Mike Miles writes:

Back on track!
Brian, I hope this message is allowed. Thank you.
Howdy All:
I would like to take a second and thank all the people around the world as well as in my hometown who jumped up to the plate offering to help me in any way they could when we had to cancel the C-MAX 2 event originally scheduled for the 7th of February. There were over 500 e-mails and about 100 faxes plus countless phone calls. To all of you, I apologize that I have not contacted each one in a timely matter but I will be sending an note of thanks to all. Your support, encouragement and offers to help me have shown how truly blessed I am and the sport is here in Calgary. Thank you all!
It has been very hectic around here and I apologize to all for appearing so slow at getting information out to everyone. A little over two weeks ago my computer crashed and as soon as I got that running, I had to rush to the hospital to see my son greet the world. Sorry to take this opportunity but I would like to announce the birth of my son, Teger Alexander Shen on the 19th of February 2004. He is a beautiful baby boy and he joins his beautiful sister into our family. (It does not get better than this!!!!!)
We have rebounded incredibly (after seeing 3 events cancelled in the last three months). We have a sold out seminar with Ramon Dekker coming up. We have a sold out seminar with Tony Myers. We are hoping to get Rob Kaman to come back for another seminar before the summer. We have solidified our next three event dates (April 17th, May 8th and June 19th). The Golden Gloves will be in September and the North Americans will be in the USA this year!
Moving on... in just eight weeks, on Saturday April 17th, 2004 Calgary, Alberta, Canada plays home to Canada's most prestigious Muay Thai event. Mike Miles Productions and XFC present 'C-MAX 2 - COLLATERAL DAMAGE'. This is the second time in Canadian history that 8 North American athletes will be stepping into the ring and only one will survive under modified Muay Thai rules. The athletes are vying for $10,000 in prize money. The winning athlete will have fought 3 times in one night and won all three of his bouts. In addition to the tournament, there will also be at least 2 Muay Thai 'Superfights'.
The event is being co-promoted by the Calgary SUN, CJAY-92 Radio, and the Sandman Hotel.
The original date for the event saw some controversy arise and the event had to be cancelled. But the C-MAX 2 event has been
happily rescheduled. The issues have been worked out with the fire department and now we can get back on track and do what we do best, put together top class fight events for all to enjoy.
The 8 man tournament sees the athletes fighting for 10,000 in prize money and the bragging rights to being the C-MAX Champion for 2004. The principles in the event include: Trevor Smandych (Canada), Rino Belcastro (Canada), Rami Ibrahim (USA), Kirk Bovell (Barbados), Oscar Contreras (Mexico), Jose Luis Uribe Garcia (Mexico), Erick Majia Cano (Mexico), and Juan Carlos Bautista Perez (Mexico).
The alternates are Saji Geeverghese (Canada) and Mark Brackenbury (Canada) and I hope to have these two gentlemen fight off in a qualifier in the event.
The card will be supported by Superfights. Included in this event will be:
1) Canada's Scott 'Pitbull' Clark in a 5 round, full Muay Thai rules bout against Mexico's Gustavo Adolfo Perez Hernandez (Mexico). Clark is pushing for a World Title shot and he wants to prove he is ready for one with this bout.
2) Lethbridge's Lee Mein opens up the event in a 3 round modified Muay Thai rules bout against Toronto's Sabha Hesabi. This will be a heavyweight clash between two promising Canadian Superheavyweights.
The venue is The SUN CENTRE (Calgary's sports and entertainment venue now also known as Calgary's fight venue) and will seat approximately 3000 people. The address of the venue is (Currie Barracks) Hanger # 3, 2834 Falaise Ave SW in Calgary (across from Mount Royal College).
Last year's event was completely SOLD OUT! Do not miss history in the making again. Tickets are on sale now at 'The SUN Centre'
(www.thesuncentre.ca).
If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact The Sun Centre at Ph: (403) 233-8368, Fax: (403) 249-8468 or by E-Mail: info@thesuncentre.ca or National Kickboxing (Hy-Performance) - Ms. Tracey Hamm at Ph: (403) 685-7697, Fax: (403) 685-4535, or e-mail "Tracey Hamm"
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Mike Miles

"The 8 man tournament sees the athletes fighting for 10,000 in prize money and the bragging rights to being the C-MAX Champion for 2004. The principles in the event include: Trevor Smandych (Canada), Rino Belcastro (Canada), Rami Ibrahim (USA), Kirk Bovell (Barbados), Oscar Contreras (Mexico), Jose Luis Uribe Garcia (Mexico), Erick Majia Cano (Mexico), and Juan Carlos Bautista Perez (Mexico).
The alternates are Saji Geeverghese (Canada) and Mark Brackenbury (Canada) and I hope to have these two gentlemen fight off in a qualifier in the event.
The card will be supported by Superfights. Included in this event will be:
1) Canada's Scott 'Pitbull' Clark in a 5 round, full Muay Thai rules bout against Mexico's Gustavo Adolfo Perez Hernandez (Mexico). Clark is pushing for a World Title shot and he wants to prove he is ready for one with this bout.
2) Lethbridge's Lee Mein opens up the event in a 3 round modified Muay Thai rules bout against Toronto's Sabha Hesabi. This will be a heavyweight clash between two promising Canadian Superheavyweights."

Just breaking it down a bit there. Also the new topic heading for people looking up date or event on search etc...

ttt for canadian fighters

What is C-Max, what is that weight category and under what rules?

No elbows. Knees to the head I am not sure. 3x3min per fight. 147lbs

Trevor Smandych (Canada)
Rino Belcastro (Canada)
Rami Ibrahim (USA)
Kirk Bovell (Barbados)
Oscar Contreras (Mexico)
Jose Luis Uribe Garcia (Mexico)
Erick Majia Cano (Mexico)
Juan Carlos Bautista Perez (Mexico)

Who is Belcastro? The name rings a bell but i'm not sure who he is. Anyone?

Well it's almost here and a lot of my fighters are excited to see this card we'll be up in full support. Mike Miles hosts some amazing cards and this one should be very exciting. Good Luck Scott and Trevor.

I'm excited to be going. I obviously am hoping to fight, not that I want anyone to get hurt but...

But even if I don't make it I am certainly looking forward to the show too. It'll be interesting to watch for sure. I know the last eight man was!!

In just 3 days (April 17th, 2004), Mike Miles, Mike Miles Productions and the XFC brings 'C-MAX 2 - Collateral Damage' to Calgary, Canada. This 8 man tournament has North American athletes battling it out for $10,000 in prize money.

The event will feature the following 8 athletes in the 147 lb. maximum tournament:
Trevor Smandych (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Rino Belcastro (Windsor, Ontario, Canada)
Rami Ibrahim (New York, NY, USA)
Oscar Contreras (Xalapa, Mexico)
Jose Luis Uribe Garcia (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)
Erick Majia Cano (Mexico)
Juan Carlos Bautista Perez (Mexico City, Mexico)
Kirk Bovell (Bahamas)

The war of words between the eight principle athletes has begun:
Elimination Match 1:
- Mexican Jose Luis Uribe Garcia (10 wins, 0 losses, 0 draws - Thai Gym - Mexico) says, "I come to Calgary very well trained and ready to WIN!! All I hope is that those other ¨boys¨ are ready for me!!"
- Barbados athlete Kirk 'Thunderfoot" Bovell (7 wins, 2 losses , 1 draw - Unified Martial Arts - Barbados) is a man of few words. He has decided to let his fists and feet do the talking in the ring.

Elimination Match 2:
- Mexican Oscar 'Negro' Contreras (19 wins, 2 losses - Muay Thai Gym Mexico) says, "The night will be black for all my adversaries! I will be waiting with patience for the victory of the 2004 C-MAX Tournament!"
- Windsor, Canada's Rino Belcastro who sports an incredible record of 59 wins, 12 losses and 0 draws says, "I wish the rest of the fighters luck, and they will need it... I definitely feel prepared for the upcoming event and extremely confident in my abilities to come out on top!"

Elimination Match 3:
- Mexico's Erick Majia Cano (8 wins, 2 losses - Muay Thai Centre - Mexico) says, "First I will win the prize money and the C-MAX title, and then I will captivate the Canadian women with my style!"
- New York, American Rami 'Arabian Nightmare' Ibrahim (12 wins, 2 losses) states, "I'm coming to CMAX for one reason and that is to gain the respect that I deserve in the world of Muay Thai... I have a Palestinian heart that is going to carry me to victory... I am winning this tournament, the only way I'm going to lose is if I get knocked out and that has NEVER happened!"

Elimination Match 4:
- Mexico's Juan Carlos Bautista Perez (11 wins, 1 loss - S.I.M.T.A - Tiger Ram Muay Gym Mexico) says, " I think it is inevitable that I will win as I have confidence in my preparation and I know this will be shown in the power of my punches, kicks and knees".
- Last years C-MAX winner Trevor 'T.N.T.' Smandych (11 wins, 1 loss - National Kickboxing & Muay Thai - Calgary, Canada) says, "I will stop at nothing to defend my C-Max title. The money is mine, as I've trained too long and too hard to let anyone take it from me. My ultimate goal is to take on the world in the K-1 Max and I will stop at nothing to get there. This is a stepping stone that I will not miss."

In the event of an injury, withdrawal of an athlete, disqualification, etc, there are two alternate athletes standing on the sidelines waiting for their chance to enter this event. What do the two alternate athletes have to say?
- The first alternate Saji Geeverghese (8 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw - Ultimate - Canada) says, "I'm coming out of T.O. to run a stampede on any fighter that faces me. I really hope I get in because it's gonna be like taking candy from a baby!! Whoever I face in the ring will be in for a WAR not a fight, cause you'll have to kill me to win-I never give up!!"
- The second alternate Mark Brackenbury says, "So no broken legs yet huh? Oh well. I can still hope. I'm looking forward to it!"

The venue is The SUN CENTRE (Calgary's sports and entertainment venue now also known as Calgary's fight venue) and will seat approximately 3000 people. The address of the venue is (Currie Barracks) Hanger # 3, 2834 Falaise Ave SW in Calgary (across from Mount Royal College).

Last year's event was completely SOLD OUT! Do not miss history in the making again. Tickets are on sale now at 'The SUN Centre' (www.thesuncentre.ca).

If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact The Sun Centre at Ph: (403) 233-8368, Fax: (403) 249-8468 or by E-Mail: info@thesuncentre.ca or National Kickboxing (Hy-Performance) - Ms. Tracey Hamm at Ph: (403) 685-7697, Fax: (403) 685-4535, or e-mail "Tracey Hamm"

Sincerely!
Mike Miles

i will be down all the way from vegas to catch this (well timed visit with work!). can't wait.
congratulations kru miles on getting the event back on track and i am sure it will be a spectacular show, as all of your cards tend to be!

Wow, it's the Canadian version of K-1 Max!

The last C-Max was pretty good. I see it as another showcase for Trevor Smandych, tearing down the competition.

Mike Miles: Will you be releasing a DVD of this and the first C-Max? It would be a travesty for the 2 events not to be released for those who can't see it live!

I just noticed my record isn't mentioned and everyone elses is///must be a slip up. Its a proud 2-7 LOL

Damn it people, someone break a leg...I mean that in the nicest way LOL

Well I'm off to Calgary today. I am looking forward to the trip in many ways. Obviously I hope to fight, my girlfriend lives there and my I'll see a buddy I haven't seen in years. But I've always been treated well in Calgary by Mr. Miles and co and everyone at the gym etc Always had a good time hanging out with the fighters from National etc and friends in the area. Looking forward to watching the show if I don't get to fight.

It'll be all good.... :)

Tomorrow......tomorrow...... will Mark L fight tomorrow?.... its only a day.. a... way........ :)....
My first try at keyboard singing...Good luck to all Fighters this week-end and go Canada Go!!!!

Off to the airport. Looking forward to having some fun regardless if I fight or not.

Good luck to Mr. Miles and staff as well as all of the athletes

Not for certain but I think I'm in!! Last i heard one of the guys looked like he wasn't going to make weight. I was dropping a little, and about the only one going outside for a fire alarm, so I didn't get to chat with too many people but everyone seems cool and of course we're treated well as always!!

Looks like I might be back in there.

Good luck Mark....keep us informed!!!

Can't wait to see the fights. I'm excited to see you fight Mark I've only seen one fight on tape several years ago, but I'm sure you'll put on a great show.

Way to go.......

Mark 10

C-MAX 2 looks great. There has been a few stumbling blocks, but it seems to have turned even into a more anticipated event.
Kirk Bovell (Barbados) did not come. After the event, I will have to get this straightened out. At the weigh in, six of the athletes were heavier than the 147 lb. (67 kg.) weight limit and had to lose weight. They were Trevor Smandych, Oscar Contreras, Rino Belcastro, and Erick Majia Cano. Both alternates Saji Geevershese and Mark Brackenbury were heavy and had to lose weight. Cano could not get the weight off in the specified time, and was disqualified by the Commission. This means both alternates have stepped in and the bouts look awesome!
C-MAX 2
8 Man Tournament Line Up
Bout 1
Mark Brackenbury (Canada) vs. Jose Luis Uribe Garcia (Mexico)
Bout 2
Rino Belcastro (Canada) vs. Oscar Contreras (Mexico)
Bout 3
Saji Geeverghese (Canada) vs. Rami Ibrahim (USA)
Bout 4
Trevor Smandych (Canada) vs. Juan Carlos Bautista Perez (Mexico)

Good luck with the show Mike and best of luck to Mark Brackenbury and Trevor Smandych.

Chok dee to Mark L. Glad you made it in!!

pisand

Sweet!

First up huh? I think I like that. :)

Thanks everyone!!

Today is the day and I am on my way!! Hope to see some Ax members there

Aw man this sucks. It's on the same day as game 6 of the Flames/Canucks game. We're up 3-2 in the series with a chance to close it out tonight. This is the HUGEST thing in the city right now. There is also the Don King PPV for fans of other combat sports. Totally out of his control too.

I don't think I can make it either. FUCK.

That is bad....Might make for bad attendance for C-Max.

Let's hope the event does well, and also that no injuries occur to mess up the tournament.

Allright never mind I'll be there with a press pass as well. W00t. But in all honesty I can't see the greatest attendance at this event which is a shame.

Trevor Smandych won a close split decision over Mark Brackenbury, this was a very entertaining fight.
Trevor's previous fight in the bracket was against Rami Ibrahim, Rami fought hard and well but couldn’t match Trevor's power.
Mark Brackenbury previous fight in his bracket was against Rino Belcastro, I had seen Rino fight twice previously and Mark's point defeat over him made a fan out of me

Good job Mark....well done!!!

Congrats to Trevor for another job well done....

Big ups to Mark For his coming out of retirement fight.... I mean fight'S

Second place coming out of a over 3 yr lay off is impresive.

WOW!! Three hour drive there..watch the show then drive back...man was it worth it...Mark and Trevor's fight was well worth the price. I respected and admired both fighters abilities in the ring in the past and after tonite It's went up even more..Two Canadians in the final again!!! Got some pic's..hope they turn out.

First of all, I am writing this at 3:00 in the morning. I am exhausted and though I have proof read it, I am hallucinating from lack of rest. I hope my thoughts are understood, and I did not say something that will be misread or misinterpreted. Thank you to all who fought on the event.
The C-MAX event tonight was very good. It was attended by about 1700 people. I was happy about this attendance considering this town was in hockey mania with the hometown team in the playoffs. Still I would have been far happier to have a sell-out (ha ha). By the way, the Flames (hockey) managed to lose tonight putting the series into a 7th game (figures). In all honesty after the stumbling blocks I have been encountering since November of last year, I am glad and relieved this event took place. It has allowed me to get the ball rolling and gain momentum for promoting fight events again in this city. Things seem to be back on track!
A quick synopsis of the bouts.
C-MAX 2 - 8 man Tournament
Elimination match 1
Bout 1
Mark Brackenbury (Canada) vs. Jose Luis Uribe Garcia (Mexico)
Mark looked very good. Sharp, nice timing both offensively and defensively. Mark intercepted very well with his teeps, moved from hand to foot attacks very well and dominated handily in the clinch. Jose tried to score on the outside but Mark positioned very well nullifying most of the attempts. Mark shook Jose a few times but did not capitalize. Mark did 3 rounds here and walked out of the ring unscathed. Mark won by unanimous decision.
Elimination match 2
Rino Belcastro (Canada) vs. Oscar Contreras (Mexico)
I expected a knock down, drag out war here. I know Oscar likes to throw hard punches and put his opponents to sleep. But he looked very laid back during the beginning of this fight. Rino moved very well throwing strong punches, kicks and knees. A few very hard body shots took their toll on Oscar. In round three Oscar did land some very good right hands but Rino seemed to absorb the blows off like they were nothing. Towards the end of the third round, Rino landed an explosive right hand that put Oscar down hard. Oscar was back to his feet by seven but was on queer street so the referee wisely stopped the fight. Rino took a little more punishment in his first bout than his upcoming opponent Mark did.
Elimination match 3
Bout 3
Saji Geeverghese (Canada) vs. Rami Ibrahim (USA)
This was a slower fight with both athletes taking their time to try and land shots. Saji was very gung ho in the first round, but started slowing down as each round progressed. Rami went the other direction moving slowly and then providing more movement as each round progressed as he tried to pick his shots. He heavily worked his left hook and though he landed a few, Saji covered very well. In the third round Rami picked up his work rate and started working combinations, from punches to low kicks. This worked very well for him and he walked away the winner. Rami walked away not too bad for wear and tear.
Elimination match 4
Trevor Smandych (Canada) vs. Juan Carlos Bautista Perez (Mexico)
Trevor looked quite rusty and looked like he was trying to find his bearings. Though he powered through his opponent with punches and kicks, he looked a little off in terms of pulling the trigger when he wanted and finding his range. Juan was taking some very hard low kicks when suddenly towards the end of the first round, Trevor landed an explosive left body hook which put Juan down and out of the fight. Minimal damage to Trevor.
Superfight 1
Elimination match 5 (semi-final)
Lee Mein (Lethbridge, Canada) vs. Sahba Hesabi (Toronto, Canada) - Modified Muay Thai
These two superheavyweights stepped in the ring and decided to war. Lee possessed more power than Sahba. Lee managed to land some excellent right hands. The first putting Sahba down hard to the canvas. Sahba showed the warrior he was and he got up in the ring to battle again. Lee jumped in and literally delivered a jumping right cross that landed and he followed with a right uppercut which connected. Sahba went down and the corner threw the towel in. Lee won by first round TKO. Sabha had some eye trouble afterwards and had to go to the hospital.
Elimination match 5 - semi final
Mark Brackenbury (Canada) vs. Rino Belcastro (Canada)
I was really expected a much closer war in this match. Mark seemed to really have Rino's number in terms of controlling the gap. Rino wanted to box and Mark was determined not to let that happen. Rino was held at bay by good teeps and when Rino did get in, Mark would clinch and then spin or trip Rino around the ring. Mark delivered a few deluxe spins and trips followed by some good knees and kicks. Mark looked good. No slight at Rino, because he impressed me with his hands and his power. He just was taken out of his battle plan by Mark. Mark won by unanimous decision.
Elimination match 6
Trevor Smandych (Canada) vs. Rami Ibrahim (USA)
Trevor again seemed to be battling for his bearings. Rami was to choose a hit and move style which for the first round worked quite well. In the second and third round, Rami still employed the same strategy but he did not have the power on his shots he possessed in the first round. Trevor shelled for most of Rami's onslaughts and countered with strong blows. It was a very close fight with Trevor winning the decision.
Superfight 2
Scott Clark (Canada) vs. Gustavo Adoldo Perez Hernandez (Mexico)
Scott looked a tentative in this match as he found his bearings. Gustavo wanted to hit and fall to the clinch. Gustavo would then try and get to the ropes and hold them for leverage. He was warned for this many times by the referee. Scott looked comfortable in the clinch which seemed to frustrate and Gustavo. During round two Scott kept landing good punches to kicks and then both would end up in the clinch. In this round, a fast and furious right elbow strike made it in by Scott and it produced an egg under Gustavo's eye. At the start of the third round, Gustavo would not come out due to eye problems and Scott walked away the winner.
Final match
Trevor Smandych (Canada) vs. Mark Brackenbury (Canada)
Truthfully I was quite disappointed this fight took place tonight. Why? I know both athletes have great support across Canada and I wanted to have this bout as a main event for a TSN (our national sports channel) televised card in the near future. But things work in strange ways. It was a very good and entertaining fight tonight with each athlete delivering clean, powerful, and impressive technique. Truthfully both boys had to work hard in this match and the audience really appreciated it. In the first round, both boys exchanged very well with Mark managing a deluxe teep which was to put Trevor onto the seat of his pants. In the second round, Trevor picked up his work rate. He started to land some nice body kicks. After watching Mark perform so superbly in the clinch in his previous two bouts, I expected him to use this tactic a lot and more so, to use it effectively. The boys did clinch and Trevor managed to nullify Marks' kneeing game plan (thanks Kru Tong!). In third round there was a lot of desire and action between both, but I feel Trevor was to take this round convincingly. The decision was split for Trevor.
There were a lot of good fights on this event. Trevor vs. Mark was very, very good and could have headlined a fight event anywhere. Too bad so many people missed this bout. Hey Mark, you have another fan out in Calgary... me! I also saw some very good talent tonight and managed to consider some future fights. Rino wants a shot at Trevor as does Rami again. Rino also wants a rematch with Mark. The list goes on and on for these warriors.
Mark came out of retirement and looked impressive. Trevor finally got to fight. He trained since last September for today. He trained for November when he was disappointed on the day of the fight because Danny Steele pulled his infamous no show. Then Trevor trained for February 7th C-MAX which had to be cancelled on 10 days notice due to some issues which finally have been resolved. So today he finally got the chance to fight after 8 months of training. He looked a little gym stale (and the 8 months training definitely contributed), but he managed to shake a lot of it off during each successive fight. Trev, now it is time to move forward again onto your next challenge. Congratulations buddy on your fights tonight and on winning the C-MAX 2. From your biggest fan, Mike Miles

Conrtas on the fight card Mr. Miles! Rami, Rino, Mark, Scott and Trevor all looked good. Anyone who missed it will likely see these guys in the future in Calgary, we hope. A rematch with Mark and Trevor in a five round fight would be awesome. Both looked good in the final against each other. I think everyone would love to see these guys fighting each other without having to both go through 2 opponents first. Anyways it was nice to see this tournement finally happen again. Keep up the hard work Mike!

I'm glad the event turned out well. And I still hope to see DVD's released of both C-Max events! :)

It sounds like some cool fights could occur as a result of this tournament alone. The rematches some fighters are asking for and such sound like something to look forward to if they happen.

Holy Cow Mark! I'm so, so proud of you!

Oh yeah, anyone have any pictures to post?

Well done Mark !
Are you a litle saw today?!
vj

Mark after group intro

ready to roll first round

ready to roll first round

ready to roll first round win

Trevor walkin in

Trevor walkin in

Thanks for the pics, Kim!

Congratulations Pi Mark on a great showing after the layoff.

Mark winning UD against Windsor, Canada's Rino Belcastro who sports an incredible record of 59 wins, 12 losses and 0 draws

Mark and trevor in action

Mark and trevor in action

Trevor getting a win by a split and $7500. This was THEEE fight of the night as it should be. Mark L you made Trevor work for his money and Trevor showed the worrior spirit and kept the fight going to Mark L. Any one who decided to stay home and watch hockey... missed out on some Real Pro action From some of the best in North America. Great work Mike Miles and Company.

That is about as good as I could give with my crapy camera and distance. can't wait to by the DVD if and when they come out.

First off thanks to Mike Miles, Keith Crawford and the whole team that put on the event, included me and treated us great!! I always have a great time here in Calgary!!!

Trevor is always a class act and though it was close, and not seeing the tape, I would think he did take it. I think he pushed harder in the last and sucked it up like the champ he is.

On that note all three of the fighters I fought were really nice!!! I missed getting to know most of them at the weigh-in as I was starting to make weight and then seemed to be the only one that listened to the fire alarm. lol After i didn't get too much of a chance to talk to many though I got a couple words and good vibes from everyone!!!

I am having a great time and will probably extend my ticket some more. :)

Kim-I'm glad we got to say hi!! Though I wished we'd had more time to talk.

Don, good to see you as always!!

Tony Myres. Very nice to meet you and I hope you enjoy your stay here in Canada!!

Probably missing lots but i just have to say thanks to Jason, my training partner, for all his help getting ready and cornering and to Tanya for cornering also...you make all the differance babe!!

congrats to mark l. walking the walk . Hope you got many more fights ahead

Great job to everyone involved!! Whats next Mark L?

great job mark! wish i had the chance to say hello but i have to say i was proud seeing you do how you did. it's like through ax we all get to know eachother....
anyways it was a great night, with what i in all honesty believed to be a walk over for trevor turning into a tough and dramatic tournament. mark was impressive, with his calm compure and ring smarts, rami just seemed like a super nice guy (helping his opponents off the canvas when they slipped) and it was good to see him do well, rino had some sick body punches, and trevor, well not much has to be said. the guy is good.
glad i had the chance to be in calgary for this and wish i had the chance to meet some of you ax'ers but maybe next time. congrats mark on an impressive show, but what was with the ring entrances? as long as you took to get out, i half expected to see you fly in on a magic carpet or have some naseem hamed type entrance lined up. oh and nice little ernesto hoost dance after one of your wins. you all made the flames loss that night a little more bearable!

R&R here in Calgary! :)

that's "composure and ring smarts" i meant to say above...
and before i forget again, congrats trevor on the win, and kru miles on another successful card even with all the trials it took to make it happen.
i may get to be in calgary again may 8 for the young guns card (working for an airline has it's privileges!)so if any ax'ers are around i will try better to say hello...

by the way...thanks to everyone for the support and good wishes etc!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My personal opinion as a fan: this was the best card to be seen in Calgary in a long time. The athletes in the tourney all came to fight and gave 110%. What a bunch of nice people, again proving top caliber fighters can also be top caliber people. Every fighter had a distincly different style which was great to watch, especially considering there wasn't a single fight where the variation of styles din't make for a great fight. The crowd was very appreciative of the fighters efforts and the fighters from out of town made many fans in Calgary with their effort and heart. Mark: you are a machine. To fight that well and that many times in one night after 3 years out of the ring was amazing. Mr. Myres it was great to have a chance to have a quick chat with you, I hope you return when the weather is a little more agreeable.

As a fan this is a DVD that I would pay for in a minute.

Thanks Don!! It was weird getting back in there and its obviously hard to do it tourney style.

Obviously I knew its harder than just one fight but now I've experianced it. I was right in guessing energy wouldn't be as huge a factor as the punishment you take in each fight and how it effects you going into the next one.

Its was fun in many ways and it was a great learning experiance.

My record is now 50% wins LOL

Great guys all around and thanks again to everyone who supported me.

Part 1 of my report which deals with the incredible night of fights will be up as soon as my editor gets back to me. I will post the address to it as soon as I have it.

Part 2 will focus on Trevor's upcoming plans.

Earl, I look forward to it.

Rami Ibrahim (New York, NY, USA)
I was very impressed with this guy.He put in a good showing with Trevor. MarkL was looking for fights? After this tourny he could keep busy all year just fighting the other 7 on regular fight cards.

donald, i wish i would have run into you there. i was thinking you were in vegas already so i didn't even think to look.
ran into steve mazagatti today (the referee from vegas) and he was mentioning something about you maybe having already come down for ufc and not coming out at the end of the month...did you check out the gym then?

Rob
Sorry to have missed you. I was down working the UFC 47 with the Nevada Commission, it was a great opportunity. Who do I run into Steve and he's a referee on the card. We hadn't seen each other since the officials course in Bangkok 2001. It's a small world sometimes.
I didn't have enough time to drop into Master Toddy's, but I was able to drive by. Next time I,m down at least I won't get lost looking for the gym.
If you are in town for the May 08 card hopefully we can get a chance to chew the fat.
I would love to get down for Master Toddy's upcoming card, it looks like a awesome line up. But it looks like I am going to be stuck in Calgary. Good luck with the event Rob, it seemed like it had very good exposure in Vegas.
Cheers

Nice one Mark L!!! What a return to action !!

Thanks Andy!!

It was a great show to be apart of and I'm greatful for the oppertunity to get in the ring again and especially with it being an 8-man.

Allright here is my report. I put it up on that website as my typical website Sherdog KO is down right now. They're just hosting this right now. Everyone tell me what you think.

http://www.upstandingfuckingcitizens.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=28

Well done Mark. Great to hear your back at it in style.
Nicola :o)

Earl: Not bad, I look forward to Part 2.

Do you know much about Keddle and how he matches up with Smandych?

BugEyedEarl-not too far off for a reporter...lol Good job.

Thanks Nicola. :)

For all those too lazy to copy and paste the link. Here it is. One time offer only.

Smandych wins C-MAX again; Super League Next?
Written by Duncan Kinney

Wednesday, 21 April 2004

Saturday night, April 17th Mike Miles Productions and the XFC presented “C-MAX 2 – Collateral Damage”. The event took place in Calgary at the Sun Centre to 1600 diehard fans. The C-MAX is an 8-man tournament with a $10,000 purse in the final match, $7,500 to the winner, $2,500 to the runner-up.



This event was originally scheduled for February 8th but “licensing” issues from the city postponed the event. Kirk Bovell from the Unified Martial Arts Academy of Barbados was “sick” and failed to show up or even give notice until the last minute. Erick Majia Cano was overweight and couldn’t make the 147 limit.

The Calgary Flames had a playoff game the same night. This being the first Flames playoff series in 8 years; the excitement in the city was electric. Mike Miles was “happy about the attendance, considering this town was in hockey mania with the hometown team in the playoffs”.



With all the difficulty in putting a tournament like this on, the effort was worthwhile. Calgary was treated to a kickboxing show worthy of any venue. The XFC and Mike Miles Productions plan regular cards for all year.



In the C-MAX tournament the fighters can use hands, feet, and knees (including knees to the face) with three three-minute rounds, with a two-minute rest period. All other full Muay Thai rules apply. The rules approximate the Superleague’s (a world-class European kickboxing organization) allowing knees to the face and disallowing all elbow attacks. These rules also allow the fighters to work in the clinch instead of being broken up right away as in K-1 MAX.



THE RESULTS:



Mark Brackenbury (Canada) vs. Jose Luis Uribe Garcia (Mexico)



Brackenbury was to have been an alternate, but Kirk Bovell didn’t show up. Brackenbury showed excellent ring smarts using teeps to knock his opponent off balance. Garcia would bull rush in and throw leather but Brackenbury showed top-notch defensive prowess as he picked off punches with his gloves and checked kicks. Brackenbury got the better in the clinches, spinning and kneeing Garcia like a pro. When Brackenbury got tired of kneeing Garcia, he’d dump him smartly. Brackenbury seemed to be holding himself back, keeping himself fresh for the second and third rounds of the tournament. In the third round Brackenbury scored a knockdown with a sharp right hand but didn’t press very hard after that. Brackenbury outclassed his Mexican opponent to a unanimous decision; and though he went the full 3 rounds, he passed through relatively unscathed.



Brackenbury: Unanimous Decision



Rino Belcastro (Canada) vs. Oscar Contreras (Mexico)



This fight started off with a torrid pace. Belcastro got the better of it with sharp counters and good bodywork. Rino landed a spinning back kick at the end of Round one. Conteras wasn’t a wallflower, he landed some decent flurries from time to time and Rino absorbed some strikes from his gutsy Mexican foe. This reporter gave Oscar the second round based on his flurries and aggressiveness, as Rino seemed to take most of the round off. Round 3 was the decisive round. And it was close all the way to 15 seconds left when Rino planted a picture-perfect counter right hook when Contreras was attempting a lowkick. Belcastro moved on but he had a battle with the tough Contreras.



Belcastro: KO 3rd round



Rami Ibrahim (United States) vs. Saji Geeverghese (Canada)



Geeverghese was an alternate who had to step in for the overweight Erick Majia Cano. Ibrahim is a veteran of the XFC ring. Geeverghese looked out of his league coming out right away with his hands down. Though he never got tagged on the chin, it was certainly sticking out there with no hands anywhere near it to provide protection. A little slower fight than the last two but Ibrahim had the advantage in skill and power. His strikes were sharper and he dominated his opponent. Ibrahim won a unanimous decision to move on to the second round.



Ibrahim: Unanimous Decision



Trevor Smandych (Canada) vs. Juan Carlos Bautista Perez (Mexico)



And, out came the defending champion, and arguably the centerpiece of the production, Trevor “TNT” Smandych. He got a huge response from the hometown crowd. The 21-year-old looked small and soft next to Trevor and the Mexican landed very little in the way of offense. Trevor dominated, landing hard, thudding leg kicks. Close to the end of the first round, Smandych landed a murderous left hook to the liver that put Perez down for good. Trevor moved on with the only fight that ended before the third round.



Smandych: KO 1st round



It was a solid first round of fights with good action throughout. The only one who passed through the first round and absorbed punishment was Belcastro. Smandych got his obligatory first round softie opponent. Brackenbury and Ibrahim looked very solid.



The tournament fighters are given a bit of a break with a super fight in the Super heavyweight division between:



Superfight #1 - Lee Mein (Canada) vs. Sabba Hesabi (Canada) – Modified Muay Thai rules (Same as tournament rules except for no knees to head)



Mein was in great shape with very little body fat while Hesabi has a bit of flab around the middle. While this match wasn’t exactly a scientific display of precision striking, it was entertaining, with two big guys throwing bombs. Mein had much harder punches and landed a series of right hands that put Hesabi down midway through the first round. Hesabi didn’t come just for the paycheck though as he got up and continued. Mein jumped right on him and landed an uppercut that put Hesabi down for the ten count.



Mein: KO 1st round.



After a brief intermission and the reporting of the score for the Flames game, the tournament continued. The president of the XFC and emcee of the evening Keith Crawford did a very competent job of announcing the event.





Mark Brackenbury (Canada) vs. Rino Belcastro (Canada)



Rino came out in the first round and imposed his will on Brackenbury with Rino landing nice 1-2’s, some leg kicks, and even an axe kick. Brackenbury seemed tentative in the first round and didn’t throw too much, preferring to let Belcastro lead.



In the second round, Brackenbury started using his superior speed and clinchwork to break down Belcastro. This round was close as Belcastro had no quit in him and continued to come forward throwing strikes.



Round three was one of the best of the night as both realized the fight was on the line. Lots of effective knee work from the clinch by Brackenbury, but when they separated Belcastro kept chucking punches and kicks Brackenbury’s way. The round ended with 30 seconds of violent and exciting seesaw battle between two warriors. Brackenbury got the unanimous decision, but this reporter would have liked to have seen one more round. A much closer fight than the judges had on their scorecards. Brackenbury came out of this fight with an ugly red contusion high up on his ribs.



Brackenbury: Unanimous decision





Trevor Smandych (Canada) vs. Rami Ibrahim (United States)



Smandych came out to a huge roar from the crowd. They were definitely behind their hometown boy. Ibrahim came out to some hip-hop and does a little jig on his way to the ring. The first two rounds consist of both fighters exchanging combos. Trevor has the edge in power but his timing seems a little off and he tends to put on the earmuffs and rely on his chin instead of using movement. First 2 rounds were very close and could have gone either way. In the third round Smandych picks it up and shows some excellent clinch work. The fight was close but Trevor shaded it with his knees from the clinch, counters, and more powerful strikes.



Superfight #2 - Scott Clark vs. Gustavo Adolfo Perez Hernandez – Full Muay Thai rules



Hometown boy Scott “Pitbull” Clark returned to the active ranks in a Light Heavyweight clash. As this was a full Muay Thai bout the fighters get to present their ram muay to the audience. Clark started off with a crackling lead left hook to start but after that the tempo slowed down. Clark looked slightly tentative to begin but warmed up nicely. Hernandez couldn’t keep proper distance, as he would throw one or two strikes and fall into the clinch. From the clinch Clark looked very relaxed landing clusters of knees to his opponent’s ribs. Clark also displayed some nice dump techniques as Hernandez looked lost in the clinch. Hernandez was warned 3 times for grabbing the ropes when in the grapple. In the second round, Clark popped out of Hernandez’s grip and landed a compact elbow that appeared to bother Hernandez. Hernandez quit on his stool in between round two and three complaining of eye problems, possibly due to the elbow.



Scott Clark: TKO 3rd round



The C-MAX 2 final:



Mark Brackenbury (Canada) vs. Trevor Smandych (Canada)



The final started off oddly as Brackenbury’s name was announced and it took him 5 or 6 minutes to actually walk down to the ring. Trevor came down to the now familiar refrain of TNT by ACDC. Smandych started off with some nice middle kicks. Brackenbury is strong as well throwing combos with hands and feet to the body and head, though it should be noted that Trevor shelled nicely for most of Brackenbury’s flurries. Trevor on the whole was the more aggressive fighter who initiated the exchanges.



As the second round started the crowd got into it chanting TNT. Trevor picked up the clinching and landed some knees to Brackenbury’s ribs. Trevor has shown definite improvement in his clinching technique. In the past Trevor used to grab the ropes just to be separated by the referee. Now he seems much more comfortable and doesn’t fall victim to Brackenbury’s spinning techniques. Trevor does take a teep in this round which plants him but he was unhurt.



In the final round of the C-MAX tournament the (fighters laid it all on the line. They traded kick for kick, punch for punch, and knee for knee. Smandych landed some huge body kicks and knees. That welt on the upper ribs of Brackenbury only got uglier and was on the verge of bleeding. Brackenbury seemed tired by the third round as he’d fought the harder rounds and taken more punishment.



That turned out to be the deciding factor as Calgary native Trevor Smandych wins the C-MAX 2 – Collateral Damage tournament via split decision after 3 rounds of some of the best action Calgary has ever seen. The fact that these fighters could summon up those reserves and fight so hard to the final bell after fighting three times in the same night should be commended. Trevor takes home $7 500 while Brackenbury gets $2 500. Though no shame on Brackenbury, he fought sublimely throughout the tournament. This was undisputedly the fight of the night.



Smandych: Split Decision



Trevor fought an excellent tournament defending his C-MAX championship crown. Though he had an eight month layoff he shook off the ring rust and mowed through the competition. He showed improvement in his clinch game which will be vital if he wants to step up in class. And it looks as if Trevor will be doing exactly that. In only four short weeks Trevor “TNT” Smandych has a fight across the pond in England with fellow welterweight Kieran Keddle. If Trevor wins that fight, expect to see “The Canadian Golden Boy” in Superleague sooner rather than later.



When asked what he was going to do with the money, Trevor didn’t take the obvious “I’m going to Disneyland” route and instead responded with, “pay my taxes and spend it on training”. Trevor had some redness on his face but felt “fine right now but I’m going to feel it tomorrow”.



Part 2 of this report will focus on Trevor Smandych’s upcoming plans to take his career to the next level.

If you've soldiered through this whole thing hit the link and give me some hits. Thanks

[urlhttp://www.upstandingfuckingcitizens.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=28[/url]

Biased much...

Mark L: Was this a rematch between yourself and Smandych? I think a read a result somewhere that you two fought in August of 1999, with Smandych coming out the victor.

If I'm correct, did the first fight go to a decision as well? Thanks

Trevor and I did fight a long time ago...'99 sounds about right...as amateurs. He won the dec then as well. I didn't really see the fight as a rematch. i think we've both done alot since then and with it being C-Max and all and fighting 3 different fighters.

I couldn't fight, win or lose, to a nicer fighter and a better sportsman.

I faded a little in the end I think, and he sucked it up well and showed what kind of a fighter he really is.

Hi Mark

It was good to meet you finally, I hope the health checks proved only to be a formality. It was a very good fight and would have been considered a good one on any show anywhere in Europe; easily the best of the night. Good skills and good determination demonstrated by you both. I think your analysis was correct, a even match but you faded a little and Trevor was able keep up the pressure. A rematch over five rounds would be an interesting proposition.

Take care and keep training hard.

Thanks Tony!! Great to meet you too!

Health checks were all ok. Everything was normal considering all the nine rounds.

yo mark congrats on the fight.i'm a good friend of allen edwardson and am hoping to get my first fight soon . i read you run 3 time's a week just curious how many km's?

Well i planned on building to more but i made it to 6 laps (sprints/interval etc)lol...thanks by the way..

When my body crashed and the denervative atrophy kicked in I was running 2 or more times a day...and I never had this much energy either.

this should be on another thread..

found some pics on mixedmartialarts.ca

Theres Trev winning the final against me :( hehe

I think I'm gonna punch off the kick...
Garcia and me. Real nice guy!

Belcastro is a really nice guy and damn is he tough!!
His left hooks to the body where killer. I thought I was gone in the first. I had blood in my urine after this fight.

interesting pic.. Hes a mean looking f*^%$r in the ring but a great guy and sportsman.

glad he didn't hit me when my mouth was open lol

Garcia was a tough opponent. I'm really glad to have met him. Everyone seemed so nice there I was very happy.

Not a single sit-up (except a day visiting a friends gym) in over a year..not too bad.. hehe

left kick...not the happiest with my technique on the left but its better than my right lol

Trev getting the check.. i think its a cool pic with the looser climbing out of the ring :)

I'll have to get some of mine scanned...I have a couple good ones thanks to Cass a.k.a. Freddie a.k.a. Sis.

I'll have to get some of mine scanned...I have a couple good ones thanks to Cass a.k.a. Freddie a.k.a. Sis.

Mark---

Congratulations! I saw the report a few days ago but am just now reading this thread. Your comeback is a great inspiration to anyone who has taken time off the sport or has faced health or other personal challenges. Keep it up and keep us updated!

Matt

Mark-L
your a Hereo matey ! ( Not on some Topics though LOl )
and......

Do Not Put yourself Down ref: this :-

Trev getting the cheque.. i think its a cool pic with the looser climbing out of the ring :)Mark-L writes:-


Not correct term `Loser` :-((
Runner up ?
Came Second?
And lastly No Situps ??
Why???
Im Amazed ? And also Dont Understand how you CANT???

Thanks Matt-you can see my 'almost bleeding' ribs in the knee pic hehe

Sandy-I think its a wicked pic. I don't feel like a loser (or a looser) at all. Just having fun with the wording.

Trev is a tough fighter and a great guy and deserved to win. I really like the pic of the winner doing his thing with the loser leaving-I think it looks cool.

I was at his gym last Thurs, I think Thurs. Hes always a good laugh. Hey Matt he brought up Checks tournado ball. Asked if I'd ever seen one. :)


=
No sit ups is another thread :) isn't there one on this? I think if I had trained my abs etc with sit-ups Rino would have dropped me and probably finnished me in the first...I don't 'know' this but i wouldn't be surprised.
-

Good shots Mark! Anyone got some from TNT's last fight in London?

well done mark looks like it was a cracking fight

it? hehe

sorry it should read they