Absolute MMA, Author at Absolute Mixed Martial Arts

MEET THE TEAM: JAMES SULLIVAN

A very warm welcome to James Peter Sullivan, our newest addition to the reception staff at Absolute MMA! With the same name as the protagonist from Monsters Inc., James is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and despite not being blue and covered in fur, is a monster on the mats in his own right, having won a New Zealand national championship in the past. We first met James at one of our Craig Jones’ camps at Absolute MMA Thailand and we are very glad to have him with us as part of the team after he moved to Australia earlier this year. Read on to find out more about our boy from NZ, James!

What would you consider your greatest achievements in Martial Arts?

I won a NZ National Championship in BJJ, that was cool.

What made you start Martial Arts?

I wanted to be able to beat up my older brother.

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

I trained at Absolute MMA Australia for a whole 3 weeks before joining the team. There was a job opening, I applied and was lucky enough to get the job. Prior to being in the Martial arts industry, I finished a Health Science degree over the last 3 years and I worked in the insurance industry before that, it sucked.

Favourite workout/walkout song?

Changes all the time. Currently (18/06/2019) the last 2:30 mins of Chronos by Parkway Drive.

Mantra/Quote to live by?

‘Austin 3:16’.

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

Growing up in the mean streets of Wellington, New Zealand was tough. Lots of gangs and crime. Just happy I survived.

Who is an inspiration to you, and why?

‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. He beat up his boss and got away with it.

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

The Almond Croissant from Wellington Sour Dough Company. It’s something special.

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

Working in the Public Health system or working as a PT.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Working somewhere better than Absolute MMA.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

Watch NJPW.

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

Sloth.

What is your favourite travel destination? Why?

Travel is overrated. Thailand is pretty great though.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I have a third nipple.

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

I wanted to be a professional bowler at one stage. That lasted around 2 weeks.

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

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” ― Socrates. Socrates clearly did not value privacy very highly.

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

Stock market, politics, physiology, coffee and food.

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

Generally people with a public platform that risk being persecuted to express an opinion to change the conversation or challenge a social norm.

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

I can do a back flip.

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

I moved countries this year, hadn’t done that before.

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

Favourite team is ‘Chaos’ from NJPW, although prime ‘NWO’ is very good.

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

I worked in insurance. The highlight was learning that I definitely did not want to be in insurance. I also taught gymnastics to kids, learned that I didn’t want to have kids.

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

Currently the ‘Prato Freito’ from B’cos Brazil. Favourite place changes all the time.

What’s your favourite music genre and musicians? Why do you enjoy their music?

Everything, but I do have a soft spot for 2000-2005 R&B. I strongly believe that ‘Say my Name’ by Destiny’s Child, is the greatest R&B song of all time.

What movie have you seen over 5 times?

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

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

Harry Potter. I take things less seriously, because I know I’m just a muggle and eventually the wizards will take over anyway.

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

That no matter what anyone tries to you, Deep Half Guard is a waste of time and doesn’t work.

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

Are they Undead Zombies brought back to life by a Necromancer or Zombies brought on by a plague virus? I would need to know before I could pick.

“James, although from New Zealand, is quite a nice fellow. Easy going, sharp as a (very blunt) tack, and always down for a roll. We met in Thailand at the very first Craig Jones camp and I’m glad our paths have crossed again. Welcome to the team.”- Oliver Smith

“I’ve not known James very long, but we have hung out a couple of times, he is a funny friendly guy, and I’m really looking forward to rolling with him more!”- Tim Baker

“I met James when he was 15 years old as a kitchen hand, not yet a man, not quite a boy…but he definitely identified as a male. Fast forward to 2015 where randomly I crossed paths with James on the mats of AMMA South Yarra as a purple belt. To my dismay, James had become very skilled in BJJ which deterred me from bullying him (like we did in the kitchen). He had also grown into an even more awesome dude than expected. James is a genuine, unique guy who is always keen to help, and super funny. He can also eat more food than anyone that has ever existed ever. I’m stoked James is at AMMA, his passion for BJJ, health and fitness is an asset for sure.”- Michael Morrison

“He’s wonderful, top bloke.”- Alistair Marx

“I’ve had the privilege of working with James. Hes a funny guy who’s always up for a chat and a killer brown belt.”- Maria Zampogna

“He is such a helpful guy to roll with, always showing me how to better my techniques and improve my game, thanks for all the tips Richard”- Maxwell Mews

“In case you can’t tell us apart, James wears a black hoodie, I wear the white. He is also slightly better at jiu jitsu.”- Richard Lattemagi

FIGHT/COMPETITION RESULTS (14/06/2019-17/06/2019)

Yesterday at the Queensland State Championship at the Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium, we had our two competitors, Hugh Boyd and Brodie Greco, showcase their skills on the mats. Up against some of Australia’s top blue belts, Brodie won both his division’s first matches via submission, losing out in the semi-finals in Gi via armbar, and in No-gi on points (3-0). Brodie takes away two medals for his efforts, and despite falling short of the desired first place, we are proud of him for leaving it all on the mats. Well done Brodie!

Assistant Kids BJJ Coach Hugh Boyd also took away two medals for his performance on the mats, securing the desired Gold in No-gi and a bronze in the Gi. One of Hugh’s highlights was pulling off a well timed flying triangle off an opponent’s guard pull. Congratulations Hugh on a great performance in Queensland!

Our international team made waves in Japan with purple belt Jason Vauters from Absolute MMA Shanghai winning the IBJJF Masters Asian open in Tokyo today! Great work Jason, thanks for being such a great representative for the team in Asia!

Photography: Lachlan Giles, Dorothy Dao.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: JULIAN GONZALEZ

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! This member spotlight turns to Julian “Julz/The Chubby Roller” Gonzalez, also affectionately known as ‘Thiago’s son’ and one of our resident black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A known Star Wars and Marvel fan, Julz loves his science fiction just as much as he loves the look on people’s faces when they struggle to submit him. Read on to find out more about Julz!

Occupation: Currently labouring. Trying to become a Prison Officer.
Martial Arts/Sports: I started Japanese jiu-jitsu when i was 8 or 9. Didn’t last long, but there are photos of me doing arm bars which I had completely forgotten about. I played soccer, indoor soccer, and footy. Right now it’s mainly BJJ, the occasional wrestling class and occasional weights.

How did you get into the sport?

I really hated team sports. I never played anything long enough to be skilled to help a team and had some troubles mingling with other kids due to some anxiety. When I was 16, I went to a Tae Kwon Do gym to sign up, but they had shut down, I then found a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym 2 days later and had a look. It looked weird, but I signed up after just watching a class. I liked it mainly because I was around people, but I had to rely on my self to prosper. Something I really needed at the time and still do.

What are your immediate training goals?

At the moment, to be as hard as possible to submit and be controlled. I figure if someone can’t finish me, it’s a matter of time before I finish them. Plus, the look on their face when their best game isn’t working. Still a work in progress.

What are your goals for the next five years?

Don’t get diabetes or have a heart attack.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

Thanks to Absolute and BJJ I found friends. I had always felt lonely growing up and had some anxiety and some depression. Feels good to be a part of a community, makes it a lot easier to deal with those negatives in life.

What is your favourite move?

When I was a white belt, it was triangle from guard. Blue belt was cross collar chokes from anywhere I could get grips. Purple was a bit of everything. I think brown belt was arm bars. Currently, I like kimuras and guillotines, but I’m not great with guillotines.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

Watching movies or shows with my girlfriend. Couch potato stuff.

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 was born in Melbourne. I have lived in QLD and NSW. The only cool story I have was when I competed hungover as a purple belt in Adelaide in 2012. I won 2 divisions and $500. I actually did inside sankaku with a straight footlock on the far leg that day, before it was cool. The best part though is, I also saw a really pretty girl that day (Natalie Hobbs) but I was too afraid to talk to her. She ended up moving to Melbourne in 2017, trains at Absolute MMA now, and I’m not afraid to talk to her anymore. We are moving in together 🙂 Other than that, I’m boring AF.

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

My mum. Single mother, hard worker. Has no excuses. If I had even a fraction of her character, I’d be an infinitely better person.

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

Angie’s Dumpling Bar out in Knox. 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?

Just try to enjoy it.

“Gym enforcer for wearing footwear in the bathrooms. Not the hero we deserve, but the hero we need. All round great guy.”- Bryce Yeo

“Julz is a top bloke who has great taste in sci-fi films (Star Wars nerd). On top of that his Jiu Jitsu is strong as hell.”- Cooper Burnham

“My earliest memory of Julz was when I was a white belt and he was mat side when I was choked unconscious. He shrugged and said “She’ll be right”. Not much has changed…Seriously, the guy is a beast and has more talent in his little finger than I have in my whole body.”- Kim Cousins

“I once watched Julz eat an entire roast goat in one sitting, he is made out of some dense material 7 times as strong as any element found on earth and owns a $400 ‘lightsabre’ that takes 4D cell batteries.”- Doug Kaegi

“I’ve only rolled with Julz a few times, I tried all of the suggested Silverback Gorilla defence techniques such as:

Slowly crouch down and make yourself small.
Avert your gaze from any nearby gorilla and look away. Attempt to look disinterested.
Gradually create distance between you and the gorillas without making any sudden moves.

However, I found out the hard way that these are very unreliable techniques.”- Max Mews

“My son makes me proud, his Jiu-Jitsu is better than he thinks and he is a good and loyal friend. I love this guy.”- Thiago Stefanutti

“Julz is a great guy, always has something funny to say and is a great coach and asset to anyone he trains BJJ with. If you try to submit Julz, he will often use that same move to catch you. The bastard. Julz also suspiciously looks a lot like Thiago’s illegitimate child…”- Tim Baker

“He uses panda guard. It’s infuriating.”- Natalie Hobbs

“Julz is a great guy who has helped me a lot and continues to do so. Great grappler.”- Nathan Heddle

GRAPPLING INDUSTRIES (08/06/2019 – 09/06/2019)

The Queen’s Birthday public holiday weekend saw no rest for our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competition team, who went to showcase their skills on the mats at Grappling Industries in Coburg. With the event running across two full days, many of our coaches and students from all three of our Australian gyms made an effort to come to both, and whether you were competing or supporting, a huge thank you to all the friends and family who came down to be a part of the Absolute MMA team. We appreciate the efforts of everyone in our community, as we know these can be long days! We are proud to report as a gym, our students took away a total of 17 gold, 12 silver and 5 bronze medals. To everyone who competed and received medals, we would like to congratulate you on continuing to challenge yourself and moving forward in your martial arts journey!

Standout performances from the weekend included Vesper Cheon, who won Gold in both her weight divisions for Gi and No-Gi, winning all fights via submission, securing two armbars and two straight ankle locks! It is super exciting to see Vesper throwing herself into competitions as of late, and inspiring our Melbourne CBD female team with her hard work.

Post ADCC Trials, Pippa Shaw also took away a double Gold in the Female No Gi Intermediate (-135lbs) and the Absolute No Gi, in a total of five matches, three wins in the Absolute and two in her division! Amazing work Pippa! Our very own Tom Everett made a triumphant return to competition, doing the desk crew proud by getting on the podium to achieve a Gold in the No Gi Advanced (-155lbs), even if it was in socks and slides. We’re lucky Tom’s Jiu-Jitsu is better than his fashion. Great work Tom, a well-deserved result and it is great seeing you back on the competitive circuit!

Jebadi Phazer stormed through the Adult Male blue belt division, having a total of eight matches on the mats, winning seven to secure Gold in the Gi (-210lbs), also taking out silver in the Absolute! Job well done by Jeb, who has been training consistently and putting in the hard yards on the mats in the gym to prepare himself for competition. A well deserved result!

Congratulations to Hugh Boyd, Assistant Kids BJJ coach at Absolute MMA St Kilda for also winning six straight matches to take away Gold in the No-Gi Advanced (-170kg)!

A huge thank you and shout out to Head Coach Thiago Stefanutti and coaches Cooper Burnham, Apryl Eppinger and Sean Le Gourierrec who spent a large majority of their weekend cornering and supporting our students through their matches. We have an amazing team, and we could not be more grateful for your guidance, particularly over a public holiday weekend! Well done once again to everyone who competed and earned their medals on the day.

Written by Emilie Yap
Photography: Vesper Cheon, Tom Everett, Jebadi Phazer.

MEET THE TEAM: CRAIG JONES

Coach Craig Jones is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, Polaris Middleweight Champion and IBJJF No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt World Champion. In 2017 he shocked the world at ADCC by submitting 5-time World Champion Leandro Lo, BJJ legend Murilo Santana and UFC legend Chael Sonnen. His 2017 submission of Lo earned him Flograppling’s “Biggest Shocker of the Year” award and his other performances earned him the “Breakthrough Grappler of the Year Award”. In 2018 he defeated MMA and grappling legend Jake Shields within minutes to claim the Polaris Middleweight Championship. He is a two-time ADCC Worlds Qualifier, NAGA World Champion, 4-time Pan-Pacific Champion, 6-time Australian Champion and 9-time State Champion. Outside of Jiu Jitsu Craig has also completed his Bachelors in Behavioural Science (Psychology). Read on to find out more about Craig, also known as Kreg!

Nicknames & Fight Names?

No nicknames. (How do people refer to you?) Professor Jones.

What would you consider your greatest achievements in Martial Arts?

Submitting Lachlan Giles at the MA1 challenge in 2018.

What made you start martial arts?

Watching martial arts movies, and then progressing into watching UFC events. (What was the first martial arts movie you were really inspired by?) Shit…Any Bruce Lee, Enter the Dragon, but I’m partial to Steven Seagal, some Van Damme… (Bruce Lee’s good at striking, Steven Seagal…was it really Steven Seagal that was your idol?) Bruce lee would pull guard if given the choice.

How did you first get involved with Absolute MMA?

I was doing training camps out here, and then I just never left.

What industry were you in prior to Martial Arts?

I worked at Hungry Jacks, I worked at the casino, and I worked at a bottle shop selling alcohol.

Favourite workout/walkout music?

Men at Work.

Mantra/Quote to live by?

I don’t have any quotes hey, nothing. (You just like moving in random directions?) I was trying to think of something, hey. (How do you deal with adverse situations?) To get me through tough times? I try not to think about it, really. (A man of action hey?) Yeah, I try not to think about it.

Tell us about your life growing up?

Pretty normal life growing up in Adelaide, in the suburbs, south of the city, Flagstaff Hill. Pretty basic. Nothing exciting really.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Hopefully not competing at the time, hopefully I don’t even have to teach Jiu-Jitsu to make money, I can just teach because I enjoy it. That’s if I still enjoy it in that way. Hopefully I haven’t done enough damage to my body in these years, that I can still enjoy myself when I’m older.

Who is an inspiration to you, and why?

I don’t know, you know what’s f**ked up is the better you get, the more famous people you meet that probably once inspired you, you learn too much about them…don’t meet your heroes. I thought I was a bad guy until I met some of these guys.

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

What are those things called behind the desk there…those *points*(Blondies.) Yeah, blondies!

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

I have no idea hey, no idea…hopefully I would be working, but I don’t know, probably a sh*tty job. I was doing a psychology degree, maybe that would have panned out. (Did you finish your degree?) The Bachelors, yeah. Which has left me with a HECs debt, and nothing to do with it.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

As a professional athlete…I think I’ve turned into a bit of a psychopath, I’ve been watching a lot of true crime shows lately. That’s been concerning me.

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

Sh*t, I don’t even know, hey! If I was going to be an animal…hopefully nothing hunted by anything.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I’ve caught staph five times this year.

What is your favourite travel destination? Why?

Kazakhstan, nothing’s beaten Kazakhstan yet, for reasons I can’t say on video/camera.

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

Videos games, AFL football and I played basketball.

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

I try not to read inspirational quotes. I see too many of them on Instagram. If I see you posting too many of them, you’re getting unfollowed for sure.

Besides martial arts, what else are you passionate about?

I’m passionately following the Trump Mueller report and investigation.

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

Anyone that accomplishes anything, really. I look up to people that don’t have to work a standard 9-5 to…you know what I mean? If they have a non-traditional way of making income. And I guess if ultimately, it does pan out for them. People who can pull that off.

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

No magic tricks, I can balance on my toes like a ballerina.

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

I recently went scuba diving, and I’m about to go zip-lining, but I’m terrified of heights.

What’s your favourite music genre and musicians? Why do you enjoy their music?

I’ve been listening to a lot of classic hits, 60s, 70s, 80s, anything iconic. Anything from that era, it’s usually out of hip hop from today, or that.

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

I don’t know if I’ve had a single book that has influenced my life…(Have you read a book?) I’ve just read James Comey’s book, I read that book “Tribe”. I’m reading a book right now, the guy was on Rogan. It’s a tiny book so I shouldn’t brag about it, but now I’m reading about Hitler’s drug use.

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

I don’t even remember doing my first BJJ class. (Did you do any martial arts before BJJ?) I was a yellow belt in TKD, and I did Judo as well. (What age?) I can’t even remember hey, my memory…I did it pretty young. Year 5 or 6. I think I did TKD younger than that.

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?

Whoever gets staph the most, because I reckon we’ll blend in with the zombies. Lachlan Giles…so he’s on the team, who else….um who else gets staph a lot…f**k I get taken down with it a lot. (Raph used to get staph a lot, we used to call him the French zombie). Really? See it’s the guys who work hard.

“Craig Jones put Australia and Absolute on the BJJ map. We all know how good he is, so let’s not talk about it any more. He gives everyone a lot of crap, but he can take it too. I’m also very proud that I’m better at pointing my feet than him.”- Livia Giles

“My brother Craig shocked us all when he finally made it to the big time in the Jiu Jitsu world. As a younger man he dabbled in Aussie rules football and basketball but really found his calling after completing a modelling course through the Tanya Powell model agency, after some experience down the cat walk he found his true calling and that is his love of being the centre of attention. After years of bullying about being a young male with a dream of making it in modelling he started training Jiu Jitsu for self defence and the rest is history.”- Adam Jones

“Craig has always been super talented and I am really happy to see all his hard work pay off. That being said, he is a jerk and I really hope he has an embarrassing loss soon.”- Lachlan Warne

“Craig is the mean bully of an older brother I never had. He’ll wipe the floor with you, teach you how he did it and how to stop it and then do it to you again anyway. I sure hope Rumble hasn’t forgotten how to throw that overhand right.”- Oliver Smith

“I remember first meeting Craig when him and his soulmate Tom Everett were lifting weights in Collingwood in true meathead fashion. It was a chance encounter that allowed me to befriend and coach two truly stellar gentlemen. Craig’s drive and work ethic is second to none. People often speak of him like he’s some overnight phenom in grappling, but that has always bothered me, because it discounts the work and time he has put in, to becoming one of the best grapplers on the planet. He’s spent over a decade of grappling, refining his skills, forging his own ideas, his own techniques, putting in the hours on the mat and in the gym. Truly one of the most interesting people I’ve met, and someone I’m lucky to call a friend, as well as train. On top of all of that, he’s probably the strongest bicep curler on the planet.”- Amit Narayan

“Craig would have to be the most widely misunderstood grappler of our time. Humble, friendly, hard working, positive. These are just some of the ludicrous misconceptions thrown forward by perhaps the hardest working PR team in history. He is in fact Satan himself.”- Tom Everett

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: JOHAN THOMAS

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! This member spotlight turns to Johan Thomas, who on his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey has lost over 35kgs! In the year he has been training with us, not only has Johan lost a massive amount of weight, he has also challenged himself by competing on competitions like AGC. We would like to commend Johan on an incredibly inspiring transformation, and cannot wait to see what the future holds for him. Read on to find out more about Johan!

Occupation: Recruitment Resourcer/Master of Education Student
Martial Arts/Sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

How did you get into the sport?

I have always been a long time fan of combat sports. I always find time to watch UFC fights.

What are your immediate training goals?

To compete more and achieve gold in my division.

What are your goals for the next five years?

My goal is to get better everyday and always learn new things. In jiu-jitsu, you always learn new things. My ultimate goal is to also get down to Welterweight and compete at that weight.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

Like many people have answered, it is the family environment. Everyone is approachable and the members are fantastic. The coaches are always there to help you and attend to your every need.

What is your favourite move?

Ezekiel Choke.

Favourite workout/walkout song?

Free Tibet – Vini Vici Remix.

Nicknames & Fight Names?

Mr Ezekiel or Bailey 2.0.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

I usually DJ at house parties or go to my all time favourite place, Scarlett Saturdays at Ms Collins. #johanguestlist

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up?

I grew up in Surabaya, Indonesia. I grew up always being the “big” kid.

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

The kind of people I look up to are the ones that are humble and always willing to learn new things.

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

Nothing beats a good old double stack cheeseburger AKA ‘Thanos’ at Grand Trailer Park.

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

Take it easy and don’t try to be fancy. Stick with the basics because the basics always win.

“He nicknamed himself daddy in our group chat.”- Stephanie Scipione

“Johan is an inspiration to us all by embracing jiu-jitsu and weight training, transforming himself into a beast in such a short amount of time. He always has a smile and is happy for a chat. I once spotted him at a night club where he promotes downing a bunch of shots surrounded by beautiful women so I guess he has his gym life and night life balanced.”- Kevin Lau

“He is the fatboy slim of Absolute MMA, he was supposed to be my heavyweight Miyao twin, but he decided to ditch me to loose weight and get girls…”- Bailey Wang

“Johan. He lost all that weight, but still has a big heart.” – Richard Lattemagi

“From an outside perspective, he definitely appears to have a serious and no nonsense approach to his personal goals, and that is something that I truly respect!”- Jebadi Phazer

“Less party, more training!”- Patrick Lim

“Johan…I love to hate this guy! When we first rolled we cuddled in my closed guard for 5 mins. When he got his first stripe he mounted crucifix americana me. As he got fitter his jiu-jitsu got more technical and he ezekiels everyone – even from bottom in MMA fundamentals with gloves on! I’m proud of you and super inspired of all you have achieved, because you put in the work. However, I will continue to make memes from your Instagram posts LOL!” – Kelz Lau

FIGHT/COMPETITION RESULTS (31/05/2019 – 02/06/2019)

Roots 11: Positive Vibration on Saturday night at the Malvern Town Hall saw two of our amateur Muay Thai female team step into the ring, with Maricarmen “MK” Rubi Baeza up first for the team. Making her debut as part of the Absolute MMA team, MK faced off against opponent Gabrielle Volovsky, at 55kg in a 3×2 minute bout (Mod). Looking calm and collected, MK used her reach to great effect, pushing her opponent back with strong teeps and vicious knees to the abdomen of Volovsky. A well-deserved win via unanimous decision for MK! Congratulations on your first win as part of the Absolute MMA family, we can’t wait to see what the rest of 2019 brings for you!

Fight 14 on the card rolled around, and Georgia Verry stepped up to face an experienced opponent in Spring Sia from Martial Spirit. Great to see Georgia taking on her first full Thai rules fight with elbows! This was a good fight from both girls, with plenty of clinching, knees and elbows flying back and forth constantly. Despite Georgia sustaining a loss via decision, Georgia showed a lot of heart in her first 3 minute round bout, continually coming forward to put pressure on Spring, with the commentators stating “This is definitely one to look out for, she’s here to fight.” Lots to take away from this bout and learn from, and we look forward to seeing Georgia back in the ring stronger for the experience!

Grapple Fest 5 saw five of our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors step onto the mat, with Mikael Yahaya, Craig Jones, Izaak Michell, Jeremy Paul Skinner and Lachlan Giles all matched on the Figure 4 Promotions event in Liverpool. Mikael Yahaya was up first on the card for the team against Phil Harris, a former UFC fighter. The referee retired Harris after a scramble caused a bicep tear, awarding the win to Mikael.

Next up for the Absolute MMA St Kilda team was Izaak Michell against Craig McIntosh (Higher Level) in a 75kg matchup. This was a good match, with Izaak pushing the pace and continually looking for the finish, however, his opponent fought him to the end, with the finish resulting in the decision Izaak’s way. Congratulations to Izaak on a dominant performance!

Jeremy Paul Skinner stepped onto the mats at Grapple Fest this weekend hoping to continue his win streak following a great performance last week on Polaris 10 in Poole. Up against Frank Rosenthal (Renzo Gracie) in a u70kgs bout, this was a standout performance for the team with Jeremy getting the better of some leg lock battles to earn a decision win and continue his streak! Big win for Jeremy and we couldn’t be happier for him. Congratulations!

On the Co-Main event, Craig Jones faced off against a last minute step in opponent, Miha Perhavec. Respect to Miha for stepping in last minute! In the first two minutes of the match, Miha tried to go for a heel hook in their bout, a dangerous game to play with Craig Jones, to which Craig responded with his own heel hook, submitting Miha for the win. Well done to Craig who continues to dominate competition on his way to ADCC Worlds. Best of luck to Craig who is next scheduled to appear on Submission Underground 9 in Portland, Oregon!

The main event came around, with Coach Lachlan Giles matched up against Ross Nicholls to compete for the Grapplefest u80kg Title. This was a close match against a game opponent, where Lachlan poured the pressure on in an attempt to pass Nicholls guard, eventually winning the competition via split decision. Congratulations to Lachlan on becoming the new Grapplefest u80kg champion!

Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun made his first appearance on RIZIN 16 in Kobe, Japan after his recent signing of a multi-fight deal with the promotion. Facing off against heavyweight Roque Martinez in a 3×5 minute match up (under Pride rules), Jake showed great sportsmanship by cracking open a beer with Martinez just after the weigh-ins as well as pulling off one of the most spectacular walkouts in Absolute MMA history, coming out to “Come and Get Your Love” by Redbone in a Guardians of the Galaxy inspired dance, complete with Star Lord jacket and all! You can watch Jake’s walkout here.

The bell sounded, and an absolute war began! There was plenty of back and forth from these two heavy hitters, with the fight primarily conducted in stand up. A solid first round in Jake’s favour, with Jake rocking Martinez with a solid right uppercut mid-round and opening up a cut just above the eye of his opponent. To his credit, Martinez persisted on despite a broken hand in the first round and blood flow from the cut impacting his vision. In the second round, Jake used this to his advantage and targeted the cut of his opponent, with the impact of his strikes audibly echoing throughout the round. A dangerous third round for Jake, who did get taken down via body slam with two and a half minutes remaining on the clock, but survived the oncoming assault to secure a win via split points decision. This was a great showing all round by Jake, who left it all in the ring and displayed just how passionate he is about this sport. Congratulations on an amazing fight, on your triumphant return to RIZIN and your win!

We had a number of people competing from Absolute MMA in Melbourne and Shanghai at the IBJJF World Championships in Long Beach, California at the famous Walter Pyramid. The Worlds is an unforgiving competition and whilst everyone put in their best efforts, we didn’t manage to snag any medals this time. Great to see the guys bouncing back already and hitting the mats to improve their game in preparation for the next one. It is an amazing effort to even make it to this level of competition and we are proud of all of our competitors for leaving it all on the mats!

The Absolute MMA Thailand Muay Thai team also came out strong this weekend, returning to Bangla Stadium for an exciting night of fights! First, we had our Chinese visitor, Zhang Zen Yang, returning to the ring for his 4th fight under the Absolute MMA banner. Zhang started strong, utilising his strong K-1 background to frequently score on the outside, landing heavy kicks and punches to take the early rounds of the fight. In the later rounds, Zhang’s opponent started to clinch well, which resulted in the decision ultimately going in his opponent’s favour. Well done Zhang, it was a pleasure having you train with us!

Diako Hrsini was next up for his first fight at Bangla stadium and the final fight of the evening. This fight did not disappoint! Diako gave up a lot of height and reach to his opponent who started the fight strong with heavy knees from the clinch and some sharp 12-6 elbows. Diako stayed in the fight early and continued to damage the lead leg of his opponent. The second round saw a huge right hand from Diako floor his opponent, changing the momentum of the fight in Diako’s favour! Diako continued to chop the leg and withstood some heavy knees from his taller opponent. The leg kicks had taken their toll by the 3rd round, which resulted in a K.O win for Diako! Congratulations to Diako on a great performance.

Thanks to all our trainers who cornered, and everyone who came to support the team!

Written by Emilie Yap.

Photography: Absolute MMA Thailand, IBJJF, Lachlan Giles, FotoRolls Photography, RIZIN 16/Jake Heun, W.L Fight Photography.

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: DOUG KAEGI

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! This member spotlight turns to Doug Kaegi, one of our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belts at Absolute MMA Melbourne CBD. An English/History Teacher by trade, Doug’s love of teaching is apparent by his willingness to always help out others on the mats, Doug often helps out and takes classes as a step in when our regular coaches are away competing. Best of luck preparing for the upcoming World Masters in August Doug, we appreciate all the time you have put into helping the community! Read on to find out more about Doug!

Occupation: English/History Teacher, BJJ Coach
Martial Arts/Sports: BJJ (obviously). Muay Thai years ago. Landbased Game Fishing

How did you get into the sport?

One of my brothers friends actually bullied me into trying a Muay Thai class at No Limits where I met Thiago and instantly fell in love with Jiu Jitsu.

What are your immediate training goals?

At the moment I’m focused on making the team as strong as possible for the international competitions culminating for myself at World Masters in August. Strong team = Strong me.

What are your goals for the next five years?

5 years is a long time. If you’d asked me 5 years ago if where I thought I’d be with my training my answer wouldn’t have reflected where I am now. If I’m fortunate enough to get promoted I’ll consider teaching BJJ permanently. Until then I just want to contribute as much as I can to the growth of the team and the culture.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

This is the best culture of any group of people I have ever experienced. The leadership from Thiago and the other coaches trickles down through the culture of the club and makes it a fun place to train. We are a teaching academy, everyone contributes and helps. Corporations and schools and government agencies and sports clubs spend millions of dollars trying (and usually failing) to produce the kind of culture that we have through natural leadership. When my life needs something I can almost always find the help I need within the team we have here.

What is your favourite move?

The slow burn. I love trying to spend less energy than whoever I’m rolling with. Over the course of the round it adds up, and if I can get them at 95% of their heartrate and I’m only at 75% that’s when I’m the most successful. Technically I love the application of closed guard fundamentals. Recently kneebars.

Favourite workout/walkout song?

Slash and Andrew Stockdale (or Myles Kennedy) “By the Sword” ‘There is a reward, to live and die by the sword, and they try to complicate you, but you left them all behind’.

Nicknames & Fight Names?

I’ve had a few. DC gave me the nickname ‘HeavyD’ which I quite liked. I’d love to call myself “The Kraken” because I used to love rum and squid fishing but that’s probably a bit pretentious.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

I love rock fishing in an completely isolated scenario for days at a time. In shorter periods I play a fair bit of guitar and online strategy games.

Can you tell us about where you’re from and any interesting stories growing up?

Not so much growing up but when I was a blue belt I managed to crap my pants while wearing (my brothers) white gi at a tournament. I won 11 in a row that day, but for some reason nobody remembers that bit. I put it on youtube for everyone to enjoy, watch it with the sound on for Thiago’s wonderful explanation of what’s going on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmfukxmLvQ4

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

I love that this question asks about kind of people instead of an individual. There are two kinds of people that I really look up to. You don’t have to be in a position of authority to show leadership. I love seeing people take initiative to ownership of situations to make the people around them better. When I first started Sean LG was immensely helpful to me before he was coaching and even though I rarely make it to his classes he continues to mentor me through some of the tougher times at training and in life. The other people I really gain inspiration from are the people who are clearly out of their comfort zone and push through any amount of adversity to achieve their goals. My partner Susy is an example of a competitor who no matter how bad I make her life while we’re sparring just keeps on going, but some of the older guys like Simon (from lunch class, I’m sorry I don’t know your surname) and obviously Steven really inspire me. I love people that don’t feel the need to talk about it or post about it and get on with being the best they can be.

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

The Meat and Wine Co in Southbank make a mean steak that’s not pretentiously priced, and the Grand Tofu in Glen Waverley make a noodle soup that’s more than you can eat for $12.

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

DUDE! CALM THE F DOWN!!!!! If you blow all your energy in the first round of sparring you’re going to miss 80% of the rest of the class. If there’s 5 rounds of sparring and you sit one round out, that’s 20% of your Jiu Jitsu gone for the day. If you add all that up it’s the equivalent of taking 10 weeks a year off. Pick a pace you can roll at for the whole round, and the whole class and if you get messed up by people with more energy then so be it.

“Doug is a loyal friend and a great training partner he is always making me laugh and is a beast on the mat.”- Sean Le Gourrierec

“Our friendly guard-jumping giant. He’s always happy to help with technique and has a wealth of jiu-jitsu knowledge. Has a strange foot fetish though…” – Bryce Yeo

“Doug is a super nice guy who always has time to drill, roll and chat whenever you need it. He is a massive asset to the club and a great training partner. Watch out for those knee bars though!” – Cooper Burnham

“He’s the most supportive team member, but also not afraid to let you know when you are doing something sh*t, “That was bullsh*t Clay”…I’ve heard that a few times (haha).”- Clay Lyne

“Doug is one of those rare humans with a genuine heart of gold. He has a phenomenal amount of BJJ knowledge from decades dedicated to training. This hasn’t just made him into a great competitor – and I’m super stoked to see him smash it at Worlds this year – but he has a gift for being able to explain that knowledge to all his students. I’m incredibly fortunate to have had Doug introduce me to BJJ and to have him as one of my dear friends.”- Georgia Verry

“Thanks for the footlocks Dougy xx”- Lee Harker

“I first saw Coach Doug jiu-jitsu break dancing on someone during a grading and was super stoked to attend some of his classes when Professor was overseas. He is always there to help and support the squad on the mats as well as cornering during tournaments. Legend has it that he has an Iron Throne sword chair but made up of the legs and knees of his victims (haha)!! He also drops sweet yoda philosophy from time to time – Jiu jitsu isn’t about two people fighting each other. It’s two people sharing the same space, helping each other fight themselves.”- Kelz Lau

“My first major injury in Jiu-jitsu was when Doug broke one of the metatarsal bones in my foot and dislocated another one. He also has a weak left ankle when trying to submit him!”- Susy Ferri

“Has literally dedicated his life to BJJ in the pursuit of the World Masters title…. very knowledgeable and ALWAYS more than ready to help out.”- Jufri Abidin

Photography: Hannah Gorman.

ABSOLUTE MMA SHANGHAI – 2019 GCJJF Shanghai Jiu-Jitsu Open Results

The Absolute MMA Shanghai team had a great showing this past weekend at the GCJJF Shanghai Jiu-Jitsu Open! We had an amazing amount of people come out to fight and support, and to put the icing on the cake, we took home some shiny medals that reflect all the hard work that has been put in on the mats! We saw some great gi and no-gi matches, and with this competition done, our thoughts are moving forward to future battles! Win or lose, the team is always proud of our members for stepping out on the competition mats and testing their skills. There is always room for improvement and always cause for celebration. Without further ado, congratulations to the following Absolute MMA Shanghai grapplers for their results.

GOLD

邢易昀- Purple Belt -76.00 kg (Adult Male)
邢易昀- Purple Belt Open Weight (Adult Male)
Pierrick Bertel – Blue Belt -88.30 kg (Adult Male)
Boboev Rustam – Blue Belt -76.00 kg (Adult Male)
Boboev Rustam – Blue Belt Open Weight (Adult Male)
钱汇智– Blue Belt +100.50 kg (Master 1 Male)
钱汇智– Blue Belt Open Weight (Master 1 Male)
Bret Marshall – White Belt +100.5 kg (Adult Male)
Seitzhanov D – White Belt -94.30 kg (Adult Male)
Ben Baldieri – White Belt -88.30 kg (Adult Male)
Daniela Mediavilla – White Belt -53.50 kg (Adult Female)

SILVER

Belichenko Pavel –Blue Belt -82.30 kg (Adult Male)
陈狄祺 – Blue Belt +100.50 kg (Master 1 Male)
张乾俊夫– White Belt -88.30 kg (Adult Male)

BRONZE

陈彦霖 – Blue Belt -57.50 kg (Adult Male)
Jerome Giammartini –Blue Belt -82.30 kg (Adult Male)
陈斌理–Blue Belt -88.30 kg (Adult Male)
陈狄祺 –Blue Belt Open Weight (Master 1 Male)
Nathan Tillman –Blue Belt -88.30 kg (Master 2 Male)
朱杨俊–White Belt -82.30 kg (Adult Male)
郑扬佳- White Belt -48.50 kg (Adult Female)
Monica Infiesta – White Belt -53.50 kg (Adult Female)
秦岭- White Belt -58.50 kg (Adult Female)
Anna Linn Victoria Englund – White Belt -64.00 kg (Adult Female)
Daniela Mediavilla – White Belt Open Weight (Adult Female)
陆敏 –White Belt -76.00 kg (Master 1 Male)
Alex Liu –White Belt -76.00 kg (Master 2 Male)
Alex Liu –White Belt Open Weight (Master 2 Male)

NO-GI

GOLD

Arturas Luskinas –Brown Belt -86.80 kg (Adult Male)
邢易昀- Purple Belt -74.5 kg (Adult Male)
邢易昀- Purple Belt Open Weight (Adult Male)
Bret Marshall –White Belt +99.00 kg (Adult Male)
Boboev Rustam –Blue Belt -74.50 kg (Adult Male)
Jerome Giammartini –Blue Belt -80.80 kg(Adult Male)
Bret Marshall –White Belt Open Weight (Adult Male)
James Snell –White Belt -74.50 kg (Master 1 Male)

SILVER

陈斌理–Blue Belt -92.80 kg (Adult Male)
Boboev Rustam –Blue Belt Open Weight (Adult Male)
字来保–White Belt -62.50 kg (Adult Male)
秦岭- White Belt -57.00 kg (Adult Female)
陆敏–White Belt -74.50 kg (Master 1 Male)

BRONZE

Jerome Giammartini –Blue Belt Open Weight (Adult Male)
Nik Kosmas –White Belt -74.50 kg (Adult Male)

Congratulations to all competitors! We see how hard everyone works day in and day out for these competitions, and everyone is so proud of you! Improvements are made everyday, and we’ll be even stronger for the next one!

FIGHT/COMPETITION RESULTS (24/05/2019-26/05/2019)

Saturday, May 25th saw Coach Kevin “Le Monstre” Jousset step into the Eternal MMA 45 cage in his second professional Mixed Martial Arts bout, hoping to continue his five strong streak of securing first round knockouts! Up against opponent Jimmy O’Brien in a welterweight match up, Kevin did not disappoint, displaying his world class judo skills, to take down Jimmy in the first round to secure the KO win via elbows, in a brutal ground and pound finish at approximately 90 seconds. This brings Kevin to a SIX win streak, all via first round KO. Le Monstre strikes again, a huge congratulations to Kevin who is establishing himself in the MMA circuit as a force to be reckoned with!

Three of our Muay Thai fight team members flew up to Sydney to compete on Yokkao 39-40, on the promotions fourth visit to Australia. Anthony Trejo was up first on Yokkao 39 for the team in a 65kg bout against opponent Nattakit Pakkawan, an experienced Thai fighter. Trejo came out super aggressive and strong, and despite sustaining a cut eye brow and fighting with a height disadvantage, he kept a good pace the whole fight but unfortunately didn’t get the win, the fight going to judge’s decision in the end. Massive respect for Trejo for showing great sportsmanship, continuing to corner and support his team mates after recovering from his own bout!

Smokin’ Joe Coverdale fought a fellow Australian fighter in Jordie Bargailie in a 62kg match up. This was a very aggressive bout, with plenty of back and forth! Joe got dropped with a spinning elbow at the end of the third round, but managed to miraculously get back up and fought the whole five rounds. What a warrior! Not the result we wanted with the fight resulting in a decision loss for Joe, however we are extremely proud of how much heart he showed and the way he fought in the ring. Well done Joe!

Closing up for the team on the co-main event, Albert “Timorese Assassin” Xavier was set to go up against a formidable opponent in full time Yokkao sponsored fighter Spencer Brown (64kg). The first round saw Albert moving well, keeping a good distance, controlling the ring well to land cleaner shots down the middle and work his low kicks on his opponent’s front leg. Spencer continued to load heavy body punches on in the second round, dropping Albert with a liver shot right at the end of the round, with the referee calling the finish. Devastated for Albert, but we are immensely proud of the sportsmanship he has shown, and the level of technique displayed in the ring against a tough opponent. The Timorese Assassin will be back stronger for the experience! Huge thanks to Coach Laos Toohey for flying to Sydney with the team to corner and support, our students would not have been able to get to this level without your guidance.

Our ever active grappling team continued their efforts to dominate competition this weekend, with Coach Craig Jones and team mate Jeremy Skinner both set to appear on Polaris 10 in Poole, England. Jeremy was up first for the team against opponent Kamil Wilk in a 68kg catch weight match up. Jeremy showed off his very impressive leg lock game to secure a submission via Aoki lock, submitting Wilk at the half way mark. Congratulations to Jeremy, who has solidified himself as a competitor to watch in the future with his recent performances!

On the main card, Craig Jones had a hard fought fifteen minute battle with Matheus Lutes, where he used his improving standup and excellent Z guard to threaten subs and sweeps, eventually securing the win via decision for his efforts during the match in trying to engage Lutes. Well done to Craig, who retains his 185lb belt! With no sign of slowing down in his efforts, Craig moves on to his next match against Miha Perhavec (ECJJ) this week, on Grapple Fest 5 (01/06/2019)! Watch Grapple Fest 5 live on https://www.flograppling.com/

Interstate in our capital city Canberra on Sunday, May 26th, Coach Lachlan Giles went to compete at the 2019 Senior National Wrestling Championships. Lachlan has been dedicated in his quest to become a complete grappler, and has been training in Wrestling seriously over the last 4 years. This paid off for Lachlan this weekend, with him taking out the 79kg division to become the 2019 Australian Freestyle Wrestling champion! Fantastic achievement by Lachlan, and we look forward to watching him continue to dominate through competitions as he prepares for ADCC Worlds 2019!

Locally, the AGC State Championship kicked off at the North Melbourne Community Centre, with many of our grappling team eager to prove themselves on the mats. We had some great results from the team, such as David Du taking away a double gold and Clay Lyne taking away a gold in the gi and a silver in the open. We overall came away with the team trophy as the best NoGi team as a whole, and would like to congratulations all of our students on their efforts, thank you all for being such great representatives of the gym!

Photography: Just Jits Australia, Yokkao, Joshua Zuccato and Lachlan Giles.

Written by Emilie Yap.

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