July 30, 2008
The Cage MMA Academy in Reading announced today that they are now open two mornings -- Monday and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM for Open Mat, and expect to offer additional days in the future.
July 29, 2008
Philadelphia Fight Factory stand-out Eddie Alvarez defeated Japanese star Tatsuya Kawajiri at 7:35 of the opening round at Dream 5 in Japan last weekend, but was unable to compete in the championship finals due to the damage he sustained to his right eye during the fight.
July 28, 2008
Six2Forty Television produces sports related reality TV shows. Their latest project, El Gran Peleador, is an MMA reality TV show taped recently in Central America, featuring 16 Latin-American mixed martial artists from countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico. The show captures the true lives of Latino MMA fighters as they train and compete for a chance to win $20,000. Diego Jimenez of Anthracite Combat Club in Schuylkill Haven was summoned to participate in this great opportunity. The 3-1 natural featherweight is a Combat in the Cage, Extreme Challenge and SportFighting veteran. The Columbian defeated current Battle Cage Xtreme featherweight champion Steve Deangelis early in his MMA career and has seen just one loss by submission to Wilson Reis, a world champion BJJ black belt. Check out a trailer for El Gran Peleador here.
July 27, 2008
Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Telford is competing for the Best Martial Arts Academy in the greater Philadelphia area on the Fox Philly Hot List. A certified black belt academy under the Royler Gracie-David Adiv Jiu-Jitsu Team, RDBJJA is lead by BJJ black belt Rosendo Diaz. The academy is committed to providing each student with quality instruction in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu within a friendly atmosphere. This cutting edge art famous for it's devastating ground fighting techniques also implements methods for throwing, self-defense, and Vale-Tudo. Whether you are an experienced martial artist wishing to add grappling to your arsenal, or a beginner looking to learn to protect yourself, you will find the Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy a premier school in the greater Philadelphia area for all your training needs. Diaz received his black belt in 2003, after training with Gracie and Adiv for over 10 years. Diaz has an extensive training background in the Martial Arts with over 25 years experience. He was the defensive tactics instructor for the Montgomery Co. Sheriff’s Dept. during the late 90’s. He also travels throughout the country and abroad teaching the RGDA curriculum. Check out all the academies vying for top spot here.
July 26, 2008
Anthony "2 Much" Williams of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Christian "Gypsy" Corley of Lehigh Valley MMA in Catasauqua for the USKA Muay Thai Super Middleweight Championship tonight at the Fleetwood Community Center, located at 110 Arch Street, in Fleetwood. Williams' Muay Thai roots can be traced back to early 2000 and K-1 champion Maurice Smith. Corley has trained and competed internationally. Williams is the Muay Thai instructor at The Cage MMA Academy, while Corley instructs at LVIRK MMA Academy.
July 25, 2008
TriState MMA/BJJ will host a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Gi) seminar with 2nd degree BJJ black belt and 2007 Master Men’s World BJJ Champion Regis Lebre on Sunday, August 17, from 11:00AM to 1:00PM at their Milford academy. The cost is just $70.00 per person. All affiliations are welcome. Private lessons with Lebre are available, and must be scheduled in advance by calling James at 570.242.4650. TriState MMA/BJJ is located inside the Old Milford School House at 201 West Harford Street.
July 24, 2008
Wilson Reis of Philadelphia faces Brian Caraway of Washington in a featherweight fight this Saturday in EliteXC on Showtime. The undefeated Sao Paulo native is a BJJ black belt who will probably look for a submission win over Caraway who has won nine fights by submission.
July 23, 2008
The New Breed Fighters matchmaker has been busy this week securing replacement fighters and adding new fights to their upcoming card at the House of Blues in Atlantic City on Saturday, August 9. Mike Bishop (0-0) of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury makes his MMA debut against Mike Shea (2-0) of Team Quiet Storm in Reading in a light heavyweight fight. Shea has been anxiously awaiting an opponent in New Breed since his last fight in March, and who better to step up then Bishop, trained by UFC veteran Tim Boetsch. Bruce Wayne (0-1) of Royce Gracie NEPA in Scranton faces Dan Morrison (1-0) of ASF in New Jersey in another light heavyweight fight. And Joel Roberts (3-1) of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton looks to dethrone undefeated Jeff Lentz (6-0) of Rhino Fight Team in New Jersey in their super welterweight championship fight. Roberts was to fight the winner of Cozze v Lentz, originally scheduled on this card, but says "I guess there is no better time than the present." See the current card here.
July 22, 2008
Former US Navy and US Army Reserve, Randy "Da Carpenter" Danner of Team Quiet Storm in Reading, and Personal Trainer and Conditioning Coach, Ryan Derstine, of Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield, will meet in their MMA debut fight at Reality Fighting - Battle at the Beach on Saturday, August 2, at the Wildwood Convention Center in Wildwood, New Jersey. Derstine took 1st Place in No-Gi Novice Welterweight at the 2008 NAGA World Championships held earlier this year. Their fight will be at 166.9 pounds.
July 21, 2008
LionHeart MMA continued it's successful entrance into the world of professional Mixed Martial Arts with fighters accumulating an impressive 3-1 record over the weekend. Former University of Iowa wrestler Paul Bradley led the LionHeart charge by capturing the 185 lb. Destiny Fight Championship Belt with a victory over formerly undefeated professional, Dimarco Harris. Bradley used a punishing ground and pound attack to win a unanimous decision and improve his record to 7-0. At Battlefield Fighting Championships in Fredericksburg, Va., LionHeart fighters went 2-1. NCAA Champion, Phil Davis, won by submission in the second round over previously unbeaten Casey Miller at 205 lbs. Davis' college teammate, Aaron Anspach won his MMA debut with a unanimous decision over James Johnson at 265 lbs. and Lou Armezanni lost in the 185 lb. Battlefield Fighting Championship Title bout to Kris McCray by TKO. LionHeart Founder, Chad Dubin, was impressed with the performance of his fighters over the weekend. "I've been real happy with the improvement in all our fighters over the past couple months. At this point, it looks like we're right on target with the fighter development and training methods we've implemented here at LionHeart." For more information on LionHeart MMA visit www.lionheartfighters.com or call Chad Dubin at 814.280.1982.
July 20, 2008
New Breed Fighters returns to the legendary House of Blues at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Saturday, August 9, for the 11th time, offering fans four championship fights, including two featuring three fighters from Pennsylvania. At least ten additional fighters from the Keystone State see action in nine undercard fights.
Matt Nieves of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Tuan Pham of Fight Firm Elite MMA in Philadelphia for the NBF Super Lightweight championship, while Chris Wing of Wing's MMA in Trevose faces Terence McDonald of Evolutionary Martial Arts in New Jersey for the NBF Light Heavyweight championship.
Anthony Corpora of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Shane Darby of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury in a cruiserweight fight. Corpora teammates Steve Dobisesky makes his MMA debut in a heavyweight fight and Mike Shea awaits an opponent for a light heavyweight fight, while Darby teammate John Stahl fights super middleweight. Vince Gianini and Mike Vasconez of Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield see individual action, and Juan Alveriana of LionHeart Fighters in State College, and Joe Del Viscio of Fight Factory in Philadelphia fight cruiserweight, while Kyle Weaver of Team Vicious in Williamsport in an absolute fight.
July 19, 2008
The RGDA is proud to announce the opening of Harrisburg Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy located at 2214 Gettysburg Road in Camp Hill. The new academy features over 1500 square feet of training space. Newly added to the schedule is an MMA class, Wednesday's at 5:00 PM. So whether you’re looking for competition or just to learn the most effective form of self-defense, Harrisburg Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is your Central Pennsylvania answer. You're invited to stop in and try out a class. Check out www.harrisburgbjj.com or call 717.586.1890 for more information.
July 18, 2008
Hollidaysburg native Charlie "The Spaniard" Brenneman of PA-Grappling in Altoona will face Nick Calandrino of Team Bombsquard in New York for the USKBA Welterweight Championship at Ring of Combat on Friday, September 12, at The Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The undefeated welterweight heads to H.I.T. Squad in Illinois to complete his internship, and get in some superior training, as he works toward his Master's Degree at East Stroudsburg University. The Extreme Challenge and EliteXC veteran was featured on the sports reality show Pros vs. Joes (Season 1) on Spike TV. He won Episode 9, then the Finale with brother, Ben.
July 16, 2008
Philadelphia Fight Factory stand-out Eddie Alvarez talks with FCF Radio about his upcoming match against Tatsuya Kawajiri in the Dream Lightweight Tournament semi-finals on July 21 at the Osaka Dome in Osaka, Japan.
July 15, 2008
World Extreme Cagefighting Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann from Scranton will defend his title against Steven Cantwell of Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, August 3, live on Versus from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Stann graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2003 and is a Marine Company Executive Officer. He started training in May 2004, and holds the fastest KO in WEC history.
July 14, 2008
The Cage MMA Academy in Reading will host a seminar with former UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk on Saturday, August 16, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at their Route 222 location.
The extremely tenacious Sherk massed over 400 career matches during his competitive wrestling years before transitioning to MMA in 1999, where he compiled an impressive 17-0-1 record earning a shot at the UFC Welterweight title held by Matt Hughes in April 2003. Although Sherk lost the fight, his never quit spirit sent him on a mission, where he went on a 12 fight winning streak finishing most of his opponents by submission. In October 2006, Sherk dropped a weight division and successfully defeated Kenny Florian to become the undisputed UFC Lightweight Champion. The Extreme Challenge and Pride veteran has nearly 40 recorded professional fights and will demonstrate what has been affective for him in competition during the seminar. The member of Team X-Factor will teach wrestling, ground and pound and takedowns, all of which are synonymous with The Muscle Shark. The takedowns will show transitions from boxing to wrestling for wrestlers who are not used to doing takedowns from a boxing position.
There will be time for photographs and autographs with Sherk after the seminar. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today at www.TheCageMMA.com. Call 610.929.2280 or 610.698.2851 for more information. The Cage MMA Academy is located at 5306 Allentown Pike (Route 222) in Temple (just north of Reading), Pennsylvania.
July 13, 2008
More than 20 fighters represented Pennsylvania last night in three events in two states in amateur and professional MMA. On the amateur side, Combat in the Cage in Newark, Delaware, featured Scott Hutt of RGDA-PA who lost to Christopher Clark of Practical MMA by arm lock in Round 3. Hutt put on a great performance, executing his game plan perfectly. In the second round Hutt had his opponent mounted, for what seemed to be a full minute, raining down punches. Hutt pretty much wore himself out in that second round and lost to an arm lock in the third round, while Casey Adams of Grindhouse/TEAM LOC defeated Chris Bull of Gai Jin Ryu Dojo by rear naked choke in Round 2, and Don Koch of Ephrata Martial Arts defeated Joe Pond of Warriors MA.
And New Breed Fighters returned to Club Abyss in Sayreville, New Jersey, with at least 13 fighters from six fight camps. In his MMA debut, Anthony Copora of Team Quiet Storm in Reading defeated Deshawn Byrd of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton by Submission by Armbar at 1:30 of Round 3, while Byrd teammate Wilfredo Pimentel defeated Matt Harker of Wings MMA in Trevose by submission by Rear Naked Choke at 2:42 of Round 1, and their teammate Jeremy Pompei defeated Zach Burhans of NEMAI Reapers Club by Unanimous Decision, while their teammate Joel Roberts faced Allen Cozze of RGDA in a super welterweight fight that ended in a No Contest when both fighters went through the ropes and to the arena floor bringing down three ropes in the process. Harker teammate Steve Austin lost to Sevak Grigoryan of Iron Horse MMA by Unanimous Decision. Lewis Rumsey of Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport lost to Mike Andrillo of Team Inferno Submission by Guillotine Choke at 0:42 of Round 1, and Rumsey teammate Josh Aarons faced Pete Cole of NEMAI Reapers Club in a featherweight fight, which ended in a Majority Draw. John Stahl of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury defeated Jamie Vanderveek of Team Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield by KO at 2:17 of Round 1, while teammate Mike Padilla lost to Ray Brady of TSMMA by Submission by Armbar at 2:01 of Round 3.
On the professional side, Battle Cage Xtreme at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, featured a main event with Carlton Haselrig of Team Haselrig in Johnstown loosing to Joe Abouata of Alex Wilkie's Martial Arts Academy by Submission by Rear Naked Choke at 4:10 of Round 2, which earned Abouata the USKBA and BCX North American Heavyweight Titles, while Judah Ciervo of Philadelphia Fight Factory lost to Justin Haskins of The Armory in Florida by TKO Referee Stoppage due to Strikes at 1:38 of Round 1. Haskins retained his USKBA Welterweight Northeast Championship. Don Wagner of Team Anomoly defeated Chris Volo of Team Renzo Gracie by TKO Referee Stoppage due to Stikes at 2:59 of Round 1, while teammate Dan Baker lost to Shawn Forman of Rhino Fight Team by TKO Referee Stoppage due to Strikes at 2:02 of Round 1.
July 12, 2008
From www.FullContactFighter.com: Fight Factory’s Secret Weapon By Jim Genia --
Fight Factory. Saying the name of the venerable Philadelphia combat school most likely invokes an image of Eddie Alvarez pounding out a foe, or maybe one thinks of Stephen Haigh, a Northeast MMA pioneer and the team’s founder. But unless you’re an old-timer who remembers the striker who went to war with Billy Craparo at the seminal Garden State show BAMA FightNight, or you were at Battle Cage Xtreme 4 in April and witnessed game Ricardo Almeida student Leandro Hernandez stopped in Round Two, you might not equate the Philly school’s moniker with the man often seen in their fighters’ corners or sparring hard with them in the gym. And Judah Ciervo doesn’t seem to have a problem with that.
At BCX 5 on Saturday night, Ciervo will step into the cage to take on Armory grappling ace Justin Haskins, with both men coming off impressive wins at BCX 4. A security supervisor at the Philadelphia Phillies’ McFadden’s Ballpark when not studying for his Ph. D in kinesiology and biomechanics, it will be Ciervo’s second pro MMA bout ever (BAMA FightNight bouts were considered amateur) – and his second fight since a four-year competition layoff. Was the long layoff intentional?
“I seem to have a pattern of my fights falling through,” says the amiable 30-year-old. “The first five times I was supposed to debut as a pro, they all fell through. Then finally this sixth one came through with Leandro, and thank God he comes from the type of camp he comes from. He almost pulled out of that fight because he apparently had a staph infection two weeks before. I almost bit the bullet on that one, but Leandro being the type of guy he is and coming from Ricardo’s and the professionals they are, they took the fight. I mean, we both had problems going into that one – he had the staph infection and Eddie dislocated one of my ribs two weeks before the fight. [Laughs.] We both were banged up. But I’m happy someone took one finally.”
What was Ciervo up to during his hiatus? “MMA-wise, just really, really focusing on my wrestling,” he says. “That’s my biggest weakness, obviously. If you watch my last BAMA fight I was pretty much getting taken down at will and that cost me the fight. I really wanted to make sure I got that fixed, so I did lots of training with Eddie [Alvarez]. We’ve been training partners for each other for almost five years now. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have the hookup with Drexel [University] through Zach Makovsky, so I’ve been wrestling in the off-season with their team a lot.”
At BCX 4, Haskins worked opponent Mike Medrano over on the ground with flawless jiu-jitsu, while Ciervo dominated Hernandez in that realm as well. Has Fight Factory turned the Muay Thai-based fighter into a grappling specialist? Possibly. Or maybe all the training with Haigh and world-class fighter Alvarez has made him insanely versatile.
“I’ve had the opportunity to train with guys from other teams that I wouldn’t normally be able to train with because… I don’t know, they’re just cool people,” he says. “I’ve had the chance to train with Ryan Hall, Danny Ives – he’s actually the one who got me the hookups to train with a lot of Lloyd Irvin guys. He just brings them up to Philly and lets me know when they’re in town. And I get to go to train with these guys and get my ass beat by them, and in turn, learn how I got my ass beat and work on it in the gym with Stephen and Eddie and everyone else and just get better from it.”
How did Ciervo end up in MMA? “I came from a Thai boxing background, and I looked up Fight Factory and got started with them, and really we were just trading striking training for a while. And finally, just from messing around with Steve for a while – I think I took jiu-jitsu with Steve for nine months – I had my first MMA fight and jumped into a couple NAGA tournaments.”
Haigh’s school continues to grow. Alvarez is slated to finish out the Dream Lightweight Grand Prix in Japan. Ciervo’s goal in MMA? “I don’t really know what my goal is. I’m just enjoying being a training partner and being a mentor to some of the guys we have. I’m just really enjoying seeing them succeed and watching them grow.”
Expect Ciervo – Fight Factory’s secret weapon – to show the younger ones how it’s done on Saturday night.
July 11, 2008
RGDA-PA is proud to announce the opening of its newest school in Pennsylvania. RGDA-Ephrata is located in the Porch and Rail Shops (916 North Reading Road, Route 272, Ephrata, PA 17522). Classes will begin in August 2008 and will be taught by RGDA Brown Belt Keith Neff and RGDA Purple Belt Brian Fisher. RGDA-Ephrata will strictly adhere to the teaching methods as passed down to them by Royler Gracie, David Adiv and Rosendo Diaz. For more information, visit www.rgda-ephrata.com or contact Brian at brianfisher00@netscape.net or call 717.507.2975.
July 10, 2008
Asylum Fight League presents Unstoppable on Saturday, July 26, at Virtua Health Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey. The 20+ fight card features at least seven fighters from four Pennsylvania-based teams, including Bloomsburg MMA in Bloomsburg, X-treme Mixed Martial Arts in Warrington and Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport. Fighting out of Bloomsburg MMA, Joel Nott faces Justin Incerra of Team Diesel at 166.9. Fighting out of X-treme Mixed Martial Arts, Zach Schechner faces Homer Uzquaino of Zocchi at 159.9 and David McMahon faces Anthony Arroyo of Vipers Wrestling at 183.9. Fighting out of Team Vicious MMA, Josh Aarons faces Eric Ruiz of Progressive Martial Arts at 125, Adam Vasiluda faces Tajuddin Hakim of Zocchi at 189.0, Lewis Rumsey faces Eric Purcell of Rhino Fight Team at 205 and Jason Moore faces Shane Dever of Zocchi at heavyweight.
July 9, 2008
Williamstown native Mike Ciesnolevicz of Miletich Fighting Systems is scheduled to face Brett Inglebritson in the co-main event at Midwest Cage Championship on Friday, July 25, in Des Moines, Iowa.
July 8, 2008
Columbia native Aaron Anspach will compete for LionHeart MMA on Saturday, July 19, at the Battlefield Fighting Championships in Fredricksburg, Virginia. The Pennsylvania State University 2007 NCAA Heavyweight Wrestling Finalist said, "competing in an MMA event will be an exciting new challenge for me. I'm glad to be representing LionHeart and am looking forward to stepping into the cage." The PSU graduate is coming off a superb 22-4 season that saw him earn his first All-American honor in his first full and injury free season. Anspach left Penn State with a 43-15 career record, and is currently on staff as Director of Wrestling Operations. Also scheduled to compete that night are NCAA National Champion Phil Davis and undefeated MMA amateur Lou Armezzani.
July 7, 2008
The FightWorks Podcast features audio interviews with the movers and shakers in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and a recent episode captured an interview with Sao Paulo native and world champion BJJ black belt Wilson Reis. Now residing in Philadelphia, the featherweight is making the transition to MMA and has now compiled a 4-0 record. Reis is definitely someone to keep an eye on in the MMA world.
July 6, 2008
Congratulations to Waynesburg native Josh Koscheck on his Unanimous Decision victory over Chris Lytle at UFC 86 last night.
July 5, 2008
New Breed Fighters returns to Club Abyss in Sayreville, New Jersey, on Saturday, July 12, with over 15 scheduled fights, featuring at least five fight camps and 12 fighters from Pennsylvania. Mike Shea of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Bruce Wayne of Rick Rogers MMA, while teammate Anthony Capora makes his MMA debut facing Deshawn Byrd of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton. His teammates Wilfredo Pimentel faces Matt Harker of Wings MMA in Trevose in a light heavyweight fight and Joel Roberts faces Allen Cozze of RGDA in a super welterweight fight. Josh Aarons of Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport faces Pete Cole of NEMAI Reapers Club in a featherweight fight, while teammates Lewis Rumsey faces Mike Andrillo of Team Inferno in a heavyweight fight and Adam Vasulanda faces Jamie Vanderveek of Team Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield. His teammates Jeremy Pompei faces Zach Burhans of NEMAI Reapers Club in a super lightweight fight, and Mike Padilla faces Ray Brady of Princeton MMA in a super welterweight fight. Both fighters are making their MMA debuts. You can see the full card here.
July 4, 2008
Standout wrestler Josh Koscheck from Waynesburg and exciting boxer Chris Lytle from Indiana will clash in a welterweight fight tomorrow at UFC 86 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Koscheck attended Edinboro on a wrestling scholarship and graduated a 4X NCAA D1 All-American. Stylistically, "The Ultimate Fighter” veterans wrestling would likely earn him an easy unanimous decision. However the American Kickboxing Academy product has put a focus on his stand-up game in his last two victories. Will Koscheck want to challenge himself against a professional boxer in Lytle? Koscheck says, "Lytle is a tough fighter. He has fought a lot of good guys. I think our fight will be a tough and hard fight." For opponents reading into Josh Koscheck these days, it’s a bit like reading the fine print: “Kos” may result in serious injury… those who refuse to wrestle are subject to getting holes punched in their face…some submissions may apply. In other words, now 8-2 in UFC fights, Koscheck has come a long way from his Edinboro wrestling days, when it was all about ground control; this is a well-rounded mixed martial artist who destroyed Dustin Hazelett at UFC 82 with strikes, and who defeated Diego Sanchez while focusing on a disciplined standup attack.
July 3, 2008
Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy hosts a workshop with Royler Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt David Adiv on Saturday, July 26, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM at their Telford academy. The cost is just $35.00 for RGDA-PA members and only $45.00 for non-RGDA-PA members. Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy is located at 137 North Main Street. Call 267.476.1858 for kore information or to reserve your spot.
July 2, 2008
Williamstown native Mike Ciesnolevicz of Miletich Fighting Systems in Iowa talks 2 wins in 2 nights: Back in the early days of mixed martial arts, even before it was labeled as such, many of the sport’s pioneers would take fights with such regularity that it’s hard to even compile an accurate record of all their action. In particular, the Midwest fight circuit had quite a bit of activity. Fighters that would go on to become cornerstones of MMA such as Pat Miletich, Jens Pulver, Jeremy Horn, Shonie Carter and others could be found in bars, fighting for far less money than it costs to get into a modern Ultimate Fighting Championship event. And, while it’s still not uncommon for fighters to take a number of match-ups on smaller shows in close proximity to others, it’s rare to see a top-level contracted fighter take multiple fights in the same month, let alone the same weekend. But that’s exactly what International Fight League light-heavyweight Mike Ciesnolevicz did this past weekend.
First Mike stepped into the Courage Fighting Championships at light-heavyweight and defeated Andrew Force to claim that promotion’s 205-pound title, then the next night he stepped up to heavyweight in a win over Matt Anderson in the main event of the Extreme Challenge’s 100th show. “I just thought it was cool guys did that,” said Ciesnolevicz of his inspiration to take fights in back-to-back days. “I’d always hear stories about how Jeremy Horn would go fight, get a hotdog and Mountain Dew and drive to the next show and fight.” More specifically, requests from his manager and a good friend happened to coincide with each other, creating the opportunity for him to go the old school route. “Monte (Cox) had his hundredth (Extreme Challenge) show coming up and he wanted me to headline it,” he explained. “I’m friends with Jason Reinhart, and he asked me if I was free to headline his (Courage Fighting Championships) show, too. “I looked at the dates and I thought, ‘You know what? I could probably pull this off.’ Pat (Miletich) is like, ‘You should go for it. It will be good experience; you’re in shape, so I think you can pull it off if you fight smart.’”
According to Ciesnolevicz, in winning his first fight his performance may have suffered more due to his game plan than his preparations. “Even though the fight was very short, I didn’t fight my best fight,” he admitted. “I was pretty passive. I didn’t go for the kill because in my head I was thinking, ‘Don’t break your hand or don’t get caught.' “I didn’t want to get into a brawl or that kind of fight, because I didn’t want to risk getting injured before the next night. I didn’t fight my fight, I was too passive, didn’t go forward enough and wasn’t aggressive enough.” In the second fight, Ciesnolevicz wasn’t as concerned about injury, but the emotional ride of fighting and getting back up for another bout wore on him. “It was hard getting my emotions and adrenaline up, then coming back down because you’re relieved, happy and you want to celebrate, but can’t because you have a fight the next night,” he said. “I had to get myself up again, get myself into the zone and get ready to go again. Going through all those emotions before a fight was probably the most draining part. Both my fights were relatively short, but the emotional drain and stress is what got to me a little bit." All in all, when questioned whether or not he’d do it again, Ciesnolevicz responded, “It depends, if the right fight came up I would definitely do it again.”
What allowed Ciesnolevicz to take both these fights in the first place was the current situation with the IFL. As it stands the promotion has put its operations on hold, making it so many of their fighters, even contracted talent, can seek other temporary employment until the company is ready to once again start operations. Ciesnolevicz cleared up his own contract status by saying, “As far as the IFL (is concerned), I’m still an IFL fighter and am under contract. “They’re allowing me to fight in other shows just to say busy, but it has to be approved. I had planned to fight on the (now cancelled) Aug. 15 New Jersey show, so if they have another show I definitely plan to be on it." Until then though, Ciesnolevicz plans on staying busy, ready for any opportunity that comes his way. “It’s going to be touch and go, wait and see what happens,” he stated. “We’re kind of back where I was before the IFL; fighting on a show here and there, just getting experience and try to build up things that are valuable down the line. “I’m looking to stay busy, and I really want to fight in July and August. I just want to get as much ring time as I can. I love the sport, love to compete, and want to just keep getting in there. It was always a dream I had as a kid to be an MMA fighter and I don’t want to pass up any opportunities.”
The Cage MMA Academy in Reading announced today that they are now open two mornings -- Monday and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM for Open Mat, and expect to offer additional days in the future.
July 29, 2008
Philadelphia Fight Factory stand-out Eddie Alvarez defeated Japanese star Tatsuya Kawajiri at 7:35 of the opening round at Dream 5 in Japan last weekend, but was unable to compete in the championship finals due to the damage he sustained to his right eye during the fight.
July 28, 2008
Six2Forty Television produces sports related reality TV shows. Their latest project, El Gran Peleador, is an MMA reality TV show taped recently in Central America, featuring 16 Latin-American mixed martial artists from countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico. The show captures the true lives of Latino MMA fighters as they train and compete for a chance to win $20,000. Diego Jimenez of Anthracite Combat Club in Schuylkill Haven was summoned to participate in this great opportunity. The 3-1 natural featherweight is a Combat in the Cage, Extreme Challenge and SportFighting veteran. The Columbian defeated current Battle Cage Xtreme featherweight champion Steve Deangelis early in his MMA career and has seen just one loss by submission to Wilson Reis, a world champion BJJ black belt. Check out a trailer for El Gran Peleador here.
July 27, 2008
Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Telford is competing for the Best Martial Arts Academy in the greater Philadelphia area on the Fox Philly Hot List. A certified black belt academy under the Royler Gracie-David Adiv Jiu-Jitsu Team, RDBJJA is lead by BJJ black belt Rosendo Diaz. The academy is committed to providing each student with quality instruction in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu within a friendly atmosphere. This cutting edge art famous for it's devastating ground fighting techniques also implements methods for throwing, self-defense, and Vale-Tudo. Whether you are an experienced martial artist wishing to add grappling to your arsenal, or a beginner looking to learn to protect yourself, you will find the Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy a premier school in the greater Philadelphia area for all your training needs. Diaz received his black belt in 2003, after training with Gracie and Adiv for over 10 years. Diaz has an extensive training background in the Martial Arts with over 25 years experience. He was the defensive tactics instructor for the Montgomery Co. Sheriff’s Dept. during the late 90’s. He also travels throughout the country and abroad teaching the RGDA curriculum. Check out all the academies vying for top spot here.
July 26, 2008
Anthony "2 Much" Williams of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Christian "Gypsy" Corley of Lehigh Valley MMA in Catasauqua for the USKA Muay Thai Super Middleweight Championship tonight at the Fleetwood Community Center, located at 110 Arch Street, in Fleetwood. Williams' Muay Thai roots can be traced back to early 2000 and K-1 champion Maurice Smith. Corley has trained and competed internationally. Williams is the Muay Thai instructor at The Cage MMA Academy, while Corley instructs at LVIRK MMA Academy.
July 25, 2008
TriState MMA/BJJ will host a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Gi) seminar with 2nd degree BJJ black belt and 2007 Master Men’s World BJJ Champion Regis Lebre on Sunday, August 17, from 11:00AM to 1:00PM at their Milford academy. The cost is just $70.00 per person. All affiliations are welcome. Private lessons with Lebre are available, and must be scheduled in advance by calling James at 570.242.4650. TriState MMA/BJJ is located inside the Old Milford School House at 201 West Harford Street.
July 24, 2008
Wilson Reis of Philadelphia faces Brian Caraway of Washington in a featherweight fight this Saturday in EliteXC on Showtime. The undefeated Sao Paulo native is a BJJ black belt who will probably look for a submission win over Caraway who has won nine fights by submission.
July 23, 2008
The New Breed Fighters matchmaker has been busy this week securing replacement fighters and adding new fights to their upcoming card at the House of Blues in Atlantic City on Saturday, August 9. Mike Bishop (0-0) of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury makes his MMA debut against Mike Shea (2-0) of Team Quiet Storm in Reading in a light heavyweight fight. Shea has been anxiously awaiting an opponent in New Breed since his last fight in March, and who better to step up then Bishop, trained by UFC veteran Tim Boetsch. Bruce Wayne (0-1) of Royce Gracie NEPA in Scranton faces Dan Morrison (1-0) of ASF in New Jersey in another light heavyweight fight. And Joel Roberts (3-1) of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton looks to dethrone undefeated Jeff Lentz (6-0) of Rhino Fight Team in New Jersey in their super welterweight championship fight. Roberts was to fight the winner of Cozze v Lentz, originally scheduled on this card, but says "I guess there is no better time than the present." See the current card here.
July 22, 2008
Former US Navy and US Army Reserve, Randy "Da Carpenter" Danner of Team Quiet Storm in Reading, and Personal Trainer and Conditioning Coach, Ryan Derstine, of Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield, will meet in their MMA debut fight at Reality Fighting - Battle at the Beach on Saturday, August 2, at the Wildwood Convention Center in Wildwood, New Jersey. Derstine took 1st Place in No-Gi Novice Welterweight at the 2008 NAGA World Championships held earlier this year. Their fight will be at 166.9 pounds.
July 21, 2008
LionHeart MMA continued it's successful entrance into the world of professional Mixed Martial Arts with fighters accumulating an impressive 3-1 record over the weekend. Former University of Iowa wrestler Paul Bradley led the LionHeart charge by capturing the 185 lb. Destiny Fight Championship Belt with a victory over formerly undefeated professional, Dimarco Harris. Bradley used a punishing ground and pound attack to win a unanimous decision and improve his record to 7-0. At Battlefield Fighting Championships in Fredericksburg, Va., LionHeart fighters went 2-1. NCAA Champion, Phil Davis, won by submission in the second round over previously unbeaten Casey Miller at 205 lbs. Davis' college teammate, Aaron Anspach won his MMA debut with a unanimous decision over James Johnson at 265 lbs. and Lou Armezanni lost in the 185 lb. Battlefield Fighting Championship Title bout to Kris McCray by TKO. LionHeart Founder, Chad Dubin, was impressed with the performance of his fighters over the weekend. "I've been real happy with the improvement in all our fighters over the past couple months. At this point, it looks like we're right on target with the fighter development and training methods we've implemented here at LionHeart." For more information on LionHeart MMA visit www.lionheartfighters.com or call Chad Dubin at 814.280.1982.
July 20, 2008
New Breed Fighters returns to the legendary House of Blues at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Saturday, August 9, for the 11th time, offering fans four championship fights, including two featuring three fighters from Pennsylvania. At least ten additional fighters from the Keystone State see action in nine undercard fights.
Matt Nieves of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Tuan Pham of Fight Firm Elite MMA in Philadelphia for the NBF Super Lightweight championship, while Chris Wing of Wing's MMA in Trevose faces Terence McDonald of Evolutionary Martial Arts in New Jersey for the NBF Light Heavyweight championship.
Anthony Corpora of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Shane Darby of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury in a cruiserweight fight. Corpora teammates Steve Dobisesky makes his MMA debut in a heavyweight fight and Mike Shea awaits an opponent for a light heavyweight fight, while Darby teammate John Stahl fights super middleweight. Vince Gianini and Mike Vasconez of Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield see individual action, and Juan Alveriana of LionHeart Fighters in State College, and Joe Del Viscio of Fight Factory in Philadelphia fight cruiserweight, while Kyle Weaver of Team Vicious in Williamsport in an absolute fight.
July 19, 2008
The RGDA is proud to announce the opening of Harrisburg Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy located at 2214 Gettysburg Road in Camp Hill. The new academy features over 1500 square feet of training space. Newly added to the schedule is an MMA class, Wednesday's at 5:00 PM. So whether you’re looking for competition or just to learn the most effective form of self-defense, Harrisburg Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is your Central Pennsylvania answer. You're invited to stop in and try out a class. Check out www.harrisburgbjj.com or call 717.586.1890 for more information.
July 18, 2008
Hollidaysburg native Charlie "The Spaniard" Brenneman of PA-Grappling in Altoona will face Nick Calandrino of Team Bombsquard in New York for the USKBA Welterweight Championship at Ring of Combat on Friday, September 12, at The Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The undefeated welterweight heads to H.I.T. Squad in Illinois to complete his internship, and get in some superior training, as he works toward his Master's Degree at East Stroudsburg University. The Extreme Challenge and EliteXC veteran was featured on the sports reality show Pros vs. Joes (Season 1) on Spike TV. He won Episode 9, then the Finale with brother, Ben.
July 16, 2008
Philadelphia Fight Factory stand-out Eddie Alvarez talks with FCF Radio about his upcoming match against Tatsuya Kawajiri in the Dream Lightweight Tournament semi-finals on July 21 at the Osaka Dome in Osaka, Japan.
July 15, 2008
World Extreme Cagefighting Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann from Scranton will defend his title against Steven Cantwell of Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, August 3, live on Versus from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Stann graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2003 and is a Marine Company Executive Officer. He started training in May 2004, and holds the fastest KO in WEC history.
July 14, 2008
The Cage MMA Academy in Reading will host a seminar with former UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk on Saturday, August 16, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at their Route 222 location.
The extremely tenacious Sherk massed over 400 career matches during his competitive wrestling years before transitioning to MMA in 1999, where he compiled an impressive 17-0-1 record earning a shot at the UFC Welterweight title held by Matt Hughes in April 2003. Although Sherk lost the fight, his never quit spirit sent him on a mission, where he went on a 12 fight winning streak finishing most of his opponents by submission. In October 2006, Sherk dropped a weight division and successfully defeated Kenny Florian to become the undisputed UFC Lightweight Champion. The Extreme Challenge and Pride veteran has nearly 40 recorded professional fights and will demonstrate what has been affective for him in competition during the seminar. The member of Team X-Factor will teach wrestling, ground and pound and takedowns, all of which are synonymous with The Muscle Shark. The takedowns will show transitions from boxing to wrestling for wrestlers who are not used to doing takedowns from a boxing position.
There will be time for photographs and autographs with Sherk after the seminar. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today at www.TheCageMMA.com. Call 610.929.2280 or 610.698.2851 for more information. The Cage MMA Academy is located at 5306 Allentown Pike (Route 222) in Temple (just north of Reading), Pennsylvania.
July 13, 2008
More than 20 fighters represented Pennsylvania last night in three events in two states in amateur and professional MMA. On the amateur side, Combat in the Cage in Newark, Delaware, featured Scott Hutt of RGDA-PA who lost to Christopher Clark of Practical MMA by arm lock in Round 3. Hutt put on a great performance, executing his game plan perfectly. In the second round Hutt had his opponent mounted, for what seemed to be a full minute, raining down punches. Hutt pretty much wore himself out in that second round and lost to an arm lock in the third round, while Casey Adams of Grindhouse/TEAM LOC defeated Chris Bull of Gai Jin Ryu Dojo by rear naked choke in Round 2, and Don Koch of Ephrata Martial Arts defeated Joe Pond of Warriors MA.
And New Breed Fighters returned to Club Abyss in Sayreville, New Jersey, with at least 13 fighters from six fight camps. In his MMA debut, Anthony Copora of Team Quiet Storm in Reading defeated Deshawn Byrd of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton by Submission by Armbar at 1:30 of Round 3, while Byrd teammate Wilfredo Pimentel defeated Matt Harker of Wings MMA in Trevose by submission by Rear Naked Choke at 2:42 of Round 1, and their teammate Jeremy Pompei defeated Zach Burhans of NEMAI Reapers Club by Unanimous Decision, while their teammate Joel Roberts faced Allen Cozze of RGDA in a super welterweight fight that ended in a No Contest when both fighters went through the ropes and to the arena floor bringing down three ropes in the process. Harker teammate Steve Austin lost to Sevak Grigoryan of Iron Horse MMA by Unanimous Decision. Lewis Rumsey of Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport lost to Mike Andrillo of Team Inferno Submission by Guillotine Choke at 0:42 of Round 1, and Rumsey teammate Josh Aarons faced Pete Cole of NEMAI Reapers Club in a featherweight fight, which ended in a Majority Draw. John Stahl of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury defeated Jamie Vanderveek of Team Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield by KO at 2:17 of Round 1, while teammate Mike Padilla lost to Ray Brady of TSMMA by Submission by Armbar at 2:01 of Round 3.
On the professional side, Battle Cage Xtreme at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, featured a main event with Carlton Haselrig of Team Haselrig in Johnstown loosing to Joe Abouata of Alex Wilkie's Martial Arts Academy by Submission by Rear Naked Choke at 4:10 of Round 2, which earned Abouata the USKBA and BCX North American Heavyweight Titles, while Judah Ciervo of Philadelphia Fight Factory lost to Justin Haskins of The Armory in Florida by TKO Referee Stoppage due to Strikes at 1:38 of Round 1. Haskins retained his USKBA Welterweight Northeast Championship. Don Wagner of Team Anomoly defeated Chris Volo of Team Renzo Gracie by TKO Referee Stoppage due to Stikes at 2:59 of Round 1, while teammate Dan Baker lost to Shawn Forman of Rhino Fight Team by TKO Referee Stoppage due to Strikes at 2:02 of Round 1.
July 12, 2008
From www.FullContactFighter.com: Fight Factory’s Secret Weapon By Jim Genia --
Fight Factory. Saying the name of the venerable Philadelphia combat school most likely invokes an image of Eddie Alvarez pounding out a foe, or maybe one thinks of Stephen Haigh, a Northeast MMA pioneer and the team’s founder. But unless you’re an old-timer who remembers the striker who went to war with Billy Craparo at the seminal Garden State show BAMA FightNight, or you were at Battle Cage Xtreme 4 in April and witnessed game Ricardo Almeida student Leandro Hernandez stopped in Round Two, you might not equate the Philly school’s moniker with the man often seen in their fighters’ corners or sparring hard with them in the gym. And Judah Ciervo doesn’t seem to have a problem with that.
At BCX 5 on Saturday night, Ciervo will step into the cage to take on Armory grappling ace Justin Haskins, with both men coming off impressive wins at BCX 4. A security supervisor at the Philadelphia Phillies’ McFadden’s Ballpark when not studying for his Ph. D in kinesiology and biomechanics, it will be Ciervo’s second pro MMA bout ever (BAMA FightNight bouts were considered amateur) – and his second fight since a four-year competition layoff. Was the long layoff intentional?
“I seem to have a pattern of my fights falling through,” says the amiable 30-year-old. “The first five times I was supposed to debut as a pro, they all fell through. Then finally this sixth one came through with Leandro, and thank God he comes from the type of camp he comes from. He almost pulled out of that fight because he apparently had a staph infection two weeks before. I almost bit the bullet on that one, but Leandro being the type of guy he is and coming from Ricardo’s and the professionals they are, they took the fight. I mean, we both had problems going into that one – he had the staph infection and Eddie dislocated one of my ribs two weeks before the fight. [Laughs.] We both were banged up. But I’m happy someone took one finally.”
What was Ciervo up to during his hiatus? “MMA-wise, just really, really focusing on my wrestling,” he says. “That’s my biggest weakness, obviously. If you watch my last BAMA fight I was pretty much getting taken down at will and that cost me the fight. I really wanted to make sure I got that fixed, so I did lots of training with Eddie [Alvarez]. We’ve been training partners for each other for almost five years now. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have the hookup with Drexel [University] through Zach Makovsky, so I’ve been wrestling in the off-season with their team a lot.”
At BCX 4, Haskins worked opponent Mike Medrano over on the ground with flawless jiu-jitsu, while Ciervo dominated Hernandez in that realm as well. Has Fight Factory turned the Muay Thai-based fighter into a grappling specialist? Possibly. Or maybe all the training with Haigh and world-class fighter Alvarez has made him insanely versatile.
“I’ve had the opportunity to train with guys from other teams that I wouldn’t normally be able to train with because… I don’t know, they’re just cool people,” he says. “I’ve had the chance to train with Ryan Hall, Danny Ives – he’s actually the one who got me the hookups to train with a lot of Lloyd Irvin guys. He just brings them up to Philly and lets me know when they’re in town. And I get to go to train with these guys and get my ass beat by them, and in turn, learn how I got my ass beat and work on it in the gym with Stephen and Eddie and everyone else and just get better from it.”
How did Ciervo end up in MMA? “I came from a Thai boxing background, and I looked up Fight Factory and got started with them, and really we were just trading striking training for a while. And finally, just from messing around with Steve for a while – I think I took jiu-jitsu with Steve for nine months – I had my first MMA fight and jumped into a couple NAGA tournaments.”
Haigh’s school continues to grow. Alvarez is slated to finish out the Dream Lightweight Grand Prix in Japan. Ciervo’s goal in MMA? “I don’t really know what my goal is. I’m just enjoying being a training partner and being a mentor to some of the guys we have. I’m just really enjoying seeing them succeed and watching them grow.”
Expect Ciervo – Fight Factory’s secret weapon – to show the younger ones how it’s done on Saturday night.
July 11, 2008
RGDA-PA is proud to announce the opening of its newest school in Pennsylvania. RGDA-Ephrata is located in the Porch and Rail Shops (916 North Reading Road, Route 272, Ephrata, PA 17522). Classes will begin in August 2008 and will be taught by RGDA Brown Belt Keith Neff and RGDA Purple Belt Brian Fisher. RGDA-Ephrata will strictly adhere to the teaching methods as passed down to them by Royler Gracie, David Adiv and Rosendo Diaz. For more information, visit www.rgda-ephrata.com or contact Brian at brianfisher00@netscape.net or call 717.507.2975.
July 10, 2008
Asylum Fight League presents Unstoppable on Saturday, July 26, at Virtua Health Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey. The 20+ fight card features at least seven fighters from four Pennsylvania-based teams, including Bloomsburg MMA in Bloomsburg, X-treme Mixed Martial Arts in Warrington and Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport. Fighting out of Bloomsburg MMA, Joel Nott faces Justin Incerra of Team Diesel at 166.9. Fighting out of X-treme Mixed Martial Arts, Zach Schechner faces Homer Uzquaino of Zocchi at 159.9 and David McMahon faces Anthony Arroyo of Vipers Wrestling at 183.9. Fighting out of Team Vicious MMA, Josh Aarons faces Eric Ruiz of Progressive Martial Arts at 125, Adam Vasiluda faces Tajuddin Hakim of Zocchi at 189.0, Lewis Rumsey faces Eric Purcell of Rhino Fight Team at 205 and Jason Moore faces Shane Dever of Zocchi at heavyweight.
July 9, 2008
Williamstown native Mike Ciesnolevicz of Miletich Fighting Systems is scheduled to face Brett Inglebritson in the co-main event at Midwest Cage Championship on Friday, July 25, in Des Moines, Iowa.
July 8, 2008
Columbia native Aaron Anspach will compete for LionHeart MMA on Saturday, July 19, at the Battlefield Fighting Championships in Fredricksburg, Virginia. The Pennsylvania State University 2007 NCAA Heavyweight Wrestling Finalist said, "competing in an MMA event will be an exciting new challenge for me. I'm glad to be representing LionHeart and am looking forward to stepping into the cage." The PSU graduate is coming off a superb 22-4 season that saw him earn his first All-American honor in his first full and injury free season. Anspach left Penn State with a 43-15 career record, and is currently on staff as Director of Wrestling Operations. Also scheduled to compete that night are NCAA National Champion Phil Davis and undefeated MMA amateur Lou Armezzani.
July 7, 2008
The FightWorks Podcast features audio interviews with the movers and shakers in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and a recent episode captured an interview with Sao Paulo native and world champion BJJ black belt Wilson Reis. Now residing in Philadelphia, the featherweight is making the transition to MMA and has now compiled a 4-0 record. Reis is definitely someone to keep an eye on in the MMA world.
July 6, 2008
Congratulations to Waynesburg native Josh Koscheck on his Unanimous Decision victory over Chris Lytle at UFC 86 last night.
July 5, 2008
New Breed Fighters returns to Club Abyss in Sayreville, New Jersey, on Saturday, July 12, with over 15 scheduled fights, featuring at least five fight camps and 12 fighters from Pennsylvania. Mike Shea of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Bruce Wayne of Rick Rogers MMA, while teammate Anthony Capora makes his MMA debut facing Deshawn Byrd of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton. His teammates Wilfredo Pimentel faces Matt Harker of Wings MMA in Trevose in a light heavyweight fight and Joel Roberts faces Allen Cozze of RGDA in a super welterweight fight. Josh Aarons of Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport faces Pete Cole of NEMAI Reapers Club in a featherweight fight, while teammates Lewis Rumsey faces Mike Andrillo of Team Inferno in a heavyweight fight and Adam Vasulanda faces Jamie Vanderveek of Team Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield. His teammates Jeremy Pompei faces Zach Burhans of NEMAI Reapers Club in a super lightweight fight, and Mike Padilla faces Ray Brady of Princeton MMA in a super welterweight fight. Both fighters are making their MMA debuts. You can see the full card here.
July 4, 2008
Standout wrestler Josh Koscheck from Waynesburg and exciting boxer Chris Lytle from Indiana will clash in a welterweight fight tomorrow at UFC 86 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Koscheck attended Edinboro on a wrestling scholarship and graduated a 4X NCAA D1 All-American. Stylistically, "The Ultimate Fighter” veterans wrestling would likely earn him an easy unanimous decision. However the American Kickboxing Academy product has put a focus on his stand-up game in his last two victories. Will Koscheck want to challenge himself against a professional boxer in Lytle? Koscheck says, "Lytle is a tough fighter. He has fought a lot of good guys. I think our fight will be a tough and hard fight." For opponents reading into Josh Koscheck these days, it’s a bit like reading the fine print: “Kos” may result in serious injury… those who refuse to wrestle are subject to getting holes punched in their face…some submissions may apply. In other words, now 8-2 in UFC fights, Koscheck has come a long way from his Edinboro wrestling days, when it was all about ground control; this is a well-rounded mixed martial artist who destroyed Dustin Hazelett at UFC 82 with strikes, and who defeated Diego Sanchez while focusing on a disciplined standup attack.
July 3, 2008
Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy hosts a workshop with Royler Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt David Adiv on Saturday, July 26, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM at their Telford academy. The cost is just $35.00 for RGDA-PA members and only $45.00 for non-RGDA-PA members. Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy is located at 137 North Main Street. Call 267.476.1858 for kore information or to reserve your spot.
July 2, 2008
Williamstown native Mike Ciesnolevicz of Miletich Fighting Systems in Iowa talks 2 wins in 2 nights: Back in the early days of mixed martial arts, even before it was labeled as such, many of the sport’s pioneers would take fights with such regularity that it’s hard to even compile an accurate record of all their action. In particular, the Midwest fight circuit had quite a bit of activity. Fighters that would go on to become cornerstones of MMA such as Pat Miletich, Jens Pulver, Jeremy Horn, Shonie Carter and others could be found in bars, fighting for far less money than it costs to get into a modern Ultimate Fighting Championship event. And, while it’s still not uncommon for fighters to take a number of match-ups on smaller shows in close proximity to others, it’s rare to see a top-level contracted fighter take multiple fights in the same month, let alone the same weekend. But that’s exactly what International Fight League light-heavyweight Mike Ciesnolevicz did this past weekend.
First Mike stepped into the Courage Fighting Championships at light-heavyweight and defeated Andrew Force to claim that promotion’s 205-pound title, then the next night he stepped up to heavyweight in a win over Matt Anderson in the main event of the Extreme Challenge’s 100th show. “I just thought it was cool guys did that,” said Ciesnolevicz of his inspiration to take fights in back-to-back days. “I’d always hear stories about how Jeremy Horn would go fight, get a hotdog and Mountain Dew and drive to the next show and fight.” More specifically, requests from his manager and a good friend happened to coincide with each other, creating the opportunity for him to go the old school route. “Monte (Cox) had his hundredth (Extreme Challenge) show coming up and he wanted me to headline it,” he explained. “I’m friends with Jason Reinhart, and he asked me if I was free to headline his (Courage Fighting Championships) show, too. “I looked at the dates and I thought, ‘You know what? I could probably pull this off.’ Pat (Miletich) is like, ‘You should go for it. It will be good experience; you’re in shape, so I think you can pull it off if you fight smart.’”
According to Ciesnolevicz, in winning his first fight his performance may have suffered more due to his game plan than his preparations. “Even though the fight was very short, I didn’t fight my best fight,” he admitted. “I was pretty passive. I didn’t go for the kill because in my head I was thinking, ‘Don’t break your hand or don’t get caught.' “I didn’t want to get into a brawl or that kind of fight, because I didn’t want to risk getting injured before the next night. I didn’t fight my fight, I was too passive, didn’t go forward enough and wasn’t aggressive enough.” In the second fight, Ciesnolevicz wasn’t as concerned about injury, but the emotional ride of fighting and getting back up for another bout wore on him. “It was hard getting my emotions and adrenaline up, then coming back down because you’re relieved, happy and you want to celebrate, but can’t because you have a fight the next night,” he said. “I had to get myself up again, get myself into the zone and get ready to go again. Going through all those emotions before a fight was probably the most draining part. Both my fights were relatively short, but the emotional drain and stress is what got to me a little bit." All in all, when questioned whether or not he’d do it again, Ciesnolevicz responded, “It depends, if the right fight came up I would definitely do it again.”
What allowed Ciesnolevicz to take both these fights in the first place was the current situation with the IFL. As it stands the promotion has put its operations on hold, making it so many of their fighters, even contracted talent, can seek other temporary employment until the company is ready to once again start operations. Ciesnolevicz cleared up his own contract status by saying, “As far as the IFL (is concerned), I’m still an IFL fighter and am under contract. “They’re allowing me to fight in other shows just to say busy, but it has to be approved. I had planned to fight on the (now cancelled) Aug. 15 New Jersey show, so if they have another show I definitely plan to be on it." Until then though, Ciesnolevicz plans on staying busy, ready for any opportunity that comes his way. “It’s going to be touch and go, wait and see what happens,” he stated. “We’re kind of back where I was before the IFL; fighting on a show here and there, just getting experience and try to build up things that are valuable down the line. “I’m looking to stay busy, and I really want to fight in July and August. I just want to get as much ring time as I can. I love the sport, love to compete, and want to just keep getting in there. It was always a dream I had as a kid to be an MMA fighter and I don’t want to pass up any opportunities.”