Boxing was just fun yesterday. I mean, don't get me wrong, I worked my butt off, but I really enjoyed it. We started off by warming up with punch combos that the coach called out, instead of the shadowboxing we normally do. That got an excellent sweat going, and from there we just worked combos with our partners. First it was all 1s and 2s. Then we added the 3, and finally, the 6, which is a right uppercut to the head. Just when I think I'm starting to get down the fundamentals, the coaches throw that 6 into the mix, and I realize I still have a long way to go with my boxing. Still, I am feeling so much more fluid with my punches, and if I could just feel more balanced with my feet and keeping my weight centered, I'd be ecstatic!
Grappling was very exciting, because we worked some more exotic moves and submissions. First we worked on pulling guard, which consists of jumping up and wrapping your legs around your opponents torso, and gradually pulling him to the ground. From here, there were two different submissions we covered. First, a flying guillotine choke, which I had a harder time sinking in to completion, but my brother managed to get locked in very tight. The second, was a flying triangle choke, which I found I had a much easier time sinking in tightly, than I have with the standard triangle, and conversely, my brother had a harder time with. After this, we worked on what I can only call "Human Rock Climbing". One person stands still, with their arms straight out, and the other jumps guard, and using the arms and legs, clambers around their body without touching the ground. That freaking sucked, but I think I can get there, eventually. Lastly, we did some crazy situps, where you jump guard, but instead of pulling your partner all the way down, you let them stay standing, and then rock out situps. It turns out, my core is fairly strong, though you wouldn't know by looking at me. It was an extremely fun day of class.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
MMA and me; day 34
When you go into the gym knowing you're only staying for one class, it makes your work extra hard. This can be both good and bad. It's good, because you push yourself to improve as much as you can in the shorter time period, and really exert your body, knowing you don't have to go for two hours. Bad, because you only work for one hour, not two, and as in yesterdays kickboxing class, it just wasn't as taxing as classes have been in the past.
We worked light bump drills, and I was paired up with a guy who had been doing it for a while, so we just dove right in and did that for two rounds. Since he knee was bothering him, I paired up with someone else for the next two rounds, which was outside 10s and outside 9s. My new partner, Mel, is new to the gym, so I did my best to help him get comfortable, but I'm not quite at a level where I'm good at helping newer people with techniques I'm not extremely familiar with myself, but we managed a pretty decent couple of rounds.
I had to bail on grappling, which was a bummer, but if it's only yesterday and tonight that I have to skip on, I will be okay. Maybe I'll try and sneak a few extra classes in next week, to compensate.
We worked light bump drills, and I was paired up with a guy who had been doing it for a while, so we just dove right in and did that for two rounds. Since he knee was bothering him, I paired up with someone else for the next two rounds, which was outside 10s and outside 9s. My new partner, Mel, is new to the gym, so I did my best to help him get comfortable, but I'm not quite at a level where I'm good at helping newer people with techniques I'm not extremely familiar with myself, but we managed a pretty decent couple of rounds.
I had to bail on grappling, which was a bummer, but if it's only yesterday and tonight that I have to skip on, I will be okay. Maybe I'll try and sneak a few extra classes in next week, to compensate.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
MMA and me; day 33
Well I got my more vigorous sweat request fulfilled yesterday in boxing class. We did nothing but work on jab defense, and some counters as well. Holding your hands up for 35-45 minutes so you don't get punched in the face, along with slipping punches is pretty dang exhausting. First we worked parrying the jab, then slipping it. After that, we worked the parry into defending a follow up 2 with a block. By the end of class, we did some light sparring, with only the jab, and I'm pleased to say, I only got punched in the nose hard, once! It still stung a bit, but if I ever intend on trying to fight, I am going to need to get used to getting hit on occasion.
Grappling was a very relaxed class. We warmed up with the armbar-triangle-omoplata transition, and after we got through with that, we moved on to flow grappling. I was really excited to try this out after the coach explained it to us. You basically just grapple at a really low level with an opponent, and instead of trying for a submission, you just alternate sweeps, passes and subs with your opponent. You go, they go, and keep it really calm, and oriented around learning and teaching. Unfortunately, my partner had not been to many jiu jitsu classes, so he was a little self conscious, as well as not very comfortable with grappling as a whole, so we spent most of the time going over things he was less than familiar with. I'm really hoping we do this again though, it looked awesome!
Grappling was a very relaxed class. We warmed up with the armbar-triangle-omoplata transition, and after we got through with that, we moved on to flow grappling. I was really excited to try this out after the coach explained it to us. You basically just grapple at a really low level with an opponent, and instead of trying for a submission, you just alternate sweeps, passes and subs with your opponent. You go, they go, and keep it really calm, and oriented around learning and teaching. Unfortunately, my partner had not been to many jiu jitsu classes, so he was a little self conscious, as well as not very comfortable with grappling as a whole, so we spent most of the time going over things he was less than familiar with. I'm really hoping we do this again though, it looked awesome!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
MMA and me; day 32
Whoo hoo! The weekend ended, which means it's back to the gym! Man, I'm really starting to get excited for each new week of getting the crap kicked out of me, and yesterday was a nice couple of classes to ease into the week. Kickboxing was simple leg kick drills, and checking them. We threw 10s and 9s, and checked them, and then we worked on checking a 10, and then throwing a switch 9. We finished off with light leg kick sparring, which I can only believe sucked for my partner who had no shin guards. Not an extremely tough class, but it was marked by the first time I made it through the entire three minutes of the plank position without hitting the mat. Leg raises, on the other hand, were not touched by such an accomplishment.
Grappling was pretty cool, as we worked on defending against someone taking your back. First you tuck your chin, and turn your head towards the arm that is attempting to sneak under your chin. From there, you roll to the opposite side, pinning the arm that is going under your arm to the mat with your body, and using both hands, pull their top arm off, and move it to the other side of your head. Keeping the arm in place with your bottom hand, reach down for the outside edge of their top foot, and driving your elbow into the shin as you grab it, pull the leg off your hip, and around your leg. You then turn towards the leg you pulled off, and controlling the same arm you have wrist control of, move to side control. Pretty wordy, but very effective. We then worked a submission from there, where as you turn, you reach up for the head, and sink an inverted arm triangle. Very cool, because I LOVE arm triangles! A good class, but I'm looking forward to working up a slightly more intense sweat tonight.
Grappling was pretty cool, as we worked on defending against someone taking your back. First you tuck your chin, and turn your head towards the arm that is attempting to sneak under your chin. From there, you roll to the opposite side, pinning the arm that is going under your arm to the mat with your body, and using both hands, pull their top arm off, and move it to the other side of your head. Keeping the arm in place with your bottom hand, reach down for the outside edge of their top foot, and driving your elbow into the shin as you grab it, pull the leg off your hip, and around your leg. You then turn towards the leg you pulled off, and controlling the same arm you have wrist control of, move to side control. Pretty wordy, but very effective. We then worked a submission from there, where as you turn, you reach up for the head, and sink an inverted arm triangle. Very cool, because I LOVE arm triangles! A good class, but I'm looking forward to working up a slightly more intense sweat tonight.
Friday, October 22, 2010
MMA and me; day 31
Shadowboxing with resistance bands is much tougher than doing it without. After two rounds of that, we switched to combos, but it was different yesterday, we we're only using our lead hand. Jabs, hooks, and upperhooks were the only punches we threw. First it was 1-1-roll-body 3, then 1-1-5, then 1-1-body 3-head 3. Working combos where two hooks are thrown back to back is challenging. It's difficult to get the footwork, and body movement all dialed in together, but when you do, it it feels so fluid, and nasty. It's like swinging a baseball bat, when you get the best contact is when you have the most relaxed body, and are smooth with your hips. It was a much more technical boxing class, compared to earlier in the week, though the real conditioning work was yet to come.
Jiu jitsu started with pummeling against the fence, and working to establish dominant control. After drilling that for a bit, we did triangle drills, where first we just switched back and forth from throwing up a triangle on both sides. This drill really wears out your abs, but it's great for working wrist control, and getting a feel for sinking the choke in deep. We worked a little bit on the inverted triangle, then we went into the triangle-reverse triangle-kimura-cutting armbar-triangle-armbar sequence.
We finished off class with free grappling, and I was matched up with my brother first, and he caught me with a rear naked choke pretty quick. After that, I eventually caught him with an arm triangle, but it was after an extended period of grappling, and I was a little tired, and Coach Wise immediately tossed me in with another guy to grapple with, who had me in trouble for a little bit, but I managed to get out of it, and finally got him to tap with an americana. I didn't listen particularly well though, and he then threw me in with a fella that weighs over 350 pounds, and though I finally got the submission with a rear naked choke, it took a long time, and with a guy that big, grappling is exhausting. Coach put me right back in against the guy I had just grappled with before the big guy, and though I nearly had him in a guillotine, I got slammed on back, and it just took all the wind out of me, and I finally succumbed to an armbar. I got tapped twice, and got myself three submissions, but it just sucked getting tapped. I know it's unreasonable to expect to be really good at this when I've only been doing it for a couple months, but my competitive nature was starting to get the best of me. I'm starting to get the physical aspect of everything, but I'm still barely scratching the surface of being mentally prepared.
Jiu jitsu started with pummeling against the fence, and working to establish dominant control. After drilling that for a bit, we did triangle drills, where first we just switched back and forth from throwing up a triangle on both sides. This drill really wears out your abs, but it's great for working wrist control, and getting a feel for sinking the choke in deep. We worked a little bit on the inverted triangle, then we went into the triangle-reverse triangle-kimura-cutting armbar-triangle-armbar sequence.
We finished off class with free grappling, and I was matched up with my brother first, and he caught me with a rear naked choke pretty quick. After that, I eventually caught him with an arm triangle, but it was after an extended period of grappling, and I was a little tired, and Coach Wise immediately tossed me in with another guy to grapple with, who had me in trouble for a little bit, but I managed to get out of it, and finally got him to tap with an americana. I didn't listen particularly well though, and he then threw me in with a fella that weighs over 350 pounds, and though I finally got the submission with a rear naked choke, it took a long time, and with a guy that big, grappling is exhausting. Coach put me right back in against the guy I had just grappled with before the big guy, and though I nearly had him in a guillotine, I got slammed on back, and it just took all the wind out of me, and I finally succumbed to an armbar. I got tapped twice, and got myself three submissions, but it just sucked getting tapped. I know it's unreasonable to expect to be really good at this when I've only been doing it for a couple months, but my competitive nature was starting to get the best of me. I'm starting to get the physical aspect of everything, but I'm still barely scratching the surface of being mentally prepared.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
MMA and me; day 30
Man, I don't think I've had two Muy Thai classes in one week until this week, and let me tell you how rough, but still fun that is.We started out with skippies, which is just leaning against a wall with your forearms in a Muy Thai clinch position, and simulating knees to the body of a clinched opponent. Two rounds of that was pretty rough. After that, we went into drills with a partner, where they held a kick shield against their body, and you drilled it down the middle with a knee, as you pulled their head close with the Thai clinch. We then worked switch knees, which is exactly what it sounds like, you switch your lead leg and back leg, then hit with the knee that is the new back leg. If that wasn't enough, our final drill, was to knee with the same leg as in the first drill, but to never let it touch the ground. Whew! This is one of the few drills I can think of that is harder on the person holding the pads, then the person working offense, sweat city.
Jiu jitsu was all about working escapes from bottom side control. First was pummeling the far arm under their chest, and reaching over their back as you shrimp out to back control. Next was a similar position, but it involved countering the guy on top throwing a whizzer, and getting in as tight on them as you can, and instead of shrimping out behind them, pushing them either directly over, or backwards onto their back. That one took a few times, but it felt pretty good after several tries. Finally, we worked on pummeling the near arm in, if we couldn't get the far arm. You sneak the far arm over their shoulders, and the near arm under their stomach, and turn away from them, which is against everything else you learn, but it works. With the near arm under the belly, you keep reaching it over the back as you turn, and to the seatbelt grip with your arms, and voila! During grappling with my brother, we each tapped each other once, and I managed to get kneed in my nose, while he jammed his thumb into the mat. Overall, it was pretty damn fun!
Jiu jitsu was all about working escapes from bottom side control. First was pummeling the far arm under their chest, and reaching over their back as you shrimp out to back control. Next was a similar position, but it involved countering the guy on top throwing a whizzer, and getting in as tight on them as you can, and instead of shrimping out behind them, pushing them either directly over, or backwards onto their back. That one took a few times, but it felt pretty good after several tries. Finally, we worked on pummeling the near arm in, if we couldn't get the far arm. You sneak the far arm over their shoulders, and the near arm under their stomach, and turn away from them, which is against everything else you learn, but it works. With the near arm under the belly, you keep reaching it over the back as you turn, and to the seatbelt grip with your arms, and voila! During grappling with my brother, we each tapped each other once, and I managed to get kneed in my nose, while he jammed his thumb into the mat. Overall, it was pretty damn fun!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
MMA and me; day 29
So after our coaches decided to kill our necks on Monday, they moved to the shoulders on Tuesday, and absolutely murdered that particular body part. After our warm ups, we moved to punch ups with resistance bands, which I was unlucky enough to not get to use. I say unlucky, because it forced me to keep a faster pace than those with them, and it just wore my shoulders out. After that, we worked quick 1-2 combos on the focus mitts, and then moved to 1-2-3 combos. To say I got a sweat working would be an understatement, I was soaked. I tell you what, I felt good when class was done though, working that hard just brings something to the surface, and even though I was exhausted, I felt great.
Grappling was with Coach Wise, and let me tell you, that guy doesn't mess around. After running for five minutes around the mats, and working some body rolls, we did boxer sit ups, headstands, handstands, and push-ups. We did a little bit of pummeling drills, then worked triangles and inverted triangles. Two classes back to back which were essentially conditioning classes, whew! I slept like a dang baby last night, and though I'm a little sore today, I feel fantastic!
Grappling was with Coach Wise, and let me tell you, that guy doesn't mess around. After running for five minutes around the mats, and working some body rolls, we did boxer sit ups, headstands, handstands, and push-ups. We did a little bit of pummeling drills, then worked triangles and inverted triangles. Two classes back to back which were essentially conditioning classes, whew! I slept like a dang baby last night, and though I'm a little sore today, I feel fantastic!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
UFC 121
This Saturday, we see the third title defense in what has become a very impressive MMA career for Brock Lesnar, as he takes on undefeated upstart, Cain Velasquez. In what could arguably be the best fight card of the year, there is a main card full of important fights, and each one should be a close, hard fought bout. So, without further ado, let's get this going!
Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga vs. Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub
heavyweight
This is a fight that is essentially to gauge where Schaub is at in his MMA career. If he is going to become a bona fide heavyweight contender, he needs to prove he can hang with the heavy hitters, and the grapplers. Fortunately, Gonzaga qualifies as both, but for "Napao to take this fight, he'd better rely on his stellar bjj, because going toe to toe with "The Hybrid", could make for a short night.
Schaub has shown that he can keep the fight where it benefits him, but can get a little lazy with his defense, as proven when Roy Nelson sent him to the mat courtesy of a monster right hand. Since that loss, Schaub has demonstrated significantly stronger stand up on both offense, and defense. Where we'll really find out how much his game has improved, is how he can handle the smothering top game of Gonzaga, if of course, the Brazilian decides to take the fight to the ground.
Gonzaga is a world class grappler, and submission artist, but since the highlight reel KO of Mirko Cro Cop, he seems to have fallen in love with his hands. This has won him some fights, and it has cost him some. Gonzaga does have nasty power in his hands, and feet for that matter, but his strength remains in his heavy top control, brutal ground and pound, and world class submission skills. If he gets into trouble, Gonzaga is going to need to find a way to get the fight to the mat, and work from there. If Schaub hasn't improved his take down defense, it could be a long night.
This fight almost isn't about skills, but instead about which Gonzaga shows up. If it's the fighter who stuck with taking his opponent down, and grinding them out, Schaub is in trouble. Unfortunately, Gonzaga like to test his hands, and though he does have solid skills in that area, he has a suspect chin, and tends to throw the gameplan out the window when things start going in the wrong direction. Schaub is a young, beast of a fighter, who only has up to go, and though it will be a tough fight, "The Hybrid" will find a way to force the referee to stop the fight early in the second round.
Schaub via TKO, Rd. 2
Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz vs Matt "The Hammer" Hamil
light heavyweight
Ortiz hasn't had a win in the Octagon in over four years, and that was the third of three wins over a decidedly past his peak Ken Shamrock. Though they've mostly been close, Ortiz has lost three of his last four bouts, and the lone fight that wasn't was a draw against Rashad Evans. Ortiz is a few months shy of turning 36, and is working on a surgically repaired neck and back. All this adds up to a very daunting task, especially when you add Matt Hamil to the mix, who doesn't have the littany of injuries that Ortiz does, and has shown more facets to his game than Ortiz in recent years. Hamil is looking to pass his former mentor, and Ortiz is trying to prove that the old dog can learn a new trick or two.
Hamil has showed marked improvement in his stand up since his stint on season three of TUF, and as evidenced by his very close majority decision victory over Keith Jardine, can stick to a gameplan, and force another fighter to fight his style, and make it a close quarters brawl. Ortiz likes to utilize his wrestling, and drag fights into the deep waters where his conditioning, wrestling, and ground and pound can turn the tide towards his favor. The problem here, is that Hamil is no slouch in the wrestling department, and is perhaps the more well rounded, and perhaps flat out better striker. Ortiz has very stiff striking, and though his stand up defense is extremely tight, when you put the pressure on him, it's only a matter of time before it weakens, and he shoots for a takedown. Against most fighters that would get him out of trouble, but against Hamil, it's a recipe for a sprawl and restart on the feet, or worse, a massive knee to the head, and an early exit from the Octagon. Anywhere this fight goes, it just doesn't seem to favor Ortiz.
Hamil will push the pace early, and make Ortiz have to face some early adversity. Ortiz may respond by trying to get this fight to the ground ala Jon Jones and work some of the ground and pound that Ortiz is known for, but with the takedown defense of Hamil, and the fact that most of his explosiveness has left him, Ortiz will be hard pressed to get the fight where he wants it. This is Hamil's fight to win, and he should be able to dictate pacing, and when and how the fight goes to the floor. Hamil will get the win here, in a tight, but decisive nod from the judges.
Hamil via Unanimous Decision.
Paulo Thiago vs. Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez
welterweight
A Brazilian special forces member, against one of the most mentally sturdy fighters in the UFC. This is going to be a heck of a fight, and the outcome largely rests on what kind of fighter Thiago thinks he is. We know what Sanchez brings to the fight, strong wrestling, solid grappling and jiu jitsu, and an ever improving striking game. Thiago is bigger, stronger, and the more refined in jiu jitsu, but he seems to be lacking in the self confidence that Sanchez has in spades. For 'Nightmare" to win, he's going to need to draw on that borderline arrogance, because with two fights in a row already under his belt, he can ill afford a third
After a run at the lightweight title that fell just short, Sanchez returned to the welterweight division for the first time in over three years, only to be upset by underdog John Hathaway. Sanchez will need to prove that the return to 170 pounds was a solid decision, and focus on what got him to where he is. An outstanding wrestling, and ground game got him several wins early in his career, but when he ran into back to back losses against two top wrestlers, he switched things up a bit, and started to improve his stand up. Where will he need to take this to beat Thiago? He may want to work his ground and pound, and avoid the heavy hands of the Brazilian. Of course, Thiago is no slouch on the ground.
Thiago stormed into the UFC with an astonishing first round KO of top contender Josh Koscheck, and though he has since amassed a pedestrian 2-2 record, he still has yet to be KO'd or submitted in his MMA career. Thiago throws heavy hands, and has a nasty uppercut, and though his wrestling is not exactly stellar, when he does get the fight to the ground, he is slick, and capable of finishing almost anyone. Where he struggles on the ground is off his back, and if Sanchez can impose his will, and stay on top, Thiago could struggle. If Thiago is smart, he will do everything he can to shrug off the takedowns, and keep the fight standing, where he can utilize his slight reach advantage, and power to dictate the pace of the fight.
Has Sanchez gotten his body back to where it needs to be for 170 pounds after a year plus at 155? We'll see. Thiago has had trouble with fighter that can sink a solid double leg takedown, and Sanchez is more than capable of getting the fight to the ground, but with the knowledge that he has to improve on his takedown defense, Thiago should be more than ready to fight a three round war stuffing takedowns, and landing power shots. This fight is going to be razor close, and though my head says Thiago, my gut says Sanchez, who takes this fight via split decision, and for some reason, I see controversy in our future regarding this bout. Should still be a heck of a fight though.
Sanchez via Split Decision
Jake Shields vs Martin "Hitman" Kampmann
welterweight
Shields makes his long awaited UFC debut, and with one win, he could be catapulted to a title shot against the winner of Josh Koscheck-Georges St. Pierre, but a tough match up against Kampmann has to be the first priority, because looking past the Dane is a good way to get pummeled for 15 minutes straight. If Shields is going to win this fight, he's going to need to get this fight where he is comfortable, and avoid as much of Kampmann's extremely dynamic striking as possible. Kampmann is going to want to turn this bout into a kickboxing match, and though he is vastly underrated on the ground, avoid grappling when at all possible.
Shields has been, without a doubt, the best welterweight on the planet, not in the UFC for quite some time now. With a gaudy win-loss record, and a winning streak that dates back to 2004, Shields is the heavy favorite here. While his striking is always improving, it's no secret that he wants to get this fight to the ground, and work submissions and ground and pound. With a host of jiu jitsu and grappling credentials to his name, Shields is a monster to deal with on the ground, and when he gets top control, his opponent is in for a long night of fighting off submissions attempts, and getting punched and elbowed the whole time as well. Kampmann is a very solid wrestler, and grappler, but will it be enough to fend off the constant pressure of Shields?
After a solid start to his UFC career at middleweight, Kampmann decided to drop to welterweight, and has flourished since. Despite a setback loss to Paul Daley, "Hitman" has rattled off consecutive wins, including a thorough drubbing of Paulo Thiago, that many thought Thiago was the favorite to win. A very solid wrestler that trains out of Extreme Couture, Kampmann has world class kickboxing skills, and is more than comfortable if the fight goes to the ground, as was evidenced by his several near submissions of bjj black belt Thiago. While Kampmann may be able to withstand the barrage of strikes and submissions attempts on the ground that Shields will throw at him, he undoubtably wants to keep this fight standing, and throw the kitchen sink at Shields and keep him off balance as much as he can.
While it's not quite a number one contender match (Shields will get a crack at the Koscheck-St. Pierre victor if he wins, no such statement has been made concerning a Kampmann win), this scrap has all the makings of a Fight of the Year candidate. Shields is coming in with a lot of deserved fan fare, and Kampmann is looking to prove that he is not someone to be taken lightly. Both men are likely to be cautious to begin, and expect Shields to be a bit more aggressive on the feet, as Kampmann may be wary of being taken down. In his last fight against Dan Henderson, Shields took him down at will, and controlled the former Olympian for five straight rounds. Kampmann will try to exploit openings, and pick his shots from the feet, until he has to defend the inevitable takedown attempt. If Kampmann can keep this fight standing, it's his fight to win, but even if the fight goes to the ground, he's far from helpless. I think Kampmann will frustrate Shields with slick footwork and head movement, and has just enough ground acumen to keep the submissions and ground and pound of Shields at bay. This fight goes the distance, and though close, will be a clear cut victory for Kampmann.
Kampmann via Unanimous Decision
UFC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
(Champ) Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez
After an impressive come from behind win over Shane Carwin, Lesnar is looking to put a stamp on his status as the number one heavyweight in the world of MMA. In Velasquez, he is facing an opponent that has never been beaten, and only been taken past the second round once. Velasquez only had two professional fights before he made his UFC debut, because his trainers couldn't find anyone willing to fight him. Lesnar has only tasted defeat once, and has since avenged that loss to Frank Mir with a brutal TKO victory at UFC 100 in July of '09. Lesnar keeps getting better every time we see him in the Octagon, which is scary, considering the already formidable physical gifts he possesses. This fight is going to come down to heart, will, and surpisingly enough, cardio.
In Velasquez, there is a heavyweight that moves with a fluidity and grace of a much smaller man, but when he lands his strikes, it's with the force of a sledgehammer. Velasquez is a solid stand up fighter, who can take a punch or two, as evidenced by his fight with top tier striker, Cheick Kongo. Velasquez has the ability to take a solid punch, and rely on his wrestling to get him out of harms way. Unfortunately, against Lesnar, that will not be as easily achieved. Velasquez is going to need to utilize his quick footwork, and head movement to avoid the meteorites Lesnar calls fists, and exploit Lesnar's sub par striking defense. If Velasquez is patient, picks his spots, and can avoid being taken down by Lesnar, this fight could be his to win.
Lesnar is the much bigger, and stronger fighter, and the rub for Velasquez is, Lesnar might actually be a quicker, and more agile fighter to boot! For a man that will probably tip the scales around 275-280 come fight night, Lesnar can keep it going for quite a long time, and moves like a fighter 100 pounds lighter. Where he'll need to have improved, is in his striking defense. Against Carwin, he was tagged repeatedly, and dropped to the ground, where by sheer force of will, and Carwin running out of gas, he survived until the end of the round. In Velasquez, there is little chance he will face the same fortunes, and will need to have gotten better in the footwork, and head movement department, or he could be getting his lights put out quite early on.
Both men are big and quick, both hit like pre-Crisis Superman, and both have the cardio to keep the fight going as long as they like. Velasquez has the more refined stand up, but Lesnar has the better wrestling pedigree. If Lesnar wants to take this fight down to the ground, he should have no problem doing so, and if that happens, it's game over. Velasquez my put Lesnar in a sticky situation early on with punches and maybe kicks, but with a head like concrete, Lesnar will weather the storm, and come out blazing in the second round, snag a takedown, and proceed to Donkey Kong Velasquez into goo. A heck of a fight, and the prize? Junior Dos Santos waiting for Lesnar after he finishes Velasquez, mid way through the second round.
Lesnar via TKO, Rd. 2
Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga vs. Brendan "The Hybrid" Schaub
heavyweight
This is a fight that is essentially to gauge where Schaub is at in his MMA career. If he is going to become a bona fide heavyweight contender, he needs to prove he can hang with the heavy hitters, and the grapplers. Fortunately, Gonzaga qualifies as both, but for "Napao to take this fight, he'd better rely on his stellar bjj, because going toe to toe with "The Hybrid", could make for a short night.
Schaub has shown that he can keep the fight where it benefits him, but can get a little lazy with his defense, as proven when Roy Nelson sent him to the mat courtesy of a monster right hand. Since that loss, Schaub has demonstrated significantly stronger stand up on both offense, and defense. Where we'll really find out how much his game has improved, is how he can handle the smothering top game of Gonzaga, if of course, the Brazilian decides to take the fight to the ground.
Gonzaga is a world class grappler, and submission artist, but since the highlight reel KO of Mirko Cro Cop, he seems to have fallen in love with his hands. This has won him some fights, and it has cost him some. Gonzaga does have nasty power in his hands, and feet for that matter, but his strength remains in his heavy top control, brutal ground and pound, and world class submission skills. If he gets into trouble, Gonzaga is going to need to find a way to get the fight to the mat, and work from there. If Schaub hasn't improved his take down defense, it could be a long night.
This fight almost isn't about skills, but instead about which Gonzaga shows up. If it's the fighter who stuck with taking his opponent down, and grinding them out, Schaub is in trouble. Unfortunately, Gonzaga like to test his hands, and though he does have solid skills in that area, he has a suspect chin, and tends to throw the gameplan out the window when things start going in the wrong direction. Schaub is a young, beast of a fighter, who only has up to go, and though it will be a tough fight, "The Hybrid" will find a way to force the referee to stop the fight early in the second round.
Schaub via TKO, Rd. 2
Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz vs Matt "The Hammer" Hamil
light heavyweight
Ortiz hasn't had a win in the Octagon in over four years, and that was the third of three wins over a decidedly past his peak Ken Shamrock. Though they've mostly been close, Ortiz has lost three of his last four bouts, and the lone fight that wasn't was a draw against Rashad Evans. Ortiz is a few months shy of turning 36, and is working on a surgically repaired neck and back. All this adds up to a very daunting task, especially when you add Matt Hamil to the mix, who doesn't have the littany of injuries that Ortiz does, and has shown more facets to his game than Ortiz in recent years. Hamil is looking to pass his former mentor, and Ortiz is trying to prove that the old dog can learn a new trick or two.
Hamil has showed marked improvement in his stand up since his stint on season three of TUF, and as evidenced by his very close majority decision victory over Keith Jardine, can stick to a gameplan, and force another fighter to fight his style, and make it a close quarters brawl. Ortiz likes to utilize his wrestling, and drag fights into the deep waters where his conditioning, wrestling, and ground and pound can turn the tide towards his favor. The problem here, is that Hamil is no slouch in the wrestling department, and is perhaps the more well rounded, and perhaps flat out better striker. Ortiz has very stiff striking, and though his stand up defense is extremely tight, when you put the pressure on him, it's only a matter of time before it weakens, and he shoots for a takedown. Against most fighters that would get him out of trouble, but against Hamil, it's a recipe for a sprawl and restart on the feet, or worse, a massive knee to the head, and an early exit from the Octagon. Anywhere this fight goes, it just doesn't seem to favor Ortiz.
Hamil will push the pace early, and make Ortiz have to face some early adversity. Ortiz may respond by trying to get this fight to the ground ala Jon Jones and work some of the ground and pound that Ortiz is known for, but with the takedown defense of Hamil, and the fact that most of his explosiveness has left him, Ortiz will be hard pressed to get the fight where he wants it. This is Hamil's fight to win, and he should be able to dictate pacing, and when and how the fight goes to the floor. Hamil will get the win here, in a tight, but decisive nod from the judges.
Hamil via Unanimous Decision.
Paulo Thiago vs. Diego "Nightmare" Sanchez
welterweight
A Brazilian special forces member, against one of the most mentally sturdy fighters in the UFC. This is going to be a heck of a fight, and the outcome largely rests on what kind of fighter Thiago thinks he is. We know what Sanchez brings to the fight, strong wrestling, solid grappling and jiu jitsu, and an ever improving striking game. Thiago is bigger, stronger, and the more refined in jiu jitsu, but he seems to be lacking in the self confidence that Sanchez has in spades. For 'Nightmare" to win, he's going to need to draw on that borderline arrogance, because with two fights in a row already under his belt, he can ill afford a third
After a run at the lightweight title that fell just short, Sanchez returned to the welterweight division for the first time in over three years, only to be upset by underdog John Hathaway. Sanchez will need to prove that the return to 170 pounds was a solid decision, and focus on what got him to where he is. An outstanding wrestling, and ground game got him several wins early in his career, but when he ran into back to back losses against two top wrestlers, he switched things up a bit, and started to improve his stand up. Where will he need to take this to beat Thiago? He may want to work his ground and pound, and avoid the heavy hands of the Brazilian. Of course, Thiago is no slouch on the ground.
Thiago stormed into the UFC with an astonishing first round KO of top contender Josh Koscheck, and though he has since amassed a pedestrian 2-2 record, he still has yet to be KO'd or submitted in his MMA career. Thiago throws heavy hands, and has a nasty uppercut, and though his wrestling is not exactly stellar, when he does get the fight to the ground, he is slick, and capable of finishing almost anyone. Where he struggles on the ground is off his back, and if Sanchez can impose his will, and stay on top, Thiago could struggle. If Thiago is smart, he will do everything he can to shrug off the takedowns, and keep the fight standing, where he can utilize his slight reach advantage, and power to dictate the pace of the fight.
Has Sanchez gotten his body back to where it needs to be for 170 pounds after a year plus at 155? We'll see. Thiago has had trouble with fighter that can sink a solid double leg takedown, and Sanchez is more than capable of getting the fight to the ground, but with the knowledge that he has to improve on his takedown defense, Thiago should be more than ready to fight a three round war stuffing takedowns, and landing power shots. This fight is going to be razor close, and though my head says Thiago, my gut says Sanchez, who takes this fight via split decision, and for some reason, I see controversy in our future regarding this bout. Should still be a heck of a fight though.
Sanchez via Split Decision
Jake Shields vs Martin "Hitman" Kampmann
welterweight
Shields makes his long awaited UFC debut, and with one win, he could be catapulted to a title shot against the winner of Josh Koscheck-Georges St. Pierre, but a tough match up against Kampmann has to be the first priority, because looking past the Dane is a good way to get pummeled for 15 minutes straight. If Shields is going to win this fight, he's going to need to get this fight where he is comfortable, and avoid as much of Kampmann's extremely dynamic striking as possible. Kampmann is going to want to turn this bout into a kickboxing match, and though he is vastly underrated on the ground, avoid grappling when at all possible.
Shields has been, without a doubt, the best welterweight on the planet, not in the UFC for quite some time now. With a gaudy win-loss record, and a winning streak that dates back to 2004, Shields is the heavy favorite here. While his striking is always improving, it's no secret that he wants to get this fight to the ground, and work submissions and ground and pound. With a host of jiu jitsu and grappling credentials to his name, Shields is a monster to deal with on the ground, and when he gets top control, his opponent is in for a long night of fighting off submissions attempts, and getting punched and elbowed the whole time as well. Kampmann is a very solid wrestler, and grappler, but will it be enough to fend off the constant pressure of Shields?
After a solid start to his UFC career at middleweight, Kampmann decided to drop to welterweight, and has flourished since. Despite a setback loss to Paul Daley, "Hitman" has rattled off consecutive wins, including a thorough drubbing of Paulo Thiago, that many thought Thiago was the favorite to win. A very solid wrestler that trains out of Extreme Couture, Kampmann has world class kickboxing skills, and is more than comfortable if the fight goes to the ground, as was evidenced by his several near submissions of bjj black belt Thiago. While Kampmann may be able to withstand the barrage of strikes and submissions attempts on the ground that Shields will throw at him, he undoubtably wants to keep this fight standing, and throw the kitchen sink at Shields and keep him off balance as much as he can.
While it's not quite a number one contender match (Shields will get a crack at the Koscheck-St. Pierre victor if he wins, no such statement has been made concerning a Kampmann win), this scrap has all the makings of a Fight of the Year candidate. Shields is coming in with a lot of deserved fan fare, and Kampmann is looking to prove that he is not someone to be taken lightly. Both men are likely to be cautious to begin, and expect Shields to be a bit more aggressive on the feet, as Kampmann may be wary of being taken down. In his last fight against Dan Henderson, Shields took him down at will, and controlled the former Olympian for five straight rounds. Kampmann will try to exploit openings, and pick his shots from the feet, until he has to defend the inevitable takedown attempt. If Kampmann can keep this fight standing, it's his fight to win, but even if the fight goes to the ground, he's far from helpless. I think Kampmann will frustrate Shields with slick footwork and head movement, and has just enough ground acumen to keep the submissions and ground and pound of Shields at bay. This fight goes the distance, and though close, will be a clear cut victory for Kampmann.
Kampmann via Unanimous Decision
UFC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
(Champ) Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez
After an impressive come from behind win over Shane Carwin, Lesnar is looking to put a stamp on his status as the number one heavyweight in the world of MMA. In Velasquez, he is facing an opponent that has never been beaten, and only been taken past the second round once. Velasquez only had two professional fights before he made his UFC debut, because his trainers couldn't find anyone willing to fight him. Lesnar has only tasted defeat once, and has since avenged that loss to Frank Mir with a brutal TKO victory at UFC 100 in July of '09. Lesnar keeps getting better every time we see him in the Octagon, which is scary, considering the already formidable physical gifts he possesses. This fight is going to come down to heart, will, and surpisingly enough, cardio.
In Velasquez, there is a heavyweight that moves with a fluidity and grace of a much smaller man, but when he lands his strikes, it's with the force of a sledgehammer. Velasquez is a solid stand up fighter, who can take a punch or two, as evidenced by his fight with top tier striker, Cheick Kongo. Velasquez has the ability to take a solid punch, and rely on his wrestling to get him out of harms way. Unfortunately, against Lesnar, that will not be as easily achieved. Velasquez is going to need to utilize his quick footwork, and head movement to avoid the meteorites Lesnar calls fists, and exploit Lesnar's sub par striking defense. If Velasquez is patient, picks his spots, and can avoid being taken down by Lesnar, this fight could be his to win.
Lesnar is the much bigger, and stronger fighter, and the rub for Velasquez is, Lesnar might actually be a quicker, and more agile fighter to boot! For a man that will probably tip the scales around 275-280 come fight night, Lesnar can keep it going for quite a long time, and moves like a fighter 100 pounds lighter. Where he'll need to have improved, is in his striking defense. Against Carwin, he was tagged repeatedly, and dropped to the ground, where by sheer force of will, and Carwin running out of gas, he survived until the end of the round. In Velasquez, there is little chance he will face the same fortunes, and will need to have gotten better in the footwork, and head movement department, or he could be getting his lights put out quite early on.
Both men are big and quick, both hit like pre-Crisis Superman, and both have the cardio to keep the fight going as long as they like. Velasquez has the more refined stand up, but Lesnar has the better wrestling pedigree. If Lesnar wants to take this fight down to the ground, he should have no problem doing so, and if that happens, it's game over. Velasquez my put Lesnar in a sticky situation early on with punches and maybe kicks, but with a head like concrete, Lesnar will weather the storm, and come out blazing in the second round, snag a takedown, and proceed to Donkey Kong Velasquez into goo. A heck of a fight, and the prize? Junior Dos Santos waiting for Lesnar after he finishes Velasquez, mid way through the second round.
Lesnar via TKO, Rd. 2
MMA and me; day 28
Kickboxing yesterday, was brutal! We worked on Muy Thai clinch control, and escapes. The thing about the escapes, is that to break someones Muy Thai clinch, you have to raise your head up, and walk your hips towards your opponent. Guess what? This wrecks your neck! We also worked on re-pummeling after someone already has established the clinch on you, and that was no picnic either.I'm glad I have a massive head, because it makes my neck nice and strong, but I'm still quite sore from having a 240+ pound individual hanging on my neck for the better part of 45 minutes.
In grappling, we worked on escapes, and sweeps from being mounted. First was a hip bump, and pushing on your opponents hips to create space, then sliding a knee through to re-establish half guard. Next was lifting one of your opponents legs off the mat, onto the back of your leg, and then using that to sweep. It sounds more complicated then it really is, but that's the best I can do without visual aids. Lastly, we modified the previous sweep, into trapping the same foot in the crook of your knee, and turning it into a modified heel hook, used more for a sweep than a submission. Again, sounds odd, but it's the best way I can describe it. All in all, a solid day of class, and I'm anxious to get this week going strong!
In grappling, we worked on escapes, and sweeps from being mounted. First was a hip bump, and pushing on your opponents hips to create space, then sliding a knee through to re-establish half guard. Next was lifting one of your opponents legs off the mat, onto the back of your leg, and then using that to sweep. It sounds more complicated then it really is, but that's the best I can do without visual aids. Lastly, we modified the previous sweep, into trapping the same foot in the crook of your knee, and turning it into a modified heel hook, used more for a sweep than a submission. Again, sounds odd, but it's the best way I can describe it. All in all, a solid day of class, and I'm anxious to get this week going strong!
Friday, October 15, 2010
UFC 120
Okay, so I really put this off, and now I'm under the gun. The quick and dirty predictions......
GO!
James "Lightning" Wilks vs Claude "The Prince" Patrick
welterweight
All I know about Wilks is that he won season 9 of TUF, and has gone 1-1 in the UFC since then. Patrick is Canadian, and is quite slick on the ground. If Wilks cannot use his solid clinch work to keep dominant position either standing, or on the ground, he's in for a lot of trouble. There's a chance that Wilks may catch Patrick with something early, but chances are "The Prince" will find Wilks' neck, and with his bevy of guillotine entries, it'll all be academic after that.
Patrick via submission (guillotine), Rd. 2
Cheick Kongo vs Travis " Hapa" Browne
heavyweight
Browne is a huge heavyweight, standing 6'7" and weighing over 250 pounds. Unfortunately, he's making only his second UFC appearance, and it's against one of the top strikers in the heavyweight division. Kongo is more than capable of bringing the hurt with the leather, and if Browne can't (wont) get the fight to the ground, Kongo will pick him apart. The tactical striking of Kongo is simply going to be too much for Browne, who will be handed his first career loss, and Kongo will move on to seek revenge against Frank Mir.
Kongo via Unanimous Decision
John "The Hitman" Hathaway vs Mike "Quicksand" Pyle
welterweight
Is Hathaway the next big thing to come into MMA via the U.K.? Can he survive the onslaught of submission attempts that Pyle will throw at him? Will Pyle get off the schnide and put a halt to alternating wins and losses in his four fight stint in the UFC? Will I keep asking questions? Yes, yes, no, and no. Pyle is tough, but with the takedown defense of Hathaway preventing Pyle from getting the fight to where he wants it to, "Quicksand" will find himself struggling withe Brit's reach, and striking acumen. Hathaway puts a stamp on his destruction of Diego Sanchez, with a second round TKO of Pyle, and steadily moves up the welterweight ladder.
Hathaway via TKO, Rd. 2
Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy vs. Carlos "Natural Born Killer" Condit
welterweight
Hardy returns to the Octagon after his moral victory, but actual loss to Georges St. Pierre, looking to rebound, and get back to a championship fight. Condit is still struggling to gain the form he showed when he was the 170 pound champ in the WEC. Both fighters like to bang, and both are tough as hell. Hardy has a slight size advantage, but Condit has the reach advantage. Hardy will pick his spots on the feet, and utilize his superior boxing to wear out Condit, who is going to need to find a way to get Hardy on his back, and exploit the Brit's somewhat weak submission defense. Condit may threaten once or twice with submission attempts, but the boxing, size, and strength of Hardy will earn "The Outlaw" a tough, but well earned unanimous decision. Look for possible Fight of the Night honors to be bestowed upon this bout.
Hardy via Unanimous Decision
Michael "The Count" Bisping vs. Yoshihiro "Sexyama" Akiyama
middleweight
Looking to win two fights in a row for the first time in nearly two years, Bisping squares off against the always competetive, but in dire need of a win, Akiyama, who was recently submitted in the waning moments of his fight with Chris Leben. Unless Akiyama has substantially improved his cardio, do not expect this fight to last long. Akiyama is not huge for 185, and though he possesses solid skills in all areas, Bisping will push the pace, and force the Japanese judoka to either stand and trade with him, or get taken down and fight off his back. Bisping is still trying to get in a position to vie for a title shot, but he has to put a few wins together first. The season 3 TUF winner will get his track going in the right direction, with a solid finish of Akiyama, who will fight hard, but get finished early in the second round.
Bisping via TKO, Rd. 2
GO!
James "Lightning" Wilks vs Claude "The Prince" Patrick
welterweight
All I know about Wilks is that he won season 9 of TUF, and has gone 1-1 in the UFC since then. Patrick is Canadian, and is quite slick on the ground. If Wilks cannot use his solid clinch work to keep dominant position either standing, or on the ground, he's in for a lot of trouble. There's a chance that Wilks may catch Patrick with something early, but chances are "The Prince" will find Wilks' neck, and with his bevy of guillotine entries, it'll all be academic after that.
Patrick via submission (guillotine), Rd. 2
Cheick Kongo vs Travis " Hapa" Browne
heavyweight
Browne is a huge heavyweight, standing 6'7" and weighing over 250 pounds. Unfortunately, he's making only his second UFC appearance, and it's against one of the top strikers in the heavyweight division. Kongo is more than capable of bringing the hurt with the leather, and if Browne can't (wont) get the fight to the ground, Kongo will pick him apart. The tactical striking of Kongo is simply going to be too much for Browne, who will be handed his first career loss, and Kongo will move on to seek revenge against Frank Mir.
Kongo via Unanimous Decision
John "The Hitman" Hathaway vs Mike "Quicksand" Pyle
welterweight
Is Hathaway the next big thing to come into MMA via the U.K.? Can he survive the onslaught of submission attempts that Pyle will throw at him? Will Pyle get off the schnide and put a halt to alternating wins and losses in his four fight stint in the UFC? Will I keep asking questions? Yes, yes, no, and no. Pyle is tough, but with the takedown defense of Hathaway preventing Pyle from getting the fight to where he wants it to, "Quicksand" will find himself struggling withe Brit's reach, and striking acumen. Hathaway puts a stamp on his destruction of Diego Sanchez, with a second round TKO of Pyle, and steadily moves up the welterweight ladder.
Hathaway via TKO, Rd. 2
Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy vs. Carlos "Natural Born Killer" Condit
welterweight
Hardy returns to the Octagon after his moral victory, but actual loss to Georges St. Pierre, looking to rebound, and get back to a championship fight. Condit is still struggling to gain the form he showed when he was the 170 pound champ in the WEC. Both fighters like to bang, and both are tough as hell. Hardy has a slight size advantage, but Condit has the reach advantage. Hardy will pick his spots on the feet, and utilize his superior boxing to wear out Condit, who is going to need to find a way to get Hardy on his back, and exploit the Brit's somewhat weak submission defense. Condit may threaten once or twice with submission attempts, but the boxing, size, and strength of Hardy will earn "The Outlaw" a tough, but well earned unanimous decision. Look for possible Fight of the Night honors to be bestowed upon this bout.
Hardy via Unanimous Decision
Michael "The Count" Bisping vs. Yoshihiro "Sexyama" Akiyama
middleweight
Looking to win two fights in a row for the first time in nearly two years, Bisping squares off against the always competetive, but in dire need of a win, Akiyama, who was recently submitted in the waning moments of his fight with Chris Leben. Unless Akiyama has substantially improved his cardio, do not expect this fight to last long. Akiyama is not huge for 185, and though he possesses solid skills in all areas, Bisping will push the pace, and force the Japanese judoka to either stand and trade with him, or get taken down and fight off his back. Bisping is still trying to get in a position to vie for a title shot, but he has to put a few wins together first. The season 3 TUF winner will get his track going in the right direction, with a solid finish of Akiyama, who will fight hard, but get finished early in the second round.
Bisping via TKO, Rd. 2
MMA and me; day 27
Well, I only went to boxing yesterday, partially because I wanted to spend some more time with my wife, and partially because I was a little banged up after class. In any event, it was one of the more intense boxing classes, so I still got a good workout in. One round of rapid 1-2 combos on focus mitts was the first thing after warmups, and let me tell you, that is quite tiring. For the next two rounds, we did a 1-2-body 3-head 3 combo, and it was here that my left arm started to get a little sore. I'm not popping back the focus mitt enough on the head 3, and it's affecting my elbow and shoulder. After that, we went to a longer combo; 1-2-roll-roll- body 3-head 3-2-head 3. This was a little tougher to get down, and the fact that it was a much longer combo, forced me to pace myself so that I didn't burn out mid way through. We finished with our usual plank position, and leg raises, and I was a sweaty mess. For one hour, I don't think I've sweat that much in quite some time.
Like I said, I passed on grappling for a couple reasons, which was hard because I really like the submissions, and ground game in general. I wanted to give my body a rest though, and I'll be back to the regular schedule on Monday.
If there's anyone that wants to come out and see some of the guys I train with fight, tomorrow night at Edmonds Community College, Ax Fighting Championship is putting on an event, and four of our guys are fighting. These fights are really fun, and if you're interested, let me know, and I'll give you the pertinent details.
Like I said, I passed on grappling for a couple reasons, which was hard because I really like the submissions, and ground game in general. I wanted to give my body a rest though, and I'll be back to the regular schedule on Monday.
If there's anyone that wants to come out and see some of the guys I train with fight, tomorrow night at Edmonds Community College, Ax Fighting Championship is putting on an event, and four of our guys are fighting. These fights are really fun, and if you're interested, let me know, and I'll give you the pertinent details.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
MMA and me; day 26
Well, I was complaining about not having leg bruises earlier in the week, and they are slowly creeping onto my shins after yesterday, way to go dumbass. We did some brutal heavy bag kicking drills. For ten minutes, we ran up and threw ten 10s, then ran to the back of the line. With three heavy bags, the drill lasting ten minutes, and the bags being somewhat softer than concrete, this led to fairly sore shins after about two reps. After ten minutes, I got probably ten to twelve reps in, and the shins are suitably bruised. When we finished with the 10s, we did it all over with 9s. My shins have turned an interesting shade of reddish purple, but hey, I did it to myself, and I wear every mark I've gotten at the gym as a badge of honor.
In grappling, I got paired up with the guy who tapped me at least six times during free grappling last week. We worked on two different submissions from the top mount, a topside armbar, and topside arm triangle, or howdy as it's apparently called, but we weren't able to go at full speed, due to my partners rib injury. We could go slow, and I was able to talk a little shop with Michael who has served in the Israeli army, about some concepts regarding submissions. Suffice to say, this was a smart dude, for sure! For the last 10-15 minutes, I grabbed another partner, and we free grappled, I paired up with Vit, who I have gone with before, and was promptly tapped with a guillotine. Luckily, he seemed to be tiring, and I caught him with an armbar triangle, a triangle, and I think one more, but I may be imagining things. He also caught me in a neck crank/guillotine, but most of that was due to having a mouthful of t-shirt. After all that, one of the instructors, Tony, jumped my back, and forced me into his guard. I almost passed to an arm triangle, but he escaped that, and put me in an incredibly tight triangle that I nearly wriggled out of, before he applied an armbar, forcing me to tap.
All in all, a great jiu jitsu class, and I cannot wait for the fights this weekend!
In grappling, I got paired up with the guy who tapped me at least six times during free grappling last week. We worked on two different submissions from the top mount, a topside armbar, and topside arm triangle, or howdy as it's apparently called, but we weren't able to go at full speed, due to my partners rib injury. We could go slow, and I was able to talk a little shop with Michael who has served in the Israeli army, about some concepts regarding submissions. Suffice to say, this was a smart dude, for sure! For the last 10-15 minutes, I grabbed another partner, and we free grappled, I paired up with Vit, who I have gone with before, and was promptly tapped with a guillotine. Luckily, he seemed to be tiring, and I caught him with an armbar triangle, a triangle, and I think one more, but I may be imagining things. He also caught me in a neck crank/guillotine, but most of that was due to having a mouthful of t-shirt. After all that, one of the instructors, Tony, jumped my back, and forced me into his guard. I almost passed to an arm triangle, but he escaped that, and put me in an incredibly tight triangle that I nearly wriggled out of, before he applied an armbar, forcing me to tap.
All in all, a great jiu jitsu class, and I cannot wait for the fights this weekend!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
MMA and me; day 25
Whew! Good day of workouts. Boxing was incredibly sweat inducing. After warm ups, we worked on the most effective way to defend a punch; don't be there. We hit the 1-2 slip the punch, counter 2, then added a three the second time around. The next combo was the 1-2 roll under the punch, counter 2, then added the 3. My slip still needs work, and my balance when rolling is still less than ideal, but I'm starting to feel really good when I throw my punching combos, and am doing much better at keeping my hands up.
Jiu jitsu was more triangle work, and a lot of discussion about concepts, and ideas. We worked through the triangle-reverse triangle-kimura-cutting armbar-armbar-triangle progression a lot, and that is a heck of a work out on your hips. Afterwards, I free grappled with my brother for a little while, and after he caught me with a really nice armbar (really Daniel, very pretty) I managed to slip a guillotine choke on him, and even things out.
Side note, yesterday was the eight week mark since I started going to these classes, and on day 1, I weighed 241. After leaving class, I hopped on the scale, and I'm now 224. It's good to see my progress physically, and mentally, but I still have a long way to go to hit my goal. What's that? Well continue on this journey and lets just find out together.
Jiu jitsu was more triangle work, and a lot of discussion about concepts, and ideas. We worked through the triangle-reverse triangle-kimura-cutting armbar-armbar-triangle progression a lot, and that is a heck of a work out on your hips. Afterwards, I free grappled with my brother for a little while, and after he caught me with a really nice armbar (really Daniel, very pretty) I managed to slip a guillotine choke on him, and even things out.
Side note, yesterday was the eight week mark since I started going to these classes, and on day 1, I weighed 241. After leaving class, I hopped on the scale, and I'm now 224. It's good to see my progress physically, and mentally, but I still have a long way to go to hit my goal. What's that? Well continue on this journey and lets just find out together.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
MMA and me; day 24
Well, it's going up a bit late, but I have the day off, and I can do as I please! Anyways, we continued to work punching combinations ending in leg kicks in kickboxing. This time, however, we worked the inside 9 as a combo finisher, instead of the outside 10. Using the 1-2-9, and 2-3-2-9 felt much better than the combos ending in 10s, and much more fluid. I'm starting to feel more comfortable leaning over the outside of my leg when I throw the kick, and staying more balanced throughout the entire combo as well.
Grappling was all about jiu jitsu for MMA, and it was a good way to go over some stuff we had covered before, but I'm still not too sharp at yet. First up was rolling out of full guard to our feet, which was much more difficult than our coaches made it look. After that, we did sweeps from half guard on the bottom. We worked escaping out the back door to back mount, reversing to side control if they try a whizzer, then did some free grappling for the last 15 minutes or so. My partner Nate and I have rolled before, and I actually managed to keep him from tapping me, though I didn't get any submissions on him. I nearly had an inverted triangle on him, but couldn't lock it up. Next time......
Grappling was all about jiu jitsu for MMA, and it was a good way to go over some stuff we had covered before, but I'm still not too sharp at yet. First up was rolling out of full guard to our feet, which was much more difficult than our coaches made it look. After that, we did sweeps from half guard on the bottom. We worked escaping out the back door to back mount, reversing to side control if they try a whizzer, then did some free grappling for the last 15 minutes or so. My partner Nate and I have rolled before, and I actually managed to keep him from tapping me, though I didn't get any submissions on him. I nearly had an inverted triangle on him, but couldn't lock it up. Next time......
Friday, October 8, 2010
MMA and me; day 23
Head movement is difficult, but if you don't want to get punched in the face, it's something you gotta learn. We worked punch combos and added slips and rolls to evade punches, and man, that is some hard work. The hardest part was the balance, and timing, but once I started to feel a little rhythm, it came together quite nicely. I'm still dropping my hands a bit, but I'm getting better, I mean, I'll have to. It's one thing to use footwork and head movement to avoid punches, but if I don't have my hands up, I might was well just lay down and take a nap to save my opponent the trouble. At the end of class, we did our plank and leg raises, and I'm quite proud that I held my legs up the entire time. I bent the knees a few times to rest my muscles, but still, progress is progress.
After warming up with the armbar-triangle-omoplata transition, we jumped right into a chain of submissions consisting of triangle, reverse triangle, kimura from the reverse triangle, and cutting armbar from the reverse triangle. This was kinda tough, and I was having a hard time because of some accumulated bumps and bruises, but when we jumped to the armless triangle, from when an opponent my pull their arm out of a triangle? Wow! That is tight, and when my brother slapped it on me, I nearly passed out. We ended the jiu jitsu session with a lot of discussion about how to focus our energy inwards, and exploding inward, instead of outward. The point was made, regarding submissions, that an anaconda doesn't crush their prey immediately, it's slow, and constant. I am going to try and keep that pressure on, and instead of blowing out my muscles, just constantly squeezing, and making them miserable.
After warming up with the armbar-triangle-omoplata transition, we jumped right into a chain of submissions consisting of triangle, reverse triangle, kimura from the reverse triangle, and cutting armbar from the reverse triangle. This was kinda tough, and I was having a hard time because of some accumulated bumps and bruises, but when we jumped to the armless triangle, from when an opponent my pull their arm out of a triangle? Wow! That is tight, and when my brother slapped it on me, I nearly passed out. We ended the jiu jitsu session with a lot of discussion about how to focus our energy inwards, and exploding inward, instead of outward. The point was made, regarding submissions, that an anaconda doesn't crush their prey immediately, it's slow, and constant. I am going to try and keep that pressure on, and instead of blowing out my muscles, just constantly squeezing, and making them miserable.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
MMA and me; day 22
Some days I get more of a sweat going than others, and kickboxing was one of those days. We warmed up with 10s, then went right into punch and kick combos. Throwing a 1-2-3-10, can really screw up your balance if you don't throw each punch properly before the 10. My partner, Ryan, is only 18, and can really dig that 10 in. Thank goodness for kick shields. Just when I am starting to get comfortable with my hook, and adding it to combos, we toss a kick into the mix, and it all goes to hell. Nothing like a little humility to keep you pushing hard. We finished up with medicine ball sit ups, planks, and leg lifts. I'm telling you, these abs are going to be great!
Grappling was just that, grappling. No technique, just free rolling with other guys in the class. I'll be better once my gas tank gets a little more full, but I still am doing okay, all things considered. I went against a new guy in the class, Michael, who has done some training in Israel, and he was a fantastic partner. He submitted me a bunch of times, but was helpful in telling me what I had done wrong, and to my credit, I swept him several times to an advantageous position.
At the end of class, our instructor jumped me from behind, and put a very tight, inverted triangle on me. I didn't panic, and worked my way out of it, until for a brief moment, I had his back and went for a choke. Unfortunately, I also crossed my legs around him, and found out there is a good reason you don't do that. I was submitted, but learned a lesson, don't cross your legs when you have someones back! I love this stuff.
Grappling was just that, grappling. No technique, just free rolling with other guys in the class. I'll be better once my gas tank gets a little more full, but I still am doing okay, all things considered. I went against a new guy in the class, Michael, who has done some training in Israel, and he was a fantastic partner. He submitted me a bunch of times, but was helpful in telling me what I had done wrong, and to my credit, I swept him several times to an advantageous position.
At the end of class, our instructor jumped me from behind, and put a very tight, inverted triangle on me. I didn't panic, and worked my way out of it, until for a brief moment, I had his back and went for a choke. Unfortunately, I also crossed my legs around him, and found out there is a good reason you don't do that. I was submitted, but learned a lesson, don't cross your legs when you have someones back! I love this stuff.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
MMA and me; day 21
Yesterday was one of the more fun boxing classes I've had in a while. We worked on some pretty cool, and apparently advanced techniques. After we warmed up, we worked on throwing jabs from off center angles, and keeping moving at all times. Presenting your opponent with a moving target is one thing, but pumping your jab from all angles is another great way to keep them off balance also. We then switched to feints. Feinting the jab and throwing a straight, and feinting the straight and throwing a hook. I feel like I'm really starting to understand the mechanics of the hook, and it's starting to feel nice and tight. Finally, we worked on upsetting the timing of our normal combos, and being less automatic. Instead of throwing jab, jab, straight, throw a jab *pause* jab, straight, and throw off your opponents defensive timing. Pretty cool stuff.
I didn't go to grappling because my groin was feeling a little tight from yesterday, but I may go back today. I didn't like not going to what is easily my favorite class, but missing it once or twice is much better than missing it for a week or more.
I didn't go to grappling because my groin was feeling a little tight from yesterday, but I may go back today. I didn't like not going to what is easily my favorite class, but missing it once or twice is much better than missing it for a week or more.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
MMA and me; day 20
In kickboxing, we went back to the old standby that I enjoyed so much in one of our first classes, the push kick. I like this kick, because it doesn't need a ton of flexibility, and can deliver a pretty good pop to an opponent who is continuously pressuring you. It's not a kick that I'm great at, but I'm getting better at it quickly, and since you're more pushing, than striking, it's not as hard on your foot when you don't throw it properly.
We then, moved on to leg kicks, with a little twist. We started with our regular 10, but then moved to a switch 10. That sucker has some force behind it. You switch your stance, then almost run into the 10, and man I would not want to be on the receiving end of one of those kicks!
In grappling, we mostly focused on wrestling, specifically takedown defense. We started out with sprawls, which I didn't recall being as draining, but in high school I was a bit lighter. After the sprawl drills, we paired up, and practiced sprawling after a fake shot from our partner. This is where I strained my groin, and pretty much where my practice ended. I may have to pass on grappling for a few days, but we'll see how the old groin feels.
We then, moved on to leg kicks, with a little twist. We started with our regular 10, but then moved to a switch 10. That sucker has some force behind it. You switch your stance, then almost run into the 10, and man I would not want to be on the receiving end of one of those kicks!
In grappling, we mostly focused on wrestling, specifically takedown defense. We started out with sprawls, which I didn't recall being as draining, but in high school I was a bit lighter. After the sprawl drills, we paired up, and practiced sprawling after a fake shot from our partner. This is where I strained my groin, and pretty much where my practice ended. I may have to pass on grappling for a few days, but we'll see how the old groin feels.
Friday, October 1, 2010
MMA and me; day 19
I will never take shadow boxing for granted, but after we did two rounds of it with resistance bands on... my goodness was that exhausting. It does help you keep your elbows in, and forces your technique to be spot on. After that, we did some drills that focus on keeping your elbows in and hands up, alternating with head movements down a string stretched across the gym. That drill is an extremely good workout for the quads, and I am glad mine are pretty damn strong. We worked on counters after that. first the jab, then a 1-3-2, which is a jab followed by a straight right, then a left hook. I'm gradually beginning to understand the mechanics of the hook, and am starting to be able to throw it with a little heat. After that combo, we moved to a longer chain, a 1-3-5-2-3. Jab, hook, uppercut, straight, hook. If your balance isn't solid, you power and speed will not come together, and you'll just flop arm punches out there. We finished up with the plank position and leg lifts, yay core workouts!
In jiu jitsu, we warmed up with the arm bar-triangle-omoplata transition, and then worked on entries to the triangle choke after that. first was using wrist control to sink the opponents wrist to the crotch, and pull your leg on the same side over the back of their neck, hip out, and lock in the choke. Second was a hip turn with wrist control, pin their arm against their chest with your knee and push into them, as they push back, slide your leg that is pushing them over the back of the neck, hip out, and sink the choke. Third, is a quarter turn to pin their elbow in your guard, then you grab the back of their head and arm, and use your knees to bring them in tight. As you do so, you reach for their leg, on the opposite side that their elbow is trapped on, and under hook it, which dumps them in the opposite direction. From there, you release the head and leg, and as they try to base up, you throw your leg over the back of their neck, and sink the choke. Lastly, work for an entangled arm, and over hook above their elbow, while placing the hand of the arm you're using on your chest. Hip out to the same side as the under hook, , and as they post up with their other hand, grab that wrist, and pull your knee to your chest, and their bicep over your shin. From there, pull on their wrist until they pull back, let go, flip the leg on the same side as you were grabbing wrist control over the back of their neck, hip out, and sink the choke.
I explained in much more detail the stuff we did yesterday, because I am starting to learn a lot more, and I need to start documenting the stuff I learn. Plus it's only fair to the few of you out there reading this to get technical details, and have proof that I'm fairly sure I have a semblance of what I'm doing. GOD THIS IS FUN!
In jiu jitsu, we warmed up with the arm bar-triangle-omoplata transition, and then worked on entries to the triangle choke after that. first was using wrist control to sink the opponents wrist to the crotch, and pull your leg on the same side over the back of their neck, hip out, and lock in the choke. Second was a hip turn with wrist control, pin their arm against their chest with your knee and push into them, as they push back, slide your leg that is pushing them over the back of the neck, hip out, and sink the choke. Third, is a quarter turn to pin their elbow in your guard, then you grab the back of their head and arm, and use your knees to bring them in tight. As you do so, you reach for their leg, on the opposite side that their elbow is trapped on, and under hook it, which dumps them in the opposite direction. From there, you release the head and leg, and as they try to base up, you throw your leg over the back of their neck, and sink the choke. Lastly, work for an entangled arm, and over hook above their elbow, while placing the hand of the arm you're using on your chest. Hip out to the same side as the under hook, , and as they post up with their other hand, grab that wrist, and pull your knee to your chest, and their bicep over your shin. From there, pull on their wrist until they pull back, let go, flip the leg on the same side as you were grabbing wrist control over the back of their neck, hip out, and sink the choke.
I explained in much more detail the stuff we did yesterday, because I am starting to learn a lot more, and I need to start documenting the stuff I learn. Plus it's only fair to the few of you out there reading this to get technical details, and have proof that I'm fairly sure I have a semblance of what I'm doing. GOD THIS IS FUN!
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