THE UNIVERSITY OF MMA: FIGHT NIGHT 2

Sunday, May 19, 2013 – Club Nokia at LA Live, Los Angeles, CA

1) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – LEO ‘DOMO’ IMAI (Robot Fight & Fitness) vs. FABIAN GONZALEZ (All In MMA)

2) 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – JACOBE POWELL (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Gym) vs. GINO FRANCISCO (Legends MMA / 10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu)

3) COMBAT JIU JITSU: 160 lbs. catchweight (3 x 3 min.) – JORGE PINEDA (Testai Brazilian Jiu Jitsu / Kings MMA) vs. 'NASTY' NATE HARRIS (10^th Planet Santa Fe)

4) 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – MARVIN MORALES (District 36 Fight Team) vs. DERION ‘DC’ CHAPMAN (House of Champions)

5) 125 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – ‘LETHAL’ LAURA SALAZAR (Team Britton) vs. STEFANI POGUE (Systems Training Center / Kings MMA)

6) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – RYAN LILLEY (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA) vs. HUGO ‘JUICE’ LO

PEZ (All In MMA)

7) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – BROOKSIE ‘THE BEAR’ BAYARD (Fight-FiT) vs. COLBEY NORTHCUTT (Team Hoger)

8) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – AUSTIN DAVIS (Valhalla ETC) vs. KHALID ‘THE DREADED ASSASSIN’ SHANNON (Systems Training Center)

9) 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – MIKE MARTINEZ (Robot Fight & Fitness) vs. QUINCY ‘THE BLACK MAMBA’ DAVIS (10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu / True Warrior Fitness)

10) UNIVERSITY OF MMA LIGHWEIGHT #1 CONTENDER MATCH: 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – DANIEL SHIN (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA) vs. AJ LAVARIAS (Systems Training Center)

11) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – ROMAN ‘THE GLADIATOR’ TODOROVICH (Elite Training Center) vs. ERIK ‘COMPELLA’ CRUZ (10^TH Planet Jiu Jitsu / Legends MMA)

12) UNIVERSITY OF MMA LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: 205 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – JENS GRAU (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Gym) vs. JERELL CEPHAS (Cephas Karate-Jiujitsu)

13) UNIVERSITY OF MMA WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – JARETT “REAL TALK” CONNER (Pimpit Fight Team Academy) vs. DEAN BO MOSKOWITZ (House of Champions / Aziz MMA)

14) UNIVERSITY OF MMA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP: 265 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – RENARDO “BIG P” PALMER (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Gym) vs. JOE “2 GUNS” HERNANDEZ (United MMA)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

TITLE MATCHES, CJJ, WOMEN’S MMA & TOURNAMENT ACTION

SET FOR UNIVERSITY OF MMA: FIGHT NIGHT 2, MAY 19 AT CLUB NOKIA

Los Angeles, CA – The University of MMA continues to outdo itself with diverse MMA action as it builds an all-star fight card for the second installment of their new ‘Fight Night’ series at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE. Tickets are now on sale at www.UofMMA.com and www.axs.com.

‘University of MMA: Fight Night 2’ is already set to include two championship title matches, combat jiu jitsu (CJJ), two women’s MMA matches, and the opening round of a four-man tournament for the vacant University of MMA lightweight championship. Still more matches, including women’s MMA, combat jiu jitsu, and possibly another title defense, are expected to be announced soon.

Recently-crowned University of MMA heavyweight champion Renardo ‘Big P’ Palmer will defend his title against Joe ‘2 Gunz’ Hernandez of United MMA. Palmer won the heavyweight title at the previous U of MMA show in March with a devastating second-round KO that earned him Knockout of the Night on that event’s Dean’s List performance awards. Originally a street fighter with explosive punching power, Hernandez has reinvented himself in the past two years at UMMA, and is a perfect 3-0 in his amateur MMA career.

At welterweight, Dean Bo Moskowitz (Aziz MMA / House of Champions) and Jarett Conner (Pimpit Fight Team Academy) vie for the vacant University of MMA welterweight championship. Ever the crowd favorite, Moskowitz’s opportunity for a title belt is the culmination of a year-long tenure at the U. Jarett Conner, as one of the fast-rising stars of the Pimpit Fight Team Academy, comes in with an unblemished 2-0 record since his debut last October.

Women’s MMA matches at the U of MMA have often stolen the show, and in the case of Brooksie ‘The Bear’ Bayard (FightworX / Fight-Fit) and Colbey Northcutt (Team Hoger), there couldn’t be two more likely candidates to do so. The Louisiana-born Bayard took the amateur MMA scene by storm last year at the U’s ‘Champions of Tomorrow,’ finishing her opponent in round two with devastating ground-and-pound punishment followed by an ever-ladylike post-fight curtsey to the crowd. Northcutt, the kempo karate pride of Texas, returns to the U after a first-round submission victory at ‘Second to None’ in October 2012. These two southern beauties will be in full beast mode when they square off on May 19.

The lightweight division finally gets a much-deserved spotlight as the University of MMA begins a four-man tournament to crown a champion at 155 lbs. Facing off will be Martin Georges (Team Quest) vs. Julian Johnson (The Hive / Bowman’s Killer Bees) and Daniel Shin (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Gym) vs. AJ Lavarias (Systems Training Center). The winners of these respective matches will vie for championship gold at University of MMA: Fight Night III in August.

“I love diversity in a fight card, and between our title matches, women’s fights, our lightweight tournament, and bringing back combat jiu jitsu, this is shaping up to be our most diverse show to date. We’ll have something for everyone on May 19,” commented U of MMA matchmaker Jay Tan.

Several combat jiu jitsu matches are in the works, pitting fighters from Kings MMA, Robot Fight & Fitness, and 10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu schools in Los A

ngeles, El Paso, TX, and Santa Fe, NM.

In addition, fight teams such as All In MMA, IMAC, Team Britton, Legends MMA, 10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu, Millennia MMA, NZT Pankration, Valhalla ETC, Krav Maga Worldwide, and Sityodtong LA are expected to represent at Fight Night II.

“This is shaping up to be one of our best fight cards ever.  We work from such a large talent pool of gyms and fighters that fans will really get to see the stars and champions of tomorrow,” said U of MMA founder Turi Altavilla.

The University of MMA: Fight Night II takes place at 4:00pm on Sunday, May 19, 2013, at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE, 800 West Olympic Boulevard. Doors open at 3:00pm. Tickets are now available and can be purchased through www.UofMMA.com and www.AXS.com, charge by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or 888-929-7849, and from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, Mon-Fri at the STAPLES Center Box Office located at 1111 S. Figueroa St. Applicable fees may apply. The Club Nokia box office will open at 2:00pm the day of the event.

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CONTACT: Either Jay Tan at jaytan@UofMMA.com and (213) 618-0332 or Turi Altavilla at turi@UofMMA.com and (310) 701-8331.

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ABOUT THE University of MMA (www.UofMMA.com): The University of Mixed Martial Arts (aka “The U”) is a Los Angeles-based fight promotion specializing in exciting, high-octane, upscale amateur MMA events around the Southern California region. Its mandate is to provide a stage for young, aspiring fighters to hone their MMA skills and develop themselves as marketable personalities and respectable ambassadors of the sport. The U was founded in 2010, and ran its first show on September 19^th of that year at the Irvine Mariott in Irvine, CA, as part of the inaugural California Amateur MMA Organization (CAMO) State Tournament. The U serves as a scouting show for professional organizations such as King of the Cage. Each event is sanctioned by the CAMO, which upholds the highest safety standards in the nation for amateur competition. The team behind the U collectively has over 20 years of professional promoting experience at the highest level of the sport, including international and domestic events which were broadcast on pay-per-view, cable, and network television in the United States, Japan, and Great Britain. For tomorrow’s MMA stars and champions … IT STARTS HERE!

About Club Nokia: Club Nokia, a multi-use music, entertainment and concert venue–located in the heart of the acclaimed L.A. LIVE sports, residential and entertainment district–accommodates over 2,300 guests.  Featuring state-of-the-art acoustics designed for live entertainment, Club Nokia is the perfect venue for emerging music acts and cultural shows while also providing excellent space for corporate events and private parties.  The theatre brings the latest technology to music enthusiasts including an innovative interactive experience embedded in foot-controlled floor interfaces, touchscreens, and a large LED installation within the lobby of the Club Nokia space.  This interactive experience allows users to scroll through the history and the future of Club Nokia events and interact with pictures, video and text messages submitted by fellow concert fans.  Club Nokia has been honored two consecutive years at the annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards-in 2009 as “Best New Major Concert Venue” and in 2010 as “Nightclub Of The Year”; along with a Zagat Award for Best Live Music Club in Los Angeles (2009).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

UNIVERSITY OF MMA ANNOUNCES ‘DEAN’S LIST’
PERFORMANCE REWARDS FOR MARCH 3^RD ‘FIGHT NIGHT’

Los Angeles, CA – The first installment of the University of MMA’s rebranded ‘Fight Night’ series was also its biggest show, presenting fifteen matches this past Sunday, March 3^rd, at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE. Among the loaded fight card were two women’s matches and the finals for the University of MMA heavyweight and light heavyweight championship tournaments.

The University of MMA Dean’s List for ‘Fight Night, March 3, 2013’ are:

Fight of the Night: TIE

Yumi Matsumoto (10^th Planet Van Nuys / Defiant Muay Thai) vs. Pamela Venegas (Elite Training Center)

Juan de la Torre (10^th Planet Burbank) vs. Ryan Lilley (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA)

Knockout of the Night: Renardo Palmer (Phenom BJJ)

Submission of the Night: Tanner Chapman (IMAC)

Freshman Honors: Ozzy Diaz (NZT Pankration)

The Dean’s List is sponsored by OTM Fight Shops and WSS, which have contributed $100 gift certificates to the winners.

“This show was packed with a lot of fighters and fight teams who were making their first U of MMA appearances. They all really outdid themselves and gave us a ton of memorable matches,” said U of MMA matchmaker Jay Tan. “It’s humbling that they give us the effort that they do.”

“Just like the big shows, it’s important for fighters to get used to these types of awards and incentives.  Winning is important but winning and making a lasting impression on the audience is the name of the game.  These guys and gals had the audience ‘oohing’ and ‘ahhhing’ and wanting to see more,” added U of MMA founder / promoter Turi Altavilla.

The Dean’s List was created following the U’s ‘Champions of Tomorrow!’ event in May 2012. While three categories, Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night, and Submission of the Night, are traditional and self-explanatory distinctions, Freshman Honors is a special category exclusive to fighters who are making their University of MMA debut (not necessarily an amateur debut). Freshman Honors is an award bestowed on the fighter with the best overall U of MMA debut that night, including fighting skills, personality, & interview skills.

order cialis online

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CONTACT: Either Turi Altavilla at turi@UofMMA.com and phone (310) 701-8339 or Jay Tan at jaytan@UofMMA.com and phone (213) 618-0332.

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About the University of MMA (www.UofMMA.com): The University of Mixed Martial Arts (aka “The U”) is a Los Angeles-based fight promotion specializing in exciting, high-octane, upscale amateur MMA events around the Southern California region. Its mandate is to provide a stage for young, aspiring fighters to hone their MMA skills and develop themselves as marketable personalities and respectable ambassadors of the sport. The U was founded in 2010 and has run six shows in Southern California. The U serves as a scouting show for professional organizations such as Strikeforce and King of the Cage. Each event is sanctioned by the California Amateur MMA Organization (CAMO), which upholds the highest safety standards in the nation for amateur competition. The team behind the U collectively has over 20 years of experience in promoting professional MMA at the highest level of the sport, including international and domestic events broadcast on pay-per-view, cable, and network television. For tomorrow’s MMA stars and champions … IT STARTS HERE!

About OTM Fight Shops (www.OTMfightshops.com):  On The Mat (OTM) is an American company and brand dedicated to the sport and lifestyle of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), submission grappling (no-gi), and mixed martial arts (MMA). Founded in 1996 by owner Scotty Nelson in Mountain View, CA, OTM has become best known for its website, OnTheMat.com, which provides the largest online library of jiu-jitsu and grappling footage, including video magazines, instructional videos, and tournament compilations. Its online store and eight retail fight shops in California, Nevada, and New Mexico offer the widest selection of fight gear and apparel for fighters from every discipline. Additionally, OTM’s clothing line is among the most recognizable brands in BJJ and MMA, including a custom made jiu-jitsu gi called Lucky Gi. OTM has sponsored dozens of BJJ / MMA household names, such as B.J. Penn, Nick Diaz, Nate Diaz, Jeff Monson, Kenny Florian, and Diego Sanchez.

About WSS (www.shopWSS.com): WSS is a leading Southern California retailer founded in 1984. WSS (formerly Warehouse Shoe Sale) offers a wide variety of footwear, clothing, and accessories from all major brands. WSS carries over 3,000 of the latest styles from such brand names as Nike, Jordan, Vans, Converse, Sketchers, Reebock, Adidas, Puma, New Balance, DC Shoes, Timberland, K-Swiss, and many, many more. With over 25 years in business and 55 stores (Victorville, Bakersfield and Lancaster coming soon), WSS has an unrivaled reputation for having great values and great selection and for bringing customers the latest in the best styles. Participating in over 350 local events per year, WSS is also committed to giving back to the community.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MMA: FIGHT NIGHT

Sunday, March 3, 2012
Club Nokia at LA Live, Los Angeles, CA

1) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – ADRIAN CABRAL (IMAC) def. SHAWN MASIEL (Adrenaline MMA) via unanimous decision.

2) 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – AJ LAVARIAS (Systems Training Center) def. ANGEL CORDOVA (NZT Pankration) via unanimous decision.

3) 125 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – LAURA SALAZAR (Team Britton) def. ALYSON BLOOM (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA) via majority decision.

4) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – ROMAN TODOROVICH (Elite Training Center) def. LUCAS GUBBINS (Valhalla ETC) via submission, R1, 0:51.

5) 205 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – OZZY DIAZ (NZT Pankration) def. PHILIP FORTEZA (ARx / Rise Above Fitness) via TKO, R2, 0:08.

6) 130 lbs. catchweight (3 x 2 min.) – JACOB ROCKYMORE (Legends MMA / 10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu) def. HAN LEE (Independent) via submission, R2, 1:56.

7) 145 lbs. (3

x 2 min.) – SONNY SWEET (Adrenaline MMA) def. KHALID SHANNON (Systems Training Center) via submission, R2, 1:42.

8) 135 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – THOMAS LANDEROS (United MMA) draw with KEVIN GONZALEZ (Team Danger).

9) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – TANNER CHAPMAN (IMAC) def. VINCE CACHERO (Systems Training Center) via submission, R2, 0:49.

10) 195 lbs. catchweight (3 x 2 min.) – CHRISTOPHER REYES (Pimpit Fight Team Academy) def. JJ MORTIMER (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA) via TKO, R2, 0:45.

11) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – DEAN BO MOSKOWITZ (House of Champions / Aziz MMA) def. LOUIE LEYVA (Valhalla ETC) via submission, R2, 1:39.

12) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – JUAN DE LA TORRE (10^th Planet Burbank) def. RYAN LILLEY (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA) via unanimous decision.

13) 135 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – YUMI MATSUMOTO (10^th Planet Van Nuys / Defiant Muay Thai) def. PAMELA VENEGAS (Elite Training Center) via unanimous decision.

14) UNIVERSITY OF MMA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

265 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – RENARDO PALMER (Phenom BJJ) def. ALEXANDER ARSLAN (Pimpit Fight Team Academy) via KO, R2, 0:42.

15) UNIVERSITY OF MMA LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

205 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – . JENS GRAU (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA) def. JOSHUA NEAL (Bowman’s Killer Bees) via TKO, R3, 1:31.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MMA: FIGHT NIGHT

Sunday, March 3, 2013 – Club Nokia at LA Live, Los Angeles, CA

1) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – ADRIAN CABRAL (IMAC) vs. SHAWN MASIEL (Adrenaline MMA)

2) 155 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – ANGEL CORDOVA (NZT Pankration) vs. AJ LAVARIAS (Systems Training Center)

3) 125 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – LAURA SALAZAR (Team Britton) vs. ALYSON BLOOM (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA)

4) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – LUCAS GUBBINS (Valhalla ETC) vs. ROMAN TODOROVICH (Elite Training Center)

5) 205 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – OZZY DIAZ (NZT Pankration) vs. PHILIP FORTEZA (ARx / Rise Above Fitness)

6) 130 lbs. catchweight (3 x 2 min.) – JACOB ROCKYMORE (Legends MMA / 10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu) vs. HAN LEE (Independent)

7) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – SONNY SWEET (Adrenalin MMA) vs. KHALID SHANNON (Systems Training Center)

8) 135 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – THOMAS LANDEROS (United MMA) vs. KEVIN GONZALEZ (Team Danger)

9) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – TANNER CHAPMAN (IMAC) vs. VINCE CACHERO (Systems Training Center)

10) 195 lbs. catchweight (3 x 2 min.) – CHRISTOPHER REYES (Pimpit Fight Team Academy) vs. JJ MORTIMER (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA)

11) 170 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – LOUIE LEYVA (Valhalla ETC) vs. DEAN BO MOSKOWITZ (House of Champions / Aziz MMA)

12) 145 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – JUAN DE LA TORRE (10^th Planet Burbank) vs. RYAN LILLEY (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA)

13) 135 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – YUMI MATSUMOTO (10^th Planet Van Nuys / Defiant Muay Thai) vs. PAMELA VENEGAS (Elite Training Center)

14) UNIVERSITY OF MMA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP 

265 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – ALEXANDER ARSLAN (Pimpit Fight Team Academy) vs. RENARDO PALMER (Phenom BJJ)

15) UNIVERSITY OF MMA LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP 

205 lbs. (3 x 2 min.) – JOSHUA NEAL (Bowman’s Killer Bees) vs. JENS GRAU (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

UNIVERSITY OF MMA TARGETS FOUR DATES

FOR CLUB NOKIA IN 2013, FIRST EVENT MARCH 3

Los Angeles, CA – Building off a successful run in 2012 at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE, the University of MMA has set four dates at the venue in 2013. Now rebranded as “University of MMA: Fight Night,” the first event of the year will take place on Sunday, March 3, with subsequent dates in May, August, and December. Tickets for the March 3 event go on sale at 10:00am, Thursday, January 31, at www.UofMMA.com or www.axs.com.

“This is the next step for us in building a regular fight series at Club Nokia,” commented U of MMA founder Turi Altavilla. “We’ve said before that our goal is to be L.A.’s fight show both for fighters in the Southern California community and the fight fans.”

University of MMA: Fight Night will mark the crowning of two new U of MMA champions, in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. Both title quests began as four-man tournaments at U of MMA events in 2012.

Alexander Arslan (Pimpit Fight Team Academy) and Renardo Palmer (Phenom Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) will fight for the University of MMA’s heavyweight (265 lbs.) championship. Both men have been on a collision course against each other since May 2012, at the onset of the University of MMA’s heavyweight championship tournament.

Also, Jens ‘The Sandman’ Grau (Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA) will have his chance for gold when he fights in the University of MMA light heavyweight (205 lbs.) championship finals against Joshua Neal (Bowman’s Killer Bees). The Danish strongman advanced to the University of MMA light heavyweight championship finals after a closely-contested majority decision win in October. Neal is a lifelong martial artist who will make his U of MMA debut with this championship opportunity.

Several other U of MMA superstars are expected to make their return to Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE, including female fan favorite Brooksie ‘The Bear’ Bayard, Dean Bo Moskowitz, knockout artist Matt Jones, and University of MMA featherweight champion ‘Gorgeous’ Georgie Garcia.

“We grow a little bit more with each show. We want as many different gyms and fight teams involved as possible, and these dates in advance allow us to help fight teams schedule their year better,” said U of MMA matchmaker Jay Tan.

As always, the University of MMA will also showcase women’s MMA and combat jiu jitsu matches. Several new fight teams are expected to make their U of MMA debuts, such as Camp Wolverine, Bowman’s Killer Bees, SD Range Fighters, Elite Training Center, 10^th Planet Burbank, and Robot Fight & Fitness. Similarly, familiar faces like Legends MMA, Pimpit Fight Team Academy, FightworX, Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA, Hayastan MMA, Kings MMA, Fight Academy Pasadena and Valhalla Elite Training Center anticipate having fighters represent and compete on the March event.

Dates for the University of MMA’s May, August, and

December events at the same venue will be released publicly in the coming months.

The University of MMA’s next event takes place at 4:00pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013, at Club Nokia at L.A. LIVE, 800 West Olympic Boulevard. Doors open at 3:00pm. Tickets go on sale Thursday, January 31, at 10:00am PST, and can be purchased at www.AXS.com, charge by phone at 888-9AXS-TIX or 888-929-7849, and from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM, Mon-Fri at the STAPLES Center Box Office located at 1111 S. Figueroa St. Applicable fees may apply. The Club Nokia box office will open at 2:00pm the day of the event.

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CONTACT: Either Jay Tan at jaytan@UofMMA.com and (213) 618-0332 or Turi Altavilla at turi@UofMMA.com and (310) 701-8331.

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ABOUT THE University of MMA (www.UofMMA.com): The University of Mixed Martial Arts (aka “The U”) is a Los Angeles-based fight promotion specializing in exciting, high-octane, upscale amateur MMA events around the Southern California region. Its mandate is to provide a stage for young, aspiring fighters to hone their MMA skills and develop themselves as marketable personalities and respectable ambassadors of the sport. The U was founded in 2010, and ran its first show on September 19^th of that year at the Irvine Mariott in Irvine, CA, as part of the inaugural California Amateur MMA Organization (CAMO) State Tournament. The U serves as a scouting show for professional organizations such as Strikeforce and King of the Cage. Each event is sanctioned by the CAMO, which upholds the highest safety standards in the nation for amateur competition. The team behind the U collectively has over 20 years of professional promoting experience at the highest level of the sport, including international and domestic events which were broadcast on pay-per-view, cable, and network television in the United States, Japan, and Great Britain. For tomorrow’s MMA stars and champions … IT STARTS HERE!

About Club Nokia: Club Nokia, a multi-use music, entertainment and concert venue–located in the heart of the acclaimed L.A. LIVE sports, residential and entertainment district–accommodates over 2,300 guests.  Featuring state-of-the-art acoustics designed for live entertainment, Club Nokia is the perfect venue for emerging music acts and cultural shows while also providing excellent space for corporate events and private parties.  The theatre brings the latest technology to music enthusiasts including an innovative interactive experience embedded in foot-controlled floor interfaces, touchscreens, and a large LED installation within the lobby of the Club Nokia space.  This interactive experience allows users to scroll through the history and the future of Club Nokia events and interact with pictures, video and text messages submitted by fellow concert fans.  Club Nokia has been honored two consecutive years at the annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards-in 2009 as “Best New Major Concert Venue” and in 2010 as “Nightclub Of The Year”; along with a Zagat Award for Best Live Music Club in Los Angeles (2009).

We’re always warned to never judge a book by its cover, and in the case of Ericka Letrice Newsome, no other adage could apply better.

With muscular arms, broad shoulders, and compact waistline, Ericka has the physique of a dedicated athlete who’s worked out all her life. You’d never believe that she once weighed a very unhealthy 300 lbs. Likewise, to see her fight, you’d think that she’s driven by a dark, vengeful past that finds therapy in inflicting pain. So you’ll likely be taken aback to learn that she’s a classically-trained trumpeter who’s performed in the Rose Parade six times. And to see her light up as she discusses her passion for jazz greats like Freddie Hubbard, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis, you realize that there’s far more here than meets the eye.

Ericka Letrice Newsome was born in Monterrey Park and has lived most of her life in Pasadena. She’s always been fascinated by martial arts, starting out with Kung Fu and Taekwondo at the age of seven. When she was 12, she saw a kickboxing match between Kathy Long and Bridgett ‘Baby Doll’ Riley on TV, which planted the seed for future aspirations of training and competing. She took Kung Fu by high school, at which point she also started looking into other martial arts, including Muay Thai.

Unfortunately, by that point she was already heavyset, and because of that had difficulty being taken seriously at the gym. According to Newsome, instructors were dismissive, telling her ‘this is too much for you. We know you want to do this, but you’re not at the level.’ When a sparring accident led to injuring her neck and spine, she was forced to sit out for a year, which literally added insult to injury.

“During that time of being on disability, I gained a lot of weight, just sitting around doing no physical activities,” she recollects. “I started being sad because I couldn’t work out, so I ate a lot. Everything went towards eating. If I was happy, I ate. If I was sad, I ate. If something was cool, I ate. I did that for a year. I went from about 280 lbs. up to about 320 lbs.”

Newsome with coach Matt Hambelton (center), and her teammate/fellow U of MMA fighter Brooksie Bayard.

By 2008, Newsome had recovered from her injury, though her motivation was on the wane. In October, however, she once again realized her passion for martial arts when she was encouraged to check out FightworX, a small, but serious, gym located behind a boxing supply store in Pasadena.

“The [supply store] owner’s son told me ‘go and check it out,’” she says. “Bazooka Joe [Gonzalez] was getting ready for a pankration event. I could see them doing the grappling inside the ring. From what I saw from that first half-hour, I was just amazed . . . I kept watching and I was like ‘this is what I want to do.’ The next day, I started training with them, and I’ve been with them ever since.”

Leading ‘them’ is her head coach, Matt Hambelton, a Glendora native who trained and competed extensively in Muay Thai and Krav Maga in the 90’s and early 2000’s. Having seen the rise of MMA in Southern California during those pioneering years, Hambelton prides himself on working with only the most serious and dedicated of aspiring fighters, a philosophy that Newsome has reflected as much as anyone in the FightworX ranks in their three-year partnership.

“When she came in, I said ‘if you want to put in the time, if you want to do the technique, you want to spar, you want to lose the weight, when you get to 180, we’ll start finding you matches.”

According to Hambelton, Newsome’s dedication during those two years averaged 4-5 hours a day, seven days a week. For her first fight, she weighed 180 lbs., after two years of continuous work.

“I was still kind of embarrassed though, because I was really big,” she remembers. “It was hard, but I knew that its something I really wanted to do. And I took it seriously. This is where I need to be. I wanted to be part of this facility.”

“When Ericka started, it was about weight,” says Hambelton. “She had to fight guys 180, 190 lbs. We couldn’t put her with 145 lb. females. So she got used to hitting and getting hit by grown men. She didn’t ever spar with another female until her exhibition fights. Because there were no girls out there.”

e-medium wp-image-1316 ” alt=”Newsome and Autumn Richardson after their second fight.” src=”http://uofmma.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Ericka-Newsome-x-Autumn-Richardson-17-Jeffrey-Hitchens-300×199.jpg” width=”300″ height=”199″ /> Newsome and Autumn Richardson after their second fight.

Newsome fought twice for the University of MMA, both times against Autumn Richardson from Team Quest. Their first match was the main event at the U’s first Hollywood show, ‘I Will Be Victorious!,’ in April 2011, going all the way to a close decision. When the two both had difficulty finding opponents following that bout, they agreed to rematch on another show. When the U announced its next show, Richardson and Newsome both requested to bring their match back to the U.

“I think when it comes to ground technique, she was probably one of the toughest [opponents]. Because she knew stand-up and ground,” says Newsome.

“One thing I noticed differently [in the rematch], that she didn’t strike with me like she did in the first fight. I think she did more striking with me, more punches and stuff. But the second time around, her main focus was trying to get me to the ground. She didn’t throw. She wasn’t that aggressive on stand-up.”

Neither of Newsome’s U of MMA post-fight interviews give the indication that she’s one for verbosity. Her answers are short and not very revealing. However, when the conversation turns to her other passion, music, you’re playing the right tune.

Ericka Letrice Newsome the trumpet player.

Newsome is a classical and jazz music aficionado who started training to play woodwind instruments in middle school, later graduating to brass in high school, including tuba, saxophone, and trumpet. She marched and performed in Rose Parade with the Pasadena City College Honor Lancer Band (which recruits only through auditions) between 1997 and 2002. Nowadays, she jams out with the college’s swing band, and like the new physical lease on life she’s built through fighting, her love of jazz is both a place of comfort and a fertile garden of expressing herself.

“My foundation is actually orchestra and classical music, but I am going more towards jazz, because I love the chance to improve and be able to play.”

When asked about the parallels between music and fighting, Newsome confirms that timing and cadence are important elements which translate between the two.

“There’s a certain timing to when you move your body,” she explains. “Music is a time. I know when Matt will teach me a certain move and I’m not getting it, or I might be too slow; once I put music to it – more like ‘okay, he wants it more flowing,’ in music that would be more like a slur. Or he wants this hard, maybe like an attack, or staccato. So I convert it in a way. . . I use music to put it in the way he wants the moves to come through.”

In July last year, Newsome made her pro debut, against Katalina Malungahu of Xtreme Couture. The match didn’t go Newsome’s way, suffering her first TKO loss in her fight career, but it also hasn’t deterred her spirits.

“With this one, it was pretty much over a year since I fought. It was like a last-minute thing. I didn’t really have much time to prepare for it. And when I went in, I just had too much hesitation. I didn’t have that aggression that I usually have when I fight amateur,” comments Newsome. “Out of all the girls that I fought, I just had never been hit that hard before. I got caught with a really good hit. From there I was like ‘wow.’ I wasn’t expecting that. I learned a lot from that one.”

In light of the unfamiliar and uncomfortable experience, Newsome has vowed to erase that hesitation and embrace her inner aggression in her future fights. Given her typical level of activity in previous amateur matches, that’s a pretty intimidating promise. But if there’s anything that Ericka Letrice Newsome’s story proves, its that when she sets her mind to something, it gets done.

Ericka Letrice Newsome is sponsored by Hands of Babs massage therapy/body sculpting (818-405-3777), Pro Boxing Equipment (www.proboxingequipment.com), Forever Faith (www.foreverfaith777.com), Pasadena Family Chiropractic (www.pasadenachiro.com), Dream Water (www.drinkdreamwater.com) , and www.LACriminalDefenseAttorney.com.

'El Guapo' himself, Bas Rutten.

When he walks into the gym, the dull murmur of conversation evaporates. People drop what they’re doing to say hello, to shake his hand, addressing him as “sir” or even “the legend.”

You probably know him as Bas Rutten, the former UFC heavyweight champion who finished his fabled career with 21 victories in his last 22 matches (the one anomaly being a draw in 1995).

You may even recognize him as a YouTube sensation, or the man who once famously came close to tangling with Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Tito Ortiz once referred to the Dutch-born fighter as “my idol.”

But now, in the year 2013, Rutten has turned to the task of molding the champions of tomorrow.

“I always wanted a gym, one that’s close to my home. I didn’t want a gym where I wasn’t teaching, just putting my name on the gym and never being there. I know a lot of guys who do that, and I never wanted to be a guy like that,” Rutten said.

Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA, located in Westlake Village, is a full-service MMA gym that offers training programs for fighters ranging from newcomers to seasoned professionals. The gym, founded in 2010, is the brainchild of not only Rutten but also fellow co-owners Ken Lawson and Randy Khatami. Lawson, a business entrepreneur and MMA enthusiast, partnered with Rutten and Khatami, an auditor for the LAPD by day and renowned striking instructor by night.

With the responsibility of ownership divided among three men, it would be easy for Rutten to be one of “those guys” who brand their name to a gym only to sell memberships. Rutten, who wanted to take-on an active role in the operation of the gym, chose a location close to home in an effort to avoid the nightmarish commute into Los Angeles.

“A lot of people don't realize how much I was away the first eleven years of my career. I missed all of the birthdays and Christmases, even the birth of my youngest daughter. Now, I want to spend a little bit more time at home.”

Whether the motivation is self-defense or fitness, classes at Bas Rutten's Elite MMA cater to everybody's needs.

Even when Rutten isn’t in the gym, his presence can be felt.

When you walk into the building, your eyes are immediately drawn to a video montage of Rutten’s devastating knockouts, serving as inspiration and telling evidence of the commitment required to achieve greatness.

Rutten will be the first to tell you that he doesn’t uphold this standard alone.

“Everybody's on the same page here. We have a great team. There's no animosity. Everybody likes each other, and they all hang out together. I think that's very good for the gym. And you can see it with the students. They're doing really well,” Rutten said.

True to its namesake, the gym boasts a collection of elite MMA instructors. The staff includes Khatami, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu world champion Rodrigo Carvalho, Muay Thai expert Carlo Dekkers and MMA professional Jamie “The Ghost” Toney.

Paidstudentsurveys.com

Jamie Toney (black headgear) and Jens Grau go at it.” src=”http://uofmma.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/14558_540263835986103_1819952405_n-300×226.jpg” width=”300″ height=”226″ /> Coach Randy Kahtami looks on as Jamie Toney (black headgear) and Jens Grau go at it.

The bruises and cuts shared between Toney and sparring partner Jens Grau stand as evidence of the all-out approach that “The Ghost” brings to his training; embodying the blue-collar work-ethic that he developed as a native of Huntington, West Virginia.

Toney can usually tell whether or not a fighter is serious about sharpening their mind and body into a weapon.

“Not everybody is mentally built the same way. A lot of people want to fight. A lot of people want to walk around saying they want to fight. They don’t really, but they do it for some reason. Whatever that reason may be,” Toney said.

In a sport popularized by the highlight-reel knockout, Bas Rutten’s staff emphasizes the development of a fighter’s awareness and intellect. It’s one thing to be a physical specimen. The MMA world is filled with such athletes. It’s another matter, entirely, to find someone who can couple world-class physical tools with the ability to process and adapt under immense pressure.

“Fighting is 100% mental. It's all about learning how to control your mind.  When you can do that, you can move mountains. Most people say their number one fear is public speaking. I tell those same people to try taking punches and kicks,” Rutten said.

Rutten and his staff have assembled a formidable team of amateur fighters with promising professional potential. Competitors such as Casey Greene, Chris Bonilla and Grau, all veterans of the U of MMA, have demonstrated the benefits this cerebral approach to their craft.

“When you keep getting hit, it can be really frustrating. That’s when you need to step back and think, work on your game. I think that that really applies to anything. And when you find something that’s good, that works, you have to do it, practice it. I strongly believe that if you can visualize something in your head, you can take that image and apply it to your body,” Grau said.

Members of the Elite MMA fight team, including coaches Jamie 'The Ghost' Toney and Randy Kahtami (second and third from left, respectively), JJ Mortimer (center), Alyson Bloom, and Ryan Lilley (far right)

Rutten’s team will be put to the test on March 3^rd, when Grau, along with JJ Mortimer and Ryan Lilley will step into the cage of LA Live’s Club Nokia to participate in the recently rebranded “University of MMA: Fight Night.”

And though he’s walked the same path many-a-time, Rutten admits that he experiences pre-fight jitters when his fighters’ preparation is finally put to the test.

“I pray for them before a fight. They will never see it. I want them to win, but I don't really ask for that. I want them to come out unharmed. There are times when I say, 'okay, I know I never ask for them to win, but this would be a really good time for that to happen,' because I know they really need it in that moment,” Rutten said.

To reach that moment, these three fighters will continue to be pushed and tested within the walls of their gym. Time will tell if they too will forge their own legacies in America’s fastest-growing sport.

“As long as they really fight their hearts out, they can never really lose in my book, they really can't. If it goes to a decision, it was a freaking war, and I'm proud of that,” Rutten said.

Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA Training Center is located at 880 Hampshire Road in Westlake Village. For more info, call (805) 496-4472 or visit www.elitemmagym.com. 

Cries of “Gio, Gio” thundered in unison from the stands of Club Nokia, as big men Gio Zavala and Jens Grau answered their cheers by trading deafening blows against each other.

Jens Grau (blue) went three action-packed rounds with Gio Zavala at ‘Second to None’ in October 2012.

But in spite of the rousing support from friends and family, it was Grau, not Zavala, who stood the victor by decision.

“I just go in and try to knock the other person out. The last guy (Zavala), I couldn’t. He had a good head. He really did. I’m glad it actually went three rounds so that we could see what we’re capable of doing. But he was a tough opponent. He was a big dude. He could take some punches,” Grau said.

It was a sweet moment for the Danish-born Grau, whose MMA journey began much later than most. In 2009, Grau, then 38, opted to try MMA after his powerlifting career was cut short by a tear in his left bicep.

“I’m an old young guy,” Grau joked. “I wanted to give myself a challenge. I wanted to see what is and isn’t possible to do with my body, to physically test it. I don’t care what people think about me. I want to see how far I can take it. At this age, I think what really matters is how fresh your mind is,” Grau said.

If this is the case, Grau need not worry, for the fighter brings a cerebral approach to his craft that most would not expect upon first glance. Although svelte in comparison to his days as a national champion powerlifter, Grau is as imposing as they come; standing at 5’9, 205 pounds and boasting a mere eight percent body-fat index.

And while his frame appears perfectly equipped for destruction, it’s not the purely physical element of MMA that Grau enjoys most.

“I love all the learning. I find it very beautiful. I find the human body in general to be very beautiful, what you can accomplish with it, it’s uniquely put together. Especially when you think about what pressure we put it through,” Grau said.

‘The Sandman’ Jens Grau makes the walk to work.

Indeed, the learning curve has been a steep one for Grau, whose transition from powerlifter to fighter has not been seamless. Including his victory over Zavala last month, Grau has a 4-3 record as an amateur.

Sheer physical strength and endurance have never been an issue, a fact easily observable when Grau’s punches meet their mark.

“Jiu jitsu has been quite a challenge. It’s starting to come together, it’s fun now. It’s very complicated, but when you’ve passed the burden of that complication, and you understand the basics, it becomes fun. And then you can take it to any level you want,” G

rau said

Grau stayed positive, persevering through a 2-3 start to the tune of recent victories over Zavala and Michael Bettis, a fight in which Grau TKO’d his opponent with a devastating right hook. The fight lasted all of ten seconds; ominous footage for Grau’s future combatants.

Invaluable in his acquisition of jiu jitsu has been trainer and sparring partner Jamie Toney, a professional fighter who pulls no punches with his amateur pupil.

“We go hard. I can dish it out and I can take it. Usually if somebody’s new, I try to equalize, let them set the pace. You’re not going to bully people off the bat. You shouldn’t. But if somebody comes at you like they’re shot out of a cannon, then you need to come right back,” Toney said.

When Toney says “we go hard,” Grau’s eyebrows raise in a telling expression. He chuckles and says, “I know.”

Though Grau owns a fifteen-pound weight advantage over Toney, the smaller fighter routinely employs his technique and experience in besting his opponent, who they call ‘The Sandman.’ A title earned, as Grau simply puts it, “Because I know how to put you to sleep.”

Monday through Friday, the duo can be found squaring off in Bas Rutten’s Elite MMA gym. These sparring sessions are bouts that often leave the participants’ faces with a distinctly asymmetrical appearance.

Born from this ultra-competitive atmosphere, Grau and Toney have become fast friends, something they cannot totally forget inside the cage.

“We’re buddies, man. We like to punch each other in the face and laugh about it. We have a good time when we train. Sometimes, people wonder if we’re in there training or telling jokes, because we’re laughing hard as can be; in a weird position on the ground or punching each other in the face. I’m really glad he’s here and that we have the opportunity to train a lot. It makes it a lot of fun. It’s work, but it’s fun,” Toney said.

Grau hopes that his rigorous training will pay dividends, and even at the unprecedented age of 41, he has aspirations of a professional career.

“I’m going to take it as far as I can. I’m not going to put a number on my amateur fights. I want some more ring experience, I want some more training,” Grau said.

His eggs aren’t all in one basket. Outside the cage, Grau owns two janitorial companies, one of which specializes in crime-scene clean-up. It’s a rare line of work, but then again, so is professional fighting.

Jens Grau, victorious after his match at ‘Champions of Tomorrow!’

Opportunity is abound for Grau, who’s in the process of chasing his own American Dream.

“This is the greatest nation on the planet. People just don’t see it because they don’t get out of here. Everything is in America, every opportunity you could want. You can travel, go wherever you want, speak the same language and use the same money,” Grau said.

His next opportunity? March 3^rd, 2013, where he’ll take the stage in pursuit of the University of MMA’s light heavyweight championship.

Once more, hard-hitting action is all but guaranteed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQR9prWrV5g

To all but the newest of MMA fan, Eddie Bravo’s 10^th Planet Jiu-Jitsu needs no introduction. Watch any televised MMA event and you’ll see the brand name sprawled across fighter gear, shorts, and banners. Tenth Planet satellite schools are spread out worldwide, from Portland, Oregon to Rochester, New York, Stockholm, Sweden, and even Australia. Producing contenders and champions is business as usual for those involved in Eddie Bravo’s system of no-gi jiu jitsu.

Coach Alder Hampel (right) with 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu founder / friend / bandmate Eddie Bravo.

One of the newer branches of the 10^th Planet family, 10^th Planet Van Nuys, is run by Alder Hampel, a brown belt under the famed Eddie Bravo. Housed under the same roof as Saekson Muay Thai, ‘Coach Alder,’ as he’s known by his students, has partnered with the Trana’s, a family of kickboxers who opened their school approximately three years ago. Together, the two schools under one roof produce an ongoing line of grapplers and strikers, some of whom stay to their disciplines while others combine their skills with aspirations of diving into MMA.

“Anybody that walks into the gym, they might take the perspective of its two separate programs, which it is, but. . . when we have that MMA guy that wants to do it, we know that we’re definitely going to focus on what our strengths are,” explains gym owner and Muay Thai head trainer Julio Trana, Jr. “It’s been great working with Alder. It’s about working with someone that’s as passionate as I am with my part.”

“I love MMA, but I really love BJJ,” says Alder. “I started off at Jean Jacques [Machado’s gym] in ’96. Then I quit for a little while, did the broke college student thing, and did some Judo and Tae Kwon Do. Whatever I could find. But we’d always end up grappling after class. Then I went to a place up in Santa Monica, and I was there until blue belt, and did the broke college student thing again. When I finally got some money back together, I started training with Eddie full time.”

The blend of different martial art disciplines Alder has under his belt translates into their teaching style.   As a case in point, during one of their evening sessions, while Alder is demonstrating takedowns, a student improvises during the drilling session, and incorporates a judo toss, into side control.

'Coach Alder' going over technique with his 10th Planet Van Nuys students. (Photo by Jorge Abarca)

Many instructors and students would be quick to dismiss the move and explain as to why the move would not work in competition. However, Alder took a different approach, instead bringing the student in front of the class and demonstrating the move, step by step, explaining how he’s seen this move work in competition. The class then drilled the toss and continued on as scheduled.

“I’m a big Bruce Lee fan, so I always liked the ‘whatever works, be like water’ philosophy. Whatever works and heavy fundamentals. Fundamentals are kind of like the seed that grows the plant, and you can grow the plant in any direction you want. As long as you know what the fundamentals are, you can start to work towards one direction more than another,” says Alder about his training.

“If you’re really good at getting a guillotine choke in, or taking someone’s back, then I think you should explore that, instead of being like ‘here’s what you have to do in this position.’ Explore your own game.”

Ryan Bradford, a fellow amateur fighter and instructor at the gym, attributes the gym’s success to their method of training. “It’s very cerebral, and very smart. Every night in here is not Abu Dhabi or UFC. We pinpoint what we need to work on and [aren’t] afraid to call out flaws. And make our flaws our strengths.”

While other branches also host their own 10^th Planet school, and follows the curriculum put forth by Eddie Bravo himself, there is something different about this particular branch. Tenth Planet Van Nuys offers a coaching program, where anyone who is dedicated and experienced at the gym can sign up to potentially become a future instructor, teaching one of the many different fundamentals classes, or taking their teaching skills beyond the gym.

“I’m really bringing a foundation to this, where I’m bringing up coaches. I have a coaching program, which teaches guys how to be coaches, and I feel if I can get to more people, through other people, we can reach out a lot more and we can get guys a lot better. If guys wait for me to come over and tell them what to do, it might be a couple days before I get to everybody. If I can get 10 – 12 other limbs on the mat on any given night, it’s like an ‘each one, teach one’ kind of thing. It’s kind of like a fraternity, where the guys who have been here

for a while are the seniors, who teach it to the sophomores, who teach it to the juniors, who teach it to the freshman. So we’re constantly passing the knowledge down.”

Michael ‘Tipz’ Venturella, an upcoming amateur prospect, says “We are the research and development team for 10^th Planet.”

His coach co-signs the statement, stating “Eddie’s really open minded, so if we have anything we come up with I’ll be like ‘Hey, you got to check this out’ and he’ll listen. I’m not over here reinventing the wheel, but I’m trying to streamline it.”

No mixed martial artist is complete without a stand up game, and this was not lost on the gym. 10^th Planet Van Nuys shares a facility with Saekson Muay Thai, operated by the Trana family.

From left: Coaches Julio Trana Sr. and Jr., students Spenser Mix and Josh Shin.

The Trana’s Muay Thai linage dates back over two decades, and like the close bonds felt by 10^th Planet members, is very much a family affair. Patriarch Julio Trana, Sr. came to the States from Nicaragua with a boxing background. When Julio Jr. was five years old, his father enrolled them both in Thai boxing classes at North Hollywood’s Muay Thai Academy. Julio Jr.’s mother and two sisters followed shortly thereafter.

For several years, the whole Trana family trained under Kru (Thai for ‘coach’) Saekson Janjira, even following him to Downey, CA when Janjira left MTA. Soon, Julio Sr. and Jr. began teaching for Janjira, before eventually inheriting the entire program. In 2009, the Trana family opened Saekson Muay Thai (a.k.a. ‘Team Trana’). Before long, the school also had their grappling program, courtesy of Alder and 10^th Planet Jiu Jitsu.

For the gym owners, coaches, and students, the partnership between Alder, 10^th Planet, and the Tranas was an ideal match. “I was looking to open my own program up. I was just going to do the BJJ. I was looking for a place to teach, I wanted to take on more responsibility myself. I was teaching at other gyms and such, and I heard they were looking for a BJJ instructor, and it worked out perfect,” says Hampel of the joint venture.

“I couldn’t have asked for anybody better to work with than Alder,” notes head trainer Julio, Jr. “The passion that he puts on his jiu jitsu is very similar to the passion I put on my Muay Thai.”

Some of the bling earned by Saekson Muay Thai / 10th Planet Van Nuys students. (Photo by Jorge Abarca)

One quick look around the gym chronicles how much success both the strikers and grapplers have had. An entire corner of the location is dedicated to medals, trophies, and championship belts, including the reigning University of MMA featherweight king, ‘Gorgeous’ Georgie Garcia.

Along with teammates Michael ‘Tipz’ Venturella and Mike ‘Lobes’ Frausto, Garcia made is amateur MMA debut at the U’s ‘I Will Be Victorious!’ in April 2011. Since then, all three have stayed very busy, repping 10^th Planet and / or Saekson Muay Thai at an array of amateur fights and tournaments throughout California and Nevada. According to Julio Jr., in 2012, their 17-member Muay Thai team had a total of 46 fights, eight of which were championship bouts.

When asked about the experience participating with the U of MMA, Alder has nothing but praise for the organization.

“The U of MMA came at just the right time. I don’t trust a lot of the promoters out there. Not that they’re untrustworthy, but a lot of the time, it’s not set up for the fighters. At the end of the day, there are a lot of guys who want to help the fighters, but there’s no accountability. Promoters can do whatever they want, and if push comes to shove and it comes to them or one of my fighters, and they have to give them to some animal to that’s going to chew them up and spit them out, they would do that. Jay (Tan) and the guys, they wouldn’t do that. That accountability and trust is there,” explains Alder.

“The U is top notch all the way, the way they take care of their fighters, the production, good turnouts. It’s almost intimidating for a newer fighter. It’s like the major leagues of the amateur division.”

While the 10^th Planet name continues to grow, the people behind the brand name never forget what is important. “I’m very heavy on fundamentals. I feel like every city is built on a pebble, so you have to start with that pebble and built off of that” states Alder.

10^th Planet Van Nuys caters to all skill levels alike, whether it be fighting or coaching as a career, self-defense or just a workout with an accomplished team, the door is open to all.

10^th Planet Van Nuys is located at 16832 Saticoy Street in Van Nuys, CA. For more information, visit www.10thPlanetVanNuys.com or call (818) 925-JITS (5487)