The Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C. will be the home of UFC Fight Night 21, tonight, as Peruvian-American lightweight Kenny Florian (12-4) and Japanese lightweight Takanori Gomi (31-5) headline the event.

Hailing from Brookline, Mass., Florian has a blackbelt in BJJ and Genjitsu, and also specializes in Muay Thai, and is ranked by multiple MMA publications as the third best lightweight in the world. Tonight’s fight could set the foundation for his status in mixed martial arts with another win.

“Ken-Flo” split his last two fights, both occurring in 2009. In August of 2008, he faced off against B.J. Penn for the Lightweight Championship at UFC 101 in Philadelphia, Penn.

This wasn’t his first title shot, as he formerly had an opportunity in 2006 at UFC 64 in Las Vegas, Nev. against former champion Shawn Sherk.

Florian vs. Penn, Image Courtesy of MMA Weekly

Penn, who was labeled the most dominant fighter in mixed martial arts, was pushed to four rounds by Florian, but was still able to hang on and force Ken-Flo into submission with a rear naked chokehold at 3:54 in the fourth round.

So, Florian got back on his feet and prepared for his next fight against American Clay Guida at UFC 107, where Penn headlined that event, defeating Diego Sanchez to once again retain his title.

Memphis, Tenn. was the home of this event, and Florian didn’t take much time to prove the critics wrong. This time around, it was Florian who won the bout with a rear naked chokehold at 2:19 in the second round.

Florian, who owns and fights out of his own gym (Florian Martial Arts Center), with his brother Keith, will headline tonight’s event, which also includes Ross Pearson vs. Dennis Silver, Roy Nelson vs. Stefan Struve, and Nate Quarry vs. Jorge Rivera.

While Gomi has been criticized for his career’s decline over the last few years, Florian has said that he is not a believer in Gomi’s lack of talent at this stage in his career, according to MMA Weekly. The big concern for Gomi will most likely be falling to submission, as he has lost three of his five bouts this way. Florian can back that up, as he has made eight of his professional opponents submit.

UFC Fight Night 21’s doors open at 4:00 p.m. eastern time, and the first bout begins at 5:00 p.m. eastern time. It will air tonight on Spike TV at 8:00 p.m. eastern time.

Dos Santos vs. Gonzaga

In the midst of a five-bout winning streak that spanned all the way back to March of 2008, BJJ and boxing specialist Junior dos Santos added to his streak at the very first UFC on Versus. He now holds an 11-1 record, professionally.

The heavyweight faced off against Brazilian Gabriel Gonzaga (11-5), who he was supposed to face at UFC 108 in January of 2010 in Las Vegas, Nev., but could not compete due to a staph infection.

The two finally got the opportunity to fight this past Sunday, March 21, in Broomfield, Colo., where after a few moments of feeling each other out, dos Santos was able to gain control through jabs and a vicious left hook. Dos Santos finished the match off with a ground and pound on top to knock Gonzaga unconscious. The fight was ruled in dos Santos’ favor via TKO at 3:53 in the first round. Dos Santos won the bonus of Knockout of the Night.

In his previous fight at UFC 108, where Netherlands competitor Gilbert Yvel (36-14) replaced Gonzaga, dos Santos, also known as “Cigano” (or “Gypsy”), put his opponent away in an even more aggressive manner, which has been a staple in the fighting style of dos Santos for his entire career, winning all but two of his bouts in the first round.

Cigano had no remorse for Yvel, as he immediately delivered some blows to the chin and body, and followed up soon after with a left hook counter punch to an attempted head kick. The fight was stopped at 2:07 in the first round after dos Santos mounted his opponent and pummeled him with hammer fists.

Hailing out of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, dos Santos holds a brown belt in BJJ. He trains with Team Blackhouse, located in both Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Los Angeles, Calif. Cigano trains among the elite in mixed martial arts, including Anderson Silva and Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera.

Dos Santos has not yet been scheduled for his next fight, but certainly looks to continue using an aggressive-knockout style, which has won him nine of his eleven bouts via knockout.

Is it destiny to grow up in a family of a certain trade? What about a family of fighters? The historic Hart family, hailing from Canada is one of the most famous amateur and professional wrestling families in organized fighting history. However, there is a more unique story…

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Greg Jackson took a different route than your run-of-the-mill mixed martial artist. With a family of champion wrestlers, including his father, uncle and brother, Jackson learned to develop wrestling rather quickly, while growing up in a rough neighborhood.

What’s more, Jackson decided, at a young age, that wrestling wasn’t enough. Mixing in some Judo with his wrestling expertise, Jackson soon developed his own form of martial arts. And by 1992, he was ready to open up shop and begin teaching others what had become known as Gaidojutsu.

History was made in 1993, when Jackson saw his first Ultimate Fighting Championship, and took a page out of the Gracie family’s book, adding BJJ to his fighting form. He’s also added kickboxing to the form, learning from his mentor and five time world champion Michael Winkeljohn.

Jackson at UFC 96

What is known as The World’s Premiere Fight Team, Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts, located in his hometown of Albuquerque was officially named an MMA school in 2000, and since its birth, the school has developed ten world champions. It is even said that Jackson’s fighters have an 81-percent winning percentage, according to Sherdog.

As a guy that mainly taught himself, Jackson’s coaching tendencies are among the best, as seen by his repertoire of successful fighters, which include light heavyweight Jon Jones, Nate Marquardt, former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, and current UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre.

The best thing about Jackson’s coaching? Passion.

“I like changing people’s lives for the better,” Jackson said in an interview with his school’s website.

“I think that’s definitely the part I’m addicted to. When I see somebody that you know is just a normal student and their life becomes better, they become a stronger person, they become a better person, that something that really exemplifies why I’m in this business.”

Jackson works alongside Winkeljohn, who coaches kickboxing at the academy, as well as strength and conditioning coach Chris Luttrell, and Chad Lemoine – each providing expertise in the areas that make Gaidojutsu the powerful form that it has become.

Jackson is currently filming a documentary on the genesis and development of Jackson’s MMA, and will see some of his fighters face off at UFC Live on March 21, 2010, including Jon Jones, Paul Buentello, Eliot Marshall, Clay Guida, and Brendan Shaub.

After taking a look at North/South Position just a few days ago, it is only appropriate that we analyze its close cousin, Side Control.

Sometimes called “Side Mount” or “Cross Mount,” side control looks very similar to north/south, in that the aggressor is on top of the defender. The exception comes in the position of the aggressor’s body, which is now perpendicular to the defender’s body on the ground. The legs are free and the aggressor can exhibit extreme control over his opponent.

In this position, it is most appropriate for the aggressor to deliver blows with his knees and elbows. He/she can also perform various armlocks.

A little more susceptible to an escape, the side control position can be swept by the defender.

To do this, the defender slips his left arm underneath the body of his opponent, and pushes his left knee up into the opposing fighter’s side. Taking that same left hand, the defender can then grab his right foot and hook it under the aggressor’s leg. He will then usually sweep the aggressor’s leg out and twist into a butterfly position. From here, both fighters must alter their game to gain the upper hand.

Meanwhile, the aggressor also has a number of solid attacks from side control, despite the possibility of escape. One of the more powerful attacks is the knee bar. If the defender attempts a sweep, the aggressor can gain the upper hand by hooking the non-sweeping leg, and then propping himself up and grabbing the leg in a locked position. After performing this, the aggressor can then wrap his arms and legs around the sweeping leg and fall backwards, applying pressure on the other leg and hoping for submission.

Another form of side control is “Twister Side Control,” which is said to be a little easier in the grappling world. In this position, the aggressor is trying to avoid the defender’s attempt of shrimping away from traditional side control. It is done by leaning to face the opponent’s legs, and placing the hand furthest from the legs head behind the opponent’s back, then leaning them towards the aggressor.

From here, you can apply the Twister (a guillotine move that applies extreme pressure on the neck and spine), and/or the Baby Arm.

Check out the video below for a complete tutorial on side control.

A common ground maneuver, the north/south position can prove deadly for both the aggressor and the defender in many forms of organized combat.

In its most basic state, the north/south position shows two fighters on the ground, one on his back and the other on top of the fighter, facing the opposite direction, with his head over the combatant’s chest. From this position, the aggressor, or the fighter on top, can strike his opponent, or apply various grapples that will force the opponent into submission.

In BJJ, the position is easily comparable to the side mount. Sometimes, the aggressor will even hold his opponent’s belt in order to gain an even better advantage, making it hard for the defender to turn and wiggle out. Most effectively, the aggressor will try to keep his opponent’s hips pinned to the ground.

Two common pinning holds are derived from kami shiho gatame, which pins the opponents arms on his/her side, and grabbing the belt. To get an opponent into this position, a straight over throw can be utilized.

One of the best escapes from north/south is called the pendulum. This can be applied when the defender is facing the ground, as opposed to on his back, which is a variant of the north/south attack. The defender will pin the opponent’s arm to his body and left his left knee, kicking his right foot. This allows for a bit of momentum to place the opponent face down on the mat, allowing the defender to push his head into the opponent’s back. From here, the defender becomes the aggressor and twists the arm behind his back into a possible submission hold.

Overall, the aggressor in the basic north/south position is trying to beat his opponent into a knockout or submission. He can move into other different ground games, such as side control, or remain on top using knee strikes to force a knockout of some sorts. Check out the video below to see some north/south techniques.

Stemming from various forms of martial arts and Brazilian Jujitsu, the guillotine chokehold is one of the most common types of submission in the MMA world, today.

One of the most frequent mistakes a fighter can make that will make them susceptible to the hold is when putting his/her head on the outside of the opponent’s body while going for a takedown. This will fare extremely dangerous, and sometimes calls for a quick ending to what could’ve been an even matchup for many fighters.

There are two types of ways that can cause the tap from the guillotine: the blood choke and the air choke.

In a blood choke situation, the blood flow to the brain is cut off, causing much pain in the victim, which will most likely cause them to tap early, or, if a fighter is stubborn, it could cause him to pass out due to a lack of blood flow. This can happen in a matter of seconds. The blood choke is performed by placing pressure on the arteries in the opponent’s neck.

An air choke constricts the air flow from the lungs by compressing the windpipe. It is the harder of the two to apply, and it also is five times less effective than a blood choke, where unconsciousness comes a lot quicker. The pain is much more intense in an air choke than a blood choke. The air choke is performed by putting pressure on the windpipe with the forearm.

The guillotine can also be performed in another two ways – standing or on the ground.

From the ground, the opponents head should be lower than yours when you place your armpit around the back of his neck, locking your wrist and hand in a tight grip, around his throat. Once secured, the pressure should be applied up into the neck. Wrapping the legs around his waist will drive his hips lower and applying more pressure around the throat. Submission is inevitable at that point.

The standing form puts a smaller fighter at an advantage to a larger one. As the attacker lunges at you, spread your legs into a wide base stands and grab the neck, as in the ground version of the chokehold, holding the wrist. Moving forward and then arching your back will allow the forearm to slice the throat and apply the necessary pressure. Too much of an arch can put you in a defensive position and make you susceptible to a takedown.

From the standing position, you can certainly bring the opponent down to the ground and use the ground position. The best line of defense is to be aware of your head placement. Never be lower than your opponent if you are not strong enough to counter an opponent’s chokes.

Michael Bisping (ufcmedia.com)

Australia is currently the hotspot for MMA action, as we get ready for UFC 110, which will occur in Sydney. Highlighting the Main Card is the much anticipated Nogueira vs. Velasquez. However, there is another fight that may draw more attention.

Only separated by three years of age, middleweights Wanderlei Silva (33) and Michael Bisping (30) are more dramatically separated by eight years of professional experience. With his first professional bout in 1996, Silva has risen to become not only a great fighter at 32-10-1 (1 NC), but also a great leader and teacher, starting his own fight team (Wand) in Las Vegas, Nev.

Bisping, on the other hand, began his professional career in 2004 at Pride & Glory 2: Battle of the Ages, in which he won the fight in 0:38 with an armbar over Steve Matthews (2-4-0). Since then, Bisping has generated an 18-2 record – his only losses occurring within the past two years. He was undefeated with a record of 14-0 until a loss to Rashad Evans (14-1-1) in 2007 at UFC 78 on a split decision.

More recently, Bisping, also known as “The Count,” added his only other loss against United States wrestling specialist Dan Henderson. Prior to the fight, which occurred at UFC 100 in Las Vegas, Nev., Bisping and Henderson squared off in a different venue: The Ultimate Fighter: United States vs. United Kingdom. Bisping coached the UK’s team, as he grew up in Clitheroe, Lancashire.

In a fight with implications of a shot at Anderson Silva for the Middleweight Championship Belt, Bisping looked to improve his record to 15-1 and contendership, but Henderson had other plans. In what seemed to be an evenly matched first round, both fighters exchanged blows using their hands and feet, which is not surprising, beings that Bisping’s style indicates a background in kickboxing, BJJ and Muay Thai.

By the end of the round, it was quite obvious that Wolfslair MMA Academy’s own, Bisping, was fatigued, and at 3:20 in the second round, after another match of punches and kicks from both fighters, Henderson landed two big punches to defeat Bisping via an absolutely ruthless knockout.

Bisping would rebound nicely, as he ventured off to his homeland of England where he would face off against Canadian BJJ specialist Denis Kang at UFC 105 in Manchester.

The fight would win Fight of the Night honors, and featured a much different Bisping. Contrary to Bisping’s prior fight, his opponent gained complete control of the first round, mounting Bisping twice in the early-going.

Bisping followed with a statement kick to the head, which grazed Kang, and then followed up with two of his own takedowns. After a few jabs and another takedown, Bisping mounted Kang and finished him off with punches and knees. The referee stopped the fight at 4:24 of the second round, declaring Bisping the winner by TKO.

So, will Silva’s quick and aggressive Muay Thai and BJJ style, paired with the extra eight years of professional experience, bode well for the 18-2 Bisping? Bisping certainly thinks so, especially after tweaking his defensive posture, according to an interview on Bisping’s website.

Bisping vs Silva (mmafight.com)

“I’ve been working a lot of my defense, obviously since the Dan Henderson fight,” he commented. “I had no choice. I got knocked out there, and I’m not in a rush for that to happen again. I’ve been working on my defense, and I’ve got no qualms standing with Wanderlei.”

UFC 110 will air on February 21, 2010, and we will find out if Bisping has what it takes to handle a veteran and rank among the top middleweights in the world.

As Ultimate Fighting Championship hits Australia for the first time at UFC 110 on Feb. 20, 2010, heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira looks to add his ^33rd win in MMA competition.

Nogueira vs Velasquez will occur at UFC 110

Nogueira (32-5-1, 1 NC), 33, represents Brazil as he takes a trip to Sydney to highlight the main card at UFC 110 against undefeated heavyweight United States figher Cain Velasquez (7-0-0).

Despite Velasquez’ winning record and fierce wrestling style, Nogueira, also known as Minotauro, brings experience to the table with a black belt in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo.

Although Nogueira only has five losses, one of those losses came in one of his last two bouts, and was not pretty for the Vitoria da Conquista, Brazil native. UFC 92 (12-27-2008) in Las Vegas, Nev. marked the end of a reign for Minotauro. When 3-1 underdog Frank Mir took the octagon, he immediately took control of the fight, knocking down Nogueria twice with boxing moves. In the second round, Nogueria tried to establish his jabs, but Mir continued to land the big shots, finishing off with back-to-back left hands and the referee stopping the fight. With 1:54 in the second round, Nogueria lost the bout and the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship.

Nogueira would fare better in his next fight, which occurred Aug. 29, 2009 at UFC 102. The event would have taken place about one year earlier had Randy Couture not retired in Oct. 2007. In the meantime, Nogueira would win the UFC Interim Heavyweight Championship and become the first fighter to ever hold both PRIDE and UFC belts.

Couture and Nogueira squared off in what would be known as the “loser’s bracket” of the UFC’s mini heavyweight tournament. However, the fight also highlighted the event, being named “Fight of the Night” when all was said and done.

Couture opened the fight strong with some great avoidance and defensive tactics to remain in the stand up game. Eventually, Nogueira’s fists took advantage, taking Couture to the ground and allowing him to get a tight brabo choke on Couture. The second round saw Couture in one of his weaker states, the half guard, for most of the round. Finally, things slow down as Nogueira slowed down his offensive attacks in round three. Despite Couture’s late round efforts with some ground blows, it was not enough. Nogueira took the fight with a unanimous decision: 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.

Looking towards UFC 110, Nogueira sees that a win will likely earn him the right for a future title bout – an honor that his undefeated opponent, Velasquez, will not let go easily. Velasquez has built a reputation to be one of the most talked about heavyweights in the mixed martial arts world, today.

If Velasquez has any chance of winning this fight, it is with a technical and sound game. Nogueira on the other hand would be best suited to stick to his normal routine, where he has proven that he can win over 80-percent of the time.

Tito Ortiz is a monster. If you watch the video above, this isn’t news to you. Not only did he send Wes Albritton packing in 31 seconds in Ortiz’s first UFC fight, he did it with punches, not submission. Whoever taught this guy must be the greatest MMA fighter to ever say the word “Octagon,” right?

The Pan American, MMA King of Kage, No-Gi Pan Am, 6x Brazilian, Mundials, and Black Belt Challenge champion, not to mention Jiu-Jitsu master (whew) is Cleber Luciano, Tito Ortiz’s mentor and a helluva fighter in his own right. The video says it all, but wow. This guy can kick butt and then some. Ortiz began training with Luciano when his MMA career was in it’s infancy in 1997. Ortiz was still in college, but he had been wrestling since high school. That was the problem: he needed to expand his horizons beyond wrestling to comepete seriously in MMA. That’s where Luciano came in; he taught Ortiz his trademark styles of Jiu-Jitsu and Judo.

Flash forward a few months to UFC 13, a.k.a the video at the start of this blog. Looks like someone learned from someone else who’s pretty damn good at this whole fighting thing, doesn’t it? Over the next decade, Luciano watched his star shoot to the top of the MMA world, but his career wasn’t completely over. He fought a few fights, split wins and losses, but his attention was much more focused on something he realized he was great at: training fighters. Including Ortiz, Luciano trained fighters with his new Cleber Jiu-Jitsu Rio-Brasil organization, specializing in training fighters in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Those who love to do, eventually teach others how to do just as well, if not better. Cleber Luciano taught Ortiz how to fight, and the latter could probably hold his own now against any fighter/NFL lineman out there. Luciano’s a great trainer and coach, and that’s why he’s highlighted here as on of the great cornermen.

Enjoy this little video of Ortiz training at Cleber Jiu-Jitsu Rio-Brasil. The Rocky music adds a nice air of, ‘i-wanna-go-kick-some-butt-too.’ Although I’m probably just gonna keep sitting at the computer, not training to beat Tito Ortiz.

As the weather cools off outside, the mats start steaming.  Grappling, wrestling, judo, MMA; all sports that steam up the inside of venues, even in the freezing cold.

Grapplers from all over Pennsylvania are gathering, on Saturday October 24, to battle for the day in the Pennsylvania Grappling Championships.  Hosted at Penn Tech campus in Williamsport, this is the first event of the season.

Prizes for the No Gi absolute Pennsylvania Grappling Champion include $500 cash and a belt.  Individual win points can also be put towards a team total.  All men, women, and kids’ weight classes and ages will be accepted per NAGA rules.

Registration is open online as all interested parties should do so in advance.  Registration fee is $50 or $60 for families the day of the event.

Doors open for weigh ins at 8 while grappling begins at 10.  Spectator tickets are $10 and sold at the door.  The PAGC will offer a special Saturday as part of Make a Difference Day.  PAGC will be collecting body wash, shampoo, conditioner, dish soap and paper products for $1 off of admission price.  All donations will be given to the Ronald McDonald House in Danville, PA.

Venture out to Williamsport for a live grappling experience.  Breathe in the sweat and steam of the room and watch the intensity in the fighters’ eyes.  Or if you’re a fighter yourself, get back on the mats.  No matter which side of the mat you sit on, this is sure to be an event to see.

Below is a sample of NAGA submission grappling, the style of this event.  This event is ranked; all fighters must abide by the NAGA rules and regulations.