MMA in PA Latest News

ARCHIVES - SCHOOLS - COMPETITORS - PICTURES - INTERVIEWS - LEGALIZE MMA - E-MAIL ME

July 25, 2008

TriState MMA/BJJ will host a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Gi) seminar with 2nd degree BJJ black belt and 2007 Master Men’s World BJJ Champion Regis Lebre on Sunday, August 17, from 11:00AM to 1:00PM at their Milford academy. The cost is just $70.00 per person. All affiliations are welcome. Private lessons with Lebre are available, and must be scheduled in advance by calling James at 570.242.4650. TriState MMA/BJJ is located inside the Old Milford School House at 201 West Harford Street.

July 24, 2008

Wilson Reis of Philadelphia faces Brian Caraway of Washington in a featherweight fight this Saturday in EliteXC on Showtime. The undefeated Sao Paulo native is a BJJ black belt who will probably look for a submission win over Caraway who has won nine fights by submission.

July 23, 2008

The New Breed Fighters matchmaker has been busy this week securing replacement fighters and adding new fights to their upcoming card at the House of Blues in Atlantic City on Saturday, August 9. Mike Bishop (0-0) of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury makes his MMA debut against Mike Shea (2-0) of Team Quiet Storm in Reading in a light heavyweight fight. Shea has been anxiously awaiting an opponent in New Breed since his last fight in March, and who better to step up then Bishop, trained by UFC veteran Tim Boetsch. Bruce Wayne (0-1) of Royce Gracie NEPA in Scranton faces Dan Morrison (1-0) of ASF in New Jersey in another light heavyweight fight. And Joel Roberts (3-1) of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton looks to dethrone undefeated Jeff Lentz (6-0) of Rhino Fight Team in New Jersey in their super welterweight championship fight. Roberts was to fight the winner of Cozze v Lentz, originally scheduled on this card, but says "I guess there is no better time than the present." See the current card here.

July 22, 2008

Former US Navy and US Army Reserve, Randy "Da Carpenter" Danner of Team Quiet Storm in Reading, and Personal Trainer and Conditioning Coach, Ryan Derstine, of Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield, will meet in their MMA debut fight at Reality Fighting - Battle at the Beach on Saturday, August 2, at the Wildwood Convention Center in Wildwood, New Jersey. Derstine took 1st Place in No-Gi Novice Welterweight at the 2008 NAGA World Championships held earlier this year. Their fight will be at 166.9 pounds.

July 21, 2008

LionHeart MMA continued it's successful entrance into the world of professional Mixed Martial Arts with fighters accumulating an impressive 3-1 record over the weekend. Former University of Iowa wrestler Paul Bradley led the LionHeart charge by capturing the 185 lb. Destiny Fight Championship Belt with a victory over formerly undefeated professional, Dimarco Harris. Bradley used a punishing ground and pound attack to win a unanimous decision and improve his record to 7-0. At Battlefield Fighting Championships in Fredericksburg, Va., LionHeart fighters went 2-1. NCAA Champion, Phil Davis, won by submission in the second round over previously unbeaten Casey Miller at 205 lbs. Davis' college teammate, Aaron Anspach won his MMA debut with a unanimous decision over James Johnson at 265 lbs. and Lou Armezanni lost in the 185 lb. Battlefield Fighting Championship Title bout to Kris McCray by TKO. LionHeart Founder, Chad Dubin, was impressed with the performance of his fighters over the weekend. "I've been real happy with the improvement in all our fighters over the past couple months. At this point, it looks like we're right on target with the fighter development and training methods we've implemented here at LionHeart." For more information on LionHeart MMA visit www.lionheartfighters.com or call Chad Dubin at 814.280.1982.

July 20, 2008

New Breed Fighters returns to the legendary House of Blues at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Saturday, August 9, for the 11th time, offering fans four championship fights, including two featuring three fighters from Pennsylvania. At least ten additional fighters from the Keystone State see action in nine undercard fights.

Matt Nieves of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Tuan Pham of Fight Firm Elite MMA in Philadelphia for the NBF Super Lightweight championship, while Chris Wing of Wing's MMA in Trevose faces Terence McDonald of Evolutionary Martial Arts in New Jersey for the NBF Light Heavyweight championship.

Anthony Corpora of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Shane Darby of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury in a cruiserweight fight. Corpora teammates Steve Dobisesky makes his MMA debut in a heavyweight fight and Mike Shea awaits an opponent for a light heavyweight fight, while Darby teammate John Stahl fights super middleweight. Vince Gianini and Mike Vasconez of Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield see individual action, and Juan Alveriana of LionHeart Fighters in State College, and Joe Del Viscio of Fight Factory in Philadelphia fight cruiserweight, while Kyle Weaver of Team Vicious in Williamsport in an absolute fight.

July 19, 2008

The RGDA is proud to announce the opening of Harrisburg Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy located at 2214 Gettysburg Road in Camp Hill. The new academy features over 1500 square feet of training space. Newly added to the schedule is an MMA class, Wednesday's at 5:00 PM. So whether you’re looking for competition or just to learn the most effective form of self-defense, Harrisburg Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is your Central Pennsylvania answer. You're invited to stop in and try out a class. Check out www.harrisburgbjj.com or call 717.586.1890 for more information.

July 18, 2008

Hollidaysburg native Charlie "The Spaniard" Brenneman of PA-Grappling in Altoona will face Nick Calandrino of Team Bombsquard in New York for the USKBA Welterweight Championship at Ring of Combat on Friday, September 12, at The Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The undefeated welterweight heads to H.I.T. Squad in Illinois to complete his internship, and get in some superior training, as he works toward his Master's Degree at East Stroudsburg University. The Extreme Challenge and EliteXC veteran was featured on the sports reality show Pros vs. Joes (Season 1) on Spike TV. He won Episode 9, then the Finale with brother, Ben.

July 16, 2008

Philadelphia Fight Factory stand-out Eddie Alvarez talks with FCF Radio about his upcoming match against Tatsuya Kawajiri in the Dream Lightweight Tournament semi-finals on July 21 at the Osaka Dome in Osaka, Japan.

July 15, 2008

World Extreme Cagefighting Light Heavyweight Champion Brian Stann from Scranton will defend his title against Steven Cantwell of Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, August 3, live on Versus from the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Stann graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2003 and is a Marine Company Executive Officer. He started training in May 2004, and holds the fastest KO in WEC history.

July 14, 2008

The Cage MMA Academy in Reading will host a seminar with former UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk on Saturday, August 16, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at their Route 222 location.

The extremely tenacious Sherk massed over 400 career matches during his competitive wrestling years before transitioning to MMA in 1999, where he compiled an impressive 17-0-1 record earning a shot at the UFC Welterweight title held by Matt Hughes in April 2003. Although Sherk lost the fight, his never quit spirit sent him on a mission, where he went on a 12 fight winning streak finishing most of his opponents by submission. In October 2006, Sherk dropped a weight division and successfully defeated Kenny Florian to become the undisputed UFC Lightweight Champion. The Extreme Challenge and Pride veteran has nearly 40 recorded professional fights and will demonstrate what has been affective for him in competition during the seminar. The member of Team X-Factor will teach wrestling, ground and pound and takedowns, all of which are synonymous with The Muscle Shark. The takedowns will show transitions from boxing to wrestling for wrestlers who are not used to doing takedowns from a boxing position.

There will be time for photographs and autographs with Sherk after the seminar. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today at www.TheCageMMA.com. Call 610.929.2280 or 610.698.2851 for more information. The Cage MMA Academy is located at 5306 Allentown Pike (Route 222) in Temple (just north of Reading), Pennsylvania.

July 13, 2008

More than 20 fighters represented Pennsylvania last night in three events in two states in amateur and professional MMA. On the amateur side, Combat in the Cage in Newark, Delaware, featured Scott Hutt of RGDA-PA who lost to Christopher Clark of Practical MMA by arm lock in Round 3. Hutt put on a great performance, executing his game plan perfectly. In the second round Hutt had his opponent mounted, for what seemed to be a full minute, raining down punches. Hutt pretty much wore himself out in that second round and lost to an arm lock in the third round, while Casey Adams of Grindhouse/TEAM LOC defeated Chris Bull of Gai Jin Ryu Dojo by rear naked choke in Round 2, and Don Koch of Ephrata Martial Arts defeated Joe Pond of Warriors MA.

And New Breed Fighters returned to Club Abyss in Sayreville, New Jersey, with at least 13 fighters from six fight camps. In his MMA debut, Anthony Copora of Team Quiet Storm in Reading defeated Deshawn Byrd of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton by Submission by Armbar at 1:30 of Round 3, while Byrd teammate Wilfredo Pimentel defeated Matt Harker of Wings MMA in Trevose by submission by Rear Naked Choke at 2:42 of Round 1, and their teammate Jeremy Pompei defeated Zach Burhans of NEMAI Reapers Club by Unanimous Decision, while their teammate Joel Roberts faced Allen Cozze of RGDA in a super welterweight fight that ended in a No Contest when both fighters went through the ropes and to the arena floor bringing down three ropes in the process. Harker teammate Steve Austin lost to Sevak Grigoryan of Iron Horse MMA by Unanimous Decision. Lewis Rumsey of Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport lost to Mike Andrillo of Team Inferno Submission by Guillotine Choke at 0:42 of Round 1, and Rumsey teammate Josh Aarons faced Pete Cole of NEMAI Reapers Club in a featherweight fight, which ended in a Majority Draw. John Stahl of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury defeated Jamie Vanderveek of Team Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield by KO at 2:17 of Round 1, while teammate Mike Padilla lost to Ray Brady of TSMMA by Submission by Armbar at 2:01 of Round 3.

On the professional side, Battle Cage Xtreme at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey, featured a main event with Carlton Haselrig of Team Haselrig in Johnstown loosing to Joe Abouata of Alex Wilkie's Martial Arts Academy by Submission by Rear Naked Choke at 4:10 of Round 2, which earned Abouata the USKBA and BCX North American Heavyweight Titles, while Judah Ciervo of Philadelphia Fight Factory lost to Justin Haskins of The Armory in Florida by TKO Referee Stoppage due to Strikes at 1:38 of Round 1. Haskins retained his USKBA Welterweight Northeast Championship. Don Wagner of Team Anomoly defeated Chris Volo of Team Renzo Gracie by TKO Referee Stoppage due to Stikes at 2:59 of Round 1, while teammate Dan Baker lost to Shawn Forman of Rhino Fight Team by TKO Referee Stoppage due to Strikes at 2:02 of Round 1.

July 12, 2008

From www.FullContactFighter.com: Fight Factory’s Secret Weapon By Jim Genia --

Fight Factory. Saying the name of the venerable Philadelphia combat school most likely invokes an image of Eddie Alvarez pounding out a foe, or maybe one thinks of Stephen Haigh, a Northeast MMA pioneer and the team’s founder. But unless you’re an old-timer who remembers the striker who went to war with Billy Craparo at the seminal Garden State show BAMA FightNight, or you were at Battle Cage Xtreme 4 in April and witnessed game Ricardo Almeida student Leandro Hernandez stopped in Round Two, you might not equate the Philly school’s moniker with the man often seen in their fighters’ corners or sparring hard with them in the gym. And Judah Ciervo doesn’t seem to have a problem with that.

At BCX 5 on Saturday night, Ciervo will step into the cage to take on Armory grappling ace Justin Haskins, with both men coming off impressive wins at BCX 4. A security supervisor at the Philadelphia Phillies’ McFadden’s Ballpark when not studying for his Ph. D in kinesiology and biomechanics, it will be Ciervo’s second pro MMA bout ever (BAMA FightNight bouts were considered amateur) – and his second fight since a four-year competition layoff. Was the long layoff intentional?

“I seem to have a pattern of my fights falling through,” says the amiable 30-year-old. “The first five times I was supposed to debut as a pro, they all fell through. Then finally this sixth one came through with Leandro, and thank God he comes from the type of camp he comes from. He almost pulled out of that fight because he apparently had a staph infection two weeks before. I almost bit the bullet on that one, but Leandro being the type of guy he is and coming from Ricardo’s and the professionals they are, they took the fight. I mean, we both had problems going into that one – he had the staph infection and Eddie dislocated one of my ribs two weeks before the fight. [Laughs.] We both were banged up. But I’m happy someone took one finally.”

What was Ciervo up to during his hiatus? “MMA-wise, just really, really focusing on my wrestling,” he says. “That’s my biggest weakness, obviously. If you watch my last BAMA fight I was pretty much getting taken down at will and that cost me the fight. I really wanted to make sure I got that fixed, so I did lots of training with Eddie [Alvarez]. We’ve been training partners for each other for almost five years now. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have the hookup with Drexel [University] through Zach Makovsky, so I’ve been wrestling in the off-season with their team a lot.”

At BCX 4, Haskins worked opponent Mike Medrano over on the ground with flawless jiu-jitsu, while Ciervo dominated Hernandez in that realm as well. Has Fight Factory turned the Muay Thai-based fighter into a grappling specialist? Possibly. Or maybe all the training with Haigh and world-class fighter Alvarez has made him insanely versatile.

“I’ve had the opportunity to train with guys from other teams that I wouldn’t normally be able to train with because… I don’t know, they’re just cool people,” he says. “I’ve had the chance to train with Ryan Hall, Danny Ives – he’s actually the one who got me the hookups to train with a lot of Lloyd Irvin guys. He just brings them up to Philly and lets me know when they’re in town. And I get to go to train with these guys and get my ass beat by them, and in turn, learn how I got my ass beat and work on it in the gym with Stephen and Eddie and everyone else and just get better from it.”

How did Ciervo end up in MMA? “I came from a Thai boxing background, and I looked up Fight Factory and got started with them, and really we were just trading striking training for a while. And finally, just from messing around with Steve for a while – I think I took jiu-jitsu with Steve for nine months – I had my first MMA fight and jumped into a couple NAGA tournaments.”

Haigh’s school continues to grow. Alvarez is slated to finish out the Dream Lightweight Grand Prix in Japan. Ciervo’s goal in MMA? “I don’t really know what my goal is. I’m just enjoying being a training partner and being a mentor to some of the guys we have. I’m just really enjoying seeing them succeed and watching them grow.”

Expect Ciervo – Fight Factory’s secret weapon – to show the younger ones how it’s done on Saturday night.

July 11, 2008

RGDA-PA is proud to announce the opening of its newest school in Pennsylvania. RGDA-Ephrata is located in the Porch and Rail Shops (916 North Reading Road, Route 272, Ephrata, PA 17522). Classes will begin in August 2008 and will be taught by RGDA Brown Belt Keith Neff and RGDA Purple Belt Brian Fisher. RGDA-Ephrata will strictly adhere to the teaching methods as passed down to them by Royler Gracie, David Adiv and Rosendo Diaz. For more information, visit www.rgda-ephrata.com or contact Brian at brianfisher00@netscape.net or call 717.507.2975.

July 10, 2008

Asylum Fight League presents Unstoppable on Saturday, July 26, at Virtua Health Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey. The 20+ fight card features at least seven fighters from four Pennsylvania-based teams, including Bloomsburg MMA in Bloomsburg, X-treme Mixed Martial Arts in Warrington and Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport. Fighting out of Bloomsburg MMA, Joel Nott faces Justin Incerra of Team Diesel at 166.9. Fighting out of X-treme Mixed Martial Arts, Zach Schechner faces Homer Uzquaino of Zocchi at 159.9 and David McMahon faces Anthony Arroyo of Vipers Wrestling at 183.9. Fighting out of Team Vicious MMA, Josh Aarons faces Eric Ruiz of Progressive Martial Arts at 125, Adam Vasiluda faces Tajuddin Hakim of Zocchi at 189.0, Lewis Rumsey faces Eric Purcell of Rhino Fight Team at 205 and Jason Moore faces Shane Dever of Zocchi at heavyweight.

July 9, 2008

Williamstown native Mike Ciesnolevicz of Miletich Fighting Systems is scheduled to face Brett Inglebritson in the co-main event at Midwest Cage Championship on Friday, July 25, in Des Moines, Iowa.

July 8, 2008

Columbia native Aaron Anspach will compete for LionHeart MMA on Saturday, July 19, at the Battlefield Fighting Championships in Fredricksburg, Virginia. The Pennsylvania State University 2007 NCAA Heavyweight Wrestling Finalist said, "competing in an MMA event will be an exciting new challenge for me. I'm glad to be representing LionHeart and am looking forward to stepping into the cage." The PSU graduate is coming off a superb 22-4 season that saw him earn his first All-American honor in his first full and injury free season. Anspach left Penn State with a 43-15 career record, and is currently on staff as Director of Wrestling Operations. Also scheduled to compete that night are NCAA National Champion Phil Davis and undefeated MMA amateur Lou Armezzani.

July 7, 2008

The FightWorks Podcast features audio interviews with the movers and shakers in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and a recent episode captured an interview with Sao Paulo native and world champion BJJ black belt Wilson Reis. Now residing in Philadelphia, the featherweight is making the transition to MMA and has now compiled a 4-0 record. Reis is definitely someone to keep an eye on in the MMA world.

July 6, 2008

Congratulations to Waynesburg native Josh Koscheck on his Unanimous Decision victory over Chris Lytle at UFC 86 last night.

July 5, 2008

New Breed Fighters returns to Club Abyss in Sayreville, New Jersey, on Saturday, July 12, with over 15 scheduled fights, featuring at least five fight camps and 12 fighters from Pennsylvania. Mike Shea of Team Quiet Storm in Reading faces Bruce Wayne of Rick Rogers MMA, while teammate Anthony Capora makes his MMA debut facing Deshawn Byrd of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton. His teammates Wilfredo Pimentel faces Matt Harker of Wings MMA in Trevose in a light heavyweight fight and Joel Roberts faces Allen Cozze of RGDA in a super welterweight fight. Josh Aarons of Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport faces Pete Cole of NEMAI Reapers Club in a featherweight fight, while teammates Lewis Rumsey faces Mike Andrillo of Team Inferno in a heavyweight fight and Adam Vasulanda faces Jamie Vanderveek of Team Renzo Gracie PA in Hatfield. His teammates Jeremy Pompei faces Zach Burhans of NEMAI Reapers Club in a super lightweight fight, and Mike Padilla faces Ray Brady of Princeton MMA in a super welterweight fight. Both fighters are making their MMA debuts. You can see the full card here.

July 4, 2008

Standout wrestler Josh Koscheck from Waynesburg and exciting boxer Chris Lytle from Indiana will clash in a welterweight fight tomorrow at UFC 86 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Koscheck attended Edinboro on a wrestling scholarship and graduated a 4X NCAA D1 All-American. Stylistically, "The Ultimate Fighter” veterans wrestling would likely earn him an easy unanimous decision. However the American Kickboxing Academy product has put a focus on his stand-up game in his last two victories. Will Koscheck want to challenge himself against a professional boxer in Lytle? Koscheck says, "Lytle is a tough fighter. He has fought a lot of good guys. I think our fight will be a tough and hard fight." For opponents reading into Josh Koscheck these days, it’s a bit like reading the fine print: “Kos” may result in serious injury… those who refuse to wrestle are subject to getting holes punched in their face…some submissions may apply. In other words, now 8-2 in UFC fights, Koscheck has come a long way from his Edinboro wrestling days, when it was all about ground control; this is a well-rounded mixed martial artist who destroyed Dustin Hazelett at UFC 82 with strikes, and who defeated Diego Sanchez while focusing on a disciplined standup attack.

July 3, 2008

Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy hosts a workshop with Royler Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt David Adiv on Saturday, July 26, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM at their Telford academy. The cost is just $35.00 for RGDA-PA members and only $45.00 for non-RGDA-PA members. Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy is located at 137 North Main Street. Call 267.476.1858 for kore information or to reserve your spot.

July 2, 2008

Williamstown native Mike Ciesnolevicz of Miletich Fighting Systems in Iowa talks 2 wins in 2 nights: Back in the early days of mixed martial arts, even before it was labeled as such, many of the sport’s pioneers would take fights with such regularity that it’s hard to even compile an accurate record of all their action. In particular, the Midwest fight circuit had quite a bit of activity. Fighters that would go on to become cornerstones of MMA such as Pat Miletich, Jens Pulver, Jeremy Horn, Shonie Carter and others could be found in bars, fighting for far less money than it costs to get into a modern Ultimate Fighting Championship event. And, while it’s still not uncommon for fighters to take a number of match-ups on smaller shows in close proximity to others, it’s rare to see a top-level contracted fighter take multiple fights in the same month, let alone the same weekend. But that’s exactly what International Fight League light-heavyweight Mike Ciesnolevicz did this past weekend.

First Mike stepped into the Courage Fighting Championships at light-heavyweight and defeated Andrew Force to claim that promotion’s 205-pound title, then the next night he stepped up to heavyweight in a win over Matt Anderson in the main event of the Extreme Challenge’s 100th show. “I just thought it was cool guys did that,” said Ciesnolevicz of his inspiration to take fights in back-to-back days. “I’d always hear stories about how Jeremy Horn would go fight, get a hotdog and Mountain Dew and drive to the next show and fight.” More specifically, requests from his manager and a good friend happened to coincide with each other, creating the opportunity for him to go the old school route. “Monte (Cox) had his hundredth (Extreme Challenge) show coming up and he wanted me to headline it,” he explained. “I’m friends with Jason Reinhart, and he asked me if I was free to headline his (Courage Fighting Championships) show, too. “I looked at the dates and I thought, ‘You know what? I could probably pull this off.’ Pat (Miletich) is like, ‘You should go for it. It will be good experience; you’re in shape, so I think you can pull it off if you fight smart.’”

According to Ciesnolevicz, in winning his first fight his performance may have suffered more due to his game plan than his preparations. “Even though the fight was very short, I didn’t fight my best fight,” he admitted. “I was pretty passive. I didn’t go for the kill because in my head I was thinking, ‘Don’t break your hand or don’t get caught.' “I didn’t want to get into a brawl or that kind of fight, because I didn’t want to risk getting injured before the next night. I didn’t fight my fight, I was too passive, didn’t go forward enough and wasn’t aggressive enough.” In the second fight, Ciesnolevicz wasn’t as concerned about injury, but the emotional ride of fighting and getting back up for another bout wore on him. “It was hard getting my emotions and adrenaline up, then coming back down because you’re relieved, happy and you want to celebrate, but can’t because you have a fight the next night,” he said. “I had to get myself up again, get myself into the zone and get ready to go again. Going through all those emotions before a fight was probably the most draining part. Both my fights were relatively short, but the emotional drain and stress is what got to me a little bit." All in all, when questioned whether or not he’d do it again, Ciesnolevicz responded, “It depends, if the right fight came up I would definitely do it again.”

What allowed Ciesnolevicz to take both these fights in the first place was the current situation with the IFL. As it stands the promotion has put its operations on hold, making it so many of their fighters, even contracted talent, can seek other temporary employment until the company is ready to once again start operations. Ciesnolevicz cleared up his own contract status by saying, “As far as the IFL (is concerned), I’m still an IFL fighter and am under contract. “They’re allowing me to fight in other shows just to say busy, but it has to be approved. I had planned to fight on the (now cancelled) Aug. 15 New Jersey show, so if they have another show I definitely plan to be on it." Until then though, Ciesnolevicz plans on staying busy, ready for any opportunity that comes his way. “It’s going to be touch and go, wait and see what happens,” he stated. “We’re kind of back where I was before the IFL; fighting on a show here and there, just getting experience and try to build up things that are valuable down the line. “I’m looking to stay busy, and I really want to fight in July and August. I just want to get as much ring time as I can. I love the sport, love to compete, and want to just keep getting in there. It was always a dream I had as a kid to be an MMA fighter and I don’t want to pass up any opportunities.”

June 29, 2008

Tim Boetsch of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury is expected to face James Lee of Mash Gym MMA in Detroit, Michigan, at UFC 88: Breakthrough on September 6 in Atlanta, Georgia. Boetsch is 1-1 in UFC fights defeating David Heath by TKO at UFC 81: Breaking Point on February 2 and losing to Matt Hamill by TKO at UFC Fight Night on April 2.

June 28, 2008

GrindHouse MMA Academy in Feasterville is seeking new quality instructors to join the Team, teaching both children and adult classes. You must be experienced in Stand-up, MMA and Combat Sports Conditoning. The ideal candidates would be outgoing and self-motivated. Inquiries should be directed to: TeamGrindHouse@aol.com.

June 27, 2008

Philadelphia-based Fight Factory and Williamsport-based Team Vicious MMA will represent Pennsylvania in Battle Cage Xtreme on Saturday, July 12, at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the scheduled main event, Judah Ciervo of the top Philadelphia fight team will face Justin Haskins of The Armory in Florida for the BCX welterweight championship, while teammate Hector Pacheco will face Tyler Venice of Team Ricardo Almeida in New Jersey in a featherweight fight. Don Wagner of the Central Pennsylvania fight team will face Chris Volo of AMA Fight Club in New Jersey in a light heavyweight fight, while teammate Dan Baker will face Shawn Forman of Rhino Fight Team in New Jersey in a welterweight fight.

June 26, 2008

Lou Armezzani of Scranton signed with LionHeart Professional Management and Promotions, Inc. of State College this week. The 2-0 amateur plans to transition into the professional ranks within a year. Armezzani previosuly trained under George McGinnis at York Mixed Martial Arts Academy.

June 23, 2008

At least 15 fighters represented Pennsylvania in amateur and professional MMA across the country Saturday night. Former Palmerton-based Rat Pack Fighting Systems stand-out Matthew Riddle now of Arizona Combat Sports defeated Dante Rivera of Team Renzo Gracie by Unanimous Decision in The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale at The Palms in Las Vegas, Nevada. New Breed Fighters featured 14 fighters from 6 teams in 12 amateur fights in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Reading-based Team Quiet Storm went 2-1, as Anthony Williams defeated Matt May of Team Diesel by Submission (triangle choke) at 1:49 of Round 1 of their middleweight fight, while Matthew Nieves defeated Thiago Carfi of Renzo Gracie Newark by Doctor Stoppage at 3:00 of Round 2 of their lightweight fight, and David Concepcion lost to James Frier of New York Judo Club by Split Decision in the quarter-finals of the NBF Battle of the Cruisers. Williamsport-based Team Vicious MMA went 3-1, as Kyle "Tons of Fun" Weaver defeated T. "Bubba" Naratil of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton by Unanimous Decision in their absolute weight fight. Lewis Rumsey defeated Owen Breininger of Evolutionary MMA by Split Decision in their cruiserweight fight, while Ron White defeated Joe Soto of AMA by TKO, Referee Stoppage at 0:28 of Round 3 of their super middleweight fight, and Greg Wolfe lost to Jimmie Rivera of TSMMA by Submission (arm bar) at 1:27 of Round 1 of their welterweight fight. Hatfield-based Team Renzo Gracie PA went 1-3, as Chris Connelly defeated Shane Darby of Team Diesel by Unanimous Decision in their heavyweight fight, while Pete Shoemaker lost to James Garzillo of TSMMA by Referee Stoppage at 0:19 of Round 2 in their middleweight fight, Dan Smedburg lost to Nicholas "Pretty Boy" Pace of TSMMA by Submission (guillotine choke) at 2:21 of Round 3 of their super lightweight fight, and Vince Giannini lost to "Diezel" Ryan Lutz of The Garage in Harrisburg by KO at 1:26 of Round 1 of their middleweight fight. And Phil Davis of Team LionHeart defeated Kevin Wall of Sidekick by KO at 0:41 of Round 1 in their heavyweight fight. Watch for Pennsylvania to be represented when New Breed Fighters returns to Club Abyss in Sayreville on July 12.

June 22, 2008

Multiple-time Muay Thai champion Eric Utsch of Team Hooligan in Allentown defeated Nicholas Nguyen of the Muay Thai Kickboxing Gym in California last night to earn the United States Muaythai Federation 165-pound championship at War of the Heroes in San Francisco. The 28-year-old Fairtex sponsored fighter dominated his opponent "everything he tried I crushed," he said. Nguyen wanted to box and Utsch out-boxed him. He clinched and was kneed. And when he tried kicks, they were evaded. Utsch gave Nguyen two eight-counts in each round of their five-round fight. Utsch will be offered a spot on Team USA, which will represent the United States of America at the 2008 International Federation of Muaythai Amateurs World Championships to be held later this fall in Busan, South Korea. For more information on Team Hooligan, call 484.788.1791.

June 21, 2008

Matthew Riddle of Palmerton made the top 15 at the east coast try outs for Season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter in New York late last year. The former New York State and National High School Wrestling Champion secured his spot in The Ultimate Fighter house in Episode 2 on April 9 with a KO win over Dan Simmler of Team Renzo Gracie in New York. The Grapplers Quest and NAGA champion was picked second for Team Rampage over more seasoned fighters in Episode 3 on April 16. Knicknamed "Chipper" on the show, the 22-year-old was pitted against Tim Credeur of Louisiana in the second preliminary bout in Episode 4 on April 23, which turned into a battle between youth and experience -- with experience prevailing. The former Rat Pack Fighting Systems stand-out who is calling Arizona Combat Sports home today will face Dante Rivera of Team Renzo Gracie in the Finale tonight at The Palms in Las Vegas. The two jokingly talked trash to each other on the show hoping to do battle their too, but it did not come to fuition until now.

June 20, 2008

There is a quiet storm heading to Atlantic City, New Jersey, this weekend and it is expected to pack fierce kicks and solid punches along with rolling thunder, as three fighters from The Cage MMA Academy rumble at The House of Blues on Saturday, June 21, when New Breed Fighters features David Concepcion, Matthew Nieves and Anthony Williams of the Reading based Team Quiet Storm on a card packed with over 30 scheduled amateur fights. Read The Entire Article Here.

June 19, 2008

Maxercise is proud to host a workshop with multiple-time Abu Dhabi and Mundials champion Royler Gracie at their Philadelphia academy on Sunday, June 29, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The cost is just $75.00 per person. Contact 215.928.1374 or Maxercise@PhillyWarrior.com for more information. Maxercise is located at 707 Chestnut Street.

June 17, 2008

LionHeart Professional Management and Promotions, Inc. has signed 2008 NCAA National Wrestling Champion and 4 time All-American, Phil Davis to an exclusive MMA career management contract. Davis’ first fight under his new contract will be held on June 21 at The House of Blues in Atlantic City, NJ. Tickets and event details are available at www.newbreedfighters.tv. “I’m looking forward to beginning a new phase of my athletic career,” said Davis. “Signing with LionHeart allows me to continue training with the intensity and focus I’m used to as a Division 1 athlete. I’ll be surrounded with the kind of coaches and management that I’ll need to pursue a championship at the professional level.”

Founder, Chad Dubin believes that signing Davis will be a momentum builder for LionHeart. “I think that signing Phil sends a clear message to the MMA athletes, promoters, and professional leagues around the country that LionHeart is on the scene. With management, training facilities, and a full time coaching staff all working from a central site here in State College, we’ve created something unique, a real destination for mixed martial arts.”

Davis went 26-1 and ends his career with a 116-20 career record, ninth all-time at Penn State; he won the 2008 NCAA National Championship at 197 pounds, becoming PSU's 21st NCAA champ and the 18th individual to win a crown; he became only the fourth four-time All-American in Penn State's 100 years of wrestling; his 58 dual meet wins is fourth all-time; his 30 points is sixth all-time; and his 136 career matches is 20th all-time. Davis also won the Charles M. Speidel Award, given to the senior with the most career dual meet wins (58).

Fighters and coaches interested in learning more about the opportunities at LionHeart should contact Chad Dubin at 814.280.1982 or chad@lionheartfighters.com.

June 16, 2008

Philadelphia Fight Factory stand-out Eddie Alvarez will face Tatsuya Kawajiri of T-Blood in Japan in the lightweight grand prix semi-finals at Dream 5 on July 21 at the Osaka Dome in Osaka, Japan. Alvarez advanced following a decision win over Norwegian Jaochim Hansen with a combination of great striking and effective takedowns, it was a tremendous showing for Alvarez, who runs his professional record to 14-1.

June 15, 2008

Over 500 pounds of fighter will do battle in the cage when two from Pennsylvania face off in New Breed Fighters on Saturday, June 21, at the House of Blues in Atlantic City, New Jersey. T. "Bubba" Naratil of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton makes his MMA debut against Kyle "Tons of Fun" Weaver (3-1) of Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport on a card packed with over 30 fights. The 22-year-old Naratil is the team assistant kickboxing instructor and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt. The strongman competition veteran has both the size and strength to intimidate any opponent, yet he combines that presence with the flexibility and mobility of a much smaller athlete. The 21-year-old Weaver is a heavyweight wrestler and aspiring professional chef. He is coming off a Unanimous Decision win over Desmond Walker on March 29.

June 13, 2008

The 2008 Grapplers Quest U.S. Nationals & Copa Atlantica will take place on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29 at the Mennen Sports Arena in Morristown, New Jersey. Also on Saturday, $6,000 cash is up for grabs in the 1st Grappling All-Star Pro Challenge featuring forty of America's best men and women submission grapplers. Pennsylvania is represented by U.S. Trials Finalist Wilson Reis of BJJ United in Philadelphia, 2007 CBJJ No-Gi Champion and Pittsburgh native James Brasco of Team Popovitch, 11-Time GQ Champion Ricardo Migliarese of Balance Studios in Philadelphia, and Jay Haynes also of BJJ United. Mennen Sports Arena is located at 161 East Hanover Avenue. Check out www.Grapplers.com for more information.

June 12, 2008

Two members of Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport are scheduled to fight at Battle Cage Extreme on Saturday, July 12, at The Tropicana Resort and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Don Wagner will face Chris Volo of AMA Fight Club of Whippany, New Jersey, in a light heavyweight fight and Dan Baker will face Shawn Foreman of Rhino Fight Team of Tom Rivers, New Jersey, in a welterweight fight. Team Vicious MMA is located at Shido Seimei Martial Arts at 358 North Market Street. Their telephone number is 570.916.6812.

June 11, 2008

Three members of The Cage Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Reading will fight Saturday, June 21, in New Breed Fighters at The House of Blues in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Lead instructor Dave Concepcion, Matt Nieves and Tony Williams face seperate opponents on a card packed with 30 fights. Concepcion continues in Round 2 of Battle of the Cruisers. He established himself as the #1 seed with an early first round submission win over Christian DeHaas of Team Sniper on March 29, and defeated Richie Banks of Team Renzo Gracie by submission on May 3 in the first round of the tournament. He'll face undefeated James Frier of New York Judo Club, while Nieves will face Thiago Carfi of Renzo Gracie Newark Academy in a lightweight fight and Williams will face Matt May of Team Diesel in New Jersey in a middleweight fight. The Cage Mixed Martial Arts Academy is located in the Temple Plaza at 5306 Allentown Pike (Route 222) just north of Reading. Contact dave@thecagemma.com for more information.

June 10, 2008

LionHeart Professional Management and Promotions Inc. enters the field of professional mixed martial arts announcing the acquisition of a 19,000 sq ft MMA training facility and the establishment of Team LionHeart in downtown State College. Located at 127 Sowers Street, just blocks off Penn State’s Main Campus and home to one of the best NCAA Division I wrestling programs in the country, the facility will include a 22 ft octagon, a 24 ft boxing ring, 6,000 sq ft of MMA mat space, and 8,000 sq ft of Hammer Strength, Free Weights and Aerobic Equipment making it one of the largest and best equipped MMA training facilities East of the Mississippi.

Owner Chad Dubin, says the majority of reputable MMA training camps and facilities are currently located in the Midwest and Western states. “There’s clearly a demand for a facility of this kind on the East Coast. Fighters who are serious about having successful, professional MMA careers as well as young athletes on their way up, now have access to elite coaching, state of the art facilities and professional career management, all in one location.” Dubin also believes that many young MMA fighters find it difficult to transition into the professional ranks because their day jobs keep them out of the gym. “LionHeart will aggressively pursue a unique career development strategy for our fighters which includes event planning, targeted fundraising, and grass-roots fan base development. We will groom young fighters for professional careers and create an environment where professionals will become champions.”

LionHeart is well positioned to benefit from 2 significant factors: 1) the PA State Gaming Commission’s decision to sanction professional MMA events; and 2) Pennsylvania has the largest population of wrestlers and wrestling fans in the country. Team LionHeart’s staff includes coaches specialized in grappling, striking, jiu-jitsu, muay-thai, wrestling and strength and conditioning. Fighters and coaches interested in learning more about the opportunities at LionHeart should contact Chad Dubin at 814.280.1982 or chad@lionheartfighters.com.

June 7, 2008

Williamstown native Mike Ciesnolevicz has signed to fight for Courage Fighting Championships 12, on Friday, June 27, in Decataur, Illinois. The IFL standout and MFS Elite fighter will fight in the main event for the light heavyweight championship.

June 6, 2008

The 2008 Keystone State Games are scheduled for Sunday, July 27, at the York Expo Center, Memorial Hall West, located at 334 Carlisle Avenue in York. You can obtain an application here.

June 5, 2008

Johnstown native Carlton Haselrig will return to the Battle Cage Xtreme cage to defend his USKBA and BCX heavyweight titles against the tough Joe "Apocalypse" Abouata of Alex Wilkie's Martial Arts Academy in the main event of BCX V on Saturday, July 12, at The Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Haselrig dominated IFL veteran Shane Ott of Anthracite Combat Club in Schuylkill Haven and defeated him late in round one by TKO (referee stoppage due to unanswered strikes) to earn the dual titles at BCX IV in April. The former NFL player followed up with a win over Carlos Moreno by TKO (Moreno could not answer bell for round two) in an undercard fight on the CBS broadcast card of Elite XC: Saturday Night Fights in May. Haselrig holds the distinction of being the only person to win 6 NCAA titles in wrestling, winning 3 times in Division II and 3 times in Division I.

June 3, 2008

Congratulations to Eamon Knittel for earning his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Friday night during a seminar with Royler Gracie. With a passion for the sport, Knittel has trained in BJJ since 1995, and was promoted to the rank of brown belt in May 2005. He is a very technical fighter and has a great understanding of BJJ techniques. Knittel teaches at Rosendo Diaz Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Telford, where he is regarded as the academy's encyclopdeia.

June 2, 2008

Four members of Team Vicious MMA in Williamsport are scheduled to fight at New Breed Fighters on Saturday, June 21, at the House of Blues in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Making their MMA debuts are Ron White at super middleweight and Greg Wolfe at welterweight. Stepping in the cage at cruiserweight is Lewis Rumsey (0-1) and at absolute is Kyle Weaver (3-1). Team Vicious MMA is located at Shido Seimei Martial Arts at 358 North Market Street. Their training schedule is Monday to Friday from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM and Saturday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Their telephone number is 570.916.6812.

June 1, 2008

It was the first live MMA event on national primetime broadcast television, as CBS Sports presented Elite XC: Saturday Night Fights last night from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. And in the first live fight on national primetime broadcast television, it was Minersville native Jon Murphy loosing to Brett Rogers of Team Bison in Minnesota via TKO from a punch at just 1:01 of Round 1. It was a grim ending for the Man of Faith, who has overcome drug addiction and injuries during his nine-month layoff from fighting, but couldn't overcome the striking power of his undefeated opponent. Now 1-1 in EliteXC, the former Anthracite Combat Club fighter switched camps training for this fight.

Pennsylvania fighters were also featured in six of the seven preliminary fights. Philadelphia Fight Factory standout Zack Makovsky defeated Andre Soares of New Jersey via unanimous decision after three rounds, while teammate Mike Groves lost to Joe Sampieri of New York via referee stoppage due to strikes at 4:58 of Round 1. Wilson Reis of Team Lloyd Irvin in Philadelphia defeated Justin Robbins of Illinois via submission from a rear naked choke at 4:06 of Round 1. Matt Makowski of Daddis Fight Camp in Philadelphia defeated Nick Serra of New York via TKO due to Serra being unwilling to continue fighting at 3:57 of Round 2. Johnstown native Carlton Haselrig defeated Carlos Moreno of New Jersey via TKO due to Moreno not answering the bell for Round 2. Jim Bova of Anthracite Combat Club in Schuylkill Haven lost to Chris Liguori of New Jersey via TKO due to doctor's stoppage for a cut at 4:31 of Round 2.

May 30, 2008

Female Fighters Against Domestic Violence offers a 12-Month wall calendar featuring Shayna Baszler, Casey Bohrman, Amanda Buckner, Marie Colangelo, Valerie Evans, Missy Fiorentino, Tina Goodson, Julie Kedzie, Lisa King, Tara LaRosa, Roxy Richarson and Lisa Ward, with illustrations generously donated by artist Matthew Kaplowitz. The cost is just $20.00 + shipping, so pre-order yours today. All profits benefit domestic violence shelters. For more information, contact ffadv@comcast.net.

May 29, 2008

Balance Studios MMA is featured on page 68 of today's Philadelphia Daily News. What a great article. Make sure that you grab a copy. Click Here to read the article.

May 27, 2008

CrossFit Philly, voted Best Gym in Philadelphia, will be featuring a Blauer Tactical Systems PDR system seminar on Saturday, June 14, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, led by Steve Wakefoose, a certified PDR Coach. Tony Blauer's S.P.E.A.R system is the first genetically and behaviorally inspired self-defense system of its kind. By fully integrating the body's reflexive and instinctive survival mechanisms, the Personal Defense Readiness system becomes the easiest, most natural, and thus most-efficacious method of self-defense. Regardless of prior experience, this course will increase your chances of personal protection significantly. There is only room for 20 people. Be one of first 10 people to sign up and you'll receive a FREE Cerebral Self Defense CD: The Mental Edge. The original tape on fear management, awarness tips, mind set, and much more. The mental side of training is the most neglected side. Includes drills and concepts on verbal de-escalation, personal fear management, developing your intuition and much, much more! CrossFit Philly is located at 7224 Germantown Avenue Rear (entrance on Nippon Street) in Philadelphia. Call 215.248.2130 or click here for more details.

May 26, 2008

Steve Blackman Fighting Systems in Harrisburg went 3-1 at Valhalla Fights 6: Absolute Power on Saturday, May 10, in Sterling, Virginia. Nick Gentile defeated Kendall Herring by Unanimous Decision in their 145 pound fight. Boris Rakita defeated Joseph Selvig by KO at 1:02 of Round 2 in their 185 pound fight. Tyler Hopkins defeated Zack Dunn by tapout due to a triangle choke at 1:32 of Round 2 in their 205 pound fight. Shawn Daughenbaugh lost to Josh Duggins by TKO referee stoppage at 1:19 of Round 3 in their 185 pound fight.

May 25, 2008

Get in shape for the upcoming tournaments with a fighters fitness conditioning class. Sign up for 8 weeks of Yoga for Fighters at Balance Studios in Philadelphia. Classes start this Tuesday, May 27, at 7:15 PM. Show up at 7:00 PM to enroll. Balance Studios is located at 109-115 South 24th Street.

May 24, 2008

More than 350 individual competitors hit that mats yesterday at the 6th Kumite Classic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Grappling Championships held in Monroeville. Returning, and first-time competitors, tested their skills in Gi and No-Gi divisions, with many competing in both divisions, in front of standing room only spectators. Developed by Joseph Cunliffe, the Kumite Classic continues to be the largest grappling tournament held in Pennsylvania, as part of a weekend full of fitness and world class martial arts competition.

May 22, 2008

David Sachs of Pittsburgh Fight Club defeated Billy Vaughn of Buckeye MMA in Columbus by rear naked choke at 3:50 of round 1 in their featherweight fight at Cage of Chaos on Saturday, May 17. It was a rocky road to victory for Sachs, as the 2006 Slippery Rock University Exercise Science graduate saw multiple opponent changes leading up to the fight. "I was glad that he (Vaughn) finally ended up being my opponent," said the native New Yorker, "he was more experienced than any of the others." Sachs has trained 17 years in Martial Arts, along with 3 years of Boxing, 3 years of Wrestling and 4 years of MMA. Life for the 6-2 fighter centers around sports. He is currently studying for CSCS,PES.

May 21, 2008

Philadelphia Fight Factory is offering one week of free classes. They offer beginner and advanced Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and MMA. Check out FightFactory.us or call 215.427.1144 for their schedule.

May 17, 2008

Pennsylvania's Carlton Haselrig will face New Jersey's Carlos Moreno in a heavyweight undercard fight on the CBS broadcast card of Elite XC: Primetime on Saturday, May 31. The Johnstown native is coming off a first round win by TKO from unanswered strikes over Shane Ott in his professional MMA debut at Battle Cage Xtreme IV earning the USKBA and BCX heavyweight championships. The former NFL player holds the distinction of being the only person to win 6 NCAA titles in wrestling, winning 3 times in Division II and 3 times in Division I.

May 15, 2008

Lancaster Family Martial Arts Center is proud to host a workshop with multiple-time ADCC and Mundials champion Royler Gracie at their Mountville academy on Saturday, May 31, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The cost is just $95.00 per person. Contact Mike here or 717.898.6120. Lancaster Family Martial Arts Center is located at 3706 Hempland Road.

May 14, 2008

Few details are public, but what we do know is that Diego Jimenez of Anthracite Combat Club in Schuylkill Haven, is currently in Costa Rica filming a Reality TV show along the lines of The Ultimate Fighter. But unique to this show is the cast, which is comprised of fighters of hispanic origin. Jimenez, 3-1, is a Combat in the Cage, Extreme Challenge and SportFighting veteran. The Columbian defeated current Battle Cage Xtreme featherweight champion Steve Deangelis early in his MMA career and has seen just one loss by submission to a world champion BJJ black belt. We wish Jimenez good luck with this opportunity.

May 13, 2008

Combat in the Cage lightweight champion Jim Bova of Anthracite Combat Club in Schuylkill Haven will face UFC veteran Chris Liguori of Team Ricardo Almeida in Hamilton, New Jersey, on the CBS broadcast card of Elite XC: Primetime on Saturday, May 31, from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The 10-1 Bova is undefeated since turning professional one year ago. The 7-7 Liguori is coming off 2 losses since making his lightweight debut.

May 12, 2008

While 47% of the 7,760 votes placed by early yesterday morning in a non-scientific poll on sherdog.com had Jaochim Hansen defeating Eddie Alvarez by KO/TKO in their second round Dream fight, just 8% had it right picking the Philadelphian over the Norwegian by Decision. Thanks to sherdog.com for the following recap of this lightweight grand prix fight.

In Round 1, Alvarez breaks a short feeling out period with a hard low kick and a right hand that collapses Hansen to the canvas. Hansen was hurt but he recovers quickly. Hansen goes to the rubber guard in search of a gogo or omaplata, but Alvarez escapes to his feet. Hansen wants none of Alavarez standing, as the Norwegian retreats from punches with bad intentions. After failing on a takedown attempt, Hansen got comfortable on his feet and pieced together a few punches before pulling guard. Back on their feet, Hansen is again dropped with a right hand. From the clinch, the fighters trade digging body shots. Alvarez, bleeding from his nose, takes Hansen down but stands. Stiff right hand lands to the body for Alvarez. Both fighters trade punches in the center of the ring with no advantage seized by either athlete. Another takedown for Alvarez. He lands a right hand and eats an upkick. With two minutes remaining in the round, Hansen stands and connects with a left straight to the jaw. Despite taking a beating early in the round, Hansen appears to be the fresher fighter. Punches are traded in the corner before the round expires. And in Round 2, Hansen trips Alverez to the floor on the heels of a knee to the midsection. Alverez works to his feet and is caught in a guillotine. He escapes but Hansen turns up the heat on the groud with an armbar attempt and a Frank Mir-Pete Williams like armlock from guard. Alvarez looks to be in danger as his left arm bends at the elbow but he frees himself. Hansen switches to a Kimura from half-guard that he tries to transition to an armbar. One minute remains in a great back and forth fight. Alvarez stands and pushes Hansen against the ropes in search of a double leg. Alvarez lands a huge right hand just as the bell sounds. It was a close fight with Alvarez dominating the first round, and Hansen pulling away in the second. Sherdog.com gives the fight to Alvarez on the strength of two clean first-round knockdowns. Surprisingly, all three judges see it the same way and award Eddie Alvarez the unanimous decision. With both fighters taking clear-cut rounds, it's a shame there wasn't a third frame.

May 11, 2008

Pennsylvania went 2-2 on Saturday, May 3, at New Breed Fighters in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Cage Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Reading had three fighters on the card, including two in the first round of Battle of the Cruisers, and one making his MMA debut, while Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton offered up one fighter. Dave Concepcion of The Cage MMA showed what made him the # 1 seed going into the cruiserweight tournament by defeating Richie Banks of Team Renzo Gracie by submission from a kimura at 1:50 of Round 2, while Tom VanDerHorst of Bedroc Martial Arts Academy defeated # 7 seed Nolan Armpriester of The Cage MMA by submission from a triangle choke at 1:10 of Round 2. Terence McDonald of Evolutionary Martial Arts defeated Nathan Ebling of The Cage MMA in his MMA debut by submission from a guillotine choke at 0:31 of Round 1 in their light heavyweight fight, and Joel Roberts of Rat Pack defeated Pete Deyonker of Club NJIMB/Cabeca by Unanimous Decision in their super welterweight fight.

May 10, 2008

John Lee of sherdog.com has an insightful 2-part article on Philadelphia Fight Factory standout Eddie Alvarez titled "Alvarez Earns International Recognition in Japan," as he prepares to face Jaochim Hansen in what is sure to be a crowd-pleasing barnburner this weekend. Eddie Alvarez's gutsy victory in the inaugural Dream lightweight grand prix left an indelible impression on fight fans around the world. But ask the kid from Philly if it was a breakthrough performance and he'll curtly reply, "No. Not really." It's neither hubris nor modesty that motivates this response; rather, it's quiet confidence in his abilities. Get to know Alvarez by reading Part 1 and Part 2 today.

May 9, 2008

Grant's Martial Arts in Plymouth will host an MMA seminar with Erik "Chainsaw" Charles and Tamdan "Barn Cat" McCrory on Saturday, May 31, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. You'll get 4 hours of training with TUF 7 cast member Charles and UFC vet McCrory, learning proper nutrition and conditioning, new drills and strategies, and to kick and punch harder then ever before. The cost of just $75.00 per person. As a special gift, the first 20 to register will get a VIP Pass to attend a special free Friday night session. Grant's Martial Arts is located at 404 West Main Street. Contact grant3331@aol.com for more information or to reserve your spot.

May 7, 2008

Phil Migliarese of Balance Studios in Philadelphia offers up the May addition of Jiu-Jitsu Matrix.

May 6, 2008

Impact MMA & Jiu-Jitsu is proud to host a workshop with multiple-time ADCC and Mundials champion Royler Gracie at their East Greenville academy on Friday, May 30, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The cost is just $75.00 per person. Contact Dave Todd at dtodd@nni.com or 267.371.3299. Impact MMA & Jiu-Jitsu is located at 258 Main Street.

May 5, 2008

We are saddened to report The Cage Mixed Martial Arts Academy wrestling coach Eric R. Koller, 24, of Centre Township, died Saturday, May 3, at 2:30 AM as a result of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident on Main Street in Leesport. Born in West Reading, he was a son of Richard P. and Nedra Y. (Yoder) Koller. He was employed by L & L Construction, Quakertown, last working Friday. He previously worked for Schlouch Excavating, Blandon. He was a 2002 graduate of Schuylkill Valley High School. After graduation, he served in the Navy. Eric was a member of Patriotic Order Sons of America Washington Camp, Centerport. Surviving in addition to his parents are two sisters, Stephanie Lee (Koller), wife of Scott M. Vitalo, and Joell C. Koller, both of Leesport. Other survivors include maternal grandparents, Samuel G. and Phyllis R. (Ryan) Yoder, Shoemakersville; and paternal grandparents, Paul E. Koller, Leesport; and Arlene (Boltz) Smith, Centre Township. There is also a nephew, Ian S. Vitalo. A memorial visitation with the family and time of remembrance will be held Wednesday, May 7, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM in Leibensperger Funeral Homes Inc., Centerport. POSA Washington Camp service will be Wednesday at 7:45 PM in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Eric R. Koller to Panther Mat Club, PO Box 54, Leesport, PA 19533.

May 3, 2008

Philadelphia Fight Factory standout Zack Makovsky will take on American Top Team product Andre Soares in a 140-pound fight on the undercard of Elite XC “Saturday Night Fights” at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday, May 31. Makovsky is coming off a second round submission loss in the ShoXC Challenger Series in January to world-class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Wilson Reis. Before that loss, Makovsky had won three tough decisions to kick off his MMA career, including wins over two BJJ black belts, using rock-solid wrestling mixed with Muay Thai and non-stop aggression. The Combat in the Cage champion is a D-1 wrestler from Drexel University, where he was victorious 72 times — good enough for 18th on their all-time win list. The Brazilian-born Soares is coming off a decisive 0:19 submission win over Jason Spearman at Battle Cage Xtreme just two weeks ago.

May 1, 2008

Former MFC and bodogFIGHT welterweight champion Eddie Alvarez of Fight Factory in Philadelphia will face former Shooto champion and Pride FC veteran Joachim Hansen in the second round of the Dream Lightweight Grand Prix on May 11. The Kensington native and all-around athlete is coming off a TKO win over Andre Amade in the opening round of the Grand Prix.

April 30, 2008

Two members of The Cage Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Reading will fight this Saturday, May 3, in the first round of Battle of the Cruisers presented by New Breed Fighters at The House of Blues at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. Dave Concepcion and Nolan Armpriester will see individual action in the 16-man tournament, as each vie to be crowned champion in the finals later this year. Concepcion established himself as the #1 seed with an early first round submission win over Christian DeHaas of Team Sniper on March 29, and will face Richie Banks of Team Renzo Gracie. Armpriester is the #7 seed, and will face DeHaas. And Nathan Ebling will make his MMA debut against Terence McDonald of Evolutionary Martial Arts in a light heavyweight fight. The Cage Mixed Martial Arts Academy is located in the Temple Plaza at 5306 Allentown Pike (Route 222) just north of Reading.

April 29, 2008

Steve Blackman Fighting Systems in Harrisburg will be well-represented at Valhalla Fights 6: Absolute Power on Saturday, May 10, at the Dulles Sportsplex in Sterling, Virginia. The card will feature at least four Blackman fighters, including Boris Rakita, Tyler Hopkins, Nick Gentile and Shawn Daughenbaugh seeing action in the 30 foot Valhalla cage.

April 28, 2008

XFC in St. Clair will host a seminar with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rogerio "Tatu" Taborda on Saturday, May 3, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The seminar will cover 1 hour of Gi, 1 hour of No-Gi and 1 hour of MMA. The cost is just $40 per person. Call 570.429.2404 for more information.

April 27, 2008

At least five fighters from Daddis MMA in Philadelphia will see individual action in four events this May. Robert Peach and Justin Greskiewicz will take part in seperate Friday Night Fights NYC Series presented by Church Street Boxing Gym. Peach is up first. Having earned "Best Fight of the Night" in a previous event, he makes it to The Big One on Friday, May 2, while Greskiewicz fights in a professional Muay Thai main event on Friday, May 30. Brett Linberger is fighting for the USKBA middleweight championship. The 3-1 fighter will face undefeated Nick Catone at Ring Of Combat on Friday, May 9. To round out a month of MMA and Muay Thai, Wilson Reis and Matt Makowski are fighting in Elite XC Primetime on Saturday, May 31. The undefeated Reis is a world champion Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. Makowski, also undefeated, has only seen one fight go past the first round.

April 26, 2008

Jon Murphy (4-2) of Anthracite Combat Club in Schuylkill Haven will face Brett Rogers (6-0) of Team Bison in Minnesota in a heavyweight fight on the CBS broadcast card of Elite XC: Primetime on Saturday, May 31, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Murphy is coming off a second round KO win over Dave Huckaba at ShoXC in August 2007, while the undefeated Rogers is coming off a first round KO win over James Thompson at EliteXC in February.

April 25, 2008

Matthew Riddle of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton made the top 15 at the east coast try outs for Season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter in New York late last year. The former New York State and National High School Wrestling Champion secured his spot in The Ultimate Fighter house in Episode 2 on April 9 with a KO win over Dan Simmler of New York. The Grapplers Quest and NAGA champion was picked second for Team Rampage over more seasoned fighters in Episode 3 on April 16. Knicknamed "Chipper" on the show, the 22-year-old was pitted against Tim Credeur of Louisiana, in the second preliminary bout, which turned into a battle between youth and experience. From www.ufc.com: "And once the fight starts, there is no blowout for the veteran (Credeur), as Riddle gives as good as he gets on the ground, which is seen as Credeur’s domain. It’s a fast paced bout throughout with plenty of ebb and flow to the action, but it seems like Riddle is about to pull ahead in the final round when the two exchange on the feet. Surprisingly though, Riddle doesn’t keep the fight standing; instead, he takes Credeur down, a strategy that baffles Coach Jackson, who yells for his fighter to get back up. Riddle stays on the mat though, and Credeur capitalizes, locking in an armbar that forces Riddle to tap out, leading to a great deal of disappointment from Jackson." This loss in Episode 4: Everything to Loose on April 23, takes Team Forrest to 2-0.

April 24, 2008

We're just one month away from the largest grappling tournament ever held in Pennsylvania. With academies from across the United States, Brazil, Canada and Mexico represented since its inception in 2003, the Kumite Classic Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Grappling Championships continues to attract new competitors and academies each year, and 2008 should be no different. Developed by Joseph Cunliffe, the tournament is part of a weekend full of fitness and world class martial arts competition to be held on Saturday, May 24, at the Pittsburgh Expo Mart in Monroeville. Preregister and save at www.KumiteClassic.com. Call 724.861.5162 or e-mail for more information.

April 23, 2008

BAJJI/Alliance PA will host a seminar with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Helio Soneca this Friday, April 25, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at their Downingtown academy. The cost is just $40. per person. Contact bajji@bajji.com or 484.459.2279 for more information.

April 22, 2008

TSEG Sports and Entertainment presented Battle Cage Xtreme IV Saturday night at The Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 17-bout card featured five Pennsylvania fighters, including three in championship fights. Aaron Salisbury (182.8) of Team Balance in Philadelphia defeated Bryce Harrell (184) of KOA/MFS in New Jersey, via TKO (referee stoppage due to unanswered strikes) at 2:02 of Round 2. Judah Ciervo (170) of Philadelphia Fight Factory defeated Leandro Hernandez (169.3) of Team Ricardo Almeida in New Jersey, via TKO (referee stoppage due to unanswered strikes) at 2:30 of Round 2. Blair Tugman (140.6) of Andrew Calandrelli Fight Team challenged Steve D’Angelis (140.6) of Team Liguori in New Jersey, for his BCX Featherweight title. The determined Lock Haven University D-1 wrestler tapped to a guillotine choke submission at 1:00 of Round 2. And in the main event, former NFL player Carlton Haselrig (261.5) of Haselrig Wrestling faced Shane Ott (263.6) of Anthracite Combat Club in Schuylkill Haven for the USKBA and BCX Heavyweight championships. Haselrig defeated Ott by TKO (referee stoppage due to unanswered strikes) at 4:09 of Round 1. The cage rookie dominated the fight from beginning to end with wrestling and ground-and-pound, while the IFL veteran had one potentially dangerous kneebar attempt.

April 21, 2008

Combat In The Cage lightweight champion Jim Bova or Anthracite Combat Club in Schuylkill Haven will face Steve Claveau of Team Legion in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada, at Phoenix Fight Promotions II this Saturday, April 26, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

April 20, 2008

Mac Danzig submitted Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Mark Bocek by rear naked choke at 3:48 of Round 3 in the Canadian debut of the UFC last night in front of a record breaking nearly 22,000 fans. Danzig started his MMA career in Pittsburgh before moving to California, where he continued to excell, winning Gladiator Challenge and King of the Cage titles. Bocek took the first round, but it was the winner of TUF 6 turning the tides early in the second round with a knee and continuing with heart.

April 19, 2008

Tiny St Thomas, Pennsylvania, is a small town in the middle of the state, surrounded by dairy farms and mountainous hunting grounds. It’s only claim to fame is proximity to the historic birthplace of the United States 15th president, James Buchanan, and some footnote Civil War sites in nearby Mercersburg and Gettysburg. UFC veteran and MMA pioneer Sam "The Experience" Adkins has returned to his hometown of St Thomas in central Pennsylvania and will be teaching MMA and boxing classes. Adkins, whose boxing resume includes a bronze medal in the 1985 U.S. National Championship, a silver medal in the national Golden Gloves in 1987, and a U.S. National team membership in 1988, is back in Pennsylvania for the first time in over 25 years. After the U.S. Olympic trials in 1988, the heavyweight turned pro. He is now teaching classes at a gym in nearby Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, called Terrazas Martial Arts & Total Body Sculpting. The UFC veteran has been based out of Houston, Texas for more than 2 decades, and his MMA fights include a whose who of opponents including former UFC champions Ricco Rodriguez, Dan "The Beast" Severn, Ken Shamrock and Don Frye. Other incredibly tough opponents include Gam McGee, Tank Abbott, Kevin Jackson, Travis Fulton, Bobby Hoffman and Homer Moore. "After I retired from boxing in 1992, I came to the UFC by chance," states Adkins. "I missed the competition and I know that after all these years in the ring, I have a lot to offer as a teacher. I am very confident in my stand up fighting and have been tested. People don’t want to stand with me." Adkins, who fought as big as 275 pounds in the UFC is now a lean 200 lbs and is more fit than ever. He has spent the last several years fighting sporadically in MMA but serving as a sparring partner for some of Houston’s best boxers. The competitive streak is not gone either, as he is not ruling out additional MMA fights should the right opportunity turn up. Anyone interested in contacting or training with Adkins can reach him at Terrazas Martial Arts & Total Body Sculpting, which is located at 1331 South Coldbrook Avenue. Their telephone number is 717.264.2026.

April 18, 2008

His long-term goals include becoming a WEC champion, but for 27-year-old Blair Tugman, this Saturday, April 19, is all about the Battle Cage Xtreme Featherweight Championship. You see, the Rank Bank, New Jersey, native called out current champion Steve D’Angelis of Team Edgar at BCX III in October making known to all in the arena his desire for a title shot. The Abu Dhabi veteran was very competitive growing up -- playing baseball, soccer and wrestling, he hated losing in anything. As a Lock Haven University Sports Administration graduate, he started out weak in school, as he had in his MMA career leaving his fights in the Judges hands, but finished strong making the Deans List his last 3 semesters. Now a member of the Andrew Calandrelli Fight Team at Ultimate MMA in North Haven, Connecticut, where he has trained about one year, the 4-1 fighter talks about the championship fight being held this weekend at The Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Read Interview Here

April 15, 2008

The new Tristate MMA/BJJ will officially open its doors tomorrow, Wednesday, April 16, with the first class, Gi BJJ, starting at 6:00 PM. The Grand Opening for will be on Saturday, May 10. The festivities will probably start around 12:00 PM. There will be martial arts demonstrations by various martial artists throughout the day. The academy will be open for all to see. If the time allows there may be a free BJJ class taught by James Terry, Brown Belt under Regis Lebre. Tristate MMA/BJJ is located at 201 West Harford Street in Milford.

April 13, 2008

Balance Studios in Philadelphia will host a seminar with Combat Submission Wrestling founder Erik Paulson on Sunday, April 27, from 12:00PM to 3:00PM. The seminar is just $60.00 per person and limited to 30 people. You must pay first to reserve your spot. Click Here for more information. Balance Studios is located at 108-114 South Bonsall Street between 23rd and 24th and Sansom.

April 12, 2008

Team Balance Pittsburgh at Kim's Martial Arts & Fitness in South Hills will offer a summer training package that will include unlimited BJJ and Judo training. The BJJ schedule offers 5 classes per week and one MMA class. Judo is taught 6 days a week. The summer training package will cover you from the beginning of May through the end of August. Kim's Martial Arts & Fitness is located at 3606 Brownsville Road. Contact Bobby Palumbi at omaplata56@yahoo.com for more information.

April 11, 2008

$6,000 cash is up for grabs as forty of America's best men and women submission grapplers battle on Saturday, June 28, at the Grapplers Quest United States Pro Grappling Trials at the Mennen Sports Arena in Morristown, New Jersey. Pennsylvania is currently represented by U.S. Trials Finalist Wilson Reis of BJJ United in Philadelphia, 2007 CBJJ No-Gi Champion and Pittsburgh native James Brasco of Team Popovitch and 11-Time GQ Champion Ricardo Migliarese of Balance Studios in Philadelphia. Mennen Sports Arena is located at 161 East Hanover Avenue. Check out www.Grapplers.com for more information.

April 9, 2008

Matthew "The Answer" Riddle of Rat Pack Fighting Systems in Palmerton, secured his spot in The Ultimate Fighter house early in Round 2 with "the knock-out of the century" according to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson over Matt Serra brown belt Dan Simmler, as seen on Episode 2 of Season 7 tonight on SpikeTV. The 21-year-old is a New York State and National High School Wrestling Champion. The middleweight took second in the advanced division of the NAGA Worlds after only a few months of submission training. In 2007, Riddle captured the 190lb Advanced titles at the NAGA Battle at the Beach in August, at Grapplers Quest in October and the Copa Atlantica BJJ Championships in November. In between, the Lehighton fighter found time to win his first MMA match at the USKBA Battle at the Sun II in September by key lock in the first round.

April 8, 2008

IBF Welterweight Champion Kermit Cintron, 29-1, 27 KO's, of Reading will defend his title against former world champion Antonio Margarito, 35-5, 25 KO's, of Tijuana, Mexico, this Saturday, April 12, at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and broadcast on HBO World Championship Boxing. This will be Cintron’s chance to avenge his only professional loss, which took place against Margarito at Caesars Palace on April 23, 2005.

April 6, 2008

It was a fight. A fight many advised him to back out of the week leading up to it. A fight that followed a long seven months after his debut. Against an opponent he had researched. An opponent whose background and training seemed to work well with his style on paper. His debut was in August 2007. An opponent finally secured just two weeks leading up to fight day after five had backed out. Having been discouraged with the process and with not being able to land a second fight -- he would not do that to his opponent. Read Entire Article Here

April 5, 2008

It took just 1:37 seconds for the main event in the International Fight League to come to an end last night, as Williamstown native Mike Ciesnolevicz and Philadelphia native Carmelo Marrero faced off after months of training and preparation for a fight that could have tested the two collegiate wrestlers. The doctor called the fight due to a laceration to the head of the American Top Team fighter, which he sustained when taking down the Miletich Fighting Systems fighter.

April 4, 2008

A message from Tim Boetsch (regarding his recent fight): "Just wanted to say sorry for not ko'ing (Matt) Hamill. The altitude really played a factor as you saw. Which resulted in me being stupid and knocking myself out on that terrible shot."

April 3, 2008

TriState MMA/BJJ will host a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu seminar with 3rd degree BJJ black belt and 2007 Master Men’s World Champion Regis Lebre on Saturday, May 3, from 11:00AM to 1:00PM at their Milford academy. The cost is just $70.00 per person. Private lessons with Lebre are available, and must be scheduled in advance by calling James at 570.242.4650. TriState MMA/BJJ is located inside the Old Milford School House at 201 West Harford Street.

April 2, 2008

Tim Boetsch of Triple Threat Fighting Systems in Sunbury stepped up again on short notice for the UFC to face TUF 3 veteran Matt Hamill at UFC Fight Night on SpikeTV tonight. From www.sherdog.com: In Round 1, Hamill traded blows briefly before dropping levels for a takedown. Boetsch gave up the tackle and defended from the bottom in half-guard. Now on the feet, Boetsch landed a right hand and a front kick to the body. Boetsch bobbed his head to avoid Hamill's punches while returning fire. Boetsch loaded up with his punches, looking for the one-punch knockout. A knee connected for Boetsch with 20 seconds remaining. Boetsch finished strong with another knee and a low kick. In Round 2, Hamill, bleeding from a split bottom lip, was hit with a right hand early in the round. Boetsch worked for a single-leg and ended up trapped against the fence. Hamill pushed the head to the floor and pounded on Boetsch, who was stuck in the four point position. The hurt fighter went to his back and ate more punishment, which forced referee Adam Martinez to intervene at the 1:25 mark.

April 1, 2008

Both fighters are from Pennsylvania. Both have collegiate wrestling backgrounds. Both have seen success early in their careers in the same promotion. Both represent premier fight teams today. We're talking about Williamstown native and Lock Haven University graduate Mike Ciesnolevicz of Miletich Fighting Systems and Philadelphia native and Rider University graduate Carmelo Marrero of American Top Team. The Reality Fighting veterans face off in a light heavyweight fight at New Blood New Battles this Friday, April 4, in the International Fight League at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey.