February 2009
MMA Military Magazine Article

MMA Gets Combat Tough!!!
A Look At The Synergy Between Mixed Martial Arts And Military Personnel 

            Commitment, focus, and respect.   They are crucial for a mixed martial arts competitor to rise to the top of the sport.  Not surprisingly, MMA’s meteoric rise in popularity is rooted in these principles. 

            They are also learned in the armed forces.  It takes a unique individual to utilize them successfully in a military environment.  They are vital for those who train for battle and must be on their toes constantly without letting their guard down. 

            Military personnel are taking to the world of mixed martial arts.  It is not surprising that individuals with the skills needed for survival and battlefield victory have a natural attraction to the sport’s unique environment. 

            MMA is a presence in armed forces training.  The United States Army, for example, trains personnel in a fighting style familiar to the mixed martial arts community.  “It offers Brazilian jujitsu, which they call combatives,” says Matt May, a member of Team Diesel Ultimate Fighting Academy, an amateur group out of Dover, New Jersey, who served in Iraq and achieved the rank of sergeant with the Army’s 82^nd Airborne.  “In fact, I did it at least once per week.”  

            MMA is so appealing, the military offers competitions to its personnel.  “We actually had a tournament for All-American week back in May,” says Army Specialist Michael Pagano, who serves as a mechanic stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina and also trains with Team Diesel.  “There were a lot of different weight classes and fighters who competed.  It was exciting.”      

 When it comes to in-ring preparation, a fighter who boasts a military background has certain advantages.  “When an individual goes through boot camp, they understand what it is to have a high level of commitment and loyalty,” says Chris McCabe, a former United States Marine, who is President of Gladiator Fight Club, a training and promotional group located in Winchester, Virginia.  “After all, in order to be successful in the sport you have to have these attributes.  You cannot just get in and out of it.  It is something that becomes part of your life.  Fighters with a military background really get this.”   

            Team Diesel’s owner and operator Danny Yeager, who trains May and Pagano, sees similar attributes.  “First, they are very disciplined,” he says.  “I think boot camp instills this in them.   Once you tell them something, they really stick to it.  Second, having gone through an environment like boot camp they tend to be better conditioned.  This is key.  After all, conditioning crucial to a fighter’s success.” 

            Why is MMA catching on with military personnel?  May, who sports a 1-1 amateur record in the 154-159 lb. weight class, believes it offers a natural environment for those with service experience.  “The whole time, your adrenaline levels, particularly if you are deployed, are almost through the roof,” he says.  “You have to be on your toes constantly.  But, when you get out you need some place to get that same rush.  MMA provides that outlet.” 

            The sport also offers a goal-oriented platform.  “It gives you something to shoot for,” says May.  “When you are serving everything is a dream.  Once I finished in the military, it was like being reborn in society.  I have so many dreams and aspirations and MMA provides an outlet to achieve them.” 

Does military experience better equip a competitor to handle the challenges of the sport?  McCabe thinks so. “It definitely gives a fighter an advantage,” he says.  “Once you know you can make it through something like boot camp and believe you can stay committed to something it really helps.  You are a step ahead.”  

Yeager agrees.  “In our group, we stress respect,” he says.  “I think that coming from the military, where respect is taught, makes it easier to grasp this concept and succeed both with us and in MMA generally.” 

“Soldiers really have to follow orders and stay focused,” says Pagano, who is preparing to make his amateur debut this month at around 175 lbs.  “This is a similar thought process for when you compete in MMA.  You have to stay calm when you prepare to fight and focus on the task at hand.”   

            Is there a trend linking military experience and interest in the sport?  “I definitely think there is,” says McCabe.  “For active enlistees, provided their battalion allows them to do it, MMA offers a great way to stay fit.  Also, if they decide to go pro, it can help them earn a living.”   

In fact, McCabe’s group, perhaps sensing this synergy, actively seeks military personnel for its ranks.  “We reach out to the various bases to recruit prospective fighters,” he notes.  

            Pagano observes this trend firsthand.  “I see it all the time,” he says.  “The sport is up and coming.  No question, military people are taking to MMA.  I could see it at the May tournament.  People were really into the event.”   

            McCabe believes there may come a day when the military uses MMA to attract prospective enlistees.  “You see just how many people are attracted to mixed martial arts,” he says.  “It might be a great recruitment tool.  If the military offers a great deal of mixed martial arts training and makes it a strong part of its competitive sports program,  I think they could attract many potential fighters into the armed forces.”    

            There is little doubt that the military and mixed martial art communities offer similar values and mindsets which are crucial to success in both environments.  High levels of commitment, focus, and respect, often set MMA competitors apart from their counterparts in other athletic endeavors.  They are also at the core of what it takes to survive in a military environment where the stakes and challenges are often a matter of life and death. 

This article is dedicated to the many brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedom and lives of others.

January 2009
FIGHT! Magazine Article

Survival of the Fittest

             I can remember a day when Martial Arts had a wake up call.   A feeble-looking 170 lb. Brazilian shocked the Martial Arts world by running through a gambit of martial artists.  Some consider this moment in time as the beginning of Modern MMA as we know it.  The Gracie family put on a clinic of how their style was the best around.   The Gracie’s have proven that their system was unstoppable.  In my humble opinion, all they did was wake up a sleeping giant.  That sleeping giant was America’s hunger for a more entertaining style of fighting.  The fighting that they were looking for was not the slow-paced grappling art of the Gracie’s, it was the calling for a style that could bring back the excitement that boxing had lost……….Mixed Martial Arts. 

            The Gracie’s tailored an already existing style and turned it into the machine known as Grace Jiu Jitsu.  No traditional ‘stand-up’ school stood a chance against this clan of Martial Arts marauders.  In traditional martial arts, you found that the training was that of self-defense.  This was a certain self-defense against an assailant that did not know that the person defending was skilled in a martial art.  The Gracie’s claimed that they were the best because they could defeat every style…….every style that they picked.  They specifically, picked schools that had little or no ground training at all.  School after school fell to the Gracie’s.  After a while, their system was the most feared in the competitive circles.  Then and only then, did Mixed Martial Arts find its creation. 

            Most martial artists, as well as most fans, still believed in the striking arts and its importance.  With the dominance of the ‘Ground Game’, many strikers decided to start becoming versed in this arena of fighting.  Also, those who felt that they already had an even stronger ground game, wrestling, decided to pick up their striking game.  At this point, is where we saw competitive martial arts evolve into what we call modern day MMA.  The forefathers of this are instructors and schools that were open to this style of training.   The Gracie’s constantly berated traditional martial arts claiming that they were elitists and that it was their downfall to the Gracie’s ground attack.  For years, the media fell into the same train of thought.  But as we see today, the Gracie’s have fallen victims to their own statements.  Their elitist mentality that they were the best and that all fights go to the ground, kept them from learning a stand up game.  So as the rest of the world trained in the true essence of MMA…..being versed in both aspects of fighting, ground and stand-up, the Gracie’s held to their statement.  Now they are the system that is slowly falling to the way-side, mainly for their insufficiencies in striking.  Will they adapt?  Or will they become a victim of the same machine that they once started. 

~FIGHT!Mag Johnny
FIGHT! Magazine

January 2009
FIGHT! Magazine Article

FIGHT! Across America

            I have always prayed for the gods of MMA to bring the ‘Big Show’ to the East Coast.  For years now, MMA’s bigger events have been found west of the Mississippi.  We had a little glimmer of hope when a couple of organizations in the Northeast were featuring more popular fighters such as Kimbo Slice.  As quick as they rose, they flamed out ten times faster.  So once again, I found myself praying to the gods of MMA.

            Then I heard that Virginia and the nation’s capitol were seeking to bring MMA back to the east coast.  So I made a trip out to Richmond, Virginia this summer and watched some entertaining MMA bouts.  From that, I knew of the intent to bring MMA to the East.  As I was sitting at the offices of FIGHT! Magazine, I received a call from Beth Ann Guthridge informing me that she was part of an organization in Winchester, Virginia called GLADIATOR FIGHT CLUB.  Their main goal was to feature ‘up and coming’ fighters in MMA and to promote the sport in a professional and entertaining manner.  Of course, I was quick to jump on board.  Beth Ann forwarded me to the President, Christopher McCabe, so that I can find out a little more about the GFC. Christopher informed me that Mario Yamasaki, famed UFC referee, and his brother Fernando Yamasaki were backing his debut event.  After a couple months of correspondence, I knew that Christopher and the rest of his staff had put their heart and souls into the organization.  So, I had to make my way out to see what they had to offer.

            As I arrived in Washington D.C., I knew I had an hour’s drive into the country to find Winchester, Virginia.  After passing a few farms and a Super K-Mart, I knew I was far from the bright lights of the big city.  I began thinking to myself, “so I guess this what you call Grass Roots”.  So, for MMA to make its mark on the east coast, what better place to start than to start with the small towns.

            I made my way to Piccadilly’s Brew & Pub for the Pre-Fight Festivities.  It was the day before the big event and they were having public weigh-ins.  I have always found this great for the fact that it creates a huge buzz.  If you are lucky, maybe a couple of fighters will have the stare down of the night and will have the fans talking about it all night and into the next day.  Once there, I was only able to get a spot back by the bar.  Trust me, a spot by the bar is nothing to complain about.  They brew their own beer at Piccadilly’s and Mario Yamasaki and I fell in love with their beer instantly.  As the weigh-ins were being photographed and video was shot, I finally got the chance to meet Christopher in person.  I think I could take him in a bar brawl, but since I consider him a friend, I shook his hand and gave him a great big man-hug.  All in all, they did a great job creating the hype before the fight and all of the fighters were in excellent shape and came ready to fight.

            The next day, I showed up to the venue early to watch the set-up.  They were there since midnight the previous night setting up the ring and putting up the 2 enormous Titan-trons to make sure the 1500 in attendance could see every drop of sweat on each competitor.  The event was to be held at Winchester’s Sportsplex which holds a couple of  shops and 2 Hockey/Indoor Soccer fields.  The lighting rig, video production, and sound were the same that you would find at any of the larger MMA Events.  At this point, I was anxious for 7:30pm to come around.  I wanted to see the lights go down and the fights begin.

            It was 5:30pm and the fans were already shuffling in.  I could definitely feel the excitement in the air and got a strong sense that the community in Winchester was embracing the event as well as the sport of MMA.  When the first bout started, I found that the crowd was more than ready to participate and show their support of every fighter.  RENEGADE FIGHT Gear helped sponsor the event and provided every fighter with fight shorts, which I found very professional and gave the event more of a professional appeal.  As the evening went on, I saw that Christopher and his entire staff had everything under control and had all of the bases covered.  This event was going off without a hitch.

            By the end of the night, my feet were tired from walking around, taking pics, and cornering a couple of fighters.  All in all, my trip was one of the most memorable of my lifetime and an experience that I will never forget.  I predict that GLADIATOR FIGHT CLUB with the help of the Yamasaki’s, Christopher McCabe and the rest of his staff, and its fans, MMA may have found its Mecca for the East Coast.  I look forward to checking out their next event in January.

            Now, for my critiques and this won’t be too hard.  I wouldn’t change a thing.  The only advice that I will offer is to promote year round and as early as possible to break the 2000 people marker.  Also, with all of the money spent on production, I will invest a little more to “blow up” each fighters ring entrance.  I would try using fog machines or lasers projecting from the fighter’s entrance.  I grew up watching Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, and Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka.  I love to see the Mayhem Miller-esque ring entrances.  All in all, for their first event, they exceeded all of my expectations and I look forward to being a part of their Sophomore Event.

RATINGS:

Promotion: 4 out of 5 “Hell Yeah’s
Production: 4.5 out of 5 “Hell Yeah’s”
Venue: 4 out of 5 “Hell Yeah’s”
Match-Making: 5 out of 5 “Hell Yeah’s”
Fans: 5 out of 5 “Hell Yeah’s”

A huge thank you to Mario and Fernando Yamasaki for making me feel like part of the family. Also, big thanks to George Wehby, Sweet Caroline’s, and to the best ‘friggin’ pizza in the world….Anthony’s Pizza (Claudio & Debbie Buono).  I gained 6 pounds because of you guys. Last but not least, thanks to Russ and Collin for letting me corner the toughest S.O.B’s from Colorado.

*If you would like to have FIGHT! Magazine help promote your next event, please contact FIGHT!Mag Johnny at Johnny@bluffmedia.com

October 2008 -
We Want to thank JP for being the Ring Announcer -

JP Flaim
Ring Announcer / Commentator

JP Flaim is one of the hosts of the popular "Junkies" morning show on 106.7 FM-WJFK in DC. Washingtonian Magazine describes the Junkies as "beer-and-babes radio but with a lot of heart."

The Junkies began their broadcasting careers in the summer of 1995 as JP and three of his buddies -- John Auville (Cakes), Eric Bickel (EB), and Jason Bishop (Lurch) -- started a cable access tv show on a whim in Bowie, MD. One year later the Junkies got their big break when the Washington Times wrote an article about them. WJFK gave the Junkies a shot on the weekends and in the summer of 1997 they replaced the Greaseman at nights.  The Junkies were heard from 7-11 p.m. for over five years and were nationally syndicated before they moved to morning drive on 99.1 WHFS in October of 2002.  In January of 2005, 99.1 flipped formats and the Junkies returned to their roots at WJFK.

The Junkies have done their fair share of radio stunts.  Just last year, JP made his pro boxing debut at the Patriot Center.  Though the fight didn't go his way, his ring entrance was one for the ages.  To find out more about the Junkies, log onto Junkiesradio.com or check out myspace.com/Junkiesradio4.  The Junkies can be heard daily from 5-10 am on 106.7 FM-WJFK.

October 21st, 2007
Gladiator I "Rise of the Games" Dan vonHerrmann, DCMMA.com  

In front of a large and enthusiastic crowd of mixed martial arts fans in Winchester, Virginia, Gladitor Fight Club held the first of many in their Gladiator fight series.  Gladiator I "Rise of the Games", sanctioned by the Global Combat Alliance and hosted by radio personality JP Flaim, proved to be a high-energy event with 14 fights featuring combatants from across the country .