Mixed Martial Arts
The Best Pound-For-Pound Fighter, Also The Best Ever Fighter In The World?
Without further ado, we’re talking about Brazilian Anderson “The Spider” Silva.
Silva is UFC’s Middleweight Champion of the world with 10 consecutive wins and many say he has made his weight division so boring through his seemingly invincible fighting style that the calls are getting louder for him to either lose weight to fight against GSP or gain weight to fight against Lyoto “Dragon” Machida.
Silva’s MMA record is pretty amazing: 25 wins vs. 4 losses!
His last loss was over 4 years ago via disqualification by illegal side-up kick against Japanese Yushin Okami.
Silva’s fighting arsenal is more than just impressive in my book. It’s overwhelming and at times overbearing for any opponent.
Besides being a long-time Black Belt in Taekwondo, Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, “The Spider” is a highly trained Muay Thai fighter and Western boxer.
He turns 35 in April and has expressed plans to retire fairly soon, whatever soon means. His UFC contract still calls for at least 3 more fights. We will have to wait and see.
In the meantime, check out some of Anderson “The Spider” Silva’s career highlights and be impressed:
UFC 111 Main Event GSP Vs. Dan Hardy
British contender Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy isn’t falling for the Gatorade’s recommendation that one should never EVER fight Georges St. Pierre.
Dan Hardy is getting his title shot at the UFC World Champion Welterweight title on Saturday, March 27, in New Jersey.
The only hurdle he has to take is beating the one and only Franco-Canadian Georges St. Pierre, who is known as “The Perfect Fighter” and who is considered by many the best Welterweight ever.
Revered by many more, GSP is the complete package with extraordinary striking, kicking, takedown and grappling abilities that have put him at the top of the game.
His professional attitude toward preparation and analyzing his opponent is legendary.
I featured him here three months ago, with the title Meet The Amazing UFC-Champion Georges St. Pierre (GSP).
Dan Hardy is a very proficient striker with great timing and GSP will have to be very diligent in his approach to defending his title.
This could be a good one!
Finland: Sauna, Wodka And A Very Eclectic Korean Martial Art
Most of us would make the connection between Finland and Finnish sauna and even some of the most famous Wodka brands money can buy, right?
But Finland and a very eclectic Korean martial art?
Let me tell you how this post came together.
Last Sunday while getting ready for a tennis mixed doubles match I was talking with one of my team members and his wife about martial arts.
They told me that that they had studied some Korean martial art several years ago in Mississippi, which they referred to as Han Moo Do.
I actually had no in-depth knowledge of this style and they were kind enough to tell me a little bit more such as:
Han Moo Do is a fairly young style which consists of elements of Tae Kwon and Hapkido. They probably told me more, but that’s what stuck with me.
That sounded pretty intriguing to me, so I started to dig a bit deeper and here is what I found online:
Han Moo Do was created by 8th dan Young Suk (Yoon Soon Hwang) about 20 years ago, when the first club was established in Finland!
Lately it has been spreading to other Nordic countries, such as Sweden, Norway and Denmark.
The first club outside of the nordic region was recently set up in Limerick, Ireland. But also even in Mississippi in the U.S. Southeast as I mentioned above.
Hanmoodo is descended from other Korean styles, such as Hoi Jeon Moo Sool and Taekwondo, so Hanmoodo resembles these styles as well as Hapkido in many areas.
Hanmoodo’s techniques include kicks, punches, throws, takedowns, grappling , joint-locking techniques and chokes.
Kicks are mostly aimed at ribs or head.
Punches can be targeted to the body only.
Throws and takedowns resemble Judo and wrestling techniques but are done even more elegantly.
Joint locks mainly target the wrist and elbow but there are also leg locks.
Chokes are performed mostly with forearm and wrist.
The art contains three weapon styles: nunchaku, long staff e.g. Japanese bo; and sword e.g. Japanese katana.
Hanmoodo practitioners are also encouraged to engage in exhibitions where a practiced choreography is presented to an audience. These choreographies feature several practitioners performing self-defence techniques on each other.
In competition, Hanmoodo rules permit kicks above the waistline and punches between the waistline and the head.
All strikes must hit the front of the body and other kinds of strikes are prohibited.
Competitors may also grapple by throwing or taking down their opponent and controlling him/her on the mat but striking is prohibited when either competitor has a hold on the other or is considered to be on the ground.
I have found Han Moo Do or hanmoodo to be a rather interesting mixed martial art that covers the four combat ranges of long, medium and close as well as ground fighting. Oh, yeah, weapons, too.
Personally, I can do without the high-flying kicks, which in no way criticizes the style itself. High kicks might have their justification.
Summa summarum, I am impressed with Han Moo Do and to give you some visuals of it all, here is a clip I found. Hope you enjoy it.
P.S.: My wife and I won our tennis match 6-0, 6-3.!
Martial Artist Wesley Snipes Co-Starring In “Brooklyn’s Finest”
Thought you might appreciate to know that we will be able to see fellow martial artist Wesley Snipes in a new movie to be released early March 2010.
The title is “Brooklyn’s Finest” and besides Wesley Snipes, stars Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke.
And here’s the storyline:
Burned out veteran Eddie Dugan is just one week away from his pension and a fishing cabin in Connecticut.
Narcotics officer Sal Procida has discovered there’s no line he won’t cross to provide a better life for his long-suffering wife and seven children.
And Clarence “Tango” Butler has been undercover so long his loyalties have started to shift from his fellow police officers to his prison buddy Caz, one of Brooklyn’s most infamous drug dealers, played by Wesley Snipes.
With personal and work pressures bearing down on them, each man faces daily tests of judgment and honor in one of the world’s most difficult jobs. When NYPD’s Operation Clean Up targets the notoriously drug-ridden BK housing project, all three officers find themselves swept away by the violence and corruption of Brooklyn’s gritty 65th Precinct and its most treacherous criminals.
During seven fateful days, Eddie, Sal and Tango find themselves hurtling inextricably toward the same fatal crime scene and a shattering collision with destiny. ~ Baseline StudioSystems
The stunts should be pretty impressive, considering that John Cenatiempo was the stunt coordinator. He has done a lot of great work in movies and TV shows such as Body of Lies, Life on Mars, The Wrestler, I Am Legend – just to name a very few.
But back to Wesley Snipes, whom we could consider a mixed martial artist, because he trains or has trained extensively in Shotokan karate, Capoeira and in a number of other disciplines including various styles of kung fu and Jiu Jitsu.
It’s been some time that he was able to put his acting and martial arts skills on display. The wait is over!
I am looking forward to seeing Wesley Snipes in Brooklyn’s Finest. This should be a good one.
Wow! Another Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Thank you so much for following me here at TheMartialArtsReporter.com
If you’re interested in a specific topic relating to martial arts that we haven’t covered yet or if you’re keen on reading more about something we have talked about here, please feel free to let me know. I welcome your comments. Thanks.
So here it is: Another Week In Review At The MartialArtsReporter.com
Almost 70 years ago, James Cagney, First Martial Artist To Star In A Movie
And it all started in 1946: Robert Trias, Founder Of The First U.S. Karate School
I really mean it: Every Month Should Be Women’s Self-Defense Awareness Month
Reporting from Beverly Hills: Emil Farkas, “Sensei To The Stars” And A Lot More
Just kidding: “Is UFC’s Dana White Rooting For Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell Or Tito “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz? “
And to end the week on a thoughtful note: The Five Virtues Of The Fighting Arts
Have a great Sunday!
Talk to you tomorrow.
Is UFC’s Dana White Rooting For Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell Or Tito “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz?
Well, it sure sounds like these two former Light Heavyweight Champions will be facing off again in “The Octagon” in the very near future. Supposedly sometime this Summer.
Let’s have a look at the stats, shall we?!
Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell, age 40, 204 lbs., 6′2″, record of 21 wins and 7 losses
versus
Tito “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz, age 35, 205 lbs., 6′2″, record of 15 wins, 7 losses and 1 draw, whereas two of his losses were against his next opponent who just happens to be Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell!
Dana White is bringing back these two MMA legends to fight each other, because there are still some unanswered issues between them and their names with considerable fan bases will certainly draw big crowds.
It’s simply good for business and that’s very important for MMA and UFC in specific if they want to continue to leave professional boxing in the rearview mirror.
My question however is, “Is Dana White Rooting For Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell Or Tito “Huntington Beach Bad Boy” Ortiz?”.
To answer that question, let’s just check out these clips I found:
For Tito 
or
for Chuck
Let me know what you think.
Dan Gable, Olympic Wrestling Icon From The U.S. American Heartland
Unanimously, “The Greatest Sports Figure In The History Of The State Of Iowa”, Dan Gable has set the bar in high school, collegiate and Olympic freestyle wrestling soooo high, I wonder if anybody can come even close to matching or surpassing his accomplishments ever.
The reason I need to elaborate on wrestling today (again) is because it cannot be over-emphasized that the vast majority of physical encounters end up on the ground/floor and that’s where your grappling, wrestling, submission skills will be put to the test.
It was also the reason why yours truly as a tradtional Shotokan karateka saw the necessity and took he initiative to at least experiment in Judo years ago.
And honestly, every serious martial artist and every person serious about self-defense should have a very close look at their grappling skills.
Before I really get off track today, let’s get back to Iowa’s favorite amateur wrestling star, Dan Gable, who should serve as inspiration and motivation to you.
His achievements on the wrestling mat are legendary.
As a high school student Dan Gable was undefeated state champ during his sophomore through senior years. But wait, there’s more, a lot more!
While attending Iowa State University, Gable wrestled for three years and won 2 NCAA titles!
His only loss during his collegiate wrestling career was in his final match which brought his overall mark to an mind-boggling record of 181 victories and only 1 loss.
Dan Gable went on to wrestle internationally between 1971 and 1973 where he set his record at 29 wins and only 1 loss. Overall, his national and international freestyle wrestling record was 97-5.
One of his many highlights was the win of an Olympic Gold Medal as a Lightweight during the 1972 Munich Games where he did not give up a single point in all of his matches.
Following his extraordinary amateur wrestling career at the age of 28, Dan Gable became the wrestling coach at the University of Iowa in 1976.
In the nine years, from 1978 to 1986, under Gable’s leadership the Hawkeyes won the NCAA title each year, a record nine in succession.
He continued to coach the team until a sabbaticall after the 1997 season.
Gable’s coaching record in dual meets was 355-21-5 and that includes 15 NCAA titles and 21 straight Big Ten titles. Amazing!
He has also been called upon to coach the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team in 1980, 1984 and in 2000 in Sydney, Australia.
Dan Gable stays involved at the University of Iowa and not surprisingly he has also become a highly sought after motivational speaker.
In Waterloo, Iowa, they now even have a Dan Gable Museum that I am definitely going to check out when I head out there.
Now, let’s hit the mat!
The Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Thanks again for stopping by and sharing your keen interest in martial arts and related topics.
Another week has flown by and it’s time for The Week In Review.
Enjoy!
Learn The Muay Thai Clinch From Walter “Sleeper” Michalowksi Also Known As Neck Wrestling Demonstrated By A True Professional
FREE: 5 Unique Pushups To Elevate Your Training Program Just About Anywhere, Anytime And Without Any Equipment
“Karate, The Art Of Empty Hand Fighting” By Hidetaka Nishiyama The Best-Selling Karate Book Turns 50 This Year!
Another Glimpse Of Astonishing Filipino Martial Arts This FMA Master Uses Not A Stick, Not A Knife, But A Horse Whip!!
Wing Chun: Chi Sao, Also Known As Sticky Hands A highly important exercise for anybody serious about Wing Chun Kung Fu.
The Talented Mr. BJ Penn, aka ‘The Prodigy’ Learn More About The UFC-Lightweight Champion From Hilo, Hawaii And Most Probably One Of The Best Fighters Of All Time.
Enjoy your Sunday!
The Talented Mr. BJ Penn aka ‘The Prodigy’
If you look up the definition of the word ‘prodigy’ you will in most cases find:
“A person so extraordinary as to inspire wonder; specifically, a child of highly unusual talent or genius.”
BJ Penn, the current UFC-Lightweight Champion, from Hilo, Hawaii, has often been referred to as ‘The Prodigy’. And rightfully so, may I say.
In today’s post, I will refrain from listing all his impressive wins on the mat, in the ring and inside ‘The Octagon’. And they are many, even against a number of highly recognizable names on the MMA circuit such as Matt Hughes, Renzo Gracie, Jens Pulver, Kenny Florian.
I am more interested in sharing with you his predisposition in becoming a UFC Champion and one of the most well-known and respected figures in professional Mixed Martial Arts.
And how did that nickname ‘The Prodigy’ establish itself anyway?
When BJ was 17 years old, he started his BJJ training together with his brother after an introduction by his neighbor, Tom Callos, who must be mighty proud today.
It must have been around two years later in 1997 that BJ received instruction under the legendary Ralph Gracie, from whom he received purple belt.
By 2000, just 3 years later, he was awarded the coveted black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by Andre Pederneiras.
This in itself is quite a feat, because reportedly it is not unusual for BJJ students to have to put in 10 years to reach that level of skill and dedication.
Shortly thereafter BJ Penn went on to become the first non-Brazilian to win the black-belt division of the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which, as you might know, is considered the birthplace of BJJ.
While most people need a decade or more to become a black belt, BJ Penn had, with only three years of training, not only received a black belt but defeated people who had been training their entire lives on his way to winning the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Talent can certainly get you places, but it usually in addition takes consistent hard work and commitment to maintain and even propel you to higher elevations, in just about any profession.
Years ago UFC-President, Dana White, expressed his impression that BJ had coasted through his fighting career on natural talent alone.
That has definitely changed after BJ Penn has shown his willingness to take his professional MMA career more seriously in his training and he has obviously renewed his commitment to excel at the highest level to remain the UFC-Lightweight Champion.
His immense talent, combined with his experience and renewed commitment, make UFC-Lightweight Champion, BJ Penn ‘The Prodigy’ a force to reckon with. And most probably one of the best fighters of all time.
Check out this video in its entirety. You will not be disappointed!
The Week In Review At TheMartialArtsReporter.com
Hey guys!
I hope you had a great week and you are enjoying your weekend.
You might have already noticed that I have added a very cool inspirational feature of “The Quote Of The Day” on the right side bar.
So, instead of just 2 quotes a week, you’re getting at least 7 a week, or at least one a day. Sounds like taking your daily vitamin!
Besides that let’s just dive right into all the exciting posts and what else happened this last week:
Honor Student – Muay Thai Style
Self-Defense From A Pinned Down Position
Bartitsu, The Fighting Style Of Detective Sherlock Holmes
Canadian UFC Welterweight Superstar Georges St. Pierre And “Operation Olympic Wrestling 2012″?
Get Ready For A Western Boxing Prodigy
First U.S. American Judo Brown Belt And 26th U.S. President
Talk to you soon.
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