Ours is a sport on the rise in popularity, but by no means is it to be considered new or novice. The practice is older than man. Our competitors are warrior students on the path to enlightenment. Pride and Honor and Glory are our core values. Our heroes are battle worn veterans who have, wave after wave, fallen to the pages of history, victims of the entropy of time. The grit and determination of every fighter who steps into the cage honors us all.
As is true with all things that continuously progress, mixed martial arts competition has increased in complexity and depth. Fighting styles are more adapted to universal application, and fighters are more versed in more styles. Every student of MMA studies with a hunger and fervor to be the best that he or she can be. This means that the level of skill and knowledge required to be competitive is continually rising. Some fighters who have gone before, and led full careers practicing martial arts, have been defeated by younger competitors who are more submersed in the sport. Contemporary MMA competition has set the bar of competency higher than most even realize.
These qualities are inherent in competitve sports, escpecially those with such a diverse plane of competition. What are the rules of MMA? They are usually few enough to list on one hand. What disciplines are allowed? Anything, from techniques used for thousands of years to new ideas from the brilliant minds of expert trainers and fighters are allowed. The goal is to defeat a single opponent in hand to hand combat. This is the oldest and most primal form of competition. MMA is tantamount to the struggle of life. The strong survive.
The future of MMA holds an ever-present grasp on the imaginations of its enthusiasts. What will happen? Who will be the victor? How? The source of its increasing popularity is its primal hold on the human mind. The future of the sport will be controlled by the competitors that shape it every day. Company owners, CEOs, and promoters will have their influence, but the sport will truly be shaped by those with the courage to enter the cage.
-Drew Wallen
If you would like your school to be on our website, please send us some info on your school. Weather you train MMA, Muay Thai, Boxing, Jiu Jitsu, etc… let us know. Email at rrangel81@yahoo.com or drewwallen@hotmail.com
At VongPhet Muay Thai Academy this saturday, May 16, there will be an open sparring session. Anyone who is formally trained in martial arts is welcome to compete. Ku Phet, owner and Shadowfist and Muay Thai Master, can be contacted at 210-860-9676 for information and RSVP. There will be a weigh-in at 10am, and the first fights should start at noon, and run until about 4pm. The School is located at 2819 Hillcrest Dr., at the intersection of Babcock Rd. Spectators are always welcome, and TAMMA will be there.
-Drew Wallen
Cedar Hill House of Champions is a name to remember in the world of amateur MMA. San Antonio fighters and fans saw that name most recently in the April 5th Texas Amateur MMA Association (TAMMA) event. Joseph Salas won his second TAMMA belt, which now hangs on the wall with his others. If you haven’t seen a highlight reel of world famous martial arts pioneer Benny the Jet Urquidez knockouts, then you need to brush up on your fighting sports history and spend some time on youtube. If you have, then you know what to expect from a 2nd generation Benny the Jet school. Instructor James Pham, former Urquidez student, teaches Muay Thai, Jiu Jitsu, Wrestling, and Judo in the House of Champions(HOC) Fighting System.
Newlywed Joseph Salas works all day landscaping and trimming trees, then drives an hour to train at Cedar Hill HOC for 2-3 hours, then drives an hour back home every day. Put that together with a fight at least once a month, and he’s a pretty busy man. It’s a price he and his wife are willing to pay though. Salas currently owns four championship titles: The TAMMA Featherweight (FW) MMA and Kickboxing titles, the Extreme Cagefighting FW title out of Joplin, MO, and the Kansas City Combat FW title out of Topeka, KA. He also competes in Jiu Jitsu tournaments in the advanced division. Ready for the surprise? Salas has only been training for about a year and a half, and he plans to turn pro in a couple of months.
James Pham tries to set up fights for his students every 2 to 3 weeks. “Fighters have to keep fighting to stay sharp,” Pham says. Right now three of his fighters are preparing for the International Sport Combat Federation (ISCF) US MMA Championships on May 16th. Salas submitted a challenge to the current FW champion, and was denied, so he will move up in weight class to compete against the lightweight champion, Derrick Krantz. He will be taking a chance against Krantz- 10 lbs heavier at his chosen weight, but it’s a chance he takes with confidence. Salas will be fighting alongside his training partners Baltazar Acosta and Andy Chiu.
Baltazar Acosta will defend his ISCF MMA Bantamweight US Championship title. In addition to his national title, Acosta holds 4 other MMA titles. Salas and Acosta, friends since childhood, were reunited when Salas started training at Cedar Hill HOC. Acosta is also the proud new father of a baby girl.
Andy Chiu will be fighting for the currently vacant Flyweight US championship title.
The Cedar Hill House of Champions is definitely living up to its name.
by Drew WallenKenny Burke, the 170 lb. reigning champion of Lonestar Beatdown will defend his title once again at Lonestar Beatdown 10, on June 5th at the Houston Arena Theatre. In the meantime he’ll be training like an animal where he works and plays, at Westside MMA in Katy, Texas. Burke, nicknamed “The Hurt”, puts the hurt on his trainees there at Westside, where he is the Strength and Conditioning Coach.
Burke gives all the credit of his success to his training partners and instructors. “We’ve got an awesome core of guys here at Westside MMA,” he says. Burke’s San Shou Kickboxing instructor is Alex Cisne, who he’s been training with for about 3 and a half years. Cisne is a two time San Shou Kickboxing National Champion, and also has a professional fighting career in MMA, fighting for King of the Cage with a record of 4-1-0.
Burke got his start in high school, where he was a wrestler, and later became interested in martial arts when he befriended Cisne, who he followed to Westside about a year and a half ago. Since then Burke has been learning Jiu Jitsu and Judo from Brandon Mullins, and Paul Thomas, who is the Head Instructor at Westside MMA. Mullins and Thomas both hold blackbelts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and Thomas also holds a blackbelt in Judo.Westside’s instructors and students have a list of accolades a mile long, which you can check out on their website at katyjiujitsu.com.
Burke’s amateur record is 4-0, with his last 2 wins coming by guillotine choke submissions. If he had a favorite move, he said that would have to be it. “I won the title by throwing a left, right combo, scoring a knockdown, and I just jumped for the open move- a guillotine,” Burke said. In his first title defense, Burke was initially caught with a guillotine attempt by his opponent. He escaped the attempt, though, and immediately clamped on his own guillotine, winning by submission at two minutes into the first round. “I don’t really look for it, I just go with what works at the moment,” Burke said. As for a personal style, Burke relies mainly on his athleticism and wrestling skills in the ring, but he’s got plenty of weapons in his arsenal.
“I’m looking to enjoy myself, and be the best that I can be,” Burke said. One of his long-term goals is to fight professionally, but he’s not going to compromise himself by starting too soon. Burke says he understands that there is an increasing skill level in MMA, on both the amateur and professional levels. He wants to take full advantage of the opportunity to test and prove himself against other amateur fighters before going pro.
Burke’s favorite fighter is George St-Pierre, who also relies on his athleticism. As a long time fan of the sport, though, Burke was sure to include his honorable mentions. The names Chuck Liddell, Andre Arlovski, Rich Franklin, and Anderson Silva came up in a conversation that could have gone on for hours.
On the amateur level, some of Burke’s favorites are his training partners at Westside MMA. Terrance Ferguson and Craig Gardner will also be fighting on June 5th, at the Lonestar Beatdown. “We’ve got a lot of talent up here,” Burke said.
If you’re in the area, please check out Westside MMA at 21734 Provincial Blvd in Katy. The school is run by Rick Mango and Paul Thomas, and an all-star cast of instructors and coaches. All are welcome.
by Drew Wallen
Like it or not MMA is a business and should be treated like a business. Fighters agree to fights and that they will meet a certain weight. But if no contracts are signed between the two, where is the accountability? Continuously fighters are not making weight and sometimes are not even showing up to weigh-ins. It hurts the other fighters, fans, and promoters when fighters do not meet their end of the bargain. Fighters sometimes come from out of town to get a fight, only to be let down by someone else’s lack of focus and training. With a written contract between the fighters, all terms are covered, and there are no ifs ands or buts. But what should the penalties be if the fighter does not meet the standards of the contract? Suspension? Expulsion? Or a fine? Whatever it is, something needs to be done to penalize the unprofessional.
-Raul