Archive for the ‘General MMA News’ Category
Dave Deibert of Postmedia news has reported that Senator Bob Runciman has introduced a bill appending section 83 of the criminal code which only permits boxing as the only legal form of prize fighting. The amendment will add ‘fighting with hands and feet’. The existence of athletic commissions manages the matter of the difference in law, but the move will help bring order and credibility to the fastest growing sport in the world.
I think we are going to get to know master Ken around here a little bit more!
See more of Master Ken: http://www.youtube.com/user/EnterTheDojoShow
On a recent trip to Kamloops, and needing a place to roll, I came upon MMA fighter Matt Baker’s new gym, Mata-Leao MMA. For a measure of how much mixed martial arts is making inroads to our way of life, the new martial arts gyms are a far better example of how relevant it has become, rather than UFC on Fox. How nice it is to see the new generation of MMA fighters like Matt Baker already giving back to the sport they love by opening gyms, bringing the fundamental components of mixed martial arts to a new generation of young athletes who want to learn it and train it. I took mat away from his busy schedule to tell me a bit more about his fight background and his new gym.
Matt Baker is a Canadian MMA fighter with a 10-0 amateur and a 7-3 pro record, currently fighting for Battlefield Fight League. Matt is the only Canadian on Team Nogueira, out of Rio De Janeiro Brazil. His own martial arts education has given him the opportunity to roll and train with some heavy hitters like Minotaur Noguiera, Minotauro, Anderson Silva, Tony Mariano, the #1 ranked fighter in the world outside of UFC, Bigfoot Silva, ex Strikeforce champ, Rafael Cavalcante… Matt says the gym is amazing for fighting at 185, lots of light heavyweights and 185s. No doubt!
Matt explained that the name for the gym, Mata-Leao MMA, is from the Portuguese for ‘lion kills’, which is another name for the rear naked choke. The expression also comes from the legend of Hercules. In one of Hercules’ 10 quests, he defeated the Nemean Lion with its impenetrable skin by applying a rear naked choke.
Mata-Leao naturally has a kickboxing program, and a gi and no gi program. The Brazilian Jiu-jitsu gi program is run by Andre Taniguiti. Originally from Brazil, Taniguiti trained at Axis Jiu-jitsu in Japan. Matt says Andrey is a very good brown belt. Matt runs the mma and no gi side of things, as well as personal training sessions.
I asked Matt what was his personal approach to training and the kind of gym he was hoping to run. He said, “I like working with kids, I just get lost training in classes with kids, I have a gym in my home town because it takes me away from training at my fight camps, I relax, I do it for the fun, I don’t do it for the money… The gym is open since January 2012. It’s the first year in business and I already have over 30 students. I am taking down about 8 of my students to Tiger Balm 2012 this weekend. For 90% of them it’s their first tournament. Hopefully from there the gym is going to grow, the school is going to grow, and there will be more tournaments to come. If I can’t one day be a champion myself, I would like to coach a champion. That would be my ultimate goal. Hopefully one day, I’ll make it to the Kamloops Sports Hall of fame like Tom Laroche, my first sifu.
Fight Results
| 1 | Shelley Strachan | Def. | Megan Williams | Womens Kickboxing. Strachan got the win by unanimous judges decision. A great opening match to King of the Rock 3. Williams and Strachan are both well known to the local scene and for the large crowd in attendance kicked things off with a very good fast paced fight. |
| 2 | Colin Butts | Def. | Tyler Mertens | Amateur MMA match. A great matchup for two young local mma fighters. Colin Butts gets a win by referee stoppage due to ground and pound, in round 2. While the end was decisive, Tyler Mertens showed great technique that has to be noted. The front kick is the most elementary martial art technique and also the most underrated. Mertens used front kicks very effectively throughout the match, paring them with notable jab and uppercut combinations. Colin Butts did manage to get through to Mertens and draw first blood on him, and a sizeable amount of it that cause the fight Doctor to almost call the fight right there. The fight ended when Colin Butts worked out of Tyler Mertens headlock to get the dominant position on the mat to bring the fight to a decisive finish. |
| 3 | Marty Wise | Def. | Matt Shannon | Amateur MMA. Marty Wise wisely finished the fight early. After blows landing on target and a short ground fight for position, Wise easily coaxed the lesser experienced Shannon over to take his back to get into a submission by rear naked choke. |
| 4 | Johnathan Dubois | Def. | Dave Koliwski | Exhibition Boxing. Johnathan Dubois showed off what a threat he can be as a boxer in this exhibition match. Despite being well outmatched for height and reach, Dubois got inside on Koliwski, knocking him down for a first, second, then third time which finally and decisively led to the referee stoppage. Dubois then knocked down Koliwski hard for the third time in round 1 and was awarded TKO by referee stoppage. |
| 4 | Dillon Brown | & | Lee Muller | Exhibition Kickboxing. Dillon Brown, showed his skills as a fighter by working the pocket fearlessly in a flowing exhibition match against Lee Muller of Canada’s Best Karate. |
| 6 | Scott Judson | Def. | Mike Downey | Amateur Kickboxing / Muay Thai. The story goes that some time ago, Scott Judson saw Mike Downey wearing a championship belt in a bar after one of his wins. Judson told Mike Downey then and there that he wanted that belt! While that particular belt wasn’t on the line at King of the Rock 3, Judson and Downey did agree to throw down over a belt, and that is how they came to be matched for the main card. Knowing Downey’s reputation as a fighter already holding several championship titles, not to mention his very recent return from a training camp in Thailand, most people would have bet on the experienced Downey over Judson, the cocky local. Problem is, nobody told Judson he couldn’t win the fight, and nobody told his numerous fans in the crowd either. Inside the ring, Judson got Downey in round 1 with a sweep and the crowd went wild. Mike Downey did a great deal to shore up his scorecard in round two, sweeping Judson twice and taking the fight to him. But round 3 gave Judson the opportunity to beat Downey with power and accuracy, knocking him down once, and then finally a second time. Downey got hit hard in there, and not having the ability to get up it would bring an end the fight by TKO. Its a bit of a surprise victory, even a bit of an upset. Judson did all he could to impress and made sure the decision wasn’t left up to the judges. |
Public idiot Bart Sibrel underestimated the grit and toughness of Nasa astronauts when he badgered Apollo 11 hero Buzz Aldrin. Sibrel, the overweight bible thumping reprobate that he is, didnt factor in that Astronauts are the cream of the crop military trained to be as tough as nails to the core. It only goes to show that if you poke the bear long enough, you get what you deserve. A beautiful right hook from Aldrin after demonstrating incredible restraint. Want to be an astronaut? You have to be a fighter first.
Gerry Gionco is presenting another hot fight night at the Fraserview Hall February 17 2012. Come on down for a 17 fight card. Come out and support the local fight scene. Includes BC championship title.
Info: http://gerrygionco.com/
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