Thomas Kenney set to fight for new MMA promotion, August 17!

Mixed Martial Arts veteran Thomas Kenney (13-4) is scheduled to fight in a brand new fight promotion, Long Beach Fight Night in Kenney’s very own backyard. Set to fight the tough Eric Meaders, Thomas Kenney was extremely respectful on his upcoming opponent, stating Meaders is bigger, stronger, and more athletic then himself.

“My next opponent is Eric Meaders. Eric’s an extremely tough opponent but his record doesn’t reflect that plus the fightfinders dont have all of his fights. He’s bigger than me more athletic than me and overall a tough fighter. This is a huge test for me and I’m excited for it.” Kenney said.

Thomas Kenney has the experience, heart, skill, and sheer toughness that he has displayed numerous times over the years to make his fans at ease, confident he will do as well as he has the other 13 times he has rightfully achieved victory against tough opponents.

In Thomas’ last fight, his respected instructor in whom he has fought 22 fights with in his corner, was diagnosed with cancer and was unable to be there physically, nor able to help train as much as he usually does. Thomas was unable to concentrate 100% , and yet earned himself the win in less then a minute into the fight. He owes “a lot of that to the guys working my corner that day Ron Turner, Bruce my boxing coach, Gerry Noche Andy Balmore, Frank Park and Christina. Without these people in my corner I would have fallen apart and I’m extremely grateful for all their support” he says.

When Thomas isn’t fighting professionally, he is passionate and very proud of his teaching. He enjoys seeing his students learn his teachings and carry them over into competition and do well. His students make him very proud and takes pride in being able to help others.

Thomas Kenney’s fight in Sunday, August 17th, at the Long Beach City College and you can visit the fight promotion’s official website at www. LongBeachFightNight.com

Show your support to a very cheerable and talented fighter and help the sport by supporting a new promotion!

Journeyman Aaron Brink set on making successful return to MMA!

Well known hard hitting Mixed Martial Arts journeyman, Aaron Brink, just found out he has a scheduled bout June 29th as the main event for Mixed Martial Arts eXtreme (MMAX) in Mexico City, a bout that could help out his career that he is ready and quite anxious to pick back up again. Brink is comfortable with stepping into a locked enclosure with strong and physically dangerous individuals. He has built that comfort by doing so many times over. So he is not exactly nervous to get in their with his big named and extremely dangerous opponent in Ricco Rodriguez, former UFC heavyweight champion and world class grappler.

Aaron believes he has what it takes to pull of a victory against Rodriguez. Being former training partners, Aaron says he felt comfortable in the gym with Ricco, and he feels comfortable stepping into a professional bout with him. Having the perfect amount of time to train and the perfect determined and passionate mindeset he has finally picked back up, Aaron is at a comfortable weight and feels very strong and sharp.

In the beginning of Aaron Brink’s career, one could easily see this force’s importance and promise in the sport. But towards the middle to the latter of his career, he unfortunately has let personal issues get intot he way of his training, if he even did train for his fights. Now, with his newly awakened fire and positive state of mind, he is ready to recreate that ripple that he originally started.

When asked on his opinions on the upcoming bout, Brink stated his striking was pretty obviously on a whole other level and feels Ricco won’t be able to take him down. Or at least keep him there. He also states that he knows Ricco will not intend on standing with him, and will only want to shoot over and over for the take down.

Ricco Rodriguez, who holds a 27-8 professional record, lost a split but controversial decision to another huge and strong dangerous fighter in Antonio Silva in Elite Xtreme Combat February 16th of this year.

California girl ready to make her MMA debut!

Jenna Marie Bernick, whose nicknamed Tuffy, is determined to contribute to the growing popularity and acceptance of Women’s place in the Mixed Martial Arts world. A very tough North Carolina native, and current Camarillo, California resident, Jenna is looking forward to her April 24th debut in Kansas.

Jenna, who currently trains with Team Apocolypse,  is currently working on her ground game to go along with her already existant and powerful striking. Having a background in TaeKwonDo and being apart of numerous other sports growing up, Jenna feels she will excell and do well in her first fight. She is also not bothered by the fact she does not know who her opponent is.

The former night club bouncer has no actual professional fight experience, but is ready to test her heart, strength, and abilities in the cage. She courageously looks forward to becoming an active participant in the sport and has braced the hard work ethic like a legit veteran, going in 4 to 5 days a week, each session a gruelling preparation to solitify her self believed toughness, which is also seen through her entire team.

I can easily and gladly say that the California MMA community will be standing proudly behind Jenna as she makes her MMA debut and will cheer for her for the duration of her career. We hope to see her go far and do well, which is a bright and realistic possibility!

Indiana native Scott Tuggle scheduled to fight in his backyard!

Up and coming striking based fighter Scott Tuggle is set to fight in Chicago based Mixed Martial Arts event Primetime FC on May 30th. But this time the event will favor the Greenwood native in the fact the event will be held in his backyard, at the Star Plaza Theater in Merriville, Indiana.

Tuggle, scheduled to fight Lazaar Stojadinavic (3-2-0) who is known for his strength, is not worried and is completely confident in the outcome being in his favor. With a 2-1 record, Scott Tuggle is easily the fan favorite at the local shows, and feels his boxing will secure him the win, although all his wins in MMA have come by way of submission.

Though he hasn’t become greatly experienced in the professional boxing circuit, with only a 1-0 record with his win coming by way of knock out in the super middleweight division, he and many feel his heavy hands are nothing to take for granted.

“My gameplan for the fight is to keep the guy up as a standing opponent as much as possible,” Tuggle states. He then jokes about his lack of nerves by claiming he “beat a black belt in kung fu.”

His spirits are definitely high when I asked him on his thoughts were on his opponent as he replied “I know I can’t say his last name. I know he is a mammal. I know he has arms he uses to punch and grab with. I think he’s been talking to my sister too!”

Get to know more about the MMA Forum Legend!

With the vast talent in the growing sport of Mixed Martial Arts, the pool of talent is constantly being fed.

There are countless truly gifted and phenominal fighters who have gone into the sport to only remain under the radar and not reach big named status. But sometimes a fighter who belongs to this very group has a nice sized following that remain loyal.

With only a 3-0 record, Beau Taylor, who goes by the name of One Man Army, may not have reached the level of fame that his training partners and personal friends Chuck Liddell (former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion), Jake Shields (Strikeforce Champion, Rumble on the Rock Champion and Shooto Champion, and Beau’s college roommate) and Matt Wiman (former The Ultimate Fighter contestant) have, but he has a current following on different mixed martial arts forums that no other big named fighter posseses. This especially is true through the popular forum The Underground (mma.tv), where Beau happily describes himself as “the greatest Troll ever”.

But trolling internet forums is not the only thing that Mr. Taylor is great at. He is also a very accomplished wrestler, a former 2 time California State Freestyle Champion while attending Cuesta College, and has won numerous Brazillian Jiu Jitsu and submission grappling events and tournaments.

He originally started off as a training partner for Chuck Liddell and UFC veteran Scott Adams at SLO Kickboxing. Beau has then went off to train at Cesar Gracie’s with Jake Shields (whom he is good friends with) and the Fairtex Academy in Thailand. Beau also has taught at the Lion’s Den with another well known and very well respected friend, UFC veteran Mikey Burnnett. Taylor currently trains out of the Tulsa Top Team, and is a trainer.

Beau is also open about his confrontation between himself and Ultimate Fighter veteran Nate Diaz, brother of the popular welterweight fighter and current Elite XC fighter Nick Diaz. The two happen to be at the same strip joint in Las Vegas, when Nate Diaz bumped into Beau, as he walked the opposing way, and proceeded to spew out a few negative remarks. Beau, not appreciating the remarks, especially after being the recieving end of a shoulder bump, flicked his lit cigarette at Nate’s forehead. Space was created between the two and jake Shields, who happened to be friends with Nate Diaz as well, asked Beau to go back and that Nate “would squash it”. But when Beau went back and offered Nate his hand, the peace offering was rejected, fists were thrown this time as opposed to words. After the quick altercation was broken up, Beau mocked Nate’s punching power, which left Nate yelling for his brother.

Beau has taken time off to train and run a business, but has been talking about the possibility of a return to the sport. His friends and fans are greatly looking forward to the Midwest Champ of the World to return and re-establish his dominance, and do what he does very well, put on a great fight.

Another great wrestler climbing the ranks of MMA.

Excellent wrestlers are no strangers to the world of Mixed Martial Arts. The strength and discipline that are embedded into their subconcious habits are very important strengths to carry over. Scott “Young Guns” Jorgensen is a perfect example of a great wrestler to transist over and do well. Currently under contract with the WEC, and a veteran of Showtime’s new MMA show Elite Xtreme Combat, Scott is a promising young fighter who has an impressive background in wrestling. A Pac-10 133 pound champion who wrestled for Boise State in the 2004 tournament out of Arizona. As a high school student for Palmer High in Alaska, he was a two time runner up in his weight class for the high school championship, and won his first state title as a junior.Scott’s first fight would be in June 15, 2006 in Alaska Fighting Championship 24 against another debuter named Mike Morris who did not offer Scott much in the 1:31 bout that ended in Morris tapping to an armbar. Scott proved his wrestling ability and strength to be too much for his opponent to handle. The very next month, Scott’s dominance turned out to fit the same pattern, submitting his opponent in 1:43 in Ring of Fire in Colorado.

Scott then made into the big show in Showtime’s new rising MMA organization, Elite Xtreme Combat, where he was scheduled to face an expreienced veteran with 15 fights named Chris David who holds a KO win over another veteran in Rick Screeton. But Scott’s wrestling and strength again came into factor and took the journyman to a 3 round unanimous decision.

Scott Jorgensen is an up and coming force who rightfully made it into two big named organizations, and deserves MMA fans’ eyes to be waiting for him to hold a belt around his waist in the not too distant future.

Scott currently owns Combat Fitness in Boise, Idaho. He has a 2 year old son named Braeton, and when he is not fighting he is designing clothing for his team, Twisted Genetiks.

Get to know a little bit on Joe Duarte!

 There is a tremendous growing attention and fan base of the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) community, and along with that growth is the demand of new talent. As is a new face to represent the sport. New up and coming fighters whom which are just getting their first first hand tastes of the professional side of MMA are aspiring to become the next house hold name. But, unfortunately, most fall short of fully reaching their goal.

Usually, you can point out a fighter whose chances favor him of reaching that next step of the MMA career. Either they have that certain look or build which is expected, or their style or dominance is remembered. Guam native and San Diego based fighter Joe “Hybrid” Duarte is one of those fighters lucky enough to personally own both look and physical talent. But Joe also owns another very important object needed to get you far in MMA. Heart. And that became extremely obvious when he made his MMA debut against a veteran who kneed Joe in the groin in the opening minute of the 15 minute bout. After a painful few minutes of the Hybrid getting past the hurt, he rose to his feet and tossed his opponent around the octagon for the remainder of the fight, much like a killer whale tossing around a seal.

It is not every day you get to witness a world class kickboxer turn into a world class wrestler, especially after the blow Joe Duarte witnessed. And yet become even more focused to completely dominate a more experienced opponent on one’s debut in front of a large crowd in his home town. But this is why the nickname Hybrid was appropriately given to this young up and comer from his professional boxing and kickboxing days.

Being one of the most genetically blessed individuals I have personally ever got the pleasure of meeting, his fighting style lives up to the name he is proudly known by. Joe Duarte has achieved an impressive 19-1 professional Muay Thai career as well as a 9-0 professional boxing career, definite evidence of the man’s overpowering striking. He has also served 4 years in the Army and spent 2 years in Iraq. All before his 24th birthday.

So, it is safe to say that along with his heart and physical capabilities, Joe “Hybrid” Duarte is a promising force in the MMA world. Every person who has gotten the privilege of training, or being around him is confident their will be a top organization’s belt will be around this force’s waist very soon. Written by Jimmy Kennedy!