“Professional Wrestling” – Lesnar vs. Carwin
The main event for Saturday’s UFC 116 promises to feature an epic battle of big men: Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin. It also showcases the success of wrestlers in the UFC and reinforces the notion that UFC has become the de facto “real pro wrestling”.
Brock Lesnar was the 2000 NCAA Division I champion, wrestling for the University of Minnesota. He compiled a 106-5 overall collegiate record, losing only three times at the DI level (he wrestled his first 2 years for Bismarck State College, where he was a two-time NCJAA All-American). In 1999, he lost a tight match in the finals to eventual world champion (and current New England Patriot) Stephen Neal. In 2000, Lesnar beat Wes Hand (Iowa) in overtime to claim his NCAA title.
Shane Carwin’s career was impressive in its own right. Wrestling for Western State College (Gunnison, CO), Carwin was a three-time DII All-American and the 1999 NCAA DII National Champion. He was a finalist both his freshman & sophomore years, losing by fall in 1997 to Ryan Resel of South Dakota State. He avenged that loss his senior year, beating two-time champ Resel 5-1 in the finals to capture the heavyweight title.
Lesnar and Carwin were supposed to fight last November, but the fight was scratched when Lesnar contracted a serious intestinal illness. Carwin instead faced Frank Mir this past March, knocking him out and setting the stage for Saturday’s battle.
On a side note, Saturday’s card also features a couple of local connections. Maui’s Kendall Grove (who wrestled for Baldwin) will face Goran Reljic in a preliminary match, and Chris Leben is stepping in on two-week’s notice to fight Yoshihiro Akiyama in the co-main event.
Should be a great UFC weekend!
Oshiro to get national exposure
Mark Oshiro’s life is moving at a frenetic pace.
He’d like to maintain that pace when he steps into the fighting cage in two weeks.
Oshiro recently signed a contract with Bellator Fighting Championships, a fledgling mixed martial arts organization that has a national television contract with Fox Sports Net.
Click here for full article from The Honolulu Advertiser
Low blow kick ends main event
A low blow is not exactly the best way to make a first impression.
But that’s how the main event of the Galaxy MMA: Worlds Collide mixed martial arts card ended last night at the Blaisdell Center Arena.
The main event between Kailua’s Scott Junk and Brazil’s Fabiano Scherner was ruled a no-contest after Scherner landed an unintentional low blow on Junk in the opening seconds of the bout.
Click here for full article from The Honolulu Advertiser
Join the forum discussion on this post
UFC Junk’s ultimate goal
Kailua fighter embarks on road back to prominence
Scott Junk has a clear vision. It involves a return to the UFC.
First, he must win the main event of the Galaxy MMA’s “Worlds Collide” mixed martial arts card at the Blaisdell Center Arena tomorrow.
Junk, who is from Kailua, will face Brazil’s Fabiano Scherner in the main event of Galaxy MMA’s inaugural card.
Click here for full article from The Honolulu Advertiser
Sproat’s first pro fight set for Saturday
Sale Sproat’s professional mixed martial arts debut isn’t going to be the only first on Saturday night at the Blaisdell Center.
The 2003 graduate of Molokai High School will fight on newly formed Galaxy MMA’s debut card, against R.J. Richter of Las Vegas in a 185-pound bout.
Click here for full article from The Maui News
Stars aligned for Galaxy MMA
In a Galaxy filled with stars, who will become the next superstar?
Galaxy MMA — Hawai’i's newest professional mixed martial arts organization — will attempt to answer that question during its inaugural show Saturday at the Blaisdell Center Arena.
The goal, according to Galaxy MMA president Mark Pang, is to give Hawai’i fighters an opportunity to compete for pay, and perhaps serve as a stepping stone to larger organizations, such as the UFC.
Click here for full article from The Honolulu Advertiser
GALAXY MMA:WORLDS COLLIDE
WHAT:Professional mixed martial arts
WHO:Scott Junk of Kailua vs. Fabiano Scherner of Brazil in main event, plus 10 other bouts
WHERE: Blaisdell Center Arena
WHEN:Saturday, preliminaries start around 6 p.m.
TICKETS: Prices vary based on seating — $20, $42, $52, $75 or $100.
INFORMATION: www.galaxymma.com
Fight fans in for more treats
Hilo will host MMA cards next two Saturdays
Just Scrap is holding an experiment with its latest mixed martial arts card, based on this question: How many pineapples can fit in a sardine can?
Two months ago, Hilo’s Toby Misech headlined the cost-effective Just Scrap amateur event at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, which was filled to the gills, easily over 3,500 fans.
Basketball old-timers talk about Hilo Civic being packed beyond packed when Hilo High or the University of Hawaii at Hilo played in the golden days, with people sitting in the aisles and the Fire Marshall closing the doors.
But unless fans clogged every inch on the floor, there’s absolutely nothing that draws a crowd like MMA events in Hilo for today’s generation — recognizable by the 18-to-35-year-old demographic, all wearing Tap Out hats and T-shirts.
There’s a tidal wave of BJ Penn fans, or MMA fanatics in general. They circle MMA events on their calendar, save their disposal income and stampede onward to watch humans hitting each other on fight night.
Just Scrap charged a nominal $20 for all tickets in the 19-fight February card, and promoter Chad Hao said maybe only one or two Beatdown pro events were bigger — years ago when the economy wasn’t in the tank.
It’s not just guys who go and act all nuts like they’re howling at the moon, but women and children, too, including youngsters barely equipped to tie their own shoelaces.
That said, the next Just Scrap will be held Saturday at UHH Gym — a sardine can that sits maybe 1,000 to the spacious dwelling of Hilo Civic, which bears only the slightest resemblance to a Roman Coliseum.
“We couldn’t get a date at the Civic sealed,” Hao said. “Tickets are $25, a little more because of limited seating. I’m anticipating it’ll sell out pretty quick. Once the outlets are done, we’re sold out.”
As an amateur event, the Just Scrap contestants don’t get paid a cent. After expenditures (facility rental, insurance, equipment, etc.), whatever profit gets funneled to the Penn family empire, owner of Just Scrap.
That’s about to change.
A new competitor, Unorthodox Industries Championship, has joined the market, stepping on Hao’s Just Scrap toes. Unorthodox will hold a card May 1 at Hilo Civic.
“There’s no hard feelings,” Hao said. “Business is business. I can’t say I hope they do unbelievably well.”
Hao was laughing while talking, displaying his good-natured personality. Then he pointed out the obvious.
“One good thing it’s another venue for the local boys to showcase their skills,” he said. “That’s the positive side of it.”
As far as the pineapple business, the parking lot at UHH is a sardine can, too, with limited stalls.
The conclusion?
Get there early, to buy tickets and park for Just Scrap night.
Just Scrap
What: Mixed Martial Arts card
When: Saturday at 6 p.m.
Where: UH-Hilo Gym
Tickets: CD Wizard, Big Island Surf Hilo and Waimea, Penn Training and Fitness Center and Employment Experts. Limited seating.
By Kevin Jakahi
Tribune-Herald Sports Writer
The Ultimate Fighter 11: Brad Tavares
While Hawaiian Brad Tavares (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) never had any formal martial arts training as a child, it probably shouldn’t have been a surprise that he would one day turn to MMA.
After all, if you’re going to fight, you might as well get paid for it.
“I first started fighting on the streets,” Tavares told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “Being in Hawaiii you fight a lot. I used to get into a lot of street fights, and I knew soon I would get into trouble, arrested, or really hurt somebody. I figured, ‘I love fighting; I might as well get paid for it, train hard and make something of it.’”
Click here for full article from MMAJunkie.com
Join the forum discussion on this post
Visher’s second WEC fight slated for Saturday
Brandon Visher plans to be around for a while, and wants his bout on Saturday’s World Extreme Cagefighting card to be the second of many.
”I don’t want to come this far and then have it stop,” Visher, a 2002 King Kekaulike High School graduate scheduled to face Tyler Toner at Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif., said last week. ”I’m aiming kind of high.”
Click here for full article from The Maui News
Join the forum discussion on this post
Boxing became whole new Ball game
Bailey Ball knows how to roll with the punches.
After winning a state wrestling championship as a Lahainaluna senior back in 2006, Ball took his talents to the Air Force Academy. But it wasn’t on the wrestling mat where Ball would make his impact for the Falcons, it was in the boxing ring.
