tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60991823401115848102024-02-19T07:34:18.127-08:00The Closed GuardA Martial Arts blog featuring art, reviews and ramblings about BJJ, MMA news, events and accessoriesTCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-55963663704911289612012-05-15T15:16:00.001-07:002012-05-15T15:16:10.942-07:00Hot tests, ACL's and why 2012 could be the year we see Ronda Rousey in the UFC<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=12/05/15/3134.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/12/05/15/s_3134.jpg' border='0' width='273' height='185' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />I recently read an interesting piece by Chuck Mindenhall over at ESPN where he highlighted the disarray of the title picture in most of the weight classes in the UFC - here's my take on it. Let's start from the bottom up;<br /><br />125 - people could be forgiven for forgetting that there's now a 125lb division in the UFC. Their mini tournament turned into a debacle mighty quickly and who knows when we'll have a champion in this weight class<br /><br />135 - I genuinely admire the timescale that Cruz has set himself to recover from his torn ACL. But even if he does recover in double-quick time, we'll still only see him fight one more time this year. In the meantime, there will be an interim champion (number one contender with a belt). This leads well into my next point; I don't know if he's getting softer with age, but for some reason Dana has been much more placid when it comes to the needs of his number one contenders and interim champions - allowing them to sit out when in the past he would have pressed them to fight<br /><br />145 - onto arguably the most laughable division there is. I get it, I really do; Aldo is a mean, mean man. He tears through opponents with relative ease, and has made seasoned champions look positively amateur (see Urijah Faber). But when a champion is in need of a challenger and no one in the division seems willing to step forward, it makes a mockery of the sport. It is not unlike Faber asking for one of his team to volunteer on this year's TUF. Just look at the HW division when Overeem bowed out - those guys were practically throwing their grannies under the bus to get their shot<br /><br />155 - the lightweight belt is currently tied up awaiting another rematch (cue a collective groan from the UFC fans) but in this case I would say it is 'fair' (a term I use loosely when discussing mma matchmaking) given that Edgar bent over backwards giving others their rematches. Nate Diaz is the new #1 contender and has decided to sit out awaiting the winner of the title fight due to take place in September; that means the lightweight belt is tied up until at least December, possibly January of next year. Unless Dana makes Nate fight, a division stacked with electrifying fighters will be resigned to staging fights for the #2 contender's spot for up to 8 months<br /><br />170 - GSP's dominance was broken only by his own injury; if we're lucky he'll fight by the end of this year. In the meantime, the interim champion (cue another groan from fans) is Condit. The matchmakers at the UFC were probably licking their lips when they saw the controversy caused by first Diaz-Condit match, as that makes for a great rematch. Cue a Sonnen-esque badly timed hot test, and another title picture goes stale as Condit has decided to sit out until GSP returns<br /><br />185 - Anderson Silva, undisputed kingpin takes on (touch wood) Chael Sonnen in the rematch of the century. This is as big as Chuck-Tito was in terms of a genuine, bad blood fight. Now, with Bisping reaching new heights in his career, Munoz on the way back from an injury, the arrival of Hector Lombard and the grudge match between Wandi and Belfort, this division is buzzing!<br /><br />205 - Jon Jones is on a tear; say what you want about his personality, the man is a joy to watch in the cage. He isn't shying away from any challenges, and none of the multiple fan favourites are shying away from fighting him. The staple division of the UFC, once again, does not disappoint<br /><br />265 - the heavyweight division is probably the healthiest it has been in a while, but admittedly it will be much better if Mir wins. If JDS wins, who does he fight next? The fans are already sceptical of the Mir matchup and they aren't convinced they want a Cain rematch already, Nelson isn't there yet, nor Werdum or Bigfoot etc. Overeem would be fantastic, but sadly yet another hot test by a title contender has scratched that. That only leaves the slightly fanciful notion of Mark Hunt, or possibly Lavar Johnson - not ’fair’ matches, but what the fans would like to see. What could also help greatly is any impact the arrival of Cormier and Barnett may have<br /><br />So out of 8 divisions, we have 2 active, exciting title pictures. That has to be a cause for concern for Dana, Sean Shelby and Joe Silva; I'm a fanboy - I adore mma. When there aren't events on I watch classic events and ’Best of’ DVDs. Whether there's a title fight or not, I set aside time to watch any event that's on - many other fans aren't as easily pleased, and rightly so; they spend their hard earned money and have a right to demand excitement. My solution to the problem - a women’s division. Dana has always been resistive to the idea as he doesn't believe there are enough female fighters, but Invicta went a long way towards disproving that, and he has notably softened to the idea since the emergence of Ronda Rousey. She's polarising, exciting to watch, charismatic, intelligent, great at creating a feud, photogenic and her Olympic pedigree appeals to many fans also. It also couldn't be timed any better - she has a scheduled title defence coming up in August; a timely way to introduce her to new fans. Assuming she survives, Cristiane ’Cyborg’ Santos is free to return in December to settle their fierce feud, and incidentally the first women’s mma super fight. Also, Overeem will return around the same time, and will likely return to a title shot as it will be a big seller - what better main and co-main events for a blockbuster end of year show than the men's HW and women's title fights?<br />TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-82572918746142666602012-05-05T09:04:00.002-07:002012-05-05T09:04:32.480-07:00Why the UFC should jump on the Toquinho hype train<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm going to open with two bold statements; 1) I was a Toquinho hipster; I thought he was brilliant long before he gained mainstream popularity. I'm an avid MMA autograph collector and began scouring the internet for
something he'd signed, but to no avail (I did finally get his autograph
at ADCC 2011. From the first time I saw him slap an armbar on Ivan Salaverry I thought he was something special. 2) He WILL beat Belcher. I mean no disrespect to Belcher, I think he's a fantastic, exciting fighter, and I'm delighted that he has overcome such adversity with regards to injuries, but I just can't see him winning tonight (especially in light of the fact that he thinks he can roll with Toquinho on the ground).<br />
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But back to my initial point; I've always thought Rousimar was exciting - his tenacity, his physique, his sheer ecstasy when he wins, his absolutely savage submissions and his heart-wrenching story. Followers of the Facebook page may recall my mirth when his participation in last year's ADCC was announced, whilst many BJJ purists were crying that he was 'just a UFC fighter who could do heel hooks'. Well, somewhere between him shoulder pressing a competitor, mincing Avellan's knee, and taking pound-for-pound kingpin Galvao the distance, the purists started to sing from a different hymn sheet. Pretty soon, MMA diehards and casuals alike also started clamoring to see the man affectionately nicknamed 'Paul Harris'. I think Murillo Bustamante (MMA legend and coach of Palhares) put it best when he explained that fellow competitors are genuinely scared of Palhares; Alan Belcher even admitted as much. If you don't win, there's a very realistic chance that you're going to spend the night in hospital. Come fight night he's about 210 lbs of solid muscle, where he marches down opponents and rips them with vicious hooks, just long enough until he can get a hold of one of their limbs.<br />
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Now I appreciate that the UFC are reluctant to throw their weight behind someone who doesn't speak English, but not since the heyday of Wanderlei, Shogun and Fedor have I seen fans so vehemently embrace a fighter. GSP is widely loved and respected, but has alienated many with his fighting style. Jon Jones is a phenomenal talent, but his arrogance combined with an over-investment by the UFC has alienated many fans also. Toquinho however drives fans into a frenzy with his fighting style, and they also love his emotional back story (he genuinely grew up with nothing - youtube the emotional interview), and those who have met him will testify to what a truly genuine guy he is. Visit any MMA website or discussion board and you will see just how the fans feel about him, with memes and jokes aplenty. Granted he has been somewhat of a loose cannon (see the Marquardt and early cage climbing incidents) but this only adds to his enigma. If (when) he defeats Belcher, the UFC should stop wasting him on mid-card fights and throw him in with an equally exciting fighter. Brazilian fans are still reeling from losing the rematch of the century in Anderson Silva - Chael Sonnen, I'm sure they'd get over it if they were gifted a Palhares No. 1 contender's matchTCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-62326192869583829252011-11-02T08:14:00.000-07:002011-11-02T08:14:45.945-07:00Future UFC Hall of FamersEveryone who watches UFC should be familiar with the Joe Rogan tagline "here comes the future Hall of Famer..." Thus far, very few have managed to break into the UFC Hall of Fame, and rightly so; the sport is still very young and by nature a hall of fame should be an exclusive place to be. I don't want to come off as a fanboy - just look at the NFL where everytime a QB has one good season everyone is screaming for him to make the Hall of Fame (I'm a huge Eagles fan, but when I heard people crying out for McNabb to make the Hall of Fame I recoiled in disgust). So here goes - <i>my</i> list of Hall of Fame candidates...<br />
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<b>Georges St Pierre</b><br />
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Come December 29th, GSP will have held the belt for four years and a record six title defences.One of his only two defeats is against Matt Hughes - someone who is already in the UFC Hall of Fame and has defeated every other 170lb champion there has ever been in the UFC. More than this though is Georges' complete athleticism and adaptablility - he has comprehensively outwrestled national champions. He is also one of the first UFC fighters to gain mainstream acceptance; testament to this is his Under Armour sponsorship, and many awards from television broadcasters and sports publications. Many will complain about his seeming reluctance to finish fights (I personally disagree), but the legacy he will leave behind is beyond argument<br />
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<b>BJ Penn</b><br />
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There is no doubt that BJ Penn is not the fighter that he once was, nor can people look past the fractious relationship he seems to have had with the sport itself, but this aside the multiple division champion should not be overlooked by the Hall of Fame. He has done the most to bring BJJ to MMA since the Gracies themselves, an achievement in of itself. That being said, his crowning achievement is the championships at different divisions - something that so few others have done before him, and probably just as few will do after.<br />
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<b>Anderson Silva</b><br />
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Won the title in only his second UFC fight, undefeated in his 13 fight UFC career, an ongoing title reign of over five years, a record breaking nine title defences...enough said.<br />
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<b>Dana White</b><br />
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This may seem kinda like a silly choice, but when you look at the inclusion of Charles 'Mask' Lewis due to his contribution to MMA, it's impossible to overlook Dana White's contribution to MMA. I appreciate that a large part of the UFC's success is due to the financial injection from the Fertitta's - but this would have been wasted if they didn't have the right man running the company. Granted, he doesn't always say the right things, and granted many people have good reason for thinking he's a bit of a prick. But at the end of the day he took the UFC from a crumbling business, to the multi million dollar company it is today; bringing MMA as a sport along with it. Without Dana White the UFC wouldn't be what it is today, without the UFC then MMA would only be a fraction of what it is today<br />
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<b>Tito Ortiz</b><br />
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One of the last members of 'the old guard' who are still fighting in the UFC today. A pioneer of Ground and Pound, an always polarising personality and a stalwart of ticket sales. Tito's scraps with Chuck, Shamrock and Belfort helped to shape the modern face of the UFC. Add to this a five defence title reign and his recent reconciliation with Dana White, and you've a got a fairly strong argument for his being included in the Hall of Fame<br />
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<b>Honourable Mentions</b><br />
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Forrest Griffin - for the electrifying TUF finale that did more for the UFC's mainstream popularity than any other single event, and for being one of the most liked UFC fighters of all time<br />
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Matt Hamill - I appreciate that his fight record isn't exactly worthy of the Hall of Fame, but I'd like to think he'd be honoured in some way for opening the door to disabled MMA competitors. I think his is a truely inspirational story and I'd love for him to be honoured for it.<br />
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Frank Mir - Ok, this one's biased as he's one of my favourite fighters, but the multiple time heavyweight champion is one of the longest serving current fighters on the roster. If, as I hope, he gets the belt one more time, he should be more sure of a place in the Hall of Fame...TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-31588141210581973672011-11-01T13:58:00.001-07:002011-11-01T13:58:23.911-07:00What we learned at UFC 137<br /><b>The UFC still can't seem to come up with a Japanese star</b><br /><br />Don't be fooled by the victory - Hioki's performance did nothing to win over fans, or draw a greater Japanese audience. No one is really sure why the former MMA capital of the world hasn't produced any marketable stars for the UFC, but to date none of the Japanese imports have really lived up to the billing<br /><br /><br /><b>The sport has lost a true legend...</b><br /><br />When it was announced that this would likely be Cro Cop's last fight, many fans were disappointed and rightly so. UFC purists don't know a huge amount about Cro Cop, and nor will they ever appreciate his greatness, but he did so much for the sport in the earlier years. I strongly believe he opened the door for kickboxers to transition to MMA, and also carried the European support of the sport almost single handedly in the earlier years. Many people, myself included, would have loved to see him KO Nelson with a left head kick...but I don't think many actually believed it would happen. Alas, it wasn't to be, and so we said goodbye to a legend in similarly disappointing circumstances as we said goodbye to Couture. Thanks for the memories Cro Cop<br /><br /><br /><b>...But I think it has only lost one</b><br /><br />I don't believe for a second that BJ has retired from MMA. I like to draw comparisons between him and Ronnie O'Sullivan. For those of you who don't know, Ronnie O'Sullivan is the greatest natural talent to ever pick up a snooker cue; he's also enigmatic, outspoken, temperamental...and has "retired" two or three times now. I'll be the first to write an article on BJ when he officially hangs them up, but I completely believe that once his swelling has gone down and he's had a chance to lick his wounds, we'll see him back in the octagon<br /><br /><br /><b>GSP has piled more pressure on Silva than Sonnen ever could</b><br /><br />Chael Sonnen has come closer to shattering the phenomenal streak of Anderson Silva than anyone else. Setting aside the Silva injury and the subsequent doping charge for Sonnen, quite a few people wanted to see the rematch (though I can see the argument that he lost and should have to wait his turn again). Following a comprehensive victory over Brian Stann, Sonnen launched a WWE-esque tirade against Silva who was sat cage side. He didn't react, he didn't respond...we didn't even hear from him for weeks. This prompted widespread abuse that he was scared of Sonnen - after all, there aren't many others in the title picture, and he has a free schedule for the foreseeable future. Roll on a few weeks, and Nick Diaz does the same thing to GSP in an arguably less disrespectful fashion. GSP was already booked for another fight but that very same night he demanded that he get to fight Diaz. Ironically his request has been granted to go ahead on the same weekend that Sonnen wanted to fight Silva. But fans and doubters alike of Anderson Silva are now left asking...why hasn't he done the same?!<br />TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-17362453124668222011-10-13T13:44:00.000-07:002011-10-13T13:44:30.627-07:00Honey Badger Rash Guard Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D9tyPxZAmyzr4ldFyYjIradmr-XKwhSu0FWXb2rKb5RuqBXyhMdkRBx_uvd9QmYjHnUV3nObNefz9OORGgKeIsbasTKqGr-nf8jOz367TdbCsU8TLo8-TQnhFGLK0hC2kWzPACpNIS7N/s1600/HB1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3D9tyPxZAmyzr4ldFyYjIradmr-XKwhSu0FWXb2rKb5RuqBXyhMdkRBx_uvd9QmYjHnUV3nObNefz9OORGgKeIsbasTKqGr-nf8jOz367TdbCsU8TLo8-TQnhFGLK0hC2kWzPACpNIS7N/s400/HB1.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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I am lucky enough to be one of the few people chosen to review a pre-production sample of the Honey Badger Rash Guard - a design that has come from the mind of BJJ uber-blogger Meerkatsu, and constructed by (not officially open for business yet) Armourtech; a custom clothing company owned by Tatami Fightwear.<br />
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When I first saw the rash guard on the internet I liked it. I know that there are plenty of critical opinions on the internet about the rash guard (mainly about the artwork), but I genuinely liked it and have been even more impressed since receiving it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHdIQ8pQqneM8Ig5SZbgkW1cXlM6gkxc-GNKkd3jjcrkkKdS2JGI3UQPxLc53f-nXAx5TTIiVk49eXAGtOyWTLbwK9immNEm5Jl_CQuWROSB-epCPFbaBUdC8MJI973IAnHZmP1SCg3Wg/s1600/HB2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHdIQ8pQqneM8Ig5SZbgkW1cXlM6gkxc-GNKkd3jjcrkkKdS2JGI3UQPxLc53f-nXAx5TTIiVk49eXAGtOyWTLbwK9immNEm5Jl_CQuWROSB-epCPFbaBUdC8MJI973IAnHZmP1SCg3Wg/s320/HB2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The rash guard is a really nice shade of purple - think Lakers purple but a little deeper. The underarms & alternative colouring have been done in what I can only describe as a dark gold/ gunmetal colour (despite looking grey in the pictures), and I'm a huge fan of the actual honey badger artwork itself. The honey badgers and cobras have been done in typical Meerkatsu style; they're bold, bright and polarising. The tagline for the honey badger is that "he don't give a shit", I'd suggest anyone who purchases the rash guard to adopt a similar attitude - you may love the artwork, but be fairly certain that in any class there will be one or two people who have something to say about it. I hate the Marmite analogy; it has become such a cliche...but it's pretty fitting when it comes to the appearance of this rash guard.<br />
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What can't be argued however, is the quality craftmanship that has gone into the appearance of the rash guard. I've included a photo of the Seymour Yang/ Meerkatsu copyright that is on the edge of one of the honey badgers. These characters are only 1 -2 mm in height, but are still perfectly legible! That's astounding for a dye sublimated rash guard - a technology that is famous for sometimes causing "bleeding" of colours.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiROEZREVt6shb6NQcPpMnQdNUKxr75iLdLYMcpqH4Fs_XVeecvbJwmlL7zYPiDSNG5R1FTeXGSde5kaR3uMoSl00TvKWh0gyV53Q8H5NQI1j10sc1v3oaA1k0zbo706YyH7Ih-a9d39h/s1600/HB4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFiROEZREVt6shb6NQcPpMnQdNUKxr75iLdLYMcpqH4Fs_XVeecvbJwmlL7zYPiDSNG5R1FTeXGSde5kaR3uMoSl00TvKWh0gyV53Q8H5NQI1j10sc1v3oaA1k0zbo706YyH7Ih-a9d39h/s320/HB4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
When I first took the rash guard out of the packet, I was seriously concerned about the rubber Armourtech insignia on the front; I thought to myself that it couldn't possibly be comfortable. Thankfully, they seem to have made it from an incredibly soft rubber, and stitched it on well so you don't even feel it when wearing the rash guard. Which leads well to my next point...wearing the rash guard<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibt1bN0W0BmNWJNjAVa1H4E6mL-Ch2PuE0bpngZrrwMhq5gO5PUIrPe3Z22q7qhOIOOPwBAnshkvxAjF02h6a6j0feOcZt4vOn6Bqb_-uMs6LfMTziLur_oAyD3HHZWmNjDhz3eypyzQMK/s1600/HB3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibt1bN0W0BmNWJNjAVa1H4E6mL-Ch2PuE0bpngZrrwMhq5gO5PUIrPe3Z22q7qhOIOOPwBAnshkvxAjF02h6a6j0feOcZt4vOn6Bqb_-uMs6LfMTziLur_oAyD3HHZWmNjDhz3eypyzQMK/s320/HB3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Truth be told, if I was told to choose, I would have picked a short sleeved rash guard over a long sleeved one every time...this rash guard may have changed that. The material on the underside of the sleeves seems to make them hug very tightly to the arms. Added to this is the fact that the cuffs have been elasticated in such a way that they are very snug, stopping the sleeves from riding up or giving you that horrible baggy sleeve feeling that I hate in a rash guard. The rash guard is a little on the long side, but again the elasticated cuff at the bottom means that it holds very closely and comfortably to your body. This rash guard is fantastic for rolling in - it does not move an inch meaning that you never have to deal with it riding up. Instead it stays put and stretches comfortably. This comes at a price though - it is difficult to take off. You find yourself (at least I did) having to really pull on it to get it off. In terms of general comfort, this rash guard really shines - I would go so far as to say it passes the John Danaher test (can be worn comfortably all day). Also, it doesn't bunch up/ pinch beneath the armpits as was an issue with the Hayabusa.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoCWCTfhjIxHVQu9ig1qbgDcPm46QIrz6WSzMc5_cQXqeypp4wql13WHWj4iCBFUqx43JyxcVOK4Z2i8zu3pPCBLv7CmKN0vH_NXMvNij9kqaQ6r27yZY10C11mtNvqVg0bvmFahslQY7/s1600/HB5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoCWCTfhjIxHVQu9ig1qbgDcPm46QIrz6WSzMc5_cQXqeypp4wql13WHWj4iCBFUqx43JyxcVOK4Z2i8zu3pPCBLv7CmKN0vH_NXMvNij9kqaQ6r27yZY10C11mtNvqVg0bvmFahslQY7/s320/HB5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>So there you have it. I'm going to put my neck out here and say that this is my favourite rash guard in my collection (granted I only have four at the time of writing). It looks good, feels good and rolls good. If you're paranoid about how everyone thinks you look in class - avoid this rash guard as you'll get a lot of looks and they won't all be nice. If you want a reasonably priced rash guard that has bold colours, brilliant art and performs better than the market leaders, pre-order it now! Head over to the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/honeybadgerfightwear">Honey Badger Facebook Page</a> for full details on how to pre-order in your respective area.<br />
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Many thanks to <a href="http://www.honeybadgerfightwear.com/">Honey Badger Fightwear</a> for supplying this rash guard for review. It is important to note that this is a pre-production sample and has been subject to some minor changes for proper release.TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-52010295980816913472011-10-09T13:51:00.001-07:002011-10-09T13:51:01.117-07:00Things we learned from UFC 136UFC was an excellent card - I'm even happier because I picked all the winners for the first time ever! Anyway, here goes...<br /><br /><b>Joe Lauzon is the real deal...</b><br />Joe Lauzon showed just how good he is, and how effective bjj can still be in the UFC; his systematic destruction of Melvin Guillard who had previously been on a tear served to show the doubters how good he is, and possibly made Dana's headache worse with regards to sorting out the company's most stacked division<br /><br /><b>Kenny Florian <i>isn't</i>...</b><br />When I look at Kenny Florian he reminds me of Katherine Heigl in 27 dresses - cruelly condemned to always be bridesmaid, never the bride. There's definitely something to be said for fighting in four weight classes, and being runner up in three of them. Though there's much more to be said for being a champion in one division. I don't know what's next for Florian, I'd joke that it's probably bantamweight, but after looking at his grotesque figure in featherweight that probably wouldn't be funny<br /><br /><b>Uneducated fans + inexperienced ref = bad combination</b><br />It's sometimes hard to ignore where people get the 'moron fan' stereotype for mma fans - fans who had been going berserk as a physically exhausted Leonard Garcia swung wildly in a manner that's reminiscent of a drunken brawl, booed equally loudly as Sonnen put on a grappling clinic on the floor. I'm the first person to become upset at inactivity on the ground, but Sonnen's sweeps and passes were world class! This would be forgivable however, if not for the inexperienced ref standing them up - unfairly presenting Stann with a chance to knock out Sonnen<br /><br /><b>Maybe pro wrestling theatrics have their place in mma?</b><br />Joe: would you like to tell us about the fight?<br />Chael: Anderson silva!...you totally suck!!!<br />Throw in a proposition whereby Sonnen wants the loser of the fight to "leave for good" and you have someone who this time last year was facing jail time for money laundering charges, and an indefinite suspension for testosterone abuse, that has possibly talked their way into the biggest fight in UFC history, on superbowl weekend no less!<br /><br /><b>Frankie Edgar's heart is unmatched</b><br />Ok, so maybe we learned that last time, but it was definitely confirmed last night. I challenge anyone to watch the first round of last night's main event, then immediately watch the fourth round (bearing in mind there's 10 minutes of highest level combat between them) and not be impressed...<br /><br /><br /><br />So that's how I saw it. Disagree? Think there's anything I've missed? Join in the discussion on the Facebook page or below<br /><br />TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-56376985805125030512011-09-28T16:34:00.000-07:002011-09-28T16:34:35.643-07:00ADCC 2011 Review<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:PixelsPerInch>72</o:PixelsPerInch> <o:TargetScreenSize>544x376</o:TargetScreenSize> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</style> <![endif]--> <div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">I want to start by saying that there aren't enough superlatives in the English language to describe how much I enjoyed the weekend; from the first morning that I was standing in the foyer and one of my heroes in the form of Andre Galvao casually strolled past me, followed shortly by a pack of Gracies; through all of the outstanding match ups; meeting the three fighters that I'd specifically brought pictures of to get signed (and they were all really nice, and down to earth); getting to try Acai for the first time; and finally running into one of the organisers at the airport per chance and getting to pose with an actual ADCC winners medal! (which has made me more determined to actually compete for one some day). </span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">It's because of all these experiences, that writing a review would've been a mammoth task and so I've decided to do my review in the form of a mini awards ceremony (I'm sure the world's greatest grapplers would be pleased to find out that they've won a fictional award from little old me), but I personally felt like this would be the best way to do it. So here goes:</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Best Match</b>.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Possibly the hardest category to pick, as there wasn't a single 'bad' match - the winner probably took the award due to the atmosphere created by it, more than it being an actually 'better' match.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdXuCKvnCQ5FKV1HmDSeffftBsflnMDmJMB0h6Wh-90axyJT_gxiBJD84Ihd8V-dvRJdmibWFmtrS4hL33HnszxjbBGENsGrbZ5y1kfrzagkNIDClvPjY9QeOP7ZcVSSEhEmVqDmmHtNx/s1600/best+fight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWdXuCKvnCQ5FKV1HmDSeffftBsflnMDmJMB0h6Wh-90axyJT_gxiBJD84Ihd8V-dvRJdmibWFmtrS4hL33HnszxjbBGENsGrbZ5y1kfrzagkNIDClvPjY9QeOP7ZcVSSEhEmVqDmmHtNx/s320/best+fight.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">1st -Braulio vs Jacare aka 'Was that three seconds?'</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">I had never experienced a match like this before. An arena filled with thousands of people fell so silent that you could hear someone speaking on the other side. This was undoubtedly the most technical match of the tournament, but more than that, the tension was positively palpable. The match was free flowing and was an exhibition of some of the highest level techniques. I'm confident that the debate will rage on for some time about whether or not the those hooks were in for three seconds or not, but if you ask me Braulio was the aggressor throughout the entire match and ultimately deserved the victory.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Runner up - Alzuguir v Nicolini</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">I genuinely believe that if this match had been given the super fight treatment, and hadn't been just another tournament fight, it would have been the best match of the tournament. Every time the women exclusively took to the mats, it was hard to ignore the amount of spectators that filed out of the arena to go to the toilet, buy merchandise or buy snacks...how wrong they were. Some of the most outstanding fights were in the women's division; be it the finesse of Kyra Gracie or the technical brilliance and dogged determination of Penny Thomas - and none were more brilliant than this fight. An exhibition of absolutely excellent technique and astounding stamina, the only thing missing from this fight was a captive audience like the super fight commanded. This was one of those fights where you were genuinely disappointed to see a loser at the end of it.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Notable mentions -</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Pablo Popovitch vs Galvao (weight). An epic battle between two gladiators of the sport with Galvao's brilliance ultimately shining through.</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Rafa Mendes vs Bruno Frazatto. The Atos/Atos fight to open the weight class did not disappoint; they swapped leg locks the entire match and gave everything they had - if there was any reason to doubt the pedigree of Atos, there isn't now!</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
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</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Best Competitor</b>.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">When I was picking the winner of this category, I wasn't just looking at how many matches they won, but more the way they competed.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q8e7xvfg-Ck9BYCCHbZ3wuN0yGLd6gkDNzvomB2atmbLc1S_yNzY46nV80AeMinjJyRBPVnDmk6jNths2FxSYoiw4kzWL87-mmZGYZ6GaM6Nt4yeQXkYzskS0hDo_FUhQSJVjvMdTOpX/s1600/best+competitor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Q8e7xvfg-Ck9BYCCHbZ3wuN0yGLd6gkDNzvomB2atmbLc1S_yNzY46nV80AeMinjJyRBPVnDmk6jNths2FxSYoiw4kzWL87-mmZGYZ6GaM6Nt4yeQXkYzskS0hDo_FUhQSJVjvMdTOpX/s320/best+competitor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">1st - Andre Galvao</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Was there ever any doubt? In the months leading up to the competition Galvao documented his preparation for the tournament on his Facebook page. Needless to say it was rigorous, and it showed at the competition. No-one was his equal technically, nor could brute strength and physicality derail his run to success. He escaped Palhares' dreaded heel hook and ultimately undid him with exceptional skill. He defeated the formidable Popovitch twice, including a systematic destruction in the absolute final. This man had no equal at the competition, and his awesome record should go from strength to strength.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Runner up - Vinny Magalhaes</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">I've never made any secret of my fandom for Vinny, but this isn't based on the fact that I like him (much more now since he was such a great guy to me at the competition, by the way), but due to the finesse and lion heart he showed throughout the competition. Early in the competition he was caught in a deep toe hold, but calmly sat out the submission until his opponent had burned his arms out, before catching him with a toe hold of his own. But he ultimately received this accolade because he proved to be as good as we expected, answered many of the critics who said the rubber guard can't work in competition and because he beat Werdum who repeatedly slapped and shoved him, and after he overcame THAT armbar (more on that later)...</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDORgiZItzjBIOzKXCQX5gct38TzO5dL44OdL1qeLgJnwqs6KHuSG7ZAno9Ja8fRi1jSS8Zp655wLWRfHOvHh6OIyHJw46yUy6rCrBe1a3rUMYuouquOqcE4e1MCYFm75T60oBHnbBYEie/s1600/best+Penny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDORgiZItzjBIOzKXCQX5gct38TzO5dL44OdL1qeLgJnwqs6KHuSG7ZAno9Ja8fRi1jSS8Zp655wLWRfHOvHh6OIyHJw46yUy6rCrBe1a3rUMYuouquOqcE4e1MCYFm75T60oBHnbBYEie/s320/best+Penny.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Notable mention - Penny Thomas</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">I'm not going to lie, I didn't know much about Penny Thomas...after her fight with Gabi Garcia, I'm never likely to forget her. If I had to guess Penny is 65-70 kg, Gabi is listed as 107 kg on the bjj heroes website...that's not exactly a small difference. I firmly believe that Helio and Carlson themselves would have been proud to see Penny rolling around the mat in the way that she did; proving the very fundamentals of jiujitsu that technique is more important than size. Penny ultimately lost that fight, and my heart broke a little when she did - she nearly pulled off the win on a number of occasions, and if she had done it would've been a greater feat than Caio Terra winning the absolute. Her combination of skill, dogged determination and stamina is something to be marvelled. Her performance in that match alone is worthy of a medal in my opinion.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
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</div><div class="Body1"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Most heart in mouth moment</span></b></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzgZ-I-UAABEu2UL1P3QKerqDN9YsGBcx7-Fq1F8YGCGcVU9KFOEx7ao7V6j8umDea5x-WD4MlHXtsl4FGghFnAugK89nm1YbyIy7lUHGwexJK7Z763ubXViZAQTLP4vLVGzIOolFDP_Q/s1600/best+heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzgZ-I-UAABEu2UL1P3QKerqDN9YsGBcx7-Fq1F8YGCGcVU9KFOEx7ao7V6j8umDea5x-WD4MlHXtsl4FGghFnAugK89nm1YbyIy7lUHGwexJK7Z763ubXViZAQTLP4vLVGzIOolFDP_Q/s320/best+heart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">1st - Vinny Armbar</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Yes...THAT armbar. Picture it; the final of the heavyweight division, a tight affair that has been back and forth throughout, Werdum has gotten away with a shocking amount of heavy handed slaps. Vinny has generally been the aggressor, with Fabricio seemingly cautious about engaging. Vinny went for a flying move at one stage (armbar or triangle) but ended up dumped on his head as Werdum's now sweaty arm pulled free - I thought that could've been the end due to concussion or neck injury but thankfully he survived. The fight ends up on the ground with Vinny in a deep armbar. After several minutes Werdum turns up the heat by twisting the arm whilst armbarring it. By this stage many of the spectators had turned away or closed their eyes. This still isn't working so Werdum applies a wrist lock too! By this stage I realised Vinny wasn't going to tap - that arm might break, but he wasn't going to tap! When his arm slipped free of the wrist lock it looked like it had in fact broken and a gasp rang around the arena. He escaped the armbar eventually, calmly stood up and adjusted his now stretched and misshapen rash guard...absolutely spectacular!...</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Runner up - Palhares/ Avellan restart</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">You get drawn against a 5'8" (if that) monster who's over 14 stone of solid muscle. Some people have questioned his grappling ability, questions answered by his previous victims and his highly regarded coach Murilo Bustamante. He is without doubt, the greatest executor of the heel hook known to man - a move that can change the way you'll walk for some time to come if you're too slow to tap. His first opponent was caught in a heel hook, and tapped before any proper pressure was applied...a very smart move. Tapping to a heel hook from said man, before complaining that the submission occurred off the mat, so the fight will be restarted in the middle of the mat IN THE HEEL HOOK POSITION...not a wise move. As they lay in the middle of the mat awaiting the restart there was a lot of nervous laughter and murmuring around the arena, common phrases included "why??!!" and "what is he thinking?!". Needless to say the inevitable happened... "Medics to mat 3 please, medics to mat 3".</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Notable Mention - Braulio Estima and those hooks.</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">The "best match" winner had been going for some time, no submission ever looked like really coming off, no points had been scored then suddenly Braulio manoeuvres for Jacare's back...one hook (excitement mounts)...the second hook (some screaming and celebration)...Jacare scrambles frantically to dismount Braulio from his back...one second...two seconds...the place absolutely erupts just as Jacare flips Braulio off his back and looks heartbroken by the fact that the judges have already marked the fateful 3 points...What a moment!</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
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</div><div class="Body1"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Best Move</span></b></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJj0ZmJcGbzSZLLXfRpOCq6NZvuxldf3gyj-hkMniHI0MjEJ4JKXkKvqiCbge4fzvpUcYcW31hGzN23WUu-XaAekRx48y9hsh-7G4BH7yPODUUYfNOeVlEEc8WiWgRq9h3eUEnHTAjSppB/s1600/best+move.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJj0ZmJcGbzSZLLXfRpOCq6NZvuxldf3gyj-hkMniHI0MjEJ4JKXkKvqiCbge4fzvpUcYcW31hGzN23WUu-XaAekRx48y9hsh-7G4BH7yPODUUYfNOeVlEEc8WiWgRq9h3eUEnHTAjSppB/s320/best+move.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">1st - Leo Vieira shoulder throw</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Leo Vieira showed the doubters that traditional jujitsu has its place in BJJ competition with a perfectly executed shoulder throw. The celebration that rang around the arena was testament to the wonderful execution, but I won't try to describe it, I'll let the photo montage do the talking.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Runner up - Palhares' heel hook</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Many people claimed that all Palhares could do was heel hook. I'd argue that they're wrong, but even if they're right, it's hard to argue with a move that carried him to the final and sent two of his opponents to the hospital (he seemed fairly apologetic about the injury to Lovato - staying with him and talking to him backstage as the medics bandaged him [I know this as I was being shamelessly nosey], but was quite unsympathetic to Avellan). Some would say he's fairly unsporting with the way he pulls off the move, and they're probably right; but no-one batted an eyelid when Werdum wrenched an armbar on Monson's heavily strapped arm...I guess that's the nature of the sport but I just believe everyone should be judged in the same way. Had he won the final with the move it would've won the "best move" award, but as fate would have it, Galvao's pure skill saw him roll free from said move and onto victory.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Notable mention - Cobrinha's triangle</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">In a competition that saw the majority of matches decided by points or judges decisions, and most of the submission victories coming by way of a leg/ foot lock of some description, it was nice to see a well executed triangle. None were better executed than Cobrinha's.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
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</div><div class="Body1"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">The "thanks for my body issues" award</span></b></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Something that really struck me about all of the competitors was there physical prowess - something that you can't really grasp from a picture or video; seeing them in person really drives the point home. I believe that they deserve praise for it as they work unbelievably hard, and have a meticulously planned diet to maintain it. However, some of the competitors are another step above...</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OZJ3mDUTVYRZe4hKyEL9JAWe59CPDo75CATSJiiapv4-FMKMM4lLB5AbMaFfpIAWhREM5eQvBBKeHkHMyvrc8TeRn-_mO7b0nbutdVo_TFtU3gVV7mhNkmXpSi-tlQAuQF58OPsTpBCE/s1600/best+body.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OZJ3mDUTVYRZe4hKyEL9JAWe59CPDo75CATSJiiapv4-FMKMM4lLB5AbMaFfpIAWhREM5eQvBBKeHkHMyvrc8TeRn-_mO7b0nbutdVo_TFtU3gVV7mhNkmXpSi-tlQAuQF58OPsTpBCE/s320/best+body.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">1st - Pablo Popovitch</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">At fear of sounding like I have the hots for him, what can I say about the physique of Popovitch? Wow! The guy looks like a statue of a Greek god, like he's been carved out of granite or something.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Runner up - Kyra Gracie</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Not the biggest of competitors (ie Gabi Garcia), but if there's a pick of fat on her I didn't see it. A friend directed me to her workout videos including her pull up routine, and it becomes very apparent how she maintains her physique.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Notable Mentions</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Rousimar Palhares - I mentioned on the Facebook page that there was a murmur that rang around the place when he took his shirt off; he's freakishly muscular for someone so short.</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Andre Galvao - not the biggest, nor the most defined, but probably the best combination of the two. Galvao's famous workout and drilling routines are all too apparent when you see him in the flesh.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
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</div><div class="Body1"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Nicest person (to me)</span></b></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">I feel it's important to point out that all of the competitors were fantastic with the fans; not a guard or minder in sight, they mingled freely with the fans and gave as many photos and autographs as were asked of them. I remember at one stage Braulio went for some Acai...it was 30 minutes before he even made it to the queue at the table as he stopped for every fan that asked.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNSm_HvSCUiVOCCaU8B9YVALFTDSDq4AQ8iDw5uvGKvyyBPpP2gK251S8bYUhWqlrorm0ohDTPBxpP9B5ZEWAAlSj58-lWmQ6iC_Z1h26MsLKe9eQy8ZWUgyuheaLLfA4hJSahRwdasJM/s1600/best+nice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNSm_HvSCUiVOCCaU8B9YVALFTDSDq4AQ8iDw5uvGKvyyBPpP2gK251S8bYUhWqlrorm0ohDTPBxpP9B5ZEWAAlSj58-lWmQ6iC_Z1h26MsLKe9eQy8ZWUgyuheaLLfA4hJSahRwdasJM/s320/best+nice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">1st - Vinny Magalhaes</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">I asked Vinny on his Facebook page if he'd sign the photoshop composition I made if I brought it with me and he agreed...at the event he was a man of his word. He signed the picture, and commented that he remembered me from Facebook, but more than that he stood talking to me for ten minutes about how he was getting on, how he felt about the competition, his opinions on the ultimate fighter and his preparations for his upcoming M1 fight; a true gentleman and all round nice guy.</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Runner up - Lucio "Lagarto" Rodrigues</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">I had a lot of respect for Lagarto following the article I read about him in jiujitsu style magazine. I met him briefly on the Saturday (whilst talking to Vinny) and had to fight his case to the event staff that he was in fact a current fighter, and just hadn't been given a new blue wrist band. On Sunday I saw him again and asked for his autograph in my programme; he duely obliged and spent the next five minutes talking to me about how much he liked the layout and production of the programme, and about other BJJ stuff in general. Another really great guy!</span></div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Notable mention - Romulo Barral</span></div><div class="Body1"><span lang="EN-US">As I took up a new seat with an improved view of mat 1, I looked at the person sitting one row in front of me. I felt like I knew his face from somewhere, but couldn't put my finger on it so just assumed he had 'one of those faces'. I spent the next while talking to him and discussing the match. It wasn't until that evening I realised it was Romulo Barral - acting like just another enthusiastic fan.</span><br />
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This was one of my favourite things about the whole event - the effort made by the competitors. If that had been footballers, they wouldn't have been anywhere near the fans.<br />
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And so concludes my review of ADCC. I know not everyone will agree with my choices, or even my categories, but that's how I saw the event. It truly was one of the greatest weekends I've ever experienced. I've tried to be conscious of not picking my own preferred athletes too often, and I think I've succeeded. I hope you got some enjoyment from reading, and please leave any comments, suggestions or anyone/ anything you think I've left out, here or on the Facebook page</div><div class="Body1"><br />
</div><div class="Body1">Special thanks go out to <a href="http://www.facebook.com/mantofight">Manto</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Meerkatsu">Meerkatsu</a> for the use of their photos. </div>TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-42739452302492636572011-09-09T10:38:00.000-07:002011-09-09T10:38:00.721-07:00Vinny Magalhaes Composition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWMka2TJ8mrtFcH_CmWEEcpaw0Iu7Sr2nJzjds1pHqz6cFhvnfxc0LGG3sPHwGf4UB72asc2i9Ct9yahb28xjZ8RkxAk-CN2rRlsYvhHfw8Do-BWcc7ypsMxJpSese72qIjv-pxG8eOsn/s1600/Vinny+composition+FB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWMka2TJ8mrtFcH_CmWEEcpaw0Iu7Sr2nJzjds1pHqz6cFhvnfxc0LGG3sPHwGf4UB72asc2i9Ct9yahb28xjZ8RkxAk-CN2rRlsYvhHfw8Do-BWcc7ypsMxJpSese72qIjv-pxG8eOsn/s320/Vinny+composition+FB.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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A composition I put together on photoshop of one of my grappling and MMA heroes - Vinny Magalhaes. I'm fairly happy with it as it's the first composition I've put together; might do a few more in future as I really enjoyed making it!TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-54529906160535934232011-08-24T12:59:00.000-07:002011-08-24T12:59:15.174-07:00Highs and LowsI think I've been putting this post off for a week or two due to the fact that it's utterly depressing...I injured my arm and won't be able to compete.<br />
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I figured that I would leave it a bit closer to the time to decide, and on Monday night I finally decided... that I couldn't compete. Two weeks ago at training I was practicing a throw with my partner but lost my balance and fell into it. Just as my full weight landed on my extended arm, my training partner landed on the back of my elbow, and the pain was excruciating - there was a loud click and I wholly believed that my arm was broken for a second or two after it happened.<br />
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The following morning I discovered that I had sprained my wrist, hyper-extended my elbow, and pulled my bicep - but thankfully nothing more serious. The initial recovery was extremely quick, and barring some sensitivity from the tendon on the inside of my elbow I <i>thought</i> that it wasn't too bad...until I was doing some light rolling. I had my elbow well strapped, and got caught in an armbar...well...with zero pressure applied to the elbow (only having my arm in the armbar position) I had to rapidly tap out from the pain. But it got worse...<br />
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I was helping my dad do some gardening the following weekend, namely digging up old rose bushes. The roots of the bushes were badly tangled and so I was splitting them with a spade. I came to one with particularly thick roots and drove the spade into them at full force. Unfortunately I hadn't noticed the lump of solid concrete directly underneath. I got a shot of numb pain from the palm of my hand right up my forearm. For a few days after I could barely open my hand, and by the Sunday I couldn't muster enough force to snap a Kit Kat. And so it was with great disappointment that I decided that I couldn't compete - my elbow was still only about 60% and I had virtually no grip strength in my right hand.<br />
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It's not all bad though; I've discovered the awesome benefits of sledge hammer training, have discovered that I can healthily lose 7 lbs in two weeks, and my jujitsu has improved massively. Andre Galvao's <i>Drill to Win</i> lives up to the hype, and Caio Terra's instructional is the best I've ever seen (I'll have a review for you shortly). I do look forward to my first competition, and I'll be keeping my eyes open for them whilst I recover.<br />
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Until next time folks!TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-10699301274361706982011-08-16T15:16:00.000-07:002011-08-16T15:16:25.133-07:00Tatami Fightwear Estilo 2.0 Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTG-sYZAEww_g8-08zNYzyTqfmTW8U1YwgIFDRtZp7RnxXzXu5n3VxSaScFk_REoDREkh2gwdYtuz-jnY1LLsmsb4vk7AKMyaEVXfQj1K4lx35yqpiCfEJHJabEjyMI5usNKZT9rGXdX-b/s1600/Est+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTG-sYZAEww_g8-08zNYzyTqfmTW8U1YwgIFDRtZp7RnxXzXu5n3VxSaScFk_REoDREkh2gwdYtuz-jnY1LLsmsb4vk7AKMyaEVXfQj1K4lx35yqpiCfEJHJabEjyMI5usNKZT9rGXdX-b/s320/Est+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
According to the Tatami website, the Estilo is a gi "that is built to the highest quality and craftsmanship but also with cutting edge style and detailing"...and they've got it spot on!<br />
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The first thing that I noticed about the Estilo is that it looks <i>very</i> nice. I'm a huge fan of contrast stitching; I think it just looks cool. Also, my favourite colour combination is black, red and white - it's no surprise then that I adore the style of the Black Estilo gi, with its red contrast stitching.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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<u><b>Size</b></u><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-_YcR5lKIUpB77W_ilvKXis-CceIto4MempfryU9SXDZAu7GHSKH9zoVTZckU8OryRvMxNzYXHzlsw-MRJaA6lVV9Ky22283iFOFe-n2KBsPF1IGG8x3PYk2y_TmVhW2aE03YQe0OPTc/s1600/Est+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu-_YcR5lKIUpB77W_ilvKXis-CceIto4MempfryU9SXDZAu7GHSKH9zoVTZckU8OryRvMxNzYXHzlsw-MRJaA6lVV9Ky22283iFOFe-n2KBsPF1IGG8x3PYk2y_TmVhW2aE03YQe0OPTc/s320/Est+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>If I had to use a phrase to describe how the Estilo fits me it would be 'like a glove'. I'm six foot and 195lb so opted for the A3 gi as per the suggestions on the website and the fit is perfect, so I would advise others to follow the size guidelines also. As the gi was already a fairly good fit, I didn't feel the need to try and shrink it, so took measurements of it, then gave it two washes at 30C (manufacturers guidelines) and got the following results.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AbyPTVOJJ5nTSTce-GL4RsOaNoPtBFU8D2mu_P6XUONFOIYyxRX3Nc-mnsAjgxrP1QZwrr0zi8ZdK9Z4Bvjvr75iOcmqBWE2bg3B_jSFTFmRL2mX4LD9WRxuBEw-M-7wZyZBZSrPrUUg/s1600/Est+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0AbyPTVOJJ5nTSTce-GL4RsOaNoPtBFU8D2mu_P6XUONFOIYyxRX3Nc-mnsAjgxrP1QZwrr0zi8ZdK9Z4Bvjvr75iOcmqBWE2bg3B_jSFTFmRL2mX4LD9WRxuBEw-M-7wZyZBZSrPrUUg/s320/Est+11.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>Pre Wash/ Post wash (inches)<br />
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Jacket:<br />
Wingspan 68.5/ 67.5<br />
Cuff Width 7/ 7<br />
Length 32.5/ 32.5<br />
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Trousers:<br />
Outer Leg Seam to Crotch 16/ 15<br />
Cuff Width 9.5/ 9<br />
Total Length 40/ 39<br />
Inner Leg 30.5/ 30<br />
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As you can see, shrinkage was minimal with the main areas being the sleeve length and leg length. In terms of weight, the gi is roughly 2kg - so not extremely heavy, but enough that you'll start to feel the heat by the end of a long session (though this is probably to be expected when dealing with such a high quality gi, of such fine construction)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSnqgvjqNDyCmGsdCvs6savH0pcRbSIpJlgp9A9zOIsKJ8yHQbG1qdQcIg9EUECzocnALNqIstY0AqRVIMFjhR-rU8zniWdY5hvAI74CbvJJCrZwCggJtEhqFEivxqMpfIHgiaDaPuUF8/s1600/Est+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSnqgvjqNDyCmGsdCvs6savH0pcRbSIpJlgp9A9zOIsKJ8yHQbG1qdQcIg9EUECzocnALNqIstY0AqRVIMFjhR-rU8zniWdY5hvAI74CbvJJCrZwCggJtEhqFEivxqMpfIHgiaDaPuUF8/s320/Est+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkBApDPm5_mKoRUxANs5dVnx6yUlMRGCGaWiOoPI_fYd0c_9WQC0M09QStp8dluW5VDoq45Jxv0GFw5ZZWBDH_J4POreZVMtin5dAqKlnVHb7jqT_b9Unr_RVxzhCrxZRBqfp7A_Ne-cB/s1600/Est+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkBApDPm5_mKoRUxANs5dVnx6yUlMRGCGaWiOoPI_fYd0c_9WQC0M09QStp8dluW5VDoq45Jxv0GFw5ZZWBDH_J4POreZVMtin5dAqKlnVHb7jqT_b9Unr_RVxzhCrxZRBqfp7A_Ne-cB/s320/Est+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRPMj4TZrXYXF54FqT4ScKSc3DZnJ1oJV2FonG6h-MwxKVKxEeCV7B7D4q_V9C9yp-THJkw_sEm0LW5ZnQoAW0qDlMIpqYLYcA9X3uW_6HJmBgzpiZZmgPe9AoAlws02WMw94oInbCLMa/s1600/Est+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRPMj4TZrXYXF54FqT4ScKSc3DZnJ1oJV2FonG6h-MwxKVKxEeCV7B7D4q_V9C9yp-THJkw_sEm0LW5ZnQoAW0qDlMIpqYLYcA9X3uW_6HJmBgzpiZZmgPe9AoAlws02WMw94oInbCLMa/s320/Est+7.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<u><b>Trim, Patches and Details</b></u><br />
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I'll start with the patches - most of the other reviews that I've read have been critical of the patches on the Estilo gi, citing the fact that they're quite large/ busy AND there are quite a few of them...I don't share this criticism; I quite like the fact that they are big, colourful and obvious (but that's probably the showboat in me). At the end of the day, they're no more obtrusive than the patches on, say, a Breakpoint or Gameness gi. Also, they're easily removed with the use of a stitch ripper if that's your preference. Tatami seem to have heeded the criticisms anyway, and have an upcoming 'Estilo Classic' without the questionable patches. The trim details that I'm especially fond of though, are the embroidered Estilo insignias and Tatami logo, along with the Estilo seam tape that appears in several locations. In most cases it appears to serve little functional purpose, but it looks very cool.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7O7kt4dhilcF1-LxnhLd2Dh2x51bH4i7odeKQxeVT1LCP5gf61bLnQcrOtlhP-hQHD35cb5B-5EKMEnyEIX_u59bZJbZRHyUCPjgGxqTlSP-rMrrTVdlYoFG76VtwA0tHgQsf1Pa9d6P_/s1600/Est+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7O7kt4dhilcF1-LxnhLd2Dh2x51bH4i7odeKQxeVT1LCP5gf61bLnQcrOtlhP-hQHD35cb5B-5EKMEnyEIX_u59bZJbZRHyUCPjgGxqTlSP-rMrrTVdlYoFG76VtwA0tHgQsf1Pa9d6P_/s320/Est+9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<u><b>Jacket</b></u><br />
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My first impressions of the Jacket as I removed it from the packaging were that the pearl weave was quite rough, and would probably be quite unpleasant against my (fairly sensitive) skin, also, that the thick collar would be brutal on my neck - choking me before my opponents got the chance...I was massively incorrect on both counts. The weave of the gi is surprisingly comfortable, especially after it has heated up a bit (and trust me, it will) - at fear of sounding cliched you don't even notice it when you get going. As for the collar - it is immaculate! As you can see in the photos it is thick, well stitched and durable. I don't imagine it will wear through or rip as you would find on cheaper gi's. Even better though, is the fact that it is so comfortable around your neck, and seems to be quite difficult for opponents to get a good grip on.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGIRmULlcJUoV7spDetKifrB7BOAzVNuPpHruS5pYZKh4D3svVp_pZP-9YkNF7bp8-jlqo4s1LZUXBX5mQOJPGcVA59n1Oh9iZ5mQZXggdaOLbfnLCpX2KNfb2eFk0nUgK15zS_k9PRRR/s1600/Est+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgGIRmULlcJUoV7spDetKifrB7BOAzVNuPpHruS5pYZKh4D3svVp_pZP-9YkNF7bp8-jlqo4s1LZUXBX5mQOJPGcVA59n1Oh9iZ5mQZXggdaOLbfnLCpX2KNfb2eFk0nUgK15zS_k9PRRR/s320/Est+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<u><b>Trousers</b></u><br />
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The canvas cotton of the trousers is remarkably comfortable - feeling light and cool, yet as strong and durable as the jacket. The rope drawstring, that threads through the four belt loops provides a great deal of confidence in that the trousers aren't going anywhere. I would agree with <a href="http://meerkat69.blogspot.com/2011/03/gi-review-tatami-fightwear-estilo-20-in.html">Meerkatsu</a> that they're a little on the long side, but as someone who has six loops on each shoe lace (no I'm not exaggerating...yes I know I'm weird) I can't really complain. I love the little embroidered Estilo insignia on the shin - I think it's a nice touch. The knee reinforcements are comprehensive, as is all the stitching and reinforcements, but more on that later...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QflnX1xya3IQSSzwHzaNwowNKbWnXau0lk0pLqc6D4OPXv3onQkjekUW6QcJ1PTJHMr7dXT-mABPnvamN3nymY5UKCZsOOSx_9lxJYiZTc_t19oCjewzL0IyiJ-4Qb00_CSrttG5jD-w/s1600/Est+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QflnX1xya3IQSSzwHzaNwowNKbWnXau0lk0pLqc6D4OPXv3onQkjekUW6QcJ1PTJHMr7dXT-mABPnvamN3nymY5UKCZsOOSx_9lxJYiZTc_t19oCjewzL0IyiJ-4Qb00_CSrttG5jD-w/s320/Est+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><u><b>Reinforcements</b></u><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAPxwVbLMvCS_W0rVrztrbvVJSfuR3vtAb_YASJYTcgIyUnSw8Bu5KxaacIXx7SqpBG3zuRiAl8PUD0KisnVLMZHleDC36gs0wY5FwGvO4QAcHa3sZBr012B_Qs6G-uBt27GuvZ53cy2r/s1600/Est+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAPxwVbLMvCS_W0rVrztrbvVJSfuR3vtAb_YASJYTcgIyUnSw8Bu5KxaacIXx7SqpBG3zuRiAl8PUD0KisnVLMZHleDC36gs0wY5FwGvO4QAcHa3sZBr012B_Qs6G-uBt27GuvZ53cy2r/s320/Est+4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Well...when I look at the reinforcements on this gi I'm amazed at the attention to detail. The entire gi has been triple stitched, making it quite strong to begin with, but further to this is the fact that every area that could be considered a weak area has been reinforced - the crotch of the trousers, the armpits, the base of the jacket etc. Pleasingly though, these reinforcements haven't compromised comfort.<br />
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<u><b>Conclusion</b></u><br />
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This is an outstanding gi with excellent overall quality, beautiful styling and brilliant attention to detail. It is a top quality gi, and given the quality it is a very reasonable price at £85. I would recommend this gi to everyone and wholeheartedly believe that you won't be disappointed with it.<br />
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I want to say a special thank you to Gareth at <a href="http://tatamifightwear.com/category.php?id_category=23">Tatami Fightwear</a> for sorting me out with this gi.<br />
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Please feel free to post your comments, suggestions and questions either beneath or on the facebook pageTCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-83974657208861322502011-08-09T07:17:00.000-07:002011-08-09T07:17:34.714-07:00The UFC's hot potato<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/titlebelt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" naa="true" src="http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/titlebelt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>30 December 2006 is a significant date for the UFC...it's the last time that there was a consecutive defence of the Light Heavyweight title, by non other than the iceman himself. So nearly five years, and six champions later, the belt has not been defended more than once, and yet we are expected to believe that Jones will change all that...this blogger is not convinced.<br />
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When Rampage dispatched of Liddell, Liddell was rightly feared as one of the most elite strikers the UFC had ever seen with his devastating overhand right dropping opponents left, right and centre. It was expected that if Rampage could outstrike Liddell, what chance did any other contenders have? Well Forrest Griffin answered that question with a series of brutal leg and arm kicks, and took a lop-sided decision over Jackson<br />
<a name='more'></a> to become the new king of one of the most stacked UFC divisions. Could his dogged determination see off all challengers?...No. Rashad shot down that idea as he pummeled Forrest into a state of semi-consciousness. His well rounded skillset was the future of the division. Until of course Machida, the most elusive and unorthodox striker in the history of the UFC stopped Rashad, in a fight that was widely marketed as a battle between two undefeated superstars. Joe Rogan declared that the Machida era had arrived and that it was likely to last for a long time (who can blame him? I think we all believed him to be untouchable). But how wrong he was. In Machida's first defense Shogun pummeled him for five rounds before unfairly falling foul of the judges. But that's okay, because in the rematch he made sure the judges were a non - factor. Again this reign only lasted one fight, with a (in my opinion) terrible looking Shogun turning up to be destroyed by the young phenom Jon Jones...and so the Jackson's MMA soap opera began.<br />
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I won't go into the details of the Jones/ Evans feud as it has been widely documented but to cut a long story short; "we won't fight each other"..."I'm the champion now so I'll fight Rashad if I have to" (in an interview on national television)..."he should've at least warned me that he was gonna say that, now I'll fight him". An injury sustained by Jones 'forced' him to scratch his fight with Evans. Evans was paired with Phil Davis a few weeks later and miraculously Jones was suddenly well enough to be paired with Rampage. In my honest opinion, when Jones was well enough, he should've been paired with Evans again, and Rampage with Davis. It's at this point in the saga that I feel the UFC have tried to protect their new asset (but who can blame them - he's the most marketable fighter since GSP) - they could've easily paired him with the elusive Machida who many believe has the skill set to beat Jones, or have reorganised the Evans - Jones fight; I personally believe, as do many others, that Evans will beat up Jones like a metaphorical big brother does to his younger sibling. But no, alas, they decided to pair him with the fighter who arguably has the skillset least capable of dealing with Jones.<br />
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Anyone who knows me, knows that I hate the hype train surrounding Jon Jones. I don't have anything personal against the guy (how could I? I don't even know him) but I just despise hype trains (this is why I was so glad to see Rick Story lose to a nobody - though the arrogance of his manager definitely plays into my disdain also). The fact that people are already comparing Jones to GSP and Anderson Silva, when in my humble opinion he has beaten a number of journeymen and a horrible looking champ, is a disgrace! - this is nowhere near the achievements and domination exercised by the aforementioned greats.<br />
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As much as it pains me to say, I think that Jones will beat Rampage, provided he can avoid getting tagged with one of Rampage's savage hooks. I just don't think Rampage's defensive wrestling will be good enough, but I sincerely hope I'm wrong. However, even if Jones makes it past Rampage, that's still only one title defence. He'll be unable to dodge Evans after that fight, and a consecutive defence will be a much taller order. I believe that Jones is massively overrated, and that this hot potato will continue to be passed along...<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">image copyright of examiner.com</span>TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-85912419511566897192011-08-05T11:58:00.000-07:002011-08-05T11:58:02.371-07:00Hammer Time!Sorry it's been so long since I posted - I picked up a bug at the start of the week and haven't done much except lie around and recover.<br />
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Weighed myself on Tuesday or Wednesday morning and I've lost another 3-4 lbs, but I don't expect that weight to stay off; I think some of it was lost through illness, so I'd expect it to go back on anyway, that and the fact that it's the first UFC in over a month tomorrow night so I'll be getting domino's and beer in to make a night of it :)<br />
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On the training front I didn't do any at the start of the week (due to the illness) however, something that I've been planning for a while finally came to fruition the other day...<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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On Wednesday I was determined to get out of bed and do something constructive so took my car to get two new tyres (something I've been meaning to do for a few weeks - this isn't something I randomly decided lol) anyway, I bought a sledge hammer about a month or two ago with a view to using it for some fitness, but that was as far as my plans went. When I was getting my new tyres however, I manged to get myself an old lorry tyre for free (for anyone that's interested, your local tyre fitter will be happy to let you take as many tyres as you like for free - it costs them money to recycle them, so you're doing them a favour!)<br />
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Haven't done a huge amount with it as I'm still not 100% but what I have found so far is that it's actually an excellent cardio exercise as well as a strength building one. Afterwards, my whole upper body feels like it's had a good workout - not just my arms. I think I'm already noticing an improvement in my grip strength and forearm definition (but that might just be my imagination). I've also started using my chin up bar again, so that's probably at least partly responsible for my perceived arm improvements.<br />
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So until next time, where I'll hopefully be able to inform you of more progress made through sledge hammer training, this is the closed guard signing off!TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-77886252806536882011-07-30T15:55:00.000-07:002011-07-30T16:11:14.012-07:00The "King" has left the building...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://dailypostal.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/AlistairOvereem.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://dailypostal.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/AlistairOvereem.jpeg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>So, three & a half years and one title defence later, Alistair Overeem's heavyweight Strikeforce reign has come to an end. Granted, the way in which he abdicated his thrown was arguably more eventful than his title reign. Far be it from me, a humble blogger, to disregard what someone has or hasn't achieved in their career, but I shall lay it out as I personally see it.<br />
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Many people have scrutinised the UFC's policy of not allowing their fighters to fight in other organisations, viewing it as Zuffa simply trying to exercise a stranglehold over the sport of mixed martial arts. However, following his success in winning the inaugural Strikeforce heavyweight championship, Overeem went for almost three years before fighting again for the organisation, in the meantime however he fought in a number of different kickboxing matches, but more than this, he fought in a number of mma fights for different organisations also. Now let's put this into perspective - setting aside the politics of Zuffa and her rivals. If the IBF boxing champion decided to carry on without defending his belt for almost three years, all the while he has been trying his hand at mma, and fighting every WBO contender who has challenged him, the boxing community would be in uproar about the legitimacy of his reign, and would demand that he be stripped of his title.<br />
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Something that can't be ignored too was his seeming reluctance to challenge genuine contenders; when the<br />
<a name='more'></a> fans were crying out for him to fight Fedor - the seven year kingpin and talisman of mma, Overeem tactfully sidestepped the challenge. When the fans then proclaimed that he should move to the UFC, he used his kickboxing interests as an excuse, and yet in the kickboxing world he has done his utmost to avoid a rubber match with the devastating Badr Hari. His answer to his critics was to travel to Japan on a quest for cheap belts, defeating the likes of Todd Duffee. In recent weeks he launched a Diaz style marketing campaign that he wanted to try boxing, and against the Klitschko brothers no less - that fight would be disastrous to say the least.<br />
<br />
But one must ask why Strikeforce were seemingly so happy to allow this debacle to continue. Why didn't they demand that he defend his belt or face the prospect of having it stripped from him? To the best of my knowledge Overeem doesn't command the kind of revenues or fan admiration that should allow him to call the shots. What disappointed me most about the saga, and I think many would agree, is that when the heavyweight tournament was announced, Strikeforce were quick to rule out the heavyweight strap as the ultimate prize.<br />
<br />
Some people have speculated as to why Overeem fought so infrequently in Strikeforce with many pointing to the relaxed drug testing in Japan. Personally, I don't want to get involved in speculative mud slinging. I do believe though, that on more than one occasion Overeem shirked the responsibility of any self respecting champion.<br />
<br />
To the best of our knowledge, it was Dana White who demanded that Overeem be cut, and it's easy to see why; booked in for only his third fight for the promotion in as many years (with still no prospect of a title defence until at least this time next year - nearly four years after he won the belt!) he withdrew, not only costing the promotion money and making fools of the promoters, but also leaving the the heavyweight tournament that they had worked so hard to develop, in disarray. Overeem cited an injury(ies) as the reason for his withdrawal, but the type and number of these injuries has changed every time his management have been questioned. However, he agreed to fight for a rival organisation only a few weeks after the Strikeforce event was due to take place. Maybe it was the introduction of fighter insurance, maybe it was an increase in discretionary bonuses, but something made Overeem think that he could push his luck with Zuffa, and it ultimately backfired.<br />
<br />
I for one am delighted by this revelation - Strikeforce will be left with a genuine pecking order in their heavyweight division following the tournament, and will likely now crown a legitimate champion at the end of the tournament. In the meantime Overeem can rule supreme in the MMA minor leagues of Japan, and put all of his effort into dodging Badr Hari...<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Photo Copyright of MMAWeekly</span>TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-35114223551157578612011-07-26T12:37:00.000-07:002011-07-26T12:58:17.181-07:00What-er Weight?!Well, the latest fitness kick has, to the best of my knowledge, lasted longer than any other that I've set upon before! Anyway, I've stuck to the treadmill at the gym and I'm already seeing some improvements - my average speed has increased, and I'm not finding it as hard as I was at first. Not to mention, I forgot to take my inhaler before my workout today and managed over two miles and still didn't feel like I was gonna collapse.<br /><br />But more than this is the weight! There was a time, following a bout of seriousness illness, that I weighed less than eight stone (I was five foot ten inches tall at the time). I slowly built myself back up again in weight to eleven stone, but couldn't put on any more for a couple of years despite my best efforts. I kept trying though as I was determined to get to 12 stone. Eventually I got there, but shortly thereafter I was diagnosed with Asthma, stopped exercising, and the next 1-2 stone seemed to appear overnight...until now!<br /><br />I've noticed massive gains in my fitness since starting Jujitsu - just ask my Sensei; I thought I was going to die during my first few sessions! But despite getting fitter I never really lost any weight (and I was skeptical of my girlfriend lovingly telling me that I was 'toning up' and that I was probably losing fat but gaining muscle). Back to the point; I decided that I was determined shift my belly in the process of preparing for this competition, so along with my regular exercise, I've been drinking one and a half to two litres of water a day. I weighed myself yesterday morning (same time as the previous week) and I've lost THREE OR FOUR POUNDS!!! I know that a lot of people lose large amounts of water weight when they begin on an exercise programme, but I don't think that's the case as I've been making sure to drink plenty of water.<br /><br />I'm still enjoying the exercise, and enjoying the Demian Maia instructionals as much as ever; he makes things that you've never thought of before seem like common sense - and they are oh so effective (reviews to follow...eventually)<br /><br />Until next time...TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-11278138067013187932011-07-24T13:18:00.000-07:002011-07-24T13:37:28.568-07:00New TCG Logo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPRtO_aRoikMk9Hl1vv0H-Q05d6JxZ-zQKJFgTqPbnBLSZC8VsU51gBfrGeyf5FSvBHg1pTe2Sv9b2Y0SDsRwrtbRHdgqH3PiXKN7QdRFqEGrmeUQyl3EP3cyE40h0dJCeTkSwE7E3Ekh/s1600/TCG+Logo+NEW+FB.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 370px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPRtO_aRoikMk9Hl1vv0H-Q05d6JxZ-zQKJFgTqPbnBLSZC8VsU51gBfrGeyf5FSvBHg1pTe2Sv9b2Y0SDsRwrtbRHdgqH3PiXKN7QdRFqEGrmeUQyl3EP3cyE40h0dJCeTkSwE7E3Ekh/s400/TCG+Logo+NEW+FB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633016049480142882" border="0" /></a><br />I've already posted this one on the Facebook page, but thought I'd get it on here too. Like I've said, if all goes to plan I want to start designing T-Shirts etc. and this would be the logo that I'd use. Some of you may have already noticed it being used as the watermark on my photos.<br /><br />I Just need to get a few designs done that I'd be confident that plenty of people would be interested in buying; I know you lot will be queued up to pre-order them :) I'm working on a design at the minute that I'm actually feeling really confident about, and will put it out there to gather public opinion when I get it finished.<br /><br />But back to the logo itself, I think it's a clever mix of the letters T, C and G (for 'the closed guard') and I also tried to come up with three words underneath that begin with said letters, and also epitomise the nature of a martial artist. Hope you all like it! Please feel free to comment in the box underneath, or on the facebook pageTCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-69878603516318218642011-07-21T13:36:00.000-07:002011-07-21T14:05:43.216-07:00Hello elephant, I didn't here you come in...Well...I don't think I've ever been to the gym four days in a row in my life...but I have now! The exercise is going great, and I've not felt this good in a long time. I've stuck with the treadmill and admittedly it's starting to grow on me. I decided to take it a bit easier on the treadmill today and after finishing my run early, decided to do some upper body work with weights, and that's when the elephant in the room caught my eye.<br /><br />As I was preparing to improve my admittedly feeble upper body strength I looked across at the bench press and saw a guy whom I recognised. I've never formally met him, nor do I even know his name, but I have seen him around many times. The last time I saw him was probably 3 - 4 months ago and he looked entirely normal...but now?...he was almost as wide as he was tall. His arms were almost comical proportions relative to his height and covered in stretch marks, not to mention the steroid acne all over his upper back and neck.<br /><br />Now I'm not trying to launch a Caio Terra style rant, but it still takes me by surprise when I see guys up close and personal who've been using it. Granted you regularly see it in the news and sports articles.<br /><br />For me personally, it's an unworthy sacrifice - from what I can gather there are a massive amount of damaging side effects. I'd take my regular, if slightly disappointing physique, any day of the week. What are your thoughts? Comments below or on the Facebook page.<br /><br />In the meantime I'm off to watch Demian Maia's "Science of Jiu Jitsu" - I absolutely love his style and instruction, and will probably get a review done for you all shortly. I did give Drysdale's instructional a go, but as much as I love him as a competitor, his style was just a bad fit for me. Until my next update...TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-5770537256803390782011-07-19T07:02:00.000-07:002011-07-19T07:14:19.147-07:00Hayabusa Mizuchi Rash Guard Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZ8y6I7LGbYvWiFOIwb7HKoTrmOYMUBcMQgIzxlNwxcDiC2HulBdg2mjhUxHjDq_1BN98Mmm-kO7XRvuvLT2X8sp2_g7gE8NxGovhAFaD-usPXUzHlcl9LDOrM-wA2B8XerQVMF3XZlAG/s1600/Mizuchi+1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZ8y6I7LGbYvWiFOIwb7HKoTrmOYMUBcMQgIzxlNwxcDiC2HulBdg2mjhUxHjDq_1BN98Mmm-kO7XRvuvLT2X8sp2_g7gE8NxGovhAFaD-usPXUzHlcl9LDOrM-wA2B8XerQVMF3XZlAG/s400/Mizuchi+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631066175076009762" border="0" /></a><br /><!--[if gte mso 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priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">RRP: £39.99</p><p class="MsoNormal">Admittedly when I first bought this rash guard, it wasn’t because of the advanced sweat wicking technology, the added muscle endurance that you gain from the compression, or the antimicrobial coating that they use on the fibres; I bought it because it looks totally awesome. Luckily, it delivers on all of the sales talk promises too.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The rash guard is 91% polyester and 9% polymeric fibre. In terms of sizing, I scoured the internet looking for a size chart, and even emailed Hayabusa themselves, but to know avail. I took a chance and ordered the large which fits me like a glove (I'm six feet tall with a 43" inch chest - I hope this helps others judge the correct size).<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> The first time that I trained in the rash guard I was astounded by just how cool it kept my body; whilst my face, head and legs were as warm as usual, my torso was surprisingly cool. It was also a great fit; when it came to rolling my opponents found it impossible to gain a grip on it (I also prefer the short sleeved rash guards as having sweaty forearms really helps with slipping submissions onto opponents, and slipping out of their submissions). The rash guard wicks away sweat brilliantly, and I genuinely believe that my body being less sore and stiff than usual, the following day, was a result of the rash guard’s compression technology.</p><p class="MsoNormal">One major complement that I want to pay to Hayabusa is the stitching that they have used on the rash guard. I have fairly sensitive skin, and so I was worried when I saw the amount of seams on the rash guard that were going to be so tight against my skin. However, Hayabusa have done an incredible job at keeping the stitching flat so as to maximise the comfort of their rash guard.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIx5AGoVdlGmoMdbZ_mplLjaAKAGhI2ATYcOsDWZc8tCEFAfaRqYkVSu8s1llA94qkmMj_EnPHb4LVCSh6E9K7ceKsDPkQ40o8zufBzFLYQIbfdjXt6ATfv0N_L0DxXHdtohK4T8x_Fki/s1600/Mizuchi+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIx5AGoVdlGmoMdbZ_mplLjaAKAGhI2ATYcOsDWZc8tCEFAfaRqYkVSu8s1llA94qkmMj_EnPHb4LVCSh6E9K7ceKsDPkQ40o8zufBzFLYQIbfdjXt6ATfv0N_L0DxXHdtohK4T8x_Fki/s400/Mizuchi+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631066309161807042" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> The one criticism that I have of the rash guard is that after a long, hard session it can start to pinch at the armpits a little; caused by the material bunching up a little. However, this is fairly typical of a lot of compression style rash guards.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> All things considered I think this is an excellent purchase. A little pricey, but this is to be expected when buying Hayabusa. The look, feel and performance of this rash guard are all excellent.</p>TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-69176360615404154342011-07-18T16:09:00.001-07:002011-07-18T16:09:09.085-07:00Day 1: I could really use a beer right about now<br />Normally I have jujitsu on a Monday night so I feel like I've actually done some exercise, but there was no class tonight, so I was gonna have to sort out my own exercise. <br /><br />I had book reviews to get done today so I didn't actually get to the gym until roughly 25 minutes before they were due to close. I decided to put in twenty minutes on the treadmill (I detest treadmills!) in which time I managed a ten minute mile which I know isn't great, but I don't think it's terrible either. Normally when I get home from the gym, despite how ridiculous I know it is, I like to have a beer. However, due to the fact that I'm determined to get in shape, and spurred on by this bjj competition, I've decided to cut out the beer. I'm currently about 195lbs heavy (6 foot tall) so I'd say I'm chubby, but not ridiculously fat.<br /><br />Gonna get to working on some technique tomorrow, and maybe a few drills. I'll keep you posted!<br /><br /><br />TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-27655663545498565222011-07-17T07:43:00.001-07:002011-07-17T07:46:44.602-07:00First competition!<br /><br /><center><a href='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/show_photo.php?p=11/07/17/1471.jpg'><img src='http://photo.blogpressapp.com/photos/11/07/17/s_1471.jpg' border='0' width='500' height='106' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />So after a lot of back and forth I think that I've finally decided to go ahead with my first competition. It gives me exactly six weeks to get ready; with the help of GSP's Rushfit, Andre Galvao's drills and Demian Maia's science of jiujitsu. I will keep you all posted about how I'm progressing, and you never know, I may even have some photos of a nice shiny medal to show you by the end of it. At the end of the day, what's the worst that could happen?...<br />TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-18482350111642983242011-06-30T16:11:00.000-07:002011-06-30T16:23:40.671-07:00The TCG Pitbull<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHc-OAvy7vDeg6cjL03LVqoHtdtK3qESrX6w1tmVxpp_LBnhxAbQ3q7uCzrU6U3bmFZtUg8rHIm8RjAX_S3fSdlkgmvVRktqxnH-c80wLMs2FiQHDicHRAEcbAlXfRmkAI-Ugf3uuNCUAl/s1600/TCG+Logo+Front+Composition.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 283px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHc-OAvy7vDeg6cjL03LVqoHtdtK3qESrX6w1tmVxpp_LBnhxAbQ3q7uCzrU6U3bmFZtUg8rHIm8RjAX_S3fSdlkgmvVRktqxnH-c80wLMs2FiQHDicHRAEcbAlXfRmkAI-Ugf3uuNCUAl/s400/TCG+Logo+Front+Composition.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624154984728098258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So here's the first of what I hope will be many pieces of art - I plan on designing logos and T-shirts etc. If all goes to plan I'll be getting some t-shirts designed and made, and will have them available for sale; that's the plan anyway...<br /><br />Decided to give the TCG Pitbull a makeover - I know he's not perfect but I'm really pleased as it was my first attempt at using Illustrator. Many thanks go out to my friends in the art community for their advice during his creation. Let me know what you all think, and if you'd be interested in buying any t-shirts; I have some awesome ideas, just have to try and get them onto paper.TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-14624104320688302292011-06-17T08:02:00.000-07:002011-06-17T08:27:49.272-07:00Andre Galvao's Drill to Win: 12 Months to Better Jiu Jitsu<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvU6vptYeewTfeaMqCxYWj6Wq5Hg8HJxr0N8PAH9qe95ImY6vXY2R8KXuCpeO7yb90xFjgZKfy-ef8UOmt5LGmcCU5jr90A6r6P8eRD-e2OZIP30jkIMJSE6SmxbkAPhbQoA6Qnkc-ljk/s1600/DTW+1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPvU6vptYeewTfeaMqCxYWj6Wq5Hg8HJxr0N8PAH9qe95ImY6vXY2R8KXuCpeO7yb90xFjgZKfy-ef8UOmt5LGmcCU5jr90A6r6P8eRD-e2OZIP30jkIMJSE6SmxbkAPhbQoA6Qnkc-ljk/s320/DTW+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619209860109211634" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal">RRP: £30.00</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Andre Galvao’s grappling credentials are without question, so when you have the opportunity to learn even a small amount of what he has to offer, you should jump at the chance.</p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz3QTbSeXA08q4yrqhcpEbuxBlySm1FdAAzFvQxEdW05-F44L8bc7VrcZVQ7hKjWcqOJcEM6GzjlT2_c3CHtPgYniCcEsFN3E_VJbJFIZQMlnnZXOMyIUuI9DwMEAJPfoOuAnDtDxQVl-y/s1600/DTW+1.jpg"></a><p class="MsoNormal">In ‘Drill to Win’ Galvao sets about giving readers a thorough understanding of the oft overlooked, but massively important, drilling in BJJ. First impressions of the book are that it is big, colourful and well constructed; this will take the abuse of being in and out of the gym bag, to and from class, with relative ease. A quick flick through the book shows that there are a huge amount of techniques, all backed up by beautiful illustrations and accurate instructions.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpbcNb3xbPpxCklgFKs3COTJnm894fklDx-42CGRslvNnbZryWiFueaH1d5a4TZQ29PbomNGd1q50w1n6VXWgh_K3c0vFRV1mWrD41aCekomX29zViNbVgwVP01ghRUnjDDBjWdktZwJA/s1600/DTW+4.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpbcNb3xbPpxCklgFKs3COTJnm894fklDx-42CGRslvNnbZryWiFueaH1d5a4TZQ29PbomNGd1q50w1n6VXWgh_K3c0vFRV1mWrD41aCekomX29zViNbVgwVP01ghRUnjDDBjWdktZwJA/s320/DTW+4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619209871512642562" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">The book itself is very well written; it opens with a miniature, and refreshingly frank biography of Galvao and how he came to be the Jiu Jitsu phenomenon that he is today. It’s reassuring to know that someone who overcame poverty and chronic asthma became the multiple time BJJ world champion, and is now guiding you through your own journey.</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15mNlUMAg5afgAHoy7INqtfg7O9m5JN8_XIJ2Tg-uXcoRYHBuQsBo-NgKdQ02sN50f3cjb42GMLFsgnKpYqqf7q1Qr_AYgmlS-kG5OR6FMKm8rfQgXpWRWqauRKeK0G3IF2Qt20rqfk11/s1600/DTW+3.jpg"></a><p class="MsoNormal">The structure of the book is excellent. It begins with a comprehensive index (an often overlooked, but essential component) before starting into the structured drill program. The program itself is set out in days, weeks and months (as the title suggests, the book is meant to cover you for the next 12 months) with training taking place three to four days per week.</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiVtKPiaTyzna_0vx4IrsHBZMphkyoos_RWH04oK3U0u_UkmtKVA4dL0uszNduXWycoG6Xtwc7KFSnK3hqE5JzAP_YNOfa2F5Qfh-Ga5I3MmCIJjZMRzYjm_AUQ3yCtOWG0TCqLcFremc/s1600/DTW+2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUiVtKPiaTyzna_0vx4IrsHBZMphkyoos_RWH04oK3U0u_UkmtKVA4dL0uszNduXWycoG6Xtwc7KFSnK3hqE5JzAP_YNOfa2F5Qfh-Ga5I3MmCIJjZMRzYjm_AUQ3yCtOWG0TCqLcFremc/s320/DTW+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619209862714999778" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">Galvao is realistic and honest when he informs the reader that the new drilling programme is not going to take the place of their usual routine, but rather, when used to supplement their routine they should see massive gains in their performance. As with all good programmes of this nature it highlights the need for improved diet; Galvao tells us that it is the foundation upon which the rest of his BJJ is formed. The book then sets about a course of effective drills, each chapter building on the skills developed in the last. Users can quite easily pick and choose drills to suit their specific needs, or to create their own circuit. However, to get the most use of the book readers should follow the book from cover to cover, in order.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">In conclusion, the book is excellent and will become a valuable asset to any BJJ practitioner who follows it. The drills in the book are also substantially good for developing general health and fitness, alongside sport specific technique.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15mNlUMAg5afgAHoy7INqtfg7O9m5JN8_XIJ2Tg-uXcoRYHBuQsBo-NgKdQ02sN50f3cjb42GMLFsgnKpYqqf7q1Qr_AYgmlS-kG5OR6FMKm8rfQgXpWRWqauRKeK0G3IF2Qt20rqfk11/s1600/DTW+3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15mNlUMAg5afgAHoy7INqtfg7O9m5JN8_XIJ2Tg-uXcoRYHBuQsBo-NgKdQ02sN50f3cjb42GMLFsgnKpYqqf7q1Qr_AYgmlS-kG5OR6FMKm8rfQgXpWRWqauRKeK0G3IF2Qt20rqfk11/s320/DTW+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5619209869574944018" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">A very special thanks to the folks over at <a href="http://www.victorybelt.com/">Victory Belt Publishing</a> for sending me this copy to review. </p>TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-88086059254304589252011-06-07T09:34:00.000-07:002011-06-07T10:19:03.088-07:00GSP's Rushfit Feature<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6QKhhK1gxLBhK9bk_gbT3EtlJ_-85YOSVIlZ_Shc1-RkG9OWN&t=1"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 202px;" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT6QKhhK1gxLBhK9bk_gbT3EtlJ_-85YOSVIlZ_Shc1-RkG9OWN&t=1" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />As I patiently wait for my copy of <span style="font-style: italic;">Drill to Win </span>by Andre Galvao to arrive, that I will review, I have to think of something interesting to post in the meantime. I have decided that I will follow the GSP Rushfit program and keep you all informed of how I'm getting on, what I think of it etc. Having read some reviews of it there seems to be some pretty positive views of it - granted there is still an (understandably) large amount of sceptics who question the value of a home DVD program; but those who have actually tried the program seem to be impressed by it. I think keeping you all informed of how I'm doing also means that I'm now committed to it and can't just give up as I might have done otherwise! My first impressions of it are that it isn't as cheesy as many of the other home workouts out there, and seeing GSP perform to failure is definitely a reassuring sight that it can't be that bad.<br /><br />That's all for now but I'll be sure to keep you updated<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">image copyright of gsprushfit.com</span>TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6099182340111584810.post-91516119596730712011-06-05T09:50:00.000-07:002011-06-05T13:19:33.604-07:00Bad Boy UFC 128 Shogun Walkout T-Shirt Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMzSQCeat4p4G7-RRu-C5pAYfOU9n5UFa2p-XsT0xl79yvZDGSwDEYOlhzQMKBcdruRdQlWB6sa-fqWpYEvcOpEaHvRNqTkgotgRdCWIsAXV0CEREAfv98XUMkPgOUyHRvBMNq6BiEJoc/s1600/Bad+Boy+2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMzSQCeat4p4G7-RRu-C5pAYfOU9n5UFa2p-XsT0xl79yvZDGSwDEYOlhzQMKBcdruRdQlWB6sa-fqWpYEvcOpEaHvRNqTkgotgRdCWIsAXV0CEREAfv98XUMkPgOUyHRvBMNq6BiEJoc/s320/Bad+Boy+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614826924183882082" /></a><br /><br /><br />RRP: £29.99<br /><br />I came across the Shogun walkout Tee as I had been looking for some new MMA clothing, and it just happened to be during the run up to UFC 128. Generally, most of my MMA shirts are Tapout; I love the designs but am not entirely thrilled on the cut of them - I personally find them to be a little loose or baggy in the wrong places. However, I was looking for something a bit different and came across the Bad Boy shirt.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Material</span><br /><br />When the order arrived I checked the label (an old habit to make sure I've got the right size) and saw that it was only 37% cotton and 63% Polyester - I say <span style="font-style:italic;">only</span> because I'm a 100% cotton man, and knew instantly that this shirt would be massively uncomfortable...or so I thought. I put the T-Shirt on and was massively impressed by how smooth and comfortable it was. I also wore it to an incredibly hot event that night and it kept me surprisingly cool.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ33U_ROR5OGD53r3W7SO5DXv3bRGXEngCL90uWbgaHI-nWLrcKqOdDUorhmF_uqd5a2ko3WYg7D_ScJ_MXfvSKdRMKDHknctzTeZDPo00H9Vyg7MNX9bXB3dkMvhINI7nv_JSPDa7slfM/s1600/Bad+Boy+1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ33U_ROR5OGD53r3W7SO5DXv3bRGXEngCL90uWbgaHI-nWLrcKqOdDUorhmF_uqd5a2ko3WYg7D_ScJ_MXfvSKdRMKDHknctzTeZDPo00H9Vyg7MNX9bXB3dkMvhINI7nv_JSPDa7slfM/s320/Bad+Boy+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614826914726830354" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Style</span><br /><br />The artwork on the shirt is fantastic! The front is typical Bad Boy - a minimalist but eye catching design, and the back is simply brilliant. The design is very busy and has also been made to look distressed. I really like the green & yellow colours that appear on the shirt and I'm also a big fan of the little insignias on the sleeves. My favourite thing about the T-Shirt however is the cut of it - its snug around the arms, shoulders and chest (not too tight) but forgiving around the midriff (perfect for my physique).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Value</span><br /><br />The shirt has been washed several times now and has not lost any of the colour in the design; impressive given that some of the design is black against a white material. The fact that it is printed using dye sublimation also means that the pattern won't crack like cheaper T-Shirts. It also isn't a bad price for an MMA shirt (especially compared to the likes of Affliction)<br /><br />All in all this is a brilliant T-Shirt and I'd definitely buy something from Bad Boy again.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaRy9DcvkprEjLwf1c6h35HQIJf0XBnrd7Pr8hBuniauV3OlawdjKHPejgaloh7hcYQ57oaOhJp5vZA4yZ11q0betUN1Oe_u3Y56XSYWJhNnSw7z2DBxFhrRoOuJJZVS2OffrAsctw095/s1600/Bad+Boy+3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCaRy9DcvkprEjLwf1c6h35HQIJf0XBnrd7Pr8hBuniauV3OlawdjKHPejgaloh7hcYQ57oaOhJp5vZA4yZ11q0betUN1Oe_u3Y56XSYWJhNnSw7z2DBxFhrRoOuJJZVS2OffrAsctw095/s320/Bad+Boy+3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614826931101550338" /></a>TCGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685479410764590404noreply@blogger.com0