TheFokaiSoCalProjectAndTUFPresent:FrankLester

WishComeTrue2:IsaArtExhibit

Dear Mr.Sakuraba & whom you may come to Japan

Hello, I’m ISA’s mother.
ISA’s art exhibition will held at Tachibana-ya in Yotsuya, Tokyo.
from April 11 to 13(11am-4:30pm) in Japan.
Please come to see his art.
I do believe your fighting power and see you someday, somewhere.

Yuko SHIMIZU

WishComeTrue: FokaiInternationalAndKazushiiSakuraba

EnsonInoueIsWritingABook

The book is coming along great.  Here’s a sample:

UFC 13 Royce Alger
May 30, 1997
Augusta, Georgia
UFC 13

In my career as a fighter I’ve always fought in the unlimited weight class, but for the UFC I was offered a fight in the 200 lbs. class. Now for the first time I had to cut weight, a total of 11 lbs. Since the fight was all the way in Georgia, the East Coast of the States, I decided to break up the travel and instead of going straight from Japan to Georgia. I stopped in Los Angeles for a few days. In Los Angeles I trained with a good friend, fellow martial artists, Burton Richardson. He helped me with some strategy and helped me touch up my striking. After getting a few good days of training in, I headed off to Augusta, Georgia. When I got to Georgia I was still 2 lbs. overweight, and because I wasn’t used to dropping weight, even 2 lbs. was a big task. 2 days before the weigh-ins I didn’t eat or drink anything. The day of the weight check I was still worried about my weight, so I just sat in my room with my sweats on, under the covers, with the heater in my room set on high. Then, 2 hours before weigh-in time, I went downstairs to the training room with my brother and hit the pads and sparred for another 40 minutes.
Finally it was time to check my weight. I guess I was so worried about my weight and wanted to be safe that I actually dropped too much weight. I was 2 lbs. under, and my official weigh-in was at 198 lbs. I was drained but very relieved that I had made the weight. After weigh-ins, there was no time to rest. We went straight to the press interviews and picture taking. All the interviews were revolved around Royce Alger, and I got the feeling that I was already counted out, with everyone assuming Royce was going to be the champion. I was in a 4-man tournament that consisted of a judo expert, Al Leninger; a Pancration fighter, Guy Mentzer; NCAA wrestling champion, Royce Alger; and myself, the world Shooto heavy-weight champion. The alternate was a street fighter with a wrestling base named Tito Ortiz. At this time in the MMA scene, the wrestlers were dominant so that is why Royce was a heavy favorite. He was also Mark Coleman’s boy who was the reigning UFC heavy-weight champion. Royce also had some Golden Gloves boxing experience in his past, so he was a very well-rounded fighter. Everything leading up to the fight in the press conferences, interviews, and commercials was Royce Alger this, Royce Alger that. In the pre-fight interview, I was asked, “How does it feel to be going up against someone of Royce Alger’s caliber?”. And my answer was, ” I hear Royce is one of Dan Gable’s most ferocious wrestlers, so I look forward to meeting his aggression head on head.”
When we got in the arena, I was in awe at the set-up, and still had a hard time comprehending that I was going to be fighting in the pioneer of MMA, the UFC. 2 fights before Royce and I were going to fight, we were called to be on stand-by in a warm up area where there was a small mat area to warm up. What was very awkward was across the way from my warm up area, I could see over to Royce’s warm up area. I wasn’t interested in seeing Royce before the fight so I tried not to look over there, and just focused on my warm ups but………….

from the shoyoroll frums  on

www.shoyoroll.com

HearYeHearYe!FightersInterestedInTHeUFC

Calling all Heavyweights, Light Heavyweights and Middleweights! With the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter set to kick off April 1st, the 10th season is already in the works and SpikeTV, along with UFC, has announced the casting call at The Marriott Seattle Airport Hotel in Seattle, WA on April 6th. Fighters can register by showing up at the Marriott between 8am and 9am on that date, or in advance by filling out the online registration form here.
Applicants will have to grapple and hit pads so bring gear.

www.bjpenn.com

CelebrityFokai:TheFokai/UFCProject2

FokaiFamilia:EnsonInoue

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50HCI4cvM2Q

EnsonInoue:FokaiFamilia SpeciaThanksTowww.Tune-in-tokyo.com

Enson Inoue the living “Yamato Damashii”

Posted: February 25th, 2009 | Filed under: Martial Arts | Tags: bushido, enson, inoue, jiu jitsu, k1, MMA, omiya, pride, purebred, samurai, shooto, yamato damashii |

Yesterday, I had the chance to meet with Enson “Yamato Damashii” Inoue at his Shooto gym, ‘Purebred‘, in Higashi Omiya, Saitama.

For those of you who don’t follow Mixed Martial Arts, Enson is an American born Japanese jiu jitsu blackbelt and former Shooto Japan Champ known for never tapping and never quitting in the ring. During his career he’s never turned down a fight taking on top notch killers like Igor Vovchanchyn, Frank Shamrock, Mark Kerr, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Randy Couture (watch his win over Randy Couture here).

The purpose of my visit with Enson was not to inquire about his training routine nor was I there to ask him what he eats for breakfast everyday (although I’m quite curious to know how he stays so big and strong). I wanted to meet Enson to talk with him about him. It’s “Yamato Damashii” or the “samurai spirit” that intrigues me and I think a lot of people would appreciate a guy like Enson who has always been true to himself and the people around him.

Enson was at his gym lastnight to meet some fighters who, according to them, had ‘lost their spirit’. They asked Enson to help them ‘get their spirit back’ before their upcoming competition. Enson was happy to help them with that.

He said, “99% of the time people quit, not because their body breaks. They quit because their mind quits on their body. In order for these guys to get their spirit back, I’m going to break them. Once they see that they can live through the pain and the fear…they will get their spirit back.”

I sat and watched as they were indeed physically and mentally worn down, beaten and finally broken. I’m sure glad it wasn’t me who had a lost spirit! The two fighters managed to walk out of the gym on their own and alive. They were very thankful that Enson took the time to help them understand a little bit about “Yamato Damashii”. Although they might be sore today, I’m certain that they’re in high spirits knowing that they survived through the pain and fear and that they weren’t broken afterall.

Besides being active in the gym training his fighters and supporting his team, Enson has another kind of battle going on. On the 18th of October 2008, Enson was charged with the possession of up to 16.9 grams of marijuana in Ikebukuro. He spent a month in jail and now he’s fighting deportation.

According to reports at both Mainichi Daily News and Nikkan Sports, a policeman busted Inoue at 3 PM JST on the 18th (Saturday) at a coin-parking machine in (Ikebukuro) Toshima city (Tokyo). During a car inspection, the policeman discovered marijuana cigarettes (up to 16.9 grams of marijuana) in the car’s sunroof, door compartment, and pocket(s) of Inoue’s clothing.

In Japan, if arrested for any quantity of cannabis for possession, cultivation or traffic the suspect will be detained immediately and confined until the trial and sentencing hearing and for the duration of subsequent servitude.

Enson spent a month in jail and was given a suspended sentence. Now, although Enson has represented Japan internationally as a MMA fighter and is national icon, he’s facing deportation for his violation of the Japanese Cannabis Law.

I asked Enson about jail in Japan and if it is really as bad as what people say. He was silent for a moment and then he said, “do you know what it’s like to be treated like a dog?” Because in jail that’s what you are, a dog.”

Like he’s always done in the past, Enson is using his fear and pain to fuel his life’s journey. He’s currently writing a book which touches upon various topics like his so called association with the Yakuza, his life as a gaijin living in Japan, his hollywood appearances (”Redbelt” & “Finding Home“) and and his recent run in with the law including his personal daily journal written during his recent incarceration in a Japanese jail.

Support Enson by visiting his Facebook or Myspace pages or go directly to his blog.

CelebrityFokai:RevisitingTheJabbawokeez

SinceEverSince:EnsonInoueinPrideFC5

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