2009 ~ Stickgrappler's Sojourn of Septillion Steps

9/15/2009 10:24:00 PM

Cut and pasted from:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/15/samurai.sword.killing/

Johns Hopkins student kills apparent burglar with sword

* Story Highlights
* Suspect died at scene; he had severed left hand and lacerations to upper body
* Students confronted man in their garage, police say
* He lunged at students, and one defended himself with samurai sword

updated 12:47 p.m. EDT, Tue September 15, 2009

(CNN) -- A Johns Hopkins University student killed an apparent burglar with a samurai sword after discovering the man in his garage, police said Tuesday.

Baltimore, Maryland, police received a phone call shortly before 1:30 a.m. Tuesday about a suspicious person, and an off-duty officer arrived at the scene with campus security, city police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

When authorities arrived, they heard calls for help and for police, he said. They discovered a suspected burglar with a severed left hand and severe lacerations to his upper body, Guglielmi said.

The suspect died at the scene, he said.

The man had entered a home where several Johns Hopkins students lived, Guglielmi said. Four students, one armed with a samurai sword, had confronted the suspect in the garage.

The man "lunged" at the students, and the student with the sword defended himself, severing the man's left hand and cutting his upper body, Guglielmi said.

Police did not release the name of the suspect, who Guglielmi said had a long criminal history, or that of the student.

Police questioned the three witnesses, Guglielmi said, and released them. It was not immediately clear whether all four students lived at the house, he said.

Authorities are determining whether the student will face criminal charges, Guglielmi said.

Burglars had taken two laptops and a Sony PlayStation from the students' home Monday, Guglielmi said.

The burglary suspect had been released from prison Saturday, Guglielmi said.

NOTE: My sincerest thanks to my friend Greg for sending me the link!

9/15/2009 05:18:00 PM

Dalton: "I want you to be nice until it's time to not be nice."

RIP Patrick Swayze

Wiki entry

9/11/01, My Blog

"Our nation, this generation, will lift the dark threat of violence from our people and our future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail."

~George Bush 09/20/2001

Totally unplanned but coincidentally this is my 300th blog post. How appropriate to have a special post for the occasion.

My friend kot1k of the Spladdle forum posted this earlier today:

09-11-2009, 10:40 AM
kot1k

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It’s pretty crazy in downtown Manhattan right now. There’s a massive concentration of cops, firefighters and news vans. Everybody is converging on the WTC site. The usual memorials are going on, all the streets are blocked off, and there are tons of cops checking bags in the subway. All this is going on but it doesn’t really feel like anybody remembers what they felt like 8 years ago. People obviously remember what happened, but the feeling is pretty much drowned in time. Didn’t really want to post this, but here’s my story from 8 years ago (Massive FRAT):

I was working at 222 Broadway. It was my first day in a new group so I wanted to get in earlier. I got on the Q (It was still the express back then) on the Sheepshead Bay stop. The trains were running like shit, so they kicked us off at Prospect Park stop and made us wait for the next train. Finally, a bit later than I wanted to, I got out of the train (I think I switched to the N at DeKalb, can’t remember anymore) at Courtland Street. Didn’t even bother to look at the towers to my left, made a right by the Marriot, and got my ass to my building.

My new bosses were smoking by the entrance. I shot the shit with them for a few minutes and made my way up. I was on the 9th floor, with my back to the windows facing WTC. I booted up my comp and as I was loading Outlook I FELT a massive explosion. The windows shook, as did the building. I ran to the window and saw a bunch of debris floating through the air and birds flying in crazy patterns. I looked down, and didn’t see anything (I initially thought that it was a car bomb again). I crouched by my window and looked up, and that’s when I saw the giant gaping hole in one of the towers, with flames coming out of it. I sat there for a few minutes, and went back to my desk. The TVs were all on CNBC or CNN and they already found footage and started playing it. I went back to the window and sat there staring at the towers.

As I sat there I saw a plane coming, but in my mind I thought that I was still watching TV and that was a replay. I was shaken out of my delusion by the second explosion. That’s when the total realization of how fucked this was sank in. I sat there for a few minutes looking, until I saw a few people falling or jumping from the towers. I can’t remember what I felt, but I got up and started trying to get in touch with family and friends who worked near by.

My parents were on vacation in France, so there was no way to reach them. My grandma who I was living with at the time was working the Primary Election for NYC, so she wasn’t home either. I left a voicemail on the answering machine saying I was leaving the building and I would be home soon. I tried to call a few friends, but by that time most lines were overwhelmed, so it was next to impossible to reach anybody.

A good friend was starting her second year in Med School in Israel and was supposed to fly out that day. That wasn’t happening, so she was home and I managed to reach her. We were on the phone while she was watching the news. It was a live feed, but had a few seconds delay. I felt what I thought was an earthquake, and saw the first tower collapsing. I yelled into the phone, “they’re falling” before dropping the receiver and jumping over my cube to get into the stairwell. The whole building was shaking. Everyone went into the lobby and waited around, but no one had any idea of what to do. You couldn’t go outside, since the whole street was filled with smoke and dust. It was a very strange feeling of helplessness. Just as that was happening, we felt another earthquake. It was the second tower collapsing.

The whole mass of people lost it and panicked. People began screaming and scattering with no real place to go. Somehow I ended up in a second level sub basement with about 10 other people. We sat on the floor and just waited. For what, I have no idea. After about 45 minutes a cop in a facemask came downstairs to tell us to stay put. In another 45 minutes the room started filling with smoke and dust because the filtration system was overwhelmed. Some of the women started crying and got panicky again. I decided that it’s probably safe to leave. We had a few water bottles with us, so I took off my shirt (I had an undershirt on), soaked it with water, and wrapped it around my face. I suggested to the people in the room that they should probably come with me, and about 6 women came along. I took my little procession out of the building.

The air was bad, but not terrible. There was about a half an inch of dust on the ground though. I hate to think what was in that dust. We walked away from WTC towards the bridges. Much of the smoke was blowing towards the Brooklyn Bridge, so I decided that it would probably be best to walk towards the Manhattan Bridge in Chinatown. I separated from my companions a few blocks away when I was pretty sure they were OK and out of danger.

I crossed the bridge with a million other people. There were no cars. In the middle of the bridge a couple of fighter jets came overhead and a thousand people hit the deck.

The rest of the story is pretty mundane. I walked for a few hours to get home. I got together with ALL of my friends later that night. I’m still shocked that I didn’t know anyone who was killed personally. The weird conclusions from that day were that I felt no fear. None. Maybe I was in shock, but I had very little emotions throughout the day and the days after. The only real fear I felt was when I got on a plane two weeks later and there was a small Muslim dude wearing religious garb. The entire flight was looking at his the whole trip, ready to pounce and kill his ass even if he so much as moved.

So that’s it. Don’t know what else to say…"

kot's story makes my story (click here)look like a walk in the park. I would've been p!ssing in my pants if I was stuck in a room not knowing what was going outside for more than 30 minutes.

9/10/2009 04:28:00 PM

8/31/09 - 9/5/09 -- 6 days and 5 nights... took my wife and 3 kids to Disney World. We have never been there. Great time was had by all.

At Epcot, there is a World Showcase, a few countries were represented. Took some pictures of slight 'martial' value.

*** Norway ***

*** Germany ***

*** Japan ***

There were walking canes hand-carved by an African artist that I was not able to take pictures of :-(

Next time, I go to Disney World, I'll be sure to get you guys a T-shirt and a mug or something instead of lousy pix :-)

Enjoy!

EDIT: ugh! the 2nd pic in Germany should be showing 3 stautes. You can save the pic and view it offline in your pic viewer of choice.

EDIT 2: looks like the pictures I put up to my Facebook is not showing up. When I have time I will upload the pix to my pichost. Sorry about that.

9/09/2009 11:28:00 PM

Since the date today is 9/9/09... it would've been cool to post at either the morning or the evening at the time of 9:09:09 LOL

Forgive my bad segue to:

Ah, The Magic of Numbers... the Asian cultures dread the number 4 as it's an homophone for 'death'. Superstitious people dread the number 13.

The Chinese MA is abound with the numbers 3, 5, 8, 13, 36 and 108 (did I miss any?). The Filipino MA have 12. It is said that Alexander the Great (or in his time) found that 'chunking' techniques in factors of 3 was useful for soldiers (or something along those lines). Dr. Gyi's Bando teaches in 3, 6, 9, and 12. IIRC the Thai MA teaches in 4 and 7's.

Don't think "Numberology" is a word, but I mean it to be the significance of numbers, especially with respect to the Martial Arts. I know there is "Numerology" which I vaguely think to be the study of numbers in relation to astrology/supernatural/zodiac... you get the idea.

Will have to research into the Martial Arts and the Significance of Numbers. Some future post in my Sojourn of Septillion Steps :-)

9/09/2009 11:24:00 PM

My friend P. emailed me about this.

Please click the thumbnail below for a bigger picture and the details.

9/09/2009 10:10:00 PM

Photo Credit: Wiki

I missed posting about the 1 year anniversary of Evan Tanner's death yesterday. My thanks to my friend Hugo Hanriot for reminding me about it. Hugo posted on his Facebook a link to a Youtube vidclip and the following:

"Tanner was one of a kind. He fought in the pre-Zuffa "dark ages" on MMA, won the Japanese "King of Pancrase" title, & won the UFC 185 title.

When he started fighting, his only training was high school wrestling & what he learned on the 1st Gracie Jiu Jitsu instructional videos.

He was a fighter who was more interested in being a seeker & a humanitarian, & developing into a hell of a writer. It's a damn shame we never got to see what he would've done after he retired from fighting.

Tue at 5:18pm"

RIP Evan Tanner

9/08/2009 12:04:00 AM

...have no idea what i'm doing on facebook both literally as in how to navigate, find friends, add links and figuratively as i'm jammed with real life as it is. not as much time blogging, so why am i on facebook? LOL @ me.

there were some friends on there i recognized and some i've lost contact with over the years.

here's seeing if facebook is worth my time and effort.

8/13/2009 11:28:00 PM

Been jammed with Real Life... trying to catch up on some emails. This was sent to me 7/6/09 by my friend Kilogulf59, whose Integrated Close Combat Forum I posted about 3/30/09 here:

http://stickgrappler.blogspot.com/2009/03/links-integrated-close-combat-forum.html

He wrote:

I'd like to invite all of you to stop in at a new forum. The place is called WWW.POCKETFIREPOWER.COM - Discussion dedicated to pocket defense handguns, knives and tactics... http://www.pocketfirepower.com/index.php

The gentleman who is the admin goes by the moniker "LUVMYSIGP225" and is a good guy and friend of our own 7677, who is a moderator there as well.

The flavor of the forum is somewhat different than ICCF nonetheless the philosophy is the same. In other words, good info, good advice, good people. What more can we ask for?

Do yourself a favor, go there today and tell them "Ken sent ya"...(they may let you stay anyway LOL)

Take Care and Stay Safe,
Ken

"REMEMBER ?What works for you may not, necessarily, work for me. Keep an open mind!"

Integrated Close Combat Forum - http://kilogulf59.proboards80.com
Scribd ?KG59/ICCF - http://www.scribd.com/kilogulf59
YouTube ?KG59/ICCF - http://www.youtube.com/user/kilogulf59

Check out http://www.pocketfirepower.com/index.php when you have a chance. I will register there when I have a little more free time and check it out for myself. I also intend to surf back over to ICCF and a few forums I've been meaning to check in (as well as catching up on emails LOL).

Oh, while you are at it, check out Kilogulf's links in his email signature! Enjoy!

8/13/2009 11:11:00 PM

Picture borrowed from http://www.comedycv.co.uk. Click the thumbnail for a bigger picture.

2 days ago, August 11, it was Joe Rogan's birthday. I was jammed with real life and wasn't able to post about it. Happy Belated 42nd Birthday Joe Rogan!! Many more to come!!

On top of everything else going for him, he's a brown belt in BJJ and a color commentator for UFC!

Wiki entry

Joe Rogan's Official site

8/13/2009 10:28:00 PM

July 28th, I posted about Bruce Lee's private lesson plan to Taky Kimura here:

Bruce Lee's private lesson plan to Taky Kimura on auction

I forgot to note when the auction officially closes... checked in tonight and it looks like it closed. It seems the auction started with $500 as the opening bid. There were 25 bids and the winning bid was $7259!

Some gems of in that lesson plan:

1) "Lee lists six important keys to “Combat,” which are “Timing,” “Distance,” “Speed & Rhythm,” “Initiative,” “Aggressiveness,” and “Choice of Attack.” Lee also lists three stages of combat “Attack,” “Counter-Attack,” and “Active Defense,” with other sub-categories underneath."

2) "I've just rushed the T'ai Kik wall chart form to you."

My comment: "T'ai Kik" is Cantonese for "Tai Chi/Taiji"... BL's dad knew Tai Chi too.

3) "...James Lee is going to send you a Lap Sao apparatus with built in resistance."

My comment: Not making a statement about trapping, but pointing out the specifity principle... and using certain apparatuses to train specific techniques.

4) "Of course, you must use the set system, that is REPETITION of each technique in sets for perfection."

My comment: 10,000 reps/hours rule

5) "Remember the idea that one has to come in thousands of time in order to perfect one Judo throw."

My comment: Again 10,000 reps/hours rule

I'm going to post about the "Principle (or Law) of Specifity" and the "10,000 Hours Rule" in future posts.

8/08/2009 09:59:00 AM

Click thumbnail for a bigger picture.

WOW! Just a year ago, the 2008 Olympics in Beijing started. What an extravagant and memorable Opening Ceremony! So many memories, so many athletes breaking records and setting the bar higher and higher.

What was your favorite moment from the Opening Ceremony? Your favorite moment from the Games?

Wiki entry
Official site

8/08/2009 09:28:00 AM

Click thumbnail for bigger picture.

UFC 101 Declaration takes place on August 8, 2009 @ the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Main Event: UFC Lightweight Championship
155#: Kenny Florian (13-3) vs. Champion BJ Penn (13-5-1)

Main Card
205#: Anderson Silva (24-4) vs. Forrest Griffin (16-5)
170#: Johny Hendricks (5-0) vs. Amir Sadollah(2-0)
185#: Ricardo Almeida (10-3) vs. Kendall Grove (12-5)
155#: Josh Neer (25-7-1) vs. Kurt Pellegrino (19-1)
155#: Shane Nelson (13-3) vs. Aaron Riley (27-11-1)

Preliminary Bouts
170#: Tamdan McCrory (12-2) vs. John Howard (11-4)
185#: Alessio Sakara (17-7) vs. Thales Leites (14-2)
170#: Dan Cramer (1-0) vs. Matthew Riddle (2-0)
155#: George Roop (9-5) vs. George Sotiropoulos (9-2)
170#: Jesse Lennox (14-1) vs. Danillo Villefort (9-2)

I do not know many of the fighters only the 2 big "name" bouts. BJ Penn, hard to not pick him when he's back in his weight of 155 instead of moving up to challenge GSP. Not sure if what I heard is true, both Florian and Penn are excellent grapplers, but they have a gentleman's agreement to keep it standup? If so, with Penn's excellent jabbing as witness his fight vs Joe Stephenson, I think Penn wins.

Hard to not pick Anderson Silva to win, until he loses, I'm going with Silva. I like Griffin and my friend Ausgepicht thinks if anyone has a chance to beat Silva it's Griffin.

What are your picks?

Cannot wait for later tonight for the fights!

7/29/2009 04:28:00 PM

Apologies to the readers of this blog as well as to Guro Crafty Dog and the rest of the Dog Brothers Clan. I neglected to post about upcoming seminars earlier.

First up, Guro Crafty Aug 1-2 at Fort Hood, TX. Check out this thread for more details: Dog Brothers Forum Thread.

Areas of focus will include:

-"Die Less Often" Defense against a Knife Attack and Accessing Weapons.
-Dog Brothers Stickfighting
-Introduction to Kali Tudo (TM)

Secondly, Toronto Canada DBMA Training Camp featuring Crafty Dog, Top Dog and Sled Dog Aug 21-23. Check out this thread for more details: Dog Brothers Forum Thread. This should be a great training opportunity, as you get to learn not from 1, not 2, but 3 original Dog Brothers! Sadly, I will not be able to attend. Taking wife and 3 kids to Disney World. Our first time.

it will be a full weekend of training with Crafty ,Sled , and Top Dog
accommodations and meals are included . there will be workshops you can attend as well from yoga to strength and conditioning space will be limited i will post additional information within the week if you have any further questions you can reach me at renecocolo@hotmail.com

Thirdly, the next Dog Brothers Gathering will be held September 20, 2009. Check out this thread for more details: Dog Brothers Forum Thread.

7/28/2009 11:28:00 PM

Cut and pasted from http://www.rrauction.com:

Bruce Lee’s private lesson plan to his star pupil

Description

Amazing ALS in pencil, signed “Bruce,” three pages, 8.5 x 11, no date. Lee writes to Taky Kimura, his prize student and eventually one of only three Lee-certified instructors of Jeet Kun Do. In part: “First and foremost I like to impress a most important rule of teaching in your mind, and that is the economy of form. Follow this rule and you will NEVER feel like you have to ADD more and more so called sizzling techniques to keep our students interested. In order to explain ‘Economy of Form’ I’ll take a technique to illustrate the theory. Later on this idea can be applied to any technique. Together with the idea of ‘the Three Stages of a Technique [(1) synchronization of self, [2] synchronization with opponent [3] under fighting condition]. This program of teaching not only provide and endless routine of instruction, but a most efficient lesson plan that will bring result to all students. I’ve tested them here in L. A. and disregard how little we show each time…To illustrate the idea, I’ll take the Park Sao (slapping hand). Basically ‘Economy of Motion’ means all motions starts from the By-Jong position; secondly, Hands are to move first if it were hand technique [foot follows], feet first if it were foot techniques. So emphasize the above ‘Two Truths’ by practicing Park Sao fort in the touching hand manner…Each student must attack [in unison] from the By-Jong without any wasted motion. Now this has been overlooked basic theory of utmost importance. If any student does his Park Sao [or any technique for that matter] with wasted motion, back to the touching hand position he goes to minimize his unnecessary motion…I hope I have impressed in your mind a more important rule of our style-stick to the program I’ve given you, use variety, and do not worry too much that your students need more and more to stay with you-true if they can do perfectly all you’ve taught them. Remember the idea that one has to come in thousands of time in order to perfect one Judo throw. And of course use your own experience and imagination. You will do well. I have faith in you.”

The third page of Lee’s letter bears a detailed hand-written flow chart of combat strategy. At the top, Lee lists six important keys to “Combat,” which are “Timing,” “Distance,” “Speed & Rhythm,” “Initiative,” “Aggressiveness,” and “Choice of Attack.” Lee also lists three stages of combat “Attack,” “Counter-Attack,” and “Active Defense,” with other sub-categories underneath. A truly remarkable Lee letter, written to perhaps his greatest student, with a detailed explanation of his method, and a fighting flowchart in his hand, makes this an especially desirable letter. In fine condition, with mild handling wear and two deep central vertical creases to third page.

Pictures borrowed from www.rrauction.com. Click the thumbnails for bigger pictures.

NOTE: My thanks to my friend P. for the heads-up!

7/28/2009 10:54:00 PM

Picture borrowed from http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com. Click thumbnail for a bigger picture.

Cut and pasted from www.wrestlingmuseum.com's bio on Karl Gotch:

Karl Gotch
By Steve Slagle

The name Gotch means a lot to wrestling, and instantly conjures up thoughts about the legendary turn-of-the-century exploits of the original World Wrestling Champion, Frank Gotch. However, unbeknownst to most contemporary wrestling fans, there was another man who wrestled under the name Gotch, a man who is considered by many to be nearly as important and deserving of history's praise as his more famous namesake. In Japan, Karl Gotch is held in as high esteem as Frank Gotch is in America. Likewise, his supreme wrestling skill is as legendary there as Frank Gotch's grappling techniques are here. The main difference, though, is that in Japan, both men are revered and respected, while in America, Karl Gotch is basically unknown by the vast majority of wrestling fans. Although he may not be as famous as many of the other Hall of Famers, Karl Gotch, a technical wizard and influential champion in the early history of Japanese wrestling, is every bit as deserving. Quite simply, he helped shape our sport into what it is today, despite the lack of notoriety in the U.S.

Karl Gotch was actually born Karl Istaz, in 1924 in Hamburg, Germany. He started his career in the mid-1950's, after being trained at "Snake Pit" Billy Riley's Gym in Britain, and he originally used the name Karl Krauser. As Karl Krauser, he won several tournaments throughout his native Europe during the first few yeas of his career. But in 1959, when he traveled to the booming world of American pro wrestling, he was greeted by a somewhat cold reception. Istaz was a shooter, not a performer, and as a result, he was often passed over by promoters who were looking to pack the house. Unable to do interviews (due to his accent, and mild mannerisms) that intrigued the TV wrestling audience, but more than able to wrestle circles around 90% of his competition, the highly talented Krauser was used primarily as a lower-card worker. His fellow wrestlers, who were higher up "the ladder" often ducked him, as they knew that Karl Istaz was a dangerous, highly skilled grappler. Not flashy, not flamboyant...but a man who could, and occasionally did, make performance-style wrestlers look highly incompetent whenever he wished.

In 1961, in an attempt to add to his persona, Istaz began wrestling under the name Karl Gotch (in honor of the late, great World champion) and slowly began rising up in the territorial ranks. Soon after changing his ring name to Gotch, Istaz finally began enjoying some well-deserved success. He won the AWA (Ohio) Heavyweight Title in September of 1962 by defeating Don Leo Jonathon, and held the then-prestigous championship for 2 full years before being defeated by the great Lou Thesz.

It was around this time that Gotch became involved in a series of real-life altercations with NWA World Heavyweight champion "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers. Gotch claimed that a fearful Rogers was continually ducking his challenges. As the AWA (Ohio) champion, Gotch felt he was a legitimate NWA World Title contender, but Rogers continually refused to wrestle him. Rogers, on the other hand, felt Gotch (who was still far from being a "big draw") was simply trying to make a name for himself, at the expense of his own. "The Nature Boy" was not shy about telling Gotch, and anyone else backstage, what he thought about "the shooter". The animosity between the two eventually led to a locker room fist fight (which was initiated by Gotch) that saw "The Nature Boy" come out a beaten man. It also ended up alienating Gotch from even more promoters and fellow wrestlers.

Just prior to his altercation with Rogers, Gotch wrestled his first match in Japan, which turned out to be a 45-minute draw against established Japanese star Michiaki Yoshimura. Little did Gotch know that it would be in the land of the Rising Sun that he would achieve his greatest fame. So enamored with the talented and athletic Gotch were the Japanese, that he is, to this day, referred to as "The God of Pro Wrestling". In addition to the influence his unique technical style generated, Gotch help shape wrestling forever through the men he trained. Where would the business of pro wrestling in Japan be, had there not been men like Antonio Inoki, Tatsumi Fujinami, Hiro Matsuda, Osamu Kido, Satoru Sayama (the legendary Tiger Mask) and Yoshiaki Fujiwara? Gotch trained them all, and many others, and instilled in them the same appreciation of wrestling skill and technique that had made him such a star in Japan. However, in America, things for Gotch were quite different. Although he was considered by many to be the "Uncrowned Champion", Gotch had to struggle for each of the few titles he gained during his 30-year career. He teamed with "Iron" Mike Dibiase in 1967 to win the WWA World Tag Team title in Los Angeles, eventually losing the straps to Pedro Morales & Victor Rivera. His other major title victory was the WWWF World Tag Team championship, which he won with Rene Goulet on December 6, 1971. After being defeated by Baron Mikel Scicluna & King Curtis Iaukea just 3 months later, Gotch soon left the WWWF and returned to Japan for the remainder of his career.

His last major title was New Japan's "Real" World Heavyweight Title, which he won in 1972. He spent the next several years in Japan as a premier wrestler and trainer. One of the biggest stars the island nation had ever known, he wrestled his last match on January 1, 1982 when he defeated Yoshiaki Fujiwara in Tokyo. Soon after, Gotch retired from the sport, in front of the fans that truly appreciated his talent. Through his talent, style, and influence, Karl Gotch established himself as one of the best wrestlers of his, or any, era. Despite his lack of fame and notoriety, he truly helped shape the sport into what it is today (especially in Japan) and was a genuine trend-setter, whose influence is still being felt to this day. With this in mind, The Ring Chronicle proudly inducts "The God of Pro Wrestling" Karl Gotch into TRC's Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame...

Some links and vidclips:

Wiki entry

Jake Shannon of Scientific Wrestling's Interview with Karl Gotch

7/27/2009 05:26:00 PM

Boxing has lost another champion :-( RIP Vernon Forrest, the first fighter to defeat Sugar Shane Mosley.

Cut and pasted from NY Times:

July 27, 2009

Forrest, Ex-Boxing Champ, Is Killed

By DERRICK HENRY
Vernon Forrest, a former middleweight boxing champion also known for his charitable work, was shot and killed Saturday night in Atlanta. The police said that he had apparently been robbed and then exchanged gunfire with his assailant.

Forrest, 38, is the third prominent boxer to die this month. Arturo Gatti, a super featherweight and light welterweight, was found dead July 11 at a Brazilian resort. Alexis Argüello, a champion in the lightweight divisions, was found dead on July 1 at his home in Managua, Nicaragua. He had been elected mayor of Nicaragua’s capital last year.

Last September, Forrest reclaimed his World Boxing Council title at 154 pounds by beating Sergio Mora, an opponent 10 years younger. Forrest, who had a 41-3 career record with 29 knockouts, had been sidelined by injury and vacated his crown. In 2002, he twice defeated Shane Mosley and was named Ring Magazine’s Fighter of the Year.

Forrest, who lived in Atlanta, had stopped at a gas station on Whitehall Street in central part of the city to put air into the tires of his Jaguar when a man robbed him at gunpoint, the police said. Forrest, who also was armed, chased the man several hundred feet, toward a nearby intersection. The two exchanged gunfire, Atlanta Police Det. Lt. Keith Meadows told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Forrest suffered seven to eight shots to the back, the police said. Lt. Meadows said there was evidence that Forrest had used his weapon, but the police did not know if the assailant had been shot.

An 11-year-old boy who was in Forrest’s vehicle gave police a description of the assailant. The boy, the son of Forrest’s girlfriend, did not witness the shootings, the police said.

An autopsy was planned for Sunday, The Associated Press reported.

Forrest, a former W.B.C. super welterweight champion, was just as noted for his work outside the ring. In 1998, he started Destiny’s Child, a foundation for people with mental disabilities in Atlanta.

Forrest said he thought of starting the foundation after seeing an autistic child struggle to tie his shoes. “If you sit there and watch a person take about an hour to tie his shoestrings, then you realize that whatever problems you got ain’t that significant,” he said in a 2006 New York Times interview. “A light just turned on in my head.”

The foundation set up group homes in the Atlanta area.

“We teach mathematics and how to count money,” Forrest said in a 2003 Times interview. “We had this one 18-year-old boy to whom all money looked the same. He had trouble with quarters and nickels. Then one day, he said, ‘Uncle Vernon, I got it, I got it.’ ”

NOTE: My thanks to Guro Crafty Dog on the Dog Brothers forum for the heads-up.

7/24/2009 01:52:00 PM

Image borrowed from http://www.filipino-martial-arts.co.uk. Click thumbnail for a bigger picture.

Maligayang Kaarawan Guro Inosanto! 73 years young! Many more to come!!

NOTE: My thanks to Tom Stillman of the Dog Brothers forum for the heads-up!

Some links and vidclips:

Official site

Wiki entry

7/21/2009 03:54:00 PM

Cut and pasted from Yahoo:

Tue Jul 21, 2009, 1:43 am EDT

HONG KONG - Bruce Lee's older sister and younger brother have authorized a Chinese company to make a series of biographical films about the late kung fu icon, saying they want to produce a historically accurate account of their brother's life.

Phoebe Lee and Robert Lee appeared at a signing ceremony with J.A. Media in Beijing on Monday, 36 years to the day after Bruce Lee died in Hong Kong at age 32 from swelling of the brain.

Lee became a source of Chinese pride by portraying characters who defended the Chinese and the working class from oppressors in films like "Return of the Dragon."

It wasn't immediately clear who will play Lee in the film series.

Producer Manfred Wong said the company plans at least three installments, with the first to tackle Lee's teenage years, adding he wanted to focus more on the late actor's personality.

"There will be kung fu ... But more importantly, we want to portray the real Bruce Lee. What is the real Bruce Lee like? He was very humorous. He was very obedient to his parents. He was very kind to his family," Wong said, according to footage of the ceremony on the Chinese news Web site Sina.com .

Robert Lee said he wanted to give an authoritative account of his brother's life.

"We've read many books and seen many movies about Bruce Lee, but there are many inaccuracies in them. They made up things," he said, without referring to specific works or factual mistakes.

"I'm more than 70 years old. I'm old. I want do something for my younger brother — to promote Bruce Lee's life story," Phoebe Lee said.

Most recently, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV aired a 50-part prime-time series about Lee last year.

Wong did not say how much the movies will cost. Calls to the company Tuesday seeking more detail went unanswered.

7/21/2009 12:28:00 PM

Earlier in the day, I posted (along with a few MMA sites as well as the NY Daily News and the Sun, an UK newspaper) that Kimo was dead from a heart attack.

Apparently, Underground member OneManArmy aka Beau Taylor was trolling the UG as well as the MMA community with hjs post reporting Kimo's death. Word is Beau Taylor has been banned from the UG.

My sincerest apologies to Kimo and his loved ones over my errant post.

Cut and pasted from http://www.canada.com/sports

Early UFC star Kimo Leopoldo still alive, says attorney

By Dave Deibert, SP Online Editor, Saskatoon StarPhoenixJuly 21, 2009

Reports of the death of early UFC star Kimo Leopoldo appear to have been premature. Leopoldo’s attorney, Victor E. Hobbs, told Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports that “Kimo has surfaced and that’s all I know right now.”

He referred all questions to Leopoldo’s manager, Ron Kort. Kort’s voice mailbox was full and could not accept messages, said the Yahoo! report.

Leopoldo, who became an overnight mixed-martial-arts sensation following his appearance at UFC 3 in 1994, was reported dead Tuesday by numerous websites, including TMZ, the New York Daily News and Orange County Register.

Leopoldo, known simply as Kimo in the MMA world, debuted with Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 3 against UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie. That night, the 6-foot-3, 235-pounder entered the ring with a massive cross on his back and pushed Gracie — then, a two-time UFC tournament champion — to the point of exhaustion before eventually submitting. Gracie could not continue in the tournament, however, due to the damage from his match with Kimo.

Kimo fought four more times for UFC: a loss at UFC 8 in 1996 to Ken Shamrock; a loss to Tsuyoshi Kohsaka via decision at UFC 16 in 1997; a win over Tank Abbott at UFC 43 in 2003; and another loss to Shamrock at UFC 48 in 2004.

His career MMA record is 10-7-1.

In July 2006, Leopoldo was scheduled to fight ex-UFC heavyweight champ Bas Rutten but tested positive for steroids in the days leading up to the match. He had also tested positive for steroids following his UFC 48 match versus Shamrock.

Earlier this year, Leopoldo was charged with possession of a controlled substance in Long Beach, California.

7/16/2009 01:26:00 PM

Cut and pasted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Buffer:

In an interview with MMAMemories.com on March 26, 2008, Buffer stated, "let’s call it the 'Buffer 180°'." Buffer peforms 45° and 90° turn before most fights, and but reserves the "Buffer 180°" for main events and co-main events. At UFC 100, Buffer performed a "Buffer 360°".

Joe Rogan posted about UFC 100 and the Buffer 360 and put up these 2 vidclips:

My thanks the original gif maker for this:

Not my GIF, props to the OLRAM for it

Enjoy!

7/13/2009 03:45:00 PM

Chad, a member on the Dog Brothers forum, formed a UFC Fantasy League called ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN. My first time 'betting' on this type of thing. I chalk it up to beginner's luck more than anything.

Also some of the fighters I didn't know, I just copied my friend Ausgepicht's picks. Of the 4 fights which I did know the fighters, I was wrong on Coleman vs Bonnar. I'm a Coleman fan from back in da day, and after the Shogun fight, felt Coleman should retire. Thought he would gas and that would allow Bonnar to win by sub. Coleman showed a lot of heart in his fight against Shogun and in UFC 100, he showed me he can still fight as witness his unanimous decision over Bonnar.

Click for bigger picture.

Lucky me over these picks, going to go buy the lottery tonight LOL.

7/13/2009 03:36:00 PM

My thanks to the original gif makers and to my friend Ausgepicht for posting the gif's to his forum Spladdle. I uploaded to my pichosts to help save on bandwidth. Enjoy!

GEORGES ST. PIERRE VS THIAGO ALVES

GSP won by unanimous decision. Despite a groin pull, GSP throughout 5 rounds continually took Alves down and controlled him on the ground. GSP's takedowns scared off Alves' kicks.

BROCK LESNAR VS FRANK MIR

Frank Mir's best chance in round 2 against Brock Lesnar was this exchange.

This was Round 2 of Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir. Round 1 was almost the whole round of Brock ground and pound similar to the round 2 G&P.

DAN HENDERSON VS MICHAEL BISPING

Henderson and Bisping fought because they were the coaches of The Ultimate Fighter season 9.

Bisping, known as a stand-up fighter only, tries to take world-class wrestler Henderson down.

The KO that put Bisping to sleep.

Here's a bigger pic of the flying elbow/forearm after the KO.

Bisping was told by his corner to stop circling to Henderson's power which was his right. One of Boxing's maxims says the same thing. He paid by not listening to the advice.

The preview of this blog entry shows the large pic correctly, but after posting, it seems to be cut off. Right-click save as and then view it offline.

Enjoy!

7/12/2009 11:51:00 AM

Following up on my previous entry:

MMA: The Ultimate 100 UFC Fights - part 1

Here is Part 2: #75 down to #11.

75. UFC 1: Royce Gracie vs. Gerard Gordeau.
74. UFC 58: Rich Franklin vs. David Loiseau.
73. UFC 52: George St-Pierre vs. Jason Miller.
72. UFC 92: Frank Mir vs. Antonio Nogueria.
71. Ulimate 96: Don Frye vs. Tank Abbot.
70. UFC 17: Pete Williams vs. Mark Coleman.
69. UFC 34: B.J. Penn vs. Caol Uno.
68. UFC 84: Lyoto Machida vs. Tito Ortiz.
67. UFC 31: Shonie Carter vs. Matt Serra.
66. UFC 94: Georges St-Pierre vs. B.J. Penn.
65. UFN 10: Spencer Fisher vs. Sam Stout.
64. UFC 62: Chuck Liddell vs. Renato Sobral.
63. UFC 50: Matt Hughes vs. Georges St-Pierre.
62. UFC 72: Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida.
61. UFC 80: B.J. Penn vs. Joe Stevenson.
60. UFC 46: Georges St-Pierre vs. Karo Parisyan.
59. UFC 91: Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture.
58. UFC 38: Matt Hughes vs. Carlos Newton.
57. UFC 69: Roger Huerta vs. Leonard Garcia.
56. UFC 42: Rich Franklin vs. Evan Tanner.
55. UFC 92: Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin.
54. UFN 14: Anderson Silva vs. Chris Leben.
53. UFC 64: Sean Sherk vs. Kenny Florian.
52. UFC 40: Chuck Liddell vs. Renato Sobral.
51: UFC 88: Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell.
50. UFC 92: Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva.
49. UFC 71: Houston Alexander vs. Keith Jardine.
48. UFC 35: Jens Pulver vs. B.J. Penn.
47. UFC 31: Chuck Liddell vs. Kevin Randleman.
46. UFC 71: Quinton Jackson vs. Chuck Liddell.
45. TUF 4 Finale: Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell.
44. UFC 83: Georges St-Pierre vs. Matt Serra.
43. UFC 45: Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg.
42. UFC 56: Georges St-Pierre vs. Sean Sherk.
41. UFC 81: Antonio Nogueria vs. Tim Sylvia.
40. UFC 15: Randy Couture vs. Vitor Belfort.
39. UFC 84: Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine.
38. UFC 31: Randy Couture vs. Pedro Rizzo.
37. UFC 3: Royce Gracie vs. Kimo Leopoldo.
36. UFC 52: Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture.
35. UFC 48: Frank Mir vs. Tim Sylvia.
34. UFC 84: B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk.
33. UFC 63: Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn.
32. UFC 74: Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga.
31. UFC 75: Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson.
30. UFC 46: BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes.
29. UFC 98: Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans.
28. UFC 66: Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz.
27. UFC 44: Randy Couture vs. Tito Ortiz.
26. UFC 87: Georges St-Pierre vs Jon Fitch.
25. UFC 57: Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture.
24. UFC 1: Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock.
23. UFC 65: Georges St-Pierre vs. Matt Hughes.
22. The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale: Roger Huerta vs. Clay Guida.
21. UFC 43: Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell.
20. UFC 79: Georges St-Pierre vs. Matt Hughes.
19. UFC 82 Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson.
18. UFC 47: Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz.
17. UFC 68: Randy Couture vs. Tim Sylvia.
16. UFC 58: Sam Stout vs. Spencer Fisher.
15. UFC 85: Thiago Alves vs. Matt Hughes.
14. UFC 34: Matt Hughes vs. Carlos Newton.
13. The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale:Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida.
12. The Ultimate Fighter 2 Finale: Diego Sanchez vs. Nick Diaz.
11. UFC 86: Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton Jackson.

Please check out Part 3 with Fights 10 to the #1 UFC fight from UFC's 1-99.

Please check out, in case you missed it:

7/11/2009 10:13:00 PM

Cut and pasted from ESPN:

Updated: July 11, 2009, 8:59 PM ET
Foul play suspected in Gatti's death

Arturo Gatti Found Dead At Age 37

SAO PAULO -- Former boxing champion Arturo Gatti, one of the most exciting fighters of his generation, was found dead in a hotel room in the posh seaside resort of Porto de Galihnas early Saturday.

Police investigator Edilson Alves told The Associated Press that the body of the former junior welterweight champ was discovered in his hotel room at the tourist resort, where Gatti had arrived on Friday with his Brazilian wife Amanda and 1-year-old son.

Alves said police were investigating and it was unclear how the 37-year-old Canadian died. Foul play is suspected in the death, the CBC reported.

"It is still too early to say anything concrete, although it is all very strange," Alves said.

A spokeswoman for the state public safety department said Gatti's wife and son were unhurt. The women declined to give a name in keeping with department policy.

"There were no bullet or stab wounds on his body, but police did find blood stains on the floor," she said.

Brazilian boxer and four-time world champion Acelino "Popo" Freitas told the G1 Web site of Brazil's largest television network Globo that he was a close friend of Gatti and his wife, and that he "knew they were having some sort of problem and were about to separate, but I didn't know they were in Brazil."

Francisco Assis, a local police investigator, told G1 that Gatti could have died up to eight hours before his body was found early Saturday.

Gatti (40-9, 31 KOs), nicknamed "Thunder", was best known for his all-action style, which was epitomized in his classic trilogy with Micky Ward in 2002 and 2003.

It's why Gatti was a fixture at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., where he drew huge crowds and fought many times, including the final nine fights of his career.

"His entire boxing career he fought with us, we've known him since he was 17," Kathy Duva of promoter Main Events told The Associated Press. "It's just an unspeakable tragedy. I can't even find words. It's a horror."

He won two world titles in his 16-year pro career. In 1995, he won his first one, outpointing Tracy Harris Patterson to claim the IBF junior lightweight title.

In his first fight after the Ward trilogy -- which Gatti won 2-1 -- he captured a world title in his second division, outpointing Gianluca Branco for the vacant WBC junior welterweight title in January 2004.

Gatti made two defenses before losing the title to Floyd Mayweather Jr. via sixth-round TKO in June 2005. He returned to defeat Thomas Damgaard but lost his final two bouts, a ninth-round TKO in a challenge to then-welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir in July 2006 followed by a one-sided beating from former "Contender" star Alfonso Gomez in July 2007.

In the dressing room following the seventh-round knockout loss to Gomez, Gatti announced his retirement.

Referee Randy Neumann said it was tough for him to end that fight, simply because of Gatti's incredible ability to come back in fights.

"I couldn't stop that fight, simply because he was Arturo Gatti," Neumann said. "He was much more dignified to go out that way. He had to be counted out. When he fought, you never knew if he could come back. He looked beaten and still came back."

With that loss, Gatti acknowledged the end of all his travails and triumphs.

"I remember walking away from his last fight, and somebody walked up to him in the casino late at night and congratulated him," Duva said. "And he said, 'Why did he congratulate me?' And I said, 'He was excited to meet you.' And he kind of looked very surprised by that.

"He had no idea what an icon he was or how much he meant to people."

More than his titles, Gatti will be remembered for the slugfests. He was half of the Ring magazine fight of the year four times for two the Ward fights as well as his 1997 fifth-round knockout of Gabriel Ruelas to retain the junior lightweight title and a 1998 decision loss to Ivan Robinson.

Gatti had two memorable battles with Robinson as well as dramatic fights with Wilson Rodriguez, Angel Manfredy and Calvin Grove -- all before the trilogy with Ward that defined his career.

Gatti was a staple of HBO's boxing broadcasts, appearing on the network 21 times.

"HBO Sports is tremendously saddened by the passing of Arturo Gatti," HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said. "He was one of the legendary warriors in boxing, and his three epic battles with Micky Ward will live on in the sport's rich history. All of us at HBO Sports will miss his warm and friendly presence, and our deepest sympathy goes out to his manager Pat Lynch, promoter Main Events, led by Kathy Duva, and the entire Arturo Gatti family. Boxing has lost a great and humble man."

Gatti had been working in real estate in Montreal following his retirement, but still attended fights, as he did in April for the Timothy Bradley-Kendall Holt junior welterweight unification bout at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

ESPN.com boxing writer Dan Rafael and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Cut and pasted from Fight News:

Arturo Gatti found dead!

Legendary former world champion Arturo Gatti, 37, has reportedly been found dead inside a beachside flat he was renting at the Hotel Dorisol of Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco, Brazil. He was found by his wife early Saturday with a head injury. Gatti had arrived with his wife and baby on Friday on their honeymoon. Local police consider his death suspicious.

Some links:

Official Site

Wiki entry

Boxing Record from BoxRec

My sincerest condolences to the Gatti family.

7/10/2009 05:26:00 PM

My thanks to my friend P. for the heads-up on this!

From the IMDB:

The plot: Based on the life of a legendary capoeira fighter from Bahia, "Besouro" spins a fantastic tale of a young Brazilian man of African descent in search of his mission.

Release date: 30 October 2009 (Brazil)

Sounds like what ONG BAK did for the Thai arts, what MERANTAU looks to do for the Indonesian arts, BESOURO may be poised to do for Capoeira.

Trailer up on YouTube:

7/10/2009 05:16:00 PM

FEG's Sadaharu Tanikawa, K-1 Event Producer, announced today that an official K-1 Channel has been created on YouTube, the video sharing site with over 2 billion users.

*Now the world can enjoy K-1!

Built on the motto "From Japan to the World", the world's largest martial arts extravaganza "K-1" is now in its 16th year. Starting with a modest number of domestic fans back in 1993, K-1 events now boasts viewership in 135 countries. FEG, producers of the events, now wish to reach a broader audience and let them get know more about K-1 past and present. The first big step is opening the YouTube K-1 Channel (YouTube - Kanaal van K1). Not only will anyone be able to see K-1 events anywhere at any time, with the subtitle translation tools available, they'll be able to follow the commentary as well.

When the YouTube K-1 Channel opens on Thursday, July 9th, K-1 will be more accessible than ever. Content will include:

1. K-1 Archives = All the events from the very first one in 1993 to today in High Definition

2. Pre-fight Interviews = Pre-fight interviews capture the tension and excitement of the fighters before they step into the ring

3. Press Conference Footage = See the fighters face to face, sometimes for the first time, at the official press conferences

4. Post-fight Interviews = The elation of the winners, the disappointment of the winners, all captured in the post-fight interviews.

Bonus material:

1. Each video will come with comments and narration fully subtitled. YouTube's auto-translation tools will make the subtitles globally accessible.

2. K-1's official site will also carry the videos with extra content that will be constantly updated.

In Japan, K-1 is the first to enter into such a ground-breaking partnership with YouTube and the YouTube K-1 Channel, with archived K-1 events, interviews, press conferences, and also never-before-seen official content such as looks into the fighters lives, should give martial arts fans what they've always wanted - full access to the greatest martial arts show on Earth.

*K-1 events from the first in 1993 until today in Hi-Def!

*Captions convertable to any language!

*DREAM Channel opening soon for MMA fans!

K-1 Channel

My thanks to my friend P. for the heads-up. This is awesoome news! Some great stand-up action in K-1. Enjoy!

7/10/2009 04:48:00 PM

Click thumbnail for bigger picture.

UFC 100 takes place on Saturday, July 11, 2009 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev.

Main Event: Championship Bouts
HWY: Brock Lesnar (3-1) vs. Frank Mir (12-3)
170#: Georges St. Pierre (18-2) vs. Thiago Alves (22-4)

* Brock Lesnar is the current champ and Frank Mir is the Interim Champ. GSP is the current Welterweight champion.

Main Card
185#: Dan Henderson (24-7) vs. Michael Bisping (18-1)
170#: Jon Fitch (22-3) vs. Paulo Thiago (11-0)
185#: Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-1) vs. Alan Belcher (13-4)

Preliminary Bouts
205#: Stephan Bonnar (14-5) vs. Mark Coleman (15-9)
155#: Mac Danzig (19-6-1) vs. Jim Miller (13-2)
205#: Jon Jones (8-0) vs. Jake O’Brien (11-2)
170#: Dong Hyun Kim (11-0-1) vs. TJ Grant (14-2)
185#: C.B. Dollaway (9-2) vs. Tom Lawlor (5-1)
155#: Matt Grice (10-2) vs. Shannon Gugerty (11-3)

My picks:

Brock Lesnar - Thinking his training under Erik Paulson (or was it Greg Nelson?) will do him good. Don't think Mir will get an easy sub this time and Mir won't escape Brock's g&p.

GSP - Until he loses, think GSP is on the top of his game. Hard to beat now. Although apparently he has a swollen elbow or something which may or may not affect his performance.

Dan Henderson - I want and think Hendo wins, but part of me remembers how he eeked out a win against Rich 'Ace' Franklin and lost to who was it? Rousimar Palhares (sp?) ... his better fights may be behind him.

Jon Fitch - Don't really know Fitch or Paulo Thiago well, but looked up Fitch's record... think he wins by decision.

Stephan Bonnar - Think Bonnar will pull off a sub after Coleman gasses... I like Coleman from back in da day, but feel he should probably retire.

Tomorrow night will be a special night... the 100th UFC event... 16 years! I remember when I watched the first UFC, I couldn't sleep that night, I was so hyped up on the sheer adrenaline of watching martial artists test their disciplines against other disciplines.

Enjoy!

7/10/2009 04:39:00 PM

Cut and pasted from Spike.com's blog:

The Countdown Has Begun
Posted July 06, 2009

The UFC Ultimate 100 kicked off last night with the first 25 fights as voted on by you, the fans. Starting the countdown with Paul Kelly vs. Paul Taylor, I was a bit surprised that this one didn't end up higher on the list, but as we pushed forward and relived fights like Hughes-Gracie, Penn-Uno and Liddell-White, it started to put things in perspective. Since 1993, there have been a lot of epic battles and if this countdown -as we approach UFC 100- doesn't get you amped up, then you might want to check your pulse and coordination skills because you could be a zombie regenerated from a human corpse on a mission to take over the planet.

Standing out among the first 25 for me has to be Serra vs. GSP I. Like every red-blooded American, I love the underdog/upset combo and so close to July 4, this one might have had a little extra spicy mustard.

"When I had George in trouble, I stayed calm and I picked my shots and I chose where to hit him and it worked out great," Serra recalled. It sure did work out great, for Serra and for all of us who got to witness one of the greatest upsets in mixed martial arts history.

GSP's response, however, is almost as inspiring, "I just tried to survive and get out. I tried to still exchange with him even though I couldn't stand on my feet. I was very dizzy," he told the camera, looking back. "And I learned from my mistake," he said with a crooked grin across his face. It's this attitude and insight that makes him so great and in turn what made Serra's victory so great.

Of course, GSP eventually avenged his loss to Serra and has yet to drop another bout since, some of which will appear later in this countdown among other classics like Gracie vs. Gordeau Evans vs. Liddell, Mir vs. Nogueira and the monumental Lesnar vs. Couture -all to be seen in the very next installment Monday night at 9.

Recapping the first 25:

100. Kelly vs. Talyor
99. Newton vs. Miletich
98. Florian vs Lauzon
97. Evans vs. Salmon
96. Hughes vs. Gracie
95. Sherk vs. Tyson Griffin
94. Penn vs. Thomas
93. Alves vs. Lytle
92. Penn vs. Serra
91. Franklin vs. Shamrock
90. Penn vs. Uno II
89. Jardine vs. Forrest Griffin
88. Edgar vs. Tyson Griffin
87. Liddell vs. Horn
86. Tanner vs. Baroni
85. Parisyan vs. Nick Diaz
84. Rizzo vs. Barnett
83. Liddell vs. White
82. St-Pierre vs. Trigg
81. Koppenhaver vs. Rollins
80. Franklin vs. Tanner I
79. Serra vs. St-Pierre I
78. Jardine vs. Liddell
77. Silva vs. Irvin
76. Hughes vs. Sherk

The following posts are the rest of The Ultimate 100 UFC Fights:

Please check out, in case you missed it:

7/10/2009 04:32:00 PM

Check this link for Sports Illustrated's Top 10 UFC fights... vidclips available:

Royce Gracie def. Dan Severn by triangle choke (UFC 4, Dec. 16, 1994)

Oleg Taktarov def. Tank Abbott by rear-naked choke (UFC 7, July 14, 1995)

Mark Coleman def. Don Frye by TKO (UFC 10, July 12, 1996)

Bas Rutten def. Tsuyoshi Kohsaka by TKO (UFC 18, Jan. 8, 1999)

Frank Shamrock def. Tito Ortiz by TKO (UFC 22, Sept. 24, 1999)

Randy Couture def. Pedro Rizzo by unanimous decision (UFC 31, May 4, 2001)

Robbie Lawler def. Aaron Riley by unanimous decision (UFC 37, May 10 2002)

Forrest Grffin def. Stephan Bonnar by unanimous decision (T.U.F. 1 Finale, April 9, 2005)

Matt Hughes def. Frank Trigg by rear-naked choke (UFC 52, April 16, 2005)

Roger Huerta def. Clay Guida by rear-naked choke (T.U.F. 6 Finale, Dec. 8, 2007)

Spike TV has the program running now of Ultimate 100 UFC Fights and it counts down the fights leading up to the historical night tomorrow for UFC 100.

What's your Top 10 UFC fights? So many fights to choose from, I don't know if I can rank them let alone narrow them down to 10 only.

Enjoy!

7/08/2009 12:38:00 PM

Today is July 8, 2009 or in numerical format = 7/8/09 ... the time was 12:34:56.... so 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 :-(

7/02/2009 10:53:00 AM

Cut and pasted from Fox Sports:

Alexis Arguello is shown here after winning the lightweight championship in 1981, his third title in three different weight classes. (Getty Images)

Hall of Fame boxer found dead; reports cite suicide
Associated Press

Updated: July 2, 2009, 8:34 AM EDT

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) - Alexis Arguello, who fought in one of boxing's most classic brawls and reigned supreme at 130 pounds, was found dead at his home early Wednesday.

Coroners were conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Sandanista Party's Radio Ya and other local media were reporting it appeared to be a suicide.
The La Prensa newspaper reported that Arguello — elected mayor of Nicaragua's capital last year — was found with a gunshot wound to the chest.

The 57-year-old Arguello retired from boxing in 1995 with a record of 82-8 with 65 knockouts and was a champion in three weight divisions. He was perhaps best known for two thrilling battles with Aaron Pryor and fights with Ray Mancini, Bobby Chacon and Ruben Olivares.

"I'm kind of in a daze right now. I can't believe what I'm hearing," Pryor told The Associated Press. "Those were great fights we had. This was a great champion."

Nicknamed "The Explosive Thin Man," Arguello was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992, where flags were flying at half-staff in his honor on Wednesday.

In 1999, a panel of experts assembled by The AP voted Arguello the best junior lightweight and sixth-best lightweight of the 20th century. He never lost at 130 pounds, and his popularity in his own country was so great that he carried the flag for Nicaragua at the Beijing Olympics.

"Not only was he one of the greatest fighters I've ever seen, he was the most intelligent fighter," Bob Arum, who promoted some of his biggest fights, told The Associated Press. "He was a ring tactician. Every move was thought out. And he was a wonderful, wonderful person."

Arguello turned pro in 1968 and promptly lost his first bout. He didn't lose much more, and six years later knocked out Olivares in the 13th round to win the world featherweight title.

Arguello went on to win the super featherweight and lightweight titles, his 5-foot-10 frame allowing him to move up in weight without losing his tremendous punching power. At the time, he was only the sixth boxer to win championships in three weight classes, and was considered for a while the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

Panama's Roberto Duran, another world champion at three weights, expressed disbelief.

"I can't believe it. He was my friend, my brother," Duran said. "His death is a great loss for world boxing and a much greater loss for Nicaragua."

The retired Oscar De La Hoya said: "I felt sad receiving the news and still find it hard to believe. Alexis was my idol. When I was young, I heard so much about him and his fights and loved his style in the ring. In my opinion he was one of the biggest and most influential fighters boxing has ever produced."

De La Hoya said Arguello attended his fight against Steve Forbes in May 2008, which was De La Hoya's last victory.

"We shared some great moments together before and after the fight," he said. "Arguello was definitely a legend in the boxing world because of all the joy he brought to his fans with his unforgettable career and amazing personality."

Arguello moved up in weight again in November 1982 to challenge Pryor for the 140-pound belt, a match billed as "Battle of the Champions." More than 23,000 fans packed the Orange Bowl in Miami, and the two waged an epic battle before Pryor knocked out Arguello in the 14th round.

"It was a brutal, brutal fight," Arum said. "That was something I will never, ever forget as long as I live. That was one of the most memorable fights I ever did."

The bout was named "Fight of the Year" and "Fight of the Decade" by Ring Magazine, but was shrouded by controversy. Pryor's trainer, Panama Lewis, gave him a water bottle after the 13th round that many believe contained an illegal substance - an accusation Pryor denied.

A rematch was ordered and they met again a year later at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. This time, Pryor knocked out Arguello in the 10th round.

"We always talk to each other about that first fight," Pryor said. "I never went into the fight knowing I could beat Alexis, I just went into the fight to beat Alexis."

Arguello announced after the fight that he would retire from boxing, but as so often happens in the sport, Arguello couldn't stay away from the ring.

He returned to win two fights in 1985 and 1986, then didn't step in the ring until 1994, when he made a brief comeback. He retired for good the following year.

"Alexis Arguello was a first-class fighter and a first-class gentleman," said Hall of Fame executive director Edward Brophy. "The Hall of Fame joins the boxing community in mourning the loss of a great champion and friend."

Arguello fought against the Sandinista government in the 1980s after it seized his property and bank account, but later joined the party and ran for mayor of the capital last November. He defeated Eduardo Montealegre, though opponents alleged the vote was fraudulent.

Arguello had returned Sunday from Puerto Rico, where he honored the late baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. His death prompted Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega to announced he was canceling a trip to Panama for the inauguration of President-elect Ricardo Martinelli.

"We are upset," presidential spokeswoman Rosario Murillo said. "This is a heartbreaking announcement. He was the champion of the poor, an example of forgiveness and reconciliation."

Alexis Arguello's record on http://www.boxrec.com

Alexis Arguello highlights

Round 1 of one of the greatest boxing fights ever

Click the thumbnails for a bigger picture.

NOTES: My thanks to my friend P. who emailed me about this. My thanks to Ausgepicht and Leon for the links to the vidclips and pictures.

6/25/2009 06:59:00 PM

oh man, a cultural icon of the 1980's - the King of Pop.

RIP Michael Jackson

6/25/2009 12:57:00 PM

RIP Farrah Fawcett

62 ... lost her bout with cancer :-(

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/25/obit.fawcett/index.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farrah_fawcett

Official Site

6/18/2009 09:54:00 PM

Cut and pasted from http://www.nytimes.com. My sincerest thanks to my friend P. for the heads up.

William Pearce, left, and Joseph Raven Ravera practice 52 Blocks fighting at Ultimate Karate in Harlem.

Please click for bigger image.

June 18, 2009
In Tight, a New (Old) Martial Art Gains Followers
By JUSTIN PORTER

IT has developed just below the surface of popular culture in the United States, in the streets, prisons and boxing rings. It’s gone by a few names: Stato, Jailhouse Rock, the 52 Hand Blocks, 52 Blocks and, for short, the 52.

For a long time it has been a kind of martial arts Loch Ness monster: an American fighting form with supposedly sinister origins that many have heard of but few have seen or experienced. No one, it seemed, had any concrete proof that it existed, or at least none they were willing to share.

Until recently.

Several instructors have begun teaching this quasi martial art. Videos are up on YouTube. And the name 52 Blocks seems to be gaining respect as the most accepted. To watch it demonstrated is to see quick strikes suited to a fight exploding in surroundings like a jail cell, staircase or hallway.

Lyte Burly, 34, teaches and trains in Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. He was one of the first to put videos on YouTube. “There was a lot of chatter, a lot of audio but no video,” he said of the discussion forums and Web sites that would offer hints of 52 Blocks, but little information about where to go to find out more.

Mr. Burly has a background in boxing and Chinese martial arts. Now, 52 Blocks has become his main focus.

“They say offense wins fights but defense wins championships,” Mr. Burly said. He said the 52 Blocks’ great strength was what he saw as its ability to let the user control the pace of a fight, while avoiding being hit. When Mr. Burly moves, his compact frame easily slips around and away from punches and attempts to grab him. He blocks punches with the tips of his elbows and drops to a crouch to attack his opponent’s legs.

At the start of a session, Mr. Burly and his student used an empty basketball court. But 52’s flavor seemed diluted in such a large area. Mr. Burly and his training partner eventually moved into the confines of a jungle gym.

Now in a five-foot-square space, hemmed in on all sides by metal bars — but visible — the fighting style’s strengths became clearer. In these confines, Mr. Burly’s size is a clear asset. He shoved his opponent into the bars, using these “walls” as weapons. In tight quarters where a punch might be too long, Mr. Burly used his elbows to strike and shove.

After the workout, Mr. Burly talked about his desire to eliminate the secretive attitude that has added to 52 Blocks’ obscurity — but also given it some buzz.

At a martial arts school called Ultimate Karate in East Harlem, Daniel Marks taught the 52 Blocks on a recent Sunday. The school itself is huge, and often seems more so because Mr. Marks’s classes are usually small. Blue mats cover the floors, and the students and Mr. Marks train in gym clothes and socks.

Mr. Marks — who is not affiliated with Mr. Burly — towers over many of his students and instructs with a gentle, patient manner. After a warm-up that includes jogging, calisthenics and some basic shadow boxing, he teaches specific concepts of the 52 Blocks. Here it looks a bit more like boxing, but with a twist.

It is a style built for the inside game, short hard punches best suited to fighting in tight spaces, like hallways and cells. The guard is tighter to allow for bare fists and is a constantly shifting mosaic of elbows, twists and turns.

When 52 Blocks practitioners hit, they can target anything from the legs to the shoulders. Footwork is taught in small, tight patterns. Rather than dancing on the balls of the feet the way boxers often do, a practitioner of the 52 Blocks has footwork that is closer to the ground, lower and tighter, both in the width of the stance and the distance traveled with each shuffle.

Mr. Marks demonstrated a technique to break the opponent down by first defending against an oncoming punch and then systematically striking at the body’s flex points, like the shoulders and hips. When Mr. Marks talks about hitting an opponent, he’s looking to hurt, but also to force a reaction. If he wants his opponent to turn, he strikes the shoulder, aiming to turn him. If he wants his opponent to lean forward, he strikes the hip. Each reaction is a setup for another. As he showed these different options on a student, he spoke to the rest of the class.

“Your training should take you to a natural pause in the action,” he said. This pause allows a person defending his life to make a choice — finish the fight or escape, an option he advocates. By this time, the student being demonstrated upon is prone on the ground, unhurt but pinned by one of Mr. Marks’s knees.

The goal is to get where you were going safely, Mr. Marks said.

“Or if you got to use the bathroom!” said Mike Baltazar, a new student. The rest of the class laughed as Mr. Marks rolled his eyes.

A man who goes by Kawaun Adon Akhenaten7 — and would not provide another name — taught Mr. Marks 52 Blocks and acts as a kind of guide. Mr. Akhenaten7 lives in Philadelphia and, like Mr. Marks, is large and soft-spoken. He said he learned the style on the streets of Brooklyn while running with a gang of armed robbers, and was impressed after seeing it used in a street fight.

“It looked like a ghetto ballet, kind of like it was choreographed,” he said. “Men threw punches at each other that looked dainty until they made contact. It was barbaric but it was finessed. They were out to hurt each other and make each other look bad.”

Because the 52 Blocks exists practically as an oral tradition, its history is a bit murky.

Mr. Marks believes the system evolved mostly through prizefighting in the southern and eastern United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

No black man was allowed to contend for the world heavyweight championship until Jack Johnson in 1908. His victory changed boxing and history. Mr. Johnson fought in an unorthodox manner: he played a defensive game, preferring to counterpunch and capitalize on his opponent’s mistakes, qualities also found in the 52 Blocks. Also, Mr. Marks said, fighters worked for tips, so they often developed flashy, crowd-pleasing moves.

At least one writer in the white press at the time labeled Mr. Johnson’s style “cowardly.” Mr. Marks believes that this was one of the first signs of a style that might have become the 52 Blocks. He doesn’t think Mr. Johnson’s style could have just come from thin air.

“Who taught him?” Mr. Marks asked with a smile.

Mr. Burly also talked about racial stereotypes during this era. He mentioned a commonly held belief that black boxers “couldn’t take punishment,” that they were physically weaker. He thinks that this belief, later disproved completely by Mr. Johnson, may have influenced some of the ways black fighters were taught to box — more evasively as counter-punchers.

FIGHTERS in the ring have often been spoken of in connection with the 52 Blocks. Rashad Evans is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship light-heavyweight titleholder. Speaking by phone from Greg Jackson’s Gym in Albuquerque, N.M., he said that while growing up, he had heard stories about the 52 Blocks from older men when discussing prison fights, and saw what he assumed were parts of it in street fights.

In 2005 he met Daniel Marks at a seminar in Baltimore and found value beneath the legends, stories and memories.

“What it comes down to is just really practical boxing,” he said. From the 52 Blocks, he said, he gained a better knowledge of the use of angles in a fight. He said that while he’s nowhere near a master at the skill, he has seen his game improve.

6/16/2009 04:51:00 PM

My thanks to MartialTalk member wingc for the following link to loads of Donnie Yen's IP MAN vidclips:

http://www.wing-chun.ws/

Enjoy!

6/16/2009 04:35:00 PM

I've been busy with family and work, but I've reupped the Ip Man chain punching animated gifs to a different pichost.

MOVIES: Donnie Yen's Ip Man (Chain Punches)

Will upload others to my backup pichost. Learned my lesson, spread the pix out on a few pichosts especially since I also post them to various forums LOL

Enjoy the gif's again!

EDIT 3/3/13: Noticed my pichost deleted my 2nd pic and recycled the URL to my first pic for someone's pic of a car. Reupped these pix. These were amongst the early GIF's I ever made and set at 300 pixels width. I may remake these to be 400 pixels width which is my current favorite width.

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