UFC 128: A New Era?

Saturday, March 19th will be a pivotal moment in mixed martial arts. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, the human bridge between the days of Pride Fighting Championships greatness and the sheer dominance of the UFC will be in one corner. In the other, as Bruce Buffer will so eloquently pronounce, will be the man they call "Bones". A 6'4", 23 year old Jon Jones, possessor of the widest wingspan in the UFC, and the broadest, most rapidly evolving skill set this side of GSP.

Shogun, coming off a victory over the seemingly unbeatable Lyoto Machida, will be fighting for the first time since winning the title, and undergoing yet another knee surgery. Jones, the MMA savant who seems to absorb knowledge rather than simply learn it, will be getting his shot at gold a bit ahead of schedule, due to the injury to Rashad Evans and the hype train that smashing through everyone will inevitably set in motion.

The odds makers have made Jones the favorite. The casual fan can't seem to envision a Jones loss. Those who remember the Shogun who once dominated the Pride ring know that the champion is as tough, complete and dynamic a fighter as you'll find. While Jones has buzz-sawed through his competition, leaving them with a deer in headlights look just before "Bones" is announced the winner (even the one time he was foolishly given a loss), Shogun is not Ryan Bader. Rua has been to the mountain top, fallen and climbed back to the top. He has beaten unbeatable men and made big name opponents feel the way Jones has his B level adversaries. And Rua, unlike the others, will not be shocked by the tornado of talent that is Jones.

In other words, Shogun has been the man longer and on bigger stages. He'll need every bit of this big game experience to conquer a young man with seemingly limitless potential. It is said that Jones submitted Bader with a move that he hadn't himself practiced, but simply one which he saw GSP use in training. Jones decided he'd try the move in the Bader fight, to make him tap.

That is the difference between Jones and everyone else (except for Anderson Silva). He can see something and make it his own through sheer talent. Combining this gift with hard work and intelligence, fans can not be blamed for jumping on the bandwagon of the man that will probably do what Brandon Vera once dreamed of, wearing the light heavy and heavyweight UFC titles. Will his belt collecting begin this soon, or will destiny have to wait a bit longer? A healthy Rua could derail the Jones train, but if Bones is as mentally tough as he is physically gifted, it could be the beginning of a new era in MMA.

Julio Rivera

Omni Martial Arts

www.OmniMartialArtsNY.com

The Evolution Of Martial Arts

As UFC 111 approaches and George St. Pierre, perhaps the greatest pound for pound fighter in the world, prepares to defend his welterweight title, martial artistry at its highest form is front and center. St. Pierre, who studied Japanese Jiu Jitsu and Karate as a young man before turning his focus to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and wrestling, can win fights from any position. His physical strength, flexibility and cardiovascular capacity give him the ability to turn his knowledge into action in the ring. His hard work and constant determination to improve make it impossible for any opponent to truly know what they are getting into when they sign to fight him. With his willingness to seek out the best in every discipline and absorb their instruction down the tiniest detail, it's doubtful the 28 year old St. Pierre has reached his peak. Only a rumored hiatus from MMA to pursue Olympic wrestling dreams could derail his ascension into untouchable status.

It's fitting that during the countdown to UFC 111, St. Pierre's opponent, percieved brawler Dan Hardy, is seen doing kung fu forms at the Shaolin temple. Neither Hardy's perfomances in the ring nor his introductions give any glimpse of this background. GSP even goes so far in interviews to say Hardy is not a true maritlal artist. If Hardy, a man who spent his early life from the age of six studying Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu uses no perceptable technique from these disciplines when fighting the best in the world, something is amiss. Hardy's reliance on boxing and Muay Thai while striking and clear abandoning of much of his previous training is remeniscent of the collective sigh of the mystic grand masters whose worlds came crashing down the minute Royce Gracie stepped into a cage. The veil has been lifted. Some things work, and some don't. Let the days of the Tai Chi master who is so dangerous he could kill you with one finger be gone forever.

The savant like performance of Jon "Bones" Jones at the first UFC on Versus event has perhaps given us a glimpse into the next evolutionary step. At just 22 years of age, Jones is an incredibly long light heavyweight wrestler whose ability to utilize judo throws without the gi is unrivaled (apologies to Karo Parisyan) in mixed martial arts. So effective are Jones' throws that he took down Greco and Muay Thai standout Brandon Vera at will, something the great Randy Couture was not able to do. The Greg Jackson trained Jones has an ever growing arsenal of strikes delivered beautifully by arms and legs that go on for days. It was an elbow that literally crushed the face of Vera before the referee stepped in to give Jones his tenth victory against one disqualification loss in a fight where he was destroying wrestler Matt Hamill. If a talented wrestler can train MMA for a couple of years and dominate on talent, hard work and well roundedness, it is scary to think where the sport will be in a short time.

Traditional martial arts of all kind have great value when used to teach discipline, respect and as a way to get in shape. Instilling a false sense of security by handing out black belts to six year olds and convincing them they can defend themselves is a disservice to martial arts and its practitioners. Thank goodness for MMA, GSP, Dan Hardy and Jon "Bones" Jones, for proving Jackie Chan is not the toughest man on earth and no one should be scared of that six year old black belt walking down the street in their gi.

KNOCKING OUT CHILD OBESITY: Martial Arts Keeps Kids Fit and Safe

Americans are overweight. Fast food dominates our fast paced lives. Like many characteristics children inherit from parents, bad eating habits can be passed down from generation to generation, often leading to entire families that are dangerously out of shape. Weight control and overall fitness depend on a healthy lifestyle.

Childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years, from 6.5% for kids 6 to 11 in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. With hours of video game play taking the place of exercise and physical education programs being cut from may schools, it seems kids are being programed to ignore the importance of fitness. While games like Wii Sports can certainly help get kids moving, there is no substitute for group activities, for both their physical and social benefits.

Martial arts practice offers kids the opportunity to burn calories, increase flexibility and strength, gain discipline and build a sense of camaraderie with classmates. Increased self confidence can counter bullying problems and the benefits of being able to physically defend oneself, though it may never be needed, are obvious.

Practical martial arts like Judo and Jiu Jitsu, which emphasize grappling, and kick boxing, which depends on striking with the arms and legs are both effective for self defense and as great workouts. Kids will learn mixed martial arts (MMA) techniques that really work, while getting into fantastic shape and developing an overall healthy lifestyle.

The martial arts are a way of life. Health and fitness should be too. If kids don't learn to care about their bodies early on, they'll be destined to a lifetime of fad diets and health problems. Few activities have as many positive elements as training at the right academy with the right instructor. Get your kids onto the mat today and give them the tools for a healthy tomorrow.

Sensei Julio Rivera

Omni Martial Arts

www.OmniMartialArtsNY.com

Astoria, Queens, NY

C

Out Of The Gym And Onto The Mat

If sticking to a fitness routine were easy, the streets would be filled with six pack sporting citizens flaunting their tightly toned physiques. Maintaining a fit lifestyle is even harder than taking that first step toward a healthier you. Few people can afford a personal trainer, and without that external voice providing an extra push, most lack the motivation to put in the hard work in the gym. Lifting weights or riding the treadmill eventually become so monotonous and boring that the inevitable happens: You quit working out.

The amazing popularity of mixed martial arts has shown the general public a new way to work out. With fighters like George St. Pierre and Anderson Silva sporting chiseled, lean physiques, many people have decided to give MMA a try. Of course, your average

person doesn't want to be a fighter, or put in the four to six hours a day it takes to compete on a high level.

The good news is anyone can benefit from mixed martial arts training. Drills from wrestling, jiu jitsu and judo and the kicking and punching of Muay Thai and boxing will help build muscle, burn fat and increase coordination and flexiblility. The ever changing techniques keep your workouts fun and exciting and group classes can be a great opportunity to build camaraderie with training partners. Don't forget the other major benefit you won't get from the gym: self defense skills!

Get away from your boring routine and give MMA training a try. Most schools will offer a free class so you can get a sense of the instructor and other students. You've got nothing to lose except that layer of fat you promised to get rid of before summer!

Sensei Julio Rivera

Omni Martial Arts

http://www.OmniMartialArtsNY.com