Stephen "The Wonderboy" Thompson's UFC Debut

Props go out tonight to Stephen "The Wonderboy" Thompson of Upstate Karate in Simpsonville, South Carolina for his first UFC victory, via head kick.

I really had no doubt he would win, because he's got kickboxing skills from forever. Congratulations to him and everyone at Pitch Black MMA. All you guys' hard work for all this time is coming to fruition and I really look forward to Thompson's rise to the top of the Welterweight Division in the UFC.

It's nice to see your hometown get a little more put on the map. XD

Comments and Thoughts

So, thanks to some of our readers, I have had to start moderating our comments. I didn't want to do that, but since we do actually have younger readers, I'd rather keep inappropriate content unassociated with the blog.

In other news, anyone who doesn't know who Jon Jones is should totally go look him up right now. This guy is an anime character incarnate. He operates, quite literally, on a freakin' Grappler Baki level in terms of skill and physical ability. I am so looking forward to seeing what he becomes in his reign as Champion. I highly doubt he will be dethroned any time soon.

Video Update and Other Thoughts

So... I finished editing the new video for the YouTube account and it... Will. Not. Render.

Not to mention the fact that Sony Vegas was freezing on me every two minutes (more like every time I'd move a clip, towards the end of the editing process)... needless to say, I'm stuck in an odd place. I'm going to attempt to convert the files to a different format and then edit the video one more time. That is, if I can keep my brain from exploding in a fit of irritation. 

Speaking of irritations, Nam Phan got robbed!! Anyone who had the pleasure of watching Nam Phan's glorious use of punching and parrying against Leonard Garcia on the Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale also had the displeasure of watching Phan LOSE a split decision. Even Garcia admitted that it was strange! Serious props to Joe Rogan for going on a little rant during the event about the quality of judges provided to the UFC by a certain athletic commission. And so ends my own short rant.

Hopefully, I can get the video done for you guys within the next few days. Until then, good luck and train hard!

On Mastery (Part 1?)

It's that time again. The time where I sit down and write the sort of philosophical diatribe that makes people go, "Seriously, wtf?!" In the past few months, I've put a lot of thought into the term "Master." What does it really mean and who is worthy of the title?

Maybe, though, it's not necessary to get caught up in the word itself, so much as the concept. Words are merely vehicles on which human beings transport thought. In Japanese, words like "tatsujin" or "shishou" might be applied to a person to denote Mastery.

But, what does it mean? Merriam-Webster defines "Mastery" as:

a: possession or display of great skill or technique
b: skill or knowledge that makes one master of a subject

And, it defines "Master" as a lot of things, but here are a few of the interesting ones:

a: an artist, performer, or player of consummate skill
b: one having control
c: one that conquers or masters

Apparently, "Mastery" is not something easily pinned down. It doesn't necessarily mean being the best at something, but it does mean that you possess a great deal of skill. I am convinced that Mastery (notice I dropped the quotes) is not a destination or a final  acquisition, but a journey; not necessarily a status, but an attitude or way of life.

At some point, when there is sufficient experience in something, the subject (whether a language, a physical skill or mental skill, or understanding) becomes less and less "outside" ourselves. It becomes a second nature. Specifically in the martial arts, it is difficult (read "impossible") to say that someone has master of a style or skill if it is not immediately available to them without the poison of having to think about it. If a man throws a punch and a boxer (assuming he is aware of the incoming attack) does not slip it and/or counter, but instead is hit because he was not "ready" for the punch-- Mastery does not yet exist for this man. Or, if a jujitsu practitioner is grabbed forcefully and he does not break the hold, move to a better position, or submit his attacker, how can he be said to have Mastery? I will not bore you with countless permutations of the same scenario, because the concept is relatively easy to understand.

Mastery is about becoming. It is that transformative path to the superhuman that tests the boundaries of our limits as people. It is not all-inclusive, but can be limited to a single pursuit or ability. You can possess Mastery on levels-- Mastery of a concept, technique, or style. I would say the more specific the endeavor, the higher the degree of skill necessary to attain Mastery. One can be the Master of a martial art and one can possess Mastery of a certain skill within that art. To be certain, to be called the Master of a style, one must have a very high degree of knowledge and skill concerning the fighting method. However, I believe if one were to be called the Master of a particular skill (say armbars, for instance) it might be necessary for him to possess a level of skill in that technique greater than the man who is called the Master of a style. Certainly, this must be the case if the two men were to try to meet on equal terms in battle.

This is fun to think about, but I bring it up not to be purposefully confusing or philosophical, but because at some point, everyone who practices a particular style of martial arts or who fights, must make a decision like this. Do I attempt to become what is called a "complete" fighter or do I dredge on through the fires of hellish training to find the uttermost of a specific kind of fighting or specific technique? Surely, most fall somewhere in between.

I've said this before, but if you are the latter of the two types that I mentioned above, it is your duty to discover things about and do things with your skill that have never been done before. If you say, "I will defeat all opponents with only jujitsu/judo/boxing/muay thai/hung gar/karate/my left hand," then you will need to train to defeat those other style with your own instead of making excuses about rules or the shortcomings of your own style. Mastery is about finding The Way--

So, find it.

UFC 117 Thoughts (SPOILERS)

Ok, first of all, the card was very nice. There were some fabulous displays of striking, wrestling, submissions, and just plain heart.

Roy Nelson, Ultimate Fighter 10 Winner, went up against Junior dos Santos in a Heavyweight match-up and, although Nelson was mostly outmatched, he stood toe-to-toe with dos Santos and never gave up, forcing Santos to win by decision. He took a hell of a beating and I tend to agree with Joe Rogan that Nelson should probably lose his gut and drop a weight class. That kind of power and toughness in the 205 division would be amazing, not even considering that he has a black belt in BJJ.

UFC Hall-of-Famer, Matt Hughes went up against Ricardo Almeida (student of Renzo Gracie, whom Matt Hughes recently defeated). Almeida sought to avenge his Master's loss (man, I love the sound of that-- it's so old school kung fu movie), but his attempts were frustrated when Matt Hughes choked him into unconsciousness in the first round. Looks like Hughes might be making another rise through the ranks.

Clay Guida fought Rafael dos Anjos in a Lightweight bout, defeating him via a submission due to Anjos sustaining a jaw injury during the fight. Amazing fight, by the way.

Jon Fitch and Thiago Alves went to war, but Fitch dominated with an amazing display of wrestling to win via unanimous decision.

The Middleweight Championship fight between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen was very suspenseful. Honestly, Silva didn't seem himself for most of the fight. When he was on his back (Sonnen is a VERY good wrestler), Silva made hardly any real attempts to sweep and took to mainly throwing short strikes from the bottom. Now, it may be, as Silva said at the end of the fight, that he had a rib injury that slowed him down for most of the match, or it may be that he was lulling Sonnen into a false sense of security so he could slap that nasty triangle on with 2 minutes left in the fifth round. Whatever the case, Silva is still the Champ and I very much would like to see a rematch with a healthy Silva.

I didn't get a chance to watch any of the prelims, unfortunately. For the most part, though, I'm excited to see the level that many of these cards are at recently. Everything is high-level. People are doing new things all the time-- the sport is still evolving and I'm glad to see that. In the UFC events to come, we'll get a chance to see people like James Toney (an amazing boxing Champ) make the transition to MMA, along with other athletes from other sports. How this will affect the game, if at all, I'll be excited to see.

I'm gonna attempt to throw another workout up here tonight and perhaps that Jack Hanma steroid rant, but we'll see. In any case that's all for now. Until next time, good luck and train hard!

UFC 117 Thoughts (Preamble)

All in all, UFC 117 was an amazing event. Congrats to all who won, especially the two fighters who won with comeback victories. I'll post more in depth thoughts on it tomorrow, along with a workout, and maybe that steroid rant I keep talking about.

In any case, it was a good night for fights! Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Best in the World #6: Georges St. Pierre

If there is a fighter who is the pinnacle of learning, it is Georges St. Pierre. He's always getting better and, if he's met with a challenge or is beaten, he evolves and comes back to take the victory. He's stood at the top of the 170lb division of the UFC for a while now and I sincerely doubt he's going anywhere any time soon. He's known for being an extremely hard worker and tireless in his training. So, check out this highlight reel-- hope you enjoy it.



That's all for now. Until next time, good luck and train hard!!

UFC 116 Thoughts- SPOILER ALERT!

This was one of the most exciting events I've had the opportunity to watch! Every fight was explosive and every fighter did very well. Congratulations to all who won!

The most anticipated Heavyweight match-up in quite some time, Lesnar vs. Carwin, kept me on the edge of my seat. In the first round, Carwin took an early lead with some amazing striking and Lesnar appeared several times to be in trouble, however he managed to defend himself and get to a better position by the end of the round. The second round, however, Lesnar took an apparently winded Carwin to the ground and transitioned to a head-and-arm triangle choke to remain the Heavyweight Champ.

The other fights were great as well, with George Sotiropoulos, Chris Leben, Stephan Bonnar, and Chris Lytle all winning in some fantastic displays. All-in-all, I enjoyed this event very much and I am happy to see the UFC putting such great match-ups together.

That's all for now. Until next time, good luck and train hard!

TUF Finale- Conclusion

Great showing by everyone in the Ultimate Fighter Finale! Many impressive fights and truly an inspirational event. Congratulations to Court McGee for winning by submission!

Have a good night. Until next time, good luck and train hard!

TUF Finale Tonight on Spike

I'm excited to see the fights tonight. Don't forget to tune in and check 'em out. Good luck to all the fighters. The outcome of the Liddell vs. Franklin fight wasn't quite what I'd wanted-- although I'm not super upset about who won, I'm more disappointed it ended so quickly. It was refreshing to see Chuck being aggressive with his grappling, however.

That's all for now. Until next time, good luck and train hard!

Best in the World Highlights #2- Anderson Silva

Next up is arguably the best pound for pound fight in the entire world. He's a fighter that, oftentimes, just plays with his opponents, for better or for worse. In any case, here's the "Spider," Anderson Silva.



Hopefully I'll have something else up for you today, but enjoy the craziness that is the "Spider." Until next time, good luck and train hard!

UFC 114- Thoughts

Hey, guys! Not sure if you caught the UFC last night with Rampage and Rashad Evans, but you missed out if you didn't. All in all, I was very pleased with the event. The majority of the fights were fast-paced and there were several shocking moments to boot. I'm not going to spoil anything for anybody in this post, but this event shows us two things that are very important.

1. Training is important. This is a given, I know, but some people misunderstand what I'm saying. I'm not just talking about being able to squat 600lbs or doing 500 push-ups or running for extended periods of time, but the effective use of your training tools. Anyone who watched Spike's short series following around Jackson and Evans obviously saw the training the two went through. Evans, for instance, did a massive amount of speed work and that is grossly evident in the fight. Basically, what I'd like anyone to come away with from this fight is that the way and what you train determines the results of your training come fight day. That seems evident, but some people don't get it. Doing bag work for 3 hours will not build the same kind of fighter that works on individual attributes to complement the whole of his training. If you want to punch hard or move fast or jump high, you have to do special training for that thing.
2. Anyone can beat anyone given the right conditions. Sometimes people just get lucky or an opponent gets sloppy or overconfident and a single punch can turn the entire fight around. Fighting is a game not to be taken lightly, for the outcome can be determined at any moment by either warrior. If you watched the event, you know what I'm talking about.

If you guys did not check out UFC 114, I'll post a link to a hit-by-hit breakdown of the fights, so you this post can mean a little more for you. In any case, I had fun watching, so check it out if you get the chance. Until next time, good luck and train hard.