Wayne Dennis, who also trains in Modern Vee Jitsu under Sensei Greg Pritchett (student of Grandmaster Robert Evans), competed in the Senior 1 White Belt Class in the Light Division.  Dennis was able to draw on his MVJ experience and training to help supercharge his BJJ training as he took down his first two opponents with ezekiel choke submissions to secure his spot in the finals.  In the finals, Dennis was able to grind out a hard fought bout to win on points and secure his 1st place finish.

Not to be outdone, Brown Belt Shavonne Guthrie was the other Vicente Junior competitor to bring home not one but two gold medals from the NY Open.  One in her natural middle weight class the other in the more competitive open weight class.  Shavonne has participated in the MVJ Athletics Program to assist and improve her overall performance in her recent competitions.

For more information visit Vicente Junior BJJ and the MVJ Athletics Training Center

With their second successful boxing event, IBF Promotions continues to bring top notch amateur boxing back to the Delaware area.  So if you’re a fight fan be sure to check out IBF Promotions on Facebook.

For more information be sure to check out the Ring Wars 8 or IBF Promotions on Facebook for more information about the IBF.

The seminar will take place from 11AM until 1PM at the MVJ Athletic Training Center 723 Rue Madora, Bear, DE 19701.

For more information or to reserve your spot please call 302-595-2061 or Email MVJClubDE@gmail.com.  You can also visit us on the web at www.mjvathletics.com and on Facebook.

Greg’s first opponent came out aggressive on the opening bell.  Greg was able to counter this with superior footwork and boxing skills combined with some well placed kicks to the legs and body.  When his opponent became frustrate he looked to take the fight to the clinch, perhaps hoping to draw on his Thai background as a trump to Greg’s superior outside game.  However, things didn’t quite go as planned as Greg trained for all possibilities in this tournament and unleashed vicious knees to his opponent’s body.

The second round appeared to be the same story with Greg controlling the ring and all the action.  After recovering from a standing eight count, Greg’s opponent was put to the canvas from another savage knee.  Not wanting to quit his opponent again composed himself and looked to force the fight to go the distance.  However, Greg was able to connect with another solid knee his opponent’s corner threw in the towel earning Greg a TKO victory and secured his spot in the championship fight.

As the fighters went to the other side of the venue to return gloves and wind down, Greg’s father and Head Coach of Team MVJ, Sensei Greg Pritchett, stayed behind to watch the next fight and gather some information on who the next opponent for his would be.  When it was all said and done, the next opponent would be Wilfred Villeda.  What Sensei Greg took away from the fight was that Wilfred was simply a beast.  A stocky and powerful fighter, Wilfred put his opponent down numerous times during the fight earning a unanimous decision win.

Looking at Wilfred’s explosive leg sweeps and strong inside game in the clinch, Sensei Greg quickly began putting together a game plan to take those strengths away.  He knew that Greg would have to rely on his boxing and footwork, making sure that any sweeps that came his way were countered with a hard one-two combination capped off with an outside leg kick.

As the title fight began it was obvious that Greg took his father’s words to heart and executed the plan to perfection.  Despite being swept to the canvas in the first and second rounds, Greg was able to dig in and almost stopped his opponent cold at that point.  Greg looked to carry this momentum into the final round and end it quickly, however Wilfred had other ideas and began to mount a comeback.

It was not to be though, and as time wound down Greg closed the fight with an exhausting furry putting the final exclamation point on a hard fought contest.  When the judges scores were read it was Greg Pritchett’s hand that was raised as the victor and the new WKA National Champion.

After a successful outing at last weekend’s IBF Ring Wars VII, Cheron Gregory put his recent skid of bad luck in competition to rest. Cheron faced the very tough Omari George in a 179 lb Muay Thai bout, in which he was able to score the win he’s been on a mission for. Omari came out strong and pushed the pace in the first round. However, after enduring Omari’s aggressiveness early in the fight, Cheron easily outworked Omari in the final two rounds to take a unanimous decision. I talked to Cheron a few days following the fight after he had a chance to soak in his much wanted win. Here’s the transcript of what he had to say…

Adam Crist: First and foremost Cheron, I appreciate you taking the time to talk, as always.

Cheron Gregory: Always a pleasure, Adam.

AC: You’ve had a skid of bad luck in competition as of late. How does it feel to get back on track with a win under your belt?

CG: It feels great that I was able to get the win. It was a true confidence booster. However, there are still some things I could’ve done better in the first round, controlling the distance.

AC: Your opponent, Omari George seemed very strong at the start of the fight, and was able to keep you pinned in the corner for a fair amount of the first round. That must’ve been frustrating to deal with. How were you able to adapt?

CG: It was very frustrating being clinched with Omari. He’s a very strong athlete, and I didn’t know what to do. I just relaxed and listened to my coach, Howard Steele. He told me to “push on his face, stay out of the clinch, and always press forward with strikes”, so I did. I’m glad I was able to adapt, though.

AC: As previously stated, he was a strong starter. Was he able to land anything clean enough to phase or even hurt you early on?

CG: I’m a pretty solid dude. I haven’t fought anyone that hits harder than my teammates. So, no, Omari didn’t hurt me at all.

AC: Later in the fight, Omari seemed to fade and you seemed to pick up the pace. Could you sense he was getting tired? If so, did that give you a boost at all knowing that your endurance was better?

CG: I started picking up the pace because I wanted to win. I wasn’t going to quit, and what really helped me was my corner and sticking to the game plan.

AC: What did you feel Omari’s strongest assets were in the fight and where did he lack?¬¬

CG: Omari’s strongest asset in my opinion, was the clinch. However, I don’t think he threw a lot of strikes and he could work on more cardio.

AC: What did you feel was your best asset in the fight?

CG: I think my best tool in the fight was my strategy. If I didn’t stick to it, I wouldn’t have won.

AC: Omari trains with Brima Kamara, whom is a multiple weight class, and multiple style champion for IBF. You’ve previously lost to Brima as well. Considering you want a rematch with Brima, were you hoping to make a statement knowing Brima was watching closely in Omari’s corner?

CG: I just wanted to show everyone that I came to fight and win. I didn’t do so well last time that I fought for IBF so I’m here to fight anything in front of me no matter what. I wasn’t trying to prove myself to Brima or anyone else. When I fight Brima, that’s when I worry about him. Other than that, I’m going to keep pressing forward to gain experience until I face Brima again.

AC: Would you prefer a title shot next? Or would you prefer to take a few more fights to refine your skills a bit?

CG: I don’t know…I’ll see what my coach (Howard Steele) thinks, but either way is fine with me.

AC: What would you prefer, personally?

CG: I’d prefer to take more fights. That means more preparation and more experience. It gives me a goal to accomplish.

AC: What are your future plans for competing under the IBF banner?

CG: My future plans are simple. I’m just fighting for experience and practice; getting me ready for MMA fights. My next step is turning pro!

AC: How was the nickname “Oh So Smooth” implemented?

CG: “Oh So Smooth” was actually a joke given to me by a cousin of mine. We were trying to think of a “fight name” for me. I thought this one was the most appealing for the audience.

AC: So, “Oh So Smooth” doesn’t represent anything about your character? Opposed to just a random nickname?

CG: Yeah, they say I’m smooth talking, smooth when I spar, and smooth with the ladies. (Lol) I hear it all the time but the name was just a joke. I’m not a pimp, but I do test the waters though (lol).

AC: When is your next fight, and in what style?

CG: My next fight is April 21st it’s an MMA fight.

AC: Thanks so much for your time, Cheron! I appreciate it, as always! We’ll look forward to the next one!

CG: I want to thank Coach Howard Steele and the rest of Team ROC, and Greg Pritchett. Also, thank you Adam. See you at the next bout!

With under 24 hours notice, IBF’s multiple discipline and weight class champion, Brima Kamara (Jack’s Delaware Demons, Newark, DE.), received the unfortunate news that his opponent, Yohannes Habtu (Sitan Gym, Philadelphia, PA.), was forced to withdraw from their February 25th meeting, due to circumstances out of Habtu’s control. The bout was scheduled to be the main event for IBF’s Ring Wars VII, for the 172lb Muay Thai title. I got a chance to talk to Brima, whom was very disappointed, on the eve of what would have been one further effort to lay claim to another IBF title belt. Here’s what the champ had to say…

Adam Crist: First and foremost, Brima, I appreciate you taking the time this late at night to talk to me.

Brima Kamara: Thank you very much for having me, Adam, it’s always a pleasure.

AC: How are you feeling after being given the news that Yohannes couldn’t compete?

BK: To be honest, I was disappointed because I love to fight for belts, and a lot of people were coming to see me. But, fortunately, I’ve been very active with fighting and I fought twice in the last four weeks, so I’m not too upset. Life goes on, and I’m still blessed to have a fight coming up in March.

AC: Touching on the Yohannes fight briefly…Yohannes trains out of Sitan Gym, Philadelphia, which is a Muay Thai school owned by the very respectable WBC Muay Thai contender, Rami Ibrahim. Were you, at all nervous coming into this fight, not necessarily being a Thai fighter, nor training out of a Thai gym?

BK: I know he comes from a good gym and has a great trainer that I respect a lot. However, I never think much about a fight until I step in the ring on fight night. I think every athlete gets pre-game jitters, but I’ve never been nervous about a fight since I’ve been fighting in open class. I know that I don’t train out of a Thai gym, but my gym teaches all styles, and I actually practice Thai more than anything else.

AC: You mentioned being active as of late. However, you told me that you had an asthma attack in the first round of your most recent fight; This isn’t your first asthma attack in the ring. Does that concern you at all when you go in the ring?

BK: Not really. I struggle with asthma virtually every day of my life, and it’s not uncommon for me to start weezing while training, even. It’s something I’ve grown accustomed too. I try to enter the ring with a “Do or die”, “Go big or go home” attitude. Most importantly, I put my faith in God that I’ll emerge victorious, regardless of what happens in the ring!

AC: Are you still ready in case they find a last minute replacement tomorrow?

BK: I don’t drink or do any drugs. Unless you count eating Sour Patch Kids candy tonight as a way of “unpreparing” for a fight, I don’t see why I wouldn’t be ready for a fight tomorrow. It’s hard to get out of shape in a matter of hours.

AC: Meaning, is it concerning that you may face a different style of opponent than whom you were scheduled to fight? You were preparing for one fighters particular style, and who knows what may come with a late replacemen.

BK: I never research or study my opponents. I try to mix up a variety of styles, and use superior speed, skill, and conditioning to beat my opponents. I just like to get in there and adapt. During training, I don’t worry about my opponent and what he can do. All I care is doing things I couldn’t do before, and doing things I could do before, better!

AC: Given you have so many belts within the organization to defend, how do you plan on maintaining?

BK: I’ve said before, that I always try to improve and evolve as a fighter. Personally, I believe that I am one of the hungriest fighters out there. My hunger is only getting bigger. So anybody chasing me is chasing a leopard! Anybody ahead of me, better watch out because I haven’t shifted it into to full gear yet!

AC: Let us know what your future plans for IBF hold?

BK: I haven’t really thought about it. I guess I’m going to keep on doing the things I’ve been doing, and do them better than I usually do, God willing. Until further notice!

AC: Thank you, Brima! I appreciate your time!

BK: You’re welcome, Adam! Thanks for having me, as always!

I first found Capoeira on the Internet, big surprise, but long ago all the way back around 1996. I found a now defunct website run by a young man who was part of a Capoeira club in California. He had photos and a few videos and was a very engaging writer. He concentrated mostly on the acrobatics aspect of Capoeira, but I found it all fascinating. I immediately looked around to see what was available in my area, but the only schools I could find on the east coast were in NYC, so that was the end of that.

Through the following decade, I kept finding Capoeira through martial arts movies and websites, and while my interest was high, there just wasn’t a place to train. Eventually I found out that there was a class in Philly, but I wasn’t able either afford or make that drive so I continued without Capoeira. Eventually I found a school that had classes and was close by, but there were only Sunday morning class and I just wasn’t able to make it.

I was ready to give up, but I finally got word of a Capoeira club at the University of Delaware run by an enthusiastic Spaniard who went by the Capoeira name Gorilla. I think I better explain the nickname.

When Capoeira was illegal and groups gathered in the street to practice despite the threat of capture and torture, Capoeiristas had a plan. While most trained, one or more played the berimbau, a musical instrument. What is key here is that playing music was legal, so that Capoeirista would keep his eyes open for the police. If he saw them coming he would play a specific song that told the other Capoeiristas to run for it. When the police questioned the musician, asked for the names of the players he would tell them, “Those were Cegonha, Texugo, Rasai…” However, these names were all the nicknames taken by the Capoeiristas; they didn’t use their real names. Thus the musician helped the police but couldn’t reveal his comrades even if tortured. Modern Capoeira schools continue this tradition by giving names to their students based on a physical trait, a skill, some aspect of their personality, or their personality when sparring in the roda. My name is Cachaça, but that’s a tale for another time.

Back to Gorilla. He got his name because of his short body and long hairy arms. He was an intense man and his workouts doubly intense. I finally got my first taste of Capoeira and I loved it.

The art: Capoeira is primarily an art of kicks and acrobatics. The basic stance is actually a moving stance, having you sway from side to side. However, I found out quickly that despite being an art of kicks, upper body strength was key because you’d be spending so much time upside down. Soon I learned that dancing was more important than I’d realized because sparring in the roda meant kicking at each others faces not to win, but to play, to encourage dodging and responding. Most of all, surviving a two to three hour class meant having more energy than ever. Everything was a challenge, and I am a man who rises to the challenges I take on.

The music: The music in Capoeira revolves around the berimbau, the musical instrument that sets the pace of the game. That music is most often supplemented with a drum (atabaque) and a tambourine (pandeiro), though there are many other instruments. These instruments are further supplemented with songs; songs about Capoeira, songs about life, songs about banana trees, and many others. To an outsider this may seem silly, or even pointless, but playing the instruments and singing the songs together as a group helps cement the idea that you’re part of our group. Even if you can’t sing and have no rhythm, we want you there anyway!

The roda: I could and probably will write an entire post about the roda, the circle in which we practice our techniques. Suffice it to say, sparring in the roda is the culmination of the class. You’ve worked hard, practiced your skills, even sweat out liters of water; now you work even harder to play with the other students, to show off what you can do, and to show that you can survive. It is exhilarating and exhausting.

Between the intense classes, my proclivity for music, and my love of the roda, Capoeira was an easy sell.

I have been practicing yoga for six years, and even when I find that life throws me curves and I can’t get onto the mat in any regular or consistent way, still I carry my yoga with me. The martial arts are like that too; you can take your art with you. Bo staff or other weapons aside, there are no props required to practice your art – much like yoga, where even an actual mat is not a necessity, as long as I have my body and a little floor space, karate practice is possible. Neither exercise will leave you, once you start down the path; the muscle memory will remain, even if you haven’t had an excuse to practice for awhile…

…but it isn’t just about the physical body movements. Yoga can inform and benefit a martial artist’s experience in many ways. The translation of the actual word ‘yoga’ from Sanskrit is ‘work’. There are, therefore, many types of yoga that we encounter and that we are required to engage in everyday. Besides the physical body work, every day our brains are challenged, our emotions are stretched, our attention is drawn, and it is our yoga not only to engage in all of these activities, but to braid them all together to create a day in our lives.

There are both physical and non-physical aspects of yoga, and each of them deserves an entire book dedicated to it; however, I have neither the time nor the expertise to create such works. What I can do is outline some of them here, and begin a blog series exploring one or two of these aspects in each entry. Speaking only from my limited experience, some of the most important aspects of yoga that can inform a karate practice include: being present in the moment and focusing on the ‘now’, meditation and being able to center the mind on one singular task, regulation of breathing and allowing the breath to move through the body to nourish it, using slow deliberate movements to increase strength, and differentiating between pain and pushing through a physical threshold to reach a new level of accomplishment…just to name a few. I am certain that I will think of others to add as I write each entry, but if you are unconvinced that yoga can improve and intensify your martial arts practice, or for that matter that it can benefit your life in any way, I encourage you to stay tuned – I will work diligently to convince you otherwise!

Namaste

To read the original article got to Charleston Isshin Ryu Karate’s website, here.

In the spirit of the holidays, PCOM would like to recognize Robert Evans ’98 for working towards delivering services in under-served communities through his organization, “Community Wellness Centers of America, LLC.” Dr. Evans has developed his company with a primary mission to deliver state-of-the-art health programs and services, improve healthcare outcomes in under-served communities,collaborate with hospital systems, physicians, and ancillary healthcare services. All of these steps will help to create a coordinated healthcare delivery system to provide equality in healthcare for patients through increased emphasis on preventive medicine. You can learn more about his work at Rochdalevillagehealth.com or cwcoa.com!

Receiving such praise from his peers is a great honor for Grandmaster Evans and serves as further inspiration for all of us to reach out in our own ways to help our communities this holiday season.