Monday, April 05, 2021

Five Finger Death Punch - Blue On Black (feat. Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Bra...

Sunday, September 27, 2020

I'm going to try again to keep this blog up with my new things I like


 

Monday, February 02, 2015

SNOWPOCALYSPE IOWA 2015


Snowpocalsype Iowa 2015 ... 

Today started excellent got some cool photos




















Monday, March 24, 2014


Man I've been so busy !!! If you have the time check out some of my
photos on FB  

.Doug Fresh Fotography





Sunday, March 02, 2014


Will it ever stop snowing in Iowa....dang... AVERAGE ANNUAL SNOWFALL Bettendorf, Iowa 31.60 inches Iowa Snowfall 31.40 inches Snowfall Records Highest Single Day Snowfall 16.4 inches on January 03, 1971 MONTHLY RECORDS Month Record Snowfall Year October 6.6 in 1967 November 15.6 in 1974 December 32.1 in 2000 January 30.0 in 1941 February 34.3 in 1912 March 20.2 in 1891 April 13.3 in 1997

Thursday, July 19, 2012

So,it's been a while and have been really busy finding new cool things and even went to Canada.Upon my return I ordered the new Google Nexus 7, I'm still waiting as so orders are running late due to the demand , but mine is on the way..check it out. http://www.google.com/nexus/#/7
The best of Google. Nexus 7 comes with all your favorite Google Apps – like Gmail, Chrome, Google+ and YouTube – putting the best of Google in the palm of your hand. Easy to use, everything automatically syncs across your tablet, phone and computer. With tons of free cloud storage and features you’ll find nowhere else, Nexus 7 brings the best of Google together in one simple, beautiful device

Saturday, June 25, 2011

I Dedicate this to Josh The Hitman Rabedeaux....R.I.P.

Last words from his Mother....Today is a sad day and it will be the worst day of my life. I'm sitting here in the hopsital that Josh was born in and his dad Bruce and I was so excited for our son to be born March 3rd 1984, today is June 25 and we will watch our sons life end, How can this be ? How can someone who had so much to live for someone so full of life not want to be here anymore. As I have sat here in the hospital for the last five days I have watched his friends and family come to see him and so many people truely love and care about him and we thank all of you so very much. Today is a very sad day for us. My life will never be the same and a part of my life will also end without my sidekick , my bestfriend, my loving son,the person that calls me daily to tell his mom he love me. My life will never be the same. Josh was home in AZ a week ago and a week ago we was staying at a resort living life , he was golfing with my husband beating him at golf and loving life. I will never forget last weekend and as I brought him to the airport to return to Iowa I didn't know that that would be the last hug I would ever receive from him and when he looked back at me and waved it really was a final good bye. If we only knew what life changes was going to accur maybe I would have never put him on that plane. I hope all of you who are reading this takes this and uses it in your life, never say anything to hurt anyone, never treat anyone badly to where it will hurt them, also show someone they are special don't tell them there a loser or you wish them died, don't tell them there not a man because they really are. Words hurt word can take someones life. My son was hurting and if I could have taken his pain away I would have I would have given my life to him, I gave him life and today I will watch his life end. Today is the last day for me to be a mother, to kiss to hold everything, the one thing that will never stop is the love that I have for Josh he is my life, if you know me you know how I feel. Bruce and I know that Josh loved us we will never question that. I'm sorry that my son hurt so bad that he felt that he had to take his life. WHY. Please don't ever forget him please learn from this please don't ever do this because you will be leaving a lot of people who love you. One more thing if any of you ever feel like Josh did please call me send me a text or a email anything I will help you I will try to help you, you can come to AZ anything please ask for my help.Life means something. Thank you for caring about our family but most of all thank you for loving Josh..I will need some of you too ,to help me through this pain and loss of my wonderful son who I lived for who I gave life too who I loved with all of my heart.. God Bless all of you and may he keep you safe. Bonnie

Monday, May 30, 2011

The good ol 501 ORD Co....my memories...this is how we did it.


1987
(Source: JOBBER, March 16, 1987)
501st Ordnance Company providing VII Corps with 'No-Slack' support

by Chuck Gordon

"FIVE-O-NO SLACK, SIR?"

That's the word in the 501st Ordnance Company, 101st Ordnance Battalion.

You can hear it when the company falls in, when they do their physical training, and when a soldier and officer exchange greetings.

Then, of course, there's No SLACC Day, when the No Slack soldiers take over the No Slack Company. Every leadership slot, from company commander to platoon sergeant, is filled and run in a No Slack manner by the month's No Slack soldiers, all E-4 and below.

SLACC, in the case of the 501st, is an acronym for "Subordinate Level Alternate Chain of Command."

Capt. Ronald Settle, 501st company commander, said, "I only recently took over this command, but when I did step into this slot, the company was already tight.

"To me, that says a lot about the 501st's former commander. To the soldiers here, he was sort of a minor deity, you know, he walked on two layers of water!" Settle said.
to help keep the unit's morale and spirit at a high level, Settle held a contest to create a slogan for the 501st.

"A lot of slogans came through -- some good, some not so good, some pretty weird," he said.

When all the ballots were in, the judges chose "No Slack," adding the "5-0." The slogan had been used by the 2nd Magazine Platoon for some time, and it summed up what the company felt and put into practice.

And the 501st lives up to its motto. The company works smoothly and everybody takes up a little slack, until all that's left is a tight fabric, woven by a hard working unit.
Their main mission is handling munitions for the largest sector of support of any ammo company in VII Corps.

"These soldiers bust their butts out here. Nobody realizes how much effort goes into that little crate of blanks for an FTX, or the case of M60 rounds for qualification. It is a demanding and often thankless job, but these people do it, day in and day out. We hump the ammo out to any unit in our sector that needs it," said CWO 3 Jimmy Calloway, the 501st's accountable officer.

As accountable officer, Calloway is responsible for the records and tons of ammo that the unit deals with on a constant basis.

"We work. We work hard! This is a good job though," said Sgt. James Dawes, assistant ammunition storage specialist. "Ammo can be dangerous, and you think about that sometimes, but not too much. You can't let that worry you. Our training is good and safety first."

The 501st works mainly at Pre-Stock Points (PSPs) and Forward Storage Theater Sites (FSTSs). There, rows of squat, earth-covered storage bunkers hold the ammo, which will be used by VII Corps.

"We get a lot of time out in the magazines, the bunkers. We stack, sort, inspect and restack the ammo. And we get a lot of experience running the forklifts, but a lot of the ammo gets moved by muscle power," said Dawes.

Winters slow things down for a lot of units, and the 501st is no exception. However, the slack time gets put to good use, doing internal "housekeeping," getting equipment and gear inspection-ready, and cleaning.

"Winter means maintenance," said Dawes. "We clean and repair and inspect and clean some more. We use the time to check out our vehicles and equipment to be sure they're field-ready and in usable shape."

"Right now we are just back out of the field, and we have to get all our gear ready for a validation inspection. Everything from TA-50 to the vehicles will be cleaned and ready to go," said SFC Allen Clinton, maintenance NCO for the company.

Clinton's maintenance and service platoon takes care of more than 70 vehicles, including forklifts, ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 pounds, and vehicles from one-and-a-quarter CUCVs to the 501st's massive 12-ton tractor rigs. And the company even has a genuine John Deere discing machine.

"As near as I can figure, the disc is for plowing around in a field," said Clinton. "But it would come in handy for building a fire break or turning up the ground for mines and such. We've never used it, and we don't really have anything designed to pull it. But we have it if we ever need it."

As far as structure, the 501st is composed of the M and S platoon, two magazine platoons, and the headquarters platoon.

A magazine, to the 501st, is more than something to read or slap into your trusty M-16. It is also a storage facility for large amounts of ammo. The magazines and their contents are the prime concern for the 501st. The company is responsible for more than 98 of the thick-walled bunkers scattered around their sector, ranging in distance from three to 75 miles from the company's home base.

"Something is always moving. At times, we'll get a line of trailers stretching all along the rows of bunkers, all full and waiting to be loaded or unloaded. The soldiers will unload the crates onto a forklift, stack it into the bunker, re-arrange it so everything fits and is stored safely, and then the next day, start loading them out of the bunkers back into trailers to be sent to a unit," said CWO 2 Bill Sutton, Calloway's replacement.

And the 501st goes through all of this, just for that round of blank ammo you'll blast into an aggressor on an FTX. So the next time you qualify, or play Rambo in the field, think of all the work, dedication and planning it took to get that round to you. Think of the 501st, the "No Slack" Company.

Sunday, May 01, 2011

BREAKING NEWS - OSAMA BIN LADEN IS DEAD !!!



WOW...UDPATE @ 10:38 PM: Via twitter from CBS reporter Mark Knoller:

CBS Congressional producer Jill Jackson reporting House Intelligence Committee aide says Obama will announce Osama bin Laden is dead.
CNN and other news outlets are reporting that the President will make a televised statement at approximately 10:30 PM ET. But, there's no indication yet as to what it's about.

Tweet from Sam Stein a few minutes ago:
white house is mum on topic. and rightfully so, only 15 min wait. but one official says its "Important enough that you shld pay attention"
UPDATE @ 10:19 PM: CNN now reporting the subject matter is "national security."

Saturday, March 12, 2011

WOW THE UFC/ZUFFA JUST BOUGHT STRIKEFORCE!!! DANA WITH THE STORY NOW!!



LAS VEGAS -- In a transaction that will forever change the mixed martial arts world, Zuffa, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has purchased its top competitor, Strikeforce.

UFC president Dana White spoke to MMA Fighting exclusively about why the historic purchase happened, the terms of the deal, what this means for the Strikeforce brand and fighters and much more.

SEE DANA TALK SHOP RIGHT HERE,CLICK

Sunday, February 13, 2011

THE KING IS DEAD,LONG LIVE THE KING, END OF AN ERA FOR FEDOR


PssssT click here for the hidden video link as long as it lasts up !!

After taking a brutal two round beating from Antonio Silva, Fedor Emelianenko seemed to announce his retirement immediately after the fight. According to his translator Fedor said, "maybe it's time to leave."
He thanked everyone for a beautiful "sporting life".
Emelianenko will retire as the greatest heavyweight fighter in MMA history. He dominated the sport for the better part of a decade in an incredible ten year undefeated streak, mostly in Japan for the legendary Pride organization.
This was his second loss in as many fights. Fabricio Werdum forced him to tap to a triangle choke at 0:69 of the first round. Emelianenko had only lost once in his prior career, way back in December 2000 in RINGS King of Kings tournament.
In his storied career, Fedor beat Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (2x), Mirko Filopovic, Mark Coleman, Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia.
Fedor had been favored to win the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix tournament. Antonio Silva will face the winner of Fabricio Werdum vs Alistair Overeem. Tonight's other winner Sergei Kharitonov beat former UFC champ Andrei Arlvoski and will await the winner of Josh Barnett vs Brett Rogers.
Arlovski may also face retirement after losing his fourth straight fight -- all of them since leaving the UFC.

by Kid Nate on in Strikeforce News

Sunday, January 31, 2010

LAWLER WITH A VICORY AFTER BEATING...

Strikeforce on Showtime just wrapped up and we have the results from an exciting night of fights in Miami, Florida.

We have the results from every Strikeforce fight tonight and we’ll start with the co-main events before working our way down to the Herschel Walker and Bobby Lashley fights.

Nick Diaz had no trouble TKO’ing Marius "The Whitemare" Zaromskis and the results went final toward the end of the 1st round. Diaz wobbled “The Whitemare” early before Zaromskis connected on a decent shot that sent Nick to the canvas. After that it was all Diaz before the -245 betting favorite at BoDog Sportsbook finally put his opponent away with a series of punches and knees.

The other co-main event at Strikeforce tonight had champion Cris “Cyborg” Santos taking on Marloes Coenen for the belt. Coenen fought with heart but ultimately succumbed to strikes in the third round after never really posing a threat to “Cyborg”.

Herschel Walker smothered his opponent, Greg Nagy, for 2+ rounds before the results came in with the former Heisman winner getting the TKO victory half-way into round 3. The only punches that were landing were to the shoulder area of Nagy, but the ref decided he’d stop Walker before his opponent got a scratch or Indian burn. Who knows.

Other Strikeforce results show former professional wrestler Bobby Lashley easily handling Wes Sims by strikes in early part of the 1st round. Lashley went right for the takedown before hammering away at Sims until the referee stepped in. Sims protested, saying he was hit in the back of the head (I think that’s why he was emotional anyway), but, like most protests, the referee decided not to reverse the obvious results from the one-sided beatdown.

“Ruthless” Robbie Lawler pulled the big upset as the betting underdog scored a 1st round KO of "Marvelous" Melvin Manhoef after getting beat to hell for the majority of the 5-minute time. Lawler could barely walk after the fight due to some severe leg kicks but managed to pull out a Scott Smith-style power punch out of nowhere to seal the deal.

Jay “Thoroughbred” Hieron easily took a unanimous decision victory home although the final Strikeforce results won’t show the fact that Riggs wobbled his favored opponent a few times during the bout. Hieron controlled for the majority of the fight and was awarded a victory.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Sunday, November 29, 2009

PAT MILETICH TO FIGHT AGAIN IN 2010?


Former UFC champion and MMA pioneer Pat Miletich (29-7-2) is in current negotiations for a summer return to the cage.

Pat reported his desire for a summer bout during his recent appearance on the most recent episode of ESPN.com's "MMA Live."

"I'm in negotiations with a couple different organizations right now," Miletich said. "I think I'll be fighting this summer, a big name guy, and it will definitely be on TV. It'll be exciting."

Miletich did not specify which organizations he was currently negotiating with, but the rapidly expanding Strikeforce organization recently inked "The Croatian Sensation" to a commentating deal.

Sources close to the organization indicated to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Strikeforce may be interested in promoting a bout between Miletich and fellow MMA legend Frank Shamrock.

Both Strikeforce officials and Shamrock denied that they were discussing that matchup when contacted by MMAjunkie.com. Shamrock did indicate he would be open to the possibility.

"I thought [Miletich] was retired," Shamrock said. "Well, tell him if he wants some to come and get it."

Shamrock is currently scheduled for an April 11 main event contest with Nick Diaz for Strikeforce, a bout in which Miletich has been announced as broadcast team member.

Miletich last appeared in December 2008 in a knockout win over Thomas Denny in the main event of Adrenaline MMA 2.

Promoted by Miletich's long-time associate and manager Monte Cox, Adrenaline MMA has a third event scheduled for May 30 in Atlantic City, N.J.

Cox was unavailable for comment when contacted by MMAjunkie.com to gauge his interest in booking another appearance for the 41-year-old Miletich.

Miletich's December 2008 bout was his first appearance since a September 2006 loss to Renzo Gracie in the now-defunct IFL.
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Mar 21, 2009 at 7:25 pm ET

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

KIMBO SLICE TO BE ON THE NEXT ULTIMATE FIGHTER


I guess Kevin Ferguson really wants to be an F-ing fighter after all.

“Kimbo Slice” has apparently inked a deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and will debut as a participant on the upcoming tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) according to Yahoo Sports.

Strikeforce recently passed on the contract of the former Elite XC heavyweight after the San Jose-based promotion purchased select Pro Elite assets following the company’s demise.

While there was some initial interest in his services, it was unrealistic to think they would pay him $500,000 (what he got paid for the Petruzelli fight) to bang with middle-of-the-road competition. In the end, the two sides could not find a common ground financially, and Slice officially became a free agent.

Anyone who would have predicted he’d end up on the Zuffa payroll would have gotten a visit from men in white coats at 3am for a long ride in the paddywagon — especially after all the disparaging remarks UFC President Dana White has made regarding the former street fighter and YouTube sensation.

However under all the insults and potshots, one thing White did promise was that Slice could join the UFC ranks if he fought his way into the cage via a stint on The Ultimate Fighter, White’s proving ground for up-and-coming talent looking to make it big.

Here’s a snip from the prez during the UFC 90 post-fight presser:

“What has the guy done to deserve to be in the UFC? Nothing. I don’t consider him a real athlete or anything. He won’t win The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). The offer is out there if he wants to take it and he won’t win it. I might [put a heavyweight show together just for him].”

I guess Ferguson took that as a challenge, as the bearded bruiser is now set to debut on the Spike TV reality show on September 16.
By: Jesse Holland/mmamainia.com

Saturday, May 30, 2009

JOE ELLIOTT SPEAKS OF UPCOMING TOUR AND LOVE FOR LIFE


Friday May 29 2009

It's easy to think that, just because someone isn't giving Girls Aloud and Lady GaGa a run for their money, well, an artist must be struggling. Wrong.

In the case of Def Leppard -- who broke though in the 1980s with Pyromania, Hysteria and Adrenalize, a trio of albums that have sold more than 30 million copies -- recent years have seen their sales dip drastically on this side of the Atlantic, just as America embraces them once again.

Having spent the last few months deep in the vaults, pouring over demos for special reissues of Pyromania and Adrenalize -- Hysteria having already had an anniversary release -- Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott is perfectly happy to take a walk down memory lane.

Catching up with the Dalkey resident as he prepares for a sell-out world tour, that includes June 12 at the O2, it's plain that the soon-to-be-50 Joe Elliott has got plenty to be happy about.

PAUL BYRNE: For the reissues of 1983's Pyromania and 1992's Adrenalize was it a walk in the park, or did you tread carefully?

JOE ELLIOTT: It's not a case of treading carefully, it's just like looking back over some old photobook, but an audio one. It's a case of opening it up, and giggling at yourself. I mean, sometimes we'd laugh at the trousers, and sometimes we'd laugh at the demos, but I've got to say, I've been blessed working with the people that I've worked with in this band. We've never really written what I would call a shit song.

Going back to these early albums, are you completely happy with them?

I'm enormously happy with those albums -- why wouldn't I be? They both sold over six million copies. There are lots of things on every single album that we've ever made -- including Hysteria, which has sold over 20 million copies -- that I would go back and redo. There are songs that I would leave off, but, that's a personal thing. There are other guys in the band who would disagree with me.

Do you ever get bored with playing those monster hits live?

I get bored s**tless doing Sugar and Photograph in rehearsals, I absolutely do, but not in front of an audience. When you hear a cheer at the beginning of a song, your mind can go into reverse mode, all the way back to the day when someone walked into the room and said: 'I've got this idea for a song'. And you see the song getting recorded, and being released, and becoming a hit.

Do you feel defensive of the newer albums, such as X (2002), Yeah! (2006) and last year's Songs From The Sparkle Lounge?

Yeah, but it depends on which way you want to look at it. If you're looking at it from an Irish perspective, where they didn't get played on the radio so much, yeah, but in the States, they did. Sparkle Lounge went Top 5 in the States, and it's still getting played. When we had Yeah! out in America, the singles, Rock On and No Matter What were No 1 for five weeks and six weeks respectively, on regular Top 40 radio. That album gave us our biggest tour since Hysteria.

So, you never wake up in the middle of the night, screaming: "Frick you, Radio 2!"?

Oh, God no, never, never. There's no point. I'm not a bitter person. Def Leppard are becoming the biggest cult band in the world. I don't really see a downside to that. People start supporting you because you're not being supported by The Man, or the machine. You get a solid foundation, and they do a lot of the groundwork on your behalf, these really die-hard fans.

So, you're a happy man . . .

I'm absolutely at peace. I don't lose any sleep over anything. The O2 is going to be sold out. We're headlining Donington -- or the The Download, as it's called now -- 23 years after we last played there, third on the bill to Ozzy. We've got a tour of the States coming up, 40 dates that are going to be sold out. I don't see anything to moan about.

You've left yourself six days off the current tour for your 50th birthday on August 1. Is that going to be a big deal for you?

Yeah, it is. That's why, you've noticed, we're not doing any gigs around it. I said a year ago: 'I'm not going to spend my 50th in a hotel room in Boise, Idaho, so, don't put me in one. I'm going to be at home and I'm going to have a nice, big, stupid party, and invite all my really close friends -- plumbers, plasterers, some guys on the dole. Some of them are in the music business but most of the people will just be really close friends. We'll have a good time, and if it doesn't rain, we'll have a barbecue, and we'll drink till the sun goes down. And we'll play music, and there'll be some dancing, and there'll be some shenanigans.

- Paul Byrne

Sunday, May 24, 2009

UFC 98 RESULTS



Results:

– George Roop beat Dave Kaplan via split decision. The scores were 29-28 Kaplan, 30-27 Roop 30-27 Roop. Reportedly a good fight, but as it went 3 round, it is unlikely to air on the main show unless there is a lot of short matches.

– Yoshiyuki Yoshida beat Brandon Wolff via a guillotine choke in the first round.

– Krzysztof Soszynski defeated Andre Gusmao via knockout in the 1st round.

– Kyle Bradley beat Philippe Nover in the first round via ref stoppage. This was controversial. Nover was taken down and was stunned with a punch, Bradley, however, was missing all of his other punches. The ref, seeing Nover stunned, stopped the fight. The crowd was pissed with the stoppage.

– Tim Hague beat Pat Barry in the first round with a guillotine. Reportedly the best match on the show so far.

– Brock Larson defeated Mike Pyle via an arm triangle choke in the first round.

– Frankie Edgar beat Sean Sherk via unanimous decision

– Chael Sonnen defeated Dan Miller via unanimous decision

– Drew McFedries defeated Xavier Foupa-Pokam via TKO in the first round.

– Matt Hughes defeated Matt Serra via unanimous decision

– UFC Light Heavyweight Championship: Lyoto Machida defeated Rashad Evans via knockout in the second round.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

MASK FROUNDER OF TAPOUT KILLED IN HIT AND RUN


From MMAWEEKLY.COM...Charles Lewis Jr., better known to MMA fans as “Mask,” was killed in a hit-and-run accident Tuesday night in Newport Beach, Calif.

Lewis was the founder of Tapout Clothing, Inc., and the face of its popular reality show on cable channel Versus. Several sources within the company confirmed his passing.

At 12:57 a.m., a Newport Beach Police cruiser spotted Lewis’ red Ferrari and a white Porsche driving out of control on the southbound side of Jamboree Road, according to Lt. Jim Amormino, a public information officer with the Orange County Sherrif’s Department.

The Ferrari then struck the curb and hit a utility pole, tearing the car in half. After coming to a brief stop, the Porsche fled the scene.

An unnamed female passenger was ejected from Lewis’ car in the crash. Newport Beach paramedics pronounced Lewis dead at the scene.

Newport Beach officers later spotted the Porsche and stopped its passengers, a male and female, who were seen walking away from the vehicle.

Upon further investigation officers determined that the male, Jeffrey David Kirby, a 51-year-old resident of Costa Mesa, Calif., was the driver of the vehicle.

Kirby was arrested for gross vehicular manslaughter and taken to the Newport Beach Police Department. The female passenger, Lynn Marie Nabozny, a 32-year-old resident of Newport Beach, was arrested for public intoxication and released Wednesday morning.

Kirby’s bail is set at $1 million dollars. The results of a blood alcohol test administered at the jail are forthcoming. No further motive for the accident is known at this time, according to Amormino.

(UPDATE 2:30 p.m. PT / 5:30 p.m. ET)
Tapout later in the day released an official confirmation of Lewis' death, saying, “It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we must regretfully confirm the passing of our beloved friend, brother and co-founder Charles 'Mask' Lewis following a car accident that occurred last night. We are currently in the process of setting up a memorial service in his honor and will release more details as they become available.

"Many thanks to all for the outpouring of blessings and well-wishing during this incredibly difficult time.”

Charles "Mask" Lewis was 45 years old.

Monday, March 09, 2009

UFC 96 PAID OUTS


The official salaries for UFC 96 were:

* Quinton Jackson ($325,000 - includes $100,000 win bonus) def. Keith Jardine ($55,000)
* Shane Carwin ($32,000 - includes $16,000 win bonus) def. Gabriel Gonzaga ($60,000)
* Matt Brown ($16,000 - includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Pete Sell ($12,000)
* Matt Hamill ($40,000 - includes $20,000 win bonus) def. Mark Munoz ($12,000)
* Gray Maynard ($20,000 - includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Jim Miller ($9,000)
* Tamdan McCrory ($20,000 - includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Ryan Madigan ($3,000)
* Kendall Grove ($44,000 - includes $22,000 win bonus) def. Jason Day ($5,000)
* Jason Brilz ($10,000 - includes $5,000 win bonus) def. Tim Boetsch ($12,000)
* Brandon Vera ($60,000 - includes $30,000 win bonus) def. Mike Patt ($5,000)
* Shane Nelson ($16,000 - includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Aaron Riley ($6,000)

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

WHAT'S NEW WITH FEDOR???


DreamFighters.com: Fedor, we want to start out by saying its an Honor speaking with you, and thank you for taking the time to speak to me.

DreamFighters.com: What have you been up to since your Win at Affliction 2, against Arlovski?

Fedor Emelianenko: Well, when I came back from the USA I almost immediately had to start working on the movieproject I’m in. The movie is called the fifth element. Besides this I am training for a Sambo fight in March.

DreamFighters.com: How did that fight go for you? Do you feel Anderi was getting the better of you standing up?

Fedor Emelianenko: No, I don’t. Arlovski is a very good striker but if you watch the fight closely you can see he didn’t hit me that much. I did not feel in trouble at any moment.

DreamFighters.com: Your team said you did not properly train for that fight. Is that correct? Was it a concern for you going into this fight ?

Fedor Emelianenko: Because of the filmproject I didn’t have the time to train as I usually do for a fight but it was enough to get in shape and get focussed. It wasn’t a concern because I felt strong and was confident in an good outcome.

DreamFighters.com: Once again, you are the WAMMA HW champion - How does it feel to wear the WAMMA belt once again?

Fedor Emelianenko: It felt great of course. I think that the opponents I fought were all good challengers for the WAMMA title.

DreamFighters.com: Do you know who you will be fighting next? Josh Barnett? Your manager hinted at Vitor Belfort ?

Fedor Emelianenko: I don’t know yet. I have much respect for both Josh and Vitor.

DreamFighters.com: Will you be fighting on the next affliction Card? Is there been any talks of you fighting Brock Lesnar?

Fedor Emelianenko: Yes, I will fight again on the next affliction card. Besides this me and my management hope to get a chance to talk to Dana White in person in June to discuss a possible fight between me and Brock.

DreamFighters.com: (Fan Question) What are your thoughts on the WAMMA belt and WAMMA system?

Fedor Emelianenko: I think the WAMMA is a professional organization, I also like the system.

DreamFighters.com: (Russian Fan Question) Back in Pride days, can you remember 1 moment with Josh Barnett and Wanderlei Silva that stands out in your mind?

Fedor Emelianenko: With Josh I have very good memories. We sometimes partied after a fight back in the Pride days together with my trainers. I remember Wanderlei mostly for his fights in the ring. I think he was a great sensation in the ring.

DreamFighters.com: (Croatian Fan Question) Fedor, we have a young Croatian here that would like to ask you something: “Hi Fedor, it’s honor speaking with you. Was there any time back in Pride that you and Mirko spent time together, or had some fun? Was Mirko hard to get along with”

Fedor Emelianenko: I never spend time with Mirko outside the ring. We both respected each other. It’s about time we would do something together.

DreamFighters.com: Fedor, out of all the fights you have had, who Punches the hardest, who Kicks the hardest, and who was the best wrestler?

Fedor Emelianenko: Well Fujita is the only one who ever hit me right, and he hit hard! But I can’t really make a good comparison with the other guys.

DreamFighters.com: Fedor, what was your thoughts of kiril sidelnikov’s fight?

Fedor Emelianenko: I think Kirill did a good job, he is only 21 and needs to learn much more. Buentello is a very experienced fighter and was the smarter fighter. But the next time Kirill must listen better to his corner..,

DreamFighters.com: Fedor, we thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us today. We wish you the best of luck. God Bless

Monday, February 09, 2009

NEW 2009 INTERVIEW WITH PAT MILETICH




On February 5, 2009, I had the opportunity to talk to Pat Miletich about MMA generally, WAMMA, and the business side of the sport. The following is a transcription of our telephone conversation. It has been edited for readability.

Wimsett: I would like to start by acknowledging the passing of Helio Gracie, one of the sport’s true legends. Did you ever have an opportunity to meet Helio?

Miletich: I did - and it was an honor. Here’s a guy who was a true visionary. He understood jiu jitsu on such a high level. He dissected it and constantly refined it. He showed the world how a little man could beat a big man and he changed the fight game in a very significant way.

Wimsett: We’re a month into 2009 - what’s WAMMA’s priority this year?

Miletich: Gary, the main thing is this - to make sure the highest ranked guys get to fight each other for an undisputed world title belt. It’s that simple. Of course, we want to continue to educate the fans about the importance of having an undisputed world title belt. Look, a lot of organizations have belts, and that’s fine. But MMA needs an undisputed belt. People need to understand that being an organizational champion in no way, shape or form makes you the undisputed world champion. It’s very important for fans to understand that. The athletes need to understand this, too. It’s to everyone’s benefit.

Wimsett: Maybe not everyone’s. My sense is that the fans understand what WAMMA wants to do and they get the idea of an undisputed champion. It’s the UFC that needs convincing.

Miletich: Anyone with one eye and half a brain can see why the UFC’s not interested in a unified belt. It dilutes their brand. The UFC has a lot of the best MMA fighters, but they do not have all of them. They know the WAMMA belt represents something bigger than an organizational belt. Some of the number one, two and three guys don’t fight in the UFC. Those guys deserve the right to fight for the world championship. Just as the UFC fighters deserve the right to fight for an undisputed belt. Look at Fedor [Emelianenko] for example. He’s ranked #1 in the world. The UFC has the 4th or 5th ranked guy. I’m sure Brock Lesnar or Frank Mir would like to fight Fedor for the championship but obviously the UFC’s not letting that happen right now. As a fighter, if I’m not the #1 guy in the world - I at least want a shot at it.

Wimsett: If Zuffa [UFC's parent company] doesn’t get on board, what can WAMMA do?

Miletich: The fans are starting to embrace the idea of a WAMMA belt. The fans love the Affliction shows and some of the great shows put on by the other promotions. Scott Coker’s an incredible promoter. Monte Cox’s Adrenaline is picking up speed. The Japanese promotions have high-level fighters. It’s starting to dawn on people that the UFC does not have all the best fighters in the world. They have a lot of them. But they don’t have all of them. As we see more television exposure for these other promotions, the voice of the fans will grow stronger and the UFC will have to answer. We believe it is just a matter of time.

Wimsett: WAMMA’s now in its second year. What’s its biggest achievement to date?

Miletich: We’re working very hard on simply building relationships with all the existing promotions. We’re proud of the work we’re doing in that area. We’ve traveled the country explaining WAMMA to the media, to promoters, to fighters. It’s an ongoing education campaign but we’re proud of how far we’ve come.

Wimsett: I know that one of WAMMA’s stated goals is fortifying MMA’s legitimacy. I’m curious - does the emergence of a former WWE champion [Brock Lesnar] compromise MMA’s legitimacy at all.

Miletich: Not at all. People need to understand, and I think they do, that most WWE athletes are great athletes. Brock Lesnar was a Division I national champion wrestler. That doesn’t happen by accident. He’s a tremendous athlete.

Wimsett: Do you anticipate any major rule changes in MMA. For example, Sam Sheridan, your friend, and author of “A Fighter’s Heart” predicted the possible return to glove-less fighting?

Miletich: They are doing that in Brazil, I think. But, I don’t see it as a smart move. Guys are going to shatter their hands. Some of the early fighting contests started that way in order to prove which martial art was the best - the Gracie’s set out to do that and they did a great job. But the guys have become so well-rounded and are so good at striking and stopping take downs and inflicting heavy blows on each other that you’d have careers come to a screeching halt because guys will start shattering their hands. In a street fight where you have to defend yourself and possibly save your life you are going to go ahead and punch people. But when you make your living and feed your family with your hands, the longevity of your career is very important. I don’t see that as something that takes off and does well.

Wimsett: Do you anticipate any major rule changes?

Miletich: I really don’t. The guys that have worked on the rules in their current form, they’ve worked hard and they knew what they were doing. The guys in New Jersey who helped write the rules and put in the weight classes, they’ve done good work. John Peretti - the original matchmaker for the UFC, and Nick Lembo, they’ve been instrumental in writing these rules.

Wimsett: Let’s talk about WAMMA and fighter pensions.

Miletich: Again, the main goal right now is to make sure the athletes have the opportunity to fight for the undisputed world title. We want the athletes to make the proper amount of money because of those fights and we want cross-promotion bouts. Those are our priorities at WAMMA. Fighter pensions - that’s a goal. But, as you know, there are a lot of people talking about forming a fighter’s union and that’s something we would hand off to a fighter’s union when and if that comes to pass. Some people think a union is around the corner, some people think it’s further down the road. We’ll see. These kinds of issues will likely fall to those people forming the union. Health insurance is another thing. There are a lot of things that need to happen on behalf of the athletes. They need help. They need to not sign their rights away for a lifetime. It’s wrong. The 360 deals the UFC talk about - I think they’re illegal. They restrict people from being able to make money. I think they’re going to run into some serious legal problems.

Wimsett: I know a lot of people hope those 360 deals don’t happen.

Miletich: Let’s just say this. If fighters sign those contracts, you know the union attorneys will be filing a class action lawsuit.

Wimsett: To be clear, WAMMA wants to work with a fighter’s union? Not be a fighter’s union?

Miletich: We’d work very closely with a fighter’s union. We’re for a lot of the same things that a union would be for. And it basically boils down to fighter’s rights. We want to help the fighters and the fans. And in the end, the promoters are going to make a lot more money, too.

Wimsett: Is there a particular group that WAMMA is looking at as far as a union partner?

Miletich: I have not been contacted by anyone yet regarding a union but I expect the calls will be coming soon.

Wimsett: Let’s talk about the quality of the officiating in MMA right now.

Miletich: Some of it is very good and some of it is very bad. Obviously I’m not going to name names. I think as a rule, the guys that compete in the sport are better at officiating than guys that don’t. This sport is so much more complex than boxing, you have to know when a submission is going to be put on somebody, you have to know when it’s coming so you are prepared to stop the fight when someone’s in trouble. You have to understand when someone’s unconscious - even when the fighter’s eyes are open. I’ve seen guys who were unconscious being choked because the referee didn’t know the guy was unconscious. Little things like that. It’s the same with judging. We’ve seen some bad decisions, sure. Just like in boxing. And it comes from the fact that you’ve got guys judging who have never competed in the sport. People think, for example, when they see a bad decision in boxing that something dirty is going on but I’ve got to tell you, more often than not, it’s because the judges are just in over their heads. They’re contractors or doctors and they’re judging on the weekends. You’re going to get some bad decisions. MMA - man, then you are really scrambling their brains when they’re trying to figure out what’s going on in the cage.

Wimsett: Is this an area WAMMA would like to address organizationally?

Miletich: In the end, it’s really up to the various athletic commissions in the states and some of them are great at it. Some are not. There needs to be some sort of baseline. These refs and judges are holding kids futures and careers in their hands. It’s a big thing. For me personally and the company also, so yes, it’s something we’re looking at.

Wimsett: I know you’re not interested in naming names but is there a referee out there doing a particularly good job you’d like to mention?

Miletich: John McCarthy is probably the best out there. Yves Lavigne is very good. Herb Dean’s gotten a lot better over the years with his experience. Those are just some and there are others.

Wimsett: Tell me about the Ranking Board?

Miletich: We’ve got 30 members on the ranking board right now and they are the very best media guys in MMA in the business. Sam Kaplan chairs that committee. WAMMA is not a part of it. It’s separate. It’s the best system we could come up with and we think those guys are doing a great job. We think it’s a safe system and it’d be foolish for anyone to try to get a hold of those guys and try to sway their opinions. Who’s going to pay-off 30 ranking board members?

Wimsett: Let’s talk about your business partners.

Miletich: We do a lot of conference calls. Fred Levin’s involved with giving his input and guiding the organization. Mike Lynch is obviously another very smart guy who is very involved. With Dave [Szady] being the CEO and President, former FBI/CIA official, he’s a guy whose integrity cannot be called into question. We want to be straight up. Lynch knows about every fighter on the planet and they’re all class acts. We’ve all become very good friends and I enjoy being in business with them.

Wimsett: Fedor’s next fight?

Miletich: Josh Barnett. That’s a huge fight. Right now, they are the two best heavyweights on the planet without a doubt.

Wimsett: Who’s the best non-heavyweight fighter in the world right now?

Miletich: George St. Pierre comes to mind. Anderson Silva is another one. I’ve known those guys for a lot of years. I think that Rob Lawler is going to sneak up on a lot of people. I don’t think people realize how good Rob’s gotten. I don’t care who you are, if you get hit by Rob, you are going to sleep. He’s a guy who I really think could be the best pound for pound guy on the planet.

Wimsett: Who’s the toughest guy you’ve out at the gym in Bettendorf?

Miletich: That’s a tough question. Over the years we’ve had the best of the best come through. I think we’ve had over 85 guys on Pay Per View shows, something like 14 organizational champions. I couldn’t narrow it down.

Wimsett: Proudest moment as a fighter?

Miletich: Holding the title for 3 and a half years - probably. Coming back after having such a tough time healing up my neck after 4 or 5 years. That was pretty big accomplishment.

Wimsett: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about yourself through fighting?

Miletich: It’s a huge growth process when you climb in the ring. You are naked to the world and you have no excuses. You have to go out there and be the man or get beat up. I was a kid that came from a little bit of a rough background. My dad wasn’t always the nicest guy. There’s a lot of guys out there like that and they use that as a crutch. But, it’s no excuse to be a jerk in life. Fighting makes me a better person and helps me deal with my own issues and my demons and you realize it’s not that hard to treat people well. It’s a growth experience for sure.

Wimsett: That’s one of the things I really like about the sport is that after the bout you see that mutual respect the fighters have for each other and that’s very compelling and noble.

Miletich: Absolutely. There is no animosity among fighters. For the most part.

Wimsett: Talk about the difference between training and fighting.

Miletich: Training can be intense. But, when you step into the ring for a fight and the crowd’s there and the lights are shining down . . . there’s nothing like that adrenaline rush. Your senses are all at their peak. And when you start the fight, and for your first few fights, everything is a blur - it’s chaos. It’s an amazing sensation. But after a while, the fight starts to slow down and when you go back and watch the fight it’s like watching it in fast motion again. It’s very strange. But once you’ve been in a few fights, things slow down and you start to see things, sense and understand and anticipate things.

Wimsett: What would you tell to up and coming fighters in terms of mastering a particular fighting style to get a strong foundation.

Miletich: Wrestling. Wrestlers have heart. Strong tendons, good balance. Incredible strength. The hardest part is teaching them the rhythm of stand up. But if they can get that, I’ll take a wrestler any day. Good work ethic. Endurance. It’s tough to find that anywhere else.

Wimsett: What do you think about all the karate dojos advertising “MMA classes” now?

Miletich: It’s kind of funny. It wasn’t that long ago when those guys were telling their students, you can’t go fight MMA, these moves are designed to kill. I find that amusing. But in the long run, it’s probably good. It brings more exposure to the sport. Ultimately, WAMMA and state athletic commissions will need to look at what these dojos are doing and whether there needs to be more regulation so guys don’t get hurt.

Wimsett: WAMMA’s obviously been reaching out to a lot of promotions. What’s the best small promotion that most MMA fans haven’t heard of?

Miletich: Extreme Challenge. It’s the oldest besides the original UFC owners. Monte Cox runs that. He’s been my manager for my entire career and he and I got into the sport together. And he puts on great shows.

Wimsett: How did Jon Wertheim [author of "Blood in the Cage"] get out of Bettendorf without getting slapped around especially after Sam Sheridan took so much punishment?

Miletich: You know, some guys are writers and some guys are fighters. Sam came over to get the fight experience. Jon’s goals were different. They’re both great guys and I think Jon’s book is really good and I hear it’s been getting good reviews. Sam’s a great guy. I wish we were neighbors. He’s got a great sense of humor and he’s just a lot of fun to be around.

Wimsett: What are your thoughts on sports agents entering the MMA space?

Miletich: The innocence of the sport is gone. But, agents are the guys that have the connections to the big sponsor dollars and they’ve negotiated really large contracts so that’s a good thing to have on your side.

Wimsett: Take “fighter X”, in the middle of the pack, does he need an agent?

Miletich: Everyone needs some sort of representation so they don’t get taken advantage of. You need someone who knows what to look for in contracts. Some of these guys have the Nike, Adidas contacts. They can bring more money to the table.

Wimsett: Have you seen the new UFC-branded gyms? Your thoughts.

Miletich: Smart business idea by the UFC. The quality of instruction remains to be seen inside of them. This is a sport where bigger is probably not better. If you can find a hole in the wall gym and learn from a guy who really knows his stuff - that’s a better training environment. But I don’t think those are the guys these branded gyms are really looking for anyway. I think they’re mostly looking for the kids and housewives who just want to get in shape.

Wimsett: What’s the best place for up and coming fighters to train in the United States?

Miletich: Anywhere where they have a lot of good, experienced fighters. No specific places necessarily. Somewhere with a proven track record of putting out great fighters.

Wimsett: How’s WAMMA going to make money? What’s your revenue stream?

Miletich: It comes down to, you know when you watch all the bowl games on TV, and you see the FedEx Sugarbowl for example, the WAMMA belt will be co-branded with sponsors so it’ll be the, for example, the Gatorade/WAMMA heavyweight world title. That’s the model.

Wimsett: Pat, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you this afternoon.

Miletich: Sure thing, Gary. No problem. I enjoyed it.

Interview by Gary Wimsett

Sunday, February 01, 2009

UFC 94 , HOW MUCH DO WE GET BOSS?


The UFC paid out a hearty $1,252,000 in disclosed salaries and bonuses for yesterday's UFC 94 event. The figures are below, courtesy of MMA Weekly. Keep in mind that these numbers don't include any undisclosed "locker room bonuses" often given out to fighters for exciting performances, or cuts of the pay-per-view revenue, which Georges St. Pierre reportedly has in his new contract.

– Georges St. Pierre: $400,000 (includes $200,000 win bonus)
– Lyoto Machida $185,000 (includes $60,000 win bonus, $65,000 Knockout of the Night bonus)
– B.J. Penn: $125,000
– Clay Guida $105,000 (includes $20,000 win bonus, $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
– Nate Diaz $85,000 (includes $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
– Karo Parisyan $80,000 (includes $40,000 win bonus)
– Chris Wilson $80,000 (includes $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
– John Howard $71,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus, $65,000 Fight of the Night bonus)
– Jon Fitch $68,000 (includes $34,000 win bonus)
– Thiago Silva: $29,000

– Akihiro Gono: $28,000
– Thiago Tavares $26,000 (includes $13,000 win bonus)
– Dong Hyun Kim: $26,000
– Stephan Bonnar $22,000
– Dan Cramer $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus)
– Jon Jones $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus)
– Manny Gamburyan: $14,000
– Matt Arroyo: $8,000

Sunday, January 25, 2009

FEDOR TALKS


"I just think he made a mistake," Emelianenko said. "I saw on opening and my automatic reaction was to throw the right hand."

The opening was a result of a reckless flying knee attempt by Arlovski, and the automatic reaction by Emelianenko left his opponent unconscious on the mat.

"For that [flying knee] of Arlovski's, we didn't really train or prepare for that particular move," Emelianenko said. "But there are certain scenarios that we prepare for based on what's going on in the ring. In that situation it was basically an automatic response.

"There are certain situations that we do train for, and that was my automatic response to the counter."

Emelianenko has now won an astounding 26-straight bouts. The knockout marked his second-straight destruction of a former UFC champion, and the result cements Emelianenko's position as the world's best heavyweight fighter.

And while some observers point to Arlovski's defeat as a moral victory of sorts, proof that the Russian does have some small strain of vulnerability, Emelianenko believes he was never behind on his path to a convincing -- and impressive -- WAMMA heavyweight title defense victory.

"Honestly I haven't seen the fight yet, but I felt based on just feeling myself in the ring, I felt it was an even fight -- up until the point I knocked him out."

FEDOR DROPS ARLOVSKI LIKE A HOT COAL


An emperor is defined as the sovereign ruler of a region. He is the monarch who dominates a particular domain. Perhaps no fighter's nickname has ever felt more appropriate than that of Fedor Emelianenko's moniker "The Last Emperor". Fedor has once again proved his dominance of not only the Heavyweight division of the world, but most assuredly his status as the pound for pound greatest after defeating fellow Eastern European native Andre Arlovski.. Much debate swirls around the pudgy seemingly almost naïve looking, certainly not imposing figure of Emelianenko, as to whether he really is as good as some like to claim. Tonight, he lays to rest any nay sayers with his one punch knock out of Arlovski. Andre's striking looked sharp in the first round as frustrated the shorter Fedor with sharp jabs and occasional straight rights. Andre, coached in boxing by 8count friend Freddie Roach, seemingly was in control of the up game early on. At around the 3 minute mark of the first round Arlovski landed a push kick that drove Fedor toward the corner of the ring. At this backpedaling of Fedor, Arlovski lunged forward with a flying knee attempt only to meet Fedor's looping right hand with his chin. Fedor's trademark right crashed into Arlovski's face and dropped him to the canvas at 3:14 in the first round where he was immediately saved by the referee with a KO stoppage.




Josh Barnett staked his claim for the next WAMMA title shot verses Fedor with his impressive dominating win over Gilbert Yvel , who tapped due to strikes at the 3:05 mark in the third round. At 185 pounds, Vitor Belfort had a destructive knockout win over Matt Linland, that left "the Law" eerily creeping around the ring on all fours for several minutes, while doctors and coaches tried to restrain him. Renato Sobral had a submission win over UFC castoff Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. Paul Buentello man handled Fedor's 20 year old protégé Kirill Sidelnikov with a stiff consistent left jab and Dan Lauzon submitted last minute replacement Bobby Green with a rear naked choke in the events only other televised bout.

Friday, January 23, 2009

BAS SAYS JERRY'S AN A-HOLE!!!! ON TV!!!!


During the HDNet broadcast of today's Affliction: Day of Reckoning weigh-in, the retired MMA star turned announcer Bas Rutten had some choice words for M-1 Global executive Jerry Millen.

After Millen introduced Fedor Emelianenko, the camera lingered on him, and Rutten (who may or may not have known that his microphone was on) could be heard saying, "That's the a**hole. Oh, did I just say this on TV?"

Rutten and Millen worked together in Pride and have a long history of animosity, with Rutten claiming, among other things, that Millen knows nothing about MMA. If there's any down time during Saturday night's show, I'd love to see Rutten and Millen step into the ring together.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

UFC 93 AND THE WAY IT WAS


PRELIMINARY CARD

* John Hathway def. Tom Egan via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:36
* Martin Kampmann def. Alexandre Barros via TKO (strikes) -- Round 2, 3:09
* Eric Schafer def. Antonio Mendes via TKO (punches) -- Round 1, 3:35
* Thomasz Drwal def. Ivan Serati via TKO (punches) -- Round 1, 2:02
* Dennis Siver def. Nate Mohr via TKO (strikes) -- Round 3, 3:47

FULL RESULTS

* Dan Henderson def. Rich Franklin via split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28)
* Mauricio "Shogun" Rua def. Mark Coleman via TKO (strikes) -- Round 3, 4:36
* Rousimar Palhares def. Jeremy Horn via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
* Alan Belcher def. Denis Kang via submission (guillotine choke) -- Round 2, 4:36
* Marcus Davis def. Chris Lytle via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
* John Hathway def. Tom Egan via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:36
* Martin Kampmann def. Alexandre Barros via TKO (strikes) -- Round 2, 3:09
* Eric Schafer def. Antonio Mendes via TKO (punches) -- Round 1, 3:35
* Thomasz Drwal def. Ivan Serati via TKO (punches) -- Round 1, 2:02
* Dennis Siver def. Nate Mohr via TKO (strikes) -- Round 3, 3:47

Friday, December 12, 2008

PAT MILETICH GETS SECOND ROUND K.O. OVER DENNY


In a performance reminiscent of his glory days, 40-year-old Pat Miletich (29-7-2) dominated opponent Thomas Denny (26-18) in the main event of Thursday night's Adrenaline MMA II in Moline, Ill.

But while "The Croatian Sensation" earned 18 of his first 28 career victories by submission, it was a stunningly quick set of hands that earned Miletich the knockout victory.

"They say the last thing to go when you're old is your power," Miletich told ring announcer Ron Kruck following the bout. "That's all I was looking for was to land heavy shots and hurt him."

Miletich dropped Denny twice in the opening frame, but was unable to capitalize on the position. Denny held Miletich close from the guard, and the hometown favorite was unable to advance his offense.

It wouldn't matter. A series of right hands early in the second frame left Denny dazed, and a final flurry from Miletich in his first fight in over two years left the outcome unquestionable just 50 seconds into the round.

Following the bout Miletich said he was satisfied before the bout ever began.

"It just feels good," Miletich said. "To be honest with you, win, lose or draw I was saying to myself backstage, 'I accomplished something just getting back in to the shape I am.' I'm an old guy, but these young guys motivate me. I love every one of them at my gym."

The bout was Miletich's first since emerging from the second retirement of his career. His first trip back to active fighting was a one-night gig, but Miletich said this time might be different.

"Actually I'd like to fight somebody like Antonio Tarver or 'Winky' Wright from the boxing world," Miletich said.



Top-ranked heavyweight Ben Rothwell (30-6) rebounded from a July loss to Andrei Arlovski by earning a first-round win over Chris Guillen (13-11).

While undoubtedly effective in victory, "Big Ben" was far from aesthetically pleasing. Rothwell worked the fight to the floor quickly, but then passed on any ground and pound opportunities in lieu of a possible submission. Unable to capitalize after taking Guillen's back, Rothwell would eventually lock in a slow-developing arm bar.

Unhappy with the position, Rothwell transitioned out of the hold and began to rain down elbows and forearms to the head of Guillen forcing the smaller fighter to tap out from the punishment. The loss was Guillen's fifth straight.

The crowd seemed apathetic to the effort, and Rothwell pleaded his case after the bout.

"I hope everybody can appreciate the whole aspect of our sport," Rothwell said. "I've got to keep upping my game and bring all aspects -- show that I'm more than just a stand-up fighter.

"I love to get knockouts, but at the same time I've got to make sure I can fight another day. I tried to do this in the most exciting fashion I could. I hope you appreciate some elbows to the head."

Heavyweight prospect and Adrenaline MMA veteran Mike Russow (11-1) wasted little time in dispatching an overmatched Braden Bice.

Russow shot in quickly for a single-leg takedown and Bice tried to leap out of his grip. The result was a gravity defying slam to the mat with the two heavyweights crashing to the floor. Russow moved quickly from side control into North-South control and applied the choke that would force Bice to tap.

Following the bout, Russow told Kruck the bout went according to plan.

"That's my style, and that's what I work hard on everyday," Russow said. "Keep your hands up, get in close, get the takedown and then search for the submission."

Now on a seven-fight win streak, Russow said he hopes next year will be his chance to break into the sport's biggest shows.

"We're hoping next year is the big year," Russow said. "I've just got to keep training hard and just living my dream."

Earlier in the evening Mike Ciesnolevicz (16-3) weathered an early storm from the less-experienced Derrick Mehmen (2-1) en route to a second-round win.

Mehmen opened up with an offensive outburst -- starting with a brief taunt from the opening touch of gloves. The assault continued, and Mehmen held a 20-1 advantage in strikes landed at one point in the opening round. However, the opening flurry took its toll on Mehmen and the tide quickly turned.

Ciesnolevicz went on the offensive in the latter stages of the first round and nearly earned a knockout in the opening five minutes. The win would have to wait for the second stanza, and Ciesnolevicz took advantage of a lazy takedown attempt by Mehmen to lock in a fight-ending guillotine at 1:46.

Following the bout, the IFL, King of the Cage and Extreme Challenge veteran said he was ready for bigger fights.

"I just want to keep fighting and stay busy," Ciesnolevicz said. "I'm ready to fight anybody. There's not a fight out there at 205 pounds that I would turn down."

OFFICIAL RESULTS
Pat Miletich def. Thomas Denny via knockout (punches) -- Round 2, 0:50
Ben Rothwell def. Chris Guillen via submission (strikes) -- Round 1, 3:40
Mike Russow def. Braden Bice via submission (North-South choke) -- Round 1, 1:13
Mike Ciesnolevicz def. Derrick Mehmen via submission (guillotine choke) -- Round 2, 1:46
Dan Loman def. Gabe Lemley via TKO (punches) -- Round 2, 1:54
Ryan McGivern def. Geno Roderick via submission (rear-naked choke) -- Round 1, 1:27
Pat Curran def. Ramiro Hernandez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Jesse Lennox def. Ryan Williams via submission (triangle choke) -- Round 1, 3:41
L.C. Davis def. Billy Kidd via submission (side choke) -- Round 1, 2:52
Danny Rodriguez def. David Fuentes via submission (rear-naked choke)

Thursday, December 11, 2008

PAT MILETICH ANSWERS A FEW NEW QUESTIONS


Sherdog says,when you’ve been in the game as long as Pat Miletich has, you need to be either training yourself or training someone else for a fight. If you’re not, you feel like something is not right, that the rhythm of life is disrupted. That’s part of why the 40-year-old Miletich (28-7-2), the UFC’s first welterweight champion and founder of the once-dominant Miletich Fighting Systems camp, took a fight against Thomas “Wildman” Denny. The fight on Thursday night will headline the latest offering from Monte Cox’s “Adrenaline” promotion, which airs live from Moline, Ill., on HDNet.

Two years after a swift loss via guillotine choke to Renzo Gracie in the IFL, Miletich, one of MMA’s most tenured sages, spoke to Sherdog about his return, Brock Lesnar, the illness at UFC 35 that allegedly caused accidents and hallucinations in the cage, and the future of his heralded camp.

Q: What moved you to take a fight now?
A: Well, it’s a couple of different reasons. I’m tired of not competing, something I’ve done since I was five years old. It basically drives me insane to not have goals and not work towards things. I love the adrenaline, love fighting, love the crowd, the fans, things like that. I love the camaraderie of training with a lot of guys and everybody working toward a goal.

Also it’s Monte Cox, who has been my manager for my entire career, doing the Adrenaline shows. It’s nice to be part of that. The show probably wouldn’t have taken place here in the Quad Cities, my hometown, had I not fought on the card. And so that would be one less fight that my guys get. It’s a televised bout, it gives those guys more exposure, so hopefully it will help those guys be seen by more eyes and get some contracts for those guys. They’re all very tough, world-class fighters on the card from my gym. I want to see those guys’ careers move on and do great things.

Q: Why Thomas Denny?
A: It was just something that Monte came up with. He just said, “Thomas Denny’s an exciting guy, he comes out, he gets after it, he sells tickets and puts on a good show, and I think you guys can go out and get after it right away and make the crowd stand up,” and I said that’s fine.

Thomas and I have known each other for years. He and I have always been real friendly toward each other. I never, ever had an issue with him. We always have gotten along real well. As far as his fighting style, I think he’s a pretty well-rounded guy. He got two takedowns on Nick Diaz, which isn’t easy to do. And he slugged with him. That first round was going at a pretty high pace. I’m kind of expecting the same type of thing out of him for this fight, to come out and get after me right away. Which is good, because it will wake me up and make me snap out of my ring rust right away.


Renzo’s a guy that I really, really like a lot. Every time I see him we give each other a hug. He’s just that kind of guy. Punching him was actually … he was one of those few people where you’re like, “I really don’t want to hit this guy.” But with Thomas, even though we get along real well, Thomas is the kind of guy that’s going to stand and trade with you. So I’m not going to have a problem hitting Thomas. And I expect to hit him a lot.

Q: Who are your main training partners these days?
A: Jesse Lennox, Ryan McGivern, L.C. Davis, Junior Hernandez, who is an incredible boxer, really good at grappling. I’ve also had the help of Pedro Silveira and Rodrigo Uzeda, both very good jiu-jitsu black belts who have been coaching me on the ground and grappling with me a lot, getting me back to basically the way I used to flow on the ground. I used to feel like I could hang with anyone on the ground.

I’ve never really had anyone coach me and train me for a fight ever in my career. I’ve just been part of a team basically and kind of led the practices and all that sort of stuff as a coach. Kind of like Paul Newman in the movie “Slap Shot” so to speak, kind of a playing coach, a fighting coach. It’s been nice to actually have people spending the time coaching me. It’s something that I’ve never experienced really in MMA.

Q: What’s the state of Miletich Fighting Systems in the wake of some of its top names leaving, like Matt Hughes, Robbie Lawler and Jens Pulver? It seems like its dominance has waned.
A: Well, we just have a second generation of monsters who are coming in now who are very well-rounded, very good fighters. Ben Rothwell, Ryan McGivern, Mike Ciesnolevicz, L.C. Davis, Junior Hernandez, Jesse Lennox. Those are the guys that are going to be the champions of tomorrow. It’s just a rebuilding type process. The younger guys are just taking over as the leaders. I was wondering when that was going to happen. I kind of sat around and I waited for it. I did nudge a little bit and tell guys that they need to step it up and become leaders. They’re doing that now. That’s pretty cool to see.

A lot of the older guys have moved on and gotten financial gain from opening their own places and things like that, which you can’t blame people for, for wanting to move out on their own. I mean those guys, all of them were basically with me for 10 years. I was sad to see those guys go, but at the same time guys have to go out on their own. That’s just the natural process of things, and it doesn’t bother me. Matt (Hughes) and I just e-mailed each other the other day and talked and he’s going to be coming up to the Adrenaline fight here in the Quad Cities and hang out with us and stuff. It will be nice see him and Robbie (Lawler).