GOLDMAN BUTLER - Heavyweight

Goldman "The Beast" Butler is a heavyweight pro MMA fighter with Ultimate Fitness & MMA and Team AGEMA. Goldman has provided numerous exciting fights for us all with a knockout power and ground skills that impress the most seasoned MMA fan.

Stay tuned to keep up-to-date on Goldman's next big fight!

ICC Championship "Redemption" Fight results

In no particular order.

Thomas Vasquez def. Tyler Curtis for 135 lb TITLE
Jesse James Wallace def. Russell Smith for 155 lb TITLE

Julio McKinney def. Anthony Jaco
Phillip Soriano def. Steven Flores
Jake Reeves def. Jason Mitchell
BB Bush def. Shannon Smith
Mike Pannel def. Joe Richardson
Tam Ha def. Kevin Glona
Zack Wallace def. Eric Beddingfield
Scotty Patten def. Eric Hernandez

One more day till Infinite Combat Championships "REDEMPTION"!

Don't miss the Infinite Combat Championship's "Redemption" Fights tomorrow, October 23, 2010, at 6:00 pm. Fights start at 7:00.

You can still get tickets. Just call the number on the flyer.

Come out and see what MMA is all about and cheer for your favorite local and professional fighters.

See you there!

MMA Class will keep you motivated

Today's MMA class was phenomenal. Matt Bullwinkle teaches the class and does a great job. If you haven't had the opportunity to participate in this class at 10:00 am on Fridays, do yourself a favor and make the time to do so.

Today we had Matt, Mark, Cody, Jeff, and yes, Terry Robinson was there. We were fired up to see him back on the mats so thanks Terry for coming out. It was great to train with you.

Also on the mats were Thomas, myself, and the guys from Red Bay, David, Gary, and Blake, who we were also glad to have back. If these guys keep working with Team AGEMA under Chris, Mark and the other trainers, there is no telling how far they can go. They obviously have talent and I can't think of a better place for them to hone their skills and move to the next level than TBJJ. Thanks to Thomas for taking time to help me out on the arm bars.

The great thing about classes that Matt teaches is that he is very precise with his instruction and goes over it until you get it. When you are practicing what he has taught you he will take the time to watch you and make adjustments so that you get it right, keeping to Mark's belief that "perfect practice makes perfect." He keeps with the strict professionalism that is constantly exhibited by the guys at TBJJ, from Mark and Chris on down. That is why I think the group and the team is the total package. It's one of the many reasons I keep going back.

Great job guys!

Tuesday Boxing Class

Today's class was a very good one. If you haven't gotten over to TBJJ for the Tuesday morning boxing class at 10:00, what are you waiting for? Mark Romano is a fantastic instructor and always makes the class challenging and fun. And if you are looking for a good cardio workout, well look no more.

It was great training with Jake Farris, Josh, and Doc as usual. And we had the good fortune to have David, Blake and Gary from Red Bay, Alabama join us. Even though I kept screwing up their names they took it easy on me and we had a great class. I hope they become regulars. Very talented and strong guys. My head is still bruised. LOL

Thanks to Mark Romano for doing such a great job and being so patient. He makes learning this stuff much easier.

Infinite Combat Championship "Redemption" FIGHT CARD !!!!!

Here is a list of fights scheduled for this Saturday night. It's going to be a barn burner!

PRO FIGHTER BOUTS:

Anthony Johnson vs. Dave Lindsy - 145 lbs.

Brian "Bad Intentions" White vs. Jeremy Simpson - 170 lbs.

AMATEUR FIGHTER BOUTS:

Thomas "The Die Hard Kid" Vasquez vs. Tyler Curtis - 135 lbs - Title Belt Fight

Jesse James Wallace vs. Russell Smith - 155 lbs. - Title Belt Fight

Anthony Jaco vs. Julio McKinney - 145 lbs.

Phillip Soriano vs. Steven Flores - 134 lbs.

BB Bush vs. Shannon Smith - 135 lbs.

Joe Richardson vs. Mike Pannel - 179 lbs.

Kevin Glona vs. Tom Ha - 145 lbs.

Eric Potts vs. Randle Reed - 155 lbs.

Jake Reeves vs. Jason Mitchell - 185 lbs.

Eric Beddingfield vs. Zack Wallace - 160 lbs.

Eric Hernandez vs. Scotty Patten - 215 lbs.

Doors open at 6:00 pm. The Summit Center in Tupelo, MS. ** 662-842-9661 for tickets.

Jay C. Johnson Photography photos

These are a few photo's taken by Jay C. Johnson Photography at the Empire Fights Night of Reckoning on October 9, 2010. Jay does a great job so take a minute and check out his site.




These are a few photo's taken by Jay C. Johnson Photography at the Empire Fights Night of Reckoning on October 9, 2010. Jay does a great job so take a minute and check out his site.

JayCJohnsonPhotography.com

www.flickr.com/photos/blindside_half/

Your comments are critical

We value your opinion more than you know. That is why we have made it easy for you to comment on any photo or story on this page. When you read a story, you will see a "comment" button at the bottom of it. Click on that comment button and leave your comment to any post. You may be prompted to sign in or sign up. It is easy so what are you waiting for? Your opinion really does matter here. This is your site. Thanks for supporting TBJJ and Team AGEMA. Let us know what you think.

Team AGEMA at Empire Fights "Play-by-play"

TUNICA, Miss. — Having attended a number of quality productions to date, I feel like I am reasonably qualified to judge a production’s entertainment value as a fan. I am never surprised when I go to an MMA event and at least one of the fights on a card is less than exciting. That goes with the territory and I have come to expect it.

On Saturday evening, Oct. 9, 2010, I attended the “Empire Fights: A Night of Reckoning IV” at Harrah’s Casino in Tunica, Miss., as a guest of Tyler Sory, of Empire Fights. I expected the usual high intensity excitement, but I have to report that never before have I attended an event that literally left my hands shaking as my body attempted to deal with the adrenaline.

I am not exaggerating when I say every fight left me on the edge of my seat. Tyler had warned me that David Ferguson of Memphis Judo and Jiu Jitsu had done a phenomenal job of signing fighters for this card but I had grossly underestimated the accuracy of Tyler’s statement.

Eleven fights took place in front of over a thousand fans (I would estimate it to be closer to 1500) and I didn’t hear one complaint all night. Everyone with whom I spoke, and I spoke with many people, were of the same opinion as I and left exhausted from excitement.

READ THE REST OF THIS STORY.........................

Empire Fights "Night of Reckoning" Results

The only word I can find to describe the fights at Harrah's on Saturday night is "DANG!" This was a fantastic event. David Ferguson and Tyler Sory put on a first class event that had most of us shaking from the adrenaline rush long after the Empire Fights "Night of Reckoning" was over. TBJJ's Chris Gates and Mark Romano were a big part of the hubbub as they led Issac Ware and Cody Floyd to extremely impressive victories in what is sure to be one of the best events of 2010.

Here are the un-official results:

AMMY CARD:
1. Jimmy White v Issac Ware: Ware wins split decision
2. Austin Garner v Jeremia Trundle: Trundle wins via rear naked choke
3. Dave Martin v Mike Houston: Houston wins with leg triangle submission
4. Brian Horton v Mike Hall: Hall wins via submission

PRO CARD:
5. Taylor Callens v Jonathan Burdine: Callens wins, KO via spinning back elbow
6. Shawn Johnson v Dan Schroeppel: Johnson wins decision
7. Dustin Rhodes v Abe Wilson: Wilson wins via KO in first round
8. Harry Johnson v Cody Floyd: Floyd wins in 2nd round TKO
9. Tel Faulkner v Jacob Noe: Noe wins via arm triangle in 1st round
10. Andy Uhrich v Charlie Rader: CO MAIN EVENT -Rader wins via KO in 2nd round
11. Zach Underwood v Austin Lyons: MAIN EVENT - Lyons wins split decision in fight of the night 47-46, 48-46, 47-46.

Infinite Combat Championships "REDEMPTION" Oct 23, 2010

Infinite Combat Championships returns to Tupelo on October 23rd, 2010 at the Summit Center (Old Ramada Inn). ICC's "Redemption" MMA fights will be the best event in Northeast Mississippi ever.

Doors open at 6:00 pm.

TICKETS ARE $25 & $45 - Call 662 842 9661 to purchase. (They will go fast so reserve them now please)

Freakshow Of The Week

Jack Bratcher at Prommanow.com posts an article on the website and facebook talking about the recent bout between Butterbean and Mariusz Pudzianowski. I thought you might enjoy it, watch the video, and then leave your comment. Enjoy.

JACK BRATCHER

It’s questionable whether or not Butterbean can even get up off the ground once he’s on his back at all, much less with a 250+ lb. man on top of him.

Eric “Butterbean” Esch (15-8) and five time World’s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski (3-1) clashed this weekend at KSW 14 in Poland. Butterbean had called Pudzianowski out saying he hit like a girl after watching his fight against Tim Sylvia at Moosin.

Pudzianowski took the challenge, ended up putting Butterbean on his back early in the fight and pounded on his bald head until the ref pulled him off. Pudzianowski acted like he did not want to stop the beating and the ref had to use force to get him to stop.

Pudzianowski seems a bit leaner than his previous fights and maybe a little more agile. He says he’s taking the sport seriously, but if he wants the fans to take him seriously he’s going to have to avoid these freak show fights.

VIEW VIDEO AND ARTICLE HERE

Tim Galluzzi of "The Fight Clinic" Takes Lightweight Title

Tim Galluzzi, 22 years old, of "The Fight Clinic" in Olive Branch, Miss., faced Paul McAdams in the lightweight title fight last night in Jackson, Miss., and took the title belt back home with him. Both men weighed in at 145 pounds.

Galluzzi and McAdams met in the center of the octagon trading initial kicks before they locked arms and began trading inside punches and knees. Soon thereafter Galluzzi took the match to the ground where he dominated McAdams. McAdams showed real talent and landed elbows from time to time. He also would not make it an easy win for Galluzzi; however, Galluzzi masterfully worked his game plan, passing guard and methodically working his way into a full mount.

Once in the mount position Galluzzi's precision strikes took their toll as he wore McAdams down in order to gain his back. With 31 seconds remaining in the first round Galluzzi secured a rear naked choke which forced the tap from McAdams and gave the Psychout Lightweight title to Galluzzi.

Tim Galluzzi attends the University of Memphis and trains at The Fight Clinic and Memphis Judo and Jiu Jitsu. He has traveled to Corinth and Tupelo, Miss. over the past weeks as well to train with Team Paragon and Tupelo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu as he prepared for this fight.

Tim is also sponsored by Alliance Collection Service, Inc. of Tupelo, a company that supports TBJJ, AMMA, Paragon, The Fight Clinic and other North Mississippi MMA fighters.

Follow THIS LINK to watch the fight as it is posted on Tim Galluzzi's Facebook page.

Great times on a Friday morning

Today I had the opportunity to be on the mats with Doc, JBurd, Cody, Jeff, Issac, Matt, Jesus, Scott and Thomas. I have to say after a year or so into this, I remain as impressed as a person can be.

Where else can you get together with people that are obviously much more talented than you, work out, get into shape, laugh, and not get completely dismantled? Every gym I have ever been in has those people in it that just make you feel like you don't belong because to them, it is a competition to be better than you. Knowing that, I never kept a membership to a gym very long.

Tupelo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and the guys in the professional MMA team, Team AGEMA, are truly different. They actually work with "you" to make "you" better. Who flippin does that in today's world? If you ever get the chance to be around these people you would be a complete goofball not to take advantage of it. Yes, it really is that cool. And you won't get hurt because they let you go at "your" speed.

I have attached a few pictures I took today as Cody Floyd and Johnathan Burdine prepare for their upcoming professional fights at Harrah's Casino in Tunica, Miss., on October 9th on the Empire Fights "Night of Reckoning" card. Granted the sparring between the two was very light but I thought these pictures were pretty cool so I thought I would share them. Thanks to every single guy there today for allowing me to be a part of your world. I continue to be in awe.

Infinite Combat Championships return to Tupelo!

The Infinite Combat Championships (ICC) will be returning to Tupelo on October 23rd, 2010. Many of your favorite fighters will be on this card. Mark your calendar now to attend the most anticipated MMA event in Northeast Mississippi.

More information coming soon here, on Facebook, and in the Tupelo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Newsletter.

Empire Fights October 9th - Cody Floyd & Johnathan Burdine

www.EmpireFightsOnline.com - Check out the HL video & fight card here. Doors open at six pm. Fights begin at seven pm. Harrah's Casino Tunica, Saturday October 9th, 2010. Great venue and great card.

Tickets start at $20. Don't wait, they are going fast!

Cody Floyd of Team AGEMA and TBJJ will be fighting on this card as will Johnathan Burdine of Team Paragon in Corinth!

Fitness Kickboxing with "Mighty Joe" Milligan

If you have had the opportunity to train with "Mighty Joe" Milligan or if you have had the good fortune to see him fight in the octagon, you understand why the kickboxing class that he teaches at Tupelo Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is so popular. Joe, with a 4-0 record in MMA fights, is dedicated to the sport of MMA and shares his passion for the sport in his class and has been doing so for ten months now. Just ask any of the attendees and they will tell you how much fun they have.

Personally, I was skeptical of how much fun a class like this could be so I zipped over to TBJJ last Tuesday night to see for myself. It was refreshing to see the ladies laughing it up, cracking jokes, and training together as Joe laid out that nights routine.

"I try to mix it up and we rarely do the same routine twice in a row," says Joe. "Some nights we will do a lot of cardio, some nights we hit the bags, and some nights we focus on mitt work. I don't want the ladies to get bored so we keep it light and have a great time." Joe helps his students to build strength, endurance, speed and power all at the same time. Where else are you going to get the opportunity to train with a REAL MMA FIGHTER?

I can say first hand that they work hard and have fun at the same time. It was a great class and Joe Milligan is perfect to teach it. I can see why Chris Gates wants him to cover the class and I would encourage anyone, male or female, to come to the gym on Fenco Drive in Tupelo, TUESDAY NIGHT from 6:15 pm to 7:00 pm and really enjoy getting into shape.

Your first class is absolutely FREE! After you decide to be a regular, it is only $10 per class and there are special rates available if you want to set up a monthly plan where you can save even more money. CALL Chris Gates or Mark Romano at 662-488-5158 or 662-488-5234 or email Mark at chiroromano@juno.com for more details.

True Believers MMA Video Blog with Chris Gates

TRUE BELIEVERS VIDEO CLICK HERE!

Chris Gates and Cody Floyd hit the road and ended up at Team Paragon MMA in Corinth, Miss. where they sparred with Johnathan "The King's Kid" Burdine, Perry Williams, Nick Wood, Brian Burse, and others.

The guys had a great time and got in a good workout. Stay tuned for the next trip they take. Who knows where they will end up!

Dana White Interview via Prommanow.com 8-28-10

Prommanow provides video interview with Dana White after the fights on August 28, 2010. Interesting interview that I thought you might enjoy. Thanks to UFC, Prommanow, and Youtube.



CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm-H8lcbqcw&feature=player_embedded

A Few Pictures From TBJJ Summer Spectacular Submission Tournament Aug 28

The Summer Spectacular Submission Tournament in Tupelo was a big success. Lots of gyms traveled to Tupelo to represent and compete. Each did very well. We got to see a lot of great talent and had a lot of fun.

Chris Gates and Mark Romano did a fantastic job putting the event together. They had help from David Ferguson, Grady Hurley, Jeff Chambers, John Crump, Dana Gates, Nicole Cox, Nicole White, and Cody Floyd just to name a few.

The event went very smoothly. One of the best I have seen. No hitches and no problems. I personally was excited to see so many pro's at this event. Brian White was there and competed very well. I am always amazed how calm this guy is. Brian is a great guy and when he is on the mats he is an animal. He never panics and always entertains.

After my interview with John David Shackelford, I have been wanting to meet Tim Galluzi and this event gave me that chance. I had heard Tim was a great guy and very talented and he proved it. I can't wait to do a full interview with him and David Ferguson in the future.

The finale of the day was the WTVA interview with Cody Floyd who signed to fight on the Empire Fight Card at Harrah's Casino in October. Chris and David were on camera as well. I can say that Cody is getting more comfortable in front of the camera and did a great job with the interview. I can't wait to see him and J Burd fight at Harrah's.

Thanks to all the gyms that I got to see compete at the event. TBJJ, Paragon, Memphis Judo and Jiu Jitsu, Free Form Jiu Jitsu, Nomad MMA and all the guys at Amory MMA. Great day and a great time for all.

Ken

TRUE BELIEVERS MMA Video Blog!

We have been waiting on it for a while now. To be honest, Chris and Cody had the video done a while back but the editing proved to be challenging for me. But as promised, here is the first edition of the "True Believers MMA" video blog from pro MMA fighter and head trainer at TBJJ, Chris Gates. Chris brings along Cody Floyd, Strikeforce veteran, to share some of their travels to different gyms around the Southeast.

This is a fun series and we are sure you will enjoy it. Chris and Cody lighten things up and show that MMA isn't just all blood and guts. It is about real people of all ages working hard to better themselves and making great friends along the way.

Please click the link below and enjoy. We are working on the second edition right now so stay tuned.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwbFJ7li3fg

SUMMER SPECTACULAR SUBMISSION TOURNAMENT

SUMMER SPECTACULAR SUBMISSION TOURNAMENT

Midsouth's Best Grappling Tournament

Saturday August 28th, 2010
Salvation Army Gym
527 Carnation St.
Tupelo, MS 38802
(air conditioned building + concessions)

Multiple Divisions

Children Ladies Teen to Advanced
No Points Submission Only


Entry $50.00
(Covers multiple divisions)

More Information Contact Mark Romano 662-488-5234 chiroromano@juno.com

TUPELO BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU GYM SCHEDULE

MONDAY: Brazilian Jji-Jitsu (GI) 7:30pm to 9:30pm
Striking class 6:30 - 7:30 pm

TUESDAY: Boxing 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Fitness Kickboxing 6:15pm to 7:00 pm
No-Gi Grappling 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

WEDNESDAY: MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) 7:30 to 9:30 pm

THURSDAY: Fitness Kickboxing 6:15 pm to 7:00 pm
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

FRIDAY: Gi BJJ 10:00 am to 11:00 am
Children's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm

SATURDAY: No Gi Grappling 9:00 am to 11:00 am

PRIVATE TRAINING AVAILABLE: $50.00 Per session (10 sessions for $400.00)

126 Fenco Drive, Tupelo, MS 38801

Credit where credit is due

There are a couple of people we need to recognize for their hard work during the fights in Lula. I didn't include them in the previous post because honestly, I wasn't sure of Ryan's last name. Thanks to Larry Eurek, with whom I had lunch today, I now know it is McMichael.

Ryan McMichael was one of the first people I ran in to prior to the fights on May 15th at the Isle of Capri. I was immediately impressed with the job he had done with the audio. It is easy to see that Ryan is an experienced audio pro. He did a grand job with the music, mic's, and all the other production audio.

So "thanks" to Ryan for a job well done. We all really enjoyed the professional results he produced.

Second, we want to again say "great job" to Ben Boren with the Isle of Capri. We ask you all to, if you attended or even heard a report, to take the time to go to http://www.islecorp.com/contact.aspx and leave a comment. This will help Ben to justify bringing MMA back to the Isle in the future and is a great way for you to help your Tupelo Pro MMA team "AGEMA" and TBJJ.

Please don't delay. Do it now. It only takes a minute. Just click on the link.

Thank you in advance!

Isle of Capri fight results from May 15, 2010

The Isle of Capri is becoming one of the premier venues for MMA fights. On May 15th, 2010 they teamed up with Mark Romano and Noel McMichaels to bring some of the south's finest talent together for a show that won't soon be forgotten. As usual, they did a fantastic job and Mississippi was well represented.

I was particularly impressed with the way the setup has evolved. Everything seemed to run very smoothly. Noel, Mark, Chris, and of course, Ben Boren of the Isle of Capri, had everything down to a science and it showed. I spoke with Ben before the fights began and he told me of how much work went into such an event and how last minute changes could throw everything off kilter. Well, you couldn't tell if they had any issues at all because the entire event seemed to run like a very well oiled machine. I shouldn't be surprised considering the dedication to perfection the four of them consistently show.

The fight card consisted of ten events, three of which were title fights for ICC belts. Attendance was strong and was made up of people from all walks of life, some with whom had the opportunity to speak. One gentleman had won tickets from a radio station and was attending his first live fight, a couple of newlyweds were excited to attend their first live fight as well, and two fellows were from way out west. You would have thought they were attending a nationally televised network event from their excitement level. From one hand shake to the next, the theme was the same. The basic response I got from over a hundred or so people I met was that they were first, excited to be there; second, impressed with the show; and finally, got their money's worth for every minute in attendance.

I couldn't agree more. This was one of the best MMA events I have ever attended. Every fight was exciting and the night was topped off with John David Shackelford's theatrical entrance and dominance in the cage. It was a great ending to a great night.


Mike Cain and Chris Gates were outstanding referees for the night.
Dana Gates, Grady Hurley and Joe Milligan were the judges and did a superb job.

Here are the fight results:

Canyon Boykin defeated Tony Ulman
Julio McKinney defeated Stephen Flores
Jesse James defeated Kevin Kirkland
Eric Potts defeated Randy Oller
Dustin Phumphrey defeated Kevin Glona
Thomas Vasquez defeated Landon Rhodes in the ICC Bantam weight title fight
David Lindsey defeated Issac Ware for the ICC Light weight title
Joel Cooper defeated Tyler Smith for the ICC title belt
Perry Williams defeated Jerrod Osthoff
John David Shackelford defeated Mike Foster

All wins were impressive. Eric Potts of Amory MMA, Perry Williams of Paragon in Corinth, and John David Shackelford of The Fight Clinic in Olive Branch all won outstanding matches. Issac Ware of TBJJ fought hard and showed he had a huge heart in his match. Some of the people around me said his was one of the best scraps they have ever seen live or on television.

Each fight had more than we expected. I for one expected at least a couple of slow fights but it never happened. Every fighter on the card came to do battle and left it all in the cage. Thanks go out to every one of the above named fighters for doing such a phenomenal job and entertaining us all with heart and professionalism.

Thanks to Larry Eurek for video recording the event. To any of the fighters, Larry can get you a digital copy of your fight by round so you can post it onto your facebook page for only $15. Email Larry at leurek@gmail.com and order yours today. That is a cheap price to pay to advertise yourself and Larry is the only guy I know that can pull off getting you the video in a version you can use like this.

Thanks also to The Isle of Capri Casino and Ben Boren for having us all there and doing a great job of setting up the venue and marketing the event. We can help by contacting the Isle of Capri and telling them how much we enjoyed the event.

Here are some pictures from the fights taken by Misty Romano: