Posts Tagged ‘The Free Roll’

Are You Ready with Joe Martinez: Ariel Helwani previews WEC 51

by on September 28, 2010 5:07:57 PM in Radio   |   1 Comment »

Ariel Helwani with Gina Carano

LISTEN HERE:

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

Ariel Helwani joined Joe Martinez and Joe Rizzo on the MMA DieHards Radio Network to preview WEC 51.

Ariel is one of the mainstays of MMAFighting.com, where you can see his phenomenal event-coverage videos and watch the MMA Hour.  He also is the MMA correspondent for Versus’ The Daily Line. He talked about the show behind the scenes, and gave his take on the importance of the fight for Miguel Torres, plus his view on Jose Aldo.  There might have been a little Montreal Expos talk at the end, too…

The Free Roll: Bellator finalist Pat Curran, trainer Steve Haigh with guest host Martin Rooney

by on May 8, 2010 2:25:58 PM in Radio   |   No Comments »

Webcam chat at UstreamThe Free Roll was live from Parisi’s Speed School in Fair Lawn, N.J. with special guest co-hosts Martin Rooney and Joe Rizzo.

Pat Curran, who upset Roger Huerta at Bellator 17 in Boston to reach the finals of the lightweight tournament, was the fighting guest.  If Pat gets by Toby Imada in the finals, he will take on reigning Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez.

Alvarez’s coach is Steve Haigh (pronounced Hegg), who also joined The Free Roll.  Steve is the head trainer at his Philadelphia Fight Factory gym, which also houses Tara LaRosa and Zach Makovsky.  He is a martial arts purist and talked about how he achieved his success in the industry, as well as Alvarez’s cake-eating habit.

Martin’s brand-new book, Ultimate Warrior Workouts, hit shelves earlier in the week.  Pick up a copy.

Matt Mitrione responds to Roy Nelson, predicts KO against Kimbo Slice

by on May 4, 2010 9:05:58 AM in Features, Fighter Features   |   No Comments »

When Matt Mitrione entered The Ultimate Fighter’s 10th season, he was an ex-NFL player with no professional MMA wins.

Now, after a successful UFC debut, Mitrione is becoming a true mixed martial artist.

Mitrione’s next opponent is, Kimbo Slice.  The TUF 10 castmates will meet at UFC 113 in Montreal on Saturday’s pay-per-view portion of the card.

“I’m extremely comfortable, extremely confident for this fight,” Mitrione told The Free Roll show on the MMA DieHards Radio Network.  “I’m glad that Kimbo wants to eat a ‘Meathead’ sandwich because he’s sure going to get all of it he wants.  We’re going to get in there, we’re going to bang.  I firmly believe that I’m going to put my hands on him and put him to sleep.  He thinks the same thing, and that’s what the fun part of the fight is.”

Mitrione also responded to a statement made by TUF 10 champion Roy Nelson, who said that Kimbo’s ground game was better than Mitrione’s.

“Roy Nelson saying that my ground game’s worse than Kimbo’s is one of the dumbest comments you can make,” Mitrione said on the show.  “And if you’re going to base your opinion on my ground game off of the show then I can base my opinion of Roy’s ground game on the show and say Roy’s ground game sucks too, because Roy did as little as possible, he sandbagged everything.  So it’s just kind of silly.  It kind of gets me when people speculate on dumb shit like that.  I respect Roy, but I think he’s out of place by throwing that out there.”

Speaking of the ground game, Mitrione says that his is constantly evolving and improving, and that fans will be surprised when they see how much so.

“I’m trying crazy shit (in practice) that I’ve never tried before, and I’m pulling it off probably 40 percent of the time,” Mitrione said.  “I’m trying to make my own submissions up.  I’m going to name something the ‘Meat-o-tine.’”

Mitrione talked about working with usual Free Roll co-host Duke Roufus and fellow UFC heavyweight Pat Barry, his striking technique, and new sponsorship with Dell Computers’ Alienware brand.  Plus, guest co-host Hector Castro volunteered host Cameron Gidari for a dance-off against Mitrione and Barry.  No word on whether or not Barry would bring his best Techno Viking imitation to the contest.

To hear full episodes of The Free Roll, listen live every Saturday at 4 p.m. ET.  To make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe to the podcast by searching “MMA Radio” on iTunes.

Dell’s Alienware Computers testing MMA waters

by on April 29, 2010 4:28:14 PM in Features   |   2 Comments »

Fighters will be supporting Alienware's new M11x system which is an 11.5 inch, fully portable laptop gaming computer.

With mainstream companies like Nike, Gatorade, Under Armour and Everlast slowly entering the booming MMA industry wanting their piece of the growth, Suckerpunch Entertainment’s Brian Butler-Au announced Thursday the signing of another giant investing into MMA, Alienware Computers, which is a division of Dell.

The deal, which Butler-Au was putting together for over a year, entrusts Suckerpunch Entertainment to handle Alienware’s MMA business.  Jens Pulver, a passionate online gamer, will be the main face of the MMA brand of Alienware.

Pulver’s extensive online gaming background is highlighted by his appearance as an NPC in Vogster Entertainment’s CrimeCraft.  The former UFC lightweight champion will be providing color commentary, fight predictions, and give gaming analyis for Alienware, which was developed by Dell to target the younger demographic of online gamers — the same group on which MMA has thrived.

Pulver isn’t the only Suckerpunch fighter involved as Alienware has also signed UFC fighters Matt Mitrione, Amir Sadollah and Pat Barry.

Mitrione is set to take on Kimbo Slice at UFC 113 in Montreal on May 8.  The NFL veteran made a name for himself in MMA as a cast member on Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter and also runs Eden,  a successful supplement company.

The first-ever TUF winner to enter the show with no professional fights, Sadollah’s quirky sense of humor and dedicated work ethic aided his rapid rise to stardom in Season 7.  Sadollah also hosts “The Aftermath” weekly TUF review show on Spike.com.

Barry, coached by famed trainer and Free Roll radio co-host Duke Roufus, is a former K-1 kickboxer and the self-proclaimed “world’s greatest striker.” Nicknamed “Get Hype,” or “HD”, the athletic quote machine takes on legendary Pride champion Mirko ”Cro Cop” Filipovic at UFC 115 in Vancouver on June 12.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Are-the-Yankees-baseballs-most-hated-team-042810?GT1=39002

The Free Roll: Guest-host Aaron Simpson with trainer Jeff Clark

by on April 24, 2010 2:00:07 PM in Radio   |   No Comments »

Jeff Clark teaches his fighters the basics in and out of the cage (Picture courtesy of CombatLifeStyle.com).

The Free Roll on the MMA DieHards Radio Network: Cameron Gidari and the guest host, UFC fighter Aaron Simpson, are joined by trainer Jeff Clark.

LISTEN HERE:

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

Jeff Clark has been a professional fighter, MMA coach and one of the most highly respected managers in the industry.

Originally fighting out of Carlsbad, Calif., Clark was a member of North County Fight Club, where he trained with teammates Jason Lambert, Eddie Sanchez and others.  Clark is a US champion in full-contact karate and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Roy Harris.

He won the Grapplers Quest Master’s Division in 2003.  Clark is also a noted expert on MMA and frequently featured in publications and other media.  He was named to the prestigious 2009 Fight! Power 20, selected as one of “the top movers and shakers in the mixed martial arts world” by the leading industry lifestyle magazine.

The Free Roll radio: Jonathan Chaimberg, new co-host Duke Roufus

by on April 11, 2010 2:04:40 AM in Radio, Videos   |   No Comments »

 

The Free Roll Radio: Jon Chaimberg from Hector Castro on Vimeo.

MMADieHards.com’s Cameron Gidari welcomed his new co-host, Duke Roufus of RoufuSport.com, and guest Jonathan Chaimberg to The Free Roll radio show.

Roufus brings over 30 years of combat experience to the Free Roll. The four-time Professional Heavyweight Kickboxing World Champion operates Milwaukee MMA, working with fighters like Pat Barry and Eric Schafer. Roufus has also worked as a color commentator for K-1 and King of the Cage, and is regarded as one of the top Muay Thai trainers in the country.

Cameron and Duke were joined by Chaimberg, the renowned strength and conditioning coach, to break down his work with fighters like Georges St. Pierre, Jon Jones and Kenny Florian.

LISTEN HERE:

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

FREE ROLL REVIEW

Introducing co-host Duke Roufus, with guest Jonathan Chaimberg

By Cameron Gidari

MMA DieHards was proud to introduce four-time professional heavyweight kickboxing world champion and standout MMA coach Duke Roufus of roufusport.com as the new co-host of the Free Roll on Saturday.

Roufus called in from a grappling tournament in Wisconsin to co-host his first show just after his student, UFC heavyweight Pat “HD” Barry, won the no-gi division. Barry went on to win the gi divison later in the show, and offered a quick hello to Free Roll listeners. This was the first time that Barry had competed in a grappling tournament.

Strength and conditioning coach Jonathan Chaimberg also joined the program to break down the latest training he’s been doing with Georges St-Pierre, Shane Carwin, Kenny Florian, Jon Jones and others.

Chaimberg laid out a lifting regimen for up-and-coming MMA fighters, and also revealed some exercises that, in his opinion, are detrimental to a professional MMA competitor.  If you have been jogging long distances or doing Crossfit, you’ll want to hear what Chaimberg has to say.  Hint: you might not like what you hear.

To hear full episodes of the Free Roll, listen live every Saturday on MMADieHards.com at 4pm ET. To make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe to the podcast by searching “MMA Radio” on iTunes.

The Free Roll Radio: Zuma’s Adam Zugec

by on April 3, 2010 11:04:15 PM in Radio   |   No Comments »


Adam Zugec is the head trainer at Zuma in Victoria, British Columbia and his main pupil is Strikeforce champion Sarah Kaufman.  Adam joined Cameron Gidari and Hector Castro on The Free Roll to talk about Zuma, the possibility of Kaufman-Cyborg or Kaufman-Carano, and some other interesting stories.  He also gave his assessment of the UFC coming to BC for UFC 115 in June, and what it means to the province, the city of Vancouver and Canadian MMA.  Adam also has some great stories, but you’ll have to listen!

LISTEN TO THE FREE ROLL:

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

RECAP:

Sarah Kaufman is one of the most dominant female fighters in the world today.

Part of that success is due to Adam Zugec, her coach at ZUMA Ultimate Martial Arts in Victoria, British Columbia.

Zugec joined hosts Cameron Gidari and Hector Castro on the Free Roll to talk about what makes Kaufman great, and how her male sparring partners feel about getting beat by a girl.

“You cannot imagine how angry Sarah gets when she can’t take down a 170-pound guy that has no fat on him and he’s jacked,” Zugec said. “She finds it extremely unacceptable. When I tell her there’s a bit of a weight difference, she thinks that’s not an excuse.”

Kaufman certainly benefits from her work ethic, but she also trains under a diverse and experienced coach. Zugec is, among other things, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under Carlson Grace, a Combat Submission Wrestling instructor under Erik Paulson, and a Thai Boxing instructor.

Zugec has also worked with different coaches, including close friend Greg Jackson, to improve his game.

“I think [Greg's] just a smart guy that I learn a lot from,” Zugec said. “We try to put smart game plans together. I think you’re starting to see something in the sport, and that’s people recognizing coaches.

“When you’re teaching people, it kind of leads to questions, and when they start firing off questions, it kind of allows you to start sparking stuff in your own mind. You get a little more imaginative with your own technique.”

Also on the show, Zugec talks about Kaufman humbling “Ed Hardy MMA” fighters and the growing MMA scene in the Vancouver area.

He and Hector also challenge Cameron to step onto the mat for a grappling session with Kaufman. Will Cameron accept? Listen to the full show to find out!

To hear full episodes of the Free Roll, listen live every Saturday at 4pm EST. To make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe to the podcast by searching “MMA Radio” on iTunes.

Miguel Torres: “This Fight Will Set the Tone for the Rest of My Career”

by on March 3, 2010 4:22:42 PM in Fighter Features   |   No Comments »

After losing his championship belt, Miguel Torres goes back to the basics as he prepares for Joseph Benavidez.

The Miguel Torres you see at WEC 47 will not be the Miguel Torres you’ve seen in the past.

After losing his title to Brian Bowles at WEC 42, Torres overhauled his approach to training. That started with moving his pre-fight training camp from his own gym to Kurt Pellegrino’s gym in New Jersey.

“It wasn’t that my old camp didn’t have anything to offer me anymore, it’s just that it’s hard to learn from people you’re training,” Torres told the Free Roll Radio Show. ” The guys that I was working out with and sparring with, they were my students that I was training. None of them fought on a professional level. They work jobs, they have families. I’m revolving my training around their schedules, their personal time, and it was hard for both parties.”

So for his next fight against Joseph Benavidez, Torres hooked up with Pellegrino, who he had trained with in the past. Training with professional fighters on a daily basis has started to pay dividends. Instead of just training to be in shape for his next fight, Torres is evolving his game.

“Working on different levels to make my game grow and not just be ready for a fight, it’s taught me a tremendous amount,” Torres said. ” Actually getting to train with professional fighters and guys that can dedicate their time to fighting is totally different. I get a totally different look, a totally different feel.”

Being away from his gym has also given Torres the opportunity to focus completely on his next fight. Running a gym has not always afforded him that luxury.

“When I opened my gym, I got stagnant, I kind of got stuck,” Torres explained. “The gym grows, you fight on TV, you get more students. People come to the gym to see me, not to train with different guys and I kind of took that as a responsibility, and it wore me out a little bit.”

How this new training style translates in the ring is yet to be seen, but Torres says that you will see a smarter, more calculated fighter.

“A lot of times before I would fight for the crowd,” Torres said. “I would go out there and fight like I had something to prove for all the 135 pound fighters.  Whether it was a standup war or a ground war, I was going out there and trying to bring attention to the weight class.”

“After losing my title, I realized what’s important, what’s not important and what pays the bills,” Torres continued. “Now I’m going to go out there, I’m going to be a much smarter fighter, and pick and choose my times to be crazy.”

Despite losing his belt, Torres says that he still faces pressure, both from the WEC and from the media. It comes with the territory of being considered one of the pound-for-pound best, a title that Torres is not entirely comfortable with.

“Everybody wants to see how I rebound from this,” Torres said. “I do my best work when I’m the underdog. I’ve been the underdog my whole career, and when I had the title for awhile, people were putting me up and a pedestal and I kind of didn’t like it. I felt uncomfortable.”

“It’s hard when people are praising you and you know you have holes in your game and you know you have things you have to work on,” Torres said. “It’s hard to keep yourself off that cloud. That loss did a lot of good for me. It brought me down,  look at what was important and what I had to do to get back.”

That road back starts with Benavidez, a teammate of WEC star Urijah Faber who could earn his own title shot with a win over Torres. It’s a fight that Torres is not taking lightly.

“The biggest thing I learned from my last fight is don’t look down on any opponent that you have,” Torres said. “I’ve thought that before, but in the back of your mind you kind of get a little cocky every now and then, and that’s never going to happen.”

So while some might look at this fight as just one step in the right direction, Torres sees it as much more.

“This fight against him is bigger than a title fight for me,” Torres said. “This fight will set the tone for the rest of my career.”

The Free Roll Review: Duke Roufus Breaks Down MMA Striking

by on February 6, 2010 8:47:01 PM in Radio   |   No Comments »

Duke Roufus (right) & company have helped several fighters like Pat Barry(middle) get to the big show.

Written by Cameron Gidari

Duke Roufus is one of the most respected striking coaches in the country today.

The Milwaukee-based trainer works with heavy hitters like Ben Rothwell, Matt Mitrione, Patrick Barry, and Alan Belcher, and has also trained Jens Pulver and Stephan Bonnar.

Part of what makes Roufus so effective is his willingness to take what he has learned from years of kickboxing and adapt it to MMA.

As he explained to ‘The Free Roll’ hosts Cameron Gidari and Hector Castro, that process involves stepping into the ring and sparring his fighters, and learning what works in an MMA fight.

“When I spar Muay Thai, kickboxing, whatever you want to call it, I do great,” Roufus said. “But when I spar MMA… I love 75 percent of my normal arsenal that I would do if I was only standup fighting.”

Based on what he learns, Roufus builds techniques into his fighter’s arsenals that work for MMA, not for a boxing or kickboxing match. A common misconception is that a devastating K-1 striker would be as devastating in an MMA bout.

“I think striking is hard to transfer over if you’re doing it wrong,” Roufus said. “Just like telling a wrestler he’s awesome at wrestling. It’s a lot easier to someone down after you punch them in the face a couple of times. Most people can defend takedowns when no one is punching at them.”

The octagon itself also forces fighters to change how they strike.

“The octagon is 32 feet, a big ring in kickboxing is 22 feet,” Roufus said. “Usually in MMA, if you watch a lot of the exchanges, guys don’t sit there and trade like a lot of the K-1 fighters or boxers. When striking occurs, it gets really close, or everyone gets really far. Guys aren’t sitting at that mid range throwing bombs.”

As such, the fighters that you see Roufus train will adopt a different stance. For one thing, they’re a lot lower.

“A guy like Patrick Berry, he’s riding in a very low stance,” Roufus said. “They’re getting ready to fight someone who’s going to take them down, it’s definitely a hybrid stance.”

That hybrid stance dictates how MMA fighters are throwing combinations.

“When I only do standup, I can get in a higher stance,” Roufus said. “I can throw long combos, I can sit down on punches. MMA you’re lucky to see guys throw two or three strikes in a combo.”

As trainers like Roufus continue to evolve MMA, we can only image what the strikers of tomorrow will look like.

To hear full episodes of ‘The Free Roll’, listen live every Saturday at 4pm EST. To make sure you never miss an episode, subscribe to the podcast by searching “MMADieHards.com Radio” on iTunes.