Courtesy of MMA Photography.com

Kimura fighter Jimmy Collins recorded a dominating victory in his amatuer MMA debut.

Jimmy fought the first fight of the night at a Reality Fighting event in Plymouth, Massachusetts on July 18. The lightweight put on a thrilling performance and made short work of celebrated wrestler Neil Strebig, finishing him by TKO at 1:46 in the first round.

“From the moment the bell rang, everything was just a blur,” said Collins, who competes in the 155-pound lightweight division. “This whole experience from the training to the fight to the roar of the fans has been the craziest time of my life. I loved it.”

Tying up with his opponent early on, Jimmy landed four brutal body shots a la Randy Couture dirty boxing style. He then threw Strebig to the mat and transitioned between side control and a north and south position while throwing strong ground-and-pound punches. Eventually, Jimmy took the mount and finished off Strebig by TKO. It wasn’t a bad night’s work for his first time in the cage.

A gifted athlete, Jimmy lettered in football, baseball, and wrestling at Waltham High School. In football, he actually played nose guard despite his 5′6” stout stature and he went on to become a standout collegiate hitter and catcher on Bryant College’s baseball team in Rhode Island. He later began training in jiu-jitsu, boxing, and MMA. His debut fight came in Reality Fighting, the MMA branch of the NAGA organization.

“I just want to thank everybody who trained me to be the best I could be,” said Jimmy.

He noted his training with Lauzon MMA as run by Joe Lauzon, the UFC veteran and lightweight powerhouse contender. He also thanked longtime boxing and strength and conditioning coaches Peter Welch and Steve Baccari as well Kimura Brazilian jiu-jitsu master Jean Kleber. Jimmy didn’t forget to thank his wife, either, who accomplished a feat comparable to his victory by putting up with him while he cut weight and trained for the fight.

Kimura USA master Jean Kleber trained the jiu-jitsu-MMA standout at the academy’s Brazil branch.

“We are so proud of Formiga,” said Kleber. “We should remember that Kimura is not just the US. Kimura began in Brazil and has spread to Portugal, Switzerland, and now America. We are all a big extended family.”

A reporter for the MMA news website, Sherdog, described the action, “ All three rounds started more or less the same with Kojima pursuing a conservative standup game, snapping off low kicks and grazing high kicks. When da Silva worked up enough courage to press in close for dirty boxing, knees and takedown attempts, he succeeded in stealing the first and third rounds, getting BJ down on the canvas. In the third, da Silva took Kojima’s back and threatened with chokes and punches. The performance earned him a unanimous decision.” 

In Portuguese, “formiga” means “insect” or “ant.” The fighter earned his nickname for his small size, as Shooto bantamweights weigh in at 123 pounds. That’s an ant with a big bite!

Kipp Kollar on Gladiator Magazine cover

Kimura sends a special thanks to NAGA president Kipp Kollar, who recently graced the cover of Gladiator Magazine. Congrats Kipp! You still look ready to fight and you have been a pioneer in grappling, jiu-jitsu, and MMA. Kipp sent Kimura a signed copy of the magazine, noting that the academy was the best jiu-jitsu school in Massachusetts. We thank you and NAGA for everything you have done for the martial arts over the years.

Got takedowns? Master Jean will be teaching a new takedown class on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30pm. Classes will focus exclusively on jiu-jitsu, judo, and wrestling takedowns. This is a great opportunity to add a new dimension to your game!   

Just a few Kimura competitors took part in the NAGA East Coast Championships in Rhode Island June 27, but they still have two medals to show for it. Digao took third place in a highly competitive adult purple belt division. Marcello took second place in an adult blue belt division. Thang also won two fights as a white belt, only losing in the semi-finals. Eric fought for his first time and fought well. Parabéns!

Kimura BJJ Academy will be closed Friday July 3rd through Sunday July 5th in observation of Independence Day.  We hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday!

The belt promotion at Kimura Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy has been rescheduled to September 26, as many students will be on vacation during August. Continue to train hard and consistently and you will be eligible for promotion. More details will be posted later in the summer. There will also be a promotion at the end of the year on December 12. This offers students an unprecedented opportunity to participate in two promotions over just three months. All the more reason to stay focused and keep training in the second half of 2009!

Master Jair (center-left) receives his gold medal

Master Jair Lourenco has won his fourth jiu-jitsu national championship. Master Jair, who is the founder of the original Kimura Academy, recently competed in the black belt 181-pound division of the national championships held in São Paolo, Brazil. Four straight impressive victories earned Master Jair his fourth national title. The prestigious tournament was sponsored by the Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Esportiva. Congratulations, Jair. Parabéns!

Kimura competitors scored several wins at the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Championships held in Long Beach, California June 4-7. While the eight Kimura competitors fell just short of winning medals, they recorded several wins and fought competitively at the prestigious tournament, which was held by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation. Stanley Chen won three fights and narrowly lost his fourth fight by advantages. A victory would have guaranteed him a finish in the top three places for a medal. Jeff Hsu recorded two victories before being defeated in the third round and Diego and Bruno earned first-round wins as well.

Eight Kimura competitors will head to the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships held in Long Beach, California June 4-7. As hosted by the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), the tournament is one of the most prestigious in the world and draws thousands of international competitors. For more information and results, check out the IBJJF site (www.ibjjf.org). Everyone wish the best of luck to Jeff, Diego, Stanley, Thang, Ky, Tho, Lucas, and Bruno. Go Kimura!