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The Real Father of MMA

real father of mma

Who is the Father of MMA? We examine the facts.

Mixed Martial Arts History Lesson:

Who really invented the “sport” of MMA in America? 

“It takes a thousand men to invent a telegraph, or a steam engine, or a phonograph, or a photograph, or a telephone or any other important thing—and the last man gets the credit and we forget the others. He added his little mite — that is all he did. These object lessons should teach us that ninety-nine parts of all things that proceed from the intellect are plagiarisms, pure and simple; and the lesson ought to make us modest. But nothing can do that.”   ―Mark Twain

Most mixed martial arts fans simply aren’t concerned with revisionist history, but we still have a duty to preserve the integrity of sport.  Note “sport” is a very specific label not to be confused with methodology that would include an analysis of Pankration, Vale Tudo, and any number of distant relatives that inspired modern MMA competition in the United States (long before we knew it as mixed martial arts). The “invention” of mixing martial arts dates back to the dawn of mankind, but the “creation” of an American sport has direct lineage. The field of pioneers runs deep including everyone from Bruce Lee to Judo Gene LeBell setting the tone with exhibitions, but their contributions, although groundbreaking, do not constitute sport.  Like stick-and-ball games, baseball didn’t become a sport until the emergence of a diamond, 3 strikes and 4 bases and MMA is no different.  While the UFC popularized the idea of MMA, the “sport” was created a decade earlier (MMA’s best kept secret).  CV [Caliguri and Viola] Productions provided the blueprint for a multi-billion dollar business in 1979; the first league of its kind.  They were ultimate fighters ahead of their time (no pay-per-view or the internet to spread their message).  The revolution was repressed, now passed off as mere urban legend, but it’s time to look past the fairy tale version you’ve been brainwashed to believe.

The UFC’s Maiden Voyage   

Art Davie thought he had entered uncharted waters in 1993 when he created the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but another ship set sail years before him.  Davie planted his flag in Denver, Colorado thinking he had discovered new land, but in reality MMA’s story began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania more than a decade earlier. It’s not up for debate; there is overwhelming evidence that a UFC-esque company thrived before Rorion Gracie and Art Davie collaborated.  CV [Caliguri and Viola] Productions was a premonition of the Zuffa era, built as sport from the ground up, while UFC 1 was devised as a spectacle, slowly transforming to sport over time.  The former isolated in Pennsylvania, the latter seen in every major market in America. One forgotten, the other larger than life.

In 2014 Art Davie released his book aptly titled “Is This Legal” reminiscing about UFC’s heyday and staking his claim to have created MMA.  While Davie, a true innovator, certainly pitched the idea of Ultimate Fighting and popularized it on television, his vision “There are no rules” was a far cry from anything that resembled sport.  His baby would eventually morph into a sport, a billion dollar behemoth, but it too had a precursor. Yes, he co-created the UFC (the most famous 3 letters in combat sports) but he wasn’t the first to “package MMA.” It may be hard to fathom that sport existed before the UFC, but it did. Ironically Davie is compared to Abner Doubleday on his book jacket, fitting since neither of them invented a sport, but he may be ignorant to that fact. Mr. Davie was the first to introduce MMA to the “world” (via pay-per-view) but remains the runner up in “America.”

Most media outlets believe, “Mixed martial arts competitions were introduced in the United States with the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 1993.” This just isn’t true; a major milestone yes, but a major misnomer.  They, the press, got it wrong in ‘93 and have been wearing blinders ever since.  A more accurate description might have been, No Holds Barred competitions were introduced in the United States with the first UFC but mixed martial arts as sport began in 1979 under the banner of CV Productions. Too late, once the ripple effect set in (print, reprint, reprint) the UFC became the first of its kind.  Positive or negative press, the public is prone to believe what news they hear first.  Ask any politician who’s been on the wrong end of a juicy scandal; truth becomes relative depending which way the press leans.  It’s equally hard to buck that trend if you are an inventor or explorer playing catch up.

The perception of the UFC and CV Productions is very much in line with Christopher Columbus and Leif Eriksson.  While the Vikings didn’t have a clever rhyme, Columbus did, sailing the ocean blue in 1492. The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s ploy of course was shock and awe, broadcast live and in bloody color.  UFC, like Columbus, won the media’s attention and was accepted into an exclusive club with “lifetime” membership—pop culture. The New World may have been discovered 500 years before Columbus was born, and likewise MMA created while Dana White was still in grade school, but once America makes up her mind she is stubborn.

History does seem to iron itself out, but first impressions still carry a lot of weight. What’s right is right and President Lyndon Johnson declared October 9th to be Leif Eriksson Day, just a few days earlier than Columbus Day observed on the 12th. However, unless you’re Norwegian, Columbus still takes the first place for being second. CV Productions is yet to get its official proclamation, but their day is coming.

Who’s Your Daddy?  The real father of MMA…

Alexander Cartwright, James Naismith and Walter Camp all share a similar rite of passage, each has been honored as the “father” of their respective sports: Baseball, Basketball and Football.  For all intents and purposes history credits them with invention, although each sport evolved incrementally from some inspiration or another.  While there may be scholarly debate about who, what, when, where and how each sport actually was conceived, history proves that the masterminds behind the original “rules and regulations” determine the birth of a sport, and with it the recognition of its original author, aka “the father.”

The journey towards mainstream status for every sport has endured long and winding roads, but each trailblazer took that same very defining first step—RULES.  It’s the creation of rules that distinguishes a game from simply goofing off and sport from spectacle.  While rules have certainly changed over the past century, the essence of each major sport is steeped in tradition.  Basketball, football, and baseball can trace their roots back to a pioneer who drafted a blueprint in an effort to standardize competition.  Embodied by awards that bear their namesake, the legacy of Cartwright, Naismith, and Camp are intact, but who is the father of MMA?  Who penned the holy grail of MMA rules?

The default response isn’t an individual at all but rather, “The UFC of course.” The nonchalant reaction bundles Rorion Gracie, Art Davie, Campbell McLaren, Bob Meyrowitz, Dana White and a host of others into a single entity so you don’t have to pinpoint exactly when the NHB became MMA.  Some would argue that pioneers like Jeff Blatnik, Larry Hazzard, John McCarthy, and Howard Petchler, who all had a hand in influencing modern MMA rules, should be in the conversation.  Each deserves a placard in the Hall of Fame, but unfortunately those rules were not the originals. CV Productions owns the rights whether folks know it or not.

When my father [Bill Viola Sr.] first put pen to paper in 1979 he had a vivid dream.  As successful as mixed martial arts has become, to him, MMA is as brilliant today as it was supposed to be decades ago.  It’s come a long way since the Holiday Inn in New Kensington, but one thing remains the same; my father, Frank and the original “Tough Guys” and Super Fighters will always and forever be the undisputed Godfathers of an American sport.

Read Godfathers of MMA The Birth of an American Sport

 

father of mma

Godfathers of MMA Book

Mixed Martial Arts before the UFC…

The best kept secret in MMA.

What do an NFL star, a United States Secret Service Agent, Sylvester Stallone’s bodyguard, and Muhammad Ali’s sparring partner all have in common?  They were all characters cast in America’s original “anything goes” reality fighting drama, an “open call” that lead to the birth of a new sport—MMA.

Long before the Octagon was in vogue or Royce Gracie made his pay-per-view debut; decades before the UFC became a household brand and while the likes of Dana White were still in elementary school; two martial artists, Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri, set out to prove once and for all who the world’s greatest fighter was by creating a radical new “sport” in 1979.

Godfathers of MMA reveals the clandestine plot to subvert the “first” mixed martial arts revolution in American history, one poised to challenge boxing as the king of combat sports.  Confounded by a freak accident (death in the ring) and widespread corruption, a massive struggle ensued over money, power, and respect between boxing’s gentry and an upstart MMA company from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  CV (Caliguri and Viola) Productions ignited a bitter turf war with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission that sparked a spectacular David and Goliath battle for leverage.

The legendary story, buried by rhetoric for years, casts a wide net reeling in everyone from politicians to mobsters, all with ulterior motives; all with eyes on a billion dollar blueprint. From boxing’s “Holy Territory,” the home of Rocky Balboa, to a bizarre connection with the Supreme Court that lead to the first legal precedent for MMA—ever, this is the ultimate inside look.

Godfathers of MMA is a testosterone-laced whirlwind tale of “what might have been” told by the trailblazers who fought for it.  Relive the epic adventure of the “Tough Guys” who morphed into Super Fighters (the first mixed martial arts league, long before it was labeled MMA).  Thirty years before the UFC gained a mainstream audience, KDKA-TV dubbed CV’s new sport, “Organized, Legalized, Street fighting” while the Philadelphia Journal proclaimed, “No holds barred as Superfighters take over.” Take a journey back in time to the “Iron City” and meet the fighters, the foes, and the visionaries who created the modern sport of MMA.  For more info on the untold history of MMA, visit http://mmahistory.org/who-invented-mma/

Godfathers of MMA By Dr. Fred Adams & Bill Viola Jr. is available now: http://www.godfathersofmma.com

godfather of mma

Pinnacle MMA Championships Pittsburgh

(PRESS RELEASE) PITTSBURGH, PA – Pinnacle Fighting Championships returns to Pittsburgh on March 29, 2014 with its biggest show to date, Pittsburgh Challenge Series 6.

pinnacle mma

The blockbuster mixed martial arts card is set to be headlined by a bout between top featherweight prospects Mark “The Pride of Bloomfield” Cherico and Brady “The Alpha Male” Hovermale. The fight card also features five other professional bouts and seven amateur bouts, including three title bouts.   Fighting once again in his hometown, Cherico (5-0 / fighting out of Pittsburgh, PA) looks to keep his overall unbeaten record of 14-0 intact. Coming off of back-to-back wins over UFC veteran Donny Walker and Strikeforce veteran Billy Vaughan in PFC action, the Fight Club Pittsburgh leader has his eyes firmly set on the UFC. Along with training at his home base for this fight, Cherico has branched out to train at various American Top Team locations in Florida, stemming from his relationship with manager and UFC veteran Charles McCarthy.   Hovermale (9-3 / fighting out of Upland, IN) will be Cherico’s toughest test to date. Riding a four-fight winning streak, he has finished all nine of his victories without the need of the judges. The 22-year-old is no stranger to facing top competition, and he has been training in California for this bout at the famed Team Alpha Male camp that has produced many top UFC fighters, including Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes, Joseph Benavidez, and more.   In the night’s co-main event, Joey “The Hitman” Holt (3-1 / fighting out of E. Liverpool, OH) returns looking to bounce back from his first career loss to Julian Lane at PFC 5 in November. The Bellator MMA veteran will take on fellow Bellator MMA veteran Rob Hanna (3-0 / fighting out Dayton, OH) in a lightweight battle. Both fighters picked up victories under the Bellator banner, as Holt knocked out Clint Musser with a flying knee at Bellator 51, and Hanna earned a decision victory over Rocky Edwards at Bellator 78.   At 145 pounds, Fight Club Pittsburgh product Khama “The Death Star” Worthy (4-2 / fighting out of Pittsburgh, PA) looks to extend his three-fight winning streak when he faces unbeaten Michigan native Cody “Mr. Wonderful” Stamann (4-0 / fighting out of Dearborn, MI). Both fighters have proved to have massive firepower and will look for the knockout finish.   At welterweight, Shane “In Ya Face” Chojnacki (3-0 / fighting out of Pittsburgh, PA) returns following his PFC 4 main event victory, as he takes on DeVon “The Silverback” Mosley (3-1 / fighting out of Fredericksburg, VA). The two powerful fighters   Top-ranked amateur lightweight Nick “NyQuil” Browne (0-0 / fighting out of Uniontown, PA) will finally make his professional debut, as the former PFC lightweight champion will take on Mike Wiseman (1-1 / fighting out of N. Jackson, OH) in a 155-pound battle. Browne is currently the top-ranked lightweight amateur in the area, and he makes his pro debut after a 10-1 amateur record including a 6-0 record in 2013. Wiseman is also a veteran fighter, as he put together a 7-2 amateur record before making his pro debut last March.   The night’s final professional bout features a pair of grapplers, as Todd “Jiu Jiu” Bevan (3-0 / fighting out of Bridgeport, OH) will face Andrew “The Gavel” Law (3-1 / fighting out of Bolivar, OH). Bevan is a decorated jiu-jitsu player, while Law has an extensive judo background.   In amateur action, three titles will be on the line as well: Lightweight champion Eric Bledsoe (4-0) will defend against Fadi Shuman (4-1), Featherweight champion Rich Cantolina (10-6) will defend against top Ohio prospect Jerrell Hodge (10-1), and Bantamweight champion Davey Crockett (6-1) will defend against Darnell Pettis (7-3).   Tickets start at just $35 and are available now at www.cagetix.com. Pittsburgh Challenge Series 6 takes place at the Greentree Sportsplex in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 29. For more information, visit www.pinnaclefightingchampionships.com.   Pro Bouts: 145 lbs: Mark Cherico (5-0) vs Brady Hovermale (9-3) 155 lbs: Joey Holt (3-1) vs Rob Hanna (3-0) 145 lbs: Khama Worthy (4-2) vs Cody Stamann (4-0) 170 lbs: Shane Chojnacki (3-1) vs DeVon Mosley (3-1) 155 lbs: Nick Browne (0-0) vs Mike Wiseman (1-1) 155 lbs: Todd Bevan (3-0) vs Andrew Law (3-1)   Amateur Bouts: 155 lbs: Eric Bledsoe (4-0) vs Fadi Shuman (4-1) –for lightweight title 145 lbs: Rich Cantolina (10-6) vs Jerrell Hodge (10-1) – for featherweight title 135 lbs: Davey Crockett (6-1) vs Darnell Pettis (7-3) – for bantamweight title 145 lbs: Jake Schilling (4-1) vs Russ Brletrick (8-5) 145 lbs: Ethan Goss (4-3) vs Cody Kremer (3-1) 145 lbs: Paul McAleer (2-0) vs Jonas Rubiano (1-0) 170 lbs: Gary Price (0-0) vs Greg Rudolph (0-0)

White Collar Brawlers

jimmy cvetic

Pittsburgh MMA contributor Jimmmy Cvetic is a reality tv star.

By Maria Sciullo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In the second of three episodes shot in Pittsburgh during the summer, Oxford Solutions IT recruiters Geoff Morgan and Corey Walker starred as “White Collar Brawlers,” a new limited-run series at 10 p.m. Tuesdays on the Esquire Network.

The guys are competitive in more than recruiting new hires. Tuesday’s show featured a pingpong game that underscored Mr. Morgan’s tendency to get hotheaded under pressure. “A ticking time bomb,” as one co-worker put it.

These two appeared naturals for a program that pits office mates against each other in the boxing ring. Mr. Morgan stated early on that he suspects Mr. Walker is stealing his recruits, prompting the latter to respond, “I never stole anybody’s candidates. It’s not my style.”

So, onto the 3rd Avenue Gym they go. Owner Jimmy Cvetic had them sweating and in great pain after one practice session. Trainer Johnny Spells, who handled Mr. Morgan throughout the six-week ordeal, began with the fact that boxing isn’t something easily learned at a quick pace: “But we’re going to microwave this.”

Beyond the physical challenges, the men soon discovered that training is a time-consuming business. Relationships with significant others, and with work, took a hit. Finally, it was time for the match.

Slightly shorter, Mr. Walker surprised with a flurry of jabs to easily take the first of the three, two-minute rounds. Mr. Morgan settled down and won Round 2. In the third round, both were so exhausted they could barely keep their arms up. The judges’ decision went to Mr. Walker.

Everyone agreed the men would probably still fight it out at work over candidates, but the blood-and-guts experience in the ring was a bonding experience.

“I have nothing but respect for Geoff,” Mr. Walker said.

* James Wolpert fell prey to the Twitter Instant Save Curse on NBC’s “The Voice” and was eliminated Tuesday. Each of the four singers “saved” this season in the 5-minute fan tweet window promptly exited in the next round.

Singing U2’s “With or Without You,” the former Carnegie Mellon University art student drew raves from his mentors, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. But it wasn’t enough.

Mr. Wolpert will perform in the two-night season finale, which begins Monday. A former employee at the Shadyside Apple Store, before he left, he sent company CEO Tim Cook an email. Although he invited Mr. Cook to stop by, should he reach the live shows, like Godot, Mr. Cook apparently never showed up.

* Katie Correll would appear to have the qualifications to be one of 11 contestants on Season 2 of TBS’s “King of the Nerds.” Ms. Correll, who is getting her master’s at the CMU Entertainment Technology Center, does research at the university’s Robotics Institute and next month, begins a new job at Disney Research Pittsburgh.

The show premieres Jan. 23.

* A minor Twitterstorm erupted Sunday night during the CBS finale of “The Amazing Race,” when, in the first hour, two of the four remaining teams decided to work together to reach the final set of challenges.

“Cheating!” was a common complaint, although in the long history of “TAR,” many teams have joined forces. After 23 cycles of the program, which airs twice a year, the rules appear to change from time to time — and generally are not announced to viewers.

For example, then-engaged couple Amber Brkich (a Beaver County native) and Rob Mariano came up with a number of creative, albeit sneaky, styles of game play en route to the Season 7 finale. Among their antics: having decided he didn’t want to eat 4 pounds of meat in a roadblock, Mr. Mariano convinced some of the other teams to skip the chow and join them in accepting a time penalty.

Winners of this season’s show were dating couple Amy Diaz and Jason Case, who took home $1 million. The finale drew about 9 million viewers but scored a ratings share of only 2.1 among the 18-49 demo.

NBC’s “Football Night in America” trounced the competition with 16.6 million viewers and a 6.0 rating.

* So, you think you can dance? Fox’s venerable reality competition begins auditions next month in Atlanta (Jan. 13). Other casting calls are New Orleans (Jan. 31) and Los Angeles (March 23) but other sites will be announced shortly at www.fox.com/dance.

* “Farm Kings” returns Thursday on Great American Country, with the promise of the guys overhauling “a clunker for entry into a demolition derby and Lisa entering the local Apple Festival’s pie bake-off.”

The show features the King Family, which runs its Freedom Farms complex off Route 8 in Butler County.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/tv-radio/2013/12/14/Brawlers-focuses-on-Pittsburgers-again/stories/2013121400360000000#ixzz2puduVmwL

Tapped MMA Movie

tapped mma movie

Tapped review By Bill Viola Jr

We are excited for the upcoming release of “Tapped” a new mixed martial arts movie starring our good friend Cody Hackman. Synopsis:  A disgruntled teenager, sent to do community service at a rundown Karate school, enters an MMA tournament to face the man who killed his parents.  Co-starring Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, and Kumite Classic Champion Nick Bateman.  The mixed martial arts film was shot in Canada and set to make its US debut early 2014.  Coming to a theater near you…

cody hackman

 

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Cauliflower Chronicles

marshal carperWhen Marshal Carper broke up with his long-time girlfriend, he packed up his white belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and moved from rural Pennsylvania to Hilo, Hawaii to train at the BJ Penn MMA Academy.

The Cauliflower Chronicles follow Carper”s adventures and misadventures, both on the mat and around the island. He quickly learns that Hawaii is not the carefree paradise advertised in brochures and finds himself feeling like a foreigner in his own country. On the mat, he experiences Hawaiian fight culture from the inside, goes head to head with BJ Penn, and struggles playfuddle to overcome injuries. Off the mat, he explores the Hawaiian Independence movement and the effects of colonization, battles with giant cockroaches and centipedes, meets a myriad of colorful locals, and travels the island in the bed of the Red Baron—a rusted 1986 Mazda pick-up truck.

At times sad, shocking, and laugh out-loud funny, The Cauliflower Chronicles is a must-read for both sports fans and travel buffs, showing a side of mixed martial arts and Hawaii not available anywhere else.

Pick up your copy today

 

MMA Forefathers

Mixed martial arts in the United States was not conceived by the Gracie
family and Art Davie in 1993, it actually began life 14 years earlier
in a Pennsylvanian diner. FO reveals the untold story of…

MMA”s Forgotten Forefathers
By Richard Cartley Featured in Fighters Only Magazine

The history of the sport of MMA began in Pittsburgh, PA.  Photos circa 1979
 
November 1979. The world’s favorite Stars Wars film is yet to illuminate a single silver screen, Jimmy Carter was walking the halls of the White House and a gallon of gas cost less than a dollar down the road from the Denny’s restaurant in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, where two kickboxing promoters, Bill Viola Sr and Frank Caliguri, would meet once a week. Bill, a 33-year-old karate school owner and school science teacher, and Frank, the 32-year-old proprietor of the only karate gym in Pennsylvania with a boxing ring, were talking business. However, unlike every previous week’s Denny’s conversation, this one would lead to holding the United States’ first-ever mixed martial arts league. And this was nearly 15 years before the 1993 debut of what would become the world’s largest MMA organization: the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Bill and Frank would converse about their efforts promoting their co-promoted karate and kickboxing events. As publicizing primarily entailed hanging posters in gyms and bars, they’d frequently encounter clientele keen to point out a martial artist they knew could pummel any kickboxer on their show. “It would keep coming up,” Bill Viola recalls to Fighters Only. “Then one night, we were just there like we always were, having a little bite to eat, and we both almost simultaneously came up with this idea: what happens if we get all these guys together and do an event?” As men fascinated by the question of who would win between jeet kune do creator Bruce Lee, boxer Muhammad Ali and wrestler Bruno Sammartino, they needed no more encouragement. Only days later, Bill began hashing out a rule-set, picking the brains of the judokas, and other martial artists who visited his shotokan karate gym’s unique open door Wednesday night, where the practitioners could share techniques. He also visited with his school’s wrestling coach on his free periods to hit the mats. What resulted was a remarkably thorough 11-page rulebook that outlined regulations (fights to end by knockout, submission, referee stoppage or decision), safety gear (head guards, If you would like to sign up for automatic school appropriate games closing notifications for participating schools, please visit Delaware Notification Services, create an account and subscribe to school appropriate games notifications. karate gloves, foot and leg protection) and even judging criteria for a 10-point must system. There would also be two physicians, one ringside and one in the dressing room. In 1979, mixed martial arts was already light years ahead of itself. Soon Viola and Caliguri were brainstorming names. ‘Ultimate Fighting Championship’ wasn’t in their top 10, Bill admits with a laugh. “We may have had a little blunder there,” he jokes. Seeking a title that would echo the tough ethos of their Steel City Pittsburgh locale, Bill and Frank would first settle on ‘Tough Man Contest.’ Though it seemed perfect, within months, they would get their first hint of why the moniker wasn’t as shrewd as they’d hoped. Unaware, the pair created flyers and posters to spread the word. Seeking fighters for, as the promotional material promised, an “anything goes” event “as they fought in the Orient,” but to find “the real-life Rocky” was easier than they anticipated. Bill marvels: “It was unbelievable. We would get 150, maybe 200 (calls), for a tournament or kickboxing show. First week we got 1,500 phone calls. We didn’t know what to do. We were totally engulfed. We had to actually hire a real secretary. We knew from that point this was going to be huge.” They immediately scheduled a three-night event, March 20th, 21st and 22nd 1980, at the Holiday Inn in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. However, by now, Bill and Frank (who had formed CV Productions – the ‘C’ for Caliguri, the ‘V’ for Viola – to stage the shows) received word of a gritty amateur boxing event in Michigan already using the title ‘Tough Man.’  Not wanting to be associated with a pure boxing contest, a simple name change to ‘Tough Guy’ ready for the second round of posters was in order. As Bill recalls, those booked for the first shows in New Kensington were a local ragtag crew of wrestlers, boxers, karate fighters, martial artists and, just as the UFC would attract well over a decade later, brawlers. Having selected simply via first come first served, Bill and Frank had gathered a tournament bracket of 32 lightweights (175lb and under) and a separate grand prix of 32 heavyweights (176lb and over), all to compete over three two-minute rounds with the finals read more

Fighters Only Magazine Recognizes Pittsburgh

fighters only Pittsburgh MMA

Fighters Only Magazine, the World”s leading mixed martial arts and lifestyle magazine features CV Production”s Bill Viola and Frank Caliguri and the history of MMA in America dating back to 1979 in Pittsburgh in this months issue.  The first competition, Battle of the Tough Guys, made the front cover. “Tough Guy Contest The Real Beginning of MMA in America” Take a look. The story is titled:

“Mixed martial arts in the United States was not conceived by the Gracie family and Art Davie in 1993, it actually began life 14 years earlier in a Pennsylvanian diner. FO reveals the untold story of… MMA”s Forgotten Forefathers”

The magazine is available on newsstands now.

Tough Guy Contest Viola Caliguri

The Pittsburgh region is finally getting the respect it has earned over thirty years ago. A great article on the history of the sport of MMA in the United States.