Wednesday, July 1, 2009
JC

Finally back from our month long hiatus, we bring you an interview with Elaina Maxwell, an MMA fighter and former Bay Area resident. We taped this interview with her several weeks ago in regards to her Gladiator Challenge bout scheduled for May. She tells us about how the promoter wanted her to fight a male fighter after her first opponent fell through, and shares other reasons why she never ended up fighting on that card.

Elaina also talks about  her new training regimine, and talks about her hopes to make it to the Olympics and compete in San Shou. Now a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, Elaina tells us how often she likes to make it down to the "strip", and whether or not she likes to gamble.

James Terry (6-1) recently defeated Zak Bucia by decision at Strikeforces May 11th event held at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. Terry is coming off a year long layoff to recover from his shoulder injuries sustained during his Cage Combat Fighting Championships title defense against Jeremiah Metcalf. Terry was unable to defend his Welterweight title, and was relegated to recovery, which included two surgeries on his shoulders.

As a personal trainer at USH! (Cung Le), Terry has focused on training his clients and began a regimen of hard training in order to get back into fighting shape. After eleven months of training and wating for his next fight, Terry was lined up to face Zak Bucia (1-2), a less experienced, but game fighter.

Download | Duration: 00:07:33

Terry defeated Bucia utilizing wrestling to control him and do damage on the ground for three rounds. Although Bucia was game and was able to nullify much of Terrys offense, Terrys overall dominance earned him a unanimous decision victory. 

"I was having to overcome some things when it came to the ground and pound, he kind of knew what his was doing a little bit with the jiu-jitsu."-James Terry

Although, he was happy with his performance, Terry stated that he may have taken it a little easy. As the Cage Combat Fighting Championships Welterweight Title holder, Terrys short reign was surrounded with injuries. He broke his hand winning his title, and  suffered two badly injured shoulders losing his title.

"I was happy to get the win,  but above and beyond all that, I was happy not to be injured."-James Terry

Currently, Terry does not have any opponents lined up, but has three fights remaining on a four-fight contract with Strikeforce. Terry says he intends on dominating opponents in the future as he is happy to come away uninjured from the fight. 

"When it comes to pushing the pace, and getting after the next guy, I definitely want to try to, you know, step it up a little bit. Not just win fights, but dominate fights."-James Terry

Terry says he hopes to get on the next fight card at the HP Pavilion, which he claims will take place in August, until then, he will focus on training himself and others at the gym. Terry implements weight-training as a large part of his training routine, and feels that it is a distinct advantage for him, as he stated that not all fight teams lift weights.

"Coach Cung likes us to lift, and you know, we do a lot of lifting"-James Terry

For more information on personal training with James Terry, he can be contacted at Universal Strength Headquarters(USH!) at (408) 729-4468. He can also be contacted by email: jterry.fitness@gmail.com

With a fantastic performance over Rashad Evans, Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida becomes the UFC's new Light-Heavyweight Champion. Machida knocked Evans out early in the second round after landing a left to the chin of  that gave the undefeated champion his first loss.

The fight began with the two undefeated fighters sizing each others' range and timing. Evans and Machida danced at a distance for two minutes before Machida landed the first strike of the match, a head-kick that stumbled Evans. Evans rushed in with a flurry of punches, but none landed effectively. The two continued to circle until Machida landed a left body kick followed by a straight left that dropped Evans. Machida jumped on top and began a flurry of head shots as Evans worked his way back up to his feet. The two continued at a distance as Machida throws two more head-kicks to close out the round.

The second round began with Machida throwing another set of body-kicks before attempting a takedown. Evans fights him off and throws an overhand right that is short and misses. Machida takes advantage and flurries straight in with punches, but Evans backed him up with several continuous short rights. Machida throws right and left high kicks that are both avoided by Evans before he eventually landed a stunning straight left followed by a combination that sent Evans down to the canvas again. Machida landed a series of lefts before Evans tried to get up, but Evans was thrown down again by Machida as he continued to throw uppercuts to finish Evans. Machida landed another left that put Evans down on a knee, as Evans was fighting with a huge heart to stay in the fight.

Evans made it to his feet only to dodge looping punches from Machida. Machida backs him up against the cage and lands a hard body kick followed by more punches. Evans was hurt and leaning against the cage when Machida landed a hard overhand right and then a short left hook that crumbled Evans to the cage floor for the final time of the match.

Lyoto Machida knocks out Rashad Evans and becomes the UFC's new Light Heavyweight Champion.

"Evangelista has a great record, but there are holes in every fighter’s game. I’ve watched tape on him and he is definitely vulnerable to some things."

"I plan to spoil his homecoming and win one for all my fans in my hometown in Hawaii, who have always been there and supported me. They are with me each and every time I step into the cage."

"This is a long trip for me and I did not come here to lose.’’

SARAH KAUFMAN

"My coach describes my style as ‘controlled crazy.’ I’ve never gone the distance but for me, punching is like a submission. But if I get into position, I would definitely try for a submission."

"I love MMA and I love to do this. It is fun and makes me happy."

"I won’t be surprised if she tries to take me down because I know she is good at wrestling. But I plan to stay on top, hit her lots and push the pace."

"This is a huge fight, but I am going to just do what I do."

"Being unbeaten always means a little more pressure but I’ve been in this from the beginning just to see what I can do and how far I can go.’’

MIESHA TATE

"I have hobbies like camping, snow skiing and cooking Italian food, but I really can’t see myself doing anything but MMA."

"This is a win-win situation for me. She’s established and has a name so this is a great opportunity for me to put the first blemish on her record. I know I’m the underdog, but no one thought I could beat Elaina Maxwell and I did. So I am going into this fight just like I did that one."

"I’ve been working on my stand-up since she’s known for it. I would be surprised if she tried to take me down, but I’ll be ready if she does."

"I’ve wrestled a long time and had probably over 100 matches. I guess my favorite subs are chokes of any kind. Arm bars are always fun. They come natural to me. So I have to guess getting her on her back is where she wouldn’t want to be."

"But in this fight, I know my mental toughness is a major key, along with pushing the pace and putting pressure back on her. She’s obviously very heavy-handed and the fact she never stops pushing forward are her strengths."

"But I’m going to engage. I’ve never really tested my standup so this is as good a time as any. She comes in squared and gets you backing up. My goal is to see how she reacts when I punch back. I am hoping that will work.’’

LAVAR JOHNSON

"I was off three years with a torn ACL but I feel great know. The main things in each and every fight of mine are always trying to relax and keeping my poise. "

"Carl is a big strong guy who is going to try and take me down and ground and pound me, which is why I’ve been working a lot on my wrestling. I need to stay moving, stop his shot/takedown and gas him out."

"Being he’s a big guy, I’m going to try and make him tired. Hopefully, I knock him out while standing."

CARL SEUMANUTAFA

"I know I need to be more active, that I’ve waited too much in my last two fights, although I thought I should have got a draw in one of them."

"Johnson is a pretty good guy who’s aggressive but I feel like I’m stronger than him so I need to take him down and control him.’’

"I’m ready to fight but I’ve only had a week to train so I’d prefer to KO him and get it over. I train by myself in San Francisco but go to Texas to train when I know I have a fight."

"When I lost my first fight, I quit my job as a high school security guard to focus more on MMA. I’ll never forget that first loss because I learned such a big lesson. It made me want to train harder.’’

ANTHONY RUIZ

 "I’ve been wrestling since the third grade but I’m always working to improve my ground game, which I think is good. My standup still isn’t there, but I seem to do OK, and I do seem to land sometimes."

"It’s important for me to stay within myself and not get wrapped up into the moment. It’s an aggression thing. If I get a little tired, I get sloppy. But I’ve still been effective. In this fight, I want to pull the trigger first, be aggressive while being relentless."

"My cardio has always been good so I want to push pace to the point where he is like, ‘will this guy every stop?’ I need to be the pitcher and try to deliver. I don’t want to be the catcher."

"It seems he has fought more seasoned opponents, but I’m not so sure Rosa has fought guys at my level. He’s 11-2, but he’s fought inferior guys."

"I’ve been through the ringer and fought some wars against a better caliber. The perfect scenario for me in this fight would be to standup, bang, get to where I am chasing him around the cage, take him down, lie on top and pummel him."

"I know I have lot of losses from submissions but it has been a long, long time since the last time I was submitted. I’ve never been knocked out."

"This is a very big fight for me and I’m very excited. I work as a fireman at the Madera-Mariposa-Merced fire department. All my captains and about 50 fire fighters will be on hand to watch.’’

"I feel I’m a lot better fighter than from the last time you saw me. My speed and the position of my hands and the way I hold them have definitely improved."

"I know he throws big punches but I’m not so sure his technique is that great. But I know I always have to beware and roll with the punches and counter. The guy has bursts of explosion, so I know I have to get off first."

"I’m really excited and totally ready. The fact Strikeforce is giving me this chance is tremendous and I am going to go for it. I won’t be reckless, but I am going to let in all hang out in there. Win or lose this is going to be a great fight and I am going to put on a show.’’

"I am really looking forward to Friday. The biggest thing for me in this fight and in all my fights is poise. I can’t just freak out or panic. I am fighting my third lefty in a row, so I’m used to them. I feel I am punching harder and better."

"I respect everybody outside the cage, but inside I hate them. I know he is a good boxer but I’ll stand with him if it comes to that."

"I don’t think he’s proved himself. I’ll be looking to take him down and use my lateral movement.’’

"I only had three week’s notice but I’m in shape and ready to get it on."

"I’m a former Golden Gloves boxing champion who has trained with Roy Jones Sr. in Pensacola, Fla. I’ve learned so much from him: life lessons that I carry out today as well as fighting. I lost my Dad when I was 18 so Roy has been like a father figure. He’s taught me mental toughness."

"This is a great opportunity for me to fight a guy who will elevate me to where I want to be. I want to make it to the next level and I will after Friday. Quach was ranked 10^th until that last loss so a win over him would be huge."

"Being half Filipino, I am looking for another vicious KO, like the one Manny Pacquiao. The people in the Philippines are always looking to look up to somebody, so if I can do a fraction of what Manny has, that would be great."

"Quach is a veteran with three times as many fights, so I know I can’t be overzealous and that I have to fight smart and not get crazy. I’m confident in my kickboxing. I feel like if I touch him, he’ll go back to his wrestling background. I don’t think he’s ever seen speed like me and I plan to capitalize on that."

"I tend to counter sometimes, but I know I need to take the initiative more and not let him dictate the pace. I’m a little nervous now but come game-time I’ll be fine. I am looking at this as my coming out party and looking to steal the show.’’

Mauro Ranallo will call the action from cageside with Stephen Quadros and Pat Miletich serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is David Dinkins, Jr., with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast info and more, visit the SHOWTIME Sports website at http://www.sho.com/sports.

The attached interview with Tony was conducted while he was training Frank Shamrock for the Nick Diaz fight, and Clint Coronel for his professional boxing debut.Shamrock was not able to bring Tony's prediction of an early knock-out over Diaz to fruition, as he lost to Nick Diaz by TKO on April 11.

Although it was rumored that Shamrock had a rib injury leading into the fight, Shamrock never brought up the injury as an excuse, and also gave Diaz appropriate  respect for his performance.

Coronel faced Ruben Rivera in a Junior Middleweight bout at Fight Night at the Tank on May 7th. Coronel and Rivera fought to a draw with Coronel scoring inside against his tall and long opponent. The judges scored the bout 38-38 for the two fighters.

Friday, May 8, 2009
Press Release: Strikeforce

NEW YORK–Two-time NCAA Division I National Wrestling Champion and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Kevin "The Monster" Randleman (17-12) will make his long-awaited return to mixed martial arts (MMA) action when he squares off with fellow grappling expert Mike Whitehead (23-7) during the live SHOWTIME® telecast of Strikeforce: "Lawler vs. Shields" from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. on Saturday, June 6.

Making his first appearance in over a year and his debut with Strikeforce, the 37-year-old Randleman of Columbus, Ohio will attempt to reclaim the glory he achieved almost a decade ago when he was crowned UFC heavyweight champion after scoring a knockout on Pete Williams at UFC 23 on November 19, 1999.

A tremendous athlete with explosive power, Randleman captured back-to-back NCAA national wrestling titles in 1992 and 1993 while competing for Ohio State University. His stellar collegiate career gained him entry into the school’s Hall Of Fame in 2004.

On October 22, 1996, Randleman made his professional MMA debut in Brazil where he stopped Luiz Carlos Macial in the first round of action. After amassing a 6-2 record, he entered the octagon for the first time at UFC 19 on March 5, 1999 and pulled off a stunning upset of MMA and kickboxing legend Maurice Smith.

After retaining his UFC title with a unanimous decision over Pedro "The Rock" Rizzo on June 9, 2000, Randleman was stopped by Randy "The Natural" Couture two months later.

In 2002, Randleman joined the ranks of Japan’s elite Pride Fighting Championship and enjoyed initial success by overcoming his first three opponents.

Randleman’s career came to a screeching halt three and a half years ago when he contracted a severe fungal lung infection that required surgery. The illness return shortly thereafter, thus delaying his return further.

Like Randleman, the 27 year old Whitehead has shined on the mats, achieving NJCAA All-American honors in 2001 while wrestling for North Idaho Junior College and, later, two-time All-American honors while competing for Southern Oregon University.

In his last start on October 29, 2008, Whitehead submitted Leo Pla in the first round of their matchup in Kansas City, Missouri. The victory returned Whitehead’s name to the win column one month after he gave up a unanimous judges’ decision to Renato "Babalu" Sobral. The loss to Sobral ended Whitehead’s 13 fight win streak that dated back to March 2006.

A native of Oregon, Whitehead has taken residence in Las Vegas, Nevada, the fight capital of the world to train amongst the sport’s best competitors. He recently parted ways with the Xtreme Couture camp and found a new home at the all-new training ground of superstar and former world champion Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva.

In 2005, Whitehead was cast on the second season of Spike TV’s smash-hit reality series The Ultimate Fighter. He has since conquered fellow octagon veterans Krzyysztof Soszynski and Vernon "Tiger" White as well as former UFC champion and HBO documentary subject Mark Kerr, whom Whitehead stopped with strikes in the first round of their meeting in Portland, Oregon on November 2, 2006.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009
JC

Concord native and Strikeforce Middleweight fighter, Eric Lawson is featured during the opening sequence in Never Surrender, a movie about cagefighters starring GSP, Anderson Silva, Rampage Jackson, BJ Penn, and a host of other pro fighters.

Although the movies' star is not a mainstream fighter (Hector Eschavarria), the movie does have a talented list of fighters on the roster, and recognizable names for venues and sponsors on the cage that they fight in. Of course, not all of the fights happen in a cage, but I will save that for the review.

Kudos are in order for Eric Lawson on his movie debut, and on his latest TKO victory over Waylon Kennell on the Shamrock vs. Diaz event on April 11t, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. His latest victory brings his record to (9-2).

Lawson has recently stated that his fights will be on main fight card in the future, which will give him even greater exposure, and pit him against even more dangerous opponents.

Lawson stated that he does not have an opponent yet, but believes his next fight will take place in Washington at the Tacoma Dome.

Keep an eye out for my review of this movie, along with several other MMA related movies in the very near future. Never Surrender is currently available for rental at Blockbuster video stores.

Eric Lawson Myspace
Combat Fitness in Concord