(Tim signing our ring apron.)
Big Tim Sylvia spent the past two days training at Xtreme Couture. Turns out Tim is somewhat of a fashion plate. He’s been in town for the Magic Show (where new clothing lines are debuted for buyers). Tim’s got some cool shirts coming out this Fall.
He’s also good buddies with Mike Whitehead and spent the past two days training with our Pro Team. Tim’s next fight is against Brandon Vera at UFC 77 on October 20th.
Categories: mike whitehead · tim sylvia
Our good buddies at The Fight Network (thanks Loretta) sent us these awesome pictures.
Here is the kick that broke Randy’s Arm in the beginning of the third round.
And here’s the slam in the first round where Gonzaga broke his nose. Note that Gonzaga is holding onto the fence.
Our pals over at The Fight Network also sent us this link. It’s a site called Great Bodies. Naturally they have a feature on Randy.
Categories: randy couture
Here are pictures for Randy’s Thursday night workout. He’s preparing for his title defense against Gabriel Gonzaga at the Xtreme Couture gym, a mere five minutes from the Mandalay Bay Arena.
The Natural is tremendous shape. You can tell that by looking at the pictures though. He’s 110% ready for Saturday night.
Categories: randy couture
MMA legend Wanderlei Silva hit the gym in Vegas today. He’s in town for the next two weeks from the Fizogen-Xtreme Couture in Wellington, Florida. Wanderlei is helping Randy to get ready for Gabriel Gonzaga.
Here’s what Randy had to say about working out with the Brazilian legend, “It’s great to have him in the gym. I’m anxious to pick his brain. To explore his training tactics and techniques. I’m also looking forward to building a rapport with him going forward. We had some good goes today. We were working out of half guard and the mount. He’s very tough in both positions.”
Wanderlei says he’s glad to be here in Vegas with “The Natural”. And that he’s impressed with Randy. “He’s strong on the ground. He has very good jiu jitsu and excellent stamina. He’s stronger than I thought.”
Wanderlei even made a prediction for the main event at UFC 74. “Randy is good for this fight. He’s ready. Very good boxing. He will win.”
As for his next fight, Silva tells us he’ll be stepping back into the Octagon on December 29th. He hopes it is against Chuck Liddell.
After the UFC 74, you can catch Wanderlei at the Fizogen-Xtreme Couture MMA Training Center in Wellington, Florida.
Categories: randy couture · wanderlei silva
The photo on the left is a 230-lb Joey Dodd in late November of 2006. On the right is Joey today, tipping the scales at 185-lbs. He did it with incredibly hard work in the gym and a new diet. We had the chance to chat with Joey. Here’s what he had to say.
How many days a week do you work out?
Six. I do three days here at Xtreme Couture doing jiu jitsu and the MMA class. I do the other three days in the gym. I lift weights and do cardio. I hit every body part one time per week and do cardio in conjunction with that body part on the same day.
How has your diet changed?
I eat six meals a day. Basically one meal every three hours. Usually three of the six meals are a ready to drink protein shake or a protein bar.
What made you get on this program?
Old age. I turned 38 and I didn’t want to die at an early age. I also want to be energetic and play with my grandkids one day.
Your son works out at the gym too.
Yeah. He loves it. He wants to be a pro when he grows up.
What has been the reaction of people at work?
They all say, “that’s amazing”. People say unless I knew that was you before, I wouldn’t believe the before and after pictures. It looks like the pictures have been enhanced. (Editor’s note: the pictures were not enhanced)
What is your target weight?
I started at 230-lbs last December. The before picture is from November of ‘06, but I didn’t really start working out until late December, really early January. That’s when I got serious about it. I got down to 185 in May and that’s where I am now. I’d like to take off another five or ten pounds and be about 175-lbs to 180-lbs.
Categories: Joe Dodd · member spotlight
We were visited again today by a Road Runner. Not sure if it’s the same guy or not. This time I was quicker on the good foot and got some half decent pictures of it.
Categories: road runner
(Shawn Tompkins after running practice and sparring several rounds)
Shawn Tompkins and his impressive stable of fighters now officially call Xtreme Couture MMA in Las Vegas home. We had the chance to sit down and ask Mr. Tompkins some questions. Here’s our interview with one of the sports’ top trainers.
What made you come to Xtreme Couture?
The biggest thing for me was the fact that I’ve been involved in the sport for so many years. I wanted to work with the Elite Athletes of MMA. This is where it is. I’m not concentrating on just one guy. Out here I’m working with 4 or 5 different guys at one time. World-class guys, with big fights coming up. That’s where I want to be right now in my career. I’ve trained beginner and intermediate fighters, that’s not what I want to do right now.
What’s your role on the team?
I’m in control of all the pro fighters, as well as managing the gym floor and coordinating team practices. I’m making sure that the quality of all different aspects of what we do here at Team Couture is kept at the top level. We’re making sure everyone is good at everything.
Are you brining the Anacondas here?
Yes. This will be the home of the LA Anacondas. It’s also the U.S. Headquarters for Team Tompkins fighters.
Team Tompkins will now be working hand in hand and side by side with Team Couture. I think it’s a perfect marriage. Our guys have always been training partners. We’ve had that brotherhood relationship going anyways so I think that’s only going to get stronger. It benefits everyone to have top notch training partners.
Are you looking forward to next year in the IFL?
Yeah. I’m looking forward to coming back. I have a brand new plan as to how we’re going to do things. According to who is going to be on the team and how we’re going to train. We’re going in there with key players. We have redemption on our mind. I’m going to pay more attention to the secondary roster. We were so concentrated on our main guys this year, that when we had 2 injuries in the Semi-Finals we didn’t have anyone else who was prepared.
How’d you get into coaching?
I opened up my first gym when I was 18-yrs-old. I started doing MA when I was 6 and teaching when I was 16. I was in London, Ontario just outside of Toronto. I met Bas at a seminar in Quebec. It was 9 years ago when he first moved over from Holland. He was doing English and Acting classes because he wanted to be a movie star. He asked me to come out to teach at the Beverly Hills Jiu Jitsu club so he could get to his acting classes. He’s a great trainer. People don’t give him the credit he deserves as a great trainer. What people don’t see is that he trains people different ways. He trains a Lightweight to be a Lightweight and a Heavyweight to be a Heavyweight, he sees what a guy’s style is and enhances it. A lot of trainers try to stick all of their guys into the same mold. I learned a ton about training from Bas.
Freddie Roach also helped me a lot. I was doing a story for an internet site called MMA Today. They asked me if I wanted to interview Freddie Roach. It ended up being a 4 hour interview. We talked and talked and realized we had a lot of similarities in our training styles. I studied under him. Studying under a boxing coach is a lot different from Martial Arts. In MMA you’re hands on. Boxing coaches stand back and watch the fighters style and see what he’s doing right and wrong. I learned how to stop cuts, wrap hands, tape hands. It gave me a jump start on what I do now.
Who have you trained in the past?
I trained Carlos Newton, Forrest Griffin, Gray Maynard before he joined XC. Dan Henderson, Sokoudjou, Phil Baroni, Kevin Randelman among others.
You joined forces with Dan during a bit of a slump for him, and then he got on a hot streak. What did you guys work on?
Dan was well known for his right hand and single leg takedown. I started workikng with him in his rematch with Misaki, then we trained for the Vitor fight, and it all clicked in the Wanderlei fight. A lot of people say it takes three fights for a trainer and fighter to click. I’d say that was accurate with Dan and I. In the Wanderlei fight, he was putting his punches in combinations. He was more interested in being on his feet than on the ground, and was transitioning from the ground to his feet. He was event throwing kicks. That was the first fight where he showed a complete game. He was easy for me to mesh in with. He’s a worker.
He came to me after he lost the first Misaki fight. I was training Bas for his fight with Kimo at that point (Warpath eventually filled in for Kimo). Bas and I took a trip to Dan’s for a week to get a different aspect for Bas. When I was there Dan saw what I was doing with Bas. About a month later Dan called me out of the blue and asked me to come down. He asked me to run his whole training camp.
After Dan would finish a fight I’d go back to Canada. Before the Wanderlei fight Dan moved me into his house to make sure he got up on time, ate right, got to training, etc. That’s how completely I ran his camp. He made me a great offer and I took it.
What are you working on with Randy for the Gonzaga fight?
Randy’s already got a complete game. Now I’m trying to make it precision accurate. We’re working on maintaining consistent control of Gonzaga for 5-rounds. He already understands every aspect of the game. Now we’re making him fluid.
Anything else you want to add?
In my career in Martial Arts this is the best move I’ve ever made. I’m thrilled to be in this environment.
(Shawn Tompkins spars with the champ)
(Shawn and Kimbo trade shots)
(Coach Tompkins leads Jay White through drills)
Categories: Shawn Tompkins · xtreme couture
We had a road runner show up at the gym the other day. The cute little bastard came right up to the front door.
I immediately grabbed the camera, but couldn’t get a good shot.
The thing was unbelievably quick. No wonder they’re so hard to drop anvils on. Here, here and here are some great shots of a road runner that a better/more patient photographer took.
Categories: road runner
Meet Jake Bonacci, Xtreme Couture’s Strength & Conditioning Coach. Jake’s in Grad School and came to us on a summer internship. He blew everyone away with his energy and creative programs. So we invited Jake to stay.
Here’s an article Mr. Bonacci’s hometown paper wrote on him. Jake will be featured on Spike TV’s “All Access” and “Countdown to UFC 74″ on August 23rd. Jake would like the ladies to know that Jake is single.
Categories: Jake Bonacci
It’s a big night of fights in the boxing world tonight. Israel Vasquez and Rafael Marquez rematch on Showtime and Erik Morales takes on David Diaz on HBO PPV.
For those who were born in the Southern California area Vasquez/Marquez is going to look like a fight from Olympic Auditorium in the late 70’s. Their first matchup was a great battle where Marquez took the title in a seven round slugfest. Having to rise up off the canvas to do it and in the process displacing Vasquez’ nose. Tonight I expect to see more of the same with Vasquez hanging in longer. Vasquez has a shot to win, but I don’t expect him too. I think Marquez will hang on to his title with an 11th Round TKO. It should be a great fight. Must see TV.
David Diaz vs Erik Morales should be the last stand for El Terrible. It will probably end badly for Morales. Like Arturo Gatti and the late Diego Corrales, moving up so far in weight from where he started will likely prove to be a bad idea again. While David Diaz is not a technical fighter he is a big, rough and rugged fighter with heavy hands. Unfortunately this should be the last time we see Erik Morales in the ring. He has been a great warrior but I think he is biting off more than he can chew. He was stopped by Manny Pacquiao in his last fight at 135-lbs. Now he is moving up in weight against a naturally bigger man. Look for a late round stoppage or one sided decision by David Diaz.
Categories: Uncategorized
