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Ultimate Warrior Challenge brings mixed martial arts to the Patriot Center this weekend

Date published: 4/24/2008

BY CARLY TORISKY

Move over WWE, NFL and UFC; there's a new acronym in town. It's the UWC--and Saturday, it's invading Virginia.

UWC, the Ultimate Warrior Challenge, is the newest avenue for the ultra-popular sport of mixed martial arts cage fighting. With tickets going for up to $800 in Vegas, or $50 on pay-per-view, and bars packed on fight days around the world (including Central Park's Buffalo Wild Wings), MMA is one of today's leading live entertainment events.

"No other show in the history and evolution of the sport of MMA has come as far, as fast as the UWC," says Marcello Foran, founder and CEO of UWC.

Beginning in July 2007, even the first event in Jacksonville, Fla., was sold out. Though this Saturday will only be the UWC's third event, it will be the largest MMA event ever to come to the Washington area.

MMA is anything but a new sport. Spawning from the 80-year-old Brazilian technique Vale Tudo ("anything goes"), and coming to the United States in the early 1990s, MMA has become a respected sport.

MMA is true to its name--a mixture of various martial arts such as karate, jiu-jitsu and sumo, combined with kickboxing, grappling and wrestling with no single fighting technique dominating.

Often portrayed as ruth- less and bloodthirsty, the modern-day gladiators are anything but (though nicknames of "the Barbarian" and "Juggernaut" don't help break the stereotypes). With strict rules and an overall concern for both safety and good sportsmanship, there has been only one life-threatening injury in the 14-year history of regulated MMA in America.

Allowing moves such as a flying-knee, arm bars, triangle chokes and a ground-and-pound certainly make the sport intense and not for the faint of heart or weak-stomached. Yet with punches to the back of the head or spine, old-school wrestling moves like the pile-driver and even "abusive language" all prohibited, MMA is a far more monitored, civilized sport than the days of underground fight clubs.

UWC-INVASION, hosted by the Patriot Center, proves that Virginia is not only for lovers. Saturday's event includes a match between Johnny Curtis and Josh Feldman, two fighters with strong ties to the Old Dominion.

Curtis, a wrestling All-American and graduate of George Mason University, will look for a second win after beginning his professional fighting career less than a year ago. Feldman, also a wrestling All-American and with a boxing background, is a graduate of Virginia Tech and will be making his pro debut.

"The fight with Johnny should be interesting since we both have a strong wrestling background," Feldman said. "It should be a good match."

Carly Torisky: 540/374-5000, ext. 5685
Email: ctorisky@freelancestar.com

What: Ultimate Warrior Challenge-INVASION Where: The Patriot Center, George Mason University, Fairfax When: 7 p.m. Saturday Cost: $28.50-$250 Info: uwcmma.com/uwc3

Date published: 4/24/2008