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Kokoro MMA offers Martial Arts Training derived from a number of disciplines including; Boxing, Kickboxing, Kyokushin (Full Contact Karate), Greco Roman Wrestling, Submission Grappling and Judo. Hope to see you in the gym sometime!

Source: MMA News

The following are quick-match results from the Affliction “Banned” show, which emanated from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California on July 19th, 2008:

-Paul Buentello def. Gary Goodridge via Unanimous Decision after 3 Rounds.
-Vitor Belfort def. Terry Martin via KO (punches) at 3:12 of Round 2.
-Mike Pyle def. J.J. Ambrose via Submission (rear naked choke) at 2:51 of Round 1.
-Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Edwin Dewees via TKO (punches) at 4:06 of Round 1.
-Matt Lindland def. Fabio Negao via Unanimous Decision after 3 Rounds.
-Renato “Babalu” Sobral def. Mike Whitehead via Unanimous Decision after 3 Rounds.
-Mark Hominick def. Savant Young via Submission (armbar) at 4:25 of Round 2.
-Josh Barnett def. Pedro Rizzo via KO (punch) at 1:44 of Round 2.
-Andrei Arlovski def. Ben Rothwell via KO (punches) at 1:13 of Round 3.
-Fedor Emelianenko def. Tim Sylvia via Submission (rear naked choke) at 0:36 of Round 1

Was an event that we’ve been waiting years to see. The PrideFC fan in us all couldn’t help but feel that Affliction is the way to go. Pride values, Unversal Rules. Superb.

So, there it is; Affliction was able to deliver on the hype (and then some!) and Fedor is indeed a machine. A very, very dangerous machine. Tim Sylvia has has gone on the record saying, “I’ve never been hit that hard before… …he’s not human.”

Those of us jammy enough to have Bravo can watch the whole thing on Sunday night, July 20th, at 9pm.

Yes, I want your fight picks. You know the drill - 5 points for the fight winner, plus an additional 3 for the finishing method and 1 for predicting which round the fight will end in. If you aren’t familiar with some of the fighters, have a look around mmascraps.com to see if they’re any use.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia
Andrei Arlovski vs. Ben Rothwell
Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo
Matt Lindland vs. Fabio Negao
Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral vs. Mike Whitehead
Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Paul Buentello
Vitor Belfort vs. Terry Martin
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Edwin DeWees
Savant Young vs. Mark Hominick
Justin Levens vs. Patrick Speight
Mike Pyle vs. JJ Ambrose

We’re really looking forward to this matchup and it’s one we’d pay to see. Johnny is well prepared and he’ll need to be. His opponent, John Redmond of Rush, comes from a gym with a solid boxing background. So, we’re guessing fireworks will be on display.

4th October 2008
Ultimate Conflict 2: Card to Date

A CLASS: Shane Thomas (Kokoro MMA) v. Richie Ivory (Next Generation)
C CLASS: Will Burdock (Kokoro MMA) v. Paul Brennan (Sudden Impact)
C CLASS: Cathal Pendred (Kokoro MMA) v. Karl Bruins (Elite)
C CLASS: Leo Burdock (Kokoro MMA) v. Sebastian Torres (Dog Pound)
C CLASS: Johnny Bowden (Kokoro MMA) v. John Redmond (Rush)

John Redmond is 1-0-0 at the moment with match or two between now and the fight.
Johnny Bowden is 0-0-0 and making his debut.

Bombs away….!

Source: MMA News

LIGHT WEIGHT DIVISION (155 LBS.) 1. B.J. Penn 2. Takanori Gomi 3. Shinya Aoki 4. Gesias Calvancanti 5. Tatsuya Kawajiri 6. Sean Sherk 7. Caol Uno 8. Mitsuhiro Ishida 9. Josh Thomson 10. Gilbert Melendez WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170 LBS.) 1. Georges St. Pierre 2. Jon Fitch 3. Thiago Alves 4. Matt Hughes 5. Jake Shields 6. Josh Koscheck 7. Diego Sanchez 8. Karo Parisyan 9. Matt Serra 10. Carlos Condit MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION (185 LBS.) 1. Anderson Silva 2. Paulo Filho 3. Dan Henderson 4. Matt Lindland 5. Rich Franklin 6. Yushin Okami 7. Robbie Lawler 8. Frank Trigg 9. Nate Marquardt 10. Kazuo Misaki

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205 LBS.) 1. Forrest Griffin 2. Quinton Jackson 3. Dan Henderson 4. Lyoto Machida 5. Chuck Liddell 6. Mauricio Rua 7. Wanderlei Silva 8. Keith Jardine 9. Sokoudjou 10. Rashad Evans HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (up to 265 LBS.) 1. Fedor Emelianenko 2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 3. Josh Barnett 4. Randy Couture 5. Tim Sylvia 6. Fabricio Werdum 7. Andrei Arlovski 8. Gabriel Gonzaga 9. Mirko CroCop 10. Aleksander Emelianenko POUND FOR POUND (No Limit) 1. Anderson Silva 2. Georges St. Pierre 3. Fedor Emelianenko 4. Quinton Jackson 5. B.J. Penn 6. Randy Couture 7. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira 8. Takanori Gomi 9. Urijah Faber 10. Kid Yamamoto

We’ve included the Dog Pound Gym on the website and we’ll be supporting them in any way we can. Those with a keen eye will have noticed that Newry has now been included as a training location both in the news section and in the website header.

We sincerely hope that this puts even more people onto the mats at the Border areas best up and coming mixed martial arts gym. If you’re in the border area and have an interest in competative Mixed Martial Arts, then you need to give the Dog Pound a call.

You can reach Simon on 00 44 7784514750 or Andrew on 00 44 7810251501

Dog Pound have loads to offer. As mixed martial artists, they’ve been around the block (established in 2006). They’re the promoters of Ultimate Conflict Ireland and have coaches from Boxing, Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo backgrounds.

We’ve enjoyed working with them and we’re looking forward the benefits of cross training for many years to come.

We’ve added a page to the website to set in stone the principles for which we stand;

• We are not about commerce, profit and membership numbers.
• We are consistent about who we are and what we stand for.
• We are friendly, approachable and inclusive.
• We are 100% serious about our goals.
• We are about Heart, Mind & Spirit (the very meaning of Kokoro).
• We are about training skills and techniques that are functional.
• We are about using anything that works.
• We have the Heart to stand and fight when a battle seems all but lost.
• We have the Mind to win through strategic preparation and tactical application.
• We have the Spirit to be true to ourselves.
• We are Mixed Martial Artists.

Fedor, Sylvia, Arlovski, Barnett, Rizzo, Sobral and Lindland on the card. Big John and Quadros on the mic. We’ve high hopes for this one.

Volunteers to drive up will be greatly appreciated, just leave a comment below and I’ll try to organise lifts up for everyone on the day. Good times!

Event details to follow shortly.

Car 1: Shane
1. Shane
2. Colin
3. Leo
4. Will
5.

Car 2: Tristan
1. Tristan
2. Thomas
3. JD
4. Seamus

Car 3: Zoolander
1. Zoolander
2. Paddy
3. Bowden
4.

Car 4: James
1. James
2.
3.
4.

4th October
Ultimate Conflict 2

Pro- A CLASS - Shane Thomas (Kokoro MMA) v. Richie Ivory (Next Generation)

Next Generation are a solid camp with a ground game passed down from UFC, Pride and KOTC veteran Chris Brennan. Add to this the keen coaching skills and cage experience of Dave Jones and we’ve got ourselves a challenge!

Source: Huffington Post

Bruno’s Prank:
Arkansas Cage Fights Turn Gay, Crowd Goes Crazy

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Crowds in Arkansas came for the lure of cage fighting and $1 beer, but police say what they got instead was men ripping each others’ clothes off and kissing _ a stunt suspected of being orchestrated by Sacha Baron Cohen of “Borat” fame.

“We had a contract for cage fighting. We were deceived,” said Dwight Duncan, president and CEO of Four States Fair Grounds in Texarkana, where the first of two Arkansas fights raised suspicions last month.

Matt Labov, a Los Angeles-based publicist for Baron Cohen, said he had no comment Monday about the faked fights. One of Baron Cohen’s movies is due out next year.

The day after the June 5 Texarkana bout, Fort Smith’s convention center hosted “Blue Collar Brawlin.’” Fort Smith police Sgt. Adam Holland said organizers told him a character named “Straight Dave” would goad a planted audience member into the ring for a fight.

The two men would then wrestle, rip away some of their clothes and share a brief kiss reminiscent of one between Baron Cohen and Will Ferrell in the film “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.”

Producers said “there would be a romantic embrace,” Holland said. “They said it was kind of to essentially make fun, poke fun at wrestling _ two guys rolling around on the floor, all sweaty.”

An elaborate array of mounted and handheld video cameras caught the crowd of 1,600’s reaction as the two men “went right up to the line” of the city’s morality laws, Holland said. The two men stripped down to their underwear, kissed and rubbed on each other, the sergeant said.

The audience, as well as local fighters drawn to take part in the show, became enraged. “It set the crowd off lobbing beers,” Holland said. “They had beers in plastic cups. Those things can get some distance on them actually.”

Holland said it took officers about 45 minutes to clear the convention center, as the two actors sprinted away through a specially set-aside tunnel.

Those in attendance were told by several signs on display that they’d be filmed, Holland said, and signed waivers before the event. Convention center sales director Karin Hobbs declined to name the event’s sponsor Monday.

Baron Cohen became a national celebrity after his 2006 hit movie “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” in which he played a bumbling reporter from the Central Asia nation.

News of the faked cage fights comes as Baron Cohen is in production of a movie titled “Bruno,” named after the gay Austrian fashion reporter he developed for “Da Ali G Show.” Baron Cohen, in the guise of Bruno, often interviewed hapless subjects in the South.

If the cage match visits came from Baron Cohen, it wouldn’t be the first time Arkansas fell for a practical joke. In 2000, then-Gov. Mike Huckabee fell for a prank and congratulated Canada for preserving its icebound Parliament, calling it a “national igloo.”

8th November
CHAOS 3
Amateur - C CLASS - Cathal Pendred (Kokoro MMA) v. Ciaran Morgan (Elite)

Both lads are 1-0-0 in C Class at this stage. So, it should make for an entertaining matchup. Cathal, as we all know, is alway 100% and ready to go…

Time Change:
“Warrior Fitness” - Led by Leo, Cathal & Cian
Schedule: Wednesdays @ 19:00

If fitness is the goal then “Warrior Fitness” with the lads it the way to go. This’ll take you that extra mile if you want to go to the next level and and get fit for competition; but you can pace yourself and do your best if you just want extra fitness training. Open to all members that want to attend.

New:
“On the Mat” - Opportunity to spar and/or drill at all ranges
Schedule: Wednesdays & Fridays :20:00

If you’re looking to do extra training then this is your chance. You’ll need to arrange this directly with a member of the team and sort out a training partner. PLEASE DO NOT SHOW UP UNANNOUNCED, as the gym will only be opened by arrangement (a member of the team will open up if they know that someone will be using the gym). If you’ve arranged to meet someone; the gym will be open - if not you might find yourself arriving to a closed door…

Full Schedule:

Results:

1. Justin Buchholz def. Corey Hill via submission (RNC) - R2 (3:57)
2. Melvin Guillard def. Dennis Siver via TKO (strikes) - R1 (0:36)
3. Cole Miller def. Jorge Gurgel via submission (triangle choke) - R3 (4:48)
4. Gabriel Gonzaga def. Justin McCully via submission (kimura) - R1 (1:57)
5. Tyson Griffin def. Marcus Aurelio via unanimous decision
6. Josh Koscheck def. Chris Lytle via unanimous decision
7. Joe Stevenson def. Gleison Tibau via submission (guillotine choke) - R2 (2:57)
8. Patrick Cote def. Ricardo Almeida via split decision
9. Forrest Griffin def. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson via unanimous decision

Not many more big names on the card, but Tyson Griffin always gives good sport and, on a personal note, I’d love to see Chris Lytle put the hurt on Josh Koscheck. The show starts at 3am on Saturday night on Setanta Sports 1.

It’s late notice, but I still want your predictions for the fights. Rules are the same as always - 5 points for picking the winner of each fight, plus bonus points for predicting the finishing method (3) and round (1).

Josh leads the way so far with 47 points, with Wes and Ronan following with 36 and 30 points respectively. Not a clue what the prize for the overall leader at the end of the year will be, but you can bet it’ll be amazing.

Main Card

Quinton Jackson Vs. Forrest Griffin
Patrick Cote Vs. Ricardo Almeida
Joe Stevenson Vs. Gleison Tibau
Josh Koscheck Vs. Chris Lytle
Tyson Griffin Vs. Marcus Aurelio

MMA Fighting. Com

The battle for viewers between “Affliction: Banned” and “UFC Fight Night: Silva vs. Irvin” continues.

Affliction announced Thursday that its “Banned” event on July 19, which takes place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, will air live on closed circuit television at the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, directly across the street from the Palm Hotel & Casino, the site of the UFC Fight Night special headlined by Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin.

The viewing at the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino will begin with the Fox Sports Net broadcast at 5pm PT followed by the pay-per-view broadcast at 6pm PT.

Affliction: Banned
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Honda Center in Anaheim, CA

Pay-Per-View Card:

265 lbs. | Fedor Emelianenko vs. Tim Sylvia
265 lbs. | Andrei Arlovski vs. Ben Rothwell
265 lbs. | Josh Barnett vs. Pedro Rizzo
185 lbs. | Matt Lindland vs. Fabio Negao
205 lbs. | Renato “Babalu” Sobral vs. Mike Whitehead

Fox Sports Net Card:

265 lbs. | Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Paul Buentello
185 lbs. | Vitor Belfort vs. Terry Martin

Undercard:

205 lbs. | Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Edwin Dewees
145 lbs. | Savant Young vs. Mark Hominick
205 lbs. | Justin Levens vs. Patrick Speight
170 lbs. | Mike Pyle vs. JJ Ambrose

[See post to watch Flash video]

Will the UFC Game be a hit… …or will it vanish into obscurity and be laid to rest with the PrideFC game?

THQ Press Release:

June 20, 2008: THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that UFC® 2009 Undisputed, the company’s debut videogame based on the renowned Ultimate Fighting Championship® mixed martial arts organization, is in development for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and mobile devices. Featuring an authentic and comprehensive UFC atmosphere, including an extensive roster of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world, UFC 2009 Undisputed is expected to begin shipping to retail outlets worldwide in spring 2009.

“As the leading fighting videogame publisher*, we feel the rising popularity of the UFC brand and its incredible mixed martial arts experience make UFC 2009 Undisputed the perfect addition to our expanding portfolio,” said Bob Aniello, senior vice president, worldwide marketing, THQ. “UFC 2009 Undisputed is certain to be the most realistic fighting game to date, including advanced collision detection and AI systems that incorporate individual fighter styles.”

“UFC offers the fighting videogame genre a fresh and innovative look inside today’s most exciting live sporting event in the world,” said Dana White, president, UFC. “UFC 2009 Undisputed represents a significant opportunity for us to expand our growing, global audience and allow fans to step into the virtual Octagon™ to compete against the world’s most prominent mixed martial arts fighters.”

About UFC 2009 Undisputed:

UFC 2009 Undisputed is an explosive fighting game that will detail the action, intensity and attitude of a UFC live event. Players will explore a deep roster of more than 80 top fighters in UFC competition across all five weight classes. In addition, they will enter the Octagon surrounded by the sport’s popular commentators, announcers, referees, trainers, Octagon girls and more. Photorealistic models are at the forefront, as players will view amazing ripple effects across the faces and bodies of their fighters from the impact of devastating punches and kicks.

A brand new fighting game engine designed specifically for next generation systems will deliver innovative, responsive and easy-to-play controls that give unparalleled command of fighters, as players take down opponents with a variety of mixed martial arts disciplines like Muay Thai, Kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In addition, the game’s Create-A-Fighter system will jumpstart the careers of future champions through character customization and training management, while a robust Career Mode will develop a fighter’s attributes and skill sets while fighting to enter the UFC Hall of Fame through a series of dynamic storylines. Furthermore, players will be able to enhance their UFC 2009 Undisputed gameplay experience through online support, including downloadable content.

MMANEWS.COM

Bisping v Leben tops UFC 89 Birmingham bill

Michael Bisping against Chris Leben will be the main event at UFC 89 on Saturday 18 October at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham , UFC UK Division President Marshall Zelaznik revealed last night.

In an exclusive interview with Setanta Sports News Zelaznik described the Bisping / Leben bout as the ‘fight-fan’s fight’.

He said: “It’s a fight that the fans want to see.”

“Everyone knows about Chris Leben and his knockout power and his strong jaw and Michael with his striking and great aggression.”

“I think the fight will, no question, sell out.”

UFC 89 is the sixth UFC event to be held in the UK in just over a year and will be Michael Bisping’s first headline fight on home soil. Bisping beat Michael Day at the last UFC event at the O2 Arena in London at the start of June.

Speaking to Setanta Sports News about headlining the event, Bisping said:

“To say I’m happy would be a massive understatement. To be headlining the UFC twice within a year is incredible.

“To be fighting in Birmingham , the centre of the country means a lot of fans will get to see me fight, that means a lot to me.”

Bisping described his opponent, Chris Leben, as his ‘toughest opponent to date.’

MMANEWS.COM

As was reported earlier this week, ousted TUF 7 finalist Jesse Taylor will get a rare second chance in the UFC when he takes on CB Dolloway on July 19th at UFC Fight Night 14 live on SpikeTV.

Taylor was kicked off of the show after a series of drunken escapades came to a head and video tape footage showed Taylor kicking the window from a limo. After the incident, Dana White sent Taylor packing and CB Dolloway fought Tim Creduer to decide who would be the replacement to fight Amir Sadollah in the finals.

Sadollah would go on to win the TUF 7 contract by beating Dolloway for a second time at the June Finale.

This will be the first time anybody who has been kicked off of the show for whatever reason gets another chance to fight in the UFC.

If you’re able to read German or fancy looking at the pics, then here’s the link: Click Here. Maybe we can get Jonny Origan to translate. I’m too lazy!

Thanks to Sebastian for training with us, for the kind words and for taking the time to promote us at www.groundandpound.de.