Spilled Bag of Fights: Phoning It In

 Posted by at 9:05 PM  Spilled Bag of Fights  3 Responses »
Jan 102011
 

Okay, Spilled Bag of Fights… here we go… Aesop Rock on the iTunes, coffee, vanilla cream cookie. Wait. Looks like we could use a refill on the coffee – hold on… Okay. Spilled Bag of Fights. Here we go… I’m writing this fucking thing on Notepad. I’m in exile, you see. No, not exile… I’m a refugee. Did I spell that right? I dunno. Fucking Notepad doesn’t have spell-check. I should just write this in e-mail…

Okay, here we are in e-mail. So, anyway, I’ve very specifically avoided writing much about me, the guy behind the bag, and try to keep it pretty focused on MMA. And since this is ostensibly an MMA wrap-up column, what better time or platform to ramble on about things that have nothing to do with MMA? Such as the fact that my room in my apartment in LA is uninhabitable due to a combination of a leaking roof and a week-and-a-half of straight rain. So, I’m in Las Vegas visiting Moms and unsure what to do next since the landlord seems to think I should pay the same amount of rent for an uninhabitable apartment as one that fulfills one of the basic requirements of a shelter – i.e.: fucking SHELTER! My contention is that if I wanted a leaky, moldy shelter, I could probably fashion one from some plastic and a cardboard box behind the auto parts store. Sure, I’d miss some of my favorite TV shows and MMA but no one would expect rent for it. So, as I wait in Vegas to find out what the response is to my “How about I don’t pay for what I’m not getting?” offer, I sit down nonetheless and write a Spilled Bag of Fights, for you, loyal readers. For you. Now, when I call the column “Phoning It In”, it’s partially because I don’t have much to write about but also a clever play on words since I asked you guys on Twitter what to write about and I put your suggestions and my responses at the end of the column… like you were phoning in… heh?! See what I did there?? eh? Continue reading »

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Understanding the Differences Between Professional and Amateur MMA Officiating

 Posted by at 8:13 AM  Features, MMA News  1 Response »
Jan 102011
 

This fighter, featured on a Supreme Promotions amateur card in September, had his fight stopped by the referee when he was locked tight in a Rear Naked Choke. He complained that the referee prematurely stopped his fight despite that fact that he was disoriented and still unable to stand for several moments afterward. (Photo courtesy of Mallory Mejia and MMA Gospel)

Following the explosion of MMA into the mainstream, small organizations from smoker fights up to regional professional promotions have been coming out of the woodwork. With them came the institution of amateur MMA. Amateur MMA exists primarily to give young fighters a chance to experience live competition prior to developing a permanent record according to the athletic commissions. It allows the participants to learn how to handle the adrenaline dump and stresses associated with entering a live combat situation with a cold heart and also give them a chance to build a resume for the professional organizations that they will soon be asking to pay them for their efforts. However, like all things in life, there are negatives to go with the positives of amateur competition. Those include promoters who exploit fighters who fight for free, safety issues with less capable doctors and medical personnel and less reliable insurance due to lower budgets, and perhaps worst of all, fans who can’t quite draw the line between amateur and professional competition. Continue reading »

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Cut Throat MMA: A New Regional Player in the Chicagoland Area?

 Posted by at 5:35 PM  MMA News  1 Response »
Nov 242010
 

Cut Throat MMA has a few kinks to work out when it comes to dealing with the various quirks of the athletic commissions, however they still managed to put on a November 6 card that rivals any other regional MMA promotion. (Photo courtesy of Mallory Mejia)

Cut Throat MMA was featured as the very first installment of MMA Gospel’s Amateur Spotlight Series in July. The long running Chicago amateur MMA promotion received high scores from MMA Gospel and was lauded as an organization that many professional shows could learn from. On November 6, 2010, Cut Throat MMA made the transition from local amateur promotion to regional pro/am competitor. MMA Gospel was on hand at the Hammond Civic Center in Hammond, Indiana to witness the promotion grow in the sport just as many of its fighters have in the past. As with all major transitions, there were some growing pains for Cut Throat that put the solid two-show-a-month promotion to the test and it will be for the fans to judge whether or not they passed. The card featured the same even matchmaking and focus on the fighters that Cut Throat has brought amateurs in the past and if they continue along those lines, Cut Throat should be a solid alternative to the XFO for regional professional fighters within the next few years. Continue reading »

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EA Sports, Sherdog, and Strikeforce Team Up for MMA Fighter Exchange Program

 Posted by at 5:36 PM  MMA News  2 Responses »
Oct 122010
 

Just one week before the highly anticipated XBox 360 and PS3 game EA Sports’ MMA hits stores on October 19, the people at EA Sports and Sherdog have teamed up to offer a unique training experience called “Sherdog MMA Fighter Exchange”.

The program closely follows the Career Mode featured in the game, where one’s fighter trains under some of the best martial artists in the world. In EA Sports’ MMA’s Career Mode experience, fighters can travel the globe to learn new techniques and disciplines from top MMA trainers like “The Natural” Randy Couture (19-10), Pat Miletich (29-7-2), Rickson Gracie (11-0), and “El Guapo” Bas Rutten (28-4-1).  EA Sports’ MMA is the only game of its kind, allowing players and fans to go beyond the cage and around the world to experience different fighting environments, rule sets, and training locations. Continue reading »

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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Three Strike Combo to Body Lock Takedown

 Posted by at 7:30 PM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Oct 062010
 

Ed Perdomo returns with the next arch in MMA Gospel’s Technique of the Week.  During this arch, Ed will work with Bob Berard to show how techniques work with different body types.  This week focuses on the importance of blending. Where the majority of MMA fighters fall short, all the way up to the top of the UFC food chain, is they fail to effectively use the various facets of MMA together. You can often see a fighter “switch” between “striking mode” “wrestling mode” and “grappling mode” throughout a bout. You then watch that same fighter get out wrestled when he’s a wrestler or out struck when he’s a kick boxer and this is often due to his “inferior” opponent using the other facets of his game to supplement the deficits in their other areas.   Now without further fanfare, Ed Perdomo demonstrates a body log takedown and pass to back mount using strikes to set up every transition.

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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Armbar from Back Control

 Posted by at 6:26 PM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Sep 302010
 

MMA Gospel’s Technique of the Week returns this week with the end of the three move chain that started with a simple outside leg trip takedown.  This week, Hapkido master Ed Perdomo and his assistant Johnny Rodriguez demonstrate an armbar submission from back control, using Johnny’s defense against last weeks rear naked choke as the set up.  As with every move in our Technique of the Week chains, the move this week is directly influenced by the technique covered in the previous weeks article.  Here at MMA Gospel, we are dedicated to building better fighters and a more informed fan base through detailed descriptions of how the techniques we see in the cage work.  Continue reading »

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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Rear Naked Choke off Scarf-hold Scramble Defense

 Posted by at 9:29 PM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Sep 222010
 
This week, MMA Gospel’s Technique of the Week explores the counter to the most common defense of last weeks arm triangle.  There is a point in every technique where you are most vulnerable to counter.  In last weeks technique, it comes as you pass from half guard into scarf-hold position.  During this pass, the easiest escape is to simply sit up and roll to create a scramble.  We can use this to our advantage by turning the opponents attempt to create a scramble into an open door to take their back.  Here Ed Perdomo and Johnny Rodriguez will show us how allowing our opponent to sit up lets us turn into their back, solidify our control and move into a rear naked choke. Continue reading »
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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Kosoto Gake Sweep to Arm-Triangle Submission

 Posted by at 3:20 AM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Sep 152010
 

The MMA Gospel Technique of the Week for this week starts and entire new three technique chain.  Again we turn to 4th degree Hapkido black belt Ed Perdomo and student instructor  Johnny Rodriguez to guide our readers through the details of how to string basic techniques into killer submission chains that win fights in the cage.  This week, we use a jab to set up a very basic but often successful small outside leg hook (Kosoto Gake) and follow it through to an arm-triangle choke from the scarf-hold position.  These two techniques are presented as one because the most common result of an outside trip is to land in half-guard. This only happens because the average fighter thinks takedown, position, submission in three steps.  Using the takedown with the intention of moving directly into the choke as in this example forces the user to begin executing his pass to side mount or scarf-hold during the takedown instead of after.  This ensures you land in side mount every time you use the sweep.    Continue reading »

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Amateur Spotlight Chicago: Supreme Promotions: Rumble at the Roundhouse II

 Posted by at 1:22 AM  Amateur Spotlight, MMA News  No Responses »
Sep 152010
 
Tommy Benson (left) squares off against Jerald Williams (right) at Rumble at the Roundhouse 2. (Photo courtesy of Mallory Mejia)

On the anniversary of our nation’s darkest hour, MMA Gospel was a guest of Jim Jackson and Nic Thompson at the historic Walter Payton’s Roundhouse in Aurora, IL.  This event, Rumble at the Roundhouse 2 (RRH2), was the third offering of the fledgling Chicago based Supreme Promotions.  It was a very solid showing, especially for a promotion with only a year of experience, and brought some very unique concepts to the table.  The venue (a micro brewery, restaurant, and bar built in an old high-end train station) was amazing.  After walking in through the micro-brewery to the upscale jazz bar, the fans enter an open courtyard where they either sit on the flat topped stone work, the well manicured grass, at the full service bar near the entrance, or, for VIP ticket holders, at one of several high chaired tables.  A full wait staff serves the fans, meaning they have no need to risk missing any of the action when it’s time for another beer.  Around the edge of the venue were the booths for Supreme’s multitude of local sponsors including a display with a BMW and three custom Harleys. In the center of the courtyard is a raised hexagonal gazebo where Supreme placed a six-sided cage. That’s where the fairy tale venue met reality.  The gazebo was small, which means the fighters had to compete in a tiny hexagonal cage that was 14 feet at the most.  Also, the gazebo floor was so high that when the fight hit the ground, fans were forced to stand in order to see even a glimpse of the action.  Supreme made sure that judges, camera men, and photographers were positioned behind the gazebo’s posts, keeping them out of the fans line of view, but the small size of the gazebo left the area looking a bit cluttered. There were also a few issues with the officials, record keeping, and matchmaking for the promotion.  MOMMIE  has the details.    Continue reading »

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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Scissor Sweep from Triangle Defense

 Posted by at 3:04 PM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Sep 092010
 

This week for the MMA Gospel Technique of the Week, we come to the conclusion of our first three attack arch.  Ed Perdomo will now demonstrate how stringing multiple basic submission attempts together maximizes the effectiveness of even the most simple and easily defended techniques.  Johnny Rodriguez began this series  sitting back in a solid base inside of Ed’s guard, ready to pass or pound his way to victory.  Now, after defending first an arm bar attempt then a triangle switch, we see that his base has been disrupted and the control of his balance is firmly in the hands of his opponent.  This scissor sweep is one of the most easily defended sweeps, but after the two previous attacks have weakened his base, Johnny has almost no chance of stopping it. Continue reading »

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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Triangle Choke from Armbar Defense

 Posted by at 6:17 PM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  No Responses »
Sep 012010
 
MMA Gospel’s Technique of the Week endeavors to provide more than just individual submission holds, defenses, sweeps, and passes to our readers.  We want to provide a deeper understanding of the action fans see and to provide young fighters with working knowledge of how to use these techniques to greatest effect.  This week, 4th degree Hapkido Blackbelt Ed Perdomo shows our readers not just a triangle choke from the guard, but how to set that triangle as a counter to the defense of last weeks armbar attack.  Just as strikes are more effective in combos, submissions work better as part of a fluid chain of attacks than as single submission attempts.  Let’s look now at how to make an opponent pay for attempting to counter our armbar from the closed guard. Continue reading »
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MMA Gospel Technique of the Week: Armbar from the Guard

 Posted by at 10:04 PM  MMA News, Technique of the Week  2 Responses »
Aug 252010
 

For MMA Gospel’s new Technique of the Week segment, we called on 4th dan Hapkido black belt Ed Perdomo and his student and assistant instructor Johnny Rodriguez to provide our readers not just with quality grappling techniques they can take with them to the cage, but with those finer points that make specialists out of the merely proficient.  Over the next three weeks we will cover not just three techniques from the guard, but the small refinements that take them to the next level and how to chain those techniques together.  This week, Ed Perdomo demonstrates how to gain head control and establish an armbar from the closed guard.

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Amateur MMA Spotlight Chicago: G2 Fight Nights

 Posted by at 3:36 PM  Amateur Spotlight  No Responses »
Aug 242010
 

Gino DiGiulio get his hand raised following a unanimous decision victory over Shane Camp at G2 Fight Night 3 (Photo: Mallory Mejia/MMA Gospel)

On Saturday, August 21, 2010 staff photographer Mallory Mejia and I attended G2 Fight Nights: “Fight Night 3” in Tinley Park Illinois.  G2 promoter Breea Gilbert provided a 12 fight card that was both efficiently run and well matched.  They provided the estimated 700 people in attendance a professional quality show with a party atmosphere, but the promotion wasn’t without its failings.  Gilbert Grappling (G2) provided the majority of the blue corner bracket, and that’s usually a big issue.  When the promoter’s own camp provides the majority of the fighters it’s hard to believe they’re impartial. However, G2 had the good sense to use an outside matchmaker to book their fights which allowed them to book their own fighters without being open to accusations of favoritism.  They also lack the validation of an outside sanctioning and officiating body and, though they went to great lengths to ensure that they provided impartial officiating for every bout, there were some judging mishaps which could have been avoided with the use of an outside sanctioning body. The show itself was a bit overdone, with money spent on dance platforms for go-go dancers, projection screens, and a film crew that had the sole purpose of feeding the fights directly to the projection screens. While the whole of the production was centered on bringing attention to the fighters (exactly how an amateur show should be focused) these elements could have been scaled down to provide funds that were lacking in more important areas.  G2 provided pre-recorded video interviews with each fighter at the weigh-ins that played on the large projection screens prior to the fighters walk out music hitting the speakers and ensured that ring girls, vendors, and other members of the production were ghosts during walk outs, interviews, and more importantly, fights.  I simply believe that they could have done just as well with half as many dancers and one projection screen.  We know that the fans had nothing but good things to say about G2, but what does MOMMIE have to say?

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Savant Young Fight Academy and Proving Grounds 3: MMA Event August 14

 Posted by at 3:06 PM  Amateur Spotlight, MMA News  1 Response »
Aug 052010
 

Walking through the front door of the 7,000 square foot Fight Academy at 61 Valley Street in the tony, Mercedes filled neighborhood of South Pasadena, California I was immediately struck by two things; the cool urban feel of the graffiti art on the walls and the hip hop tracks playing in the background.  It was clear the Fight Academy was different from the standard Dojo or gym layout that many of us are familiar with. This was not the generic, white walled, mall location Karate Academy full of heavy bags. It is instead a large converted industrial warehouse with 20 foot ceilings and exposed beams. The cavernous space holds a regulation MMA cage, two boxing ring style practice areas, heavy bags, a massive mat area fills the center of the floor with the cardio equipment at the back.

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Amateur Spotlight Chicago: MMASF Team USA

 Posted by at 2:51 PM  Amateur Spotlight, MMA News  5 Responses »
Aug 042010
 

Team Australia's Joey Luciano lands a kick to the body of Team USA's Alex White. (Photo: Mallory Mejia)

On July 31, 2010, the Mixed Martial Arts Sport Federation in collaboration with Team Z Martial Arts came to Bridgeview, IL’s Toyota Center for the international amateur MMA competition Team USA vs. The World.  With such a prestigious sounding event on the pass for amateur fighters, MMA Gospel absolutely had to attend.  When I arrived, I found a very unusual animal indeed.  The production reminded me of a 1970’s boxing event, complete with shills in the crowd raising chants for the home team and an early focus on the accolades and achievements of promoter Rob Zbilski.  Each team was brought out one at a time to hear the presentation of their respective country’s national anthem, after which three separate martial arts masters took turns introducing the promoter before he made a short speech.  The overall production of the fights was nothing short of top class, but there were a few elephants in the living room that I feel must be addressed.   Continue reading »

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