Issue 046
February 2009
Mixed Martial Arts is a worldwide enterprise – events are held everywhere from Berlin to Beijing – but even with the ever-increasing number of promotions, some locations are still more special than others, writes Richard Cartey.
Cities like Las Vegas and Tokyo have their histories woven with pivotal moments in the legend of MMA. To many fans of the sport, visiting these cities is more a pilgrimage than a vacation, and the list of ‘Things To Do’ in those places reads like a fan boy’s note to Father Christmas. We at Fighters Only believe that everything is available for the taking (all you need to do is work hard, reach out and grab it), so here are some of the dream activities you can do in five of the most MMA-drenched regions in the world.
Las Vegas, United States
Known as: The Entertainment Capital of the World
Size: 131.3 sq miles
State: Nevada
Population: 558,880 (est 2007)
Climate: Summer (July-Aug) highs 100F; winter (Jan-March) highs 60F
Currency: US dollar
Nearest airport: McCarran International Airport
Watch a UFC event
It goes without saying that Vegas is ‘fight town’, and it’s no surprise it is home to the UFC. Simply put, if you’re a fan of the UFC, you have to catch a show in their own back yard. The biggest fights are always hosted in Vegas, and whether it’s the MGM Grand or the Mandalay Bay it’ll be on the same ground as numerous historic fights. The UFC are constantly praised for the live production of their events – add in the magic of Las Vegas and it’s UFC turned-up to 11.
Train at Xtreme Couture
The home gym to many of the sport’s champions, Xtreme Couture may well be the ultimate destination for an aspiring fighter. Covering every element of the sport from beginner to pro, it’s not only a great place to learn the game but also to do some fighter spotting. Fighters from all over the world travel to Las Vegas to share the mats with Forrest Griffin, Wanderlei Silva and Gina Carano, and get some quality coaching from the likes of Shawn Tompkins and ‘The Natural’ himself.
Tour the derelict Ultimate Fighter houses
So, what actually happens to those houses on The Ultimate Fighter that invariably get trashed by the end of the season? Well why not look them up yourself? You can find out if they’ve been repaired and sold on to an unsuspecting family, or left with the urine-soaked surfaces some of their residents left behind. If you’re feeling adventurous, perhaps you can even trace the route of Jesse Taylor’s drunken rampage through Las Vegas, or mimic Junie Browning’s absurd antics. Then again, maybe not.
Catch some WEC
Now that they’ve trimmed down to only featuring the lighter weights, the WEC has become the place to see the best fighters in the world at 135lb and 145lb. Owned by Zuffa, the UFC’s parent company, you can be guaranteed top production values and will see the speed and action the smaller guys are known for. Plus, with Zuffa looking to bring pay-per-view prices up to the UFC level, you know ticket prices won’t be far behind. Get in there while it’s still a steal.
Stalk Dana White
It might get you a restraining order, but after watching his week-long, pre-event video blogs on YouTube, you’ll be in no doubt that Dana White knows everyone worth knowing in the world of MMA. Unfortunately, the chances you’ll become UFC president are slim, so stalking the man himself will probably be your best way to meet all the UFC fighters you could handle. On the other side, you’ll have to shake the hand of every random dude in a TapouT shirt that you come across. It’s not easy being Dana White.
Tokyo, Japan
Capital of Japan
Size: 1242 sq miles
Population: 12,790,000 (est 2007)
Climate: Summer (June-Aug) average highs 29C; winter average 5C
Currency: Japanese yen
Nearest airport: Narita International Airport
Catch a DREAM show
Japan has MMA organisations by the cage-load, and top dog is DREAM, the more natural successor to the sadly deceased Pride. The chances are that Japan’s top fighters might never make it to western rings, so take your opportunity to see Shinya Aoki, Yoshihiro Akiyama and crew while they’re still getting ‘W’s. If you’re wanting to see Takanori Gomi or Antonio Rogerio Nogueira though, you’d have to watch DREAM’s top rival, Sengoku. Alternatively, if you prefer your fighting fenced, check out Cage Force, one of Japan’s few organisations that use a cage rather than a ring.
Pay homage to the freak show
Japan has a long history hosting freak-show matches. If it’s not middleweight Ikuhisa Minowa against the 400lb Zuluzinho, it’s Bob Sapp getting paid to utilise his devastating ‘NFL’ fighting style. On the positive side, the freak show gives many washed-up fighters a source of income when they’re long past their glory days. Even though freak shows are morally ambiguous, they’re a guilty pleasure for every MMA fan, and no one does it better than the Japanese.
Visit Norifumi ‘Kid’ Yamamoto’s Krazy Bee Gym
‘Kid’ was once one of the most regarded lightweights in the world despite being a natural featherweight and is often included in pound-for-pound top ten rankings, so why not learn from him? There are a number of great fight teams in Japan, but nothing will strike fear into your opponent like the name ‘Krazy Bee’. Plus there’s no need to slum it with the common folk in the public lessons – you’d easily fob your way into the pro training sessions with a few tall tales and bad quality fight videos. Well, that’s how Kimbo Slice got trained by Bas Rutten, right?
Geek out like Josh Barnett
Don’t lie, you love Japanese anime and reading comics back to front. Conveniently, so does MMA legend and former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett, and as the ‘Babyfaced Assassin’ is a frequent visitor to Japan, you might run into him while quenching your Manga thirst. If you do, why not wrangle tickets off him to some Japanese pro-wrestling shows? Barnett is a regular on the Puroresu circuit.
Learn BJJ from Yuki Nakai
If you have seen Choke, the film that follows Rickson Gracie through the ‘Japan Vale Tudo 95’ tournament, you would have been in awe of the plucky Yuki Nakai. Despite being significantly outweighed and getting blinded in one eye during his first fight, Nakai made it to the finals. Since then he became the Japanese black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and is the owner of the Paraestra Shooto gym in Tokyo (as well as the trainer of grappling phenomenon, Shinya Aoki). Need any more reasons to train with him?
Hawaii, United States
Known as: The Aloha State
Size: 10,931 sq miles
Capital: Honolulu
Population: 1,283,388 (est 2007)
Climate: 2 seasons - summer (May-Oct) average highs 82F; winter (Nov- April)
average 65F
Currency: US dollar
Nearest Airport: Honolulu International Airport
Train with BJ Penn
It’s a no-brainer. BJ Penn is arguably the best lightweight ever, and frequently trains with other top fighters at his gym in Hilo, so you’d be a fool not to attend. If it’s good enough for former WEC champion Urijah Faber and the Jens Pulver-beating Joe Lauzon, it’s good enough for you.
Watch an Icon Sport event
When it gets back on its feet, now parent company ProElite has collapsed, Icon Sport (formerly known as Superbrawl) will no doubt return to the heart of Hawaii’s huge MMA scene where, until recently, it has been since 1995. The event has housed fighters such as ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler and Jason ‘Mayhem’ Miller (as well as promising up-and-comer Kala ‘Kolohe’ Hose) and is your best bet for the greatest MMA action in all of Hawaii.
Surf like the Hawaiian fighters
Not to promote a national stereotype or anything, but it’s probably a safe bet that Hawaiian fighters like the beach and, by extension, have a soft spot for surfing. Renato Verissimo, BJ Penn’s jiu-jitsu instructor, is known to be a surfer and it probably wouldn’t be too surprising to run into him on the beaches in Hilo. When in Hawaii, it would be criminal not to do as the Hawaiian fighters do and hit the waves.
Go waterfall diving with Chris Leben
Now that he’s got around nine month’s free time on his hands there’s no excuse not to hassle ‘The Crippler’ for a few hours waterfall diving tutelage. Before his UFC 89 clash with Michael Bisping, Leben displayed his penchant for diving from the tops of Hawaii’s waterfalls in a series of videos that promoted the brawler as a changed man from his bad-boy past. Chris Leben is still a fan favourite and probably a good candidate to make the most of the Hawaiian islands with.
California, United States
Known as: The Golden State
Size: 163,696 sq miles
Capital: Sacramento
Population: 36,553,215 (est 2007) - ranked 1st in US
Climate: Summer average highs 75F; winter (Nov-April) average 60F
Currency: US dollar
Nearest Airport: Los Angeles International Airport
Bend yourself with Eddie Bravo
Eddie Bravo, the creator of the rubber guard, is probably one of the best-known Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts in MMA, due to his work with so many top fighters. British prospect Dan Hardy frequently travels to Hollywood to train with Eddie, and Shinya Aoki has even taken lessons from him. Despite his borderline celebrity status in the sport, Eddie still leads BJJ classes at Legends all the way from beginner up. So, why not take a rubber guard master class from the man himself?
Run sand dunes like Tito Ortiz
Rocky ran the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Tito Ortiz climbed the Manhattan Beach sand dune in LA. While he might not be the competitor he once was, in his prime Tito would run the dune as part of his training. Shouting “Yo, Jenna!” once you’ve reached the top is optional. Tito isn’t the only sportsman to use the dune as a natural training device either; it has been trekked up by players from the NFL, NBA, and NHL.
Catch a Strikeforce show
San Jose-based Strikeforce has promoted many top-tier fighters, such as Gina Carano, Cung Le, and Gilbert Melendez, and is one of the few US organisations to keep turning a profit in the shadow of the UFC. Along with the occasional superfight, Strikeforce is the place to see quality matchmaking between fighters who are legitimately world class. The organisation has even been so successful with its local focus that other MMA events are now starting up based on the Strikeforce model.
Go back in time with King Of The Cage
King of the Cage has been going for nearly as long as the UFC and, like Strikeforce, still manages to operate and thrive in a market dominated by the three-initialled behemoths. The organisation that gave Rampage Jackson his start in MMA has been able to keep going due to a focus on local, small-scale shows, acting as a feeder for the bigger leagues. The skills on display might not be top tier, but you may witness some stars of the future get their hands raised.
Visit ‘Big’ John McCarthy’s gym-come-museum
The Ultimate Training Academy is part gym, part UFC museum. Based in Valencia, California, ‘Big’ John’s gym boasts 3,000 square feet of matting and walls covered with UFC memorabilia. Everything from historic ring covers to signed shorts are on display. Although it doesn’t officially double up as a museum, the academy is littered with so many MMA artefacts that a fan could probably get lost staring at the walls for hours, never even make it to a training session, yet not feel like they’ve been short changed.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Known as: The Marvellous City
Country: Brazil
Size: 486 sq miles
Population: 7,145,472 (est 2007)
Climate: Summer (Nov-March) average highs 28C; winter average 22C
Currency: Reais
Nearest Airport: Galeao Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport
Visit Gracie Camp
A purpose built centre for Brazilian jiu-jitsu run by the Gracie family in the home country of the art: is there anything a gi-freak would love more? On top of that they even have accommodation and one flat fee will include lessons, lodging, and flights. Those that attend might even strike it lucky and get a battle-tested member of the Gracie clan as their live-in tutor for their stay. The famous Renzo Gracie, along with others, has been known to spend time teaching at the camp.
Make a pilgrimage to Brazilian Top Team
Brazilian Top Team (BTT) used to be one of the power gyms of Brazilian MMA. Along with close rivals Chute Boxe, the more jiu-jitsu centric BTT was feared by fighters across the globe. The headquarters in Rio was the site of the training camps for many famous fighters, including the Nogueira twins, Vitor Belfort, Murilo Bustamante, Paulo Filho, and more, before they travelled for fights in Japan or the UFC. Even if it is just to take in the history, the building would be worth a visit.
Explore the venues of the Gracie Challenge matches
Rio was often the host for fights that took place as part of the Gracie’s open challenges to anyone who desired to test the family combat system. From the middle of the 20th century to the 1980s, fighters from all martial arts disciplines would call out the Gracies and their jiu-jitsu. Some of these fights became huge events in Brazil, and venues of all kinds were used as the back drop. As such, the city is teeming with locations that housed the fights which are the building blocks of MMA today. Pick up a copy of The Gracie Way for more background on the famous fighting family.
Visit the Chute Boxe Academy
OK, Chute Boxe isn’t based in Rio, but Curitiba is the other side of Sao Paulo and not far to go to train with those responsible for Wanderlei Silva and the Rua brothers. Although they are known for training their pros hard, the devastating Muay Thai skills that result are tough to argue with. There would be few places better to sharpen your stand-up so it’s a good thing they offer public lessons.
Meet the Cyborgs
There are very few husband and wife fighter combos in MMA, but one of the most frightening has to be the Cyborgs. One half is Mr Evangelista ‘Cyborg’ Santos, the other is Mrs Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Santos. Both are hugely intimidating fighters, and the latter is pegged as the next opponent for leading female fighter Gina Carano. Both are gaining more respect in the MMA world, giving a new meaning to the term power couple.
TRAINING AROUND THE WORLD
Somerville, Massachusetts
Get Striking at Sityodtong
Under the guidance of Mark Dellagrotte many quality fighters have come from Team Sityodtong. Based just outside Boston, the team are known for their Muay Thai prowess with fighters like Kenny Florian, Marcus Davis, and Jorge Rivera all picking up impressive wins inside the UFC Octagon. As well as being a world-class fight team, Sityodtong also caters to the public and takes its members on excursions to Thailand, the home of Muay Thai.
Widnes, England
Visit the Wolfslair
There’s no denying that Wolfslair has become one the best training facilities in Europe. Considering it has attracted Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Cheick Kongo (and is of course home to Michael Bisping), the Wolfslair is probably the premier training facility in the UK. A great place to go if you want to expand your training without a hefty dent in your bank balance – world class training on your doorstep.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Train with champions
Game plan mastermind Greg Jackson is yet another trainer who seems to churn out world-class fighters. As if having two Chuck Liddell conquerors (in Keith Jardine and Rashad Evans) wasn’t sufficient, Greg Jackson runs much of UFC welterweight champion Georges St Pierre’s training camps. Classes start from kids’ level and go all the way through to advanced – the perfect reason to take the whole family.
New York City, New York
Learn from a legend
Renzo is probably the member of the Gracie family who was most active in the sport of MMA, and is the man to train jiu-jitsu with in New York City. As if his name wasn’t enough to affirm his skills, Renzo has taught Matt Serra and Ricardo Almeida in the ways of the ‘gentle art’, but he has also beaten legends like Pat Miletich and Carlos Newton under MMA rules. Classes at the Renzo Gracie Academy are split by belt with separate classes tailored for women and kids.
