning on making it to a nearby rainforest and hiding out, I don't think Jackson stood a chance in hell of getting away from the police.)

Seriously, I hope Jackson is okay and that he gets the help he obviously needs. (You're in my prayers Rampage.)

That's all for this week; Check back again soon as we continue to bring you the 'Best of the Web' in the world of Combat Sports.

Respectfully,

Rick

Soliciting feature writers to TDA Training

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:41:33 -0500

[Bumped - I will keep this at the top of the blog until we fill the openings. Scroll down for more posts]

We would like to expand our feature writing to include more weekly features (similar to Rick's MMA Weekly Wrapup). If you are a martial arts writer and have an idea, please contact me: tdatraining at gmail dot com for details and to discuss. We are looking for three or four

In particular, if you're an active or reservist armed forces member who's also a martial artist, or current/former law enforcement officer with a heavy DT-instructor and/or civilian martial arts background get in touch! Any other ideas (grappler column, MA humor, etc.) are welcomed.

TDA Training is one of the most widely read blogs in the martial arts milieu. Our posts are on anything useful for defensive tactics, combatives, and civilian self-defense, or to improve traditional martial arts training and conditioning!

Technorati Tags: martial arts blogging

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 7-14-08

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Fryer) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 20:42:56 -0500

Hi, and welcome to yet another edition of the MMA Weekly Wrap Up, where we bring you all the Internet's latest news, events, and happenings from the world of mixed martial arts. We're in kinda the 'Quiet before the Storm' right now before all Hell breaks loose this Saturday with two huge events taking place. But, if you need a refresher for this weekends festivities; then you've come to the right place!

JULY 19TH - SILVA VS. SILVIA

This Saturday will see both the debut of the AFFLICTION promotions as well as the entrance of, (pound for pound - the Greatest Fighter in the World) Anderson Silva into the UFC Light Heavyweight division.

First, the AFFLICTION BANNED card: Fedor Emelianenko will face Tim Silva for the much anticipated Heavyweight Championship. The show will also star; Mike Whitehead, Babalu, Matt Lindland, Josh Barnett, Ben Rothwell, Andrei Arlovski, and Megadeath. (I hope Emelianenko enters to Peace Sells... but who's Buying)

Here's an excellent promo for some of the action we can expect to see out of Anaheim, California this weekend.

Not to be outdone by the rookies, the UFC is also putting on a free event at Spike TV at the same time. (In a not so subtle attempt to lure viewers away from the Affliction Banned pay-per-view event.) Knowing that most die-hard fans want to see the Emelianenko/Silvia fight, Dana White has pulled out one of his biggest guns... Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva to go up a weight class and face James Irvin as a Light Heavyweight.

As the following clip demonstrates, Anderson is easily one of the most well rounded fighters out there today. He can kick, grapple, punch, clinch, ground-n-pound, and move effectively from almost any position.

Regardless of which individual fighter wins whatever match; come Monday, every Blog is going to be talking about who got the most viewers... Affliction or UFC. (I hate to say it, but the UFC will probably win out again... I'd love to see Affliction put up some competition, but FREE is an awfully tough price to beat!)

PHIL BARONI GETS MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR @ 170LBS

Phil Baroni dropped from 185 to 170 to make his debut in the Welterweight division at Elite XC's Cage Rage 27 this last week in London. After a convincing 1st round knock out of his opponent, Scott Jansen, Baroni walked across the ring to check on his Jensen and found himself being attacked by Jansen's cornerman. In the following video clip from the fight, you can see Jansen's cornerman headbutt Baroni at the 4:45 mark. CagePotato.com also reports that Jansen's girlfriend also began verbally attacking Baroni after the fight. - Hey people... It's a Mixed Martial Arts Fight! What did you think was going to happen?

To Baroni's credit, he shrugged off the assault and continued as if nothing had happened. -Very Classy!

KIM COUTURE LOOKING GOOD AND READY TO FIGHT AGAIN!

Yeah, I know I write way too much about MMA Legend, Randy Couture's wife and her attempts at entering professional combat sport competition, but these two show so much grace and class, that I can't help but admire and respect them. (What really sucks is that Randy is already almost too old to be fighting and his legal problems with the UFC have kept him out of the ring during the last years of his career. I'll never be able to forgive Dana White or the UFC for preventing us from seeing just how incredible one of the greatest fighters ever could have really become. It's one thing to have your career cut short by an injury or an accident, but to have it thrown away by some petty lawsuit is absolutely revolting.)

Anyway, enough of my rant, here's Kim talking to Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten from HDNet's Inside MMA (and for some reason, Rob Schnider!) about her recent loss, her injuries, and her plans to get back into the ring!

Well, that does it for this week, Check back again soon as we bring you all the latest on this weekend's madnesses!

Respectfully,

Rick

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 7-6-08

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Fryer) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:21:39 -0500

Hi and welcome again to the Wrap Up. The UFC helped celebrate the U.S. birthday by giving us some real fireworks Saturday night. Still, the biggest explosions may be yet to come!

THE NEW UFC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION... OPIE TAYLOR!

Photo from http://www.mayberryinthemidwest.com/mayberry/stars/sullivan.html

Okay, it's not easy being a redhead in today's society, let alone the rough and tumble world of MMA; There's always some jerk on the Internet comparing you to the same three famous redheads... Opie, Howdy Doody, and Bozo.

But every so often, there comes a man who blows away those wimpy stereotypes and proves that it's not how you look but how you carry yourself that really counts. Forrest Griffin is that man!

This weekend, the friendly and somewhat mild mannered UFC star sacrificed his blood, sweat, and even some (manly) tears to take the Light Heavyweight title from Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson.

During his career, Griffin has had some all out battles. His fights against fellow TUF competitor, Stephan Bonnar are legendary, while his recent win at UFC 76 over the Grand Prix champion Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua has elevated him from 'Journeyman fighter' to 'full Contender' status.

But Saturday at UFC 86, Griffin proved that he deserved to wear the belt by taking a unanimous decision against Jackson. The fight was brutal with Jackson delivering explosive punches and body slams that stunned Griffin several times, but never seemed to stop his forward advance.

Griffin countered with strong roundhouse and knee kicks, focusing on Jackson's lead, left leg. By taking that leg out, he was able to hamper Jackson's mobility and extinguish much of his power. Griffin then utilized his incredible endurance and smart use of angles to keep Jackson under constant pressure. The fight was close, but in the end Forrest proved, once again, that he could win toe-to-toe against the best.

Like I said last week, I love both of these fighters, so it was difficult to choose someone to cheer. But now that it's all said and done, I'm happy to see Griffin holding the title. He deserves it! I hope he's the UFC Light Heavyweight champion for a long, long time to come!

Oh, what's that.... this just in.... Anderson Silva has just received permission to pursue titles in both the Middle and Light Heavyweight Divisions... Run Forrest.... RUN!!!

Here's a quick post fight clip of Rampage giving props to Griffin while still expressing his desire to get back in for a rematch. A lot of people don't like Jackson because he talks a lot of smack, but the truth is, even after a loss, he still handles himself like a true champion.

UFC VS. AFFLICTION - JULY 19TH

As we get closer to the big Affliction debut, the war-of-words from UFC president Dana White has begun to intensify. To counter fan interest in the Affliction event, the UFC has decided to present a free Ultimate Fight Night on Spike TV featuring Anderson Silva's entrance into the Light Heavyweight division as well as TUF finalist (well, sort of) Jesse Taylor's return into the Octagon after being kicked out of the last fight of Season 7 for drunk and disorderly conduct in Las Vegas.

In the following clip, HDnet's Inside MMA Discusses Donald Trump's involvement with the Affliction Banned promotion.

Never one to take competition lightly, here's UFC President, Dana White talking to a radio show about the Affliction Banned event. Rather than discuss the merits of the Affliction promotion or present any honest criticism, Dana instead feels it's more important to make fun of their t-shirts, complain about Internet bloggers (like yours truly), and discuss getting in shape for his appearance on the cover of a fitness magazine. Way to take the high road Dana!

Is it just me, or is that radio interviewer like the biggest suck-up ever?! Oh well, I think I hear my Mom calling me for dinner... time to leave the basement where I spend all day anonymously blogging as part of a vast Right-Wing conspiracy to discredit Dana White... Whatever!

Seriously, Dana; it's not that we hate you or the UFC, we just want to see some free enterprise in the world of MMA. A little bit of fair competition would be good for the UFC, good for the fighters, and good for the fans. Everybody wins.

Besides, without the UFC, Spike Television would quickly turn into the 24 hour Star Wars cable channel and Nobody wants that! (Everytime I turn on Spike, they're either showing UFC or yet another Star Wars rerun.)

VIDEO AUDITIONS FOR TUF SEASON 8 NOW UNDERWAY

With the return of Jessie Taylor and the fact that UFC has no problem with their athletes tearing apart the house on the Ultimate Fighter television show (but then throws a fit when you kick out the window of someone elses limo), we've discovered some hidden talent that should be a valuable addition to future episodes of the show. Check these guys out.

All they need to do now is drink a couple liters of vodka and wet themselves; then we could be looking at the next 'Ultimate Fighters' (WARNING, there is a little bit of rough language in the following clip)

Well, on that note, we'll call it quits for this edition of the Wrap Up. Check back again soon as we continue to bring you the 'Best of the Web' for MMA action.

Respectfully,

Rick

A good big man...

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 01:22:08 -0500

It is a maxim of unarmed combat that even a very skilled smaller man is always at a disadvantage versus a skilled bigger man. In other words, size matters - a lot. This, by the way, is one of the reasons I've always advocated weapons as an "equalizer." I don't care how many martial arts classes a small woman or elderly person takes, they may never beat a large vicious male, or more than one attacker. A weapon changes that dynamic completely.

Back to the subject at hand, let's use the match-up of a good big man and a good little man here to illustrate the point. Watch Joe Frazier versus the big George Foreman. Some of you may not know this, but at one time George wasn't just a grill salesman on TV. Watch.

Heavyweight title fight between Joe Frazier and George Foreman

What do you take from this? I'll give you my impressions, and ask for yours in the comments below.

George Foreman outweighed and outreached his opponent. Joe Frazier was 5'11" to George's 6'3", but their disparity in weight and reach was certainly greater, with Foreman probably weighing close to 225, and Frazier no more than 205 (he would be a very small heavyweight today).
Frazier was the certainly a skilled "little man." He was the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world at the time, and had earned the belt by first winning a "tournament" of bouts to fill the vacated throne of Muhammad Ali (who was stripped of his belt by refusing induction into the military during the Vietnam conflict), and then legitimizing his reign by convincingly beating Ali in a 15-round decision. Prior to Ali and Foreman, Joe Frazier had defeated a who's who of top heavyweights of the day: Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Ellis, Oscar Bonavena, and Georges Chuvalo. He was 29-0, with 25 KOs, and was on top of the world. Was the big Foreman a match?
Frazier was never in this fight. Foreman took a few glancing blows by Frazier early in round one, but from that point on, it was a systematic and inevitable destruction of the smaller man. After three knockdowns of Frazier in round one, Foreman finished the fight in the second round after the Joe Frazier's sixth trip to the canvas.
I am glad that there is a three knockdown rule today, as it spares fighters undue punishment and reduces the likelihood, in my opinion, of permanent brain damage due to concussion. Frazier and the fighters of his day had no such protections.
Frazier was like meat served on a platter for Foreman. To fight a larger man, one should use angles of attack, and stay inside (closer). Foreman witnessed a small man who attacked straight ahead with indirect attacks (hooks), and couldn't stay inside because he was able to parry him aside or push him back to keep him at his ideal range. A smaller fighter needs to be behind or beside a larger fighter and force him to have to turn to bring his weapons to bear.
As mentioned in the previous point, closing the gap should be done with a proper lead, or any weapon that forces a defense, thereby creating an opening.
While Frazier's punching power was tremendous, it relied on the accuracy of his only real weapon, the left hook. He couldn't get close enough to George Foreman to land it. On the other hand, Foreman's power was based on his weight and uncanny strength. Any part of the body that Foreman hit was a good target - it hurt! He did a good job of mixing body shots with straight punches, then almost literally took Joe Frazier off his feet, seemingly without effort.

While this was a fight that, stylistically, George Foreman would win 99 times out of 100, it's worth studying to develop your own tactics.

For more information:

TDA What is an effective lead?
TDA The Three Cs of Sparring: Offense and Defense - repost

Technorati Tags: George Foreman,Joe Frazier,Muhammad Ali

Stages of Cop

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:21:57 -0500

This was sent to me by a guy I worked with, a former officer. Thought I'd share it because it rings very true! - Nathan

FASCINATION STAGE Years 1 – 4: For most officers, this is their first time outside of the middle class bubble. They have never seen a dead body, never seen life threatening injuries, never dealt with a family disturbance, never witnessed the shit some people call ‘home life’, and never really understood the phrase ‘Man’s Inhumanity To Man’ until now. Everything is new to them. You can identify them by the amount of fancy new equipment they carry. A ten billion candlelight power torch, pens that write in the rain, a ballistic vest rated to stop tomahawk missiles, and an equipment bag large enough to house a squad of marines. They love it, they show up early for their shift. They work way past the end of their shift without even considering an O/T slip. They believe rank within the job is based only on ability and those in the upper ranks got there by knowledge and skill in police work only. They believe everyone is competent, everyone is on the same page and working towards the same high minded goals. When they finally go home to their significant other, they tell them everything they did and saw. Some of the more ‘eaten up’ purchase a police scanner so they can hear the radio calls while at home.

HOSTILITY STAGE Years 5 – 6: They now show up for work about 2 minutes before their shift, and they are hiding about 30 minutes before end of the shift, writing reports so they can just throw them in the sergeant’s in-box and leave ASAP. They have to get to their second job to earn money to pay for the divorce that is pending. They gripe about everything, drink excessively, chase women, and hate the public, politicians, media, etc. They feel they have more in common with the hookers, thieves, druggies, etc. but hate them too. Those pens that write in the rain are no longer needed. Writing traffic tickets can be a lot more trouble than they are worth, even on a nice day. To write one, or to write anything while standing in the rain, is a sure sign of an insane person. Their spouse is no longer interested in hearing about all the gore and heartache. They get the ‘you spend more time with the cops than you do wi th me’ speech.

SUPERIORITY STAGE Years 7 – 15: This is when cops are at their best. They have survived changes in administration. They know how the political game is played, both inside and outside the job. They know who they can trust and who they can’t. They have select friends within the job, and stay away, as best they can, from the nuts and boot-lickers. They know the legal system, the judges, prosecutors, defence solicitors, etc. They know how to testify and put a good case together. They are usually the ones that the gaffers turn to when there is some clandestine request or sensitive operation that needs to be done right. These cops are still physically fit and can handle themselves on the street. They will stay around the station when needed, but have other commitments, such as a second spouse, a second girlfriend (sometimes both), and most of their friends are non job.

ACCEPTANCE STAGE Years 16 – ????: Now the cops have a single objective… retirement and pension. Nothing is going to come between them and their monthly payslip. The boss, the force, the idiots around the station, and the creeps on the street can all go to hell, because they could come between them and ‘sitting on the beach’. There is no topic of discussion that can’t somehow lead back to retirement issues. These guys are usually sergeants, detectives, scenes of crime officers, community, or some other post where they will not be endangered. They especially don’t want some young stupid cop getting them sued, fired, killed, or anything else causing them to lose their ‘beach time’. They spend a lot of time having coffee, hanging around the station, and looking at brochures of things they want to do in retirement.

The retired cop usually dies within five years of retirement, saving the force a bunch of money. Of course, nothing is ever 100% true, but if you are a cop, were a cop, know a cop, then you will certainly recognize some of the above statements!!!!

Check back with Alain Burrese

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:33:45 -0500

It's been a while since I've looked at the Attack Back blog by Hapkido and self-defense exponent Alain Burrese. He's back to updating the blog and has some great material there. Drop over and check it out.

Todays TDA Tip: Practice is Important!

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:28:32 -0500

Ticked Clerk Wrecks Armed Teen’s Violent Robbery Attempt

One point that was common to all the instructors at the recent Karate College seminar weekend I attended: repetition is key to being able to actually apply any technique. The robber made the mistake of thinking the gun in his pocket was enough to successfully pull off a hold-up. The issue was that he wasn't prepared to use it, and his fumbling telegraphed the weapon and his intent. Did the clerk do the right thing?

I have always taught that skill is only earned through rep. Take a technique, make sure it's correct, the drill, drill, drill until it becomes part of your repertoire and is built into your muscle memory. The danger of martial arts training is the false confidence that comes from learning a lot of techniques, but few skills. Don't just learn it - earn it!

H/T: Of Arms and the Law

Technorati Tags: Armed robbery

Todays TDA Tip: Improve your stickfighting

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 06:45:16 -0500

Not what you think. Watch this.

Can you apply this to your Filipino martial arts?

I love this video because it shows the improvement and mastery that can result from "play." As a kid and young adult, I was always kicking and punching, spinning and ducking, bobbing and weaving. I annoyed the heck out of family and friends, but that's why I became very proficient. Adding a weapon like a stick or knife shouldn't change that habit. When you have nothing to do, twirl your stick, rap or slash an imaginary attacker. Tear apart a dead tree in the woods with your oldest sparring stick. Use your foam stick on the bag. Imagining is also called visualization, and can be key to your success in any martial art, or life itself. Have fun!

Via: Straight to the Bar

For more information:

Combat Sports Psychology

Technorati Tags: sports psychology,visualization

THE MMA WEEKLY WRAP UP for 6-30-08

noreply@blogger.com (Rick Fryer) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:25:47 -0500

Hi and welcome again to the Wrap Up! It's time to go over all the Internet's latest events and news from the world of MMA.

UFC 86 DILEMMA: JACKSON VS GRIFFIN - WHO TO CHEER?!

Confession time. Some of my favorite fights are when I happen to dislike both of the fighters. I don't feel a need to cheer for either one and can happily watch both of them beat the hell out of one another. It's really a good time!

UFC 86, showing this Saturday night (July 5th) however, puts me in a rather awkward position. For this main event, I happen to really like both of the fighters and I just can't pick between Quinton Jackson or Forrest Griffin.

Does this mean that I'll feel bad for the looser or hope nobody gets hurt? Ummm No. (I think I'll have just as much fun, if not more, watching two of my favorite fighters try to tear one another apart as I would if it were two guys that I truly detested.) This should be an incredible match.

To get us all psyched up, here's a quick Jackson/Griffin montage showing what these guys are capable of doing in the cage.

Of course, Jackson and Griffin aren't the only ones on Saturday's card. Rounding out the fights will be:

Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau
Patrick Cote vs. Ricardo Almeida
Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Lytle
Tyson Griffn vs. Marcus Aurelio
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Justin McCully
Jorge Gurgel vs. Cole Miller
Melvin Guillard vs. Dennis Siver
Corey Hill vs. Justin Buchholz

For more on the Event and predictions, let's go to the expert herself, our favorite fight Diva, Joanne from MMAGirls.com

KIM COUTURE FACES HER CRITICS

As we mentioned last week, Kim Couture (Wife of a well-known MMA fighter named Randy) lost a really tough match, in which she suffered a broken nose and jaw. Kim was caught with a hard punch in the opening moments of the fight which caused the injury. However, she toughed it out and finished the match, losing by a unanimous decision.

There was a lot of blood, and Kim’s good looks came out looking… well, not exactly like Cover Girl material.

Let’s face it, when guys get in the cage and end up black, blue, and bloody, most fans consider it pretty macho. We don’t mind the gore and actually come to expect it.

But, when a girl - an attractive girl - like Couture takes a beating, there’s a certain revulsion to the spectacle and even some of the most die hard MMA fans begin to wonder if we really want to watch women participate in this sport.

Earlier this week, Kim made an appearance on ESPN Radio to talk about her fight and debate the the role of women in MMA with Radio Jocks, Cofield and Cokin. As this clip shows, Kim Couture not only has grace and composure in the cage, but is also able to handle herself in philosophical debate as well. (But I still would have liked it if she would've body-slammed one of those fat bozos before leaving the studio!)

THE ULTIMATE DOUBLE STANDARD: THE JESSE TAYLOR STORY

Also mentioned last week was the fact that TUF Finalist Jesse Taylor was removed from the shows final event after a drunken binge in Las Vagas that ended up with him getting kicked out of a casino (or two), allegedly harassing female hotel guests, and kicking out the window of a limousine.

Now, I'm not condoning these actions; I think Taylor is an idiot and a bad example for fighters everywhere. The sport really doesn't need this kind of attention.

However, you gotta wonder why he was kicked off the final show for destroying property when The Ultimate Fighter television show consistently shows fighters destroying the house every season. You gotta wonder why he was kicked of the final show for getting drunk and misbehaving when the show routinely shows fighters getting drunk and playing extremely stupid practical jokes on each other. What's the deal?

There have been reports that Taylor "harassed female guests" at the hotel, however no details were ever given. ('Harassed' could mean calling a woman names and being verbally disrespectful, or it could mean engaging in unwanted touching or it could even mean attempted rape... without more information, there's a whole lot of gray area here.)

One thing is certain; by watching the season unfold, it was obvious that Taylor had a drinking problem. If your unsure of this fact, check out the following clip which highlights (err... lowlights) some of his antics.

(Yeah, you saw right, that was Taylor urinating on himself at the end of the clip. Classy.)

Now, I'm not trying to judge here. I actually support the UFC's decision to toss Taylor from the Final. However, I also think that there's definitely some unfair treatment going on. If the UFC wants to finally take the high road and begin treating it's fighters like athletes instead of drunken sailors looking for a fight, then it needs to treat all of them the same.

No more drunken binges with fighters tearing apart the house, no more stupid pranks designed to instigate violence (which isn't permitted anyways) and no more Springer-like drama just for the sake of ratings. -No wonder non-martial artists think MMA is just a bunch of hooligans in a cage.

Okay, that's my rant for the week. I'll put away the soap box and start getting ready for Saturdays fight... I can't wait!

Check back again next week as we continue to bring you the "Best of the Web in MMA."

Respectfully,

Rick

Some site improvements

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:18:01 -0500

Blogger has update their comments system to allow in-line comments. I used to get frustrated creating comments because you can't see what you're commenting on (it opened a new window and you'd have to expand the original post by clicking a link). This is much better. Try it, you'll like it!
The "Look for it" field on the sidebar is actually a great search tool. It's not a standard Google search. It actually creates a tabbed search results at the top of the blog. In the example below I used the search term "tiger" and can click on the results on my blog, sites I've linked to, and a general Web search. If you're trying to find that excellent post here on "hurling" it's now much easier. Try it!

Technorati Tags: Blogger

Back to College (Karate College) - Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:15:11 -0500

Consider this just a placeholder. I will have more pics. Videos will be in the next couple of days (need to edit and upload to host). Great stuff.

Also, I am going to see the premier of something called "San Do," billed as "3 Men-1 Ring," which will allegedly be on Fox TV (this is the first public viewing of it. I have NO IDEA how they're going to do this, but I'm not going to miss it.

More later.

--
Nathan Teodoro

Nathan Teodoro

Pic of the Day: Coolness personified, not!

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:23:04 -0500

An inspiring look from the Web, I guess. Not sure where this came from - it was emailed to me, so no credit. And no, that's NOT me!

Have a great weekend.

Back to College (Karate College) - Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:28:04 -0500

Karate College, June 26, 2008

OK - I am on a break and just have a couple of minutes. I will update this post with photos and video, so if you don't check back tonight, you'll miss out. This will be bullets for now, then cleaned up and elaborated. Don't worry, I have plenty of notes, and will make sure I get a Beasley pic out to you, Bob (email me a mailing address), if I can get one, otherwise and autograph that makes it seem as if you're old buddies! :-)

0800 start time is too early! So far, I've attended FEARS with Ian Marshall and Robb Buckland, knife fighting with Jerry Beasley, kickboxing with Joe Lewis. Coming up next: krav maga with Perry Gibson, and MMA with Matt Serra, Karate with George Alexander, Sajido with Jim Sams (never heard of either, but ready to check it out!), then finishing up with some Renzo Gracie and Mike Lee Kanarek before collapsing.
Weather is pretty good. A little hot, but sunny and nice.
Sheetz is really "my favorite restaurant!" You can get a sandwich really quickly at minimal cost, plus they've got fruit and other healthy junk food alternatives. They also have health food alternatives like junk food, but still...
I am actually holding up pretty well. There's not as much rust as I thought, and the it's all there upstairs (stop - I know what you're thinking!).
I had two very green partners for FEARS and Joe Lewis, but had to check my instinct to "clean up" their technique. What was I thinking?? I should take things as they are because I can't tell any opponent how to attack me. Dealing with awkwardness is actually more important from a practical perspective than dealing with a honed skill. We need to drill and learn but adapt to the opponent, not make them adapt to us.

More to come (pics,video, and lessons). Goodbye for now.

UPDATE: 2250 hours - Just got out. Had a great time with Renzo Gracie and Mike Lee Kanarek. Took 95 pictures and about an hour of video. I am sitting at a place called FATZ having a draft, clam chowder, and making some pics for you. Check back later tonight or in the AM for the update. Also, I have extensive Kanarek/Haganah footage, and will use some with commentary, or the stills if the quality isn't high enough. Learned a lot.

UPDATE: 2359 hours - See below.

F.E.A.R.S. with Ian Marshall and Robb Buckland

These guys are pretty good. Marshall and Buckland have different backgrounds, but a reality/reflexive take on self-defense. Use what you already know, just enhance it. Marshall also emphasized using application from kata/forms.
Buckland says that you'll typically learn three stances: a Bill Wallace-style side stance for sport, a boxing-type stance, and what he termed a "Mike Tyson" or Sanchin stance. He emphasizes being able to "fight in a phone booth."
I showed the assistant instructor Steven what I like to use, the dive position universal block and entry (see this pic), and how I like to counter simultaneously with closing the gap and blocking, versus a 1-2 approach. He liked it.
Lower body defends lower body, upper defends upper.
Overall, it was pretty good. A taste only, but it left a good impression that they know what they're doing. There's some good seminar footage on YouTube if you want to check them out.

Knife Fighting with Dr. Jerry Beasley

Dr. Beasley signing some Karate College shirts

This was very interesting, in that Dr. Beasley emphasized the legal aspects of defending yourself with a knife, not removing sentries or stabbing to kill. In fact, he brought a refreshing real-world viewpoint that will probably fit most commercial studios and what most are wanting to learn.

His techniques were straight from Kali/Arnis/FMA, and have things in common with other systems.
Emphasize slashing as opposed to stabbing. Several good reasons: a slash produces a shock effect in the attacker, at the sight of his own blood, and may cause him to disengage immediately. It show less than lethal intent to a court. Slashing at the extremities disables them [defang the snake]!
Be principle-oriented, not technique oriented. Meaning that singular techiques have limited application - you must have the ideal conditions to make them work. Instead, principles apply to all techniques and situations.
I thought it was interesting that Beasley said that everyone should have a gun in their homes. "It's a right, and you should do it." Far from being a "empty-hand" purist, Beasley says that it is a recent development to train to fight unarmed, and that warriors always try to use a weapon first. He brought some humor and realism to the debate by saying that, look, these bodies get old, whereas weapons don't. Plus, they require a lot of upkeep to be effective weapons. An expert on JKD and Bruce Lee, Beasley pointed out that Lee wasn't as well versed as many, but everything he knew he could apply expertly because of his superior conditioning and attributes. He was simply faster and stronger than almost anyone his size or bigger.
With regard to the knife, he used the Miyomato Mushashi principle of distraction, sharing that Musashi frequently used a throwing weapon to distract then struck with his sword. Use your environment to create that distraction. For example, use sand on the beach to throw at an assailant to give you an advantage.

[I am going to have to quit now and finish this tomorrow. I have to be back at class at 0800 hours]

Technorati Tags: Karate College 2008,F.E.A.R.S.,Ian Marshall,Robb Buckland,knife fighting,Jerry Beasley,kickboxing,Joe Lewis,krav maga,Perry Gibson,MMA,Matt Serra,Karate,George Alexander,Sajido,Jim Sams,Renzo Gracie,Mike Lee Kanarek,Sheetz

TDA Blitz 2008.06.27

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:08:23 -0500

Where to start? While I've been away, a lot has been going on!

The number one item has to be the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on the right to bear arms, it's an "individual right," as most are, not a group right, or reserved to militias. This is a ruling that will no doubt protect the God-given right to protect one's person and domicile from assault by home invasion burglary. Many of us extrapolate our presumed safety in the suburbs (a "safe" neighborhood) to the rest of the country, but many live in fear every day in communities where the outlaws rule. I will write more on this in the future, or may just link with commentary. Much good work being done out there. Check out Of Arms & the Law, for example.
The inspiring story of a Marine who led the way. Read it with some tissues handy. Semper Fi! “...he designed a T-shirt that he sometimes sold, sometimes gave away. On the front it read: "Got 3% chance of survival, what ya gonna do?" The back read, "A) Fight Through, b) Stay Strong, c) Overcome Because I Am a Warrior, d) All Of The Above." D is circled.”
The Fight Geek is in Thailand doing the Muay Thai thing! Head over and check out his posts.
Scott at Weakness With a Twist saw "The Foot Fist Way," and, uh, appreciated it. I think I have to see it. I will probably wait for the video to come out unless I get to it next week. Read his review here.
Jiu-jitsu Sensei posted a great video of Judo throws and some reasons to include them in your MMA. I agree, and would add that, for self-defense, throws are a show-stopper (for the attacker, that is). Include them in your arsenal. That's an order!
Bob at Striking Thoughts is hot on his search for his next style. While I normally frown on style hopping, I don't that that's what he's doing, and he's got good reasons for moving from TKD to an art that's easier on his body.
Check out this video footage of the powered exoskeleton that may allow the lame to walk and move like the Bionic Man, make Bobcats obsolete for construction workers, and our soldiers on the battlefield able to carry two wounded buddies at the same time or jack up a Humvee and shoot with the other hand. Check it out!
The 5 Most Badass Presidents of All-Time! Guess who they are before you go there. And several of them are among my favorites. Who knew?
Chris at Martial Development on "So You Think You Can Dance" and it's applicability to martial arts practice. "Dancing is not a martial art, but they have much in common. Proficiency in either demands a body that can speak clearly—whether to convey profound truths, or exquisite lies—because indistinct muttering is no basis for artistic expression. In both arts, it pays to keep a close eye on your partner’s movements."
Steve blogged about it, too. Funny that both of them have been checking it out. This is the first season that my wife and I have been watching. Coincidence? Perhaps...
Military Motivator has a poster on the new Navy LC2 Star Destroyer. Click the picture to get there. It's actually scary!

MMA for the Street: Smith vs. Yoshida

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:45:01 -0500

This is the first in a series of MMA video clips which I will break down from a "street" perspective, since I am so "street." Ok, despite my lack of "street cred," I will still break them down for your edification.

The first one is this Maurice Smith vs. Hidehiko Yoshida clip. For background, Maurice Smith is one of the best heavyweight kickboxing fighters of all time. He's a striker who went from WKA to K-1, then to MMA. Having defeated both Marco Ruas and Mark Coleman, he's no slouch. His opponent in the white gi, was a world-class Judo-ka. In fact, Mr. Yoshida won a gold medal in the '92 games.

Stage set?

Watch it first before reading the analysis.

Have you seen it? Yes? Ok then, let's talk about this one.

Tactically, Smith was pretty sound, trying to stay away and strike versus a superior grappler. For a while... The advantage in the clinch and on the ground would obviously belong to the Judo man, so Yoshida nullified or defended the striking well, then closed and took the bigger man to the ground. Well, Yoshida did that.

From a self-defense perspective, Smith nearly did what he should have done from the position he was in (Kesa Gatame or the scarf position) - gouge the eyes. If he had actually done it, and quickly, it may have caused Yoshida to release the hold. As it was, he was prevented from doing so by the rules.

Any other ideas?

H/T: mma-fight-video.com

Back to College (Karate College) - Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:26:00 -0500

Karate College, June 26, 2008

I am going to add to this post in updates, so check back for updates.

As posted, I was the first camper and waited a while! Check in was supposed to begin at 3 PM, but probably happened closer to 3:45, and I was starving by the time I finished.

It was actually a good thing waiting because I was able to appreciate the new venue (check out the views of the mountains in southwestern Virginia!).

The view was gorgeous!

The Radford Recreation Center is a much-improved venue for the camp!

While waiting, I got to talk with Masters Bill D'Urso, Joe Hess, and meet with a bunch of instructors. Many seem to be repeat customers, like me (I was here in '93 and '05), and two were students of Dr. Beasley who've started their own schools and are members of his AIKIA organization.

One aside: the Blacksburg/Radford area has "cheap" gas - $3.89. Can you believe I think $3.89 is cheap???

[UPDATE: June 26, 6:25 PM]

The instructors:

Matt “The Terror” Serra - MMA
Dr. Christian Harfouche - shurite jutsu
Bill Wallace - kicking
Joe Lewis - kickboxing
Renzo Gracie
Mike Lee Kanarek - Israeli self defense
Michael DePasquale, Jr. - jujutsu
Dr. Jerry Beasley - knife fighting
Mark Hatmaker - submissions
George Alexander - karate
Willie “Bam” Johnson - combat kung fu
Scott Yates - hapkido
Danny Chapman - sparring
Jim Sams - sajido
Joe Hess - police tactics
Greg Ferry
Dr. Ian Marshall - F.E.A.R.S.
Rob Buckland - F.E.A.R.S.
Paul Creighton
Tim Mannon
Simon Kwong - kung fu
Mike Allen
Allen Branch
James Houston
Jason McNeil - kung fu
Perry Gibson - Krav Maga
Bill D’Urso - jujitsu
Stewart Sparks
John Mayer - FBI self defense
Rick Perez - kenpo
Jimmy Miller - tae kwon do
Kimber Johnson - ITF/WTF forms

The schedule:

Friday 8 AM - 10 PM
Saturday 8 AM - 9 PM (including graduation)
Sunday 8 AM - 11 AM

Technorati Tags: Karate College 2008

Writers block?

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:41:56 -0500

Marks had a nice comment on my apology post (Apologies are in order) about being out. I wish it was writer's block! I've had that once or twice, and the solution to writer's block was always to write. Just do it! It's just like anything else, the hardest part is getting started, then you "get on a roll" and things get easier.

Nathan is off to college (Karate College, that is!)

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:36:22 -0500

Regular (as opposed to irregular?) readers may recall I planned to attend the Karate College 2008. Well, I am here! I seem to be the first "camper" (this started as a camp in the early '90s), and am waiting to complete my registration and head over to my hotel to check in.

I am expecting an exciting weekend, and to learn a lot, then to be sore for days afterward. My plan is to take pictures, video, and blog about my experiences in the evenings and share my impressions and thoughts while they're fresh. You'll also hear my whining about soreness, out-of-shapeness, and such, but just ignore that part!

This is the first in a series. I will plan for one diary post a day, then various subject-specific posts, and follow-up interviews. Check back often!

Technorati Tags: Karate College 2008

Apologies are in order

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Teodoro) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:12:26 -0500

For about three weeks (ok 4!) I've been so swamped with other things, professional and personal, that I've not had the time or motivation to blog. I've got a couple of ideas and will share them shortly, once Rick and I discuss. More to come.

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Nathan Teodoro

Nathan Teodoro

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