Mixed Martial Art Gym in Utah Inspires Success in High School Student

Student Spotlight for the month of April is one of our teenage members, Coley Armijo. Coley has been training Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu since September of 2011. Coley has made some significant changes in his life and we would like to share his success with all. We asked Coley to tell us in his own words what his experience was at Absolute MMA. Here is a copy of what he wrote.

"My name is Coley Armijo. I am a member of Team Absolute. Being a member of Team Absolute has inspired me to make goals in and outside of the gym. Some goals I have made this year was to get on the honor roll and graduate high school. I worked real hard in school, doing homework in class, being to class on time and showing up everyday. Doing that got me the award of Student of the Month in September, on the honor roll first and second quarters and I graduated a quarter early. I'm very happy to achieve my goals the way I have. I proved to everyone but more importantly I proved to myself I could do it."

Way to go, Coley! One success Coley didn't talk about, but is just as impressive, is his weight loss. Coley started training at a weight of 188 lbs. and he now weighs 162 lbs.! Coley also plans on competing in his first Jiu Jitsu tournament on April 14th. Coaches Rob Handley and Pedro Sierra are already proud of Coley's achievements and his hard work. His continued positive attitude, hard work and willingness to help others has made him an important part of Team Absolute. Another success story based on consistent, deliberate practice and the decision to make positive changes in life. Great work, Coley! We are proud to call you "teammate."

Total Mayhem Hosts Mixed Martial Arts Fights in Utah

Steve "Razor" Sharp is fighting on April 7th! Steve's opponent will be "Disco" Dave Foley at Total Mayhem's We're Back II. The show will be held at The Gym on 2805 South 2025 West in West Haven, Utah. This will be an all ages event and fights will start at 7 pm.

Both of these Mixed Martial Art fighters have impressive and colorful records. Wrestling, Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Boxing will all be on display in this bout. It should be a great night of fights so come out and support our Absolute MMA team member in his latest match. You know you don't want to miss it!

Jiu Jitsu in Utah Shines at NAGA tournament

Absolute MMA entered thirteen competitors at the North American Grapplers Association (NAGA) tournament last weekend. We took home 19 medals! Twelve 1st place finishes, four 2nd place finishes and three 3rd place finishes. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of the foundations of our program. Under Professor Rob Handley, we learn and demonstrate the quality of his instruction and teaching methods. We are constantly improving our technique and challenging each other to improve our game. This is evidenced in the performance of our team last Saturday. Here are the individual results from the event. Congratulations to all our competitors, win or lose. We are proud of you all.

Mens NO-GI Novice Feather Weight
3rd Place Matt Belchak
Mens GI White Belt Feather Weight
2nd Place Matt Belchak

Mens NO-GI Intermediate Feather Weight
1st Place Denver Merrifield-Nirva
Mens GI Blue Belt Feather Weight
1st Place Denver Merrifield - Nirva

Mens NO-GI Expert Light Weight
1st Place Cameron Dansie
Mens GI Purple Belt Light Weight
1st Place Cameron Dansie

Mens NO-GI Intermediate Super Heavy Weight
2nd Place Ryan Williamson
Mens NO-GI Expert Super Heavy Weight
3rd Place Ryan Williamson

Womens NO-GI Expert
1st Place Rebecca Rodriguez
Womens GI Expert
1st Place Rebecca Rodriguez

Mens GI Blue Belt Light Weight
1st Place Justin Mitterling

Mens GI Blue Belt Cruiser Weight
1st Place William DaBell

Mens GI Blue Belt Super Heavy Weight
3rd Place Jared Fackrell
Mens GI Masters White Belt Super Heavy Weight
1st Place Jared Fackrell

Mens GI Purple Belt Cruiser Weight
1st Place Bentley Garner

Mens GI Masters Blue Belt Light Weight
2nd Place Eric Ciffone

Mens GI Directors Expert
1st Place Pedro Sierra

Kids NO-GI Beginner 49.9 lbs. and Under 7 & 8 year olds
2nd Place Mason Ciffone
Kids GI Beginner 49.9 lbs. & Under 7 & 8 year olds
1st Place Mason Ciffone

Mixed Martial Arts Training Culminates in Showdown Fights: Breakout Show

Showdown Fights: Breakout was a great show this last Saturday. Exciting fights and an electric atmosphere made for a great night.

Steve Sharp, exciting and fierce as always, finished Mario Espinoza in three minutes of the very first round. These boys talked about having a stand up, knockdown, knuckle and skull fight in their pre-fight interviews. They did not disappoint. Both fighters came out swinging with Steve getting the better of every exchange. Steve threw some monster leg kicks which had Mario limping and looking for a takedown as a way out. Not one to miss an opportunity, Steve cinched down a guillotine choke that ended the fight. Steve showed again why he is an exciting fighter out of the Absolute MMA camp with a quick and decisive finish.













Josh Burkman and Koffi Adzitso had a regular barn burner that went all three rounds. Both fighters laded hard punches with Burkman getting the better of the the takedowns. Neither gave an inch and gave everything they had to get the "W". Josh got the unanimous decision but both walked away with respect for each other and adoration from the crowd.

Showdown Fights: Breakout got notice from mmaweekly.com. They posted fight results and a mention of Burkman's win. Great show and great fights. We look forward to more of the same in the future.

High School Wrestler Uses Mixed Martial Arts to Achieve Goals

Many of you know Joel. He has been with us for several months now but took some time off to achieve his goals in wrestling with great results. When Joel was training with us he was a regular. He always worked hard and never put in less than 100% effort, training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and Mixed Martial Arts. We asked Joel to write about his wrestling experience and here is his response in his own words.

"At the age of 15 I started wrestling at Murray high school. I wasn’t very good, and didn’t know much and had a losing record. Inspired by our team captain Jordan Schroeder who had placed 2nd in state his senior year, he had pushed me to get better for my second year. My junior year I did much better but I ended up in 6th place at region, and did not qualify for the state tournament.

That summer I prepared myself for my senior year. My first step was to enter the doors of Absolute MMA. I trained almost every day throughout the summer, and I learned a lot and felt ready. Every day after preseason practices for my high school team I went straight to the gym to practice more wrestling. My first match of the season I hurt my elbow but came out with the win. The rest of the season I just mobbed through kids. Almost going undefeated at one tournament and placing 2nd in another. After my Christmas break I came back to wrestling and fell into a slump. I was able to pull out of it and get back in my groove. It was senior night at Murray high. I was told it was going to be a tough match to win, and I was looking forward to the challenge. My opponent was Hayden Rentfro from West Lake High. The kid I wrestled beat me 16 to 12. By 4 points, I told myself I would get the job done in the finals at region.

I pushed myself in the wrestling room and pushed myself in the weight room. Regions finally came, we entered West Lake High School and I was ready to wrestle. The first round I had a bye, the second round I pinned my opponent in 50 seconds. Watching the Westlake kid win his matches just got me pumped up and ready to go for my next match. Third round came and I beat my opponent with a major decision 11 to 3. After day 1 ended I was excited for the finals.

Day 2 was a long day, just sitting there and waiting to get on the mat. Throughout the day I warmed up and kept myself ready and focused on what to do. As the lights went dim and the spot light came on I was ready to go. After the 138 pound match was over I checked in at the table and stepped out on the mat. I was ready to wrestle the kid who thought he could beat me once again. I was focused and went 6 full minutes, I defeated him 15 to 9. I am so happy winning my first region championship title in my senior year, and winning the region tournament as a team. My lesson I learned was to believe in myself no matter what, listen and train hard, and when focused anything is possible."

Name: Joel Haro
Weight class: 145
Age:17
Record: 29-11
Memorable matches:
Finals match at Clash of the Titans Tournament-2nd place
Region Finals Match 1st place, 2012

We are very proud of Joel and his accomplishments and his desire to improve. He truly is an Absolute MMA Team Member. Congratulations on the Regional Championship!

Showdown Fights: Breakout! Utah MMA Fighters to Showcase Their Skills

Showdown Fights: Breakout is on February 24! Absolute MMA will have two fighters in this show, Koffi Adzitso and Steve Sharp.

Koffi has been training regularly and is looking good. His punches are blindingly fast and his conditioning is top notch. Koffi always puts on crowd pleasing fights so don't miss your chance to watch and be a part of the excitement. You can get tickets in Koffi's section at Absolute MMA.

Steve is working hard and refining his timing as he had knee surgery not too long ago. He is always a dangerous fighter and brings knockout power to his fights. Another great fighter that knows how to put on a great show. Don't blink when Steve fights because it can be over that quick. Get your tickets and cheer for our team!

Jiu Jitsu Seminar With a Grand Master

Grand Master Flavio Behring will be here in a week! He will be putting on a Jiu Jitsu seminar at Absolute Mixed Martial Arts in West Jordan, UT. The seminar will be on Saturday, January 28, from 10 am until 3 pm.

Grand Master Flavio has a very experienced teaching style. You don't have to have experience to learn some amazing things about Jiu Jitsu and yourself. If you do have experience you will gain the insight of a 64 year practitioner of the art. All levels are welcome. The stories he tells are of the days when Jiu Jitsu was forming and growing in Brazil. You get to speak with a man who was there from the very early days.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn and train with a true master. Contact Absolute MMA at 801.255.1166 for prices and availability.

Absolute Mixed Martial Arts; Grillguards Custom Mouthpiece Giveaway.

Absolute Mixed Martial Arts had a giveaway contest in December of last year for a Grillguards Custom Mouthpiece. The student with the most classes attended during the month would be the recipient of one custom mouthpiece valued at $120.00. We had great participation and the competition was fierce. The contest was close for the first two weeks and then one started to pull away from the pack. Rebecca Rodriguez put together a string of days with two and three classes a day. Kick Boxing, Kettlebells and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, sometimes all in one day are what contributed to her winning the prize and finishing with 26 classes for the month. This was a good 10 more classes than the closest runner up. Congratulations, Rebecca!

Grillguards Custom Mouthpieces are used by the majority of our students and 100% of our staff at Absolute MMA. We have found them to be the best quality equipment we can find in mouth protection. The mouthpieces are custom fit so we never have an issue with our protection being loose or not fitting correctly. Of all the people using these mouthguards; amateur and professional fighters, coaches and serious or occasioanal students, we have not had one come to us and say it was faulty or didn't live up to what Grillguards stated. Thanks to Grillguards Custom Mouthpieces for the great product and for supporting Absolute Mixed Martial Arts.

Absolute MMA Fighter, Koffi Adzitso, to Tryout for The Ultimate Fighter!

Absolute MMA teammate, Koffi Adztso, is trying out for The Ultimate Fighter show this Sunday! Koffi has been training consistently and intensely for quite some time. It looks like this may be his opportunity to show the world his skills and take his game to the next level. Koffi, nicknamed "The Lion King", has an impressive record of 17-8-0. Koffi is an exciting fighter, well respected for his lightning fast hands and knockout power. Nine of his 17 wins have come by knockout or TKO.

Koffi has been a member of Absolute MMA for a few years now, adding his experience and work ethic to the MMA team training and Jiu Jitsu classes. He always is respectful of his partners and works at a level that both can benefit from. Koffi has one of the best work ethics around. Not one to take days off or relax during training, he always puts forth his best effort and is an excellent example of "work first, talk later."

All of us at Absolute MMA wish Koffi success at The Ultimate Fighter tryouts. We would wish him luck but we know his skill set makes that unnecessary. We look forward to seeing Koffi get his shot at the big show. Knock 'em out, Koffi! Do what you do best.

Absolute MMA Doiminates MMA Fights with Jiu Jitsu!

Absolute MMA victory! Showdown Fights: Evolution proved to be a showcase for Absolute MMA fighters. Two of three fighters came home with a victory and all put on a good show.

William DaBell was the second fight of the evening. This was his debut fight in mixed martial arts. William was a bit nervous in the locker room but warmed up well and had a look of determination in his eye as he walked out to meet his opponent. The fight started out with each fighter looking for openings with jabs and crosses. William's opponent took a shot and got a big double leg takedown but William popped right back to his feet, defended a guillotine choke and the fighters exchanges punches. The two circled a bit with jabs and body blows being exchanged. William was put up against the cage and after some good takedown defense, got lifted and driven to his back. The round ended with William covering against the last 10 seconds of punches form his opponent.

Round two opened with punches, William taking some to the head and a few uppercuts until he clinched and the two ended up on the ground with William in his opponent's guard. William stood to pass the guard and got tripped up as his opponent grabbed both ankles to take him down. The position reversed, William defended punches and then applied Behring Jiu Jitsu self defense to finish the fight! As his opponent drove forward, forearm in his throat, William passed the arm to one side and applied an arm triangle. His opponent, busy defending the choke, could do nothing as William moved his hips out to the side until he had enough leverage to reverse the position and secure his victory in the mount, forcing his opponent to tap. Round two win via arm triangle! Congratulations, William!

Eduardo Rivera was fight number three on this card. Edurado fought a much taller opponent. Eduardo came out swinging and landed some early shots, pushing his opponent up against the cage. The two separated and clashed a few more times, each time Eduardo would land a few head shots. His opponent turned the tide quickly, however. Keeping Eduardo at distance he started to fire off punches which Eduardo was unable to respond to. Adding leg kicks to the barrage seemed to disorient Eduardo and he clinched with a body lock and went to the back to avoid damage. His opponent locked in a Kimura and took Eduardo to the ground. As Eduardo avoided the shoulder lock he fell into a straight arm lock which his opponent finished belly down, preventing Eduardo form anything but a tap to end the fight.

Denver Merrifield-Nirva came into this fight with a 3-1 record. His last fight was a loss and he was looking to get back on the winning side of things. Denver's opponent had a 5-6 record and was looking to do the same. First round the two touched gloves and circled. Denver's opponent threw a few punches with bad intention but didn't land. The two clashed while standing a few times with both landing some hard crosses and hooks. Denver ended up eating a hook which knocked him off balance and forced him to put a hand on the ground to keep his feet. He was rushed but sprawled beautifully and forced the clinch as he put the other fighter into the fence. A few strikes and some knees later, Denver controlled his opponent's legs and took him down, right up against the fence. His opponent scrambles and Denver takes his back, pulling him backwards. There is another scramble and the two get back to their feet, throwing punches as they separate. Denver catches a hard left on his forearm as he blocks and circles away. The next time the two go for punches, Denver drops his level and executes a beautiful double leg takedown. Denver's opponent looks to roll and escape but ends up on knees and elbows eating punches under his arm to the face and to the side of the head. He takes a couple big shots as Denver passes his guard, rolls again and catches Denver in his half guard and eventually full guard. Denver wants none of it and stands up to throw punches with ill intent. Forced to defend against the barrage of strikes, the other fighter rolls again. This time Denver maintains top position as he continues to deliver devastating punches which force more movement from his adversary. Denver flows through side mount, knee on back, knee on stomach, half mount, back and mount again as his opponent desperately tries to get away from the constant hammering of elbow and fists. Denver sticks him in side mount, bouncing elbows off his head and sets up an arm bar. His opponent defends by grabbing two hands together and gets rewarded for his efforts with a crushing hammer fist to the face. Denver places the leg back over his opponents head and finished the arm bar with little trouble to secure a second round victory! Congratulations Denver!

We are proud of all our fighters! Congratulations on a great night!

Jiu Jitsu was the finishing factor in all Team Absolute fights that night but Muay Thai played an important role as did Wrestling.! Come train at Absolute MMA for all your MMA needs.

http://absolutemma.com/

Utah MMA Gym Sparks Weight Loss.

Ruben Cervantes is one of our student successes. Ruben has been a student here since March of 2011. In that time, he has lost 20 pounds and drastically improved his fitness. Ruben came to us with the goal of losing 30 pounds, going from 185 to 155. As you can see he is well on his way. One of our regulars for the morning class, Ruben trains four days a week, both Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He trains hard, pushing himself when his body wants to give up and breaking the physical limits he used to have.

Ruben is one of many stories at Absolute MMA that have achieved their goal of weight loss. There are many more on our team that could tell a similar story. The positive attitude and teamwork that is present every day helps us all to better ourselves and each other.

We are proud of Ruben and all our teammates who have made progress with weight loss and improved fitness. We look forward to sharing more success stories with you. See you on the mat!

Absolute MMA Fighter, Jeff Nielson, wins with dominance.

Friday night was an exciting night for fight fans, especially teammates of Jeff Nielson from Absolute MMA. Jeff has been training regularly and with intensity for this fight and it showed on fight night. Jeff faced an opponent with a similar record and experience in Cy Nelson that night. Both Jeff and Cy made weight, looking to test each other on Friday night.

The fight started out with a few seconds of circling and a jab from both Cy and Jeff. Jeff clinched and pushed Cy against the fence and got the front takedown to mount right away. From there it was a dominant performance by The Absolute MMA fighter. Jeff controlled position, threw strikes and remained calm throughout the struggle. Cy tried to move and escape which only got him more strikes or more controlled for his efforts. Cy did end up bridging hard which gave Jeff back mount to be held until the end of the fight, striking at will and finishing with a rear naked choke in under three minutes of the first round!

Congratulations to Jeff Nielson on his win and on a dominant performance!

www.absolutemma.com
www.facebook.com/pages/ABSOLUTE-MMA/194641106317?ref=ts

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Student Spotlight

Our student spotlight this month is Hassan Campos. Hassan is seventeen and a student at Copper Hills High School. Hassan is quiet, respectful and serious about learning Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which he has been doing since March of 2011. He comes to class ready to learn and has been doing so quietly and well. The first hurdle any person has to face when learning BJJ is how to survive. Hassan has met this challenge and is starting to overcome it. More and more people are mentioning how difficult it is to submit him and how increasingly difficult it is to maintain control and position on him. Hassan also comes regularly to the take down class on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 pm. There also he has steadily improved both his offense and defense in this very demanding and difficult discipline.

In a time when many try to draw attention by talking loud or often about themselves, Hassan stands out by being quiet, working hard and respectfully seeking out instruction. Hassan asks intelligent questions, puts time and effort into practicing the repetitions that improve his skill and doesn't complain. While this is refreshing in any individual, it is especially so in one his age.

At Absolute MMA, those of us who have more experience share what we have with those who are less experienced. That means helping new people understand movement and techniques, gym etiquette and giving them just the right amount of resistance when working as a non-cooperative partner. Hassan does this well and without ego. He is an excellent example of a martial artS student. We are proud to have Hassan as a part of our Absolute MMA team.

Hassan just competed in his first Jiu Jitsu tournament Saturday,The 2nd Annual Wasatch Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Youth Tournament. He took 2nd place! Congratulations, Hassan! Well done.

New Historic Gardner Trax station allows easy access to Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts.

Attention all Absolute MMA friends and family in Sandy, West Valley, Downtown Salt Lake and the University Campus. Trax has just opened a new station at Gardner village, just a half block away from our gym! A train will stop every 15 minutes on weekdays and is a five minute walk away from the benefits of training at Absolute. For those of us that want to save money on gas and not get caught in traffic, this is a great option.

Here is the overall Trax and FrontRunner map.

http://www.rideuta.com/content/happenings.aspx

Here is the link for the weekday southbound Redline route.

http://legacy.rideuta.com/ridingUTA/viewSchedule.aspx?abbreviation=703&dir=0&service=4&signup=113&pdaView=False

This is the link for the weekday northbound Redline route.

http://legacy.rideuta.com/ridingUTA/viewSchedule.aspx?abbreviation=703&dir=1&service=4&signup=113&pdaView=False

absolutemma.com

Grand Master Flavio Behring Seminar in August!

Grand Master Flavio Behring is coming to Utah! Absolute MMA will be hosting a seminar by Grand Master (GM) Flavio on August 6th. This will be a gathering of all Flavio Behring Jiu Jitsu schools in the United States bringing students and instructors from Arizona, California, Montana and Utah.

There will, of course, be instruction from GM Flavio, one of the leading experts on the planet in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. GM Flavio always provides details and specifics about all of the techniques he shares as anyone can attest to that has participated in one of his seminars. GM Flavio is an open and giving teacher and will share his wealth of knowledge with a first week beginner the same as he would a twenty year veteran practitioner of the art.

Promotions are always a part of the excitement at GM Flavio's seminars. We all get to share in the pride and accomplishment of our teammates. It's a great feeling to be a part of each other's success, knowing that we all rely on each other to improve. Their improvement is a direct result of working with each and every one of us. It is also prestigious to be promoted by one of the few Red Belt Grand Masters in the world. Bragging rights and authenticity insured.

Absolute MMA invites all who want to gain skill and be a part of a great experience to sign up for this fantastic event. Call (801) 255-1166 for details or stop by the gym at 7800 South 1338 West in West Jordan, Utah. Don't miss meeting and working with a Jiu Jitsu Legend.

Excellent weight loss at MMA gym in Utah!

Pedro, "Hey Ivan! How are you today?"
Ivan, "I'm doing so damn good it would kill a mortal man!"

Hey gang! Remember Ivan? He was our student spotlight a little while ago. This is an update on his progress. As of June 1, 2011 Ivan has lost 30 pounds in his three months with us! He has also been directed by his physician to cut his high blood pressure medication in HALF! Ivan continues to be positive in every interaction he has with the staff and every other member here. Ivan is famous for his quotes as you can tell from the above statement. What a remarkable story. Ivan is one of many of our students who have been able to achieve and far exceed their goals as a result of their dedication, hard work, consistency and the training they receive at Absolute MMA. We are proud to have Ivan with us as one of many who have used us as a means to make positive change in their life. I know of many more Absolute Team Members who can give similar accounts of their achievements. We are proud of you all.

So you think girls can't fight?

Here's Rebecca and Rickey working on their Jiu Jitsu. Absolute MMA teaches Jiu Jitsu to men, women and children. Young and old, no experience needed. You don't have to want to be a fighter to learn everything the fighters do. Statistics show that women and girls who play sports have higher self-esteem, which leads to more confidence, fewer teen pregnancies, and a host of other positive side effects. Choosing Jiu Jitsu as your sport also increases your ability to defend yourself should the need arise. What are you waiting for?

New Kettlebell class!!!

We are proud to announce that we will be teaching kettlebell class at 9:00 am Saturday mornings, starting May 7th. These classes will be directed towards educating team members on proper technique and form for kettlebell sport lifting. This is a great opportunity to improve your overall fitness, stamina and strength endurance. We will teach basic movements, safety and proper form for all lifts included in the World Kettlebell Club ranking system. Come join us for an opportunity for a great workout and a great learning experience.

http://absolutemma.com/

Open Guard.

William and Feki working open guard. These two work hard as we all know at Absolute MMA. William is progressing his open guard technique and Feki is improving his survival skills. It's never easy but the results are worth the effort.

Student Spotlight - Ivan

I would like you all to meet Ivan, a newer student at Absolute MMA. Ivan is 50 years old and has been with us for 6 weeks now. He has made some significant life changes in the last little bit and decided to add physical fitness to the list of positives in his life.

Ivan came to us drinking two liters of Dr. Pepper a day! He has since completely removed carbonated drinks from his diet and has started to clean up his diet. Ivan was not in good physical condition when he began his training with us. He could not finish the rounds of Jiu Jitsu without stopping for breaks or sitting out a round. Just yesterday he worked through all four, 5 minute rounds with 15 push ups and 15 sit ups during the break! He has also lost 13 pounds in the 6 weeks since becoming a member!

Ivan always has a positive attitude and an incredible work ethic. He trains four days a week, no matter what. We all know how hard it is to keep working when the soreness and pain of training tells us to quit. We are proud to have Ivan with us at Absolute MMA. He inspires us and motivates the students and staff to give everything we have to improving ourselves and each other.