MMA Bros.net

Is Kimbo your boy?

2009-06-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

“Kimbo Slice” will be among the 16 heavyweight fighters to join the 10th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which starts shooting this week in Las Vegas.

"He just really wants to fight right now," Slice's manager, Mike Imber, told Sherdog.com.

UFC President Dana White confirmed the news with Yahoo Sports on Monday. Slice appeared on White’s latest video blog in advance of WEC 41 this Sunday in Las Vegas.

“It’s an opportunity for me to prove myself, being a mixed martial artist coming from the backyard, coming from being a street fighter and all,” Slice said. “It’s time for me to step my game up. I’m coming here to kick ass and take names and to continue to feed myself and my family.”

Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, was released from the Pro Elite organization on May 13, according to a recent SEC filing.

The 34-year-old father of six also opted to pass on a potential multi-fight deal with Strikeforce, which had obtained an option to purchase the bearded Internet phenomenon’s contract from Pro Elite last February.

Ferguson’s management told Sherdog.com that the promotion was offering less than the fighter’s Pro Elite contract had stipulated (Slice was paid $175,000 and $500,000 for two of his last three bouts), though both parties split on amicable terms.

This cleared the way for negotiations with Zuffa, which owns the UFC, to cash in on one of the sport’s fastest rising stars ever.

Though TUF hopefuls sign undisclosed contracts and make a reported $5,000 per each fight they finish (submission or stoppage) on the series, there is little doubt Ferguson won’t be afforded a different deal on the show. Slice is, by far, the highest-profiled candidate to ever make the show that prides itself on harvesting undiscovered talent.

Ferguson, who earned fame from the brutal backyard beatdowns he dished out over the Internet, fought three times for Pro Elite under its EliteXC banner. Two of those bouts were main-event attractions featured on CBS and are the No. 1 and No. 3 most-watched fights in U.S. history, topping off at 7.3 million viewers.

Last June, Slice (3-1) became the second mixed martial artist to make the cover of ESPN the Magazine after UFC superstar Chuck Liddell.

White has been critical of Ferguson’s unmatched notoriety, as well as his lack of fighting ability.

“It should be interesting, given some of the things I’ve said about him,” White told Yahoo Sports Monday.

Slice addressed the criticism from the UFC boss.

“DW can say whatever the [expletive] he wants,” Slice said. “The greatest revenge, to my knowledge, is success. I don’t care about the s--t talking.”

The move also squashes rumors that Slice was set to embark on a career in professional boxing. Gary Shaw, who promoted Ferguson under the EliteXC banner, was among those that made overtures for the slugger’s services in the squared circle.

Slice will have much to prove. He rebounds off a 14-second loss last October at the hands of Seth Petruzelli, a light heavyweight who was pulled up from the undercard after Ken Shamrock was deemed medically ineligible to fight that same day.

North Battleford to Host MMA Event in June.

2009-05-25T18:37:00.000-07:00

Champion Fight Club will be holding an event at the upcoming Continental Fighting Championship - Saturday June 20th in North Battleford, Saskatchewan at the Agriville Center. You won't want to miss this!

I will keep you posted as we get closer to the event.

Take 'er easy.

UFC 100 - Fan Expo and more!

2009-05-21T13:46:00.000-07:00

As you probably already know the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced that it is hosting its first mixed martial arts exposition this summer to coincide with the promotion’s historic UFC 100 event.

The UFC is teaming up with Reed Exhibitions for the two-day “UFC Fan Expo” to be held Friday and Saturday July 10-11 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, which will feature meet-and-greet sessions with UFC and WEC fighters, MMA demonstrations, fan-inspired special events, training sessions, and other activities leading up to UFC 100 — which is expected to be one of the company’s biggest cards ever.

The milestone event will likely include two title fights when welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre takes on Thiago Alves, and Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar unify the heavyweight title. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season No. 9 coaches Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping are also scheduled to fight on the yet-to-be finalized card.

“We are pleased to work with Reed Exhibitions to present UFC Fan Expo in conjunction with UFC 100,” said UFC President Dana White.

“The UFC 100 event is a milestone for us, for the sport of mixed martial arts, and for fight fans around the world, this will be an amazing weekend for UFC fans.”

The organization expects the expo to attract more than 100 companies and brands ranging from apparel to electronic gaming vendors to sports equipment and nutritional supplements sellers as well as other MMA-related companies.

Article courtesy of Andy Samuelson and the Las Vegas Sun

Canadian Jonathan Goulet has also stated that he will be fighting Don Hyun Kim at UFC 100.

UFC 98 on the way.

2009-05-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

UFC 98: (Card is subject to change.)

Main card

* Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Rashad Evans vs. Lyoto Machida

* Welterweight bout: Matt Hughes vs. Matt Serra
* Middleweight bout: Drew McFedries vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam
* Middleweight bout: Dan Miller vs. Chael Sonnen
* Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Frank Edgar

Preliminary card

* Welterweight bout: Brock Larson vs. Chris Wilson
* Heavyweight bout: Patrick Barry vs. Tim Hague
* Lightweight bout: Phillipe Nover vs. Kyle Bradley
* Light Heavyweight bout: Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Andre Gusmao
* Welterweight bout:Yoshiyuki Yoshida vs. Brandon Wolff
* Lightweight bout: Dave Kaplan vs. George Roop

This title fight between Evans vs. Machida, will offer something that hasn’t been seen before in a MMA title bout. Two undefeated fighters going at it. I am really looking forward to this one. It will be interesting to see how Rashad is going to deal with such an elusive and unorthodox striker. As far as the Hughes - Serra fight goes, both fighters need a win in the worst way, this could make for a good fight if both fighters are healthy. Sherk and Edger should be another fight to look out for, it is a good match-up for either fighter. A loss for Sherk could be critical at this stage of his career and a win over a guy like Sherk could move Edger up the ranks.

The preliminary bouts showcase many contestants from last seasons Ultimate Fighter even Krzysztof is back for another match in the octagon! He has a tough fight in Gusamao and I am sure he has been working hard since his last bout.

New! Training Log Added!

2009-05-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

Quick news update on the MMA Bros.net site, we have now added an amazing training tool to the site. Thanks to Chris from Fitness Partners you can now log, plan your workouts, create goals and even connect with friends with a simple to use interface. Sign up for free today and get training!

Cheers.

MMA Review: Instructional of The Month

2009-05-17T11:36:00.001-07:00

Hey gang,

Health update: I am finally back up to 80% and I am feeling good. Unfortunately being sidelined for a few weeks has taken it's tole on my cardio and my lifts but 'faz parte' as they say in Brazil.

I also managed to get on the mat again which is always a good thing. Especially when you get to roll with people who are really passionate about the sport. These are the people you want to learn with, constantly and consistently improving. You should always be learning something every time you roll. Every time. Additionally, try rolling with many different people. The benefits of rolling with different people are obvious. Not only are you getting the feel of the different body types (tall/long-limbs, short-limbs, fat, strong, etc), you also have the benefit of different styles. The 'A' in MMA is often overlooked but this sport is still an art form. Lending itself to mold and adapt to the artist, you.

Switching gears to the title of this post, I had a chance to watch former UFC heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett's - Attacking the Guard (courtesy of Matt our MMA Bro, thanks again). Extremely beneficial information for any mixed martial artist or Jui-jitsu player to have. Attacking The Guard is a well demonstrated breakdown of Josh Barnett's top-game and how to use these techniques to effectively neutralize and capitalize when in your opponents guard. Emphasizing on head, arm control, and posture Josh Barnett demonstrates how to use 'bracing' and 'tripoding' to pass the guard or apply a number of submissions. What I also found interesting was his 'Snapping The Rubber Guard' segment where he shows how to breakdown the rubber guard using tripoding to create pressure making it difficult for the opponent to effectively implement his techniques. Some really cool stuff.

Body on a Budget - Part 1

2009-04-30T06:54:00.000-07:00

Body on a Budget - Part 1

Who really has time to workout? Surely those who are paid to train full time are able to get it done but they represent a small minority. We all have to make some sort of sacrifice in order to lead a healthier lifestyle, but from personal experience, I can tell you that that sacrifice doesn't have to come at a hefty price. In fact this article will show you just how to train when you are short on time, money, space and just about every other lame excuse than your lazy ass is going to come up with. So without further a due I present part 1 of the 3 part series entitled - Body on a Budget.

***

First of all let me tell you how this idea came into fruition... I spent the better part of the last 5 years working in the geophysical sector of the oil and gas industry. In those 5 years I have worked a plethora of 'jug-hound' jobs, then as a seismic driller's helper and eventually a seismic driller. I am sure there are not many jobs out there that are more physically demanding then a seismic driller's helper when drilling over 1000m a day.

Negative 30 degrees Celsius is not hing new to Pete the Heat.

Not only are you lifting solid steel drill stem all day you also have to battle the terrain and elements for 10-12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Most of us have worked stints in the winter of over 55 consecutive days. Lesson #1 - Your job should not be an excuse not to train unless your job is harder than this one.

***

"So Del... If your job took up 12 hours of your day when did you workout and still get enough sleep?"

Well actually I found ways to train at work much of the time. However most people don't have a 80 pound air hammer to do squats with, or run sprints with 40 L of 'Seismic 2 in 1', or spend the day climbing mountains with 70 lbs of cables and geophones. So instead I will show you how I trained after work and still slept 8 hours.

***

My day would start at 6:00 am sharp. After a week in the field I always wake up without an alarm. There is a meeting at 7 am every morning to discuss 'important' matters then its off to the bush until then end of the day, which usually comes at 7 pm.

The trick is to already have a plan... If you don't have a plan you plan to fail. Very cliche, very real. So by 7:15 pm I am in the shower getting ready for supper. The shower/supper moments are truly divine when you just put in a hard 10 hours of physical labour in the middle of nowhere at -35 Celsius... At 8 I would be finished eating and heading back to my room. A room that measures no bigger than your average jail cell for those of you who have been in the clink. Lesson #2 : Lack of space is no excuse not to train unless you live in a room smaller than a jail cell.

***

Body weight (BW) exercises are a great way to get a solid workout with little space and no equipment. The problem with traditional BW exercises (push-ups, sit-ups) is that most of us learned the wrong way to do them. Not to mention they are also the most boring exercises known to man. In the next part I will show you how you can spice up even the blandest of exercises to make them more exciting and challenging, even if you are in a oilfield camp room without any equipment. Lesson #3: Not having free-weights or a gym is no excuse to not train unless you are a stub (no arms or legs).

***

Body weight exercises are not the only way to train in this situation. It can be the foundation of your workout but a perfect way to supplement your workouts without using weights is the resistance band. There are many types of resistance type products out there but the even the most basic rubber band set up provides a great workout.

I used to take a 40lb set of dumbbells with me to work but sometimes you cannot travel with weights. They are cumbersome and if you are traveling via the bus or you are flying, you will probably get dingged with extra baggage fees. As a baller on a budget myself, I prefer to take my resistance band instead. Not only is it easy to pack it also costs around $10. And if you cannot afford one I will show you awesome BW only exercises anyway. Lesson #4: Being broke as a joke is no excuse not to train unless you do not have the basic necessities covered (food, shelter, clothing).

***

Now that we know it is possible to have a decent workout without traditional equipment (weights) we can move on to the exercises. As I mentioned before, there are many different exercises you can do but what you will be doing really depends on your goals. If you are a power lifter you probably know that your lifts will go down if you are unable to stack the weight. And if you are bulking, do not expect that a resistance band will replace the dead-lift... So this is not a miracle program that will get you the same results as one that implements other resources. No, this is a program that I developed while living in hotel rooms and oilfield camps. It is a program that enabled me to achieve and maintain big results with little time, money and space.

2009-04-29T06:48:00.000-07:00

"The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday raised the pandemic swine flu alert level from phase 3 to 4, two levels below the declaration of a full pandemic." Yahoo News - Time Magazine

I dont' have the swine flu and I am feeling a bit better today. I had to take two days off from the gym in order to recover. But make no mistake... This MMA Bro still trained, you bet your britches he did! So I am working on a special treat for you guys, the "Soar To The Heavens Lat-Wings Program". Haha, you wish, that is G-14 Classified stuff. But I am happy to share an awesome way to continue to train hard when short on resources (time, equipment, space, etc).

First of all we all know that body weight exercises have been around for ages. In fact the first exercises you probably did were push ups and sit ups. But if you were like me and had been misled by crappy phys-ed teachers and had been taught food pyramid, then you may not know that you can get a good workout from body weight exercises. However, something as simple and small as a resistance band can greatly increase the intensity of your workouts and for less than $10. So this is part 1/3 of "Body On A Budget".

Body on A Budget - Part 1

A new start on the blogables...

2009-04-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

Ehem... I have a sore throat. And no I didn't get it from an exotic dancer at the peelers. There is a flu bug going around, even the Montreal Canadians had a bout of it. And no that is not why they were swept by the Bruins. Anyway, new blog on the go and an event coming up on May 2nd right here in Montreal. Fight Quest 7 returns with a full card of MMA action. Here is the line up.

145lbs – Joey Guerin (Russo Dojo) Vs Anthony Gagnon (Juvaldo)

145lbs – David Aguzzi (Zahabi MMA) Vs Stéphane Pelletier (Juvaldo)

150lbs – Johnny Ouellette (Zahabi MMA) Vs Louis-Philippe Gauthier (Team Military Extreme)

150lbs – Simon Feuilletault (Zahabi MMA) Vs Mathieu Lefebvre (Team Military Extreme)

155lbs – Terrance Andrews (Zahabi MMA) Vs Matt Rusniak (Russo Dojo)

160lbs – Dany St-Gelais (Team Bergeron) Vs Mark Jacobs (Brawling Panther)

165lbs – Rob Cook (Zahabi MMA) Vs Mohamed Moustaine (Sparmax)

170lbs – Darcy Maysen (Brawling Panther) Vs J-F Gaudreau (Sherbatov MMA)

195lbs – Ryan Deere (Zahabi MMA) Vs Éric Bissonnette (Juvaldo)

200lbs – Shawn MacDonald (Black Dawg) Vs Mikael Lavigne (Vigneault)

HW – Lenard Terrance (Zahabi MMA) Vs Mike Weichert (Black Dawg)

*Fight card is subject to change

Notice the Zahabi MMA presence?! Wow even I was surprised at the amount of fighters representing the Tristar Gym. I am hoping to see it live and support the team, it should be a good one. So if you are in Montreal next weekend be sure to check out Le Skratch in Leval for a evening of live MMA.

Catch you on the flip side...

UFC 97 Rundown

2009-04-19T11:14:00.000-07:00

UFC 97 Rundown

by DelPaw1 on 2009/04/19 11:14 AM

A good view of the cage from my seat.

So here is a quick rundown of last nights action.

STEVE "THE ROBOT" CANTWELL (USA) vs LUIS CANE (BRA)
This was an all stand-up bout almost a boxing match. Some huge shots landed by both fighters and Cantwell landing a few nice high kicks. Luis Cane gets the unanimous decision after 3 rounds. And we were off to a pretty good start.

CHEICK KONGO (FRA) vs ANTONI HARDONK (HOL)
Cheick received a very warm welcome from the French-Canadian crowd. I was pumped for this one because it was an exciting match-up between two heavy strikers. The division is really starting to see much more talent as of late. Anyway, the fight started out as you would expect. Kongos 4" reach advantage helped him to land a couple of nice punches in the first round. He is also a really strong guy (as you might have noticed) so against the cage with his strong clinch he delivered some fierce knees to Hardonk's inner thighs. In the second round Kongo gets Hardonk to the ground where he displays a good ground and pound, eventually landing a bomb that rattled Hardonk. After a barrage of hammer fists the ref steps in to end it.

BRIAN "ALL-AMERICAN" STANN (USA) vs KRZYSZTOF SOSZYNSKI (CAN)
The 'Polish Experiment' was my #1 pick for last season's Ultimate Fighter so I was pretty stoked to get to see him fight in his home country. He came in to the weigh-ins looking strong and ready to win. He entered to a System Of A Down song with his huge Canadian fan base erupting for the Manitoba fighter. And it was in true Soszynskian fashion that he ended it. After the first Kumora attempt failed from halfguard he passed to side control where he almost snapped that MOFO right off. A super excited Krzysztof leaves victorious.

CHUCK "THE ICEMAN" LIDDELL (USA) vs MAURICIO "SHOGUN" RUA (BRA)
I am not sure why so many fans had a chubby for Liddell... Yeah he was a great knockout artist back in the day, no disrespect to him. But, Booing for Shogun inlight of Chuck is ridiculous. Anyway, I for one was cheering (alone) for Shogun. His last 2 fights were in no way indicative of the guys talent. Bad fights happen. So back to the action. Shogun surprised me with is crisp striking. He took a few punches but landed a few right back, not fearing the power of Chuck's hands. It wasn't long before Rua sets up a nice combo and the Sandman enters for the Iceman. Still Liddell received a standing ovation before leaving the octagon for what could be the last time.

SAM "HANDS OF STONE" STOUT (CAN) vs TIM WIMAN (USA)
This one was a fast paced light weight bout. Sam Stout had the home crowd advantage as well as a better gas tank. It seemed that Wiman couldn't carry the pace for all 3 rounds but managing to hang in there for the decision. Sam Stout is victorious with the unanimous decision.

ANDERSON "THE SPIDER" SILVA (BRA) vs THALES LEITES (BRA)
This was the main event of the evening and you would think that Anderson Silva was going to bring the heat and finish strong and early. Well this guy finished early anyway.

Fast asleep, main event of the evening....

Not much to say about this fight really. That picture said enough. Both men stuck to the game plan and it ended up being 25 minutes of chess, but no men making and critical mistakes. So congrats to Anderson Silva for the victory and I am already getting goosebumps thinking about a GSP - Silva fight. Wow.

I will discuss the prelims after everyone has had a chance to see them. I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. And there were a few good bouts on the card worth seeing.

Peace out, M-town Down.

2009-04-18T05:08:00.000-07:00

Redemption.

by DDP on 2009/04/18 5:08 PM

I have my ticket and I am heading to the Bell Center soon. It is going to be a huge night. I managed to scoop a scalped ticket at a reasonable price. Considering last weeks Canadians / Penguins game was over 4 times the face value for a ticket.

A ticket from heaven...

I have been to a few UFCs now and the best seats I have had were in the middle deck. Any closer and the ticket price is insane with a limited view, and any further away you have to look at the screen to see the action. I will post my reviews on the seats after the event.

I am trying to locate a ticket for this after party as well. Apparently it sold out.

It would be amazing to meet Anderson fresh off of a destructive win over Thalis. Or an intoxicated Chuck after a loss to Shogun. Either way I would love to be there.

Enjoy the fights. Oh I will try to get a pic with Tracy Lee for those who know who I am talking about (RW).

Hang loose.

UFC 97 Weigh-ins and the Q and A with GSP

2009-04-17T21:29:00.000-07:00

UFC 97 Weigh-ins and the Q and A with GSP

by DDP on 2009/04/17 9:29 PM

"Electrifying."

That would be the best way to describe the weigh-ins in one word. The turnout was amazing. Joe Rogan said he could judge how intense an event will be by the turnout for the weigh-ins.

This event should be intense.

Those who have rolled with me know that I am a fan of the 'rubber guard'. It is a work of art I say. So you will never guess who I ran into at the weigh-ins.... Yah Eddie Bravo. He would probably be on the MMA Bros.net Top 5 Bro Picks List for Cool People if there were such a list.

Moments before this picture was taken Eddie mentioned that he just blazed and was the only one paranoid 'looking out for cops and shit' unaware that Montreal was that liberal about the sticky-icky. Haha. A "freshly stoned" pic with Eddie Bravo.

Eddie Bravo enjoying life in Montreal.

So this is the official card.

Main Card

Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites
Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua
Luiz Cane vs. Steve Cantwell
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann
Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk

Preliminary Card

Denis Kang vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam
David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman
David Bielkheden vs. Mark Bocek
T.J. Grant vs. Ryo Chonan
Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman
Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry

Some realllly good fights to lookout for on the prelims. I can't believe some of these fights won't be aired! That preliminary card is probably the most stacked one yet and the upcomming events including UFC 100 are going to be sick as well.

Looking forward to tomorrow nights action that for sure.

G'nite.

2009-04-16T15:48:00.000-07:00

UFC 97 Q and A With GSP

by DDP on 2009/04/16 3:48 PM

As the clock counts down to the big event the press and fans are anxiously awaiting fight night. One of the most entertaining cards of the year and in wonderful Montreal, QC, Canada. Luckily this MMA Bro will have an exclusive Q and A session with our very own Canadian MMA superstar, George St-Pierre!

Tomorrow at the Bell Center in Montreal, UFC Fight Club members will get exclusive access to the fighters and have the opportunity to ask GSP questions. I will be posting media from the Q and A session so if you have a question you would like me to ask George, please leave it in the comments.

Also tomorrow night is the UFC 97 weigh ins! Not to be missed as we will have a sneek peak at the fighters before the event. In addition to the fighters, Joe Rogan, Dana White and the UFC card girls will be there. We are sure to run into many celebrities and pro fighters that are not on the card but will be in attendance.

So lots of pre-fight action comming up and we will have it all right here!

Keep it real.

2009-04-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

Marcus Soares soars into the history books!

by DDP on 2009/04/15 3:43 PM

"We have a very special guest appearance by 7th degree Carlson Gracie black belt Marcus Soares." Firaz Zahabi.

The turnout was amazing and so was the lesson. That's right, Mr. Soares was gracious enough to instruct the class last night and showed the sickest tri-angle chokes I have ever seen!

This is going to get painful...

On a nother note, Denis Kang will be fighting in UFC 97. He is a student under Marcus Soares and he also trains at the Tristar gym with Firaz so be sure to show your support on April 18th.

Tomorrow I will be posting one of our t-shirt. be sure to leave your comments as they are always appreciated.

Deuces.

Official UFC Pre-Party

2009-04-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

Official UFC Pre-Party April 17.

by DDP on 2009/04/13 3:35 PM

Its mid April, the birds are chirping and the sun is shining. Ahhh, spring time. And what better way to usher in the new season with then with Joe Rogan, UFC commentator and comedian. This Friday at Club Opera in Montreal, TAPOUT clothing is throwing pre-party / fashion show featuring UFC card girls Edith and Logan! Not to mention appearences by many MMA superstars including Tyson Griffin and Gray Maynard.

And if that isn't sick enough for you the fight card for UFC 97 is sure to get your blood pumping. Thalis Leitis and Anderson Silva square off for the main event Saturday night at the Bell Center and it is going to be good! Not to mention the return of a personal favorite of mine, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua who is set to fight Chuck Lidell who is comming off of a KO loss to Rashad Evans. Fireworks! And the rest of the cards is stacked as well. Not to be missed.

We will keep you upto date as the coundown begins!

2009-04-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

Habs and Pens.

by DDP on 2009/04/11 2:47 PM

For those unaware, the Montreal Canadians boasts one of the largest fan base of hockey fans in the world. Tonight is their last game of the season and I somehow happend upon four tickets. My friend and roommate Alek and I are going with two of his friends. This city is bananas about hockey and the Penguins are a great team as well. I am indifferent either team but I am pumped to see the last game of the season. Pics to follow.

Wax on, wax off.

2009-04-10T12:49:00.000-07:00

"Wax on, wax off" and the strange amalgamation between spiritual and physical realities...

by DDP on 2009/04/10 12:49 PM

It was a big day at the gym last night, jui-jitsu mainly but he intensity was high as UFC 97 approaches. MMA continues to grow in popularity so you see people from all over congrigating at the Tristar gym to get a taste of what it is like to train like a champion. I too have made the Tristar gym my home while I am in Montreal and making the change to a bilingual academy has been quite easy thanks to the staff and students.

One thing I have noticed over the years working in the oil field is that consistant hard work does not go unnoticed. Just like the age old addage says "You get what you put in." This also holds true to training. You can really see the difference between those who are training for fun or a workout and those who train to improve thier skills. The better your work ethic and dedication the more you progress on the mat and in life. There has never been a shortcut to sucess in this business, no substitute for the hard work in the gym. So when I was asked to mop the mats at the end of the class, I was pleased. A little wax on wax off is good for the training. It took a good 45 minutes to do but as I drew that mop across the sweat spackled matts, I pictured all of the other student before me who hled that mop for the same reason.

As I was nearing the halfway point of the mopping session I was stopped by none other than Firaz Zahabi, the head trainer at Tristar. He approached me and said "Hey, whats your name?" Del, I replied. "Cool, well good job out there today, and thanks for mopping the mats, I appreciate it."

2009-04-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

UFC 97 and the Tristar Gym in Montreal.

by DDP on 2009/04/07 3:28 PM

"Paradise Warriors Retreat - Boston and Miami postponed until a later date. "

This came as a surprise to me however the tour must have been exhausting mentally and physically for the trainers and staff. With UFC 97 Silva vs. Leitis coming up on April 18, the trainers and fighters need some time to prepare. On the bright side of things it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

I have spent the last few days training at the world renown Tristar Gym in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. And I wasn’t the only one to show up. Just yesterday CBC, Sports Net, and many others flocked to get an interview with the many superstars that train at the Tristar Gym.

Among the athletes was Gorges Saint Pierre who after defeating BJ ‘The Prodigy’ Penn, continues to stay as focussed and as diligent as ever.

The actual MMA class taught by Firas Zahabi is a truly unique experience . There are so many elite level athletes that attend making it incomparable in numerous aspects. For example, Kenny Florian the UFC Lightweight contender, made a four day appearance where he co- instructed last night’s class. It’s amazing to see first-hand the wealth of knowledge and experience that this school has.

In other news, I am looking forward to having a few t-shirts up for viewing sometime this week. And stay tuned for updates on the Paradise Warriors Retreat, it will still happen just not sure when.

Peace.

2009-04-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

Paradise Warriors Retreat

by DDP on 2009/04/02 4:02 PM

Well I am on the plane on my way to Montreal from Saskatoon. It has been the craziest month and there is no end in sight for the insanity. I will be spending two nights in glorious Montreal where I will be working on a few new t-shirt concepts with one of our designers. God willing we will be rolling out our first production by May. I can believe how far this project has come along since its inception only a few short months ago. It’s amazing. Thank you to everyone who has given their support!

I keep having this feeling that this is only the tip of the ice berg. All of the sacrifices made to get to this point, all of those long, cold months spent in frigid Northern Alberta and not to mention all of those sleepless nights spent trying to bring this dream to fruition. As I am looking out of this window I can’t help but to be reminded of the pioneers that once laboured to no end to build this province. How they transformed the barren land into the beautiful and prosperous communities that we see today. Sometimes we forget that there is no substitute for hard work. And nobody knows that more than professional fighters...

On April 3-5, Boston Massachusetts plays host to the Paradise Warrior Retreat Center (PWRC). The most elite group of trainers on the planet gather for 3 full days to demonstrate, discuss and to work with coaches, fight fans and fighters of all skill levels. PWRC is finishing up its American tour with Boston and Miami where we will get an exclusive look inside the event.

Stay tuned for media and interviews from the event.

Cheers.