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and then a signal is sent back as to how to react.
LEGACY
MMA Lifestyle
PUBLISHER Mick Maynard BUSINESS MANAGER Andrea Maynard EXECUTIVE EDITOR Rich Burmaster MANAGING EDITOR Sijin Kurian DESIGN/LAYOUT Chris Shepperd
PHOTOGRAPHY Mike Calimbas Andy Hemingway Justin Trapp
WRITERS Rich Burmaster Lance Edwards Amy Gonzalez AJ Hoffman Stephanie Joplin Sijin Kurian Felix Rodriguez Ryan Wendt
By Ryan Wendt
The Nerve Pathway Every movement, action, reaction and sense is a cause of a nerve action. Nerves run through every part of the body, and are probably the least understood system when it comes to fight science. Part of how I’ll train my fighters as a strength and conditioning coach has to do with what stimulus I can throw at them, and how they’ll react. There are conscious actions, such as striking and landing with accuracy; then there are unconscious actions, which is how breathing and heartbeats occur. Let’s examine a reflex arc. This is what will control our action reflex. If I strike at a fighter 1,000 times in the same relative pathway, I will expect a block the same way. After that many blocks, it becomes second nature to act on a stimulus and block without thinking. The first time a reaction like this is called for, the body will send sensory neurons to the brain,
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 2013 Legacy Media Inc.
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What we’ll eventually see is that the sensory neurons do not pass directly to the brain, but to a synapse in the spinal cord. This will allow reflex actions to occur relatively quickly by going directly to the spinal motor neurons and not have to wait for the signals to go to the brain and back. This is also known as the somatic reflex arc, because it affects muscles, as opposed to an autonomic reflex arc that affects the internal organs. That’s a lot to take in, so let’s start simple. One of my first instances of working with nerve actions happened after my dad’s stroke. We literally had to start from scratch on how to hold a pen, let alone write and eventually perform surgeries again as a veterinarian. This was long before my work in rehab therapy, and it was a basic principle that if a nerve path was interrupted, and I could still get voluntary control from the hand we needed to write with, it would take a repetitive pathway to hone in on how the nerves could be taught to work and control the action with accuracy. Starting with basic shapes, I’d have him draw a circle, then a slightly smaller one in side it, then smaller until he ran out of space in the shape. Then we went on to squares and more complicated polygons, then to holding surgical instruments and performing surgery. How does all this relate to being a better fighter? Aside from basic striking and blocking, we can add a level of accuracy to how a strike is executed. Now we get to take the surface area of what we are striking with (your fist) and concentrate the force directly on a smaller area (your fingertips).
If a fighter has to take, for instance, 18 inches to strike with a fist, he can reduce the surface area and only take 6. This will also apply force in a more concentrated area and make contacting a lot more devastating to the cells. This applies to pressure points more than anything. We’ll also take a map of the human nervous system and apply this same technique. If I strike my opponent’s brachial plexus with my fingertips or knuckles with a high level of accuracy, their arm that is punching me in the head becomes numb and useless. This also damages the softer tissues under the striking point. A group of broken capillaries will look like a big purple mess, depending on where the fighter lands a blow like this. Basically, getting hit with a frying pan will cause less damage than getting hit with a hammer. In our new training system at Metroflex Gym in Houston, we are bringing in a ton of medical knowledge to keep our fighters safer and healthier. This also applies to the internal science of the fighter and the processes of how the systems of the body interact with one another during live combat. It’s a relatively new concept in research on how to last longer, control impulses, and further hone the skills that a fighter is taught in traditional MMA schools. We are revamping the facility to include an obstacle course, and a regulation-sized octagon. The goal is to build unstoppable fighters. So far, we’ve been able to improve the performance of everyone that has stuck with the training program, and are looking forward to building the next generation of champions.
way and treat people well .We aren’t big on making outlandish claims about ourselves and putting ourselves in the public eye by making ridiculous statements. We believe the fighters and fans are our customers, and customer service is very important to us. Our product does the talking for us, and we prefer to be doers rather than talkers. Legacy: You had a major accomplishment this year as a company. Tell us how you were recognized and what it meant to you after so many years of hard work. MM: We were recognized as one of Houston’s “Fast 100” Growing companies [by the Houston Business Journal] and were ranked number 11 out of thousands of businesses. It means a lot to be recognized, but we still have a long way to go.
By Stephanie Joplin
Interview with Legacy FC President Mick Maynard You can’t really mention the name “Mick Maynard” without a smile on your face. It’s near impossible. The Aussie transplant, on top of being one of the biggest promoter names in the national MMA game as president of Legacy Fighting Championship, is an all-around hard worker, family man, devoted husband, and beloved friend. We check in with our fearless leader as he continues to bring in some of the most exciting talent in MMA for our bloody viewing pleasure. (Pun may or may not have been intended.) Legacy: Tell the Legacy fans who haven’t heard the story how the promotion came about. Mick Maynard: We started in late 2006 in College Station. It was really just a way to promote our newspaper, and we only did two shows per year. Our first few shows were at Hurricane Harry’s and called “Lonestar Beatdown.” Legacy: Have you always been a fan of MMA?
MM: I have been training for around 15 years, but started in boxing and kickboxing. It was a natural progression to start getting involved in MMA, so I guess you could say I have been a fan of combat sports in general since as long as I can remember. Legacy: How did you convince your wife, Andrea, that this venture was something you wished to invest in as a couple? MM: She was always familiar with the sport, as we attended fights together and I participated, so it wasn’t too big of a stretch. When we got started, we put together a budget and it just made sense. She is an accountant, so that’s a pretty big deal. [Laughs] Legacy: What sets Legacy apart from other promotions? MM: I see Legacy as a polished clean brand, and our goal is to hopefully continue to become even more polished as we grow. We are very, very proud of this company and it represents so much to us on so many levels. It is important to us to do things the right
Legacy: Tell us about the new partnership with RES Nation. MM: RES Nation is one of our latest partners and we are extremely excited about working with them. They are providing finish bonuses to every fighter on the main card that “finishes” the fight, and working with us and AXS TV to further promote their brand and lifestyle Legacy: Are there any projects you are currently working on for Legacy? MM: We are working on 2014 and expanding into new markets. Right now, Albuquerque, Memphis, Austin, Baton Rouge and New Orleans are in our sights. We also want to expand the Amateur Series into Dallas and Corpus Christi. Legacy: Without naming names, can you tell us anything about any potential talent you might be signing in the coming months? MM: Honestly, right now our goal is to sign every fighter that fights for us to multifight deals. It is a new policy we have put into place, and I think it’s a good thing for everyone. It is important to make sure we can keep our roster busy, so unless it’s someone really special we are being careful. We love our current roster with its mix of well-known names and prospects, but trust me if the right person is available we will always pull the trigger on new, exciting talent.
Legacy: Where do you see Legacy in five years time? MM: I see us doing the same amount of shows (10-12) but mixing in bigger shows in bigger venues. Our goal would be to do Toyota Center-sized shows in several markets. It’s a tough call because I was at UFC 166 and it was a great card, but I still found myself looking at the big screen instead of the cage. The larger venues lose some of the atmosphere in my opinion, even though obviously having 17,000 people watching Legacy would be pretty amazing. I miss the days when I really anticipated upcoming events. There is so much MMA now, the anticipation and excitement has faded a bit for each event. We would like to bring that back. Legacy: What is the biggest challenge of running an MMA business and promotion? MM: There are too many to list, but the biggest one is finding a way to be profitable. I think if you listed your top 10 promotions, I would venture to say 70 percent of them are not making money. If you give me list of top 10 oil companies, my guess is they are all driving Bentleys and getting really fat. Legacy: As a businessman, what do you consider your greatest accomplishment to date? MM: I am still young, so hopefully this is just the beginning. Building Legacy from a bar event to where it is today is huge. I also own a print company, and we were recently voted as one of Houston’s best places to work and that was a huge honor. My biggest accomplishment in both companies is that we have surrounded ourselves with such awesome people. They go above and beyond in so many different ways, and have shown loyalty beyond what is considered normal. Our partnership with AXS TV has been very similar in that I really think they care about us; so from top to bottom, we have been incredibly fortunate. Legacy: Is there anyone you would like to thank? MM: All of the Legacy staff and our loyal sponsors and partners that make it all happen. My wife talks me off the ledge regularly, and I really have to thank her for that. [Laughs]
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how to strike and learn how to stay out of submissions and do submissions, they’re going to be pretty scary people; because of the explosiveness it gives them, the balance, the speed, all these things combined that make for a really scary athlete. Without a doubt, wrestling is the best base [for MMA].” Miletich’s faith in wrestling as the best MMA base is set in stone. Having been born and raised in Iowa, Miletich is all too familiar with the advantages of wrestling. He noted, “there is nothing like having an Olympic level world-class wrestler grab a hold of ya. I mean, you better be ready to get after it, and unless you got a lot of those guys or have a lot of that in your life to deal with it, like you’ve been in wrestling like those guys your whole life, you’re just not gonna be ready for it. You’re not gonna stop their takedowns, and you’re not gonna stop them from attacking you and trying to grind you into exhaustion. So you better catch them early, hurt them early, or you’re in for a long night.”
By Felix Rodriguez
Pat Miletich on Why Wrestling is Best MMA Base Few people in the world are more experienced and knowledgeable about the sport of MMA than Pat “The Croatian Sensation” Miletich. Pat’s all-encompassing bird’s eye view of the sport is the result of nearly 20 years of being involved as a world-class fighter, top-tier trainer and as an experienced color commentator. The list of accolades and accomplishments that he’s gathered throughout his career are too long to list here, and even the condensed version will put the life’s work of most any other mortal man to shame. Before Pat transitioned to a career in broadcasting, he was the first-ever welterweight champion of the UFC, and managed to defended his belt successfully three times; he is the founder of Miletich Fighting Systems, the first American superteam in his home-state of Iowa, where he developed Tim Sylvia, Jens Pulver and Matt Hughes into UFC champions and trained other long-respected veterans like Jeremy Horn, Robbie Lawler and Josh “The Dentist” Neer. Between what Pat has experienced first-hand while fighting inside the cage, training and cornering fighters and while analyzing fights for the viewers at home, at
least fight-wise, there is little that this man has not seen before. Pat’s wealth of knowledge is only dwarfed by his humility. He downplayed his career accomplishments by explaining, “I got pretty good at my craft, and you know, I think in the end it all balanced out to where I held a title for a little over three years and helped a lot of guys succeed in their fight careers.” When asked to describe which aspect of his MMA career was the most meaningful, Miletich had trouble picking a favorite, because “each particular point was the most fulfilling at that time,” but he “had enough foresight to know that there had to be something beyond fighting and something beyond coaching”, so color commentary was a natural progression. “I enjoy doing commentary and adding to the sport what I can, helping some of the viewers enjoy the fights, helping to teach new viewers about what’s actually going on in the cage, and just doing my part to make the sport more understandable, more accessible to those that might be on the fence about it; and at the same time, not boring those who know a lot about the sport,” said Miletich about his latest role in MMA.
The sum of Miletich’s career is the product of being exposed to the sport from every angle imaginable, and he’s managed to develop a proven eye for spotting talent, so his views tend to carry some weight in the industry. After being in the thick of MMA for almost two decades, Pat has figured out the two most helpful traits a fighter can possess to succeed in MMA. Pat believes that the key to success is desire and a wrestling background; everything else can be taught or learned with time. Miletich believes wrestling is “absolutely the best base for MMA” because athletes acquire from very early on “the work ethic that provides preparation from the time these guys are kids until they grow up to succeed.” Miletich views a wrestling match as “a street fight without punching” where opponents are “grappling, getting dumped on their heads, getting launched, getting ground into the mat” and wrestlers are forced to “just learn to get good at it or to quit.” According to Miletich, the unforgiving grind of wrestling training is ideal for would-be fighters because “by the time these guys get out of competitive wrestling and step into MMA, if they’re a guy who can learn
Miletich believes that although fighters with different base styles can also excel in the sport, a clear indicator of success is a background in Olympic wrestling like that of newly signed Legacy FC prospect, Henry Cejudo. “We’re pumped to call his fight[s]. I’m really looking forward to meeting him. I’ve watched him wrestle before and I’m looking forward to calling his fight[s], and actually meeting him in person,” said Miletich. When asked to explain why he thinks Olympic wrestlers are the crossover athletes with the most likelihood of excelling in MMA, he explained, “Wrestlers will be fine. It’s a tight learning curve in MMA. These guys have to pick up a lot of skills really fast, especially with the generation of kids coming into the sport now, training since they were young and well-rounded in everything. The difference is guys like Cejudo who have wrestled on the world stage against the best athletes from (…) countries that are scary in their own right…there’s really nothing like it.” For these reasons, Miletich believes it is very hard for someone to “just come out and hand a wrestler their ass” and that they might “get clipped, or knocked out or caught in a submission, but there is nobody athletically” that can beat them.
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at church and I was pitching a martial arts program for all the attendees. They ended up seeing my resume and ended up wanting me to come on as a full-time speaker, so I jumped at the opportunity. I’ll be teaching high school students. Legacy: Tell me about your experience with IFC, obtaining the 155 title and defending it twice.
By Stephanie Joplin
Interview with Legacy FC 27 Fighter Charles Cheeks III “Loyalty.” Legacy FC newcomer, Charles Cheeks III, strives to embody this rare characteristic: to remain faithful and consistent. It’s the very reason how in just six short months of being back in Houston, he has managed to develop a brotherhood with Angel and Kris Huerta at Millennium Martial Arts, and found a second home with Jeff Rexroad and Grant Johnson at Paradigm Training Center: two incredibly reputable gyms, teaming with knowledge of the sport that Cheeks has come to love so much. The 7-2 fighter, who has returned to his hometown after several years in North Dakota, is finding himself in the deep end of a very thick pool of talented opponents in the Houston MMA community. After an impressive showing at Fury FC against seasoned Legacy vet Ray Blodget, Cheeks will go up against arguably his toughest opponent to date in Alex Black (5-3) at LFC 27. Cheeks will surely be a competitor to keep an eye on this year at 145 lb, and could certainly be added to the list of hot up-andcomers in the sport…but don’t take my word
for it. Read our interview below, tune in on January 31st, and decide for yourself. Legacy: When we first met, you were just getting done training at Paradigm, and I know you also train at Millennium. Do you believe cross training is one of the keys to a successful camp? Charles Cheeks III: Yes, I would say so. You are going to take different things away from different camps and different people. I am a loyal person; so, even if I get to a point where I am on that UFC level, I am going to be right here with the same two camps I am with now. I stick to the people I am comfortable with and that I want to represent. Legacy: Tell your fans about the strange object that you found on your three-mile jog this summer and what it meant to you. How does it apply with regards to fight camp and this fight in general? Cheeks III: It was a laminated dollar bill. When you see money on the ground, we are so quick to pick it up. My first reaction was
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to pick it up, but it being laminated, I started thinking about why it was laminated and where it came from. It made me think that we are all so involved with money. This dollar bill was probably someone’s first dollar bill that they worked for; it was laminated for a reason. We have to take the time to think, “What are we working hard for?” If it’s really just money, then, just like when we see people’s money on the ground, it’s going to be gone. If we can get to a point where we are working hard for the greater good or to help someone, it’s going to be that much more rewarding in the end. Legacy: You have a new career as a physical education and health teacher. How did that opportunity come up and is this something you have always wanted to do? Cheeks III: It has been one of my goals to eventually open up my own gym where I have a small fight team and teach selfdefense. Working with kids has always been a passion of mine. I got my degree in health and physical education out in North Dakota. When I got back to Houston, I was
Cheeks III: That’s the big promotion out in North Dakota. It’s a great way to build your resume, but once you get down the road, no one wants to fight, everybody drops out, or they just don’t want to fight you. I was supposed to be fighting a regular match, and two others were fighting for the 155 belt. One guy got hurt and they replaced him with somebody else, and then that guy got hurt; then the other opponent got hurt, so they had no title fight. I had fought a couple fights at that weight and had won, so they offered it to me instead. I did pretty well for my first title fight; I’ve never been in a fivemile fight before. I took it easy each round so I wouldn’t die [laughs]. I choked him out in the fourth round. It was probably the best I ever felt in a fight…well, besides my fight with Ray Blodgett. I felt good in that one, too. Legacy: You have made the move to 145. Do you plan on staying at this weight? Cheeks III: I will probably stay at 145. For the last fight in North Dakota [for IFC versus Joshua Sandvig, Cheeks won via unanimous decision], I came in at 147 and I was happy with how I got down and how I felt. It was definitely an eye-opener to what I really have to do to make sure I am not cutting so much the day of. I wasn’t a zombie. I ended up popping up 22 pounds the day of the fight. It’s just a longer process. When I was at 55, I could drop down in a week, whereas now it’s taking three to four weeks. Legacy: Why did you decide to move back to Houston this year? Cheeks III: I was at a turning point into what I should do with my career. I had an opportunity to fight in Minnesota, and there were some Bellator scouts there. If I were to win a couple of fights out there, there was a possibility to get on with Bellator, but I didn’t feel that I was going to be getting the training that I needed to get up
to that level. Even if I did win, I didn’t feel that I was going to be prepared. I thought it was time to move back and find a gym out here, so when I do get up to [fighting] those high-level guys, I’m not in shock. I needed to get to a point where I could train with guys who have been in the UFC or been in those big fights, and see where I fit in. Up until this year, I’ve never even had a professional hand wrapping for a fight. I’ve gone out there with just gloves on. I have learned so much since moving out here and actually doing things the professional way.
watch the fight, but there was a time in the fight where [Blodget] stood up and we got into a brawl fest, throwing hooks back and forth. It’s exciting, but it’s also a lot of energy that I am putting off. I don’t want to be classified as “exciting” because I go in there and fight like a crazy person. I want to be “exciting” because I slam people; my footwork and my striking are clean and crisp. I’m moving and not getting hit. I do have that side if I need to get there [laughs], but that’s what I meant. When we were striking, I could have been cleaner.
Legacy: You received “fight of the night” honors when you fought Ray Blodget at Fury FC in November [Cheeks won via unanimous decision.] In a post-fight interview, you mentioned, “That’s not how I want to fight.” What did you mean by that?
Legacy: Tell me what you know about your opponent, Alex Black.
Charles Cheeks III: I haven’t gotten to re-
Charles Cheeks III: The one thing I have heard is that he is pretty good in all areas. His wrestling, jiu-jitsu is good. His striking is a little bit “flashy.” I will be watching out for that. I am going to do the same stuff I
always try to do; get him before he gets to me, and put him on his back if I can. I just go with what I feel; I don’t watch too much film and all of that. I just go in and fight. Legacy: Tell me about getting the call from Legacy. Charles Cheeks III: I was shocked when Collin [Cantrell] reached out to me. I checked with Coach Jeff [Rexroad] and he explained everything to me. It was a blessing to me; this is what I’ve been waiting for, to get on a big promotion and really showcase what I can do. I’m trying to build a fan base out here. I had great support in North Dakota, and I plan on it being the same in Houston. I am going to get out there and put on the best show that I can. Legacy: Is there anyone you would like to thank?
Charles Cheeks III: First, I want to thank God for blessing me and my career, putting me in a position to inspire and reach people through my story. I want to thank Brian Melancon for helping during my time of struggle; only knowing me for about a month, he helped in a way most people wouldn’t; the Huerta brothers for allowing me to train and teach with them, and welcome me as an adopted brother; Coach Jeff and Grant for working on my all-around game and building me into a better fighter; all my training partners at Paradigm and Millennium; my family, friends, and fans for believing in me and giving me even more confidence in this thing. Time to press forward, so let’s go! Tune in to AXS TV on January 31st for all the action as LFC 27 airs live at 9PM CST from Arena Theater in Houston, Texas.
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Photo by Justin Trapp
Interview with Legacy FC 27 Fighter Elias Garcia By Lance Edwards Elias Garcia (4-0) caught people’s attention when he defeated MTV’s Caged Matt “Danger” Schnell (2-1) at Legacy Fighting Championship 20. Garcia was due to face wrestling Olympian Henry Cejudo (5-0) at Legacy Fighting Championship 24, but injury prevented him from doing so. Garcia steps into the cage again at Legacy Fighting Championship 27 for his long awaited fight with Cejudo.
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“I had an operation, so I had to pull out of the last fight. I broke my jaw in training; I was in the gym doing some hard sparring, and I immediately thought something was wrong. I went home and it wasn’t getting any better. The next day, I went to the hospital and, they scanned it and told me it was broken. They gave me surgery, and pushed the parts back together. It hurt a bit, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would have hurt.” Sitting out of the fight, Garcia watched Cejudo defeat Ryan Hollis (4-4). “Watching the fight made me want to train that much harder, but there is a positive side. Henry didn’t make weight, and that could have been me having to deal with all of that and it would have been frustrating.” For Garcia, there were no real surprises in his performance. “He was as I expected pretty much; with his wrestling background, of course he’s going to fall back on that. I actually thought his stand-up was better than I thought it would be.” Coming off the operation, Garcia feels fully recovered. “Training is great. Just last month, I became a full-time
fighter, so I train all day every day. First thing [in the morning], I train with my strength and conditioning coach, or swim. In the afternoon, I train with my coach; and it depends if I go and wrestle at King High School or do regular MMA training in the evening. My training schedule is really strict, and I’m seeing a lot more gains as a result. I’ve been training at Weapons at Hand; and with training full-time, I’ve been able to spend a lot of time on my ground game, and I’ve been able to train at a couple of other schools. Hector Munoz has been helping me with my ground game, and it’s great to work with a skilled (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) black belt.” With the new flexibility that training full-time has brought, Garcia will be heading out to Jackson-Winklejohn MMA in Albuquerque, NM in January for two weeks, thanks to his sponsor, Pureline Nutrition, before returning to cut weight for the fight. Garcia is a Corpus Christi, TX-based fighter, who became involved with MMA whilst serving with the Coast Guard. At the time, he was only able to train twice-a-week, but even so competed successfully as an amateur. Garcia originally hails from Houston before joining the Coast Guard, so fighting in Houston against Cejudo won’t be in an environment that he isn’t familiar with, and Garcia will be bringing strong support with him to the Arena.
For Garcia, serving his country in the Coast Guard helped prepare him mentally; the Coast Guard motto is “Semper Paratus”, which is Latin for “Always Ready”, a philosophy he continues to live by; and his training and service, raiding vessels for drugs being smuggled, helped him learn to maintain a calm composure when stepping into the cage. For the fight against Cejudo, Garcia feels that he will bring to the table what is required to get the win. “Your next fight is always the one you are training hardest for, but with an opponent like Cejudo, you can’t take him lightly, and I’m preparing properly for him.” After this fight, Garcia is hoping to get a chance to compete for the Legacy Flyweight belt. “This is a number one contender fight for me. It’s a dream come true. Of course you want to win a title, but to fight for the title in a huge well-respected organization is great. It’s not just recognized by the fans, but by other promotions. The UFC recognizes Legacy, and that’s a big deal. Legacy has built itself up over the last couple of years to the level it is at, and that is a huge accomplishment for the promotion; and I’m proud to be a part of that. I’d like to thank my sponsors and team for their support.”
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Product Review:
Hemp Ecstasy Gi By Amy Gonzalez A good gi is hard to find. There are so many factors to consider when buying a gi: quality, style, fit, durability, etc. I kept all these in mind when I received the Hemp Ecstasy Gi by Submission Fight Company two months ago. There were several things I noted about the gi right off the bat. First of all, it was the smoothest, softest gi I had ever felt. I’ve always had to deal with rough, stiff gis that would chafe my skin, so this was a pleasant surprise. Upon closer inspection, I also noticed the clean, precise, high-quality stitching with no loose threads hanging out. I’m not fond of overly-girly or Pepto-Bismol colored gis, so I liked how this gi’s hot pink contrast stitching on the white fabric looked sharp and eye-catching while adding a subtle feminine touch. Quality and style? Check. Another thing I liked about this gi was how lightweight and airy it felt when I put it on. One concern with light gis is that they may rip easier, but this gi was reinforced in the areas that mattered, including the areas around the lapel, armpits, knees, crotch, etc. I haven’t had my team and instructor patches sewn on yet, but at 3 pounds and 5 ounces, this would be the perfect gi for a tournament where I may need to cut a little extra weight. On the downside, it had a funny smell when I took it out of the packaging, but as with all
my new gis, I soaked this one in white vinegar and water for half an hour before throwing it in the washer. Every time after training, I've also added a cup of vinegar to the wash every time. I don’t know the science behind it, but the vinegar seems to help keep all my gis bright-white and odor-free. Between IBJJF’s strict gi fitting rules and my long and lanky frame, I’ve always struggled to find a gi that wasn’t too wide or too short on me. I’m 5’8” and 130 pounds, so I hesitantly tried the size F4 (for 5’6”-5’9” and 145-175 pounds, listed by the company). It was way too big and baggy for me straight out of the box. But even though the description stated it had been pre-shrunk, I gave it a good hot wash and dry and boy, did it shrink! After the sleeves and pants lost more than 4 inches, I ended up with a gi that fit me better than any other I’ve ever tried on. Perfect fit? Check. Over the past two months, this has become my favorite training gi. Even with it being the lightest gi I own, it hasn’t yet shown any signs of wear and tear. Other little things I’ve come to love about the gi are how it’s not bulky in my gym bag, and how fast it dries compared to my other gis (a nice little plus if you train both morning and evenings). Overall, I have been very happy with Submission Fight Company's Hemp Ecstasy gi, and I would readily recommend it to other females in the sport.
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Interview with Legacy FC 27 Fighter Tim Means By Lance Edwards
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Tim “The Dirty Bird” Means (19-5-1) made a sizeable impression when he defeated Pete Spratt in the first round of their fight at Legacy FC 23. Means found his way to Legacy after being cut from the UFC following two wins and two losses for the organization. “I felt that the fight went well. I got to move up in weight and fight a large opponent. I was unhappy with all the appeal talk right away. He said that I hit him in the back of the head, and he wanted to appeal the decision and have a rematch. It doesn’t look like at this time that’s happening, because now I’m facing Artenas Young.”
Means is a native of New Mexico, and live and trains there. “I train out of Fit NHB in Alberqueque, NM, where I started training. It’s a great place, and I teach there; we have some really cool kids training there and I enjoy teaching. Tom Vaughn also trains the guys at Power MMA, (home gym of some excellent fighters such as CB Dollaway and Ryan Bader) and we go over there regularly, but Fit NHB is my home gym. Those guys have really helped me with my wrestling, and I have a second home with Power.” As stated, Means had two wins and two losses with the UFC—his losses coming via decision.
Means has faced his fair share of adversity during his life, and at one time found himself heading down a path which made a successful MMA career seem highly doubtful. On one night out whilst drinking, Means came out of a fast food venue in which he had a verbal confrontation, only to have fifteen shots fired at him and his friends. Means was hit in the leg, which damaged his femoral artery, an extremely serious injury due to the blood loss, but survived the incident. The injury was extremely painful and Means found himself prescribed Vicodin, which he took; Means developed a dependency and moved to street drugs and onto methamphetamine, a highly addictive and damaging drug that causes serious neurological and physical damage to the user over time.
“They let me go really because of weight issues. I wish they’d given me a little more time. The last fight I took at eight or twelve days’ notice, and I bit off more than I could chew. It wasn’t like I was just getting beaten up in my fights, but I’m really happy to be here now at Legacy. I can compete really well at 170 lbs; I was competing at 155 lbs, but wasn’t getting enough time to make weight. ”
“I was shot, had my teeth knocked out with a shovel, got addicted to Vicodin and then onto meth. Eventually, I ended up in prison for misdemeanors and got locked up.”
At Legacy Fighting Championship 27, Means faces counter striker, Artenas Young (10-6). Young is coming off a victory over Jonathan Harris (7-4) at LFC 25 by unanimous decision.
It was in prison, and after being released, that Means decided to turn his life around. “Fighting had always been in my life. I’d been doing it in bar fights and street fights. At the time, MMA wasn’t really a career and something you could do as one. What had an impact on me was talking to my nephew from jail on the holidays. He was starting to realize who I was and what I was doing, and I didn’t like that. MMA was taking off and it gave me something to focus on. I talk in schools and the community about meth awareness. There are people who I meet through MMA and hit me up on Twitter. They had similar experiences to me, and didn’t get out in time. I can relate to them. I feel bad for the people who are going through that, and hope to do something positive with what I went through.”
“Like all my fights, it’s going to be as violent as possible. I’m coming to Houston to his home town, and I will get my hand raised.”
When not training, Means describes his life as simple. He enjoys hunting, fishing and eating as well as hanging out with his nieces and nephews. He says he will try most things, but spends most of his time at the gym training or teaching.
Out of Means’ nineteen wins, fourteen of them have been stoppages by KO or TKO, and as a result Means has earned a reputation as a formidable fighter with heavy hands. “I’m coming in to win this fight. With a win, I’d like a title shot. Legacy is coming to Albuquerque on the 15th of March; if I KO Young, I would really like to get a title shot at that show in March in front of my home crowd!”
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2013: A Year in Review By Lance Edwards Photos by Andy Hemingway
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2013 saw Legacy Fighting Championship holding ten professional shows in the state of Texas, and two amateur level shows. In December 2012, Legacy held its first professional event outside of Houston at the Allen Event Center in the Dallas, TX area; and with the success of that show, Legacy FC held more shows across the state in 2013, holding shows in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Lubbock. The year saw seven title fights at all weights, with the exception of the light heavyweight class and welterweight, with the only fighter to have two title fights this year being fan favorite Jorge “Macaco” Patino (27-14-2). LFC 18 saw Derrick Lewis (9-2) defeat Ricky Shivers (106-1) to retain his heavyweight title, and Jorge Patino defeat Derrick Krantz (14-8) to retain his lightweight belt. LFC 19 saw Will Campuzano (13-5) defend his 125 lb belt successfully against challenger Allan Nascimento (10-1). Campuzano then went on to vacate the title as he did not wish to face number one contender Alp Ozkilic (9-1), and went on to be signed by the UFC, as in fact did Ozkilic. LFC 21 saw a middleweight (185 lb) title bout between Bubba Bush (6-2) and Larry Crowe (7-3), which ended with Bush stopping Crowe; and a bantamweight (135 lb) title fight between Matt Hobar (8-1) and Angel Huerta (72), with Hobar taking the title in round one by rear naked choke. LFC 25 saw Jorge Patino’s second title defense of the year, when he put his lightweight (155 lb) belt on the line; the fight went to decision in an epic bout which saw Carlos Diego Ferreira (9-0) walk away with the title. The final title fight of the year saw Leonard Garcia (18-11-1) TKO Kevin Aguilar (8-1) to take the Featherweight Title (145 lb) that was vacated by Daniel Pineda when he left for the UFC. Garcia is a huge favorite of the Legacy fans, and the title win was his third win in the Legacy cage in 2013. This year, the welterweight title wasn’t defended, and we regretted seeing the retirement of welterweight champion Jeff Rexroad (6-1). Rexroad, a serving police officer, chose to retire from the sport to spend more time with his family and focus on his career. In addition to the title fights, we saw careers built, veteran fighters take to the cage and for some, hopes dashed, in a roller coaster ride of exciting fights and matchups. Veteran
fighters such as Din Thomas, DJ Lindeman, Damacio Page, Tim Means, Dan Hornbuckle, Paul Buentello and Pete Spratt graced the cage. Former Legacy fighters such as Jared Rosholt, Ryan Benoit, Alp Ozkilic, Robert Drysdale and Derrick Lewis were signed to the UFC, and former Legacy champions Andrew Craig and Daniel Pineda continue to compete in the UFC. Legacy has been home in 2013 to a number of rising stars, with Holly Holm (5-0) getting a great deal of press of late, and scoring a highlight reel knockout of opponent Allanna Jones (2-3) at LFC 21. Other notable Legacy up and comers to watch include Olympic wrestling gold medalist Henry Cejudo (4-0) and Thomas Almeida (12-0), who TKO’d veteran amateur kickboxer George Pacurariu (5-3). This year has seen some excellent finishes in the Legacy cage; in addition to Holm stopping Jones, some of the many KO/ TKOs include George Pacurariu’s (5-3) superb KO finish of Steven Peterson (9-4), and Damacio Page (16-9) obtaining a devastating first round KO of Patrick Ybarra (6-1), where Ybarra was handed his first professional loss. Some notable submission victories include Ybarra himself obtaining a smooth finish with a flying arm bar victory over Billy Buch (5-2), Matt Lozano (4-1) stealing an inverted triangle choke victory over the tough Klayton Mai (5-1), and another textbook submission came from Robert Drysdale (6-0) when he dispatched DJ Linderman (15-7) with a rear naked choke once again in the first round at LFC 19. Part of the growth of Legacy FC has been due to its partnership with the MMA-pioneering TV channel, AXS TV. The channel penned a new contract with the promotion this year, continuing its professional relationship with the organization, and televising future Legacy FC shows. Legacy FC has had the pleasure of Jen Wenk joining the team. Jen is one of the most experienced publicists in MMA, and has worked for the UFC as the sport was growing. The upcoming year of 2014 will prove to be just as, if not more, exciting than the year just gone. Legacy FC has plans for shows in three additional states, with events to be held in Tennessee, New Mexico and Louisiana. The year will kick off on January 31, with the initial show of the year being Legacy Fighting Championship 27 in Houston, TX at the Arena Theatre.
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Legacy FC 25 Review By Lance Edwards Photos by Andy Hemingway
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A new champion was crowned at Legacy Fighting Championship 25 in Houston, TX in what was arguably one of the greatest title fights in the Legacy cage to cap off another great night of fights by Legacy Fighting Championship. Once again, the fighters put on a show for the fans in attendance at the Arena Theatre and watching on AXS TV. Carlos Diego Ferreira (9-0) remained unbeaten in an incredible battle against now former Legacy Lightweight champion, Jorge “Macaco” Patino (34-14-2). Although a heavily decorated Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Ferreira showcased his striking as he was able to hurt Macaco several times in the second and third rounds, even to a point where it seemed the fight would be stopped. However, Macaco showed the heart of champion and his incredible resiliency as he fought back with numerous submission attempts, including a deep kneebar in the 5th round that had Ferreira in visible pain. It was not enough, however, to stop Ferreira as he took home a well deserved unanimous decision win and the Legacy Lightweight Championship. Welterweight Lester Batres (3-2) had been very impressive in his Legacy career, dominating his past three opponents. He figures to do the same to Legacy newcomer Frank Trevino (11-0). Frank had other plans in mind, as he put the pressure on Lester from the first bell to the last one, showcasing his wide variety of strikes including some very nasty elbows. He also was able to dominate Batres in the grappling department as he repeatedly landed takedowns against the cage, and was able to impose his will on Batres en route to a unanimous decision win. Fresh off of his stint on Bellator’s Fight Master, Artenas “Machine Gun” Young (10-6), who lost his mother only a few weeks before his fight, showcased his superior counter-striking skills and combinations against Jonathan “The Hulk” Harris (7-4) for the first two rounds. The third round saw Harris try to rally against the visibly tired Machine Gun, but it failed to be enough as Young recorded his first win in the Legacy cage in over a year by unanimous decision. Larry “Tae Kwon” Crowe (7-3) showed why he is one of the most exciting fighters in Legacy Fighting Championship as he made short work of the veteran Jon “The Jaguar” Kirk (16-12) with a rear-naked choke 52 seconds into the first round. The win moved Crowe back into the win column after losing to Legacy Middleweight champion, Bubba Bush at Legacy Fighting Championship 21. Prospects Charlie Ontiveros (4-1) and Kaileb Cummins (3-1-1) fought to see who would be a future a contender in the Legacy welterweight division. What seemed on paper to be an interesting matchup ended up a one-sided affair, as Ontiveros proved to be far too quick and accurate for Cummins, especially with his counter left hook. Cummins tried to take Ontiveros out of his element by clinching and going for takedowns. Ontiveros repeatedly thwarted his attempts before seizing Cummins’ exposed neck with a guillotine choke, forcing the tap 1:30 into round 2.
Prelim results: — Justin Reiswerg over Mark Garcia by guillotine choke in round 1. — Melvin Jordan over Patrick Hutton by unanimous decision. — Eric Valdez over Agrimar “Cyboguinho” dos Santos by TKO in round 1. — Steven Rodriguez over Devin Christopherson by triangle choke in round 2.
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Legacy FC 26 Review By Lance Edwards Legacy Fighting Championship returned once again to the Cowboys Dancehall in San Antonio, TX for LFC 26. The fight card was dominated by the lighter weights, with the exception of a light heavyweight bout on the undercard. Sponsors RES Nation were on hand for giving bonuses to fighters who stopped their opponents, and the fighters seemed intent to claim the extra money. Dimitre Ivy (3-2) clinched a second round armbar victory over Matt Mazurek (1-1), handing Mazurek his first professional defeat. Both fighters were making their Legacy debut and Ivy was pleased to get the win. Billy Buch (5-2) defeated Ryan Hollis (4-3) by unanimous decision in what could be considered a close fight. Hollis didn’t capitalize on his reach advantage, and as expected, Buch was intent on utilizing his ground game. Whilst some fights that go to decision are at times less than exciting, that cannot be said for this matchup; Hollis showed an excellent jiu jitsu game from his back and was constantly attacking. However, the judges chose in favor of Buch, who held top position whilst on the ground. What made the decision even more controversial is that Hollis had Buch in a triangle at the end of the second round, and there appeared to be a time keeping error, which meant the round ended early, most likely costing Hollis the fight. Patrick Ybarra (6-1) bounced back from his loss at LFC 20 by winning via unanimous decision against Ray “The Judge” Rodriguez. Rodriguez had been open about the bad
blood between the two of them, but both showed good sportsmanship in the bout. Whereas Rodriguez looked good on his feet, he had little answer for Ybarra’s takedowns, and spent a lot of the fight, whilst on the ground, on the bottom. Chris Pecero (10-5) looked significantly bigger than his opponent, Ray Rodriguez (4-3), and took only a minute and three seconds to dispatch of Rodriguez, who had taken the fight at short notice, in a dominating victory which ended with Pecero raining down punches and elbows on Rodriguez, who unsuccessfully attempted to defend from his back.
Main Card • Leonard Garcia def. Kevin Aguilar via TKO (punches) Rd 1, 2:57 • Thomas Almeida def. George Pacurariu via TKO (punches) Rd 1, 4:13 • Chris Pecero def. Ray Rodriguez via TKO (elbows) Rd 1, 1:03 • Patrick Ybarra def. Johnny Ray Rodriguez via unanimous decision
Thomas Almeida (15-0), the Brazilian phenom, maintained his undefeated record when he won by TKO over George Pacuraiu (5-3) in the first round. Both fighters come from strong striking backgrounds, but it was Almeida who dropped Pacuraiu and won the bout.
• Billy Buch def. Ryan Hollis via unanimous decision
The main event saw a bout for the featherweight title, which was vacated when Daniel Pineda left Legacy FC for the UFC. Underdog Leonard Garcia (18-11-1) defeated the seemingly unstoppable up and coming fighter Kevin Aguilar (8-1) to hand Aguilar his first defeat as a professional mixed martial artist. Garcia caught Aguilar with a short left hook, which was closely followed by a right hand which dropped the young fighter. As Aguilar was rising, Garcia pounced with a lethal uppercut, which he followed up to force referee Jacob Montalvo to stop the fight.
Prelim Card • Daniel Jolly def. Matt Steward via knockout (head kick) Rd 1, 0:16
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• Dimitre Ivy def. Matt Mazurek via submission (armbar) Rd 2, 3:18
• Kevin Troyer def. David Stiller via unanimous decision • Daniel Pinheiro def. Joe Reyes via TKO (punches) Rd 1, 0:45
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Legacy Fighting Championship kicks off its 2014 campaign with LFC 27 on January 31 in Houston, TX at the Arena Theatre and on AXS TV. In what may be a taste for things to come for the rest of year, plenty of highly-touted prospects are featured on the card, which is capped off by a battle of two veterans trying to lay their claim for a shot at the Legacy Welterweight Title. Tim “The Dirty Bird” Means (19-5-1) steps back into the Legacy cage after his brutal knockout of the veteran Pete Spratt (25-23) at LFC 23 in September. Facing him will be Artenas “The Machine Gun” Young (10-6). Means spent most of his career fighting in King of the Cage, including TKO win over current UFC contender Bobby Green, before he got signed to the UFC, where his record is 2-2.
Legacy FC 27 Preview By Sijin Kurian
After losses to UFC standouts Jorge Masvidal and Danny Castillo, Means was released and signed with Legacy. 17 of his 19 wins have come by way of stoppage, including 14 by (T)KO. One of Houston’s favorite fighters, Artenas Young is coming off an emotional win over Jonathan Harris (7-4) at LFC 25 in November. Young’s mother suddenly passed away a few weeks before his bout, but he followed through with the fight and took the unanimous decision win over a game Harris. A charismatic individual, Young is known for his fast hands and slick counterpunching. Also making his sophomore showing in the Legacy cage is undefeated Henry Cejudo (5-0). A highly-touted prospect in MMA, Cejudo is the youngest American wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal, which he accomplished in 2008 at the Beijing Olympics. Cejudo went 4-0 and finished all four opponents before signing with Legacy and making his debut at LFC 24 against Ryan Hollis, whom he beat by unanimous decision. Taking him on will be another undefeated prospect in Elias Garcia (4-0). Originally from Houston but now fighting out of Corpus Christi, Garcia made his Legacy debut at LFC 20 in May, when defeated Matt Schnell (2-1) by majority decision, handing Schnell his first professional loss. These two flyweights were scheduled to take on each other at LFC 25, but Garcia suffered an injury in training; after two more opponent changes, Cejudo was set to take on Saul Elizondo. However, he became ill before weigh-ins and the fight was cancelled. Now, these two have another chance to get a shot at each other and move closer to the vacant Legacy Flyweight Title.
Main Card (AXS TV): 9 PM CT 170 – Tim Means (19-5-1) vs. Artenas Young (10-6) 125 – Henry Cejudo (5-0) vs. Elias Garcia (4-0) 170 – Carlos Martinez (3-0) vs. Charlie Ontiveros (4-1) 185 - Larry Crowe (7-3) vs. Evan Thompson (3-0) 145 - Alex Black (5-3) vs. Charles Cheeks (7-2) 135 – Domingo Pilarte (3-0) vs. Caio Machado (3-0) Prelims 170 – Steven Rodriguez (2-1) vs. Kamarudeen Usman (2-1) 145 – Nate Garza (4-5) vs. Jeremy Mahon (4-4) 185 – Trevin Giles (0-0) vs. Angelus McFarlane (0-1) 170 – Jason Felton (0-2) vs. Aaron Reeves (0-0) 155 – John Gorrell (0-0) vs. John Hayden (0-0) 205 - Chris Sutton (0-0) vs. Matt Stewart (1-1)
Welterweight Charlie Ontiveros (4-1) returned to his winning ways at LFC 25, after suffering his first defeat in mixed martial arts to veteran Todd Moore (16-5) at LFC 18, by defeating Kaileb Cummins (2-11) by guillotine choke. Always an entertaining fighter to watch, Ontiveros confounds opponents with quick reflexes and effective counterpunching coupled with his dazzling array of kicks showcasing his taekwondo and Kenpo Karate background. Facing him will be undefeated Carlos “El Lobo” Martinez (3-0). Martinez turned pro in 2012 and his finished all of his opponents in the first round, including a seven-second knockout. Both fighters are aggressive and tend to finish opponents, and should prove to be an entertaining bout between the two prospects. The always entertaining and hard-hitting Larry “Tae Kwon” Crowe (7-3) will take on late replacement Terrance Ferguson (2-1). Crowe is known for his explosive striking that has helped finish four opponents in the Legacy cage, including a highlight-reel head kick KO over Isaac Villanueva at LFC 8. Ferguson made his Legacy debut at LFC 14 with a rear-naked choke win over Patrick Hutton. North Dakota native Charles Cheeks III (7-2) is currently riding a six-fight win streak, including a win over former Legacy Lightweight Champion, Ray Blodget. Now making the move to Houston and training with Paradigm Training Center, Cheeks is set to make his Legacy debut against Houston native Alex Black (5-3). Black started off his pro career with a 1-3 record. After taking a year and a half off, Black stepped back into the cage and has remained undefeated, riding a four-fight win streak and stopping all of his opponents. Kicking off the main card will be a pair of undefeated prospects as Domingo Pilarte (3-0) battles Brazilian Caio Machado (3-0) in the bantamweight division. Pilarte last fought at LFC 15, where he knocked out Ricardo Delgado in the first round. Machado is a decorated grappler, and like Pilarte, has finished 2 of his 3 opponents.
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Product Review:
Macaco Branco White Gi By Richard Burmaster The first thing I thought when I noticed the Macaco Branco brand was the awesome monkey mascot. I like simple things with my gis. Simple clean stitching, nothing too blingy, and not too many patches. The white gi from the Evolution Collection by Macaco Branco fits all my needs and more. And there is a fricking MONKEY on the gi!!!! “With 550gsm single piece pearl weave jacket and strong ripstop pants the feel of the gi is simply amazing” That’s the quote from www.macacobranco.com . I usually take the quotes with a grain of salt as, of course, they are going to talk up their own products. Immediately upon rolling in the gi for the first time, I realized they were not kidding. I don’t know what 550gsm pearl really means, but if it means you’re rolling in the best feeling stuff ever, then I get it. The gi felt kind of heavy out of the box; but once it was on, it was as if the Monkey was holding me and protecting me from anything that would bring discomfort. I felt like I could swing from tree to tree, or roll with an actual Gorilla.
walking billboard, this doesn’t take away from the gi at all. You get a monkey head logo on each arm. Let me repeat that. A MONKEY ON EACH ARM!! Fricking sweet… Fit: Being a fat guy, I like my gi to fit a little loose. This gi feels like it was built with that in mind. The shoulders are not too tight, and the chest/gut area doesn’t feel constrictive. The pants are light, but the ripstop feels very strong. Durability: I have worn the gi and washed it around 15 times so far, and it has held up great. No noticeable fraying or fading. Price: This may be the only downfall of this gi. It’s not cheap. Coming in at 149.90€ (around $203) puts it at the upper-tier of the price scale.
Conclusion: This is a really fun gi that is also very durable. The styling is not too over the top, but is also very unique. The price range will keep some people away, but for those who don’t mind Style: I like it simple and Macaco Branco has done simple with spending a little more, it’s worth the money in my opinion. It has some cool flair. The shoulders have the brand name on them along become one of the first gis I reach for when I go train; and for me, with the trim on the gi. While I am not usually a fan of being a that makes it worth the price. pg 28 • LEGACY MAGAZINE • Feb/March 2014 • legacyfights.tv
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