Absolute MMA, Author at Absolute Mixed Martial Arts

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: NICK METCALFE

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! This member spotlight turns to Nick Metcalfe, our upfront yogi who doesn’t hold back. Nick is a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and regularly supports our competition team in their training. He’s known for his long limbs, sneaky triangles and an extreme love of his dog, Trey. Read on to find out more about Nick!

Occupation: Event manager/yoga instructor

Martial Arts/Sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

How did you get into the sport?

My best mate was going to PUMMA on the Gold Coast to try out a MMA class, he called me on his way and said do you want to tag along… That was 6 years ago.

What are your immediate training goals?

Help the team get ready for any competitions they have, stay in shape in case I decide to return to competing.

What are your goals for the next five years?

Teach more yoga, get a new color belt possibly, get another dog.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

It’s the vibe. But seriously the people, the team, the coaches, the facility and getting to train across three location with the best athletes in Australia.

What is your favorite move?

Ankle pick or RNC

Favorite workout/walkout song?

Kendrick- M.A.A.D City

Nicknames & Fight Names?

Milky, ginger, angry yogi (thanks Apryl).

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

Yoga, meditate, hang out with trey, jump in the ocean.

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up? If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

Grew up on the Gold Coast and spent 25 years there. Clare got a job in Melbourne so being the epic boyfriend I am, we moved. While I was training at PUMMA I was told by multiple team mates to come train at Absolute when I moved. I got a job across the road, walked in, paid my fees and have been here ever since.

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

Few special mentions Aaron S., Thiago S., Dustin B. & Jebba, they’ve been a significant part of my journey to now, but it’s important to keep an open mind because you can learn from anyone.

What’s your favorite place to eat in Melbourne and your #1 dish recommendation?

Shanghai village – order all the dumplings.

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

Turn up on time, listen to your coach, drink more water, eat all the calories, have fun, don’t quit, it is what it is as it is, namaste.

“BJJer, yogi, ginger man. So creative on the mats and a funny one outside them. A brother life has brought from Queensland to us.” – Thiago Stefanutti

“The angry yoda troll! Who yoga’s with the biggest heart. If Nick isn’t hangry he’s hanging with his boy Trey (doggo). Insulting you with snappy quips, egging on Clare and snapping on reverse triangles. What a bastard. He knows that’s what I think.” – Apryl Eppinger

“Long-limbed, red haired, stretchy, negative-reinforcement-happy (;P) crazy person. He’s alright I guess.” – Natalie Hobbs

“I remember first meeting Nick on the mat, when he first came to Absolute and thinking that despite it being one of his first times in the gym, it seemed like he’d been there for years. He’s welcoming to everyone on the mat, helpful to everyone and always quick to make sure everyone feels just as much at home at Absolute as he does. He’s also the guy that I’ll see doing every coaches class, across all of the locations and is known across the whole Absolute family. Hilarious, ridiculously flexible, and the strongest moustache in the game. He made sure to support my classes when I first came on board as a coach for the gym and he’s always there supporting everyone in the pursuits within the gym or outside of. He’s made Absolute his home since day one, and I couldn’t imagine the gym without him!”- Amit Narayan

“Nick is fun, creative, open minded and loves the banter! He has a lot of patience and will always give his time to help others! Namaste Nick!” – Clare Fisher

“Nick is such a great person to train with, always willing to help and throwing jokes while smashing you. Thanks!” – Juliette Brillet

ABSOLUTE MMA THAILAND RESULTS (10/12/2018 – 16/12/2018)

While we had an awful weekend in Melbourne with floods and rain, there was nothing but sunshine for our Absolute MMA Thailand team overseas, literally and figuratively.

Amateur MMA fighter Josh Grove from Melbourne made his Muay Thai debut at Bangla Stadium on Wednesday, securing a win via first round TKO! Not to be stopped, Josh then entered a grappling competition on the weekend, coming up against a high level wrestler from Kazakhstan and unfortunately sustaining a loss via refs advantage. Great to see Josh making the most of his trip in Thailand, we can’t wait to see what 2019 brings for this up and coming fighter!

On Friday night, Muay Thai fighter Olivia Ritchie stepped into the ring once again in a rematch against a southpaw opponent she fought about 2 months ago. Focusing on her boxing to keep the pressure on, Olivia dominated the fight and secured a win via KO in the first round with a right head kick! Congratulations Olivia!

2018 IBJJF NO-GI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Results are in from the 2018 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship that was held this weekend in the USA! Congratulations to the whole Absolute MMA team that competed and put their jiu-jitsu on the line. We had athletes from all three Australian gyms AND our Shanghai location make the trip and experience competing at the highest level of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

We’d especially like to congratulate Sarah Chapman, purple belt from Absolute MMA St Kilda who received a bronze medal in her division! Great to see Sarah looking more confident and comfortable in the purple belt division. We also had several athletes make it to the quarter finals of their divisions, Kit Dale and Dorothy Dao (Absolute MMA Shanghai), just missing out on the podium! Amazing work guys, we know you’ll take your experience gained and apply to your jiu-jitsu in 2019.

A special mention to Coach Lachlan Giles who went to war against opponent Vitor Oliveira in an epic battle for the ages. This was a ten minute wrestling match that conceded in Lachlan losing by a few advantages and Vitor pulling out of his next match. A very tough fight and great performance from Lachlan!

To all the athletes from Absolute MMA, whether you made the trip from Shanghai or Australia, you all left your hearts on the mat and we salute you! Thank you to everyone that contributes to the training of this wonderful martial art on our mats – our athletes would not have been able to make it to this level without your support.

MEET THE TEAM: TOM EVERETT

Tom Everett aka “Tommy Bahama” or “Tim” has recently joined the Absolute MMA reception/admin team and is now our main man at Absolute MMA St Kilda! One of our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belts, Tom originally hails from South Australia and is known for having a huge chest…we mean heart. Tom is active both on the local and international competition scene and we’re very happy to have him on board with us officially! Read on to find out more about Tom.

What would you consider your greatest achievements in Martial Arts?

Being invited to Liverpool, UK to compete on GrappleFest.

How did you first get involved with Absolute MMA? (What industry were you in prior to Martial Arts? What made you change?)

I was living in Adelaide, working full time and had visited Absolute MMA a few times. So after training for 3 years I decided to move to Melbourne and try to train BJJ full time.

Favorite workout/walkout song?

Hooked on a Feeling by Blue Swede

Mantra/Quote to live by?

No worries.

Tell us about your life growing up, what is your favorite memory from when you were younger?

Watching the TV show Gladiator with my older brothers, then trying to re-create the challenges and beat the hell out of each other.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully still training and teaching BJJ or running a gym.

Who is an inspiration to you, and why?

Joe Rogan, because he’s 50 years old, jacked and still gets sh*t done.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Burritos.

If you weren’t working in the Martial Arts industry, what would you be doing?

I’d probably be hating my life.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

Listen to podcasts, watch movies or play Xbox.

What is your favorite travel destination? Why?

San Diego, there is good weather all year round, good food and great gyms to train at.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

One time I drank an old Russian guy under the table in Kazakhstan…

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up? If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

I originally grew up in country SA which was a lot of fun, luckily my family moved to Adelaide before I was a teenager as there’s not a whole lot of entertainment going on in the country. I moved to Melbourne to train full time in 2015.

What were some funny/interesting/weird hobbies you had when you were a teenager?

Fortunately I’ve repressed the memories of doing anything too weird.

Can you think of a common inspirational quote that you completely disagree with and why?

“If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you don’t deserve me at my best” I feel like this is a self centered way of saying, “I’m entitled to be an asshole, deal with it”.

Besides martial arts, what else are you passionate about and why?

Living a lifestyle that makes every day enjoyable.

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

Anyone who is motivated and not lazy.

Do you have a “useless” talent that makes people smile every time you use it?

After a few beers myself and John Lentz share the same useless talent…those who know, know.

When was the last time you did something new for the first time and what was it?

I tried to learn Spanish a few weeks ago…it’s a work in progress.

Have you done other sports besides martial art and which teams/athletes are your favorite? Any funny stories?

I played football until my late teens, I had the opportunity to start wrestling when I was about 15 but didn’t want to because none of my friends did wrestling, now all I ever want to do is wrestle/ train BJJ.

Have you ever worked a job not in the fitness/martial arts industry? What were the highlights and lessons you learned?

I’ve managed liquor stores and I still bar tend occasionally, I learned that all drunk people are annoying when you’re working, doesn’t matter if they are friendly drunks or aggressive drunks.

Is there a book you’ve read that has influenced your outlook on life or the way you approach certain situations or people?

Stop Splitting the Difference by Chris Voss.

What movie have you seen over 5 times?

The Departed.

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

Don’t roll with Craig Jones…it’ll hurt.

During a Absolute MMA staff retreat a zombie apocalypse breaks out. You get separated with 3 AMMA team members. Who would be part your dream team and why?

1. Mikael Yahaya- Because you always need someone who runs slower than you do to avoid getting eaten.
2. Oliver Smith- Because he’s super tall and can get all the stuff that’s too high for me to reach.
3. Tim Trevail- I just want him there in the hope that he’ll get eaten alive and I can watch.

“Tom’s progress since joining Absolute MMA has been crazy to witness. Not only from seeing his progress through working with him for strength and conditioning, but seeing him roll on the mats. He’s someone who always strives to properly understand exactly what it is he’s doing and why he’s doing it, both in the gym and on the mat. That attitude has led to him being quite the coach and Jiu-Jitsu practitioner. He’s someone I respect greatly and someone I always look forward to talking to. On top of that, he’s currently on the road to 100 kilos, his drunk stories are full of debauchery and ridiculous… I’ve also born witness to too much evidence of the debauchery… Anyhow, Tom is great and I hope he’s eating a pizza as he’s reading this.” – Amit Narayan

“Tom is a gentleman and a scholar. He’s always been a monster on the mats, and recently he’s been a very welcome addition to the admin team at St Kilda. Love your work, Tonny. And your chest.” – Oliver Smith

“I don’t really have anything nice to say about Tom Everett apart from the fact my favorite time with him is when he leaves the gym.”- Adam Jones

“Some say it was his face for radio that led Tom to start training in jiu jitsu, others say that it was his inability to win schoolyard karate matches. Whatever the reason, we’re now lucky to have this gentleman on the mats with us. He’s a wicked training partner, and all round top guy to have in the gym. I’ve no doubt he’ll go far in jiu jitsu, with his training ethic and skill levels already driving him to the top of the rooster division in Australia.”- Tim Trevail

“Tom is one of the friendliest people at the gym, who also has really nice BJJ and is one of my favourite training partners who knows exactly how to smash me up. He is also knows for his perfect hair and his chicken legs… but that’s actually Amit’s fault.”- Livia Gluchowska

“Tom Everett is a symbol of hope for skinny weak men everywhere. A hope that one day, with hard training and perseverance they too might be able to defend themselves against a 14 year old boy or a small woman.” – Craig Jones

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: JULIETTE BRILLET

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! This member spotlight turns to Juliette Brillet, a French, bicycle riding blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Known for her extreme work ethic and boundless energy, Juliette is a competition class regular at Melbourne CBD and always has a smile for everyone! Read on to find out more about Juliette!

Occupation: Chef

Martial Arts/Sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

How did you get into the sport?

When I was living in London, I decided to take martial art classes again as a hobby and ended up joining a Checkmat gym down the road. I was pretty confused by the techniques and the rules at first. My coach was very supportive and sent me to a woman only seminar in an affiliated gym. I got twisted like a puppet and submitted more times than one can count by a skinny 11 year old yellow belt. I’ve been pretty obsessed with the sport ever since.

What are your immediate training goals?

Attending classes as much as I can balance with work, whilst trying to get quality training in instead of over training. I aim to make my opponent feel like I’m twice as heavy as I am.

What are your goals for the next five years?

To sharpen my Jiu-Jitsu, enter more tournaments and stay reasonably uninjured. Trying to not make my ears look like I’m an east European wrestler. Whenever I get PR, I’d also like to go back to uni and study sport nutrition.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

The thing I love the most is the people. Everyone is always very welcoming, respectful and available to help each other. There’s no ego around. Also having classes all day makes things very convenient for shift workers.

What is your favorite move?

Although I’ve recently started trying to grab more legs, I love chokes. I love them all.

Favourite workout/walkout song?

Whilst training I love listening to the kind of rock music I grew up with, like the Offspring or Sum 41. I’m also playing Chvrches on repeat at the minute. On competition day I tend to listen to Britney Spears or similar cheap commercial pop, cause it cheers me up. Stop judging.

Nicknames & Fight Names?

Jules, Frenchie

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

I like to cycle, or go read a book outdoors and try new hipster cafes. I can often be found walking around in Ikea for no reason. I’m also on a quest to visit all the rooftop bars Melbourne has to offer. Wish me luck.

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up? If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

I grew up in the suburb of Paris and moved to London for work when I graduated. I lived there for 4 years and loved the city, but I was feeling the impact of the lack of sunlight. In June 2016, it rained for 25 days in a row, so I decided enough was enough, and drunkenly bought a working holiday visa and a flight to Australia. And here I am!

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

Anyone who is kind, humble and respects others in their differences really.

What’s your favorite place to eat in Melbourne and your #1 dish recommendation?

I don’t have a favorite place to eat, I just love South East Asian food in general. But let’s face it, nothing’s better than a good cheese platter.

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

Chill the f**k out.

“Juliette is one of those amazing people who just brighten up the room with their presence. Her work ethic is absolutely insane. I know she regularly pulls double shifts as a chef then comes to the gym and rolls like a beast in the 10am competition session, does a lunchtime class AND trains again in the evening. You can tell she’s the happiest when she’s choking you with your own lapel. Slightly crazy and absolutely loveable.”- Richard Lattemagi

“Juliette is a rock star. She rolls like a freight train on the mat and doesn’t do any drama off the mat. I couldn’t ask for a better teammate.”- Kim Cousins

“One of the many French savages we have at Absolute.” – Nick Metcalfe

“Juliette visited us back in 2017. She left and then because she liked us so much, she came back and hasn’t left since. Not sure what it is but we sure seem to attract the best of the best from France. Hope she never leaves.” – Apryl Eppinger

“Juliette’s such a firecracker! Always a smile on her face, bouncing with energy, 3 seconds away from landing a wicked ezekiel. She’s awesome ” – Natalie Hobbs

FIGHT/COMPETITION RESULTS (07/12/2018 – 10/12/2018)

Absolute MMA boxing champion Antonia Konstantopoulou set the tone for the weekend on Friday the 7th of December, winning the semi-finals of the 2018 Elite Men and Women’s Boxing Championships (Nationals) in a 5:0 decision! Antonia showed great boxing technique, ring craft, ring control, defense and offence in her semifinal bout. Qualifying for the Women’s Bantamweight (51-54 kg) finals the next day, Antonia was matched against opponent Sacha Ryan-Dryden from Queensland.

Not to be stopped, Antonia continued her winning streak with a 5:0 decision victory in the final, emerging as the new Australian Bantamweight Champion! Antonia has been dedicated to her craft this year, just returning from an overseas training camp in Greece. We are so proud of what she’s achieved! We’d also like to extend congratulations to the whole Boxing Victoria Team for continuing to have the highest amount of medals won as a state, winning 12 medals across 16 weight divisions!

The highly anticipated Polaris Professional 8 rolled around, with Coach Lachlan Giles up first for the middleweight title against opponent Mansher Khera. This was a great fight, we got to see a lot of Lachlan’s guard work, with plenty of back and forth happening, Mansher putting lots of pressure on. Lachlan was strategically trying to attack the legs, and at one point got a good entry on a leg entanglement, but wasn’t able to convert it. In light of Mansher’s forward pressure and pressure passing, the judges granted Mansher the win via unanimous decision.

Up next for the team was Coach Craig Jones much looked forward to rematch with Keenan Cornelius to determine the light-heavyweight championship. We got to see a new side of Craig’s competition game with Craig pushing forward and utilizing his wrestling and pressure passing. His wrestling and heavy top game got him the win via split decision from the judges. Congratulation to Craig on a hard fought victory against one of the best in the world!

The Absolute MMA Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition team traveled all the way up to Kazakhstan to compete in the ADCC trials this weekend. Even though ADCC officials elected to not give out the invites due to low attendance, we had a couple of great performances from the team with James Walters coming 4th, and black belt Ben Hodgkinson taking away the sole ticket to ADCC by winning 6 fights with 6 submissions and not a single point scored against him!

It’s been a hard weekend for the team, with plenty of lows and highs, but I think we can all agree that one of the greatest things to come out of Kazakhstan is this photo of Coach Mikael Yahaya.

Cooper Burnham, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt training under Thiago Stefanutti traveled overseas to Texas in the USA for NAGA (North American Grappling Association). Having just finished his last year of high school, Cooper finishes off a big year with an outstanding result, winning Gold in his two divisions (no-gi expert division and his purple belt gi division)! After battling illness up to the comp, and a stressful couple of days with lost luggage and training gear, Cooper has proven his resolve is greater than the circumstances. Congratulations on a great year Cooper, and to everyone else- keep an eye out for this athlete who is heading over to No-Gi Worlds to join the rest of our Absolute MMA team!

Coach Livia Gluchowska unfortunately had to pull out of EBI 18 in the female straw weight tournament due to injury, with teammate Chisaki Akiyama, purple belt, stepping in on short notice (four days!) to replace her. Drawing multiple world champion black belt Pati Fontes (Checkmat) as her opponent in the first round, Chi put up an admirable fight, displaying good guard work, however eventually Pati took her back and finished it via RNC. This will be a great learning experience for Chi and will prepare her for fighting in the higher competitive levels of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu where we know she will be in the future!

Written by Emilie Yap
Photos: Polaris Professional, Antonia Konstantopoulou, Thiago Stefanutti, Lachlan Giles, Ben Hodgkinson and Young Nghiem

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: BAILEY WANG

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! This member spotlight turns to Bailey Wang, blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, resident troll and avid KFC lover. It’s been wonderful seeing Bailey progress from white belt to blue belt with us, and we know the entire gym is waiting in anticipation for his next grading…whenever that will be. Read on to find out more about Bailey!

Occupation: Professional keyboard warrior / unofficial Absolute MMA mascot
Martial Arts/Sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or in Bailey’s words…”I train UFC”

How did you get into the sport?

I want to train UFC.

What are your immediate training goals?

Sit my ass down and make a diet plan, followed by doing some cardio.

What are your goals for the next five years?

Continue my BJJ journey and hopefully Thiago doesn’t demote me back to white belch.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

The people, the staff, the coaches and I “absolutely” love the environment…except Oliver Bland…

What is your favorite move?

Knee on belly / butt scooting / side control (lol?).

Favorite workout/walkout song?

Shawn Michaels WWE Theme Song – Sexy Boy.

Nicknames & Fight Names?

The white belt hunter / Gordinho / the colonel / oss!?

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

Watch or play basketball, cooking and eating.

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up? If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

Born in Taiwan, grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, permed my hair into an afro when I was 17, move to Melbourne because my best friend is here and I wanted to move out of my comfort zone.

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

People that are respectful and people with good hearts. Everyone has different status in life, I don’t believe that one person’s integrity is worth more than the others. Oss.

What’s your favorite place to eat in Melbourne and your #1 dish recommendation?

There is too many places in Melbourne…but if you ask me “hey bailey lets pig out…” I would say lets do the the triangle tour…What is the triangle tour you ask? Well you start with going to KFC, get a 3 piece box meal (swap the potato and gravy out for gravy only) followed by going to McDonald and get a big mac burger only (because McDonald fries are rubbish) followed by going to a Hungry Jacks, use their online voucher for 2 x Flame grill Whopper for $7.95 (you are welcome people). You go home and smash those out and go into a food coma…I have no idea why it’s called the triangle tour…sounds stupid now.

Otherwise good Chinese food normally goes down well or steak and chips.

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

Be patient, learn to breathe, stretch…and watch out for this guy called Oliver Bland.

“Aaaah, what can I say about Bailey, he is our resident troller both on and off the mat. If he isn’t antagonising others about his supreme skills and talking smack to your face. You can see him sitting on the sidelines at any given comp class doing the same. In classic Bailey fashion he can also been seen heckling Coach Thiago before during and after class. The gym is certainly a more entertaining space with Bailey…I think everyone is excited for his next grading if and when that comes again.”- Apryl Eppinger

“From the perspective of an outsider, it seems fairly obvious why everyone in the gym would dislike Bailey. He has a face like a half eaten dim-sim, is leisurely proportioned, barely mediocre at BJJ, wears the worst gis in all of Jiu Jitsu, has a friggin hamburger printed on a rashguard, says oss more than some karate black belts and talks more sh*t than would seem logically sensible to most. Yet we all love him. There is something uniquely charming about Bailey because deep down he has a heart of gold and would do anything for someone if they asked. He is part of the heart and soul of Absolute CBD and the gym is better when he is around. He may be a fat idiot, but he is our fat idiot.”- Signed Adrian, Amit, Dom, Evan, James, Jarrod, Ryan and Tim.

“He gives as good as he takes.”- Jufri Abidin

“What people need to know about Bailey Wang is he’s all about what comes out of his mouth and what goes in. KFC goes in and complete and utter sh*t comes out. To his credit he’ll cop the backlash for any rubbish he talks which is often and always. The gym wouldn’t be the same without him, it’d be a lot more productive and happier. Oh something nice?! Ummmmmmmmm.”- Oliver Bland

Bailey Wang is the most dangerous KFC fighter on the history. His butt scoot is the most scary technique I ever seen. Just feel bad to promote him to his blue belt because he lost all white belt charm. And he proudly asked to be called as “Gordinho” that means ‘little fat’.”- Thiago Stefanutti

MEET THE TEAM: JAMES WALTERS

Coach James “Swolters” Walters is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt and an active competitor on the local, national and international BJJ scene. Our resident environmental warrior and keep-cup official, Jimbo is our office educator on what can and cannot be recycled. Aside from saving the world and looking swole doing it, James is also a multiple time Pan Pacific, National, and State Champion and ADCC Melbourne Absolute Pro Division Champion. If you’re looking for an example of an excellent human, read on to find out more about James!

What would you consider your greatest achievements in Martial Arts?

Meeting people from all over the world and making friends. Also, filming on top of a mountain with Stuart Cooper in Thailand was pretty awesome.

What made you start Martial Arts?

I wanted to learn how to put my body to good use.

How did you first get involved with Absolute MMA?

Sean Le G and I go way back, and when I started jiu jitsu, I asked where he trained in Melbourne, he said “Absolute MMA in the CBD with Thiago”, so that’s why I train here. Then I started teaching classes when Craig was away, then that became an ongoing job, plus I spent more time here than my previous full time job. Why not!

Mantra/Quote to live by?

You health is your wealth.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Reverse seared grass fed rib-eye steak.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

Ride my bike, cook and get obsessed with random things.

If you were going to be an animal, what would you be and why?

I am already an animal, but if I could choose something else it would be a wedge tailed eagle.

What is your favorite travel destination? Why?

Anywhere with good food, people, environment, culture, and jiu jitsu.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

When I was 18, I booked a return ticket to Nairobi in Kenya, and went there for 3 months on my own with no other plans. The flight agent didn’t want to sell me the ticket because she said she had never heard of anyone who had done that before and was worried for my safety. I ended up travelling all through East Africa and made it back alive. It changed my life.

If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

I’m from Tatura, 2 hours north of Melbourne (where the butter is from).

What were some funny/interesting/weird hobbies you had when you were a teenager?

Reading song lyrics and song meanings.

Besides martial arts, what else are you passionate about and why?

The environment, food, and health.

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

My friends. Anyone who is positive and passionate, and always looking to improve and overcome adversity.

When was the last time you did something new for the first time and what was it?

Spearfishing, it was 18 months ago now, and I only just warmed up again.

Have you done other sports besides martial arts?

I have played AFL my whole life.

What’s your favorite place to eat in Melbourne and your #1 dish recommendation?

Steak, burgers, and Ramen. Just google it.

What movie have you seen over 5 times?

Monsters Inc.

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

Tone it down a notch, Scotty.

During a Absolute MMA staff retreat a zombie apocalypse breaks out. You get separated with 3 AMMA team members. Who would be part your dream team and why?

Richard Lattemagic – His shiny forehead might reflect the sun onto some rescue operations crews who are looking for us.
Oliver Smith – He is always the voice of reason and would keep us all calm
Amit Narayan – Would keep us all swole while we wait to be rescued.

“Jimmy Walters is a real true friend of mine, from the days when we were at uni. Now he beats me up but I still love him. He’s going to be a world champion.”- Sean Le Gourrierec

“James Walters is just an exceptional human being. Highly dedicated, motivated, persistent and relentless in pursuit of his goals, which he has many. All of those traits would be exceptional by themselves, but when you attach them to a guy that’s humorous, and always looking out for his friends and teammates, you realise just how one of a kind he is. I truly believe that he’s only scratched the surface in terms of what he’ll accomplish, not only in Jiu Jitsu, but in life. Which is saying a lot, considering what he’s already accomplished. I could happily go on and on about Jimbolinho Swolters, so I will, he’s one of the funniest and warmest individuals in the gym. His recent addition as a coach at Absolute has just made the coaching staff stronger and will ensure that Absolute MMA will remain at the top for many more years to come!” – Amit Narayan

“Jimbo Swolternidis is strong by name and strong by nature. Even though all his stories end in tragedy, he’s definitely got my vote for man (and chin) of the year. Love ya Jimbo.” – Oliver Smith

“My favourite photo used to be Craig choking James. Now it’s James armbarring Craig. #TrueStoryBro”- Richard Lattemagi

“James is a super energetic, intelligent, eager to help, hunk of a man. He is very driven to train and compete at the highest level, if you roll with him on the mats, be prepared to go to war!
James never makes excuses, is always friendly and generally has an infectious positive attitude. We are all lucky that we have a Swolters on deck! He’s an ok books, one of these days I’m gonna get him, by any means necessary.” – Tim Baker

WEEKEND RESULTS (01/12/2018 – 02/12/2018)

Our amateur Mixed Martial Arts team went to war on Path to Hex this Saturday, with Lisa “Savage” Kyriacou, Rebecca “The Punisher” Cerra and Donn Malate representing Absolute MMA in the cage!

Rebecca Cerra stepped up first to represent in the gym at bantamweight against opponent Holly Pfeiffer. Starting strong for the team, Bec put on a show, throwing heavy body shots and showing good cage control. The fight went the full three rounds, with Bec eventually securing a win via unanimous decision! Awesome fight Bec, well done on your result. Looking forward to seeing you keep it up and get back in the cage in the new year.

Trained by Coach Luke Catubig, Donn Malate made his amateur MMA debut on this weekend’s Path to Hex against opponent Abe Tsimiklis. Donn has been working hard in the gym in the lead up to his bout, consistently sparring and working across the MMA classes, Thiago Stefanutti’s BJJ classes and Laos Toohey’s striking classes. Donn stuck to the game plan, working his southpaw stance in the early rounds to great effect. With a focus on his grappling and take downs in rounds two and three, Donn dominated the fight and kept the momentum going for the team by securing a win via decision! Congratulations on a great first bout in the octagon Donn!

Finishing up the event for the team in a flyweight bout, Lisa Kyriacou lived up to her fight name “Savage” by finishing her opponent via TKO ground and pound in the first round of her match! A quick finish from a takedown in the first one or two minutes! A great performance by Lisa, we are proud to have seen the growth in her since her last bout on Eternal MMA and she has trained hard to achieve this result. Well done you weapon!

A clean sweep for the Absolute MMA team with all three of our fighters taking away wins on Path to Hex! We are so proud of how hard you all have worked and your many hours of dedication have showed in this result. Thank you all for being such great representatives for the gym, we look forward to what 2019 brings for you!

Sunday saw our Melbourne CBD Boxing team head to the Reggio Calabria Club in Parkville with Coach Pradeep Singh to support Liam McNeill and Ankur Bisla in their bouts. In a great display of skill, Liam secured a win in the second round, stopping his opponent with a body shot. Congratulations Liam!

Up against a strong opponent, Ankur put on a good show and displayed his skills. Unfortunately falling short on points, the bout eventuated in a loss for Ankur via decision. Well done on getting in there Ankur, we know you will take this experience and come back stronger for it in 2019!
Congratulations to both boxers, thank you to everyone who came down on the day to support the team!

Overseas, one of our professional Absolute MMA Thailand fighters Phil Engeroff faced off against Leandro from Sitsongpeenong at Bangla Stadium. This was an absolute war, with Phil landing some heavy shots on a strong opponent. Congratulations to Phil on his round three KO!

From Absolute MMA Shanghai, purple belt Roeslan won a gold medal at Dumau Tianjin, also called the SJJCF International Open in Tianjin, China. Well done Roeslan! You can read more about the event and results here:
https://www.dumau.org/main/eventResults/337

Written by Emilie Yap
Photos: Pradeep Singh, W.L Fight Photography

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: ADRIAN CIUFFETELLI

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! This member spotlight turns to Adrian Ciuffetelli, purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and PhD student! This man lifts, rolls, studies AND works full time…how does he do it all? Read on to find out more about one of the hardest workers in the gym!

Occupation: Full Time Suit and Part Time Student
Martial Arts/Sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

How did you get into the sport?

I actually found it by accident. I moved house and joined Dominance (the gym was at the end of my street) in March 2015 to take advantage of the strength and conditioning program as well as do some Muay Thai/MMA for conditioning. The MMA classes were split so Tuesday was striking and Thursday was grappling. In one of my first grappling classes I got manhandled by someone half my size and strength and knew immediately that I needed to learn whatever black magic was being used on me. 3.5 years later and I am still as obsessed with BJJ as the first few months when I started. I do want to shout out to David Christopher, who now runs Academy BJJ out in Camberwell and who was a coach at Dominance when I started. He answered every single silly question I had about BJJ and encouraged me to start, without his patience and support I may not have bothered.

What are your immediate training goals?

My immediate training goals are a bit of a mixed bag that I am continually trying to juggle. Improving my strength through core lifts like the squat and deadlift working with Amit. Improve my BJJ (especially my guard) under the guidance of Thiago and always trying to improve my flexibility and mobility. Over time I am realizing how important it is to have a body that moves in an efficient and effective way that promotes longevity, not only in physical endeavors such as combat sports but for life in general.

What are your goals for the next five years?

Continue to train and improve areas that need improving (there are a lot). I am also applying for a full time PhD program beginning middle of next year which means I will be a full time student again. I am really excited about the prospect of challenging myself to study full time after being part time for the past 3 years. Once that is done who knows! Maybe move overseas.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

Its all about the people for me. We have the best coaches, training partners and gym staff of anywhere in Melbourne and I would argue all of Australia. Some of the people I train with have become some of my best friends so coming in to get beat up everyday is a real joy.

What is your favorite move?

I am a sucker for the classics. Rear Naked Choke from the back mount position is a go to for me both in and out of the Gi. No matter their size and strength, everyone chokes the same so I think its one of the most efficient submissions we have at our disposal.

Favorite workout/walkout song?

Anything on Amit’s playlist. The guy has the best taste in music. Definitely not the Beatles or anything Darren plays. He should have his gym DJ privileges revoked.

Nicknames & Fight Names?

Whatever Thiago feels like calling me on the day usually. I secretly want a Portuguese nickname but it hasn’t happened yet.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

My idea of relaxing is pretty different than most people I have found. I struggle with the concept of downtime. When I am not training I’m usually reading something or working on something for school. Believe it or not I actually find it really enjoyable to dive head first into a piece of reading or writing and just focus on that for hours. I think that means I am a massive nerd right?

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up? If you’re not originally from Melbourne, how’d you end up living in Melbourne, Australia?

I actually grew up in the same town as Brenton Mc! Which may not seem that remarkable but the town only has about 3000 people so it’s pretty small. It’s about 70km directly north of Melbourne and is as unremarkable as you would imagine. I’m the first generation of my family born here though, my entire family is from Italy. They immigrated here after World War 2 finished.

Who are the kind of people that you look up to and why?

People who push themselves into uncomfortable places in order to learn and improve themselves. I think one of the hardest and as a consequence most beneficial things we can do is always be challenging our abilities, whether that be intellectually or physically. Anyone who lives a life like that and takes accountability for it is good in my book.

What’s your favorite place to eat in Melbourne and your #1 dish recommendation?

Again I am a sucker for the classics. Bistro D’Orsay on Collins Street does a killer Gnocchi with Lamb Ragu that is as good as anything my Nonna made (just dont tell her that). For something more modern check out Embla on Russell Street. They are constantly changing the menu but every dish is a killer. The service is also impeccable which I have found to be quite rare in Melbourne these days.

If you could go back in time to your first martial art class, what would be the advice you give to your past self?

Relax, relax, relax.

“I don’t know many people as dedicated to their goals as Adrian. What he has accomplished since joining absolute is amazing, his schedule is one that is exhausting to read, let alone do. One of the strongest guys in the gym and all a product of his ridiculous work ethic and output. Knowing him as well as I do now, I’m lucky enough to call him my friend, I’ve also counted myself lucky to be able to help and coach him in his strength training. He is my Fratello, he is crazy, but the best kind of crazy.” – Amit Narayan

“Adrian is the strongest guy in the gym, he breaks everyone’s arms…he’s a nice guy.” – Thiago Stefanutti

“Thankfully the guy has zero technique because he sure is strong. Have I mentioned his terrible hair? ” – Ryan La Roche

“Adrian is a top bloke with plenty of brains but he doesn’t like my music…therefore I don’t like him.”- Darren Gn

“Yeah, right.” – Dom Vergou

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