2) The UWFI followed the "old school" methods of training. Spiritual training and building up mental/psychological strength and endurance took precedence.

3) Training began with the basics, learning respect and making people appreciate the status they earned with humility. Washing clothes, cooking, cleaning the dojo, and other chores are how the new comers were introduced to their world.

Basically "green boys" (new comers) were "step and fetch its" for the high ranked members of the organization who gave them the chance to enter their world and help train and develop them into what they eventually hoped to become.

4) Tough and "old fashioned" training methods, which have been passed down for generations, was the rule. The actual lifestyle was a lot tougher. One had to pass a physical test in order to be let in. Those who could swing it got in, those who could not were shown the door. Everyone accepted could basically push themselves to handle the physical aspect.

Most quit for emotional reasons. Putting up with the "mental training" was too tough for many.

5) Being "old school" means that "more is better". Athletes from other cultures have found this to be unscientific and many times detrimental. For example in the West it is usually considered wise to cancel a match due to injury in order to prevent something which may be potentially career-ending. In Japan, those who participate despite injury are considered to be true "Bushi" or warriors.

If one could not mentally and emotionally handle it, they dropped out or were pushed out.

Here is an account from Gene Lydick who actually lived and trained in Japan with the UWFI:

"I remember the first night that I flew in to Tokyo. Takayama picked me up and took me to the house that I was going to stay in with 7 wrestlers and 1 kick boxing coach. For people in the US to put 8 people in a 3 bedroom apartment in Japan is like stuffing 26 people in a VW Bug. NOT COMFORTABLE!!!

I shared a room with the Thai boxing coach and another wrestler Takayama, the largest wrestler in the company. It was like being at a junior high summer camp, no room and living out of a duffle bag, one whole bathroom in the place.

The other thing that was odd was they ate dinner very late, like 9 pm, going to bed around 12 pm because they liked to sit up and talk, they wanted me to join in but I was so tired the first two weeks I was there that it was brutal. They would actually open my door, wake me up so we could talk about god knows what... I DON'T SPEAK JAPANESE!!! Crazy.

Eating was a challenge at first because you are introduced to a diet that is much different than what you are used to in the USA. I don't think I have eaten tofu since I have come back at least knowingly. Thanks to Ted Pelc I was able to find some food that was edible.

The training was the toughest that I have ever seen or been a part of. I know they made it hard on me on purpose to see if I would quit. I never wanted to quit but I was in serious pain for the first month I was there. I couldn't walk the first two weeks because I had blisters the size of quarters. It felt like I was walking on a bed of nails like those Hindu witch doctors do in the movies.

I think the Japanese were surprised that I stuck it out and did what I did. I would like to believe that I gained a certain amount of respect. I think I remember that the press started to refer to me as the Japanese wrestler born in America or something on that line.

Basically highlighting the fact that I had done something not a lot of people do or can't do because they don't have the guts. I did it because secretly it was always my dream to train in Japan. In the States a lot of people were jealous.

Girls... being a young athlete I didn't like being isolated from the girls and believe me I was. It took me 3 months before I could get out and go on a date. When I finally was able to go out I went with an office guy as a kind of chaperon.

I remember the first day that I went to the DOJO and the green boy (a wrestler in training or slave, take your pick) gave me the wrong directions to get home. I was lost for 3 hours and the guys at the house were worried sick, so when I finally got there they asked me what happened and I told them I got directions from the green boy. They were pissed and beat the crap out of him. I remember the green boy told me he was in big trouble and it would bad for him.

I thought for a minute I was stuck in the middle of an episode of Willy Wonka. It was really crazy at times.

The wrestling recruiting process for new Japanese wrestlers is something from the days of Genghis Kahn. The beating they put them through is insane. I remember the wrestlers kicking them, punching them and more. The exercises they had to do were just torture. I have seen nothing like it in my life. I still can't believe what I saw in that dojo. All I know is 10 kids came in and only one was left at the end of the day. All I have to say is WOW!!! I am sorry I don't know how to put more detail in it.

Maybe this? Try the top 10 fighters in the world kicking the crap out of you while you are trying to workout and you might get the picture.

Thanks to Gene Pelc for giving me this opportunity.

Sincerely, Gene Lydicko (They couldn't pronouce Lydick.)"

THE WORLD MARTIAL ARTS CHAMPIONSHIP was another historical milestone for the UWFi. Nobuhiko Takada against Koji Kitao had even more anticipation and excitement behind it than the Takada vs Berbick match. And this one delivered!

The Kazuo Yamazaki vs Kiyoshi Tamura match was a tremendous warm-up for the main event. Anyone aspiring to reach wrestling/Catch/MMA top levels should study this bout. Two all-around top-level pros in one of the best scientific wrestling bouts you'll ever see. Every time I see it I learn something new about submission.

Koji Kitao was one of the first Sumo Grand Champions to leave sumo and go into other fighting sports. This in itself caused great publicity in Japan as Sumo Grand Champions normally retire and stay in the sumo world in one role or another. Kitao attained a rank of 3rd degree black belt in Kokusai Kukendo Karate. At his size, weight and strength he was a truly formidable opponent for anyone. And he carried the aura of a Sumo Grand Champion being a super-human, invincible fighter. The match and result made headlines in the news, fight and sports world in Japan.

Kitao originally agreed to a one time only match with UWFi against Yamazaki. After that Kitao would not budge and it looked as though he'd never appear again in one of our rings. After several approaches, Kitao finally agreed to a match with Takada, but on his terms (rounds instead of a 60 min time limit/no time limit match). Unlike Takada who seemed to be able to go on forever, fans and critics suspected Kitao's stamina and endurance. People were extremely disappointed when the rounds bout was announced as they felt that Takada would not be able to wear Kitao down and everyone anticipated the match ending in a draw as they saw the rounds protecting Kitao.

UWFi fans were surprised when Takada completely dominated the match on every level. Kitao stood and took kick after kick like a tree getting chopped down. The few times they went to the ground, Takada rode him like an amateur. Then came the big kick upstairs and the tree fell like a ton of dead weight.

I'll always remember the excitement and spirit in the dressing room after this match. I shook hands with the late, great Lou Thesz who looked me in the eye and said, "Ted... Unbelievable!"

The best is yet to come...

With Episode 20, The World Martial Arts Championship, the UWFI established itself as the hottest promotion in Japan. What a step forward from the Billy Scott vs James Warring fight. A young, still green Kiyoshi Tamura takes out three time boxing champion Matthew Saad Muhammad in 32 seconds. The boxing versus MMA/ Submission wrestling question is answered once again showing what happens in a mixed match between the boxer and wrestler. No contest. In my mind the key element was that Tamura trained to fight a boxer. Matthew only brought his boxing skills into the ring.

The ex-Yokozuna Sumo brutalizes Yamazaki and Gary Albright stood on top of the world after beating Nobuhiko Takada. From this point on the UWFI searched the world for top opponents. The fights, production and promotion were only to get bigger and better.

I also want to point out that the UWFI was the only wrestling promotion that featured kick-boxing on its cards. Watch the next few of months as the UWFI's two kick-boxers, Makoto Ohe and Bowi Chowaikun, work their way toward ISKA Championship matches, some of the best, toughest kick-boxing you'll ever see...and a couple of stinkers to have a laugh at.

At this point, every match, every episode of BUSHIDO became exciting and worth watching over and over again. As Lou Thesz told me, "I love the UWFI and am very happy to be associated with it. After the stuff that is being shoved down our throats back at home (America), it makes me proud once again to say 'I'm a Wrestler!'"

Cheers

Ted Pelc

I'm delighted that these great matches can be seen and enjoyed by so many people and I appreciate the chance to comment on this memorable occasion of Show Ten in the series. It was from this moment that the UWFI grew out of it's starting roots and became the huge force in wrestling history that it is.

Speaking as someone intimately connected to these matches I'm going to say something that a lot of people will be surprised at. I think the match between the young wrestler, Billy Scott and the boxing/kick-boxing champion, James Warring is the best mixed match between boxer and wrestler in the many years I've been associated with ring sports. A technically perfect match between the pure wrestler and the pure striker.

To many casual onlookers, it was a boring match with not enough action, but to me it was all there. Warring throwing punches without respect in the opening round until Scott catches him with an ankle lock and then the boxer becoming the evader. Most mixed matches like this simply don't work because the styles don't mix. This one worked because James Warring was not only an IBF Boxing champion, but a holder of four kick-boxing titles including the WKA.

Yes, Billy Scott should have been more aggressive, but remember that at the time he was a young, green wrestler appearing before the biggest crowd in his life. OK, no high spots, but to me the technically best mixed match I've ever seen, and I've seen many.

There is little to say about the Trevor Berbick fight. If I followed the golden rule that one should not say bad things about the deceased, I'd stop right now, but I do want to set the record straight on this fight.

Trevor Berbick knew all the rules far before coming to Japan. We went to New York and presented him with a contract which set out all the rules. This was publicly explained at a press conference at Mickey Mantle's sports restaurant. When he came to Tokyo I was with him at a training gym where the rules were explained. I was at public exhibitions at which Trevor was present and he saw all the techniques of our sport explained and physically demonstrated; take downs, low kicks, submissions, etc.

I have footage of him being asked about how he would handle low kicks (seen on an American show by announcer Jim Daugherty) and he replied that when Takada would try and kick him, he would destroy Takada. He would bring World War Three down on him.

Look at the match itself and you'll see that his legs have supporters from ankle to above the knee. A boxer never does that. He had leg protection against the low kick. Listen closely when Trevor is outside the ring and you can hear his trainer say, "I told him the rules".

It's history now, but I appreciate the chance to comment on these shows again. I hope you enjoy seeing these matches as much as I did when they happened. One lesson I learned from BUSHIDO is, it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog!

Respectfully,

Ted Pelc

"Jake Shannon of Submission Wrestling has licensed TV rights for all the UWFI footage from the 90s. He plans to air it on the internet (they are airing new one hour shows on his site) and is trying to broker a TV deal. Most of the footage, which at times was popular in other countries and includes some incredible matches with people like Takada, Vader, and Kiyoshi Tamura, has never aired in the U.S. except briefly on a cable station in New York. I could see one of the "B" level sports networks being interested..."

Uncanny that he knew all this, although some of it is not entirely accurate. First I think he meant to write "Scientific" Wrestling, not "Submission". Second, Vader is not in this footage whatsoever since it is primarily focused upon shoot-style professional wrestling.

That being said, Mr. Meltzer is absolutely correct that we are currently shopping it to a couple different television producers and we are airing the next hi-res episode every week right here at UWF-Bushido.com. Right now is the perfect time for both given the all-time popularity highs that both Ultimate Fighting and WWE are experiencing world-wide.

Stay tuned to this blog for more details as they come available!

Anyway, I thought I'd put it up for English readers here. Enjoy!

Meeting Mr. Robinson
By Jake Shannon
Executive Director
ScientificWrestling.com

In my role as the "Johnny Appleseed" of Catch Wrestling here in the United States, I have had the great fortune of being able to directly pick the brains of Karl Gotch, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Dick Cardinal, Billy Wicks, Frank Cain, Josh Barnett, and scores of others. The morning of March 28, 2007 I went to LAX and picked up one of the greatest Catch Wrestling masters in modern times, Billy Robinson! Like Karl Gotch, Robinson learned at the Wigan Snake Pit in England and has a reputation as one of the world's most renowned masters of Catch As Catch Can wrestling. Bill is 12 years younger than Karl and despite having bad knees, he is still eager to teach. Most recently has been teaching the craft at Mr. Miyato's UWF-Snakepit in Japan. Before that Bill was the grappling trainer for the UWFi, where he coached perhaps his most successful pupil, Kazushi Sakuraba.

My first day with Mr. Robinson was really a ton of fun. After spending the day with Bill talking about wrestling, history, etc. we got to the wrestling room and put on our wrestling shoes around 6:30 pm. We had about 10 people present and Billy ran us through conditioning drills like hindu squats, bar muscle-ups, pulling (aka pummelling), and more. This was an extra special clinic since in attendance were MMA stand-out Josh Barnett and his trainer (and once Shooto light heavyweight champion), CSW's Erik Paulson.

We then began working on a variety of takedowns I had never seen anywhere before. These takedowns were very efficient, and most of them very painful.

Bill then had us circle around and shared history and philosophy of Catch-As-Catch-Can. Again more stuff I'd never seen anywhere before. Mr Robinson has a very interesting perspective on the evolution of mixed martial arts that is rarely heard in the United States. He spoke about his time as a youth wrestling at the Wigan Snake Pit, about his Bare-Knuckle Boxing Champion grandfather, about the history of Catch Wrestling, the true Lancashire meaning of the term "Catch-As-Catch-Can", and even the wrestling exploits of King Henry the VIII of England (those of you who are fans of the Showtime series The Tudors can especially appreciate this).

Then we worked on a variety of submissions (hammerlocks, double wrist lock entries, etc.). The clinic was only scheduled until 10pm but we went until nearly 11 with Billy sharing with us. Then we went to the pub for beers (until about 1am).

During the second evening of Mr. Robinson's visit we had several Japanese participants including excellent competitors Megumi Fujii and Hiroyuki Abe. Billy covered more maneuvers that have very seldom been seen. There was a novel counter to the double-wrist lock that I imagine both Renzo and Royler Gracie wished they would have known before they faced Kazushi Sakuraba.

After the evening of wrestling lessons, we all headed over to Jerry's Famous Deli in Marina Del Ray for some great food, drink, and conversation. Josh Barnett spoke a little bit about his views about the current business of Mixed Martial Arts given the purchase of Pride FC by the Fertitta brothers and about his invitation to a party at the Playboy mansion. It was another great day.

Saturday morning everyone showed up for a full day of instruction, starting at 9am. Billy ran us through some light conditioning drills and started off on the wrestling concept of "rides". He really felt that most of the modern grapplers didn't understand the appropriate "pro" way of riding during a grappling match. Billy ran us through the rear ride, the side ride, the ankle ride, and more! He showed how proper riding can allow you to maneuver and maintain control no matter what your opponent tries to do.

Afterwards, he showed counters to the front headlock and more takedowns and submissions. He also showed a great technique to break an opponent's grip. Honestly, there was so much information that we filmed over 7 hours on our video camera. If, as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, then this clinic footage must be worth billions!!

I really implore you to check out the free-trial and enjoy the matches (especially those of Tamura and Sakuraba are my favorites!). We'll have a full new, hi-res 'on-demand' episode up everyweek waiting for you!

His real name was Allen J. Coage and he did it all in the wrestling world. Many many know him as Bad News Brown when he worked for the McMahons' WWF. Some may not know though that Bad News Allen was a tough World-class combat athlete.

Coage spent the majority of the 50's 60's as a competitive Judoka. He earned a place on the United States Olympic team in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada; even winning the bronze medal!

Later Coage went to train with Karl Gotch student Antonio Inoki and began working with New Japan Pro Wrestling. He also worked with Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion. Eventually he ended up with the shoot-style pro-wrestling organization, the UWFi. As Phil Lowe of www.wrestlemag.com wrote:

"He continued to wrestle both at home and overseas throughout the 1990's, making appearances with the Japan based UWFi promotion, whose theme was "real wrestling" and was more MMA than WWF. The hard-hitting, strong style promotion shut down in 1996, and Coage retired shortly after, with an ongoing knee problem resulting in Coage calling it a day in 1998."

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Coage's Judo National and World Competitions are as follows:

1965 - National Heavyweight Champion
1966 - National Heavyweight Champion, AAU Champion
1967 - 2nd Place, AAU Heavyweight Championship, Pan American Games heavyweight gold medalist
1968 - AAU Heavyweight Championship; Western Hemispere chapionships heavyweight gold medal
1969 - AAU Heavyweight Championship; Black Belt judo player of the year (best in any weight division)
1970 - AAU Heavyweight Championship; World Grand Champion; Black Belt judo player of the year
1971 - 2nd place, AAU light heavyweight (205 pound weight class) championships, 4th place World championships
1972 - 3rd place, AAU light heavyweight championship
1975 - AAU Heavyweight Championship, Pan American Games heavyweight gold medalist.
1976 - Olympic trials tournament heavyweight champion, Olympic heavyweight bronze medalist; i>Black Belt judo player of the year; U.S. Judo Most Outstanding Male Competitor
1990 - Inducted into the World Judo Hall of Fame

Coage was a major wrestling superstar and successful Olympic combat athlete. We are lucky to be able to watch him ply his craft here at www.UWF-Bushido.com. Rest in peace Mr. Coage.

Like Karl Gotch, Robinson learned at the Wigan Snake Pit and become one of the world's most renowned masters of Catch As Catch Can wrestling. Bill is 13 years younger than Karl and eager to teach.

Most recently he was teaching the craft at Miyato's UWF-Snakepit in Japan. Before that Bill was the trainer for the UWFi. This is where he coached perhaps his most famous pupil, Kazushi Sakuraba.

The first day with Mr. Robinson was really a ton of fun. After spending the day with Bill talking about wrestling, history, etc. we got to the wrestling room and put on our wrestling shoes around 6:30. We had about 10 people present and Bill ran us through conditioning drills like squats, bar muscle-ups, pulling (aka pummelling), and more. In attendance were MMA stand-out Josh Barnett and his trainer, CSW's Eric Paulson.

We then began working on a variety of takedowns I had never seen anywhere before. Very efficient, and most of them very painful.

Bill then had us circle around and shared history and philosophy of Catch-As-Catch-Can. Again more stuff I'd never seen anywhere before. Very interesting...

Then we worked on a variety of submissions (hammerlocks, double wrist lock entries, etc.). The clinic was only scheduled until 10pm but we went until nearly 11 with Billy sharing with us. Then we went to the pub for beers (until about 1am).

Can't wait for tonight!

I really look forward to seeing what the men of the UWF were able to learn from this brilliant wrestling tactician (I suppose we've caught brief glimpses of it in Sakuraba's Pride FC matches) as UWF-Bushido.com unfolds...

While the acquistion means we will get those dream match ups and the UFC will have a great heavyweight line-up (Arlovski vs. Barnett, Couture vs. Fedor, etc) there also is the homogenization of rules (elbows added to PRIDE rules and stomps, soccer kicks, and knees to a downed opponent elimated), and problems associated with a monopoly (see WWE).

We live in interesting times, that is for sure. Now that the Fertittas own the Pride FC libraries will the legend of Sakuraba get its due or be downplayed like a red-headed stepchild in favor of UFC-generated lore like Randy Couture's accomplishments? Maybe the will do follow our lead and do something like what we are doing with the UWF with the old Pride FC footage...

There sure is a ton of main stream media attention:

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sportsscope/2007/03/taking_pride.html http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/story/6615122 http://www.aolsportsblog.com/2007/03/27/big-fights-coming-ufc-buys-pride/

I wonder if Kurt Otto, Gareb Shamus of the IFL, Gary Shaw of EliteXC, and FEG of K-1/HERO's can survive the Fertitta MMA juggernaut or if we are looking at a MMA version of the WWE (let's hope not). United, with a strong leader, these companies most certainly could win a war with the Fertittas but not divided. Smart money is on UFC in the long run.

Time will tell. I just hope nobody tells the WWE to get involved with MMA.