Butler and Mellon go 0 - 1 - 0 in 'Heart'

Heart by Blair Butler(w) and Kevin Mellon (w)

Heart is a 4-part mini from Image Comics that tells the story of Oren Redmond, an office worker who is slogging away at making a name for himself as an MMA fighter.  The writing credits belong to Blair Butler with art duties going to Kevin Mellon.  In this debut effort of what is essentially a tale of trajectory as seen in many a sports story in recent years (with examples such as Bad News Bears, Dodgeball, The Blind Side, the list goes on) where a person whose life is going nowhere fast, with little to zero skill in a given sport, decides to throw in all their chips, train hard and finally their dedication takes them to ‘The Big Show’ where they eventually compete on a professional level, the outcome of which being an experience that the protagonist learns valuable lessons about themselves. 

More after the jump...

Even Mutants get the blues.

Rafael Grampa

Strange Tales II #1

The Expendables.

Champagne level violence.

Nuthin' Fancy.

That means you. 

(Graphic from DSTRYRSG)

Martin Klimas courtesy of Ben John Smith.

Berimbolo!

I've been reading over at DSTRYRsg about this great De La Riva sweep to back take, demonstrated here by Rafael Mendes, one half of the Mendes Bros.   Who, incidentally, were out here doing a seminar at the very same place that I train BJJ at.  Did I go? Of course not.  Why?  Because I'm a moron.  That's why.  

Anyways, I've been starting to toy around with De La Riva Stuff and I'm a big fan of flashy looking sweeps so looks like a very cool addition to my admittedly limited arsenal.

 

 

I'm back. 

 

Who knows how long for.  Here's Nick Denis putting his elbows to good use at UFC on FX 1 to celebrate. (If your new, none of these Gifs are mine but usually if you click on the pic it will take you straight to the source.)

 Jake La Motta

 Don King

Floyd Mayweather

Manny Pacquiao

Photos by Holger Keifel.

'I am just going outside and may be some time.'

The last words of Captain Lawrence 'Titus' Oates who walked into the Antarctic wilderness to his death in order to save rations for the rest of the expedition crew.  The painting above is titled "A very Gallant Gentleman".  An understatement if ever I read one.

 

Captain Lawrence Edward Grace ("Titus") Oates 

(17 March 1880 – 16 March 1912)

Jejomar Limbo

Marco Manev whom I found here

I'm usually more inclined to see the bigger picture when it comes to tragic world events, but these cartoons by Storycorps.org successfully tugged my heartstrings.

 

He really is the greatest of all time.

Kimura (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), chicken wing/double wristlock (wrestling), or reverse keylock are terms used to specify a medial keylock known in judo as gyaku ude-garami (reverse arm entanglement) or simply as ude-garami. The application is similar to the americana, except that it is reversed. It needs some space behind the opponent to be effective, and can be applied from the side control or guard (or half guard or even full-mount). Contrary to the americana, the opponent's wrist is grabbed with the hand on the same side, and the opposite arm is put behind the opponent's arm, again grabbing the attacker's wrist and forming a figure-four. By controlling the opponent's body and cranking the arm away from the attacker, pressure is put on the shoulder joint, and depending on the angle, also the elbow joint (in some variations the opponent's arm is brought behind their back, resulting in a finishing position resembling that of the hammerlock). The kimura was named after the judoka Masahiko Kimura, who used it to defeat one of the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Hélio Gracie. (from wikipedia)

An inspired and beautifully executed kimura from guard/triangle position by Joe Lauzon

Sakuraba applies a phenomenal standing kimura to take down Renzo Gracie

Here Fedor Emelianenko shows some finer points of applying the keylock.

More DKR.  With all the chaos in the UK over the last few days some of the themes seem more poignant than ever.

Sometimes I count them just to make myself feel crazy.

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