Balboa Win Pro Muay Thai Debut

By Jay Tan


Seven years ago, Roxy Richardson could barely do a push-up. Fighting was the last thing on her mind. But this past weekend, the reinvented Legends fighter Roxy “Balboa” realized a milestone that was long in the making, emerging victorious in her pro Muay Thai debut. Based on scores of 49-46, 50-45, and 49-46, Richardson beat Sarah McCarthy (Bad Company, Leeds, UK) via unanimous decision at the 2009 Ultimate Warriors Muay Thai-Kickboxing World Championship, held at the Anaheim Convention Center.

“It feels great. The nerves were there, but mentally, I was strong. . . It’s been a long road. This’ll be my 13th sanctioned fight, my 20th or 21st fight total, including smokers,” Richardson reflected later that night.

“To be honest with you, there wasn’t a round that I was concerned about at all. . . She didn’t get winded, she wasn’t breathing heavy in the corners. . . She just let her hands go. . . Other than that, I was very, very impressed with her and very, very proud of her,” said Legends MMA team trainer Jimmie Romero after the match.

Richardson, a staple in the regional Muay Thai scene, was the International Amateur Muay Thai Federation (IAMTF) champion from 2008 and 2009.

“I was terrified of fighting, when I first started. Honestly, someone would ask me if I wanted to fight two months from now and I would get this horrible pain in the pit of my stomach, and just want to throw up. And now I am excited and I look forward to it. I think of it as a test of everything that I worked really hard for all the time. it was never like that in the beginning. I wasn’t a natural fighter, but I saw it as a challenge and it made me want to do better each time.”

Ironically enough, it was only recently that Richardson, whose connection with Legends MMA dates back to its days at the Bomb Squad, started working with Legends trainer Jimmie Romero.

“When she came to me, last fight, I think I had her, like five weeks out within her fight. . . I just worked with what she had, and tweeked a little here and there, until I could get her after,” commented Romero.

But once they were past that match, the team went back to basics: “we broke her down, and built her right back up. . . I changed everything, and made it make sense with her footwork. I made it sync up to where every punch counts. . . Where it’s not just random shit being thrown. . . It flows, like water,” he added.

Of the partnership, Richardson was enthusiastic about going back to the drawing board: “this is the second time I’ve been working with [Romero], and we make a real good team. I’m learning some new things. It’s tough, because I’ve been fighting for awhile and he’s got to make adjustments for me, and that’s always been difficult. But I’ve trusted him and he’s brought me in a good direction. The results speak for themselves. I’m pretty happy with that, and I’m happy with how this training went.”

The story of the match itself largely spoke to the changes and improvements in Richardson’s arsenal and team, as Richardson consistently circled out of McCarthy’s charging line-of-fire, countering with jabs, right straights, steady combinations , and body kicks. McCarthy, who is known for controlling her matches by imposing her will, fought a chasing game, throwing low kicks to make contact.

“We used that jab to utilize space, because Roxy is a lot longer. . . And that’s why Roxy circled a lot, and she moved. Sarah likes to press and close in you, and make you feel claustrophobic. And the thing that stops that is ‘hey, you’ve got to follow me’. . . And while she’s eating punches at the
same time,” explained Romero.

135 lbs. / Full Muay Thai Rules – Roxy Balboa Richardson (Roxy Fit) vs. Sarah McCarthy (Bad Company)

The first round saw McCarthy utilize low kicks to breach the distance, while Richardson answered back with a body kick and a Superwoman punch. Richardson looked comfortable with her hands, landing a lot of punches to the face, especially at round’s end.

In round two, McCarthy kept with the combos and low kicks, while Richardson circled out and brought the action to the middle of the ring. Richardson fired a triple jab, checked a kick, and volleyed one back. She swung a kick and tried some elbows in the corner, but it was an overhand right that nailed McCarthy square in the face.

By the third round, McCarthy’s charge-and-attack M.O. was clear and constant. She pushed Richardson towards her corner, but Richardson clinched up and tried throwing elbows. McCarthy got in some jabs and an overhand right, but Richardson was on fire, ending the round with a flurry of punches standing and from the clinch.

Perhaps sensing the need to turn on the steam, McCarthy quickly started round four in the middle of the ring, pushing Richardson into the corner. But Richardson circled her way out, firing an overhand right and body kick. McCarthy swiftly replied with her own attack. Clinching against the ropes, McCarthy tried for a trip, but couldn’t make it happen before the referee called for a clean break. Richardson landed another stiff combo to the face and attempted a spinning back elbow to end the round.

The fifth round opened with a brief clinch early on, but the two quickly broke apart, with McCarthy going after Richardson, who landed several kicks. McCarthy overextended on a punch, but Richardson didn’t capitalize. She did, however, land several body shots. The referee stopped the action to check McCarthy for blood, but the doctor allowed the match to continue.

By this point, the once intensely-silent crowd was vocally cheering both fighters. With ten
seconds left, Richardson went into overdrive and shot jabs and combos to end the match.

In the end, judges awarded the match to Roxy “Balboa” Richardson by unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 50-49, and 49-46.

When asked her thoughts on the fight, Richardson said “I always have it in my mind that if I give two good rounds, then at least [it’s] a good show, but I felt I was on from the very first round. Which is unusual because I’m normally kind of a slow starter. So I was really happy that I was able to throw multiple things. And I felt like my timing was a lot better than I have been. I could hear both corners, which was cool. I actually would hear her corner, and then wait for her to do what her corner said . . .I’ve never been that clear before.”

Teammate Jordan Wright added “I really think she looked amazing . . . she was popping her jabs, rather than pushing. . .and her footwork was great too.”

Romero added “her next fight will be even better. We gave her a whole new set of tools to work with. And changed the arsenal up a little bit. And now that she’s actually used it in battle, she’s now more confident, like ‘yeah, I can use these new tools, and they work damn well.’”

Other Muay Thai action that night went as follows:

112 lbs. – Janet Coakley (Budo Ryu) TKO Victoria “The Prodigy” Beltran (Boxing Zone) in R2, 0:53.

135 lbs. – Rubin Ekyotin (World Muay Thai Gym) TKO Hien Nguyen (Pacific Ring Sport) in R2, 0:16.

155 lbs. – Yilen Pan (Sit Rama Soon Muay Thai) TKO Caesar Pimentel (Guizar Martial Arts) in R1, 1:50.

160 lbs. – Edgar Islas (Team Oyama) def. Greg “The Leg” Spellman (Millennia MMA) in R1, 1:16 via referee stoppage (after two knockdowns).

155 lbs. – Olavi Naar (Muay Thai School USA) KO Daniel Eyi (Dobler’s Muay Thai) in R1, approximately 1:00.

175 lbs. – Steve Kuo (The Yard Muay Thai) def. Michael Ellison (Boxing Work) via unanimous decision off scores of 29-28, 28-29, and 29-28.

170 lbs. – Laban Spicer (Sit Yod Tong Pasadena) def. Sean Delfossey (Budo Ryu) via unanimous decision off scores of 29-28, 29-28, and 29-28.

150 lbs. – Sheldon Gain (MTA) def. Patrick Channita (Team Oyama) via unanimous decision off scores 29-27, 29-27, and 29-27.

145 lbs. – Sean Ueda (Pro AM) TKO Hector Ekyotin (World Muay Thai Gym) in R3, 1:32.

130 lbs. – Jessie Magusen (Dobler’s Muay Thai) def. Felipe Andalla (KR Muay Thai) via unanimous decision off scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 30-27.

155 lbs. – Cooper Gibson (Team Toby Grear) TKO Andrew Santee Santhivong (MTA) in R2, 1:20.

185 lbs. –Jason Rezepka (KR Muay Thai) def. Salah Azzazi (Red Scorpion Martial Arts) via unanimous decision off scores of 30-26, 30-26, and 30-26. This match was for the UKKA Light Heavyweight championship.

155 lbs. (Full Pro Muay Thai rules) – Ryan Roy (Fairtex) TKO Koji Iijima (KR Muay Thai) after the referee stopped the match in the fourth round, due to numerous knockdowns.

135 lbs. – Tetsuya Yamato (Yamato Kickboxing) KO Kaensak Sor Pleonjit in R5, 2:59. This match was for the WMC Muay Thai Lightweight championship.

Richardson was cornered by Romero and Victor Henry, and sponsored for this fight by Revgear, Toe 2 Toe, Ed Hardy Watches, and United Front Productions.

About our new location . . .

To all our members,

The move out of our space on La Brea was sudden and unanticipated. I apologize if any of you were left feeling uninformed or unappreciated. The sudden move came from a change in the ownership of the company and an inability to reach a new lease agreement with the landlord. This has now led to a great opportunity for us and our students.

After three years in business as Legends MMA the staff and I were no longer satisfied with the existing partnership agreement. Both Mr. Rutten and Mr. Couture have been very busy and unable to fulfill their obligations to Legends MMA. We have all agreed to part ways amicably.

The next issue that effects this move is my future marriage to Leigh Ann Orsi. For those of you who don't know her Leigh Ann is the owner of BeSpun, our next door neighbor. We have been dating 5 years, since Leigh Ann became a Thai Boxing student at my previous gym and we are going to be married on September 5, 2009. Now that we are getting married, she and I are in a position to run all of our operations through one billing system, one front desk and to unify our staff. This will offer many benefits to students including online scheduling and account management, combining membership packages to include Cycling and Pole Dancing classes, as well as expanding our gym family.

As I stated in the last letter sent out to members, we have reached a lease agreement on a beautiful location in the heart of West Hollywood. Unfortunately, we have been unable to procure the needed permits from the City of West Hollywood and have been forced to choose a new location in the City of Los Angeles. This has delayed our opening significantly and will force us to open after our wedding and honeymoon We have both realized that although their are some inconveniences with Hollywood Gym, there is no advantage to rushing into the new facility and suffering the inherit mistakes that come with haste. We also hope that everyone understands that our wedding is very important to us and that it would not be fair to ourselves to enter this union under extreme stress. Given the time constraints of our wedding date and the building timeline we expect to open our new location Oct 1, 2009.

What is most important about Legends is and always will be the the quality of instruction you receive in our classes. Everyone who works at Legends are bright, articulate, experienced teachers who love their jobs, their students and gives quality attention to their work. Believe me, the proof is in you, our students. You carry the knowledge we impart everyday and draw upon it inside the gym and out. Anyone who has trained in other gyms knows you cannot gain these skills elsewhere. I can make that statement with confidence. Myself, Peter, Jimmy, Brady, Amir, Conor, and Takashi enjoy and appreciate working with all of you. We do this because we have the opportunity to change peoples lives everyday. To change the way students view themselves and the world around them.

I have a new email address dedicated to Legends and BeSpun students: chrisr@legendsmma.com. Any of you, can reach me there, anytime with any questions, concerns or comments. I will do my best to reply to them all personally. Your satisfaction is and always will be paramount. Tell us what we can do to make the transition smoother.

Remember we are all being granted access to the cardio machines, sauna and locker rooms at Hollywood Gym. We are offering 2 hrs validated parking in our old parking structure. Students must validate at our temporary front office located at BeSpun, 1636 N La Brea Ave. Cieara, Amy and Ceala will be at the desk at BeSpun at all times to answer any questions you may have. We really hope that you will be able to bear with us for the next couple months and help us make the most of this situation. We ask you to continue to train and improve your skills and fitness. We look forward to rejoining 10TH planet ju-jitsu and debuting our beautiful and permanent location this fall.

Thank you always for your support and I will see you in the gym.

Best Regards,

Chris Reilly
Owner - Legends MMA

Roxy Balboa's Pro Muay Thai Debut at Ultimate Warriors 2009

Longtime Legends fighter / trainer / manager Roxy Balboa makes her pro Muay Thai debut at the Anaheim Convention Center on Saturday, July 18th, when she steps in the ring against Sara McCarthy, representing Bad Company gym across the pond in Leeds, U.K. This match will be at 135 lbs. and 5 x 3 min. rounds.

For those of you who don't know her, Roxy's Thai boxing career goes back to 2002. Since then, she's built a name for herself in the local Muay Thai scene, fighting on numerous events in the SoCal area and winning several titles, including the IAMTF US Women's Lightweight Championship in 2008 and 2009. Her connection to Legends harkens back to the Bomb Squad days, managing the gym as well as teaching classes. Now, as she opens up her own RoxyFit studio, she steps into the next chapter of her fight career. This fight is part of it.

For more info on Roxy, check out her blog at: http://www.roxyfit.com/myblogger

For tickets, go here: http://www.redscorpion.com/pages/muaythaievent.html

Come out and support one of Legends' most seasoned veterans as she takes the next big step in her career.

McGray wins in decisive black and white fashion at ‘Tuff Girls’

By Jay Tan

Legends MMA / Roxyfit’s Kate McGray’s first foray into mixed martial arts was a success, as she defeated Gabriella Lakoczky (Xtreme Couture) on Friday, July 10th, at Tuff-N-Uff’s latest amateur MMA event, “Tuff Girls.”

“She stuck to the game plan, and every time, after the first round, she put [her combinations] together better . . . She listened to her corner. She executed it, and I’m very, very proud of her.
Especially for her first MMA fight. Very proud of her,” commented trainer Jimmie Romero.

Prior to this, McGray spent the past three years in the world of Muay Thai, having first trained in 2006 and going 1-1 in North American amateur competition in that time. In 2008, she also attended a six-week training camp in Thailand, going on to win a full rules five-round match against a local fighter.

“I felt good coming out of it. I was happy . . . This one’s big. The one in Thailand was big. This one was big,” McGray said about her win.

With an estimated attendance of approximately 3,000 fans, the event was the second Tuff-N-Uff held in the larger Orleans Arena.

Lakoczky proved to be the aggressor early in the first round, pushing McGray backwards with jabs and front kicks. Trying to measure up her opponent, McGray backstepped and threw two-punch combos and several low kicks. McGray grabbed Lakoczky in a Muay Thai clinch and landed several knees, to which Lakoczky replied with body shots. Breaking apart, McGray found her stride, chasing after Lakoczky with single jabs and combinations for the rest of the round.

“When I got her in the clinch and I got some knee strikes and saw that she was winded, it really helped with my confidence. . . We broke the clinch . . . and she took a couple steps where she was slumped and tired. I was like ‘Awesome! That did exactly what it was supposed to do,’” McGray reflected.

The stand-up trade would prove to be the theme of the rest of the fight, as McGray pushed the action with boxing combinations, while Lakoczky circled, looking for an opening that wasn’t appearing. Lakoczky came close to finishing, tripping McGray to the ground off a body kick and then sinking in a guillotine choke from the top. McGray kept her composure, however, eventually pushing Lakoczky away and escaping to her feet.

McGray remembered “I knew [getting to the ground] could happen, and I was ready for it, but once I got down there, it was just kinda like ‘oh wait, this is part of the fight too?’ I knew what I need to do, but then, actually doing it in the fight situation is different than training it and drilling it in practice. . .I was nervous at first, because her arm was pretty close to my neck, but she wasn’t really getting it in there all the way. I felt like if I just kept my chin tucked and worked out of it, then I wasn’t in too much danger.”

Romero noted “that’s what we worked at. [Assistant wrestling coach and Legends MMA fighter] Keenan Lewis worked with her on her wrestling. That was the whole plan. When you see that space, get out. Take it back up. And she did that.”

The Terminator chase continued into the third frame, as McGray hunted after Lakoczky with boxing combinations. Lakoczky tried to retaliate with body kicks. At one point, McGray had Lakoczky’s right arm trapped and briefly came close to securing a standing guillotine. Lakoczky landed an uppercut, while McGray returned the favor with low kicks.

In the end, all three judges award the match to Kate McGray.

Of her own performance, McGray was very satisfied, commenting “I feel like I executed more. And I’ve never executed before. And that was really exciting. Especially with all the new things coming into play. With the little MMA gloves, the fans, and all that. So it’s just really exciting.”

The night marked another impressive milestone, as “Tuff Girls” became the first-ever all-women MMA show to be held in Las Vegas. The results of the other matches were as follows:

135 lbs. - Tamara Riley (Team Asylum) defeated Michelle Velebit (Team Girls) by unanimous decision.

145 lbs. – Autumn Richardson (Team Quest) defeated Holly Dixon (Freestyle MMA) by TKO at 0:44 of round three

170 lbs. – Latoya Walker (Team XFC) and Brooke Guidry (Xtreme Couture) fought to a no contest after the doctor stopped the match after round one, due to a cut over Walker’s eye.

135 lbs. – Paige Zio (Gracie Fighter) defeated Kiley Martin (Team Girls) by TKO in round two after Martin’s team chooses not to continue due to a bloody nose.

140 lbs. – Stephanie Weber (Victory Athletics) defeated Robin Hartman (Team Pedro Sauer) by submission (armbar) at 0:35 of round two.

135 lbs. – Amanda Lavoy (American Karate & Kickboxing Academy) defeated Maeisha Lowe (Morse Jiu-Jitsu) by split decision.

155 lbs. – Amanda Wilcoxen (Morgan’s MMA) defeated Courtney Stowe (10th Planet) by unanimous decision.

125 lbs. – Ivana Coleman (Gladiator Academy) defeated Lauren Feldman (FFADC) by split decision. Many spoke of Coleman vs. Feldman as Match of the Night.

145 lbs. – In the main event, Moa Palmer (Team Oyama) defeated Patricia Vandermeer by TKO at 1:42 of round one.

McGray was sponsored by Toe 2 Toe, RevGear, and RoxyFit.

Legends returns to Sin City next month with six fighters scheduled for matches – Chris Brady, Victor Henry, Eddie Jackson, Alan Jouban (making his Tuff-N-Uff debut), Takashi Munoz, and Christian Palencia. This show takes place on August 22nd at the Orleans. Tickets go on sale soon via TuffNUff.net and the Coast Casinos website.

Legends Classes Cancelled for 4th of July Weekend

Hey Everybody!

We just wanted to give a heads-up that all classes this Saturday, July 4th, are canceled for the holiday. Chris Reilly's 9am class this Friday, July 3rd, is also canceled.

The 3rd floor at Hollywood Gym will be open during the weekend and available for your use.

The regular class schedule will resume again on Monday, July 6th.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

-Legends MMA