Train For FREE at Universal MMA

Yes people! We are looking for 2 eligible candidates, one male and one female,  to begin documenting their training at Universal MMA. All you need to do is click the image above and fill out the form!

We are looking for beginner to novice trainees who are passionate about MMA and not afraid to show the world what their all about. Your training will be documented online with your own writing, photos and video.

So what are you waiting for? It’s six freakin months of free frickin training, Apply NOW!

Back in The Saddle!

Okay, I was off awhile, training was stunted due to work and nagging injuries (note: when Dr. says don’t train, DON’T TRAIN!)

So I’ve attempted to eat well and stay active and have had absolutely no success with it whatsoever, but I’ve managed to keep most of the weight off and I’m jacked up and ready to rock.

I think I’m heading into Universal tonight to train with a friend of mine by the name of Denis Kang . Denis is a top 10 ranked middleweight MMA fighter. Ya, on the planet.

Its kind of like if Ryan Kessler or Brendan Morrison let you hang out to show you how to fire off a solid wrister.

Except that its Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and not Hockey. And they’re not shooting pucks at a goalie, they’re shooting them at me. Greeeat.

Luckily we’re homies so it shouldn’t be too bad. Besides, when else would you have an opportunity like this?

A world class athlete to not only hang with but train alongside? Effing sweet.

If you guys have any questions that you want me to pass on to Denis about training, just comment on this blog at the top and I’ll fire them off to him!

UFC 77 at Library Square!

Yo my peoples, in my training hiatus (it should only be another week or two) Universal Mixed Martial Arts in Vancouver along with Library Square Public House and UFC-Fights.com host UFC Events at the Square every time theres a worthwhile UFC PPV.

Library Square is located right next to the big ass library downtown, the address is 300 West georgia St.

It’s hosted of course by me, and whoever else from Universal that wants to roll through. Students and instructors from Universal get their own little section to hang out in and mingle, while watching the sweet MMA Action.

Kalib Starnes from Surrey is fighting on this card, as well as fellow Canadian Jason MacDonald…and of course the Middleweight Championship of the Universe featuring Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin.

Cover is 5 bucks (By faaar the cheapest in Vancouver for UFC PPV events) AND you get to see my creeapy ass bent up finger…absolutely free of charge.

Universal MMA Training Week 4 – Busted Finger and Football

Allright, I’m saying this first and foremost, I’m not a SLACKER!

Now that I’ve got that out of the way lemme fill you in on whats up. That little finger dislocation thingamajig  that I had last week has my finger in a splint for six weeks!

 Ha.

It’s nothing too serious but I can only take Muay Thai class right now because Brazilian Jiu Jitsu requires a lot of gripping and holdin on, which is a little tough with one hand.

As you do or do not know I am also an NFL analyst, well this time of year is like Christmas and my Birthday and spring break all rolled into one. I’m up at 4:30 every Saturday morning doing radio interviews like mad. As well as my weekly beer consumption ratio increase by around 50 times. seriously, I have a keg sitting on my patio right now!

Actually, let me plug oone of my shows, check it out here: http://radio.betus.com

Anyways, I’m back in business next week, after I get a bit of sleep.

Universal MMA Training Week #3 – UFC 74 Inspired!

UFC 74 was on the weekend so everybody is sooper stoked to train.

This week goes from August 24th and concludes August 30th

Accomplished fitness goal #2  – Touch my own toes!

Fitness goal #4 – Do a double class once this week (that means two classes in a row)

Started this week looking like this:

190.5 Pounds, five pounds GONE! (A bit less lumpy?)

Started off with the weigh-in, five pounds in a week is not too shabby, especially considering that I’m not being a hermit or drinking protein shakes and eating sticks and bark for every meal.

I’m definitely watching what I eat but c’mon! The UFC was on! I’m having a freakin beer man! (Just a few though)

Had Muay Thai with Dave on Monday, still having some issues with my flexibilty in kicking. Dave tells me it’ll come…these are just growing (or groin?) pains.

Jiu jitsu with Todd started off well this, those damn warmups are still killing me though! I thinks its the weight, I just don’t feel quite as limber as I once was. Crazy pushups and sprawls, if we didn’t get the 5 minute stretch before class started I think I’d pass out!

Alot of the moves not only require strength, but a ton of flexibility and control. Actually, control is the essence of alot of these moves, if you can think about how to accomplish them then get your body to execute the moves, they go from being awkward and resitent to smooth. Like butter. Or  perhaps pudding. My last Jiu-Jitsu class of the week was awesome, I learned some pretty complex sweeps to arm bars and ankle locks. Had one minor setback though, kind of…I don’t know how to explain…umm…well, have a look:

Now I’m no doctor, but I am fairly certain that this part of your finger isnt supposed to bend that way all on its own.

My FIRST WAR WOUND! Nuthin a bit of hockey tape can’t fix.

Does this mean I’m no longer a rookie? AWESOME!

I think I might take tomorrow off Muay thai, go for a run instead!

UPDATE:(who the hell am I kidding, I’m on my way now…after all I didn’t sign up for ballet classes now did I?)

 p.s. clocked out this week at 188.5 lbs. I’m melting this shiat off!

Universal MMA Training Week #2 – I Weigh a LOT

Okay so the first week is down, three classes, eight near heart attacks.

This week goes from August 17th and concludes on August 24th

I actually accomplished Goal #1 – Dont Die from exhaustion

I’m about 2 inches away from Goal #2 – Touch my own toes

One small setback this week, I decided to weigh myself…ahem…ugh…well…holy crap.

195.5 POUNDS!!!!

Me and Dave thought the scale was busted. (I guess I hold it well)

But I’ve never been more than 180 pounds in my entire life. That was a shocker…seriously I’m not a very big guy all around and it absolutely blew my mind. I guess those nights where I figured it was cool to just grab a six pack and watch the game at home on the couch to save money kind of backfired…at least at a pub I’m talking and jumping around and burning some calories.

This football season, I’m drinking my beers on a treadmill.

Fitness Goal #3 – Get down to a respectable weight (under 180 pounds)

On to this weeks training:

Muay thai Kickboxing with Dave Feser

I got to know a few other trainers and am sincerely impressed with the crew they have there. As I mentioned, I knew Jason Fenton and Ian Rozylo from previous comings and goings but Dave Feser and Todd Smith have been great.

My second week of Muay Thai is coming along well. We did some light sparring focusing on blocking leg kicks. I’ve punched alot in my life, been boxing since I can remember, so my confidence with my hands is fine. But I realized that since I’ve never played Soccer…I’ve probably thrown nine kicks in my entire life!

Its definitely got me using muscle groups I didn’t think I owned, and I am coming to terms with my flexibilty issues.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Todd Smith

I missed the tuesday class with Todd but didn’t miss a beat for Thursday, learned how to toss on a nasty Arm bar from my guard. It took a few tries to get the feel for it, being flat on your back manipulating another human with your hands, feet and legs takes a teeny bit of coordination. Once i got it though it felt frickin sweet.

Universal MMA Training Week #1 – I am a tub of goo.

This week started August 9th and concluded August 16th 

Fitness Goal #1: Don’t die from exhaustion.
Fitness Goal #2: Be able to touch my toes…one day

WOW…this is not pretty. I am my own floatation device. Here we go.

Muay Thai Kickboxing with Jason Fenton

I wanted to start off taking it easy and getting a Muay Thai Class under my belt. I’ve taken a few before and know and have trained in the past with a few of the Universal Mixed Martial Arts instructors.

I consider both Ian Rozylo and Jason Fenton friends of mine…even close friends…and for some bizzare reason I figured that was a bonus going into this stuff. Wrong.

We started off by doing some warm up running, push ups and burpies. I felt pretty solid…for about five minutes. Then I noticed something, I COULD’NT BREATHE! Haha, well not totally, but I quicky realized that I was completely gassed, and this was just the Warmup!

My delusions of “still having it” we’re long gone as we got into our first round of pad work. Don’t get me wrong, there was still a bit of “pop” in my jab, its just I was panting like an overweight St. Bernard in heat.

As a favor, I did a round of very (very) light sparring with Ian Rozylo to give him some work in the ring as he had a fight coming up, and honestly I think I looked OK for twenty – thirty seconds. but then something distracted me…some unseen force was holding me back…and then I noticed what it was my friggin GUT JIGGLING. All over the place.

Ya I know, a nasty revelation…I almost want to keep my shirt on at the pool now.

But I forged ahead and after a gnarly 45 minutes of heaving and sweat, I emerged victorious (well…alive is a victory) and ready to pass out. Class one, boom done.

Class two, a little light sparring and throwing about SEVEN HUNDRED KICKS. This is a tough week.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Todd Smith

Okay so I’m a radio host and UFC/MMA analyst. You would figure that I had a pretty decent grasp of Jiu-Jitsu moves and techniques, after all, I can spot a kimura or an anaconda choke from a mile away on TV!

You know where this is going.

My first class was about 10 rounds of basic sweeps.

Heres what that means: 5 rounds I laid on my back and attempted to put the individual on top of me on his back as many times as I could in a three minute round, then five rounds of being thrown like a sack full of laundry off of my opponent into a heap onto my face/back/side/head.

Fun! We alternated being on top and in the guard each round, and switched partners after each person had a round from each position.

It wasn’t awkward at all and once I got going, I was able to actually sweep my opponent once or twice…and let me tell you, when your as slow, outta shape and heaving as I was that feeels damn good dudes. Damn good.

My second Jiu jitsu class this week was learning to escape from rear guard. It’s essentially sitting on the ground and your opponent sits right behind ou, and wraps his legs around your waist, and his arms around your neck/face/chest..and holds on tight. The plan…get out of this obviously precarious situation. Not easy.

I think I lost 5 pounds in pain.

Todd Smith – Universal Mixed Martial Arts Vancouver Trainer

Todd Smith. Or who I like to refer to as “the Silent Assassin” or “The Whispering Ninja”. Ha ha, I kid. No, seriously, I’m really kidding.

Todd teaches myself, and other students lucky enough to be participating in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Universal Mixed Martial Arts in Vancouver.

Todd comes to universal mma from the tutelidge of Marces Soares – 7th Degree Carlson-Gracie Blackbelt - he’s been out here for two years making tubs of goo like myself less gooey.

Being a bit of a class clown myself, its rare that i find an individual that commands respect like Todd, he doesn’t yell or scream or anything, but when I’m in his class, I come to work.

And for a guy like me with the attention span of a drunk eight year old, thats saying alot.

Here are Todd’s stizzats:

10 years of BJJ training & competition experience 
3rd Degree Purple Belt under Marcus Soares/Carlson Gracie Team
8 years of teaching BJJ
6 years of training MMA fighters
BCRPA certified fitness trainer
27 x gold medal winner/tournament champion
Bushido Fireball tournament champion
Western Canadian tournament champion
Grapplemania tournament champion
Combat Athletics tournament champion
Grappling Grand Prix tournament champion
Tiger Balm tournament champion

Jason Fenton – Universal Mixed Martial Arts Vancouver Trainer

 Jason Fenton is a Muay Thai trainer at Universal Mixed MArtial Arts in Vancouver. Not only is this cat one of the most baddass kickboxers you’ll run into, but he also happens to be one helluva good guy.

Thats especially great when your chilling before and after class, but it also adds an interesting element to the workout as you’re stretched within an inch of your manhood and Jay comes along to add a little Humor to your day. Needless to say, “funny” and “splits” don’t really mix.

Here are some of Jason Fentons impressive career stats:

14 years Experience in Muay Thai Boxing
2nd Degree Black Belt under Arjan Mike Miles
Fight record – 39W 15L 2D with 28 KO’s
IKF North American Muay Thai Champion
WKA Intercontinental Kickboxing Champion
IKF Intercontinental Muay Thai Champion
WKA World Muay Thai & Kicboxing Champion
Still actively competing

Dave Feser – Universal Mixed Martial Arts Vancouver Trainer

Dave Feser is the General manager and supreme overlord of Universal Mixed Martial Arts in Vancouver. Not only does he rock the mat everyday teaching classes, he also actively competes.

You can pretty much find Dave down at Universal MMA everyday, whether its answering the phone or tossing a few roundhouse kicks in the ring, the guy wears more hats than Dr. Seuss. Okay, weel Dr. Seuss never wore a hat, but you get where I’m going here.

Here are a few of Dave’s impressive crudentials for teaching and competing in Mixed Martial Arts:

Certified Instructor from the International Muay Thai Association under the World Famous Grandmaster Toddy
18 years of Martial arts Experience
Has competed throughout Canada and USA
Purple Belt BJJ under Denis Kang/Carlson Gracie Team
Trained under Master Songlith Singthong
MMA/ No-Gi Experience
Fight record 5-2
97 WKC Heavyweight Challenge Champion
97 Ultimate Explosion Lt Heavyweight Champion