Legacy Magazine

photo by Justin Trapp

INTERVIEW with Chad Robichaux

By AJ Hoffman LEGACY: Talk about how it felt to get back in the win column at the last Legacy show.

CR: Man, it feels really great. I had won for a long time, over ten years, but I lose in the academy every day.

That’s what it’s like when you train hard, but it really did hurt to suffer a loss to someone I knew I could beat in that Mackles bout. To get back out there and do my thing, I felt redeemed.

LEGACY: Do you feel like that win silenced some of your critics, making such quick work of a UFC veteran?

CR: You know, Draculino says it best. If you have critics, you’re doing something right. So, they will always be there. When you’re winning, someone always wants you to lose. Yes, I’ve fought some tough guys. I’m 14-2, with 13 submissions and 11 in round 1. I won in Strikeforce, and I’ve beaten UFC and WEC veterans. I’m a complete fighter with all the skills to be #1 in the world. In time, my critics have slowly become supporters and I’m thankful for that.

LEGACY: Did the exposure on HDNet help you guys get some attention for the Mighty Oaks Foundation?

CR: It did, thank God, along with Mick Maynard, and 4 | LEGACY MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST www.legacyfights.tv

the great folks at HDNet for that. We had so many emails of people thanking us for what we are doing, and because of the story, we were able to get the message out to several warriors who truly need help and will be coming to our programs.

LEGACY: You had planned on taking some time off, but then the opportunity for a title shot came up. If it wasn’t a title shot, would you be resting up still?

CR: No, the plan was to get right back to training after the Sandoval fight. We knew the fight would either get me a UFC bout or a Legacy Title Fight. Either was a place we were ready and willing to take for our next step.

LEGACY: Is this like a fresh start for you? After announcing your retirement, you have quickly jumped right back into the fire. Do you think you just needed a mental break?

CR: Yes, the old me is still retired. I’m a new fighter (1-0). I feel I’m growing in skill and conditioning every day, getting better and better. You still have yet to see the skills I have developed from my work with my new coaches. Also, I am moving forward with a new purpose and on a mission to continue winning and continue spreading the message for Wounded Warriors and God’s work in our ministry.

LEGACY: Talk about the matchup with Will Campuzano.

What threats do you think he poses?

LEGACY: You said after your win that you thought you were one of the top 125’ers in the world. Do you believe that, and do you still have UFC aspirations?

CR: Will is a tough guy, but honestly, I feel I am a terrible match-up stylistically for him. Where he is right now, I think taking this fight is a mistake for him, as it will be a setback in his career. I’m training hard and respecting him as a skilled athlete, but I don’t feel threatened at all by him, and feel I will dismantle his strengths from the beginning until the win. This is a great match up for me, and we are extremely confident in a win.

CR: Yes, I do. If you are in this sport and don’t have aspirations of fighting in the UFC, then you aren’t looking to challenge yourself and fight the very best.

That is where the best 125’ers in the world are, and I know I belong there. On July 13th, I plan to prove it by putting an exclamation mark on that statement. “I am one of the top 125’ers in the world, and I challenge anyone to prove me wrong!”

LEGACY

MMA Lifestyle

Publisher Mick Maynard Business Manager Andrea Maynard

Kauai Kimonos

Editor in Chief Chris Shepperd Design/Layout Justin Trapp, Fighter Portraits

By Conor Hogan

Any grappler/fighter training in the unrelenting Texas heat can tell you how brutally uncomfortable it is to wear a gi during the blistering summer afternoons. While it may give some MMA fighters an excuse to train without wearing one, there’s no denying that a majority of elite no-gi grapplers and a good number of MMA fighters all utilize the gi to supplement their training.

There’s obviously a benefit to training in one, despite your intended end goal. I’ve come across a gi from Kauai Kimonos that could provide a very comfortable solution to those with an aversion to the normal BJJ gi.

At first glance, the Ultra-Light Ripstop BJJ Kimono resembles a karate gi more than a traditional BJJ gi. In this case, however, looks are certainly deceiving.

Kauai Kimonos made this gi out of 100 percent ripstop material, making it super lightweight and thin. In fact, the gi is so seemingly frail that training in it the first few times is an awkward experience that had me subconsciously thinking that I might tear the gi.

However, Kauai’s build is second to none when it comes to durability. The jacket holds up incredibly well through the rigors of grip fighting and chokes. The collar is a foam rubber, making it tough enough to withstand the rigors of jiujitsu, while remaining light enough to be comfortable.

The pants are pretty basic, but they noticeably lack the thick knee reinforcements that prove to be

extremely counterintuitive on most ripstop gis that implement them. I’m glad that a manufacturer finally learned how ripstop works, and why those stupid little knee pads don’t do anything to actually reinforce the strength of the gi.

It’s worth noting that the quality of the build and stitching is absolutely impeccable. As a grappler that’s wellaware of the lackluster quality control of most kimono companies in the current market, it’s comforting (and surprising) that Kauai owns and operates their own manufacturing facility in Bali.

While most kimono manufacturers have a problem consistently producing a product that stays in one piece, my Kauai has yet to even break a stitch after eight months of intense training. While the smaller manufacturing facility certainly produces far less product than the larger Afghani/Chinese manufacturers, it’s good to know that my gi was made carefully and under ethical working conditions.

Kauai was aiming to produce a gi that’s perfect for hot weather and for grapplers who are constantly travelling. The fit of the gi is certainly reflective of their intentions. The Ultra-Light Ripstop BJJ Kimono fits a tad differently than most traditional kimonos.

Again, drawing on the karate gi comparison, Kauai’s offering fits a bit slimmer and smaller than most BJJ kimonos. The skirt is a tad short, and the pants seem a bit slim for their

intended size. However, a lot of these design decisions seem to fit their overall goal of reducing weight and improving portability.

As a training gi, I didn’t have any problems with the shorter/slimmer fit, but it might be an issue if you intend on competing in it. While the kimono (to my understanding) doesn’t currently meet IBJJF guidelines for legal competition wear, most of the local tournaments have no issue with you competing in it.

The Kauai Kimonos Ultra-Light Ripstop BJJ Kimono is available (www. kauaikimonos.com) in white, blue, and black, starting at $155.00. The price of the gi definitely puts it in the midto-upper range of most kimonos on the market today. Its value is highly dependent upon your specific needs as a grappler.

As a person who enjoys training during my various vacation excursions, I’ve found that this gi is a perfect traveling companion. Its lightweight build also makes it the perfect summer-time training gi.

Several MMA fighters that I’ve talked to loved the non-traditional build, and claim that it’s far more comfortable than a traditional kimono. After 8 months of intensive training in the Kauai Kimonos Ultra-Light Ripstop BJJ Gi, it has become my favorite training gi. I highly recommend picking one up before the insane summer heat hits us full-force.

writers

Lance Edwards AJ Hoffman Conor Hogan Sijin Kurian Barry Laminack Brandon Nowalk Ryan Wendt Chris Zebo

Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Maroon Weekly is not liable for omissions, misprints to typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher.

1st copy is FREE, additional copies are $0.50 each Legacy - MMA Lifestyle 216 W. 26th Street ste 29 Bryan, Texas 77803 ph: 979.696.3971 | fax: 281.312.5160 © Copyright 2010 Legacy Media Inc.

www.legacyfights.tv JULY-AUGUST LEGACY MAGAZINE | 5

Ammo To Go is a proud sponsor of Legacy Fighting Championship for several shows now. They have helped Legacy bring you exciting mixed martial arts action at every show, and now we want you to know a little bit about them.

comment on how easy it is to order, how well their ammo is packed, and how speedy delivery is. All of this adds up to a great buying experience for our customers.

LEGACY: What is Ammo To Go, and how did it get started?

ATG: The owners and employees of Ammo To Go have always been excited about combat sports and mixed martial arts. We want to support fighters who have a great work ethic and share our values. Ammo To Go sponsors fighters on a local and a national level, including Legacy Fighting Championship, Bellator Fighting, Ultimate Fighting Championship, and others.

ATG: Ammo To Go is the leading online reseller of ammunition in the United States. Ammo To Go makes it easy for sportsmen, hunters, and law enforcement to get the ammo they need quickly and easily. Ammo To Go was started with this goal in mind, to make ammunition available to everyone via the internet, and to provide the best customer service in the industry.

LEGACY: Why should people shop with Ammo To Go? ATG: It’s easy to shop at Ammo To Go, and our tremendous selection puts even hard to find ammo right at your fingertips! Our customers frequently

6 | LEGACY MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST www.legacyfights.tv

LEGACY: How did you all get involved with MMA?

LEGACY: How did the sponsorship with Legacy come about?

AGT: Ammo To Go noticed that Legacy was producing great fights and very entertaining events. Legacy does a great job of putting on an event and the fans always enjoy the shows. Ammo To Go is proud to partner with Legacy to sponsor the best local fighters in Texas!

LEGACY: What can people expect from Ammo To Go in future?

ATG: Ammo To Go is growing and continually improving their website. We work daily to find new and exciting products, and our inventory is growing daily.

Our goal is to be the best online provider of ammunition and accessories, and we want our customers to get the ammo they want fast!

LEGACY: Is there anyone you would like to thank?

ATG: Ammo To Go wants to thank our customers for supporting us and encouraging us to grow and improve. The owners of Ammo To Go are proud of their employees and their hard work and dedication to providing the best for our customers. And Jason Smith wants to thank his wife for being a great partner!

Visit AmmoToGo.com for all your ammunition needs, and thank them for sponsoring Legacy Fighting Championship!

photo by Justin Trapp

Fighter Profile:

8 | LEGACY MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST www.legacyfights.tv

Robert Drysdale Story by Lance Edwards

the guys. I like to roll with my guys. It’s one thing to watch, but if you actually roll with someone, there’s so much more that you can pick up on, and so much more you can help them with. I also am willing to acknowledge that some things that are effective in sport BJJ, are not effective in MMA. There are a lot of practitioners who don’t like to admit that, but that is the case; so Jiu Jitsu has to be modified; I also incorporated wrestling into the classes.

There is not a lot of wrestling done in Brazil, and I realized that it is very important.

One thing that I think is important is to be open to learning. I learn from everyone.

It’s a democratic class, and I’m willing to listen. If people want to focus on something, I’m open to that.”

REFINED TALENT

Without doubt, one of the biggest signings for Legacy Fighting Championship to date is Robert Drysdale. Drysdale steps into the cage at Legacy FC 12 against heavy hitter, Ike Villanueva.

Those not familiar with Robert Drysdale may look at his record of three MMA fights, albeit three wins and not be impressed, but when one looks at his grappling accolades and who has sought Drysdale out to train them in mixed martial arts circles, you can’t help but be impressed. Drysdale not only has many Brazilian Jiu Jitsu championship wins, but he has captured the World Championship in 2005, and the Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling World Championship in 2007 in the Absolute weight class.

When asked about how he started training, Drysdale recalls it clearly.

“I started at sixteen in Brazil. Jiu Jitsu was starting to take off, and I tried to convince a friend to come with me to take a look. He wouldn’t go, so I went by myself.

At that time, there were not a lot of high level guys about, and it was mainly white belts on the mat with blue belts and a few purple belts; I came back the next day and I was hooked. It was something I was passionate about right away.”

Despite a beginning in Jiu Jitsu, similar to many other practitioners, Drysdale attributes his success to his intense focus on Jiu Jitsu and pursuing its study.

“I didn’t have a life other than Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I started young enough, and at nineteen I started to teach. That became my job.

I didn’t have to do a nine-to-five like most

people. I was able to focus on my training. I taught once a day and that got me by. There is a big competition circuit in Brazil, and if you are willing to drive up to seven or eight hours, you are able to compete every weekend. I actually wasn’t a good competitor at first when I started, but I put a lot of time into it. It was not just the competition I liked, but you would be on the road with your crew in a bus for seven or eight hours, and after the competitions you would hang out together. It was a healthy, happy and friendly place to be in; there were a lot of learning experiences.”

It is rare to hear a world class athlete acknowledge that they weren’t successful early on in the sport which they end up obtaining fame and notoriety in, but Drysdale is very honest about his experiences.

“As soon as I started competing, I was losing. The fact that I started out losing, I think, taught me a lot, I was able to learn from defeat, and that was something I developed. In fact, my first four competitions ended in me losing my first fight. It wasn’t until my fifth competition that I won, and I actually took second place. It slowly started to change, and I built confidence.”

Robert Drysdale’s school is frequently spoken about during UFC broadcasts.

Announcers frequently mention that a fighter has sought out Drysdale, and has been training with him. The list of who has walked through the doors of Drysdale’s Academy is like a Who’s Who of high level mixed martial arts practitioners. Drysdale feels his hands on approach to teaching is part of why so many fighters seek him out.

“I’m a trainer who gets on the mats with

One might question why a highly successful competitor and coach would consider the move to mixed martial arts; Drysdale is already highly respected and sought after for his knowledge. The answer, Drysdale reveals, is related to the drive to challenge oneself.

“It’s a challenge. I’ve always been interested in it, and it’s an extreme sport. I actually think it’s the most extreme sport there is. Nothing is as scary and intimidating. You stand across from a guy who has trained his whole life to rip your head off. I can’t think of anything harder. Basketball and football are dwarves in comparison; nothing can get the anxiety as high as Mixed Martial Arts.”

One has to wonder what a successful athlete like Robert Drysdale intends to achieve in the arena of mixed martial arts, but Drysdale is clear that he is setting no limits on himself and what he will achieve.

“I want to go as far as I can. People ask me do I want to be the UFC champion.

Of course, I like to be, but I’m focused on making it as far as I can make it. That’s not the aim for me, being UFC champion.

Even in BJJ, I didn’t think like that. I focused on where I was at, and what I needed to do to get better, and be the best I can be. You may actually never achieve that.

It could take two hundred years. It’s really an idealistic concept, but that’s what I aspire to. I aspire to be the best I can be at striking, the best I can be at wrestling and the best I can be at Jiu Jitsu.”

Despite Drysdale’s determination to become a fully rounded mixed martial artist, his previous bouts have all ended in the first round via submission. When

questioned about his confidence in the differing aspects of the game, Drysdale is confident in his abilities, “Going into those fights, I was ready to do whatever. I have a preference for the ground, but I’m comfortable in all aspects of a fight. In all three fights, I didn’t feel like I needed to take it down, but if the opportunity presents itself, I will take it. I did what presented itself, got the takedown and finished the fight, but I didn’t need to.”

Robert Drysdale was due to fight for Legacy previously, but an injury forced him to put back his debut for the promotion.

“I’m ninety-nine point nine percent recovered now. I didn’t stop training; I could have fought, but I would have had very little time for a good camp.”

It’s clear talking to him that Drysdale is excited about fighting, and looking forward to competing at Legacy FC 12.

“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Legacy. I have a three-fight deal, but who knows, maybe it will turn into four or five fights; I’m very excited. I don’t know much about my opponent. You can’t rely on YouTube. People take parts out of fights, or don’t show everything if it’s a highlight, and I couldn’t find a lot of tape. I have an idea, but I have limited knowledge of my opponent.”

After this fight, Drysdale hopes to have the opportunity to fight at least one more time for Legacy before the end of the year and finish the year with a 5-0 record. When asked for advice for people aspiring to be fighters, his advice is based on an understanding of why someone wants to be a fighter.

“A lot of people are getting into the sport for the wrong reasons. UFC fighters are like the new rock stars, a lot of people are going into it because they want to be on TV. If you do it for that, you need to take a close look in the mirror and realize you aren’t a fighter. The guys in the UFC, they started competing when there were only a few people watching for two hundred dollars. The post TUF fans (The Ultimate Fighter TV series) often like training, but are doing it for the wrong reasons. If you want money, become a Wall Street broker. If you want fame, become a Hollywood actor.”

Legacy FC 12 sees Robert Drysdale’s Legacy Fighting Championship debut against Ike Villaneuva; truly not a fight to be missed.

www.legacyfights.tv JULY-AUGUST LEGACY MAGAZINE | 9

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photo by Justin Trapp

INTERVIEW with Levi West

By AJ Hoffman West: No, I actually wanted to go pro a few fights ago, but my coaches wanted me to have a couple more hard fights, which ended up being Geoff Neal and Charlie Ontiveros. I know I’m ready for the pro level. Watch out 170ers, because the new kids’ on the block.

Legacy: You will start your pro career at Legacy 12, taking on Jeremy Morris.

Morris is 2-1, and holds a nice win over Justin Murray. Do you think he is a good matchup for your first fight as a pro?

West: Yeah, it’s a great match up. I have already watched his fight videos, and I hope he has gotten way faster since then, or it will be a long night for Jeremy Morris.

Legacy: Will your approach be any different going into this fight now that it “counts”.

Levi West will make his professional debut at Legacy Fighting Championship 12 against Jeremy Morris. The welterweight fighter has had an impressive amateur career in Houston, having gone 6-1 with his lone loss being to fellow Legacy FC 12 fighter Charlie Ontiveros. We caught up with the Team Tooke fighter as he prepares for his bout.

Legacy: You are coming off your first career loss at Legacy Amateur Series 8 in April. What do you think wrong for you in that fight, and do you think they are all adjustments you could make if you fought that fight again?

West: I wasn’t fighting with the confidence that you usually see from me. I didn’t want to get caught with one of Charlie’s head kicks, so it made

it harder for me to relax and get in my rhythm. Definitely a lot of adjustments I would make again, like letting my hands and kicks go, and more circling and punching at angles. But there are no excuses. He was the better guy that night, and I’m not afraid to admit it.

Legacy: Was it important for you to win that title, or was it just another fight for you?

West: When I first got offered the title fight, it was all about that belt, but as Charlie and I started hyping the fight up, I forgot about the belt and just wanted to get that win.

Legacy: What went into the decision to go pro? Did the loss to Charlie make you reconsider at all?

12 | LEGACY MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST www.legacyfights.tv

West: No bullshitting around outside the gym. Straight training hard for 8 weeks with no distractions. I’m not messing with any girls. I’m staying 2 to 3 weeks at Jackson’s instead of 1 week.

I’m going to join a boxing gym and go there a few times a week. Gonna have a better diet. Just a bunch of little things that will make a difference.

Legacy: Having so much success early on brought you a pretty big fan base. As usual though, it also brought on some haters. How have you handled that at such a young age?

West: Honestly let them hate, because I work harder and push myself harder when people hate. Keep hatin’! Make me famous, baby. Because of you guys, everyone knows me. Haters buy tickets too.

Legacy: The fight is July 13th. Has your fight camp already started, or will you wait another week or two to really turn it up?

West: Just started my camp yesterday, but won’t start killing it until Monday!

Right now, I’m just getting back into the “groove”.

Legacy: I know in the past you have left Houston to get some training. Who will you be working with this camp, both in Houston and outside?

West: In Houston, I never cross train with anyone unless it’s with Alex Morono and those guys, because we have been working together for years.

I only train at Team Tooke, Athletic Republic for crossfit, and Lifetime Fitness for cardio, weights, and swimming. I might join Prince boxing gym and go there few times a week to get my hands sharp again. Now outside of Houston, I have been to Austin Muay Thai a couple times. Guys like Adam Schindler and Tim Kennedy train there.

But the main place I go to is Jackson’s MMA, who has the who’s who list of fighters training there.

Legacy: Do you have anyone you want to thank?

West: Where do I begin? GOD, my awesome coaches, Brett Boyce, Redemption fight wear, Mr. Nutrition, Sticky Promotions, Escobar, Athletic Republic and last but not least Sway Promotions and Alot-A-entertainment.

Legacy: Good luck with the fight and your new career Levi.

West: Thank you.

More Muscle? Why Not!

By Ryan Wendt

After training a multitude of athletes, the question has been raised, “Is it detrimental to an athlete’s performance to build or carry extra muscle?” As if to say that huge muscles could be grown overnight, or that someone would become so muscular that they aren’t able to move normally. With all the fighters I have done strength and conditioning for, that has never been the case; rather, muscle was built as part of conditioning.

Take, for example, a typical fighter’s shoulder. There are bones held together by connective tissues and controlled by muscles. These muscles also act as a barrier for impact, and will tighten up to give the shoulder support, and increase hitting speed and power. The trapezius muscles along the back of the neck are there to create pulling power and protect the cervical vertebrae. That is something you want as much as possible if you happen to be thrown down on your back. Stability and balance are increased with carrying more muscle. My fighters that work on a bit of size have a better body awareness when we work on balance training.

Another effect of added muscle that no one considers occurs in the days leading up to a fight. It is much easier for myself, as a trainer, to increase or decrease weight when a fighter has more muscle because there is a greater potential for blood volume. Muscles are made of protein, and store glycogen and water, and I can

14 | LEGACY MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST www.legacyfights.tv

manipulate water levels without altering the electrolyte balance so the fighter has plenty of stamina during the fight. Blood carries oxygen to working cells, and the greater the capacity for blood volume, the more oxygen the body will carry into the cells, and the better all systems will function.

Now, there is a matter of where the muscles should be built for efficiency of movement. Typically, the closer to the center of gravity a fighter builds muscle, the more balance and power they will have without adversely affecting speed. The trapezius in the neck, as mentioned earlier, is crucial for the fighter’s own protection. Upright rows and shrugs will thicken these muscles, and if your gym has a four-way neck machine, this will hit the sternocleidomastoids in the front, and strengthen the connective tissue where these muscles are attached to the skull. Don’t shy away from pressing movements, either. I’d rather be punched in the face by someone whose max bench is 150 pounds as opposed to 350.

The muscles of the hips, glutes, and hamstrings are supportive in kicking, jumping, and grappling control.

The muscles located on the distal part of the limb, farthest from the heart, would be the ones to have a potential to slow you down. Gripping is crucial, forearm size is not. Use a gripping machine with a static hold, rather than heavy reps. Or simply hang for time on a

chin up bar. Imagine it’s your opponent’s Gi, and don’t let go until your grip gives out. If you get past a minute, go one-handed.

A typical strength and conditioning split I write will look like this, and could certainly be altered around the other training: Monday: Pulling Movements Barbell Rows, Shrugs, Upright Rows, Rear Laterals, Four-way neck, Gripping and strap pulling work, Cardio Tuesday: Balance and Pedal Dexterity, Cardio Training in Round Times (tire, sled) Wednesday: Pressing Movements Incline Presses, Flyes, Tricep Pushdowns, Dips, Side Laterals, Cardio Thursday: Speed Training, Parkour Movements, Cardio in Round Times Friday: Squatting Movements Leg Press (single leg at a time), Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, Step-Ups, Inner/Outer thigh machine - Ryan L. Wendt Owner, Metroflex Gym - Houston, TX, Semi-pro Bodybuilder, NAS Strongman competitor and promoter, MMA strength and conditioning Coach email: Metroflexhouston@yahoo.com metroflexhouston.com wendtmethod.com

High School for

Mixed Martial Arts

By Sijin Kurian Starting with the next school year, Team Tooke MMA will be the home for the High School for the Mixed Martial Arts, a fully accredited college preparatory program that will also allow students to train during the day.

Team Tooke founder and head instructor, Travis Tooke, was approached with the idea by a friend and Team Tooke student, Angie Maxey, who is also a school teacher. She got the idea after hearing about a similar program for snowboarding. After doing the research, she approached Travis with the idea.

“I thought it was pretty cool—didn’t know how realistic it was, but she kept talking to people and meeting with people involved with the program,” Travis said.

“They will have all the regular high school classes available to them, as far as their basics and things like

that. The only requirement would be a laptop, because they would essentially take all of these classes online.

As far as the martial arts training goes, they basically get two training sessions per day that will be geared toward mixed martial arts…it will be a combination of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and a striking art.”

Texas, but from around the country would have the opportunity to come and be part of this program.

You have similar programs with other sports, where students from other countries come to pursue their goals in that sport….As enrollment grows, we’ll grow and add whatever staff is necessary.”

According to Travis, days will be similar to a regular high school day, except that part of it will contain MMA training.

In addition to classes and training, the program will also have academic coordinators to help students choose the right classes that will match their career choices, as well as determining the right schools for the student after graduation. Also, while students are encouraged to compete, competitions are not mandatory for the curriculum.

So far, they have received a good response from the local community.

“Assuming that it does well, and we’re going to do everything that we can to make it grow, our ultimate goal is to get beyond just a local community, whereas eventually we would like to add room and board; that way students not from just Houston, not from just

The High School for the Mixed Martial Arts is currently accepting applications for students for the 2012-2013 school year. For more information and to learn how to apply, visit mmahighschool.com.

www.legacyfights.tv JULY-AUGUST LEGACY MAGAZINE | 15

Fight Night

PREVIEW

By Barry Laminack (@BarryLaminack)

12’s are wild as Legacy Fighting Championship 12 returns with 12 scheduled fights - 6 set to air live on HDNet - all going down inside the Houston Arena Theatre. The action is set to take place Friday July 13, 2012. I know right, I was expecting the 12th too! Can’t win ‘em all I guess.

To say the card is stacked would be not only a bit cliché but also not really doing the card justice. From world class BJJ black belts (Robert Drysdale) to a young crop of amateurs making their pro debut (Levi West, Charles Ontivaros), to the title fight that’s also been a grudge match in the making for some time now (Will Campuzano vs Chad Robichaux), this card has a little bit of everything.

And as has become customary with Legacy, the fighters on this card bring a wealth of experience from organizations like the UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator and more.

I took LFC 11 off and didn’t do a preview for the Legacy magazine, but I’m happy to be back.

Before we do the breakdown, here is the card as of 06-11-12 (yes, I put the date… these cards change more than my wife getting ready on date night): PRELIMINARY CARD (unaired) • Jason Carter vs. Jared Chaffee • Jeremy Morris vs. Levi West

• Mark Garcia vs. Charles Ontiveros • Lester Batres vs. Patrick Bierschwhale • Ray Blodgett vs. Scotty Juarez • Justin Reiswerg vs. Cris Rucker

MAIN CARD (HDNet) • Jonathan Harris vs. Artenas Young • Nick Gonzalez vs. Rey Trujillo • Larry Crowe vs. Noel Ligon • Robert Drysdale vs. Isaac “Ike” Villanueva • Mike Bronzoulis vs. Jay Hieron • Will Campuzano vs. Chad Robichaux (for vacant flyweight title).

Now that you know who’s on the card let’s get to it, shall we? I’m going to start with the prelims and then move to the main card, breaking down each fight in just 3 sentences.

PRELIMS Lester Batres vs. Patrick “The Bison” Bierschwhale Talk to anybody at Paradigm that trains with Batres and they’ll tell you he’s a lot better than his record. Speaking of Paradigm, I hope he’s been working on his wrestling (specifically his takedown defense) because the last thing he wants is the Bison on top setting up the Bison Stomp (his version of ground and pound). Batres will have a big reach advantage, so Batres will probably go all “yard man” on Bierschwhale and stay outside and work.

Mark “Kant Get Right” Garcia vs.

Charles Ontiveros I hope you like stand up fights, because

16 | LEGACY MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST www.legacyfights.tv

that’s what this one is going to be.

Ontiveros is fast and powerful, but Garcia is seasoned. This one is going to be like 2 fat kids fighting over the last piece of birthday cake…who wants it more?

Jeremy Morris vs. “2 Fly” Levi West West is long, fast and has really good striking. If Morris can bully him and keep him backing up, he can dominate.

West needs to avoid the ground, or Morris might go “last guy to pick the instrument in band class” and wind up with a triangle.

Jason “Karate Man” Carter vs. Jared Chaffee Carter’s nickname is the Karate Man and even though he’s trained with Draculino on occasion, he’s still a striker at heart.

Chaffee can stand and bang, but is also a brown belt with legit BJJ. Look for Chaffee to treat this fight like lingerie and get it on the ground quickly.

Ray “Sting Ray” Blodgett vs. Scotty Juarez Juarez has had a longer layoff than an Enron employee, so ring rust could be a factor in this one. Blodgett is strong like bull and skilled like saw, but Juarez has that raw ability that is sometimes hard to measure or predict. Juarez is good on the ground but he’ll have a better chance of winning if he keeps this fight on the feet.

Justin Reiswerg vs. Cris “Chop” Rucker Reiswerg is one of the best 155’ers in Houston, and he’ll be facing one of the

best 155 lb prospects in Houston in Chris Rucker. What Rucker lacks in technique (and it’s not much) he makes up for with his strength, and what Reiswerg lacks in strength (and it’s not much) he makes up for with technique. Regardless of the outcome, I expect this to be a great fight and you’ll be happy you saw it…kind of like boobs.

MAIN CARD Jonathan “The Hulk” Harris vs. Artenas “The Machine Gun” Young Harris is no longer a one dimensional KO specialist, but having that skill will come in handy facing Young. Young has super fast hands and plenty of power, plus he’s hard as heck to take down. So, other than the fact that we don’t know who will win, this fight will be like me arguing with my wife…it won’t last long.

Nick “The Ghost” Gonzalez vs. Rey “The Truth” Trujillo Gonzalez is replacing Houston’s adopted son Adam Schindler and is coming into the fight having gone 3-3-0 with 1 no contest in his last 7 fights. Trujillo has turned things around in 2012 going 4-0 thus far after going 0-4 in 2011 and losing 6 out of 8 going back to 2010. Expect high action in this one; and by high I mean “lots” not high like bath salts and face eating.

Larry “Tae Kwon” Crowe vs. Noel Ligon Crowe got stood up at the alter by Sam “I’ll probably never get a chance to fight for Legacy again” Mohammed

Fight Night PREVIEW (continued) at LFC 11 - Sam called THE NIGHT OF THE SHOW and said he couldn’t make it – but Ligon is too professional to do something like that. Crowe’s only issue in the past has been cardio and stamina. Ligon’s only issue has been getting the recognition he deserves for being really talented. Not unlike my first marriage, I see this one going to the judges.

Robert Drysdale vs. “Hurricane” Ike Villanueva This fight is the classic grappler (Drysdale) vs striker (Villanueva) match-up. You know the drill – Drysdale needs to avoid the punches and get it to the ground,

while Ike had better do everything in his power to keep this one standing. It’s likely that Villanueva will see more shots than a groom at his bachelor part - and the same premise goes here - can he take them and still remain standing?

Mike “The Greek” Bronzoulis vs. Jay “The Thoroughbred” Hieron Both guys bring big fight experience into this one (UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator). Hieron’s corner will no doubt be trying to get him to “The Greek” early for the finish, but that’s easier said than done as Bronzoulis has only been finished once in his career (it was via arm bar in his FIRST FIGHT).

If Bronzoulis’ cardio holds up (and I think it will) this one will go the full 15 minutes; so you might be able to see a great fight and save some money on car insurance.

Will Campuzano vs. Chad “Robo” Robichaux (for vacant flyweight title) This one has been brewing for some time after Robo said something that offended Campuzano. Robichaux will have the grappling advantage but Campuzano might be the better wrestler. This should be a high-energy main event fought mostly on the canvas, kind of like…eh, I got nothing, it’s late (11 out of 12 ain’t bad).

MY “OF THE NIGHT” PICKS • Fight of the Night – Reiswerg vs Rucker • KO of the Night – Trujillo • Submission of the Night - Drysdale So, that’s it folks. The entire card broken down in 36 sentences. I hope you can all make it out to the fights. Get your tickets early and get there early, as there are some great matchups on the undercard.

You can follow me on twitter (@ BarryLaminack) and I also invite you to check out my humor blog http:// barryisfunny.com See you at the fights!

www.legacyfights.tv JULY-AUGUST LEGACY MAGAZINE | 17

Legacy Welcomes Sponsor:

By Sijin Kurian When people think about martial arts, they usually think about being strong and being able to beat people up. However, any true martial artist realizes that isn’t the case.

“All martial arts today generally subscribe to the theory that martial arts can make you a better person,” said Don Kerstetter of Classic Chevrolet in Sugar Land. “That is what the “Do” in all martial arts is all about–Judo, Tae Kwon Do, Kendo, etc. That path that you’re taking, through all the hard work that you do–the concentration on goals, working on your body, and working on your inner spirit–all that makes you a better person.”

Don would know, as he has been a martial artist for over 30 years, attaining black belts in Modern Arnis, American Karate, and Tae Kwon Do; not mention having trained in Kendo, and now training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The lessons he learned as a martial artist have helped Don become successful in the car dealership business, which has earned Classic Chevrolet in Sugar Land to be a GM Dealer of the Year in 2010 and 2011.

“We do our business according to the great martial arts principles that are talked about all over the world. We also approach it with skill, determination, perseverance, and guts which is exactly what you need to be a good martial artist.”

His training was especially helpful for Don, as he had no idea what type of environment was awaiting him when he moved from Grapevine, TX to Sugar Land to help expand Classic Chevrolet, whose dealership in Grapevine is the largest GM dealership in the U.S. for the past six years.

His location was owned previously by another Chevrolet dealer, whose illegal tactics severely damaged the reputation of Chevrolet in the area. Don had to put his career on the line and made a huge financial commitment to get the location running, only to find that customers didn’t want to do business with a Chevy dealership. “(We) had to change people’s minds about what a Chevy dealership is and how they do business. One of the things that allowed me to take over the dealership and the enormous responsibility … (and) gave me the

Classic Chevrolet backbone, knowledge, and determination to do all that was martial arts.”

Growing up in the 70s in the era of Bruce Lee, David Carradine, and the movie Billy Jack, Don saw a demonstration of Shotokan Karate at the age of 13.

Then in 1979, as a sports editor for his high school newspaper, Don interviewed Alvin Prouder, a world champion in kickboxing and full contact karate.

“They wanted to do a demo for the entire school, but the school didn’t want to do it. So, I went down and waited on them. They showed up, and in walked a current world karate champion and also a future North American kickboxing champion, and I got a private demo.

“Here I was interested in karate, and I was thrilled by it like everyone else–thought it was really cool, and I get a private demo from one of the best martial artists that existed on the planet at that point and a future champion kickboxer, Oliver Miller. So, I got the private demo, interviewed them, learned how they got into martial arts, and met my future instructor, who was from my hometown. He came back three months later and started a tae kwon do program at that same school, and that’s how I got into it…

“I started training in December of 1979, and got my black belt in the summer of 1982. I fought in quite a few tournaments as a color belt and black belt. I began my own karate school in 1982, so I was a professional karate instructor while I was going to college. I owned my karate school from 1982 to 1988–that’s when I moved out to Texas.”

Don would also go on to train with Troy Dorsey (a world champion point-fighter, kickboxer, and boxer) and Remy Presas, the founder of Modern Arnis.

Because of his background in martial arts, it was a no-brainer to become a sponsor of Legacy Fighting Championship.

“I love to be involved in martial arts. I think I can relate to martial artists better, I think I can relate to how they approach life better… Legacy is a great name. They’ve got a lot of exposure locally; they’ve got television involved, they got great fans.”

As to why choose Chevrolet: “Chevrolet is a strong brand. We have better products now than we’ve ever had in our history. 70% of GM business is devoted to Chevrolet. They’ve streamlined– they’ve made their product line much easier to understand.

“Although they have given people fewer choices in the brands that they can buy, they have actually given them more choices in the cars that they can buy. We’ve got award-winning designs like the new 2013 Malibu.

The 2013 Equinox is one of the most popular small-tomid-size SUVs out there right now.

“We’ve got great new cars coming out, like the Sonic and the Spark. Both of those cars are high-mileage cars. The 2013 Malibu that’s out has ecotechnology in it–which makes it get, on average, 4 miles per gallon better mpg than what it got before, which is a significant increase.

“The Suburbans and Tahoes are very, very popular still.

The Traverse is a crossover SUV that can carry up to seven people, and the Silverado pickup truck is one of the most popular vehicles sold in the U.S.” Visit Don and his staff at Classic Chevrolet, and thank them for sponsoring Legacy! www.legacyfights.tv JULY-AUGUST LEGACY MAGAZINE | 19

Legacy FC11 Rewind

By AJ Hoffman Legacy FC 11 had a little bit of everything. There were some exciting fights, some less than exciting fights, some weather issues, and of course, a little bit of controversy. Here is a recap of the action.

PRELIMINARIES Marcus Dupar def. Bobby Powers by Submission (RD 2) After a slow first round, Powers started the second round with a takedown. He fell into a guillotine. Dupar fell back and wrapped Powers up to get the tap at 2:09 of round 2, spoiling the debut of Powers.

JT Mendez def. Andy Sandoval by TKO (RD 1) Mendez started strong and never let up. He dropped Sandoval with a left hand early and pounced. Despite his corners protests to back away, Mendez landed some good ground and pound, but also narrowly avoided an armbar attempt. Sandoval worked his way up and got a takedown, but Mendez rolled into top position again for more ground and pound, this time enough to get the TKO stoppage win.

Lester Batres def. Justin Murray by UD (30-27 x3) Lester Batres got into the win column for the first time as a pro by completely controlling Justin Murray for three rounds. Batres used a good barrage of leg kicks and clinch work against the fence to take the decision.

Murray could not get the takedowns he was looking for, and left with a nice cut on his left eye. The loss drops Murray to 3-3, while Batres moved to 1-1.

Ray Blodgett def. Chop Rucker by UD (30-27 x3) Ray Blodgett avoided the big bombs thrown by Chop Rucker and was able to score takedowns out of the clinch en route to a lopsided decision win. Blodgett found himself in mount in both the 1st and 3rd round, but came closest to finishing in the second, when he locked in a nasty keylock from half guard. The win moved Blodgett to 6-1, with his lone loss coming to current UFC featherweight Daniel Pineda.

the fight, and had Benoit in some trouble early. Benoit got a takedown and started a nice grappling sequence.

Williams threatened with a triangle, but Benoit fought through. Williams scrambled his way up and was standing over Benoit when the Dallas product picked Williams’ ankle and quickly transitioned to his back.

Benoit locked in the hooks and forced a first round tap with a rear naked choke. Benoit moved his record to 4-1, while Williams dropped to 3-2.

Following the Williams-Benoit fight, storms in the Houston area took out the satellite feed, causing the HDNet signal to go out for 45 minutes. When the feed was up again, they continued the show on tape delay.

Nelson Salas def. Angel Huerta by TKO (RD 1) Nelson Salas shook up the 135 lb. scene with his stoppage win over Angel Huerta, marking the biggest upset of the night. Huerta came out like a whirlwind, dominating for the first half of the round with fast kicks, crisp punching and a nice takedown from the clinch. In the second half of the round, things swung into Salas’ favor when he scored a takedown. Huerta appeared to just run out of gas, and spent much of the last 2 minutes defending himself from his back. While no solid shots were landing on Huerta (at least anywhere but his forearms), he had stopped fighting back. After the ref pleaded for him to improve his position, he was forced to call a stop with just :12 seconds left in the round.

The loss was the first of Huerta’s career, while the win moved Salas to 4-0. While it was a short one, it was fun enough to go down as our Fight of the Night.

The last preliminary fight, which was to feature Larry Crowe against Sam Mohammed, didn’t happen. Legacy received a call about 30 minutes before the scheduled rules meeting saying that Mohammed had gotten ill and would not be fighting.

Artenas Young def. Bubba Bush by DQ (RD 1) In one of the most disappointing moments of the night, the referee called a stop to the fight in the Bubba BushChico Young fight due to illegal blows to the back of the head from Bush. Bush landed some leg kicks before grabbing a takedown. Chico worked his way up quickly though. Bush was able to grab him again and get on his back. Bush flattened Young out and started to throw punches from back mount. The ref jumped in and said that the fight was over. The confusion is now, should it have been a no contest, as was announced after the fight, or a DQ win for Chico, which was announced later in the night. Either way, this one needs to happen again.

MAIN CARD Ryan Benoit def. Cody Williams by Submission (RD 1) Williams used his athleticism and aggression early in

Evan Cutts def. Lee King by Submission (RD 2) King started the fight well, dropping Cutts with a stiff punch. Cutts quickly recovered and got a takedown,

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but couldn’t hold King down. After that, the fight seemed to move in slow motion. Both guys threw some uncharacteristically sloppy striking and Cutts had some half-hearted takedown attempts. In the second round, Cutts landed some nice knees out of a Thai plum before King landed a knee of his own and got a takedown. Cutts started working for a triangle as soon as he hit the mat, and finished it off to move to 4-0.

Gerald Harris def. Mike Bronzoulis by Split Decision In one of the more slow paced fights of the night, Gerald Harris edged Mike Bronzoulis in a very workman-like performance. Bronzoulis was, for the most part, able to avoid the takedowns from Harris, and when Harris did get them he could not hold “The Greek” down.

Bronzoulis even got a takedown of his own. Despite his efforts, Bronzoulis was unable to get his striking game going against the wrestler, landing leg kicks here and there. Harris hit a few knees of his own, but most of this fight took place against the cage.In the end, Harris took a split call on the scorecards.

Chad Robichaux def. Joseph Sandoval by Submission (RD 1) Robichaux made quick work of Lubbock’s Joseph Sandoval. Robo scored a takedown almost instantly and worked quickly to north-south. He locked up a north-south choke, and after a brief fight, Sandoval was forced to submit. The loss was the third straight for Sandoval, all coming under a minute. The win broke a two-fight losing streak for Robichaux, who was representing the Mighty Oaks Foundation for soldiers suffering from PTSD. The submission was good enough for Submission of the Night honors.

155 LB. TITLE FIGHT Jorge “Macaco” Patino def. Clay Hantz by Knockout (RD 1) Macaco made quick work of Dallas native Clay Hantz, knocking him out just over a minute into the first round. There was limited engagement for about the first :45 seconds, as both guys looked for an opening.

Macaco faked low and connected with a left hook followed by a right cross that dropped Hantz. Two punches from the top and Hantz was out COLD. It was a dominating showing for Macaco, debuting at 155. The win gave Macaco the lightweight and welterweight titles for Legacy, making him the second two-division champion in the promotion (after Daniel Pineda). The performance earned Macaco Knockout of the Night.

photo by Justin Trapp

INTERVIEW with Charlie Ontiveros

By Lance Edwards Charlie Ontiveros has been making waves in the Texas amateur MMA scene for a while. Starting out fighting for his father’s promotion, East Texas MMA, Charlie has since had three fights in the Legacy Amateur Series, with his most recent victory being against Levi West, who is also making his pro debut at Legacy Fighting Championship 12.

Charlie: Well there are elbows now, which I love, and knees to the head, so I’m excited about that; also, I will get paid for it. I’m excited about that. I’ve picked up my cardio workouts; I’m only fighting three minute rounds at the moment, but I’m getting stronger in that area.

Charlie: I’ll try and get on the next card, when my teammate from Hard Head Hitters, Ryan Hollis, is fighting the MTV star, Danger. It’s really good to have someone else in the gym preparing for their pro debut as well, and that’s been a great help.

Legacy: What are your thoughts on this fight?

Ontiveros only started his MMA career in the last couple of years; however, he started training Tae Kwon Do when he was six with his father, and got his black belt when he was ten. At ten, he started training Kenpo Karate, moving on to MMA training at seventeen. Whilst making his pro debut, Ontiveros’ opponent Mark Garcia is taking his sixth pro fight, having a record of one win and four losses against some tough opposition.

Charlie: I like that I’m fighting a guy with experience. I didn’t want to debut against another debuter, as I didn’t think it would do much for me.

Whatever fight gets me on TV, then I’m willing to take that, so if I have to take out someone that’s tough, then I’ll be happy to. I can’t say that there are particular people I want to fight, but there are some tough guys in the weight class. Mike Bronzoulis is a really tough fighter, he can take a punch and has tremendous heart, and then there’s Alex Morono, he’s a very tough fighter.

Down the line, I want to fight guys on their level.

Legacy: How are you feeling about your pro debut?

Charlie: I’m super excited actually, I can’t wait; we had talked about my pro debut before the fight with Levi had come up, and this seemed like the right time.

Legacy: Did the fight with Levi West go as expected?

Charlie: I definitely underestimated his chin. I still went out there and did what I expected to do. I picked my shots, but as I said, I underestimated his chin.

Legacy: Has your preparation for fighting pro been different to your amateur fights?

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Legacy: Other than striking, do you have any other strengths?

Charlie: Well, obviously with my background, striking is a strength; but I’ve really been working hard on improving my submissions as I go pro. As a pro, you have to work on everything, but I want to show everyone what my ground game is all about.

Legacy: What do you do when you aren’t training?

Legacy: How do you see this fight going?

Legacy: Anything you’d like to add?

Charlie: Everyone tells me that my opponent will want to stand and bang, and that suits me if he does, as I’ll be happy to fight it out with him on my feet. If he takes it to the ground, then I think I’ll keep it there and make him wish he hadn’t taken it there; either way, I’ll finish him standing or on the ground.

Charlie: I also want to thank God and my sponsors, Redemption, Griffin Transmission and Garcia Promotions, Ryan Hollis aka Bestie, my team Hard Head Hitters, One Fightclub; my mom, sister, dad and all my fans out there.

Legacy: After this fight what do you have planned?

Charlie: Not a lot really. I work at Cleveland Regional Hospital as a supply tech, train and sleep, and not really a lot else.

P.S. Mark: I hope you’re training hard, because I want to put on a show and I need you in tip top shape.

continued from pg 40 for places in the country--don’t seem to capture any real essence of the places they’re named after. No cows mooing in “Amarillo”, no rusting factories rotting away in “Detroit”, no wind or verticality in “Shy Town” (a lesserknown nickname for Chicago).

Only “California and the Slipping of the Sun”, in its wistful atmosphere of lethargic organs and Albarn’s droning voice drowning in a synthesized smog suggests the Golden State sun setting.

fatigued sentiment of road weariness, of the mundane transactions of checking in and out of hotel rooms, of unpacking and repacking your bags, of watching the world pass by in an immaterial blur through the car window.

And like the streaming blur out the window, nothing on this album really captures your attention. You almost wish they would have pulled over long enough to reflect for a

minute. But these songs just amble along listlessly from one place to another. Gorillaz have humored the idea of a physical release of The Fall in coming months. But why bother with the repackaging of a mediocre album when people can download it for free?

The road Gorillaz traveled on this album is certainly inward, not outward. The landscapes and cities of America are in the backseat of this road trip album. It seems another affect of being on the road takes the wheel in this conceptual voyage.

It’s that feeling of fogginess you get from passing through numerous places without ever stopping long enough to figure them clearly in your mind; the

www.LegacyFights.tv Jan-Mar LEGACY - MMA Lifestyle | 35

FUNDAMENTAL Approach to MMA Nutrition

By George “Loaded” Lockhart As an MMA fighter, performance is everything.

Fighters ensure their technique is flawless, their game plan is on point, and their training is determined to the minute detail. Each fighter is resolute to make himself the ultimate machine. Many fighters accomplish this task because of proper training and an amazing work ethic. The problem with the MMA world is many fighters are walking around with an amazing machine—a finely tuned performance vehicle, you might say—yet are satisfied with putting low grade fuel into that machine. Let me ask you a question. If you were a NASCAR driver, would you think that you could possibly win with low-grade fuel?

When we talk about performance, I like to use the analogy of a car. Reason being, in essence, that’s how our bodies work. In MMA, there are many different nutritional areas just like in a vehicle. Let me explain; 24 | LEGACY MAGAZINE JULY-AUGUST www.legacyfights.tv

for instance, when a fighter trains, he (typically) knows to take a pre- or post-workout drink. Basically, fueling and re-fueling the car. However, some fighters don’t even do that! If I drive a vehicle for ten miles and then refuel it, it is going to be completely different than if I would have driven 500 miles and then needed to refuel.

Many fighters who take pre- and post-workout drinks consistently take the same kind i.e., 2 scoops of protein and some sort of carbohydrate. What sense does that make? If I workout at a high intensity for 30 minutes or do 60 minutes of aerobic conditioning, why would I fuel my body in the same fashion?

Performance nutrition is not only how much you eat, but also when you eat and what you eat. Back to my car analogy, if I have used all of my oil, would it make sense to put gas in the oil pan or put gas in a car that is already topped off? That would be detrimental to

the vehicle. Many fighters will fuel themselves with things that not only won’t improve their performance, but will actually make them feel sluggish, increase inflammation, and add unwanted weight (which can be catastrophic—especially to a fighter trying to maintain a weight for a certain weight class). So, what types of food am I talking about? Number one: if a fighter is actually aware of what he eats, he’ll try and eat “clean”.

I tip my hat off to him. But, in a sport that is won and lost by mere inches, seconds, or one mistake, it is imperative that we are more scientific than just clean.

To begin with the science (of the nutritional aspect of this sport), I first have to get a few widely accepted views out of the way. To start with, carbohydrates are your body’s number one source of fuel. This is true and false.

When your body is in an aerobic state (meaning “with oxygen”), i.e. long distance running, shadowboxing, or

just sitting around, your body’s primary source of fuel is fat. When your body is in an anaerobic state (without oxygen), i.e. wrestling, striking, or sprinting, your body‘s primary source of fuel is carbohydrates. Number two: calories in, calories out. In a very basic outlook, this is true. But in the sport of MMA, this is not very applicable.

Just to demonstrate how this is applied, for a regular person, you would take their BMR (basal metabolic rate) or basically the amount of calories their body needs to function, and subtract 500 calories a day.

At the end of the week you would have depleted 3,500 calories, or one pound. For a fighter that has to make a weight and is ten or fifteen pounds over, this would take forever. Third, and finally, carbs are the enemy.

An Olympic level athlete can hold 600 grams of carbohydrates—200 in his liver and 400 in his muscle glycogen stores. If those stores are not constantly refueled, your body’s primary source of anaerobic fuel will be lost.

Now, putting it all together. First, we know carbohydrates are our primary source of fuel (when we are in an anaerobic state). This is important simply so that we know what (and what not), to refuel with— i.e. did I use more fat or carbohydrates and how much muscle tissue did I breakdown (determined by activity and size of the muscle), for protein supplementation. Now that we know what to fuel and re-fuel with, how do we find our caloric need for the rest of the day? For an everyday person, this would be relatively easy. We look at the daily activity of the person, determine what fuel source they need (based on those activities), and then give them the correct ratio of fuel to supply their needs.

For an MMA fighter, things are a little more difficult.

Not only are you trying to recover after every workout AND INCREASE performance, but also most are trying to do this while losing weight or cutting weight. So, to readdress the car analogy—many fighters are trying to drive the car more and fuel it up less. Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense when you put it like that, does it? At this point, you might be thinking I am saying not to cut weight—that is not my position at all. There is actually a way to “do this” without costing any performance! It involves the number one fat burning substance in the

world; it burns calories and improves performance better than anything else in the world. No, it’s not a banned substance or expensive supplement. It’s WATER!! In fact, studies show 3% dehydration can equate to 30% decrease in performance. Who can afford that?

Also, water is like the gas pedal to the car. The more you push the gas pedal, the faster the car uses the fuel.

The more water you drink, the faster it burns your fuel.

To simplify, instead of decreasing the calories we give your body, we increase the amount of calories your body needs. Many people think they drink plenty of water— an MMA fighter should be drinking a minimum of 2 gallons a day, and that’s before the weight cut. During a weight cut, I’ll have fighters drink considerably more to boost their metabolism. With that said, the water consumption is merely a piece of the equation. If done incorrectly, it will actually cause dehydration and can even be dangerous to one’s health.

Now that we know what “ratios to eat” and have tackled “calories in calories out”, the last thing I would like to address is the carbohydrate ratio for performance and “weight cuts”. Notice I am referring specifically to “weight cuts”. I never want to deprive my body of fuel when training. Carbs are not the enemy!! They are an MMA fighter’s best friend! Almost everything we do is anaerobic, so in essence, a lot of the time carbohydrates ARE our primary source of fuel.

With that understanding, just like the car, if we have a workout that requires 50 grams of carbohydrates and we consume 100, it’s like putting gas in an already topped off tank! The trick is, when cutting weight, we do not want to deplete calories; we want to increase calories needed. We do that by eating certain foods to manipulate hormones and by drinking water. With fighters I work with, I prep their body for the cut, and then we cut the weight. Then we prep for the load, and re-fuel the body.

So how does this relate to carbohydrates? One gram of carbohydrates holds three grams of water. This is instrumental for knowing when to cut carbs in respect to when we cut out the training. Knowing how many carbs are in “the system” and knowing what types of workouts need to be done to get rid of them, can be a lifesaver. The

water and carbohydrates dropped, alone, are six pounds of weight. The excess excretion from your intestines is another seven. That is 13lbs of weight already, without dehydrating your body. That’s why weight cuts of 2030lbs are becoming more prevalent. It comes down to who can do it the best and perform. Unfortunately, very few fighters can do this properly and avoid sitting in the sauna FOREVER. When it comes to performance, nothing can beat hard work. But in a sport where everyone is going for the gold, the only one with a chance is “the car” with the correct and all-encompassing roadmap. Many people search out gyms to fit their technical needs, many get boxing coaches, wrestling coaches, and maybe even athletic trainers. Very few put any stock into the very thing that fuels them to execute these techniques they’ve worked so hard to perfect. In this short article, I’ve highlighted the importance of what to eat and when. I’ve also touched on cutting weight- not because it’s the most important part, but because it’s the most dangerous when not done properly. Incidentally, it’s what you eat after you make weight that’s the most important, but that’s an entirely different article!

Being a fighter and former Marine, I know that if someone told me “it was dangerous”, it would not stop me. Heck, you wouldn’t be a fighter if it did! So, I simply want to give fighters some tools to put in their toolbox so they can improve performance and decrease the dangers of cutting weight. I hope fighters get something out of this and understand this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to eating for MMA. - George “Loaded” Lockhart www.FitnessVT.com Fighters we’ve applied these techniques to: Kenny Florian Brian Stann Jon Jones Rory Macdonald Dustin Poirier Rashad Evans Joe Stevenson Brandon Vera and many many more!!

www.legacyfights.tv JULY-AUGUST LEGACY MAGAZINE | 25

GAME REVIEW

Max Payne 3 By Sijin Kurian It’s been nine years since the last Max Payne game. The first two games were noted for having mature comic noir storytelling and excellent shooting mechanics. They became famous for their use of “bullet-time” – a mechanic which slowed down your enemies, allowing you to quickly and accurately shoot them down. The latest installment, Max Payne 3, keeps true to the series’ heart, while making everything bigger and badder.

One of the biggest changes to the game is Max Payne himself.

As this game takes several years later, Max has aged quite a bit.

Time and the demons of his past have ravaged Max, leaving him to try to find solace at the bottom of a bottle of alcohol or painkillers. Most of the time, it’s both. Early in the game and in flashback sequences, you frequently see Max in various states of inebriation, whether it be on or off the job. In this game, he finds himself out of the police force and working as a bodyguard for the Branco brothers, a wealthy Brazilian family based out of São Paulo. After a grisly opening scene, you’re taken back a couple of weeks to Max guarding the head of the Branco family, Rodrigo, at his penthouse during a party. A group of armed men crash the party and kidnap Rodrigo and his trophy wife Fabiana, and Max pursues the kidnappers while leaving a trail of bullets, bodies, and bottles. The story cuts between the present and the past, as you learn why the Brancos are targeted by gangs, why Max is in Brazil, and just how pervasive the level of corruption Max is up against in São Paolo.

Keeping true to the past games while being up-to-date, the game tells the story through cutscenes played out in a comic book panel-style layout. As the story progresses, Max finds himself in the middle of a sticky situation involving money, drugs, corruption, murder, and politics all while managing to keep you fully interested and invested in Max, and seeing him not only survive all the bullets flying at him, but also the demons that have been plaguing him from his past.

Gameplay has always been a hallmark of the Max Payne games, and this one is definitely one of the best shooters around. Shooting bad guys is always a joy in this game, as most of the time, you can tackle a group of bad guys however you want to. You can go behind cover and pick of guys one by one, use bullet-time or shootdodging to quickly take out a group, or use the environment around you to your advantage. You are always given several weapon choices which you usually pilfer from your fallen foes, and the most amount of weapons you can carry are two one-handed guns (which can be used to dual-wield) and one two-handed weapon like a rifle or rocket launcher. Bullet-time and shootdodging make their return, along with some new mechanics. One is “Last Man Standing” where if you lose all of your health while you

still have at least one bottle of painkillers (what you use to regain your health), you will get a chance to shoot the last person who shot you. If you kill the person, you will recover your health but lose one bottle of painkillers. The other is when you kill the last person in a wave of enemies sent after you, the camera follows the fatal bullet(s) into your enemy.

Then, you can slow down time and keep emptying your clip and watch your foe get riddled with bullet holes. Speaking of which, bullet holes creates blossoming flowers of blood and flesh, whether they be in your enemies’ faces, torso, limbs, or your own. This game can get beautifully gory; and that is on top of the gorgeously rendered graphics.

This game is also the first in the series to feature multiplayer.

You can team up and face off with other players in a variety of modes and maps. You start off with the standard Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch modes and play until you unlock the more advanced modes. Along the way, you unlock outfits and loadouts for your avatar. You can also form clans, which are called “Crews” in the game, and they stay persistent not only with this game, but with Grand Theft Auto V when it comes out.

The only major gripe I have with the game is basically the same problem with all of the past Rockstar-published games that have been using the same engine that you see in Grand Theft Auto IV and Red Dead Redemption, and that is that the controls aren’t always responsive and that you can sometimes end up not doing what you want, like crouching instead of rolling, not going into cover, getting your arm hung up on a wall or column while shooting, etc. As games have started using physics engines and motion capturing, being “realistic” has tended to make things “unrealistic”. For example, look at sports games. Before, if you wanted your character to juke or go in the opposite direction, their sprite would barely move and just flip directions. Now with polygons, your character has to take 12 steps to fully capture the range of motion, which makes everything cumbersome. The Rockstar games have gotten better with this, but in a game that can involve fast-twitch responses in several situations like Max Payne 3, it can often lead to your character dying.

Even though you’re presented with a compelling narrative with several twists and turns as Max tries to discover who is behind this mess he’s involved in, along with the intense and fun gameplay that the series usually provides, the game is ultimately about a story of redemption. Max is a man who has reached the lowest of lows and has let his demons consume him, and when life throws even more disasters at him, he finally strives to try to atone for his failures and overcome his demons, no matter what army of soldiers with automatic weapons and tanks stand in his way. He always tries to get back up. www.legacyfights.tv JULY-AUGUST LEGACY MAGAZINE | 27