International Kickboxer Magazine, Jan/Feb 2015
Brad Riddell’s first fight took place under unusual circumstances.
“I was supposed to fight a guy from Nelson [New Zealand’s southern island] but got a call from the guys from the gym the day of the weigh-in, saying he had been arrested and sent to gaol for trying to light his ex-girlfriend’s house on fire.” Continue reading
International Kickboxer Magazine, Jan/Feb 2015
The first point of contact for the elusive Ghot Seurnoi is his trainer, Soren Mongkontong. When we spoke, I explained that I had made an appointment to interview Ghot at ten thirty the following morning.
“Don’t be silly, mate. There’s no way he’ll be awake. He’ll have been up all night on his PlayStation.” Continue reading
Hector Lombard, fellow Scida Stables alumnus, has tested positive for steroids after his win over Josh Burkman at UFC 182 last month. This is another stumbling block in the chequered career of an immensely talented fighter.
From the UFC: Continue reading
Andre ‘The Mad Man’ Meunier: appropriately labelled and packaged for Japanese fans.
Andre Meunier, Victoria’s number-one heavyweight kickboxer, is hitting his straps. He’s just come back from a win in Japan where he was the intro for the two most significant heavyweights in the history of the sport, might do a it of boxing, enjoys a spot of MMA in his time off, has opened a tattoo parlour in Windsor and likes a bit of speedway racing when the opportunity presents itself. He tells Theme Park at its Darkest all about it.
So… how did it go? Continue reading
Blitz Magazine, January 2015
Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu is among the most practical, street-ready forms of kung fu available. Paul Brennan can testify to that, having learned it on the tough streets of Kowloon, Hong Kong, from one of the progenitors of the style, Ip Shui. Continue reading
Blitz Magazine, December 2014
For Gary Palmer, martial arts have been part of his life for as long as he can remember.
“I started with boxing,” says Gary, “I grew up with it. I come from a boxing family. My grandfather was Dave Palmer, who was both heavy and light-heavyweight champion of Australia. He held several titles – that was back in the days when they weren’t so strict about weight; they let you fight up a division. Continue reading
International Kickboxer Magazine, Nov/Dec 2014
Peter Aerts, like all ‘great’ athletes, is most often defined in terms of the length of his career and the titles he’s won. True definition, however, is a matter of establishing something in comparison with its contemporaries which, for a fighter, is in terms of their opponents. Continue reading
International Kickboxer Magazine, Nov/Dec 2014
Victoria doesn’t have a reputation as a hot-bed of Thai Boxing culture; rather, it is traditionally held as the stomping-ground of kickboxing. Cain ‘Insane’ Brunton is working to change that, one fight at a time. He tells JARROD BOYLE about his recent WMC State Title win and the possibilities it has opened up for him, including a spot on JWP’s Caged Muay Thai, a promotion as Queensland-crazy as anyone could hope to get. Continue reading
Blitz Martial Arts Magazine, Vol.28, No.11, November 2014
“The problem in India is not that there are rapists,” says Cheryl Lynch-Gardner, co-founder of Budo-Ryu Kempo. “[Here in Australia there are] Rape Crisis Centers, counseling; there is a system. There’s no damn system over there.”
Cheryl’s involvement in the martial arts has led to her from Sydney’s western suburbs, halfway around the world to teach self-defense to Indian women. It seems like a practical fix for a universal problem, but in the macro, Cheryl’s work is part of a widespread effort to turn the tides of history and culture, one person at a time. Continue reading
Theme Park at its Darkest 