2006 retrospective

As 2006 comes to a close I think it's well worth looking back on what we've accomplished this year, both the Sor Thanikul Muay Thai team and the KD survival school. Here are the ones we won, with a few losses that were outstanding regardless of the result.














04/03/06 Pride and Glory Drop Zone 2

Pete Irving vs. Paul Jenkins in the headline fight
Jenkins wins via split decision.

31/03/06 Master A's Show in Manchester
Craig Jose TKO'd Scotlands Shaun Wright in round 2.

01/04/06
Matt Inman also fought to a draw the day after at the Bad Company show in Leeds.

29/04/06
Craig fought an excellent 5 round fight against Micheal Wakeling
Result - Wakeling wins on points


21/05/06 Newcastle fight Nite

All the boys represented well on Barry and Carolyn's home show.
With Craig defeating Richard Jones with a Rd.2 KO,
Ian Malone defeating Micheal via decision
Pete Irving taking the decision over James Cahill
Matt Inman lost a highly controversial decision to Matty Stavely, and a no show saw Pete Tiarks pull on his shorts to give an exhibition match in what his girlfriend described as 'the worst fight of the night'.

What a great night for the gym.

04/05/06 Valhalla F.C. 1

Richie Knox won his M.M.A. debut with an excellent display of boxing and jiu-jitsu with
a slick submission win over a quality opponent.

17/06/06 Invincible 1 - Los Angeles

Pete Irving defeats the U.S.A.'s total combat Middleweight champion Reggie Cardiel via unanimous decision.

03/09/06 Cage Gladiators - Liverpool

Peter defeats Next Generation/ Kao Bon fighter Kev Axworthy via KO when the tough Axworthy refused to tap to the chokehold.

24/09/06 Sportfight Scotland 1

Craig made his M.M.A. debut coming away with a submission win in rd.2 with a sweet armbar - Jiu-Jitsu! Jiu-Jitsu!

18/11/06

Lucasz Lehmann defeated Phoenix academy instructor Matt Teasdale to capture the AKA intercontinental kickboxing title.

19/11/06

Peter Irving fought to the semi-finals of the Cagewarriors World title eliminator 8 man tourney. I was victorious in the quarter final against the Wolfslair fighter Mick Sinclair, but was stopped by the eventual winner Tomonari Kanomata with little over a minute left on the clock.




















26/11/06
Valhalla 2 saw the team turn out in force with a string of victories on the home turf.

Lucasz Lehmann defeated Liverpools Kev Oloc via TKO after 1 round.

Craig Jose defeated 5 time world kickboxing champion Lex Easdon via judges decision.

Matt Inman defeated James Hedley of Kings Cobra, with a unanimous decision.

Leon Robotham stormed his debut fight with another points win over liverpudlian Neil Burns.

The Knuckledraggers Rob Mills also won his fight with a kayo when the Bear Pits Chris Ayre boldly stepped up to replace team mate Anth Barker.

So that was the year that was, apologies to anyone I missed out. Not many gyms can boast that many successes at such high levels of competition.We can all look back on those achievements and feel plenty of pride, not just those that fought but also everyone that turned up at the gym and travelled to the fights and supported the team. Everyone shares in the victories.

2006 was a massive year for us, and we laid the foundations for a bigger and better 2007. The war machine is already rolling again at full kilter, with me facing Jenkins again in February, Richie back in action, Craig set for a massive 8 man tourney and a British title fight. Matty is set to contest a Northern areas Muay Thai title and Lucasz looks poised to break into K1 this year too. I'm getting excited just writing it all down. Happy New Year motherfuckers, bring on the pain!

Prison workout

If you still haven't been brave enough to face the gym after a couple of weeks of drinking and eating, try this one on for size. The only equipment you need is 2 chairs.

Pushups X100 with feet elevated on a chair
Squats X100 with bodyweight only
Dips X100 with feet on one chair, hands on another

All excersises must be honest (That means proper form with full extension)
Time yourself and report back or post in the comments box.

Richie scored 6.28mins
I scored 6.14mins

Homework

Okay guys, it seems I managed to get my name off the naughty list this year and Santa brought me a brand new video camera. That means from now on I'll be taping all our sparring and fitness work for technique analysis; and as an added bonus I'll be setting you homework - in the shape of a video technique each week. Here's the first one, the Brabo choke. Nail it and victory is yours time and again.

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

Invictus

Richie 'Knockout' Knox

Invictus, by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bloodgeonings of chance
My head is bloody but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul.

Richie is fighting James Mair of Scotland at Cage Kombat on February 11th. It's time for everyone to get behind him %100 and push him to his limits. Christmas is over, now it's time for the real fun to begin.

Dedicated Shoot-Boxing class?

Craig vs. John Quinn

We've been discussing the possibility of creating a dedicated class to make sure everyone gets enough sparring in for tying together their Muay Thai with wrestling. The Wednesday MMA class will definitely stay as is, leaving us with the possibility of using Mondays, Fridays or Saturdays specifically for the purpose of training takedowns and takedown defence with striking, but without continuing on the floor. Post your thoughts below.

Stroke rehabilitation.

Martial Artists, Physical training instructors - Listen up!!

ARNI - Action for Rehabilitation from Neurological Injury

I will be heading down to London in January to meet up with an exceptional man Dr Tom Balchin. 1st I'd like to give a little info on Tom and the things that he does. To begin with Dr Balchin is a stroke survivor who has rehabilitated himself from complete paralysis on his left side to 99% strength and has gained for significant grades in different martial arts. He has achieved extraordinary goals that some may have deemed impossible. He has been offering his services to other stroke survivors in his area voluntarily to try to bridge the gap between them being left at home to actively getting them into the gym and to full mobility- ROM. I will spend some time with Tom there with my partners in crime Normski and big ald and after doing so will be the first in the area to be able to offer these services to the survivors. This is a voluntary program, it will benefit gyms, trainers and of course the clients but will also give publicity to clubs/gyms/ trainers etc.

Tom incorporates all types of methods into ARNI to enable people to achieve results

To learn more about the scheme follow this link http://www.arni.uk.com/

we will be looking for people who have the skills to teach and coach functional movements along with the core ARNI techniques to bring these people back to full health.

If you have any questions or are keen to help then please email me at ljar@hotmail.co.uk

Leon.

Attn: Peter Tiarks

You fear Jazz!

Buy the Chronicle - Wednesday 20th

The Chronicle is running a piece on Sor Thanikul tomorrow to commemorate the successes at Valhalla 2.

Well done guys

Big up Norm and Leon, who both passed their Stan Pike kettlebell certifications at the weekend.

Testing Strength - Building solid foundations

From combat sports to waterpolo, we are all vulnerable to injury. At http://www.med-evil-phys.co.uk/ or http://www.kettlebelluk.com/ , you will find details of a pound for pound strength test which has methods behind the madness. Peeps out there will be saying "strength test, held over the xmas period - no way" Think of it like this - you will gain a solid body without an increase in body weight which is superb for those in combat sports etc. If you have any questions on a routine that will produce the most strength without affecting you current routines etc then you can contact me on ljar@hotmail.co.uk and I will be happy to help. The test has been designed to promote strength and well being for the newyear and reduce the risk of injury.The test will no begin on Monday the 18th Dec, you have 6 weeks to post your achievements giving you until the 22nd Jan. You must post proof of your efforts in the form of either a picture or a video. Lay a good foundation and then build upon it. Details will not be posted on medievil until monday morning.

This was in the rules sheet at Sportfight Scotland -

Appearance -

(a) All contestants shall be cleanly shaven immediately prior to competition, except that a contestant may wear a closely cropped moustache.

Weird.

Bannockburn

Craig represented well at Sportfight Scotland, he implemented the game plan excellently and showed that he has the potential to be as much of a force in MMA as he is in Muay Thai. John Quinn pulled off the armbar late in the first, and Craig had to tap. Apparently he needs that arm for punching people with. We'll keep developing the jiu-jitsu, and hopefully get Craig back in MMA after he's won the Power of Scotland 8 man tourney. To summarise - bad result, cracking performance. Well done Craig.

Ian put on a Marcelo Garcia-esque display of back control in the first round, but just got overpowered as he was giving away 45 kilos again.

Dave Elliot saved the day for the Geordies with a Rumina Sato style all out grappling attack, ending in a leglock battle and victory via heelhook for Speedy.

Stalwart Peter Tiarks deserves an honourable mention for driving once again, this time half asleep, through pissing rain and with terribly diminished range of motion in his injured neck.

Anybody remember this guy?

Photo from Sherdog.com

Apparently he used to be pretty good, I think his name was Tizats or something.

"So you've got the dreaded worm? I'm afraid we'll have to operate" A public health announcement

One horrendous case of Ringworm
(Ringworm is so called by the identifiable ring around the edge of the affected area.)

From time to time we grapplers do get cases of the dreaded lurgi. You can't assign blame to anyone with any assuredeness, least of all our stricken comrades (it's always the clean freaks that get it, the scruffs just spread it) We can stop it from spreading though, just follow the rules-

1.No shoes on the mat
2.Wear flip flops or trainers up to the edge of the mat. Don't walk off the mat and back on again barefoot- that defeats the object of rule number 1, especially if you go into the toilets, that's just obvious. I'm not going to name names but you know who you are. Dirty beggars.
3.Shower off A.S.A.P. after training. Use antibacterial soap if possible, not bar conventional bar soap.
4. Don't put the same clothes back on, get clean shirts and shorts every time you grapple, and evry time you shower off.
5. Check yourself, before you wreck yourself...and everyone else on the mat. Give your body an examination, especially if you have an itch. Sometimes it takes a while to manifest in the typical appearance.
6.Infections often get in through cuts and abrasions, if you get them cover them and protect others from velcro burns etc by taping up your gloves. That is, if your MMA gloves don't have properly fitting wrist straps because you bought knock off gloves from ebay becasue you tried to save a fiver. Cheap bastards.
7. If you are infected you can not grapple! Covering it up doesn't work! Wearing a rashguard, shirt, bandage whatever doesn't stop the spread. If you see someone who has it refuse to train with them or fight them.
8.Don't share gloves and shinguards. Get your own and keep them to yourself.
9. Rule number 1 again, since every fucker seems to forget after 10 fucking seconds. NO SHOES ON THE MATS!

Treatment-
1. Keep it dry, fungal infections thrive on damp.
2. Change all your clothing and bedding every day while infected. The worm lives in Fabric.
3. Apply anti-fungal cream. I recommend Lamisil, Canesten is not strong enough and it's too wet.
Don't over apply the cream, too much or too regular just makes it worse because of the moisture. Just follow the instructions on the label.
4.Anti-fungal oral tablets are available by prescription early but your G.P. won't want to prescribe them. They are very expensive, and you might get a prescription if you've already been 5 times to beg and plead, telling them that if you can't fight then you won't be able to buy back your grandmothers house from Shooter McGavin.
5. Be patient and don't train with anyone else until it's gone.
6. Get plenty Vitamin C, not the effervescent or chewable shit that is mostly sugar with a few other bad additives that probably outweigh the benefit of the vitamin. Get the pure ascorbic acid. Holland and Brrett always has it, it's cheaper and better.

*Some people treat Ringworm by giving themselves a chemical burn with household bleach by holding a cloth or sponge doused in bleach covering the affected area and applying pressure long enough to break down the layers of skin and kill the fungal infection. Although it will instantly kill the fungus, it leaves a scar and a scabbed up area ripe for reinfection. I can't recommend this as a course of action, as bleach is toxic and the scar is permanent. I've done it though, when I had a choice between a major jiu-jitsu tournament or 4 weeks off the mat.

Once again, since saying it 1000 times clearly hasn't been enough, walking on the mats in outdoor shoes is the No. 1 cause of a ringworm outbreak. Think about all the mud, the Chava spit at bus stops, the remnants of dogshit left unscooped unconscientious owners, all the crap you walk through in the course of getting to the gym. It shouldn't need to be said.

One last word on the matter, just to clear up an urban myth - Ringworm is an actual worm that lives under the skin growing and leeching nutrients from your body until it is big enough to burst out from under the derma.

Buy todays Chronicle

Elliot and Irving walk off to establish who picks up the Slashie award for greatest Fighter/Tattoo model of 2006.

Dave Elliot and I appear in the Chronicle today advertising John Welsh's fighters tattoos exhibition at Newcastle University. Have a look in to the museum of antiquities to see what it's all about, you can find it on the main campus, through the archway and it's on the left if you've come from haymarket side. At the very least pick up a chronicle, you can find them at any number of verbally disabled vendors news stands. They'll be shouting something like 'Cuurrrlll!', or 'Bloody Hell!', or towards the end of the day just making a totally incomprehensible wailing noise.

Poland vs. Canada

Photo taken from AKA website

Lucasz Lehmann and Kru B. Norman, after Lucasz defeated Phoenix academy instructor Matt Teasdale for the AKA intercontinental heavyweight title.

Kettlebell hell

Leon Robotham, looking happy about his biceps.

Leon is training Super Double Hardcore hard for his kettlebell certification next week. Good luck Leon, you're the man.

Marcelo Garcia

No prize for getting it right.

If you guessed Rob Mills then you were right.

Guess who?

The identity of the Gorilla pressin' luchador will be revealed tomorrow. Stay tuned.

We ride! We fight! We love!

Photo courtesy of Hywel Teague/Fighters Only

The three Amigos will ride again next weekend, when Ian Malone takes on Irishman Steve McCombe at Sportfight Scotland 2. We'll be getting the choreography down on the Amigo salute for Ian's ring entrance. I've already hired the seqiunned Mexicano cowboy outfits.

Shark Eddy

Eddy Millis and I at the Shark Tank

The Shark Tank fighters went 5 for 6 last weekend at Invincible - Fist of Fury 2.

Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes right to the bone.

Geordie MMA fighters Dave Elliot, Chris McClarence, John Wilson and myself - Peter Irving, are all currently being featured in a photography exhibition at Newcastle Universities Museum of Antiquities. The exhibition documents the history of tattooing in the British Isles,and the MMA fighters section is demonstrative of the importance of tattooing in contemporary subcultures. And also to show that people with tattoos are hard as fuck, and people without tattoos are not as cool, exciting or tough as their inked counterparts.

You can see the Exhibition up until 31st December.

My tattoos were done by John Vasey at Viking tattoo studio in Jarrow.