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Interview: Chris "The Polish Hammer" Horodecki Keeping Adrenaline Strong

Top Canadian Lightweight Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki has never backed down from a tough fight and he is not about to start now. Despite the sudden passing of Team Tompkins founder and coach Shawn Tompkins only a couple months ago, Horodeck…

Horodecki and fellow teammate Sam Stout understandably withdrew from their scheduled fights following Tompkins’ death, and fans are wondering how they are doing during this very difficult time. I was able to catch up with Chris last week after he finished his morning weight training at the Adrenaline Training Center.

Please see the attached video for the full interview with top Canadian lightweight Chris Horodecki.

The first thing I noticed when I walked through the Adenaline doors was the positive energy and attitude in the air, always a staple at ATC and a clear message that “The Coach” was indeed in the house. The tunes were on, students were rolling jiu-jitsu on the mats, Horodecki and others were lifting in the weight section of the gym, and manager and head trainer Alex Gasson was in the ring holding the pads for UFC featherweight Jason “Shotgun” Young, who is getting ready for UFC 138 next month.

Owner and UFC featherweight Mark Hominick was busy running around the gym getting things done before his trip to our nations’ capital to help lobby parliament for more regulated MMA legislation across the country.

Team Tompkins has always been tapped into every aspect of the sport in our country, and Horodecki, Stout, and Hominick show no signs of letting up in that regard. It is clear and undisputed that the legacy of Shawn Tompkins continues to live through the actions of these fighters and the training at the gym.

A press release came out last week that Global Warriors Fighting Championships has announced a fighting card in honour of the late Shawn Tompkins. Global Warriors Halloween Havoc will be held on October 29th, 2011 from the Agriplex Complex in London, Ontario. Details for the event can be found here.

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and (also a Correspondent for MMACanada.net)

Catch him on Facebook and Twitter at wakafightermma

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 138 Fight Card Interview: Jason "Shotgun" Young Ready for Omigawa

British featherweight, Jason “Shotgun” Young, has gone from London to London in his quest to become the best fighter he can be in his blooming career. Young is in London, Ontario at the Adrenaline Training Center preparing his game for his battle with …

I caught up with Young after he finished his morning training with Adrenaline head trainer Alex Gasson and he was gracious enough to chat with Bleacher Report about a few topics including his debut fight at UFC 131 in Vancouver, B.C., his path to the UFC and his upcoming fight at UFC 138 in England.

Young has travelled from London, England to train with fellow Adrenaline fighters Sam Stout, Mark Hominick and Chris Horodecki and says that the way they fight, the knowledge and style they bring is what attracted him to train at Adrenaline.

Young is a new father and is clearly focused on giving his career the best chance he possibly can as he left his family back home to “step his game up to the next level.”

With the close decision loss in his debut against Justin Poirier, Young is well aware of what he needs to do in his next match to come out on the better side, and he is dedicated to rounding out his game to be able to win in the UFC.

Shotgun certainly has the pop and power to compete with the best on his feet and I’m sure in the next few weeks he will improve all aspects of his game.

He also has the intangibles that the UFC is always on the lookout for and that is the courage, heart and confidence displayed in his words.

“I’ll fight anyone. Anyone they put in front of me.”

I look forward to watching Young vs Omigawa.

Full video interview is available here, as well as some footage of Shotgun training.

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and also a correspondent for MMACanada.net.

Catch him on Facebook and Twitter at wakafightermma.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Global Warriors to Showcase Adrenaline Fighters as a Tribute to Shawn Tompkins

Mixed martial arts promotion Global Warriors Fighting Championships are extremely proud to announce today that they will be presenting their second Ontario MMA event, Halloween Havoc on Saturday, October 29th, from the Agriplex Complex in Lon…

Mixed martial arts promotion Global Warriors Fighting Championships are extremely proud to announce today that they will be presenting their second Ontario MMA event, Halloween Havoc on Saturday, October 29th, from the Agriplex Complex in London, Ontario.

The event is a tribute to the late Shawn Tompkins and all proceeds going to the family of the man simply known as “The Coach.” Tompkins has deep-seeded roots in London, and his sudden death in August is something that his friends, family and athletes are still coming to terms with.

Halloween Havoc will feature an eight-bout professional card featuring both developing and established talent with a specific focus on the athletes working out of the Adrenaline Training Center in London, Ontario. In addition to being a showcase for the talent of ATC, a place made successful by Tompkins and his family of fighters, this event will also serve as a humble fundraiser for his family.

Tompkins had a profound effect on many people in the North American mixed martial arts scene including Garnet Ace. Garnet is the owner of the new Burlington Tapout Training Center, managing partner of Global Warriors Fighting Championships, and he insisted on bringing his second Global Warriors event to London as a tribute and fundraiser for Tompkins, his friend and business associate.

Halloween Havoc will be presented as a matinee with a start time of 5pm and the doors will be open at 4pm. The reasons for this unconventional start time are two-fold. The event takes place on Halloween weekend so many adults can start their evening at this event and finish it at a club or house party. The second is that the UFC is presenting a fantastic card that same evening from Vegas featuring Canadian champion Georges St-Pierre, and the early start will ensure that you will not miss it.

Tickets for Halloween Havoc start at $45 for General Admission seats with senior and student discounts available. Floor seating and VIP tables are also available starting at $750.

The following Adrenaline fighters are set to be in action on the card. All bouts and athletes are subject to the approval of the Office of the Ontario Athletics Commission, Commissioner Ken Hayashi

Jesse Ronson (6-2-0)

Rowan Cunningham (6-3-0)

Jesse Gross (6-3-0)

Clint Kingsbury (1-0-0)

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and (also a Correspondent for MMACanada.net)

Catch him on Facebook and Twitter at wakafightermma

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Jon Jones: Top Media Members Weigh in on the Rise of the Light Heavyweight Champ

UFC Light Heavyweight champion Jon Jones made his first title defense this past weekend at UFC 135 in Denver, Colorado, and his performance has the top dogs of the media world gushing and validating the young phenom. The undisputed champion of MMA medi…

The undisputed champion of MMA media, Ariel Helwani, held his second media roundtable this afternoon on his show, The MMA Hour, on MMAFighting.com. Helwani has been doing his thing for a long time in the mixed martial arts world, and his show just celebrated its 100th episode last week.

The second round table was graced by journalists Mike Chiappetta of MMAFighting.com, Jim Genia of MMAConvert.com and the pioneer when it comes to MMA coverage, TapouT’s Mike Straka.

The Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson title fight was the first topic on the agenda and attention quickly focused on Jones and his meteoric rise to the top of the mountain in mixed martial arts. His performance against Jackson, although not perfect, legitimized the new champion in the eyes of many who were reluctant to get on the hype train prior to Saturday night.

After listening the roundtable this afternoon, it is clear that many have been turned to believers. People are talking about the champion today, and here are some comments from some of the top MMA writers.

On the dominance of Jon Jones

Mike Chiappetta

“I knew Jones would be what he has become the first time I saw him in the cage.”

“The man to beat Jon Jones is not in the UFC right now. He is a young guy coming up now.”

Mike Staka

“Malki Kawa is gonna hate me and Jon Jones is gonna hate me but I was one of these guys that picked Rampage in this fight only because I did not think he had truly been tested and I thought Rampage would definitely do that.”

“I will never doubt Jon Jones again.”

Jim Genia

“I covered the smaller New York shows so, I was following the early Jon Jones so I am a firm believer that it will take kryptonite to beat him.”

“It’s the reach and athleticism and the fact that you cannot get to him.”

On why Jones seems to have some haters out there for being fake?

Mike Chiappetta

“I don’t think he is fake, I just think that people expect a certain learning curve and Jones has risen without following that blue print or time line. People don’t like that. There could be a resentment there.”

“Of course he has paid his dues, and worked for it, but in the public’s view maybe he hasn’t.”

Jim Genia

“I still see him all the time at the small shows as he supports other fighters. He’s a nice guy. To me, I see him deal with fans. He truly is a nice guy he handles the spotlight well.”

Mike Straka

“When people make it big people kinda want to hear, “I’m the man” and not, “praise God.”

“His family keeps him humble. He is not fake. If he gets too cocky, his brothers will get him in line.”

I met and interviewed Jones a few months ago, and he was truly great to talk to and deal with. He had the kids and his fans all around and was talking to all of them. I got to talk to the man in a very relaxed setting.

When I asked him what he thinks of the heat he takes from fans for being cocky and arrogant. His response gave a look at the two necessary sides in this game:

“It doesn’t bother me, I know that people are commenting on a persona, or a character that may not really be me. They don’t know me as a person or what I believe, they only know the persona of Jon Jones so it doesn’t bother me.”

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and (also a Correspondent for MMACanada.net)

Catch him on Facebook and Twitter at wakafightermma

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 135 Jones vs. Jackson: Bleacher Report MMA Staff Predictions

The UFC light heavyweight championship of the world is on the line this Saturday night from the place where it all began for the organization back in 1993.Jon “Bones” Jones will put his title on the line for the first time against former champion Quint…

The UFC light heavyweight championship of the world is on the line this Saturday night from the place where it all began for the organization back in 1993.

Jon “Bones” Jones will put his title on the line for the first time against former champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and the fireworks are sure to erupt when the cage closes in Denver.

Is it truly the young phenom Jones’ time at the top of a division full of veterans, or can “Rampage” show the kid that he is only the “paper” champion that Jackson believes he is?

This card may truly shape up as a changing of the guard as legend Matt Hughes is also in action against a brash, young, lion in late replacement Josh Koscheck. Both men are looking to bounce back off of bad losses in their last bouts.

The card also packs two heavyweight clashes with a striving Ben Rothwell taking on veteran Mark Hunt and top prospect Travis Browne against Brit Rob Broughton. Nate Diaz will return to the lightweight division and take on Japanese star Takanori Gomi.

If you want a team of men who are willing to stick their necks out on the line, you have come to the right place. The Bleacher Report MMA team of John Heinis, Jordy McElroy, Jeff McKinney and yours truly are here to deliver the filthy picks.!

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UFC Fight Night 25: Will Jason MacDonald Continue to Impress?

Can Canadian mixed martial arts star and pioneer Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald continue to impress vs. Alan Belcher this Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 25? In his own words, Jason MacDonald saved his job with a comeback victory this past April in To…

Can Canadian mixed martial arts star and pioneer Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald continue to impress vs. Alan Belcher this Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 25?

In his own words, Jason MacDonald saved his job with a comeback victory this past April in Toronto against Ryan Jensen, and this weekend he will step up to a bigger challenge in Alan “The Talent” Belcher.

MacDonald is a ground wizard and will look to welcome Belcher back to the UFC with a good ole fashioned lesson on the ground. Belcher is coming off of 14-months of recovery from surgery for a detached retina and will look to punish MacDonald in a stand up tilt.

Classic matchup of a grappler vs a striker and MacDonald will have to get this down quickly before Belcher gains any rhythm in his return. 14-months is a long layoff and I think MacDonald will look to come out in a submission blitz to get a win before his foe can shake any type of ring rust he may feel.

Submissions grow tougher as the fight goes on with slippery sweat becoming an issue and the further this one goes, I like Belcher’s chances for a decision.

In an odd coincidence, Belcher’s last fight over a year ago was also against a Canadian in veteran striker Patrick Cote, and this will be the fifth Canadian fighter he has faced in his last eight fights. I’m beginning to not like Mr. Belcher very much. Pick on another country will you.

MacDonald will continue to impress in this fight with Belcher, as I see him bringing us back to his earlier days in the UFC when he had great victories over Ed Herman, Chris Leben and Rory Singer. He was quick, precise and dominant in those fights before some tough losses and the major injury stalled his time in the UFC.

I hope to see that “Athlete” on Saturday night.

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and (also a Correspondent for MMACanada.net)

Catch him on Facebook and Twitter at wakafightermma

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com