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Posts Tagged ‘highlight’

MMA DieHards Radio: Jordan Mein, Joe Lozito, Alexis Davis

by Jason Kelly on February 27, 2013 8:06:38 PM in Radio | No Comments »

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MMA DieHards Radio returns, as Jason Kelly (Twitter: @JayMMADieHards) and Joe Rizzo (Twitter: @rearnakedchoke) welcome in Jordan Mein and Joe Lozito on tonight’s show.

Mein (Twitter: @fightingmeins) makes his long awaited UFC debut on March 16 against Dan Miller at UFC 158 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. After blowing the competition, which included Joe Riggs, Josh Neer and Marius Zaromskis, in his native Canada, Mein competed under the Strikeforce banner where he went 2-1.

Lozito (Twitter: @joe_lozito), considerably the most heroic MMA fan in the world, joined the podcast to recite his near death experience and UFC treatment. Lozito chatted some MMA with the hosts, amongst other topics in the news.

Davis (Twitter: @AlexisDavisMMA), another UFC newcomer, enters the promotion on a two-fight win streak. Though, she doesn’t have a UFC fight scheduled yet, Davis is hoping for a shot at UFC women’s bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey.

Punch Drunk Radio: Douglas Lima, Mikey Rukus

by Amy Barton on February 26, 2013 7:37:42 PM in Uncategorized | No Comments »

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Douglas “The Phenom” Lima (Twitter: @PhenomLima) recently found his way back to the Bellator welterweight finals. At Bellator 90, Lima defeated Bryan Baker via KO and set up a rematch against Ben Saunders in the Bellator Season 8 finals. Lima will look to be victorious against Saunders again, which will result in a title rematch for the Brazilian against 170-pound champion Ben Askren.

Mikey Rukus (Twitter: @MikeyRukus) will also stop by and talk some music and MMA. He is the man behind the new PDR intro, yet has an insight to the MMA world. His aggressive music matches that of combat sports, and he embodies it with his talents.

Join us every Tuesday night at 9pm ET for MMA news & views, interviews, opinions, giveaways and more! Visit www.mmadiehards.com for show recaps, news, videos, and all of our archives.

How dare you criticize referee Yves Lavigne?

Referee Yves Lavigne (Photo courtesy of mmaconvent)

Ignorant critics are just part of the job for veteran referee Yves Lavigne.

As a member of the Canadian karate team, Lavigne (Twitter: @YvesLavignemma) competed at the highest levels. After retiring from karate he trained in the sweet science of boxing. Not being a competitor anymore, the French-Canadian began judging kickboxing matches in his native province of Quebec after being offered a position from a friend in the athletic commission.

Combat sports were a major interest in Lavigne’s life, and when he first witnessed a 170-pound Brazilian defeat combatants that were much larger in size, he knew it was something special.

“When I saw the first UFC,” Lavigne explained to Amy Barton and John Petit on Punch Drunk Radio on the MMA DieHards Radio Network. “You know the little guy with the pajamas beating everybody? His name was Royce Gracie. I didn’t understand what he was doing because I was coming from a striking background. I’m like, ‘Kick the guy, punch him. How come he’s winning?’ I was yelling at the TV. I didn’t really didn’t understand, but I loved what I was watching.”

Lavigne told the commissioner of the athletic commission in Quebec that MMA is the future, but the idea was shunned. To their surprise, Lavigne was correct in his predictions and the sport was legalized in Quebec in 1996.

Issues with unsanctioned bouts on Indian reserves were a problem at the time, so Lavigne assisted in structuring the sport and established rules, guidelines and precautionary measures in Quebec. This also led to his career as an MMA referee.

“I worked with the government in Quebec to legalize the sport,” Lavigne said. “In 1997 or ’98 we had the first legal sanctioned mixed martial arts in Quebec, and I was one of the refs. When we finished the process and came up with the rules we needed a ref and judge. They all looked at me and I said, ‘Ok, I’ll be the ref.’ It started like that.”

Now, a familiar face in the Octagon, Lavigne is watched under a microscope by people all over the world. Though, Lavigne is one of the best at his job, he is still human and makes errors from time to time.

Refereeing is the most underappreciated job in MMA. Gratitude is infrequently handed out, yet criticism is readily available.

“When everything goes right, it’s like you’re not there and they don’t even notice you,” Lavigne said. “When something goes wrong everybody is on you.”

To hear the barking from the fans is something Lavigne can tolerate, but when people who claim to be in the know slander the referee, he questions their understanding of the sport.

“When you have supposedly knowledgeable people who criticize your job or put a bad joke about you on the internet,” Lavigne said. “Sometimes it’s so specific. By the comment they (write) you find out they don’t know what there are talking about. It’s like sometimes a journalist or people that are supposed to know don’t know the rules we have to obey. They don’t know that the unified rules are not unified in all of the states. Sometimes we have to deal with different rules, and we get criticized because we are applying those rules. That kind of makes me mad sometimes, but its part of the job.”

Mark DellaGrotte: ‘I got bit hard’ by the acting bug

by Jason Kelly on February 25, 2013 8:10:49 AM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

Mark DellaGrotte (L) training Kevin James (R)

Mark DellaGrotte never thought getting hit with a boxing glove would lead to getting bit by the acting bug.

DellaGrotte (Twitter: @MarkDellaGrotte), owner of Sityodtong gym in Somerville, Mass., is a world-renowned martial artist. After devoting his life to many walks of martial arts, DellaGrotte moved to Thailand to train Muay Thai kickboxing under Kru Yodtong, and then he was appointed as one of two US representatives eight years later.

As martial arts modernized and MMA popularized, DellaGrotte grew with the times and began instructing mixed martial artists. Martial arts have served as DellaGrotte’s vehicle for travels and opportunities that span the world, but when Kevin James walked into Sityodtong in 2010, it led to an opportunity the Bostonian couldn’t see coming.

“I never looked at martial arts to do half the things I’ve done in my life,” DellaGrotte told Jason Kelly on MMA DieHards Radio on the MMA DieHards Radio Network. “I never knew that martial arts would take me around the world and show me different cultures, I never thought that martial arts would help me provide for my family and keep a roof over their head. I certainly never thought martial arts would land me alongside an actress like Salma Hayek or an actor like Henry Winkler in a major motion picture. I’m truly blessed at what the sport has done for me and I’m truly grateful.”

James, star and director of “Here Comes The Boom,” offered DellaGrotte a role in the MMA-romantic-comedy as himself; an MMA cornerman. DellaGrotte gladly accepted the proposition. He worked with the aforementioned Winkler and Hayek, as well as “King of Queens” star James and fellow martial artist Bas Rutten on “Here Comes The Boom,” which he described as all great co-workers.

“It was a tremendous experience,” DellaGrotte said. “I’m glad that I got to contribute to not only the growth and prosperity of the sport, but I also got to appear in a major motion film.”

While playing cornerman to James’ character, Scott Voss, DellaGrotte was called upon to give some insight behind the scenes,

“Kevin and I had discussed prior to the movie, alongside Bas Rutten,” DellaGrotte explained. “He said, ‘Hey, look, if there is anything we’re doing in this movie that is not the way it is supposed to be, let us know.’ There was one particular time that I can remember. I was wrapping his hands once and there was no commissioner there. We all know that in the state of Nevada, if a fighter is getting his hands wrapped, there’s a red coat watching. There was one particular scene where it was off and Bas and I had to play the director role.”

DellaGrotte said acting is something he never imagined himself doing, and playing himself was not a big challenge, therefore, he would like the chance to play an actual character. He enjoys the fun roles, but could even see himself be cast as a serious martial artist in a film.

Martial arts is DellaGrotte’s true passion, so don’t expect him to abandon his lifestyle in an effort to win an Oscar, but don’t be surprised if you see him in front of the camera again.

“The one day I said to Kevin (James), ‘I think I got bit hard,’” DellaGrotte explained. “Bas said, ‘I think I got bit hard,’ you know, he mocked my Boston accent and we laughed about it. (Rutten) said, ‘You got bit? You love this stuff, don’t you?’ I said, ‘How could you not?’ I get to hang out with cool people, I get to do what I like to do – in this case it was mixed martial arts- and I get paid to do it all. It wasn’t much, but it was a great experience and something I would thoroughly enjoy doing again.”

UFC 157: Machida eludes Henderson, Gustafsson for No. 1 contender status

by Jason Kelly on February 24, 2013 4:46:19 PM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

Lyoto Machida (R) kicking Dan Henderson (L) at UFC 157 (photo courtesy of bleacherreport.com)

After the elusiveness defeated Dan Henderson, Lyoto Machida snuck past Alexander Gustafsson for the next shot at UFC gold.

Machida (Twitter: @lyotomachidafw) garnered a split decision victory against Henderson (Twitter: @danhendo) at UFC 157 on Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The match had very few crowd pleasing moments and could have gone either way on the judges’ scorecards.

Machida, a karate specialist, used his imperceptibility to avoid Henderson’s takedowns and strikes, but didn’t attack as much as “The Dragon” usually does. Machida landed several significant, flashy kicks, but Henderson, with his inhuman-like chin, grinned and was never dazed from the blows.

Henderson hunted Machida without much success for the majority of the fight, although, he did get the Brazilian down in Round 3. Machida controlled Henderson in guard until he could get back to his feet, and that was the American’s only point of dominance in the bout. When Henderson attacked with punches, Machida kept a distance that wouldn’t allow “Hendo” to connect, yet the Black House teammate rarely counter-attacked. It was the story of the fight until time expired and the judges rendered it a split decision in Machida’s favor.

Though, a lackluster contest, the outcome provided Machida with a prize already promised to another mixed martial artist.

Henderson was the UFC light heavyweight No. 1 contender until injury forced him out of the UFC 151 main event championship match against Jon Jones. While Henderson was recovering, Chael Sonnen managed to acquire a chance to square off with Jones in a title match, so Machida, in a sense, defeated the UFC 205-pound division No. 1 contender at UFC 157.

However, UFC president Dana White announced at a press conference on Feb. 13 that Gustafsson would receive the next title shot if victorious over promotion newcomer Gegard Mousasi. But, at the UFC 157 post-fight press conference White granted Machida with the same honors.

“He just beat the number one contender,” White said when asked if Machida will get a title shot. ”Which, would make him the number one contender.

UFC 157: Rousey, Carmouche handle fight and media like pros

by Jason Kelly on February 24, 2013 2:42:26 PM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

Ronda Rousey submitting Liz Carmouche at UFC 157 (photo courtesy of Sherdog)

Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche proved they are ready for the pressures of a UFC bout.

Rousey (Twitter: @RondaRousey) and Carmouche (Twitter: @iamgirlrilla) made history Saturday night by being the first two female combatants to duke it out in the UFC. They main evented UFC 157 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and the match verified the girls are ready for the big stage.

Rousey, a ridiculously heavy favorite coming into the bout, came out of the tunnel looking as mean as ever, while Carmouche was all smiles. They embraced with sportsman like conduct, touched gloves and put on a show worthy of UFC main event status.

Rousey quickly got the fight to the canvas, but was in a compromising position early in the match and it appeared as though she was on her way to suffering her first career loss. After Carmouche scrambled out from underneath Rousey, “Girl-Rilla” managed to secure her opponent’s back in a standing position. Carmouche was searching for a rear naked-choke, but could not get her arm under the champ’s chin. Carmouche balked the choke and applied a face crank. Rousey, with her face and neck being twisted by the torque of Carmouche’s grasp, continuously tried to shake her opponent off her back, but the pressure worsened. “Rowdy” finally got Carmouche off her back and stood above her landing punches and absorbing up-kicks to the face and chest, until the challenger swept Rousey and attempted a heel-hook. The former Strikeforce champ spun around and landed in side control and had Carmouche in a headlock. Rousey punished Carmouche with punches to her forehead and nose, which drew blood. Carmouche tried endlessly to slip out from under Rousey again, but in her efforts the Judo Olympian eventuated to the spider web position.

With her legs extended across Carmouche’s torso, and both hands latched on to the former Invicta FC fighter’s arm, the inevitable was underway. Although, Carmouche defended well, Rousey ultimately stretched her opponent’s arm and won her seventh consecutive fight via armbar.

Prior to her UFC debut, Rousey was a media attraction. The historic UFC match added more media attention and Carmouche became intertwined.

Rousey and Carmouche abided to their media obligations such as the UFC Primtetime show, the dozens of interviews, the fan appearances, amongst many other tasks. They took care of their media responsibilities in such good fashion that UFC president Dana White noted it at the UFC 157 post-fight press conference.

“When we talk about the media coverage for this thing, these girls worked their asses off,” White said. “Everything they had to do, I mean, they were up at five in the morning going to do media obligations. It’s refreshing having people go in and do the (expletive) they’re supposed to do. I like it”

Rousey and Carmouche continued their media savvy ways through the post-fight press conference as well. Both fighters listened attentively and answered questions intelligently, all while exhibiting their personalities.

Rousey and Carmouche were the consummate professionals before, during after the first-ever UFC women’s fight, proving they can handle all the pressures of a UFC bout.

UFC 157: Caros Fodor motivated, not nervous, for UFC debut against Stout

by Jason Kelly on February 22, 2013 8:00:54 AM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

Strikeforce lightweight Caros Fodor. (Photo courtesy of Strikeforce)

The promotion that kept Caros Fodor inactive, also prepared him for the big show.

Fodor (Twitter: @carosfodor) makes his UFC debut Saturday at UFC 157 against Sam Stout at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. “The Future” joined the UFC roster with a group of fighters absorbed from the Strikeforce closure.

Fodor, like many former Strikeforce combatants, was anxious to finally get the call over to the UFC after Zuffa purchased the San Jose-based promotion. As much as Strikeforce did for Fodor, by the time the company demised, he wasn’t exactly content with his situation.

“It was bitter sweet,” Fodor told Amy Barton and Alex Donno on Punch Drunk Radio on the MMA DieHards Radio Network. “I had a great experience in Strikeforce. They were good to me, they took care of me. They put on a good show, I got a lot of good experience and good fights there in the beginning, but then in my third year, when they were on their way out, I didn’t get a fight for a year. That was tough. In the beginning it was great, but towards the end, when I was sitting on the sidelines, it really sucked.”

As much as Fodor wanted his situation to improve, he wasn’t entirely certain on where his future would lead.

The UFC was not forced to bring over every Strikeforce fighter under contract, therefore, only the top ranked guys in the promotion made the cut. It was apparent the champs and the heavyweights remaining in Strikeforce would be fighting in the Octagon, but Fodor wasn’t positive a lightweight like him would be desired by the UFC.

“I was really nervous,” Fodor admitted. “The fact that that UFC division is so damn stacked, I didn’t know if they were looking to bring (lightweights) over. When I finally got the call, it was the best feeling ever. My manager Matt Hume called me and I celebrated, it was almost New Year’s Eve, and then I buckled down.”

When training camp began, Fodor upped the ante and improved in an array of areas. Fodor said his discipline was at an all-time high, as he dedicated himself to a full eight-week training camp. Training with Hume, UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson and the rest of the AMC Pankration team, Fodor improved skills, as well as his diet and cardio.

The Washington native credits his newfound enthusiasm due to his recent employment.

“I’ve been laid off and I kind of miss that preparation,” Fodor said. “Now that I’ve got the fight in the UFC, my debut, I just have more motivation that I haven’t had in a long time. I have great training partners; it’s just been a great camp.”

Fodor meets Stout, a longtime UFC combatant, in his inaugural UFC bout. To a lot of fighters, the pressure of a UFC debut, coupled with testing your mettle against a seasoned veteran like Stout, could be disheartening.

Not for Fodor, though, as he gained previous big stage experience in Strikeforce.

“The (Strikeforce) Challenger Series did a lot for me,” Fodor said. “I got to be a main event once, so I’m kind of used to the big show. It’s all the same guys in the background running the UFC shows that were running it towards the end of the Strikeforce shows. I’ve never been in an octagon, but I’m assuming it’s pretty similar. I’m ready for the big show.”

Bellator 90 recap: Shamhalaev in title contention, Newton upsets Lawal, ATT teammates meet again, Zayats gets sole submission

by Jason Kelly on February 22, 2013 6:34:03 AM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

Douglas Lima at Bellator 64 press conference. (Photo courtesy of Robert Reynolds/MMADieHards)

Bellator 90 took place at The Maverick Center in West Valley City, Utah, on Thursday, and it decided a Bellator Season 8 featherweight tournament winner, light heavyweight and welterweight finalists, as well as an upset of the year candidate.

The main event featured a featherweight finals match between Shahbulat Shamhalaev and Rad Martinez to resolve which combatant would fight for the title after Daniel Straus challenges Pat Curran for the belt.

Shamhalaev endured problems at the scales the day before the match, but eventually made weight after hitting the sauna again and shaving his head. It was pondered if the Russian could withstand the athleticism of Martinez after undergoing a troubling weight cut, but that question was answered early.

Shamhalaev quickly took control of the fight and picked Martinez apart with strikes. Nearing the end of Round 1, Martinez executed a single-leg takedown, which forced Shamhalaev to fight off his back for the remainder of the frame.

Early into the second stanza, Shamhalaev dropped Martinez with a head-kick. Martinez was quick to get back to his feet, but it was apparent he did not have his wits about him. Shamhalaev hunted Martinez and landed a pair of knees, followed by a right hand that capped off the American’s night.

Shamhalaev won the Bellator Season 7 featherweight tournament, which puts him in line for a shot at 145-pound title and greases his pockets with a cool $100,000.

Nobody ever knows what will happen in MMA, and that statement proved true when Emanuel Newton met “King Mo” Lawal at Bellator 90.

Newton, an underdog leading into the bout, silenced all critics, and Lawal, with his KO victory.

Lawal was typically flamboyant, boxing with his hands down and looking for another highlight reel finish. Newton stuck with technique and stayed composed whenever “King Mo” landed something significant. Lawal continuously left his hands down after attacking Newton, and Bellator color commentator Jimmy Smith pointed out the inevitable. Following a combination of punches from Lawal, he backed away with his hands down and Newton landed a spinning back-fist on “King Mo’s” chin. Lawal was out on his feet and Newton caught him as the heavy favorite in the tournament timbered to the canvas.

The victory advanced Newton to the light heavyweight finals in the Bellator Season 8 tournament.

In Bellator Season 8 welterweight action, Douglas Lima made quick work of Bryan Baker at The Maverick Center.

Both combatants possess technical striking, but Lima has the edge in the power department and it showed. There was a brief feeling out period between the two mixed martial artists, but within a couple of minutes, Lima found his range. It only took one straight right from Lima and Baker was on his back, “The Phenom” pounced on his opponent to drop another hammer-fist and the referee halted the match.

Lima moved into the welterweight finals with the KO victory.

Mikhail Zayats was sure to add a submission win to the Bellator 90 main card, as he submitted Jacob Noe in Round 1.

The bout was all Zayats. Zayats put Noe on the canvas after catching a kick and dropping his foe with a single right handed punch. Zayats followed Noe to the ground and utilized ground and pound to work his way into mount position. Once in mount, Zayats pummeled his opponent with fists, but Noe did not give up. However, when Noe tried to escape out the side, Zayats latched on an armbar, forcing his counterpart to tap in the opening frame.

Zayats, with another impressive win in the Bellator cage, moves on to face Newton in the Bellator Season 8 finals.

Ben Saunders met a familiar face, as he squared off against Raul Amaya, an opponent he first fought at Bellator 63 and won a decision.

Things, however, we’re different in this match.

Saunders was relentless with knees from the inside and outside. Amaya did his best to defend what Saunders threw at him, but the length and height of “Killa B” was simply too much to handle. After roughing up Amaya a bit, Saunders hit “Smash Mode” with a clean head-kick. That was the end of Amaya’s tournament run.

Saunders faces fellow American Top Team member and past opponent he suffered a loss to, Douglas Lima in the Bellator Season 8 finals.

Tara LaRosa predicting Rousey to win, Tate to lose and who can beat the champ

by Jason Kelly on February 21, 2013 5:22:23 PM in Features, Fighter Features | 1 Comment »

Tara Larosa

A veteran of WMMA, Tara LaRosa has a keen insight on the beginning of women’s bouts in the UFC, and what the promotion will need to do in the future.

LaRosa (Twitter: @TaraLaRosa) is a 24-fight veteran of the sport, who’s professional MMA debut was in April 2002. She’s won four titles in four different promotions in two separate weight classes – bantamweight and flyweight. She won gold medals, three apiece, between the Naga Grappling World Championships and the FILA Grappling World Championships, plus two silver medals in the ADCC’s. She’s competed around the world and fought some of the best women’s MMA has to offer over the years.

Needless to say, LaRosa knows mixed martial arts.

On Saturday, UFC 157 will take place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., and history will be made when Ronda Rousey puts her UFC women’s bantamweight title on the line against Liz Carmouche. Rousey is an overwhelming favorite in the inaugural women’s UFC match, and as much as LaRosa likes Carmouche, she’s going with the safe bet on this fight.

“Rousey is getting better and better,” LaRosa told Jason Kelly and Joe Rizzo on MMA DieHards Radio on the MMA DieHards Radio Network. “Her overall skills are increasing. I don’t see her losing this; I see her pulling off an armbar. If Liz gets too close at all, and if Liz doesn’t get too close, Rousey is going to play the distance and make it happen.

“Carmouche is a very powerful person. Striking and grappling, she’s specifically very powerful. That’s not something you want to play around with, so I think Rousey understands that and she’s probably going to try to end it early. I think she’s going to be successful.”

LaRosa said she thinks Carmouche is good overall, but based on her past performances, Rousey’s arsenal is something she can’t envision “GirlRilla” avoiding.

The fighter to dethrone Rousey, in LaRosa’s opinion, must possess a grappling ability that surpasses the majority of other combatants. There are various highly touted grapplers in WMMA, but who is the one that could stop the undefeated Rousey?

“I’d be pushing for Marloes Coenen,” LaRosa said. “That’s kind of who I think has a real good chance at taking it, but (the) old-school Marloes. Marloes from back in the day, I think could do it. I think old-school Tara LaRosa could do it. I know people like to talk about Miesha (Tate) has a lot of grappling experience, but she really doesn’t. It would be very interesting if Kyra Gracie got into MMA, seriously. That could be a really interesting match-up right there. Sara McMann is a hopeful, but I don’t think Sara could evade the armbar for three rounds. Her wrestling is good, but I don’t know. Shayna Baszler might be able to pull it off, there’s another one. Alexis Davis might be able to do it, she’s so scrappy. She’s really good on the ground.

“The whole thing is getting to the ground without falling into that armbar. And that’s the whole thing, it’s like how a really good wrestler can shoot and re-shoot. Ronda can throw you and armbar, if you get out of it and you’re in that position, she’s got another one coming for you right after it. I don’t know, but yeah, I think I would go with Alexis Davis or Marloes Coenen or Shayna.”

Pressed to narrow it to one, LaRosa made her decision.

“(Davis) got better and better, even since I fought her. She was really good when I fought her, her ground was really good. I got stuck in her triangle-(choke) for the better part of the second round. She’s relentlessly tough, too. She just keeps coming, constantly and constantly.”

With Cris “Cyborg” Santos, the opponent many fans wanted for Rousey, signed to Invicta FC and refusing to fight at bantamweight, there is an idea that a Strikeforce title rematch might be in the air for Rousey in the UFC.

Tate relinquished her Strikeforce belt when Rousey submitted her in March 2012, but she lasted longer than anyone has in the cage with “Rowdy.” Even though, it was only 4:27 into Round 1, Tate gave Rousey the most competition the champ has had to date.

Tate makes her UFC debut against Cat Zingano at “The Ultimate Fighter 17 Finale.” If Tate is victorious, it could possibly set up a rematch against Rousey, but LaRosa doesn’t think “Cupcake” will even get that far.

“(Tate’s) going to lose,” LaRosa said. “Cat is pretty damn good. She’s not as experienced, but Miesha doesn’t use her experience. With Cat versus Miesha, I think Cat is going to out-strike her. Miesha is just kind of dumb. This is a girl that tried to wrestle Sara McMann in a grappling tournament. That is the stupidest thing in the whole world, ever. I really don’t even know what she was trying to do with Rousey, she was trying to wrestle or judo her or whatever, but it sure as hell didn’t work. She ain’t that bright.”

With Rousey, Carmouche, Tate, McMann, Davis, Zingano and others on the UFC roster, the promotion’s introduction of WMMA appears to be set. However, with only one weight division of women in the UFC, LaRosa can foresee problems.

But she knows a solution.

“There are girls in the UFC, right now, that could make 125 (pounds),” LaRosa said. “If some of these chicks happen to lose or become (fan) favorites, would they open a 125-pound division in the UFC? They’re going to run out of fights if they don’t. If they want to do at least one women’s fight a month, with all the infinite shows that they do, they’re going to run out of fights.”

Spoken like a true veteran.

Alex Gasson: When Shawn Tompkins labels you ‘Pecker,’ you roll with it

by Jason Kelly on February 21, 2013 2:44:17 PM in Features, Fighter Features | No Comments »

(R) Alex Gasson (L) Shawn Tompkins. (Photo courtesy of Alex Gasson)

Alex Gasson is so loyal to the moniker Shawn Tompkins gave him; he keeps it alive today through his company’s name.

Gasson (Twitter @Pecker17), Ontario grappling promoter and manager of Adrenaline Training Center in London, Ontario, is a longtime member of Team Tompkins. He was brought up by Shawn Tompkins in same group and era as Mark Hominick, Sam Stout and Chris Horodecki.

Though, Gasson may not have the UFC notoriety such as Stout or Hominick, he does have his own place in combat sports. Gasson’s company, Pecker‘d Promotions, has a plethora of professional services for martial artists and event coordinating. Pecker’d Promotions is named after Gasson’s nickname, “Pecker,” which may seem like an odd handle and even stranger company appellation. However, when that label stems from “The Coach,” it’s something you carry for life.

“Shawn (Tompkins) did have everything to do with naming me ‘Pecker,’” Gasson explained to Jason Kelly and Joe Rizzo on MMA DieHards Radio on the MMA DieHards Radio Network. “It’s a funny story. It was Team Tompkins, it was old school. We we’re driving to Iowa, it was kickboxing, we did a lot of IKS kickboxing circuits. We’re ripping through, (Mark) Hominick is driving one van with seven fighters, I’m driving another van of like seven fighters and we’re ripping down. Its 4 o’clock in the morning, we’ve been driving forever, so we’re speeding. Hominick rips around passed me, cop catches him, pulls him down. Well, we’re kind of together so I pulled over about a mile, mile and a half ahead. Cop shows up, gives us a ticket as well, too. I meet up with the guys and they’re like, ‘Oh, pecker.’ That’s where it started; pecker. I was like, ‘What are you talking about, pecker?’ The cop made us pay this fine right then and there; otherwise we had to spend the night in the pecker. He was referring to putting us in jail. So, we all flipped. It was 200-250 bucks per car we had to pay this cop. We looked into it, it was all legal. That’s how it all started. Shawn was like, ‘You freaking pecker.’ It just stayed from there and I kind of went with it. Plus, I had to go with it. It’s Team Tompkins, if someone gives you a nickname and that was it, you have no choice. You can’t choose your own nicknames because everybody would be like, “Thor” or “He-Man” or “Hercules” or “Snake Eyes,” you know? Cool, cool stuff. I got stuck with “Pecker,” so I’m rolling with it.”

Pecker’d Promotions is responsible for arranging grappling events in southern Ontario. Gasson’s last function was December 2012, when Grapplers Quest took place in London, Ontario.

The show was a success, with 380 grapplers in competition. Having Fear The Fighter as the grandmaster sponsor allowed victors to receive significant prizes, and fans to win giveaways. Gasson said the level of competition was high, which made for some interesting matches, but the most fun he had all day was watching the kids do battle.

The highlight for Gasson at Grapplers Quest, though, was getting to unveil some new features.

“It was the first time ever had a tournament where all participants’ names were digitally recognized,” Gasson said. “It was the first time we implemented a very professional look. People got to see their names, the order of their matches, that sort of thing on TV screens. There were monitors mounted on each mat, so that was really cool. It was interesting to work with that.”

Always looking to move ahead, Gasson is embarking on his next grappling tournament. On Feb. 24 at the Western Fair District Agriplex Building in London, Ontario, Pecker’d Promotions in association with Absolute Grappling Championship will put on the “32 Man Showdown.”

The “32 Man Show Down” will be Gasson’s fourth event of its kind, and the competition is stiff. It’s an inexpensive show that is open to the public, which will display intense levels of grappling, but Gasson is anticipating another aspect the event offers.

“This is all about the entertainment factor of being a pugilist,” Gasson said. “A pugilist is a fighter. These MMA guys, when it boils down to it, you are an entertainer. You can be the toughest guy in the world, but if nobody wants to watch you fight and nobody wants to pay for a ticket to go watch you fight, you’re not going to make any money out of it. No promoter is going to bring you in.

“So, I’m trying to bring back the entertainment value of the sport. We all love it, but a lot of guys don’t know you can have this tournament, and this guy that weighs 150 pounds is going in and a guy that weighs 400 pounds is going in and they’re going to end up having a match.”

While “Pecker” is constructing these elaborate grappling tourneys in the province of Ontario, he has an idea what the coach who gave him such a nickname is doing.

“God rest his soul,” Gasson said. “”The Admiral,” he’s up above watches us crazy buggers keep this sport of MMA going.”

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