Rose Earl GUAM MMA Superfan

ONRA: MEET ROSE EARL!

#theforce is with her

72years old and has been attending every PXC event on Guam for the last 10 years and hasn’t missed a show since. 
She is a massive fight fan and is up to date on all our current career fighter athletes. 
She attends every event by herself, much prefers general admission seating, and is sharp as a blade. 

The secret to her youth revealed… OATMEAL!

#saina
#onra
#sinceeversince

Follow Fokai on Facebook.com/fokaiofficialpage

sinceeversince. Just dropping a not too far back photo taken from the walls of theGroundFu training center in Yona. circa 2007.  Lots of good times in this place and a whole lot of Mixed Martial Arts talent for sure.  For those that are in the know- athousand words at the very least.

Pretty blown away by opportunities available @ PurebredUnd1sputed 3038UniversityAvenue North Park ,SanDiego.  Reliable boxing, MMA, Jiujitsu, Kickboxing, and fitness programs facilitated by qualified and proven instructors in synchronicity of GoodVibrations plus the will to improve and learn–pave the way for greatness and achievment and even for the most challenged.

Its history of championship belts, tournament trophies, battle-proven  fighter-athletes and competitors ; an absolutely honorable program with the POW group, a Submission grappling program dedicated to the Spirit of Martial Arts, and  the imminent population of people looking for self-improvement; —we are proud be a part of this ethic and etiquette.  we feel honored to eat at the table of this family. thanks everyone

Exhaust the Body. Proceed the Mind. Cultivate the Spirit…or at the very least–try to.

Video Gallery

PXC 27 highlights 5:24

Baby Joe Taimanglo was awarded the unanimous decision win against Harris Sarmiento in the last fight of PXC 27. Baby Joe was all over Sarmiento for 5 rounds pinning him against the cage landing knees and punches. Taimanglo scored big on a hip toss that put the Hawaii Fighter on his head but couldn’t keep him on the ground. Sarmiento showed why he is the PXC’S 155-pound champion making Joe work for every position and not allowing Taimanglo to take the fight to the ground. The Hawaii Fighter did what he said by keeping the fight standing but didn’t have an answer to Taimanglo’s relentless clinch game. After 5 rounds the Juggernaut Baby Joe Taimanglo finally earned his first MMA Title with the decisive win against a very tough opponent becoming the island’s first 145-pound champion of the PXC.

The GuamGrapplingOrganizationPresents…!”

for more details go to www.spike22.com

Welcome to the New World of Wrestling.

For the last few years this slogan has been displayed on the website of FILA, the International Wrestling Federation, as well as just about every piece of correspondence it produces. Now, the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation is proud to follow suit and announce its movement to include the newly recognized wrestling styles of grappling, pankration, submission grappling, beach wrestling and mixed martial arts.

So far FILA, the only organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee to oversee all styles of wrestling, has not moved to have the IOC consider any of these styles for inclusion in the Olympic Games. Still, some people involved see that possibility as the next inevitable step in FILA’s quest to expand and strengthen the stance of wrestling in the world of international sport. So what does this mean for Guam? It means a lot.

Everyone knows that there are a huge number of people practicing these styles at a number of gyms across the island, and rarely a day goes by without some form of media attention being paid to a Guam athlete’s accomplishment on the mat. Logically, the first step to making the most of this wonderful opportunity for the island is to get as many people together that are already involved in these styles and to plan the way forward.

For this purpose, the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation would like to invite any person who would like to be involved in this exciting new phase of Guam’s participation in international mat competition to a meeting 4 p.m. April 16 at the Guam National Olympic Committee third-floor meeting room in Mongmong-Toto-Maite.

With so much mat knowledge and mat experience on the island, it is truly exciting to think of the possibilities for Guam’s athletes, especially if the people with the knowledge and passion for these styles decide to get involved on the ground floor.

Once this initial planning is done, the next step is to have as many people on Guam become as knowledgeable as possible about the intricacies of the styles being promoted by FILA. To this end, there is a multi-country coaches’ clinic scheduled for this May at the Spike 22 gym in Tamuning.

This clinic will bring together officials and coaches from across the Pacific. It will include as many coaches as possible from Guam who want to learn more about these styles. This is a great opportunity for all people involved in any form of mat sport to get first-hand training in what is sure to be the sporting styles of the future.

And where will it go from there? Well, what comes next remains to be seen. Fans of the Oceania Wrestling Championships will be glad to hear that there are plans to have grappling in next year’s event in Canberra, Australia.

Also, plans are in full swing to have the 2013 Oceania Championships here on Guam and to include grappling in the program, as well as the traditional styles of international wrestling.

Exciting opportunities arise: New wrestling styles will be brought into wider spotlight
These two events alone will bring the new styles of wrestling into a much wider, regional spotlight and will provide a chance for the countries of the Oceania region to see Guam shine. No matter what happens, though, it is extremely exciting to think of the new opportunities Guam’s athletes are being given to do their best and to represent the island.

For more information regarding the April 16 meeting, please call Jerome Fejerang at 483-8917.

Neal Kranz is president of the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federatio

Rich Chou, the Future Strikeforce Boss?

• Posted by MMA NEWS on November 4, 2010 at 3:00pm
• View MMA NEWS’s blog

Here on BJPENN.COM we are no stranger to who Rich Chou is. He is a good friend of the Penn family, an MMA enthusiast and professional as well as the STRIKEFORCE matchmaker.

Recently, an article was put out in a publication from Guam. It was an in-depth piece on the man who keeps the wheels turning over at America’s number 2 Mixed Martial Arts promotion and that man is our good friend Richard Chou.

The write up included several bits of information in regards to his credentials, upbringing and character. But what was most interesting was a quote from Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, who said…

“Hopefully he can run Strikeforce one day and I can step down.”

That is a pretty big statement and an acknowledgement of what a great asset Mr. Chou is to the Strikeforce organization. Many people often criticize Coker for not being enough like Dana White while manning the ship in the eyes of the public. Too often do the fans cry for a new face of Strikeforce to come forward and help push the promotion to the next level?

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but it sounds like BJPENN.COM’s very own Rich Chou could very well be the successor to Coker’s throne.

UFC Matchmaker, Joe Silva, gets a lot of credit for his matchmaking abilities. The name Joe Silva has even become a household name amongst the sports enthusiasts. But what is to be said of the recent UFC cards that he puts together? When you put them up with a Strikeforce show it almost pales in comparison to the action we see on the Showtime cards put together by Rich.

Aoki vs. Melendez, Diaz vs. Noons, Emelianenko vs. Werdum, Overeem vs. Rogers, Thomson vs. Healy, I could go on and on and on. Rich is the best in the business, rarely does a single fight on a Strikeforce card not deliver. Even if a Strikeforce fight announcement leaves you scratching your head in wonder as to why he puts fighter A against fighter B, at the end of the day, when the two warriors step into the cage, his reasoning becomes clear within the first frame of action.

That is not something you can learn, that is a gift. Rich has the goods and the knowledge to keep the good fights coming and keep the fans of MMA entertained for years to come.

Keep up the good work Rich!

The American Red Cross

Chou, who played Division 1 collegiate volleyball at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., is a former member of the Guam national volleyball team as well as the recipient of the Most Valuable Player award in both the Interscholastic Basketball and Volleyball Leagues as a senior in 1997.

While he had a lot of success as an amateur, his professional success came in the world of mixed martial arts, and it wasn’t due to his athletic prowess. Chou’s work ethic has taken him from passing out promotional fliers for MMA events to his current position as a member of the matchmaking team for one of the largest professional MMA organizations in the world, Strikeforce.

“I am lucky I get to do this for a living,” the St. John’s School graduate said via telephone from San Jose, Calif.

“Most people never get to pursue their passion and I am grateful for it.”
Getting started

Going into his senior year of college Chou got his first taste of MMA through Brazilian jiu-jitsu when John Calvo, founder of Purebred Guam, invited Chou to train with him.

“He was a big athlete and I needed a sparring partner,” Calvo said.

Chou decided to give it a try and enjoyed the individual aspect of MMA since he always played team sports.

“It was something different. It was really intense,” he said.

Calvo immediately noticed Chou’s work ethic was off the charts. Calvo said he could foresee Chou doing bigger things because of his dedication and transparency.

“He always puts family first, he works really hard,” Calvo said. “He’s always got good ideas and he’s honest.”

After graduating college, Chou decided it was time to move on from volleyball and made the transition to MMA. Chou took his first professional fight in 2002 and two years later an opportunity to start doing work outside of the ring enticed Chou to try his hand at promoting. After six years of hard work, he’s made it.

Behind the scenes

Chou said his duty as a matchmaker for Strikeforce is more complicated than this guy fighting that guy. He describes a typical work day as “a constant state of motion.” On any given day he could be trying to schedule Fedor Emelianenko’s next fight, speaking with a fighter from Japan or, most recently, setting the stage for the release of “EA Sports MMA,” Electronic Arts’ newest video game.

Despite the hectic nature of the job, Chou said it is worthwhile when the fans and fighters enjoy the show. He compared it to the adrenaline high a fighter experiences following a rousing victory.

“We get a rush from putting on a great show,” he said.

He calls the sport his passion so going to work each day isn’t a chore. Chou likened it to a lifestyle since his leisure time consists of training or watching MMA.

“It’s a very big part of my life,” he added.
Picking himself up

But life wasn’t always a success for the 31-year-old. Prior to joining Strikeforce, Chou was working with another professional MMA organization called Elite Xtreme Combat. The company folded in October 2008 and Chou was left without a job.

“I took some time off and did some soul searching,” he said.

For the first time in several years, Chou was unemployed and left pondering which direction to head. Rock bottom is what he called that point in his life because the sport he loved so much, left him with nothing.

In spite of losing his job, his good reputation within the industry got the attention of Strikeforce’s chief executive officer Scott Coker. Coker then brought Chou aboard to fulfill the critical role of matchmaker.

“Scott really helped me take my career to the next level,” Chou said.

Coker said he reached out to Chou because the two had previously worked together when Strikeforce partnered with EliteXC to produce two MMA events.

“He stood out because he was doing most of the work,” Coker said via telephone from San Jose.
Hard work pays off

Coker said about 50 to 75 people apply for a job at Strikeforce each month, but Chou’s knowledge and passion for the sport separate him from the rest. Coker added that he has high aspirations for Chou in the next couple of years.

“Hopefully he can run Strikeforce one day and I can step down,” Coker said.

JD Penn, the president of Rumble World Entertainment, agrees that Chou has the dedication and work ethic needed to succeed. Rumble World Entertainment is a Hawaii-based MMA company that has hosted events such as the Rumble On The Rock series.

“I have worked with a lot of promoters and I would say he has a lot more dedication to this sport than anyone else. He understands how important it is to have a good work ethic and to be honest and genuine in this sport,” Penn, whose brother is professional fighter BJ Penn, said via e-mail.

JD Penn added that Chou has a wealth of experience in MMA because he has worked as a fighter, a referee and a promoter. Therefore, JD Penn believes Chou has the ability to navigate his career because of his vast experience.

“It’s really up to him,” JD Penn said.
Giving thanks

Chou said he met JD Penn in 2004 and the two clicked immediately. Chou began working with JD Penn to promote Rumble On The Rock. Chou credits JD Penn for introducing him to the promotional side of the sport.

“I am very grateful that JD gave me a start in the business,” Chou said.

Chou thanks his parents for their constant support and understanding as well as teaching him the value of hard work. He also thanks his coaches throughout high school and college.

Chris Shepherd, Chou’s high school volleyball coach, said Chou was able achieve success at a higher level because his dedication to volleyball at the time was unmatched.

“He was always the first one in practice and the last one to leave,” Shepherd said.

Chou credits Shepherd for helping him play collegiate volleyball. Chou also thanks Calvo, Melchor Manibusan, Steve Roberto and Roman Dela Cruz for introducing MMA to him. He is also appreciative for the friendship and support he has received from JD Penn.
Life lessons

No longer at the bottom, Chou said MMA has taught him about life and the importance of perseverance, patience and having faith.

“You just got to grind it out,” he said. “There were a lot of intelligent people who got into MMA and failed. It’s a really tough business.”

He added that hard work and passion are the two key ingredients for people striving to break into the sport. Whether in the ring or behind the scenes, Chou said always remember to have fun, don’t burn any bridges and try to absorb as much as information as possible.

“Be a sponge and take it all in.”