The beginning of the year is always the same for people: some go on vacation and some get back to their daily work routine. In the world of mixed martial arts it’s also the same. While Royce Gracie gets vacation time with his family after his big win over Akebono, Gustavo “Ximu,” Renato “Babalu” and Rogério “Minotoro” are just a few of those getting back to the training routines for their next commitments. And a sad note comes with the passing of Magno Penha, who fell victim to leukemia.
Royce Gracie was one of the biggest focus of attentions on New Year's Eve, submitting the giant Akebono with an omoplata during the main bout of the K-1 "Dynamite" card. The Gracie complemented the strategy made by his family. “The strategy that I, together with my father and my brother Royler, made was perfect," Royce said. "If you could have seen the training you would notice that it was exactly the same as the fight."
Royce took his time telling us how calm he was getting into the ring and how he felt during the fight: “I was never this cool before a fight. When I got in the ring my heart rate was at 80 and it didn’t pass 100 during the whole fight. I told them that the fight was not going to last more than five minutes, but I was ready to fight 20."
Royce is now resting on vacation. His routine of world wide seminars will restart at the end of January, and now, according to him, is the time to rest with the family.
"Ximu" Eyes Big Year
Gustavo “Ximu” already has his next fight scheduled, he will be fighting in Pancrase in March. The opponent is yet to be announced, but "Ximu" is ready to fight with anyone. “ I'm very well prepared both physically and mentally," he told the Brazilian Notebook. "I'll get there and finish my opponent as fast as possible. I'll go after him and I'll keep the pace of the fight really high.”
To get his stamina for this fight, “Ximu” realizes the importance of training with his team. “The training is on the same pace," he said. "This week I had my first striking training of the year: three six-minute rounds and I only got tired in the end of the third -- and that was only because it was really intense, all the time on the offensive.
"The training is getting stronger and stronger so that when I get there I'll have a lot of stamina.”
The goal is to win the next one and challenge Yuki Kondo for the title, and then go to PRIDE. “I always go for the win and I'll soon be the light heavyweight King of Pancrase; with the title I hope to get invited to join PRIDE. I want everyone to know that I'm back and I'll knockout or submit anyone that gets in my way. I respect every fighter, but due to the time in my career, it's now the time to become champion in any event that I get in.”
"Babalu" Getting Back on Track
Renato “Babalu” Sobral will be headlining Cage Rage 10, which will happen on February 26 in England. “I already have and opponent, I just don't know who he is,” said “Babalu,” who's set to face the UK's Pierre Guillet.
“The team started the training on the third [of January]," he continued. "We are back from the holidays and the training is getting stronger -- even on Carnaval we will all be training because we have fights booked."
He also commented on how 2004 was for him and his career: “It was a year to get back on the tracks, with a new team ... but it was a good year to train.”
For 2005 “Babalu” promises to “fight anyone that is winning, I don’t want to face anyone in particular, I'll just beat the crap out of anyone that stands in front of me. You can wait 'cause this is going to be a victory year -- I'll be owning everybody!”
Chute Boxe News
Chute Boxe suffered another big loss right after Wanderlei Silva's bout with Mark Hunt. Master Sérgio Cunha, one of the oldest students of Rudimar Fedrigo and one of the people responsible for Chute Boxe Japan, decided to leave the team. The reason given was that he wanted to get in a new environment. With 17 years invested in Chute Boxe and a black belt given by Rafael Cordeiro, Cunha said that he wants to train top athletes and is ready to negotiate with other teams.
Still in Chute Boxe, Murilo “Ninja” Rua declared that he will participate in the PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix this year. After his bad performance in the heavyweight division, “Ninja” might have a tough time ahead. Among the opposition he could face is his ex-partner, Anderson Silva, who confessed his wish to be a part of the GP upon returning to Brazil after Pride Shockwave 2.
Rudimar Fedrigo already announced bigger plans. Chute Boxe's manager stated that four of his fighters will be joining PRIDE this year: the Rua brothers in the middleweight GP; Daniel Acácio is preparing to fight at 83 kilograms; and Luiz Azeredo in the 73 kg-division.
"Minotoro" Prepares for February PRIDE
Rogério “Minotoro” Nogueira is training for his next challenge -- he will be in PRIDE on February 20. "Minotoro,” whose opponent is yet to be announced, spent a few days in the U.S. training with American Top Team, and arrived in Brazil this week. Without a rest the Brazilian keeps on training.
“I started training last week," he said. "Now [I'm] back in Brazil and I’m already back training. I'm training a lot of boxing, wrestling and jiu-jitsu -- all I’m waiting is for the confirmation of my opponent.”
“Minotoro” guarantees that he doesn’t choose his opponents, but expects to face one of PRIDE’s top three. “I want to fight the best," he said, "because sometimes I face a tough opponent, like Nakamura, but he doesn’t have the name so people think that is my obligation to beat him -- but he proved his value by beating Murilo Bustamante. I want [to fight] a top-three guy to prove once and for all that I am among the best.”
News and Notes
Wallid Ismail is full of plans for 2005. The promoter of Jungle Fight promised five editions for this year, three in Brazil and two in other countries, with the possibility of one of them being in Las Vegas. Many great fighters are scheduled to fight on Jungle Fight this year: Ebenezer Braga, Jorge Patino "Macaco," Aléssio Sakara, Rafael Carino and Jefferson "Tank" are practically certain for the first edition in march. ... The city of São João da Barra, in Rio de Janeiro state, will be hosting, on the 18th and 19th of next month, a big event. It's the fourth Submission Wrestling with the presence of many great grapplers such as Rany Yahrya, Milton Vieira, Jorge Patino "Macaco," Carlos Baruk and Antoine Jaoude. ... The big news is that for the first time they will have MMA fights in the card. One tournament will have Danilo Moto-Serra, Marcos Henrique, Fabrício Monteiro and IVC veteran Egídio "Sombra da Noite." One super-fight will feature Storm Samurai and Meca veteran Rodrigo "Riscado," who will be fighting a yet to be determined opponent. Another super-fight will have Jefferson "Tank," who already fought Ernesto Hoost in K-1. ... Finally, the Brazilian MMA scene is in mourning. Last Tuesday fighter Magno Penha passed away, victim of a heart attack. This athlete had been fighting leukemia for a few years, but wasn't able to win that war.