Bowie V. Ibarra's Blog, page 28
August 13, 2013
BLOOD: Brown brings the brutality in 'Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch'
FAST SET UP, VIOLENT BLOODBATH IN SPACE HIGHLIGHT 5TH IN SERIESByBowie V. Ibarra
When you love something, you can never truly let it go.
And that's definitely what Eric S. Brown has done again with his greatest source of inspiration for unbridled mayhem. This time, he brings the fast-paced sci-fi action in Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch.
With his 'Bigfoot Wars' legacy, he has created a reputation for straight-to-the-point carnage. He sets up the dominoes and knocks them down with all the wild enthusiasm of a madman.
Planet Sasquatch is just like that. Quickly establishing the setting and the characters, the reader is then thrust into another wild battle between humans and Sasquatch as the humans encroach on their territory.
'Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch' continues in Eric S. Brown's tradition of gory mayhem and brutal battles between man and monster. Brown puts on display yet again his talent for putting together a fun story filled with action and brutality.
If you're a fan of Brown's work, this one will not let you down.
If you have not read one yet, this is a good stand-alone to get you started on Brown's body of 'Bigfoot' work.
And if you love wild action and adventure stories as well, pick up Bowie Ibarra's latest, Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull in paperback or Kindle today. It's a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite', that finds the hero looking to find the answers to stop a plague of the living dead from consuming south Texas.
If you enjoyed this blog entry, then support Bowie by picking up this title or many of his others today in paperback or Kindle.
===========
BOWIE V. IBARRA is a Texas author living in San Antonio. He has a BFA in Acting and a MA in Theatre History. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
When you love something, you can never truly let it go.
And that's definitely what Eric S. Brown has done again with his greatest source of inspiration for unbridled mayhem. This time, he brings the fast-paced sci-fi action in Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch.
With his 'Bigfoot Wars' legacy, he has created a reputation for straight-to-the-point carnage. He sets up the dominoes and knocks them down with all the wild enthusiasm of a madman.
Planet Sasquatch is just like that. Quickly establishing the setting and the characters, the reader is then thrust into another wild battle between humans and Sasquatch as the humans encroach on their territory.
'Bigfoot War 5: Planet Sasquatch' continues in Eric S. Brown's tradition of gory mayhem and brutal battles between man and monster. Brown puts on display yet again his talent for putting together a fun story filled with action and brutality.
If you're a fan of Brown's work, this one will not let you down.
If you have not read one yet, this is a good stand-alone to get you started on Brown's body of 'Bigfoot' work.
And if you love wild action and adventure stories as well, pick up Bowie Ibarra's latest, Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull in paperback or Kindle today. It's a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite', that finds the hero looking to find the answers to stop a plague of the living dead from consuming south Texas.
If you enjoyed this blog entry, then support Bowie by picking up this title or many of his others today in paperback or Kindle.
===========
BOWIE V. IBARRA is a Texas author living in San Antonio. He has a BFA in Acting and a MA in Theatre History. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
August 7, 2013
FIGHTS: RETROSPECTIVE - The insanity of UFC III
COMPLETE MADNESS BREAKS OUT AT CLASSIC UFC EVENT
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
So, for many of those old school MMA/NHB fans like myself might remember, the early UFC's were outstanding examples of the magic of advertising. The whole early days of UFC were giant commercials for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Like many others, I drank the Kool-Aid very early and was all about the style. Rorion Gracie, the real mastermind behind the event along with Art Davie, put together some of the best martial arts schlubs at the time to compete in what was the THIRD (!!!) controversial event. I was all for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu before this event changed my mind.
Here's how this crazy event went down.
Remember, when the event was originally planned, the legend of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu had already made its way around the martial arts community. The vaunted Rickson Gracie was the martial arts
community's pick for the rep for Gracie jiu-Jitsu. But of all the brothers with bad attitudes and rippling muscles to choose from, it was the beach bum Royce, who would show up to the Gracie gym in Cali to borrow money from his brothers, that was the pick. The idea was that a skinny-looking dude like Royce beating muscle bound cab drivers would be the best example of the efficacy of GJJ.
And so it came to pass Royce made it through the 8-man open tournament of UFC 1, defeating Dutch Savate champ Gerard Gordeu, then making it through a 16-man tourney in UFC 2, defeating Pat Smith in the finals handily, bringing about UFC 3.
The fighting styles represented were bill as '8 deadly arts' of Tae Kwon Do, Kenpo Karate, Sumo, Jiu-Jitsu, shootfighting, Judo, Thai Kickboxing, and Karate.
One of the funny notes from the early days was the announce team. After the infamous 'burping' incident of UFC with Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace to open the show, along with the immensely talented martial artist but horrible voice talent Kathy Long, they had to put another team together.
Ironically enough, Jim Brown was the only one that made it out from the original announce team. He's not exactly the poster child for broadcast excellence.
So they got a dude named Brian Kilmeade. You might recognize this twat from the Fox and Friends morning show, and believe you me, he was just as bad back in his UFC days.
There was also Ben Perry, an alleged great mixed martial artist that was as bland as sawdust-flavored ice cream. Someone just needed to tell Ben the 80s were over.
And Jim Brown. It's pretty sad situation when Jim fucking Brown is your best color commentator.
But remember, the promise UFC made was this:
- No rounds
- No Time Limit
- No Way Out
Ref can stop the fight, corner can stop the fight, fighters can tap out, but they must tap 'four times'.
They also put together a video segment distinguishing the two main styles and why grappling was better: Punchers vs. Grapplers. The video package very clearly intimated Royce would have the advantage. Remember, these were giant GJJ commercials now. And remember, 'the nature of combat says you can't judge if a striker or grappler would win, but person who can do both will succeed.
It's also here where Jim Brown reveals his greatest fear: Ponytails. That's right. When Kilmeade brought up 'Tae Kwon Do' stylist Kimo, Jim revealed that the ponytail he wore 'scares him to death.' If only all those defensive players back in his NFL days had known that, he might not have been one of the greatest running backs to ever step on the gridiron.
So here's how the tournament bracket played out:
Emmanual Yarbrough (Sumo) vs. Keith Hackney (White Tiger Kenpo Karate)
Ken Shamrock (Shootfighting vs. Christophe Leininger (Judo)
Roland Payne (Muay Thai) vs. Harold Howard (Karate)
Royce Gracie (GJJ) vs. Kimo (Tae Kwon Do)
So, Emmanual Yarbrough, 6'8" 616lbs out of Rahway, New Jersey, was representing Sumo. Don't get me wrong, but New Jersey doesn't seem like a state that has a rich tradition in Sumo competition. Football, maybe. But Sumo?
This is around the time tha Kilmeade begins calling the ancient and centuries-old art of grappling 'sumu?' WTF? I know these guys were probably working for peanuts, but Jesus Christ, Rorion and Art! Fork over the dough to get guys who are actually familiar with martial arts styles.
Incidentally, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson was in the crowd looking for a paycheck. He might have ended up sounding like an over-excited high school junior in the booth in later UFCs, but at least he knew what he was talking about. Ironically enough, so did the late Jeff Blatnick.
KEITH HACKNEY vs. EMMANUEL YARBOROUGH
KENPO vs. SUMO
So, anyway, here comes Keith Hackney, 6th degree black belt, 200lbs, fighting out of Roselle, Illinois. Kilmeade claims Keith 'always wanted to be in UFC'. Brother, this is UFC number 3? How can you 'always want to be in the UFC' and its only been around two years? I get the feeling there's plenty of places in Roselle, Illinois, or hell, Chicago, where old Keith could have found a money fight or two. Shit, with how tight Rorion and Art were with the purse strings, Keith might have made out better in a back alley fighting cab drivers.
Anyway, so the fight goes down and within seconds, Keith clocks Emmanual and knocks the leviathan down. He eventually gets back up and shoves Keith through the gate. And that was a result of Emmanual's 'strength', and not the shitty slide lock you find on a puppy pen. It was one of many firsts. I guess that simple slide lock won't work when a combined 800+ pounds of pit fighter gets shoved against it. And here's Kilmeade again, saying the move was reminiscent of a sumo match with an opponent getting shoved out of the ring, but still calls it, 'Ultimate sumu'.
So as you might imagine, the athletic Keith gets the jump on the obese Emmanuel and beats him down, gets $1000 for his efforts and a broken wrist. Ben Perry ends up calling Emmanuel an 'Asset to the art'. Hmmmm. I wonder what Takanohana or Kaio would think about that? When Emmanuel has gained the title of at least an ozeki, let's talk. Shit, how about just a juryo.
KEN SHAMROCK vs. CHRISTOPHE LEININGER
SHOOTFIGHTING vs. JUDO
It's cool to watch these early shows because you can see the early days of the 'Lion's Den' camp with Jason DeLucia, Frank Shamrock, and Masa Funaki assisting Ken to his corner. Even old Bob Shamrock, the adopted father of Ken, Frank, and about 100 other kids, too. True story.
They also made the point that Ken was 'wearing shoes' so he 'cannot kick'. That has been one of the dumbest rules from the beginning for dudes to not wear shoes, even into the unified rules. Look how many champs have broken their foot or toes because of this rule, even as recently as 'Bones' Jones and Jose Aldo.
So, Christophe walked to ring looking out of his league, dazed, like reality was setting in. 'Holy shit, I'm about to be put in a cage for a money fight with some juiced up angry dude.' And that's pretty much how it played out. Ken smothered Christophe with ground and pound, and Christophe eventually tapped out from punches, which is frowned upon these days. But back in the day, when dudes weren't training to counter GnP, it was common.
By the way, the announce team referred to this lopsided match of GnP as a 'Chessmatch'. More like General Patton playing checkers with a 7th grader.
ROLAND PAYNE vs. HAROLD HOWARD
THAI KICKBOXING vs. KARATE
So, Muay Thai. Devestating art, and the broad foundation of how MMA strikes are taught. We've seen Tong Po in 'Kickboxer'. Even Paco in Bloodsport. Hell, we know Sagat in 'Street Fighter'. Tall dude. Long legs.
Well, look who Art Davie and Rorion Gracie book as the representative of Thai Kickboxing. The 5'9", shortest kickboxer possible in the world, "Carolina Pain" Roland Payne. The announcers note he is the 'Smallest man in competition'. Way to stack the deck, Rorion, you fuck.
But the best part of this event was Harold Howard. Harold was a Karate champion from Canada who had a great phrase from where he comes from, and here it is, backed by the dulcet tones of Eddie Money, featuring Ronnie Spector: 'If you're coming on, come on!
The fight was one of the best on the card, with Harold not quite displaying the most skillful 'Karate', but had more of a brawling style. He even hit a very primitive suplex on Payne before putting the little guy away with a great three-punch combo.
ROYCE GRACIE vs. KIMO
GRACIE JIU-JITSU vs. 'TAE KWON DO'
I say 'Tae Kwon Do' because its pretty clear Kimo had absolutely no Tae Kwon Do training in his life. In the lead-up video, he was seen working bizarre slo-mo hand strikes with his fingers at his cornerman's hands. I don't know much about formal TKD, but I do know enough to know its a very kick-centric style.
His cornerman was named Jo Son. Jo Son was Kimo's right hand man. An alleged 'man of God' with Kimo who eventually went to jail for shoving a pistol up a woman's vagina during a gang rape. He also ended up killing his cell mate. True story. Google it. Or Bing it, whatever you do. I can't do all the work here.
Kimo declared he was competing in the UFC to 'spread the gospel of Jesus Christ'. Seems there's more effective ways of spreading the word than walking to the ring carrying a giant crucifix on his back. But he did it.
So, up to this point, Royce had 'won' up to $110,000 in prize money, which essentially means Rorion never had to pay out the money since he was basically Royce's personal banker.
So, we got the match started, and we got to see Kimo's amazing TKD-style kicks in a flurry of blurred action that kept Royce on the defensive.
Okay, not really. He took a crappy wild swing and was immediately clinched by Royce.
And, as you might imagine, the door opened again. Royce was given an advantage by not breaking the clinch and continued on. With Jo Son shouting at Royce by the fence, Helio and his brothers joined the shouting match from the fenceline. The problem the Gracie's were trying to work through was Kimo's power, who was denying Royce the takedown. Head-butts were delivered, and Royce grabbed Kimo's ponytail that Jim Brown was so afraid of.
Eventually, Royce gassed out Kimo and got the armbar win. But he was clearly cashed out.
FELIX LEE MITCHELL (alternate) vs. KEN SHAMROCK
WESTERN KICKBOXING vs. SHOOTFIGHTING
So in the tradition of the early UFCs and current new MMA orgs, an alternate had 10 minutes to gear up for a fight with one of the greatest shootfighters of the time. He came out wearing protective grappling gloves before 'Tank' Abbott popularized them three events later, but he took them off when he saw Ken was bare-knuckling it.
And then we got to see Ken Shamrock put on a clinic with his tremendous submission skill and world-class talent with a plethora of knee-bar, chokes, and arm bar attempts.
Just kidding. It took the tired Ken Shamrock four plus minutes to get the fresh Felix down before smothering him with strikes on the ground before choking him out. After his second fight, Ken looked gassed.
We are then treated to a video package of Harold Howard, claiming to have created a system of fighting bringing the 'karate aspect back to jiu-jitsu'. Because there was once a karate aspect to jiu-jitsu, apparently.
And then shit falls apart....
HAROLD HOWARD vs. ROYCE GRACIE
KARATE vs. GRACIE JIU-JITSU
Here's where I totally just lost my shit.
So Royce shows up to the ring with his family in that goddamn 'Gracie Train' that Kilmeade and Perry had such a hard on for, looking like a mess, completely cashed out. Howard shows up ready to go. And with Royce hanging his head on the octagon padding, his brothers throw in the towel for him and literally carry him out.
Howard throws a hissy-fit and his manager at first seems happy his charge made it to the finals, then artificially shares Howard's disgust. That is, until Howard is walking away and his manager hams it up for the camera.
Incidentally, that guy is still a part of the UFC organization, and you can see him walking to the octagon with fighters.
So, you think the chaos is over. Nope. Here comes Kimo and Jo Son to the ring to take credit for defeating Royce.
And you can't have general mayhem without Gary Busey somewhere in attendance. Imagine that? Gary Busey showing up at a money fight.
FINALS
HAROLD HOWARD vs. STEVE JENNUM
KARATE vs. NINJITSU
So, here's your crazy final for UFC III: Harold Howard vs. Steve Jennum.
Harold Howard, who beat up 'The littlest Tong Po' and got a forfeit victory over a cowardly Royce Gracie. And Steve Jennum, a ninja from Omaha, Nebraska, who had spent the entire night watching the tournament play out from the stands and had to get ready in about ten minutes time.
Now THAT'S PPV magic!
Anyway, Harold Howard shows up keyed up, yelling and shit. You know he was ready to go, but knew he probably was going to get hosed fighting a dude who was in the finals fresh.
But to his credit, he pulled out every trick he learned on the 'Alaskan Pipeline' as Ben Perry intimated earlier in the show, because I imagine when Ben Perry needed extra dough he'd fly to the Alaskan Pipeline for moneyfights. So, Harold's ace in the hole was a Flip kick, but no dice. Jennum grapples with the tired old man and takes the mount before Howard submits to punches.
So that's the big finish to the biggest and most fun fiasco in UFC history. The alternate cashes in on 60000 dollars, Harold Howard bows to Jennum as if their 2 minute bar room brawl was some kind 'passing of the torch'.
Art Davie signs check. So does Rorion. You can tell both of them are all mad that they actually had to actually pay out.
I laughed.
If you loved the early days of MMA competition, then you will enjoy the Pit Fighter series from ZombieBloodFights.com. 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are both loving fictional tributes to the wild 90s and the advent of mainstream MMA in the US.
If you enjoyed this blog entry, then check it out today in paperback or Kindle.
===========
BOWIE V. IBARRA is a Texas author living in San Antonio. He has a BFA in Acting and a MA in Theatre History.
Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com
By
Bowie V. Ibarra
So, for many of those old school MMA/NHB fans like myself might remember, the early UFC's were outstanding examples of the magic of advertising. The whole early days of UFC were giant commercials for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Like many others, I drank the Kool-Aid very early and was all about the style. Rorion Gracie, the real mastermind behind the event along with Art Davie, put together some of the best martial arts schlubs at the time to compete in what was the THIRD (!!!) controversial event. I was all for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu before this event changed my mind.
Here's how this crazy event went down.
Remember, when the event was originally planned, the legend of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu had already made its way around the martial arts community. The vaunted Rickson Gracie was the martial arts
community's pick for the rep for Gracie jiu-Jitsu. But of all the brothers with bad attitudes and rippling muscles to choose from, it was the beach bum Royce, who would show up to the Gracie gym in Cali to borrow money from his brothers, that was the pick. The idea was that a skinny-looking dude like Royce beating muscle bound cab drivers would be the best example of the efficacy of GJJ.And so it came to pass Royce made it through the 8-man open tournament of UFC 1, defeating Dutch Savate champ Gerard Gordeu, then making it through a 16-man tourney in UFC 2, defeating Pat Smith in the finals handily, bringing about UFC 3.
The fighting styles represented were bill as '8 deadly arts' of Tae Kwon Do, Kenpo Karate, Sumo, Jiu-Jitsu, shootfighting, Judo, Thai Kickboxing, and Karate.
One of the funny notes from the early days was the announce team. After the infamous 'burping' incident of UFC with Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace to open the show, along with the immensely talented martial artist but horrible voice talent Kathy Long, they had to put another team together.
Ironically enough, Jim Brown was the only one that made it out from the original announce team. He's not exactly the poster child for broadcast excellence.
So they got a dude named Brian Kilmeade. You might recognize this twat from the Fox and Friends morning show, and believe you me, he was just as bad back in his UFC days.
There was also Ben Perry, an alleged great mixed martial artist that was as bland as sawdust-flavored ice cream. Someone just needed to tell Ben the 80s were over.
And Jim Brown. It's pretty sad situation when Jim fucking Brown is your best color commentator.
But remember, the promise UFC made was this:
- No rounds
- No Time Limit
- No Way Out
Ref can stop the fight, corner can stop the fight, fighters can tap out, but they must tap 'four times'.
They also put together a video segment distinguishing the two main styles and why grappling was better: Punchers vs. Grapplers. The video package very clearly intimated Royce would have the advantage. Remember, these were giant GJJ commercials now. And remember, 'the nature of combat says you can't judge if a striker or grappler would win, but person who can do both will succeed.
It's also here where Jim Brown reveals his greatest fear: Ponytails. That's right. When Kilmeade brought up 'Tae Kwon Do' stylist Kimo, Jim revealed that the ponytail he wore 'scares him to death.' If only all those defensive players back in his NFL days had known that, he might not have been one of the greatest running backs to ever step on the gridiron.
So here's how the tournament bracket played out:
Emmanual Yarbrough (Sumo) vs. Keith Hackney (White Tiger Kenpo Karate)
Ken Shamrock (Shootfighting vs. Christophe Leininger (Judo)
Roland Payne (Muay Thai) vs. Harold Howard (Karate)
Royce Gracie (GJJ) vs. Kimo (Tae Kwon Do)
So, Emmanual Yarbrough, 6'8" 616lbs out of Rahway, New Jersey, was representing Sumo. Don't get me wrong, but New Jersey doesn't seem like a state that has a rich tradition in Sumo competition. Football, maybe. But Sumo?
This is around the time tha Kilmeade begins calling the ancient and centuries-old art of grappling 'sumu?' WTF? I know these guys were probably working for peanuts, but Jesus Christ, Rorion and Art! Fork over the dough to get guys who are actually familiar with martial arts styles.
Incidentally, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson was in the crowd looking for a paycheck. He might have ended up sounding like an over-excited high school junior in the booth in later UFCs, but at least he knew what he was talking about. Ironically enough, so did the late Jeff Blatnick.
KEITH HACKNEY vs. EMMANUEL YARBOROUGH
KENPO vs. SUMO
So, anyway, here comes Keith Hackney, 6th degree black belt, 200lbs, fighting out of Roselle, Illinois. Kilmeade claims Keith 'always wanted to be in UFC'. Brother, this is UFC number 3? How can you 'always want to be in the UFC' and its only been around two years? I get the feeling there's plenty of places in Roselle, Illinois, or hell, Chicago, where old Keith could have found a money fight or two. Shit, with how tight Rorion and Art were with the purse strings, Keith might have made out better in a back alley fighting cab drivers.
Anyway, so the fight goes down and within seconds, Keith clocks Emmanual and knocks the leviathan down. He eventually gets back up and shoves Keith through the gate. And that was a result of Emmanual's 'strength', and not the shitty slide lock you find on a puppy pen. It was one of many firsts. I guess that simple slide lock won't work when a combined 800+ pounds of pit fighter gets shoved against it. And here's Kilmeade again, saying the move was reminiscent of a sumo match with an opponent getting shoved out of the ring, but still calls it, 'Ultimate sumu'.
So as you might imagine, the athletic Keith gets the jump on the obese Emmanuel and beats him down, gets $1000 for his efforts and a broken wrist. Ben Perry ends up calling Emmanuel an 'Asset to the art'. Hmmmm. I wonder what Takanohana or Kaio would think about that? When Emmanuel has gained the title of at least an ozeki, let's talk. Shit, how about just a juryo.
KEN SHAMROCK vs. CHRISTOPHE LEININGER
SHOOTFIGHTING vs. JUDO
It's cool to watch these early shows because you can see the early days of the 'Lion's Den' camp with Jason DeLucia, Frank Shamrock, and Masa Funaki assisting Ken to his corner. Even old Bob Shamrock, the adopted father of Ken, Frank, and about 100 other kids, too. True story.
They also made the point that Ken was 'wearing shoes' so he 'cannot kick'. That has been one of the dumbest rules from the beginning for dudes to not wear shoes, even into the unified rules. Look how many champs have broken their foot or toes because of this rule, even as recently as 'Bones' Jones and Jose Aldo.
So, Christophe walked to ring looking out of his league, dazed, like reality was setting in. 'Holy shit, I'm about to be put in a cage for a money fight with some juiced up angry dude.' And that's pretty much how it played out. Ken smothered Christophe with ground and pound, and Christophe eventually tapped out from punches, which is frowned upon these days. But back in the day, when dudes weren't training to counter GnP, it was common.
By the way, the announce team referred to this lopsided match of GnP as a 'Chessmatch'. More like General Patton playing checkers with a 7th grader.
ROLAND PAYNE vs. HAROLD HOWARD
THAI KICKBOXING vs. KARATE
So, Muay Thai. Devestating art, and the broad foundation of how MMA strikes are taught. We've seen Tong Po in 'Kickboxer'. Even Paco in Bloodsport. Hell, we know Sagat in 'Street Fighter'. Tall dude. Long legs.
Well, look who Art Davie and Rorion Gracie book as the representative of Thai Kickboxing. The 5'9", shortest kickboxer possible in the world, "Carolina Pain" Roland Payne. The announcers note he is the 'Smallest man in competition'. Way to stack the deck, Rorion, you fuck.
But the best part of this event was Harold Howard. Harold was a Karate champion from Canada who had a great phrase from where he comes from, and here it is, backed by the dulcet tones of Eddie Money, featuring Ronnie Spector: 'If you're coming on, come on!
The fight was one of the best on the card, with Harold not quite displaying the most skillful 'Karate', but had more of a brawling style. He even hit a very primitive suplex on Payne before putting the little guy away with a great three-punch combo.
ROYCE GRACIE vs. KIMO
GRACIE JIU-JITSU vs. 'TAE KWON DO'
I say 'Tae Kwon Do' because its pretty clear Kimo had absolutely no Tae Kwon Do training in his life. In the lead-up video, he was seen working bizarre slo-mo hand strikes with his fingers at his cornerman's hands. I don't know much about formal TKD, but I do know enough to know its a very kick-centric style.
His cornerman was named Jo Son. Jo Son was Kimo's right hand man. An alleged 'man of God' with Kimo who eventually went to jail for shoving a pistol up a woman's vagina during a gang rape. He also ended up killing his cell mate. True story. Google it. Or Bing it, whatever you do. I can't do all the work here.
Kimo declared he was competing in the UFC to 'spread the gospel of Jesus Christ'. Seems there's more effective ways of spreading the word than walking to the ring carrying a giant crucifix on his back. But he did it.
So, up to this point, Royce had 'won' up to $110,000 in prize money, which essentially means Rorion never had to pay out the money since he was basically Royce's personal banker.
So, we got the match started, and we got to see Kimo's amazing TKD-style kicks in a flurry of blurred action that kept Royce on the defensive.
Okay, not really. He took a crappy wild swing and was immediately clinched by Royce.
And, as you might imagine, the door opened again. Royce was given an advantage by not breaking the clinch and continued on. With Jo Son shouting at Royce by the fence, Helio and his brothers joined the shouting match from the fenceline. The problem the Gracie's were trying to work through was Kimo's power, who was denying Royce the takedown. Head-butts were delivered, and Royce grabbed Kimo's ponytail that Jim Brown was so afraid of.
Eventually, Royce gassed out Kimo and got the armbar win. But he was clearly cashed out.
FELIX LEE MITCHELL (alternate) vs. KEN SHAMROCK
WESTERN KICKBOXING vs. SHOOTFIGHTING
So in the tradition of the early UFCs and current new MMA orgs, an alternate had 10 minutes to gear up for a fight with one of the greatest shootfighters of the time. He came out wearing protective grappling gloves before 'Tank' Abbott popularized them three events later, but he took them off when he saw Ken was bare-knuckling it.
And then we got to see Ken Shamrock put on a clinic with his tremendous submission skill and world-class talent with a plethora of knee-bar, chokes, and arm bar attempts.
Just kidding. It took the tired Ken Shamrock four plus minutes to get the fresh Felix down before smothering him with strikes on the ground before choking him out. After his second fight, Ken looked gassed.
We are then treated to a video package of Harold Howard, claiming to have created a system of fighting bringing the 'karate aspect back to jiu-jitsu'. Because there was once a karate aspect to jiu-jitsu, apparently.
And then shit falls apart....
HAROLD HOWARD vs. ROYCE GRACIE
KARATE vs. GRACIE JIU-JITSU
Here's where I totally just lost my shit.
So Royce shows up to the ring with his family in that goddamn 'Gracie Train' that Kilmeade and Perry had such a hard on for, looking like a mess, completely cashed out. Howard shows up ready to go. And with Royce hanging his head on the octagon padding, his brothers throw in the towel for him and literally carry him out.
Howard throws a hissy-fit and his manager at first seems happy his charge made it to the finals, then artificially shares Howard's disgust. That is, until Howard is walking away and his manager hams it up for the camera.
Incidentally, that guy is still a part of the UFC organization, and you can see him walking to the octagon with fighters.
So, you think the chaos is over. Nope. Here comes Kimo and Jo Son to the ring to take credit for defeating Royce.
And you can't have general mayhem without Gary Busey somewhere in attendance. Imagine that? Gary Busey showing up at a money fight.
FINALS
HAROLD HOWARD vs. STEVE JENNUM
KARATE vs. NINJITSU
So, here's your crazy final for UFC III: Harold Howard vs. Steve Jennum.
Harold Howard, who beat up 'The littlest Tong Po' and got a forfeit victory over a cowardly Royce Gracie. And Steve Jennum, a ninja from Omaha, Nebraska, who had spent the entire night watching the tournament play out from the stands and had to get ready in about ten minutes time.
Now THAT'S PPV magic!
Anyway, Harold Howard shows up keyed up, yelling and shit. You know he was ready to go, but knew he probably was going to get hosed fighting a dude who was in the finals fresh.
But to his credit, he pulled out every trick he learned on the 'Alaskan Pipeline' as Ben Perry intimated earlier in the show, because I imagine when Ben Perry needed extra dough he'd fly to the Alaskan Pipeline for moneyfights. So, Harold's ace in the hole was a Flip kick, but no dice. Jennum grapples with the tired old man and takes the mount before Howard submits to punches.
So that's the big finish to the biggest and most fun fiasco in UFC history. The alternate cashes in on 60000 dollars, Harold Howard bows to Jennum as if their 2 minute bar room brawl was some kind 'passing of the torch'.
Art Davie signs check. So does Rorion. You can tell both of them are all mad that they actually had to actually pay out.
I laughed.
If you loved the early days of MMA competition, then you will enjoy the Pit Fighter series from ZombieBloodFights.com. 'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are both loving fictional tributes to the wild 90s and the advent of mainstream MMA in the US.
If you enjoyed this blog entry, then check it out today in paperback or Kindle.
===========
BOWIE V. IBARRA is a Texas author living in San Antonio. He has a BFA in Acting and a MA in Theatre History.
Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com
August 5, 2013
ZOMBIES: Dynamite Comics brings back 'The Spider'
A 1930's ERA PULP CRIME FIGHTER REBORN,
FIGHTS ZOMBIE QUEEN
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
Dynamite Comics has been digging through the old relics of comic book/pulp fiction's past to bring some old properties to the new era. With such big names as The Phantom, The Green Hornet, and The Shadow returning to shelves, its The Spider that comes across as a 'rip-off' of the Marvel title. But that's far from the truth. And thought I judged it at first glance, I decided to give the series a chance when I saw one of the first supervillains he was fighting was 'The Zombie Queen'.
Zombies, you say? Count me in.
The character shares some similar costume designs as the Peter Parker 'Spider Man', but its really Spider-Man that borrows from this 1930s classic. But the cape design and spider emblem is where the similarities end.
The gritty vigilante crime-fighter 'The Spider' is actually Richard Wentworth. Like the original title, Wentworth is a modern war hero who returns to his hometown to fight crime as a 'freelance advisor' to the cops for the cities more 'bizarre crimes'.
Like all good superheroes, he's got allies. Ram Singh is a lawyer who knows his secret identity, but is a valuable resource for his intelligence and fighting skill. He's got a scientist on his team named Ezra Brownlee as well, who works at the university.
But even some of his friends run the line between ally and adversary. The police commissioner, Stan Kirkpatrick, thinks Wentworth is The Spider but can't prove it. There's also a love interest named Nita, yet more names straight from the classic stories, who is engaged to one of his friends. The Spider knows it has to be that way to protect her.
At any rate, the first story arc for the series featured a madwoman named Anput, who uses an Egyptian villain gimmick with a male buddy of hers to attack the city with a poison gas. The Spider suspects the gas might have been a project his rich father had bankrolled. So its up to the spider to find the answers.
Noted author David Liss writes the stories, and Colton Worley provides an amazing palette of illustrations for the series. The story is top notch, and has plenty of people affected (not infected) by the 'zombie gas' that The Spider has to decide if there's a cure for it. Since its gas released and spread, thousands are affected before the stories end.
And how does it end, you ask? You need to pick up the trade paperback and see for yourself. The trade contains the full story arc and the beginning of a second arc that continues to build up the Spider Team as they face yet another villain threatening the city.
'The Spider' is a great tribute to its origins, and an outstanding series that should not be missed. I was not disappointed in the least. Great art, great story, great covers. If the first story arc and art are any indication, 'The Spider' has some serious set of legs to take it into the future.
==================
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul' is the story of a young woman who is granted superpowers while being assigned to oversee a museum in San Antonio, Texas, that holds great secrets. The book is now available in paperback and Kindle here.Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
FIGHTS ZOMBIE QUEEN
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
Dynamite Comics has been digging through the old relics of comic book/pulp fiction's past to bring some old properties to the new era. With such big names as The Phantom, The Green Hornet, and The Shadow returning to shelves, its The Spider that comes across as a 'rip-off' of the Marvel title. But that's far from the truth. And thought I judged it at first glance, I decided to give the series a chance when I saw one of the first supervillains he was fighting was 'The Zombie Queen'.
Zombies, you say? Count me in.
The character shares some similar costume designs as the Peter Parker 'Spider Man', but its really Spider-Man that borrows from this 1930s classic. But the cape design and spider emblem is where the similarities end.
The gritty vigilante crime-fighter 'The Spider' is actually Richard Wentworth. Like the original title, Wentworth is a modern war hero who returns to his hometown to fight crime as a 'freelance advisor' to the cops for the cities more 'bizarre crimes'.
Like all good superheroes, he's got allies. Ram Singh is a lawyer who knows his secret identity, but is a valuable resource for his intelligence and fighting skill. He's got a scientist on his team named Ezra Brownlee as well, who works at the university.
But even some of his friends run the line between ally and adversary. The police commissioner, Stan Kirkpatrick, thinks Wentworth is The Spider but can't prove it. There's also a love interest named Nita, yet more names straight from the classic stories, who is engaged to one of his friends. The Spider knows it has to be that way to protect her.
At any rate, the first story arc for the series featured a madwoman named Anput, who uses an Egyptian villain gimmick with a male buddy of hers to attack the city with a poison gas. The Spider suspects the gas might have been a project his rich father had bankrolled. So its up to the spider to find the answers.
Noted author David Liss writes the stories, and Colton Worley provides an amazing palette of illustrations for the series. The story is top notch, and has plenty of people affected (not infected) by the 'zombie gas' that The Spider has to decide if there's a cure for it. Since its gas released and spread, thousands are affected before the stories end.
And how does it end, you ask? You need to pick up the trade paperback and see for yourself. The trade contains the full story arc and the beginning of a second arc that continues to build up the Spider Team as they face yet another villain threatening the city.
'The Spider' is a great tribute to its origins, and an outstanding series that should not be missed. I was not disappointed in the least. Great art, great story, great covers. If the first story arc and art are any indication, 'The Spider' has some serious set of legs to take it into the future.
==================
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul' is the story of a young woman who is granted superpowers while being assigned to oversee a museum in San Antonio, Texas, that holds great secrets. The book is now available in paperback and Kindle here.Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
August 4, 2013
FIGHTS: ZBF.com welcomes the new Doctor, Peter Capaldi
UK SCI-FI SERIES CHRISTENS NEW DOCTOR
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
The landmark decision to introduce the newest Doctor took place today 8/4/2013. The Dr. Who Universe had been waiting in anticipation for the call, and it turns out Peter Capaldi was tapped to be the next Doctor. Capaldi is a Scottish actor with a great resume. He has been in movies and television for years now. And though he is quite good at comedy acting, he looks to bring a more sophisticated air to the role. Capaldi is the third Scottish actor to take the role of the Doctor. The first was Sylvester McCoy, with the second being David Tennant. The trend for the new Doctor Who series had been to cast 'younger' men for the roles, starting with Christopher Eccleston on to David Tennant. Both men were phenomenal actors, with Tennant carrying the series into the new era of global popularity. It was almost jarring to see such a young actor like Matt Smith be cast into the role. Though Eccleston and Tennant were youthful in their appearance, there was still a maturity and depth to their performances and interpretation of the Doctor. Smith took some time to get used to. He had flashes and good moments, but even as he developed on-the-job as an actor and Doctor, he could still not reach the emotional depth Tennant and Eccleston reached without seeming artificial. Capaldi is a welcome addition to the Doctor who canon. Here's hoping he ushers in a new era of fun and sophistication to the role that has been lacking since Tennants departure. ==================
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul' is the story of a young woman who is granted superpowers while being assigned to oversee a museum in San Antonio, Texas, that holds great secrets. The book is now available in paperback and Kindle here.Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
by
Bowie V. Ibarra
The landmark decision to introduce the newest Doctor took place today 8/4/2013. The Dr. Who Universe had been waiting in anticipation for the call, and it turns out Peter Capaldi was tapped to be the next Doctor. Capaldi is a Scottish actor with a great resume. He has been in movies and television for years now. And though he is quite good at comedy acting, he looks to bring a more sophisticated air to the role. Capaldi is the third Scottish actor to take the role of the Doctor. The first was Sylvester McCoy, with the second being David Tennant. The trend for the new Doctor Who series had been to cast 'younger' men for the roles, starting with Christopher Eccleston on to David Tennant. Both men were phenomenal actors, with Tennant carrying the series into the new era of global popularity. It was almost jarring to see such a young actor like Matt Smith be cast into the role. Though Eccleston and Tennant were youthful in their appearance, there was still a maturity and depth to their performances and interpretation of the Doctor. Smith took some time to get used to. He had flashes and good moments, but even as he developed on-the-job as an actor and Doctor, he could still not reach the emotional depth Tennant and Eccleston reached without seeming artificial. Capaldi is a welcome addition to the Doctor who canon. Here's hoping he ushers in a new era of fun and sophistication to the role that has been lacking since Tennants departure. ==================
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. His latest story, 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul' is the story of a young woman who is granted superpowers while being assigned to oversee a museum in San Antonio, Texas, that holds great secrets. The book is now available in paperback and Kindle here.Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
July 23, 2013
FIGHTS: 'The Lone Ranger' wasn't that bad, people
PLENTY OF ACTION, ADVENTURE, LAUGHS IN EPIC DISNEY TRIBUTE
BY
BOWIE V. IBARRA
From the word 'go', it seemed like everyone was out to get Disney's 'The Lone Ranger' movie epic. From the lead Armie Hammer's lack of 'social networking' to Johnny Depp's allegedly disrespecting Native American culture, it seemed like no one wanted to give it a chance.
Well, ZombieBloodFights.com did. On opening day, of all days. And was it as bad as everyone predicted (from a majority who hadn't even seen the film)? Well, let's talk about that.
The story revolves around a very 'The Princess Bride' convention of telling a story from the past in the present (present being early 1900s). Tonto has been reduced to being put on display as a 'living' example of the 'noble savage' in a circus tent. A child, who knows the legend of The Lone Ranger and Tonto, discovers Tonto is real and asks him about the past. Tonto proceeds to tell the boy the origins of the Ranger.
The story itself is not so bad, either. It's your classic good guy vs. bad guy, with colorful characters in between, strong family relationships (the Ranger and his brother, Tonto's tribe), and truly bad guy characters. One who happens to be a cannibal.
I wasn't much for the Lone Ranger being set up as a bit of a coward at first. But I understand it was a good set up to have him develop into a brave hero, so that was fine. Johnny Depp seemed to go from respectful indian to silly caricature at times. But those jumps were fine to see the range Tonto could shift from emotionally.
The action sequences were ridiculously fun. But I expected that from the producers of 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. The big final fight scene on a clichéd runaway train was great fun. And it was nice to hear the finale to the 'William Tell Overture' during that final boss fight. That classical music piece by Rossini will forever be the definitive theme for the Lone Ranger, and I would have been severely disappointed if they didn't include it in the movie.
I guess the 'Princess Bride' setup was necessary to illustrate how Tonto was left alone in the end, but I don't think it was necessary. Even though that set up was what bugged me the most as unnecessary, I overlooked it for the enjoyment I got from the rest of the movie.
Was it 'Pirates of the Caribbean' great? I wouldn't go that far. But was it worth my hard-earned dollar to see on the big screen? Absolutely. I had a good time.
'The Lone Ranger' is ZombieBloodFights.com approved. Go check it out on the big screen when you can.
====================
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the noted zombie horror series, 'Down the Road', from Permuted Press and Simon and Shuster. His latest novel, 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is a combat sports themed book about the adventures of a MMA stable in south Texas, featuring a Mexican luchador who crosses over into MMA. 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is available in paperback and Kindle for as low as .99 cents.
If you are a blogger and enjoyed the blog, please follow me.
Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
BY
BOWIE V. IBARRA
From the word 'go', it seemed like everyone was out to get Disney's 'The Lone Ranger' movie epic. From the lead Armie Hammer's lack of 'social networking' to Johnny Depp's allegedly disrespecting Native American culture, it seemed like no one wanted to give it a chance.
Well, ZombieBloodFights.com did. On opening day, of all days. And was it as bad as everyone predicted (from a majority who hadn't even seen the film)? Well, let's talk about that.
The story revolves around a very 'The Princess Bride' convention of telling a story from the past in the present (present being early 1900s). Tonto has been reduced to being put on display as a 'living' example of the 'noble savage' in a circus tent. A child, who knows the legend of The Lone Ranger and Tonto, discovers Tonto is real and asks him about the past. Tonto proceeds to tell the boy the origins of the Ranger.
The story itself is not so bad, either. It's your classic good guy vs. bad guy, with colorful characters in between, strong family relationships (the Ranger and his brother, Tonto's tribe), and truly bad guy characters. One who happens to be a cannibal.
I wasn't much for the Lone Ranger being set up as a bit of a coward at first. But I understand it was a good set up to have him develop into a brave hero, so that was fine. Johnny Depp seemed to go from respectful indian to silly caricature at times. But those jumps were fine to see the range Tonto could shift from emotionally.
The action sequences were ridiculously fun. But I expected that from the producers of 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. The big final fight scene on a clichéd runaway train was great fun. And it was nice to hear the finale to the 'William Tell Overture' during that final boss fight. That classical music piece by Rossini will forever be the definitive theme for the Lone Ranger, and I would have been severely disappointed if they didn't include it in the movie.
I guess the 'Princess Bride' setup was necessary to illustrate how Tonto was left alone in the end, but I don't think it was necessary. Even though that set up was what bugged me the most as unnecessary, I overlooked it for the enjoyment I got from the rest of the movie.
Was it 'Pirates of the Caribbean' great? I wouldn't go that far. But was it worth my hard-earned dollar to see on the big screen? Absolutely. I had a good time.
'The Lone Ranger' is ZombieBloodFights.com approved. Go check it out on the big screen when you can.
====================
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the noted zombie horror series, 'Down the Road', from Permuted Press and Simon and Shuster. His latest novel, 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is a combat sports themed book about the adventures of a MMA stable in south Texas, featuring a Mexican luchador who crosses over into MMA. 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is available in paperback and Kindle for as low as .99 cents.If you are a blogger and enjoyed the blog, please follow me.
Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
July 22, 2013
FIGHTS: REVIEW - 'Pacific Rim' delivers Throwback Monster Flick Action
DEL TORO HONORS MONSTER MOVIES FROM THE PAST IN SOLID ACTION FLICK
BY
BOWIE V. IBARRA
When I read Vince Mancini's Pacific Rim Review on the highly-touted Film Drunk Movie Review blog, I was a little disappointed with his opinion. Hip and smart, Mancini usually has a good perspective on movies and how the public will vibe to them.
Good thing he was wrong about 'Pacific Rim'.
The movie was a real tribute to all of the monster vs. robot movies that have come before, as far back as 'Godzilla vs. Mecha-Godzilla', King Kong, and even Voltron.
Very much like the Silurians of Doctor Who fame, the Kaiju's are giant beasts who were living in the mantle of the earth and were unleashed by earthquakes and a strange rip in the space/time continuum. They slowly began to ravage the earth, and were ultimately finally challenged by the Jaegers, giant man-made robots piloted by two operators working in conjunction with each other.
Having just seen the original 'Godzilla', I was afraid PacRim was going to be all action with no emphasis on the response of the scientific community. In the original Godzilla, no weapon could stop the monster. The only way he was destroyed was not through brute force, but with science.
Fortunately, the movie did include that element prominently, as the two scientists who were able to figure out the biology of the creatures with scientific method and predict attacks with math.
I was happy to see that a combination of power and science were brought together to fight the monsters. And you don't know how awesome it was when one of the Jaegers busts out the 'Sword'. It's a monsters vs. robots flick you need to see today.
Don't expect Academy Award-winning dialogue, or even acting. But the story and the performances from all of the actors was still outstanding.
The movie stands as one of the best flicks of the summer and is ZombieBloodFights.com approved. Go see it when you can.
====================
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the noted zombie horror series, 'Down the Road', from Permuted Press and Simon and Shuster. His latest novel, 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is a combat sports themed book about the adventures of a MMA stable in south Texas, featuring a Mexican luchador who crosses over into MMA. 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is available in paperback and Kindle for as low as .99 cents.
If you are a blogger and enjoyed the blog, please follow me.
Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
BY
BOWIE V. IBARRA
When I read Vince Mancini's Pacific Rim Review on the highly-touted Film Drunk Movie Review blog, I was a little disappointed with his opinion. Hip and smart, Mancini usually has a good perspective on movies and how the public will vibe to them.
Good thing he was wrong about 'Pacific Rim'.
The movie was a real tribute to all of the monster vs. robot movies that have come before, as far back as 'Godzilla vs. Mecha-Godzilla', King Kong, and even Voltron.
Very much like the Silurians of Doctor Who fame, the Kaiju's are giant beasts who were living in the mantle of the earth and were unleashed by earthquakes and a strange rip in the space/time continuum. They slowly began to ravage the earth, and were ultimately finally challenged by the Jaegers, giant man-made robots piloted by two operators working in conjunction with each other.
Having just seen the original 'Godzilla', I was afraid PacRim was going to be all action with no emphasis on the response of the scientific community. In the original Godzilla, no weapon could stop the monster. The only way he was destroyed was not through brute force, but with science.
Fortunately, the movie did include that element prominently, as the two scientists who were able to figure out the biology of the creatures with scientific method and predict attacks with math.
I was happy to see that a combination of power and science were brought together to fight the monsters. And you don't know how awesome it was when one of the Jaegers busts out the 'Sword'. It's a monsters vs. robots flick you need to see today.
Don't expect Academy Award-winning dialogue, or even acting. But the story and the performances from all of the actors was still outstanding.
The movie stands as one of the best flicks of the summer and is ZombieBloodFights.com approved. Go see it when you can.
====================
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the noted zombie horror series, 'Down the Road', from Permuted Press and Simon and Shuster. His latest novel, 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is a combat sports themed book about the adventures of a MMA stable in south Texas, featuring a Mexican luchador who crosses over into MMA. 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is available in paperback and Kindle for as low as .99 cents.If you are a blogger and enjoyed the blog, please follow me.
Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
FIGHTS: Samantha Ann turns back on Meal Ticket Ray Rowe at NWA-BOW
LASCIVIOUS VIXEN JUMPS ROWE, SABOTAGES ALEX REIGNS VICTORY
by
BOWIE V. IBARRA
End of an era: Samantha Ann with then partner, Ray Rowe.
I'm not going to lie to you. I was drawn in by the seductive allure of Samantha Ann.
The chick's a knockout, there's no denying that. I even offered to take her out to coffee once. A futile gesture, I know. I don't have enough tattoos or muscles. But if you're going to step to the plate, you take a swing at the ball, right?
Once aligned with one of Texas' most dominant indy wrestling competitors, Ray Rowe, this past Saturday at the NWA-Branded Outlaw Wrestling card, Samantha Ann turned her back on her former ally and love interest, Ray Rowe. The card featured the best of the best on the Texas Indy scene and was filled with tremendous matchups, including the main event: Ray Rowe vs. Alex Reigns.
Creepers like myself might have noted bizarre Facebook updates about a 'stalker' at the shows, culminating in the man jumping Rowe and confronting her in the ring. It was revealed to be Reigns, and Rowe was ready to stomp the newly-revealed stalker's ass.
But her public, but cordial, breakup with Rowe seemed to signal something was not right. It was as if there was still no resolution.
So when the Rowe/Reigns matchup occurred, Samantha Ann was still aligned with Rowe. But Rowe told her to stay in the back as the two men mixed it up for the winner's purse in a hardcore match.
It was a wild time in the ring until Rowe's music blasted and the tiny devil appeared, clad in Rowe's signature gear, wielding a sledgehammer. It was clearly Samantha Ann, and the fans were stunned. But I knew something was up.
Sure enough, she cracked Rowe in the ribs with the sledgehammer for her new man. But it wasn't enough, and the match continued until Samantha Ann had another opportunity to slip the weapon to Reigns, but was cut off by Rowe. Rowe ended up taking the victory, no thanks to Samantha Ann. And even in defeat, she reveled in her newfound bad-girl switch by updating her Facebook status with #heel.
For me, the end of the match was a foreshadowing of Alex Reign's future if he chooses to bring Samantha Ann to ringside. As a manager, she was never much of a factor for Ray Rowe's victory and probably had clauses in their contract for guaranteed money in her pocket. Rowe's made a name for himself here in Texas, and with that comes big paydays.
But now that Samantha Ann seems to have broken her managerial contract with Rowe, will Reigns provide the same meal ticket? Considering she was THE reason Reigns lost Saturday night by throwing in the sledgehammer at the wrong time, Reigns seems to be on the verge of getting the 'loser' payout at the pay window for the foreseeable future.
It's clear money is not what Samantha Ann wanted all this time. It's the man.
I hope Reigns enjoys the affection from the salacious tramp when he's making her car payment.
Shoney's is hiring fry cooks. Chacho's needs bus boys.
Just saying.
===============
If you're a fan of wrestling and aren't making it out to the NWA-Branded Outlaw Shows in San Antonio, Texas, then you're missing some of the best competitors on the Texas Indy scene. Names like Scot Summers, Ryan Genesis, Lance Hoyt, Mike Dell, and so many others bring all they got for the fans. Check them out here today! Come out next time and help me jeer Reigns and the tramp!
===============
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the noted zombie horror series, 'Down the Road', from Permuted Press and Simon and Shuster. His latest novel, 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is a combat sports themed book about the adventures of a MMA stable in south Texas, featuring a Mexican luchador who crosses over into MMA. Like Samantha Ann, it features a jilted lover named Elena who is out to get El Aire's mask and end his career forever.
'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is available in paperback and Kindle for as low as .99 cents.
If you are a blogger and enjoyed the blog, please follow me.
Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories and check out his book trailers at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
by
BOWIE V. IBARRA
End of an era: Samantha Ann with then partner, Ray Rowe.I'm not going to lie to you. I was drawn in by the seductive allure of Samantha Ann.
The chick's a knockout, there's no denying that. I even offered to take her out to coffee once. A futile gesture, I know. I don't have enough tattoos or muscles. But if you're going to step to the plate, you take a swing at the ball, right?
Once aligned with one of Texas' most dominant indy wrestling competitors, Ray Rowe, this past Saturday at the NWA-Branded Outlaw Wrestling card, Samantha Ann turned her back on her former ally and love interest, Ray Rowe. The card featured the best of the best on the Texas Indy scene and was filled with tremendous matchups, including the main event: Ray Rowe vs. Alex Reigns.
Creepers like myself might have noted bizarre Facebook updates about a 'stalker' at the shows, culminating in the man jumping Rowe and confronting her in the ring. It was revealed to be Reigns, and Rowe was ready to stomp the newly-revealed stalker's ass.
But her public, but cordial, breakup with Rowe seemed to signal something was not right. It was as if there was still no resolution.
So when the Rowe/Reigns matchup occurred, Samantha Ann was still aligned with Rowe. But Rowe told her to stay in the back as the two men mixed it up for the winner's purse in a hardcore match.
It was a wild time in the ring until Rowe's music blasted and the tiny devil appeared, clad in Rowe's signature gear, wielding a sledgehammer. It was clearly Samantha Ann, and the fans were stunned. But I knew something was up.
Sure enough, she cracked Rowe in the ribs with the sledgehammer for her new man. But it wasn't enough, and the match continued until Samantha Ann had another opportunity to slip the weapon to Reigns, but was cut off by Rowe. Rowe ended up taking the victory, no thanks to Samantha Ann. And even in defeat, she reveled in her newfound bad-girl switch by updating her Facebook status with #heel.
For me, the end of the match was a foreshadowing of Alex Reign's future if he chooses to bring Samantha Ann to ringside. As a manager, she was never much of a factor for Ray Rowe's victory and probably had clauses in their contract for guaranteed money in her pocket. Rowe's made a name for himself here in Texas, and with that comes big paydays.
But now that Samantha Ann seems to have broken her managerial contract with Rowe, will Reigns provide the same meal ticket? Considering she was THE reason Reigns lost Saturday night by throwing in the sledgehammer at the wrong time, Reigns seems to be on the verge of getting the 'loser' payout at the pay window for the foreseeable future.
It's clear money is not what Samantha Ann wanted all this time. It's the man.
I hope Reigns enjoys the affection from the salacious tramp when he's making her car payment.
Shoney's is hiring fry cooks. Chacho's needs bus boys.
Just saying.
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If you're a fan of wrestling and aren't making it out to the NWA-Branded Outlaw Shows in San Antonio, Texas, then you're missing some of the best competitors on the Texas Indy scene. Names like Scot Summers, Ryan Genesis, Lance Hoyt, Mike Dell, and so many others bring all they got for the fans. Check them out here today! Come out next time and help me jeer Reigns and the tramp!
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BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the noted zombie horror series, 'Down the Road', from Permuted Press and Simon and Shuster. His latest novel, 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is a combat sports themed book about the adventures of a MMA stable in south Texas, featuring a Mexican luchador who crosses over into MMA. Like Samantha Ann, it features a jilted lover named Elena who is out to get El Aire's mask and end his career forever.'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' is available in paperback and Kindle for as low as .99 cents.
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July 16, 2013
FIGHTS: Multimedia inspirations for 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul'
NOTED ZOMBIE AUTHOR TACKLES A SECOND TEXAS SUPERHERO STORYbyBOWIE V. IBARRA When I wrote my first superhero story, She shared names, ideas, and concepts that were beautiful and fun. She found works of art and sculptures that brought other images and themes to the book in my head. Before the day was done, I had jotted down enough notes to put together an outline. And the rest is history.Below are some video clips of some of the things that inspired the story. Below are two segments from two local morning shows, putting the McNay Museum (which becomes the McNulty Museum in the book) on display.
Here's the other segment.
Since my youth, being a fan of Indiana Jones, I absorbed all the information I could about archeology. Ancient cities, civilizations, and other archeological mysteries have always fascinated me. That's why when I came up with the concept for the story, the 'Costa Rican Sphere's' were a perfect 'MacGuffin'. Naturally, I took some artistic license with the history and placement of the spheres, and applied more mystery to them. But I also provided a reason for it. You'll have to read the book for more. Some people believe we've found all we can find in the world. That's far from the truth. The protagonist in "Room 26", Jackalyn White, discovers clues that take her on a journey to find a hidden city. No hidden cities remaining in the world, you say? Check this out. As I began to conceptualize the story, I noticed a new TV show taking to the airwaves. As I watched it for the first time after having constructed my outline, I realized 'Room 26' shared some of its same themes. That show was the short-lived 'Warehouse 13'. Similar, but different. As I thought about it, feeling like people might think I ripped off the show, the idea was really nothing new. A variation on a theme of cursed objects. Take 'Friday the 13th: The Series', for example. The concepts the same. The execution much different. 'Room 26' even shares some of the same themes as the low-budget feature film, "The Librarian: Search for the Spear". So 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul' might share some of these same themes and concepts, but its an entirely different story to tell. A great story that I'm confident people will still enjoy. It has themes that are universal like family love, greed and envy, helping loved ones with personal demons, growth and maturity, even sacrifice. There are even some magical characters as well. And it has a great through-line from start to finish. Characters grow. Good takes on evil. It's a lot of fun.
Check out the start to the story here, then pick up your copy here in paperback or Kindle today.
I promise you, you will enjoy it. ===================
BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster. One of his earliest superhero stories, , is a Tex-Mexploitation story of a single mother who works during the day, but is a superspy by night. It is currently available in Kindle form. Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
July 15, 2013
BLOOD: REVIEW - Lindsey Beth Goddard brings a sweet 'Taste of Terror'
AUTHOR LACES LATEST BOOK WITH CHILLS
BY
BOWIE V. IBARRA
Lindsey Beth GoddardLindsey Beth Goddard's 'Quick Fix: A Taste of Terror' is an amazing collection of dark and chilling tales.
Within pages, you'll find Lindsey's words quickly craft distinct and specific images in your head. She has a real gift for imagery and creating pictures with her words that heighten the already 'Twilight Zone' style of each of the stories. As weird tales go, this is a great standard set by a talented and skilled voice.
If you're looking for creepy chills, 'Quick Fix: A Taste of Terror' will capture your mind's eye with weird candy that you will not regret eating.
You can pick up the title in paperback or Kindle here.
================
BOWIE VALERIANO IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester. His latest zombie story, The Fall of Austin, tells the story of military, police, convicts, and citizens of the Texas capitol as they deal with the zpoc.
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Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
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You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
BY
BOWIE V. IBARRA
Lindsey Beth GoddardLindsey Beth Goddard's 'Quick Fix: A Taste of Terror' is an amazing collection of dark and chilling tales.Within pages, you'll find Lindsey's words quickly craft distinct and specific images in your head. She has a real gift for imagery and creating pictures with her words that heighten the already 'Twilight Zone' style of each of the stories. As weird tales go, this is a great standard set by a talented and skilled voice.
If you're looking for creepy chills, 'Quick Fix: A Taste of Terror' will capture your mind's eye with weird candy that you will not regret eating.
You can pick up the title in paperback or Kindle here.
================
BOWIE VALERIANO IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester. His latest zombie story, The Fall of Austin, tells the story of military, police, convicts, and citizens of the Texas capitol as they deal with the zpoc.Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
ZOMBIES: REVIEW - 'DNA: CODE FLESH' = Heavy handed zombie and political horror
OUTSPOKEN AUTHOR'S METAPHORICAL CALL FOR REVOLUTION IN LATEST ZOMBIE TOME
by
BOWIE V. IBARRA
Alan Dale's 'Dead Nation's Army: Book 1 - Code Flesh' reads like a global revolutionary manifesto. It's a solid zombie apocalypse story, but also makes a strong statement about the current ruling status quo and how a zombie apocalypse would affect both the 1%ers and the 99%.
There is a poetry to Dale's style that accentuates the story, in my opinion. His prose is almost like free-verse, and there's an efficiency to his words that borders on fanatical. He's like a beatnik George Romero who listened to Alex Jones while writing, all the while finding the right words for the book to shout from a megaphone for the world to hear. Both share the belief that their words will not be denied.
Like Jones, Dale is also outspoken and confident. Perhaps brash. But its this energy that fuels his books. His writing comes from a deep love and faith for not only his story, but its message. Global political forces during the Zpoc are similar topics I've explored in my zombie horror titles "Down the Road". That's why I find a lot of truth his story, as the theme touched a real hot button for me (read: The real terror of a zombie apocalypse would not be the zeds, but how the global elite will treat the masses during a zombie apocalypse.)
Alan Dale's 'Dead Nation's Army: Book 1 - Code Flesh' is a revolutionary manifesto shrouded in a quality and bloody zombie horror story. This book is ZombieBloodFights.com approved.
You can pick it up today via paperback or kindle here.
====================
BOWIE VALERIANO IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester. His latest zombie story, The Fall of Austin, tells the story of military, police, convicts, and citizens of the Texas capitol as they deal with the zpoc.
Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
by
BOWIE V. IBARRA
Alan Dale's 'Dead Nation's Army: Book 1 - Code Flesh' reads like a global revolutionary manifesto. It's a solid zombie apocalypse story, but also makes a strong statement about the current ruling status quo and how a zombie apocalypse would affect both the 1%ers and the 99%.
There is a poetry to Dale's style that accentuates the story, in my opinion. His prose is almost like free-verse, and there's an efficiency to his words that borders on fanatical. He's like a beatnik George Romero who listened to Alex Jones while writing, all the while finding the right words for the book to shout from a megaphone for the world to hear. Both share the belief that their words will not be denied.
Like Jones, Dale is also outspoken and confident. Perhaps brash. But its this energy that fuels his books. His writing comes from a deep love and faith for not only his story, but its message. Global political forces during the Zpoc are similar topics I've explored in my zombie horror titles "Down the Road". That's why I find a lot of truth his story, as the theme touched a real hot button for me (read: The real terror of a zombie apocalypse would not be the zeds, but how the global elite will treat the masses during a zombie apocalypse.)
Alan Dale's 'Dead Nation's Army: Book 1 - Code Flesh' is a revolutionary manifesto shrouded in a quality and bloody zombie horror story. This book is ZombieBloodFights.com approved.
You can pick it up today via paperback or kindle here.
====================
BOWIE VALERIANO IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuester. His latest zombie story, The Fall of Austin, tells the story of military, police, convicts, and citizens of the Texas capitol as they deal with the zpoc.Enjoy the blog? Share it with your friends using the 'Facebook', 'Blogger' and 'Twitter' buttons below.
Leave a comment below using your Google+ or Blogger account.
Follow Bowie on Twitter @wingback20
Follow Bowie's Facebook page.
You can network with Bowie and read about his Tex-Mexploitation stories at his personal website, ZombieBloodFights.com.
