NEWS

ROUFUSPORT NOMINATION PUTS ACADEMY
IN WORLD'S TOP 5!

Monday, November 7, 2011 (Milwaukee, WI USA) Milwaukee's Roufusport MMA Academy has been nominated by the UK's Fighters Only 2011 World Mixed Martial Arts Awards for "Top MMA Gym."

Once again we call on you to log-on, cast your VOTE and make Roufusport #1 in the world.

2011 has seen Duke Roufus trained fighters taking their game to a whole new level, thus helping establish Roufusport's "never say never" brand of fighting. And fans are taking notice across the globe.

Earlier this year Roufusport was voted Versus.com's "Top MMA Gym" in a bracketed style contest. In June, Duke was named to USA Today's "Top 20 MMA Powers" list while establishing himself and Coach Scott Cushman as the sport's preeminent striking coaches.

2011 also saw the addition of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Black Belt Joao Zeferino to Roufusport's acclaimed BJJ coaching staff of Aaron Bridges and Omar Choudhury, once again elevating Roufusport's level of instruction even more so.

Please take a moment to VOTE "Roufusport" Fighters Only 2011 World Mixed martial Arts Awards "Top MMA Gym!"

VOTE HERE

Roufusport's Joe Cason's Strikeforce Debut
On Showtime This Friday

Wednesday, July 19, 2011 (Milwaukee, WI USA) Roufusport's Joe Cason makes his debut in UFC owned Strikeforce at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, NV this Friday night in a bout scheduled to be televised on Showtime at 10:00 PM CST.

Cason brings an impressive 8-0 record into the fight, but faces his toughest opponent to date in Knoxville, Tennessee's Ovince St Preux, who carries his 10-4 record into the cage against Cason Friday night.

Cason had this to say about his move to Milwaukee to train at Roufusport, "I surrounded myself with good people. Erik Koch is off a really good win right now. Anthony Pettis has a good vibe and Ben (Rothwell) is talking to me and letting me know how things will be before they even happen. They're so talented, and I say I can be just like that. Obviously they're gonna progress a lot faster because they've been doing it (longer), but being around them, after they punch you right in the face, they tell you 'Hey, you've got to do this.' It's awesome, I like it a lot."




DONATE TO THE LOZANO FAMILY FUND

Please keep our friend and Roufusport fighter Isreal Lozano and his new bride Eva in your thoughts and prayers. Their car was t-boned on the passenger side by a driver who ran a red light Sunday morning, July 10, 2011, as they were on their way home from their wedding earlier that night.

Eva, who is in critical condition, was still wearing her wedding gown when the accident occurred and suffered numerous broken bones including her pelvis. Isreal, who was driving, was tossed around a bit and is doing well.

100% of all money donated will go to the Lozano family.

Thank you

DONATE HERE

NEW SCHEDULE STARTS MONDAY, JULY 25TH

A revised Roufusport Class Schedule starts Monday, July 25th with Roufus Kickboxing replacing all Boxing classes currently listed on the schedule.

Boxing will still be emphasized within the Roufus Kickboxing classes, as always. The change brings the total amount of Roufus Kickboxing classes offered to an incredible 60 per month that students can pick and choose from, or, come to them all!

The change was made due to the fact that the majority of people attending Boxing also attend Roufus Kickboxing, with just a handful of students coming for Boxing only.

The huge Roufus Kickboxing classes that have been taking place recently (60 last Monday evening, 56 on Wednesday) attest to the fact that Roufusport Academy is definitely known for Kickboxing first and foremost.

In another change, Roufus KickFit! students can now attend all KickFit! classes day and evening list on the schedule. Saturday's Roufus KickFit! class will be at 11:00 AM only.

Friday Kid's Martial Arts Competition Class also has been taken off the schedule.

Roufusport Jiu-Jitsu and Grappling Students may notice that No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu has been changed to "Submission Grappling" and is now offered at 11:00 AM Tuesday and Thursday morning, 6:00 PM Tuesday and Thursday night and 12:00 PM on Saturday afternoon. In addition, an MMA class is now offered on Friday at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM, along with a Gi Jiu-Jitsu class also offered at 6:00 PM.


ROUFUSPORT CLASS SCHEDULE

Roufusport voted Versus.com's
"Top MMA Gym in America"

Monday, March 28, 2011 (Milwaukee, WI USA) Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Roufusport Academy took care of business last week during their final round showdown against California's famed Cesar Gracie BJJ en route to winning Versus.com's designation as America's "Top MMA Gym."

The Versus.com/MMA "Top MMA Gym" contest and original list of contenders was compiled by one of America's foremost and respected Mixed Martial Arts journalists and commentators Ariel Helwani!

Once again, a very special thank you goes out to all students, coaches, staff, fighters, fans, family and friends who helped Roufusport get recognized as the MMA gym in the country! We truly appreciate your support.

To be voted best amongst an elite group that also included American Top Team, Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts, Black House Team Nogueira, Xtreme Couture, Team Quest, Grudge Training Center, Renzo Gracie Academy, American Kickboxing Academy, Tristar Gym and Nova Uniao is an honor the entire Roufusport family can take pride sharing in!

Roufusport: Taking WI MMA to the Top!

Roufusport Announces Addition of
World Class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Coaches

Monday, February 14, 2011 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA): Roufusport is proud to announce the addition of two world class Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu professors to its already impressive staff of trainers.

Luiz Claudio and Thiago Veiga run the well-respected LCCT Combat Team, and are now dispersing their considerable grappling wisdom to the Roufusport students and fight team.

Growing up in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, Luiz Claudio was smaller than a lot of the other kids his age. As a result, he didn't feel very safe traveling the tough streets around him.

This led Luiz to check out a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class, and it was love at first sight! In 1990, Luiz made the long trek to Southern California, and began to train under the legendary Rickson Gracie.

After ten years of blood, sweat, and tears, he was finally awarded his much sought-after black belt. Now running his own academy with his brother, Luiz brings an incredible resume with him to the Roufusport gym.

A highly decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, Thiago Veiga , like his brother, fell in love with the sport early in life, and was eventually awarded his black belt by Rickson Gracie after years of hard work.

In 2002, after returning from Brazil, Veiga competed in the BJJ World Championships. Despite the tough competition, he won five matches in a row, not giving up a single point or advantage in all five matches. In the end, he won the gold ! After this impressive performance at the Worlds, Rickson Gracie awarded Thiago his BJJ black belt.

Now both brothers are entrenched in Wisconsin, and are helping make the fighters who train at Roufusport some of the most well-rounded in MMA today!

Monday, June 21, 2010 (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) Duke Roufus Academy/Roufusport instructor and fighter "Danny Boy" Downes made his WEC debut Sunday night, June 20th, fighting Chris Horodecki in WEC 49 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The bout, which was shown live on Versus, had Danny Boy putting on a display of toughness, grit and determination that may not be matched for quite some time.

Though Danny Boy would end up on the losing end of a great fight, both Horodecki and the WEC's own Frank Curreri both came away impressed by Danny Boy.

Here is Curreri's take on the bout: Chris Horodecki vs. Dan Downes-Moral victories tend to have little worth in professional sports, but the losing effort of Wisconsin’s Dan Downes offers yet another strong counter argument to that norm.

Based on first impressions of his lanky, pear-shaped frame, as the young Irish-American walked into the cage he appeared to be the human equivalent of chum about to be served to a frenzy of sharks (or in this case, his opponent, former International Fight League champion Chris Horodecki).
Sure enough, Horodecki had his way with the Marquette University college graduate from the opening horn, scoring a takedown and locking in a deep guillotine choke. Downes, who had taken the fight on just a few days’ notice as a replacement for Ed Ratcliff, fought off the oxygen deficit for a long time before escaping.

With thousands of his fellow Canadians spurring him on, Horodecki earned another takedown and “Danny Boy” showed his grit and determination once more by fighting off a rear naked choke attempt.

In the second stanza, Horodecki, a noted Muay Thai specialist under Shawn Tompkins, reverted to his bread and butter attacks. He wasted no time tagging Downes with a 1-2 combination to the face and followed that up with a knee to the face.

Downes, perhaps due to the ridiculously abbreviated training camp, seemed to be winded and fighting back on fumes. Yet he stubbornly kept charging forward and winging punches that had little steam on them.

On three different occasions in the fight Horodecki had landed spinning back kicks that wowed the crowd, but did nothing to stop his flat-footed foe from coming forward.
Horodecki racked Downes with a high kick, clipped him with an uppercut and a 1-2 combination to the head and body. And Downes slowed down, but never folded.

Unfortunately for the former U.S. Secret Service intern, well-applied chokeholds trump toughness. As the late great Helio Gracie declared, the choke is the best maneuver in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, precisely for the aforementioned reason.

And so Downes had met his match in the third stanza when Horodecki took him down and sunk in a rear naked choke. Finally, 1 minute and was 9 seconds into the round, “Danny Boy” was forced to concede defeat and tap out.
It was the first loss of Downes’ career after six straight wins, but his stock probably rose in defeat. He certainly earned the respect of Horodecki.

"Danny is super-tough. He’s a tough, tough Irish kid.” Horodecki said. “Thank you for stepping up to the plate… Hat’s off to him.”


Sunday, June 20, 2010

(Milwaukee, WI USA) Two Duke Roufus Academy/Roufusport Competition Team members fought on the Wisconsin Fighting Championship card in Burlington this past Saturday and emerged victorious!

Competing in Female Amateur Kickboxing matches, Nirandone Chantharat bested Burlington's Cesely Volpendesta by unanimous decision 30-27,30-27, 30-27, while Rose Namajunas was typically aggressive in her 2nd round win over Burlington's Tessa Dillenbeck via TKO due to strikes.

Congratulations to both ladies. You stay focused, train hard everyday and are an inspiration to all!!

PETTIS WASTES NO TIME MAKING HIS MARK IN THE WEC

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

(Milwaukee, WI USA) by Dom Velando-Wisconsin Combat Sports: It took a false start and a few months, but Anthony Pettis made his debut in the World Extreme

Cagefighting promotion in style on Sunday night at the Arco Arena in Sacremento, CA, submitting Mike Campbell in the first round (1:49) via triangle choke.

Though right in the middle of the non-televised undercard, the Roufusport fighter's match made it to the airwaves.

"We [had] just got done fighting and we were downstairs," Pettis recalled. "And the matchmaker for the WEC came down and he was like, 'Man, you're a dangerous kid...can't wait to see you fight again... We're trying to get you on the air, so if [Cub Swanson vs. Jose Aldo] goes quick, we're gonna try to get you right before the main event."
Jose Aldo scored a flawless 8-second victory.

Despite his reputation as a potent striker, the tae kwon do black belt's jiu-jitsu skills truly shined as he transitioned from one submission to the next.

"No one knows that I'm a stand-up fighter yet," Pettis said. "Everybody thinks I'm a jiu-jitsu guy. Everybody's talking about me, 'What belt are you? You're jiu-jitsu's crazy.' No one knows I'm a stand-up fighter."

When asked who he credits for his jiu-jitsu skills, Pettis replied, "Man, everybody in Milwaukee. Mostly [Eric] "Red" Schafer. Red Schafer's my coach, he's in the gym everyday...answers all my questions. But I roll with everybody. Scott Huston, Brent Fitzgerald [of 360 BJJ and Evolution Martial Arts, respectively]."

As for his very bright future, the twenty-two year old wants some time to grow. "Actually, when I was at the fights," Pettis said, "there was a lady in front of me who sat next to [UFC Matchmaker Joe Silva]. And right after my fight, she mentioned that Joe Silva said, 'He's not gonna be fighting in the WEC much longer'."
"I actually like being [in] the WEC. I'm 22 years old, I've got a long future ahead of me in mixed martial arts. I got time to grow in this sport. So, I want to take my time in the WEC. I don't want to rush [into] the UFC."

UFC 93: ROUFUSPORT FIGHTERS SCHAFER AND BELCHER WIN

Saturday, January 17, 2009 (Dublin, Ireland) by Jeff Cain - MMAWeekly.com

-Eric Schafer (left, top position) vs. Antonio Mendes

R1 - Both men circle. Mendes opens with a low kick and Schafer clinches him on the fence before pulling him into half guard. Schafer reverses nicely to take top position in the half guard and looks to work Mendes' right arm. Mendes turns to his side and Schafer throws in shoulder butts to boos from the crowd. Schafer takes full mount with his right arm behind Mendes' head.

Schafer postures up with Mendes' neck up on the fence and throws some punches, exciting the crowd. Mendes is defending desperately, keeping his head close to Schafer. He begins trying to turn away, with his legs flat on the mat and eats a number of short punches with no attempt at defense. Finally the referee stops the fight at 3:35 of Rd 1, Schafer winner by TKO (strikes).


-Alan "The Talent" Belcher spoils Denis Kang's Ultimate Fighting Championship debut
Alan Belcher was confident heading into his UFC 93 match up with Denis Kang, who was making his UFC debut. Kang was in complete control of the bout both standing and on the ground. He was able to secure takedowns, but it was a takedown that was his undoing.

In the closing moments of round two, Kang secured a double-leg takedown but Belcher immediately applied a guillotine choke. While Kang had an arm in, the Canadian born fighter was forced to tap out.
" I"m so happy about this performance. I thought Denis Kang's wrestling wasn't as good as it was. I give big props to him," Belcher said in his in-Octagon interview. "I wish I could have been more dominating so I could come in here and call out the champion, say, give me that shot because Denis Kang is the best in the UFC. But I think I need one or two more fights before that."

Discussing the submission that finished the fight, Belcher commented, "I felt that earlier but he defended it well. And I was kind of hesitant because I get that all the time. I just wanted to be real safe on this fight. I was so nervous about getting to fight Kang. He's awesome. I think he's one of the top two or three in the UFC." "I think I established myself in the UFC. I'm a top dog around here," added the 24-year old fighter.

-Denis Kang vs. Alan Belcher

R1 - Kang stands, bent over as Belcher bounces. Kangs come sin and opens with a pair of jabs. The exchange and Kang shoots for a nice takes, landing in Belcher's guard. Kang moves to half guard and Belcher slips out.

Kang returns to Belcher's closed guard to throw elbows and punches down. Belcher pushes Kang off with his feet, sending him literally flying to a standing position. Another exchange has Kang in control. He again shoots for a takedown and lands in Belcher's guard. Again Belcher pushes him through the air, leaving Kang standing over him.

Kang comes in and ends up nearly in an arm bar. Kang escapes and attempts a gator roll/anaconda choke. They scramble out and Kang takes top position in side control. Belcher looks frustrated as the round ends.

MMA Weekly scores the round 10-9 Kang
R2 - Belcher controls the centre of the cage with Kang on the fence, dancing left and right. He clinchesKang who reverses the position. The two swiftly return to the centre and Kang is unlucky that 3 crisp strikes don't connect fully with Belcher, and
he eats one himself.

Kang shoots again into Belcher's guard. Kang moves into the open guard and then settles into half guard with Belcher on his side. Kang takes a head and arm, looking for the choke before standing out of it. Finally he returns to guard and the fight is stood up. Both men circle, both looking confident. Belcher tries to use his range, with long kicks that barely connect. The crowd boo as neither engage. Finally Kang shoots again only to have his head and arm caught. He quickly taps out.
Belcher wins via tapout, 4:36 of round 2

Kang conquered in Octagon debut
By Joe Hall - Sherdog.com

At 185 pounds, Denis Kang was impressive early, but lost his UFC debut to Alan Belcher. He connected with his hands before grounding Belcher, who gave up side control, but eventually kicked him away and returned to his feet.
Back on the feet, Kang, a standout in Pride, continued to outbox his foe with a left hook to the body and a glancing right upstairs. A shout came from Belcher's corner for him to "wake up," but soon after Kang finished another takedown and worked on a kimura.

Belcher landed a good body kick in the second, but Kang had little trouble returning the fight to the mat. There, Belcher threatened with a sweep and forced a stalemate that led to a standup. That's when Kang shot again, and Belcher sprawled perfectly, wrapped up a guillotine, pulled guard and submitted him at 4:36.

"I wish I could have been more dominating so I could come in here and call out the champion… but I think I need one or two more fights before that," said Belcher, a 24-year-old from Biloxi, MS, who has won four of his last five in the Octagon.

2009 SCHEDULE PROMISES MORE CLASSES, WOMEN'S KICKBOXING AND KID'S JIU-JITSU

Wednesday, December 3, 2008 (Milwaukee, WI USA) Duke Roufus Academy has long strived to meet the demands of area residents looking for a great workout, while learning an exciting new sport or two. Some come to have fun, reduce stress and get in shape, while others attend to train for a rewarding amateur or professional career in reality based combat sports such as MMA, Kickboxing and Boxing.

In response to that demand, Duke Roufus Academy will begin offering a much larger slate of classes beginning in January 2009. To accomplish this, the school has acquired additional space located next to the present location on 76th St, in effect doubling the amount of available matted training space to roughly 2,000 sq ft.

New additions to the schedule include "women's only" Muay Thai Kickboxing and kids (ages 6 and up) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes, plus more Boxing, open mat and sparring times. A new Schedule will be posted soon and will begin Monday, January 5, 2009.

Regardless of your goals or life's ambitions, Duke Roufus Academy appreciates each and every one of our students and their participation in our classes and private lessons. We look forward to an exciting and fun filled new year, one that brings nothing but improved health, personal achievement and overall success.

2009 CLASS SCHEDULE

KLECZKOWSKI WINS KTK MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE

Courtesy of WI Combat Sports Wednesday, November 12, 2008 (Green Bay, WI USA) From Ron Faircloth's WCS Blog: "The Way It Went Down:"

OK, so you've all read the crappy write up from Wisconsin Combat Sports on my fight with (Roufusport fighter) Dave (Kleczkowski, right) last weekend. I know you are all thinking that it lacks energy and pizzazz. Well, that’s because it does.
That report has none of the energy required to talk about a fight that cool. Shame on which ever veteran hating writer that wrote it. I would also like to add that they said someone else got fight of the night. Dave and I split the extra money that comes with fight of the night, so let’s get the facts right before ranting about it via the inter-webs.

The fight reminded me why I won't be able to quit this sport any time soon. Dave and I pounded it out for three frickin’ rounds. When I went slow he went fast, when he backed up I moved forward, and he did the same. I would love to spend the rest of my days fighting guys like Dave: hard as nails and quick. He caught a lazy kick early on and got me down, ended up on my back. At one point he had the choke so tight I had to place my mouth guard on the mat next to us. Finally I got my hips below his and I was OK.

Second round was all on the feet. Back and forth, I'd hit him, he'd return the love with a real quick jab and right hand combo. I threw some knees to his middle and I know I felt his spine. He just grunted and kept working. Awesome stuff. I hit him with hooks and rights that I threw with intent. He would take it and move back or around the corner to return his own.

By the third round we were both gross and sweated up. We came out and more of the same. Lots of punches. From all outward appearances we were both having a great time. I felt I had taken the lead back (just my feelings, not taking anything away from him) when at about the four minute mark he shoots a good shot. Great level change. I didn't see it until it was too late. I was down and going for a heel hook, which Dave was having none of. I switched legs and tried to kneebar, which he was also having none of. So we settled in to punching each other in a mad flurry for 20 seconds until the bell rang.

He got the nod from the judges. I feel based on that last takedown. Smart fighting on his part. We hit each other with lots of power and kept moving forward. It was great. If you see Dave thank him for me and pat him on the back. He fought like a war machine. I should have strung more punches together or added in some kicks or shot in to put him on his back. I have made it this far on ground n pound yet lately I haven't used it. I think that I might have gotten a bit too comfortable just banging and forgot I was there to do a job. I seem to have lost my sense of urgency. I'll get it back.

ROUFUSPORT'S PAT BARRY HEADED TO THE UFC

Written by
Dan Puhek/Courtesy of WI Combat Sports, Wednesday, November 5, 2008.

"Get Hype" Milwaukee! One More for the UFC There were rumors, but now its official: Patrick Barry of Roufusport signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

With the deal final and the date set, the biggest show in MMA looks to bolster its ranks in what many consider a thin heavyweight division with the addition of Barry. The deal went official just last Thursday, with a fight and a UFC debut already scheduled. Patrick "Get Hype" Barry is set to take on Dan "The Viking" Evensen on December 27 in Las Vegas at "UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008."

Barry is a kick boxer turned mixed martial artist, amassing an 18-6-1 and a 3-0 record in the respective sports. He has fought in K-1 World Grand Prix events, as well as the World Combat League. He made his start in MMA in the Combat USA organization at "Battle of the Bay 7" in Green Bay in May, winning with a first round KO. His next two fights were also with Combat USA, both also ending in victory in the first round.

Evensen, a Norwegian transplant who trains in Las Vegas, will not have much more in terms of UFC experience, stepping foot inside the trademark octagon for only the second time. His debut occurring this past August at UFC 87, where he suffered a TKO stoppage at the hands of Cheick Kongo in the waning seconds of the first round. His overall record according to the UFC stands at ten wins and three loses.

Unless you're heading out to catch this one in person, you'll have to pray the main card bouts go quick, as this is scheduled as the very first fight on the under card of what looks to be an impressive night of fights to close out 2008. Of course, with a name like "Ultimate 2008," should we expect anything less?

ROUFUSPORT'S KLECZKOWSKI GOES FOR KTK MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE

Written by Dan Puhek/Courtesy of WI Combat Sports, Friday, October 31, 2008.

KTK 23 Preview – The Blunt Instrument vs. The Polish Punisher
Konquer The Kage returns Saturday, November 8th at the Brown County Arena in Green Bay for its twenty-third installment with "KTK 23: Karnage in the Kage," featuring a middleweight title fight between Ron Faircloth and Dave Kleczkowski. KTK is back already, having just put on "KTK 22: Body Count" September 20th.

Overall the eventl is shaping up to be a good one with an excellent headline bout between Chosen Few's Ron "The Blunt Instrument" Faircloth squaring off against Roufusport's Dave "Polish Punisher" Kleczkowski.

Coming off a first round submission victory over Brad Resop at "GFS - Fight Night at the Fair" on August 4th, Kleczkowski is looking to string together a pair of wins with a victory over Faircloth. With an MMA record of six wins and four losses according to Sherdog, Kleczkowski has already tasted the national spotlight having fought on super agent Monte Cox's "Adrenaline MMA" debut show in June, which was broadcast live on HDNet.

Faircloth is certainly the more experienced fighter, with a record of 31-14. He last fought on September 20 at "FCC 37" in Racine, winning against Joey Fingalson. A veteran of many organizations, Faircloth also has been to some of the bigger shows, having fought for Bodog and the UFC.

ROUFUSPORT FIGHTERS WIN AT UFC FIGHT NITE Courtesy of UFC.com

Wednesday, September 17, 2008 (Omaha, NE) By Thomas Gerbasi. "Schafer Stuns Alexander; Belcher Victorious at UFC Fight Night"

Popular local light heavyweight Houston Alexander promised a new level of aggression in his homecoming bout against Eric Schafer (left) tonight at the Omaha Civic Auditorium, but while ‘The Assassin’ certainly did his part in pushing the pace, it was the non-stop ground attack of Schafer that ruled the day as he submitted Alexander in their furiously paced UFC Fight Night bout.
With the arena filling with the chants of ‘Houston, Houston’, Alexander immediately responded with a series of vicious knees that put Schafer on the mat. As the hometown hero pounced, Schafer tried to grab a leg for a submission, but Alexander escaped and rose to his feet. At close range, the two locked up and traded knees, with Schafer getting a takedown midway through the round.

Schafer got into side control and looked to be close to a finish, but Alexander escaped, and seconds later he averted another submission, this time a guillotine choke. But Schafer was relentless in keeping a dominant position, and he fired off a series of heavy strikes from the mount position.

The crowd tried to get their man back into the fight with deafening cheers, but Schafer wasn’t about to let him off the hook, and after he sunk in an arm triangle, Alexander was forced to tap out at the 4:53 mark of the opening round.

With the win, Schafer improves to 12-3-2; Alexander falls to 8-4 with 1 NC.
Alan Belcher (right) bounced back from an April loss to Jason Day, using his superior striking to nab a three round unanimous decision over Ed Herman.
Scores were 29-28 across the board and for Belcher, who ups his record to 12-4; Herman drops to 16-6. The verdict was originally announced as split, but a scoring discrepancy was corrected after the announcement was made.

The war in the first round was waged on the feet, with Belcher’s kicks edging out Herman’s punches, prompting ‘Short Fuse’ to put Belcher on his back with under two minutes left. Herman tried to get his ground and pound game going on the mat, but was unable to do any serious damage throughout the remained of the round.

Belcher’s standup game, both offensively and defensively, looked sharp in the second as he picked at Herman while avoiding any incoming fire with good head movement. With 3:20 to go, a hard right jarred Herman and knocked him into the fence.

Herman held on, but his legs still seemed rubbery. He was able to get Belcher on the mat in the final two minutes though, and as he cleared his head, he fired off ground strikes until Belcher got back to his feet and finished the round off with some misdirection and a superman punch before the bell rang.

After touching gloves for the final round, Herman shot in for a takedown, but was rebuffed, allowing Belcher to continue his standup attack. Herman was as game as always, but in an effort to get close enough for a takedown, he was eating punches from his opponent.

As the fight entered it’s final 120 seconds, Herman got Belcher to the canvas, but was unable to score effectively before ‘The Talent’ got back to his feet. Another takedown in the closing minute by Herman was more effective, but his final assault was too late to pull out the win.

Monday, October 6, 2008 (Milwaukee, WI USA) UFC.com profiles Duke Roufus on front page video feature this week.

Go behind the scenes with the UFC as they take an inside look at what it was like for Duke as he coached two fighters (Red Schafer & Alan Belcher) to victory on the September 17th SpikeTV "UFC Fight Night 15" card live from Omaha, Nebraska.

Red (left) defeated homwtown favorite Houston Alexander in thrilling fashion with a 1st round "arm choke" submission and Alan took a close split decision over a game Ed Herman.

Look for Roufusport fighters Pat Barry and Jason "Kaz" Kazmierczak who are also featured in the video.

- UFC.COM VIDEO FEATURE ON DUKE ROUFUS

Monday, September 15, 2008 (Milwaukee, WI USA) Be sure to check out the UFC's article on Biloxi's Alan "The Talent" Belcher (right) who fight's this Wednesday night along with Duke Roufus Academy's head Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor (and one of only four BJJ Black Belts in the state) Red Schafer on "UFC Fight Night" on SpikeTV beginning at 7:00 pm. Duke Roufus, who is mentioned in the article, will be in Red and Alan's corner for the live telecast from inside Nebraska's Omaha Civic Auditorium.

"The Talent" spent the last week in Milwaukee getting some final tune-up training in with Duke, Red and the Roufusport Fight Team in preparation for his bout with Portland's Ed Herman while Red takes on Omaha's Houston Alexander, the hometown favorite who Schafer looks to lay a Brew Town beatdown on.

Looking to get out of the house and watch the fights somewhere fun? Try Kenadee's Ultra Pub at 725 N Milwaukee St or CUSH Lounge at 1806 E North Ave. Both will be packed as Milwaukee represents this Wednesday night on SpikeTV's "UFC Fight Night!" Don't miss it!!!

Thursday, September 4, 2008 (Milwaukee, WI USA) MMA & Jiu-Jitsu Programs Take Hold At Duke Roufus Academy: In only a few short years the landscape for combat sports and martial arts training has changed dramatically.


MMA or "Mixed Martial Arts" style fighting has become America's fastest growing sport, with millions tuning in to watch the UFC regularly on pay-per-view and SpikeTV, and thousands more packed into arenas across the country.

Recently showcased on CNN.com, the cover of Sports Illustrated, 60 Minutes and extremely popular on Pay-per-view, Versus, HD.NET, Showtime, CBS, MyNetwork and FOX Sports/FSN, MMA has emerged as America’s fastest growing and most exciting combat sport.

Combining the martial arts skills of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muaythai Kickboxing, Wrestling/Grappling and Boxing, more and more people, male and female alike, are discovering MMA on a daily basis. Most watch from a safe distance as part of a rapidly growing fan base or train for fun and fitness, while a few decide they've got what it takes and begin to train for competitive MMA fighting.

And Milwaukee just happens to be home of one of the country's top MMA training facilities, Duke Roufus Academy, located at 320 North 76th Street, 1 block south of Bluemound Road.
What some insiders know, that most people don't, is that many of the UFC's top fighters travel to Milwaukee to train with 4-Time World Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion and legendary trainer Duke Roufus, UFC fighter and head Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Coach Red Schafer (one of only four Brazilian Black Belts in the state) and the school's large stable of talented instructors and fighters.

Along with Schafer, UFC stars such as Stephan Bonnar, Jens Pulver, Alan Belcher, Joe Doerksen, Brad Imes and IFL star Ben Rothwell have added their names to the long list of top flight fighters Roufus has trained.

As fate would have it, the UFC chose to have Bonnar fight Schafer on their October 20, 2007 pay-per-view telecast live from Cincinnati, Ohio, pitting former training mates against one another. After scoring a second round stoppage over Schafer, Bonnar made sure to thank Roufus (who was working as Schafer's head cornerman) in his post fight comments! Classy and classic.

Duke Roufus Academy offers a dedicated MMA training program for the serious competitor or the curious seeking a workout alternative. Students of all levels are welcome to jump in and try out a free first class. Make sure to call Scott Joffe at (414) 453-5425 to set up an appointment for the free class, plan on arriving 15 minutes early, and bring a t-shirt and athletic shorts. Free first classes are available on Monday-Thursday and Saturday. CLASS SCHEDULE

Collegiate wrestlers are starting to take notice of MMA with their grappling backgrounds and dedication to a tough training schedule adding another positive element to the competitive aspect. Many are finding MMA to be the logical "next step" after their wrestling days are over, but their competitive fire still burns.

Duke Roufus MMA Academy's unique program works for all skill levels and experience, with an overall emphasis and concentration on developing deficient areas while continuing to improve upon areas of strength.

Students as young as 13 are taught the various components of MMA in classes that specialize in stand-up and ground fighting techniques (Muaythai Kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Wrestling) and then bring it all together in the school's MMA classes, and eventually if they train hard enough, someday in a cage or ring.

Beginners are welcome to start at Duke Roufus Academy any time, as the "safety first" teaching style eliminates hard contact (or sparring) from the initial Beginner and Intermediate instruction. Keep in mind, no Duke Roufus Academy student is ever forced to fight or spar if that's not what you are looking to do.

As the MMA program begins to grow at Duke Roufus MMA Academy, the Roufusport Competition Team fighters are starting to make a name for themselves with strong performances in some recent Jiu-Jitsu and grappling events held in the state.

In the "King Grappler Open" held Saturday, October 27, 2007 in Madison, Wisconsin, the Roufusport Kids MMA program was well represented by Shawn Garrett and Nate Romero, while Kyle Courtier, Paul Martinez, Chris Piper and Red Schafer competed on the successful adult squad.

Here are the Roufusport Competition Team results from the October 27, 2007 "King Grappler Open":
KIDS NO GI INT 60-70 lbs
1st place Nate Romero
KIDS NO GI ADV. 60-70 lbs
1st place Shawn Garrett
KIDS NO GI NOVICE 70-79 lbs
1st place Nate Romero
TEENS NO GI INT 75-100 lbs
2nd place Shawn Garrett
MENS NO GI NOVICE 155-159 lbs
3rd place Chris Piper
MENS NO GI INT 192-197 lbs
1st place Kyle Courtier
MENS NO GI EXPERT 210-239 lbs
1st place Eric "Red" Schafer
MENS Purple/Brown Belt 210-239 lbs
1st place Eric "Red" Schafer
MENS NO GI INT -280 lbs
1st place Paul Martinez

KING GRAPPLER HEAVYWEIGHT NO GI, NO TIME LIMIT CHAMPION

Eric "Red" Schafer
Then on Saturday, November 10, 2007, members of the Roufusport Competition Team traveled to the inaugural "Riverside Submission Challenge" Grappling Tournement that took place inside the beautiful, new domed 90, 000 sq ft state-of-the-art WI Dells Center at Chula Vista Resort.
Here are the Roufusport Competition Team results from the November 10, 2007 "Riverside Submission Challenge" Grappling Tournement:
Adult Men’s Intermediate No Gi 175-195
1st Place- Kyle Courtier
Teen’s Submission No Gi Heavyweight
3rd Place Shawn Garrett
Teen’s Submission No Gi Lightweight
2nd Place Shawn Garrett
Teen’s No Submission 75 lbs and under
2nd Place Nate Romero
3rd Place Luke Tachick
Kids No Gi No Submission
2nd Place Luke Tachick
Nathan's father Miguel Romero also competed in the tournament.

Congratulations to all who participated, putting it the time and dedication necessary to perform at a high level.
Watch for many members of the Roufusport MMA Fight Team on the Saturday, October 4, 2008 Gladiators Cage Fighting show "The Best & The Baddest" set to take place at the WI State Fair grounds starting at 5:00 pm, the main card starting at 8:00 pm.
VIP table and Floor Reserved seats for the show may be ordered online or by calling (414) 967-7767. Over 20 pro and amateur bouts are planned for the megacard, including 3 Gladiators Fighting championship bouts! Order your tickets today as seating is limited.

Many tuition options are available

Introductory Lesson Always FREE - By appointment only

Call (414) 453-5425 or Email to schedule an appointment

Home of World Champions.
Today.
Tomorrow.
Forever.

© 2012 Roufusport MMA Academy