Motives and Struggles

Aubree

HER STRUGGLE: Aubree struggles in her life to stay stable... Being deaf, its difficult to maintain employment. Even with today's non discrimination laws she can't seem to catch a break. Even after graduating through a dental assistance program no one seems to want to hire a deaf girl. Right now, Aubree lives with 5 roommates... But the past four years she has been essentially homeless. After finding out she was couch surfing and occasionally sleeping in her car, Mike let her sleep on the mats of the gym until she could get on her feet. Her lack of employment means that she has lost her son to her mom... Who lives out of state.

HER MOTIVATION: Aubree wants to be the type of person her son River can look up to...  She is using fighting to be an example in the deaf community for not only herself and others... But to show River that just because he is deaf, doesn't mean he can't accomplish whatever he dreams of.

The more fights Aubree has defending her championship... The more money she will make as a pro. though the temptation is there to make what ever little money a pro fight will give her. She needs to follow her coach's orders and be patient. The longer she waits, and the more fan base she gains... the larger her pro payday will become.

Buffy

HER STRUGGLE: She struggles to keep it together for her three boys, Laying flooring and textile while taking jobs for her home bakery business. Having felt like a failure in her last two marriages, she dreams of finding someone to love and love her alike... given her chosen hobby of MMA.

HER MOTIVATION: Buffy's entrepreneur spirit is a major reason why she fights. The fights are televised locally, this gives her a free opportunity to get her business name on T.V. Even when she is not fighting... she bakes cookies and pastries to bring to the weigh ins to refuel the starving fighters. She also fights to strengthen the bond between her and her new Boyfriend Josh. Who is a low level professional fighter locally. Given josh's fighting experience, he has the luxury to be in the Cage with Mike and Buffy when she fights... providing her moral support from the inside.

Lauren

HER STRUGGLE: Lauren suffers through seasonal depression and has gone through a lot of therapy to get to what she calls "The Put together Lauren" that we know today. She want's to prove to her children and her husband that she is a strong capable woman. She also feels a disconnect with in the church and within the fight scene... Never really being able to identify fully with either side.

HER MOTIVATION: She has only lost in the cage... but Lauren knows she is a fighter... She has proved it to herself through therapy, but its time for her to prove it to her family and the world in the cage.

***on a personal note, I'd be excited to see both worlds converge, Lauren getting her church fairing crowd to meet some of her fight friends... maybe even go to her fight. Maybe they can find common ground in some of the customs, traditions and beliefs...***

Denetra

THE STRUGGLE: I see Denetra as the casual viewers window into this world of fighting. She has just enough experience in exercise and physicality to make it through trainings... But there is a whole other part of fighting that most people don't realize exists... The bravery and mental fortitude. Through her, the viewer will learn how not everyone has what it takes to walk the steps into the cage and listen to it slam shut behind them.

THE MOTIVATION: Denetra quite literally is in fear of being in fear. The second something scares her... she is apt to prove she is above it. In her childhood she witnessed both her mother and her sister struggle with addiction and she told herself that she needed to be strong... Anything she finds that she fears, she sees as weakness in herself and is compelled to confront it... Even if she's not ready. She needs to learn that sometimes confronting fear isn't the answer... But embracing it is. I believe she will panic before her fight... until she realizes this.

Alysa

HER STRUGGLE: Alysa's mom is a 3 time cancer survivor. The expense of her daily treatments lead her to move into a one bedroom apartment with her mom and her 2 kids. Alysa often finds that because she is pretty... she is accused of not being able to accomplish tasks traditionally performed by men... a slander she will not tolerate. This has motivated her to race dirt bikes, hold a CDL license and work in construction.

HER MOTIVATION: Alysa's first cage experience was less than stellar, resulting in prosthetics being implanted in her face. This loss contrasts her need to prove she is just as capable as any man... So she is further more inspired to take the win in her next MMA fight.


***********************

Since we lost Jessica and Tracie... I want to remake my case for a previous girl the network passed on. I think the Net's disinterest in Nikki is misplaced, and it is my fault for not providing you the appropriate information... so that you guys could ask the right questions for her video.

Nikki

First off, Nikki is already a celebrity in her own right. Having been ranked a top 10 competitor in the crossfit community... which is a million dollar industry with over 10,000 affiliate gyms. Crossfit has a dedicated membership base that all tune in to the televised games and know Nikki by name. She is likely to be drafted eventually into "GRID" which is an up and coming professional functional fitness sporting event... the first of its kind.

THE STRUGGLE: Nikki grew up in a strict Mormon household, with a brother currently serving an LDS mission in SLC (We can likely get him to attend the fight). Nikki's views on womanhood vary greatly from her fathers opinion. Contrary to the doctrine... Nikki refuses to default "to the righteous council of a man" to make her decisions. She wear pants to church as opposed to skirts. (A movement started by "The Feminist Mormon Housewives")... However, Nikki doesn't consider herself NON LDS. She thinks she was put on this earth by her creator to teach her dad that not everyone falls directly in line with his beliefs. Even if all 5 of her other siblings have.

HER MOTIVATION: Nikki wants to show all women, but especially LDS women... that you can be strong powerful and independent... But still be moral, upstanding and righteous in the eyes of their heavenly father. Though they don't understand Nikki's pursuits... Her parents and family will still attend her events because of the Mormon's stress on family support. Nikki want's to win her first MMA match in front of her dad... And show him how strong a woman can be.

Nikki also has fought and won her first kickboxing event.

*ADDITIONAL INFO: The Feminist Movement in the LDS church has been a bit of a hot button issue over the course of the last year in the media. Nikki's Views on what roles women should play in the church align with Kate Kelly, Who last year received national press for having been excommunicated from the church for her views on women in the church. John Dehlin was another famous Mormon excommunicated in the last few months for his views on feminism, Just last week... The Cyber vigilante group "anonymous" issued a statement on behalf of John and Kate threating to shutdown the LDS churches websites unless they reinstate the two.

Nikki's views on womanhood may not sound like a big deal to us. But in Mormon culture they are revolutionary... and can have dire consequences.

Coach Mike's Tournament from Hell

I have developed a training methodology that is designed to help my girls stay competitive. I thought I would introduce it to you as by default, I think it could add healthy competition to the show... outside of just the fight in the cage.

Every week we will be holding an "In House" competition with the girls for bragging rights attacking one aspect of cage fighting. There will be 3 separate competitions... One for Kick Boxing, One for Grappling and One for conditioning. At the end of the competition one girl will be crowned the groups "Champion" and given an award she can boast over, until the Tournament happens again 3 weeks later... the Champ has time to brag, and the other girls have time to train and improve.

But the girls can't get too cocky, because that same award can be taken by another fighter a mere 3 weeks later.

Award 1:
The Kick Boxing Mongkal

The Mongkal is a Traditional head piece worn specifically by Muay Thai Kickboxing fighter. Traditionally it is the mark of a fighter, and only fighters are allowed to wear it. Its legends say it seals the ring before a fight and wards off evil spirits. This will be awarded to the woman that wins the monthly kick boxing tournament... a taboo in its own right... as in Thailand, it is considered "Bad Luck" for a woman to wear one.

The kickboxing tournament will be fully padded including head gear for the training safety of the girls. It will operate on a single elimination 10-9 must system for 5 rounds of 3 minutes.

Current Mongkal Holder: Aubree

Award 2:
The Grappler's Belt

Large, ostentatious belts have been synonymous with fighting since nearly its inception. They are extravagantly designed, fun to wear and are often worn around the waist but are sometime slung over the shoulder. A very visual award.

This grueling competition has no time limit. Grapplers will start at their feet and wrestling to the ground until one person "Taps Out"... This can happen by submission or if one opponent decides she is too tired to continue

Current Grapplers Belt Holder: Lauren

Award 3:
The Conditioning Medal

A large gold emblem medal bearing a set of barbells will be given to the woman whom is deemed the most fit through a grueling conditioning workout. As work outs of this nature feature athletic fundamentals, this award is akin to the style of the Olympic Medals.

The competition will be 3 rounds of 5 minutes... and the exercise movements will vary tournament to tournament. An example would be:

5 Snatches
10 Burpees
20 Wall Balls
30 Kettle bell swings

As many rounds as possible for 5 minutes... 3 times. Each Pass is a point, the woman with the most points at the end, is deemed the winner.

Current Condition Medal Holder: Nikki

As of now there has yet to be a girl who has obtained the honor of possessing all the titles at the same time... at the point, we refer to her as a "Triple Crown" Athlete.

Our Career Day Lecture

Hello class! Thank you for inviting me.

My name is Big Bang Mike O'Laskey and I... am a Cage Fighter.

Now you might be saying to yourself. "Cage Fighter? What is a Cage Fighter doing on career day?... What does Fighting have to do with school?"

But fighting... like most things in life... Is about Science!

You see... A Fighter to YOU, maybe be just a Dude who punches another dude in the face... But to me? A fighter is a scientist. Sure, our lab coats are way cooler and our laboratory is a steel cage... But we're scientists none the less. You see a fighter, uses the scientific method... through testing and analysis to find out what works in the cage... and what doesn't work.

You see A fighter, uses something called Kinetic Energy. This is something you may of learned in class, Its the Power my fist has... Due its motion. So in order to increase my Power... a fighter needs to understand how he can do one of two things... I need to increase my Mass, or the Size or Weight of my attack.... Or, increase my velocity... Or the speed at which my attack is thrown.

Who here likes Math? Well if your hand isn't raised then  you best not consider a career in fighting because even the ancient art of Butt Woop... Uses Math.

See the Power of my punch is Kinetic Energy and it is shown as:

KE

So if I want to increase Power, I have to increase my Kinetic Energy... And I already told you guys how to do that... Increase my Mass or my Velocity.

MV

So at the end of the day? My Whether or not I win or lose a fight... can be entirely dependent on:

KE= 1/2mv squared.

Hmmm... That looks a lot like a math equation doesn't it?

But it doesn't end there... A fighter must understand anatomy or the study of the human body. A fighter trains intensely for 3 to  4 hours a day. That means he needs to understand how carbohydrates fuel the body with the energy to maintain that work. He needs to understand how Protein synthisis rebuilds and strengthens his muscle... and how his body can lose 10 to 15 pounds of water in just one day... safely... for the day of weigh ins....    

See class... my point is... at the end of the day... Whether you want to be a Lawyer, Doctor, Fireman orr Cage Fighter... It all starts with what you learn here... in this class room. So stay in school and pay attention, because no matter what you decide to do with your life... you're going to need this.

"Big Bang" Mike O'Laskey is an MMA Fighter and Coach With a Martial Arts School in Burbank California

1312 W. Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91506
olaskeyma@gmail.com

Tel: 818-480-7810

www.olaskeyma.com

Muay Thai Itinerary... Day 3 (Oct 9th)

Okay folks, we had our fun with there upper body... but lets face it. If you wanted to study a fighting style sans the kicks you would have gone with dirty boxing a la Brad Pitts character in "Snatch". This week, We're getting your Kicks and Knees Down.

Muay Thai is a fairly simple art form as far a movements go. Most of the arts complication comes from attack and defense strategy in more advance levels... The kick, is the most important and most complicated of these movements... We will break down the physiology of the kick in to four step so you understand it in detail.

You will learn how the knee draws power from the ground to inflict the same damage as a 40 mpg car collision.

Your class this night will be lead by active MMA fighter and long time teacher, Sensei Mike "Joey" O'Laskey.

Muay Thai Kickboxing Itinerary Day 2! (Tuesday Oct.7th)

First off, Lets take a moment to congratulate friend of the school and Head Chef of Cena at the Chateau Chris Wellmon for his excellent first round victory in the cage... His opponent was nearly half his age!

 

But you don't have to walk through the threshold of the cage to be a Martial Artist, or to even want to study kickboxing! Muay Thai trains the Body and Keeps the mind sharp, And your second class in your free month will show you just that!

Building on the basic principles we learned last week we are going to build some punch and elbow combos... Working on technique and timing as well as lightening fast speed. Make sure you bring some water to this class. Because after a quick warm up review of the punches from last week... You will be right on the pads!

These combos will range in numbers from 3 counts all the way up to 8 counts. What you will find within these combos is not only a good work out, but because the distance varies between movements, you will be working on your body movement a bit more. We call this "Closing the Distance" and its a concept you will become very familiar with by the end of this session.

The great thing about Muay Thai... Is every hour you do it, You are burning nearly 800 calories... That is more than an hour on the treadmill... and you learn the very skills that have helped me and other fighters around the world... win in MMA cages!

Your homework this week, will be to Shadow Box the combos that we did in class... If it is difficult to remember... Ask on our Facebook wall! We'd Be happy to remind you!

 

 

Your Kick Boxing Itinerary. Day 1. (Thursday Oct. 2nd)

Muay Thai Kick Boxing is a 3000 year old Martial Art and the National Sport of Thailand. It is often referred to as "The Science of 8 Limbs" because contrary to western boxing, in Muay Thai you not only employ your fists... But your elbows, feet and knees as well.

 

 Your first class will focus on getting you used to the upper half of that list. You will learn the terminology and proper application of the Jab, Cross, Hook, Lead Elbow and Rear Elbow. We will "Shadow" each movement in the air. Then apply those same basic movements on focus mitts or "Pads". Once we are certain you are comfortable with the movements... We will build a Butt Kicking 6 count combo!

Your class will be Lead by Michael O'Laskey the Sr... A former Army Green Beret with over 30 years experience in the Martial Arts! His high energy and constant pace should have you working up a sweat just enough to be proud of the work you've put in... But not too much to where you cannot learn this new skill set...

HOMEWORK: Do you wanna get the most out of this Free Month? Well if you do some home review then by the next class you'll be Buzz sawing through combo sets in a way that will make the other class members jealous! Your homework will be to stand in front of the mirror and "Shadow Box" just as you did at the beginning of class... Do this once a day until your second class comes along on Tuesday Oct 7th... You'll need it! See Below.

In front of the mirror lightly:

Jab 20x
Cross 20x
Hook 20x
Lead Elbow 20x
Rear Elbow 20x
And the 6 count combo 20x








Class is at 7:30!

Our Address is:
1312 W. Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, Ca. 91506
(West of Victory / Between Mariposa & Griffith Park Dr.)

The Itinerary of Activties for Sensei Joey's Fight Weekend

I am writing this blog to give you guys an itinerary of events that is happening the weekend of Sept 5th... So you guys know what is in store and perhaps plan accordingly.

 



Friday Sept 5th 6pm.

Doors open at SteelFists "Rise Up"... 17 bouts of the Future Stars of MMA in action. Yours Truly is the Co-Main Event. Thus I will likely be going up 2nd to Last. Enjoy your libations and the company of the others at your own reserved table Cage Side to the Action. You will have your own server and there IS food served at the event... Though I wouldn't expect anything more than the likes of Hot Wings and Fried stuff with Cheese. Don't forget to cheer loudly, take pics and videos... And scream the war cry of the Lost Boys "Bangarang" at the top of your lungs at any given moment.

After the event I will come out (Belt in tow) and we will have fun taking pics... After the Venue closes down I hope to convince the owners to let us take pics inside the cage... This is, of course, if they are gracious enough to allow us ruffians in there :-)

 

Approx. 10pm 10:30pm ish to nights end

Don't get too Boozed up at the event. Because afterward we are heading towards BAR X. Currently owned by Salt Lake Native Ty Burrell (Of Modern Family Fame). Bar X first opened their doors in 1933 the same year Utah repealed prohibition. With a Classic Speakeasy feel, Bar X in my opinion serves the BEST cocktails in SLC, allowing the alcohol to take center stage... Rather than sugary un-natural additives....



 

 



 

Saturday Sept 6th 11:00 am Park City


Our first stop is High West Distillery... The first legal distillery in Mormon centered Utah since 1870. We will take a compelling tour of the distillery (and co-incidentally my favorite whisky brand) where they will go over the history of alcohol in Utah. This will end with a Tasting of what has come to be called "Valley Tan" by Utahns... As Mark Twain put it:

 

 

 “the exclusive Mormon refresher; valley tan is a kind of whisky, or first cousin to it; is of Mormon invention and manufactured only in Utah. Tradition says it is made of [imported] fire and brimstone. If I remember rightly, no public drinking saloons were allowed in the kingdom by Brigham Young, and no private drinking permitted among the faithful, except they confined themselves to Valley Tan.”(from “Roughing It”, Mark Twain, 1871)

 

 

Concluding the tour we will have lunch... High West serves amazing cocktails Paired with outstanding food. It stands as one of my favorite Restaurants in Utah as well! (Insider tip, Though I am a man who loves his Whisky... Their Peach Vodka is killer... I wont mock you for sipping on it... as you will probably see me doing the same while attempting to pass it off as a lady friend's)

 

From 1ish til dinner... Explore!

Here you have choices. You can go and explore Park City by your lonesome if you like. Park City is rich with history everywhere. Unlike SLC... PC was settled by silver miners... Not Mormons. So its past I consider to be far more entertaining! I suggest the Park City Museum to get acquainted... The following picture is current to the Historic Main Street... Fun shops and places to explore!



 

 

Should you decide to stick with me and my Merry Band of Lost Boys. You will discover more watering holes such as "No name Saloon"... a still standing Miner's bar that is a relic of the silver towns history.

 

 

And Wasatch Brew pub... A local microbrewery that doubles as a social critique to Mormon control of the state... With beer labels like "Evolution Ale", "Polygamy Porter", "Fist Amendment Ale"... Wonder why I like them so much!

 

 

7pm Cena Restorante and Lounge at The Chatuex with Chef Chris Wellmon

 

Fellow Hidden Valley Team Mate Chef Chris Wellmon was gracious enough to set us up with a unique dining experience at this exclusive Park City resort. Cena has an Italian-inspired menu and warm hospitality, this award-winning eatery strikes a scrumptious balance of comfort food and culinary sophistication. We will dine as exclusive guests of the Chef where he will make everything from scratch and with love. A tad upscale but not overbearing... just don't show up in shorts in a tank top. Average Price Per Person tends to be in the $30-$40 range.

 

 

After Dinner til ... wel... Whenever

 

We can do what ever you like at this point... Go to another bar, go back to our rooms. If you want to hang out some more depending how we are feeling we can hit up Rock n' Reilly's... And Irish style contemporary lounge that has written its own tall tales... Upon hearing of the Mormons decree against booze in Utah...

 

"[Reilly] ...stowed away on a whiskey boat bound for the dry state. Reilly was now in a strange land, armed with nothing but a family recipe for Irish whiskey and a smuggler’s wit. He quickly organized a gang of misfits known as the Black Eye Society and took over the routes of the region’s milkmen. This enabled him to deliver whiskey in a cleverly disguised milk bottles right to people’s front doors."

In honor of this legend we can indulge in a shot of that very whiskey... aptly named "Mother's Milk". So when questioned, The Black Eye Society was Technically not Lying to the Police.

 



 

 

And we can settle in the "The Downstairs Lounge" A contemporary and sophisticated Ultra Lounge with a Dance floor and DJ spinning the latest hits.

 

 

So guys! That's it... I hope that you guys have just as much fun as I am going to have being there with you. And remember... If any of this seems boring, you're always MORE than welcome to opt out of any activity... I wont take any offense. This is just the stuff I know best. It'll be all the more fun with me wearing the belt all weekend! Thank you all sooooo much for your support!