Alliance Jiu-Jitsu’s Sergio Moraes will be offering a Brazilian jiu-jitsu seminar at Balance Studios on Sunday. Moraes earned third place at the 2010 BJJ World Championships.

Balance Studios
108-114 S Bonsall St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
MAP

More information on the official site.

Alliance Jiu-Jitsu’s Sergio Moraes will be offering a Brazilian jiu-jitsu seminar at Balance Studios on Sunday. Moraes earned third place at the 2010 BJJ World Championships.

Balance Studios
108-114 S Bonsall St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
MAP

More information on the official site.

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (June 10, 2010) – Pat Curran completed his unlikely Cinderella-story run through Bellator Fighting Championships’ Season 2 Lightweight Tournament on Thursday, scoring a split decision victory over MMA veteran and 2009 Submission of the Year titleholder Toby Imada to win the tournament championship.

Curran’s win headlined another great night of fights from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in South Florida, roughly 30 miles south of the high school that Curran represented in the state wrestling finals just four years ago.

On Thursday, with dozens of his friends and family looking on, the 22-year-old impressed the judges with an athletic takedown defense and a series of powerful blows to the head that opened two cuts around Imada’s right eye. With the win, Curran earned the Season 2 Championship and the right to fight reigning Bellator Lightweight Champion and 20-2 MMA star Eddie Alvarez.

Alvarez, who watched the fight cageside with his son, Eddie Jr., called Curran’s performance “tough” and “impressive.”

“The guy’s powerful and he hits hard,” Alvarez said as Curran (12-3) was presented with a check for $100,000. “I’m looking forward to fighting him.”

Curran, who was inspired to begin a career in MMA by his cousin, UFC, WEC and Strikeforce veteran Jeff Curran, said afterwards that Bellator “changed my life.” It was his third consecutive upset victory along with a quarterfinal KO of Georges St.-Pierre training partner Mike Ricci and a semifinal decision win against UFC veteran and early tournament favorite Roger Huerta.

“What Pat Curran accomplished tonight is exactly what Bellator is all about,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “He proved to himself and to the world that he deserves this championship and he deserves a fight with Eddie Alvarez thanks to three straight outstanding wins against three very tough opponents.”

Imada, who helped put Bellator on the map during its inaugural season with his now-famous inverted triangle choke submission of Jorge Masvidal, accepted the defeat graciously, congratulating Curran and saying “that’s what I get for leaving it up to the judges.”

The night also featured an impressive statement from Megumi Fujii, the consensus No. 1-ranked female fighter in the world, who improved her pro MMA record to an impressive 20-0 with a third round TKO of Missouri-based jiu-jitsu specialist Sarah Schneider in the evening’s “Female Showcase Fight.”

Schneider turned in a gutsy performance to survive the first two rounds but Fujii took the fight to the ground early on in Round 3, moved quickly to full mount and unleashed a rapid-fire ground-and-pound that forced the stoppage at 1:58. It was Fujii’s first-ever TKO and she admitted afterwards that she was “very surprised” not to have won via submission.

The win cemented Fujii’s position as the overwhelming favorite in Bellator’s upcoming Season 3 women’s tournament, despite the inclusion of a bevy of the world’s top 10 female fighters including 11-1 British tae-kwon-do black belt Rosi Sexton (the world’s No. 1-ranked 125 lbs. female), 12-5 Seattle submission artist Lisa Ward and 7-0 Southern California striker Jessica Pene.

“I will show my skills and I will be the champion,” Fujii told Bellator TV commentator Jimmy Smith after her fight, which also marked her first appearance on national television in the U.S.

In the evening’s first televised bout, a “Heavyweight Showcase Fight,” Seattle-area native Mike “300” Hayes (12-3-1) overcame a 30-pound weight disadvantage to win a unanimous decision victory over former Arena Football League player Steve Banks (4-3). The southpaw Banks used his size to claim the center of the cage and control the fight during Round 1, but he began showing signs of serious fatigue early on in Round 2. Hayes used his superior conditioning to control the fight the rest of the way and earn his fourth straight victory.

Later, in a “Bantamweight Feature Fight,” Philadelphia brawler Zack Makovsky (9-2) defeated local fan favorite and American Top Team product Eric Luke (4-3) with a crafty kimura submission at 4:28 into Round 2. With the win, Makovsky earned a spot in Bellator’s upcoming eight-man Season 3 Bantamweight Tournament.

The event also played host to four Local Feature Fights, a sampling of which will be aired at Bellator.com beginning this Sunday as part of Bellator’s ongoing “Sunday Night Fights” promotion. The results of the local fights were:

- Brian Eckstein def. Mitchell Chamale via unanimous decision
- Moyses Gabin def. Chris Boffil via rear-naked choke submission (4:41)
- Sabah Homasi def. Frank Carrillo via TKO (13:36)
- Luis Palomino def. Jose Figueroa via unanimous decision

Fans who missed Thursday night’s action can watch all the best moments this weekend during special highlight shows on NBC, Telemundo and the cable network mun2. Check your local listings for exact dates and times.

Bellator returns to action next Thursday night from the Kansas City Power & Light District, where former NCAA wrestling champion and U.S. Olympian Ben Askren faces MMA rising star Dan Hornbuckle in the championship round of Bellator’s Season 2 Welterweight Tournament.

For more information, visit www.Bellator.com follow us on Twitter @BellatorMMA or on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/BellatorMMA.

Matrix Fights (www.MatrixFights.com) announced Wednesday that Philadelphia native Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison, a current World Extreme Cage Fighting competitor, will be fighting in his home town for the first-time ever this Friday night at The Arena (formerly the ECW Arena).

“Just like our first show in February when we added Cole Konrad to the fight card as a late addition, we spent a great deal of energy trying to come up with a last-minute surprise for Matrix II on June 11,” said Matrix President Jimmy Binns Jr. “When we found out that the WEC was allowing Anthony to take a fight outside of the organization, we seized the opportunity to add him to the card.”

Morrison, 14-9, is looking to return to his winning ways in hopes of making his return to a WEC event sooner rather than later. However, he will be taking a great risk on Friday night in Philadelphia when he squares off against Nick “The Ghost” Gonzalez, 15-9, a competitor who is no stranger to having competed on major shows following stints in EliteXC, Strikeforce, and the Bellator Fighting Championships.

“We didn’t just want to put Anthony on the card for the sake of having him on the card. We wanted a high-caliber fight,” said Matrix promoter Phil Migliarese. “Nick and Anthony are very similar. Their records are almost identical; both are hungry for a shot to return to the national stage; and both like to stand and bang. It’s going to be a war.”

The Morrison vs. Gonzalez bout further bolsters a pro card that includes rising middleweight prospect Tim Williams (302 BJJ/Balance Studios) taking on striking specialist Tiawan Howard (a late replacement for Woody Weatherby); undefeated light heavyweight Tim Carpenter (Balance Studios) going against Team Bombsquad member Guybson Sa; Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Brylan Van Artsdalen (Daddis Fight Camps) vs. Shane Hutchison of Team Devastation; and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Alexandre “Popo” Bezerra (Roberto Godoi)vs. Brett Roth.

In addition to the five scheduled pro fights, Matrix Fights II will also feature of the strongest amateur cards in Pennsylvania since the state first legalized mixed martial arts in 2008.

The event will feature the mixed martial arts debut of highly decorated grappler Azunna “Zu” Anyanwu (BJJ United) of Ben Salem, PA; the return of 2007 WKA amateur Muay Thai champion Andria Caplan (Daddis Fight Camps); former United States Marine Luis Vazquez; and undefeated bantamweight Matt Freideborn (Daddis Fight Camps).

Tickets to Friday’s event are still on sale and can be purchased via MatrixFights.com.

Following his six second knockout loss on May 13 to Hector Lombard in a nationally televised bout, Jay Silva will not compete for Matrix Fights (www.MatrixFights.com) on June 11 at “The Arena” in Philadelphia as had been previously scheduled.

Replacing Silva against rising East Coast middleweight prospect Tim Williams will be New Hampshire native, Woody “The Dynasty” Weatherby, 8-3.

Weatherby, renowned for his strong striking ability, will compete for the first time since appearing on the current eleventh season of the hit Spike TV reality show The Ultimate Fighter.

Weatherby is a former Naval officer who currently splits his time as a corrections officer for the Hillsborough County Jail in Manchester, NH while also training MMA at both the Renzo Gracie Academy in Derry, NH and Mickey Ward’s Boxing Gym.

Williams is 3-0 since turning pro last November following an outstanding amateur career that saw him post a perfect 6-0 record with six early stoppages. All three of Williams’ pro fights have ended in the first round, with his most recent victory, a first round submission win over Joey Kirwan, earning him the Locked in the Cage middleweight title.

On June 11, Weatherby will represent Williams’ toughest test to date.

“Timmy has never lost a fight as a pro or amateur,” remarked Matrix Fights promoter Phil Migliarese. “He doesn’t know what it means to fail. Being so dominant everyone is talking about him on the East Coast. But to the rest of the country, he’s still a well kept secret. A win over Weatherby would change everything for him overnight.”

The night’s co-main event will also feature undefeated light heavyweight prospect Tim Carpenter, 5-0, taking on Guybson Sa, 1-0, who trains out of the renowned Team Bomb Squad. Carpenter, a black belt under Phil and Ricardo Migliarese, is 1-0 since returning to active competition following an extended hiatus due to injury.

Following a unanimous decision victory this past February against Rich Lictawa at an Adrenaline MMA event, Carpenter immediately returned to the radar of most major MMA organizations. A second straight win could propel him from the regional circuit and onto the national scene.

Also featured on the pro card for Matrix Fights II on June 11 will be Brylan Van Artsdalen, who recently made his professional debut on a nationally televised Bellator Fighting Championships event at the Mohegan Sun Hotel & Casino in Uncasville, CT.

“Brylan is coming off a tough loss, but it was a fight he was clearly winning,” said Matrix Fights President Jimmy Binns. “Not every fighter can say they made their debut for a major national promotion televised on Fox Sports Net, NBC, and Telemundo. But Brylan was one of the top ranked amateurs in the country and earned that spot. I know losing a fight that he was dominating must be frustrating to him but on June 11 he’ll get his chance to make things right.”

The undercard will feature a stacked lineup of top rated amateurs from renowned schools and academies such as Daddis Fight Camps, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu United, and Balance Studios. Additionally, the undercard will feature the first ever female MMA bout in Matrix history when Andria Caplan returns to the cage against Jennifer Martin.

Caplan, who has been featured in the past on MMAjunkie.com and most recently in the Philadelphia City Paper, is a former WKA Amateur Muay Thai Champion as well as a multi-time Grappler’s Quest Champion.

Making her MMA debut last August on a nationally televised M-1 Global event, Caplan will be looking to redeem herself after losing to ISCF amateur MMA champion Mollie Ahlers-Estes. Soon after the bout it was disclosed that Caplan fought with a torn MCL.

Standing in her way will be the Elmira, New York native Martin, a amateur MMA champion who is also the number two ranked amateur female featherweight fighter in the country, according to the ISCF.

For more information and to order tickets, please visit the official Matrix Fights website at www.MatrixFights.com.

Disclaimer: Sam Caplan is the majority owner of FiveOuncesOfPain.com and is an employee of Matrix Fights. Andria Caplan is also his wife.

I’m not sure if you know this or not; but ALL 3 of our camp clinicians are world-class bjj black belt instructors. They’ve got the most exciting, fun-filled and technically sound instruction…and they will be sharing it all with you.

We’re calling it the “All-Star Line-Up”. And you’re personally invited to be a part of it.

Now before I go into detail about all the benefit’s The Good Fight bjj camp will offer you let me give you some bottom line, time-sensitive information.

Number One…Space is limited and right now I’ve only got 36 SPOTS LEFT! So if you want in, you’ve got to register right away.

Number Two…The Good Fight 2010 Gi & No-Gi Jiu Jitsu Summer Camp will be held the weekend of July 30, 31 & August 1st. So, if you think you would like to register I would encourage you to get out your calendar and block this weekend out because I know how hectic summer scheduling is.

Number Three…the full camp tuition is priced at $495 and is an all-inclusive price. That means it covers your lodging for 2 nights (based on double occupancy); 5 complete meals (Friday dinner; Saturday breakfast, lunch & dinner; Sunday breakfast); and 6 All-Star bjj training sessions with 3 of the top black belt instructors around.

Number Four…The Good Fight 2010 camp will be held at the Holiday Inn: Philadelphia South located at 1 Pureland Drive in Swedesboro, NJ 08085.

Number Five…You’ve got to be willing to have fun and enjoy hanging out with fellow grapplers ‘cause this camp is sure to be a blast! So no egos & no tough-guy attitudes. Myself, the instructors and the participants ALL want to make this bjj camp as fun and rewarding as possible.

Holiday Inn: 1 Pureland Dr.
Swedesboro, NJ 08085
MAP

More information on the official site.

Press Conference

“Moosin: God of Martial Arts” PPV card stacked from top to bottom

Sylvia-Pudzianowski headlines May 21 at DCU Center in Worcester

WORCESTER, Mass. (May 14, 2010) – The first major mixed-martial-arts show in Massachusetts history, the May 21st “Moosin: God of Martial Arts” pay-per-view event, offers much more than the much-anticipated super heavyweight showdown between 2-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim“Maine-iac” Sylvia and 5-time World’s Strong Man, Mariusz“Dominator” Pudzianowski, at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Fans in attendance, as well as PPV viewers, will watch entertaining fights featuring many of the leading MMA fighters in the world. The main event between Sylvia (25-6-0), a native of Eastbrook, Maine, and Polish sports icon Pudzianowski, promises to climax an evening of explosive action.

“God of Martial Arts” is being presented by Moosin, the South Korea-based promotional company, which has promoted MMA shows in South Korea and the United States. Moosin, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, plans expansion into to China, Poland and Australia.

“God of Martial Arts” is being distributed by Integrated Sports Media at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in North America on cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN and DISH Network, as well as Viewer’s Choice, Bell TV and Shaw PPV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95 (also available in HD). It is also available on www.GoFightLive.TV outside of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Poland.

Korean heavyweight Mu Bae “The Heavy Tank of Busan” Choi (9-4-0) meets veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff (59-14-0) in the co-main event. Choi is a former Greco-Roman wrestling champion, who has fought in Pride and Sengoku, making his U.S. debut. One of the most experienced MMA fighters in the world, Wiuff was a 2-time NJCAA All-American wrestler whose MMA victims include former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez and other UFC fighters such as Keith Jardine, Sean Salmon and Chris Tuchscherer, in addition to former IFL titlist Matt Horwich.

Brazilian middleweight Rafael “Sapo” Natal (11-2-0) takes on The Ultimate Fighter 4 winner Travis “The Serial Killer” Lutter (10-5-0) in a match between Brazilian Jui-Jitsu specialists. Natal, representing Gracie Fusion, started out fighting
in the art of Capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian style using a lot of sweeps and kicks. A BJJ black belt, Lutter gained fame by winning TUF4, defeating Patrick Cote in the finale with an arm-bar. The experienced Lutter has fought Anderson Silva,
Rich Franklin and Matt Lindland.

Bahamian lightweight Yves “The Texas Gunslinger” Edwards (37-15-1) squares-off against rising New England star Mike “The Beast” Campbell (7-2-0). An all-around fighter, Edwards, has fought all over the world, including Pride and Bodog, and the Texas resident has registered wins versus the likes of Rich Clementi and Hermes Franco (twice). Providence-native Campbell, who was a potential Olympian in power lifting, outgrew the New England MMA circuit and is ready for the larger stage.

A special attraction features two of the premier female MMA fighters in the U.S., Tara LaRosa (18-1-0) and Roxy Modafferi (13-4-0), at a 130-pound catch-weight, in a rematch of their March 4, 2006 fight that LaRosa won by decision. Modafferi, however, has defeated (submission by triangle choke in 2005) the only woman to ever defeat LaRosa, Jennifer Howe, by TKO (punches) in 2003.

The non-PPV scheduled part of the Moosin show also has worldwide appeal yet features several local favorites on the undercard: Korean light heavyweight Chang Seob Lee (2-4-0) vs. Lukasz “Juras” Jurkowski (5-6-0), Clinton’s Matt Lee (11-8-1) vs. Bridgewater’s Brett Oteri (5-0-0) in a match-up of Massachusetts lightweights, unbeaten Worcester (Mass.) welterweight Ralph Johnson vs. NAAFS champion Forrest “The Meat Clever” Petz (23-7-0 undefeated Rockland (Mass.) heavyweight Paul Barry(3-0-0) vs. Stipe Miocic (1-0-0),Stoughton (Mass.) middleweight Fred “French Foot Fighter” Belleton (6-2-0) vs. Anthony “The Recipe” Lapsley(14-5-0).

Also, fan favorite Eric “Butterbean” Esch (98-18-5, all-fighting) squares-off against former Boston Bruins enforcer and popular WAAF sports personality, Lyndon “LB” Byers, in a charity fundraiser. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $35.75, $55.75, $75.75, $150.75 and $250.75, are on sale at the DCU Center Box Office (50 Foster St., Worcester, MA), all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1.800.745.3000.

Doors open at 7:30 PM/ET, first bout 8:00 PM/ET, first PPV bout 9 PM/ET (6 PM/PT). Go to www.MoosinUSA.com or www.dcucenter.com for additional information. For odds on the fights go to http://betus.com.

Moosin: A global event promoter based out of Seoul, South Korea, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, Moosin is known for bringing fans the finest in mixed martial arts competition. Moosin is revolutionizing
the MMA industry by merging an international roster of talented fighters with recognizable stars from the world or music, sports and popular culture. Moosin pits warrior against warrior, featuring a hybrid of MMA and hard-hitting Moosin-style kickboxing, in hand-to-hand battles of skill, honor and art.

DCU Center: A multi-purpose arena and convention center uniquely designed to accommodate the needs of any size group from 15 to 15,000 DCU Center is owned by the City of Worcester and managed by SMG, the world’s leading private management and developing firm for public assembly facilities. Headquartered on Philadelphia, SMG provides management services to over 200 public assembly facilities internationally and also offers food and beverage operations through SAVOR…Catering by SMG. For more information, please visit www.dcucenter.com.

Integrated Sports Media:North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Ricky Hatton, Christian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Kahn, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr., and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA, as well as World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.

Press Release

Polish Power invades America Pudzianowski all in vs. Sylvia headlining “Moosin: God of Martial Arts” PPV event May 21 at DCU Center in Worcester.

WORCESTER, Mass. (May 12, 2010) – In only his third professional mixed-martial-arts fight, iconic Polish powerhouse Mariusz “Dominator” Pudzianowski makes his U.S. debut against former 2-time UFC heavyweight champion Tim “Maine-iac” Sylvia, headlining the May 21st “Moosin: God of Martial Arts” pay-per-view event, at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Pudzianowski, 5-time World’s Strongest Man, is arguably the most popular Polish sports personality today, even hotter than boxer Tomasz Adamek, Formula One driver Robert Kubica, tennis player Agnieszka Radwanska, swimmer Otylia Jedrzejczak and NBA player Marcin Gortat.

The 6-1, 275-pound chiseled Pudzianowski practices karate, boxing and even finished second last year in Poland’s version of “Dancing With The Stars.” Taking on a super heavyweight such as the 6-8, 300-pound Sylvia (25-6-0), however, rates as an ambitious challenge for the relatively inexperienced Pudzianowski.

Sylvia (25-6-0), a native of Eastbrook, Maine, has defeated many of the top MMA heavyweights and super heavyweights – Andrei Arlovski (2) Brandon Vera, Jeff Monson, Wes Sims, Ricco Rodriguez, Mike Whitehead (2), Ben Rothwell and Jason Lambert. He believes that, if the Polish strongman and his team agreed to fight him this early in Mariusz’ MMA career, they must feel that he is over-the-hill in the cage.

Why fight Sylvia in only his third pro MMA fight? “First of all,” the 33-year-old Mariusz answered, “I’m not getting any younger. On a more serious note, though, I need to know as soon as possible what my strengths and weaknesses are fighting an established named fighter like Sylvia. My latest fight (last Saturday night in Poland) versus (Yusuke) Kawaguchi was worth every penny as a part of my MMA education (Mariusz won a 2-round decision against an opponent who was 11-1 going into the fight). Sylvia is the next logical step on my way to a world championship. I believe in learning by doing things.

“Sylvia brings experience, which I obviously don’t have, and he can punch. He is tall and has a long reach. I would like to use his strengths as his weaknesses, but I don’t want to talk too much about this. No extra tips from me, no way. I am somebody who will never quit. He has to knock me out cold to win. There’s no other way. I will fight a more disciplined fight than my last one, for sure, but I will still be fun to watch. I’m fighting for fans in order to give them good entertainment for their money.

“Fighting on in the United States and on pay-per-view is very significant. The USA is the birthplace of the real MMA, where the whole craziness started and now, in the age of the Internet and satellite TV, everything is global. I have a lot of fans in the U.S., not only Polish fans who always show-up to support their countrymen. It’s a global exposure and this is one of the reasons why I wanted to fight Tim – to gain recognition.”

“God of Martial Arts” is being presented by Moosin, the South Korea-based promotional company, which has promoted MMA shows in South Korea and the United States. Moosin, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, plans expansion into to China, Poland and Australia.

Pudzianowski has the rare combination of power, evident as a 5-time World’s Strongest Man, as well as the footwork and dexterity of a ballroom dancer. “MMA and ballroom dancing are both hard,” Mariusz added. “Both need dedication, depending on what you like, and I got tired training for dancing. But it wasn’t for me in the long run. The whole ‘Dancing With The Stars’ competition was a nice distraction, but, I prefer more manly endeavors.

“I never attempt any competition, dancing included, not thinking that I will win. It’s not in my nature. My fight with Sylvia will not be an exception. Losing to him is not even an option for me. This time the judges will not be needed.”

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).

A special female attraction features two of the premier women MMA fighters in the U.S., Tara LaRosa (18-1-0) and Roxy Modafferi (13-4-0), at a 130-pound catch-weight.

“God of Martial Arts” is being distributed by Integrated Sports Media at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in North America on cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN and DISH Network, as well as Viewer’s Choice, Bell TV and Shaw PPV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95 (also available in HD). It is also available on www.GoFightLive.TV outside of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Poland.

The show has worldwide appeal but also features several local favorites on the undercard: Korean light heavyweight Chang Seob Lee (2-4-0) vs. Lukasz “Juras” Jurkowski (5-6-0), Clinton’s Matt Lee (11-8-1) vs. Bridgewater’s Brett Oteri (5-0-0) in a match-up of Massachusetts lightweights, unbeaten Worcester (Mass.) welterweight Ralph Johnson vs. NAAFS champion Forrest “The Meat Clever” Petz (23-7-0 undefeated Rockland (Mass.) heavyweight Paul Barry(3-0-0) vs. Stipe Miocic (1-0-0),Stoughton (Mass.) middleweight Fred “French Foot Fighter” Belleton (6-2-0) vs. Anthony “The Recipe” Lapsley(14-5-0).

Also, fan favorite Eric “Butterbean” Esch (98-18-5, all-fighting) squares-off against former Boston Bruins enforcer and popular WAAF sports personality, Lyndon “LB” Byers, in a charity fundraiser. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $35.75, $55.75, $75.75, $150.75 and $250.75, are on sale at the DCU Center Box Office (50 Foster St., Worcester, MA), all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1.800.745.3000.

Doors open at 7:30 PM/ET, first bout 8:00 PM/ET, first PPV bout 9 PM/ET (6 PM/PT). Go to www.MoosinUSA.com or www.dcucenter.com for additional information. For odds on the fights go to http://partners.betus.com.

Moosin: A global event promoter based out of Seoul, South Korea, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, Moosin is known for bringing fans the finest in mixed martial arts competition. Moosin is revolutionizing the MMA industry by merging an international roster of talented fighters with recognizable stars from the world or music, sports and popular culture. Moosin pits warrior against warrior, featuring a hybrid of MMA and hard-hitting Moosin-style kickboxing, in hand-to-hand battles of skill, honor and art.

DCU Center: A multi-purpose arena and convention center uniquely designed to accommodate the needs of any size group from 15 to 15,000 DCU Center is owned by the City of Worcester and managed by SMG, the world’s leading private management and developing firm for public assembly facilities. Headquartered on Philadelphia, SMG provides management services to over 200 public assembly facilities internationally and also offers food and beverage operations through SAVOR…Catering by SMG. For more information, please visit www.dcucenter.com.

Integrated Sports Media:North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Ricky Hatton, Christian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Kahn, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr., and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA, as well as World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.

Xande Ribeiro watches from the sidelines at a 2009 Grapplers Quest in San Diego.

So much to talk about this week on our humble Brazilian jiu-jitsu internet radio show! This week brought a lot of chatter about the convergence of BJJ and yoga. So we brought on Phil Migliarese, of Balance Studios in Philadelphia. Phil’s been a subject matter expert in both yoga and jiu-jitsu forever, having practiced both for over twenty years. (He was also one of our first ever guests on The FightWorks Podcast, for those who remember back that far!) Phil will share some insights on the best steps jiu-jitsu folks should take if they’re making the wise move of trying yoga. More of his work can be found on Yoga for Fighters.com.

We’ll also speak with Xande Ribeiro, the two-time black belt adult absolute champion in International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation competition (and four time champion in his weight class). Xande has been absent from jiu-jitsu competition for two years, as he was pursuing a career in mixed martial arts. For the time being that plan is on hold according to a blog post from Xande earlier this week. We met Xande at the University of Jiu-Jitsu in San Diego and discussed his return to action. As you’ll hear in the conversation, he is pursuing his third absolute title, which will be a record for anyone! But his old friend Roger Gracie has the same dream this year, setting the stage for a very exciting 2010 BJJ World Championship!

Finally we catch up with Brazilian jiu-jitsu researcher Alex Rosenstein. Earlier this year Rosenstein began work on his thesis for his graduate program in psychology, investigating character traits in jiu-jitsu practitioners. He returns to The FightWorks Podcast this week to share his results, and discuss future wishes for ongoing study into what makes Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners different from others. If you are interested in his work you can connect with him on the website for his research.

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (recommended)
[mp3] Download the show

Press Release

WORCESTER, Mass. (April 27, 2010) – 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 (25-6-0) in the super heavyweight main event, headlining the first major mixed-martial-arts show in Massachusetts history, “God of Martial Arts” pay-per-view event, at the DCU Center in Worcester.

“God of Martial Arts” is being presented by Moosin, the South Korea-based promotional company, which has promoted MMA shows in South Korea and the United States. Moosin, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, plans expansion into to China, Poland and Australia.

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 addition to his feats of strength as the World’s Strongest Man, Marius practices karate and finished second in Poland’s version of “Dancing With The Stars.”

During his sensational career, Ellsworth, Maine-native Sylvia (6-8, 280 lbs.) has defeated many of the top MMA heavyweights and super heavyweights – Andrei Arlovski (2) Brandon Vera, Jeff Monson, Wes Sims, Ricco Rodriguez, Mike Whitehead (2), Ben Rothwell and Jason Lambert.

“The owner of Moosin, Mr. Oh, is an affluent Korean businessman who owns a global Yaekwon-Do company in South Korea,” Moosin’s Corey Fischer explained. “This (Moosin) isn’t about money; it’s about prestige. He wants to leave his legacy as the man who brought MMA to the forefront of the world, bringing it back to being a traditional sport. We’re coming to Massachusetts to put on the first major, sanctioned MMA show there because of its reputation for having great fight fans. ‘Butterbean’ (Eric Esch), who works with our promotional company, has fought in Worcester a few times. He loves it there and has developed a lot of good contacts in that market, too. Sylvia’s experience against Pudzianowski’s brute strength makes for a classic contrast of fighting styles. We’re going to feature some other big names, mix in some of the best talent in New England, and produce an awesome pay-per-view show.”

In the co-main event, Korean heavyweight Mu Bae “The Heavy Tank of Busan” Choi (9-4-0) battles veteran Travis “Diesel” Wiuff (59-14-0). Brazilian middleweight Rafael “Sapo” Natal (11-2-0) takes on Travis “The Serial Killer” Lutter (10-5-0), while Bahamian lightweight Yves “The Texas Gunslinger” Edwards (37-15-1) faces New England’s rising-star Mike Campbell (7-2-0).

A special female attraction has been added featuring two of the premier women MMA fighters in the U.S., Tara LaRosa (18-1-0) and Roxy Modafferi (13-4-0), at a 130-pound catch-weight.

“God of Martial Arts” is being distributed by Integrated Sports Media at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in North America on cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, TVN and DISH Network, as well as Viewer’s Choice, Bell TV and Shaw PPV in Canada, for a suggested retail price of only $29.95 (also available in HD).

The show has worldwide appeal but also features several local favorites on the undercard: Korean light heavyweight Chang Seob Lee (2-4-0) vs. Lukasz “Juras” Jurkowski (5-6-0), Clinton’s Matt Lee (11-8-1) vs. Bridgewater’s Brett Oteri (5-0-0) in a match-up of Massachusetts lightweights, unbeaten Worcester (Mass.) welterweight Ralph Johnson vs. NAAFS champion Forrest “The Meat Clever” Petz (23-7-0 undefeated Rockland (Mass.) heavyweight Paul Barry(3-0-0) vs. Stipe Miocic (1-0-0),Stoughton (Mass.) middleweight Fred “French Foot Fighter” Belleton (6-2-0) vs. Anthony “The Recipe” Lapsley(14-5-0).

Also, fan favorite Eric “Butterbean” Esch (98-18-5, all-fighting) squares-off against former Boston Bruins enforcer and popular WAAF sports personality, Lyndon “LB” Byers, in a charity fundraiser. All fights and fighters are subject to change.

Tickets, priced at $35.75, $55.75, $75.75, $150.75 and $250.75, are on sale at the DCU Center Box Office (50 Foster St., Worcester, MA), all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1.800.745.3000.

Doors open at 7:30 PM/ET, first bout 8:00 PM/ET, first PPV bout 9 PM/ET (6 PM/PT).

Moosin: A global event promoter based out of Seoul, South Korea, in conjunction with the International Taekwon-Do Federation, Moosin is known for bringing fans the finest in mixed martial arts competition. Moosin is revolutionizing the MMA industry by merging an international roster of talented fighters with
recognizable stars from the world or music, sports and popular culture. Moosin pits warrior against warrior, featuring a hybrid of MMA and hard-hitting Moosin-style kickboxing, in hand-to-hand battles of skill, honor and art.

DCU Center: A multi-purpose arena and convention center uniquely designed to accommodate the needs of any size group from 15 to 15,000 DCU Center is owned by the City of Worcester and managed by SMG, the world’s leading private management and developing firm for public assembly facilities. Headquartered on Philadelphia, SMG provides management services to over 200 public assembly facilities internationally and also offers food and beverage operations through SAVOR…Catering by SMG. For more information, please visit www.dcucenter.com.

Integrated Sports Media:North America’s leading distributor of International Pay-Per-View and Closed Circuit sports events has presented World Championship and world-class boxing matches featuring Ricky Hatton, Christian Mijares, Evander Holyfield, Roy Jones, Jr., Ivan Calderon, Rocky Martinez, Nicolai Valuev, Amir Kahn, Marco Antonio Barrera, Arthur Abraham, David Haye, John Ruiz, Wilfredo Vazquez, Jr., and Ruslan Chagaev. In addition, Integrated Sports Media distributed numerous International soccer matches showcasing teams like Club America of Mexico and the National Teams of Argentina, Honduras, El Salvador and the USA, as well as World Championship and world-class mixed martial arts shows featuring Fedor Emelianenko, Tim Sylvia, Bobby Lashley, Bob Sapp, Jeff Monson, and Roy Nelson. For more information on upcoming Integrated Sports events visit www.integratedsportsnet.com.