Joe Milligan goes 4-0

Here are the Youtube links to Joe's fight. If you have any trouble viewing them, please comment on here or email me at ken0021@yahoo.com. Thanks, KEN

Links to Joe's 4th fight:
Round 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrrMX5WO3iE
Round 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Prmp8oAIS8
Round 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zAudpJiE5k

1-1 on the weekend

Well, I waited all day yesterday and part of today to write this because I had mixed feelings about the fight I attended on Saturday night but I will attempt to give you an update to what happened.

Let's first say a big congratulations to Mighty Joe Milligan for his win at Samstown in Tunica. I understand it was a great fight and Joe was impressive from start to finish. Joe's record now stands at 4-0 and the future looks bright for this fighter who is willing to step into the ring with just about anyone. Props to Chris Gates and Dr. Mark Romano and everyone else that helped Joe prepare. Maybe I can get some pics to attach to this post pretty quick.

Ms. Toni and I took two teenagers to the fights at the International Agricenter in Memphis to watch Goldman Butler fight. Goldman was up against John Dixon of Biloxi and did not disappoint us with his performance. Brown was 7-1 coming into the fight and, in my opinion, was well on his way to 7-2 as Goldman controlled the first round and most of the second. But, Goldman got caught with a good right cross and went down after the referee had separated the two in the second round. I didn't understand why he separated them as they were both fighting on the cage, throwing knees consistently and pummeling hard. When Goldman went down, he immediately rolled and grabbed Brown's leg to bring him to the mat and was obviously well positioned to defend but then the ref jumped in and stopped the fight. I was surprised to say the least and the crowd reacted with boo's all over the place. In my opinion, the ref goofed up the whole fight. That is just my opinion but it is what it is as was the results. Either way, Goldman did us all proud. He was obviously in great shape and put on a fantastic show. This was easily the best fight of the night.

There were 5 fights on this night:

Justin Rice won over Bobby Hill in the first round.
Ryan Caprari won with an arm bar over Randy Fields.
Chris Myers won with a triangle over a very game Jeremy Wallace (Great fight.
Chris Hawk (crowd favorite) won with an arm bar over Sean Frens but it was a brawl.
And finally, in the most exciting fight of the night, John Brown overcame Goldman Butler in a TKO, referee stoppage.

Goldman is still the "man"! John "Do do" Brown said during his post fight interview, "I found out tonight that I am not the strongest guy in this weight class." We know Goldman will be back soon. I for one cannot wait to see him fight again.

AGEMA - What does it mean?

According to Wikipedia "AGEMA" is defined:

"In ancient Macedonia, the Agema, meaning literally "the guards", were the elite guards. In Macedon, especially under Philip V of Macedon and Perseus of Macedon, the Agema formed an elite body within the corps of 'Peltasts'. This corps is not to be confused with the light infantry. The Macedonian Peltast corps was the equivalent of the Hypaspists in Alexander the Greats army."

The "Agema" were historically utilized as the elite guard for Kings of their time in many areas. Their duties included escorting Kings into battle and were considered the best of the best and respected worldwide as dangerous adversaries in any situation.

Joe is at it again!

"Mighty Joe" Milligan looks to continue his winning ways. Joe will be fighting a dangerous opponent as he tries to push his record to 4-0.

Bang! Fighting Championship always puts on an exciting show, and with Joe on the card it is an event not to be missed.

tickets available through Ticketmaster or Sam's Town

Did you hear?

DID YOU HEAR? Matt Wyatt at Miss 98 (97.5 fm) mentioned MMA last night on the Sports Drive. Said they would talk MMA if we call in or text them. PLEASE call tonight and tomorrow night to talk about Goldman and Joe's fights as well as AGEMA being the only pro game in town. To call the station between 4:00 and 6:00 p...m (showtime) call 662-844-9800. Text them at 662-871-5005.

Goldman fights this Saturday night

I just found out that Goldman Butler will definitely fight this Saturday night barring any major issues. He text that the fight is on! So lets all get to his fight or get over to Tunica to watch Joe Milligan and Jesse Kilgore. Contact Doc or the fighters if you have any questions on tickets or locations. Go get'em guys!

Nutrition "Wake Up Call"

The following is a paper that was written by my son, Austin Dulaney, of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Austin is a an amatuer cyclist,(soon to be pro), racing in mountain, road bike, and cyclocross events. I asked him to allow me to publish this after I read it as it was an assignment he had for college.

Doc and Chris are always reminding us of diet. I thought this fit well. It certainly opened my eyes.

ASSIGNMENT:

For this assignment I chose to go to Burger King. The nutritional information that was given to me was astounding! The fat, sodium, and caloric values of most of the items on the menu were staggering. Even what I consider to be a small meal, like the one I ordered, was almost half the daily-recommended allowance of the normal 2,000-calorie diet.
The more popular sandwiches such as the flagship “Whopper” have 670 calories. Keep in mind that this is without cheese, and with only a single hamburger patty. Other items like the “Angry Chicken Tendercrisp” sandwich boast 1030 calories, 2670 mg of sodium, and an artery hardening 105mg of cholesterol. Even healthier items such as the “Tendergrill Chicken Salad” have as much as 1450mg of sodium. So, upon evaluation, one could easily see why quick serve restaurants must me chosen in moderation, and not for every meal.
The meal that I ordered was the traditional American lunch. A cheeseburger, fries, and a Coke. As I ate, I looked closer at the numbers, and began to lose my appetite. My BK double cheeseburger (ordered as normally served) contained 29g of fat, 14g of saturated fat, 1020mg of sodium, and 510 calories. The medium sized salted french fries contained 23g of fat, 2.5g of saturated fat, 820mg of sodium, and 220 calories. Amazingly, my Coke was the least unhealthy item that I ordered, with 0g of fat, 0g of saturated fat, only 10mg of sodium, and 290 calories. All this means that in that small meal, I took in about 1020 calories, 1950mg of sodium, and 52g of fat. I was previously aware that Burger King was not the healthiest choice for lunch, but I thought the convenience outweighed the consequences. It is now more than apparent, that I was wrong.
In this assignment the question is posed, “Will this change what you order the next time you visit the restaurant?” The answer is a simple no. This is because I don’t think I will be visiting “The King” anytime in the future, due to this newfound information. Veaganism has never looked so good.

Training Tips with Chris Gates #5

Here we go! Chris Gates utilizes the assistance of Jeremy Kilgore to help us to strengthen our shoulders. If you work at a desk all day, this will really help you. Trust me, I have tried it.

Thanks to Chris and Jeremy for the tip this week! Keep it up guys.

"Never stop!" Chris Gates

Back

I must apologize that I haven't made any entries to our blog over the past couple of weeks. I have been busy but that is no excuse. I will have new information for you soon and make entries accordingly.

Until then, please remember that GOLDMAN BUTLER will be fighting in Memphis on the 28th of November and JOE MILLIGAN will be fighting in Tunica at Samstown that same night. JESSE KILGORE will possibly be fighting but we cannot guarantee that just yet. Stay tuned to the blog and facebook for more details.

Remember, if you haven't signed up for the FREE newsletter, including Training Tips with Chris Gates, do so by emailing me at ken0021@yahoo.com with your email address. Just tell me to add you.

Thanks, KEN

Harrah's Casino 10-23-09 Fight Overview

On Friday night, my wife Toni and I, were honored to attend the fights at Harrah's Casino in Tunica MS. with Jeff and Jennifer Chambers. I was excited, to say the least, to see Terry Robinson, Jeremy Kilgore, and Goldman Butler fight..... finally. I have such immense respect for these guys and had never been able to see them fight before. They didn't let me down as all three fights were exciting although the outcome was a little different than I had hoped for in two of the three fights.

The only disappointment of the night for me personally came when I found out I could not video the bouts as planned. The gentleman who put the fights together had a production crew there and told me himself that he didn't want anyone filming. The lighting was so dark and foggy that taking a still shot was a challenge since we couldn't use a flash but we did manage to get a few shots. I was told that the fight would be sent to each fighter on dvd so hopefully we can manage some clips at least for you before long.

In the first fight involving TBJJ fighters, Terry Robinson took on Brenden Domingo of Columbia MO. The first thing that came to mind when Brenden walked out was "this is a kid!" but he proved that he was far from it when he and Terry tied up. Terry was very quick on his feet and managed the fight very well. His striking was precise and strong and I think he surprised Domingo with his strength, take down skills and ground game. Brenden did scare us all a little when he had Terry in a very strong choke but somehow Terry managed to leverage his way out of the hold and gain control again to win the fight as he pounded Brenden until the referee stopped the fight. I asked Terry later how it went and he said "That guy was STRONG!" "He had me tight and I was a little worried but I was able to get just the right grip for a split second which allowed me to escape." I can say that Brenden did a fantastic job and was definitely a little stick of dynamite but Terry was able to overcome all obstacles and pull off an enormous win. Congratulations go out in a the biggest way to Terry. He obviously came to win and he did it with style, strength and class.

In the 5th fight of the card, Jeremy Kilgore took on Jesse Beal of Arkansas. Now we were sitting beside some of Jesse's friends and they stated that he was a beast to say the least and that almost all of his amateur fights came by way of knockout as did most of his pro fights. I was on the edge of my seat as one of my mentors walked through the cloud of smoke to face a formidable opponent. I was so proud to know Jeremy that if the fight had never started, I would have been satisfied just to see him walk out there. When Jeremy entered the ring he moved fluidly around the ring and I saw him reach out to Beal and tag gloves in a show of respect and class. When the bell rang, it was obvious that both fighters had a lot of respect for one another and traded shots for a bit. Unfortunately, Jeremy was caught with a good shot and staggered. As he recovered quickly in true Kilgore form, he arose to continue but his position offered an opportunity to Beal and Beal took it, knocking Jeremy out with the second right to the chin. Mrs. Toni and I gasped as Jeremy lay on the floor, not that he was down, but that our hearts broke for him because we know how hard he has worked. As Jeremy arose from the mat, once again, he illustrated why I think Tupelo BJJ is the best gym around. If it had been me, I might have thrown a tantrum or just walked out, but Jeremy, in true Kilgore form, mustered a smile and a congratulatory hug to Beal who was the better warrior on this night. We could tell his heart was heavy but he was a real man about it and made no excuses. I met his wife and saw his mother in the lobby later and they too showed level of class that you rarely see today, neither offering an excuse but only concern for Jeremy. Birds of a feather? I think so. Class and sportsmanship obviously run in this family.

The main event was fight number 9 of the night and featured Goldman Butler and Rocky Overstreet of Auburn, AL. The fight previous, the co-main event, featured Andy Uhrich of Team Vortex (whom I was cheering for) versus Brandon Barger of Columbia, MO. I have to say, it was a blooming brawl! The UFC has nothing on these two. Uhrich finally won the fight but both fighters were bloody worn out messes when the smoke cleared. I didn't think that fight could be topped... I was wrong.

Goldman Butler and I only recently got to know one another to a degree but at first meeting with Goldman, you cannot help but be impressed. Not only with his skill and professionalism but in his overall attitude and outlook on life. Goldman is a man of prinicpal as is Terry, Jeremy, and all the other fighters at TBJJ. But this is a giant of a man in my eyes. Not necessarily in sheer size, but if you are male you understand what I am saying when I say I think Goldman represents what a real man is and and should be.

The physical giant that Goldman met in the ring on this night was Rocky Overstreet. When the guy came into the ring I was amazed at how he towered above the top of the ring at 6.8 feet tall and looked to be as strong as an ox. He had obvious skill as the bell rang to begin the first round and his reach posed a real threat to Goldman. Goldman, true to his nature, never wavered and stayed patient. He stalked Overstreet, slipping and moving to avoid contact from the many jabs and right crosses offered by his opponent. I could see Chris Gates and Mark Romano in that ring in my mind's eye. Slip, move, slip, move. Goldman was doing what he had been trained to do and it was working. Finally he took an open opportunity and closed the gap, pinning Overstreet to the cage and finally taking him down to the dismay of Overstreet's corner. I was fortunate to see the look on Overstreet's face when the first barrage of punches from Goldman landed and opened his face and nose up. It was a look of surprise. I like to think (no disrespect to Mr. Overstreet) that he was thinking "What the heck have I gotten myself into, a meat grinder?" It sure looked that way to me. At the end of the first round there was no doubt that Goldman had won the round but both fighters were visibly tired.

The second round began as the first with the same results. Both men fought like men possessed, testing one another to the edge of oblivion. Well into the 2nd round I thought Goldman had this fight in the bag as he continuously banged out strike after strike and controlled the fight. He had Overstreet against the cage nearest me and I noticed a spark of life in the laboring Overstreet as he shrimped his back to the cage. In a move right out of the movies, he gained control of Goldman's back and in a blink of an eye, Goldman was sprawled with the giant of a man laying squarely on his back. Overstreet was able to muster some strikes that seemed to do no damage but as Goldman later stated, "I just couldn't get him off of me." So as simply as that, the referee stopped the fight and Goldman was faced with a defeat. As the two men helped one another up from the mat, you could see the respect in the eyes of both. Mr. Overstreet stated at the announcement of his victory his respect for Goldman and I know the feeling is mutual.

My heart remained heavy over the weekend, not due to the AGEMA losses but because I knew that faced with the same circumstances, I would pale in comparison to the three men I have come to appreciate so much. Terry, Jeremy and Goldman all possess a quality of manhood that most of us dream of. I received a note from Goldman later that night expressing his remorse in losing the fight, as if he had somehow let me down. So let me say for the record, I am immensely proud of Terry Robinson and I am equally proud of Jeremy and Goldman. Why? Because in a world where we are taught to win at all costs and to step on whoever gets in our way, these MEN put themselves in a position, as do all TBJJ team members and trainers, to not only teach us how to win, but also how to lose. We cannot always win in life even if we put our best efforts forward but we can set a standard so high that others cannot help but be mystified by our stature.

So, to me, TBJJ won a tremendous battle on Friday night. We may not have won every fight, but something in the souls of those watching was stirred. I can only speak for myself when I say I was inspired by the efforts of the team. Seeing Chris Gates, Mark Romano, Cody Floyd, Brian White, Noel McMichael, Jon Price, Jon Crump, and Jeff Chambers of Amory MMA handle themselves in this venue was awe inspiring. This is what team sports is about. These are the men who make MMA a sport for the masses. These MEN are who I want my son and grandsons to look upon as role models.So I want to say "Thank you" to the fighters and trainers and support staff of this event. You all did TBJJ proud and I am honored beyond words to be associated with you in whatever small way I can be. I am proud to call you all my friends and look forward to your next event with great expectations. Lord have mercy, I wouldn't want to be the next guys to meet Jeremy and Goldman in the octagon. LOL

Fox News Memphis interviews Goldman Butler

Goldman did a great job in his interview with the morning show in Memphis on the Fox affiliate. Click the link to see the interview.

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/good_morning/102109_MMA_Cage_Fight_Event_in_Tunica

Jack Bratcher and PROMMA publish the Isle of Capri Fights on October 17th

Of course this is subject to change, but we want to say thank you to PROMMA and Jack Bratcher for publishing the upcoming fights this weekend in their newsletter and on their site. Jack has been very good to work with us when I have asked him to print something for us. Doc Romano released the schedule to Jack to be printed and updated it this past Monday. Here is a link to Jack's site at PROMMA.

http://promma.info/index.php/2009/10/12/icc-fight-card-set-for-oct-17-at-the-isle-of-capri-casino-in-lula-mississippi/

Please email Jack when you can and tell him thanks for publishing this for us. It goes out all over the world. Email Jack at jackiebratcher@mchsi.com. And check out one of the best sources for MMA news at www.promma.info.

Fight Schedule (subject to change)

Pro MMA

• 145 Chad Lawshe vs Jerrold Osthoff

4-man Tournament

• Jesse Buress, Thomas Vasquez, Adam Smoothers, Tim Galluzzi

Amateur MMA

• HW Jesse Kilgore vs Robert Hester
• 145 Jon Price vs Chris Ortiz
• 155 Tim Kelley vs Taylor Tallens
• 205 Nick Vellerial vs David Bailey
• 145 Joe Milligan vs James Leek
• 185 Nick Tucker vs Coleman Jones
• 150 Cody Floyd vs Marcus Hamond
• 175 Juice Madrid vs Anthony Freeman
• 135 Richie Fletcher vs Brian Hall

Tupelo Flea Market Shows Local Interest in MMA

I will be the first to say that I was at the very least "skeptical" about whether or not to place a booth at the Tupelo Flea Market on October 9th and 10th; however, the event proved to be a very good learning experience where we met a ton of MMA fans. This was our first market appearance since I began with TBJJ but all in all it was a very good show. The traffic was very good and the interest shown in TBJJ and Amory MMA was astounding to me. I truly thought that people would trickle in from time to time but we had someone at the booth almost the entire time we were open.

I have to say that the difference was made entirely by the fighters. I have done a lot of trade shows and I generally know what to expect; but I didn't expect to have the entire complex come to a screeching halt when the fighters began sparring. That "POP" of the mitts and gloves drew people to the booth like moths to a flame. I heard other vendors complaining (jokingly) that when the pops started, everything else stopped. I have to admit it was true and it was a phenomenon that was unexpected by me. The guys put on a great show, we signed up 41 new people for the newsletter (almost double our goal), added a large number to our blog, had numerous people promise to come to a class at either TBJJ or Amory MMA, and I understand that last night, one of the people did indeed show up at class in Tupelo. It was also great to see so many little kids get on the mat and spar with the fighters. The guys did a great job of being patient and working with anyone who wanted to get on the mat with them. It ended up being fun for everyone. So the event was an overwhelming success.

We were there to promote both gyms along with the gym in Corinth, Paragon, and to promote the fights that are coming up on October 17th at the Isle of Capri Casino in Lula MS. Make your reservations now by calling the Isle at 1-800-the-Isle or visit www.isleofcapricasinos.com.

I will be posting some pics and videos of the event over the next couple of days. Keep a look out for them. Until then, let me say a special thanks to everyone that came out and helped. Thanks to: Jeff Chambers, Tony Palmer, Haley McLemore, who helped with the set up, Mark Romano, Chris Gates, Grady Hurley, Juice Madrid, Scotty, & Eric from Amory, Cody Floyd, Joe Milligan, Isaac Ware, Brian White, Jon Price, from TBJJ, and everyone else that participated.

A special thanks to Cody and Isaac who stayed all day Saturday and did a fantastic job with the kids. Big cudo's to Jeff Chambers and Alliance for making sure this happened.

Weekly Training with Chris Gates #3

This week Chris utilized the expertise of Terry Robinson to demonstrate a very good warm up routine. As Chris and Terry illustrate in this video, it takes little time and is well worth the effort.

Never stop!

New to MMA Update

Today I went to the weekly boxing class at TBJJ. I am writing this immediately after class because I want to put down how I feel before I get rested and have a different point of view. When I get rested, I will appreciate today but I realize that if YOU were to join the class, having never trained before, you might very well feel like I feel right now and quit.

So let's address the elephant in the room shall we? Right now I am very tired, my back hurts, my left big toe is out of joint, my neck (having two buldging disks in it) is throbbing, and I now have a new pain in just above my left elbow in the muscle on the back of my arm. Mix in the frustration of my not being able to put a single combination together after 4+ months and you might be able to understand why I might have a bad attitude right now. And yes, I have thought of just dropping the class on more than one occasion, usually on Tuesdays around 12:00 pm. Nervous yet? Thinking of staying away from this class? Are you in a class and considering dropping out? Every felt this way at all? (You are not alone if you said "yes" and if you are smart, you will squash those thoughts right now.)

To top it off, I could see the frustration in Doc's eyes when I didn't get the punches correct, because he and Chris have only tried to teach me these for 4+ months now and I still haven't gotten it right. Talk about embarrassing and having feelings of inadequacy! (Oh, poor me... ever feel that way?)

WHY ON EARTH would I be telling you all this negative stuff if I want you to ever take part in this sport or join TBJJ. Here is why: it is part of it. It is part of the growth process. It hurts, heck yeah, but it never hurts past what you can bear. Doc and Chris make sure of that. And the thoughts of embarrassment and feeling like the trainers are frustrated with me?..... All in my head, I know that. When I reflect back on the day after I recover somewhat, I always come back to one thought: "I did it." I didn't quit today. I stayed in there even though I wanted to crawl back home and get into the fetal position and suck my thumb. 4 months ago I couldn't jump rope for 10 seconds straight. Now I can at least move around for 3 minutes and not pass out! That is a BIG DEAL to me.

Jeff Chambers stayed after class and taught Tony Palmer and myself how to do a few things and Clay Short was kind enough to talk to me on the side about what to do when I pass guard. These two guys are the reason I keep going back. Not just them, but you see... this is the class of guys and gals that are associated with this gym. Never, not once, have I needed instruction or advice or encouragement that there wasn't two or three guys right there just waiting to pick me back up. Doc and Chris are always at the front of the line. I have simply never seen such dedication to the success of "others" like I do here. It is a lifestyle to these people and ego takes a back seat to the success of the guy that needs help.

So after Tony Palmer kicked me in the temple (yeah Tony, it hurt), I was happy to sit right there and continue to learn. We laugh, we run, we joke around, we have fun. Is it work? Yes. Is it worth it? HECK YEAH! So let me say thanks to those people at TBJJ that have been so kind to take a minute or two with me each week. The list is getting long but I will continue to appreciate all of you. If it weren't for you, I would have left a long time ago because TBJJ would be just another gym. Fact is, TBJJ isn't just another gym. Its a family.

Training Tips with Chris Gates #2

Here it is, week two's video with Chris Gates and this weeks professional fighter, Jeremy Kilgore. Now you all know you love them... Yep, we are talking about "Burpee's"! This is a VERY effective exercise and if done consistently, you will see big results fast.

Thanks to Chris and Jeremy for taking the time to do this for FREE. Just another way TBJJ proves they are YOUR MMA team. Oh yeah, special thanks to Jeremy for getting those out of the way for the rest of us in class today. You are a true "giver" Jeremy.

Watch the video here or click on the link to watch it on Youtube and forward it to your friends. Please help us out by asking them to send an email to sign up for the TBJJ newsletter. Then they will get the video directly into their email each week. Send their email address to ken0021@yahoo.com

ISLE OF CAPRI CASINO FIGHTS OCTOBER 17TH

Email:  chiroromano@juno.com

Originally our October fights were scheduled to take place at the Summit in Tupelo.  We were fortunate to receive a call from the Isle of Capri Casino in Lula Mississippi inviting us to move the fights on the 17th to their location.

This presents a unique opportunity for TBJJ and our fighters in that the publicity will no doubt be expanded and the venue is a little larger to say the least.  We are very excited about this date and hope that it leads to bigger and better things for our fighters.

We will be back in Tupelo in the near future and, as usual, it will be exciting for all who attend.

The TBJJ fighters that will be on the card the 17th are:

Darren Hitchcock
Goldman
Jesse Kilgore
Joe Milligan
Jon Price
Cody Floyd (All are subject to change)

From the Amory MMA Gym, Juice Madrid will be on the card as well, so North Mississippi will be we represented all the way around.  We hope that you will consider coming to the fights and supporting your favorite fighter. 

Remember, the young guys as well as the pros depend on your support.  If you know of anyone who needs real positive publicity, tell them they might consider sponsoring a fighter.  These guys are eager to show up and represent their sponsors well so the investment is a no brainer.

We are sorry to report that no one under the age of 21 will be able to attend the Lula event due to casino rules but don't worry, we will be back in Tupelo before you know it.

Joe Milligan WINS Sep 18th Fight in Memphis

Chris Gates texted me a while ago and he is proud to announce that Joe Milligan of TBJJ won his fight on Friday night in a very decisive fashion. According to Chris, the referee stopped the fight in the first round!

We hope to have more details of the fight soon but for now, CONGRATS go out to Joe. I know Joe has worked extremely hard over the past weeks to achieve this goal and it has paid off for him. I am sure little Joe Joe III is very proud of his dad as well! Great job Joe!

After 4 days to think about the fight, Joe was kind enough to share some of his thoughts on the fight. "When the fight started I was real surprised. I had expected the guy to be a stand-up brawler but instead he took me down! I swept him and stayed on top. He went for a foot-lock and exposed his head so I went at it, then took mount. I pounded away, then heard the ref tell him to do something or he is going to stop the fight, so I really went off then! I liked not having to break a sweat, rather than going all 3 rounds and being exhausted!" Joe Milligan

Training Tips with Chris Gates

Well, here we go! We began a new project this week, today to be specific.

Chris Gates will be providing very short, straight forward, simple training tips, which I will be sending out in an email. Now if you know someone who needs to get into shape, or if you have been trying to get them into MMA, this just might be their ticket. The project is designed to give them something different every Friday so they can do that for the upcoming week. It won't be complicated or long so hopefully they won't get frustrated or quit. Those of us that work out already can gain from this because I bet we can all use a refresher course on some of the fundamentals from time to time.

So cut and paste this link and email it to all your friends. Tell them to email me at ken0021@yahoo.com and I will put them on the email list so they can get the tip each week for FREE. Watch it here or on Youtube at the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNJIW378jik

Also, ask them to sign up for this blog. It is pretty easy to do and they will have free access to all the news in North Mississippi MMA that we can gather. Thanks for spreading the word. This is "Your Tupelo BJJ Team"

Life's Challenges from "Mark Romano"

Hello everyone, I hope that this finds each of you doing well. I think
all of us continue to experience life's challenges. These challenges
would mostly consist of the things in life that we really do not want to
do or partake in. The requirement in these circumstances is discipline. I
define discipline as doing the things that you really do not want to do
but are necessary in accomplishing a goal or task. Discipline is a
conditioned response to life's challenges ( which takes discipline to
learn, lol). Discipline is truly a habbit of success people.
    This brings us to the point of life's challenges. These challenges we
face serve a tremendous purpose in the building of human character,
strength, and confidence. They allow for growth and development of the
human spirit. In fact, without these challenges, a person will never know
who they truly are. Without life challenges, relationships would not grow
strong. A life without challenges is a life that never reach its full
potential. Wasted potential is one of the biggest tragedies of our
society.
   Life challenges lead to defining moments in our lives. In these
moments we rise to a higher level of existence. We perform  better and
think clearer than we ever thought we could. Doors open in every aspect
of life. Investing in the health and strength of our bodies truly helps
in the daily challenges of life, as well as, preparing us for those
defining moments. There is no failure when you are committed to
excellence. Your Health, Your Life, Your Choice  my friends!!!
____________________________________________________________

New Cool Project from TBJJ

Within the next two weeks, we hope to begin a weekly email to all the followers of this blog and all the recipients of the TBJJ newsletter which will be an instructional type piece. The idea is to give all of us a workout to do for that week. It will be something different, fun, and best of all, effective.

We are going to try and digitally video Chris Gates and he will be providing instruction and a few words of encouragement each week. This should be far reaching and may be very helpful to some folks that cannot make it to the gym in Tupelo.

So if you know someone that might want to receive the email with the video in it, then email me at ken021@yahoo.com and I will make sure they get it.

New to MMA Update: 5th Month

Well, today marks the 5th month of my venture into the world of MMA. I have met a number of very colorful characters and made a host of new friends. Bear in mind, those people I consider friends may not even know me if I met them on the street but I consider them "my" friends anyway. My previous posts indicate why.

I took my first week off last week since I began this journey. Since my first class with Mark Romano I have rarely missed a day working out at least for a half hour or so and on most days do an hour to and hour and a half. I had to be in Jackson on business last week so I used that and the weather as an excuse to just "loaf". NOT A GOOD IDEA, as you probably know.

To be totally honest, I had become somewhat frustrated with myself and was beginning to feel a little sorry for myself. I noticed that I was using the scales as an indicator as to my success and each time I pass them, I weigh myself. When I started I was right at 200 lbs and two weeks ago had only lost 10 pounds. This was while eating broccoli and oatmeal and drinking water every day. No fattening foods are in my diet except sometimes on the weekend I might have fish or shrimp with my wife but my diet mainly consists of salads, oatmeal and broccoli along with garden vegetables for dinner. I just could not understand why I wasn't dropping weight and actually still don't really; however, I know I am getting in much better shape and have much less daily aches and pains than before.

Here is what happened to me: Of course, I was winded in class today but more importantly, I was very rudely awakened to the fact that my body had gotten used to the exercise and on this past Saturday, my lower back went out. My energy has plummeted and I cannot sleep. Serves me right. I knew better and did it anyway. So when Chris Gates says there is no magic pill he is right and your body will tell you when you start to goof off when you are as old as I am.

I am going to try and attach a couple of photo's for your entertainment since this post might bore some of you; but my point is this. Just don't stop. Don't do it. Hang in there and stay committed. The guys at TBJJ have told me this over and over and they are right. Don't let yourself get depressed over a stupid scale. It will pay off.

The photo's are compliments of Terry Robinson and then Jeremy Kilgore. Terry popped me on the left side of my nose and then Jeremy taught me to jab the correct way when sparring with a left handed fighter by tapping the right side. Somehow I feel that I won't be forgetting today's lessons very soon. LOL

Today's class was great, even if I was the worst one there because of my time off. Guess what, I didn't pass out and didn't feel like I had to quit, so that proves it. All the work so far has been well worth it and it is all thanks to TBJJ. Thanks guys. And Oh, bye the way, I have lost 13 pounds so far as of today.

Great Workout from Terry Robinson

This is a great workout, found by Terry Robinson, and posted by Terry on his Youtube site. I heard about it on Tuesday and just watched it. It looks really tough but also looks very effective. Thanks to Terry for demonstrating, filming, posting and telling me about it. You can see it for yourself at the link below.

WATCH TERRY WORKOUT

Fight Results from August 22nd

TupeloBJJ was well represented this weekend. Jeremy Kilgore fought a war with the much bigger opponent Rick McCrackin.  Jeremy dominated the fight, landing huge strikes and showing great cage control standing up and on the ground.  He won a unanimous decision.

Brian White showed tremendous skill. His striking was smooth and accurate.   His ground game and transitions flowed beautifully. However, after adisplace of enormous skill, Brian got caught in a guillotine choke that
ended the fight.

Both fighters did fantastic and we at TupeloBJJ are very proud of you
both!!!

Be looking for more fights coming up on September 18 in Memphis and
October 17 at the Isle Capri in Lula Mississippi.
________________________________

4th Month Report

Last week I had two classes, one in boxing and one in MMA. Tuesday's class was the most fun I have had at any class so far. Mark Romano returned to Tupelo BJJ from his brief time away to qualify for a BIG event which I expect him to place a comment on this article to explain to you all. We all know he is modest, but Doc, you gotta give us some details man!

The class contained a very good, as usual, cardio workout during which I felt my old familiar friend "pain" return. You see, I am the kind of guy who goes home and tries to take what I learned in the previous class and apply it, practice and perfect it. I have yet to perfect anything, but I thought my home workouts would at least lessen the sweat beads to a degree. They did not. I just don't push myself like the guys at TBJJ push me. We got through the cardio, did the abbreviated boxing class and then were fortunate enough to have Chris Gates ask us to help with Jeremy Kilgore's wall work. I was 4th in line. Jeremy threw my chunky butt around like a rag doll, but it was a blast!

What most people don't realize about this type of gym is that even for a novice like me, someone like Jeremy or Chris can take our skills and use them to train. Jeremy had just taught me pummelling with Chris a few weeks ago. I noticed that he, without saying a word, made me work on that. He would create the opportunity, make it difficult to achieve, and then allow me a certain degree of success before he finished the exercise by putting me on the floor. This built my confidence to a degree but let there be no mistake, I know that he put me where he wanted me and worked exactly how he wanted to work. The only thing I could really do was use my weight and press on him as best I could, but it did little to put him in a strain. And this was after he had already gone 3 minutes without stopping with 3 more talented guys. Bottom line from my position, I was gassed, but it was a blast. Thanks to Chris, Doc, and Jeremy for the workout. And thanks to Tony Palmer for going before me and helping to slow Jeremy down just enough that I might not get killed, and thanks to Jeff "Chambo Slice" Chambers for telling me I hit like a girl. I will have to talk to my therapist about that for the next few months but I am sure I will recover at some point. LOL

Have a great week everyone and keep working!

Tough Love and Super Ninja's

Ok, I stand corrected, but not until after Chris Gates explained to me how a fighter can get knocked out like Griffin did off of Silva's tap. Apparently, and there is no way I would doubt Chris, the momentum of Griffin moving forward coupled with his weight makes such a knockout or knockdown possible relatively easy. According to Chris, when you have already been knocked down as Griffin had been, it doesn't take much to finish the job, especially if you have all your weight moving foward at fast pace. A well placed jab can be devastating as we saw in the Griffin/Silva fight.

So I publicly stand corrected, and it is as it should be. Just remember, I did say (I think) that the "ignorant to mma", such as myself, can easily draw the conclusion that the fight was "fishy". Now that someone actually took the time to explain the reality of it all, I can see how it could happen. Thanks Chris.

Also, today's boxing class went very well. Thanks to Jon "Tito" Price for drawing my first blood since my beginning my training. Pardon the pun, but he beat Tony Palmer to the punch. Tony had just asked Jeff Chambers about the prize if he made me bleed. Tito threw a hook to my right side during our sparring session and like a dufus, I dropped my hands. You can guess what came next. LOL. Jon, being the constant gentleman, apologized. No need to apologize Jon. I can't think of anyone I would rather have punch me in the nose. At least I know you can control your punches as the other guys at TBJJ can. On the street I woulda been a goner! But man, you forgot to sign my towel! I will keep in and bring it to the next class. I am getting it framed for real. LOL

Finally, I can honestly say I am not too fond of "super ninja" moves. Is that right Chris? Super ninja? If I were a girl, I woulda cryed.... heck I might cry yet cause it still hurts! Seriously, great workout and thanks to Jeff, Tony, Chris and Jon for their patience.

Complete Disappointment - New Motivation

Well, UFC 101 is in the books and over. I understand that there were a number of groups watching the fights together in Tupelo and Amory. I was in the garden until dark and since I couldn't make it to the gatherings, I ordered the fight myself and since I invested the money, I sat through the entire thing.

Now I have said numerous times that I am new to MMA and I don't know much at all, but I am going to be critical here. I normally love to watch these fights but when I find myself looking at the crowd behind the fighters and eventually hear the commentators say "on air" that that crowd is more interested in the fights in the stands than they are in the fight in ring, then something is wrong. I must say that this was the most boring card I have ever seen. Some of you may disagree with me and may have seen a more boring fight at some point but I haven't. Even BJ Penn's fight was a sleeper. He did put on a great show for the most part but I expected explosiveness and never saw it out of anyone really.

On the bright side, it did motivate me to go out and work out. I was so frustrated at 12:00 am I decided to go try out my new sledgehammer, jump some rope, and hit the bag for about a half hour. I also now see that every fight isn't going to be a heart stopper or a blood bath but you have to appreciate the tactical side of this sport. Looking at the fights through those glasses one might find a different view. That being said, I am personally motivated to get to class and do the moving myself, instead of as in the past, continuing to sit on my couch and complaining about the fights. That is another thing that makes this sport different. If you don't like what you saw, you can always go work on what you think you can do better. In my case, it ain't much, but at least I got that workout in. LOL.

Oh yes, does anyone else think the Griffin knockout was a setup? I mean come ON! Dana White promised to make up for the embarrassment of Silva's last fight and I will admit the hype was extraordinary, but good grief! Now, the first thing in my news page this morning was what a fantastic showing it was for Silva. Are these people serious? No doubt, White is taking the best of what he has learned from politicians and from the WWF/WWE and decided that we are all stupid enough to believe we saw a great fight. I for one am not sold on that at all. Maybe I am wrong. If you think so, let me know. Like I said, I am new at this so maybe it was a magic trick I missed or something.

Lawrence Lindsay Surgery

I want to take second to encourage everyone to first of all pray for a speedy recovery for Lawrence Lindsay. He had neck surgery recently and as I understand it, this was a tough surgery. Lawrence we are all behind you, hope you recover fast and feel better than ever. Thanks to Tony Palmer for bringing this to my attention.

Lets email or call Lawrence with our support.

A Day In The Life

Today I was honored to speak to Cody Floyd who is a 20 year old native of Tupelo Mississippi. Cody graduated from Mooreville High School and has a fight coming up at Samstown Casino in Tunica Mississippi on August 1, 2009.

Cody's fight record is 3-0 and is a current title holder in the Gameness Series in Nashville Tennessee. He won his title fight in a very impressive fashion that has caused many to stand up and pay attention to this up and comer.

What Chris has asked me to do is to follow Cody's progress day to day up to the day of his fight to give you an idea of what a fighter has to go through in order to be at peak performance levels the day of the fight. Cody was courteous enough to agree to the experiment and I only hope I can do him justice through this blog and our newsletter.

We will be doing a profile of Cody tomorrow and it will be in the newsletter also so if you don't subscribe, email me at ken0021@yahoo.com and tell me to put you on the list. Tell your friends also, because we need to generate as much support for your Tupelo MMA fight team as possible.

Here is a short beginning to our series that will span from today until the August 1st. Cody got out of bed this morning at 8:30 because he didn't have to work today. His birthday is Sunday (he turns 21) and got the day off. Instead of laying around, this guy gets up and paints his garage! Good grief! I would still be asleep... LOL

Cody is eating a lot of protein via bars and shakes right now and training extra hard every day. he said he eats lots of fish for dinner and vegetables. He will be travelling to Corinth tonight to train at Paragon with Jonathan Burdine. Go get'em Cody. We are all behind you!

Check in tomorrow for the latest on Cody's training and preparations.

Intimidation

I am in my third month or so, dabbling, in MMA with Tupelo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I promised to be honest with you about my feelings and experiences but I hope this post doesn't offend anyone. I will be honest.

Tuesday, I went to boxing class and the only people there were me and Tony Palmer. Chris Gates was the trainer for the day. Need I say more? Note the title above. Tony and I knew we were in for a "treat". We got a great workout and my abs are still aching. Tony told me later that he was really hating me up until I got there because I was late for class and he thought he was about to be pummelled by Chris. I think he was afraid there would be no one to drag him out to the ambulance, but that is just me. Either way, we had a great workout but I remembered on this day why some people either only come to a few classes or just don't ever come at all. This is a very intimidating sport. I was way past intimidated from the very beginning of class and just could not relax. Chris is great at talking you through things though and finally got me to settle down long enough to at least learn a few new boxing tactics. I can't say that I have mastered them, but I know a lot more now than I did on Monday. Chris's patience is unwavering and I am proof of that. Hey, I couldn't remember what punch was which. 3-2-3, 3-2-7, 1-2-3, etc... Heck I am still a little foggy on it. But Chris hung in there with me.

On the intimidation level, today was no different. Today was MMA class and just like Tuesday, it was me and Chris Gates, but instead of Tony Palmer (hmmm, wonder where he was....LOL) Jeremy Kilgore was there. Now if you haven't met Jeremy, you won't know that he is a very well trained young man. Just to look at him made me nervous. To make matters worse, (I think it was his little boy), his son of about 5 or 6 years came walking by me and I thought, "That little booger could probably take me out right now if he wanted to." LOL

Chris got me started on "pummelling" and Jeremy was nice enough to be my dance partner for a bit until I got the general idea. Once I got it down, I got to walk back and forth across the mats practicing the basic move for about 20 minutes while Chris worked with Jeremy on some arm bars and such. I felt like a dufus, but I think my antics and wobbly demeanor kept Jeremy's little boy entertained anyway. My point here is that even the simplest move in MMA takes a great deal of practice and effort. That in itself is very intimidating. Don't get me wrong, I knew I was learning and thanks to Chris and Jeremy, I felt good about just trying to get it down. To cap it off, I learned a lot just from watching them practice.

Not long after we started, Terry Robinson came in and helped Chris and Jeremy, videoed a few moves, and helped Jeremy see a few extra points. I jumped rope and wondered to myself, "What the heck am I doing here?" "These guys are so far out of my league that I am just in the way at best." Again, intimidating.

When we were about done, Terry asked me if I wanted to "roll" some. I said "sure, as long as you don't kill me." He thought I was joking..... I wasn't. He could do it if he wanted to and I know it but I was excited because I know Terry, like Doc, Chris, Lawrence, Jeremy, John, and Jay Bird, knows what he is talking about.

PAY ATTENTION TO THIS PART:

Yes I was intimidated from start to finish. But here is where TBJJ is SOOOOOOO freakin different from the other gyms I have seen. Terry Robinson, (who isn't getting paid) took a lot of time with me today just to show me the very basics. We worked on guard, and passing guard. That was it mostly but you cannot imagine the amount of relief it gave me. I was getting the basis for my future efforts in MMA, at my pace, and until I got it right. Not only did Terry demonstrate it, he talked me through why each part of each move was important while emphasizing the importance of just building on what you know.

After we finished, we sat and talked a bit and Terry shared with me that it really is about building yourself from the ground up. Take what you know and work on it, add to it, and build. He also reassured me that each individual at TBJJ has an important part to play so whenever I begin to think that I am just in the way, I need to adjust my attitude because that is just wrong thinking.

So, this post is dedicated to Chris, Jeremy, and Terry. Thanks guys for helping a guy who would have normally already found something else to do (like sit on the couch) see that it is definitely worth every trip to the TBJJ Gym. Words cannot describe how much I appreciate your efforts.

TBJJ is in the News with Christen Jackson of WCBI

TBJJ was honored to have Christen Jackson of WCBI Tupelo/Columbus Mississippi visit the gym on Tuesday June 30th. She did an interview with Doc and got some training from Chris. Jon Price and Jeremy Kilgore got some camera time also. Christen, Doc and Chris did a great job. Check it out in the link below.

http://titancast2.titantv.com/2c3203f5f85f45859f68df11094b301b/49842/share.aspx

Even from Iraq, TBJJ is supported

I had the great pleasure to speak to Russell McGilliveray who recently deployed to Iraq via Kuwait. Russell has been training for a long time to serve you and me, to make sure we have the opportunity to train in a free society. I don't care what capacity a military member serves in, they have my respect and are as much responsible for my freedom and that of my family as any other human being. I truly appreciate their sacrifice (and it is that, a sacrifice) so that I can write this blog, train in MMA, hunt, fish, hug a tree, grow my hair, or whatever I want to do.

I asked Russell to help us by giving a little background on himself and why he supports Tupelo BJJ. Here is his response. If you care to reply, please do so at the email address below and on the blog. Just click the comments button below. Russell is supporting TBJJ, shouldn't TBJJ be supporting him and others like him?

mcgillivrayrussell@yahoo.com

Sorry its taken so long to reply. I've been a little busy and have had problems sending emails. Let me know what you think. I fly out on Saturday to Kuwait. I will be there a few days then move on to Iraq. I should have internet access though. Thanks a lot.

I live in Pontotoc, Ms. I've lived there since the 4th grade. Before that I lived in Tuscaloosa, Al where I was born.

I've been mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom since May 1st. I've been at Camp Shelby for most of that time training and preparing to go overseas. I just got back on the 22nd from Fort Mccoy, Wi where I was going through a combat medic pre-deployment course. Oh, that is my job with the military, a combat medic. which I really love doing.

My biggest challenge has to be being away from my kids. I have an 8yr old son and a 5yr old son. I've only been gone for about 2 months and its been pretty hard not seeing them. My father is battling lung cancer as well and not being there to help him is really hard to do.

I would like to say that their are a lot of soldiers going over, most of them are there now, that are from your towns and communities. Just don't forget them. Don't be afraid to tell them thanks. They have trained hard and are ready do to whatever it takes to prevail and come home.

I've been interested in MMA since I was about 15 and rented UFC 1. That was back in '95 and I have been hooked ever since. I'm definately a beginner. I am a member of TBJJ but have not been actively training there for the past couple of years. I just live vicariously through others that still train.

I should be able to train while in Iraq. I've heard there is a combative program there. Also I've heard they have a ring and supposedly have fights. So I'm ready to see what that is all about. I looked on the internet and saw some fight clips from where I will be at so hopefully they still have that going on.

Russell McGilliveray

THANKS FOR SHARING RUSSELL. WE ALL SUPPORT YOU AND HOPE YOU WILL KEEP US POSTED. TRAIN HARD AND KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN.

New to MMA.... Week 8

Yesterday marks the 8 week anniversary of my first thinking of joining TBJJ. As some of you may know, I am mixing into our posts here my experiences as a person new to MMA. To remind you, I am doing this primarily to lower my blood pressure and get into shape. I thought the 2 month mark would be a good point to mark and discuss.

I went to boxing class this morning. I have to say that I almost didn't go because I didn't sleep well last night, didn't feel good, etc. etc. etc.... Somehow I mustered up the courage to get off my butt and drive to the gym. Once I arrived, I noticed the largest class had gathered that I have seen so far. Looking across the group I noticed that Clay, J Bird, Terry Robinson (just back from his fight this weekend at the Fed Ex Forum), Doc Romano, Jon "Tito" Price, and J Bird's brother were there. This is significant because from my perspective, things were about to get real ugly real quick.

I looked over at Tony Palmer who was warming up next to me and who is himself recovering from a bad week of sickness, and said "Big crowd", to which he replied "We are about to get our butts worked off." Let me say that Tony's words did little to help my panicked state of mind. I was shaking inside if not outwardly and in the words of Jesse James "I was shaking like a dog trying to crap a pine cone."

As usual, Doc did not disappoint. I got a great workout in and after it was all over, I actually felt much better than I had when I walked in the door. I don't know if you will have the same experience, but for me it went just that way and I still feel good. Compare this to the way I felt the first couple of classes and I would have to say that TBJJ has gotten me to a much better place physically over the past 8 weeks and I am very glad that I went. You will be too.

Chris Gates did the MMA class Thursday and my daughter (in her first class) learned a ton from him and put me on the floor about 15 times or so. Today, Doc had us boxing and winded, or at least he had ME winded. The pros around me didn't seem to mind at all. All in all, it was a great workout.

Here is what I learned today and what I would like you to take away from your investment of time in reading this post: I only really know a couple of guy at this class. That is key. Why? Because of what Terry Robinson said about camaraderie. It is UNREAL! After class Doc had us do some light sparring. Jon Price comes over and spars with me, a novice, and has the patience to deal with my inexperience and teach me how to spar. I had no idea what to do and he got me started. I didn't last but about a minute and never touched him, but the point is that he helped me. I didn't ask.... he just did. When I finished taking up his time, J Bird jumped in and sparred Jon in my place. And guess what? Jon didn't have to ask him to do so either!

As I sat down and tried to catch my breath, I looked around and noticed the same thing happening all over the mat. Guys jumping in and helping one another (girls too) is commonplace.

So if you have been putting off trying TBJJ, stop. Get up and go and I promise you will not only have fun, but you will feel at home there. I am loving it and I believe you will too.