Current News
The annual 2011 High Desert MMA Awards have finished their votes and with the many 1000's of votes and by an overwhelming number of those votes being for the Universal Grappling Academy, we have won the Main Award as the 2011 GYM of the YEAR. Tyson Johnson also won the TKO of the YEAR award as well.
Congratulations to the entire Universal Grappling Academy Team for all their hard work and for making the U.G.A. such a great place to train. Our gym has been voted in as the 2011 Gym of the Year by the High Desert MMA Awards. There are many decent gyms here in the HD, but we are #1.. Thank you all who supported the U.G.A. in this great victory! Coach Tyson Johnson aka "The IronMan" was also voted in as TKO of the Year! Congratulations Team and thanks to you all who voted.
In February of 2012 two U.G.A. Fighters will open the New Year... Nick Vanderpool will make his long awaited MMA Pro-Debut At the Gladiator Challenge fights to be held at the Soboba Casino. On that same show "Bad" Brad Arringdale is set to return to action after his exciting 1:21 first round submission debut on December 4, 2011.
December 4, 2011 Jeff Jones (aka Cornbread) and Brad Arringdale made their Pro-Fight debut at the Soboba Casino for the Gladiator Challenge "Seasons Beatings 3" event. Brad won his bout in 1:21 of the first round by way of a standing rear naked choke, Jeff rushed in on his opponent and in 18 seconds of the first round had him tapping out due to a guillotine choke. Both U.G.A. athletes are now 1-0 in their MMA careers. We are very proud of both fighters and thankful to their teammates and supporters. This was a great way to finish the end of the competition year here at the Soboba Casino.
3 U.G.A. Fighters made their fight debuts this Sunday evening at the Soboba Casino. Aims Insurance President, Max Kabir had a brief striking scramble and then an exciting 45 second Rear Naked Choke win in the first round over former KOTC fighter Kasey Roberts. Fred Williams came out strong and kept the pressure on and never let go of the fighting Marine from San Diego "Johnathon Elenberger" , Fred won by guillotine choke in a little over 2 minutes of the first round. Justin Berg had a 3 round war with fellow athlete Shane Krutchen and won 2 of the rounds and with all fairness must say he lost the 3rd, but the incompetent judges who were too busy talking to girls at ringside some how had a unanimous decision win for Krutchen.... Justin was robbed of his victory by idiotic amateur judges who didn't belong at a professional event. Great job to all of our fighters and we look forward to improving your skills and getting you the wins that you deserve. Just don't EVER leave it in the hands of the moronic JUDGES!!
October 16, 2011 The Gladiator Challenge returns to the Soboba Casino to put on the 2nd edition of the Pro-Am Series. The last show saw Tyson, Chloe' and Nelson do battle in the name of the UGA and now you'll see the MMA debut of AIMS Insurance front man - Max Kabir, Justin Berg, and Fred Williams as they go to put their names in the spot light. Justin, and Fred are the other 2 fighters who are making their debut. We look forward to their victorious battles.
It was another exciting event at the Soboba Casino as they hosted the Gladiator Challenge "Pro-Am" fights on a nice summer night. Husband and Wife team of Tyson and Chloe' Johnson both won their fights in under 2 minutes each. Chloe' winning by way of Double Axe Choke from the guard position, while "The IronMan" who face a very large and strong opponent won by way of TKO, both in the first round. Teammate Nelson Alvarado fought a very tough KickBoxer and was unable to take his opponent down thus losing by way of TKO in the 2nd round. Nelson trained and fought hard, he is very close to finding that victory. So the UGA goes 2-1 tonight but the biggest victory was the love and support shown as Tyson dedicated his win to our beloved Brenyn "IronHeart" Nickell.
Sunday August 21, 2011 The Gladiator Challenge hosts the Pro-Am Series with a full day of Mixed Martial Arts action. Early in the day you can see action, but later that night the real excitment happens with the professional show: That night you will enjoy 4 of the UGA's finest as "The IronMan" Tyson Johnson makes what may be his final appearence as a fighter in the cage due to some medical issues, Chloe' Johnson will once again look to improve her record, Nelson Alvarado is working to get his first professional win, and Jeremy Butler wants to make it 2-0. Tickets are on sale now at the Universal Grappling Academy and you can come see the live action at the Soboba Casino and witness History in the making.
The UGA fighters went 2/2 tonight with "Tall" Paul Karsky winning in the first round by submission, Kenny Kilgore won his fight debut in the second round by RNC after overcoming a tough first round. Heath Cassol again was treated like the red headed step child with his loss to an over the weight limit and highly experienced Jake Miles, and the young Andrew McManus admitted that he just froze up in his fight debut against a super experienced veteran fighter Eddie Yagin.
The next Soboba show will be held August 21, 2011 where we are hoping that the show name will be "IronHeart" named after our deceased son and teammate Brenyn Nickell. This event will probably be the final fight for Tyson Johnson due to serious medical issues, also on the card will be UGA fighters Chloe' Johnson, Jeremy Butler, and Nelson Alvarado.
Dear Friends, Family, and Teammates,
Tonight the UGA has lost a very special part of its family and part of my heart is gone as my boy Brenyn Nickell who just turned 18 years old last October passed away at 9:51pm at Desert Valley Hospital. Brenyn loved the UGA and what it stood for, he helped train the kids program, grappled in tournaments to win us gold medals and fame, inspired teammates, participated in team functions, and worked to live our catch phrase "Train Hard & Finish Strong"! I have no doubt that Brenyn will bring that hard work ethic and dedication to the heavens and will surely tap out the gods. He will be loved and missed, but most of all Brenyn "IronHeart" Nickell will always be U.G.A.
On August 21, 2011 The "IronMan" will dedicate his final fight to the "IronHeart" Brenyn Nickell. xoxo
Brenyn is survived by his wonderful mother Allyson Collier and beautiful sister Emaley Monges. Brenyn held a number of UGA team championships which he now takes into the after life, and his memory will be upheld at the UGA and in our hearts forever. Rest in Peace "IronHeart" and continue to fight the good fight.
This is an exciting 5k running or walking event that will promote a healthy and active life style to the High Desert community. This Fit 4 Life promotion named "RUN OUT CHILD OBESITY" will be held at the Silverado High School track and is supported by many great local businesses such as Universal Grappling Academy, Silverado High School, Aims Insurance, Streetz, Awards of Recognition & More, The Vitamin Shoppe, The Abeyta Family, and more....Child Obesity has risen over 33% here in America and it's time to get off the couch, drop the junk food, leave the video games and computers for some out door activities. Any body and every body should come out and join our fitness walk. We want to help people of all sizes, shapes, colors, creeds, and ages to FIND YOUR POWER TO IMPROVE!
Friday April 22, 2011 Ladies and Gentlemen...after just 12 seconds in to the first round, your winner by way of KNOCK-OUT!!!......Jeremy Butler! Thats right fight fans, in his first Pro MMA fight, our U.S. Army representative went out and made a huge statement that told the world that Butler is in the MMA house. Jeremy was very humble and thankful to all of his teammates that helped him train for this fight. We look forward to training with our friend and seeing the progressions that Jeremy continues to make.
It'll be "Good Friday" when Jeremy Butler makes his MMA debut, Matt Hagge and Tim Lindsay will also be returning to the cage. We look forward to the exciting night of MMA action at the Soboba Casino.
Strikeforce is no longer the UFC’s biggest competitor.
In a video interview with Ariel Helwani posted to MMAFighting.com on Saturday morning, UFC President Dana White announced that Zuffa has purchased the San Jose, Calif.-based fight promotion.
“It's literally official right now. We literally just purchased Strikeforce,” said White. “I don't want to disclose any of the details on how the deal was done, but the reality is that we now own Strikeforce.”
White explained the reasons behind the purchase in the interview, stating that expanding Zuffa's talent pool was a necessary step to take as the promotion ventures into more international endeavors.
“As we go out and [continue to expand], we need more fights. Let's face facts. Strikeforce is a brand that fans have come to like and [the fans] enjoy the fights that they're putting on. So it made sense to us,” said White. “Our job is to put on the big fights that fans want to see, and as we continue to travel [abroad], we have to put on the right fights in these other countries.”
While White would not disclose the exact length of the negotiation period, the UFC boss did confirm that the buyout “happened quickly,” when asked if the talks lasted less than six months.
White then revealed that while Strikeforce is now the property of Zuffa, Scott Coker's promotion would not be dissolved. Rather, Strikeforce will continue to operate independently under the supervision of its new parent company.
“Strikeforce is going to continue to run -- business as usual. There are contracts in place, and we honor contracts. These guys pull good ratings on Showtime, and all of those contracts are going to be honored. These guys are going to remain Strikeforce fighters.”
White then elaborated on that concept, asserting that Coker would continue in his role as Strikeforce head, maintaining the promotion's operations and managing the talent. According to White, this means that Coker will have license to re-sign fighters at his discretion, including talents with whom White takes issue, such as Paul Daley and Josh Barnett.
“We've signed a deal with Scott Coker. He's staying on. You've seen me battle with guys over the years, but I’ve never had a bad thing to say about Scott Coker. I’ve known Scott since the K-1 days. Scott is a good guy.”
Zuffa, LLC is an American sports promotion company specializing in the promotion of mixed martial arts. It was founded in January 2001 in Las Vegas, Nevada to be the new parent entity behind the Ultimate Fighting Championship by Station Casinos executives Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta, after they purchased the UFC from Semaphore Entertainment Group. The word "Zuffa" is an Italian word, meaning "brawl" or "fight with no rules". Zuffa is the entity credited with taking the UFC and mixed martial arts in the United States from a marginalized sport to being the fastest growing sport in the country, with fast-rising popularity within the highly-desired 18-30 male demographic.
Zuffa is headed by the Fertittas and President Dana White.
Stevenson vs. Castillo
Former WEC standout Danny Castillo was on top of his game in his bout against Joe Stevenson, as he scored a hard-fought three round unanimous decision win to notch his first UFC victory. Watch post-fight interview
Scores were 30-27 and 29-28 twice for Castillo.
Castillo’s first takedown attempt was turned back by Stevenson, who locked his foe up and fired off some knees to the head. Castillo (11-3) escaped this precarious position, only to get lifted and slammed by the former lightweight title challenger. Castillo was able to make it to his feet, but he got caught in a guillotine choke. This time, it was Castillo’s turn to slam his way out of trouble, and after getting back to his feet, he was able to separate and get back to working his standup. Another takedown attempt from Castillo was successful, but Stevenson (36-13) fought loose and returned to the standup game. Castillo scored well while the two stood, apparently getting stronger as the round progressed.
Working his long-range striking game to perfection early in round two, Castillo kept Stevenson at bay until “Joe Daddy” scored with a slam and got the fight back to the mat. Castillo initially tried to keep his foe tied up, but as Stevenson fired away, Castillo responded with his own strikes from the bottom. A knee to the head by Castillo while Stevenson was down brought a brief halt to the action, with little of consequence happening before the bell tolled.
Castillo continued to impress in round three, as Stevenson looked to find a way to break the fight open in his favor. With a little over two minutes left, he locked in his trademark guillotine choke and tried to finish, but Castillo was able to slip free and get back to his feet, where he bulled Stevenson into the fence before taking him down. Again, Stevenson rose, but Castillo was not about to let him loose, and another takedown finished off the performance for “Last Call.” The defeat was Stevenson’s third in a row and fifth in his last seven bouts
Forrest Griffin is a former champion, with a win over the current champion, and he's responsible for the majority of UFC fans, due to his war with Bonnar. Joe Daddy is a gatekeeper with a LOT of mileage on him, and he isn't getting any better.
The UFC needs to seriously evaluate guys with more than 30 fights. They usually start to decline physically and mentally after that number. It's sad to say I know a guy familiar with this fact who made some money off of Fedor. 
Fighters need to retire when they know the wear and tear is starting to add up, for the sake of the sport and their own sake.
As of April 4, 2011 .......It appears Joe Stevenson’s time at lightweight is done, at least for the time being. The former “Ultimate Fighter” winner will drop down to 145 pounds and face Javier Vazquez at UFC on Versus 4 expected to take place on June 26.
The UFC announced the fight on Monday.
Stevenson (31-13) has been against the wall a bit in his last few fights, dropping three in a row and going 2-5 in his last seven.
The former welterweight fighter will now drop all the way down to featherweight to try and rejuvenate his career, in what has to be considered a must-win situation.
Javier Vazquez (15-5) makes his long awaited UFC debut after working for several other promotions, including his most recent stint with the WEC.
Vazquez is coming off a decision loss to current featherweight contender Chad Mendes, but is known as one of the toughest and most dangerous submission fighters in the division.
The bout between Stevenson and Vazquez takes place at UFC on Versus 4, which happens on June 26 and currently is rumored for the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh.
June 26, 2011 - Vazquez Sends Stevenson to Fourth Straight Loss
WEC import Javier Vazquez handed former lightweight title contender Joe Stevenson his fourth consecutive defeat and left “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 2 winner’s career inside the UFC in doubt, as he notched a unanimous decision in an undercard bout at 145 pounds. All three cageside judges ruled in Vazquez’s favor: 30-27, 29-28 and 30-27.
Vazquez (16-5, 1-0 UFC), a former King of the Cage champion, out-struck, outwrestled and out-grappled the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts representative, warding off exhaustion in the latter stages of the fight. Vazquez established his jab, countered effectively, scored with a single-leg takedown in the first round and threatened his opponent with a tight guillotine choke in the second.
With desperation settling in, Stevenson (31-14, 8-8 UFC) was the aggressor in round three, as he attacked early with sharp punches and low kicks. However, Vazquez held firm despite visible fatigue and racked up points with standing combinations and clean counter punches.
AUGUST 2011 - Kobra Kai's Joe "Daddy" Stevenson Released by UFC....
“Ultimate Fighter” Season 2 champion Joe Stevenson has been released by the UFC following his fourth loss in a row.
Sources close to the situation confirmed the release to MMAWeekly.com on Thursday. MMAFighting.com first reported the news.
Following his triumph as a welterweight during the second season of the UFC’s reality show, Stevenson dropped down to lightweight and made it all the way to a title shot in 2008, but fell short as he was submitted by B.J. Penn in the championship bout.
Following that fight, Stevenson went 3-2 in his next five fights facing some stiff competition in the 155-pound division.
Unfortunately, Stevenson fell on harder times with four straight losses in the Octagon, including his last against Javier Vazquez after making the drop to the featherweight division.
Stevenson exits the UFC with an 8-8 overall record in the promotion and having competed in three different weight classes along the way.
It'll be Sunday Afternoon February 20, 2011 starting at 2:00pm when these 4 UGA fighters put their MMA skills to work at the Soboba Casino as it hosts the Gladiator Challenge event "Legends Collide 2". Matt Hagge returns in the Welterweight division after his dominating MMA debut on December 12, 2010 when he defeated his opponent by RNC in the 2nd round. Jeremy Gice makes his return after losing his exciting debut fight last October 2010 to Luis Hatch by guillotine choke. They meet at 145lbs where Gice says he'll be ready to avenge his loss on Luis or anybody else they put in the cage with him. Eric Johnson hopes to come out a winner while making his MMA debut in the Flyweight division. It has always been his dream to fight in the cage and now he is training to make it happen. And finally after almost a year off (Feb. 21, 2010), we'll see the return of Sylvia Ruiz who we last saw win her MMA debut in less than 30 seconds of the first round by RNC. Sylvia plans to be 2-0 after February 20th. These great athletes Train Hard so they can Finish Strong and realize that Fighters train to be Fighters...No Excuses, Just Hard Work and Sacrifice!
Tickets are on Sale now from each fighter or from the Universal Grappling Academy for only $35 and up. Please buy yours today and help support our fighters as they work hard to create a legacy in the MMA world.
Sunday December 12, 2010 The 4 UGA fighters who trained long and hard finally made their MMA debut at the Gladiator Challenge event in San Jacinto, California held at the Soboba Casino.
As the special feature attraction "Mighty" Mia Hayes went to battle with Jacqulyn Boyle who was a tough girl that brought the action with a series of good takedowns before being caught in a guillotine choke by Mia in the 2nd round.
Tim Hulsey started off the male review of fighters with a hard right hand to his opponents chin as he went 3 rounds but ended up losing by decision .
"Big" Luis Lopez made his debut in a fast passed back and forth fight that people will be talking about for a long time. His opponent was very unorthodox and entertaining with his fighting technique. Luis finally ended the shinanigans battle in the 3rd round by way of rear naked choke.
Matt "The Hit Man" Hagge fought 2 rounds against a tough opponent but never let him get an ounce of offense in as Hagge smothered Ed Hoffman with takedowns, punches, and finally ended the fight with a rear naked choke in the 2nd round.
The U.G.A. is very proud and thankful to all the family, friends, and fans who came out to support our UGA athletes. Our fighters should be very proud as they all represented the team with professionalism and great honor.
“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 6 winner Mac Danzig banked a $100,000 “Knockout of the Night” bonus after he flattened Joe Stevenson with a short counter left hook in the first round. The blow left Stevenson face down on the mat, and Danzig polished him off with a couple of hammerfists. Stevenson had not been knocked out in more than a decade; former UFC lightweight king Jens Pulver did the honors in June 1999, two weeks before Stevenson’s 17th birthday.
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre turned Josh Koscheck’s own words against him on Saturday night in Montreal as the Canadian out worked, out hustled and out struck his rival to win a lopsided decision and retain his belt at UFC 124.
Main Bouts (On Pay-Per-View):
-Georges St-Pierre def. Josh Koscheck by unanimous decision (50-45 on all scorecards)
-Stefan Struve def. Sean McCorkle by TKO (strikes) at 3:55, R1
-Jim Miller def. Charles Oliveira by submission (knee bar) at 1:59, R1
-Mac Danzig def. Joe Stevenson by KO at 1:54, R1
-Thiago Alves def. John Howard by unanimous decision (30-27 x 3)
Preliminary Bouts (On UFC.com):
-Dan Miller def. Joe Doerksen by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
-Mark Bocek def. Dustin Hazelett by submission (triangle choke) at 2:33, R1
Preliminary Bouts (Non-Televised):
-Rafael Natal vs. Jesse Bongfeldt ends in a majority draw
-Sean Pierson def. Matt Riddle by unanimous decision (30-27 on all cards)
-Ricardo Almeida def. T.J. Grant by unanimous decision (30-27 on all cards)
-John Makdessi def. Pat Audinwood by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26
On November, 12 at Tuff-N-Uff: The Future Stars of MMA in Las Vegas, Nevada
Mia Hayes (1-0-0) will take on Brittany Griffin (0-1-0) in a 160-pound match
Mia trains at Universal Grappling Academy in Victorville, Ca where she is trained by Tyson Johnson.
She is also the focus of a upcoming documentary by Lars Ulbeg that centers around her battle with breast cancer and focuses on her being a survivor of stage four cancer.
It is Mia's dream to be a fighter and thanks to Tuff-N-Uff for allowing her to fight, Sam Wilson for finding her a opponent and Brittany for taking this fight, she will get to live her dream.
UPDATE - On Friday November 12, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada Mia Hayes-Camara lived her dream as she fought and beat her opponent in just 58 seconds in to the first round by guillotine choke. Her dream has been accomplished and we are so very proud of her. Goooo Mia !
1. Foot Locker Inc. was kind enough to help support the UGA Kids program with (2) $50 gift cards. Through the years Foot Locker has always been firmly committed to empowering youth education and athletics. Thank you Mary A. Signorino - Senior Public Relations Manager
2. Our teammate "The Big" Kjell Cordero continues to keep us updated from his U.S. Army Bootcamp location in Georgia. He is doing well and recently used his UGA moves (specifically The Bulgarian) to beat a Division 1 wrestler on his way to winning his combatives tournament where he also gained recognition from his First SGT. and Company Commander. Great job Kjell, way to show your UGA pride!
3. Jeremy Gice has asked for a rematch against his fight debut opponent. This match will be held in February 2011 at the Gladiator Challenge event . Gice said he'll even move up in weight to meet the 145lb mark and won't be making any mistakes the second time around!
4. Both Matt Hagge and Luis Lopez are working hard to prepare for their MMA debut bouts on December 12th at the Soboba Casino. Committed to winning, these 2 fighters are training through-out the week and then over coming the Friday night IronMan training program. During training Tony Tapia fractured his ankle and may be out for a few weeks.
5. UGA pre-ordered Hoodie Sweatshirts should be in by the end of this week. Please get your funds in to the coach A.S.A.P. / The U.G.A 2011 calendars will be available for sale in 2 weeks for only $20. If you want your birthdate in the calendar let coach know as soon as possible.
6. The UGA Christmas Cash Contest starts Monday 11-8-2010 ...Just bring in 3 new individual people who join our program and win $250 cash for Christmas, or win $500 for bringing in 5 new memberships. Contest ends Tuesday Dec. 21st...Cash given on that day!
Wednesday October 27, 2010 Rick and Dawn graduated today from the UGA's 7 week Realistic Self Defense Training Course. They are a great couple from the High Desert who wanted to learn more about awareness and personal protection. And now after 7 weeks of conditioning, pushing, yelling, hair pulling, striking, push ups, core stregthening, and self defense education they are happily certified in:
"Awareness & Intuition, Setting Boundaries & Close Combat, Assertiveness & Confrontational Skills, Legal Issues in Self Defense, Advantages & Disadvantages of Various Weapons"
We are very proud of both Rick and Dawn and wish them a long and happy life without ever having to use the skills that they spent 7 weeks learning. We would like to thank those who assisted in the training of the Kraisingers: Deputy Fernando Hernandez, Chloe' Johnson, Jamal Pogue, and Chris Givens.
5 U.G.A. kids went to the Grapplers fest Tournament on Saturday Oct. 2, 2010 held at the Victorville Fair grounds. Brenyn Nickell, Ryan Spangler, Marky Samano, Dylan Wood, and Isaiah Abeyta all went to do battle against many other teams in the High Desert. Ryan Spangler dominated with 2 Gold medals in both Gi and No-Gi divisions. Isaiah Abeyta who has been out of competition for over a year returned to take first place in his class and was happy to go home with his Gold medal. Dylan wood also came home with a Gold and Silver medal in 2 divisions. Both Marky and Brenyn suffered injuries during their matches and finished 4th in their classes. We are proud of them all.
You cand see Ryan, Marky, Dylan, and Brenyn at the mini MMA expo on Oct. 16th at "STREETZ" inside the mall of Victorvalley.
On October 16, 2010 The U.G.A. and "STREETZ" will be holding a mini MMA Expo
Come meet and greet Universal Grappling Academy MMA Fighters Jeremy Gice, Ray Parenteau, and Jeremy Butler inside The Mall of Victorvalley @ the "STREETZ" store. There will be grappling demonstrations by the fighters and special guests. Come see 8 yr. old UGA World Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Champion Ryan "The Strangler" Spangler, kids champions Marky Samano, and Dylan Wood, along with teen champion Brenyn Nickel. There will be Lots of free gifts and Raffle drawings along with Huge Sales. Join us Saturday, Oct. 16th from 12pm - 3pm
Special Thanks to our Sponsors: STREETZ, Aims Insurance, Gladiator Challenge, Bring it On Paintball, and Buffalo Wild Wings
170lb U.S. Army Sgt. Jeremy Butler and the 135lb recent High School graduate Jeremy Gice - Both training out of the Universal Grappling Academy are preparing to make their MMA Pro Debuts on October 24, 2010. The event is the Gladiator Challenge "Royal Flush" which will be held at the Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, CA. Their teammates Matt Haggie, Tom Thompson, and Nelson Alvarado were suppossed to be on the card as well but will work towards a future show. Come see these 2 exciting athletes as they compete in the ultimate testing grounds of the cage: Tickets are on Sale Now and can be bought from either Jeremy or from the UGA. Please come out and support your teammates and their quest to be the next MMA champions.
August 20, 2010 The Gladiator Challenge held 15 fights at the Soboba Casino on this Friday night. The crowd wasn't as packed as in past events but those who were there saw some exciting fights. 2 veteran Universal Grappling Academy fighters, Tina "The Tigress" Austin and "Tall" Paul Karsky, did battle as did a UGA greenhorn in Ray Parenteau. Tina who weighed in at 121lbs faced a female who did not make weight and we were told weighed in at 150lbs; but when the truth came out, Tabitha Harvey weighed 200lbs. The Tigress didn't flinch and she went out and destroyed her opponent in the first round, winning by tko. Paul fought another returning fighter from the past glory days of Soboba MMA in "The Man of War" Melvin Costa. The first round went to Paul after some good exchanges and submission attempts, but in the 2nd round Paul seemed to give up due to poor conditioning and Melvin pounded out a 2nd round tko victory. Ray spent his time training with "Joe Stevenson's" Cobra Kai and it showed as he was tapped out in 30 seconds with an armbar. He showed where he wants to be as he wore UGA shorts and came out under the UGA banner, but as of Monday he will be a true UGA member and we'll make sure he Trains Hard & Finishes Strong!
Ryan Spangler is the World Jiu-Jitsu Champion!
The World Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu Championships was a tough 2 day tournament held in Southern California on Saturday July 31, and August 1, 2010. But on those days only 1 person stood out above the rest defeating former and current champions from all over the world. His name is Ryan "The Strangler" Spangler from the Universal Grappling Academy.
Not even the mighty "Athena" the very best student from "Riverside Submission" who has 2 years more experience and 12lbs as an advantage could stop our UGA Super Star as he beat her by a score of 4-0.
Congratulations and great job to Ryan and his his father "George' for all of their hard work and for being our World Champion teammates.
World Champion: Ryan Spangler - 1st place (no Gi) Advanced Division / 1st place (Gi) Yellow Belt Division
Are you Ready?
Ok fight fans it's just a few days away before Chloe' Johnson, Heath Cassol, and Kjell Cordero fight at the Gladiator Challenge event in San Jacinto CA.. 8 long weeks of training and sacrifice all come down to 9 minutes of combat in the steel cage. At this event we'll be flying our new Sponsor Banner which shows our appreciation for those who support our team. Ticket sales from our team have been weak for this event, but we hope to get more support in the future from our teammates and family members. Thanks to all of those who are going to fly the UGA colors. Thank you DayOneWebsites.com, Aims Insurance, SandBlasting Services Inc., U.S. Armed Forces, Desert Valley Tow, Bring it on Paintball, Streetz Fight Wear, and Bosomo Designs!
June 27, 2010 Is when Tyson Johnson will be hosting The Gladiator Challenge MMA Event that will be held at the Soboba Casino and that's where Chloe' "The Cure" Johnson (0-1) and teammate Bobby "Da Legend" Trivitt (1-2) plan to avenge their previous losses from April 25th. Both fighters seem to have a renewed desire to train harder for this upcoming event. Also on the card will be UGA members Kjell Cordero and Heath Cassol who will both be making their MMA debut in the heavyweight division. We hope to have all the support from our team, friends, and family for this upcoming show. Tickets are on sale now from each fighter and at the Universal Grappling Academy. Call us today at (760) 241-1899 or come get your tickets today from us at 15370 Cholame Rd. #6 Victorville, CA. 92392.
Sunday April 25, 2010 The Universal Grappling Academy Fight team had hoped to go 5-0 at this Gladiator Challenge event "Maximum Force", but on this day as the Gods of War gave them perfect weather, they gave very little else. First, 2 of the 5 team members Chris Givens and Keno Saunders were dropped from the card, second The pride of the UGA's female division Chloe' Johnson was too overwhelmed by bright lights, noise, 4,000 screaming fans, etc. and was choked out in the first round. Great job for getting out there and giving it a good shot Chloe'. Third our U.S. Army representative Bobby Trivitt fought a vailant 3 rounds against a very tough Marine but ended up losing the bout. The 5'7 169lb Tyson Johnson was the only team member to win his bout against his 6'2 205lb opponent in 1:07 of the first round by TKO. The 2 fighter first began the feeling out process and Tyson seemed to be timing his shots until a groin kick came from Brendan which seemed to fire up "The IronMan" who then shot in for a double legged take down and and proceeded to punch his opponent until his nose exploded and he tapped out!
On Thursday April 22, 2010 the Universal Grappling Academy members got their first look at the long awaited new 2010 edition of the UGA Logo. Only a limited suply of the new shirts were available and they were bought up fast. Head Coach Tyson Johnson said "It has been 15 years with the same logo that is known, respected, and loved world wide. I am not trying to replace the classic UGA logo or look, just advance into the next generation and give a variety to the brand name. This new look is one of a few different options that may or may not come out in the future. I just hope everybody likes our new design. I was excited to see how many people jumped on the chance to buy the new product as soon as I had it in the Dojo".
The new design shirts are only $5 more ($20) than the classic UGA ($15) shirts and are well worth it. UGA member Fernando Hernandez was so excited that he didn't even wait until Tyson was at the Gym before meeting with him to buy some of the new apparel. Hernandez said " This is more than worth the $5 additional cost, I love the new look and updated feel of this logo". A large order of 2010 edition shirts has been oredered for men, Women, and Children's sizes that will be at the Academy within 10 days.
* Emailing your ticket request and credit card info to tyson@tysonjohnson.com (secured)
Get your tickets from us today and come watch as the husband and wife team of Tyson and Chloe' Johnson join 3 other UGA members at the Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, CA. on Sunday April 25th to fight in the Gladiator Challenge MMA event. "The IronMan" Tyson Johnson will be making another return as both Ring Announcer and Fighter. Chloe' will be making her fight debut as she battles a tough 125lb prospect from the O.C. KickBoxing camp. Bobby Trivitt makes his 3rd return to the cage and is looking for his next win. Plus 2 more fight debuters will be working the heavyweight class as Chris Givens and Keno Saunders prepare for their first experience in the cage. As a team we are looking to sell 300 tickets, so please come buy them from us here at the Universal Grappling Academy and encourage all your friends and family to do the same. We can use all of your support and want to show the world that the UGA is the Way!
Sunday February 21, 2010 the Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, California held the Gladiator Challenge "Vision Quest" event. That is where UGA women's competitor Sylvia "ShotGun" Ruiz made her Pro-Fight debut. Sylvias bout was the final match of the 24 fight card and was over in just 49 seconds of the first round as she quickly disposed of her opponent Tina Willis by way of Rear naked Choke. Competitors Nelson Alvarado who was making his fight debut and Daryl Smith (1-0) didn't fare so well in their matchups, both losing by TKO. Bobby Trivitt and "Tall" Paul Karsky were there and expecting to fight but their opponents fell off the card, both of them will be seen on the April 25th card.
8 year old Ryan "The Strangler" Spangler, The UGA's top kids (5-9) competitor continues his dominance in combat sports as he has now entererd the Cagwa Wrestling Tournament Circuit.
After his first 2 tournaments, Ryan has taken home 1 Gold and 2 Silvers! "We are very proud of the 2009 UGA Competitor of the Year, I wish we had 100 more just like him" says head coach Tyson Johnson. The Strangler is currently sponsored by a major MMA contributor "Bad Boy clothing & athletic wear".
Sunday-February 21, 2010 The Soboba Casino holds another Gladiator Challenge event that will see 5 UGA members compete. Sylvia (160), Nelson (205), Bobby(205), Daryl(185), and Paul(205) will be doing battle in the cage at the San Jacinto facility! This will be the debut fight for both Sylvia and Nelson as they have devoted the last 6 weeks of their lives preparation for their first time in the cage. Tall Paul has over 20 fights and comes in as the seasoned veteran of the team. Bobby and Daryl make their 2nd appearance at the Soboba Casino and look to repeat their victories of last November 2009. "The IronMan" Tyson Johnson will be hosting the event. Come out, enjoy the show, and support Americas favorite Team!
A Universal Grappling Academy team of only 6 competitors went to the "Judo" Gene Lebell submission tournament at Ontario High School in California. 5 kids and 1 adult went to war in multiple divisions and came out with a 2nd place Team tournament trophy! CONGRATULATIONS to our 6 teammates who went to war for us! Ryan Spangler 1st, Cotton Nissen 2nd, JesusLuis Vino Flores 2nd, Dylan Wood 3rd x2, Christian Hernandez 3rd, and Cory Schwoebel 2nd place. We are proud of them all for their hard work and dedication, especially since all but Ryan were competing in their first tournament.
It was a cool Fall night as the Gladiator Challenge returned to the Soboba Casino after a couple year lay-off. There were 20 fights that had over 3000+ MMA fans going wild. The Universal Grappling Academy team dominated with 4 out of 5 wins for the night. Team Captain "The Ironman" Tyson Johnson once again made history as he started the night out in his tuxedo and hosting the fights to announcing his own fight, and then back again after defeating his opponent in just 47 seconds of the first round by TKO. Daryl Smith had a good fight that ended after 1:15 of the 2nd round by Tko, Bobby Trivitt found his first MMA win after just 1:01 of the first round by way of verbal tap-out, while the surprise of the night Tim Lindsay showed incredible heart and a strong will too win by defeating his opponent by split decision. Danny Gutierrez was the only team member that fell short after taking a hard shot too the groin and then the head in the first round of his fight. Also on the card "Ko Kid" Keith Berry walked right through his opponent as did Fernando Gonzalez in the final bout of the night. Richard Schiller the GC Featherweight champion had a successful title defense against a tough Eric Machado. Other winners of the night were - Miguel Ruvacaba, Travis Browne, Robbie Peralta, Jewon Peoples, Alan Roach, Jose Acuna, Richie Thompson, Xavier stokes, and Walel Watson. Last but not least was GC promoters eldest son Teddy Williams making his fight debut and winning by TKO after 1:15 in the second round. A special thanks to all of the UGA members, supporters friends, and family members who supported us through our training and fights.
