AMMA fighter Kavi Rai scores an impressive win over a former Thailand champ with over 100 fights last Monday night. Kavi knocked out his opponent Rodthang in the second round of a full Thai rules fight at the Thaphae Stadium in Thailand. Kavi had been training in Thailand for this fight for almost a month. Congratulations Kavi on an excellent performance!

*** Ev Ting Fights Sat 28th Jan ***

AMMA pro fighter and NZMMA sponsored fighter Ev Ting will be facing Will Cope (Phuket Top Team) at Hawkes Bay first ever cage fight at the Pettigrew Green Arena in Napier this Saturday 28th January. Ev’s opponent will be a very tall and experienced standup fighter, so it will be interesting to see the strategy he will be executing.

*** Steve Oliver Seminar 4th February ***

Gracie Barra Black Belt and Hamish’s BJJ instructor, Steve Oliver, will be holding an in-house No-Gi seminar at Auckland MMA on Saturday 4th February from 2-4 pm. Participation is only $20. All AMMA members are encouraged to attend. Contact Hamish if you’re interested in signing up.

*** Denny & Ben fight 11th February ***

Two more AMMA fighters will be returning to the MMA fight scene on Shuriken’s next show Retribution on Febuary 11th. Denny Thompson faces Patt from Syndikit MMA at 90 kgs, and Ben Sosoli fights George Bennion from Syndikit MMA at 105 kgs. The event will take place at the North Shore Event Centre. We have pre-sale tickets available at the AMMA front desk for $35.

For the Facebook page on this event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/261935263867878/

*** Kenton to fight 3rd March ***

AMMA fighter Kenton Rusbridge will be making his MMA debut on the ICNZ 16 show at the North Shore Event Centre on 3rd March. Kenton comes to AMMA with a wealth of kickboxing experience and has proven himself worthy of MMA in a short period of time. We are excited to have him represent AMMA in MMA. Visit http://www.icnzmma.co.nz/ for more details on the show.

*** Grappling Competitions ***

Once again, AMMA will be sending its grappling team to two upcoming No-Gi grappling tournaments. The next tournament will be ICNZ Contender 5 on 18th February, and then NZ Grappler will be holding its first GRAPPLERS CHALLENGE tournament Saturday and Sunday 24-25 March for Adults and Kids. AMMA grapplers are now in training for these events.

*** Holiday Schedule 30th Jan & 6th Feb ***

This Monday 30th January 2012 is a public holiday in the Auckland region. Also a public holiday is the following Monday 6th February. AMMA will be holding all normal classes on these days with the exception of the 8pm BJJ class, which will be the only class that will not be held on those days.

*** XMAS BBQ & TOURNAMENT ***
This Saturday at 12 noon will be AMMA’s in-house grappling tournament and Christmas BBQ event. The tournament is open to all AMMA members and will be split into beginner and advanced divisions. Competitors will be divided by weight on the day of the event, where there will be brackets of people around the same weight. All members who are actively going to grappling classes and open mat are welcomed to compete. The tournament will start at 12 noon, so show up a few minutes before that for weigh ins. Immediately after the tournament will be a potluck barbeque where we will be firing up the BBQ grill that’s been hanging out in the kitchen waiting to be used. Everyone is welcomed to bring some raw meat to grill, prepared side dish, or drinks for the potluck. Please be advised that there may be some beer funneling activity.

*** HOLIDAY SCHEDULE ***
Starting Thursday 22nd December through Saturday 7th January, AMMA will be operating on a holiday schedule, so please consult the posted page for the exact times for training: http://aucklandmma.co.nz/holiday-schedule. The normal schedule will resume on Monday 9th January 2011, and the next FUNDAMENTALS course will start up again at WEEK 1 on Tuesday 10th January.

*** NEW KIDS TERM ***
This Thursday Dec 15th will be the last day of the current kids MMA term. It’s been a great term with the kids progressing very well in their knowledge of techniques. The next term will start up after the holidays on Tuesday 7th February for another 10 weeks. If your child plans to return to the next term, then please have them show up on the first day of the new term with the registration fees. Registrations will open for on the first day of the new term, so advanced kids show up for the first day of class on Tuesday 7th February, and beginner kids show up for the first day of class on Thursday 9th February. No kids registrations will be accepted after the first week of the term.

Princesses of Pain’s latest female fight night event on 5th November was no less spectacular than its previous events. A sold out crowd at the ABA Stadium in Auckland witnessed the long awaited return of this all-female fighting league. AMMA female fighters Tee Nguyen, Ruiha Epiha, and Kirslynne Curammeng gave impressive performances that showed off their skills and hard training over the last few months.

Tee, who was the first of AMMA fighters, gave an inspiring performance in B-class MMA at the 58kg weight limit. She defeated a very game Ursula Marshall (East Coast BJJ) by rear choke in round 3. Tee walked away with the prestigious NZMMA Fighter of the Night award, after it was known that she continued the fight with a dislocated shoulder early in round 1. Click here to read NZMMA’s article on Tee’s Award.

Next Kirslynne fought a 3-round exhibition kickboxing match while displaying great control and good combinations. Kirslynne has been training for only 2 months with no prior experience, and took this match on short notice. With no sign of tiredness or fear, she showed the crowd her fighting potential with aggressive but controlled techniques.

Lastly, Ruiha was the main event of the evening with a B-class bout at 65 kgs, and it was an incredible match up with Charlene Watts (IMA). It was the best MMA fight of the evening with two very evenly match opponents with slightly different styles. Round 1 was back and forth striking action, with Charlene pumping great kicks into her combinations and Ruiha countering with skillful boxing. Both girls were not shy of trading, which made it an incredible stand up round. In round 2, Charlene scored a devastating knockdown, leaving Ruiha under her side control for a short period. In round 3, Ruiha regained her bearing and went immediately went for the takedown, maintaining the dominant position on the ground for the rest of the round. The fight looked close with Charlene dominating round 2 and Ruiha dominating round 3, so the decision hinged on their early performance in round 1. Ruiha was completely ready for a fourth round. Unfortunately, the judges gave Charlene the advantage in round 1, which resulted in the unanimous decision going to Charlene. It was still an incredible fight that was certainly one of the best Ladies MMA bouts that New Zealand has seen.

A special thanks goes to Kenton Rusbridge for skillful cornering, and Makoto Endo for the strength and conditioning preparation work!

Click here to view photo album.

Click here to see FULL RESULTS.

–FURY III RESULTS–

Hamish and Kavi Rai travelled to Australia to compete at the FURY III MMA fight show in Caloundra on 5th November. It was hard match up for Kavi at 76 kg against Ben Stirton of Shindo SC with head punches on ground allowed. Kavi rocked his opponent in round 1 but was unable to finish it. His opponent came back even stronger in round 2, and ended the fight for Kavi with a TKO.

–RISING SOLDIERS 12th NOV–

AMMA fighter Daeman Saini will be fighting Yukon Kemp of JR MacGyver/Crolin Gracie this Saturday at the Rising Soldier MMA event in the North Shore of Auckland. Daeman’s fight will be under B-class, and is scheduled to be fight number 3 on the card. Pre-sale tickets at $35 are still available until Friday morning at the AMMA front desk. The event will be at the North Shore Event Centre. Doors open at 4pm, and the fights start at 6pm.

JAVIER GONZALEZ SEMINAR
Javier Gonzalez, head BJJ coach for Cung Le’s AKA gym in San Jose, California, will be giving a no-gi grappling seminar on Thursday 20th October from 7-9pm. Javier has a wealth of knowledge in BJJ, Submission Wrestling, Kickboxing, and MMA. He had been one of the coach’s for many of Van’s fights when she was living in California. He will be going over winning grappling techniques for the BJJ and grappling competitor. Attendance is only $20. Please see Van or Hamish to register. There will be no Intermediate class held on Thursday 20th Oct to accommodate the seminar.

PRINCESSES OF PAIN FIGHTS 5th NOVEMBER
Ruiha Epiha and Tee Nugyen will be fighting B-class MMA bouts on the next Princesses of Pain female fight event on Saturday 5th November. Ruiha will be matched with Charlene Watt from Integrated Martial Arts in Hamilton. Tee will be matched with Ursula Marshall from East Coast BJJ. Please come out to support them at the ABA (Auckland Boxing Association) Stadium in Eden Terrace. Pre-sale tickets are only $20. Tickets at the door is $30, but the event is likely to sell out so don’t wait too long. Please see the front desk at AMMA to buy your ticket. Click here to see the event poster.

FURY III and RISING SOLDIER FIGHT EVENTS
Kavi Rai will be fighting Ben Stirton of Shindo SC on the upcoming Fury III MMA show in Australia on 5th November. Kavi and Hamish will be joining a few other Kiwi fighters to represent New Zealand on this show. Daeman Saini will be fighting Jay Johnson of GroundControl on Shuriken’s Rising Soldier MMA show at the North Shore Event Centre in Auckland on November 12th. Please get your pre-sale ticket for $35 at the front desk. Tickets are $40 at the door.

The current Kids term has just finished this week. The next Kids term has been set from Tuesday 25th October to Thursday 15th December. PRE-REGISTRATION is required. Please let us know if your child will not be returning for next term, so we may give his or her spot to a new student.

***NO GI NATIONALS***
Many AMMA Grapplers are gearing up for the 2011 NO GI Nationals, hosted by NZ Grappler on 15-16 October in West Auckland. Adults will be competing on Saturday 15 October, while kids will be competing on Sunday 16 October. This event is shaping up to be the largest No Gi event in New Zealand’s history. AMMA Coaches are encouraging all their active grappling members to compete at this historic event. Early registration price of $45 for adults and $30 for kids ends on Saturday 8th October. You must submit your registration by Wednesday 12th October. This event is open for Kids and Adults of all skill levels. There are great prizes for the kids and cash prizes for the adults. To register online, please go to: NZGRAPPLER.CO.NZ.

***NO GYM TRAINING SAT 15TH OCT***
AMMA will be closed on Saturday 15th October so that coaches and members can participate at the NO GI Nationals. There will be no Open Mat session or Sparring. If you have time, please come out to the tournament to support the team.

***Upcoming Fights***
Ruiha Epiha and Tee Nguyen are in hard training for their MMA bouts Princesses of Pain’s FAWKSEY LADIES fight event on 5th November. These ladies have been turning up the intensity at the gym, and would really appreciate if you can come out to support them. The event is set to take place at the ABA Stadium, 1 Ngahura St, Eden Terrace, Auckland. Doors open at 7pm. AMMA has tickets for only $20 at the front desk. Tickets are $30 at the door, but the event is expected to sell out before the day of the event. Please show your AMMA spirit and come out to support our ladies team.

Kavi Rai is training for his fight, which will also take place on 5th November. He has an MMA bout on the FURY 3 show in Caloundra in Queensland, Australia. Hamish will be accompanying him to the event.

Daeman Saini is expected to have an MMA bout on the next Shuriken show “Rising Soldiers” on 12th November. The event will take place at the North Shore Event Centre. Fights starts at 6pm. Tickets are $35 pre-sale and $40 at the door. Go to http://www.shurikennz.co.nz/tournament.asp for more info.

***NO GI SEMINAR 20TH OCT***
On Thursday 20th October from 7-9pm, Javier Gonzalez will be teaching a NO GI grappling seminar at Auckland MMA. Javier is one of Van’s BJJ coaches from California. He is currently helping Cung Le in his AKA training camp for the upcoming UFC 139 fight against Wanderlei Silva in November. Javier has been training at Cung Le’s gym for over a decade and has accumulated a wealth of experience in San Shou kickboxing, BJJ, and submission wrestling. This event is open to the public for a limited number of spots, but AMMA members will have first priority. Participation is only $20. Please see Van or Hamish if you would like to register.

View Photos from 2011 San Shou Nationals

NZMMA MASSIVE $25 CLEARANCE SALE

The Auckland MMA gym in Pakuranga Heights will host a big NZMMA clearance sale where most items are reduced to a crazy price of $25. The sale will take place Saturday September 10th from 12 noon to 5pm at the gym’s location 2/54 Ben Lomond Crescent, Pakuranga Heights, Auckland. AMMA Members are invited to get first pick starting at 11am. Don’t miss this momumental chance to pick up some great deals on the best name brands of MMA. Brands include Tapout, Venum, Punishment, Silver Star, Ranger Up, Xtreme Courture, Headrush, UFC, and more!

UPCOMING GRAPPLING TOURNAMENTS

The AMMA Team are now in training for a couple of upcoming grappling tournaments:

1. Auckland BJJ Open on Saturday September 24th from 9am to 5pm. More Information…

2. NZ Grappler’s No Gi Nationals on October 15-16 for Adults (Saturday) and Kids (Sunday). More Information…

Getting first for their divisions were Taylor Blagrove and Ina Manase. Both displayed very impressive performances for their relatively short period of ground training. Placing second were Cameron Sterling and Junior Iopu. Placing third were Stanislau Ablavatski, Sean Witanga, Maia Emery, and Jensen Hamo. Also winning matches were Stan Bu, Jono Tekai, Julian Chapman, Steven Benney, Corin Wharerau, Francis Tofilau, and Phil Katoa. Also competing was Kyash Balsara who suffered an injury in the first few moments of his first match. In total there were 16 AMMA members who competed. You guys have come a long way in such a short period. A special congratulations to adopted AMMA member Sonny Te Wao (who represented Oliver MMA) on getting first in his division. Congratulations to all who stepped up to compete!

View Photos from the event.

View Full Tournament Results.

SPAR IN THE BAR

AMMA will be sending more fighters to this weekends SPAR IN THE BAR event at the Juice Bar in New Market this Saturday 27th August. Boxfit have invited AMMA fighters to test their boxing skills against boxers in a public boxing sparring venue. Participating will be Daeman Saini, Sam Bennett, Kavi Rai, Scott Jones, Chase Pihama, and Jensen Hamo. Seating for this event is limited, and there are no door sales. We have 20 tickets to sell the front desk for $30 each so reserve your spot soon.

HENRY AKINS SEMINAR SAT 3RD SEP

Henry Akins, a Rickson Gracie black belt, will be coming to Oliver MMA in Glen Eden, Auckland for a special seminar on Saturday September 3rd. The seminar is scheduled from 10 am to 12 pm, and is open to the public. Don’t miss your opportunity to train with one of the very best black belts in the world. Hamish and Van will be attending, so catch a ride with them!

REGISTER ONLINE

*** STEVE OLIVER GI SEMINAR ***

This Saturday August 13th from 1-3 pm, Gracie Barra Black Belt Steve Oliver will be conducting a gi seminar for all AMMA members at the AMMA gym. Participation is only $20, which is an incredible value for learning from one of the best in BJJ. Please let Hamish or Van know if you will be attending because there are a limited number of spots. Don’t forget to bring your gi!

*** ICNZ CONTENDER 4 on August 20th ***

Don’t forget to register for the upcoming ICNZ CONTENDER 4 no-gi grappling tournament on Saturday August 20th. This event has proven to be a well worthwhile event for gaining experience, with multiple matches guaranteed. For the first time, this event will now have 2 skill levels: Under 18 months, and Over 18 months. Also for the first time, this event will have weigh ins the night before from 6-8pm (One at the North Shore Event Centre, and One at Groundcontrol, 20 Stonedon Drive East Tamaki). AMMA members are already in full training for this event, and we expect a great turnout! Click here to register or get more info.

*** NEW VENUM MMA SHORTS IN STOCK ***

Just in at the AMMA/NZMMA store are new Venum MMA shorts, available in cool new designs. These fight shorts are quality made shorts used by thousands of MMA fighters in Europe, Japan, Russia and the Americas. Prominently showcased in many UFC fights, these shorts are made with Microfiber and are ultra lightweight. There’s one-way horizontal and vertical velcro enclosure with drawstring for a smooth fit with FleX Lycra Panel inside for unrestricted movement. Come into the AMMA front desk and try on a pair!

Ruiha was up first among the three female fights. She was up against 21 year old Nesz McCloskey, who started training with Shindo 10 months ago and, like Ruiha, won her MMA debut earlier in the year. At the start Ruiha launched in with some great punch combos, and Nesz immediately launched into takedown attempts and succeeded in doing so in round 1, where she maintained a dominant position for several minutes. But Ruiha did not panic and managed to reverse the ground position, ending up on top with ground and pound activity just before the end of round 1. In round 2, Ruiha was more aware of Nesz’s desire to take the fight to the ground and effectively used her sprawl to stuff all the takedown attempts. While standing, Ruiha dominated with excellent punching combinations and punished Nesz for grappling with viscious uppercuts. Ruiha kept up the punching pace and would not let up on the attack. Nesz survived round 2, but did not come out for round 3 because her coach Kerry threw in the towel. Ruiha won by TKO.

Anastasia was up second, and she faced 22 year old Liz Warner. This was both women’s MMA debut, and it was obvious from the start that neither fighter wanted this to go to the ground. Liz established her kicks and knees on clench, but Anastasia kept coming forward with fabulous punch combinations. Anastasia effectively used her jabs whenever Liz would come in for the attack. On clench, Liz had good knees, but Anastasia would break the clench and then continue to counter punch. Although Liz came on stronger in the third round, but Anastasia kept up the dominating pace of punishing punches in all three rounds. Anastasia won by unanimous decision.

Last up with Tee against 45 year old Linda Nikeller with an MMA record of 1-0. This was Tee’s MMA debut fight, and she put up a great fight against Linda, who was a very fit athlete who had trained in kickboxing for over a decade. Round 1 started with both fighter landing great punch combinations on each other. Tee seemed to have the better reach and effectively used her jab to keep Linda away. However, Linda found her entry to the inside with with push kicks, which Tee did not effectively defend. On the clench Tee would attempt a take down, but Linda was too strong and would not allow the transition. Tee often had Linda against the cage, but Linda pushed Tee’s head down and delivered some nasty knees to the head when Tee would not give up the clench. Both fighters came out with all they had and would not back down. Even though Linda effectively stuffed all takedowns and often got on the inside with push kicks, Tee would not back down and kept coming forward with punch combinations. In the end Tee lost a unanimous as it was clear Linda landed more strikes in all three rounds. But Tee displayed a true fighter’s heart as she knew going in how strong Linda was in standup, but still gave it all she had. Linda approached Tee afterwards and showed Tee her broken swollen nose as a result of Tee’s punching, and Tee returned the favour with a cute smile and puffy black eye.

The event was a great experience for all three women, and many of the ozzy audience and other fight teams approached the team afterwards to say how impressed they were with how good their standup was and how well prepared all 3 of them seemed for the fights.

View photos from event.

Thanks to Hamish, Dave, Makoto, Francis, Avi, and the AMMA fighters for all helping Ev in preparation of this fight. It was all worth it to see him demonstrate all his skills in the cage. And thanks to all the AMMA members and fans who came out in support of Ev.

Click here to see photos from the event.