Thai Boxing Association Level 1 Testing and Training Clinic

GriffonRawl’s seminar program keeps on growing.  Saturday, May 10th sees the start of formal clinics provided by the Thai Boxing Association.  This clinic provides instruction leading to certification as a Level 1 boxer.  In the next few months a follow up clinic will feature testing for the certification.

What: Thai Boxing Association Level 1 Testing and Training Clinic

Date: Saturday, May 10, 2014 

Where: GriffonRawl Academy, 6090 Pinecone Drive Mentor, OH 44060

When: 1 pm to 3 pm

Tickets: $20 at the door, or Free to anyone already certified at Level 1 or a member of the GR Professional Fight Team

All of GR's Professional Fighters are URGED to attend. This seminar/clinic will improve your attention to detail and polish up your already lethal abilities so please be there. Sign Ups have started at the counter for this Level 1 training clinic. 

One of our many long term goals is to have Master Ajarn Chai at the GriffonRawl MMA Academy annually to conduct a seminar for us. Lucky for us here at GR our very own Kru Aaron Juice Veverka has been working his way up the ranks for years by training, traveling, and studying up under Master Chai and this can very well become a reality. 

This seminar is sponsored by:

Intimidation Clothing

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Written by: Bob Donaghy

Friday Night is Alright for Fighting

May 30th GR will host its first ever Boxing/Muay Thai open sparring night. This event is open to the public at no charge. The matches will be in our full size Mixed Martial Arts cage and some of the areas best gyms will show up to throwdown.  We expect a full house and this event will be a great experience for both the participants and spectators.

What: GriffonRawl  Public Open Sparring Night
Date: Friday, May 30, 2014
When: 6 pm to 11 pm
Where: GriffonRawl MMA Academy, 6090 Pinecone Dr, Mentor OH
How Much: It’s FREE

The evening will consist of both Boxing & Muay Thai match ups.  With 4 matches set, we need 6 more.  Professional photographer Jack Jones will shoot the event, and New Life Church will set up a table to sell pizza and soft drinks.  It will be an action packed night of intense sparring and fun.

Jason Dent is limiting GR participation to members with experience in Smokers/Thai Fights/MMA Fights.  We are setting this limit for our inaugural event but we will open it up more when we do the second one.

We have 4 matches set so far:

• Thai match - Dave Osborne vs. Dave Awbrey
• Thai match - Brad Bukovics vs. Billy Callabrase
• Boxing match - Tim Stafford vs. Billy Freedson
• Boxing match - Annie Payne vs. Briana Coubrough

Four girls face off

Exhibition Bouts - not official of who is matched with who but the four girls are - Brooke Da Burr, Mariah Maynard, Masda Diaz and Kaylee Maynard

Matches will be refereed by the very experienced Mark Feaks who has done events for both Evolve MMA and the World Kickboxing Academy!

We are looking for match ups for Matt Hopkins 170lbs, Cody Lewis 145lbs, Allan Turner Heavyweight, Nikolai Gionti 135lbs, George Comer 155lbs, Jim Payne Heavyweight, etc, etc.

If anyone with with Muay Thai, Boxing, or MMA experience out there wants to get in some heavy sparring in front of a pretty BIG live audience to add some much need experience to their game please contact Jason Dent as he is handling the matchmaking for this event.

Keep up with updates to this event on its Facebook page HERE

Written by: Bob Donaghy

GR to Host Krav Maga Self Defense Seminar

GriffonRawl will host a practical self defense seminar on April 4th.  It will be a two hour introduction to the street fighting tactics and techniques of Krav Maga by the owner & operator of Cleveland's Fight Fit Krav Maga, Sarah Fox.

Take advantage of this opportunity to add some of the street tested techniques of this great art to your arsenal taught by one to the regions best instructors

This seminar is sponsored by Action Automotive

What: Krav Maga Seminar (ages 10 and up only please)
Date: Friday, April 4, 2014
Where: GriffonRawl Academy
When: 6 pm to 8 pm
Tickets: Members: $20, non-members: $30 (add $10 if you buy at the door)
Call: 440-358-9371 for tickets

Fight Fit Krav Maga Website

Written by: Bob Donaghy

Three GR Fighters Gear Up for the April NAAFS Fight Show

GR members Josh Belle, Brad Buckovics and Jeff Offak look to extend the gym’s impressive winning streak on the April 26th NAAFS card in Akron, OH.  Josh and Brad have already won under the GR banner and are full GR Team Fighters.  Jeff was left “standing at the altar” at Combat Challenge 25 when his opponent withdrew, so this will be his MMA debut fighting for the gym.

• Josh Belle v Eric Rundquist 2-2 independent at 170 
• Jeff Offak v Joe Pinental 0-0 at 125
• Brad Buckovics v TBA at 170

Click on the names (in yellow) for the full fight record for each fighter

What: Combat Challenge 27
Date: Saturday April 26, 2014
Where: Chapparell’s Community Center 2418 S. Arlington Rd Akron OH 44319
When: Doors Open at 5:00 PM Event Starts at 6:30 PM
Tickets: Contact Jason Dent, Josh, Jeff or Brad at GR

Intimidation Clothing will be sponsoring Josh, Brad and Jeff

Written by: Bob Donaghy

Comer Fights for Driven MMA

On March 1st, George Comer charges back into the cage for the first time since his July win over Brian Camozzi at Fight Night in the Flats.  This time George heads to Canton for Driven MMA’s inaugural event.  Drive MMA is the rebranded Pro division of NAAFS, so it’s not totally unfamiliar territory.  While this is George’s first fight ‘out of town’,  at 70 miles, Canton isn’t far enough to keep George’s rabid fans from making the trip.

George Comer is a wrestling machine.  With a total fight record of 12-1, 9 of his wins were grinding decisions.  He’s been mixing it up since turning pro (3-1) with half of his wins via submission.  His opponent, Anthony Morgan, who started his career as a 185# and didn't really settle in as a 155 until the start of 2013, carries a 12-5 overall record, and is undefeated as a pro (3-0).   With 4 wins by tko, 4 by sub, and 3 by decision (his losses are a mixed bag as well) Morgan is a well balanced fighter.  They have one opponent in common: Stephen Singleton.  Comer beat Singleton last March by Arm Triangle Choke at 1:37 of round 2.  Morgan beat Singleton in October by Guillotine Choke at 2:28 of round 1.

As usual George will be sporting Intimidation Clothing gear to the cage.

What: Driven MMA One
Date: Saturday March 1, 2014
Where: Canton Civic Center 1101 Market Ave N. , Canton OH 44702
When: Doors Open at 5:30 PM, Event Starts at 7:00 PM
Tickets: Contact George Comer or Jason Dent at GR

Here is the full card:
265lbs Curt Lemmon 1-0 vs Ryan Walls 2-0
170lbs Reggie Parks 2-1 vs Kenny Booker 2-1
145lbs Louis Johnson 2-0 vs Wes Hanson 1-0
135lbs Summer Bradshaw 0-0 vs Jessica Zomcik 0-0-0
155lbs Anthony Morgan 3-0 vs George Comer 3-1
265lbs William Penn 7-3 vs John Hawk 8-5
145lbs Kyle Rozewski 3-3 vs Dustin Kempf 6-6
135lbs Charles Stanford 4-1 vs Isaiah Chapman 4-1
145lbs Ricky Musgrave 11-4 vs Frank Caraballo 12-6
145lbs Wes Lane 3-2 vs Antonio Castillo Jr 7-4
205lbs Rodney Wallace 19-7-1vs Max Grishin 13-6
175lbs Dominique Steele 10-4 (Vision MMA) vs Dan Hornbuckle 20-7 (ATT WarHawks)


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Written by: Bob Donaghy

Four Fighters to Evolve's 1st Kickboxing Smoker for 2014

February 21st Evolve holds their first kickboxing Smoker of 2014.  Looking to expand on the very successful series from 2013, they've added bouts and gyms to the lineup.  GR is sending four warriors this time.  So save the Friday, and make the trip South with your GR family to cheer Khalil, Nikolai, Jim and Sammy to victory.

Smokers are informal, the results are not part of a fighter’s official record.  Any gym member, with Jason’s permission, can fight.  This is one of the times when GR members compete on an equal footing with members of the fight team.  But it is full contact, and while rounds are shorter the fights are taken seriously by the competitors.

What: Evolve Muay Thai Smoker
Date: Friday, February 21, 2014
Where: Evolve MMA 387 Medina Road, Medina, Ohio (2 miles west of I-77 Montrose exit)
When: Doors Open at 5:00 PM, Event Starts at 6:30 PM
Contact: Evolve MMA @ (234) 248-4409 or Jason Dent at GR

Tentative bouts, as published on the Evolve Facebook page follow:

1) Khalil Khalil vs Shawn Rall
2) John Border vs Steve Chapple
3) Matt Pace vs Joe Wheeler
4) Nikolai Gionti vs Trevor Wentzel
5) Jeremy Harper vs Ross Holub
6) Shannon Farnworth vs Ashlee Gambino
7) Nash Potter vs Logan Brown
8) Jim Payne vs Shane Robinson
9) Jason Olson vs Aaron Garrett
10) Devonte Smith vs Jake Rathwell
11) Scott Higley vs Shea Flaherty
12) Sammy Callari vs Mil Iannetta
13) Izzy William vs Kyle Booth

For current details see the Evolve  website: HERE


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Written by: Bob Donaghy

GR Sending Three to NAAFS Combat Challenge 26

 NAAFS kicks off 2014 with Combat Challenge 26 at Chapparells Center in Akron.  Ahmad Douglas, Joe Callari and Brad Bukovics of the GR  Academy Fight Team will compete,  though NAAFS has not released the names of their opponents to the public.

All three men are coming off wins.  Intimidation Clothing will sponsor all three of the GR warriors.  For tickets contact Joe, Brad, Ahmad or Jason Dent (contact info below).

What: Combat Challenge 26
Date: February 8, 2014
Where: Chapparells Community Center, 2418 S. Arlington Rd Akron OH 44319
When: Doors Open at 5:00 PM, Event Starts at 6:30 PM
Contact: Ahmad Douglas, Joe Callari, Brad Bukovics (links to FaceBook)
Price: Contact the fighters, or see the NAAFS website: HERE

Full fight card to be announced


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Written by: Bob Donaghy