Our New sponsor Midwestern Meats

The AZSBJJF is happy to announce its latest sponsor, Midwestern Meats. Midwestern Meats will be catering at the 2010 AZ BJJ State Championship, selling high-quality and delicious food to competitors and spectators alike. The locally based business has a fully-stocked meat shop as well as a family restaurant and bakery. Midwestern Meats is your one-stop shop for wholesome, hearty, healthy, and satisfying food for any lifestyle. Here’s a little more info on the Arizona native business:

Twenty years and two generations of hard work, dedication, and family pride began in 1990 when Roger McConnell opened Midwestern Meats in a rented space in Mesa, Arizona. Offering only the best quality of corn-fed Iowa beef and personal customer service, the little meat shop soon gained popularity and expanded to include a scratch bakery and comfort-food style restaurant. By 1996, the company outgrew its rented space, building its own 11,000 square-foot location. In 1999, Roger handed the reins of Midwestern Meats to his son, Rod McConnell, who became Vice President and General Manager. An avid sports fan, Rod expanded the business by starting an athletic division in 2008, Midwestern Fitness, offering portioned-control meals to fitness, bodybuilding and sports athletes. Not one to rest on his laurels, Rod continued his expansion but this time on the internet. In 2009, Megameatstore.com was launched with little fanfare and promotions. However, customer loyalty and word-of-mouth created just enough buzz that soon megameatstore.com was slowly but surely getting hits and orders online.

Midwestern Meats welcomes its 21^st year in business with the same philosophy that began in 1990, offering nothing short of the best corn-fed meats, ingredients, and personal customer service.

You can learn more about Midwestern Meats by going to www.midwesternmeats.com or by visiting them at

Midwestern Meats
4308 E Main St
Mesa, AZ 85205

Simpson earned the Fight of the Night bonus

Source: www.ufc.tv

FAIRFAX, Va. – AZ Combat Sports fighter, Aaron Simpson, kept his perfect record intact the hard way, surviving a full-on first round striking assault from Tom Lawlor to battle back and earn a razor-thin three round split decision victory.

The two 185-pound prospects immediately engaged, and it was Lawlor who was surprisingly winning the striking battle, as he repeatedly rocked Simpson. As the round progressed, he kept the pressure on, and while Simpson’s head was in the fight, it was obvious that his legs were not. Lawlor, cautiously aggressive, continued to press the action, but he refused to get reckless.

Looking to turn the tide, Simpson went back to basics, taking Lawlor down in the second minute. Lawlor battled back to his feet, and got a brief takedown of his own before pinning Simpson against the fence. After breaking, Simpson stalked, and the two locked up again. After separating, Simpson got off a few hard shots, but it was Lawlor who ended the round with a guillotine choke attempt.
The third began with more standup exchanges before the two locked up against the fence. Simpson pushed the action, but Lawlor remained dangerous throughout. Midway through the round, Simpson started to take control, eventually sinking his hooks in from the back with under two minutes left. With nothing going on there, Simpson let him loose, but continued to take command against the tired Lawlor, yet the two still finished the fight with a brief flurry.

With the win, Simpson improves to 7-0; Lawlor falls to 6-2, 1 NC.

1st Southwest BJJ Classic Champion

Winning their 5th AZ BJJ tournament in a row, Team GD Jiu-Jitsu found themselves on top of the medal podium, scoring 190 points in the Adult Division. The Kids Team fought hard, but placed 4th with 40 points in a very close battle for the podium. Team GD Jiu-Jitsu was able to once again prove why they are considered one of the most active and successful competition teams in the state of Arizona. With a total of 49 competitors (Kids, Juvenile, Adult, Master, and Senior), Team GD Jiu-Jitsu won a total of 46 medals (19 Gold, 16 Silver, and 11 Bronze)!

Team Stand-Outs:

Dave Margraf (Adult, Blue Belt, Ultra Heavy) repeated his dominant performance at the 2009 AZ State Championship by winning both his weight division and the Open Class.

Derling Gonzalez (Master, Blue Belt, Ultra Heavy) was also able to have an encore performance from the State Championship and won his division and the Open Class.

Ryan Heilman (Adult, Purple Belt, Light) and Jesse Forbes (Adult, Purple Belt, Heavy) both won their weight divisions and met up in the Finals of the Open Class, closing out the division.

Here are the full results:

Ryan Bader (10-0)

Source: www.mmaweekly.com

The UFC 104 took place in Los Angeles, California on October 24th. AZ Combat Sports was well represented by Ryan Bader.

It was apparent early on that Bader was definitely ready to show off his stand-up skills in facing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Eric “Red” Schafer, as the former Ultimate Fighter winner opened up early in the fight with big punches trying to end the fight early. Bader landed a big shot midway through the first that rocked Schafer, and it looked like the finish was on its way, but the Milwaukee based fighter persevered and made in through the first five minutes, while enduring some severe punishment from the former Arizona State wrestler.

Schafer looked much stronger in the second round as Bader started to slow down after going all out in the first. Bader was winding up time and again looking for the big punch, while Schafer did a good job hitting jabs and landing the better strikes that snapped his opponent’s head back several times in the round.

Knowing that he may have dropped the second round, Bader picked up the pace in the final round, pressuring Schafer with his stand-up. The former TUF champion uncorked one big shot that landed right behind Schafer’s ear that left him on wobbly legs, and then being taken to the mat. Bader went for the finish, but again Schafer did a good job getting back to guard, bringing the fight to a stalemate on the ground.

As the fight came to a close, Bader stayed aggressive with his strikes, and landed a nice takedown to close out the 15-minute session. The judges saw it much the same way handing Bader the unanimous decision win, his third official win in the Octagon.

Check out the highlight video produced by Many Weapons from the 1st Southwest BJJ Classic.

Kristina won her third tournament in four weeks.

The NAGA Hawaii took place in Honolulu, Oahu on October 18th. Team GD Jiu-Jitsu was well represented by Kristina Barlaan. Kristina won the Blue Belt/Flyweight (129 lbs) Division.

Pat Runez (7-0)

Pictures from sherdog.com

The Ultimate Warrior Challenge (UWC) took place in Fairfaix, Virginia on October 3rd, where AZCS’ fighters went 2-0. Jacob McClintock defeated Beau Baker at 3:30 of the first round. McClintock’s stand-up looked clean and precise as he finessed the TKO out of Baker. Pat Runez won the UWC Flyweight title after he defeated John Dodson in a 5 round battle. The Championship Bout started out looking very strong, with Dodson seeming to be landing more strikes, even as Runez pushed forward. Dodson almost finished the fight in the second round after knocking Runez down and hurting him, but the third round would be the beginning of Runez’s comeback. Dodson attempted to capitalize on his success in the previous round, but Runez kept being the aggressor. The fourth and fifth rounds were where Runez won the fight as he began to control more of the exchanges and pushed the pace against the tiring Dodson. The scorecards came in at 49-46, 48-47 and 49-46, split in favor of Runez.

Check out Gustavo Dantas’ interview with www.bjjinterviews.com

CB Dollaway wins by unanimous decision.

Pictures: www.ufc.tv

The UFC Fight Night 19 took place in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on September 16th.Three AZ Combat Sports fighters were in the card. Carlos Condit (AZCS) defeated Jake Ellenberger by split decision in a very tough fight.CB Dollaway (AZCS) defeated Jay Silva by unanimous decision, and Unfortunately Steve Steinbeiss (AZCS) lost to Ryan Jensen on a controversial referee’s call.Jensen had a guilliotine choke sunk in, and the referee thought that Steinbeiss was out, but he wasn’t. We look foward to watch our UFC Fighters back in the Octagon soon.

Sarah Black – Blue Belt/Light/Female (1st place) and Open (1st place)

Derling Gonzales – Blue Belt/Ultra Heavy/Master (1st place) and Open (3rd place)

Issa Able – Blue Belt/Feather/Adult (1st place)

David Margraf – Blue Belt/Ultra Heavy/Adult (1st place)

Matt Joyce – Blue Belt/Ultra Heavy/Senior 1 (1st place)

Michael Westbrook – Brown Belt/Ultra Heavy/Adult (1st place) and Open (3rd place)

Micah Phillips – Brown Belt/Light Feather/Adult (1st place)

Fernando Armenta – Purple Belt/Light/Master (1st place)

Jake Gaston – Purple Belt/Light Feather/Master (1st place)

Joe Daley – Purple Belt/Light Feather/Master (2nd place)

Steve Judson – Black Belt/Open/Senior 1 (3rd place)

Phil Brown – Blue Belt/Middle/Master (3rd place)

Steve White – White Belt/Heavy/Senior 1 (3rd place)

Heath Flicker – Blue Belt/Feather/Adult (3rd place)

Luis Lozoya – Blue Belt/Heavy/Senior 1 (3rd place)