Absolute MMA, Author at Absolute Mixed Martial Arts

MEET THE TEAM: MARIA ZAMPOGNA

A very warm welcome to Maria “Mez” Zampogna, one of our newest additions to the Absolute MMA family! One of our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belts, Maria has trained with us since 2018, has competed in BJJ and is also a regular crossfit competitor with Karate experience. Super bubbly with a great sense of humour, Maria is always smiling and we’re very happy to have her on desk with us. Be sure to say hello if you see her around! Read on to find out more about Mez.

What would you consider your greatest achievements in Martial Arts?

Competing for the first time and placing second. It was the National Championships in 2018 and I had been training for just under a year. I was absolutely terrified but I gave it a go and was so happy that I did.

What made you start Martial Arts?

I did karate at the age of 10 because my dad forced me to. I got to a green belt before quitting. Fast forward 12 years later, I was doing weightlifting at the time and my weightlifting coach was also a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor. He was hounding me for ages to come and try a class. So one day I finally did and I absolutely loved it.

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

I heard about Absolute for a while and competed against some of their girls (who were beasts!). My boyfriend, who also trains in BJJ, moved to absolute and I joined about a month later.

Favourite workout/walkout song?

At the moment its Chi Chi by Chris Brown and Trey Songz. It’ll probably change in a month or so.

Mantra/Quote to live by?

The only constant is change.

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

I had a pretty normal life growing up. Nothing out of the ordinary ever happened. Life has its ups and downs every now and again to keep you on your toes but nothing too crazy. My favourite memory from when I was younger was when I was in grade 4 and I got my first ever dog! I had never been so happy in my life. It was the best day ever.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

This question always freaks me out, because I can’t even tell you what I’m doing tomorrow. In 5 years I hope to have moved out of home and be married. I’d love to be close to being a black belt in jiu-jitsu and to have a stable job in sports administration. I’d hope to have travelled the world and seen really exotic places.

Who is an inspiration to you, and why?

I don’t have one person who inspires me, I have quite a few and all for different reasons. I admire those who work hard and dedicate their life to achieve greatness and reach their ultimate goals. I also admire those who have been through the worst of the worst, made it out the other end and smile.

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

Pesto pasta!! It’s absolutely delicious!!

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

Working in hospitality as a Barista.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

Walking my dog or watching a good TV series. I’m currently watching The Flash.

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

I’m not sure. I took a quiz online and it said I would be a dolphin, but I think I would be a bear. They’re chilled out, mind their own business, sleep during winter, but when they have to go out and hunt they’re on a mission. I think thats me.

What is your favourite travel destination? Why?

So far Japan. It was absolutely beautiful.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I used to be a crossfit coach and compete regularly in crossfit.

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’m originally from Melbourne. I live in the western suburbs. Growing up my friends and I would pretend to play Harry Potter. I used to have this massive tree in my backyard and we would refer to it as ‘The Whomping Willow’. I was very quirky growing up and I think I still am.

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

I used to collect butchy boys. Weird I know, and I can’t even tell you why I did it, I just did. I also had an irrational fear that someone would break into my house and steal all my things, so when I used to leave the house I would take everything I thought was really important to me in a bag.

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

“Work hard today so you can enjoy it tomorrow.” Sometimes life is really unexpected. You can’t always keep living for the future, you have to live in the moment. Sometimes people neglect the little pleasures life has to offer for the now to focus on the later.

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

I really love making coffee, lifting weights and eating dark chocolate. They all make me very happy 🙂

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

I look up to successful athletes. They have created a life around what they truly love and it’s not always easy to get there.

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

I can raise one eyebrow at a time and people freak out every time I do it.

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

Doing an escape room.

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

I have played football, netball, soccer, karate, swimming, dancing and running. I don’t have a funny story but one time during a soccer match I went to slide tackle my opponent and my studs got caught in the mud and I fractured my knee…was not good.

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

Yes, I worked as a payroll officer for less than a month. It was the worst experience of my life. I hate the 9-5 lifestyle, I hated being quiet all day, it was just the worst.

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

Hunky Dory! I get the grilled salmon pack with sweet potato wedges and a crab stick.

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

My ears can listen to pretty much anything. I however do have a very soft spot for Chris Brown.

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

It doesn’t get any easier, but you will enjoy and hate every bit of it at the same time and even when you feel like giving up, that’s when you need to keep pushing.

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?

Probably Richard, Apryl and Emilie. They’re the 3 that I work with the most and I’d like to think we wouldn’t kill each other (haha).

“Maria admitted to me once the main reason she took up bjj has been and still is to pass her boyfriends guard, I respect that. She has a goal and she wants to achieve it.”- Apryl Eppinger

“Like a chihuahua; small but deadly.”- Vincent Phan

“Maria is like a (quality) box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get when she rocks up for a shift. She’s perfected the “smile and nod” approach to any situation. I also can’t wait to meet the six month mark Maria. Note for training partners – when rolling with her she loves being put in the saddle position and practicing heelhook defence – especially in the gi.”- Richard Lattemagi

“My favourite person. Her charismatic personality makes training all the more enjoyable. Her willingness to continuously learn and strive to grow each day is inspiring.”- Susy Ferri

“Maria has only been working with us for a few weeks now but she made a strong first impression – she came in for her job interview wearing wrestling headgear which was kind of funny but it was a lot more funny when she started to panic a bit because she couldn’t get the headgear off. I’m not really sure if it was a “good” first impression but we ended up giving her the job so I guess her approach worked?” – Daniel Herbertson

“She hates no gi, and likes gi.”- Clay Lyne

“I knew Maria and I were going to be friends after bonding over some solid R&B tunes in the gym! And after she got super excited over a Pokemon toy. Adorable! She’s super lovely, genuine and a very welcome addition to the Absolute MMA staff.” – Emilie Yap

“Maria has such a bubbly personality and a great sense of humour. She’s always fun (and tough) to roll with and is an awesome drilling partner! Regardless of the day you’ve had, Maria is always there to have a laugh with you and brighten up your day.“- Sarah Sinclair

“Maria is an amazing training partner, always positive, smiling and ready to roll. She seems like a nice person… until she squeezes your neck.”- Juliette Brillet

“I love Maria! She’s fun, caring and has crazy fast jiujitsu! Drilling with her is great because she always aims to implement the correct techniques and I trust her to help me to get everything right too.” – Lenie Vamvesos

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: HARLEY LEWIS

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! This member spotlight turns to Harley Lewis, one of our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu students who has persisted with his training despite a hard journey with injury. Kudos for your dedication Harley! Harley also keeps our fighters looking fresh at his barbershop in Fitzroy, be sure to go visit him if you’re in need of a trim (https://www.facebook.com/Harleythebarber/). Read on to find out more about this absolute boss of a barber!

How did you get into the sport?

Did zen do kai as a kid , and decided to try something new as a adult.

What are your immediate training goals?

Get back to full training after my injury.

What are your goals for the next five years?

Get that blue belt and get better.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

The level of training is great and the environment is also great.

What is your favourite move?

Single leg.

Favourite workout/walkout song?

Their law (prodigy).

Nicknames & Fight Names?

Rev.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

Watch TV.

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 south east of Melbourne, I kicked a bee hive when I was in primary school…stupid move…Was stung like 25 times. Don’t try it at home kids, MTV does not accept videos or stunts directly!

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

Batman, because he’s amazing.

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

Easeys Burgers, potato cakes.

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

Keep going!

“Harley is a gentleman. He is always involved with gym banter and his number one aim is to put a smile on everyone’s face. He is a great character and person to be around. I know he is currently frustrated with his injuries. I believe once he is fully healed he will definitely make the effort in taking his jiu-jitsu to the next level. He loves it and he is motivated to get better.”- Mikael Yahaya

“Harley is a great teammate who is very motivated to get back on the mats after his injury. He is an example of perseverance! He is a great person to have around the club.”- Livia Giles

“If you were to look up ‘legend’ in the dictionary you’d see a photo of Harley. Not only is he a gentleman on the mats he also helps members out with a discount at his barber shop! Check him out for some great banter and even better cuts!” – Imantha Alahakoon

FIGHT/COMPETITION RESULTS (17/05/2019 – 19/05/2019)

At the ACT AFBJJ Championships, Brodie Greco of Absolute MMA St Kilda took away a double championship in both the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Gi and No-Gi, showing off his double butterfly leglock entries. Four quickly secured submissions saw Brodie get four wins to achieve this result, and rise to #1 in Australia in the blue belt rankings! It has been great having Brodie train with us in the gym and we are happy to see his hard work paying off. Congratulations on your result, and we wish you the best of luck in your upcoming competition in a month’s time!

Competitors Susy Ferri and Doug Kaegi also went to the ACT to throw down on the mats, with Susy moving up to the middle weight division. Susy demonstrated excellent control in her first blue belt competition, hitting a slick back take and finishing with a cross choke in her first fight. In the final she exchanged sweeps with her opponent before getting knee reaped and winning by DQ. In the open weight she dominated both fights, not giving up a point and winning the open final by 6-0. Well done by Susy!

Brown Belt Doug Kaegi dominated his first Gi opponent, winning by armbar. In the semi-final, he escaped a tight triangle-armbar combination to win by an advantage. In the final he made a critical mistake with 30 seconds left and lost by points, however, in the No-Gi he won the open final by electric chair in 17 seconds! Amazing work Doug! This was a great day on the mats in the ACT with strong competitors across all the divisions. Between the three of our competitors, we came home with 8 gold and 2 silver medals!

Back home in Melbourne, we were lucky enough to have Jiu Jitsu Team League host their third team tournament with us at Absolute MMA St Kilda on Sunday. The first women’s quintet event in Australia was sure to be packed with excitement from the start, with this tournament putting four teams of five (blue and purple belt) women against each other, each representing a separate charity organisation.

With multiple gyms in attendance, we were happy to have quite a few competitors representing Absolute MMA, assistant Kids BJJ Coach Brionii Cuskelly, Lauren Thompson, Sarah Chapman, Meesh Hall, Juliette Brillet, Megumi Lim and Brooke Butler. Great work on the mats ladies, it was wonderful to see everyone rolling for their respective charities and putting in the hard yards for a good cause.

“The Aggressive Cuddlers” took came home with the win after defeating The Early Risers in Round 1 and Best Restraint, Escape, Submission Team in Round 2. The Aggressive Cuddlers represented Share the Dignity. Share the Dignity gives sanitary products to homeless women and fights for domestic violence victims. Nearly 100 people attended the Jiu Jitsu Team League event, raising $1000 in donations going directly to Share the Dignity.

If you missed the matches on Sunday there’s no need to worry. The event was streamed live and can be rewatched for free over at Jiu Jitsu Team League’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jiujitsuteamleague/

Massive thank you to Jiu Jitsu Team League for organising, Livia Giles, Megan Milne, Hannah Gorman, Zach Ayman, Jamie Strauss, Misha Tchernych, Ashley Wright, all of the competitors and of course the fantastic crowd that showed up to watch on the day.

Keep an eye over on the Jiu Jitsu Team League Facebook and Instagram pages to be notified about the next event they will be running.

We would also like to congratulate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor Hugh Boyd, who took out his No-Gi division with two straight ankle locks at the Byron Bay Winter Open! In the Gi blue/purple open weight, Hugh won his first fight against a purple belt and lost his second to another purple belt. Hugh takes away Gold and a Bronze for his efforts on the mats, a well-deserved two medals! Great work Hugh!

Overseas in sunny Phuket, Absolute MMA Thailand fighter Tymo won his bout via KO in the second round at Bangla Stadium! In the first round of the fight, Tymo threw multiple, devastating knees to drop his opponent, and then in the second finished him off with a heavy punch. Congratulations on your win and on a great performance Tymo!

Published with thanks to Doug Kaegi.

Photography: Jiu-Jitsu Team League, Livia Giles, Doug Kaegi, Cooper Burnham.

FIGHT/COMPETITION RESULTS (10/05/2019-12/05/2019)

Saturday, 11th of May saw two of our Mixed Martial Arts competitors, Josh Grove and Coach Luke “The Lycan” Catubig fly to Perth, Western Australia under the guidance of Coach Daniel Howard for Eternal MMA 44. First up to step into the cage at HBF Stadium for the Absolute MMA was Josh Grove (2-1-0), up against Abdullah Eltigani (2-0-0). Keen to improve his record against an undefeated opponent, Josh dominated in the cage despite Eltigani having a significant reach advantage. Securing a few successful take downs through his wrestling, Josh did get cut open in the third round while avoiding a head kick but got the win in the end via unanimous decision. Congratulations to Josh on a comeback win to the cage after his previous bout on Eternal MMA 37, and on his very first stitches! A well deserved win after a dominant performance, bringing Josh’s record to 3-1-0.

Next up on the card and finishing up for team Absolute, Luke faced off against opponent Luke Jones from Western Australia after a two year hiatus off. Exciting to see “The Lycan” return to the cage! Luke managed to land some heavy strikes on Jones on multiple occasions with his powerful overhand right, sadly his opponents ground game got the best of him and he couldn’t finish him off. Despite him sustaining a loss via unanimous decision, we’re proud of Luke for getting back in there and going the distance. Plenty to work on going forward!

On May 12th, it was time for the highly anticipated Asia/Oceania ADCC Trials with 14 competitors from the Absolute MMA Brazilian Jiu-jitsu team flying all the way to Tokyo to compete. With many of our team dedicating the majority of their training in preparation to compete at the ADCC trials in the hope to secure a ticket to ADCC Worlds, this was a much awaited event for the whole Absolute MMA crew.

Our standout performance for the day was Coach Lachlan Giles of Absolute MMA St Kilda who won his ticket for the -76.9kg division after four fights, three occurring via submissions (heel hook) and one via judges decision! After the semi-final win via decision against his Japanese opponent, Lachlan smashed it in the final via submission with his signature 50/50 heel hook. Huge congratulations to Lachlan, who will be joining his wife Livia Giles and Absolute MMA teammates Ben Hodgkinson, Kit Dale and Craig Jones at ADCC Worlds!

Jeremy Skinner (-65.9kg), Mikael Yahaya (-65.9kg) and Matthew McGuiness (-87.9kg) all did really well, winning multiple fights in their respective divisions. Brown belt James Walters (-87.9kg) dominated his first match, and then lost in his second in a very back and forth battle to seasoned Australian/Brazilian black belt William Diaz. Izaak Mitchell (-76.9kg) performed extremely well, making it through three matches in total, and had in our opinion one of the greatest matches of the day against another South Australian competitor Declan Moody. Coach Oliver Smith (-98.9kg) also had a great performance in his first round, in what was a very close match, losing by just one point! To all our students and staff who competed, including Pippa Shaw, Sean Le Gourrierec, Kaya Rudolph, Lachlan Warne, George Miller and Adam McMahon, we are supremely proud of your efforts on the mats and how hard you have all trained to get to this point of competition. Thank you to all of the team’s training partners and coaches who have put in endless hours to help our competitors get to Tokyo.

Shout out to fellow Australian and training partner Daniel Schuardt of Empire MMA who fought all the way up to the final, and to the three other Australians who qualified for ADCC Worlds, Keller Locke-Sodhi, Jacob Malkoun and Denis Roberts. Great to see so many Australians will be heading to ADCC!

Sunday also saw Coach Craig Jones secure yet another win on Submission Underground (SUG) in Oregon, in extremely quick fashion (12 seconds!) via toe hold against opponent Denis Hallman. Congratulations Craig on an incredibly slick victory!

Photography: Eternal MMA, Luke “The Lycan” Catubig, Lachlan Giles.

Written by Emilie Yap and Richard Lattemagi.

WINTER IS COMING…WORK YOUR WAY INTO IT!

Are you ready to get fighting fit, strong and ready to take on each session? Whether you are starting out fresh, or preparing for a professional bout, this article will outline strategies and workouts to help you reach your goals in the upcoming cold season. We know it’s hard getting out of your warm bed in the morning for an early morning workout, particularly when it’s fresh out! That’s why we’re here, to help and support you through these trying times.

Sometimes as martial artists and fighters, we forget that we need to consider our strength and conditioning as a supplementary part of our regular training, and not a parallel. We all love going into every session and giving it our all, but proper planning, prioritisation and an understanding of our goals is important to optimise progress, and to avoid over training and potential injury. We also recommend periodisation. What is that you ask? Periodisation is simply the process of dividing your yearly training plan into a series of manageable and realistic phases of action. Be sure to speak to your coach about what phases of action will be best for your fitness goals!

If you are training four to six days per week with the goal to excel at your preferred martial art, then it is important that for those sessions you feel optimal both physically and mentally. Especially during this cold period, when motivation can be low.

With this kind of training schedule, you should not be going at max effort at every session. The goal should be to have twelve months of consistent efforts in a structured program. Be sure to always listen to your body, and schedule regular rest and recovery days.

In addition to martial arts, to assist in building strength, endurance, prevent injury and to get you to that next level, we recommend complimenting your regular training with a combination of these options (per week):

Two to three HIIT classes.
Two to three strength classes.
One or two Yoga for combat sports sessions.

A structured plan with proper periodisation, and getting a consistent 12 months training under your belt, will provide you many benefits, some of the main ones including:

Increased energy levels.
Higher productivity at work and in the home.
Better sleep hygiene.
Positive mindset – get that serotonin!
Being ready to train and smash your goals.

We would like to highlight the importance of speaking to your coaches about what they recommend for your schedule and your goals. They will be able to help you get structured and feel better, stronger, faster and leaner than ever before!

Our new HIIT classes, strength sessions, and yoga for combat sports classes running at our CBD and Collingwood locations are the perfect way to supplement your training and help you get the most out of your routine through these cold times. Read more about these classes here:

Classes and Services

Written by James Walters. Photography: Daniel Howard. Editor: Emilie Yap.

FIGHT/COMPETITION RESULTS (03/05/2019-05/05/2019)

With three of our amateur MMA fighters in the cage for title fights on Path to Hex 9, it was sure to be a night of action for the Absolute MMA team! Up first for the team was Lisa “Savage” Kyriacou in a greatly anticipated rematch against Courtney Martin (Mach 1), who Lisa had previously sustained a loss against on Eternal MMA 37 in September 2018. Lisa controlled the striking well, and displayed solid defence, reversing her opponents takedowns to move on top. She put up a great performance which lasted the full five rounds, however unfortunately sustained a loss via split points decision when the fight went to the judges scorecards. It is great to see how much Lisa has improved her fight game, massive respect to her for stepping back into the cage for the rematch against an undefeated opponent. Well done Lisa! We look forward to seeing you back in the cage for Eternal MMA in three weeks time.

Second up for the team was Sem Kakembo, against opponent Pece Naumovski (Emerge MMA) for the Path to Hex Featherweight Championship. Sem largely controlled the striking, landing heavy hits and punching through the guard of his opponent. Showing good skills, speed and power in his strikes throughout all five rounds and setting the pace, the bout was conducted primarily via stand up. Sem came close to the knock out a couple of times however his opponent held on, with the bout going the distance for Sem to win via split decision! A very well-deserved victory for Sem, congratulations!

The main event rolled around, with our very own Rob Pelle stepping up against Jean Alexander (Kimekai MMA) in a bout for the Path to Hex Bantamweight Championship. In the opening minutes of the first round, Rob evaded a guillotine from his opponent, continuing to press forward in an attempt to secure a takedown, but unfortunately got caught in a second guillotine setup and submitted. A hard day in the office, but you win or you learn and Rob will be back stronger for the experience. Thank you to all the team members and coaches who came down to support the team at Path to Hex 9!

On Sunday, 5th of May, our boxing team members Aniera, Pin and Ben, coached by Pradeep “The Indian Warrior” Sihag went to compete at the Bowman Cup (Boxing Victoria Inc.) at the Italian Social Club in Altona North. Making the transition from interclubs to the amateur level, the team competed in a 3 round x 2 minute format. A day of learning for the team, who sustained three losses across the board, however we are proud of them for stepping up to the next level and challenging themselves. Thank you to everyone who came down to support the crew, and to Coach Pradeep Sihag for cornering!

Overseas in Sao Paulo (Brazil) at the IBJJF Campeonato Brasileiro de Jiu-Jitsu 2019, Head Coach Thiago Stefanutti went to war on the mats! In his first match, he fought from top half guard, displaying the pressure that we all know so well, and after passing he ended up winning a points victory. Amazing work by Thiago! In his second match, he fought hard from the closed guard, inverted for a knee bar which he couldn’t quite finish, ending in 50/50 guard. His opponent did a good job of defending, and ended up winning the fight by advantage. Safe travels Thiago! We are all missing you back home, but are inspired by your work on the mats in Brazil. Thank you for being such a great example for the team!

Photography: W.L Fight Photography, Pradeep Singh Sihag and Thiago Stefanutti.

ABSOLUTE MMA THAILAND RESULTS (24/04/2019-28/04/2019)

The Muay Thai Team of Absolute MMA Thailand wrapped up the last week of the month by returning to Bangla Boxing Stadium with 3 fighters ready to showcase their skills on the 25th of April. First up, we had our Chinese visitor Yu Chen Jun Mu Ga. After a hard start, both boys looked up for the challenge. The first round saw Yu Chen landing some heavy leg kicks, which dropped his opponent, Yu Chen going in for the kill early. Congratulations on your first round stoppage!

Next, Absolute MMA Thailand regular Olivia Ritchie returned to the ring, keen to get back to her winning ways against a much heavier Thai opponent. Olivia utilised some crafty footwork and stance switching, constantly racking up points on the scorecards. It was the 3rd round that saw Olivia land some nasty elbows in the clinch, causing the referee to call an end to the fight! Well done to Olivia on a well-deserved win!

Finally, Alexander Welin took to the ring looking to capture a Bangla Stadium title in the main event, against a very talented southpaw fighter from New Zealand. Alex had the better of the boxing exchanges with his opponent constantly backing up, with the Kiwi fighter using his reach advantage well. Alex found some success late in the 5th round, but came up a little short on the judges scorecards.

Job well done by the Muay Thai team on all three accounts, you all performed well and were great representatives for the gym. Thank you to all the coaches who came down to support the team!

The team continued to represent at Bangla Stadium through to Friday night, with two of our fighters, Robert McNee and Yang heading to war! A clean sweep for the team here, with two wins from both boys. First up for the team, Rob made sure to utilise his height and the Thai clinch very well, delivering heavy knees to his opponent. Congratulations on your second round K.O Rob!

Next up was Yang. Yang’s strong K-1 base quickly became apparent as he used his left low kick to continuously attack his opponents leg. Well done to Yang who won via leg kicks in a round 3 stoppage! What a weekend for the team!

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: DEZ RAMADANI

We have many amazing people with interesting stories that walk into all our gyms! This member spotlight turns to Dez “Smurfette” Ramadani, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt and a strong advocate for the positive power of fitness. Want to take that Insta-perfect gym selfie? Dez is your lady! Bringing her smile to all photos, and to the mats, Dez is a valued member of our female BJJ team. Read on to find out more about Dez!

Occupation: HR consultant
Martial Arts/Sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

How did you get into the sport?

I grew up in a traditional Albanian family and watched a lot of UFC. Albanian’s are very passionate people and boxing is a huge sport in the culture. So I suppose fighting is somewhat in my bloodline. Not sure how I made the choice to do BJJ instead of boxing. I always wanted to train MMA so I researched a few gyms in Melbourne and signed up to MMA classes at Absolute MMA. I didn’t know much about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but a friend of mine had been doing it for years and highly recommended it so I started attending the BJJ classes and have been hooked ever since.

What are your immediate training goals?

My immediate training goals are to work on some of my techniques. Competing has taught me a lot about what I need to improve, so I just need to stay consistent and work towards improvement.

What are your goals for the next five years?

Within the next five years, I would love to be able to still train as much as I do now and compete a few more times. I would also like to develop a solid game and win a few gold medals.

Why do you love training at Absolute MMA?

Absolute MMA is a really fun and motivating place to train. Everyone is friendly and supportive, and you really develop a sense of comradery with your teammates.

What is your favourite move?

Love a good clock choke from the turtle position and sweeps from lasso guard.

Favourite workout/walkout song?

I have so many! Uproar by Lil Wayne & Swizz Beatz and Walk This Way by Run-D.M.C and Aerosmith.

Nicknames & Fight Names?

The only nickname I can think of is Smurfette because everything I own is blue. But I think I get called Gangster more often by Thiago than Smurfette.

What do you like to do to relax besides training?

I love going to the beach and just chilling out listening to the ocean. Even in winter, the beach has its calming properties. I will also indulge in the occasional massage or spa day. I also listen to a lot of music.

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

I admire people who have the ability to inspire or motivate, who can show empathy, display accountability and that also have a sense of humour. I also have a huge amount of respect for people who stand up for what is right and aren’t afraid to be themselves no matter what society thinks of it. Being humble is also a quality I truly respect and wish more people had this in today’s society.

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

My favourite place to eat is at BAMBU in South Melbourne. I love it for the ambience. I highly recommend the vegetarian spring rolls.

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

If I could go back to my first martial arts class, the advice I would give myself would be to not hold back and ask as many questions as possible. I would also tell myself to be more confident in my abilities. The most important thing for anyone in combat sports is self-belief, our minds can be our biggest setback. I would also spend more time writing notes after class to remember the techniques, and put more time into drilling. Repetition! Repetition! Repetition!

“Dez is a friendly and dedicated teammate and has always made me feel welcome at training. Drilling with her is really fun because we aim to help each other to nail the technique all while giggling about how we don’t really know what we are doing. I look up to Dez because she’s tough and rolls hard. My dream is to one day have abs like hers.” – Lenie Vamvesos

“The selfie queen! Dez is a great training partner. She’s always there with a smile and killer tan, ready to roll and then go for a light 10km run up some mountain somewhere.”- Natalie Hobbs

“Dez’s love of fitness is second only to her love of Instagram selfies. She brightens up the mat whenever she trains and I’ve loved watching her confidence grow as her Jiu-Jitsu improves. Big love Dez.”- Kim Cousins

“Does she even train? Haven’t seen her since she got her blue belt.”- Nick Metcalfe

“Dez is an amazing grappler and athlete. Her long legs and strong spider guard give me a world of grief! but she’s always happy to help with technique and have a laugh after class” – Maria Zampogna

MEET THE TEAM: PETER VELA

Coach Peter Vela is an experienced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. He has competed twice at the renowned Boa Super 8. Pete is one of the most technical BJJ practitioners in the gym, works full time as a software engineer and his knowledge is valued by all of us on the mats! Read on to find out more about this absolute gentleman.

What would you consider your greatest achievements in Martial Arts?

Teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Absolute MMA / Competing in BOA Super 8.

What made you start Martial Arts?

Fitness and exercise.

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

I signed up as a student when we moved to live in the city.

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’m originally from the Philippines. My family immigrated because of the revolution and rising violence around the time the dictatorship got ousted.

What’s your favourite music genre and musicians?

My favourite music genre is hip-hop.

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’d tell myself to start training younger.

“The most stylish and chilled black belt in the team. And has the skills to destroy giants. Petey is an absolute legend and his crab ride is also legendary. All I can say is One of these days Petey I will pass you, it is known!”- Apryl Eppinger

“Peter Vela is an absolute legend! The guy knows so much about jiu-jitsu and is always happy to share. A true friend and an asset to the team.”- Sean Le Gourrierec

“Pete is a very friendly, helpful staple of the absolute CBD location. He has a wealth of knowledge on jiu-jitsu, and is always down a rabbit hole of techniques and counters! Pete is one of the gems of Absolute MMA and is often found helping others with technique. I always have a laugh when I talk to Pete, and I’ve never heard him complain or really say anything negative! The gym temporarily lost one of its best resources while he was away because of his knee injury.”- Tim Baker

“His knowledge in jiujitsu is only rivalled by his awesome fashion sense. A true gentleman on and off the mats he is always open to answer questions after class about grappling and about life. A true asset of Absolute MMA who stores his knowledge in his majestic cauliflower ears.”- Kevin Lau

“Peter Vela is a kind, patient and very thoughtful teacher and friend, who will always take the time to help students out, even for people like Bailey Wang.”- Tina Trinh

“Peter is the man! He is a great teacher and was one of the first instructors I had at Absolute MMA. Despite the fact he wears gi pants in the squat rack, I still get a little excited every time I see him in the gym.”- Oliver Smith

“Peter is probably the best human being I ever met on my journey in BJJ. Technically he is great.” – Thiago Stefanutti

“Peter Vela has a juicy honeyhole.”- Richard Lattemagi

FIGHT/COMPETITION RESULTS (25/04/2019 – 28/04/2019)

Our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ladies made waves overseas last week at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2019 and the ADCC trials in Poland. In Abu Dhabi on Thursday, brown belt Shantelle Thompson stepped onto the mats first for the team, in a first round match against current division champion Gabrieli Pessanha. Having come up against Pessanha many times previously, Shantelle did well to evade Gabrieli’s submission attempts, with the match going the distance in the end. Despite a loss for Shantelle (0-4,3 advantages), she applied what she learned from her previous matches with Pessanha and showed an improved performance in giving her opponent a tougher fight.

Shantelle’s second match in repechage saw a close match against Finnish brown belt Jonna Konivuori with no points scored in the match. Both women were at 1-1 advantage each, with Shantelle eventually sustaining the loss via a penalty. Shantelle finishes her UAEJJF season with a ranking of number one in Oceania and Australia in the female black/brown division!

Representing Absolute MMA in Abu Dhabi next up for the team was Coach Apryl Eppinger. In her first match, she faced off against Jane Minondo, a 4 year brown belt from Canada. Apryl controlled the match by stuffing Jane’s attempts to jump guard and attack in the closed guard. The match resulted in 0-0 with Apryl securing the win via advantages 3-1, through takedown, knee bar and toe hold setups. An amazing win for Apryl given this is her first international competition as a brown belt! Congratulations Apryl!

Apryl’s second match was against Brazilian black belt Larissa Paez. Standing with her, Apryl attempted to take down her opponent which failed, with Apryl then pulling Larissa into an open guard. From there Apryl was not able to maintain the guard, with Paez passing her to secure side mount and the submission.

Her 3rd match was against Julia Maele,a Black belt from Norway. Apryl and her opponent finished on equal points 4 – 4, with Maele having two advantages. The match was in 50/50 and Apryl tried to escape to achieve 2 more points for the pass, which she secured but not in time to achieve the points. Apryl finishes her UAEJJF season ranked as sixth in Asia! Amazing work Apryl, it has been wonderful to see you work so hard and we thank you for being a great representative for the gym.

On Saturday, in Poland, Coach Livia Giles achieved an amazing result in winning the ADCC Trials in Europe for -60kg! After 4 tough fights, Liv finished the final with an inside heel hook. After sustaining a knee injury in December, Liv has worked tirelessly at her rehab and training to achieve this result. A well deserved result for Liv in her fourth attempt to win a ticket to ADCC Worlds! We are so excited for Liv who is now the fourth Australian to qualify for the 2019 ADCC Worlds (and the fourth for the Absolute MMA team)! Congratulations Liv, you crushed it!

Written by Emilie Yap and Apryl Eppinger.
Photography: Babskie Jiu-Jitsu, Livia Giles, UAEJJF, Proud Brown.

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