Amateur Of The Week
Natalie “ li’l Ronda “ Varela
Interview By Gina Begley Host of Pro FMMA,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
Kris Evans
Amateur Record: 2-0
Weight Class :145
Previous / Current Titles and Awards: Knockout of the night aamma 27
Martial Arts Style: well rounded
Favorite Fighter: Renato Babalu Sobral
Fighter Bio: Kris Evans 23 years old. Fighting out of Alliance mma in Goshen Ohio. Im fairly new to the sport but very motivated towards learning and going further and further in my career. I love to fight and i dont plan on leaving anytime soon, just trying to get my name out there and enjoy everyday i am healthy enough to train.
I would like to thank my sensei Brian Moell for spending so much time with me helping me get ready for these fights and sharing his knowledge with me. Would also like to thank Eric Moell not only a great teammate but great friend. All of my teammates at Alliance mma best group of guys ive ever met, they are my second family. Brian Reinert also an amatuer for alliance who has been there way before we decided to step in the cage, my girlfriend Brittany Klaas who puts up with all my crap while im cutting weight and making sure im eating right,my father Rick Evans who has always beleived in me and anyone else who has supported me throughout my career, most of all God. Wouldnt be here without any of you. Shout out to Genocide and G Force also fighting out Cincinnati great guys.
Interview By Gina Begley Co-host of WV Fight Sports Radio,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
Caitlin Meat Hook Kelley
Record: 2012 Nationally Ranked
No-gi 1st nation girls 17 and under
No-gi 1st south girls 17 and under
No-gi 1st state of FL girls 17 and under
Gi 35th Nation girls 17 and under
Gi 10th South girls 17 and under
Gi 1st state of Fl girls 17 and under
2012 1st exhibition match muay thai
2011 COPA Sport mma 1st and 2nd place
weight class: 70lbs
Marital Arts style: Mixed martial arts,Muay Thai, submission grappling gi and no-gi
Bio:
I am a 9 year old mixed martial artist. I have been a fighter since the day I was born. Like Ronda Rousey , one of the female fighters I want to be like one day, I was born with the cord around my neck. I did not speak until I was 5 or 6. I have dyslexia but will not allow any of it to keep me from reaching my goals!! I love to train and compete. My mom says if I’m not training I’m not happy.
I work to be a great role model for other kids and other girls. I end each fight with a smile and a hug. I believe that anyone who gets out there should be proud. My number one rule is to believe in yourself and you can do anything.
I want to thank Fightergirls.com for being my first sponsor and believing in me. I also want to thank Shihan Gary Hellman and Tiger Schulmann's for all my training. Impact mouthguards is the official mouthpiece of Caitlin Meat Hook Kelley.
Interview By Gina Begley Co-host of WV Fight Sports Radio,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
Amateur Record: 3-0-0
Team: Shield Systems BJJ/MMA in Knoxville, TN
Coach: Ben Harrison
Weight Class: 135
Previous / Current Titles and Awards: I received “Fight of the Night” Honors at Cage Brawl IX, am nominated for “Rookie of the Year” by MMA-insider.com and have a title shot for the 3FC on January 5th at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center.
Martial Arts Style: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Favorite Fighter: This is a tough question to answer. I respect all fighters for having the courage to get into the cage. With that being said, there are several fighters with specific qualities that I admire. Georges St. Pierre has great discipline and strategy. Jose Aldo also has great striking with some of the sickest leg kicks in MMA and Ronaldo Souza has some great submissions. Those are just a few of the many that I think deserve the upmost respect.
Hobbies: Outside of fighting, I love anything adventurous; the more extreme and outgoing the activity, the better whether it be snowboarding, surfing, wakeboarding, long boarding or skydiving, I can’t get enough. In general, I love to cook (every MMA team needs someone who can cook!) and just be around people that I love, usually goofing off, like my husband and my teammates.
Fighter Bio: Although I have been in martial arts since I was a child and am no stranger to competition, my MMA career is very young. I had never considered fighting until the opportunity presented itself. Through college, I worked as a personal trainer at a local gym and was a competitive judo player. When our gym added Shield Systems BJJ/MMA program, I wanted to try it out. I was always a huge fan of MMA and BJJ, but never really had the chance to try them out. When I did, I knew it was something I had to do. Training did not come without its struggles though. Little did I know that making the commitment to earn my place as a fighter would be a problem in other aspects of my life. My former judo coach gave me an ultimatum the week before my debut because MMA did not follow his philosophies on Judo or life. I had to choose between my career goals and my team. That was devastating to me. I did not agree with his views so I made a heartbreaking choice, but the right choice for me. I still have the support of my team and always will, but having lost the support of someone so important still weighs on me. Now, almost a year after my amateur debut, I haven’t looked back. I just came off my third win and am training for a title shot in January. I keep pushing myself every day to improve my strategy and skill sets and will continue to do so until I am the best. Currently, I am a 5th grade teacher, but I am committed to making this my career and impacting the lives of others.
I want to take the time to thank all of you that have continually shown me support on my journey. It really means more than I could explain. Specifically, I would like to thank my coach Ben Harrison. Without him, none of this would be possible. His professionalism, knowledge of and passion for this sport are unmatched. He pushes me daily and I will never be able to thank him enough. All of my accomplishments belong to him just as much as they belong to me.
Interview By Gina Begley Co-host of WV Fight Sports Radio,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
Record 4-2
Weight Class 125lbs
Awards / Titles Former Bluegrass Brawl Flyweight Champion
Martial Arts Style / SchoolTangsoodo
Favorite Fighter Lyoto Machida
BIO: My name is Christopher (ButtahNife) Nelson. I'm a 1st dan black belt in tangsoodo, and I love to fight. I'm from louisville, ky and my goal is to mean to mma what Muhammed Ali means to boxing. I will one day be the best to ever step into the cage. I'm not. There yet but mark my words. I WILL BE.
Shout Out:I would Like to Shout out My Tangsoodo instructors Master Frederick Dillon & Master Celita Dillon. I would also like to give a shout out to Jeremy Voyles @ S.I.C.K. MMA and My Mom for raising me to be such a strong person.
Interview By Gina Begley Co-host of WV Fight Sports Radio,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
Phillip Perkins
Amateur Record 5-1
Weight Class 125
Previous / Current Titles and Awards
Second2None flyweight champ
Absolute Action Flyweight champ
Numerous BJJ tournaments over the region
Martial Arts Style, MMA School or Training
BaDDoG MMA, Team Cruz Muay Thai/Boxing
How did you get started in mixed martial arts? What aspects of your training do you enjoy the most and the least?
Just like most people I saw an old VHS. It wasn't UFC 1 but it was close... I watched Royce Gracie do his thing and was hooked. I trained with friends wherever I could. And in 2007' I joined Highlander MMA. I never looked back.
As far as what I like the most and least, I love all parts of training. Just not a big fan of the dieting...
Do you have plans on going pro? If so when can we look for the announcement?
I was set to fight pro Oct 20. My opponent Cody Kessinger backed out last minute. While training for a new opponent I injured my ACL so I’m just healing up now. Well see what happens this year...
Where do you feel mixed martial arts will take you? What are your goals?
I love training so I will always be on the mat. Ill keep competing. I plan to do some boxing, muay Thai, and BJJ individually. A big goal is to keep growing the BJJ program at BaDDoG MMA.
How important is training in a Gi, even when your goal is strictly limited to MMA competition?
Very Important!!! We wear the Gi a lot at the gym. I love no gi/mma but the Gi keeps your game tight. I believe to compete at a high level, you have to wear the gi.
Is there anyone you would like to thank?
I definitely want to thank my gym. BaDDoG MMA. IM proud to be apart of the gym, and also to be the BJJ/MMA coach. Mike O Donnell my BJJ Coach, Rock Cruz my muay Thai/boxing coach. My sponsors... Revgear, French Kiss Productions, The wisdom Foundation, Gotti Fight gear, Accugraphix, Beau at Alliance SDS . All my teammates and training partners past and present.
Interview By Gina Begley Co-host of WV Fight Sports Radio,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
Sean “KILLER” Furze Jr
Amateur Record:
Boxing: 0-0 (1st amateur boxing match Dec 15, 2012)
Grappling: Placed 37 out of 42 times with 9 gold, 18 silver 10 bronze and 5 fourth place finishes.
Weight class:
Most of my matches have been in the 50 – 59.9 lbs weigh class
The last few have been in the 60-69.9 lb weight class
I have also gone up in weigh class and age group to face bigger kids
Martial Arts Style:
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Submission Grappling, MMA, Boxing and Muay Thai
School/Gym:
Best Way BJJ American Top Team Boston: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (2010 to
Present)
Wai Kru / Wai Kru South Shore: Boxing , Muay Thai (2012 to Present)
South Shore Sports Fighting: Submission Grappling , MMA (2012 to
Present)
Lauzon MMA: Submission Grappling , MMA (2007 to 2012)
Favorite Fighter:
I have a couple, they are Joe Lauzon, Dany “The Upgrade” Lauzon, John
DOOMSDAY Howard.
Previous / Current Titiles and Awards:
I was awarded the Grand Champion for Kata in the 2008 New England
Uechi Ryu tournament
I was awarded the Grand Champion for Point Fighting in the 2008 New
England Uechi Ryu Tournament
I was awarded my yellow belt in BJJ after only 5 months of training.
What was your experience beginning martial arts?
I had no experience when I began. I went to my first class and remember
doing punches and kicks. Then a month later I left that gym and started at
Reality Self Defense doing Uechi Ryu which later became Lauzon MMA.
How did you get started and how is it going now? (Parent answering)
Sean got started in Uechi Ryu. He attended his cousins birthday party that
was at a Uechi Ryu school and liked it. After a month there he had only
learned 1 kick and 2 punches and we were not happy with the place. We
came across Reality Self Defense and signed Sean up there. After about a
year of Uechi Ryu they transitioned the kids to submission grappling. Sean
started to compete in NAGA tournaments about a year later. The name
changed to Lauzon MMA and he continued to train there and compete.
When he was 8 ½ we took him to Best Way BJJ American Top Team
Boston and he started gi classes while still attending Lauzon MMA.
Looking to expand his grappling we switched him from Lauzon MMA to
Wai Kru. Sean took the grappling and jiu jitsu at Wai Kru but was the only
kid. He also started boxing at Wai Kru. With no kids at Wai Kru we took
Sean to South Shore Sports Fighting where there is a good amount of kids.
Sean continues to train bjj at Best Way, submission grappling and mma at
South Shore Sports Fighting and boxing at Wai Kru. He still does private
Lessons with his coaches from Lauzon MMA.
What would you like to be when you grow up and how will martial arts play a role in your future?
When I grow up I would like to be a professional fighter and a video game designer. I would like to have my own BJJ/MMA gym. It is hard to make
the UFC but I will try. I think I could make cool video games with fighting
in them. I think no matter where life takes me the respect and discipline
learned from martial arts will make me a better person.
For most marital artist school is just as important as training. As far as academic standing do you normally get good grades and how hard is it to juggle both school and training?
(Parent answering)
Sean is in the 5th grade now and this is the first year he gets graded with
A’s to F’s. Sean works real hard at school and got all A’s and B’s on his
Report card. He excels at math. I know how much his training means to
him and he loves doing it but school work comes first, so if homework is
not done he either misses class that night or if there is a later class he can
attend he can go only after homework is done. So juggling school and the
gym is not to bad.
A typical training week includes?
Best Way BJJ American Top Team Boston: Jui Jitsu
Monday , Wednesday and Friday 1 hour classes
South Shore Sports Fighting: Submission Grappling MMA
Tuesday , Thursday and Sunday 1 hour classes
Wai Kru: Boxing
Thursday and Saturday 1 to 2 hours and Sparring on Tuesday
I also do private lessons at Lauzon MMA now and then.
Are there any sponsors or supporters you would like to thank or give a shout out too?
Would like to thank parents who without them I couldn’t get to classes
Friends/Training partners without them I couldn’t get better
My coaches: Matt Perry, Greg Pomfred, Andre DEDECO Almeida, . Andrew Cabrerra, Bill Mahoney, Erin Cooney, Kru John, Pat Walsh, . . . Renan Borges, John DOOMSDAY Howard, Danye Thomas
My Sponsors: Out For Blood, Do Or Die, RevGear, Cage Hero
Include anything else you would like to mention not included in the questions
(from parent)
Sean puts a lot of hard work into his training and has made great accomplishments along the way. Through his training and competing he has made many new friends. Seans training has also taught him patience, respect and how to deal with situations that may arise. His grades in school are all A’s and B’s and we have a rule that all his homework must be done before he can go to the gym at night.
Sean’s competition results:
New England Uechi Ryu Tournament :2008- Grand Champion Kata & 2008- Grand Champion Point Fighting
Kata Sean Jr toon in the first tournament 3rd place
Second tournament 2nd place
Third tournament 1st place
And forth tournament 2nd place
In point fighting Sean Jr took in the first tournament 3rd place
Second tournament 2nd place
Third tournament 1st place
And forth tournament 2nd place
NAGA Lincoln, Ri 2-6-2010 NOGI Novice 4th place (1 win - 1 loss)
NAGA Springfield, Ma 5-30-2010 NOGI Novice 2nd place (1 win - 1 loss)
Grapplers Quest UFC Expo Boston, Ma 8-28-2010 NOGI Submissions 4th place
NAGA Lincoln, Ri 10-17-2010 50-60lb NOGI Beginner submissions 1st place
NAGA Mohegan Sun Casino, Ct 12-18-2010 NOGI Intermediate Submissions 2nd place (Weighed in at 53.2 no one in weight class had to move up and face a kid that weighted in at 67.9)
NAGA Lincoln, Ri 01-29-2011 NOGI Intermediate Submissions 2nd place
NAGA Springfield, MA 06-04-2011 NOGI Intermediate Submissions 4th Place
NAPAGA (Pankration) North Smithfild, Ri 06-11-2011 3rd Place
NAGA Hartford, Ct 07-30-2011 NOGI Expert Submissions 2nd Place
NAGA Hartford, Ct 07-30-2011 GI Beginner 3rd Place (1st time in GI. Only been training GI for 1 month)
GRAPPLERS QUEST Boston, Ma 09-17-2011 NOGI Kids Advanced 4th place
NAPAGA North Smithfield, RI 10-01-2011 NOGI Kids Open Division 8 to 10 years old 1st Place
NAGA Lincoln, RI 10-17-2011 NOGI Kids Expert 60- 69.9lbs 3rd place
NAGA Lincoln, RI 10-17-2011 GI Kids Expert 60- 69.9lbs 2nd place
KING OF THE MAT 4 Springfield, Ma 11-12-2-11 Kids NOGI 2nd Place (no one in weight class faced a kid 14lbs heavier)
NAGA Newark, NJ 11-20-2011 NOGI Kids Expert 50 - 59.9lbs 4th place
NAGA Newark, NJ 11-20-2011 GI Kids Expert 50 - 59.9lbs 4th place (boys/girls 7 to 10)
NAGA Newark, NJ 11-20-2011 GI Kids Expert 50 - 59.9lbs 2nd place (boys 9 and 10)
NAGA Lincoln, RI 1-28-2012 NOGI Kids Expert 50-59.9lbs 3rd Place
NAGA Lincoln, RI 1-28-2012 NOGI Kids Expert 50-59.9lbs 2rd Place (2nd division)
NAGA Lincoln, RI 1-28-2012 GI Kids Expert 50-59.9lbs 3rd Place
NAPAGA Plymouth, Ma 3-17-2012 Kids NOGI Open division Ages 8-10 1st Place
NAPAGA Plymouth, Ma 3-17-2012 Kids NOGI Co-Ed Open division Ages 8-10 1st Place
NAPAGA Plymouth, Ma 3-17-2012 Kids GI Co-Ed division Ages 8-10 1st Place
Caxcudo NE BJJ Milford, Ma 3-18-2012 Kids Co-Ed Expert 50 - 65 lbs 4th Place
Caxcudo NE BJJ Milford, Ma 3-18-2012 Boys Expert 50 - 65 lbs 2nd Place
NAGA Hartford, Ct 6-30-2012 Expert NoGi 50 - 59.9 lbs 2nd place ages 8-10
NAGA Hartford, Ct 6-30-2012 Expert Gi 50 - 59.9 lbs 1st place ages 8-10
GRAPPLERS QUEST Boston, Ma 9-22-2012 advanced gi 60-69.9lbs 3rd place
GRAPPLERS QUEST Boston, Ma 9-22-2012 advanced nogi 60-69.9lbs 2nd place
NAGA West Warwick , Ri 10-13-2012 advanced gi 60-69.9lbs 3rd place
NAGA West Warwick , Ri 10-13-2012 advanced nogi 60-69.9lbs 2nd place
NAGA West Warwick , Ri 10-13-2012 advanced nogi 60-74 lbs 2nd place (went into another division faced a 13 year old I am 10)
GOOD FIGHT Thanksgiving Throwdown Marlborough, Ma 11-10-2012 advanced gi 60-65lbs 1st place
GOOD FIGHT Thanksgiving Throwdown Marlborough, Ma 11-10-2012 advanced nogi 60-65lbs 2nd place
You can see all of Seans matches at:
www.youtube.com/seankillerfurzejr
Fan Page:
www.facebook.com/killerfurze
Funny videos and video game videos I made:
www.youtube.com/seankillerfurze
Sean is training hard for the upcoming year of tournaments and will be entering in jiu jitsu, submission grappling, judo and boxing tournaments. Sean also hopes to acquire many titles and wins at the tournaments he is going to do. We thank all that support him in his quest.
Interview By Gina Begley Co-host of WV Fight Sports Radio,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
Ashley "copperhead" Lane
Amateur Record:
---3-2
Weight Class:
---125-135 lbs
Previous / Current Titles and Awards:
---1 Premier Fighting Challenge’s #1 contender for the women’s flyweight championship belt
---2.Premier Fighting Challenge’s women’s flyweight championship belt holder.
Martial Arts Style:
---I am a freestyle fighter.
Favorite Fighter:
---Tecia Torres
What got you into martial arts and where do you feel it is going to take you?
---I got into martial arts through an old friend that I am no longer acquainted with. She was doing MMA at the time and thought it would be something I would enjoy. I went with her and her boyfriend at the time to a martial arts gym in Pound, VA and found that I absolutely loved it. I feel like it will take me as far as I will allow myself to go and I want with every ounce of my being to make it to the top. Eventually, I would love to see myself on an Invicta card. That is my dream as of now.
When doing research, I found your record listed on MixedMartialArts.com listed as 2-1 but your fan page your listed
as 3-2. Tell us a little bit more about your experience as a fighter.
---When I first began fighting back in 2008, my first fight was in Hazard, KY at the armory. There were only a handful of female fighters so I had to take what they would give me. My first match was against Tyesh Johnson. She took the fight literally the night before, as my intended opponent had to cancel for some reason I can’t recall. I weighed around 170 lbs. and she was a little over 200 lbs. I won that fight in the first round via TKO. My second
match was against Krystal Combs, the women’s heavyweight champion, but for some unknown reason my coach at the time
felt like I was ready and could handle it. She weighed in around 230 lbs and I was about 160 lbs. We went two rounds, standing, not once going to the ground. It was a very bloody fight, all my blood haha. She broke my nose and gave me two black eyes. The fight ended a little into the second round via doctor stoppage. My nose wouldn’t stop free flowing blood so they called it off. To this day, I still feel as though I could have continued, but that may just be my inner warrior. I do not give up. It’s not in me. Women’s weight classes were virtually nonexistent at that time and given my location there really wasn’t much I could do about it. I just wanted to fight so I took whoever they threw at me. After those two fights, I took a couple of years off to just train and focus on getting stronger and better. I wanted to lose more weight and fight in a class where I would have more quality opponents. Honestly, I felt like my coach at time was holding me back and not pushing me in the direction I wanted to go in. I eventually left that gym and went to the Dawg House, which is much closer to my home. There I found a couple of wonderful coaches, Steve Bolinskey and Ballard Jones, who have shown me better ways to train and have made me into the fighter I am today. Before training at the Dawg House I had almost no standup game whatsoever. After that two year break, they got me back in the cage. I became a completely different fighter and person.
What does a typical training week at Dawg House gym include? Besides training martial arts what are some other aspects of your training?
---Training at the Dawg House is unlike any other training I have ever experienced. We train hard. We are known for our stand up. There is not a day that goes by I don’t go home sore and I love that. We do a lot of cardio training. We have a variety of free weights, a bench, a bench press bar, and a curl bar for lifting. We also use an elliptical and a spinning bike. There are heavy bags, mats for grappling, some fencing so we can do cage control work, and a speed bag. We have a track that we run daily, and bleachers to run up and down. We use the tennis courts sometimes for cardio training. Ballard Jones, my Muay Thai instructor works our hands, kicks, elbows, and knees with us daily. He is wonderful. Steve Bolinskey, my head coach, works with us on our ground game and is in charge of booking all of my team’s fights. He is an amazing teacher. As a team, we all work together to help each other prepare for our fights. We do a lot of strength training and endurance exercises. We normally train 3 days a
week for around 3-4 hours, but that’s just standard. The gym is always open to us if we decide we want to come in on an off day. My coaches are more than accommodating and extremely caring. They truly want to see each and every one of my team mates and I succeed.
You are currently the PFC women’s flyweight champion, with 5 fights. Do you have any plans on going pro and if so when can we look for that announcement?
---I do have every intention of going pro sometime in the near future. I would like to have at least 6 wins under my belt before I make that leap. I understand that once you go pro that is a whole different ball game and the level of competition is stepped up greatly. At this point I do not feel ready for that but most definitely in the near future. If I had to give a time frame I would say by the end of 2013 at the earliest. I want to make sure I am
100% ready, mind and body.
You have an upcoming match in 2 weeks, what are some details of this match? Will it be a title defense?
---Unfortunately I had to cancel that match. I was supposed to fight Maddy Simmons in a flyweight match. However, I’m having some trouble with my wisdom teeth. It’s making it very hard to train and focus. I won’t go into a fight unless I am fully ready for an all-out war. I treat every fight as if it were the most important fight of my life. I won’t go into it with anything less. Luckily, it would not have been a title defense. I won the title for Premier Fighting Challenge and I won’t have to defend that until spring of next year, I believe. The fight I had to cancel was for Cage Brawl. They’re a different promotion. I’ve fought for them only once before.
Are there any sponsors or supporters you would like to thank or give a shout out too? Include anything else you would like to mention not included in the questions.
---I would love to take this opportunity to thank my wonderful coaches, Steve and Ballard. They are nothing short of amazing. I have never had coaches that cared so much about the fighter as an individual. I would also like to thank my team mates. Without them I wouldn’t be what I am today. They are my motivation. They keep me going. They are my brothers. I would like to thank Premier Fighting Challenge for all the opportunities they have given me. They are a great promotion to fight for and I enjoy being on their cards. Lastly, but definitely not least, I would
like to thank my grandfather, my dad, and my boyfriend. Every single time I step into that cage I fight for my grandfather. Those three men are my biggest fans and supporters. They’ve always had my back and my best interest in mind since the beginning.I would LOVE to take this time to thank Stacie and Paul Kaldy from UR Fight. They have been really good to me. They made my last walkout shirt and have made another one for my next fight. They have gotten me a great deal of exposure and i am forever grateful to them. One more, I would thank Miss Gina Begley for giving this opportunity to be interviewed. I appreciate all the exposure I get and am beyond thankful. Each time I am awarded with a new opportunity of any kind I am greatly humbled, so thank you.
Interview By Gina Begley Co-host of WV Fight Sports Radio,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
Amateur of the week Brayden “The Dragon” Esposito
Amateur Record
Grappling placed 37 out of 45 times, with 10 gold, 16 Silver and 11 Bronze
Youth MMA 0-1
·
Weight Class
I typically weigh in at 57-59 lbs
·
Previous / Current Titles and Awards
At this time I don’t hold any titles, but I am working towards two this summer. I was promoted to yellow belt in Judo in April and promoted to yellow belt in BJJ in September. I was only a 3 stripe white belt when I got promoted.
·
Martial Arts Style
I have multiple disciplines BJJ, Muay Thai, Judo, and MMA. My favorites are BJJ and MMA
·
Favorite Fighter
I have several favorite fighters, Adult male fighter is my teammate Rob Hanna and Adult female is Zoila Gurgel. My favorite youth fighters are Female is Taylor “The Terror” Guerra and Male is Ben “The Tiger” Bagbek.
·
How old was Brayden when he started and why did he begin training in Martial Arts? PARENTS
Brayden was 9 when he started BJJ. He had a friend that was taking Karate for a while and Brayden had been asking us to try it for sometime. We finally gave in and started looking into the various Martial Arts and felt BJJ would better suit him. The Muay Thai, Judo and MMA came after seeing the adults doing it at the Gym. This was something he just wanted to try because he thought it was cool!
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How did he become involved in competitive combat sport?
PARENTS
It just happened. He saw something about youth Naga matches on YouTube and asked if he could try it. After 2 weeks of training Brayden did his first NAGA and placed 3rd and the Dragon was born. Shortly after Naga he became very interested in youth MMA/ Pankration fights as well. He pestered the owner of the gym Mike Patt when he was going to offer youth Muay Thai classes, which he started in February of this year.
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Juggling school and training can be a challenge, what does a typical week include? What classes do you attended, which ones are your favorite? Do you have favorite submissions or techniques you enjoy learning or using?
My typical week starts out with a 20-30 minute work out in the morning before school, then breakfast and school. If dad is home I go home eat and do some homework then pack up in the car and head to Dayton MMA (1.25 hour trip each way). If not I go to the sitters them mom picks me up and head to class. This is what I do 4 days a week and I have private lessons 1 day a week as well as I work out and train at home1 day a week. I am a Straight A student who is on the honor roll every quarter. I train Muay Thai and MMA on Mondays and Wednesdays Tuesday and Thursdays is BJJ, Judo. Private lessons change weekly. My favorite classes are MMA and BJJ. My favorite submissions are Arm bars and the Triangle chokes
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You compete regularly and attend seminars, typically what competitions do you participate in? What competitions and seminars do you find most enjoyable?
I typically compete in NAGA, EGO and OGC and I am now starting to do some youth MMA/ Pankration. The seminars I like the best are the MMA and I like the youth MMA and Pankration fights.
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What would you like to be when you grow up? How will your martial arts help you in what you hope to do?
I have the dream to become a professional fighter, But I know how hard it is to become one, I would be happy as a Navy SEAL. My training will help me with both choices for the navy SEAL it will help with hand to hand fighting and the discipline I will need to become a SEAL.
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What awards and achievements have you acquired since your began your training?
I have only been at this a year but so far I am the youngest amateur MMA fighter in my gym. NAGA has me ranked #1 in OH for both Gi and No Gi. I am ranked #3 in Gi and #4 in No Gi in the Midwest for NAGA as well
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My record is:
3rd place Novice no-gi @ NAGA Mid West 2011 (with two weeks of training in BJJ)
1st in GI Randori @ the 32nd Tri-State Karate/ Ju-jitsu Championship February 2012 10-11 year old advanced div.
3rd in GI @ the 32nd Tri-State Karate/ Ju-jitsu Championship February 2012 10-11 year old advanced div.
OGC Tri-State grappling challenge January 2012 4th place in gi and no-gi 70-80lb advanced div.
3rd in Gi and No-gi at the OGC Midwest open March 2012 in the 70-80lb weight class Advanced
2nd in GI randori @ the 44th Ohioan Karate/ Ju-jitsu Championship March 2012 10-11 year old advanced div.
3rd in GI @ the 44th Ohioan Karate/ Ju-jitsu Championship March 2012 10-11 year old advanced div.
1st place in Piqua Judo Tournament April 2012 10- 11 yr old div.
2nd Place No-Gi Naga Chicago April 2012 Beginner 50-59.9 LB Div.
3rd Place GI Naga Chicago April 2012 Intermediate 50-59.9 LB Div.
2nd Place Gi EGO Greenwood IN Beginner Fly Weight Div.
3rd Place No-GI EGO Greenwood In Beginner Fly weight Div.
2nd plce No Gi Grapplers Quest Ohio May 2012 Beginner 60-69.9 LB
2nd place No Gi Grapplers Quest Ohio May 2012 Beginner 70-79.9LB
2nd place Gi Grapplers quest Ohio May 2012 Beginner 60-69.9 LB
1st place Gi and No Gi NAGA Columbus Ohio June 2012 Beginner 60-69.9Lb
2nd place Gi and No Gi NAGA Columbus Ohio June 2012 Expert 50-59.9 LB
2nd Place No gi NAGA Hartford June 2012 Intermediate 50-59.9Lbs
3rd Place Gi Naga Hartford June 2012 Intermediate 50-59.9lbs
2nd Place Gi OGC Union Ky August 2012 Advanced 70-75lbs
2nd In Gi and No gi NAGA Illinois Chicago IL August 2012 Intermediate 60-69.9Lbs
1st place in Gi EGO Columbus Columbus OH September 2012 Intermediate 50-59Lbs
1st place in No-Gi EGO Columbus Columbus OH September 2012 Intermediate 50-59Lbs By Default all competiors backed out after our GI matches
2nd place No-Gi EGO Columbus Columbus OH September 2012 Intermediate 60-69lbs
3rd Place No Gi OGC Pickerington OH, October 2012 Advanced 60-69lbs
2nd Place gi and No Gi Naga Midwest Championships November 2012 Intermediate 60-69.9LBS
Youth Modified MAA record 0-1 First Fight Bloomington IL September 2012
I like playing video games MW3 and Black Ops are a couple of my favorites shooting my Airsoft gun, hanging with my friends and just being a kid
Is there anyone you would like to mention or thank including sponsors or fan page information?
All my fans, my Coaches Ryan, John, Eddie, Orion, Chris and my newest coach Robbie. I need to thank all my sponsors. Virus action, Fatal Clothing, Impulse Photography, Dayton MMA, Pain Theory Clothing, Stickem up Graphics, 7th Day media, and Cage Hero.
I can’t forget my Mom and Dad who take me everywhere I need to be.
You can check me out on the following
https://www.facebook.com/BraydenTheDragonEsposito?ref=hl
http://borntocompete.com/main/
Side Notes
PARENTS
Brayden has had the opportunity to meet and train with some of the best in both adult and youth MMA and BJJ and has made some great friends along the way.
Brayden did a fund raiser for The Wounded Warrior Project and raised over $325.00 for them.
Notable finishes:
Naga Columbus 6/2012 Competed Intermediate 60-69.9 and won both Gi and No Gi divisions all matches were won by submission
Ego Columbus 9/2012 Competed Intermediate 50-59 and won No Gi division all wins were by submission. His first match was less than 10 seconds. He won Gi By default as all his competitors backed out because they didn’t want to face him again.
His accomplishments have all been done within his first year of training.
Some of his upcoming events
November Marcus Almeida seminar one of the youngest to be attending the seminar
December Cage Pankration in WI
January Bluegrass Brawl 5
February A submission only youth grappling Tourney
June TBA Classic in Des Monies IA
Interview By Gina Begley Co-host of WV Fight Sports Radio,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
November 11, 2012
Amateur of the Week 8 year old Christopher Begley trains at the AFS Academy in Richmond, KY
In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Submission Wrestling, Muay Thai, and Kali
WVFights Sports Radio amateur of the week is Christopher Begley. He is very well mannered bright young man, highly active in martial arts. He trains at the AFS Academy in Richmond, Kentucky where he also lives and goes to school. Chris has won multiple national and local gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu tournaments. With the popularity of MMA on a fast paced rise, more and more youth are getting involved in martial arts and competitions. Jiu-Jitsu offers a low injury risk competitive sport that many parents find practical not only for self defense and self esteem but also in keeping their child involved in an extra curricular activity. WV Fights took a second to catch up with one of the promising youth of MMA. Due to the age of the amateur, some answers were provided by the parent. Answers provided in italics were answered directly by Christopher Begley.
Chris is only 8 years old yet enters competitions in the expert divisions. This usually includes years involved in martial arts. How old was Chris when he started and why did he begin training in Martial Arts?
Chris was enrolled in the Youth JKD program at the AFS Academy when he was 4 years old. He was very young for the program but with some extra work on the weekends we were able to keep him caught up with the class curriculum. Initially Chris was enrolled in the program to help him burn up the high amount of energy he had that distracted him from task. The JKD program was very physical and focused a lot on discipline. Since he would be starting school soon, it seemed like a perfect fit for helping his focus. Chris had always been very physical so he took to the training very well. After training for a little over a year, a local competition came around. He entered and won. MMA has us hook, line, and sinker.
What does a typical week of training and school include?
Typically Chris attends school all day, comes home and does homework and reading immediately. Afterwards, he usually attends classes at the AFS Academy. While there he either participates in classes or does strength and conditioning workouts he can do on his own. When he is finished he usually reads or finishes up homework. After the gym he goes home to play do activities until its time for sleep. On the weekends he attends practices that includes drilling more specific to his individual goals or competitions. Everyday, he is also encouraged to drink a lot of water and eat a lot to make up the calories he burns in his classes. Saturday evening is usually spent chilling out at home, going to a movie, or doing something fun like play video games or watch TV.
What has been your best memory or moment since starting martial arts?
Going to Thai Camp
In the summer of 2011 Chris attended the Thai Boxing Associations North Pacific Training Camp. It is 4 days in the mountains of Oregon, camping in tents, training outside from 6 am until at least 8 at night. In the morning you get up and run 1 mile half of which is up a steep hill. For the rest of the day you will drill techniques in the open field taking breaks for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. During that camp Chris was fortunate enough to train with the Ajarn Chai Sirisute, Guru Dan Inasanto, and Ajarn Greg Nelson just to name a few. He was given the bell boy award and worked very hard everyday of camp. Chris hopes to attend the 2013 camp.
You compete regularly, anything coming up soon?
NAGA Nashville next week! Chris will also be participating in a single match at the Bluegrass Brawl in Lexington, KY. They showcase youth grappling at their events. Considering the cost of traveling and competitions, we are excited to take part in a match close to home free of charge. The very next day on January 5th the Bluegrass Brazilian Jiu- Jitsu Open will be held in Louisville. It is relatively close and has some great competition. In the summer Chris will participate in the 6th Annual TBA Muay Thai tournament in Des Moines, IA. It would be nice to have at least one kickboxing match before this competition but that is the only definite match scheduled.
What is your favorite class and why?
Grappling. Doing chokes and stuff is fun.
What is your favorite submission?
Rear Naked Choke
Striking Technique or combination?
Batman Punch
What would you like to be when you grow up?
Part of the army. A soldier.
How will your martial arts help you in what you hope to do when you grow up?
Punching, kicking, and defending if I don’t have a gun.
What awards and achievements have you acquired since your began your training?
February 20, 2010
Hayastan Grappling Tournament No-Gi : Gold
December 4, 2010
Southern Kentucky Grappling Challenge No-Gi : Gold
February 11, 2011
NAGA Atlanta, GA No-Gi : Gold
Gi : Gold
September 17, 2011
Ultimate Classic No-Gi : Gold
October 2011
Halloween Bash No-Gi Gold
March 31, 2012
NAGA Nashville, TN No-Gi : Silver
Gi : Silver
May 12, 2012
BBJJO Louisville, KY Gi : Gold
June 9, 2012
OGC Lexington, KY No- Gi : Gold
Gi : Gold
September 29th 2012
Bluegrass Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open Gi - Gold
October 1st 2012
Youth JKD Green Belt Promotion under Sifu Scott Elliott
2011 Pacific Northwest TBA Camp Award For Encouragement
Is there anyone you would like to mention or thank?
As a family we would like to thank our instructor Scott Elliott and everyone at the AFS Academy for all of their support. Thank you to all friends and family that support and contribute to Chris competitions and training. Please take a moment to like his fan page on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/jkdninjakid
Interview By Gina Begley Co-host of WV Fight Sports Radio,Female Fighter from Richmond KY and WMMA Supporter
Jessa "Lady Armbar"Khan
She recently won 1st Place in No-Gi Expert Divion at Naga New Jersey 11/20/11
*2nd Place Gi Expert Division at Naga NJ 11/20/11
*King of The Mat in Springfield, MA 2011: 1st Place No-Gi
*Maine Skirmish 2011 in Winslow, ME: 1st Place Gi
*Maine Grapplers Challenge in Brunswick, ME: 1st Place Gi and No-Gi
*Naga Northeast in Rhode Island 2011: 1st Place Gi and No-Gi
*Triple Crown Hawaii (MMA Expo) 2011: 1st Place No-Gi and 3rd Place Gi
*Triple Crown Hawaii: 3rd Place No-Gi
*Triple Crown Hawaii 2010: 2nd Place No-Gi and 3rd Place Gi
*1st Place Expert No-Gi Division at Naga New England RI. 1/28/2012
*2nd Place Gi Expert Division at Naga New England 1.28.2012
*1st Place GOLD MEDAL at Pan Kids 2012 in California 2.19.2012
*1st Place No-Gi at King of the Mat in Springfield, MA 3.3.12
*1st Place Expert No-Gi Division Winner at Naga Albany, NY. 3.10.2012
*2nd Place in Gi at Naga Albany, NY 3.10.12
*3rd Place Abu Dhabi in Queens, NY 3.11.12
*1st Place Gold Winner at Caxcudo Bjj Tournament in Milford, MA 3.18.12
*1st Place Expert No-Gi at NAGA WORLD'S in NJ. 4.14.2012
*1st Place Expert Co-Ed Gi Division at NAGA WORLD'S in NJ, 4.14.2012
*2nd Place Expert Girl Gi Division at NAGA WORLD'S in NJ, 4.14.2012
*1st Place Expert Girl No-Gi Division at NAGA RI 5/5/2012
*1st Place Expert Co-Ed No-Gi Division at NAGA RI 5/5/2012
*1st Place Expert Girl Gi Division at NAGA RI 5/5/2012
*1st Place Expert Co-Ed Gi Division at NAGA RI 5/5/2012
-4x Gold Winner at NAGA RI 5/5/2012
*2x Gold Winner at MIKA BJJ Tournament at Manchester, ME 6/28/2012
*2x Gold Winner at NAGA NY in Gi and No-Gi, 9/8/2012
3x Grapplers Quest Gold Medalist
Laura Byrnes I'm 24 years old I train at the dawghouse gym I have over 20 ammy fights I hold a title for the tough man in beckley wv and hold a title for the Williamson rough n rowdy brawl and I I'm also ranked 2nd in the world in kickboxing for the ikf.
Zack "The Cobra" Bartrum 14 yo 95# wrestles, plays JV and Varsity Football. Has boxed for 6 years. 3x Arnold sports gold medalist 6 time WV and KY state silver glove and Junior Olympic Champ, 2008, 2010, 2012 World semi-finalist, 2011 national title 2nd place, 2011 national PAL runner up. 2011 regional junior Olympic champion, 2012 regional silver glove champion. 102 amateur bouts.