legacy magazine

www.LegacyFights.tv Jan-Mar LEGACY - MMA Lifestyle | 3

PublisherMick Maynard

business Managerandrea Maynard

editor in Chief Chris shepperd

design/layoutJustin trapp, fighter Portraits

writers

Mike Calimbaslance edwardsross enamait

barry laminackbrandon nowalk

Chris Zebo

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Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Legacy is not liable for omissions,

misprints to typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the

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LEGACYMMA Lifestyle

Welcome to our first issue of Legacy Magazine, The growth of Mixed Martial Arts over the years has been amazing. Its seldom you get to witness an entire sport grow at the rate MMA has grown while basically influencing an entire culture. Most of you are familiar with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and the influence it has had on MMA not only through sporting events but also through clothing, music, lifestyle and even attitude. What many of you do not realize is that we have our own promotion here in Houston showcasing some of the best fighters not only in Texas but in the entire country. Our goals with Legacy Magazine is to not only introduce you to Houston MMA but to introduce you to the athletes that put it on the line to participate on the

world’s greatest sport. Almost every month in 2011 Legacy Fighting Championships is holding events to showcase both amateur and professional mixed martial artists. Many of these fighters have fought all over the country in major promotions but to the casual fan they are still relatively unknown and we are trying to change that.

January 29th will be our first event of 2011 and it promises to be one of our best yet. Our Legacy Welterweight champion Mike “the Greek” Bronzoulis defends his title against Joe Christopher out of Dallas, Texas in the main event. Very few people can match the intensity, passion and skill of Mike B. and you don’t want to miss this matchup against one of Texas’ elite BJJ blackbelts. Legacy 145lb. champion Daniel Pineda will venture into a new weight division to face former welterweight champ and undefeated Levi Forrest. Fresh off a huge victory over WEC and Dream veteran Todd Moore, Brian Melancon faces another tough test against Derrick Krantz. Fighters of the year John Malbrough and Rey Trujillo, BJJ Blackbelt Jordan Rivas, local striking phenom Angel Huerta and more. Come and see them all before they hit the big show.

Top to bottom promises to be a potential fight of the night, if you haven’t seen a live, local Legacy Fighting Championship do yourself a favor and come check it out on January 29th. Tickets at www.LegacyFights.tv with ten bouts scheduled. if for any reason you leave disappointed please email me through our website or call me at 7137025043, I will always appreciate your feedback and feel confident once you attend our show you will be a convert. It is more than just fights it is truly an event. 170 - Joe Christopher v. Mike Bronzoulis

155 - Levi Forrest v. Daniel Pineda

170 - Derrick Krantz v. Brian Melancon

125 - Karina Halliman v. Jennifer Scott

170 - Ricardo Talavera v. Jeff Rexroad

155 - Justin Reiswerg v. Rey Trujillo

135 - Andy Sandoval v. Angel Huerta

170 - Jordan Rivas v. Justin Murray

170 - Patrick Greene v. John Malbrough

165 - Alex Morono v. David McClung

February 18th is our second show of 2011 at the downtown Houston House of Blues, if you have ever been to a concert at this venue you will know that this will be something special. Tickets are also available at www.LegacyFights.tv and it also promises to be a great night. If you are interested in one of our advertising packages please call at 7137025043. Our packages include print, TV, event advertising, postcards, posters and more.

Thanks for checking out our first issue and don’t forget to check us out online for regular news updates, interviews, pics and more.

Best Wishes,

Mick Maynard, Publisher

LET US KNOWWhat do you think of the mag?

Send us an e-mail to [email protected]

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4 | LEGACY - MMA Lifestyle Jan-Mar www.LegacyFights.tv


BEHINDSCENES

THE

Daniel Pineda is one of the best-known fighters on the Houston Mixed Martial Arts scene. Known for his aggression and faced paced fighting style, Pineda is not an opponent fighters take lightly. In his last fight, Pineda (11-7) captured the 145lb legacy belt from the local fight veteran Rey Trujillo (9-2), handing Trujillo his second career loss. As far as Pineda is concerned, capturing the 145lb belt is only the beginning. Legacy caught up with Daniel Pineda as he was preparing for his January 29th fight

with Levi Forrest from Gracie Barra.

By Lance EdwardsPhotos by Justin Trapp

Legacy: How’s the training going?

Daniel: Very well, you know I really feel my game has become complete, I’m working hard and I’m going to peak the week of my fight. My conditioning is great, I’m faster and stronger than ever before, my timings better, I’m on another level compared to my previous fights.

Legacy: How did you get involved in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts?

Daniel: My brother had been training with Bob Perez, one of the coaches from 4oz Fight Club back in 2000. My brother moved back to Mexico for a while, and after he came back I called Bob to start training, I came along with him; I was a kid with attitude but through training I grew. I wrestled in high school, and actually had a background in that before I started training, and that’s really helped me. Six months after I started training I had my first professional fight, that’s pretty unusual nowadays. In my first two fights I wasn’t very well rounded, at the time I would throw a couple of punches and then use my wrestling to take the fight to the ground, where I’d look to use ground and pound or my submissions; I’ve come a long way since then.

Legacy: You had a rough patch in 2009, how did that affect you?

Daniel: I did have a tough period where I lost four fights in a row. It was a hard time for me, I wasn’t smart, I took fights on short notice and I hadn’t totally developed as a fighter. In each of those fights I was winning and I got caught, that was the frustrating thing, it wasn’t that I was losing the fights. I regard it really as having been a mental thing, rather than a physical deficit, my mind lost focus and I’d get caught. I’ve only gone the distance one time in my career, when I lost to decision, I’m a finisher and people know I come to fight. I’m more focused now, I’ve learnt from my mistakes, and mentally I’m where I should be.What people don’t know is actually how good I am at striking, my striking’s really come on a lot, people are used to seeing me wrestle and ground and pound, but I think people are going to be surprised at just how good my striking has got.

Legacy: It’s tough for fighters to train full time, do you work as well?

Daniel: yes, I have a job in construction. I work in the week, and then go to the gym and train four to five hours a day.


When I fight I am there to do a job. People who fight me know what I can do.

behind theSCENES

Legacy: That must be hard, most people like to come in after work and turn on the television, how do you keep motivated?

Daniel: I learned that from my mother, I come from an old school Mexican family. When I was young my mom raised me and my siblings, she was a single mom. She worked three to five jobs a day to provide for us, we didn’t have a lot of material things but we had a lot of love. From my mom I learnt to work hard to achieve what you want to achieve. I enjoy fighting and I know I’m going to take it all the way. I want to be able to provide for the people in my life, my family, the people who care about me. I cant wait until the day I can buy my mom a car, I talk about it all the time, and it’s going to happen.I’m married and have a wife, Carla, we’ve been married four years, and she’s a great support; my family, friends and fans are amazing, they help me achieve what I achieve.

Legacy: You have a reputation as a formidable fighter, why is that?

Daniel: When I fight I’m there to do a job, people who fight me know what I can do, they know what I’m capable of and they are prepared to test themselves against me. When I step in the cage I’m looking to win, and that’s what I’m aiming to do. Afterwards I’ll happily buy my opponent a beer, and sit down and have a laugh, but in the cage I’m there for one thing, to win.

Legacy: What can fans expect from you?

Daniel: An exciting fight, I’ll win or die trying. Watch out for my strikes, I think people don’t realize how powerful a fighter I am.


By Barry Laminack

#5 Craig Gardner vs Jeff RexroadOne of the more technical fights of 2010, Craig Gardner vs Jeff Rexroad had a little bit of everything; grappling and BJJ, clinch work, stand up and even some drama!

Both fighters were early in their pro careers going into the fight. Gardner was making his pro debut and Rexroad had only 1 fight (he won) as a pro. Both had exceptional amateur careers, and in a nice plot twist, both had met in the cage as amateurs and faught to a draw. Give their previous fight, styels and abilities, most local experts felt this was going to be a very close fight, regardless of who won and as it would turn out, they would be right.

Gardner looked to be in trouble early in the fight as Rexroad came close to submitting Gardner a couple of times. Gardner would survive the first round, regroup and come out and dictate the pace of the fight, controlling the next two rounds and securing the victory.The fight was so good, it would end up winning TheCageDoor.net fight of the night honors.

#4 Jonathon Harris vs JR FullerHow does a fight that only lasts 5 seconds make the cut as one of the five best fights of 2010? Easy, IT ONLY LASTED 5 SECOND. Jonathon Harris was no stranger to quick knockouts, in fact he holds the fastest knock out in Legacy Amateur history at just 3 seconds.

Harris had made it clear several times in his previous fights that he does NOT touch gloves before a fight. Apparently JR Fuller didn’t get the memo, or didn’t care, because as soon as the bell rang and as he approached Harris Fuller put his fist in the air, signaling he wanted to touch gloves (the mma version of a pre fight hand shake).

Video of the fight would show that Harris actually looked to be raising his hand in the air as well, but no sooner had Fuller put his hand in the air did he quickly drop it and in attempt to catch Harris by surprise shoot in for a takedown.

Harris was not surprised. He raised he knee, just it time to catch Fuller in the face, sending him crumbling to the canvas and knocking him out cold. Harris then missed on a follow up uppercut and then

realizing Fuller was out, simply stood up, put his hands in the air and walked away.

It all happened so fast that it took the referee in the fighter longer to step in and stop the fight than it did for the Harris to actually end it. In fact, the fight only lasted all of 2 seconds, the other 3 where spent by the referee stopping the action.

It took the better part of 15 minutes to get Fuller to his feet and out of the cage. Harris would and another W to his already perfect 3-0 record.

#3 “Hurricane” Ike Villanueva vs Artenas “The Machine Gun” YoungAlong with being the third best fight of 2010, the “Hurricane” Ike Villanueva vs Artenas “The Machine Gun” Young fight was no doubt the most anticipated matchup of the year. Both fighters are know for having heavy hands and sharp tongues, and there was plenty of action in and out of the ring. In the week leading up to the fight, both fighters took every opportunity to trash talk the other, be it on the radio or online. During a radio interview earlier in the week, Young had promised “there will be blood” and was all to eager to deliver on that promise.

Once the fight actually happened, it met and exceeded all expectations as it was a slugfest for the better part of three rounds. The game plan for both fighters was pretty simple, to punch more than they got punched. The first round started kind of slow, but that’s too be expected when both fighters are looking for (and trying to avoid) a knock out. Midway through the first round, both fighters would find their range and the round would end with a wild exchange the would get the crowd fully into the fight.

With the feeling out process out of the way, round two would end being a bit more one sided, as Young found his range and a rhthym and began to use a crisp jab to fend off several flurries from Ike. Young also would respond in kind with several flurries of his own, landing hard shot after hard shot, even cutting Ike deeply above the eye just before the bell.

A surprise glove touch by both fighters (an obvious show of respect on both their

parts) would begin round 3. The round started off like gangbusters as the two fighters went back to exchange blows that had nothing but bad intentions (and lots of dislike) behind them. Young was clearly the fresher fighter and was seemingly landing at will at times during the round. The referee (seeing the cut getting bigger and bleeding at a rapid rate) would step in and ask the doctor to look at the cut. The doctor felt like it was too dangerous for Ike to continue and called a stop to the bout, giving Young the TKO win.

Keeping his promise and covered in the blood of his opponent, Young would have his hand raised in victory and see his record improve to 3-1 as a pro.

#2 Rey Trujillo vs Ray BlodgetRey Trujillo is one of Houston’s most exciting fighters. When you buy a ticket to watch a Trujillo fight, you know you are going to get your money’s worth. He also went into the fight as the Legacy FC lightweight champion.

Enter Ray Blodget. Blodget is the latest Houston fighter to get a shot at the big stage (the UFC) as he made it all the way to the final cut of the UFC’s The Ulitmate Fighter show in 2010. This fight had all the makings of a war, and it ended up being just that.

The first round would set the tone for the entire fight. Trujillo would strike first and end up breaking Blodget’s nose early on. Blodget seemed un-phased by the early set back and answered with several knees and some slick takedowns.

Rounds 2 -5 would all be fought in a similar fashion; crisp striking form Trujillo countered by numerous takedowns and submission attempts by Blodget. When all was said and done, Blodget would end up winning the fight and the title, but both fighters would earn the respect of the crowd and the Houston MMA community.

#1 Trujillo vs RiveraStop me if you’ve heard this before; Rey Trujillo is an exciting fighter. He also has a motor that doesn’t quit. So what do you get when you combine his high-energy style of standup with another high-energy go forward style of stand up? You get the best Legacy FC fight of 2010, and many would argue the best MMA fight

in Houston EVER – Rey Trujillo vs Jesus Rivera. Did I mention it was for the then vacant 155lb Legacy FC title?

For 5 rounds, Rey Trujillo and Jesus River went toe to toe. But it wasn’t just some brawling slug fest. Both fighters manages to maintain disciplined and strategic striking, well times take downs and did some really nice technical work in the clinch.

Rounds one and two were filled with spinning back kicks, aggressive take downs, amazing mauy thai plum work and non stop action. Rivera dropped Trujillo via strikes in round three, but Rey quickly recovered and finished the round with a takedown and a flurry of big shots.

The final two rounds, also known as the champion ship rounds, where some of the gutsiest rounds seen in Houston MMA history, let alone 2010. Both fighters had already given what seemed like everything they had in the first three rounds, but some how managed to dig down deep and continue the frenetic pace for two more rounds.

Rey would return the favor in round 4 and hurt Rivera badly, even breaking his nose. It was so bloody, that at one point in the clench Rey’s back was covered in Jesus’s blood. Rivera, ever the warrior didn’t let something like a broken nose stop him, instead he would bounce back in the round, returning fire and rocking Trujillo again.

The fifth and final round saw a good mix of grappling and stand up, and no shortage of hay makers as both fighters didn’t want to leave this one in the hands of the judges. However, just like the previous four rounds, round 5 would be a back and fourth battle that saw both men give and take a fair amount of punishment. When the final bell rang, and the judges handed in their scores, it was Rey Trujillo who would come out on top, but it was the Houston MMA fans that would be declared the winner.

This was one of those fights that no matter what is written, the words just do not do it justice. Both fighters received a standing ovation from the crowd when it was over. You can catch video of the fight on LegacyFights.tv.

Top 5 Legacy Fights of 2010


upcoming events

LEGACY FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS January 29th Legacy Fighting Championship – Houston Arena - CONFIRMED

February 18thLegacy Amateur Combat Series – Houston House of Blues - CONFIRMED

April 9thLegacy Fighting Championships – Houston Arena - CONFIRMED

April 29thLegacy Amateur Combat series – Dallas House of Blues

May 13thLegacy Amateur Combat Series – Houston House of Blues

July 16thLegacy Amateur Combat Series – Houston Arena

List of Rumors for Upcoming MMA Events (pending TDLR approval)

UFC Rumored Schedule

Jan 22, 2011 UFC Fight Night 23: UFC Fight for the Troops 2

Feb 05, 2011UFC 126: Silva vs. Belfort

Feb 27, 2011UFC 127: Penn vs. Fitch

Mar 03, 2011UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann

Mar 19, 2011UFC 128: Shogun vs. Evans

Mar 26, 2011UFC Fight Night 24

Mar 30, 2011“The Ultimate Fighter 13” debut

Apr 30, 2011UFC 129: St-Pierre vs. Shields

Developingcharacterth

e

For people not familiar with the local mixed martial arts scene,

Angel Huerta has a face you might recognize; as well as fighting professionally, Angel is a professional model and karate teacher. It would be easy to be fooled by his good looks, polite manners and charisma and underestimate Huerta, however his athleticism and prowess in the cage are the reason Angel Huerta is one of the rising stars of Houston’s Mixed Martial Arts.

withinBy Lance Edwards

Photos by Justin Trapp


Developingwithin

I teach a lot of kids. One of the great things about teaching kids is to help their character develop.

Legacy: Angel, you’ve had two professional fights so far but didn’t fight as an amateur?

Angel: That’s right, I already had a professional record in kickboxing and had fought in Chuck Norris’ World Combat League, so my first MMA fight was at the professional level. I’m originally from the Houston area, born and raised, although my family moved here from Mexico.

Legacy: In addition to fighting is it true you’re a model?

Angel: Well it’s not my main thing, I’m a little short for the catwalk, but do commercials for a bit of extra money and have done some film work. My main job is teaching karate at my school, Millennium Martial Arts in Pasadena. I teach a lot of kids, and adults as well, and I love it, it’s a lot of fun. One of the great things about teaching kids is to help their character develop. My parents taught me self esteem, confidence and about being a good person and that’s something I’m able to pass on. The school is in Pasadena, and I get to teach people from the same background as me how to be positive and do something positive with their life. The school is a family environment, it’s not like a regular MMA gym, it has a community feel to it, we have Christmas parties, celebrate Thanksgiving together, that kind of thing.

Legacy: You seem quite passionate about the benefits for traditional martial arts.

Angel: I am, coming up doing martial arts has made me a well rounded person, and having the traditional aspects has meant I’ve really benefitted from the discipline, the respect and the work ethic associated with those arts. I try to be respectful; I don’t run around after I fight, that’s what I teach my students and that’s what I try and do myself. I teach that you should be a good sport in winning or in defeat, to me respecting your opponent is important and that’s the example I try and give.

Sights of2010


Sights of2010

Legacy wants to see YOU in 2011

Jordan Garzafrom the sidelines

to the octagon

What do you get when you trade in a set of pom-poms for a set of MMA gloves?

Houston fans will find out on February 18th as high school cheerleader-turned-MMA fighter Jordan Gaza makes her Legacy Amateur Series debut against Kristy Kester. I recently spoke to Jordan to get her thoughts on her upcoming fight and life outside the cage.

By Mike Calimbas


Legacy: Jordan, I read another recent interview about you on TXMMA.com and saw that you’re not only a fighter, but also a cheerleader as well. That’s quite the extremes in terms of activities isn’t it?

Jordan: Yes, I’ve actually been a cheerleader since age three. That’s what I would want to do 24/7 until MMA became the biggest part of my life.

Legacy: Fighting is far from the norm compared to cheerleading. What drew you into MMA?

Jordan: This is pretty funny… When I was in sixth grade I had a little boyfriend who did jiu-jitsu and I would always make fun of him because I thought jiu-jitsu was something like karate. Boy was I wrong. The first class I went to got me hooked! A couple years later my coach (at the time) introduced me to MMA.

Legacy: I heard you’ve been doing BJJ since you were twelve. What are some of your proudest moments grappling? What about the hard times?

Jordan: I’ve had a few moments but I am mostly proud when I beat a person who I have been waiting to beat. I actually was going through a hard time recently. I moved gyms and stopped training with my coach of five years but God must have had a plan for me because I am now training with my new coach, who is awesome and with an amazing team!

Legacy: What goals do you have with your grappling and fighting? What do you think the future holds for women in combat sports here in Texas?

Jordan: I want to be a black belt in jiu-jitsu, I want to make it as far as I can in MMA, and I think that women in combat sports are really going to start growing. I just think that Women’s MMA is so entertaining. Who wouldn’t want to watch it?

Legacy: Your upcoming fight, at the Legacy Amateur Series against Kristy Kester – What do you know about Kristy?

Jordan: Well, I know she’s a race car driver and I know she’s tall.

Legacy: Kristy recently won her debut as well, via TKO in the first round. How are you preparing for her?

Jordan: I am preparing just like I would for any fight I am pushing myself as hard as I can and training harder than ever.

Legacy: How will this fight end? Do you have a prediction?

Jordan: I do not know. Anything can happen but it will for sure end with my hand raised.

Legacy: What do you have to say to your fans out there?

Jordan: I would like to say thank you to everybody who believed in me from the beginning. I won’t let anybody down. This is only the beginning for me.


When most people think of the term ‘Work-Life Balance,’ they don’t factor in getting punched, kicked, slammed, and battered in between diaper changes and long hours at the office. Yet, for professional fighters, this is everyday life. Unless an athlete has chosen to take the risk of trying to operate a full-time fight gym (which is a risk than can take even more time, money, and resources), it is very rare for fighters to make a living derived solely from mixed martial arts. Even at the upper echelons of the sport, fighters like mechanical engineer Shane Carwin often maintain full-time jobs while pursuing their MMA careers in order to maintain income and long-term stability, and we’re talking about a guy who recently fought for the UFC Heavyweight title!

For Legacy’s fighters, the concept of Work-Life Balance is much the same as the rest of us, along with some added challenges. Factoring in responsibilities to family along with the day job, addition to training, and the “fighter lifestyle” becomes much more than what most people think. Revolving a successful mixed martial arts career around work and family takes a unique type of dedication that required 100% commitment. We recently spent some time with one of the competitors on the upcoming Legacy card set for the Arena Theatre to get some insight on what a typical routine for a professional fighter might look like.

Let’s take a look at a typical day in the life of Legacy fighter Ricardo Talavera as he prepares for his upcoming Legacy matchup against Jeff Rexroad on January 29th.

• 5-6 am – Wake up, get the kids out of bed, walk the dogs, get ready for work, and spend quality time with the family.• 7 am – Arrive at work, first early meeting, and then finally have breakfast.• 11:30 am – Lunchtime – Go the gym to train first. Once done, eat a very quick lunch.• 5 pm – Leave the office to go straight home and help with dinner, walk dogs, hang out with wife and kids.• 6:30 pm – Back at the gym training for two-and-a-half hours.• 9 pm – Finally back home. Dinner with wife and quality time watching some very un-macho television shows from the DVR.• 11 pm – Go to bed.• Repeat the cycle for the rest of the week, minus Saturdays spent mostly at the gym and Sundays, which is family day.

Wait, it’s not all about sponsored fight wear, living the high life, and partying Las Vegas-style? The schedule above doesn’t look like it leaves plenty of room for free time. The real fighter’s lifestyle seems like a constant juggling act of priorities for guys like Shane Carwin and Ricardo Talavera alike.

I asked Ricardo how challenging this balancing act is and how he manages the balancing act.

“I get stressed sometimes because I feel like I am not able to devote myself and put the necessary amount of time to each one of these things. When I am at work I think of fighting, when I am training I think of my family, when I am with the family I think of work. It is a cluster... I have to keep a routine everyday and put it on paper. Of course, my family always has #1 priority. That been said, I make every second that I have with them count, and I’ve to do the same thing at the gym and in the office. In all honestly, sometimes, I ask myself sometimes why I am doing this (fighting). I am not making a career out of this nor do I need the money but the itch for competition and passion for the game keep me going. I can’t stay away.”

Continuing on with Talavera, 2-0 professional fighter also works as a Sr. Drilling and Operations Analyst in a bustling oil industry, a position that recently relocated him and his family from their warm home in Houston to the cold steel city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Living out of a small apartment while waiting to buy a new home, the Talavera family has been challenged with the burden of relocating very quickly around the holidays all while Ricardo prepares for his upcoming Legacy fight.

With a high-energy, stubborn, and very independent two-and-a-half year old in addition to an always-smiling one-year-old who loves to copy his older brother to keep them busy, the young couple has certainly had their hands full in these last few months.

As if that’s not enough, Ricardo and his wife Liz recently found out they have a third on the way while spending the holidays here in Houston!

Life keeps going indeed. I asked Ricardo what it was like, preparing for his upcoming

fight here in Houston with a pregnant wife and family at home in their new city.

“It is pretty challenging.” Ricardo says. “My last fight, my wife was 8-months pregnant with my son Bobby. For me, having to share the stress of pregnancy while training for the fight was hard. Especially while having another toddler to deal with. Fortunately then, I was still living in Houston and in the same neighborhood as my mother-in-law. That was very helpful. Now, being in Pittsburgh and being very new to the area will definitely make preparing for this fight very difficult. Thank god, my wife is very supportive. We’ll see what happens.”

According to Talavera, the main thing fighters should focus on is feeling good about every aspect of their lives. Whether its professional life (in the office), spending enough time at home, or putting in enough blood, sweat, and tears at the gym, it is tough going, the whole ‘work-life balancing act while getting punched, kicked, slammed, and battered’ thing.

“But life will never stop moving, and we have to do as much as we can with the time we have to spend on this earth. It can be hard not to feel guilty about devoting all your time in each area,” Ricardo says. “After all, each of these is a big part of your life.” How he manages? “Just take a deep breath and go one step at a time. Have a plan and take things as they come. That way, you don’t feel like losing control.”

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Finding the Balancebetween work and life

By Mike Calimbas


no color

By Mike Calimbas

When it comes to popular games, Call of Duty: Black Ops is quickly rising the ranks to the top. It has already hit over $1 billion in sales since its Nov. 9 release, outpac-ing its predecessor CoD: Modern Warfare 2, the second best-selling video game of all-time in the United States.

As a first-person shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops took much of what Modern Warfare 2 did well and expanded upon it without changing what made it work in the first place. Beautifully rendered audio-visually, this release features a storyline which may be considered the best in the CoD series, along with other new additions to keep fans interested such as: new in-depth maps; additional weaponry, perks, and killstreaks; and an innovative point-money system designed to keep online users fully engaged.

Campaign Mode

The storyline in Black Ops centers on the clandestine aspects of covert operations. You play the role of CIA operative Alex Mason, whose flashbacks takes gameplay through cold war missions in hotspot locations like Vietnam, Russia, and Cuba. As plots go, Black Ops is classic CoD warfare with AI companions – really less black ops and more of the usual full-on gun battles. Compared to its gaming competitor Medal of Honor, Black Ops doesn’t offer up as much realism yet more in the way of thrills and trigger-pulling action.

Multiplayer Mode

Online-play in Black Ops is standard CoD all the way with match-types including Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Capture the Flag, along with several new addi-tions. The main difference in this incarnation of multiplayer mode is a new money system called CoD points in which players use earned points to buy new perks, equipment, weapons, and attachments to customize their on-screen persona. Con-tract incentives based on performance also add to the system. Basically, the better you do in-game, the more fresh gear you can buy.

Tips & Tricks

• According to my sources, Black Ops’ First Map Pack is coming in February! The pack, labeled ‘First Strike’ will be initially released on Xbox Live on Feb-ruary 1st per Microsoft and Activision’s Exclusivity contract!

• Attain the Hardline Pro perk quickly for more firepower. It can turn normal 4, 5, 6 killstreaks needed for upgrade into 3, 4, and 5!

• Use CoD points wisely! Never purchase contracts unless you are going to actively chase them!


#1 Mike Bronzoulis vs Joe ChristopherMike Bronzoulis waste no time in defending his newly acquired Legacy FC Welterweight title against a seasoned vet in Joe Christopher. At 11-5 (including going 1-1 with Bellator) Christopher will be a stiff test for Bronzoulis, especially his ground game; after all, his name is Joe “Jitsu” Christopher. Something tells me Bronzoulis will be ready, as he’s used to facing high level competition including the likes of WEC/UFC fighter Kamal Shalorus and T.U.F. fighter Cleaburn Walker.

#1 (at 145) Daniel Pineda vs #2 (at 170) Levi ForrestLevi Forrest relinquished his Legacy FC welterweight title with plans to drop to 155. According to his camp, the move down gives Levi a better shot at possibly seeing action with a national promotion in the future. Pineda, Legacy’s 145lb titleholder, moves up in weight to fight Forrest as he continues his quest to hold both the LFC 145lb and 155lb titles. The move up isn’t anything new to Pineda, who has fought guys as heavy as 170lbs before. Don’t expect this one to stay standing very long. Pineda does his best work on the ground (just ask Rey Trujillo) but so does Forrest. Will Pineda’s wrestling outshine Forrest’s BJJ?

Brian Melancon vs Derrick KrantzAfter not being able to make weight in his last fight at 155, Melancon decided to move up to 170 where the cut would be much easier for him. He was considered one of the strongest 155’ers in Texas, but the former power lifter will still be a test for the 170lb division here in Houston and in Texas.

At 10-3-0, Krantz has a ton of experience and has fought top names like Todd Moore, Rich Clementi and Rocky Long. Against a common opponent in WEC/Dream vet Todd Moore, Krants lost via TKO in the third round while Melancon needed just 1 minute to finish Moore via TKO. Look for Krantz to try and get this one to the ground early and wisely avoid Melancon’s powerful strikes.

Jennifer Scott vs Karina HallimanJennifer Scott has had terrible luck. Over the past year she’s seen every fight she has had scheduled here in Houston fall through. Will this time be for real? She’ll be squaring off against a very tough Karina Halliman, who will be making the trip from the world famous Jackson’s MMA in New Mexico. Scott is a devastating striker with KO power, but how will she do on the ground?

#8 Jordan Rivas vs #7 Justin MurrayLike a little MMA with your BJJ? Jordan Rivas vs Justin Murray is the fight for you. Rivas is a black belt and a submission specialist who will face his toughest test to date in Murray. Murray is a whiz on the ground who is starting to turn a few heads around town. Murray rattled off a couple of impressive wins in Q4 of 2010 and leapfrogged Rivas in TheCageDoor.net Houston MMA 4th quarter rankings. Don’t expect much striking, unless it’s done to set up a take down.

Patrick Green vs #10 John MalbroughAt this point, I think it’s time to stop saying John Malbrough gets better every time he fights and to start saying John Malbrough is a really good fighter. Despite an impressive

amateur resume, he still seems to fly below everyone’s radar. I think 2011 could be a break out year for him. Despite going 2-1 as an amateur, Patrick Green picked a tough opponent to make his pro debut against. Malbrough is a cool customer in the ring; if he’s not going to panic with John Thibault in mount on him, he’s probably not going to panic at all.

#5 Ricardo Talavera vs Jeff RexroadDespite moving out of state (to Pennsylvania) Ricardo Talavera is still a HOUSTON fighter! He makes his return to the cage against the highly regarded Jeff Rexroad. Some folks are of the opinion this is going to be a brawl, but I think this is going to be a ground fight. Rexroad got to flash some of his ground game in his loss to Craig Gardner back in May and looked really good, but he’ll need his full repertoire to hang with the slick ground game of Talavera.

Marc Garcia vs Alex MoronoMarc Garcia earned a lot of respect when he fought John Malbrough at the November Legacy FC on just 24 hours notice. He more than held his own against the Malbrough man, though he lost via unanimous decision. It doesn’t get any easier for the Iron Dragon fighter as he’s set to square off with the man known as “Baby Brock Lesner”, Alex Morono. Morono has a devastating left hook and ground game that ranks high among his weight class. Look for him to test Garcia on the ground in this one. Morono made his pro debut in December, and needed just 24 seconds to win the fight, breaking his opponents arm in two places along the way.

#3 Angel Huerta vs #6 Nate GarzaAngel Huerta’s stock is on the rise. He went into his fight with Akira Smith as a hot prospect, and came out a serious threat. Now 2-0 he sets his sights on the always-tough Nate Garza. Garza just dropped a tough one against Gerzan Chaw, but looks to bounce back in a big way. Both fighters want to bang. Huerta is lighting quick and devastatingly accurate. Garza is a slugger with one-punch KO powers and an iron chin.

#9 Jonathan Harris vs #3 Alex CisneJonathan Harris looks to bounce back after losing to Mike Bronzoulis at Legacy FC 3 In November, but as far as “bounce back” fights go, this should prove to be a tough one. Alex Cisne put Houston on notice that he would be a major player in the 170lb division as he needed only 6 well timed and well placed leg kicks and some hammer fist to secure the WGC 170lb at WGC 2. Look for Cisne to dish out a steady diet of leg kicks to Harris, who will no doubt be looking for to add to his list of highlight reel KO’s.

Justin Reiswerg vs Kenny BurkeReiswerg has phenominal hands. Back in the cage after a long year and a half lay off, expect him to force Burke to beat him standing up. Burke is 0-3 but his one of those fighters who skill set doesn’t match his record. He’s strong, tough and durable, but is prone to making that one mistake that ends up costing him the fight. If Burke can get this one to the ground early and avoid the big mistake, he could finally get into the win column. As for Reiswerg, whatch out for his 1-3 combo; I hear it is electric.

Legacy kicks of 2010 with a bang. To say the first card of the year is packed with some of Houston’s best fighters would be an understatement. Over half of the fighters are ranked in

the top 10 in their weight class and the matchups and feature some of Houston and Texas’ top talent. Legacy is known for top notch production but also outstanding matchups that produce exciting fights. This card will be no different and will no doubt raise the bar for Houston MMA

fight cards in 2011. Below is a preview of the matchups for the January 29 card.

January 29th Fight Card: Fight by Fight Preview- By Barry Laminack (thecagedoor.net) -


MINUTESWITH5

Rod RyanHi Rod. Thanks for doing the interview. Before we get to the fight questions, I want to give the fans a little insight on Rod Ryan, the person. What’s it like living the life of one Houston’s most notable public voices? I started my career back in 1996 in Buffalo, NY, which is a long way from here. I was full-time on-air in Buffalo, then New Orleans, and I just hit my seventh anniversary doing mornings here in Houston. When it comes to this job I tell people all the time, we make jokes around here but I am truly blessed to have this job. There’s more to it than most people think but it really is the greatest job in the world. Getting up earl… not so much, but going on the air and doing the show is a dream come true. I don’t know of any other person than can get in their car and drive to work this early that love doing what they do as much as I do.

As of 2010 your show has the distinction of being the most-listened-to morning radio show in Houston. Why do you think the show has become such a hit with listeners here in town?I think the biggest reason we are as successful as we are is because we’re just real people. I’m probably out and about in this city more than any other radio personality. We’re real, not fake or phony, when we’re on the radio. Nobody on the show is ever forced to do, say, or think a certain way. Everyone is at liberty to express themselves in the way they really would. The average listener appreciates that, I think. I don’t come from a line of broadcast people or celebrities. I come from factory workers up north so I believe people appreciate the hard work we put into the show. Right now, it’s 1pm in the afternoon. I don’t know any other morning show people that stay this late and we’ll be here another hour. That (hard work) comes across well to your every day person.

Now I hear you’re a huge fan of MMA. How did you get into the sport?Believe it or not, I went to UFC 27 back in 2000 at UNL in New Orleans, LA. I went with a Saints player at the time. I couldn’t you who was fighting but I enjoyed the action. Now I’ve been a big fan mostly in the past five years of so. ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ did a really good job of getting people like me interested. There’s more exposure for MMA now like the old fights they put out on SPIKE. Those are doing a really good job of getting people like me, friends of mine, everyone, caught up. Now I’m sucked into it and it’s a monthly ritual getting a PPV at the house.

What are some of the most memorable moments you remember as an MMA fan?I’d definitely say going to the first one, UFC 27. Also, I did go to UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort in Dallas and that was a great event. They weren’t the best fights but to see it live was great. Also I had the opportunity to party with Mike Swick and Josh Koscheck afterward and that was fun. Other than that, I’ve got to say watching UFC 100, with the Brock Lesnar fight… It was everything it was supposed to be, kind of like a Wrestlemania. The way they packaged it up, it had so much hype around it. That was one where not only UFC fans, but your normal average person was into it and talking about it.

Do you try to make it out to live MMA events often here in Houston? I’ve checked out a couple. It’s pretty awesome to see some of the younger guys in the cage. I’m sure they’ve got day jobs yet they’re still putting in hours in the gym. That means they must be working twice as hard and you can really appreciate that. These up-and-comers are exciting!

How would you compare watching MMA on television versus watching live at events like the Legacy Fighting Championship?The atmosphere is completely different. I tell you, the vantage points may be better on television but the feeling of being in the room, seeing the fighters walk in, hearing the crowd… If you think you like watching it on TV, you should go see some of these local guys. You don’t have to know their names to appreciate how much time these guys put in to put on the shows they put on. You can’t get that by watching it on TV as opposed to watching these fights live.

From your perspective, what qualities do you think it takes for a person to become an elite-level MMA fighter? It takes the discipline of getting after it and training hard every single day. What they do in the gym, people don’t realize how much that takes out of you. From the shape they have to be in, the endurance, the physicality of it… What these guys do is unbelievable. Think about how much time they dedicate, especially these local guys. To have day jobs and then hit the gym that hard, you’ve got to be pretty disciplined to pull that off.

Do you have any favorite fighters you enjoy watching, either here in Houston or nationally?All-time, I’d have to say Randy Couture. I’m a huge GSP fan and I love Brock Lesnar. Locally, Jason David Frank, we’ve become pretty tight so I always go to his fights. And also Andrew “The Punisher” Musquiz. I’m a big fan of his locally so I hope to see him go nationwide.

We’ve got a bunch of extremely solid MMA/BJJ gyms here in Houston. Have you or would you ever consider training in mixed martial arts yourself?You know, I wouldn’t mind going through some of the workouts but would I ever get in the right and fight? Hell no! Jason David Frank has offered for me to come in to his gym. I keep putting it off but I plan on doing it. It’s an amazing workout with the physicality of it - boxing, wrestling, and all these different disciplines. People don’t realize these guys are elite-level athletes, even more so than a lot of different sports. I see a lot of gyms from the NFL, etc. starting to incorporate MMA in their training. Not necessarily for fights but they realize what these MMA guys are doing and they’re starting emulate their training techniques because it’s so amazing.

What do you hope to see as the future of MMA both here in Houston and the world?

I’d certainly like to see the sport continuing to grow and I don’t see that slowing down anytime soon. I definitely think the UFC needs to cultivate more superstars, go out and find more big men. The light-heavyweight division has been their moneymaker for a long time now but we need a couple more Brock Lesnar’s, I think. On the local level, I’d like to see more people come out to the fights. A lot of people could be made fans by seeing these fights live. Mike Swick, he’s kind of known as one of the main fighters whose made it out of Houston to fight nationally. I’d like to see more fighters come out of Houston and we have enough talented guys around here that somebody could break out to become a superstar.

Last thing - I know we’ve got a lot of mutual fans that love watching MMA live and also listen to the Rod Ryan Show. Do you have any last words for those fans?Well, we certainly appreciate all the love. We do have a lot of listeners that are MMA fans and you know, sometimes we like to approach the show like an MMA fight. We like to keep the pace and energy up like they do in the cage and the listeners are appreciative of that. The fact that we have a lot of MMA fans listening to the show is great. My last word to them would be to get out there to Legacy and enjoy some of these local fights. You’d be surprised.


Coming up at the Legacy Amateur Series is a wom-

en’s MMA bout featuring Col-lege Station’s Kristy Kester go-ing up against Jordan Gaza. As a former professional race car driver turned MMA fighter, Kristy is quite the competitor both in and out of the cage. A Texas A&M pre-med stu-dent, she also has aspirations to reach the goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon all still while trying to figure out who she really is.

I recently spoke to Kristy. Her next fight is at the Legacy Am-ateur Series this coming Feb-ruary.

Legacy: Hi Kristy. Congrats on winning your debut fight by TKO! Did that fight go as planned?

KK: Thank you. Well a TKO is what I wanted, so I would say it went as planned! After land-ing a straight right she decided she wanted to go to the ground, so to the ground we went. I had an armbar locked in 18 seconds into the fight. However, I told my coaches I didn’t want to end it with an armbar, so I gave it up to mount her, take her back, and mount again to work some GNP until the ref finally called it a 1:45 in the first round. So yes, I don’t think I could have planned it any better.

Legacy: I see you’re part of Team Bailout in College Station. How long have you been training?

KK: You would be correct; I am a proud member of the Team Bailout family. The name comes from my sponsor Robert Ol-sen’s Brazos Valley Bailbond company. Rob-by has been with my coach Bobby Powers from the beginning and took me on before my first fight. He is a great guy who does a lot for me and he actually trains along side of us in College Station. I have been train-ing a little over a year now in both Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu with Bobby and I have been traveling to IVoz every week for about 7 months working with Bob and Jeremy. So I have been very lucky in my training to come

across such great people who really have my best interest at heart.

Legacy: What’s it like balancing fighting along with college life?

KK: Well, I am a BioMedical Science major at Texas A&M (pre-med), so between that and fighting I really don’t have time for anything else. My days usually consist of waking up at 5am to go biking or lifting weights, then class all day, then the library to study then straight to the gym every night to for a cou-ple of hours, then back to the library to study some more. And on top of all that I work on the Ambulance in Robertson County.

Legacy: Share a little more about Kristy Kes-ter, the person. Who are you?

KK: When I figure that out I will let you know. I guess I am just your everyday girl who happens to be a major adrenaline junky and also extremely competitive. I want to be an orthopedic surgeon, if that says anything about who I am.

Legacy: Your next fight at Legacy is with Jordan Gaza. What do you know about her?

KK: Cheerleader! HAHA… nah, I know she is 5’2”, known for her ground, southpaw, and she is stepping into the cage with me. So it will be good. Luckily my last girl was a south-paw, so it is all I have practiced for months now. Also I think she calls herself “MMA Bar-bie”? If I remember correctly all my Barbies ended up with their heads torn off in the toilet from my older brother. Only kidding! I have the utmost respect for her and I am really excited.

Legacy: Jordan has a strong reputation around the scene for her grappling acumen. Are you doing anything special to prepare for her on the mat, or keep the fight off it?

KK: The question actually sort of offends me. I understand she is known for her ground. However, I am a busy college kid who doesn’t have the time to make all the jits tournaments, so I haven’t been able to make a name for myself like she has. That being said I LOVE the ground. Most would say it is my strong point. I have also grap-pled some of the girls that have gone up against her and beat her in competition. So I am not worried about the ground at all. I am bigger, stronger than her, and just as quick. So, if she wants to go to the ground, bring it. I thrive for a challenge and what better way to “show your skill” than to go against someone who is known for it. How-ever, I love to stand up and work my IVoz Muay Thai that Bob and Jeremy have drilled

I have been training, preparing and pushing myself as hard as my body will let me.

A fascinating article came out in Dr. Mer-cola’s Health Newsletter praising the work of Karen Hanrahan, a Nutritionist that has kept a McDonald’s hamburger since 1996. Yes! 1996. For over 14 years and the hamburger still looks the same!!

Many of you may be asking, “How can that be possible?” The plain and simple answer is that fast food is not real food, it’s dead food. Besides being processed to the point of non-recognition, the hamburger meat, the bread, and the potatoes have a whole slew of arti-ficial flavors, colors, preservatives, and fillers that are designed to make it taste alive and quite tasty. And Americans love the stuff as 25% of us consume fast food every day. Wow, what a heavy load for the liver to process.

I remember the days before I knew any bet-ter I would swing into McDonald’s and with-out blinking an eye order a Big Mac, Large Fry, and yes, a Chocolate Milk Shake and little did I know that in just that one meal I was consuming 1620 calories, 74 grams of fat, and 1580 mg of sodium! It makes sense now that the average American is consuming around 3800 calories a day and that 75% of Americans will be overweight by 2020 when you take into account how

much fast food we are actually consuming.

And it also makes sense with our hectic sched-ules and our time pressed days, but the problem is as Karen Hanrahan says it best, “McDonalds fills an empty space in your belly. It does nothing to nour-ish the cell, it is not nutri-tious food”. We, at My Fit Foods, agree wholeheart-edly. We are here to give you a choice.

Take our Tenderloin Stir Fry: lean cuts of beef, a variety of fresh lightly stir fried colorful vegetables, parboiled low glycemic brown rice, clean maca-damia nut oil, and just the right spices. At 330 calo-ries, 9 grams of fat, and 360 mg of sodium it is the perfect meal that won’t have you ready to take a nap after lunch. It really is our pleasure here at My

Fit Foods to serve real fresh food, phytonu-trients, enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins and

minerals intact! And it actually starts to spoil after 5 days, not 14 years!

into me. So I guess to answer your question, no, I would prefer to stand up and beat and bang, but I am not doing anything to keep it from going to the ground.

Legacy: Do you have a prediction for this fight?

KK:: Well as it turns out I am incapable of predicting the future, but I will say I have been training, preparing, and pushing myself as hard as my body will let me. Not taking anything away from Jordan because I am sure she will be a great, tough competitor, who is training hard as well, but I don’t think you will meet many with more heart or the desire to win than I have.

Legacy: Any last words for your fans out there?

KK: Thank you! The fans are really what keep the sport going. It really makes my day when younger girls tell me how I have inspired them to learn self defense or just to get involved. It makes me smile just thinking about it. Small shout out to Mick’s girls who think the world of me!! I know he just had a boy, but maybe I can rub off on the girls to get into fighting. But, real quick I want to thank my family, who are my biggest fans without a doubt, my Coach Bobby Powers, for believing in me and just push-ing me to the next level day after day, my IVoz family and Coaches Bob “the general” Perez and Jeremy Mahon, for believing in me and bringing me into the IVoz family and for all the extra work they put in to work with me when I drive down from College Station, my sponsor Robert Ol-sen, for all he has done for me, all my sparring partners who whip me into shape and keep me honest day after day. Last but not least Mick Maynard for putting together

such a great organization for up and coming fighters to showcase their talent, like myself. I really appreciate the great support group I have behind me and I am looking

forward to fight in the upcoming Legacy Amateur Card in February! Hopefully next time you talk to me I will have another win under my belt!

continued from pg 23

Fast food equals dead foodStory courtesy of MyFitFoods

JohnMalborough

Missionon

MANa

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- Story by Lance Edwards -Photos by Justin Trapp

An extremely popular fighter on the Houston Mixed martial Arts scene, John Marlborough came to notice as an amateur, winning Legacy promotions, Lone Star Beatdown 170 lb title. Soon after winning the title he turned professional and proceeded to win his debut fight . Never one to fight without a huge fan following in the crowd, Marlborough is preparing for his next challenge, when he takes on Patrick Green from Revolution Dojo.


Legacy: John, you’re well known as a fighter in Houston, how did you start out?John: I’ve actually been training for only two years. I went to Kingwood MMA and started training, people said I was really good, and I’ve stuck with it. I want to keep on climbing up the ladder, and be champion.

Legacy: So what does your training schedule look like?John: I train every day, seven days a week, everything and anything to improve. I run every day, spar twelve or thirteen rounds, do drills, sprawls, anything that will get me better. I work full time as well as I own a mechanic business that I’m getting off the ground.

Legacy: So you’re busy?John: You could say that, I’m married and have a three year old daughter. My wife and I have just had a baby boy.

Legacy: I imagine you aren’t getting a lot of sleep?John: It’s ok at the moment. He was born prematurely and his lungs aren’t fully developed, but we’re hoping we can bring him home soon.

Legacy: Unfortunately your mom was also sick recently and the local Mixed Martial Arts scene gave you a lot of support, were you surprised?John: Yes and no, there are some really good people in the local community, and I know

people help if they can, I was surprised by the amount of support we received. Other clubs and fighters pulled together to raise money for her treatment, even people I’ve fought against, and the community’s support was a great help for us.

Legacy: What can you tell us about your

upcoming fight?John: No fight is easy, I don’t take any fight for granted, he’s coming to battle as am I. I do think that this one’s going to end in a KO, I need one on my record, and I really feel that it’s going to be coming in this fight.

Legacy: So what do you do when you aren’t fighting?John: I’m just a regular guy, I work; enjoy spending time with my family, that kind of thing. I like sport, and enjoy watching football.

Legacy: You’re the All American dad?John: <laughs> I guess I am.


There are those who continue to despise the thought of strength training for competitive fighters. This article will shed light on this often-debated topic. The material presented herein is not specific to any fighting style. The focus of this article is strength training for the combat athlete. Let's now proceed to 15 related thoughts.

1. Strength Training

Notice how this article is entitled strength training and not weight training. There is a difference between these two phrases. Strength training involves the use of resistance exercise in the pursuit of increased strength. Resistance can come from several sources such as bodyweight (ex. pull-ups), free weights, medicine balls, odd-objects (ex. sandbags), and resistance bands. Each tool is simply a means to an end. No tool will guarantee results. No tool is better or worse than another. Each tool offers value if used correctly.

Many old-school trainers frown upon free weights, yet encourage bodyweight exercise. This is an illogical mindset however, as each form of training can produce similar results. Free weights are not better or worse than bodyweight exercise. There are many fighters who swear by free weights, while others prefer traditional methods such as bodyweight exercise. There have been successful fighters from both sides of the fence. To deny this fact is a demonstration of nothing more than ignorance. The tool is simply a means to an end.

2. Strength Training Is NOT Bodybuilding

Many old school trainers cringe at the thought of weight lifting, as their interpretation of this phrase is akin to bodybuilding. The phrase weight lifting causes one to automatically envision large, muscle-bound bodybuilders.

Let's get one thing clear a fighter has no business following a bodybuilding routine. Bodybuilding emphasizes aesthetics. The activity involves posing various muscle groups for a panel of judges. There is no concern for athletic qualities such as speed, power, and endurance. An athlete trains for function. A fighter will not gain points on the judge's scorecard by crafting a symmetrical pair of pectoral muscles. To compare strength training for a fighter to bodybuilding is like comparing a fresh orange to an artificial apple.

Please note that this is not a knock against bodybuilding. Bodybuilding is simply not the ideal strength regimen for a competitive fighter.

3. What Is Strength?

Many critics of strength training for fighters do not understand the numerous strength qualities that exist. Strength is commonly described as the ability to exert a force against a resistance. This simple definition is not enough however. We must instead examine more specific strength qualities.

Maximal Strength - Maximal strength is defined as the amount of force that one can exert under voluntary effort. Max-strength is developed by lifting heavy loads, or through bodyweight methods such as isometrics and the use of strenuous rep-for-rep movements.

Explosive Strength - Explosive strength is defined as the ability to express significant tension in minimal time.

Clearly, the development of one strength quality (ex. max-strength) does not guarantee the development of another (ex. explosive strength). This information may come as a surprise to many athletes who focus all of their strength work to one specific strength quality (ex. the athlete who only lifts heavy loads to development maximal strength).

Explosive strength is a critical strength quality for all competitive athletes.

Speed Strength - Speed strength is defined as the ability to quickly execute an unloaded movement or a movement against a relatively small external resistance. For example, working with a punch-out drill against the heavy bag would equate to the execution of a relatively small external resistance, as the weight of the glove is insignificant.

Speed strength is also very important for fighters. Unfortunately, many athletes train improperly, hence sacrifice this strength quality.

Strength Endurance - Strength endurance is defined as the ability to effectively maintain muscular functioning under work conditions of long duration. Strength endurance is a vital strength quality for any combat athlete. Power and speed are useless without the stamina necessary to apply these physical attributes throughout the contest.

And contrary to the opinion of many, free weights can be effectively used to enhance a fighter's endurance. For example, this routine offers a high-speed conditioning challenge, ideal for any combat athlete.

4. Multifaceted Competition

Combat sporting events are multifaceted in nature. One must be well-rounded in terms of his strength preparation. It is not enough to develop one strength quality at the expense of all others. A fighter requires a

unique blend of each strength quality.

5. Basic Anatomy and Physiology

After reading that excess max-strength can impair speed strength, you may initially assume that heavy weight lifting is harmful for fighters. This is not true however.

Many old school trainers believe heavy weights will lead to excess bulk and reduced speed. This is a myth. Although excessive development of max-strength can pose problems, this strength quality is still important (if trained in moderation). To understand the relevance of maximal strength training, it is important to first understand how the body functions. Once you understand the body, there is no disputing the relevance of maximal strength training.

For starters, muscle fibers are grouped into motor units. A motor unit contains hundreds of muscle fibers and one nerve, which delivers a signal to the muscle fibers. All of the muscle fibers contained within the motor unit are of the same type (fast twitch or slow twitch). When a signal is passed for the motor unit to contract, all of the fibers within that motor unit will contract.

When training for power development, we must target the fast twitch muscle fibers. Unfortunately, not all motor units are activated at once. Low intensity exercise does not activate the fast twitch muscle fibers. If the exercise does not stimulate a fast twitch motor unit, the muscle fibers contained within the unit will not adapt to the training. Essentially, if the motor unit is not recruited, no response occurs.

Thus, if you only lift very light loads, you will not adequately target the fast twitch muscle fibers. When lifting heavy loads (training maximal strength), a high percentage of motor units are activated. During such intense loads, fast twitch motor units are recruited. For this reason, maximal strength training is considered the superior method for improving both intramuscular and intermuscular coordination.

So, while excessive max-strength training can lead to problems, this strength quality must not be ignored. Through proper program design, max-strength training can be used to enhance the power potential of any athlete (ie. improve your ability to recruit, hence utilize your fast twitch muscle fibers).

Strength training for fightersStory courtesy of Ross Enamait, rosstraining.com


6. What About Speed?

Many will read of heavy weight training and falsely assume that such methods will negatively influence speed. One common myth suggests that heavy weight training will lead to unnecessary bulk, which consequently will reduce range of motion and speed development. This is completely untrue.

Consider a powerful football player who sprints 40 yards in less than 5 seconds. Clearly, weight training does not influence his speed. What about the 100 meter sprinter who covers this distance in less than 10 seconds? Weight training does not influence his speed potential either.

When you understand how the body functions, you will quickly realize that a strength program designed to enhance the efficiency of the fast twitch muscle fibers will not harm speed potential. On the contrary, the right program can assist with speed production.

7. What About Flexibility?

Another common myth related to strength training deals with flexibility and range of motion. Many trainers believe that free weights will compromise flexibility. This is completely untrue.

A proper strength program will enhance range of motion. To those who disagree, I ask you to perform this simple experiment. Perform an overhead squat and you will see just how much flexibility can be developed with proper exercise selection. Olympic lifters also offer a perfect example of power and flexibility. The two competitive Olympic

lifts (Snatch and Clean-and-Jerk) demand these two physical attributes. The individuals engaged in Olympic weight lifting are amongst the most powerful athletes in the world. These men and women do not possess the muscle-bound physiques seen in bodybuilding. These individuals are powerful, flexible, and extremely athletic.

For another example, look at the flexibility of a gymnast. These athletes possess tremendous strength, yet remain as flexible as any athlete in the world. Clearly, the strength work of these gymnasts has not compromised their range of motion.

There is no disputing the fact that strength can be developed without harming range of motion and flexibility.

8. What About Bulk?

Many coaches steer clear of strength training for fear that the work will lead to unnecessary mass gains. After all, combat athletes compete in specific weight classes. Why would an athlete wish to gain mass if they are already struggling to make weight (as many do)?

Once again, strength training will not lead to mass if the athlete utilizes the correct program, while also paying careful attention to his nutritional intake. The food that you consume is the real cause of weight gain (or loss).

If you wish to gain strength, you must target the nervous system. This can be effectively done without weight gain. We can revert back to the Olympic weight lifter for another perfect example. These athletes compete within specific weight classes. They are able to gain strength without gaining weight.

The nervous system is the true indicator of strength, not bulky muscles.

9. No Guarantees

As stated earlier (but worth repeating), the development of one strength quality does not ensure the development of another. Distinct strength properties are often unrelated. One can possess tremendous strength in one form (ex. max-strength), while lacking in other areas (ex. speed-strength).

The lesson to be learned is very simple. Don't put all of your eggs into one basket. A complete athlete must follow a complete plan. Each strength quality must be considered in the creation of the program.

10. Stop Searching For The Magic Plan

If I had a nickel for every email that started with the following line, I'd be a rich man: "Ross, I'm a fighter. How should I lift weights? How many sets and reps?"

The individuals who write such emails are searching for one magic plan. It is as if there is one strength workout, hidden to the masses, which should be followed by all combat athletes.

No such plan exists, and no such plan will ever exist. Different athletes have different needs. Different athletes have different strengths and weaknesses. Just because two athletes compete in the same sport does not mean that these two individuals should work with the exact plan.

Consider a naturally powerful, explosive puncher. He is very strong on the inside, possesses tremendous power, but often runs out of gas. This fighter is in need of improved strength endurance, along with more time spent conditioning the two anaerobic energy systems (Glycolytic and ATP-PC).

Now consider the pure boxer, who can box effectively on the outside, but is easily muscled around against the ropes. He is unable to handle the pressure of an aggressive inside fighter. He lacks the strength to get out of (and avoid) these situations. This fighter has much different needs from the previously referenced individual. Clearly, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to strength training.

In addition, many strength programs are designed for experienced (well developed) athletes, who are already familiar with strength training. A sample plan may suggest training with 90% of your one-rep max to effectively develop maximal strength. But what happens when a fighter,

with no prior strength training experience attempts such a workout? He is asking for injury. He is not structurally prepared for the intensity of such a heavy load. He must first work with less intense loading to develop a strong foundation (ex. prepare the tendons, ligaments, etc.). For this reason, one cannot simply search for a generic strength plan. The plan must be tailored to the individual.

11. Train To Win, Not To Fail

A strength program is designed to improve the performance of the athlete. A strength program should not sap a fighter of his energy, hence sacrifice more important training objectives such as skill work and conditioning. Strength workouts should not leave the athlete sore for days, unable to properly function through sparring sessions and other skill based activities. Barbells and pull-up bars do not hit back. You will not learn how to fight in the weight room. A strength workout is only a small supplement to a much more complete training plan.

Strength workouts should be brief, focusing on quality over quantity. A fighter does not have time (or energy) for marathon strength training sessions. In addition, when training for strength qualities such as max-strength and explosive strength, the athlete should avoid training to failure. An athlete who constantly trains to failure will struggle to recover between workouts. Remember, the goal of the strength workout is to enhance strength and power without burning the athlete out. If your strength program is wearing you out, thus interfering with your sport-specific training, it is NOT contributing to your improvement.

One can better understand this concept by reviewing the importance of the central nervous system as related to strength output. The CNS is fatigued by any intense effort (from the standpoint of exerting a maximal force). It is often useful to envision the central nervous system as your control center. It sends a nerve impulse to your muscles. This impulse tells the muscle to contract. Your ability to generate force (how much force) depends on the electrical activation sent by the CNS (ex. number of motor units recruited). As fatigue mounts, your ability to recruit powerful motor units will decrease.

As for where fatigue is coming from, there is a nerve attachment on the muscle fiber. This attachment relays the nerve impulse to the muscle (this impulse is telling the muscle to contract). As you continue to work, there is an increased release of chemical transmitters from the nerve endings, which is thought to be one reason for fatigue. If you continually train to complete failure, the CNS is naturally fatigued. It is no longer able


GhettoFishinAD.indd 1 1/17/2011 9:48:09 PM

to recruit (activate) powerful motor units. For this reason, you should avoid training to failure on a regular basis. The goal of training is not to completely exhaust the CNS. A fighter has more pertinent matters to tend to such as skill work and conditioning. Consider an automobile engine for a real world example. If you allow your car to overheat every time that you drive, you will eventually blow the engine. You cannot drive full speed all the time without wear and tear on the engine. This simple analogy also applies to the body. Train for strength improvements, not failure.

12. A Supplement, Not a Replacement

As mentioned before, but worth repeating, strength training is a small supplement to a much more diverse training program. Much of a fighter's time must be spent training for his specific event. Examples include sparring, hitting the bag, working one-on-one with your coach, partner drills, conditioning workouts, etc.

The strength workouts are just a small piece of the puzzle. Most fighters do not need more than 2 to 3 brief strength workouts per week. Once again, the focus is always quality over quantity.

13. Forget The Tool

Many trainers despise free weight training, yet preach the importance of bodyweight

exercise. Others consider bodyweight exercise limited and ineffective, thus limit their training arsenal to weighted resistance work. Do not fall into this narrow minded trap. Remain open to new ideas and new training modalities. Many fighters have excelled with nothing more than bodyweight exercise. Others have successfully implemented free weight training. What does this tell us?

The answer is simple. Both methods can prove beneficial if used properly. Consider the recent bout between Bernard Hopkins and Antonio Tarver. Bernard's performance clearly illustrated the potential of a properly designed strength program. Bernard Hopkins moved up 15 pounds to face Tarver at light heavyweight. Despite the added mass, Bernard was a stronger and more active fighter than he had been in recent bouts. His newfound physique did not impede his performance.

Archaic statements such as, "Weights will hinder endurance" or "Weights will hinder speed" were put to rest by Bernhard Hopkins. His dominant performance on national television has debunked all of the myths that strength training cannot be successfully implemented into a fighter's training program.

14. "Weights Are Bad"

I often heard trainers of the fight game suggest that weights are bad. But what

constitutes a weight? Does swinging a weighted sledgehammer for a conditioning drill count as weight training? Do inclined sit-ups with added weight count as weight training? How about pull-ups while wearing a weighted vest? Where do we draw the line?

The lesson to be learned is simple. Don't become hung up on the tool (free weights) or lack of a tool (bodyweight). Target specific objectives and choose the most appropriate and readily available methods. For example, one may use plyometric pushups to develop explosive strength in the upper body. Another athlete may use free weights via the dynamic effort (ie. lifting a nonmaximal load with the highest attainable speed). Each movement will enhance the explosive strength of the athlete. Don't waste time arguing over which method is right and which is wrong. Incorporate variety into your plan. Do not focus on one exercise or methodology. Incorporate variety into your strength program to elicit the greatest (long term) results.

15. Bodyweight Exercise Is Excellent

Let it be known that bodyweight exercise can be used to effectively develop EACH strength quality. Although much of this article has referenced free weights, many world champions became world champions without ever touching a free weight. Do not allow anyone to convince you that bodyweight exercise is ineffective.

Bodyweight exercise can be made as difficult and effective as any other method of training. A simple display of gymnastics is living proof of this statement. There are bodyweight movements ideal for conditioning, explosive strength, and max-strength. Once again, the modality that you choose is simply a means to an end. Potential Problems With Strength Training

Thus far, we've established that strength training can be useful. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. There are several potential problems associated with strength training.

Many athletes become obsessed with weight room numbers. They focus too much attention towards the weight room. Rather than improving as a fighter, their focus shifts towards improving as a weight lifter. They become more interested in lifting 10 more pounds, as opposed to throwing 10 more punches per round.

You will not learn how to fight in the weight room. You will not earn any points with the judges by boasting of an impressive bench press. No matter what you do in training, it must contribute to your improvement as an athlete. If your strength program does not offer specific results, it is not worth your time and energy. Remember, the goal of any combat sport is to defeat your opponent, not to lift the greatest load in the weight room.


By Chris Zebo

This definitely isn’t the kind of music you’d hear at a Sunday service, but this 6-piece Christian metalcore band out of Tampa isn’t playing to the devil either (even though they sound possessed at times). It’s hard for some people to wrap their heads around the words “Christian” and “metal” in the same sentence. But believe it or not, Underoath is just one band in a very long lineage of Christian metal acts that spans more than 30 years.

What’s most interesting about this group, though, isn’t their spiritual affinities. Since Underoath was formed in 1997 by Dallas Taylor and Luke Morton, the band has undergone a slew of line-up changes (emphasis on slew). In total, the band has had 15 members in 14 years. And with the release of their latest album 0 Disambiguation in late November, the group lost yet another member, drummer and vocalist Aaron Gillespie. Gillespie was the last surviving member of the original line-up, leaving the group with six completely different members than the original line-up. Gillespie’s replacement for the recording session, ex-Norma Jean drummer Daniel Davidson, is now a permanent member--if that means anything for these guys.

Regardless of who’s been behind the drum kit or plugged into the amps, Underoath has evolved via a relatively straight line over the years. The group has taken post hardcore and fused it with everything from prog rock, punk, noise, and emo--all while drawing a straight line down the middle and balancing these genres with straightforward hardcore. In the past, they’ve been compared to bands like Converge and Killswitch Engage, and the group has been influenced by some unlikely sources, such as Radiohead and The Deftones. But with the release of 0 Disambiguation--the group’s most solid release out of seven albums in

continued on pg 41

By Chris Zebo

Riding on the heels of their successful third studio release this past March, Plastic Beach, Gorillaz dropped a free 15-song album (“free” if you give them your email address) into our virtual stockings Christmas Day. Recorded and mixed completely on an iPad by front man Damon Albarn while on the North American leg of their recent tour, “The Fall” (named after the season, not the Biblical event) strays far away from the hip-hop funk of Plastic Beach and deep into the realm of…(hold your breath)…easy music (now exhale and scratch your head).

“I literally made it on the road in America over a month,” says Albarn. “I didn’t write it before; I didn’t prepare it. I just did it day by day as a kind of diary of my experience in America.”

Gorillaz have always been known for concepts, and this album exemplifies--above all other releases--a pinnacle of the conceptual for them. But what happened to their sound?There are very few (if any) peaks on this album full of valleys. Most critics and bloggers are decrying it as experimental easy music. But it’s easy music in more ways than one. It’s “easy music” in the genre sense because it’s mostly smooth, down tempo and could play easily in any Dentist’s waiting room or inside a crowded elevator (if those waiting rooms and elevators existed in a hipper, alternative universe). But it’s also “easy” music for the lack of inspiration and effort instilled in almost every song--what some listeners are already calling “lazy” music.

“Detroit” is an upbeat, quirky, electronic dance track that doesn’t seem to be portraying anything palpable from the city landscape. In fact, most songs--even though they’re named

continued on pg 43


over a decade--Underoath has established itself as a formidable cross-over metal group on its own terms.

Despite being a Christian band, their success on the charts (Define the Great Line was the highest-charting Christian album on The Billboard 200 since 1997) is owed to their broad appeal to both Christians and heathens. In other words, they go to church, but they don’t proselytize. In fact, of the 11 new tracks on 0 Disambiguation, only one really reaches into the heavens and stays there. “We are nothing, they own our lives,” bellows singer Spencer Chamberlain in “Who Will Guard the Guardians.” And while we live in a manufactured, dark world of “machines built by machines built by machines,” Chamberlain screams like a chainsaw with vocal chords, “only God could lay his hands down on this barren land and wake us up.” The words resonate with the secular crowd as much as they do with the God fearing, lending the group a status in secular markets known by few Christian metal acts before them (Stryker being one of the last to achieve anything close to Underoath’s cross-over success).

Christianity is the “backbone of our lives,” Chamberlain said in a Europunk.com interview, “especially in the way that we handle certain things. But it’s not so much the backbone of our lyrics. It’s not like every song is a lesson from the Bible or something. It’s just normal life struggles.”

With the departure of Gillespie (who was responsible for backing vocals and adding harmonies to the band’s previous releases) Chamberlain says he was able to channel more of his own creative impulses. “I’d say to fans that you may have heard Underoath,” he says about the band’s new release, “but you’ve never heard Underoath like this.”

The new release wastes no time establishing its edge The first song, “In Division”, is a hardcore firestorm, with all the usual suspects in tow: screamo vocals, double-bass rolls and crashing cymbals, and guitars and bass balanced synchronously with the drums for that standard hardcore punch. The group does a fine job of balancing the heavy songs with lighter, more emo tracks, like “Paper Lung”, and they have no trouble bringing the intensity back with tracks like “Vacant Mouth.”, a fast punk song soaked in hardcore metal.

The prog-rock flourishes of previous albums take a back seat in 0 Disambiguation, and for fans of the band’s synthesizers and the more pop-sounding songs of previous releases,

you might be disappointed. In lieu of those tendencies, Underoath has obeyed one central impulse on this album: heaviness. And the band is proud of the directness and the signature sound they’ve established on this release. “There isn’t a single part on this record that we would change,” Chamberlain says.

In addition to the more straightforward tracks on this new release, the band takes us aside sometimes to show off the depth of their talents and artistry. At only 1:43, ”Reversal” is the perfect interlude (or intermission) before the band returns to the grinding hardcore it’s hammered into your soul the previous 25minutes. It also showcases a strand of the band’s DNA that reaches back to the industrial, prog rock of the 90s, all while making it fresh again. The song opens with a snare-bass thump that’s like a shotgun’s kick to your ear drums and then wallows around in an atmosphere that suggests a swarm of electronic wasps buzzing around a heart-lung machine (thump, breath, buzz….thump, breath, buzz). The song escalates into a symphony of disquieting noise

accompanied by a hardcore downbeat that sounds like Davidson played and recorded his drums inside a rusting industrial complex, with inanimate robo-machines with saws for arms grating and cutting into each other in the background. A great composition and a surprise for listeners late in the album.

O Disambiguation is also available in a Deluxe Edition, offering fans an additional DVD with footage that follows the band around the recording studio and provides

behind-the-scenes commentary from band members. The Deluxe Edition also comes with three remixes of songs from the 11-song release, including a dance remix of one track which might be a real treat for older fans missing Underoath’s playful prog edge.


UNDEROATH


By Brandon Nowalk

You can tell The Fighter is a pretty good movie because Mark Wahlberg busts out all three of his expressions: the confrontational stare, the hotheaded Napoleon complex, and of course the bemused smile with puppy dog eyes. Throw in the vaguely Massachusetts whine, douse him in red corn syrup, and let him flex his muscles, and you’ve got Wahlberg at his most versatile, making The Fighter, if not a great film, at least a contender.

Fortunately, this story of Micky Ward’s boxing comeback in the ‘90s depends on Wahlberg to be strong and silent. It’s his family that dominate the film: older bro Christian Bale, an ex-boxer turned crack addict milking his glory days for all they’re worth; mom Melissa Leo, a walking collection of restrictive abandonment issues and an arsenal of aggressions, passive or otherwise; dad Jack McGee, a silent observer overrun by the family; new girlfriend Amy Adams, a former college athlete turned bartender who sees the truth about how little Micky’s family wants him to succeed (because that would lift him out of their neighborhood, class, family, etc.); and of course the Pleiades, Micky’s seven half-sisters comprising a low-rent Greek chorus intent on augmenting every situation’s dysfunction with gossip and insults.

Like all Hollywood junkies, Bale stands out, but his greatness lies in his humanity, a depth that belies the film’s two spatial dimensions. Likewise Leo parlays her pathologies into a delicate, wounded psychology; she loves her children but can’t let them go. And Adams finally gives up the princess routine and tries on her Yoko Ono outfit. They’ll each rake in the trophies.

See, The Fighter isn’t just about Micky Ward, whose triumphant comeback provides the obvious backbone of the title. It’s about Brother Ward, fighting addiction and irresponsibility, and Mama Ward, fighting her own controlling grasp, and a hard-knocks bartender fighting to rise above her assigned station. It’s about all of them fighting for their lives.

Not that writers Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy have anything to say about this exactly, beyond the usual liberal guilt that life is just so hard for the lower classes and the usual conservative tough love that prison can be a haven of genuine rehabilitation and you can’t wait for anyone else to help make your life better; you’ve got to fight for yourself. Director David O. Russell, on the other hand, has absolutely made the most of the script, drawing on all his favorite stylistic tricks—deep zooms, humorously ignorant caricatures, a fast clip—to make The Fighter a good entertainment. Nostalgia, too, provides some nice touches like acid-washed jeans and Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again,” though, alas, no signs of “Good Vibrations” by Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch, and not once does a certain Calvin Klein ad drift into Lowell.

In short, The Fighter is a lot like the other middleweight pictures this year, completely hollow but inspiring and well made. It’s a fine fight, but I’m more interested in David O. Russell’s next match.

The Fighter


for places in the country--don’t seem to capture any real essence of the places they’re named after. No cows mooing in “Amarillo”, no rusting factories rotting away in “Detroit”, no wind or verticality in “Shy Town” (a lesser-known nickname for Chicago).

Only “California and the Slipping of the Sun”, in its wistful atmosphere of lethargic organs and Albarn’s droning voice drowning in a synthesized smog suggests the Golden State sun setting.

The road Gorillaz traveled on this album is certainly inward, not outward. The landscapes and cities of America are in the backseat of this road trip album. It seems another affect of being on the road takes the wheel in this conceptual voyage.

It’s that feeling of fogginess you get from passing through numerous places without ever stopping long enough to figure them clearly in your mind; the

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fatigued sentiment of road weariness, of the mundane transactions of checking in and out of hotel rooms, of unpacking and repacking your bags, of watching the world pass by in an immaterial blur through the car window. And like the streaming blur out the window, nothing on this album really captures your attention. You almost wish they would have pulled over long enough to reflect for a

minute. But these songs just amble along listlessly from one place to another. Gorillaz have humored the idea of a physical release of The Fall in coming months. But why bother with the repackaging of a mediocre album when people can download it for free?



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Ring Girl

Jenna JohnsonLegacy: How did you get your start as a ring girl?JJ: Well first and for most, I had always wanted to be a ring card girl, just never knew it would happen. I started being a ring card girl through HOOTERS, all though I had been offered the position else where. Being around people I knew, that supported me, made it that much easier to start through Hooters

Legacy: What do you like to wear when you aren’t working?JJ: When I’m not working, I love love love to be in comfy clothes, with my hair up and no make up, hanging out around the house. Considering I have to be all dolled up every day at work.

Legacy: What are your workouts like?JJ: To me working out can be very boring, so I try an make it fun. I dance in the mornings in front of the mirror (what girl doesn’t :) ) I mainly focus on my stomach and legs. Doing anything literally that works those areas. You never want your body to get use to any certain exercise.

Legacy:Did you grow up in Houston?JJ: Yes, I was born and raised in HOUSTON,TX and proud of it! :) I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

Legacy: What are the biggest stereotypes people have about ring girls?JJ: When it comes to stereotyping a ring card girl. I think many people look at us and say “ these girls are dumb” “how degrading” or even “how could someone do that, must be an attention grabber”. But what people don’t think about is, what if we really enjoy the sport, and don’t do it for the attention. Would you want people to judge you for the way you look or what you do for a living. What’s that famous saying? “ Don’t judge a book by its cover “

Legacy:Have you dated fighters in the past? Whats the best and worst part of that?JJ: I know everyone always wants to know, do we date the fighters? Yes, I have dated a fighter. I wouldn’t really say there is a “best” part about dating a fighter, just depends on the relationship. The worst part would definately have to be the long training hours and the grumpiness before the fights

Legacy: So what do you look for in a guy?JJ: What I look for in a guy. hmmmm Someone that is caring and welling to understand my lifestyle for the time being, someone who can make me laugh, and has amazing teeth and blue eyes.

Legacy:What surprises people about you once they get to know you?JJ: What surprises people most about me is.. Although I have this pretty girl image, I love to research about volcanoes and space, and I’m not dumb lol My first major in college was chemical engineering, but the classes bored me to death. I’m very creative which is why I decide to go with event/wedding planning. Honestly I think I’m completely opposite to the stereotype I receive.

Legacy: Do you have a favorite round card to carry?JJ: The first girl that steps inside the ring that night! I feel like it calms my nerves and I set the bar high!


Ring Girl

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