On May 26th, my girlfriend and I went to Las Vegas to watch and support Hawaii’s own BJ Penn, defend his UFC Lightweight Championship belt against Sean Sherk. It was a memorable event, and to watch how many people flew over to support the champ amazed me.

Now you can see BJ Penn next Saturday, on June 26, at Barnes and Nobles in Ala Moana. He will do a signing at 10am. He will probably sign his book “Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge”, where he showcases his techniques that he uses in his UFC fights. I own this book, and I have to say it is the best MMA book I have ever read. It is very comprehensive with lots of pictures at different angles, and with very detailed explanations. I know I will bring my book for him to sign on Saturday.

Make sure you make it out to show your support if you are a fan of MMA, and bring a camera! I know I will! See you there!

We call it “Hangover Sunday” and, hungover or not, my friends and I have established a water sport tradition: we wake up as early as possible on Sunday morning, drive to Makapu’u Beach, and drink a beer (or two) before jumping in the romping surf for at least a full hour of bodysurfing enjoyment.  Indeed, Makapu’u Beach is world-famous for its perfectly bodysurfable waves, but to my friend and me it means so much more.
Ask anyone in Hawaii where to go if you want to surf without a board and, unless they want you to break your neck or get scratched up on the coral reef at Oahu’s other two bodysurfing spots, Sandy’s and Point Panic, Makapu’u will top the list.

There’s a little bit of skill and, in bigger surf, equipment that must be used to avoid injury when bodysurfing. At Makapu’u, you should begin bodysurfing at the eastern edge (the more protected side) of the beach.  Start shallow enough that you can still push off the sandy bottom.  To avoid crashing into the rocks, you will want to catch the wave to your left, so get a good push off the sea floor and direct your body to the left as you stick out your left arm to direct you.  Keep kicking even after you’ve caught the wave.  On big days, rubber fins are necessities for bodysurfing.  Locals do not wear swimming goggles–ever–to bodysurf.  It’s actually considered uncool.

Surfboards are strictly prohibited during lifeguarding hours (8 am - 5 pm every day), so body and boogie boarders have the beach all to themselves for most of the day!

Get out there and have fun!

To get to Makapu’u Beach, head east on H-1 and the Kalanianaole Highway.  The beach on your right, across the street from Sea Life Park.  There is free parking all day, as well as free public bathrooms and fresh water showers.

If you’re coming to Honolulu to surf, it’s best to be prepared for the “local” vibe that you are sure to encounter. If you’re a “haole” (white) guy, you should be careful even on the south shore to not cop an attitude in the water (girls, fortunately you don’t received nearly as much). The thing about surfing in Honolulu is that many residents (or “moks,” as we call them) believe the water is their territory and tourists don’t really belong there.

The key here is to be respectful of the locals when you’re in the water. Always follow the “right of way” rule and never cut someone off. Wait your turn. Regardless, here is a list of five spots that you should be aware of where you are likely to encounter a more “local” attitude.

1. Ala Moana Bowls

Because this is the premiere south shore surf spot, this place sees the most agressive surfers in town. Shortboarders can get particularly irritated with longboarders. A big no-no here is to drop in on someone — especially a dark-skinned local boy, so wait your turn and smile while you’re waiting.

2. Canoe’s

Since this spot is smack dab in the middle of Waikiki Beach (and in front of the Duke statue), it is always crowded here. There are still long-time longboarders who love to ride this gentle wave, so let them have their fun and you can have your own.

3. Kewalo’s

This place now sees a growing female crowd, which is helping the atmosphere in the water. Still, be on the lookout for a few dedidated surfers who claim this spot as theirs.

4. Lighthouse

Just west of friendly Cliffs by Diamond Head, Lighthouse is notorious for having aggressive shortboarders. This is not a spot for beginners anyways, so you are better off just surfing at friendly (but crowded) Cliffs.

5. Kaiser Bowls

Two breaks over from Ala Moana Bowls, Kaisers has always been a heavily “local” crowd. Some boys surf in groups to get each other on a wave of choice. You are not likely to catch the set wave here, so you might be better off at friendlier but sometimes more dangerous (at low tide) Rockpiles.

Finally! On the second day of the NFL draft, Colt Brennan was picked in the 6th round by the Washington Redskins. Scouting reports showed his light slowly fading during pre-Draft workouts, but let’s hope Colt shows them wrong and sticks it out long enough to start in the NFL someday. Recent hip surgery will keep in on the injured list for some time, so we’re all hoping Colt can bounce back and show everyone what a great, professional quarterback he is.

Start putting x’s on the days in your calendar ’cause UFC 84 Ill Will is just one month away on May 24, 2008. This card is so stacked it makes some of the recent offerings by the UFC look manini, seriously, there are so many big names and awesome fights that the UFC will have a tough act to follow from here on out.

In the main event, we have Hilo, Hawaii’s own “The Prodigy”, BJ Penn. Penn is the current UFC Lightweight Champion and is battling Sean Sherk, the former Champ who tested positive for steroid usage and was thus stripped of the title. Sherk has alleged that he was wrongfully accused and is looking to redeem himself. He has his work cut out for him against Penn, only the second man to be a champion in two different weight classes. This fight definitely has some “Ill Will” as Penn has fueled the fire with statements made in the past like “Sean Sherk, you’re dead” and “fighting for the steroid championship”. Personally, I can’t wait to watch BJ destroy Sherk, but then again I’m from Hilo.

This card also features former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz taking on the undefeated Lyoto Machida. An extra element of excitement to this fight is that this may be Ortiz’s last fight in the UFC. Ortiz and UFC President Dana White have had bad blood for some time and with only a few years left in his career, the 33 year-old Ortiz is surely looking to test the market and make some top dollar for his talent and big name value.

In the battle of grueling nicknames, we have “The Dean of Mean” Keith Jardine versus “The Axe Murderer” Vanderlei Silva. Jardine, an up and coming bruiser, is fresh off a split decision win over Chuck Liddell while Silva, formerly indestructible in the now defunct PRIDE Fighting, lost a unanimous decision to Liddell, in what was viewed by many as the fight of the year. Both of these fighters are looking for a victory in order to climb to the top of a highly competitive division.

This card also features Wilson Gouveia, Thiago Silva, Ivan Salaverry, and Rameau Sokoudjou, four very exciting fighters.

I’ll be at either The Shack in Hawaii Kai, Eastside Grill, or Red Lion University to watch the fight and take in some good food. Hmmm, I might even hit up all three venues, one for the live show and the others for the replay

All I got to say is “What a way to roll in the summer months.” Oh and:

“Chee Huuuuuuu!!!”

Shoots.

JMAW

Exactly two months from today, we will find out where and when Colt Brennan will go in this year’s NFL draft. In the meantime, we just have to wait it out and see. Lucky for Colt Brennan fans, he’s right in the thick of things at the NFL Scouting Combine. His impressive performance this weekend may yet turn heads and prove he’s worth an early pick.

What are your thoughts? Where do you think he’ll go in the draft?

For all your hardcore MMA fans, and even those of you who are just getting into MMA, make sure you watch the UFC this Saturday where Hilo’s own BJ Penn will be fighting for the UFC Lightweight Championship Belt against Joe Stevenson.  The fight will be live from Newcastle England, so if you want to catch this fight, you will have to wake up in the morning since it will play live in Hawaii at 10am.

I am probably one of the biggest BJ Penn fans out there, and this title match has me pumped up.  If you just compare records, it definitely looks like BJ is at a disadvantage with a record of 12-4-1 (win-loss-draw), whereas Joe is coming in with an impressive 33-7-0.  BUT, what you must know is the quality of opposition BJ has fought against.  GSP, Matt Hughes, Lyoto Machida, Renzo Gracie, Jens Pulver, and Matt Serra, just to name a few.  Joe hasn’t been fighting easy opponents either, but BJ has always been fighting people in the top tier.

The only way I can see Joe win this one is if he can take BJ down, hold him down, and ground and pound his way to an uneventful decision.  There is no possibly way Joe will outstrike BJ, since you saw BJ outstrike GSP, and quite frankly, manhandled him that first round (just look at GSP’s face after the fight).  It might be a jiu-jitsu clinic when it hits the ground, and Joe will have Marc Laimon in his corner.  But come on, BJ’s defining skill is jiu-jitsu.  I can’t see anybody in the UFC period submitting him.  Period.

Then again, BJ can also lose due to his cardio.  He has been notorious for coming in without training hard and running out of gas quickly, mostly relying on his tremendous skill to pull off a victory.  That was especially seen when he was in the 170lb weight division.  Now he has to train to bring his weight down to 155, which will definitely keep him in shape.  Not only that, but I just feel that he is on a different level now ever since beating Jens Pulver a few months back.  He seems more hungry, more willing to train, and will do whatever it takes to win.

Finally, Hilo’s finest is back.  I guarantee the title will be brought back to Hawaii, and will stay here for as long as BJ is in the UFC.

ICON Sport, Hawaii’s largest MMA organization has been purchased by media and entertainment company ProElite.  For those of you who don’t know, ProElite has held many huge MMA events, most recently the EliteXC-Uprising event held at the Blaisdell this past September that included Robbie Lawler, Murilo Rua, Charuto, Jake Shields, Mark Oshiro, and Gina Carano, just to name a few.  They are also broadcasted on Showtime PPV, which is huge for the local Hawaii fighters to get national recognition.

ICON Sport has been around since 1995, and if you have been following them, they used to be called SuperBrawl up until TJ Thompson, the owner of ICON, decided to give his organization a more professional name that made MMA more of a sport than merely a barbaric brawl.

It was reported that TJ and co-owner Odd Haugen were paid $350,000 in cash, while giving the pair 200,000 shares of ProElite’s stock, which is currently $8 a share (Source: Honolulu Advertiser).  The Advertiser also reported that if the local promoters meet the financial goals for next year, they will be paid an additional $1000.  This adds up to a total of $1.95 million in cash and stock.  Congrats TJ!

The ProElite events held in Hawaii will be run by TJ and Odd, since they have been successful holding local MMA events and bringing great fighters to the islands including Robbie Lawler, Mayhem Miller, Tim Sylvia, and Frank Trigg.  They were also able to put Hawaii fighters on the map, which include Niko Vitale, Egan Inoue, Kala Hose, and Scott Junk.  This success obviously translates to TJ’s efforts to make MMA popular in Hawaii, and so far, he has done a great job.

The next ProElite event in Hawaii will be an April 26 event, but the card has not been scheduled yet.

ProElite also intends to create a reality show about MMA, most likely to compete with the highly successful The Ultimate Fighter Series on SpikeTV.  They have contacted Mark Burnett, producer of reality shows such as The Apprentice, Survivor, The Contender, and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? just to name a few, to produce their show.  They have not disclosed information as to which cable station will broadcast the series.

Many of you who are into mixed martial arts and the UFC will definitely know about BJ Penn.  What some of you might not know was that Hilo’s BJ Penn was involved in an altercation outsite a Zanzabar nightclub in Waikiki on May 5, 2005, where he hit a Honolulu police officer during a fight that was going on outside.  The police officer was trying to break up a fight, and Penn thought that his brother was getting assaulted.  Penn hit the officer in the face and ran off, where he was then tackled by the officer who was tackled by other men who were helping Penn.  Later, District 6 patrol officers pulled the men off the officer and arrested Penn on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.

Penn has agreed to pay the $2000 in restitution and sentanced to one year probation.  In addition, Penn must abstain from alcohol, submit to substance-abuse treatment, and also perform 50 hours of community service with random drug and alcohol tests (Source: Honolulu Advertiser).  If he does not get into any other trouble during this year, his 3rd degree offense to the police officer will be wiped clean from his record.

What most of us MMA fans are really wondering about is if he will be able to fight in the UFC this January 19th at the Metro Radio Arena in England, where is he scheduled to face Joe Stevenson for the UFC Lightweight Championship of the World.  With the recent Lightweight Champion, Sean Sherk, stripped of his title due to steriod use, this match between Penn and Stevenson will be for the title.  The judge has allowed Penn to fly to England to fight for the title despite the ruling.

This is good news, and I’m sure BJ will bring the belt back to Hawaii!  Good luck BJ!!!  I’m glad everything is finally resolved and you can pursue your dreams!

The Warriors quarterback, Colt Brennan, despite being injurred and missing several quarters in several games this season has be named a finalist in the Heisman Trophy race, which is given to college footballs best player.

He along with three others will be finalists for the Heisman Trophy.

Colt Brennan - QB Hawaii
Chase Daniel - QB Missouri
Darren McFadden - RB Arkansas
Tim Tebow - QB Florida

The decision will be made from the New York Athletic Club and you can watch the action at 8pm eastern. Last years winner was Ohio State QB Troy Smith.