Say MMA Blog » Hall of Fame Inductees

Elvis Presley: Say MMA Hall of Fame

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:35:17 +0000

“The King”

Specializes in Karate

Elvis’s Black Belt

Elvis was exposed to Karate in 1958 in the Army, stationed in Germany. His first instructor was a German shotokan stylist named Juergen Seydel. During his leaves he would go to Paris to take private lessons with Tetsugio Murakami, one of Japan’s top shotokan stylists, whom helped pioneer shotokan in Europe. He would sometimes spend nine straight days studying for several hours a day with Murakami. It was during this time than Elvis would also start conditioning his hands for board breaking which was something he would need when he would later test for his Shodan under Hank Slomanski. He also began collecting books on Karate.

Training with Hank Slomanski was broken down into:

Basics; Kick-Punch-Block.

Rolling and falling.

Close hand-to-hand self defense.

Hand-to-hand against knives and other weapons.

As part of the training, and in the test for Black Belt, Elvis had to know how to set broken and dislocated bones.

Breaking of boards – bare first – and fingers against boards.

Kumite – no pads – no gloves – Contact – especially to the body was expected and demanded.

“…The report was that no one ever tried twice to become “top gun” – your first “ass kicking” by Hank or his top assistant, fourth degree black belt Sgt. Saur, was your official initiation into the real world of “self defense”.
As Hank would tell us later: He wanted to find out what the kid was made of. The first day of training was simply designed to let Elvis get used to the type of training he was in for. To his credit, Elvis was in great shape physically and came through the hard, tough, training drills as well as most of Hank’s own “rangers.”

Hank took his top student, 4th degree Black Belt Sgt, Saur, aside and told him: Keep away from his face, but put him down. I want you to hurt him bad – break a few ribs if you have to. Everyone sat back to watch Elvis to see if he was really the “King” or a whimpering “candy ass.” The “match-up between Elvis and Saur started out slowly as Saur was feeling him out and setting up his man. Of course Elvis had watched other fights the previous lesson and realized this was something he had never been exposed to before. Then at a nod from Hank, Sgt Saur exploded with a series of full contact blows to Elvis’s body which dropped Elvis to his hands and knees. It was obvious that Elvis was hurt and feeling the pain. Then Hank related, “I saw Elvis slowly get up with that sneer on his face … then I saw in his eyes what we usually see only in war: Elvis wanted to kill!”

As the two men once again clashed the fight had to be broken up and the two men separated. “…Hank further related, “but I found out what I wanted to know. The kid was a fighter – not a quitter. And prove it Elvis did. He was awarded his coveted black belt after six weeks of persistent suffering inflicted by Hank Slomanski, and anyone who knew the principals in this little drama knew there could be no favoritism involved. It should also be noted that Elvis was only one of a handful of civilians to whom Hank ever awarded “Black Belt”.

Story from full article at: www.tracyskarate.com

Elvis Karate Mini Documentary

Elvis Karate Highlights

A great Australian website devoted to Elvis

Elvis Timeline

Kazushi Sakuraba: Say MMA Hall of Fame

admin — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 15:57:24 +0000

Ht: 6’0”

Wt: 183

26 Career MMA Victories

Specializes in Catch Wrestling

UFC Ultimate Japan Winner 1997*

Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards include:

2001 Best Box Office Draw

2001 Feud of the Year (vs. Wanderlei Silva)

2000 Best Shootfighter

2000 Best Shoot Match (vs. Royce Gracie)

*UFC Ultimate Japan – Sakuraba’s story:

In order to gain attention for the Japanese Kingdom Pro Wrestling, Hiromitsu Kanehara and Yoji Anjoh signed on for competition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s Ultimate Japan tournament to be held December 21, 1997. However, Kanehara was injured during training for the tournament, and Sakuraba came up as his late hour substitute. The tournament was for heavyweights, and Sakuraba, at 183 pounds, was seventeen pounds beneath the UFC’s 200 pound description for the weight class. Reporting himself as 203 pounds in order to gain entry, Sakuraba was matched off against 243 pound Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blackbelt, Marcus Silveira.

Following a barrage of blows by Silveira, Sakuraba dropped for a low-single, only for the fight to be prematurely ended on a KO. Referee John McCarthy had incorrectly considered Sakuraba to have been knocked out. A noisy protest followed from the crowd and Sakuraba attempted in vain to take the microphone and address the Japanese audience. After reviewing tape, McCarthy changed his decision to a no-contest. Tank Abbott, who had earlier defeated Yoji Anjoh, was forced to drop out of the tournament due to a broken hand, allowing Sakuraba and Silveira to face off once again that night in what was to be the championship bout of the tournament. Sakuraba earned the victory, submitting Silveira with an armbar. Afterwards, Sakuraba famously stated, “In fact, professional wrestling is strong”.

Kazushi Sakuraba Links

Kazushi Sakuraba Fighter Profile at sherdog.com

Kazushi Sakuraba YouTube Search Page

Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira: Say MMA Hall of Fame

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:47:21 +0000

Ht: 6′3”

Wt: 231

32 Career MMA Victories

Specializes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing & Judo

1st Pride Fighting Championship Heavyweight Champion
,
Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion (February – December 2008)

2000 King of Kings Champion

Twice won UFC Fight of the Night honors

Was a coach on The Ultimate Fighter Season 8

Once went 14 fights without a loss.

Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira Links

Nogueira Highlight Video

Minotauro Official Website

Genki Sudo: Say MMA Hall of Fame

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:41:44 +0000

Ht: 5’9”

Wt: 155

15 Career MMA Victories

Freestyle

Genki has starred in several movies in Japan and wrote, acts in and directed the comedy “R246 Story”

Started an amateur baseball team for people 30 and over.

He has written 8 books

Sudo is famous for his elaborate choreographed ring entrances that often include costumed dancers.*

Genki Sudo Links

*Genki Sudo Entrance Montage

Genki Sudo World Order Music Video

Genki Sudo Highlight Video

Genki Sudo YouTube Search Page

Rickson Gracie: Say MMA Hall of Fame

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:31:29 +0000

Ht: 5’9”

Wt: 185

Specializes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Career MMA Record: 11 Career Victories and Zero Career Losses

Two-time Brazilian Champion in freestyle wrestling

Gold Medal Winner in Sambo

Credits himself with a combined record of over 400 victories in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, freestyle wrestling, Sambo and no holds barred challenge matches.

Rickson Grace Links

Rickson Gracie Website

Rickson Gracie FAQ

Rickson Gracie Bio

International Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Federation

Gracie Family Tree

Rickson Gracie YouTube Search Page

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy