Jorge Britto (head instructor of TorontoBJJ) invites all Jiu Jitsu academies to help us carry the flag of this sport into the future. Join us on Saturday August 7th, 2010 at Downsview Park in Toronto. This tournament is a celebration of Jiu Jitsu and we are giving an opportunity to everyone to become part of the next page in the history of Jiu Jitsu in Canada. This tournament will showcase the sport of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, we need you to be part of the revolution of this sport in North America. We need to be unified, we need to show solidarity by coming together to honor the tradition of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competition. We want to demonstrate great Jiu Jitsu, we want to show who we are, we want to exhibit the glory of healthy rivalries between teams and how they help the sport to progress, develop, and grow.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is more than a sport, it is deeply rooted in tradition, and a tried and tested methodology since it was founded in Brazil. In this tournament we aim to honor this heritage and lineage by organizing the tournament in the same manner as the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation. We want to pay tribute to the sport’s founders by not just coming to compete and determine who is best on the day but, we want to live the Jiu Jitsu ideology, philosophy and lifestyle.

This type of competition readies competitors for the highest level of international competition by adhering to international rules, regulations, and standards. We are already seeing the fruits of previous tournaments which produced several champions at this years mundials (worlds championships). The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu format of competition has lead to greater things for many of the stars of the sport, champions like BJ Penn, Marcelo Garcia, Demian Maia, Rodrigo Noguerra, and many more got their starts on the tatami’s of Jiu Jitsu.

What makes the Toronto Jiu Jistu Classic Special?
Divisions will have a specific start time that will be released two days prior to the event along with the brackets. No waiting hours and hours, wondering when your division is going to start.

75 Carl Hall Road,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
MAP

More information on the official site.

NEW YORK (May 10, 2010) – Popular, unbeaten welterweight Jesse Finney (5-0) of St. Louis will try to cash in against Justin DeMoney (14-2-1) of Ottumwa, Idaho, in the top non-televised undercard fight when Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) returns to The Gateway City with STRIKEFORCE St. Louis: Heavy Artillery at Scottrade Center this Saturday, May 15.

The remaining six non-televised fights will include nine fighters from St. Louis or the surrounding areas: The St. Louis fighters are Michael Chandler (2-0), Tom Aaron (6-2), Eric Steenberg (3-0) and Matt Ricehouse (1-0). The others are Darryl Cobb (3-1) of East St. Louis, Lee “Manimal’’ Brousseau (4-1) of Wood River, Ill., Booker DeRousse (2-2) of St. Genevieve, Mo., Sal Woods (4-7) of Granite City, Ill., and Greg Wilson (pro debut) of Cobden, Ill.

Chandler throws down with Woods at 170 pounds; Aaron takes on Steenberg at 185 pounds, Ricehouse battles Wilson at 125 pounds, Brousseau faces Francisco “Kiko” France of Rio De Janiero, Brazil, at 205 pounds and Cobb meets DeRousse at 145 pounds.

In the final undercard bout on a stacked fight card, STRIKEFORCE newcomer Vitor “Shaolin’’ Ribeiro (20-3) of Rio De Janeiro will face undefeated Lyle “Fancy Pants’’ Beerbohm (13-0) of Spokane, Wash., at 155 pounds The aforementioned matchups will precede a five-fight telecast on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast).

Doors will open at 6 p.m. CT on May 15. The first preliminary bout is at 6:30. Tickets are on sale at Scottrade Center ticket office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

Finney, a graduate of Affton High in St. Louis, has been victorious in all his fights in the first round, including a 1:55 submission (keylock) over Josh Baumgarner on the last STRIKEFORCE event in St. Louis on June 6, 2009.

Before MMA, Finney went unbeaten as a kickboxer (23-0) and is 8-2 as a pro boxer. Finney also is the head coach of the St. Louis Enforcers of Chuck Norris’s World Combat League.

“I know DeMoney is a super tough guy so this should be my biggest test in MMA,’’ said the six-foot, 35-year-old Finney who is the owner and head instructor of his own gym, Finney’s MMA in St. Louis. “He says he likes to stand and trade. If he really wants to do that, I look forward to the challenge of banging it out. I think I match up well with him in every area. Keys to getting this win are just being the athlete I am, and using my size and strength. I think I can beat him anywhere it goes.’’

To better concentrate on the upcoming fight, Finney trained in Las Vegas for a month.

“I chose to leave and go to Vegas just to be able to train and that’s it,’’ he said. “I have a few businesses in St. Louis and I am very thankful for that, but trying to run them and train full-time was just too much. This is crazy but believe it or not, my wife talked me into going to Vegas. It turned out to be one of the best things I have ever done.

“I think most people think I am a kickboxer doing MMA and that’s simply not the truth anymore. I focus on my weaknesses every day and try to stay sharp on my strengths. My future in MMA is whatever Scott Coker wants. I’m a team player for STRIKEFORCE and always will be.

“I am not going to let anybody down on May 15.’’

DeMoney has remained extremely active since turning pro in 2007. A seven-time Extreme Challenge veteran, he fought six times that year, four times in ‘09 and on five occasions in ’08.

This will be DeMoney’s 2010 debut. He has gone unbeaten in his last nine starts (8-0-1). His last five victories have come inside the distance, including a second-round submission (punches) over Jesse Sanders in his last outing on Oct. 17, 2009.

Chandler, a former teammate of top prospect Tyron Woodley and a NCAA Division I All American, is a super-aggressive fighter who possesses great athleticism and speed, but his most impressive attributes may be his work ethic and ferocious tenacity. The 5-foot-8, 24-year-old has won both his starts by TKO (punches).

In his last effort, Chandler defeated Richard Bouphanouvong in the second round at a STRIKEFORCE event last Nov. 20. Chandler dispatched Kyle Swadley at 3:30 of the opening round in his pro debut on Aug. 8, 2009.

Woods is a hard-working, determined fighter looking to regain his winning ways. “I’m really looking forward to this fight and I know we will put on a great show,’’ said Woods, who lost to Woodley on June 6, 2009, at Scottrade Center. “MMA is not for everyone; it’s all about hard work and I’ve put in all the work for this fight.’’

Aaron , a 5-foot-8, 31-year-old who fights out of Finney’s MMA, has won two out of three, including a TKO over Calvin Simmons in his outing on Nov. 21, 2009. Aaron went 6-0 in the amateurs.

Steenburg has won all three of his efforts in the second round. He ended matters with James Marino in his last start on Aug. 28, 2009, with a head kick 11 seconds into the session.

Ricehouse, who is making his STRIKEFORCE debut, registered a third-round KO (punches) over Tim Thomas in his pro debut on Jan. 30, 2010.

Cobb has been triumphant three consecutive times since losing his initial MMA fight. After winning two straight inside the distance, he won last time out on a split decision over Gary Tapasua at the STRIKEFORCE event on Nov. 20, 2009. DeRousse, who scored a first-round TKO over James Wade on June 6, 2009, at Scottrade Center, lost his last fight to Lee Brousseau on Oct. 3, 2009, via submission.

Brousseau is making his first start since defeating DeRousse. His three victories, which include a 0:18 KO (punches) over Greg LoFink on April 11, 2009, have totaled just 5:34. France is a highly touted grappling specialist who has won all his fights via first-round submissions: Total cage time: 3:39.

Ribeiro, a 30-year-old Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, is among the top lightweights in MMA. He’s won the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championship four times, once as a purple belt in 1996 and three times as a black belt in three consecutive years (1999-2001).
Beerbohm is a top up-and-coming fighter who literally started MMA on his way home from prison after he spent a year and one day at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla as a result of felony convictions, all related to his crystal meth addiction.

In the May 15 main event, STRIKEFORCE World Heavyweight Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem (32-11) will defend against heavy-handed knockout artist Brett “The Grim” Rogers (10-1). Former world champions Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (15-7) and Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (13-2) are matched in another heavyweight confrontation.

In other televised fights on SHOWTIME: Unbeaten Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sensation Roger Gracie (2-0) will make his STRIKEFORCE and U.S. MMA debut against two-time NCAA National Wrestling Champion and former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin “The Monster” Randleman (17-14) in a light heavyweight scrap, middleweight superstar “Jacare” Souza (11-2) will face determined, hard-hitting Joey Villasenor (27-6) and Antwain “The Juggernaut” Britt (11-3) will collide with Rafael “Feijao’’ Cavalcante (8-2) at 205 pounds.

Shamrock Promotions is assisting STRIKEFORCE with local marketing for the event.

Press Release

Wreck MMA: Unite For Brian’s Fight

Fitshop.ca and Wreck MMA are excited to announce some additions to Wreck MMA: Unite for Brian’s Fight that will take place on Friday April 16th, 2010 at the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau, Quebec.

After a rocky-like Wreck debut, Ronin MMA’s Nick ‘The Ninja of Love’ Denis will now be headlining the event against Team Quest standout Ian ‘The Barn Owl’ Loveland for the Wreck Bantamweight Title. Denis is coming off an impressive come from behind victory against Sean Quinn and is looking to bring his world class talent to the ultra-exciting Loveland. A teammate of Chael Sonnen (#1 contender for the UFC Milddleweight Title) Loveland loves to stand and bang and recently won his fifth straight fight by knocking out UFC veteran Doug Evans with a head kick. The winner of this bout will be the first ever champion in Wreck history!

Making his Wreck debut on April 16th is Ottawa’s own Craig ‘Farmer’ Brown. With aspirations to take his game to the highest level, Brown has decided to drop down to the middleweight division. Already considered extrememly physically strong for the light-heavyweight division, the potential is there for Brown to make a major impact at his new weightclass. The FIT MMA head instructor will be facing Chad “Chainsaw” Cox from Fit Plus in Halifax. After losing his MMA debut, Cox has won his last five fights and will bring his high level BJJ to the bout. Cox trains with UFC Veteran TJ Grant on a daily basis, so you know Cox will be ready for war.

In a battle in the Wreck female division. Montreal’s Valerie ‘Trouble’ Letourneau returns to the ring after a year long layoff to face Ottawa’s own Anna ‘Smiles’ Barone. FIT MMA’s Barone is coming into her second professional fight and specifically asked for a extremely tough opponent and Letourneau definitely brings that pedigree with her in the ring. An expected barnburner, this fight has the makings for fireworks from the opening bell.

Also added to the card is a bout where bad blood is definitely on the line as Team Bergeron’s Erik Dumaine takes on the Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts’ Stephane Bernadel. A few years ago in a kickboxing event, Bernadel defeated Dumaine via razor thin split-decision and Dumaine has been waiting for this opportunity to get his revenge. Both fighters are known for their high level striking ability and this fight has all the potential for a fight of the night winner!
Making his bantamweight debut is one of the sports most exciting fighters, BAMA’s Mike ‘Hurricane’ Hong comes into Wreck and faces the undefeated prospect from Val D’Or, Juvaldo MMA’s Stephane Pelletier. Both fighters come to the ring with a non-stop effort and this fight will be action packed from the opening bell. Wreck is also proud to announce the much anticipated MMA debut of Gatineau’s own Yann Fortier who represents Evolution Martial Arts in Gatineau. Fortier has won multiple titles in the amateur MMA circuit and is looking to take himself to professional gold in the future. Fortier will be facing Nick Aiello from Extreme Couture in a fight that will get all of Gatineau excited.

Scheduled to appear from the Ottawa/Gatineau area are: Mike Reily (Bluewater Martial Arts), Jeff Laughren (RAMA), Gerry Bruyere (Florin’s Ultimate MMA) and Wes Ranger (Florin’s Ultimate MMA).

Tickets for this stacked event are available at TICKETMASTER.CA or by calling (613) 755-1111. Buy your tickets now to assure yourself a spot for the one show you do not want to miss!!

About Wreck and Brian’s Fight

As Wreck continues our policy of adding a charitable aspect to all our events, Wreck MMA will return to the Robert Guertin Arena to help a member of the Ottawa community. Brian Dyck was diagnosed Lou Gehrig’s Disease in October 2009. Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The progressive degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS ultimately leads to death. Brian has not only served his country in the Canadian forces but is currently an Ottawa police officer. His life has been devoted to helping others including his wife Natalie and their one year old daughter Sophi. It is no secret, Brian will leave us – and his family will need our help! Wreck MMA will donate up to $50,000 to Brian and his family, but we cannot do this without your help! We are calling for the members of the MMA community and the Ottawa/Gatineau region to all come together to help a family that needs us. Let’s all unite; for Brian’s fight.

WRECK MMA: UNITE FOR BRIAN’S FIGHT – CONFIRMED FIGHTS
Date: APRIL 16th, 2010
Venue: ROBERT GUERTIN ARENA
Location: GATINEAU, QUEBEC

MAIN EVENT – Wreck Bantamweight Title
Ian ‘The Barn Owl’ Loveland (Team Quest, Oregon) vs. Nick ‘The Ninja of Love’ Denis (Ronin MMA, Ottawa)

CO-MAIN EVENT
Samuel Guillet (BTT Canada, Montreal) vs. Mark ‘Boots’ Holst (OAMA, Ottawa)
Simon ‘The Mutant’ Marini (Regency Boxing, Hamilton) vs. Louis-Philippe ‘The Joker’ Carle (FIT MMA/Zahabi MMA, Ottawa)
Chris ‘Chainsaw’ Cox (Fit Plus, Halifax) vs. Craig ‘Farmer’ Brown (FIT MMA, Ottawa)
TBA vs. Remi Morvan (OAMA, Ottawa)
Eric Dumaine (Team Bergeron, Drummondville) vs. Stephane Bernadel (OAMA, Ottawa)
Stephane Pelletier (Juvaldo MMA, Val D’Or) vs. Mike ‘Hurricane’ Hong (BAMA, Burlington)
Valerie ‘Trouble’ Letourneau (Zahabi MMA/Grants Gym, Montreal) vs. Anna ‘Smiles’ Barone (FIT MMA, Ottawa)
Nick Aiello (Extreme Couture, Toronto) vs. Yann Fortier (Evolution Martial Arts, Gatineau)
Jeff Laughren (RAMA, Rockland) vs. Gerry Bruyere (Florin’s Ultimate MMA, Kanata)
Jeff Thomas (Team MFC, Windsor) vs. Mike Reily (Bluewater Martial Arts, Rockland)
TBA vs. Wes Ranger (Florin’s Ultimate MMA, Kanata)

Philadelphia is a hotbed for Combat Sports. A long-time staple within the Philly sports scene has been pro wrestling. The meteoric rise of ECW caused the then-Viking Hall to be re-named "The ECEW Arena." Now known simply as "The Arena," a new combat sports tradition will take shape when Matrix Fights invades the historic venue.

As I’ve chronicled in my previous two columns, I have been able to cross over from the world of journalism into my ultimate aspiration of working in talent relations in mixed martial arts.

Since last April, I’ve been able to be involved in a number of shows as a matchmaker but my next show on Feb. 27 at The Arena (formerly known as the ECW Arena) will hold special meaning to me due to the fact that it is in my hometown of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia is portrayed as a very tough city by the national media. Some of the bad rap Philly gets is warranted (there is no excused for when Eagles fans cheered when Michael Irvin got injured) and some of it is not warranted (yes, we booed Santa Claus at an Eagles game but he was a bootleg Santa not hired by the team and he was drunk off his ass).

So Philly is indeed an edgy town which is why this city has embraced combat sports with open arms over the years. It started (and continues) with boxing as some of the “sweet science’s” most prolific punchers such as Joe Frazier and Bernard Hopkins call Philly home (and I can’t forget my favorite boxer of all time, Meldrick Taylor).

Pro wrestling also has a rich history in Philly. While it was before my time, the Spectrum used to be packed in the 70s when the likes of Bruno Sammartino and “Superstar” Billy Graham came to town. Growing up, I was a huge pro wrestling fan and even at a young age I followed the NWA (the wrestling promotion, not the rap group — although I thought the rap group was pretty bad ass too) and was a huge fan of Ric Flair, the Road Warriors, and the Midnight Express.

The NWA eventually morphed into World Championship Wrestling and by that point I was old enough to attend events with my younger brother. While the WWF (now WWE) did their events at the more modern Spectrum, WCW was left to do their events at the old Philadelphia Civic Center, a dirty, borderline dilapidated venue that never was past its peak because I don’t think it had one to begin with.

Despite being young, my parents allowed my brother and I to attend these events at the rough and tumble Philly Civic Center because my uncle was the timekeeper for the shows (he even got to carry Ric Flair’s robe to the back once!). Looking back, the wrestling action was pretty weak and the WCW house shows really didn’t live up to what my brother and I watched each week on TV.

Despite all the crap WCW house shows my brother and I endured, I will always remember the one time Cactus Jack Manson (aka Mick Foley) made a surprise return to WCW and had an impromptu hardcore match with Sting. It was pretty cool because just a few weeks earlier I watched an amazing brawl between Cactus Jack and Eddie Gilbert at the Pennsylvania Hall (which was adjacent to the Civic Center) at a Tri-State Wrestling Alliance event (the forerunner to what would eventually become ECW). The feud between Cactus Jack and Eddie Gilbert is legendary in Philly and the attention they generated from their matches earned both second opportunities with WCW.

As I got older I still followed wrestling but simply had other priorities as a teenager than sitting through boring house shows at the rat-infested Civic Center. But my desire to go out and attend wrestling events was renewed in the mid-90s when Tod Gordon and Paul Heyman revolutionized the wrestling industry with a new brand of extreme wrestling. Truth be told, hardcore wrestling had been done for years in the South and also in Japan with FMW but Heyman was a creative genius and the extreme nature of the product extended beyond the ring, as many of the story lines were unique and compelling.

In a lot of ways, Heyman was pro wrestling’s version of Christopher Nolan (the director of the new Batman franchise). Instead of cartoonish and unrealistic story lines, Heyman and his team featured realism and adult-themed wrestling angles. I will always remember the angle they did between Sandman and Raven in which Sandman’s real-life divorce was exposed on camera and Sandman’s young son abandoned him to join Raven’s cult.

ECW most certainly revolutionized wrestling and took its act on the road but it originated in Philadelphia. To this day, I feel the edginess that the Philadelphia crowd brought to the early ECW events really added to the promotion’s brand and helped it grow in popularity. I was not a regular at live ECW events in Philly but I made it a point to attend several shows.

ECW’s home base was formerly a Bingo Hall that had been re-named Viking Hall. However, the promotion became so iconic in Philadelphia that the venue was re-branded as the “ECW Arena” and despite less than stellar sight lines, the venue was portrayed as a “Wrigley Field” of wrestling because of its intimate feel.

There are still a lot of pro boxing and wrestling shows (such as Ring of Honor, CZW, and Chikara Pro) here in Philly but I really feel the combat sports torch has been passed to mixed martial arts. Even before The Ultimate Fighter hit the air there were several jiu-jitsu and MMA schools in Philly along with various Judo, Sambo, and Muay Thai “combat clubs” (usually a basement or garage where a bunch of people trained).

While MMA was legalized in PA just last year, many top schools in the region had emerged since the turn of the century. Schools such as Daddis Fight Camps, the Fight Factory, and Balance Studios have been existence for quite some time in various forms for the past 8-9 years. Thanks to TUF, their student levels have gone through the roof with schools such as Daddis and Balance opening multiple locations to accommodate their rapid growth.

As big as boxing and pro wrestling has been in Philadelphia, it is my sincere belief that as time goes on, MMA will be bigger in this town than both combat sports combined. It may sound like hyperbole on my part but unless you live in the area you truly do not have an understanding just how many people train BJJ, Muay Thai, or MMA in or around the city of Philadelphia. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been at a bar or restaurant talking to people and when I tell them what I do for a living I hear “Oh, I have a brother who does that.”

All of the preamble I have laid out here is to try and convey just how much of a dream it has been of mine to be directly involved with a major MMA show here in this city. For Matrix, it will be our first show but we’re coming out of the gate with a bang.

The cool part about the card that we’ve put together is that in many respects I have some sort of direct connection to the fighters and fight gyms that will be involved with the show. For example, the show’s main event will feature welterweights Matt Makowski and LeVon Maynard. If you’re a longtime reader of this site, those names should be very familiar to you.

After leaving traditional martial arts in favor of taking up MMA, Daddis Fight Camps was the first school I trained at. I not only trained there, I even participated in several smokers — fighting within Philadelphia city limits long before MMA had been legalized. One of the top prospects at the school was a kid named Matt Makowski, who I believe was still just a teenager (either 18 or 19) at the time. Matt was working his way up the amateur ranks, participating in a lot of Muay Thai fights as well as amateur MMA bouts in New Jersey. It was obvious to anyone who saw him that he was destined to be a pro fighter.

Despite just being 21, Matt made his pro debut at a ShoXC event in Atlantic City several years back and would go on to fight for EliteXC three times, compiling a record of 2-1 with his most notable win coming over UFC veteran Nick Serra. The Makowski fight vs. Serra took place on the undercard of the first-ever MMA event televised on live, primetime network television and I had the honor of working on the CBS crew for the show. Even though Matt’s fight didn’t air on CBS, it did air live on ProElite.com. The bout has become infamous because Nick Serra was disqualified for repeatedly pulling guard/butt scooting. Nick’s erratic behavior was unfortunate because it really obscured the fact that the reason why he resorted to such tactics was because Matt had nearly leg kicked him into oblivion.

Fast forward to present day and both my wife and 10-year old son train at Daddis. Brad Daddis, my original MMA instructor has really supported Matrix and we will have at least three Daddis fighters featured on Feb. 27. We could possibly have a fourth Daddis fighter on the show if someone steps up and agrees to fight Brylan Van Artsdalen in Brylan’s pro debut. So if you fight at 145 lbs. and live in the area and want to get in on this card, e-mail me at SCaplan8@gmail.com. And while I am at it, we also need a amateur 145 lbs. fighter to step up and fight Ben Tichy.

Finding opponents for Brylan and Ben has been one of the only sources of stress involved with helping put the show together. Having trained, I know what it is like to prepare for a fight. But having competed only in smokers, I always knew I would have an opponent (even though I never knew who it was until just hours before fighting). For Brylan and Ben, I know they have been training hard despite the fact that multiple opponents have pulled out. They pushed themselves to the limit, altered their diet, and made many other sacrifices in preparation for their respective fights. There’s nothing than I want more right now than to make sure they have a fight come Feb. 27, so help spread the word!

With that brief interlude out of the way, let’s get back to the main event.

Matt’s opponent, LeVon, is a fighter I was first introduced to when I covered the IFL draft tryouts in New York several years back. When I arrived, I was surprised by the level of East Coast talent that had shown up in hopes of breaking into the IFL. Such names in attendance included Shane Ott, Jim Bova, Diego Jimenez, Matt Lee, Al Iaquinta, Danillo Villefort, Torrance Taylor, Tiawan Howard, and Matt Brown. Despite the familiar faces I had seen on local shows, there was a civilian contractor from the Air Force out of Virginia who I had never heard of before that was tearing up the tryouts. It was none other than LeVon.

When it came to the grappling portion of the tryouts, LeVon was tapping his opponent out right and left so I immediately branded him as a BJJ guy. That was until they sparred Muay Thai, at which point LeVon worked his opponent so hard that the two-minute sparring session was cut short. He advanced to the finals, which actually turned out to be a full-scale MMA bout — which was surreal because MMA was and still is illegal in New York. LeVon wowed the IFL judges (which included Bas Rutten) with the effort and qualified for the IFL draft.

I was so impressed with LeVon and how he came out of nowhere that he was the feature subject of the CBSSports.com story I wrote covering my experience at the tryout. LeVon never ended up competing for the IFL but did get the call to step in as a last-minute replacement to fight Rory Markham at the 2007 IFL Grand Prix Finals at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut. LeVon accepted the bout and was ready to compete but the gaming commission determined that LeVon didn’t have enough experience to fight Markham. The spot went to Brett Cooper, who had turned heads at the IFL tryouts in Los Angeles.

LeVon’s frustration of not being allowed to accept his call to a major show was compounded by the fact that Cooper pulled off an upset against Markham, TKO’ing him in the second round. LeVon is a very professional and polite guy but he is also very confident in his abilities and I believe to this day he feels like that was his upset to pull off and that it was taken away from him.

I am expecting fireworks between Matt and LeVon. Both are still young and will be competing at the highest levels of MMA (UFC, Strikeforce, and or Bellator) in short order. Both are taking a major risk in fighting each other but the reality is that whoever wins this fight will be in line for a bigger and better opportunity because it will be a win that matters.

Stylistically, Matt and LeVon match up very well. Both are true mixed martial artists with good grappling skills and even better striking skills. The unique thing about this fight is that Matt and LeVon fought several years ago in an amateur Muay Thai match at the WKA championships. Matt won the fight but the rematch will be contested under MMA rules.

For me, Matt vs. LeVon is a dream matchup, as it is a fight that I’ve wanted to see for years. When I first decided my ultimate goal was to work in talent relations, I decided to volunteer for a regional promotion called Combat in the Cage so I could gain more experience. I often suggested to the promoter that he should try and make a match between LeVon and Matt. He always liked the matchup but since he was managing Matt at the time, he wanted safer fights for him.

Years later and the two are finally going to get to fight in the main event of the first-ever show I am matchmaking in my own hometown. When I first proposed the fight, I think there might have been some skepticism on the part of both camps. Knowing that I used to train at Daddis, I think some people might have felt I was setting LeVon up. On the flip side, since I have written at length about LeVon and since 5 Oz. has even sponsored him in the past, I think there was also some questions from the other side.

The reality is that I have no ulterior motive. I have no idea who is going to win the fight — which is why I wanted to put it together in the first place. My only motive here is to make sure my bosses (Jimmy Binns Jr. and Phil and Ricardo Migliarese) get a high-caliber main event that allows them to grow their fight promotion. The goal here is to give the fans paying hard earned money a fight that they will talk about for years, much in the same way local Philly wrestling and boxing fans still talk about legendary clashes that they saw at the Blue Horizon, Spectrum, Philadelphia Civic Center, or the ECW Arena.

There is so much more to talk about but this column is already too long and the average reader has already stopped reading. But I am excited that we have Matt vs. LeVon in our main event and that we were fortunate enough to land Cole Konrad’s second-ever MMA fight, as he is set to take on fellow heavyweight prospect Joel Wyatt.

While there aren’t many tickets left, you still can buy them online at MatrixFights.com or via some of the major schools that are supporting us such as Daddis, Semper-Fi MMA (which will be represented by its head instructor, former Marine Julio Rosario), and Balance Studios. If you know a fighter fighting on the show who has tickets, please try to buy it from them, as they will get a percentage of the ticket sale.

In closing, I really want to thank Jimmy and the Migliarese brothers. Matrix is their promotion but they’ve allowed me to be a big part of it and have shown a lot of confidence in me. To be able to matchmake a show in my own hometown in one of the most famous combat sports venues in the United States is simply an amazing opportunity. From a sentimental standpoint it’s such an important milestone that my son and wife are not only going to be there but my father and brother will be as well even though they aren’t MMA fans.

I really hope to see you on Feb. 27 when Matrix helps further a brand new combat sports tradition in Philadelphia. If you aren’t able to make it, don’t worry about it as Matrix is only going to get bigger and better and there will be plenty more shows for you to attend.

Enjoy the fights.

Editors Note: Mike Reilly is the owner and head instructor of Ambition MMA, located in Eagan, Minnesota. Ambition MMA is home to many of the Twin Cities’ top fighters, including Brett Rogers and Kelly Kobold. Reilly has agreed to join FiveOuncesofPain.com as an occasional contributor in order to provide our readers with an inside perspective of a respected MMA trainer.

When your buried in seven feet of snow and the thermometer reads “bring me inside”, things can get a little bleak. I love Minnesota as much as the next idiot who lives here, but lets get serious; The winters are long, brutal and rob one of their sanity as much as their warmth. So truth be told, I would take any excuse to hit Southern Florida; but you throw in sitting cageside at Strikeforce and color me gone.

I have said 2010 will be the year of Strikeforce; the year Scott Coker and Co become the big dogs on the block. There guys are proving they know how to run a show. They are putting together cards with great fights; but also personality. Some have been critical of fights with “personality”. Purists do not like to see outsiders get a shot based more on their celebrity then their track record in the sport. I personally have been critical of this in the Kimbo case. It never bothered me that Kimbo got to fight; but rather that he was given main event status and opponents that caved to phantom punches.

The Walker case is about as different a scenario as you can get from Kimbo. For starters, Walker gained his fame as a world class, one in a million athlete; Kimbo by beating up hobo’s in the back yard. Walker’s background is football, Olympics and the world of business; Kimbo’s is porn. Imagine your five your old son looks up at you and says “Daddy, one day I want to grow up to be Hershel Walker”. ou would beam with pride as you ran right out and buy him some shoulder pads and a helmet. If your son came to you and said Daddy I want to grow up to be Kimbo Slice you would spend the money on a shrink, a priest and a helmet.

I rarely get geeked out by celebrities, but I will admit the first time I saw Herschel at a show I was star struck. I nervous to approach the guy. Here was Herschel Walker; the guy who ran a TD on his first play as a Viking; running right out of his own shoes! And what is the first thing he says to me? “I’d really like to meet Brett”. This wasn’t some Celib-Jock looking for some camera time; this was a real fan of the sport. Someone who really respected the game and the athletes. He wasn’t surrounded by a posse of thugs; rather one of the classiest ladies you would ever want to meet and his friend/manager who sincerely loves the game, and his client. No ego, no arrogance; just real, down to earth people.

Strikeforce also did justice to the Walker story by giving him an opponent who cared. I drove to the Airport with Greg Nagy and I was very impressed with the young man. In only his third pro fight and the first on a national stage Greg presented himself well. Even more important than this fight is the fact that he now has the opportunity to become a true pro fighter. He told me how this was now his full time job. He has the support of a lovely women who was so proud of his courage and effort that it made me a Greg Nagy fan. Those of us who have been around the game for a long time know that there is often victories to be found in defeat. I believe Greg will find many victories from Saturdays showing and I personally wish him the best.

The champions who fought on Saturday evening showed the world once again why they have the gold. Coenen fought a smart and determined fight. She set up her hands brilliantly, but Cyborg is Cyborg. She may well be the most dominate champion in the game right now as her personal landscape is void of serious challengers. Nick Diaz also proved worthy of the title “World Champion” as he used his unique style to dispatch on of the world’s most dangerous strikers. Former champion Robbie Lawler also proved he is still a force to be reckoned with a shot heard around the world against Melvin Manhoef.

For me this event was a healing experience. A few days in the sunshine surrounded by amazing fighters and people. While fans often only get to see the action in the cage I can tell you that Strikeforce is way more then what happens behind the fence. Behind every show is an amazing cast of people working to perfect every detail. Every fighter is greeted with love and respect by every member of the team. Scott, Bob, Rich, Carrie, Shannon, Jeff, Jorden and so many others do more then just put the pieces in place; they make every individual feel like they are part of the family. Two days of sunshine, handshakes and hugs; that was just what I needed.

Long before it was immortalized on the silver screen in the 1977 Academy Award winning film Rocky, the city of Philadelphia has been known as one of the premier fight cities in the United States and the World. But while the “City of Brotherly Love” has a rich boxing history, the city’s love affair with combat sports extends beyond the “Sweet Science.”

In 2009, a new combat sports tradition began with the legalization of Mixed Martial Arts in the State of Pennsylvania and on Feb. 27, 2010, the young sport’s evolution will continue with the first-ever event promoted by the brand new Matrix Fights promotion. Founded by local boxing luminary Jimmy Binns Jr. and world renowned Relson Gracie jiu jitsu black belts Phil and Rick Migliarese, Matrix Fights is already the most talked about fight promotion in the city of Philadelphia. This promotion has partnered with Real MMA Gear, Deliah’s Den, and Zee Bar to create an amazing event.

With a scheduled bell time of 8:00 p.m., Matrix Fights 1 will emanate from The Arena (formerly the ECW Arena) in South Philadelphia, which is just minutes away from many of the iconic shooting locations used to film Rocky. Headlining the fight card will be two of the top welterweight prospects on the East Coast in “Weapon X” Matt Makowski, 5-2, and LeVon “Da Maynman” Maynard, 9-5.

Makowski, 23, is a Temple University graduate who has spent his entire mixed martial arts career training out of the nationally recognized Daddis Fight Camps, which boasts training facilities in both Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, N.J.

Undefeated as an amateur, Makowski has competed for major national promotions such as EliteXC and the Bellator Fighting Championships. He holds notable TKO victories in his career over Renzo Gracie black belt Julio Cruz as well as UFC veteran Nick Serra. However, on Feb. 27 he will face the toughest test of his young career when he faces a fighter in Maynard with revenge on his mind.

While the fight between Makowski and Maynard will be the first-ever bout between the two under mixed martial arts rules, it will not be the first time the two have fought. The two fighters previously competed against each other several years ago as amateurs during the WKA Muay Thai Championships.

A resident of Virginia Beach, Maynard currently splits his time training and also working for the Air Force as a civilian technician. He has long campaigned for a rematch under MMA rules vs. Makowski following his loss to him under Muay Thai rules. Maynard will enter the bout red hot following a first round knockout victory last week over Mark Miller, a veteran of The Ultimate Fighter reality TV series and the IFL.

Maynard turned pro in 2007 after compiling an impressive 6-1 amateur MMA record. After beginning his professional career with a 3-0 record, a panel of judges led by former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten selected Maynard as a finalist to join the now-defunct International Fight League. Unknown outside of Virginia at the time, Maynard’s impressive performance at the ‘06 IFL tryout camp in New York — a camp that included UFC veterans Matt Brown and Danillo Villefort — made national headlines and was chronicled by CBSSports.com.

“When we initially came up with the date for our first Matrix Fights event we really wanted to come out of the gate with a strong main event. Stylistically, I don’t think you could ask for a better fight to kick things off for Matrix,” said Binns. “Both LeVon and Matt are very similar in their fighting styles in that they are both accomplished on the ground but their standup skills are what they are known best for. But if fans are looking for a bar room brawl, they aren’t going to get it. What they will get is an amazing display of technical striking between two top athletes. Punches, elbows, kicks, and knees — we’re going to see it all from Matt and LeVon.”

In addition to Makowski vs. Maynard, Matrix Fights 1 on Feb. 27 will boast a total 12 pro and amateur MMA bouts (card subject to change) featuring some of the top young talent on the East Coast. The co-feature will pit season seven veteran of The Ultimate Fighter Aaron Miesner of Philadelphia, PA taking on Francois Ambang of Cameroon, Africa. The Miesner vs. Ambang clash stands to be an explosive contest pitting a former Muay Thai champion in Miesner taking on a former African kickboxing champion in Ambang.

“Aaron is one of the top MMA prospects to come out of Philadelphia in recent years and is just a devastating Muay Thai striker,” said Migliarese. “But he is going to have his hands full against Ambang — who some believe is a K-1 level striker. As a jiu-jitsu black belt, I really have an affinity for ground fighting. But as an MMA fan, I also appreciate striking and I can tell you that this fight is not going to the ground unless it’s because someone got knocked out.”

Also set for action is United States Marine Julio Rosario, the head instructor of the Semper Fi MMA Academy in Rockledge, PA; the highly popular lightweight Will Martinez (fighting for the first-time ever in his home city of Philadelphia); along with the pro debut heralded 6-0 featherweight amateur Brylan Van Artsdalen.

Tickets for the event are priced at $100 for cageside seats; $75 for premium seats; and $45 for general admission and are now on sale at www.MatrixFights.com. For more information, including the entire fight card, please the promotion’s official website at www.MatrixFights.com.

Editor’s Note: Sam Caplan, the majority owner of FiveOuncesOfPain.com, is an employee of Matrix Fights, serving as its matchmaker.

Braulio Estima is the head instructor & owner of the Gracie Barra BJJ Academy in Birmingham England. He is also the 2009 Abu Dhabi 88kg & Absolute Champion. He has won countless other medals in BJJ & is planning his MMA debut in 2009. The seminar is going to be incredible!

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For more information, contact the academy.