Final RoundISSUE #1

MMA MAGAZINE

IS SHANE CARWIN THE NEXT UFC HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPION?

BLOODIEST FIGHTS IN MMA

THE LIFESTYLE OF A WARRIOR: HELIO GRACIE

WAS BRUCE LEE THE FIRST MIXED

MARTIAL ARTIST?

Interviews: Spencer Fisher - Mario Roberto - Carlos Machado - Roy Dean - Chris Brennan - and many more

Final Round 2

On The Cover:

Final Roundmma magazine

Issue 1

Was Bruce Lee the first Mixed Martial Artist? The man who tried to perfect cross-training in the martial arts.

Bloodiest fights in MMA We visit some of the bloodiest fights in MMA history.

Is Shane Carwin the next UFC Heavyweight Champion? Shane Carwin, on a major winning streak. Is he the answer to Brock Lesnar?

The Lifestyle of a Warrior: Helio Gracie Celebrating the life of the father of MMA, Grand Master Helio Gracie.

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Interviews:Five Minutes with Spencer “the King” Fisher What’s in a typical day for the King?

One on One with the “West Side Strangler” Chris Brennan Ever wonder how he became the “West Side Strangler”?

The BJJ Specialist: Mario Roberto Final Round gets some background, and answers from Mario Roberto.

Roy Dean: From Judo to BJJ Talking about recently competing in the World BJJ Championships

Up Close with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Carlos Machado Talks about teaching as well as being able to train with the infamous Gracie Family.

Roxanne Modafferi: Not Your Average Girl! Living in Japan, teaching English, and training in MMA.

Training for Warriors: Part One: the Warrior Inside the Trainer Trainer Martin Rooney, talks about Parisi Speed School, and being a member of the US Bobsled Team.

All Hail the King of Rock n Rumble: Elvis Sinosic Some info from down under.

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Articles:

Techniques with Mario Roberto BJJ Specialist takes you through the steps of a Back Mount Escape to Brabo Choke

Chess & BJJ An insightful comparison of the two

World’s Strongest Man to Fight MMA New comer Mariusz Pudzianowski, can he pull his weight?

Conditioning isn’t just Cardio Exploring the different kinds of conditioning.

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Message from the Chariman  Hello fight fans and thank you for reading the very first issue of FINAL ROUND MMA Magazine. I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you what our vision for FINAL ROUND is, and what type of content you can expect from us in the future. 

First of all, if you haven’t already guessed, this is solely a digital publication and it’s FREE. What this means to you is that FINAL ROUND will always be as close as any computer and it won’t cost you a dime to read it. We are also working on an iPhone application which will make us even easier to access.   The staff here at FINAL ROUND are each very dedicated to the sport of mixed martial arts and the majority of us enjoy training in the disciplines that make up the sport. We will cover the large events here in North America, but we are taking great effort to bring in staff from around the globe that will give MMA from a variety of flavors. 

In closing i want to thank you again for jumping on board, what we believe will be an amazing journey as we cover the greatest sport in the world. MMA is constantly evolving and moving forward and we are glad you are coming along for the ride.  Anthony Gracewood

Final RoundMMA MAGAZINE

WAS BRUCE LEE THE FIRST

MIXED MARTIAL ARTIST?

By Damian Ross

Despite being dead for over thirty years the name Bruce

Lee remains synonymous with perfection in martial

arts. While the great martial artist may have have gotten it "right,” is his message lost b y t h o s e w h o succeeded him?

In the martial arts world you will find references to Bruce Lee eve rywhe re , f r o m p e o p l e a r e

q u o t i n g h i m t o teaching h is s ty le ,

Bruce Lee has become part of the martial arts

culture forever. But despite being so well known, few really understand his ideas, and often incorrectly apply his teachings. Bruce Lee was a man who knew that combat martial arts should be kept simple and effective. He also was a mixed martial artist who saw value in all styles, and didn't regard one being superior to another. Even though Bruce Lee tried to make martial arts less complicated and mysterious, since his death the martial arts world has never been more divided and confused.

Like many young men Lee began learning martial arts from his father and others in his community in Hong Kong. He first learned Kung Fu, but before leaving home, he would also become highly proficient in western boxing and fencing. Unlike many martial artists, Lee was an experienced street fighter, and learned early on that what works in the martial arts school doesn't necessarily work in real combat. Once in America he trained with martial artists who practiced many different styles including Judo, Jujutsu, and Greco-Roman wrestling.

Lee wasn't satisfied with traditional martial arts work outs and believed in total fitness workout that included muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility workouts. He would run and bike many miles every day. He even did bodybuilding workouts with and without weights. Lee's training wasn't limited to physical aspect of martial arts. He also committed himself to a healthy natural diet, and was a heavy advocate of dietary supplements. He believed that with mental, physical and spiritual preparation he could achieve more as both a martial artist and a human being.

There most important element of Bruce Lee's training was him. He never stopped pushing himself. Every day was a day to improve himself and everyday he pushed himself harder. In his book The Tao of Jeet Kune Do, he wrote "Training is one of the most neglected phases of athletics. Too much time is given to the development of skill and too little to the development of the individual for participation. " While techniques are very important you shouldn't neglect your physical fitness training. Even when you're the best there is no replacement for hard work, and because Lee was willing to sacrifice and work hard Bruce Lee became the best. Though known for his physical prowess Lee also spent a large portion of his time building up his mind.

He earned a degree in philosophy at the University of Washington, and his personal library contained over a thousand books and one student and friend said that Lee had read them all. Through his studies and workouts Lee began to realize martial arts were being

taught incorrectly. Sport martial arts and pointless traditions were destroying the combat power of many martial arts.

Lee called his philosophy Jeet Kune Do which means "Way of the Intercepting Fist," and made it very clear that it was not a new style of martial arts. He wanted practitioners of different martial arts to exchange ideas and train together, and not get caught up in proving whose martial art was "better." He felt that by learning only one style a student would be bound to it and that would limit them as a warrior. Jeet Kune Do isn't a martial art, but a way to make your martial arts style better.

Since the great warrior-philosopher's death there has been much debate about the right way to teach Jeet Kune Do, and who Lee wanted to carry on his work. Jeet Kune Do is a philosophy to be learned, not a style of martial arts and Lee made it clear that he never wanted Jeet Kune Do to have an organizational structure or a syllabus of set moves. Lee wanted martial artists to work together, but instead now they fight for control of his legacy.

If you ever meet someone who says they teach Jeet Kune Do as a style don't assume they know what they are talking about. Before his death Lee said, "Jeet Kune Do is merely a name used, a mirror in which to see ourselves," and as martial artists we must continue to work to make martial arts more direct and simplistic. If you really want to be more like Bruce Lee, don't limit yourself to one style, continually train your mind and body, and don't worry about doing what is "right," do what works in combat. Bruce Lee cut through the bull, so we all could be better martial artists, and the best way we can pay tribute to him to live his philosophy not be caught up in tradition. [http://www.theselfdefenseco.com] MartialArts |Martial arts instruction | [http://www.theselfdefenseco.com] Self Defense

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“Donuts and Dr. Pepper” - Spencer Fisher

FR: Hello Spencer, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. SF: No problem, thanks for having me.

FR: Congratulations on your win at UFC 99. What was your game plan going into the fight with Caol Uno?SF: Defend the take down and avoid fighting on the ground

FR: Did you do anything different in your training camp, leading up to the fight?SF: No, same routine.

FR: How was your experience fighting overseas? SF: I like fighting in the States better.

FR: Where do you see yourself in the lightweight divisional picture? SF: Where ever they put me.

FR: Who would you like to fight next in the lightweight division?SF: Any fight that puts me closer to the title.

FR: You recently opened up a new Gym, can you tell us a little about it?SF: Evolution gym, in Moline, Illinois. Lots of good lightweight fighters like Kyle Dietz and a lot of good up and comers.

FR: What is a typical day for Spencer Fisher?SF: Donuts and Dr. Pepper

FR: Favourite Takedown?SF: Left straight to the mouth

FR: Favourite Submission? SF: Left straight to the mouth

FR: Favourite music to train to?SF: Country, Rock or something with a good beat

FR: Favourite martial arts movie?SF: Foot Fist Way

FR: Favourite thing to do outside of Training/Teaching?SF: Hunting

FR: Favourite cheat food?SF: Donuts

FR: Thank you very much for your time Spencer, Is there anyone you would like to thank?SF: Choppers Inc., Condom Depot, Gun Store Las Vegas.

Five Minutes with Spencer “the King” FisherBy Anthony Gracewood

Final Round 6

Bloodiest Fights in MMA

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Bloodiest Fights

Bloodiest Fights

Bloodiest Fights

Yeves Edwards vs Joe Stevenson (UFC 61)

After a back-and-forth brawl in the first round, Joe Stevenson shifted momentum against Yves Edwards, feeding him vicious elbows from above. Edwards' head got busted open, and the mat started soaking up pools of blood. They let them finish out the round, but the fight was called after the bell.

(Yeves Edwards pictured left)

David Heath vs Renato "Babalu" Sobral (UFC 74)

David Heath thought it would be funny to mock Babalu's arrest by wearing a t-shirt depicting his mug shot. Babalu did not find humour in any of it, and figured that sweet justice would be to beat [Heath] down, and then put him to sleep. With no contest Babalu dominated the entire fight. Things got really bloody in the second round, when he opened a huge cut on Heath's forehead. Babalu ended the fight by choking out Heath beyond the point of submission, and forcing referee Steve Mazzagatti to pry his arms open to free Heath. That was Babalu’s last fight in the UFC.

(David Heath and Renato Sobral pictured left)

Sean Sherk vs Kenny Florian ( UFC 64)

Sean Sherk and Kenny Florian is one of the bloodiest fights of all time. These two traded cuts in their battle for the UFC lightweight title, but it was the winner [Sherk] who poured the most blood onto the canvas. Florian's ellbows, (even from the bottom), proved their worth here. By the end of their five-round battle both men looked like they were extras in a horror film.

(Kenny Florian and Sean Sherk pictured left)

Bj Penn vs Joe Stevenson (UFC 80)

Penn dominated the fight from the start, He landed an upper cut and then a brutal elbow which sliced open Stevenson's forehead. Blood was gushing out everywhere, making the octagon look like a nasty crime scene on an episode of Dexter. Penn finished the fight with a rear naked choke and won the UFC light weight belt.

(Joe Stevenson and BJ Penn pictured right)

Mac Danzig vs Jim Miller (UFC 100)

While watching UFC 100 many Pay Per View viewers wondered ‘where did all the blood come from?’. Well it was from Mac Danzig and Jim Miller! It was an all out war for 3 rounds! Miller Threw a hard overhand right that glanced Danzig's head seconds into the fight round . Then the fight hit the ground and Miller unloaded a flurry of smashing elbows from his back which cut up Danzig's hairline and forehead. In between rounds Cutman Jacob “Stitch” Duran worked diligently to try and stop the bleeding on Danzig’s face. Miller kept pouring on the strikes and blood gushed from Danzig's face until the final bell. Jim Miller took a unanimous decision over Danzig.

(Jim Miller and Mac Danzig pictured right)

Ricardo Arona vs Kazushi Sakuraba (Pride Critical Countdown 2005)

Arona brutalized Sakuraba with several knees, punches, and soccer kicks. The picture says it all!!

(Kazushi Sakuraba pictured right)

Final Round 10

One on One with “The West Side Strangler”Chris BrennanBy Anthony Gracewood

FR: Chris, Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Can you give our readers some background info on yourself? CB: I'm 37 years old, been fighting in MMA for 15 years already. I have fought the best of the best in the biggest shows this sport has to offer. I have pretty much fulfilled all my dreams as a Mixed Martial Artist and will really have no regrets when my retirement comes. I am a Black Belt in Jiu-Jitsu and somehow I feel my ground skills are still under rated. I have a lucky quality of being able to fight and teach as well and not everyone can do that. I have also opened so many doors for myself branching out of this sport from my success in the sport. I have won 5 World title belts and cherish every one of them. My record sort of reads hot and cold and again I have no regrets it was all a learning experience. I fight 100 MPH wide open and I can't really do it any other way. I have one of the greatest knock outs in the sport and out of my 19 wins I have submitted 17 of them and knocked 1 of them out. I only

have 1 decision win and that is due to the fact that I am always trying to finish my opponents and put on a great fight for the crown.

FR: What was it that interested you about Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu? CB: Same as everyone I guess. I saw Royce in the 1st UFC and started training right after that. I thought it was so impressive that a guy built like him could do what he did and figured if he could do it so could I. I trained with him for quite a while and then I opened a school of my own in south Orange County and the rest is history.

FR: How'd you get the nickname "The Westside Strangler"?CB: Well I used to choke the shit out of everyone in training and in many fights I ended them with Guillotine and Triangles.

Pictured Left :Chris Brennan

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Some of my students came up with it because Mikey Burnett was the Eastside Assassin and since I was from Compton there was no more Westside than me so I became The Westside Strangler. I think it's a cool name and it stuck.

FR: Who has been the most influential in helping you grow as a Martial Artist?  CB: It's hard to say who was the most because from Blue Belt on I didn't have a teacher. I was pretty much self taught in the BJJ department after Blue Belt. My drive and determination to succeed in something that I really wanted to do and that my mom actually told me I wouldn't be able to do. When I get something stuck in my head that I'm going to get it there's no going back. I was going to make it in this sport and I did. It would have been cool if it was now instead of then because it's so much bigger now but I don't really care. I was there from pretty much the beginning.

FR: You have fought some of the top fighters- Gomi, Miletich, Ribeiro, Stevenson. Who do you remember as your toughest opponent?  CB: I think I always go back to Pat because he's just gnarly and it was awesome back then. I didn't give a shit what the outcome of the fight was I just wanted to fight and enjoy it. After I opened my schools and got more popular I started stressing about winning or losing and took fights injured when I shouldn't have. Gomi was my all time favorite fight but not my toughest. Pat and I fought in a bar for 30 minutes (1 round) and it got dirty. I thought he was being boring by stalling on top of me but the ref wouldn't stand us up so I started diggin my thumb in to a cut on his eye that from the opening seconds of the fight. I was a street fighter long before a Mixed Martial Artist and survival instincts come in to play and I didn't want to lose. I respect the hell out of Pat though.

FR: Some people don't realize how hard MMA fighters train, Can you give an outline to your training schedule? CB: Well it's different these days but you put in many hours a day. I would wake up and run, train BJJ and or boxing, go to the gym and do some strength and conditioning training and then back to train BJJ or Kickboxing in the evening. usually about 5-6 hours a day of training.

FR: How important is nutrition when you are training for a fight?  CB: It's very important for me because I fight in a few different weight classes and can cut up to 17 pounds in 24 hours but you can't do that if you eat like shit. I think you need to try and eat fairly well all year but for the last 6-8

weeks you better be on target or your body won't perform the way you want it to and that's no good. FR: You started a clothing company called NOGI, How did your company come to be?  CB: I was wearing other company's gear and no one was organized or punctual and I wanted to start a company and give the fighters what I knew they needed. It's a very tough job but I love it. I started it with my buddy Jeremy and we grew it from there.

FR: OK Rapid fire:

Favorite Takedown: Whizzer

Favorite Submission: Kimura/10 finger guillotine

Favorite music to train to: Eminem

Favorite marital arts movie? Shit I don't know

F a v o r i t e t h i n g t o d o o u t s i d e o f T e a c h i n g /Training?  Motocross or watching motocross...and Eating.

FR: If any our readers wanted to check your company NOGI where do they go? CB: www.nogi.com we are the ORIGINATORS of Nogi

FR: Thank you very much for your time Chris, is there anyone out there you would like to thank?CB: I’d like to thank all my fans for always supporting me, my brother for always helping me with getting fights and handling the PR when I couldn’t be PC :), all my sponsors like NOGI for keeping me in the best shorts out t h e r e , m y c o m p a n y N e x t Generation Sports performance, Deluge Sport, Eleven 10 Mods, Momentum Racing, Fairtex, Muscle Milk, Dr Walters for keeping me healthy, OGIO for supplying me with the sickest luggage ever. Supreme Protein for feeding me the best protein bars on the market, and my family

for all the support.

“We are the ORIGINATORS of Nogi”

- Chris Brennan

Final Round 12

THE BJJ SPECIALIST : MARIO ROBERTOBy: Anthony Gracewood

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1978, Mario Roberto has been involved with martial arts since his early childhood. He started by learning Judo at school, and then proceeded to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the well-known instructor Pedro Carvalho, who had just received his brown belt at the time. Mario trained with Pedro until he was a blue belt. Pedro then decided to move to the United States to open another school, leaving his gym to his teacher, Anibal Braga, a 3rd degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Mario continued to train under Anibal until his promotion to black belt in July 1998. At that time, he decided to open a school of his own in Rio de Janeiro, and has been actively teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since.

Mario has more than 15 titles in sport Jiu-Jitsu, and was ranked number one in his division in 1993 and 1994 by LINJJI. His martial arts background often brought him invitations to teach abroad. In the United States, he taught seminars and workshops in cities such as Atlanta (GA), Cincinatti (OH), Evansville (IN), Indianapolis (IN) and Madison (WI), among others. Besides training and teaching the art of Brazilian J iu-J i tsu, Mario has an extensive background on other fighting styles. He trained Aikido in Rio de Janeiro, and was coached in Judo by his lifelong friend José Morais Neto. He recently captured the 2005 USJA MN State Judo Championships title in his division. He trained Muay Thai under the supervision of heavyweight kickboxing champion Scott "Bam Bam" Sullivan. Mario has also been working on

his boxing skills at the 4th Street Boxing Gym in Rochester, MN.

In July 1997, while in Evansville (IN), he participated in a Pancrase-style mixed martial arts event, the Hook n' Shoot Middleweight World Championship. An i n t e r n a t i o n a l 8 - m a n e l i m i n a t i o n tournament, it provided Mario with an excellent opportunity to showcase his skills. As the show went on, Mario had to face Henry Matamoros, Aaron Riley and John Renken on the same night. After 3 exciting, action-packed matches, Mario took the belt home, as well as the "Most Outs tand ing Grapp ler " and "Most Outstanding Fighter" awards.

August 1998 brought other challenges. Mario returned to Evansville, this time to participate in two superfights in the Hook n' Shoot "QUEST" show. Always interested in testing his skills, he accepted the challenge to headline both nights of fighting, in what ended up turning into a fighting 'marathon'. On the first night, he faced highly-regarded UFC veteran Jeremy Horn. After 30 minutes of a very technical grappling match, with Mario dominating the fight, a draw was declared due to lack of judges or point system. The next day Mario faced Travis Fulton, the world's most active no-holds-barred fighter, and defeated him by unanimous decision after another 30 minute war.

After returning from the US, Mario was faced with a very tough decision. A medical

student at the time, he found his studying schedule to be conflicting with his training. A strong believer in a 'do or die' attitude, he was unwilling to keep on actively fighting while being forced to accept a sub par effort in his training. While still teaching, Mario decided to put his fighting career on hold and concentrate on his education — a decision he never regretted.

In June 2004, due to personal reasons, Mario decided to move to the United States on a permanent basis. He settled in Rochester (MN), where he opened up his own school, the Mario Roberto Jiu-Jitsu Academy, in August 2004.

Mario has made several appearances on the specialized media, including "Full Contac t F igh ter " and "Grapp l ing" magazines, and "Hook n' Shoot" and "Fightworld" videos. He is 6'01'' and currently weighs 190 lbs. He speaks fluent English, having earned the FCE certificate from the University of Cambridge and the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) from the University of Michigan, both at age 14. He also speaks Portuguese, French and Spanish. He received his M.D. degree in 2002 from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil's top-ranked medical institution. Among his hobb ies a re r ead ing , mus i c and weightlifting.

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FR: Mario, Thanks for taking the time to do this Interview. Could you give our readers a quick bio on yourself?MR: First of all, it’s a pleasure talking to you. I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where I started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at age 12. I was promoted to black belt in 1998, and I had the opportunity to compete in MMA back when the sport was still in its early years. I ended up retiring from professional competition to pursue a medical degree. I moved to the US in 2004, and I decided to “live the dream” and teach BJJ and coach MMA full-time. FR: What motivates you to keep training? MR: I am a very competitive person, so I really don’t have many problems staying motivated. I consider it my job to constantly strive to be in the best physical and technical shape, so that I can provide my students and athletes the best coaching possible. I’m a hands-on type of coach, so I’m always sparring and doing conditioning with them. You have to lead by example! FR: Who has been the most influential in helping you grow as a martial artist?MR: It is hard to pinpoint a single figure. As a young grappler, I always looked up to Ricardo de La Riva for technical inspiration. As far as mental attitude, work ethic and combat-oriented athletic performance, one needs to look no further than wrestlers like Dan Gable and Tom Brands. My approach to martial arts is very simple… I believe you reap what you sow, so I always strived to overwork my opposition. FR: You have several brazilian jiu jitsu DVD’s on the market, How did they come about and do you have any plans for future releases?MR: We first started out trying to create the most complete Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu series in the market, covering the basis of grappling. The end result was the BJJ Video Encyclopedia, a 12-DVD product that has been extremely successful. We then decided to cover more advanced techniques, coming up with the “Specialist Series”. My instruction is always geared towards “simple” BJJ that translates directly into no-gi and MMA. We are currently

working on several projects, which will be available through www.mmafightcoach.com. FR: Can you tell us a little bit about your school and the jiu jitsu scene in Minnesota?MR: I moved to the United States in 2004, and I was lucky to land in Rochester, MN. I opened the Mario Roberto Jiu-Jitsu Academy (www.mrjjja.com) by partnering up with the 4th Street Gym, one of Minnesota’s top amateur boxing institutions. It was a perfect match for our MMA-oriented program, and we have been growing ever since. Even though we have only been open for 5 years, we had students competing in the UFC, Pride, WEC, Abu Dhabi, BJJ Worlds, etc. As far as the jiu-jitsu scene here in Minnesota, we have plenty of excellent gyms around (the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy is in my opinion the gold standard in the state). We also have an excellent MMA scene, with fighters like Brock Lesnar, Sean Sherk, Brock Larson, Travis Wiuff, Tommy Speer, etc. FR: Do you feel that is takes more than a good fighter to become a good teacher?MR: Absolutely – those are separate activities, and they require two completely different toolsets. In order to be a great teacher you must master the subject, understand leadership, constantly use patience and even dabble in a little bit of psychology. I personally think I’m a better fighter than a teacher, but I am working on it! FR: As an instructor, do you promote people who compete versus people who don’t compete differently? ( I.e A guy who competes frequently at  blue belt will get his purple belt faster then someone who only trains at the gym)MR: Every Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor has different standards for promotion. I personally base promotions on a student’s overall moral, technical and physical qualifications. Even though success in competition scores points, that is only one piece of the puzzle. I have seen a lot of successful competitors who do not have good technical knowledge, and great grapplers who have never competed. I believe in looking at the big picture before making any decisions. FR: Injuries seem to be inevitable in jiu jitsu, what is your best piece of advice for staying healthy and injury-free?MR: I always advise my students to stay in shape and train smart. A lot of injuries happen when you neglect your conditioning – it is important to work on strength and cardiovascular conditioning before even stepping on the mat. Whenever you have an injury of any source, it is smart to take a few

days off and let it heal completely before resuming your training. Of course, that is easier said than done. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is highly addictive and it’s easy to push yourself beyond your limits. FR: How hard was it to put your successful MMA career on hold and to concentrate on your education?MR: Not hard at all. It was a clear choice, and I have never regretted my decision. Education must always come first. FR: Will you ever fight in MMA again?MR: If I got a dollar for every time I am asked that question, I probably would never have to! The answer is “who knows?”. I am currently focusing on building up my gym and on producing instructional DVDs, but I would be lying to you if I didn’t admit to still having a competitive itch. Only time will time. FR: We are seeing a lot of fighters from Brazil ( Jiu Jitsu/MMA) coming to North America for their training, What are your thoughts on that?MR: I believe that there is a lot for Brazilian fighters to learn here in the United States. I know I learned a lot. FR: If any of our readers wanted to train with you, How could they contact you?MR: Whether they want to host a seminar or train at our gym, they can visit our website (www.mrjja) or call us at (507) 202-0036. FR: Thank you very much for your time Mario, is there anyone you would like to thank?MR: Thank you for the opportunity. I also would like to thank all of my students and staff for all of their support.

Professor Mario Roberto (pictured top right, and bottom left)

Final Round 14

Back Mount Escape to Brabo Choke

My opponent attempts to attack my neck with his right arm, looking for a rear naked choke. I take advantage of that fact to secure a strong grip around his wrist with my left hand. My right hand is positioned under his right elbow, so I can pop it out of the way.

After securing the aforementioned grip, I use my right hand to pop the elbow up, and in one single explosive motion I move his arm to the opposite side. You can notice that Jason’s arm now rests on my left shoulder, while I maintain the same grip. I use a slight pull on his wrist to keep his arm stretched and locked into that position.

Technique Continued on next page

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If I stay in this position and do not move, my opponent has the opportunity to attack my left arm with an armbar. It is imperative that I keep in mind that as soon as I get the arm across I must lean on top of one of his legs. In this case, since we are setting up a brabo choke after the escape, I am going to lean towards my left side (there is another type of escape where you lean towards the right side). I put my weight on top of his left thigh, pinning his leg underneath my body. It is now impossible for my opponent to shrimp sideways and create some space. He can no longer move his hips to a position where he can threaten me with an arm attack.

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I proceed to grab the outer edge of his right foot and I take his hook out. It is important to notice that I maintain control of his arm throughout the whole movement. I am now exerting downward pressure with my head, while pulling his wrist slightly upwards. His arm is stretched out and locked into a position that is very similar to an inverted armbar. If your training partner feels comfortable, chances are you’re doing something wrong.

Since I neutralized his attack options, I can start working on taking his hooks out. While maintaining a sideways stance, I walk my right foot towards my opponent’s arm, until my legs are crossed. You can see that I can now reach Jason’s right foot with my right hand. His left leg is still trapped underneath my body.

After the hook is out, I must walk my right foot towards his head as much as possible. This will prevent my opponent from regaining the back mount once I let go of the foot. Once I establish such a position I can use my hand to reach for his head, as pictured.

Once I cradle the head, I always make sure that I pull on it so that it is tilted sideways (his right ear moves closer to his shoulder). This detail is very important when securing a brabo choke from any position. I can now let go of my opponent's wrist, and I shoot my left arm underneath his head.

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This is where the brabo choke starts taking shape. I make sure that I leave no gap between his neck and my left arm. Notice how I position my left hand. If I stick my left thumb out, it shoudl be grazing the back of his neck. This is a VERY important detail! If you sink the choke deeper, moving your thumb away from the back of the neck, it will be more difficult to finish your opponent. After the left arm/hand is in place, I can let go of his head and start moving my right arm to a finishing position.

This picture is a good example of a proper finish for the brabo choke. It is important that I position my opponent sideways, never letting his back touch the ground. This makes it harder for him to resist the choke and escape. ALWAYS position your left arm so that the ‘blade’ of your forearm (your radius) is against your opponent’s neck — your thumb should be up.

If we attempt to ‘dissect’ the brabo choke, breaking it down layer by layer, we have the following (from the bottom up):

- My opponent’s left arm (trapped by his head and unable to generate any leverage); - My left arm (always with the thumb pointing up/”blade” of the arm towards the ceiling); - My opponent’s head/neck (the left side compressed by my left arm, the right side compressed by his right arm); - My opponent’s right arm (trapped by my chest and unable to generate any leverage); - My chest (brining pressure downward and keeping all layers in place).

You can finish by squeezing everything together like a rear naked choke, while at the same time bringing your weight down (using your chest). An alternative finish would be to bring your right shoulder to the ground, while lifting the left one.

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To Contact Mario Roberto for seminars

Mario Roberto V. C. Filho, M.D.

Mario Roberto Jiu-Jitsu AcademyWWW.MMAFIGHTCOACH.COM

JIU-JITSU WORLD ENTERPRISES, LLCP.O. Box 5831Rochester, MN 55903-5831(507) 202-0036www.jiujitsuworld.commrjja@jiujitsuworld.com

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Roy Dean:From Judo to BJJ

By: Anthony Gracewood

FR: Roy, thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Could you give our readers some back round info on yourself?RD: Thank you for having me. Training began for me at 16, when I studied Judo in Japan as an exchange student. After returning to America, I got very curious about Aikikai Aikido, and spent some years exploring that as well as Japanese Jujutsu. However, after I discovered BJJ, I decided to dedicate most of my training to ground fighting.

I’m essentially a student of Japanese Budo and its modern derivations. I hold a Shodan rank (first degree black belt) in Kodokan Judo and Aikikai Aikido, as well as a Sandan (third degree black belt) in Seibukan Jujutsu. I was also the first Aikido Yundansha (black belt) to receive their black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which I earned under Roy Harris in 2006.

FR: How did you get into Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? RD: Like so many others, it was seeing UFC 2 and Royce Gracie. But my start with an actual teacher began when a friend introduced me to Claudio Franca, a Brazilian and Pan American Champion under Francisco Mansur. He had just opened his academy in Santa Cruz. I was still an Uchideshi (live in student) at the time in Monterey under my Jujutsu master Julio Toribio, so I could only train once a week with Claudio. The next year, I was able to train twice a week, which started making a huge difference in my performance on the mat. Eventually, I moved down to San Diego to finish up my degree at UCSD, and began training under Roy Harris consistently.

FR: How is it training under Professor Roy Harris? RD: It’s a privilege to train under him. I have been blessed by wonderful teachers my entire life, and Roy Harris is truly an instructor’s instructor. He has an analytical mind that is second to none, and understands Jiu Jitsu on a very deep level, in addition to his training in other arts. I would have to say that he’s the most powerful martial artist I’ve ever trained with, and the most well rounded. Punches, kicks, knives, guns, grappling or street fighting, whatever your pleasure, Mr. Harris has the answer. And on top of it all, he is a very honest, generous, and sincere man.

FR: What role has competition had in your training? Do you encourage your students to compete?

RD: Competition has given me a sense of confidence that is difficult to arrive at by simply training with your friends. Even though a competition is quite far from a real life self defense scenario, it’s the INTENSITY of the experience that tempers you. You realize that if you can handle being slammed on takedown, survive someone trying to choke you will full intensity, and still pull off the submission to win, you know you can take it when it counts. Many people fold in those circumstances. Even when the fight is going wrong, if you can keep it together mentally and find a way to win, you have grown both as a fighter and a martial artist. Competition is an aspect of training that gives BJJ its teeth in effectiveness, but it should never become the entire focus of training. The art is much bigger than that.

I don’t push my students to compete. If they want to compete, they let me know, and I’ll make it the best experience I can for them. My students have been successful in competition, and it’s a good feeling as an instructor to see your methods- your transmission of technique- verified in the crucible of competition.

Competition really helps fill the holes in your game at blue and purple belt. If you need to work takedowns, or takedown defense, or triangle defense, it will be shown to you. The match will shine a new light on your Jiu Jitsu game and you’ll have an opportunity to see how best to improve it. It also shows you what’s working, and what may not be working as well you thought it might. That is, if you look at the footage of your match, which I believe all competitors should do.

I don’t allow white belts to compete in my Academy. I think you should have a few tricks in your bag, maybe not a complete “game”, but a few good combinations that work well for you and that you have confidence in, before stepping into a competition. It should be noted that white belt divisions are not always even in skill, either. Collegiate wrestlers have entered white belt divisions, as well as Judo black belts, and even professional Mixed Martial Artists. This is something a coach and instructor needs to be aware of. Not all competitions are well run, well organized, or objectively judged either. You should be selective with where you place your students.

FR: You recently competed at the World BJJ Championships, How was your experience? RD: My experience, overall, was phenomenal. My first match was with Sebastian Munoz, of Gracie Humaita Argentina. At the start of the match, Sebastian foot swept me and quickly passed my guard. As he went to mount, I extended my arm and bridged him off, escaping to my feet. I pulled guard, played De La Riva position for awhile, and eventually secured a sleeve choke for the victory.

My next match was against Victor Estima of Gracie Barra Birmingham. Victor pulled guard aggressively and looked to hook my leg for the sweep. He got the sweep and my arm about 5 seconds later. The guy is a stud. Victor went on to receive the bronze medal this year, and I think he’ll be world champion one day. Victor’s style is very fluid and dynamic. I’m a fan!

I was in it for the experience. My sponsor encouraged me to go in very relaxed and treat it like just another roll. Personally, I found it an honor to simply be able to participate in the tournament. To be able to register as a black belt in the World Championships is something that I never dreamed of as a blue belt. In the end, I won a tough match and lost to a fierce compet i tor, but I learned f rom both experiences. It was also an adventure, which all we need from time to time.

FR: Leading up to the World BJJ Championships would you have done anything different with your training?RD: I signed up a few weeks out from the event, so I wish I could have had a full 6 week training regimen. I decided to go up a weight division, too, so I could easily pack on another 10 pounds.

Continued on page 40

Whilst thinking about this article I discovered that any form of combat is simply a different expression of exactly the same thing. This holds true whether it is expressed mentally or physically. I could (and in the future might) write similar comparisons with any other combat sport. For now the two are BJJ and Chess.

1) There is an opening, a middle game and an endgame: In an evenly fought match between two tough competitors you are likely to see all three of these phases. A small advantage from the opening might be increased or converted in the middle game with the killing stroke in the end game. Sometimes a player can win in the opening or middle game due to their brilliance and aggression. There has been many a time when the world chess champion’s preparations have been so complete that victory was known in the first few moments. I am sure there are points in Xande Ribeiro’s career where he achieved a tap out in the first minute because his opponent couldn’t handle his opening preparations.

2) You can only attack from an advantageous position: The first world champion of chess – Wilhelm Stienitz, formulated this rule and it holds as true today as it did then. The reason is simple: If you are playing a game where everything is known (not with any luck like in backgammon) then if you have no advantage in an area, your attacking forces wont be enough to overcome the defensive resources. In BJJ there is also a phrase – “Position, THEN submission”, and the reasons are the same; to be able to execute a move against a resisting opponent of comparable skill you need leverage etc.

3) Space is a good thing to “own”. In chess if you have more space that means that your pieces are freer to move around, they communicate better, and your options are more varied and fruitful. In BJJ, if you control the space your opponent occupies, you are in a better position to attack or improve your positioning. Whenever someone has obtained mount or side control, what is the first thing that you’re supposed to do? Create space so that you can begin your escape.

4) Initiative. The initiative in chess is when the opponent is forced to respond to real threats. The effect this has is that one side is better able to dictate the action and hence might obtain some long term benefit from this. I say “might” because the initiative is a transient advantage; the opponent might find some way to stabilize and nullify the initiative. The great attacking players always have a wonderful sense of initiative and will try not to let it go without the opponent shedding some blood. In BJJ the initiative refers to those periods when one fighter is causing the other fighter to react to his movement. The person with the initiative of course has to be careful because of the transient nature of this particular advantage – his adversary might reestablish guard or something similar, nullifying the initiative and bringing everything back to square one. The best attacking BJJ players have always shown an amazing ability to hold onto the initiative, not letting it go without the opponent paying some dear price.

5) Think in combinations. As a beginning chess player it is common to simply attack a piece and hope the opponent doesn’t see it. As you get more familiar with the game and practice against much stronger

opposition you soon learn that this isn’t a fruitful approach and you have to looks several moves ahead, attempting to force your opponent into only move situations. As a beginner in BJJ, it is common to simply try to grab the arm of an opponent (for example) and attempt an armlock. Of course this approach doesn’t work on higher rated opponents, and you soon learn that there has to be some sort of set up for these attacks to become effective. Eventually, you are stringing attacks together in an attempt to force the initiative, and then the finish.

6) Attention to detail. One of the things that will strike you most strongly studying the chess games of the

great masters is the attention to detail. Some meticulous attack is only possible because of a precautionary move played 20 moves ago. The grandmaster understanding that for everything to be truly successful against a resisting opponent, they can leave no space to breathe. In BJJ, you might be able to execute a move against a novice without good technique – but again, once you reach a little higher you discover that positioning your arm a little to the left, or grabbing your leg a little deeper etc. is what is needed to finish successfully.

7) To become really good, you must build a very stable foundation. An obvious sentiment, but one that is consistently forgotten in both circles. In chess, it is necessary to really become familiar with the basic goals and strategies of the opening and understanding the strategic details of some common opening sequences. A common problem amongst beginning chess players is to get caught up in memorizing a “devastating” opening by rote memorization.

This might provide them with some success against low level opponents who don’t know any better, but as soon as someone deviates from what he expects his position will quickly deteriorate.

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu you really need to understand the basic movements, escapes, submissions etc. before exploring the latest in x-guard theory or whatever may happen to be the flavor of the month.

The inspiration for these divergences from proper learning are the same as well. Some very high level player has achieved great success with their unorthodox and unexpected attacks and people interested in a quick fix try to emulate them. What they forget, is that no matter how unorthodox these players are at that high level, they are profound masters of basics and fundamentals.

Regards,Robert Bentley

"Robert  Bentley is an Artist who competes regularly in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Chess competitions. He is also looking forward to competing one day in Mixed Martial Arts once he rounds out his combative repertoire. To find more about Robert Bentleyvisit his website: www.creativeexercise.com"

&Chess BJJ

Final Round 20

FR: Hello Carlos, Thanks for taking the time to talk with us?CM: It is with great pleasure that I share some words with you and your readers. Thanks for the opportunity!

FR: Can you give us your background in BJJ?CM: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has been the greatest journey of my life. Since the beginning I was blessed to have a relationship with the first generation of the Gracie Family (including the late masters Carlson Gracie, uncle Carlos and Helio), their children, all the members of the family who were involved with Jiu-Jitsu, among them my main coach [Carlos Gracie Jr.], his brother and my dear cousin [Crolin Gracie], the late champion Rolls Gracie,and the cousins from uncle Helio's side, the legendary Rickson Gracie, (pioneer of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in America), visionary Rorion Gracie, my contemporary cousins Renzo, Rilion, Royler,

Royce, Rolker, and at one point in time several others. As you may know, the Gracie family is truthfully the largest martial arts clan that I know of, and probably will be listed in the "Guinness World Record” books for years to come. I also had substantial influence from my brothers, Roger, Rigan, Jean Jacques, and John, who all became not only awesome training partners as we grew into the art, but also tremendous coaches on their own right.

FR: How long have you been teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?CM: I was ranked Blue Belt at the age of sixteen (1980). Two years later (1982) I was a Brown Belt, That was when I started assisting my coach/cousin Carlos [Gracie Jr.] at his first academy in Copacabana. Once he moved and founded the Gracie Barra Academy in Barra da Tijuca, Rio, my bothers and I went along and became full-time instructors. From that time (1983) until now, it has

Carlos MachadoBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt since 1983.(Pictured Right)

Final Round gets up close with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Carlos MachadoBy Anthony Gracewood

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fitness aspect of training, which I believe is very important. My concern though is the emphasis on power based [Jiu-Jitsu] in detriment of the technique. The challenge today is the fast expansion without a quality control in place. I hate to see the purity of the art dissolved into a conglomerate of schools distancing from the principles of leverage and effortless ways, so essential to the success of the art. That does not mean that there aren't plenty of awesome i n s t r u c t o r s a n d g r e a t s c h o o l s everywhere.

FR: What kind of growth and changes have you seen happen to the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, both nationwide and in Texas?CM: The U.S. has experienced an influx of high caliber instructors more than anywhere else on the planet. The main head instructors of the largest [BJJ] groups in the world are now mostly here. Once the U.S. started to embrace BJJ, it had a tremendous impact on the martial art worldwide. Today what we see is a harvest from what was planted nearly two decades ago. Each year more schools open their doors, more students earn their black belts, more tournaments spring out from coast to coast. Just Texas alone, which I came to live in, in 1995, has grown exponentially. My contribution, at least in this part of the country has been relevant, since most instructors from my area have been my students at one point in time, or have earned Black Belts from me (my first black belts made in Texas earned their

ranks in 2002). Today, my list is probably between 40 to 50 Black Belts.

FR: what do you consider to be your most memorable matches in your career?CM: I remember a match against an awesome fighter, (around 1983 or 1984) when I was still kind of a rookie as a black belt. This particular opponent was of Olympic level in Judo (Judo players in Brazil have very strong ground skills, and above average conditioning). He was wiping out every division he was in, and at one tournament we were set to meet in the very first match. For that particular day, I prepared to the point that I was practicing a particular drill at least 1000 times a day, (specifically designed to counter his take downs, and actually throw him instead). It was a blend of a single leg with a foot sweep and fireman's carrier take down (we call it a "hybrid" technique). Once the day came, I followed the script, and managed to survive his take down attempts (to the surprise of everyone), took him down, and outscored him by 15 points with 5 nearly successful submission attempts. By the time the match was over I was on his back ready for a choke. After every match, my late father (also Carlos Machado) would wait at the corner of the mat area to greet me. It was very special, since shortly after that, he ended up passing away. I still carry vivid memories of his embrace as I walked to his direction celebrating the victory.Besides that one, at my last tournament in 2000, (the World’s Jiu-Jitsu Masters)

been 30 years of teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and 29 years since I became a Black Belt.

FR: How do you feel about the recognition of the Machado name in North America?CM: Teaching martial arts, especially Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which has become so popular, gives you the opportunity to share quality time with individuals from all areas. As we build bridges among different martial arts, and reach a wide range of people, we ensure the continuation of a legacy based upon a lifestyle, which is designed ultimately to improve the quality of life of every student. We, [the Machados], were fortunate to learn from the source, and to the best of our ability, we try to pass on the best we can, in terms of quality and philosophy of our art. By doing that, it is unavoidable that high profile martial artists, celebrities, and media personnel spread the word about the good time they may have had while in a training session with us. Their satisfaction is our best reward. The recognition of our work is just the consequence, not what motivates us to do it the way we do it.

FR: How do you compare Jiu-Jitsu today to your time?CM:   Growth is part of life. Maybe at the time when I was in Brazil, Jiu-Jitsu was still in its adolescence. Now, with the explosion of schools and students training it, the scale has definitely changed. We might be experiencing the adulthood process of the art. I had conversations with my brothers [about it] when we were back in Brazil, more than 20 years ago. There was a sense of magic with the practice of the art. We wanted to strive for the techniques, the pure Jiu-Jitsu. Today there is a lot more knowledge about the

“As you may know, the Gracie family is truthfully the largest martial arts clan that I know of, and probably will be listed in the Guinness World Record books for years to come.”

- Carlos Machado

Carlos Machado Jiu-Jitsu AcademyLocated in Dallas, Texas

Final Round 22

there was a match against an athlete nicknamed "Viking". It was my seventh match in a three hour span. Fighting every 30 minutes, until facing the toughest and meanest looking opponent in the entire gymnasium. I ended up winning by advantages after defending from the guard like my life was at risk, and attempting to choke and triangle him from every angle, but to no avail (his neck was so huge it seemed he did not have one). Once all was finished, I thanked my coach (Carlos Gracie Jr.), and the two men, (both deceased then), who most influenced my life, my father (Carlos Machado), and my uncle (Carlos Gracie).

FR: How did it feel to be named I n s t r u c t o r o f t h e y e a r f r o m 2005-2008?CM: Honored, and it was a very humbling experience. In my case I never stop to think about whether I'm good at anything, but I enjoy spending time with friends in the art (among them Chuck Norris and Christian Harfouche), and giving acknowledgements for their contribution. When it comes to my turn to receive it, I remind myself that what brought me there was my effort, and make sure that after all is said and done, I will still commit to excel for the sake of the art and friendships that I build along the way. An award [for me] is more of an incentive, than a trophy to keep in a dusty room. I want to make a lifetime contribution, no matter how many honors I get or miss from having it. What drives me is to know that I can change someone's life for the better!

FR: Can you tell us a little about I n f i n i t e J i u - J i t s u y o u r D V D Instructional series?CM: I spent 4 days out in Pensacola, [Florida] at a state of the art Television Studio (owned by friend and fellow martial artist Christian Harfouche), filming 9 to 10 hours a day, with little interruption. I made a drawing of a tree, the trunk was the main topic, (and each branch took a life of its own), leading to additional techniques that had flown from the first one. I envisioned teaching in a 3-D fashion (three cameras simultaneously operating and switching whenever needed), with a minimum of three scenarios [for each technique] being taught. I was covering guard defense drills on one set, and had to teach the equivalent guard passes at the same time, (to instruct the training partner to do a good job when practicing with the student watching the DVD). It was like learning the top and bottom game at the same time, although my goal was to emphasize mainly the guard bottom game. I also anticipated the likely scenarios and troubleshooting questions

for each of the main techniques for each set, that way a student would know in advance what to expect when someone tried to sabotage a certain technique, and have an answer for it. It was also developed in a way that each technique was followed by the next likely situation, in a flowing manner. That derived the term "Infinite", since each technique could go one direction or another, depending upon the opponent's reaction. Since there were so many options, it became nearly endless. That is the way I see Jiu-Jitsu anyways, [with] "infinite" possibilities.Infinite Jiu-Jitsu was a huge success!

FR: Are there plans to make a second series?CM: Certainly. Before the end of this year, there will be a revised edition of the series, and possibly a book companion as well.

FR: How do you compare the growth of Jiu-Jitsu to the growth of MMA?CM: Parallel. Since nearly everyone who does MMA also cross trains with Jiu-Jitsu, it is inevitable that one pulls the other. If you check the number of experienced Jiu-Jitsu fighters who excel [in MMA events], it is an amazing number.

FR: How do you view the Jiu-Jitsu representatives in MMA?CM: I th ink some are excel lent ambassadors for the art, while others distance themselves a bit from the art, by changing themselves from mainly grapplers to strikers. Although I have no problem with Jiu-Jitsu fighters who excel in striking. It is only when they move away from submissions, when the submissions themselves can make them more successful.

FR: Thank you very much for your time Carlos,  Is there anyone you would like to thank?CM: From my past, My dad (Carlos Machado) and my uncle (Carlos Gracie). One taught me about family, the other about life.From the present, my mom (Luiza Machado), my brothers (Roger, Rigan, Jean Jacques and John), and my wife (Lindsay). My mom gave me the love and nurturing to grow into a stable adult, my brothers showed me that unity is possible despite all odds, and my wife gave me the greatest joy, in my children, and my first experience in "true love"!

“I spent 4 days out in Pensacola, [Florida] at a state of the art Television Studio, filming 9 to 10 hours a day, with little interruptions.”

- Carlos Machado

Carlos Machado “Infinite Jiu-Jitsu” DVDs(Pictured Left)

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Article: Chris LaneInterview: Anthony Gracewood

Pictures: www.shane-carwin.com

Carw in i s now 11 -0 w i t h s i x knockouts. Also worth noting is that Carwin's hands are not his only means of securing a victory, his other five wins have come by submission. Four of those submissions being by choke, and one by strike. (OK, OK he used his hands again).

What's even scarier about this guy is that not one of his fights have made it to the two-minute mark of round one. Every single fight has been ended before that point, with four of them ending during the first minute. Quite notably his quickest fight ending in only 22 seconds.

This guy has devastating knockout power, a solid wrestling background, a good chin, and he knows how to finish a fight. Carwin is the real deal, and he will be fighting for the heavy weight title at UFC 106 against current champ Brock Lesnar.

Now here’s something you might not know; Carwin also has custom 5XL gloves, bigger than Brock Lesnar's custom 4XL gloves. Lesnar's no longer the b iggest k id in the heavyweight yard.

Is Shane Carwin the next ufc heavyweight

champion?

Final Round 26

FR: First off, Thank you for taking the time to talk with us SC: Anytime.

FR: Shane. Can you tell us a little bit about your Martial arts back round?SC: I have primarily a wrestling base and I have been training BJJ for a few years now.

FR: I understand you have a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and another degree in Environmental Technology from Western State College? SC: Yes I do

FR: And you still work as an engineer in addition to being a professional fighter?SC: I do, I work for the North Weld Water District and I love my job.

FR: What were you feeling when you received the call that you will be fighting Brock Lesnar instead of Cain Velasquez?SC: A blend of shock and excitement. It was hard to grasp at first.

FR: Where do you think Frank Mir went wrong against Brock Lesnar?SC: He was just out muscled and out sized. I am pretty certain even Brock [Lesnar] would admit as a MMA fighter [Frank] Mir is much more complete.

FR: What are your thoughts on Brock Lesnar’s antics after UFC 100?SC: I went into depth on my blog at www.shane-carwin.com check it out.

FR: You and Brock Lesnar are both accomplished wrestlers, do you think that you will nullify each others wrestling and turn your fight into a stand up battle?SC: Yeah I expect we will nullify each others wrestling. I think your going to see a stand up war.

FR: In preparing for your upcoming fight against Brock Lesnar, have you changed anything in your training? Have you brought in any new coaches or training partners?SC: No, I train with some of the best guys in the world and I am learning every day.

FR: How much of an influence has Nate Marquardt had on your training?SC: Nate [Marquardt] has been a great coach, friend, and training partner. I know he has elevated my game.

FR: How is it training with Team Jackson?SC: Coach [Greg] Jackson and his fighters really understand how a team of fighters will get more fighters to the top. They are a true blessing.

FR: What is your approach to training, Nutrition and conditioning?SC: It is pretty radical to say the least. I love the gym and pushing my body to its peak performance. I have some amazing coaches and training partners. To go along with that I have nutrition experts Rodney and Kim from Max Muscle Greeley that help me feed my body and fitfoods4u.com preparing my meals and balancing out my diet.

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FR: Who has been your toughest opponent to date since coming to the UFC?SC: Gabriel Gonzaga, I have a ton of respect for that guy.

FR: In your eyes who do you think is the best pound for pound fighter?SC: Georges St. Pierre or Anderson Silva.

FR: What are your thoughts on Fedor Emelianenko signing with Strikeforce?SC: I think he has to do what is right for Fedor. I hope it works out.

FR: Being an educated person who’s in MMA, does it bother you that in some places MMA is still seen as more of a street fight then a legitimate sport?SC: Not really paying that much attention. Most people love it or don’t know much about it. I like educating them on how great the athletes are and what an awesome sport this is as much as I can.

When you are not training or working, what do you like to do?SC: Camping, fishing and hanging out with my family.

FR: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?SC: Figuring out what boat I am getting for my retirement gift.

FR: Every Fighter has one, so what is your favorite cheat food after a big fight?SC: Anything I can find that I wasn’t supposed to have.

FR: Would you like to make a prediction on your fight against Brock Lesnar at UFC 106?SC: Some one is getting knocked out.

FR: Thank you for your time Shane. is there anyone you would like to thank?SC: Warrior Wear, Rodney and Kim at Max Muscle Greeley, fitfoods4u.com, MTX Audio, Xyience and the fans.

Final Round 28

The Lifestyle of a Warrior

By Shantih Coro

Grand Master Helio Gracie, the father of Mixed Martial Arts known today as UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), died on January 29, 2009, at the age of 95 in his home in the hills of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

He was the founder of a new style of Jiu Jitsu based on leverage and tactics versus brutal strength and known today in the world as Gracie Jiu Jitsu that allow the small person with no strength to win against a much larger and stronger opponent.

I will not talk about his accomplishment as a fighter or martial artist but as the example of perfect health and fitness that passed away free of any form of disease and symptoms. Many would state that it is genetic or maybe a matter of luck, but for those who had the pleasure to meet him...we know that this is not the case.

Grand Master Helio trained Jiu Jitsu and strength training all his life until his last day ( at 6 a.m. and at 93 years of age he was still doing his push ups and pull ups!!), he had an extremely positive attitude toward life, had a rigorous nutritional regimen ( never had a glass of wine in his life), went to sleep early every night and drank plenty of fresh water.

He was the living example of what I have been preaching for years to my clients, that health is not luck but something you build everyday through the choices you make in your lifestyle. I have seen many videos of Grand Master Helio but one especially caught my attention and it is vivid in my memory. He said: " There are foods that might taste good but are not good for my health. I would never put anything inside my body that is not good for my health." I am honored to have been chosen among many others as their nutritionist and strength and conditioning coach in the legendary Miami school to prepare their protegee. Today my affiliation with them goes beyond a solely professional collaboration and this is why I felt I had to write this blog as my own personal tribute to honor Grand Master Helio and the Gracie Jiu Jitsu.

The Secrets of Health and Vitality In my opinion today's world of health and medicine does not make much sense because it studies sick people. I have been , for years, study what healthy people do in order to stay healthy and fit and I have read all possible books and talked to all the progressive doctors that I could.

Reading his book Grand Master Helio Gracie Diet, I have observed that the way of eating consists of a mixture of the tribes Masai of Africa and the Nukak of Colombia that he coined as the Gracie Diet.

When Mr. Gracie retired from fighting he went on to live with his family in the hills of Rio de Janeiro, initiating what today we know as an Organic Farm. His nutrition consisted of raw dairy, grass fed meats, fresh wild fish, lots of vegetables and exotic fruits.

He never had artificial sugars, alcohol, refined grain, processed foods, food that was not organic, sodas, etc, and he never used the microwave! That is what most people do nowadays and not surprisingly at one point of their lives appear some sort of disease. People have never been so sick as in today's times. We have 20 years old with diabetes, arthritis, poor libido etc. etc.. Our body is like a container and if we keep putting garbage, when full, disease or emotional/physical problems occur. Grand Master Helio health approach was based on: Positive Thinking

The way we think about ourselves and our thoughts affect our health and there are countless books with scientific evidence. I always do this exercise to make people understand this concept: I ask to describe the sensation of eating a mango while they close their eyes ...and as a reaction...salivation occurs.

Mr. Gracie was such a positive person. Years ago his house was totally destroyed and the only room left intact was the one where he and his wife were sleeping. Instead of getting upset he was extremely happy because they were alive...and that is how was Grand master Helio was for everything.

Breathing

Breathing is one of the most unused tools for optimal health. If we observed a baby we will notice that the way the newborn breath is different from the way we breath. We use the chest while they use the diaphragm.

All the internal practice such as Yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Y Chuan, Pa Kua Chan, etc. use the same principle as the baby would breath , that is why it is a very healthy practice. A person breath around 80 times per minute while a highly stressed person just 20 times. I always recommend my clients to practice one of those internal arts to learn to breath and relax, so forgotten in this society where most of us live to obtain material compensation. Hydration

Our body is made 80% of water, so if we drink 8 - 10 glasses a day we are probably in a state of dehydration and the body to compensate this state obtains the water from our organs. It does not sound too good right? The funny thing is that most of the people

complain when I ask them to drink much more water, something that should be natural. In order to know how much water you should drink you should divide your body weight in 2 and that is the amount in Oz, you should be drinking ( plus one additional pint should be consumed during exercising also depending on your body weight and intensity. )

Nutrition

If you are a Carbo Type, the Gracie Diet would work very well for you but you should follow a nutrition based on your own bio chemistry. The way the body processes food is different for each single person.

Avoid soy, grains and bread with gluten, sodas, sports drink, concentrate fruit juices, caffeine, alcohol, flour, pasteurized mild and all kind of sugars. Do not eat conventional eggs but free range organic grass fed . Consume wild fish, raw

dairy, local organic vegetables and some fruits, organic nuts, oils and fats, Celtic Sea Salt instead of table salt and gluten free grain occasionally.

Exercise

Chose the right form of exercise and avoid all those form that bit up your body like running for 1 hour, any form of low intensity cardio but do a sport, practice Gracie Jiu Jitsu if you like and lift free weights together with functional training methodologies. Avoid using standard weight training machines. Remember you do not have to kill yourself, if you train too hard you will obtain the contrary effect, instead of having benefits you will over stress your body and burn out your adrenal glands creating hormonal and emotional imbalances.

Sleep

Sleep is the more unused method of healing ... most Americans do not sleep enough or go to bed too late. Nature has day and night for a reason. Before electricity, people used to go to sleep when it became dark but today people go to bed way after 10:00 pm and in most cases sleep 6 hours a night. Sleep deprivation had many consequences in our waist line and especially in our health. I'll leave it to Dr. Mark Hayman, one of the most influenced specialist in functional medicine explain to you why sleep is so important. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA9jw3Snt9Q] Continued on page 40

Final Round 30

If you donʼt stay up until one in the morning watching ESPN or tape Worldʼs Strongest Man, you probably havenʼt  heard of Mariusz Pudzianowski, but itʼs not a leap to assert that heʼs one of the worldʼs greatest athletes. While weightlifting competitions arenʼt necessarily a test of all around athleticism, the power and explosiveness of Pudzianowskiʼs is unquestionable. Pudzianowski has won the Worldʼs Strongest Man title a record five times, in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2008. The Polish strongman is set to make his MMA debut this December against fellow countryman Marcian Najman. It has been rumored for some time that Mariuz was training for MMA, but an opponent and date had yet to be set. The fight will take place at KSW Promotionʼs, in Poland, which is the largest operation in Europe at the moment. His opponest has a boxing background and looks small when next to Pudzianowski, but everyone looks small standing next to the Worldʼs Strongest Man. Some people might be tempted to say that he wonʼt do well because of his size and perceived lack of speed. In actual fact he is surprisingly fast and flexible for someone his size. He has been training in kickboxing and holds a rank in Kyokushin karate. Undoubtedly someone of his strength could potentially go a long way in mixed martial arts, and comparisons will no doubt be drawn with UFCʼs current Heavy Weight Champ Brock Lesnar. Pudzianowski actually isnʼt all that tall, standing at only 6ʼ1, but he weighs in at around 290 lbs. Making him a massive heavy weight. As for the fight itself, I imagine Pudzianowski is being given a fairly easy test seeing he is a national hero in Poland, so he should defeat his opponent in easy fashion. Final

World’s Strongest Man to Fight MMA

By: Chris Lane

He can pull a train, but can he pull his weight in MMA?

31 Final Round

Roxanne ModafferiNot your average Girl!By Anthony Gracewood

FR: First why don't you tell us a little about yourself?RM: I'm a studious UMass graduate who majored in Japanese Language and literature, and is now teaching full time in Japan. I love video games such as Twisted Metal and Tomb Raider, reading books like Dragon Lance and the Wheel of Time series, and doing sports.

FR: How did you get involved with MMA?RM: When I was in high school, some guys in my Judo dojo were into watching the UFC, so they invited me over their house for a pay-per-view event. Then we started practicing the moves in the dojo, and I started doing Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. It all continued from there, and in college, I decided that I wanted to fight professionally.

FR: When did you know that you wanted to fight in MMA?RM: When I started putting it all together in the Amherst Athletic Club,near my college. I first got the chance in Japan's "Smack Girl."

FR: what was your biggest win of your MMA career?RM: Beating the veteran Marloes Coenen in the final round of an 8-woman tournament called "K-Grace" in Japan.

FR: What gym do you train at?RM: I train at Wajyutsu Keisyukai (Wa-jitsu-kei-shu-kai), sometimes at the AACC (Abe Ani's Combat Club) and also take lessons from Kiuma Kunioku at the moment.

FR: Are you able to train full time?RM: Not really. I do as much as I can, doing morning training sessions when I work at night, and doing night sessions when I work in the morning and day. And when I'm off from work, I try and do both morning and evening. So you could say I train full time, but in reality, I don't have enough recovery time, so it's not easy.

FR: How is the training in Japan compared to the United States?RM: There are a lot of politics here in Japan, so it's not always easy to cross train at different dojos. Between some dojos you can, though, and people do it. I think

training techniques are behind those in the States. Really professional places in the States have coaches who work with the pros on all aspects of their games, like conditioning, cardio, technique, etc. Here, we have to kind of fend for ourselves. If I want advice, I have to bother some fellow fighter and ask. In Japanese. And hope I can understand their answer. Many times, they don't know, or they just tell me what works for them. I don't always get the answers I'm looking for. And nobody really makes a special effort to look out for me at my current dojo. I feel like I'm on my own sometimes. Abe-san, who I refer to as "Big Brother," (his nick name is "Abe Ani" which means big brother) has been offering me good insights.

FR: Who are some fighters that you look up to?RM: I often consult with Hideki Kadowaki (former Shooto champion), my coach Kiuma Kunioku, and also Big Brother.

Continued on Page 40

“ I hope to see a women's match on every card everywhere.  This is starting to happen. ”

Roxanne Modafferi

Roxanne ModafferiPictured above with the FFF champion belt in 2008.

Final Round 32

FR: First off, thank you for taking the time to talk with us.MR: No problem, I am always excited to share information and with the explosion of MMA and fitness, more and more people are looking to hear it.

FR: How long have you been involved in the fitness industry?MR: In terms of getting into fitness, even from a young age I always knew that I was into physical performance. I’ve had weights in my house since I was ten years old, and fell in love with the iron from about that time. I always say that after my first canister of Joe Weider chewable protein wafers and copy of “Flex Magazine”, I have not missed more than 3 days in row without training since (and that is now over 25 years). I began lifting with the older guys on my block and from there trained in high school with my coaches and got a javelin scholarship to college.In college I realized that not only was training going to be my calling, but I could actually study it! From there, I was on the path to my current career. I earned 2 degrees in Exercise Physiology and then a Masters degree in Physical Therapy by 1996. In 1996, when I was an athlete competing on the US Bobsled Team, my roommate was Olympic Silver Medallist, Todd Hays. After I left the bobsled team in 1998, I moved back from Utah to New Jersey and became an Orthopedic Physical Therapist and got to apply what I had learned in fitness to the injured population as well. At that time, however, I realized that high level athletes were my calling and I moved into a guy’s basement in Northern New Jersey and started as director at the Parisi Speed School. I grew over the next decade with the company and now have traveled the world and worked with thousands of athletes over that span.

So in summary, I have spent the last 20 years in gyms, lecture halls and dojos gathering information, meeting interesting characters and traveling the world as a result of my passion which is fitness and the study of human performance.

FR: How did you become a member of the United States Bobsled team?MR: In 1996, in my final semester at MUSC, I went home for a weekend to New Jersey to see my grandmother who was not doing well. As luck would have it, there was an open tryout for the bobsled team in her hometown. They stated that they were looking for ex- track and field or football players and my friends brought me to the tryout. This consisted of pushing a couple hundred pound sled for 30 meters at a time. I passed the test and then got an official test at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York the next week. Even though I only had one week to prepare for all the physical tests (30,60,100 meter, vertical jump, 5 hop test, max bench, squat, clean), I was still in shape, made the grade, and I was selected. Overall the bobsled was an awesome experience in that I traveled around the world representing the US, met a number of great people and really learned how to train myself for testing. This actually became the cornerstone of a lot of what I do with my athletes today.

“I always say that after my first canister of Joe Weider chewable protein wafers and copy of

“Flex Magazine”, I have not missed more than 3 days in a row without training.”

- Martin Rooney

Training for WarriorsPart One: The Warrior inside the TrainerBy Anthony Gracewood

Martin Rooney(Pictured Left)

(Pictured Left to Right) Renzo Gracie, Martin Rooney, and Ricardo Almeida

Final Round 34

FR: Can you tell us what the Parisi Speed School is all about? MR: Sure. The best way for me to tell what the School is about is to start at the beginning. Seventeen years ago, Bill Parisi started out toward a dream that ultimately spawned an entire industry. His All-American track career over, Bill saw numerous limitations in the way young athletes were training for sport, and he wanted to help remedy the situation. Armed with only a motivational speech, some equipment, and a 500 dollar van, Bill drove to high schools in the Northern New Jersey area looking for coaches and teams that wanted to take advantage of state-of-the-art physical training techniques. That was the birth of the company.

In 1998, Bill and I started training and throwing javelin together. He was looking for a director for his program which was now in one small location in Wyckoff, New Jersey, and I was looking for a career in performance enhancement. I left therapy, took over the program and we have not looked back since. We opened 5 company owned stores, and then in 2005 started a national franchise to offer great training to kids around the country. Now there are over 40 franchises in over 20 states across the country.

Over 100,000 athletes at every level of athletics have experienced the Parisi Speed School, and the program has developed as a national brand that is now creating awareness toward proper sports enhancement. With athletes 7 years old all the way to the Professional and Olympic ranks, the Parisi Speed School has followed its original mission on two fronts: improve athletic performance, and more importantly, develop self esteem.If you want to check out more about the program, go to parisischool.com.

FR: What are some of your biggest accomplishments?MR: I guess that accomplishments are a subjective topic, and everyone thinks differently about what an accomplishment is, but here is my quick list of things I have done that I feel are of note. • 16 year school record holder in Javelin at Furman University

and 4-time All Conference• Graduated Summa Cum Laude with two simultaneous

degrees from the Medical University of South Carolina• Member of US bobsled team• Became orthopedic physical therapist• Created successful NFL Combine program with over 115

draft picks in 8 years• Helped build national franchise with now 40 locations• Named to Editorial Counsel of Gracie Magazine• Earned a black belt in judo• Presented for multiple Fortune 500 companies on business

and motivation• Consultant for NY Giants, Cincinnati Bengals and NY Jets• Prepared athletes in Japan, Brazil, Finland, Mexico and the

Middle East• Training for Warriors book has sold over 20,000 copies in first

8 months of release • But by far, my biggest accomplishment is staying married and

having 3 kids while doing a lot of the stuff above!

FR: What’s something most people don’t know about you?MR: The first thing I would say is that what I put out there on my DVDs and in my books is what I really think. So if you have

seen me blasting on the videos or on youtube, you do know me a little. Although more and more people are getting familiar with me and the fact that you can spend over 50 hours with me on my DVDs and writings, there are still a lot of things peopledo not know about me. For instance, my favorite food is Chinese food. I eat really well at all times, but on Sundays, I use my cheat meal each week for either white meat General Tso’s Chicken or Golden Sesame Prawns Shrimp with a quart of white rice. Each week I eat until I am stuffed and then say “I cant believe I just did that.” Kind of a funny recurring pattern.

Another thing is that, as a result of my kids, I am a giant fan of Dr. Seuss books. Almost every night I get to read to my daughters and now we have 40 of his books in our collection. I admire what the guy was able to do and really enjoy getting into character and reading to my kids. If I had those on video, they would surely be a youtube hit.

FR: Where do you see Martin Rooney in 5 years?MR: This is a great question. Right now my company, Parisi Speed School, is now expanding across the US with 40 locations and the TFW book and website are gaining in popularity. As a result, I am now traveling more, doing more speaking and TV. If I had to make a prediction, I see another two books over the next 5 years that are going to lead to me traveling the world and hopefully a TV show about training or the arts. I also see the Parisi Brand spreading to over 200 more locations and changing the face of American athletics. Finally I see myself happy and still fit while enjoying my time with my then 11, 8, and 5 year old daughters.

Part Two: Continued in next Issue

Pictured above (left to right): Bill Parisi, Martin Rooney on ESPNs Sports Center

35 Final Round

Conditioning is one of those that many people use it to mean a lot of different things. The word isn't being used incorrectly, per se, but rather being used as sort of a "catch-all" to encompass many different training ideas. I know this sounds like just boring semantics here, but stick with me for a minute...

For many MMAists, when they think "conditioning," they think cardiovascular conditioning. This could be in the form of LSD (Long Slow Distance) jogging, interval training/sprints, skipping rope, etc.

Cardiovascular conditioning (i.e. - the heart pumping blood) and cardio-respiratory conditioning (i.e. - the lungs breathing air in oxygen and out carbon dioxide) go hand in hand. When you train to increase one, you'll also be training to increase the other. (NOTE - from this point forward, I'll just call this "cardio.") If you're not sure what this is, go outside and run as hard as you can for about 30 seconds. Are you breathing hard? Sure, you are. This is cardio conditioning.

Next, there's muscular conditioning. This is the ability of a muscle (or group of muscles) to contract many times over a given time period. To get an idea of what this is like, hit the floor and do as many pushups as you can. Are you breathing hard this time? Probably not, but your triceps, chest, and possibly shoulders are "burning". That's muscular conditioning.

Then there is strength/power conditioning. This is sort of the "next step" after muscular conditioning. Instead of your muscles having to just contract repeatedly, they have to contract very forcefully over and over. An example of this would be to figure out how much you can bench press for just one rep (called your 1RM) and put 90% of that on the bar. How many times can you bench that (regardless of rest breaks) in say 5-8 minutes?

More than likely, you'll find you're breathing hard, but not as hard as when you were sprinting. Your muscles are also probably burning, but not as bad as they did with the pushups. However, you're probably more tired and have a lot less energy than at the end of either of the 1st two tests. That's strength/power conditioning.

All three forms of conditioning are vitally important to an MMAist. A lack of any of the three can lead to losing a fight. Look at it like this - which of the following is worse:

-Breathing so hard and being so tired you can't hold your hands up because you're too busy sucking wind-Your shoulders being so tired and burning so bad that it hurts too much to hold your hands up-Being so worn out that even though you can hold your hands up, you now hit like a little girl

You can find examples where fighters have been out of shape in any of those ways...and they usually lose because of of it.

So, if all three are different, then doesn't it make sense that you're training should be different for all three?

Cardio

The best bet here is simple cardio work. This can be in the form of LSD (Long Slow Distance) jogging or with interval training. To make a long story short, your body can either produce energy with oxygen (aerobic training) or without oxygen (anaerobic training).- continued on next page

Conditioning Isn’t Just Cardio

By: Matt WigginsImage Credit: Vanderpoel

Final Round 36

Studies have shown that aerobic training increased aerobic capabilities, but showed very little increase in anaerobic capabilities. To use a real simple illustration, trainees who jogged got better at jogging, but not sprinting - they got better at what they trained. Which makes sense.

However, anaerobic training leads to not only increased anaerobic capabilities, but also significant increase in aerobic capabilities as well. So, the trainees who sprinted got better at not only sprinting, but also at jogging. They got better at what they trained AND what they didn't train - more "bang" for the training "buck." Anaerobic training has also been shown to be very effective for fat loss as well.

LSD shouldn't be discounted and never done, though. While interval training might be more beneficial as a whole than LSD, it is also pretty hard on the body. LSD is a good way (as long as it's not taken to extremes) to burn up some extra calories, do some active recovery, and get some extra overall training volume in. And it all does it without breaking down the body physically (when compared to interval training)

There are also a couple of "alternate" forms of cardio conditioning that I like using, but I will cover those in a future article.

Muscular Conditioning

Muscular conditioning is increased by simply making the muscles contract more and more times. This can be done by using exercises with light weight and high reps. Doing a set or two of high rep calisthenics now and then can be a good way to increase muscular conditioning, as can just adding a couple of high rep "backoff" sets after your heavy work.

The thing about muscular conditioning is that many times (especially when you're using very light loads), you're not as much limited by what your body can or can't do, but by mental limitations. Think of it like this - if you're a halfway decent squatter (if you weigh 200 lbs. or less, and can squat 300 lbs.), then you should be able to do a few hundred free-standing bodyweight squats.

You might be able to do 150 free squats, and your legs will be burning like crazy, and you'll want to quit. And if you're not strong mentally, you might. But if Dana White all of a sudden showed up and said he'd give you a guaranteed UFC contract if you could figure out a way to grind out 450 squats (three times the point that you wanted to quit on), think you could figure out a way to get the squats done?

Yeah...you probably could. And that's because you're being blocked mentally, not physically.

Strength/Power Conditioning

If you want to be able to use your strength/power for longer periods of time, or repeatedly over given periods of time, then you have to train that way. This means

compound movements, heavy weight, low reps, medium to heavy volume, and little rest. There are many, many ways to do this, so I won't go into them all here.

Designing a Program

It should be a "given" that all of these things would be a part of a good, complete program, but since every fighter is different, as is every fighter's situation, needs, etc, there is no one "correct" way to put it all together. However, there are some ways that you can work more than one type of conditioning at a time.

Circuits (also called “complexes”) can do this. Circuits are pretty simple – perform more several exercises back to back with no rest. If you've ever seen any of the Randy Couture / Team Quest circuits, then you know what I'm talking about. These can either be done very high volume with several exercises, lighter weight, and higher reps to tax muscular conditioning. Or, they can be done with a medium number of exercises (say 4-6), heavier weights, and medium reps (say 6-8). This will tax not only muscular conditioning, but will tax strength/power conditioning more. Both will greatly tax cardio conditioning.

A favorite method of mine is to do single, alternating-limb exercises. These are best done with full-body exercises, and, because of the nature of the method, heavier weights can be used, with higher reps. For example, take the Dumbbell (DB) Clean & Press. Grab a heavy DB, and Clean & Press it with your left arm. Set it down, and grab it with your right hand. Clean and Press. Set it down and grab with your left. Keep repeating until you do 20-30 reps per side. This allows you to keep your form good and correct, a higher volume of work overall, and use a much heavier weight than you could if you were doing 20-30 reps in a row. This method will tax not only strength/power conditioning, but muscular and cardio conditioning as well.

Hopefully this gives you a better overall understanding of what "conditioning" can entail, and that doing just the traditional "roadwork" (i.e. - running 4-5 miles every morning) isn't enough for a complete gameplane. That isn't to say that roadwork isn't a great thing to do, or that it shouldn't be a part of your plan.

You just need to make sure that your plan is a complete one.

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.

Matt Wiggins

www.workingclassfitness.com

37 Final Round

FR: First, How are you doing?ES: I am good thank you, thanks for asking. Also thanks for the opportunity to do this interview. FR: Can you tell us about your martial arts back round?ES: Sure. I’ve been training martial arts since I was about 9 years old. I started in Judo, then moved on Tae kwon do, and over the years have done Jun Fan, Kali, BJJ, Kai Shin, Boxing, Thai Boxing, Wrestling, Shoot Fighting, Capoeira just to name a few. Though I’ve dabbled in quite a few arts I’ve got a Black belt in BJJ, Tae Kwon Do, Shoot Fighting and Kai Shin Freestyle. FR: What motivates you to keep training?ES: I love it. Really it is that simple. I love the challenge. I love the physicalness of it. I love the mental aspect of it. I just enjoy what I do. Thanks to Mixed Martial Arts and the evolution of the sport it’s easier cause some months I prefer my BJJ, other months I’m into my submission grappling, some months I can’t get enough of my Thai Boxing sparring, and of course sometimes I’m all over my Mixed Martial Arts training. The diversity of what I do, I think, makes it easier to stay motivated and continue to love what I do. That is also one of the things that makes mixed martial arts so exciting, the diversity of the sport. FR: How popular is MMA is Australia?ES: MMA is still a fringe sport. It is growing in recognition and popularity with every show. But it is still not a mainstream sport. Same as in the US, people know UFC. I had a guy the other day come round door knocking, and he saw I was wearing an MMA shirt. He asked if I do Ultimate Fighting. I said, “yes”. He said “cool”. Then he said, “you do the UFC?” and I said, “Yes”. He then said, “have you done the UFC in North America?” of course I said, “Yes”. But as you can see, he was referring to MMA at first and UFC in the end but to him MMA was UFC. I think with some our local shows like CFC, growing with every event, and also getting air time, it will help the sport. But for now most people just know UFC. FR: Do you know when and who you will be fighting next?ES: Sadly no. At this point I have no fights lined up. I’ve contacted a few organizations, Strikeforce, Bellator, Dream and Sengoku just to name a few but none of them have gotten back to me. If any of my fans want to see me fighting on any of those shows, email the promoters and let them know. I would love to have a couple more fights before I retire.

FR: Are you currently under contract with any fight Promotion?ES: No, I am not currently under contract with any

fight promotion.

FR: You have fought some of the biggest names in MMA, Who has been your toughest

opponent to date?ES: Honestly, they have all been tough. I’ve fought a

few UFC Champions, Tito Ortiz, Frank Shamrock, Evan Tanner & Forrest Griffin. Strikeforce and IFC Champion Renato Babalu, as well as some tough up and comers like Sakara and Bisping. They all deserve respect and recognition for their abilities. I’ll just stick them in the “They’re all freakin tough” bucket. FR: What was your biggest win in your MMA career?ES: Even to this date it is Jeremy Horn. It was my debut in the UFC, and Jeremy is a legend in the sport as well as in the UFC. FR: We will ever see you back in the UFC?ES: I don’t know. I would definitely love to get back into the Octagon and have another go. I know as a fighter I get better every day. I also always want to challenge myself. I want to face the best guys that are out there. So far I’ve done that but I’m not finished yet. FR: You have a huge fan base on the Underground forum (mma.tv), Would you like to say anything to them?ES: Sure… “Hi KKM”… What the heck hey. Nah I love the UG. I’m a big fan of the sport, and just like all the other fans I love to go to that place to find out what is going on and chat about the sport. Heck if you love talking about MMA I might see you on there. FR: Well thank you very much Elvis, Is there anyone you would like to thank? ES: Thanks for giving me the opportunity to do this interview. Hopefully we can do it again sometime soon when I get a fight lined up. I want to thank all my sponsors for continuing to stand by me, Fairtex, Atama Australia and Lojak fightwear. Check out their stuff they all have the best gear on the market. I also want to thank my friend, training and business partner Anthony Perosh for all his help and support. I can’t forget my students who are always behind me and pushing me to achieve more. Also thanks to my family and friends.

All hail the King of Rock n Rumble Elvis Sinosic

By Anthony Gracewood

39 Final Round

Continued from page 19

Roy Dean: From Judo to BJJ

I was doing more yoga than weightlifting at that time, so I would probably increase the lifting, but still keep the yoga. I would also get more time on the mat with some of my black belt friends in Portland

FR: Will we see you compete at next years World BJJ Championships? RD: Very likely. I really like the way the Worlds are run, very professional. I also like the fact tha t they don ’ t have age brackets, and the competition is stiff, to say the very least. Everyone is a shark. I learned a lot in my first World Competition experience, and hope to do better next year.

FR: Can you tell us about your instructional series Blue Belt Requirements? RD: The overall goal of my Academy i s to ra ise one generation of black belts, and document the process of doing so. If I’m able to show how I did it, I know that others will be able to do the same thingBlue Belt Requirements is a concise guide for what I look for in that first step in BJJ, with a heavy emphasis on positional escapes. I created the DVD as I was creating blue belts, and the response has been strong. Crystal clear instruction, no filler, and solid basics. I’m pleasantly surprised at how many copies continue to sell. I hope it becomes a classic in BJJ media. Now I’m focusing on creating purple belts rather than blue belts. With my mind focused and always asking “What makes a purple belt?”, I feel that it was the right time to make a Purple Belt Requirements DVD. But i n s t e a d o f t e c h n i q u e requirements, I outline skill requirements on the discs, and a r m t h e v i e w e r w i t h a developer’s toolkit to create and personalize their own jiu jitsu game. It’s more conceptual. The DVDs are finished and should be on the market shortly. I’m very excited about this new release.

FR: If any of our readers wanted to buy your DVD series where can they go?RD: My DVD’s are available on Budovideos, Amazon, and a few

other online retailers. But I would suggest purchasing it d i rect ly f rom my websi te , roydeanacademy.com, if you’re able.

FR: What advice would give to anyone that is new to BJJ? RD: Go slow. Feel it out. Don’t try to win it all in one night. Nobody does. That’s why its so fun. BJJ requires sensitivity to make it to the higher levels. You learn to take away your tension and strength in order to feel what the other person is doing. It’s very difficult to make somebody do something on the mat. It’s easier to make them want to do it. How? Simply block your opponents escape routes and leave just one of them open. That’s the one they’ll choose and since you’re expecting it, you’ll be ready with your choke or armlock or other submission. Jiu j itsu is not just about the techniques, it’s about the setup a n d t r a n s i t i o n s b e t w e e n techniques that’s the heart of the art. It’s a very sophisticated game that should feel like magic when done properly. Like everything else in this life that’s worthwhile, it takes time, so be patient with yourself.FR: Thanks for everything, Roy- is there anybody you'd like to thank?RD: I’d like to thank my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu teacher, Roy Harris, and my Japanese Jujutsu teacher Julio Toribio. Both are g i f ted mar t ia l a r t i s ts and exceptional teachers. I am merely a reflection of what they have shown me.

I’d also like to thank all that have supported this particular vision of BJJ, whether that’s through purchasing a DVD, leaving a positive comment on a video, or writing a letter telling me how inspired they are to continue on their journey. Every single supporter encourages me to put jiu jitsu in the best light possible. Thank you!

Continued from page 30

The Lifestyle of a Warrior

This is the formula to follow for a long a healthy life. If you decide or not to take the steps of Grand Master Helio is totally up to you but you have the choice to live this way and stay healthy. I have chosen to be healthy as Grand

Master Helio, I do not want to live visiting countless doctors' offices, taking numerous pills, not been able to walk without the necessity of assistance. I want to be able to enjoy life until the end and be able to play and lift weights all my life and do whatever I want to do. You may e n j o y t h e m o m e n t w i t h comfortable food but you may regret one day what you did. Put down that donut, switch off the microwave and get something decent and nutritious to eat!

If live in South Florida and you are interested in personal training, nutrition and massage, [ h t t p : / / w w w . c o r o f i t -personaltraining.com]Lifestyle Fitness Solutions have to be your choice.

Continued from page 32

Roxanne Modafferi: Not Your Average Girl!

FR: What are some issues that you've had to deal with as a woman in amale-dominated sport?RM: Even though my gym runs an MMA event (Cage Force), they won't put me on the card with the men. And in the women's event "Valkyrie" they have trouble finding opponents for me. Also in Japan, everyone, and even fellow male pro-fighters, look at women doing MMA as not being serious, I feel. I'm sure everyone has a different opinion, but that's the feeling I get. We get respect for training hard, but a lot of people, including men, still don't want to see women getting hit or fighting in the Cage.

FR: Where do you do you see women’s MMA in 5 years?RM: I hope to see a women's m a t c h o n e v e r y c a r d everywhere. This is starting to happen. And in the WEC and K-1 and Dream, etc.

F R : B a s e d o n y o u r experiences thus far, what piece of advice could you offer any young girls wanting to fight in MMA?RM: Find a gym or dojo that supports you, and people who want to nurture you to become the best you can be. And have fun! Make sure you're not training ONLY because you want

to fight, but because you love training and you love to improve yourself! Fights are few and far between.

FR: If there is any fight p r o m o t e r s r e a d i n g t h i s interview what would you like to say to them?RM: MAKE ME AN OFFER PLEASE! I'll put on an exciting fight, I promise! Thanks!!

FR: Thanks for everything Roxanne, is there anybody you'd like to thank?RM: Yes, thanks to ALL The fans out there who want to see me fight but have no power to make it happen. And to those who send me supportive messages, and write comments on my myspace blog to cheer me up when I'm depressed. Thanks to Ryan and Jake at fightlinker.com who are always "pimping me" on their site, and for making T shirts for me to sponsor me. (still on sale! Get them while they last). Also to all the guys at MMA.tv.

All of us at FINAL ROUND would like to take this opportunity to thank you for reading our first issue. We hope you enjoyed it, and you can expect a lot more in the issues to come.

Our Second issue wi l l be available December 2009.

FINAL ROUND Contact Information

TEL: 1-905-541-2131

EMAIL: agracewood@gmail.com

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