Got gear? So do I.

Good kit = comfortable, long lasting  

For my training, this is my basic week to week kit.

Datsusara PGB-03 

This bag is made from hemp and is rated one of the best gear bags for our sport. It has pockets and areas for everything. I filled my bag with everything below and I had heaps of space left for a towel, fresh clothes etc. It even has a 'nasty bag' to put all your post training wet gear in.

Sprawl and Datsusara Fight Shorts

My Sprawl shorts are the my favourite as won my first fight in them. Super comfy, mouth guard pouch and thigh grips. The Datsusara shorts are 100% hemp and 100% awesome. Chris the owner of Datsusara offers the most amazing pre and post sale service. Through your money at him and support hemp and small businesses.

Smai 14oz and Fairtex 5oz gloves

The Smai gloves are a basic leather boxing glove, great for training and sparring. My Fairtex gloves are best for training and even in the ring. Fairtex is a top fight gear brand!

Black Eagle Gi

This is the most comfortable gi I've ever put on for rolling.

Mouth guard and box (cup)

I'd never roll/spar without one in place!

First Aid, vasoline and head gear

Always bring these to class, hopefully not to use them.

Under Armour Rashguards

The only brand that I trust and it lasts. I have 2x short tops, 2x long tops and 2x compression shorts.

Brute knee pads

Great for BJJ, I have a cheap set of non-branded pads in case my brute pads are tooo stinky!

Fairtex shin guards

These neoprene guards are the best! Heaps of pros use them and if you are serious about training so should you!     

Fight Night!!

As Bruce Buffer calls out.....

"IT'S TIME!!!"

My weekend was crazy.

My trainer runs a promotion called Cage Warrior Championship and last Saturday (18 June 2011) I helped out all I could with setup, pick ups, warm ups and cornering.

It all started on the Friday night after work I drove to the weigh ins for the Christchurch competitors. I got to Eastside Barbells Gym which is a badass heavy weights old school gym on St Asaph Street. Most guys were keen to jump on the scales and get onto resting and carb loading. Pretty much everyone made weight bar a kickboxer who slugged it out on the rowing machine to drop 0.5 kg in 1 hour, true dedication and spirit.

I then went home ate dinner and got dessert. I picked up three members from the club to take down to Timaru.

We arrived at 11pm and stayed there setting up the cage and stage till 2.30am. We were back there at 9am to finish setting up. After a few small pick up and drop off jobs I got told to gear up with Kieran who fought in the main event for some mock photos and a roll and shadow sparring session  for 10 mins.

Warming up

About to get started

GnP on the fence

Hip throw

Kieran's love of leg locks

Followed by an attempt at an Achilles lock from me (too high up)

After some relaxing I started to help coach our team members who hand their debut fights. I was so proud of our debut fighters as they really stepped up to the mark. Marc is only sixteen and fought a more experienced fighter and lost in the second round to a choke (which he went out cold). Jackson fought a larger opponent and gave it everything but also got choked out in the second round. Johnnie, one of our most experienced fighters took on a thai fight with 24hrs notice and won by decision. Al easily took fight of the night honors. A three round destruction of a man with an iron jaw. Kieran lost by a reverse triangle and armbar in the second round which was sad because Kieran was set to destroy his opponent with his killer striking, but here I come to the quote for this weekend as I was talking during the car ride down....

MMA is like chess, you can win with all your pieces on the board and just as easily lose by leaving a gap with one piece...

Train hard and be well. OSU!

Marc (right) and his opponent post fight (you gotta love MMA brother hood)

Jackson, Matiu, Kieran and me

Jackson still pumped post fight, he wanted RNC!

Round one! Al with leg kicks and a strong stand up game!

Alan and the crew post fight. We were amped!!

How it all started

Birth
Growth
Passion
Experience

I have been passionate about martial arts ever since I was a small boy watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
I mean think about it. Teenage, Mutant NINJAS that are turtles.

I always wanted to learn martial arts, especially because my best friend's brother would often try out his latest technique learned from Ninjitsu training on me... often with absolute fear and pain attached. On a quick side note I still flinch when I'm around him now 16 years down the track and he is scared to train with me!

From this conditioning I wanted to learn Ninjitsu, but in Christchurch at the time there was very limited options for training. So 8 years later I finally got the change to learn the war art of Bujinkan Ninjitsu.

I first trained under sensi Richard Leech. Richard was awesome. He taught me that having fun and doing everything slowly a key to the budo way. Beers after training was encouraged and it was a very painful yet fun learning enviroment. Sadly due to Bujinkan politics in Christchurch, Richard stopped teaching and he stuck to Judo. On the last class he awarded me my green belt (7th kyu).

A few of the class members continued training in a hall in St Albans.I continued to learn from there for a couple of years till I met sensi Andrew Nateman, who I continue to train with once or twice a year (typically at seminars).I put Ninjitsu on the back burner as I was busy with Polytec & work. 

Me with Shihan Natascha Morgan

My sister Ava wanted to get fit and since I was training to run a marathon I'd thought that I would give her a hand. She joined our local non for profit gym/training center Cricton Cobbers and I followed. They offered all sorts of training there: Boxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Hapkido, MMA/BJJ, Judo and TDK. This was all inclusive of my $7 per week joining fee! Sadly this training centre got destroyed during the 22 Februrary 2011   Christchurch Earthquake.

Im on the far left. This was a Saturday session for the fighters @ Cricton Cobbers

I thought I was pretty fit and MMA had caught my eye from people posting about it gpforums.co.nz. So I thought I'd try it out.


My first session showed me how when you think you are fit, you are rubbish compared to grapples and strikers. I was shaking after the 2 hour class, but I was hooked. 


MMA:
The brotherhood,
The emotion,
The bar that gets raised,
The addiction




Two fights in the ring (A class rules) with a record of 2-0-0, I'm looking forward to new submissions, strikes and a few more fights!


Osu!!!


-Keeley

First and last fight @ 65kgs. Round one submission: Triangle Choke

Second fight @ 70kgs. Round one submission: Rear Naked Choke