Benny Benavides was born in Los Angeles, California in 1961 but became a Texan when his family moved to El Paso, Texas when he was a seven year old. He enjoyed rough sports and took up Kenpo Karate with a coach Galarza at Hawkins Elementary School. He also engaged in Judo at Ft. Bliss from the sixth grade on to his latter teens at Jefferson High School. Somehow he found the time to be a boxing pupil of the renowned boxer and trainer, Jake Martinez.  He also studied Aikito under Doshu Edward Wilkes.

Benny’s boxing career was short lived as he discovered wrestling at Jefferson. He was immediately an astute learner and captained the B Team as a freshman. He also traveled to Colorado for the National Junior Olympic Championships and raced through the competition to win a gold medal. It was a first ever for an El Pasoan.

As a sophomore he wrestled the city’s best and claimed his first district championship. The state took notice and ranked him number one. At the state championships his youthful exploits while not in the gym came to the fore and his slight distractions, if you will, were enough to leave state with a fourth place medal. However, he finished the season with a 27-2 record. Benny say’s his teenage blues discouraged him from wrestling as he continued at Jefferson until his graduation in 1980. In 1981 he joined the United States Army. He was stationed at Ft, Bliss where he became team captain of the All Army Wrestling Team in 1982. After an unbeaten year he was then sent to Turkey and within the blink of an eye became the first American to become a European wrestling coach. He also wrestled as the team took on powerhouse national programs from Russia, Greece, Italy, Germany, and Turkey. His accomplishments during his European leadership, 1983-1985, included eight gold and two silver medals.

LOS ANGELES, CA--(May 24, 2013) -  Zalemark Holding Company, Inc. ( PINKSHEETS : ZMRK) announces its newest alliance with a definitive licensing agreement for the design, distribution and marketing of the worldwide fan-based brand, "Dog Boxer™" new line of jewelry. This brand is the brainchild of long time visionary, Lance Foreman of Dog Boxer Management. Lance states, "Now my brand is perfected and with the collaboration of the Zalemark team, we will launch my new trademarked products to the fan-based supporters worldwide and it is sure to be the next big brand to have." Ernest Martel, CEO of Zalemark, explains, "Lance is an amazing and focused talent who has the determination to make his vision come true. He has created his own style in the world of MMA sport fighting and now a trend-setting product line. We are excited to be a part of this remarkable opportunity that will surely turn heads in the fashion world."
 
About Dog Boxer™ - Lance Foreman, entrepreneur and creator of the Dog Boxer™ Brand, has over 25 years of experience in the concepts of combat competition from matchmaking and promotional events to training, cornering and fighting. With roots back in the Eastside Boxing gym in Salinas, California, Lance has traveled the globe matchmaking and cornering the MMA elite, including UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock. He has promoted national and international events in the U.S., Australia, Mexico and South Africa. Lance states, "Dog Boxer™ is an iconic brand symbolizing the courage of the American Pitbull -- the meekness and courage of the breed is what we strive to teach our fighters -- to be meek out of the cage and ferocious inside the cage. Dog Boxing is a structured blend of Mexican boxing and Thai boxing." In 2011, Dog Boxer™ opened their new expansive Athletic Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. From here, Lance aggressively promotes the brand, houses the Dog Boxer™ MMA Team and showcases this popular style of fighting. 

El Paso's most recognized boxers and martial artists were honored for their outstanding accomplishments, extraordinary excellence, and devotion to the community at this year’s 2013 El Paso Boxing & Martial Arts Hall of Fames 20th Anniversary Celebration. Several regional, national and world champion inductees took the stage and inspired a large audience with heartwarming stories about their careers in boxing and martial arts.

Performance awards were handed to those who have exemplified athletic talent for their respective sport in 2012. El Paso’s deep history of high-level boxing and martial arts was recognized and celebrated once again.

The El Paso Boxing & Martial Arts Hall Of Fame was established in 1993 by Thomas W. McKay as a means to preserve and honor the blood sweat and tears of the boxing & martial arts community for their powerful contributions. Inductees and awardees included boxers, martial artists, trainers, promoters, managers, sports writers and supporters. The Hall’s consistency in honoring boxer and martial artist would ultimately merge the gap and diminish any rivalries between the two fiercely disciplined and competitive groups.

The event took place on Saturday April 27th, 2013 at the Region XIX at 6611 Boeing St. in El Paso, Texas. Family and friends filled the sold out venue in support of this year’s inductees and performance award winners. The award banquet agenda began with meeting, greeting and socializing. Dinner was served as guests enjoyed a historical boxing & martial arts slide show dedicated to this year’s inductees.

The El Paso Martial Arts Hall of Fame

Present Their 2013 Awards Banquet
Our Twentieth Anniversary
April 27th, 2013 6-9 P.M.
Region XIX – 6611 Boeing Dr.
El Paso, Texas 79925
Special Guests: Ernie Reyes Jr. of Karate, Martial Arts, TV  and Movie Fame
Jesse Valdez, 6-time National Boxing Champion. Olympic Medalist and Creator of Boxercise

Inductees: Matthew Aguilar, Clarence Beckmon,  Alberto Romo, Luis Maldonado, Jerry Martinez, Sam Vasquez, Jose Garibay, Hilary Sandoval, Nico Perez plus legends Jake Martinez, Alex Guerrero, Manny Ortega, and 1st ever Lifetime Achievment Award to Ladislao Vicencio. Performance awards include WBA champion, Austin Trout, Jennifer Han, Abie Han, Louie Burke, Zachary Prieto, Rocky Burke, Ernest Hewitt and many more.

Bragging Rights V kicks off on Saturday February 23rd at the W.A. Italian Club in Perth, Western Australia. What is being described as “Serious unfinished business that can put these guys back in the UFC.”  Ultimate Fighter finalist (Season 7) Jesse  “JT Money” Taylor (24-9) returns to defend the K-Oz Middleweight Title belt against Ultimate Fighter finalist (Season 3) Kendall “Da Spyder” Grove (17-11).

Taylor won his entry, preliminary, quarterfinal and semi-final matches in the Ultimate Fighter Season 7. And then became infamous for being the only fighter to ever be removed from the finals due to events that occurred after filming was completed.

Grove, also a graduate of The Ultimate Fighter series, competed on TUF series 3. Grove won a preliminary victory against Ross Pointon by rear naked choke and in the semi-finals defeated Kalib Starnes by submission after a rib injury sustained by Starnes during the fight caused him to verbally submit. He defeated Ed Herman in the finals by unanimous decision in the series finale, winning a six-figure contract.

Although Taylor holds notable victories over Tom Watson, Chris Camozzi, Murilo Bustamante, and Denis Kang. On his matchup against Grove, Taylor confirms that “he has wanted this fight for a long time”.  Taylor has fought for other top promotions such as: Ultimate Fighting Championship, Strikeforce, DREAM, Maximum Fighting Championship, Impact FC and Cage Warriors Fighting Championship and returns to Perth, Western Australia to defend the K-Oz Middleweight Title belt. K-Oz Entertainment Promoter, Grady Stewart describes Taylor as “a strong motivated beast with a craving to get his shot in the UFC and Kendall is in his way”.

The El Paso Boxing & Martial Arts Hall of Fame Banquet took place on Saturday June 9th from 7:00PM to 11:00PM at the El Paso Multipurpose Center at 9031 Viscount El Paso, Texas. Three world champions and the all-star cast of inductees attended. The banquet included an evening of camaraderie, dinner, slide show, film and photography of the southwest’s finest warriors and citizens. Along with a flag ceremony from the Young Marines and a resounding rendition of our National Anthem by 14-year-old Jennifer Lopez who is stricken by leukemia.

Taichi Hayashi, was voted the best martial arts instructor for 2011. Male martial artist of the year whent to Tatsuo Goya, head instructor at El Paso Jiu Jitsu. Fourteen-year old Danamaris Bacquier, took honors as the best amateur female martial artist in 2011 because of victory at the Tae Kwon Do National Championships. Jennifer Han’s father, Master Bae H. Han of the Han Dynasty in Northeast El Paso was inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Martial arts instructor, Master Tim Meeks was inducted and posthumously, Jiu-Jitsu Master James Butler was inducted as was Benny Benavides into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

The 2011 awards for outstanding performances include WBA World Light Middleweight Champion Austin Trout from Las Cruces, New Mexico. Trout has defended his title twice and is the halls choice for professional boxer of the year. His renowned trainer, Louie Burke, was voted the top boxing coach of the year.  Burke’s legendary training resume and boxing career were rewarded by his recent induction into the California Boxing Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. The boxing amateur of the year award will go to the 2011 El Paso Regional Golden Gloves Champion, Josh Enriquez. A Legend Award will be given to the late Sammy Burke of Las Cruces, New Mexico as will seven-time world kick boxing champion, Cliff ‘Magic’ Thomas.

Cliff “Magic” Thomas was born with a hole in his heart the size of a silver dollar. His parents, Frank Sr. and Katie Mae Thomas were informed after an operation that left him with 142 stitches across his chest in the form of a cross that if they were careful with the lad he might live to age fourteen. He was not allowed to participate in contact sports at Bel Air High School in El Paso, Texas until his senior year. Then he was only allowed to compete in track and field. However, he yearned for some type of combat sport. So he decided he would try karate in 1972 and hooked up with trainer Robert Nava in El Paso, Texas. He was only fourteen and didn’t have the money for lessons. Nava let him clean the gym and do other errands to pay for his training.

In 1976, after only four years of karate training, Cliff earned his Black Belt. He was soon winning trophies at non-full-contact karate events and longed for full contact kickboxing. He signed up with Hilary and Tony Sandoval. Realizing they had a prize student, the Sandoval brothers hooked him up with the grand master of kickboxing, Demitrius Havanas, of Dallas, Texas. They also landed another top-ranked trainer in Ishmael Robles. Soon thereafter, it was noticed that Cliff needed stand up boxing skills. The late and renowned El Paso boxing trainer, Rocky Galarza, was next on board. Over his championship career, other karate trainers would include Joe Soto and Rick Reyna. Rocky brought boxing coach Tom McKay on board and the Sandoval’s would, over the years, employ boxing coaches Ralph Ruiz and George Villa to enhance Cliff’s boxing capabilities.

The Sandoval’s created a dream team, the perfect fit for the ‘Magic Man.’ Learning fast, furious and skillfully from his select team, Cliff would demonstrate over the next twenty five years that he was not only capable of beating the best, he beat them with authority. His first championship was as a 20-1 underdog against Minnesota’s undefeated PKA World Champion, Gordon Franks. El Paso was so fortunate that the Sandoval’s arranged to have the fight in the Sun City. On ESPN in 1980, Cliff came fit and ready and exploded his dynamic tools all over Franks, bloodied him early and knocked him out in the third round. It was amazingly, El Paso’s first world championship in any sport. It was a ‘Magical’ time in El Paso and the after-fight party lingered well into the next morning. Cliff was our hero and the next question was, “How long would his reign last?”

PERTH, Western Australia (10 April 2012) – Following on from the huge success of Bragging Rights I which established Perth based fighter, Soa “The Hulk” Palelei, as the K-OZ Super Heavyweight Title Holder, K-OZ Entertainment promises to raise the stakes even higher with Bragging Rights II – Battle of the Trenches. MMA fans and local businesses are lining up to be part of the first ever televised WA Cage Fight to be replayed on Foxtel.

Bragging Rights II will be held on the eve of Anzac Day, Tuesday 24th April, at the WA Italian Club. The event will showcase the best fighters from Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Paying homage to the sacrifices made by troops defending these countries, fans will witness the intensity and passion of competition in a hand-to-hand combat fest.

Headlining this history-making event is Xavier “The X-Man” Lucas. Lucas, a former Special Forces recruit, grew up in Durban, South Africa but now calls Perth, Australia home. Representing Australia, with an impressive record of 10-2-1, Lucas is regarded as the best pound for pound fighter in this country.

Proof of this well deserved reputation is the fact that nine fighters refused to step into the cage with this unassuming fighter. That is, until word reached Las Vegas and Strikeforce fighter, David “Hollywood” Hulett agreed to the challenge. Representing the US, Hulett sports an imposing record of 19-10-0. The main event will face off against each other for the inaugural K-OZ Welterweight Title belt.

KOZ Entertainment January 21st “Bragging Rights” in Perth, Australia Full Fight Videos

Soa Hulk Palelei ( Australia ) wins by R1 TKO vs Henry Miller ( USA )

Rob Powdrill ( Australia ) wins by R1 TKO vs Ashe Bowman ( USA )

Dave Mazany ( USA ) wins by R1 TKO Tapout vs Steven Kennedy ( Australia )

Jack Johns wins by R1 TKO vs Paul Newman

Sharn Maharaj ( Australia ) wins by R2 rear naked choke vs Paul Tozer

K-Oz Entertainment will be holding its second professional Mixed Martial Arts Event on Tuesday April 24th, 2012 in Perth, Australia. Bragging Rights 2 will showcase elite American, Australian, and New Zealand MMA fighters. Promoted by Grady "Scott" Stewart originially from El Paso, Texas.  For more information visit www.k-ozentertainment.com.au

Main Event

* Xavier "XMAN" Lucas (AUS) 11-2-1 VS TBA Final negotiations are in the works
* Dave " The Pain Train" Mazany (USA) 8-4 K-OZ 84kg Title holder VS Forest Godwin (NZ) 4-1
* Rob "Powerdrill" Powdrill (AUS) 4-2 VS Cole Davids (NZ) 6-0
* Steve "The Steam Rolla" Kennedy (AUS) 11-4 VS Sam "Striker" Brown     (NZ) 10-4
* Shantaram "Gods Gift" Maharaja (AUS) 4-1 VS Mark Aberlerdo (NZ) 6-0
* Joel Oliver (AUS) 3-1 VS Jack Becker (AUS) 3-0
* Briggs Foreman (USA) DEBUT VS Scott Noras (AUS) DEBUT

SATURDAY JUNE 18TH 2011 MMA ROAST COMEDY SHOW AND STRIKEFORCE GRAND PRIX HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT VIEWING PARTY!

MMA Roast / MMA Roasted ist a Tribute to mixed martial arts living legends, MMA Roast is the first Mixed Martial Arts Stand Up Comedy Show. Admirable professional fighters are honored by appearing on stage with top comedians and roasted with comedic jokes, praise, outrageous stories, as well as heartwarming accomplishments.

Saturday June 18th MMA Roast Comedy Show and Strikeforce Grand Prix Heavyweight Viewing Party Photo Gallery.

 Kryptonite.  According to Wikipedia, "the word kryptonite has become synonymous with an Achilles' heel -the one weakness of an otherwise invulnerable hero."  So Clark Kent, if your reading this, and decide to step in the cage, I would have your manager strategically avoid ever fighting Tony "Kryptonite" Lopez.  Honestly though, with a record like Tonys', it might be a good idea to stay away anyway.

Tony "Kryptonite" Lopez has one of the most impressive career records to date.  One of his most notable accomplishments came when he went for an outstanding sixteen win stretch, which lasted just over two years. That was then when Tony earned himself the nickname “Kryptonite”.   He stomped on the King of the Cage series by successfully defending his Heavyweight title three times and his Light Heavyweight title four times.  Kryptonite is one of few to ever hold champion titles in two weight classes at the same time.  

Mixed Martial Arts is a life style for Tony, he takes every aspect in and out of the cage very seriously.  He prides himself on discipline and respect for the sport.  With that being said, "Kryptonite" is going to take the Pepsi challenge of MMA next month.  As most fighters would train a full year to do four fights, Tony "Kryptonite" Lopez is gearing up to do that in the single month of July.  Ricco Rodriguez and Gilbert Yuel will be just two of the four trying to take down the Superman Killer hosted by HDNET.

7-Time World Champion Kickboxer
PKA/KICK

Cliff “Magic” Thomas was born with a hole in his heart the size of a silver dollar. His parents were informed after an operation that left him with 142 stitches across his chest in the form of a cross that if they were careful with the lad he might live to age fourteen. He was not allowed to participate in contact sports at Bel Air High School in El Paso, Texas. In his senior year, he was allowed to compete in track and field. Still alive, Cliff decided he would try karate in 1972 and hooked up with trainer Robert Nava in El Paso, Texas. He was only fourteen and didn’t have the money for lessons. Nava let him clean the gym and do other errands to pay for his training. Four years later, in 1976, Cliff earned his Black Belt.  He was soon winning trophies at non-full-contact karate events and longed for full contact kickboxing. His manager Hilary Sandoval, and promoter, Tony Sandoval, hooked him up with the grand master of kickboxing, Demitrius Havanas of Dallas, Texas. They also landed another top-ranked trainer in Ishmael Robles. Soon thereafter, it was noticed that Cliff needed stand up boxing skills. The late and renowned El Paso boxing trainer, Rocky Galarza, was next on board.

Northern California, May 23, 2011 - Mixed Martial Arts Champion, Nick Diaz will continue pursuing his Mixed Martial Arts career instead of professional boxing as it has been deemed that it be in Nick's best interest to focus on his primary combat sport and profession.

Team Diaz had contemplated transitioning over to the boxing world in a legitimate attempt to pursue a high-level boxing career. These discussions began in 2009 with long-time boxing promoter, Don Chargin and proceeded up until recent times. Never before in the history of both sports had a pound-for-pound MMA combatant in his prime had the desire or been contractually free to attempt to transition over to boxing.

The landscape of Mixed-Martial Arts moves at a rapid pace and while Diaz's chance to make history, becoming the first true cross-over MMA star to enter the boxing ring, an opportunity arose for Nick to make a different sort of history in his primary field of fighting.

Fans of MMA have benefited from the sports explosion in popularity in recent years as it has burst out of the shadows and become a mainstream sport. Hundreds of dedicated websites have sprung up that brings fans breaking news, interviews with top fighters, videos from past events, and forums where they can discuss upcoming fights and other topics. MMA’s growing popularity has also had a nice effect for fans that enjoy betting on sports, as now nearly every major sportsbooks offer lines on UFC events, giving fans the chance to not just bet on their favorite fighter but also play online slots and other games.

MMA fights have proven very popular with bettors, in part due to the unpredictable nature of the sport and the chance for a big payday when an underdog wins -- something that’s much more common with MMA than boxing or other similar sports. In the past fans were lucky to be able to bet on the headline fights at UFC events but that’s completely changed, with major sportsbooks now offering all of the fights on most UFC cards, even the earlier bouts versus lesser known fighters.

Cage vs. Cons a new MMA promotion based out of Southern California held its first event at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Bringing live professional MMA, hip-hop, and a tattoo expo to the area. The event started at 11:00 A.M. with hip hop performances by Too Short, E-40, The Dogg Pound and many other popular hip hop groups. Tommy "Tiny" Lister, known as Deebo from the movie Friday along with Danny Trejo hosted the event. This fight included 10 professional MMA fights between police officers, firefighters, and former military against ex-convicts.

The main event of the night was a bout between Los Angeles police officer Ismael Gonzalez and ex-con Rick Slaton. Gonzales knocked out Slaton at 4:36 in the first round. The co-main event was a welterweight matchup between Joe Nicholas and Jason Meaders. Joe Nicholas won by KO at 0:47 seconds of round three.

Lateff Williams vs. Ralph Aau  / Winner: Lateff Williams via unanimous decision victory.
Vincent Alaalatoa vs. Benjamin Martin / Winner: Vincent Alaalatoa via TKO at 1:13 of round one.
Joseph Calvitta vs. Anthony Medavitt / Anthony Medavitt via TKO at 3:32 of round two.
Shane Kruchten vs. Brandon Anderson / Winner: Shane Kruchten via kimura at 1:59 of round one.
Preston Scharf vs. Daniel McWilliams. / Winner: Scharf via TKO victory at the 2:35 mark of round one.
Jessie Cannon vs. Corey Dennis / Winner: Corey Dennis TKO 2:30 of round one.
Matthew Gonzalez vs. Sal Farnetti / Winner: Matthew Gonzalez via TKO 1:57 of round one.
Hector Pena vs. Anthony Tesam / Winner: Hector Pena 1:58 Round 1 via guillotine choke.

May 6, 2011 - The hottest fighter in the mixed martial arts landscape right now is Stocktons own, Nick Diaz. He is currently riding an 11-fight win streak and has been mentioned as a potential super-fight candidate to face-off against UFC welterweight champion George St. Pierre at the end of 2011.

Due to the structuring of Diaz's contract with MMA outfit, Strikeforce, he is in a unique position where he can contractually pursue a professional boxing career in addition to his mixed-martial arts title reign.

While rumors of opponents such as former champions Fernando Vargas and Roy Jones Jr. have been floated around, neither mans team have yet solidified a contract with the young champion.

A few moments ago, former IBF super-middleweight champion & devastating knockout artist, Jeff "Left Hook" Lacy, officially signed on the dotted line to square off against Diaz in the Fall of 2011. Lacy possesses the type of dangerous punching power in both hands that can end the double digit win streak of the rugged Northern California champion.

LAKE FOREST, Calif. (March 22, 2011) --  Mixed Martial Arts superstars Mark Munoz, a top ten middleweight contender who is slated to compete against Demian Maia at UFC 131, Urijah Faber, the current #6 bantam weight contender in the world and next in line for the title, Fabricio Werdum, the heavyweight who handed Fedor his first loss ever and is widely recognized as having some of the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the heavyweight class, and Jake Ellenberger, Joseph Benavidez and many others will be in attendance for the Saturday, March 26 anniversary of Reign, a training center developed by Munoz for professional and amateur athletes.   A full slate of activities, including autograph signings, food and martial arts demonstrations for the whole family, and raffles will take place between 12p.m. – 3 p.m.  “The concept behind Reign is to educate individuals to acquire the discipline needed to attain their goals – whether that is someone looking to learn self defense, maintain good physical fitness, or is currently involved in athletics and is looking to further their skills,” explained Munoz, the former NCAA and high school national wrestling champion who currently competes in the middleweight division of the UFC and holds a 10-2 record in MMA competitions.  “What my friends Urijah, Joseph, Jake and Fabricio bring to this event is the opportunity for guests to talk one on one with these athletes about how they’ve trained to handle their challenges and to see them in action.   Combined with other stunts and performances, I can guarantee everyone in the family will have fun and walk away with some information they can apply in their lives,” Munoz added.

Integrated Sports Media (ISM), the undisputed distri-bution champion of mixed martial arts and boxing fights in North America, announced to-day that it will present a one-hour special featuring Georges “Rush” St. Pierre’s six non-UFC fights, including his first five and rarely seen 2002 debut, prior to him developing into the Pound-for-Pound King of MMA. “George St. Pierre: Rush To The Top” will be exclusively distributed in the United States by ISM, premiering in April for viewing on both cable and satellite pay-per-view on the follow-ing dates: DirecTV and DISH Network (April 1), Avail-TVN (Apr. 11) and iN DEMAND (Apr. 12), as well as via Video On Demand, for only $9.95. Check listings for replays through the entire month of April and into May. “We’re thrilled and privileged to bring this unique footage of St. Pierre, the No. 1 ranked welterweight in the world and reigning UFC champion in the 170-pound division, to MMA fans in the United States,” ISM president Doug Jacobs said. “This exciting six-fight pack-age is where it all started for one of the greatest MMA fighters of all-time.” St. Pierre, who sports an amazing 21-2-0 career record (8 KOs, 5 submissions), started learning Kyokushin karate from his father at the age of seven in order to defend himself from a school bully. He later studied Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), wrestling and boxing.

Melvin Guillard vs. Evan Dunham - In the main event Evan Dunham scored an early takedown, but Melvin Guillard quickly got up and put his striking skills to work, knocking Dunham down then finishing him off with an assault of knees and punches that quickly ended the fight. Now Guillard (27-8-2) is on a four-straight winning streak since joining legendary trainer Greg Jackson.

Co-Main Event - Ultimate Fighter Season 10 contestant and former NFL Lineman Matt Mitrione remains unbeaten with a first-round TKO of Tim Hague. Mitrione landed a series of unanswered blows knocking the King of the Cage Vet down twice before finishing the fight. Pat Barry and Matt Wiman began the main card with decision wins. Mark Hominick stopped George Roop in the opening round, earning him a shot with Jose Aldo.

UFC Fight for the Troops 2 Main Card Results

We were recently contacted by Team Watson and asked  to share this letter about Watson's recent decision to leave BAMMA (British Association of Mixed Martial Arts). Watson beleives that he was treated unfairly and would like to share his recent experience with our viewers.  The article below was written by Kong Watson word for word  and expresses his decision to vacate his BAMMA Middleweight Title. We feel it is fair to allow fighters to express their ideas and concerns through our media source. We remain neutral on these issues and do not intend to downgrade any person or organization.

Letter by Tom 'Kong' Watson - I am disappointed to announce that I have been left with no choice but to vacate my BAMMA title due to a number of issues which have taken place over the past few months. I have given BAMMA so many opportunities to correct their wrong and they have failed to act which has left me no choice but to make this statement,In May 2010, I was scheduled to fight Alex Reid at the LG Arena in Birmingham. He pulled out for one reason or another and I agreed to a bout with Matt Horwich. From the date of this event I was not paid for well over 2 months. I was assured that if I signed for the Reid fight in September I would be paid half of my purse 28 days before the event and the rest 72 hours after the event. I was paid nothing.It is well publicised that Alex Reid failed to make weight at the agreed time and arrived on the scales some 4 hours late. The contract clearly states that if an opponent does not make weight his opponent gets 25% of his purse. At the time, my management spoke to David Green about what happens since he has not made weight.

Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb: Back in 1974, Randall 'Tex' Cobb, later to become the 'Big White Heavyweight Hope' and movie star, lived with me at 6333 Weiland Way in El Paso as he was at that time a karate star but needing a lot of cash and seeking a boxing career. He had signed with promoter Paul Clinite and I was to teach him just a few basics before he would be sent to Joe Frazier's in Philadelphia .

Our routine finished around eight every evening and then Randy would make the bar scene and chase the girlies. Boy, could he ever do the country dances...and barefooted at that. I was told to run him nearly every day as he needed to lose some thirty pounds. I could only do that late at night or early in the morning. It worked out pretty well. Well, except the fact that at the end of our run (about five miles), there was an all night truck stop restaurant at 6666 Gateway East. They had these small plastic table menu signs with specials for Catfish or Fried Chicken, "All you can eat for $1.99."Randy was always hungry whether he was working out or not. And he just loved fried chicken. So every night after our run, he would scarf down five or six chickens. One night he even ate eight chickens; maybe it was eleven, I'm not sure. It was one hell of a lot of chicken, I guarantee.

Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard.

UFC 125 Resolution was held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday January 1st, 2011. The number 1 undefeated contender Gray Maynard battled for the UFC Lightweight belt against champion Frankie Edgar. Official scores were 48-46 Frankie Edgar, 48-46 Gray Maynard, and 47-47. The three judges scored the beginning round 10-8 favoring Maynard Frankie Edgar survived several knockdowns in the 1st round defending his UFC lightweight championship belt against Gray Maynard in an exciting bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the opening minute, the two fighters cautiously took their time when suddenly Maynard dropped Edgar with a vicious left hook. Edgar got up but was quickly knocked down again with a stiff right uppercut. Edgar began bleeding from the nose but was still  able to weather the storm. Moments later Edgar was struck again with a second hard right uppercut wobbling Edgar’s legs. By the end of the round Edgar regained his composure and began firing back at Maynard. Round 2 began with an ineffective high kick by Edgar. Quickly moving around the octagon poking at Maynard with quick flurries. Edgar’s offense began to wear on Maynard as he opened a cut under Maynard’s left eye. Edgar quickly slammed Maynard then added a takedown with a right hand punch to the face.

To help brighten the holidays for immobile children and their families, MMA superstar KIMO Leopoldo and Elite House Call MD are creating real health-related miracles. “This is something I’ve always loved to do every year,” KIMO said about working with charities and now teaming with Elite House Call MD. “It’s a Christmas Miracle anyone can give to a perfect stranger.  I remember when I was a child growing up, even to present day, the greatest gifts did not come from a box under a tree.” Elite House Call MD is a nationwide home health care service provider, visiting underprivileged and physically immobile children, the elderly, and everyone in between. “We have a special skill set and while we don’t always stop to appreciate it, we were given some really benefits in life and we’d like to give back to the community.” Dr. Elie S. Semaan, one of the principals of Elite House Call MD, explained.”I n addition to giving underprivileged children free medical treatments this year, we’ve decided to team up with Kimo Leopoldo to spread the holiday cheer.” There is no other holiday that is more celebrated or has affected more people worldwide than Christmas.  The secret excitement of Christmas is brightly wrapped presents under a fully-decorated tree, or flashing lights outlining homes, businesses and churches, along with Christmas trees brilliantly lighted near shopping malls with Santa Clause and eager children.

In the world of Mixed Martial Arts, injuries are frequent and are happening more often as the brutal sport evolves.  Our friend Nick Moghaddam understood that when he chose MMA as a career. That’s why Moghaddam decided to disregard the numbing-sharp pain on his broken arm during the 1st round of his main event fight against Ricardo Feliciano in Irvine, CA. Nick was determined to win and did not let such a serious injury stop him. Instead he continued on to finish the bout until the fight was over. The bone in Nick’s arm was broken in half during the beginning of the 1st round while blocking a high kick using only one arm to defend. Nick miscalculated Feliciano’s offense and decided to block a high kick using one arm instead of two. This classic error was once observed when Frank Shamrock and Cung Le fought in 2008. Shamrock absorbed Cung Le's shin with only one arm, which then snapped Shamrock’s ulna in his forearm. “I can strike and I have explosive power when I strike and I can knock people out” said Nick during his interview with ConvictedArtist.com. Nick , who is known as the “The Mercenary” is not afraid to fight anyone at any given time, especially when there is money involved. Nick got the name “The Mercenary” after taking a MMA fight on a day’s notice simply for the money. Even after breaking his arm, Nick continued strong to the fights finish. “I was just way longer. I could just feel my jabs connecting. It was awesome” said Nick about the fight. It wasn’t until after the fight when the excruciating pain began. Nick is looking for a rematch with Feliciano as soon as possible. “I do believe, in my own opinion, that I had done enough to win the fight – even with one arm broken “ said Nick. When you first look at Nick Moghaddam, you cant help but notice his intimidating look. He is 6’3 inches tall with a reach of 81 or 82 inches and resembles MMA legend Royce Gracie during his is earlier days. 

Going out with a bang for the year of 2010 was exactly what Showtime’s Strikeforce did this past Saturday night, as the ferocious fighting series ended the year with a hellacious card that is going to be hard but can possibly be matched in 2011. The main event was supposed to be revenge for the Brazilian Renato Sobral (36-9), better known as “Babalu”, who lost a decision to Dan Henderson (26-8) ten years ago, but age didn’t prove to be  factor for the forty-one year old Henderson who power punched his way to a spectacular knock out victory. Henderson who has stopped the likes of Renzo Gracie, Wanderlei Silva and Michael Bisping throughout his thirteen year career was coming off a loss to Jake Shields, and was in dire need of a win to stay afloat as a major player in the industry. His opponent on the other hand Sobral was coming off a decision win over Robbie Lawler, and looked to gain revenge for his past defeat. But retribution would not be in the cards for Babalu as he was down and out within 1:53 in the opening round by a vicious double right hand followed by a short flurry from Henderson. The victory keeps Henderson in the spotlight and a possible future fight against Cavalcante and has Sobral pondering his career. “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (18-6) got back in the win column in a devastating way with a sadistic knockout over the always game Matt Lindland.

Orlando born submission artist Jonathan Brookins (12-3) is the latest of a select few who have earned a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship via their reality series “The Ultimate Fighter”.  The pupil of the Gracie Barra Association garnered himself a hard earned decision victory over the more than game Springfield striker Michael Johnson (8-5) this past Saturday night at the Palms Casino and Resort in Las Vegas , NV on the Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale Team GSP vs. Team Koscheck. All though both fighters hailed from the same team (Team GSP), the two waged war at the beginning of the round in high hopes of earning a fighting contract with the UFC.  Johnson came out swinging, landing some solid as well as effective shots to the face of Brookins in the opening round, but Brookins proved to have himself a solid chin in taking the shots and making it out of the opening stanza.

This past Friday night from the Jackson Convention Center in Jackson, Miss. Televised live on Showtime’s Strikeforce-Challengers: 12, American Kickboxing Academy’s Justin “The Silverback” Wilcox (10-3) pounded out a unanimous decision victory over the tough Brazilian born Jiu-Jitsu artist Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro (20-5) in securing his place as a top prospect in the lightweight division. The California based fighter (Wilcox) took the fight to his opponent (Ribeiro) utilizing strong jabs and heavy hands while fending off any take downs that Ribeiro offered up. Wilcox handed down Ribeiro’s third consecutive defeat, while Wilcox garners his fifth straight victory, and setting his sights on bigger and better days in the 155-pound division. Preux Prevails over BrittThe co-main event featured two tough light heavyweights as the power punching Antwain Britt (11-5) fell to defeat from the hands of Ovince St. Preux (8-4) in a less than spectacular throw down. All though an accidental thumb in the eye of Britt nearly caused a halt to the bout, Antwain stayed in the fight. Both are known for their punching power, but the fight was fought mainly on the ground with the bout going back and forth. When the final bell rang to end the bout the judges gave the nod to Ovince via unanimous decision, giving Preux his fifth consecutive victory, Britt drops his second bout in a row.

A powerful one-two strike headlines “Snow Brawl,”  the third Mixed Martial Arts show presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s CES MMA in less than three months, on Thursday night, Dec. 2 at the Twin River Event Center in Lincoln, R.I. The main event is a grudge match between Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon (13-4-0), who remains the youngest UFC fighter ever, against Damien “The Omen” Trites (5-3-0) at a 165-pound catch weight. The 22-year-old Lauzon, fighting out or Reality Self Defense, is the younger brother of UFC lightweight contender Joe Lauzon (18-5-0), who fights George Sotorupoulos on UFC 123 (Nov. 20 at Auburn Hills, Mich.). Trites, representing Wai Kru in Boston , has won three of his last four fights. In the co-main event, Bellingham (MA) lightweight Mike “The Beast” Campbell (8-3-0) attempts to get back on the winning track against Detroit invader Tony “Lion Heart” Hervey (12-8-0). Rhode Island MMA pioneer Mat Santos (2-6-0), of East Greenwich, seeks revenge against BJJ specialist Everilton “Sonca” Silva (3-3-0), of Marlborough , MA ). Silva won a two-round, split decision against Santos in 2006.

Durban, South Africa has successfully secured a first, not only for South Africa, but also for the African Continent.  On   November 25th, 2010, the ICC Durban will host one of the most highly anticipated Mixed Martial Art shows in 2010. “Platinum” will feature International and National fighters, including  Ken Shamrock, Donovan Hawkey, Abjul Hussain, Craig Fourie, Tyson Chelin,  Donald Nziwara and Mike De Bruin to name a few. Ken Shamrock is one of the most widely recognized MMA fighters in the world. He is a legendary American Mixed Martial Arts fighter and a former professional wrestler. Ken Shamrock is best known for his participation in the Ultimate Fighting Championships, Pride Fighting Championship, the World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Wrestling Action, and Pancrase. He is known around the world for his remarkable life story, which saw him turn from a troubled youth into the most recognized face in MMA. This event is part of the International fight promotion King of the Cage which continues to promote hundreds of shows throughout the world, including 17 in the United States and far-reaching countries such as, England, Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, and Australia.

Looking back throughout the halls of fighting history, some of the greatest fighters were born of a Mexican heritage. Tough former world champions such as Julio Cesar Chavez, Ricardo Lopez, and Oscar De La Hoya have cemented themselves as legends of the sport of boxing. Diego Sanchez and Tito Ortiz have held world titles in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but with all the accomplishments the Mexican born fighters have had, none have garnered the title as “heavyweight champion” in either fighting related sport. Sure there have been some Mexican boxers get close to a heavyweight title; Chris Areola and most notably Manuel Ramos who is not doubt one of the greatest heavyweight contenders. But, can a Mexican fighter shake the heavyweight contender status and change that into a world heavyweight champion?  So the question is, with this weekends match-up between the UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and his challenger Cain Velasquez, can Velasquez make history at UFC 121 in becoming the first Mexican heavyweight champion?

Cage of Horrors presented by Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Sports and Entertainment, Inc. (CES), in association with Foxwoods Resort Casino, will feature a stacked lineup from top to bottom October 22 at Fox Theater. The “Cage of Horrors” pro-am MMA show is headlined by the CESMMA Lightweight Championship fight between undefeated Brazilian sensation Magno Almeida (5-0-0) and veteran Daniel Straus (14-2-0). Last month in the first sanctioned MMA match ever held in Rhode Island, Almeida upset Mike “The Beast” Campbell (8-3-0) by first-round tap-out, while NAAFS titlist Strauss rides a 10-fight win streak into Foxwoods. The co-feature is a rematch between controversial winner Luis “Rockstar” Felix (5-5-0), fighting out of Cranston (RI) and Boston lightweight Jim Dechaves (3-3-0). All fights on the card will be contested at three, 5-minute rounds, excluding the five, 5-minute round match in the main event.

Ok, this news came to me last week... that former street-fighting stand-out, and MMA flop Kimbo Slice (aka Kevin Ferguson) has signed with a major boxing promoter (aka Gary Shaw).  So, now he will begin his career as a boxer.  This will happen in his mid/late 30's, of course, which doesn't make him that much older than most contenders.  If this is merely a publicity stunt, we all know what is going to happen.  Kimbo will be hand-fed a bunch of hapless clubfighters to build his record up before being handed a worthy foe in a high profile fight.  He will then be brutally KO'd in the high profile fight, but have made enough "believers" while knocking over stiffs that the fight makes money.  There are always enough uneducated fans to dupe out there.  Remember New York Jet turned boxer Mark Gastineau?  However, on the off-chance that they are serious about making Kimbo Slice into a boxer than can be ranked, I'd like to offer two basic recommendations on the best way to make that happen. 

Ken Shamrock’s Lion’s Den in Reno, Nevada is proud to present UFC Legend Ken Shamrock for a one day only Mixed Martial ArtsClinic on Saturday, October 9th, 2010.
Ken Shamrock is a professional American Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Hall of Fame Inductee, and professional wrestler. He has established himself as one of the biggest stars in the history of the sport, headlining over 18 main events in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championship Series. Ken Shamrock has set numerous pay per view records validating his drawing power as one of the most popular fighters in the sport. Inside MMA Magazine ranked Ken Shamrock as one of the Top 10 Greatest mixed martial arts fighters of all time.

Manny Pacquiao claims that he has what it takes to step into the octagon. "I want to fight MMA, but they don't want me to." Said Pacquiao in a latest interview. Money doesn’t seem to be motivating Pac-Man, after-all he was recently offered $12 million to fight against Clotty and 40 million to fight Mayweather. As for money, to date, there’s never been an MMA promoter willing to fork over that kind of dough. Pacquiao an MMA champ? Don’t think that will ever happen.

Official CAMO Results 175 lbs. – Rick Reger def. Mike Herrera via decision. 145 lbs. - Cody Ingardia def. Kevin Martinez via TKO, R1, 1:14. 157 lbs. - David Arciga def. Sam Wooten via TKO, R3, TKO, 0:35. 158 lbs. - John Kenichi Tanaka def. Anthony Moon via decision. 205 lbs. - Delvon Garrett def. Tom Kemp via TKO, R1, 1:06. 234 lbs. - Robert Johnson def. Montigo Irvin McBride via KO, R3, 1:37. 180 lbs. - Anthony Canal def. Antonio Estoque via Sub Arm Bar, R1, 1:19. 145 lbs. - Alex D'Hue def. Ryan Hatfield via TKO, R1, 0:41. 185 lbs. - Christopher Lloyd def. Bryan Cook via decision. 205 lbs. - Waldo Nava def. Bobby Fiscer via Submission Choke, R1, 1:12. 160 lbs. - Elliot Amador def. Richardo Del Riego via Sub Rear Choke, R1: 0:58  - Photos By Staff Photographer David D. Ybanez III

MMA up and comers displayed their fighting skills for the best in the industry on Saturday August 14th, 2010 at UFC Fighter Mark Munoz’s Reign Training Center in Lake Forest, California. “The Man Who Beat The Last Emperor Fedor”; Fabricio Werdum, Jason Mayhem Miller, Mark Munoz, Krystof Soszynski, and Jay Silva were some of the guests in attendance. Commentary & play by play action was conducted by celebrity commentator Ron “The Yacman” Yacovetti.

Intense MMA fights, cool vendors, delicious food and a beautiful summer evening. Sound fun? It was. This past Saturday night I attended the Convicted Artist Fight event held at Reign Training Center in Lake Forest, CA. I'm a boxing fan and have shied away from the MMA -- until now. Like most live experiences, whether a concert or play, seeing the action front and center most definitely piqued my interest. I'm officially hooked! All of the fights were well matched and all of the fighters gave it their best. The event was a buzz with activity including food and beverages, a DJ, a caricature artist and vendor booths. Some noteworthy vendors include Twisted Beverage, the flavored malt beverage maker and Pepper and Tanky a line of fragrances for your favorite dog. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the intoxicating smell of the sweet & sour shrimp brought to you by Bonehead Restaurant. My friend ate two plates, if that tells you anything! I enjoyed myself immensely and I look forward to getting my fight on at the next event!

With this Saturday's UFC 118 matchup between Randy Couture and James Toney, naturally the boxing vs. mma debate is stirring again.  First, off, the discussion is ridiculous in a literal sense.  You can never have boxing vs. mma.  You can have a boxer attempting mma, or a mixed martial artist trying to box.  James Toney is changing sports, and fighting one of the best in his debut.  This is not new to the world of combat sports.  It is new in western civilization, however. Muay Thai fighters routinely switch sports to boxing, and fight for world titles within a few fights.  In fact, all of the top few fighters in the record books, for fastest ascents to world titles, are Thai fighters.  Granted, this is a culture-wide phenomenon in Thailand, so fighters and fans alike are used to it, but it still requires a period of quick adjustment.  For boxing and mma, however, there are more differences.  They don't even use the same ring.  There are many divides in the two sports, and although they are closing, the biggest one seems to be the big elephant in the room that no one is discussing.

August 4th, 2010 - Sean Shamrock made his debut at the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, Minnesota last Saturday night to a sold out crowd for King Of The Cage.   Sean is a talent and prodigy of his Father - Hall of Famer and legend Ken Shamrock.  Sean displayed fast and effective grappling during the fight, the kind of grappling his Father developed called American Grappling.  After Sean snapped the ankle of game opponent Lucas Goulet the fight returned to the feet with Goulet limping from a reverse ankle lock.   Ken shouted out to his baby boy “step out head kick”, and that is exactly what the junior Shamrock did scoring a knock out at 1:56 of the first round.  

Back on May 13, 2008, ASU announced that it was terminating the sport of wrestling, due to the cost associated with operating a 22-sport varsity program.   Just when all seemed lost, a group of loyal supporters pledged a multi-million dollar endowment, temporarily saving the program, and ensuring that these dedicated athletes could continue their quest of competing at the collegiate level.  And perhaps, granting those dedicated gladiators, a shot at fame and fortune within the growing popularity of MMA. Widely recognized as the world's oldest and most honored competitive sport, depictions of wrestling have appeared on cave paintings dating back over 15, 000 years. The sport has been a cornerstone in the development of most ancient cultures athletics and wrestlers have been highly revered in both the Babylonian and Egyptian empires.

Eric  “Butterbean” Esch, had some choice words to say about former 5-time World’s Strongest Man Mariusz “Dominator” Pudzianowski, in terms of rating the Polish strongman as a mixed-martial-arts fighter.  Pudzianowski has great potential and that he should be featured on October 9 show in Chicago, Illinois. Mariusz, who has reportedly been training hard in his native Poland to develop his MMA skills, will arrive in Massachusetts by the end of July to begin training with former boxer “Irish” Micky Ward, as well as two former All-America wrestlers, in order to learn the basics of boxing and wrestling to improve his overall MMA game.

Convicted Artist Fight Promotions Presents FIGHT NIGHT At REIGN  (LIVE CAGE FIGHTS  *  MUSIC  * FOOD  & Beverages) -MMA up and comers will get a chance to display their fighting skills for the best in the industry on Saturday August 14th, 2010 at UFC Fighter Mark Munoz’s Reign Training Center in Lake Forest, California. Convicted Artist Fight Promotions has signed a long term contract to be the exclusive fight promotion company to hold live MMA and Boxing matches at Reign. Talented mixed martial arts fighters will receive professional MMA-style media coverage by fighting in front of an audience of the industries finest and be featured in several major MMA publications. The event is being promoted and advertised on Sherdog.com. Twisted Beverage Company is proud to join Convicted Artist Fight Promotions as its title sponsor of MMA and boxing events. Twisted offers a new twist on flavor with premium flavored malt beverages twisted around green apple and strawberry. The beverage company is excited to add MMA to it’s growing list of partnerships which include AMA Supercross, Off Road Racing, and Flat Track Racing.

Convicted Artist Magazine was fortunate to be in Las Vegas over the weekend for the UFC Fan Expo 2010. The part trade show, part meet and greet and  part grappling competition featured keynote speeches from many UFC fighters, UFC executive Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White. According to UFC officials this years expo more than doubled its audience from the previous year.  

UFC president Dana White said Saturday that UFC Fan Expo 2010 drew an estimated 125,000 fans to the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. We attended UFC Fan Expo 2009, which took place prior to the promotion's UFC 100 event, drew between thirty to fifty thousand people.

Some of the fighters in attendance for UFC Fan Expo 21010 included Bas Rutten, Mike Goldberg,  Junior Dos Santos, Sam Stout, Forrest Griffin, the elder Nogueira, Wanderlei Silva, Roy Nelson, Vitor Belfort, Jake Shields, Nate Quarry ,Josh Koshcheck, Matt “The Immortal” Brown, and Chris Lytle. 

Mariusz “Dominator” Pudzianowski vs. Tim “Maine-iac” Sylvia, headlining the May 21st  “Moosin: God of Martial Arts” pay-per-view event, at the DCU Center in Worcester. In the co-main event, Korean heavyweight Mu Bae “The Heavy Tank of Busan” Choi (9-4-0) faces veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff (59-14-0). Brazilian middleweight Rafael “Sapo” Natal (11-2-0) meets The Ultimate Fighter 4 winner Travis “The Serial Killer” Lutter (10-5-0), while Bahamian lightweight Yves “The Texas Gunslinger” Edwards (37-15-1) tangles with rising New England star Mike Campbell (7-2-0).

The first 5-time World’s Strongest Man, Polish icon Mariusz “Dominator” Pudzianowski, makes his United States debut May 21 against 2-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim “Maine-iac” Sylvia. The 6-1,275-pound Pudzianowski (1-0), a national hero in Poland, won his cage debut last December, forcing Marcin Najman to tap-out to punches and kicks in only 43 seconds. In the co-main event, Korean heavyweight Mu Bae “The Heavy Tank of Busan” Choi battles veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff. Brazilian middleweight Rafael “Sapo” Natal takes on Travis “The Serial Killer” Lutter, while Bahamian lightweight Yves “The Texas Gunslinger” Edwards faces New England’s rising-star Mike Campbell The undercard includes: Korean light heavyweight Chang Seob Lee vs. Lukasz “Juras” Jurkowski, Clinton’s Matt Lee vs. Bridgewater’s Brett Oteri in a match-up of Massachusetts lightweights, unbeaten Worcester (Mass.) welterweight Ralph Johnson vs. NAAFS champion Forrest “The Meat Clever” Petz  undefeated Rockland (Mass.) heavyweight Paul Barry vs. Stipe Miocic, Stoughton (Mass.) middleweight Fred “French Foot Fighter” Belleton (6-2-0) vs. Anthony “The Recipe” Lapsley (14-5-0).

What does it take to be a world champion?
 
If a boxer or MMA fighter learns his trade and successfully advances through hard work, diligent attention to the techniques, does thorough cardio work, gets adequate sparring and has a heart of stone, then that fighter might like a schoolboy, advance from grade school to Junior High. If the boxer is motivated and dedicated by then and experiences in the ring the hell of the game and can take it to to the next level , say Open Class amateur, and grow through that competition to the grade of a Senior High Schooler, fast forward his career with proper body and health care, an excellent weight training program, a work ethic of lumberjack proportions, development of a fearless mind, and the intestinal fortitude to strictly follow his trainers game plan and execute it to perfection, then growth to this nations amateurs highest level of competition can be obtained.

7th of May 2010 Camp Pendleton in Oceanside CA will play host to this PureCombat/HitMan Fights event. With a large amount of troops living on and around the base they will have the opportunity to attend this FREE to the troop’s event. It will not be open to the public but will be taped in Hi Def for later commercial consumption.   This benefit for the troops includes the Wounded Warriors Battalion West; a division of a Regiment known for their work with wounded soldiers and their families; helping them to cope, transition and reintegrate back into their lives after their experiences in battle. Starting with the Main Event…  PureCombat, Strikeforce, EliteXC and WEC veteran Anthony “The A train” Ruiz fighting out of AKA in Fresno CA and training with UFC great Josh Koshcheck.

It hasn't been that long since the UFC has tried to acquire one of the greatest pound for pound fighters in the world, that fighter being Fedor Emelianenko, who is currently the number one ranked heavyweight in the world. The signing of Fedor Emelianenko to the UFC may one day become a reality or maybe it won’t. But whether or not the fans will get a chance to see one of the world’s greatest fighters signed to the most successful mma organization is still up in the air. It’s the competition and rivalry between the USA and Russia that draws the large number of fans. The original story plot straight out of Rocky IV. Rocky Balboa versus Ivan Drago. Currently the Russians have been dominating the sport of fighting. Whether it’s the Klitschko brothers in the professional world of boxing, and, or now, Fedor Emelianenko in the sport of mixed martial arts. Russia has always been very competitive in whatever sport they choose to compete in. And the US has definitely made their mark in history as well. But it’s their size, strength, do or die attitude, and willingness to win that makes them stand out the most.

Mark Burnett and King Of The Cage present LEGACY.  This Friday, March 26th at the Silver Legacy in Reno, Nevada, live on HDNet  - a night of MMA action packed fights.  DogBoxer - a new Nevada based company will be sponsoring Reno local Jack Montgomery.  DogBoxer first appeared on the scene after sponsoring Nick Diaz in his capture of the Strikeforce welterweight championship after defeating Marius Zaromskis. The company continues to pour out their support locally and around the world - to those fighters that represent DogBoxer.  About Dog Boxer: The symbol for Dogboxer – the Pit Bull.

A period of time in which someone is powerful or dominate . This is the definition of reign and what UFC middleweight and co-owner of Reign Training Center lives by.“It’s two-fold for me, one I want to reign over my competition and two I’m a man of faith and god reigns over my life. I want that name to encompass both the physical and mental and spiritual.”  That’s what Munoz told me at the grand opening of the mixed martial arts gym last Saturday. Fighters such as former WEC featherweight  champion Urijah Faber, former Pride and UFC Heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Strikeforce light heavyweight title contender Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal, and many more athletes appeared at the event.

Jon Jones continued to live up to his potential as he quickly disposed of Brandon Vera in under one round. The battle of the Brazilian heavy hitters was in full effect in the semi main event of the evening. Both Junior dos Santos and Gabriel Gonzaga had come off of TKO wins in their previous bouts. Chieck Kongo had something to smile about as he defeated longtime veteran Paul Buentello. The conclusion to the Alessio Sakara/James Irvin fight topped them all. Clay Guida def. Shannon Gugerty via arm-triangle choke. Vladimir Matyushenko def. Eliot Marshall. Darren Elkins def. Duane Ludwig via TKO. John Howard def. Daniel Roberts via KO. Brendan Schaub def. Chase Gormley. Mike Pierce def. Julio Paulino. Jason Brilz def. Eric Schafer.

JAMES IRVIN VS. ALESSIO SAKARA. James Irvin is making his UFC/MMa debut at 185lbs. Irvin started his MMA career as a heavyweight and later dropped down to the light heavyweight division after his tko loss to Mike Kyle.  CHEICK KONGO VS. PAUL BUENTELLO 1st round Buentello has lost 20 lbs for this fight. The Fight starts out with Buentello landing some strikes. JUNIOR DOS SANTOS VS. GABRIEL GONZAGA 1st round Both fighters come out looking confident. JON HOWARD VS. DANIEL ROBERTS. 1st round Both fighters start off striking. Howard tries to take Roberts down. Roberts transitions and gets on top of Howard and starts to ground and pound. JON JONES VS. BRANDON VERA. 1st round Fight starts off with Jones taking Vera down. Jones ends up in the full guard. Vera kicks Jones off of him and both fighters get up. Jones slams Vera down and gets in the full guard. Jones lands a left elbow while Vera answers back with a high kick to Jones's head as Jones was down on his knees.