Issue 004

June 2005

Jerry Bohlander

Submission fighter Jerry Bohlander (11-4) was born in Norfolk, Virginia but grew up wrestling in Montana. Rather than become an ironworker, he saw a tape of UFC 3 where Ken Shamrock defeated judo stylist Christophe Leninger and boxer Felix Lee Mitchell and knew he wanted to fight. Jerry joined self-defence classes at the Lion’s Den and was quickly invited to join the fight team. After 3 months training he fought in the USWF and just 6 months into his training he was in the UFC. Bohlander entered the UFC 8 David versus Goliath tournament. He beat 300-plus pound wrestler Scott Ferrozzo but fell to the ‘freakishly strong’ arm wrestler from Trinidad, Gary ‘Big Daddy’ Goodridge. Bohlander won the Superbrawl 1 tournament in 1996 and the first UFC lightweight tournament title in 1997. He went on to face Kevin Jackson and Tito Ortiz in the UFC but he’s fought sporadically since and returned to action last year at the Gladiator Challenge.

Murilo Bustamante

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Murilo Bustamante (10-4-1 in Mixed Martial Art) is a 7-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu National Champion and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion with professional boxing experience. The Brazilian Top Team captain is a former UFC Middleweight Champion (never dethroned) was a 1999 Abu Dhabi Combat Championships 88kg division semi-finalist. He began fighting MMA in 1991 representing the Gracie family in the historic Jiu-Jitsu vs Luta Livre event. Murilo returned to fighting in 1996 and advanced to the final of the Martial Arts Reality Superfighting (MARS) show. He debuted in the UFC in 2000, winning the middleweight title in 2002 from Dave Menne. Murilo debuted in Pride in 2003 and though it has been rough going (1-3), he remains active there.  

Enter 'The Tiger'

In the event’s opening bout, infamous rule-breaker Marcelo Tigre battled Brazilian street fighter Jalmir ‘Buda’ Ferreira. Tigre worked for a submission from the guard while eating punches to the face. He eventually reversed position and obtained the mount. Buda rolled to his back and after taking elbows to the head, Tigre sunk in a rear choke for the win.

Never judge a book...

Jiu-Jitsu stylist Rony Rustico met Muay Thai fighter Jose Enrique in a thrilling four minute bout. The Thai boxer, as you might expect, circled and threw cursory strikes to stay busy and keep the jiu-jitsu stylist at bay. However once on the mat, it was clear this was no typical stand-up fighter. Enrique brought Rustico to the floor in a guillotine choke but Rustico worked to free. He eventually got mount but Enrique rolls him and lands head butts from the guard and is very active. Enrique scores punches to the head but Rustico rolls him and pounds him out with strikes from the mount. 

Puny mortal... Hulk smash!

In an incredibly one-sided battle, sculpted Brazilian giant Ricardo Morais (training under Renzo Gracie) pummeled kickboxer Sergio Muralha. Unfortunately, the introductions lasted longer than the fight as Morais circled to cut off the ring and unloaded a single hard right to the face. Muralha dropped to the canvas and Morais took rear mount, landing three hammer fists to the back of the head and a knee to the ribs before the fight was over. 

Dropped like a bad habit

Russian Sambo stylist Oleg Taktarov tangled with another Renzo product in the form of Abu Dhabi veteran Sean Alvarez. Oleg, one of the few fighters with taped hands, looked ready for a stand-up fight. Taktarov ducked, catching an open left hand to the head but delivered a glancing right and solid left to the face. Alvarez attempted a clinch but Oleg circled under and caught him with another short left behind the head and a crushing right to the jaw. Two more rights to the back of the head send Alvarez crashing to the floor.  

'RRRRRRENZOOOOOOO!'

In the event’s headliner, Renzo Gracie went to war with Luta Livre fighter Eugenio Tadeu. The club was totally energized at this point of the evening and the crowd yelled “RRRRRENZOOOOOO” in a haunting chant at the start of the bout. The bout itself was one sided for the most part as the larger Gracie manhandled the diminutive Tadeu. To his credit Eugenio avoided submission after submission after submission. 

The lunatics are on the cage

The most interesting part of the bout was watching the cage itself as the representatives of each camp would move closer and closer to the action. With every passing minute, the background of the match came alive. Even if you had not seen the fight before, you could just feel something bad was about to happen. And as most fans know, all hell broke loose and the final bout was called to a halt due to a full blown riot.  

Cavalcade of stars

In our Classic Fight this month, Carlson Gracie Vale Tudo Team jiu-jitsu fighter Murilo Bustamante took on submission fighter Jerry Bohlander from the Lion’s Den. Bohlander walked to the cage with teammates Vernon White and Mikey Burnette while Bustamante was escorted by Carlson Gracie Sr., Wallid Ismael and the rest of the Gracie army. 

Shall we dance?

The pair clinched from the bell, exchanging insignificant strikes between clinches and it seemed the pair was well matched. Bohlander had a near fall in the first minute while Bustamante looked close to having a suplex in the second minute but they stayed on the feet the entire time. It wasn’t until almost three and a half minutes in that Murilo got a takedown but before he could get Jerry’s back, Bohlander was scrambling to his feet. Bustamante landed punches against the fence but they locked up again in the center. 

The eyes have it

When they broke away, Bohlander looked more energised and on the break of the ensuing clinch, Bustamante fell to his back. Murilo immediately started striking and Jerry was eating punches from the open guard. Bohlander threw head butts as he got closer in and Bustamante opted to close his guard and keep him tight. As they neared the fence, Murilo’s hands moved up to Bohlander’s face and he may have eye gouged him when Jerry was stacking the weight. Jerry’s body language suggested this as he quickly punched away at his head.

The lion sleeps tonight

Murilo worked the ground like a technician. He would grab Jerry’s arms, both looking for an armbar and never letting Bohlander get far enough away to land a good strike. Then as Bohlander got to his feet, likely in an attempt to pass guard, Bustamante decked him with a right heel to the side of the face. Bohlander’s body went limp and it looked as though he was unconscious before he hit the ground. 

Ain't that a kick in the head

In an ironic twist, Renzo Gracie knocked out Oleg Taktarov with a kick from the ground in the MARS the year prior (’96). It was the same event where Bustamante advanced to the final and it was Gracie who showed Bustamante how to use the kick.