Issue 015

July 2006

EUROPE NEWS

Bob Sapp no shows for K-1 Holland, Bregy wins GP

Bob Sapp was billed to take on Ernesto Hoost in a superfight for the recent K-1 World Grand Prix event held in Amsterdam. On the night he reportedly left the building with no explanation. The promoters managed to convince K-1 legend Peter Aerts, who was there as a commentator for TV to fight Hoost and save the show. Hoost won the fight by decision. 

Bjorn Bregy from Switzerland won the European leg of the K-1 World Grand Prix (ensuring himself a place in Japan for the finals), while in superfights Semmy Schilt beat Lloyd Van Dams by unanimous decision and Remy Bonjasky won a disputed decision over Jerome Le Banner

Jerome Le Banner V Stefan Leko in Paris

LE GRAND TOURNOI Finals will take place May 26th in Bercy Stadium in Paris. Headlining the card will be superfights featuring Jerome Le Banner v Stefan Leko and Morad Sari v the K1 Max superstar Buakaw Pro Pramuk. 

Schiavo Brothers Summer Camp

FOLLOWING LAST year’s success, popular French Top Team fighters James and Samy Schiavo will once again open up their academy to 15 selected people for a summer training camp. The camp will take place from July 1st to the 7th at the Bushido Academie in Sorgues (10km from Avignon). The week will feature MMA and grappling specific technique clinics, strength and conditioning for MMA and sparring in the newly built cage. The training camp includes breakfast and lunch at a price of only 220 Euros for the week.

2Hot2Handle tournament teams named

TEAMS FOR the 2Hot2Handle tournament (to be held on June 18th in Amsterdam) have been announced. The four countries to be represented will be France, Holland, Germany and the UK. The teams are expected to be as follows. 

France: David Baron -73, Boris Jonstomp -83, Antony Rea -93, Kassim Annan -103 ‘Commando’ +103. 

Holland: Dennis Scholten -73, Peter Mulder -83, Joey van Wanrooy -93, Michael Knapp -103 and Dave Dalgleish +103. 

Germany: Cengiz Dana -73, Aleksander Stefanowic -83, Martin Zawada -93, Tomek Smykowski -103 and Tim Hurkens +103. 

UK: Dan Hardy -73, Josenildo ‘Luquinha’ Ramarho -83, Henrique Chocolate Nogueira -93, Tom Blackledge -103 and Mario ‘Sukata’ Neto +103. 

Damien Riccio in serious motorbike accident 

FRENCH CAGE Rage and CageWarriors veteran Damien Riccio was involved in a serious motorbike accident late in May. The MMA fighter from Perpignan, a veteran of CageWarriors and Cage Rage, has a broken hand and second degree burns covering 15% of his body. We wish him a speedy recovery. 

Gregory Bouchelaghem to PRIDE

GREGORY BOUCHELAGHEM has been contacted by PRIDE and offered a place on their roster. Originally the French fighter was supposed to fight in the welterweight Grand Prix but the decision to give champion Dan Henderson a bye to the second round, meaning that there will be one less fight in the tournament. Gregory has been assured that he will be on an upcoming PRIDE card. Gregory has wins over PRIDE veterans Mark Weir and Andrei Semenov and was originally approached by PRIDE at M1 France v Russia where he beat Semenov by decision.

BRAZIL NEWS

Brazil 5 x 0 Japan in beach soccer

USUALLY IN the Judo world the exchanging of techniques between countries that compete against each other is common. Since early May, the Japanese team arrived in Brazil for a series of trainings in Parana, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Besides the usual training sessions, there was a challenge event held last week and Brazil battled with its A & B national teams against the visiting Japanese team. 

The final result for Brazil was 4-3 between the ‘A’ teams and 3-1 to Japan in the ‘B’ teams. It would probably have been enough for the countries to test their skills in the trainings and event challenge, but an uncommon request was asked by the Japanese delegation. They wanted to play beach soccer against the Brazilian judokas! 

One of the main Japanese judokas, Keiji Suzuki, stated a simple reason: “Brazilian soccer players have a lot of ability. Maybe by playing with the Brazilians, we can reach the same technique in our judo game.” 

The idea was not a unanimous one amongst the Brazilians. Flavio Canto said, “I am terrible at soccer. However, in Judo I am very competitive. I hope the Japanese judokas keep thinking of their soccer strategy and forget a little of the Judo, where they are really tough!”

The final score in the beach soccer match was Brazil 5, Japan 0. 

Daniel Gracie combats Hammer House’s Sims at IFL

THEY HAVE already faced each other (Sims fought Daniel Gracie on Gracie FC 1 in March) but the fight was declared a no contest after Daniel kneed Sims’ head while the fight was on the ground. Before the illegal act on Daniel’s part, it was a very exciting fight. 

With neither man coming out as winner, the IFL booked these men to battle in a superfight on June 3rd. Just to mention, Daniel will be the only Brazilian in this show, the IFL’s second. The Pitbulls, which had Gustavo Machado and Delson ‘Pe-de-Chumbo’ as part of their team, were beaten by Tiger Sharks, plus ATT’s Rafael Dias (who would enter on the card replacing the Tiger Shark’s Justin Jones) was forced to pull out with a finger injury.

BTT’s Paulo Filho trains with legendary Rickson Gracie

WHENEVER RICKSON’S name arises in the MMA world, it’s always a rumour about a fight that never happens or something related to his statements about the fighters who are in the game nowadays. This time however, the news that met fans and insiders of this sport was slightly more surprising. Everybody who lives in Brazil, and knows a little bit about BJJ history will affirm that Carlson Gracie’s pupils had always had a rivalry with other Gracies. 

It created a huge wall between these guys, who never thought of training together. So when we heard that Brazilian Top Team powerhouse Paulo Filho was training with Rickson Gracie, it was hard to believe. However it was confirmed as true and Rickson and Filho are training every morning in Rickson’s house here in Brazil. We didn’t have access to these training sessions, but in Filho’s words the technique of Rickson is not waning: “I’ve never seen Jiu-Jitsu like that in my life, his positions and visions of how to act in all situations of a fight are amazing” said an awed Filho.

Gracia Barra’s Luiz Ramos debuts in Japan

One of the most versatile up and coming fighters of the new generation of MMA, Gracie Barra Combat Team’s Luiz ‘Beicao’ Ramos, will finally take his first international steps in competition. Ramos already featured in FO’s pages when beat BTT’s Paulo Boiko in SHOOTO Brazil 5 in 2004. Now Ramos has the responsibility of following in the steps of the Gracie Barra stars such as Gustavo Machado and Renato Sobral. 

This first international fight of Ramos will happen in DEEP on March 21st against Hitoyo Kimura, and this is the first fight for Japanese fight management company J-Rock, which is in partnership with Gracie Barra crew to bring the fighters to compete in Japan. Results in my next monthly column.