GR Muay Thai Instructors Travel for Advanced Training

Click to see full size

Expanding on the GR’s commitment to advance the quality of instruction at the Academy, three of the Muay Thai instructors are traveling to a two day advanced seminar in State College, PA.  Juice Veverka, Russ Herbert and Jason Dent will make the 245 mile trip over the March 29th weekend. Instructors Mark Fredebaugh and Kevin Faraci were invited as well, but their work commitments made it impossible.

Central PA Mixed Martial Arts is is hosting Surachai "Chai" Sirisute for the two day seminar March 29th & 30th in State College, PA! This seminar will be the Thai Boxing installment of CPAMMA's "2014 MMA Seminar Series!"  Ajarn Chai is teaching the seminar.  Ajarn Chai is the President of the Thai Boxing Association of America and is credited with being the person who brought Muay Thai to the United States.

Expenses for this costly training will be covered by long time academy sponsor Reel’s Auto.  If you don’t know, that’s GR’s own Tony Reel.  Be sure to thank Tony for his generous support the next time you see him around the gym.  Also be sure to stop out to Reel’s Auto in Orwell  next time you need a new car.

Reel’s Auto



What: Thai Boxing Seminar
Date: March 29th & 30th (Saturday & Sunday)
Where: Central PA Mixed Martial Arts, 1700 South Atherton St., State College, PA
When:  First Session: 10:30 am to 12:30. Second Session: 1:30 to 4:30
Fee & Registration: See Website

Written by: Bob Donaghy

Pros Pick: Hendricks vs Lawler

Every UFC PPV Sherdog runs Pros Pick, an article in which pro fighters are polled for their opinion on the outcome of the upcoming PPV's main event.  Jason Dent is a frequent contributor to these polls.

From Sherdog.com:

Georges St. Pierre’s indefinite sabbatical left the door open for Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler.

Hendricks and Lawler with battle for the vacant Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight crown in the UFC 171 main event on Saturday at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas. The 170-pound throne was left empty when St. Pierre vacated the title in December, less than a month after he retained it with a controversial unanimous decision over Hendricks at UFC 167.

A two-time NCAA national champion wrestler at Oklahoma State University, Hendricks has compiled a 10-2 record since arriving in the UFC in August 2009. Lawler, meanwhile, has rattled off three straight wins since downshifting to 170 pounds, taking care of Josh Koscheck, Bobby Voelker and Rory MacDonald.

Sherdog.com touched base with a number of professional fighters and trainers to gauge their opinions on the UFC 171 headliner:

Jason Dent: I probably shouldn’t pick with my heart, but I’m hoping to see Lawler pull off the W. I’ve had the privilege of fighting on the same card with him way back out in Hawaii. Hendricks’ wrestling mixed with his heavy hands might be too much, but I’m picking and pulling for Robbie.

The rest of the article is HERE

Adapted by: Bob Donaghy

Ahmad Douglas Competes in the Lyndhurst Spring Open

GR’s newest Amateur Fight Team member, Ahmad Douglas has a reputation for hard work and going the extra mile for his training.  He reinforced that reputation on March 8th by stepping away from the relative comfort of GR and entering the very tough annual open wrestling tournament in Lyndhurst, OH.  There were 14 weight classes in his division (age 15 to 19), using modified scholastic rules.  It was round robin style, meaning everyone wrestled everyone.  He did well, going 3-2 for the day.

Ahmad is never one to rest on his laurels, this June he fights again for NAAFS (no opponent yet),  A win there will bring his MMA record to 4-0 and make him one of the top ranked fighters in the NAAFS Featherweight Division.  Jason hopes to put Ahmad in the chase for the NAAFS National Title this December.

Written by: Bob Donaghy

Comer Dominates in Driven MMA Debut

Driven MMA had their inaugural event last Saturday in the Canton Civic Center.  Putting together a packed first card, the promotion naturally called on GriffonRawl to supply talent.  As it turned out, only George Comer was able to answer the call to action, but he was more than enough.

Driven chose Anthony Morgan as Comer’s opponent.  On paper, Morgan  may have been the best rounded of Comer’s opponent’s to date.  He was coming in with a 8 fight win streak and was undefeated at 155.  

Comer had this to say about his Anthony Morgan: (reviewing video)  “I noticed the talent and physicality of my opponent immediately .. We were able to construct a fantastic game plan and fight camp and I believe the preparation showed”

Round one opened with Comer and Morgan charging the center of the cage.  Comer lost no time going to his roots and 20 seconds in drove Morgan to the wall for the first takedown of the fight.  While Morgan was able to escape, Comer’s takedowns were not to be denied and most of the first round, and the second for that matter, was spent on the ground with Comer firmly in control and Morgan struggling to survive.  By the end of the second round It was clear that Morgan wasn't really trying to defend the takedowns now, and had chosen the ground game to beat Comer.  

Comer flanked by his cornermen:
Walker, Defina, and Dent

The third round opened with neither man showing any signs of fatigue.  Comer knew that it was important that this fight not be seen as just another grinding decision win, that pushing the action to a finish was necessary.  He landed another quick takedown.  With Morgan trapped against the wall, Comer passed guard and into range of Morgan’s defensive strategy.  Securing an underhook and dropping elbows, Comer pushed forward and secure the beginnings of a head arm choke.  Finding leverage in a difficult position Comer was able to lock the submission and get the win at 2:02.

George Comer wasn’t the only fighter associated with GR on the card that night.  Reggie Parks, who spent almost his entire amatuer career fighting in GR colors, won a split decision, and friends of GR Frank Caraballo lost a razor thin split decision, Isaiah Chapman took home a unanimous decision win and Kyle Rezewski won by Triangle Choke..  It’s always great when friends of the Academy do well.

George was sponsored for this fight by:
Intimidation Clothing
Action Automotive
The Happy Moose Bar & Grill
Second Sole of Mentor
Digital Imaging

Full results:

Wes Hanson def Louis Johnson via guillotine at 2:50 of rd 1. 

Reggie “The Contract Killer” Parks def Kenny “The Gorilla” Booker via Split Dec

Curt Lemmon def Ryan Walls via TKO at 4:33 of rd 2

Kyle Rezewski def Dustin Kempf via triangle at 1:15 of rd 1.

George Comer def Anthony Morgan via arm triangle at 2:02 of rd 3.

Isaiah Chapman def Charles Stanford via unanimous dec

Ricky Musgrave def Frank Caraballo via split dec

Max Grishin def Rodney Wallace via split dec.

Jessica Zomcik def Summer Bradshaw via armbar at 3:17 of rd 1

Dom Steele def Dan Hornbuckle via unanimous dec.

You can watch the entire event HERE, free.  You may need to register first.  Comer v Morgan starts at the 82 minute mark

Written by: Bob Donaghy

Logan Urban Wins Gold

Last weekend, while the attention of most of GriffonRawl was on Canton, a lone member of the Academy was in Columbus at the American Grappling Challenge.  Logan Urban won Gold  as a middleweight in a very tough no gi intermediate division.

This was his first grappling tournament.  In his on and off 5 years with GR, Logan has also competed in one Muay Thai Smoker (which he won by TKO).  Jason Dent has been eager for Logan to return to GR full time and log his first official fight for the gym.

Logan had this to say about his win: Big shout out to GriffonRawl MMA Academy for teaching me so much of what I know. I won the finals with an Anaconda choke and it was probably the very first submission I was ever taught back when I started! I couldn't have done it without the awesome knowledge and experience of Jason Dent and the rest of the gym. I am so excited to get back to GR this summer to train and continue to get better with such great coaches, training partners and friends!

Be sure to congratulate Logan when you see him in class.

The website for the American Grappling Challenge is HERE

Written by: Bob Donaghy