Brazilian Notebook: Sperry Eyes Return
Gleidson Venga May 30, 2007
As the Brazilian winter approaches, fight promoters are promising
to keep mixed martial arts fans warm, producing big events with
bigger things to come.
Fury FC showed it has not stopped growing, while Fatality Muay Thai and MMA has jumped into the fray. Also, Mario Sperry (Pictures), Cristiano Marcello (Pictures) and other Brazilian fighters are training hard for their next challenges.
Sperry confirmed for Cage Rage
Mario Sperry (Pictures) is confirmed to participate on the undercard of Cage Rage's next event on July 14. The Brazilian legend will face Lee Hasdell, a veteran English kickboxer with a sub-.500 record in MMA.
After this fight, the Brazilian Top Team leader will start to train a squad for the International Fight League (IFL), where, by the way, he would like to fight against the first man to beat him in a MMA match, Russian Igor Zinoviev (Pictures), coach of the Chicago Red Bears.
"Yes, I said I don't care against who I will fight, the competition is the most important," Sperry explained. "But for sure a fight against Zinoviev will be very interesting. But it doesn't matter if I just want this fight. The organization needs to have interests in matching us up. So, like he beat me in 1995. This fight has all the ingredients we need to be matched up."
About his IFL team, Sperry warned: "I will be there to win. I didn't choose the names of the fighters or the team. But I'm warning everyone, we will give our best."
Fury FC 3 promises a lot of action this season
On May 19 in São Paulo, Fury FC 3, an outstanding organization in the Brazilian scene featuring international-level talent such as Chute Boxe's Thiago Silva (Pictures), who debuted in the U.S. this weekend on the UFC card in Las Vegas, promoted the opening round of an eight-man 183-pound tournament.
The quarterfinals produced four fighters destined for the next round in August.
The organization confirmed three other fighters for the late-winter (in Brazil) card: Eduardo Pamplona (Pictures), Daniel Acacio (Pictures) and Rousimar Palhares. Acacio and Pamplona won on May 19, as did rising name Luciano Azevedo (Pictures).
183-pound tournament:
Gil Freitas def. Paulo Bueno TKO R2
Juliano Belgine def. Viscardi Guimarães armbar R2
Flavio Moura def. André Mikito decision
Leandro Batata def. Luis Brito (Pictures) decision
Undercard:
Jorge Michelan def. Mycon Pessoa arm-triangle choke R1
Takafumi Otsuka def. Leandro Issa TKO R3
Daniel Acacio (Pictures) def. Michelli Verginelli decision
Luciano Azevedo (Pictures) def. Rodrigo Ruiz triangle choke R2
Eduardo Pamplona (Pictures) def. Matti Makela decision
Wallid working on new project
Wallid Ismail (Pictures) is a fighting pioneer in Brazil. In the 1990s, he was the first professional Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter to make a living in the sport. As a mixed martial artist he fought in UFC, PRIDE and several other organizations.
Now retired from the ring, Ismail joined forces with Antonio Inoki to direct Jungle Fight, the organization in which Fabricio Werdum (Pictures), Ryoto Machida (Pictures) and Gabriel Gonzaga (Pictures) established their careers.
The Brazilian is currently part of another project: the Mixed Martial Arts World League, a Web site where fights are transmitted over Internet.
"The MMAWL is just like a TV channel," explained Ismail. "We will show several MMA shows and soon we will bring BJJ classes to the Internet."
The Web site showed three events already, including last weekend's Gracie Fighting Championship.
"I give my best to spread and to improve the sport," Ismail said. "I always did it as a fighter and now as a manager. I work a lot so this sport and our fighters will be known all around the world. I work really hard. I hope everybody helps us to make MMA even bigger."
Simoes outstanding at Fatality Muay Thai and MMA
On May 23 in Niteroi, the first card promoted by Fatality Muay Thai and MMA took place. Organized by Gustavo Machado (Pictures) and Diogo Tavares, the event featured five MMA matches.
At the end of the night, all the attention was focused on BTT fighter Eduardo Simoes, who showed a lot of technique in the ring, knocking out his opponent with a soccer kick.
Results:
Leonardo Tangerina def. Carlos "Tuca" decision
Eduardo Simoes def. Fabio Jamaica KO R1
Fabio Abreu def. Laercio Ribeiro rear-naked choke R2
Amilcar Alves def. Alessandro de Souza decision
Eduardo Pachu def. William Casquilha TKO R3;
News and notes
The two top Peruvian fighters in MMA will be on opposite sides of the ring soon. Experienced Tony DeSouza (Pictures) stated he will possibly face Ivan Iberico, who showed amazing performances in his three professional fights. A student of Alexandre Franca Nogueira (Pictures), "Pitbull" Iberico confirmed he also wanted this fight against the UFC veteran.
Chute Boxe BJJ coach Cristiano Marcello (Pictures) signed a contract to fight in Art of War and will make his debut August 18 against Hector Munoz. "I don't know much about him, but he is a Royce Gracie (Pictures) black belt," stated Marcello. "I hope to knock him out."
Currently training for his UFC bout in Hollywood, Fla. on June 12, Gleison Tibau (Pictures) has also been busy in the ring, fighting earlier this month for the Nordeste Combat Championship. Tibau stopped Antonio Fernades, who had his nose broken during the fight.
The Midway Fighting Championship brought the experienced Jorge Patino (Pictures) to fight Luis "Sapo" in the main event on May 10. "Sapo" dominated most of the fight and won by judges' decision.
Fury FC showed it has not stopped growing, while Fatality Muay Thai and MMA has jumped into the fray. Also, Mario Sperry (Pictures), Cristiano Marcello (Pictures) and other Brazilian fighters are training hard for their next challenges.
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Mario Sperry (Pictures) is confirmed to participate on the undercard of Cage Rage's next event on July 14. The Brazilian legend will face Lee Hasdell, a veteran English kickboxer with a sub-.500 record in MMA.
"Cage Rage is the biggest organization in Europe, and I'm happy to
fight there, and even happier because my hand is healed," said
Sperry. "About my opponent I don't know much; all I know is he
likes to strike on his feet and he has a lot of knockouts in his
career, plus this will be his Cage Rage debut and he will have the
audience supporting him."
After this fight, the Brazilian Top Team leader will start to train a squad for the International Fight League (IFL), where, by the way, he would like to fight against the first man to beat him in a MMA match, Russian Igor Zinoviev (Pictures), coach of the Chicago Red Bears.
"Yes, I said I don't care against who I will fight, the competition is the most important," Sperry explained. "But for sure a fight against Zinoviev will be very interesting. But it doesn't matter if I just want this fight. The organization needs to have interests in matching us up. So, like he beat me in 1995. This fight has all the ingredients we need to be matched up."
About his IFL team, Sperry warned: "I will be there to win. I didn't choose the names of the fighters or the team. But I'm warning everyone, we will give our best."
Fury FC 3 promises a lot of action this season
On May 19 in São Paulo, Fury FC 3, an outstanding organization in the Brazilian scene featuring international-level talent such as Chute Boxe's Thiago Silva (Pictures), who debuted in the U.S. this weekend on the UFC card in Las Vegas, promoted the opening round of an eight-man 183-pound tournament.
The quarterfinals produced four fighters destined for the next round in August.
The organization confirmed three other fighters for the late-winter (in Brazil) card: Eduardo Pamplona (Pictures), Daniel Acacio (Pictures) and Rousimar Palhares. Acacio and Pamplona won on May 19, as did rising name Luciano Azevedo (Pictures).
183-pound tournament:
Gil Freitas def. Paulo Bueno TKO R2
Juliano Belgine def. Viscardi Guimarães armbar R2
Flavio Moura def. André Mikito decision
Leandro Batata def. Luis Brito (Pictures) decision
Undercard:
Jorge Michelan def. Mycon Pessoa arm-triangle choke R1
Takafumi Otsuka def. Leandro Issa TKO R3
Daniel Acacio (Pictures) def. Michelli Verginelli decision
Luciano Azevedo (Pictures) def. Rodrigo Ruiz triangle choke R2
Eduardo Pamplona (Pictures) def. Matti Makela decision
Wallid working on new project
Wallid Ismail (Pictures) is a fighting pioneer in Brazil. In the 1990s, he was the first professional Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter to make a living in the sport. As a mixed martial artist he fought in UFC, PRIDE and several other organizations.
Now retired from the ring, Ismail joined forces with Antonio Inoki to direct Jungle Fight, the organization in which Fabricio Werdum (Pictures), Ryoto Machida (Pictures) and Gabriel Gonzaga (Pictures) established their careers.
The Brazilian is currently part of another project: the Mixed Martial Arts World League, a Web site where fights are transmitted over Internet.
"The MMAWL is just like a TV channel," explained Ismail. "We will show several MMA shows and soon we will bring BJJ classes to the Internet."
The Web site showed three events already, including last weekend's Gracie Fighting Championship.
"I give my best to spread and to improve the sport," Ismail said. "I always did it as a fighter and now as a manager. I work a lot so this sport and our fighters will be known all around the world. I work really hard. I hope everybody helps us to make MMA even bigger."
Simoes outstanding at Fatality Muay Thai and MMA
On May 23 in Niteroi, the first card promoted by Fatality Muay Thai and MMA took place. Organized by Gustavo Machado (Pictures) and Diogo Tavares, the event featured five MMA matches.
At the end of the night, all the attention was focused on BTT fighter Eduardo Simoes, who showed a lot of technique in the ring, knocking out his opponent with a soccer kick.
Results:
Leonardo Tangerina def. Carlos "Tuca" decision
Eduardo Simoes def. Fabio Jamaica KO R1
Fabio Abreu def. Laercio Ribeiro rear-naked choke R2
Amilcar Alves def. Alessandro de Souza decision
Eduardo Pachu def. William Casquilha TKO R3;
News and notes
The two top Peruvian fighters in MMA will be on opposite sides of the ring soon. Experienced Tony DeSouza (Pictures) stated he will possibly face Ivan Iberico, who showed amazing performances in his three professional fights. A student of Alexandre Franca Nogueira (Pictures), "Pitbull" Iberico confirmed he also wanted this fight against the UFC veteran.
Chute Boxe BJJ coach Cristiano Marcello (Pictures) signed a contract to fight in Art of War and will make his debut August 18 against Hector Munoz. "I don't know much about him, but he is a Royce Gracie (Pictures) black belt," stated Marcello. "I hope to knock him out."
Currently training for his UFC bout in Hollywood, Fla. on June 12, Gleison Tibau (Pictures) has also been busy in the ring, fighting earlier this month for the Nordeste Combat Championship. Tibau stopped Antonio Fernades, who had his nose broken during the fight.
The Midway Fighting Championship brought the experienced Jorge Patino (Pictures) to fight Luis "Sapo" in the main event on May 10. "Sapo" dominated most of the fight and won by judges' decision.
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