Stevie Ray high kicks to Curt Warburton

BAMMA-LONSDALE BRITISH LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE

 
Special thanks to Izzy Carnwath

 
Round One
5.00: Stevie is in southpaw, Curt’s in orthodox stance.
4.52: Stevie sends up a high kick that Curt avoids.
4.35: Stevie leg-kicks.
4.28: Curt returns the kick.
4.14: They trade fists, then Warburton takes Ray down and continues his campaign from Ray’s half guard.  Warburton opts to g’n’p; however Ray’s doing a good job of neutralizing the attack.
2.30: Curt punishes Stevie with knuckles.
2.26: They stand clinched and swap knees.
1.46: Stevie resists Curt’s takedown attempt.
1.31: Curt sweeps Stevie and retakes half guard.
0.32: Warburton works his g’n’p before being pulled into Ray’s full guard.
0.23: Ray looks for an armbar, but Warburton goes back on the offensive from Ray’s open guard as the hooter blows.

Stevie Ray withstands Curt Warburton's submission attempt

Round Two
4.55: Stevie detonates a left and they broadside with a flurry of fists.
4.43: Stevie ducks under Curt’s right haymaker, then goes for a single leg.
4.40: Curt hops back to the fence, they clinch, and Stevie tries for a takedown.
3.36: Ray achieves the takedown, clings to Warburton’s back at 1.51, and wraps him in an anaconda body triangle.
1.13: Ray looks to latch on a rear naked choke.  He drags Warburton into the deep end of the pool here, but somehow Warburton gallantly hangs in there and survives the round.

Stevie Ray wraps Curt Warburton in an anaconda body triangle

Round Three
4.46: Stevie leads with a distracting right before shooting in for a double-leg; Curt sprawls and forces Stevie’s back into the cage as they exchange knees from the clinch.
4.27: Curt sweeps Stevie and presses the action from half guard.
2.14: Stevie stands with Curt latched to his back.
2.02: Warburton thwarts Ray’s rolling kneebar and resumes half guard.
1.17: The ref stands them up.
1.07: Ray slips to the canvas whilst high kicking, then scrambles into Warburton’s open guard.  They return to their feet with Ray taking Warburton’s back.
0.16: Stevie drags Curt to the ground and the hard-fought contest ends.

Curt Warburton is declared the unanamous winner by 29-28.
Hats off to the BAMMA judges for having the courage to award title decisions to dominant challengers rather than automatically handing belts back to the reigning champions.

Luke Newman (left) vs. Ryan Scope

Special thanks to Izzy Carnwath

 
The Newcastle crowd is amped up as announcer OJ Borg gets things underway.  Both Ryan Scope and Luke Newman are undefeated after five bouts apiece.  The English battlers are accompanied into the arena by gorgeous BAMMA girls and Mike Markham welcomes viewers to this opening televised contest.  It’s going to be a cracker!

5.00: They face off in orthodox stance.

4.53: Ryan leg kicks.

4.47: He high kicks and Luke counters with a fist volley before the pair clinch with Ryan’s back to the wires.  They change positions as Ryan opts for a double-leg takedown before falling into Luke’s guard.

4.34: Luke takes Ryan into a soft guillotine that is easily escaped.

4.24: Ryan passes into half guard.

4.09: He seizes Newman’s back; Luke stands but is flung back down – Scope’s still in the saddle.

3.47: Newman stands up with jockey in place.

3.30: He attempts a kimura before being swept to the mats.  Newman just can’t get Ryan off his back.

3.15: They’re finally face to face in the tie-up as Newman brings up a right knee to the body; however Ryan achieves another takedown.  Newman continues his quest for a vertical playing field and Scope insists the bout be fought horizontally.

Ryan Scope submitting Luke Newman at BAMMA 12

1.47: Luke winds Ryan with another right knee to the abs, then stands over the injured Ryan and rains down leather.  Ryan’s head is bobbing around like a cork in rough seas.  He’s now wearing Luke’s savage elbows.

1.08: Newman sandblasts Scope’s dial with knuckles and elbows.

1.05: From out of the ashes Scope miraculously wraps on a triangle choke, anchors Newman’s leg with his left arm, and Newman taps.

What an action-packed BAMMA opener for this televised major event!

BAMMA 12 Headliner, Jimmy Wallhead

© Marc Wickert www.knucklepit.com

BAMMA is brilliant!   BAMMA is Europe’s Leading MMA promotion and it consistently delivers some of the best ultimate fighting action on the planet.

Despite being only 12 events old, BAMMA not only showcases some of the best British fighters out there, but the events are also a proving ground for Europe’s elite combatants, so there is a rich diversity of skills and techniques on display at every BAMMA competition.  And each show is better than the previous one, plus the BAMMA fighters just keep improving every time they compete.

Mixed martial arts legend Ken Shamrock was a guest commentator at BAMMA 12 and had this to say of the competition: “When you get to sit and watch that line-up it’s absolutely exciting and easy to commentate ’cause there was so much going on in this ring with submissions and knockouts, and guys that looked like they were done, literally would dig down deep inside, pull out that heart, and come back to win…”

Another aspect of BAMMA that makes it stand out in the MMA crowd is the lack of razzamatazz, flashing lights and guest celebrities in the audience.  BAMMA is about the athletes in the cage – and what hard and courageous men they are!  BAMMA fighters are there for the fans and for the glory.

It would be difficult to mention just a few of them, so why not mention a whole lot of them!  Here we go:  Marc Allen, Dean Amasinger, Jason Ball, Luke Barnatt, Leeroy Barnes, Richie Downes, Andrew Fisher, Colin Fletcher, Xavier Foupa-Pokam, Diego Gonzalez, Andy Green, Dale Hardiman, Spencer Hewitt, Matt Howard, Jason Jones, Warren Kee, Jimi Manuwa, Jack Marshman, Sam Mensah, Danny Mitchell, Jake Murphy, Nick Nembhard, Max Nunes, Jeremy Petley, Andrew Punshon, Antony Rea, Rob Sinclair, Denniston Sutherland, Diego Vital, Jim Wallhead, Andre Winner…  These guys are tough as nails and always deliver the goods.  They need razzamatazz to market them as much as a steamroller needs a spare tyre.

Jack Marshman, star of five consecutive BAMMAs

The MMA storm these fighters whoop up at BAMMA events is as exciting as any cage fighting in the world.  To quote from Ken Shamrock again: “World wake up ’cause BAMMA has arrived!”

In association with Lonsdale, No Fear, Ladbrokes and Safe MMA, these incredibly exciting BAMMA contests are televised on Channel 5* (UK), Axs-Tv (USA), The Fight Network (Canada), Red Media (Russia), TV Esporte Interativo (Brazil), and Setanta (Africa).

IT’S HIGH TIME BAMMA WAS TELEVISED IN AUSTRALIA.

Ken Shamrock and Ken Yasuda launch ProFit101.net

Train with the Best in the Business at PROFIT101.NET
© Marc Wickert www.knucklepit.com

 
The MMA, and strength and fitness worlds are about to go through a HUGE revolution.   And to chat with Knucklepit about this exciting quantum leap in our industry is one of the revolution’s co-conspirators, Ken Yasuda.

As always, Ken looks astounding.  “Yes, I still coach guys and am staying in shape,” says Yasuda. (Major, major, understatement).  This 46^th generation samurai warrior earned the title ‘Most Symmetrical Man’ whilst at the same time becoming Asia’s largest pro bodybuilder ever.

BAMMA 12 viewers would be aware that its guest commentator, Ken Shamrock – the other half of this revolutionary duo – is also in diabolical condition.   Of Shamrock, Yasuda says: “My friend, Ken Shamrock, is fighting twice this year.  He is still in good shape, and his mind is sharp.  (Major, major, understatement #2).  He and I began this training site www.ProFit101.net. We are trying to share our knowledge and experience with people who cannot directly learn from us in person.  It is cheap, so anyone can afford to participate, and many people can learn this way!”

In our previous interview, Ken Yasuda said: “My main focus is not to look like a freak as before.  Staying very lean at a body fat between three to six percent with good muscularity, I am now doing more MMA movements that are useful in performing stunts in films, in addition to acting, just as Jet Li and Jackie Chan do their own stunts.  In this case, it is muscle and MMA, the real stuff!”

So how often is Ken training now, and is staying ‘lean and mean’ still his main intention?  “Totally!!  That is the look that I want to have in films.  The physique is real, unlike many actors who just train for a short period of time and get lean for some roles.  Staying in such shape is a part of me – both as an athlete and as an actor.  I train twice a day and my food intake is very controlled.  Well, this does not mean that I do not eat junk food.  I love junk food too.  Life is about how much you can enjoy yourself!  As long as your basic eating habit is clean and healthy AND you are fit, you can eat anything you want!  Out-of-shape people cannot!! So, I always say, “Get in shape and eat whatever you want!”

Knucklepit caught up with Ken Yasuda in Los Angeles to find out more about ProFit101.net.

 
Ken, how did you and Ken Shamrock first meet?  Did you know Ken when he was the King of Pancrase?

I met Ken at an event in Hollywood held by the New Japan Pro-wrestling Federation.  I was the head coach of training there at the time.  Ken pro-wrestled Nakamura, who is a superstar wrestler in Japan now, in a shoot-style match.  I did not know Ken was the King of Pancrase, but knew that he was a UFC Champion.  At that time, I had my talk show series going on in Ironman Magazine Japan, and Ken appeared on my series as a guest.   I found out he was as much a great guy as he was a champion in UFC, WWF and Pancrase.  We did some workout shots together: UFC Champ vs. Mr. Japan Champ.  The series was a big hit over in Japan, which brought the fitness-, pro-wrestling- and MMA-industries together.  I enjoyed it a lot… I felt like I was a fit version of Oprah!

Read the rest of this entry »

Oklahoma's Jerrod Sanders

FEATHERWEIGHT STARS CHRIS GRUETZEMACHER AND JERROD SANDERS FACE OFF IN WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING PRELIMINARY CARD ACTION AT HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO LAS VEGAS FRIDAY, JUNE 14

CARSON BEEBE TO BATTLE UNDEFEATED JOE MURPHY IN BANTAMWEIGHT PRELIMINARY BOUT

MAIN CARD AIRS LIVE ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 15, 2013) – Surging KO artist Chris “Gritz” Gruetzemacher (11-1) of Glendale, Ariz. will square off with fellow fast-rising star Jerrod Sanders (11-1) of Oklahoma City, Okla. in a World Series of Fighting featherweight (145 pounds) preliminary card bout at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, June 14.
A bantamweight (135 pounds) contest between emerging force Carson “Little Juggernaut” Beebe (13-2) of Schaumburg, Ill. and undefeated submission ace Joe Murphy (6-0) of Huntington Beach, Calif. has been added to the preliminary card as well, World Series of Fighting announced today.

 
“We are excited to add another pair of matchups to our preliminary card that will showcase a collection of the sport’s brightest up and coming athletes and future champions,” said World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion Ray Sefo.  “Since we launched our promotion last year, World Series of Fighting has made a commitment to building a roster of its own stars, so fighting as many potential future stars at our live events is critical in order to ensure that these athletes gain the necessary competitive experience to take their careers to the next level.”

 
Read the rest of this entry »

RUMBLE ON THE RAILS

EIGHT YOUTH WRESTLERS FROM FOUR NYC BOROUGHS TO COMPETE IN EXHIBITIONS DURING ‘RUMBLE ON
THE RAILS’ USA-IRAN-RUSSIA MEET IN GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL MAY 15

Boys And Girls From “Beat the Streets” Program, N.Y. PSAL To Compete In Between USA vs. Iran, USA vs. Russia Freestyle Dual Meets; Annual Gala To Follow At Bryant Park Grill
NEW YORK, May 10, 2013 – Student-athletes who wrestle in the Beat the Streets youth program and high school wrestlers from the New York Public School Athletic League are among eight accomplished competitors who will participate in a card of exhibition matches at Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal as part of the “Rumble on the Rails” event on Wednesday, May 15. The four-match slate will begin at 5 p.m., in between international
Olympic-class freestyle dual meets featuring USA vs. Iran at 3:30 p.m. and USA vs. Russia at 6 p.m., respectively
The six boys and two girls live and attend school in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island and Pennsylvania.
The evening concludes with the annual Beat the Streets Gala, which raises funds for the youth program. A ticket will be required for both the competition and the Gala.
“These exhibition matches are a great way to highlight the outstanding achievements that many of the Beat the Streets wrestlers have accomplished,” said Jim Fallis, executive director of Beat the Streets. “We are excited about the opportunity to showcase the youths who will compete as representative of the thousands of children who have benefited from the sport of wrestling, on the mat but more importantly in life.”
Each year, the Beat the Streets Gala is held to celebrate wrestling and raise funds for Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc., the successful program which has provided wrestling opportunities for thousands of middle school and high school students in New York City.
The “Rumble On The Rails” is also a showcase competition as part of World Wrestling Month, which was declared by the international wrestling federation FILA.
The Beat the Streets Reception and Awards Ceremony is set for the Bryant Park Grill, 25 W. 40^th St., New York City, starting at 8 p.m.
“Rumble on the Rails” – May 15, 2013
Beat The Streets Youth Exhibition matches

Rosemary Flores, Curtis High School (Staten Island) vs. Sarah Andresen, Hunter College High School (Manhattan)

Saidyokub Kahramonov, New Utrecht High School (Brooklyn) vs. Lenny Merkin, Poly Prep Country Day School (Brooklyn)

Cedrick Stephens, Wingate High School (Brooklyn) vs. Kemran Fayikov, Jr., Beat the Streets Philadelphia

Adis Radoncic, Riverdale-Kingsbridge Academy (Bronx) vs. TBD
ABOUT BEAT THE STREETS
The mission of Beat the Streets is to develop the full human and athletic potential of the urban youth and to strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling. BTSW works directly with the New York City Department of Education in a public-private partnership to help New York City’s student-athletes achieve their personal and athletic goals. Through the operation of wrestling programs in middle and high schools in the five boroughs, BTSW and the DOE provide a safe, positive atmosphere in which disadvantaged and at-risk youth can learn the essential life skills of physical fitness, teamwork, and self-empowerment. The goal of fostering strong, dedicated, and optimistic kids is delivered through coaching, after-school programs, and mentoring. More information can be found at www.beat-the-streets.org.
ABOUT USA WRESTLING
USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and the International Wrestling Federation FILA. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. Its president is James Ravannack, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender.

ABOUT KEEP OLYMPIC WRESTLING
In the United States, the official website is http://www.KeepWrestlingInTheOlympics.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/officialkeepwrestlingintheolympics, and on Twitter@wrestlingvision.
The international links for FILA are http://www.fila-official.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fila.official and on Twitter
@FILA_Official.

Ken Shamrock (front) and Ken Yasuda of ProFit101

GREAT NEWS for MMA and Self Defence enthusiasts: NOW YOU CAN TRAIN WITH TWO OF THE BIGGEST GUNS IN THE BUSINESS!

KEN YASUDA and KEN SHAMROCK have Launched ProFit 101.
ProFit101 is for Everyone!! Men – Women – Kids.
Every month, you will learn 8 exercises and 8 MMA Self-defense skills!
That’s a lot to master!

Directly from The Champs, you can SEE and HEAR their instructions, demonstrations, tricks, of how to make exercises more effective and obtain MMA Self-Defense skills that actually work!

Their secrets are as practical as they can be because these helped both Ken Shamrock and Ken Yasuda to become champions!  These secrets will make
your workout and self-defense movements 200% more effective.  For instance, you can make simple sit ups 200% more effective and reach your
goals so much faster. This is the same method and speed that Ken Shamrock and Ken Yasuda used to make it to the top of the world in their professions.

“We are trying to share our knowledge and experience to people who cannot directly learn from us in person.  It is cheap, so anyone can afford, and many people can learn this way!” says Ken Yasuda.
For more on their special training site: www.ProFit101.net.

For more on Ken Yasuda: www.kenyasuda.com.

For Ken Yasuda at Knucklepit Part 3: click HERE.

Tyrone Spong

HARD-HITTING SUPERSTAR TYRONE SPONG ENTERS GLORY 9 NEW YORK LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT KICKBOXING TOURNAMENT TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR HISTORIC, STAR-STUDDED EVENT AT MANHATTAN’S HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM ON SATURDAY, JUNE 22

SINGAPORE (May 7, 2013) – Twenty-seven year-old martial arts fighting superstar Tyrone “King of the Ring” Spong (69-6-1 43 KOs) of Boca Raton, Fla. via Suriname will compete in the one-night, single-elimination GLORY 9 New York tournament featuring a lineup of the world’stop light heavyweight (209 pounds/95 kilograms) kickboxers, at Hammerstein Ballroom at Manhattan Center in New York City on Saturday,June 22, Glory Sports International (GSI) announced today.

“We are excited to enter Tyrone into this historic, first GLORY championshipseries event in the U.S. that will determine who is physically and mentally the top athlete in kickboxing’s light heavyweight division,” said Glory Sports International CEO Andrew Whitaker.

“Tyrone’s recent performances in the ring have distinguished him as one of the best and most powerful martial arts fighters in the world who can showcase our great sport at its highest level,” continued Whitaker, “so we look forward to seeing him compete against the other superstars who have been enlisted foraction in the tournament.”

In his last GLORY start on March 23, Spong, a member of the vaunted Blackzilians fight squad that boasts the likes of fellow martial arts fighting greats Rashad Evans, Alistair Overeem and Vitor Belfort, triggered a changing of the guard in the ring at ExCel Arena in London, England, decimating Remy “The Flying Gentleman” Bonjasky, a three-time champion of the old K-1 series and one of kickboxing’s greatestathletes of all time, with a vicious right hook in the second round (2:02) of their highly-anticipated main event showdown.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tyson Steele

special thanks to Mike Afromowitz
TYSON STEELE TO FACE OFF WITH STEVE CARL IN WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING CO-MAIN EVENT FOLLOWING TYRONE SPONG WITHDRAWAL
FRIDAY, JUNE 14 LIVE ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK
PLUS LIGHTWEIGHT GRAPPLING ACES LYLE BEERBOHM AND JACOB VOLKMANN COLLIDE IN PRELIMINARY CARD ACTION
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 3, 2013) – World Series of Fighting announced today a new co-main event matchup between streaking, prolific welterweight (170 pounds) rising stars and fearsome submission aces Tyson ‘Man of’ Steele (10-1) of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada and Steve Carl (19-3) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the professional Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion’s highly-anticipated fight card at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Friday, June 14, live on NBC Sports Network, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.

The announcement comes in the wake of the withdrawal of Tyrone ‘King of the Ring’ Spong (1-0) of Boca Raton, Fla. via Suriname from his scheduled light heavyweight (205 pounds) co-main event matchup with Angel ‘The Dream’ DeAnda (11-2) of Oakdale, Calif. due to Spong’s inability to return from the Netherlands to his Boca Raton-based MMA training camp Blackzilians in time to prepare adequately
for his second-career MMA-rules bout.

Additionally, a lightweight (155 pounds) contest between grappling wizards Lyle ‘Fancy Pants’ Beerbohm (21-2) of Spokane, Wash. and Jacob Volkmann (15-4) of White Bear Lake, Minn. has been added to the event’s preliminary card.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to replace the original co-main event with a matchup between two of MMA’s fastest rising stars who are both on course to become future champions,” said World Series of Fighting President and six-time world kickboxing champion Ray Sefo.  “Losing Tyrone from this card is unfortunate, but our fighters need to prepare sufficiently to compete at this level, and we are certainly not going to take any shortcuts or try to rush a matchup if one or both fighters are not ready to compete.  We will move forward and look forward to seeing Tyrone back in the World Series of Fighting cage very soon.”

Steve Carl

A former oil industry laborer, the 26-year-old Steele, who is riding a four-fight win streak, found greater opportunity in the sport of MMA after discovering the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and hasn’t turned back since.  On Nov. 3, he notched his greatest victory to date in his first start outside of Canada, a first round (4:52) TKO (knee and punches) of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Gregor Gracie at the inaugural World Series of Fighting event in Las Vegas.

Thus far, 7 of Steele’s 10 professional career victories have come by way of submission and 2 of the other 3 have come by way of TKO.

The 28-year-old Carl is a U.S. Army veteran who, likewise, found his calling in life in the world’s fastest growing sport after taking up Army Combatives.  Of his 19 professional career victories to date, 14 have come by way of submission.

Against Steele, Carl will put a five-fight winning streak on the line.  He earned his latest victory at the World Series of Fighting event on Nov. 3, submitting Ramico Blackmon with a rear-naked choke in the first round (2:11) of their matchup.

The 34-year-old Beerbohm, a former meth addict who discovered MMA while watching television from a prison sofa, later became an
inspiration, taking up MMA training the same day he was released from incarceration.  After just two amateur fights in which he stopped both of his opponents, Beerbohm made his professional debut in 2007 and ran to 15 consecutive victories over the course of the next three years.

Read the rest of this entry »