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Former UFC champ Frank Mir talks guns, knives, and martial arts with Joanne of MMA Girls

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Anderson Silva – MMA Mixed Martial Arts – 2009 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Baseball Card # 53 – MLB Trading Card Shipped In Protective Case!… More >>

Anderson Silva – MMA Mixed Martial Arts – 2009 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions Baseball Card # 53 – MLB Trading Card Shipped In Protective Case!

NFL or UFC?

In the recent past, wrestlers dominated the sport of Mixed Martial Art, an extremely physical sport where fighters battle each other for victory within an octagon shaped cage.  MMA fighters have ripped the “Modern Day Gladiator” title from football players, and for good reason.  These sometimes bloody battles are the ultimate test of one’s athletic ability, endurance, and sheer grit.  For football players, their extremely competitive nature seems to draw them to the sport of MMA.  Football players are compelled to prove themselves, and the Octagon gives them a suitable platform to test their abilities.

MMA Supplements

From Heisman Trophy winner, Herschel Walker, to Tampa Bay Buccaneer, Marcus Jones, NFL players are flocking to the sport of MMA in droves.  Are the days of retiring as a post-career sport commentator over, or are football players serious about making the transition into this physically demanding sport?

Size Matters

The current UFC Heavyweight champion, Brock Lesner, might have something to do with the current interest from football players.  The much hated Lesner has vanquished his last few opponents with relative ease, and his size and ability seem to be unmatched by the current pool of MMA heavyweight contenders.  This scenario has opened the door for many football stars, who are sizable in comparison to Lesner, and they can harness a great amount of athletic ability.

So why not bring in a big wrestler like Rulon Gardner, who on the 31st of December, 2004 fought Hidehiko Yoshida in a mixed martial arts bout for the Pride Fighting Championships.  Yoshida, who in addition to being an MMA fighter, was a former Olympic gold medalist in judo, was defeated by Gardner via unanimous decision.  It seems the pool of talented football players is far bigger than any other sport, including wrestling.  As MMA explodes in popularity, a simple supply vs. demand issue arises as fight promoters look to fill fight cards.  With demand comes money, and one night of fighting can leave an ex-football player’s pockets flush with cash; something they might not be able to do post-career if their football career was less than superlative.

Training

San Diego Chargers fullback Lorenzo Neal, for instance, has trained numerous times over the past couple years with UFC light heavyweight Chuck Liddell. Neal, who knows Liddell through their days as wrestlers in college, helps Liddell train for fights, specifically getting low to help Liddell with stronger opponents. Neal also claims the training helps him as well with balance and body control that translate well to the football field.

Although current NFL players use MMA purely for training and do not fight competitively, former Washington Redskins receiver Michael Westbrook made the transition to fighting in 2005 when he defeated another former NFL player, Jarrod Bunch, in a King of the Cage event.

Jared Allen, a defensive end with the Kansas City Chiefs, trained at Arizona Combat Sports in the offseason. “The cardio that fighters go through is just intense,” Allen said. “This offseason I didn’t do any running. I did all my intense cardio at Arizona Combat Sports. When I went off to minicamp in the spring, we were running wind sprints one day and I had more gas than I knew what to do with. The cardio level of these fighters is so intense because their life depends on them not being tired.” Allen says he lost 25 pounds training MMA this summer and has toned up in the process.

The fact are clear, football players are embracing MMA as a training method.  Additionally, they are finding the transition into actual competition to be a viable alternative to running an illegal dog fighting operation to supplement retirement income.  Hey, I couldn’t complete this article without a Ron Mexico joke.  So, it looks like we will see more football players migrating to the sport, and this is a good thing for both football and MMA.

Martial Arts have always been a craze among most of the people across the world. Mixed Martial Arts has always been considered as one of the best sports these days. People love to watch the self defense techniques tactfully used by both the opponents. Mixed Martial Arts Fighters from Hawaii are highly trained challengers who have mastered this technique of self defense. They are now on the field to show you their best performance and capability that literally keeps you fixed on your seats till the competition is over. Some of the most popular Mixed Martial Arts Fighters From Hawaii are BJ Penn, Kendall Grove, Suger Shane to name a few have shown their best talent and tact in the recent fights. This fighting competition was held in Philadelphia, Wachovia Center where BJ Penn proved himself to be the best in the world of MMA. However, BJ Penn commits to be on number one position, so there is no chance of other lightweight on the whole earth of beating him. Kenny Florian learnt this painful and excruciating lesson on Saturday when UFC 101 was viewed. Penn revealed his talent and skill in the field of Mixed Martial arts which will be remembered forever. His performance has created waves in this championship leagues. People have appreciated his commitment and keenness during the challenge. BJ Penn conquered Florian right form the first round till the 3m 54sec score of 4th Round, it was here when his rear-naked stifle ended the matters. BJ Penn’s game was flawless and perfect. This was confirmed by the 17,411 spectators who were glued to their seats till BJ Penn ultimately won. BJ Penn fans in the Wachovia Center viewed the entire match with great amusement and amazement. The audience was amazed to see the way Penn systematically faced and singled out each and every facet of his opponents- Florian’s fight preparation. Penn organized the standup with firm rights which counteracted his opponent’s 4 inch contact advantage thereby resulting in 2 opening round knockdowns. Penn was quite successful to stop and defend every takedown attempts from his challengers. And when these were put to the ground, Penn was still fresh, fit and fine with no sign of deterioration. Just like from past several years, his cardio was perfect and this really helped him to lead to capitulation hold. Penn was all set to fight and he actually wanted to maintain his title. But Florian was more prepared than before, as he showed a better performance in each aspect of fight. Florian was efficient in boxing and Penn was ready for the match. Penn already knew that Florian was dreadful opponent, but he never tried to back off. He showed his true sportsmanship on Saturday night, the fight night. Penn was all prepared and boosted to become the mixed martial champion and this helped him win the fight against Florian. He said the he wanted to have the fun and wanted to live his dream on Saturday night. He really wanted to do this and he did it! And if he really wants to maintain his rank, he should be dedicated to hard work and sincere practice. Now he has to stay on the cutting-edge orelse he will soon be in old news.

If you want to learn martial arts then you have to practice, practice, practice. There are some techniques you can practice at home; but, like any true skill, you are going to have to get a trainer to learn from.

 Locks:

Joint locks or submission holds are the basics of many styles. You see these used as the preferred method of many UFC fighters as it ends fights fast. A skilled submission fighter can end a fight in seconds as most joints can only go one way. Submission holds should only be practiced under trained supervision as they can be extremely dangerous.

 Kicks:

A misconception on kicks is that it is all about power. While power is a big player, speed, accuracy, and flexibility are just as important. Working on flexibility at home is simple and should be done daily. If you watch the old Bruce Lee movies, you will see he could do the splits and so should you. To practice accuracy at home you can get a body bag. Place and X on the bag and aim for the X. You do not need to kick hard but hit the X each time. Controlled movement is what you are aiming for.

 Technique:

Training without proper technique will be fruitless. This is really why you must find a proper instructor. Otherwise, you will be repeating and reinforcing bad habits and going nowhere. Then, when you do go to a class, you will have to unlearn wrong techniques.

 Falls:

In many martial arts classes you will learn how to take a fall. This is good news for some and bad news for others.

 Learning martial arts requires supervision, and while you can and should practice at home, you should not attempt to teach yourself. Many of the techniques are very dangerous and can cause serious harm to yourself and others.

On February 13th, UFC hall-of-famer Ken Shamrock got a quick win over super heavyweight Ross Clifton at the Wargods “Valentine’s Eve Massacre” in Fresno, CA. Unfortunately, after the fight, Ken tested positive for 3 types of anabolic compounds classified as steroids – Stanozolol and two Nandrolone-based substances: 19-Norandrosterone and 19-Noretiocholanolone; according to a statement issued by the California State Athletic Commission on February 18th. Ken was hit with an immediate year long suspension and fined $2,500. His camp adamantly denied the allegations and is appealing the charges.

GIVE ME A FREAKIN’ BREAK!! While I’m not a doctor, a chemist, a sports medicine professional, or even an athletic trainer, I am a 36 year old male of above average intelligence, who has been lifting weights, competing in sports, and around athletes of all levels for most of my life. So to Ken I say – stop the charade and take your punishment like a man. Have a little more respect for your fans and the people who are still willing to watch your washed-up, 45 year old ass get into the ring against tomato cans so that you can collect the money that wasn’t available to you 15 years ago when you deserved it! Really!

As I watched the replay of the Shamrock vs Clifton fight on Youtube, I immediately called a friend of mine, who is a Ken Shamrock fan, and said to him, “you’ve gotta see how juiced up Ken Shamrock is!! He must be on some crazy stack! He’s so pumped…and he’s got veins popping out of his bi’s and shoulders…it’s crazy! He better hope they don’t test him”. Then a day later, the news broke. I’m not claiming to be a genius, but rather am pointing out that it was so incredibly obvious that he was on some heavy shit. In my opinion the CSAC could have convicted him just based on his appearance. When was the last time you saw a 5’10″, 45 year old man with a six pack, 20 inch arms and shoulders that look like bowling balls?

I may actually be a bit more savvy than the average sports enthusiast or MMA fan, as I’ve worked out in hardcore gyms (as well as the health club type gyms like NYSC and Bally’s) throughout New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania since the age of 15. I’ve had workout partners who were 100% natural and partners who have been on more drugs than bodybuilding’s Mr. Olympia. So I can pretty much look at someone and tell you whether or not they are using, and I may even be able to call out their drug(s) of choice, how long they’ve been on, and even when they went off cycle.

So when Ken tells us he’s clean, I say – what a jerk-off!! And I’m singling Ken out this time, but this goes for anyone who denies it when they get caught. If you get caught, man up to it and take your punishment. Everyone knows the rules and the consequences for breaking them, so just grow some balls and take your medicine the same way you took the sauce – bent over with your pants down. Is this to say that every drug test is 100% accurate and conclusive? No. And that there aren’t some over the counter supplements that can produce a false positive? No. But really, when you’re a known juice-head like Ken, whose own brother even outed him numerous times, just have a little respect for the public who pays to watch you fight. Don’t treat us like a bunch of idiots.

I think most fans will have more respect for those who get caught, if they admit it. It doesn’t make it right, or excuse them from their due punishment, but it makes it easier to continue to root for them. Nobody likes a cheater, but everybody hates a coward.

In my opinion, the guys who are getting pinched by the athletic commissions today are pretty stupid, or their trainers are numbskulls. If you want to cheat, learn how to do it without getting caught. And if you are a cheater who hasn’t been caught yet, keep your mouth shut, consider yourself lucky, and don’t press your luck.

Don’t interpret this post as me taking a stance against performance enhancing drugs. In fact, to the contrary, I’m actually for the legalization of drugs in sports. I am however, totally against cheating. And as the rules of sports stand today, using PED’s is illegal.

For now, let me leave you with the following long list of known users and a short list of suspected users.

Tested Positive
Ken Shamrock (LHW) – USA – Stanozolol & Nandrolone
Kimo Leopoldo (HW) – USA – Stanozolol
Josh Barnet (HW) – USA – Boldenone
Kevin Randleman (LHW) – USA – caught w/horse piss
Antonio Silva (HW) – Brazil – Boldenone
Chris Leben (MW) – USA – Stanozolol
Stephan Bonnar (LHW) – USA – Boldenone
Pawel Nastula (HW) – Poland – Nandrolone
Vitor Belfort (LHW) – Brazil – 4-hydroxytestosterone
Phil Baroni (MW) – USA – Boldenone & Stanozolol
Sean Sherk (LW) – USA – Nandrolone
Anthony Torres (MW) – USA – Boldenone
Hermes Franca (LW) – Brasil – Drostanolone
Tim Silvia (HW) – USA – Stanozolol
Alexandre Nogueira (BW) – Brazil – Boldenone
Dennis Hallman (MW) – USA – Drostanolone & Nandrolone
Royce Gracie (WW) – Brazil – Nandrolone
Bill Mahood (MW) – Canada – Drostanolone
Kit Cope (LW) – USA – Boldenone
Sean McCully (HW) – USA – Nandrolone

Admitted Users
Mark Kerr (HW) – USA
Jeff Monson (HW) – USA

Strong Suspects
Mark Coleman – USA
Wanderlei Silva – Brazil
Mirko Crocop Filipovic – Croatia
Bob Sapp –USA
Don Frye – USA

http://mmadogma.com

The concepts and skills taught in Eskrima are traditionally simple. Flashy techniques, with little practical battlefield use receive no attention. It is the basics, well trained and understood, that get you successfully through a fight. Experts in the arts might sometimes preform intricate techniques but only those that had survived the test of practicality. This lack of contrivance allowed many to learn the art quickly. Local families or whole villages would be trained in Eskrima to protect themselves against rival villages or foreign invaders. In spite of the simplicity, the Filipino Marital Arts take many years of dedicated practice to fully develop and master. These masters (known respectively as Eskrimadors, Kalistas, Mangangalis, or Arnisadors) were highly respected members of their communities.

Eskrima employs a wide variety of weapons in training and combat. Hardwood sticks approximately are perhaps the most iconic weapon of the arts. Measuring approximately two and a half feet long these were formidable tools. Master Vilibrao was known to choose these short staves over any other tool when engaging in death matches. Whether facing sword, daggers, spear or any combination thereof, Vilibrao would choose his baston (sticks) and won every time. This is a remarkable story and should be considered a testament to his superiority as a fighter rather than the superiority of the tool.

Training in Eskrima one learns angles, and range. These angles could be worked with any of the traditional weapons, baston, daggers, swords, staffs, or even empty hands. This versatility is the foundation of the arts effectiveness. The empty hand training is generally referred to as Panatukan and involves training in grappling, throwing pressure points and locking (Dumag) Traditional training was intense. For example warriors would train on the unstable ground of rice patties, or under huts where they had to stand in grueling deep stances just to have enough room to swing their bastons. These challenging training sessions would prepare them for upcoming battles. One piece of traditional training that is rarely found today is Hilot. A Filipino system of healing and herbal medicine.

The weapon techniques are vital but without a solid stance are all but useless. Footwork and stance training is a fundamental of Eskrima. A good stance will allow for powerful strikes and effective defensive movements. There are several stances worked in the training, some are stronger for offense or for defense and some are transitional positions for switching mode or changing rhythm. To excel in the Filipino Martial Arts it is essential to develop a deep understanding of the various stances, footwork and how to combine them to reach an advantageous position in a fight.

For many centuries, men and some women, from around the world, have learned time honored martial arts, such a tae kwon do and jiu jitsu. These sporting and fighting disciplines teach young athletes about training, concentration, force, mental power, speed, agility, balance, and many other important lessons in life! The blockbuster movie of the 1980’s “The Karate Kid,” was of course, just Hollywood, but it did show some truth, in that; young Daniel was mentored by a Karate expert who had learned what was passed down for generations by his family!

When you combine some mixed martial arts, and throw in some wrestling and boxing…

NOW you are talking exciting, keeps-you-on-the-edge-of-your seat competition! Located in the beautiful state of Hawaii, is a fabulous school that teaches boys and men of all ages, about this exciting fighting technique, which is truly a sport that continues to grow in popularity and always has exciting new developments. Since the inception in 1993 of the UFC, Mixed Martial Arts have made their mark and have continued to gain more fans and more participants!

 The sport has grown to gigantic proportions, and for good reason; it attracts some of the biggest, toughest fighters from around the world, and creates an incredibly exciting and entertaining sport to watch. In fact, the current exciting news is that B.J. Penn is headed to Philadelphia for the upcoming UFC101 which will be an amazing event.

What you really need, for all of the latest MMA and UFC news is to visit this website:

http://www.hawaiiufc.com  which will be your “ticket” to the exciting news about this very exciting sport! For those who live in Hawaii, you can get more information about this cutting edge school that teaches the exciting and physically demanding sport of MMA, and it will transform you or your youngster into a lean, mean, fighting machine!

For the rest of the world, the friendly folks at HawaiiUFC.com are there to inform you of the latest happenings, and even give you predictions as to whom may be the next winner of the upcoming events!

For many centuries, men and some women, from around the world, have learned time honored martial arts, such a tae kwon do and jiu jitsu. These sporting and fighting disciplines teach young athletes about training, concentration, force, mental power, speed, agility, balance, and many other important lessons in life! The blockbuster movie of the 1980’s “The Karate Kid,” was of course, just Hollywood, but it did show some truth, in that; young Daniel was mentored by a Karate expert who had learned what was passed down for generations by his family!

When you combine some mixed martial arts, and throw in some wrestling and boxing…

NOW you are talking exciting, keeps-you-on-the-edge-of-your seat competition! Located in the beautiful state of Hawaii, is a fabulous school that teaches boys and men of all ages, about this exciting fighting technique, which is truly a sport that continues to grow in popularity and always has exciting new developments. Since the inception in 1993 of the UFC, Mixed Martial Arts have made their mark and have continued to gain more fans and more participants!

The sport has grown to gigantic proportions, and for good reason; it attracts some of the biggest, toughest fighters from around the world, and creates an incredibly exciting and entertaining sport to watch. In fact, the current exciting news is that B.J. Penn is headed to Philadelphia for the upcoming UFC101 which will be an amazing event.

What you really need, for all of the latest MMA and UFC news is to visit this website:

http://www.hawaiiufc.com which will be your “ticket” to the exciting news about this very exciting sport! For those who live in Hawaii, you can get more information about this cutting edge school that teaches the exciting and physically demanding sport of MMA, and it will transform you or your youngster into a lean, mean, fighting machine!

For the rest of the world, the friendly folks at HawaiiUFC.com are there to inform you of the latest happenings, and even give you predictions as to whom may be the next winner of the upcoming events!

With three local fighters winning their bouts in the first round, their trainers at USMMA based in Bellingham truly had something to be proud of.  Mike Campbell, Devin Wessinger and Kevin Corrigan each won their weight class recently at the World Championship Fighting (WCF) Fight Night competition at the Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington, MA.
Corrigan, fighting at 155 pounds and standing 5’11”, started off the night for USMMA in his first professional fight against Ruben Gonzalez. The bell sounded and both fighters came out strong.  After circling briefly, Corrigan closed the distance with punches drawing a lead leg kick from Gonzalez.  Corrigan caught the kick and closed on his opponent’s hip, lifting and slamming Gonzalez. The crowd reacted with a roar, Gonzalez tried for a guillotine but Corrigan mounted. From there, it only took :48 seconds for Corrigan to win with a KO in the first round.
Corrigan, a 35-year-old native of Bellingham, now lives in Franklin, MA.  He graduated from Bellingham High School in 1991 and he played baseball and hockey there.  He attended the University of Massachusetts in Dartmouth and Framingham State College. When asked about his first win, his first thought was, “Unbelievable!!” he said.  “It was the best thing that has ever happened to me.  It was a feeling that was completely different for me because I am so used to team sports.  This was something I did completely by myself,” he said.
“I have never worked so hard for anything in my life and the pay-off was worth it for me in the end,” said Corrigan. “Matt Phinney at USMMA put together a game plan for me and it worked perfectly … absolutely perfectly!  It was almost easy to win because I was so prepared.  I practiced so hard and was just ready for every move,” he added.   Corrigan said that he trained hard for 10 to 12 weeks to prepare for the fight.  He would grapple with the other fighters at USMMA one after another, so facing just one opponent in his first fight was not as nerve-wracking as he thought it would be.  “I was very calm.  I felt very prepared and at ease and I knew I had my support system there,” he said.
“USMMA is the best gym around.  Tom Hafers, Matt Phinney and Jorge Rivera, prepare fighters better than anyone.  All of the fighters know we are trained better than anyone every time we step into the ring.  They really take care of me and they have all become like a second family to me,” said Corrigan.  “We have such a team spirit at USMMA.  If I win, they win and vice versa.  You don’t want to let them down,” he said.  His next fight is September 13, 2008 in Wilmington, MA.
Wessinger, fighting at 155 pounds, and returning to fighting after a year off, was next up on the card for USMMA in a fight against Jose Lopez. The bell sounded and both circled. Lopez threw a leg kick and Wessinger pressured in with punches, backing Lopez into the ropes. Lopez clinched with Wessinger and drove forward getting the takedown into Wessinger’s guard. Wessinger started working for a triangle then transitioned into and Omaplata, a submission move. It was shortly after that Lopez tapped earning Wessinger the victory at 1:19 seconds into the first round.   His record is now 4-1.
Wessinger, a native of Whitinsville, MA, graduated from Blackstone Valley Regional Technical High School in 2003.  While there, the well-rounded athlete played football, lacrosse, basketball and some baseball and hockey.   After graduating, Wessinger began working as a machinist and truly missed the competition of sports.  He tried Mixed Martial Arts and truly enjoyed it. 
“I really missed playing sports after high school and working out at USMMA gave me a great outlet,” said Wessinger.  “The trainers there, Tom Hafers and Matt Phinney, are the best in New England.  They always have a game plan for me.  They know what will happen and what the other guys is planning to do.  It makes me a calmer and more focused fighter because they are there for me,” he said.  “In and out of the ring, I am a happier person because of my training.  I don’t feel frustrated or aggravated because I leave all of that in the ring,” he added.
Wessinger trains about 12 hours a week at USMMA.  He incorporates Brazilian Jiu-Jutsu Mai Tai and sparring.  His next fight is scheduled for September 13, 2008 at the Shriner’s Auditorium in Wilmington, MA.
The most anticipated fight of the night proved it’s worth with headliner and professional fighter Campbell vs. Rich Moskowitz and the crowd was ready for it.  The bell sounded and the fighters began to circle.  Moskowitz looked to close the distance on Campbell with kicks and punches but Campbell proved that he is too elusive.  Using superior footwork and timing, Campbell set up his openings.  Just one minute into the first round, Campbell countered with a cross that sent Moskowitz to the mat.  He rushed in to finish the fight and the referee stopped the fight at 1:28.  Campbell’s victory leaves him with a 5-0 record.
Campbell, a 25-year-old from Franklin, MA, fights in the welterweight division at 5’9”, 170 lbs.  He graduated from Coventry High School in Rhode Island.  While in high school, his dream was to play college football.  It was dream he shared with his father.  After his father passed away from a heroin overdose in 2001, Campbell put aside his football plans, as it was a passion they had always shared together. “My dad and I both loved football and we shared the passion for the game and for me playing.  When he passed away, I didn’t want to play anymore.”
Being no stranger to competition, and missing playing sports, Campbell was inspired to try power lifting.  He represented the US as a power lifter at the Power Lifting World
Championships when he was 22-years-old.  From there, Campbell found Mixed Martial Arts training at USMMA.  As a professional MMA fighter, he has built a solid career path for himself with a 5-0 record that includes 3 KO’s.  He holds a local title belt for the 170 lb. welterweight division. 
He is just getting started.  Campbell was chosen as the feature fighter on the reality show “Tap Out” on the Versus Network.  The “Tap Out” crew has been following Campbell and watching his training and fights that will be featured on an upcoming episode that documents their quest for the best up and coming Mixed Martial Arts fighters in the United States.  “It has been kind of weird having them follow me around, but I know that this will help take me to the next level in my career as a fighter,” said Campbell.  The episode will air in September. 
Campbell also trains with Hafers and Phinney at the USMMA facility in Bellingham, MA.  “They always come up with a great game plan and it always works!” he said.  “Tom and Matt are there for me 100 percent.  They have helped me to develop, not only as a fighter, but as and individual, as well,” he added. 
The United States Mixed Martial Arts Training Center, located on Hartford Avenue in Bellingham, focuses on elevating the physical and spiritual well being of students through Mixed Martial Arts and Yoga. This is accomplished through a four-pronged approach to reality self-defense training centered in total body wellness. 
The state of the art, 4,000-square foot training facility is complete with a 2,000-square foot padded MMA training floor equipped with heavy bags and conditioning equipment, a 15 hundred-square foot yoga studio, locker rooms, showers, a retail store and a juice bar.  USMMA also conducts kid’s programs including birthday parties, hip-hop classes and summer camps.  To contact USMMA, call 508-966-5006 or visit their website at www.usmma.org.