1 comments about Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu Karate Vol 2.

1. This DVD contains Katas specifically for the Shorin Ryu Matsubayashi system. If this is the system you are learning, this DVD is a must. There are many versions of these katas out there, but here you get the original kata, not a watered down version. The DVD quality is excellent.

1 comments about Workout & Stretching Martial Arts-D.

1. The different methods in this DVD will help and improve your excercises, and without equipment. It will also help you develope your resistance and your muscular mass.

3 comments about The 18 Bronzemen.

1. Oh, if only Carter Wong acted in movies today and thereby completely shutting down the over hyped over stlylized psuedo-hip pile out these days! Unmatched intensity and inexahaustible passion was Ka Tat (carter Wong) stlye. He truly delivers in this, the first of an unofficial trilogy ending with "The Blazing Temple", directed all by Joseph Kuo, who had an interest in James Bond films as well. The bronzemen are an invention after the gold-dipped girl in "Goldfinger". Here though, they are given life by some hard hitting action packed Shaolin kung fu. The dvd also does justice to the original film's presentation and the back story of the young exiles seeking training and eventual revenge on the conniving enemy of Manchu. There are the sub-plots that bring life to the action and round out the film well, setting up for the classic great climax. The only problem with the feature is the subtitles, that at times are unclear and poorly translated. Though it is an old kung fu flick, so, many of us have gotten used to witnessing the injustice done to the chinese cinema: awful english dubbed dialogue, terrible american editing, and skewed up subtitles (to name a few). Of course, we sit through this patiently and truly enjoy a good exiciting original action film.



2. Oh, if only Carter Wong acted in movies today and thereby completely shutting down the over hyped over stlylized psuedo-hip crappile out these days! Unmatched intensity and inexahaustible passion was Ka Tat (carter Wong) stlye. He truly delivers in this, the first of an unofficial trilogy ending with a stunning "The Blazing Temple", directed all by Joseph Kuo, who had an interest in James Bond films as well. The bronzemen are an invention after the gold-dipped girl in "Goldfinger". Here though, they are given life by some hard hitting action packed Shaolin kung fu. The dvd also does justice to the original film's presentation and the back story of the young exiles seeking training and eventual revenge on the conniving enemy of Manchu. There are the sub-plots that bring life to the action and round out the film well, setting up for the classic great climax. The only problem with the feature is the subtitles, that at times are unclear and poorly translated. Though it is an old kung fu flick, so, many of us have gotten used to witnessing the injustice done to the chinese cinema: awful english dubbed dialogue, terrible american editing, and skewed up subtitles (to name a few). Of course, we sit through this patiently and truly enjoy a good exiciting original action film.



3. The first part of the movie is awesome real action and brilliance with carter wong outshining the hero everytime. Its bad luck for the dud playing the lead role , but carter wong cannot be put second . The first part shows the maze and the training , the second is full of suprises , some that are cheesy and not needed. I felt the second part , where they leave the temple is where it starts to go a bit down .....
   
   but buy this movie the action is worth your money...

5 comments about High Risk.

1. Don't take this movie for more than what it is, a comedy. It was funny, Jet Li fans won't find what they're looking for, if they want typical Jet Li. It's some pretty good fighting scenes at the end, especially when Frankie, turns from a coward to a fighting machine. If you watch this movie not expecting much, you'll be pleased.



2. Jing Wong truly sinks to a new low with this movie. Jet has one oustanding action sequence but other than that, he just isn't used.
   
   Jacky Cheung is the star of this movie and plays an actor who absolutely never uses stunt doubles. It became apparent within 5 minutes that this movie was made to make fun of Jackie Chan. Of course it didn't have to be so obvious but Jing Wong just keeps driving it into your head that he does his own stunts. So if you are familiar with Jing then you know this isn't going to be a tribute to Jackie. Oh no, it is a punch to the throat through the movie screen. Jet Li plays Cheung's bodyguard and ends up doing the a stunt for him. After setting up his stupid Jackie Chan character, Jing tries to do a remake of Die Hard. Remember how you never knew what Bruce Willis was going to do and it was always surprising? Well Jing makes about the worst movie possible from here on. Instead of being clever, he makes Jet just keep storming in on the hostages and then flee. At one point he takes a helicopter up and starts shooting right into the buiding at the main bad guy with all of the hostages standing around. After the helicopter crashes into the side of the building it doesn't blow up, it just destroys everything on that floor. So other than one outstanding action sequence between Jet Li and Ben Lam(guy with sunglasses), this movie is a complete waste of time. Even Billy Chow couldn't save this one. Of course it would help if Wong Jing was smart enough to capitalize on the success of Billy Chow and Jet Li in 'Fist of Legend', but instead we don't get to see them fight and get to look at Billy Chow in a thong. Yeah, that it just what I am looking for.
   
   The Universal Laser and Video company version is OK but the imbedded subtitles are sometimes hard to read. There is a version of this released by Dimension Video(grrrr)that has been retitled Meltdown and has been shortened by 10 minutes and also has gotten a horrible new soundtrack including English dubbing and rap music replacing what was in the original. Doesn't matter which one you get because the Chinese version isn't really any better since it is not a good movie to begin with.



3. Meltdown has a lot of great things going for it and a lot of stupid things. This is an action packed movie that has some great fights and some other great action scenes. There are a lot of cool characcters in the film, but unfortunately there are plenty of stupid ones as well. The story is ok but the dubbing ruins everything, unless you get your hands on the original Chinese version. The guy that dubs Jet Li's voice sounds...like...he...is.....acting like...William....Shatner acts on the.....original.......Star.....Trek series.
   
   Kit (played by Jet Li) is Frankie Lone's bodyguard, a famous stuntman who has become a disspointment and a drunk coward to those closest to him. He is a big fraud, and Kit has been accustomed to covering for his stunts while not taking the credit. Frankie and Kit become part of a major hostage crisis in a fine HK hotel during a jewelry exhibit. Kit encounters the same men again, two years after they killed his wife and a bus full of school kids.
   
   There are two villains in the movie that are pretty awesome. The first, whose name I can't remember, fights Jet Li about 3/4 through the movie. It is my favorite fight scene of the movie and one of my favorite Jet Li fight scenes in any movie. The fight is intense and quick, beginning with gun shots, then some good ol fancy martial arts, finally ending with an interesting swordsfight, where Kit improvises by using a lighting rod from the ceiling. The other villain is Kong, played by Billy Chau (also appeared as Jet Li's nemesis in Fist of Legend). Unfortunately, Kong only has a very quick fight against Kit early in the movie, but he provides the final fight of the movie against Frankie, lasting a good 5 minutes and again combining martial arts with weapons. Its a good fight, but the previous fight mentioned was much better.
   
   Aside from these great fights, there is a lot of action consisting of lots of gunfire, driving a minivan through the hotel, and even bringing a helicopter into one of the upper stories, creating quite a disaster.
   
   Its the dubbing and the rest of the characters that becomes complete annoyance throughout the film. There is also dumb humor that fails to be funny, and ends up being really cheesy and unsuccessful at creating comedy.
   
   The Chinese language version should provide a better experience for this movie, unfortunately subtitles distract me too. However, if action is all you are after grab Meltdown and it will give you want you want.



4. This movie is all about entertaining.The combination between "Die Hard" and typical martial arts flick works in many levels, but the production values are Hong Kong`s, don`t miss that point.Fans of Jet Li are welcome, but action fans be careful. Here we can find scale helicopters burst in flames, exploding building models, chopped off dummies, you name it. The characters are extreme in their own context: Jet Li is a former military now becomed bodygard and stunt actor, loyal, gentleman, honorable, deadly, you know, a portrait of the typical good guy. The bad guys are also extremely violent and cool looking. He doesn't fight or kick much in this film, but he shoots a lot, dodging bullets from a dozen bad guys with machine guns with no scratch at all, his revolver shoots 30 bullets without reloading, he drives a car inside a hall and uses the elevator, that happens to be be the right size...
   Well, you have to be in the right mood to watch this film without laughing at the many cartoonish production mistakes. But if you are into Hong Kong low production values action films, you will really enjoy one of the best ones of the 90`s.
   
   By the way, this DVD edition sucks. English dubbed, subtitles, poor sound and no extras, not even a filmography.



5. How great of a film is DIE HARD? DIE HARD left such an indelible mark in cinema that movie producers all over the world have been rehashing its film premise ever since. MELTDOWN (aka SHU DAN LONG WEI, aka HIGH RISK), released in 1995, is only one film of many which blatantly [...] Bruce Willis's action opus. On its own merit, MELTDOWN isn't bad but isn't near the top of Jet Li's best flicks in terms of acting, storyline, or kung fu throwdowns. What it's got going for it is its infusion of mayhem and graphic violence, so if you're into that (and what dude isn't?), then it's good times for the viewer.
   
   The far-fetched plot: A deadly early encounter with a terrorist mastermind simply known as the Doctor leaves military Lieutenant Kit Li (Jet Li) a widowed man feeling guilt and in search of revenge. Two years later, Li is now toiling away as a bodyguard to crass, world-renowned kung fu movie star Frankie Lone (Jackie Cheung), who much like Jackie Chan, insists on performing his own stunts. But, unbeknownst to the public, Li actually also serves as Frankie's stunt double on occasions when Frankie has had his drink on. Frankie used to be a heralded martial artist but has "forgotten" the wushu way and is now basically a craven womanizer.
   
   When the posh Grandeur Hotel hosts an invaluable set of Russian jewels, it becomes the point of convergence for Kit, Frankie, and the Doctor and his gang of terrorists. Kit, at last, has a chance to atone for his blunder two years ago. Can he find a way to overcome the mastermind's cunning and ruthlessness? And can Frankie find his long-missing kung fu? Will the plucky girl reporter find love with Kit? Will the dubious film director be defenestrated? Can Jackie Chan forgive MELTDOWN for making a caricature of his persona?
   
   I don't recall the ratio but it seems to me that Jet Li wields a gun here more than he resorts to chop socky. The action sequences are still dang tootin' nifty, but I guess the producers really were going for that DIE HARD sensibility, ergo more firearms. Jet Li remains a very likable persona and his performance is pretty good here as he plays up the stoic, heroic role. As for Jackie Cheung - you either like his performance or you want to slap him silly. I got very annoyed with his incessant mugging and I personally didn't think he was funny, but I know friends who did. His character was meant to be a spoof of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, but I didn't much care for it.
   
   Too, the editing staff should've been canned for the inconsistencies left in. There's a scene in which Frankie uses a shoe as a decoy, but the very next moment reveals Frankie shod on both feet. How Kit and the cop got the car out of the elevator to pull out a surprise on the terrorists is a mystery to me. There are several "people" falling out of the skyscraper who are too obviously fake dummies. See what I mean?
   
   Now, I saw MELTDOWN on dvd, dubbed in typically over-the-top English. I just wished I'd screened it in the original Chinese or Cantonese. As I've said elsewhere, more often than not, foreign movies lose something in translation. There's a chance Cheung wouldn't be as grating if he was presented in his native lingo. But, overall, despite its annoyances, MELTDOWN is worth watching for its crazy stunts and fierce violence. And for Jet Li, of course.

No comments about Taekwondo Defender of Kids.

2 comments about Shotokan Karate Kata: Kyu Level Forms.

1. 
   
   I bought this dvd alone with the volume 2, I was excited to see what the dvd has to offer, but my enjoyment was cutting short after the first look at the first two Katas. Heian Shodan, the rhythms of the katas and the hand adjustment are a little different; eg the fist hammer strike(Ken-Tsui) is very poorly execute without pause. Instead of 2 Kiai, there is another Kiai at the first ge-dan-barai.
   
   2nd Kata Heian Nidan, just the first movement "palm facing palm" instead of "plate and cup", he did this with three KIAI instead of two: the extra Kiai was at chu-dan ura-ken-uchi (back-fist attack) and right yoko-geri keage (side snap kick.)
   
   Over all the DVD itself was a very well make with great camera angle as well as the instruction are very well make. Specially the bonus bunkai of the first five Heian Katas.
   
   I wish that by writing this review will give the buyer brief idea what you got yourself into.
   
   This dvd is not the orginal Shotokan kata that I would like see. So if you want to buy this dvd with an open mind to except the fews changes in each kata then this is the one. Otherwise I would hightly recommand you to buy the book "25 Shoto-Kan Kata" by S. Sugiyama and his students instead.
   
   Thank you



2. I purchased this video as a reference for fine-tuning my kata. The production of this video was great. They showed all 4 angles of the form, along with practical applications of the techniques. What I did not appreciate was the poor form of Mr. Flores. His motion was robotic. There was no fluidity at all. Everything was telegraphed, his stances were shoddy, his head was bobbing throughout his steps, he did not marry his hand attacks with gravity, and so on. If I was a judge at a competition, I would give him a 3 out of 10 if he was a blue belt. For a so-called "master" to give a performance like this is shameful.

1 comments about Duke Roufus Muay Thai Instructional DVDs, 8 Amazing Volumes for Full Contact Kickboxing, Muay Thai & Mixed Martial Arts Fighting.

1. This is an excellent teaching product for those who want to become better at muay thai/kickboxing. Duke explains in detail from all different angles each move. For those of you looking to get an excellent quality standup game, I'd highly reccommend this dvd! Easy to follow and very technique oriented.

1 comments about Big Box of Kung Fu, Vol. 3.

1. Amazon, you dope! Vol. 4 contains the films listed above, not
   three! Big Box of Kung Fu Vol. 3 contains Return of the Chinese
   Boxer, The Bloody Fists and Holy Robe of Shaolin Temple! GET IT
   RIGHT!
   
   THE RETURN OF CHINESE BOXER
   
   The story is about this Princess who is on a misson to
   assassinate some samurai! But she runs into trouble when a
   Kunoichi and some other samurai fighters try to intercept her
   mission! Along comes the bad ass Jimmy Wang Yu to stop all these
   people from killing her! The movie was awsome! Though the story
   was non-sensical, it still was great! The movie has some
   influences towards Master of the Flying Guillotine but very
   little! And Wang Yu dirrected this film too! The picture quality
   is good! Though the movie does suffer from degration and
   scratches, the colors look good!
   
   BLOODY FISTS
   
   This one is about this Japanese fighter who is going around
   beating up Chinese fighters! That's it! This one is a bit
   boring! The fights weren't anything special and supposively Yuen
   Wo Ping choreographed the fights in this movie but he's not
   credited at all! Therefore it could be a lie! But who knows! The
   picture quality is descent with the usual white speckles and
   stuff but overall it's watchable!
   
   Holy Robe of Shaolin Temple
   
   Another one of those depressing Shaolin movies where the Monks
   are treated like poo poo! Only some escape and are on a mission
   to protect the red robe from the evil Manchus! This one I liked!
   I always love watching Shaolin kung fu demostrations in these
   films! The fights were great! The picture is descent though it's
   a bit faded!
   
   All these movies are in widescreen! Holy Robe has imbedded
   Chinese and English subtitles and is in Chinese! The others are
   english dubbed! The DVD's play fine without hiccups or technical
   issues!

2 comments about Slave of the Sword.

1. Outside of Hong Kong (Thailand, excetera) there are tons of VERY LOW budget movie studios. Basically, to save money, they take stock footage from Hong Kong films (since the fights are the most exspensive and time consuming to film) cut it down, and edit them into thier own cruddy productions. Case in point, Slave of the Sword's fights are taken from Butterfy,Comet,and Sword (aka. Butterfly and Sword). Butterfly,Comet,and Sword is great, but Slave of the Sword stinks. The only thing it offers is a creepy love scene in wich a dog barks in slow motion, while rivers of blood are superimposed across tha couple bonking, and some screeching music plays in the background. But, even that cant save this cheapie.



2. This is a pretty strange, creepy movie.

   The cinematograpy is pretty lavish, with interesting imagery of scattering white flower petals and constantly billowing opaque curtains blowing in the wind at night. The people are all beautiful, if conniving and evil. This movie contains a surprisingly large amount of adult-grade erotic content (lesbian kisses, rape scenes, nudity), so is not one for the kids.

   Overall, this one makes for an interesting night, and if it just had more character development and a somewhat more sophisticated plot, the luscious imagery, fantastic atmosphere, other various interesting touches would make this film a recommended one in my opinion.

5 comments about Pride Fighting Championships: Body Blow.

1. Fedor Emilianenko is now considered the best fighter in the world. Here we get to see him win his first championship fight. It is a very one-sided fight against champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Fedor gets on top and bashes him in the face with power and accuracy, while Nogueira tries to apply submission holds. This fight is good because the fighters are both excellent, but it isn't competitive, and lacks drama. Nogueira is a great one, but not against Fedor today.
   
   Carlos Newton is one of the best grapplers of our time, because of his sophisticated technique and his speed and mobility. He has beaten some of the best. He is matched against a great striker named Anderson Silva. We don't really get to see Newton do his thing. He makes the mistake of slugging with a slugger. We do get to see Silva do his thing.
   
   Kazushi Sakuraba is one of the best mixed martial artists ever. He has beaten opponents even more impressive than the ones Carlos Newton has beaten. Here he is coming off injuries and losses. He's healthy again. He completely dominates his opponent Nino Elvis Schembri, Elvis because of the sideburns. But when Schembri connects with a knee to the head, all of a sudden Sakuraba finds himself in a fight.
   
   Kevin Randleman and his dyed crewcut are matched against Quinton Rampage Jackson. These are two of the world's top black fighters. It's great to see the respect between these two. Randleman predicts a knockout one way or the other, and he's right, though a lot of time is spent maneuvering in the corner. The winner challenges the champ, Wanderlei Silva, who is in the first row watching. Silva answers the challenge, and it looks like a fight is about to break out in the ring after the fight.
   
   Dan Henderson, a top level fighter, is matched against Shungo Ohyama, someone I am not familiar with. Henderson hits too hard and has too much experience for Shungo. This is a mismatch, a showcase for Henderson.
   
   Akira Shoji fights Alexander Stiebling. Alex is a good one too, and taller than Shoji. Alex hits harder, until Shoji lands a shot that shakes him badly. The announcers are firmly on the side of one of the fighters, but two of the judges rule for the other, so we have a judging problem here. I agree with the announcers, and I find the judging suspicious. Not sure what fight they were watching or if it was really on the up and up. I hate to think that maybe it wasn't.
   
   The best pre-fight interview on the show is Stiebling. He explains that his former nickname was The Brazilian Killer, since he was 6-0 against good Brazilians, but then he lost on a cut to a Brazilian, and now his nickname is The Fighting Al Bundy because after a fight he sits on the couch, sticks his hands in his pants, and watches tv.
   
   The announcers are very good. The color guy, Bas Rutten, is one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time, a fact that viewers may not realize when they see him joking around. Bas in his prime could have given any one of these guys a fight, and may well have defeated all of them on the card except perhaps Fedor. And he isn't very much past his prime.



2. Pride 25: Body Blow is one of the best PPVs held by Pride. It contains enough surprise knockouts to appeal to any MMA fan, casual or loyal.
   
   The fight card is as follows (scored on a scale of 0-10):
   
   - Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs Kazuhiro Kakamura (6/10)
   FYI: He's the twin brother, not the champ.
   
   - Akira Shoji vs Alex Stiebling (6/10)
   It wouldn't be a Pride event without Japan's favorite underdog Shoji.
   
   - Anderson Silva vs Carlos Newton (8/10)
   Don't let this one catch you off guard.
   
   - Dan Henderson vs Shungo Oyama (9/10)
   Best-paced match of the night.
   
   - Kazushi Sakuraba vs Antonio Shembri (7/10)
   Sakuraba's personality makes an otherwise predictable fight into a comedic meltdown.
   
   CO-MAIN EVENTS:
   - Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs Kevin Randleman (8/10)
   The winner of this match has a minor physical encounter with Wanderlei Silva. Great match and great showdown after the fight.
   
   - Fedor Emelianenko vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (7/10)
   This match gets more credit than it should. Granted, it was an important championship bout, but the commentators were really exaggerating the entertainment aspect of the fight.
   
   BONUS MATCH:
   - Alexander Otsuka vs Kenichi Yamamoto (0/10)
   
   The Special Features are nothing special. It includes a brief backstage clip before the event. The rest are stale photo galleries and biographies. The bonus match comprises of two fighters (Otsuka has lost his last 3 matches/Yamamoto has lost his last 5 matches) who're at the end of their careers.
   
   I don't know what Pride was feeding the fighters at this PPV, but Body Blow is a knockout fan's dream come true. Special Features aside, the event is always ranked among the top 10 Pride shows. Don't let this one pass you by.



3. PRIDE or PRIDE Fighting Championships is the largest mixed martial arts organization in the world. It is based in Japan and currently promoted by Dream Stage Entertainment (DSE). Its inaugural event was held at the Tokyo Dome on October 11, 1997, promoted by Kakutougi Revolution Spirits (KRS). It is the most popular MMA organization in the world based on the number of event attendees: the PRIDE Final Conflict 2003 event had over 67,000 people in the audience. The audience record is 91,107 people on the PRIDE and K-1 co-production Shockwave/Dynamite, held in August 2002. It is considered to be the premiere MMA organization on the planet.
   
   PRIDE 25: Body Blow is one of the greatest events PRIDE has ever held before. Playing host to 19,739 fans, this was a historic night that no MMA fan will ever forget. Here is a spoiler-free rundown of the fight card:
   
   ANTONIO ROGERIO NOGUEIRA vs KAZUHIRO NAKAMURA - 8/10
   - The younger brother of the PRIDE Heavyweight Champion, Rogerio Nogueira, takes on a Yoshida Dojo protege in Kazuhiro Nakamura. This is a pretty good fight with an impressive showing by both men.
   
   AKIRA SHOJI vs ALEX STEIBLING - 10/10
   - What a war! Neither fighter is considered great but you'd never know it by watching these two guys throw down. Just when you think one man has the victory within grasp, his opponent turns it around. Repeat this cycle for three rounds.
   
   ANDERSON SILVA vs CARLOS NEWTON - 9/10
   - A highly anticipated fight between two of the world's top fighters. The end result is a very devastating KO.
   
   DAN HENDERSON vs SHUNGO OYAMA - 9/10
   - What looks like a mismatch on paper turns out to be much more than that. On paper, Dan Henderson is the heavy favorite but Shungo Oyama doesn't back down.
   
   ANTONIO SCHEMBRI vs KAZUSHI SAKURABA - 9/10
   - The greatest fighter in MMA history, Kazushi Sakuraba, returns to the ring to face off against an upstart newcomer in Antonio Schembri. Did Sakuraba easily dispatch of his opponent as everyone expected, or did Schembri pull off an unexpected performance? You'll have to watch to find out.
   
   QUINTON "RAMPAGE" JACKSON vs KEVIN RANDLEMAN - 8.5/10
   - Two of the world's top five 205lbs fighters do battle in a #1 contender's bout for the PRIDE MW Championship. Both men have very similar styles and this results in a very entertaining fight. The post-fight aftermath is almost as good as the fight.
   
   ANTONIO RODRIGO NOGUEIRA vs FEDOR EMELIANEKO - 10/10
   - Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the World Heavyweight Champion and the best fighter in the world, defends his title in the main event. His opponent; the unstoppable Russian cyborg known as Fedor. The ensuing encounter results in one of the greatest performances ever put forth by an MMA fighter.
   
   Overall, a remarkable PRIDE event. This is a night that will be looked back upon 50 years from now. The DVD contains some decent bonus features including an extra fight, a photo gallery, and a few behind-the-scenes featurettes.



4. March 16, 2003
   Yokohama Arena, Japan
   
   This was, by far, one of the best Pride Fighting events I have ever seen. It is in fact one of the best mixed martial arts shows that has ever taken place. The matchups are outstanding and the performances delivered by the fighters are amazing. From beginning to end, this is a thrilling and historic event.
   
   Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura:
   Nogueira is much larger than Nakamura. Nakamura, however, scores with an early takedown of Nogueira. This fight becomes a very tactical battle, as Nakamura proves to be far tougher than expected. The fight gets slightly less interesting as it wears on, but it all ends with a submission for some final excitement in the battle.
   
   Alex Steibling vs. Akira Shoji:
   There is some intense action in the 1st round. Shoji drops Steibling - Steibling regains composure and takes over to dominate and win the round. In the 2nd round, Steibling stalks Shoji. After three great rounds of action, the fight ends in a shockingly incorrect decision. Great fight! Great drama!
   
   Carlos Newton vs. Anderson Silva:
   This was the earliest fight I'd seen Anderson Silva in. I was very excited to see him go up against a talented fighter like Carlos "The Ronin" Newton. Newton takes Silva down early and controls the flow of things on the ground. He doesn't necessarily do any damage to Silva, yet he dictates the pace somewhat. The referee stands them up and Silva is yellow-carded and penalized for inactivity. Perhaps someone took the term "inactivity" as an insult because the fight ends with a crushing strike within a second of being stood up. Silva dresses up like Michael Jackson after the fight and does a dance in the ring. He is entertaining on top of being an amazing talent in mixed martial arts.
   
   Dan Henderson vs. Shungo Ohyama:
   Henderson is coming off of a stirring performance in a loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. He had gained even more fans and popularity due to that fight. Here, against Ohyama, Henderson lands some good shots right away. Ohyama makes a good fight of it, however. It ends in very exciting fashion. This is an outstanding bout.
   
   Nino Schembri vs. Kazushi Sakuraba:
   Sakuraba, with his huge celebrity status in Japan, entertains the crowd on the way toward the ring. Once inside the ring, he dominates what appears to be a terribly outclassed Nino Schembri. Three knees change all that and deliver one of the biggest upsets in all of Pride fighting. The crowd doesn't even know how to reach to what they see. More great drama in an already stellar night of fights.
   
   Next up is the co-main event!
   Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Kevin "The Monster" Rendleman:
   I was dying to see this fight... Both of these men fight with high intensity and skill. A bout between them would no doubt include some "fireworks". There is no animosity between them, yet they must face-off to determine who will go on to fight Wanderlei Silva. I was expecting a great fight, leaning toward Jackson in terms of ability to win the fight. He's just more entertaining that Randleman, in my opinion.
   
   The fight turns out to be high energy indeed. It stalemates for a few minutes, as neither man is able to take the other man down. During the battle for positioning and a takedown, Jackson does land some very solid knees to the mid-section of Kevin Randleman. Not to give it all away, one man drops the other and attacks to finish it with ground and pound... Awesome ending to the fight! The winner then has a confrontation in the ring after calling out Wanderlei Silva. Silva charges the ring and pushes the now top contender, claiming the belt is HIS. This will be the next great Pride fight and I can't wait to see it.
   
   The main event of the evening...
   Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Emelianenko Fedor:
   This is a dream-fight for Pride fighting fans. You rarely get to see two fighters who are this good go at it. These are two true warriors of the finest ilk and they are about to do battle to see who will reign over the heavyweight division. I am a HUGE UFC fan, but I must admit that for HEAVYWEIGHT fighters, you have to look to Pride for the top talent in the world. There is a huge buildup to what should be a landmark heavyweight bout...
   
   The fight goes to the ground and Fedor is able to employ his strong ground and pound to slowly batter Nogueira as we have never seen him be battered before. Nogueira continually makes submission attempts, constantly trying to position himself for the quick win, but Fedor is always able to pull out of danger with what appears to be minimal effort. Fedor appears, in this fight, to be a force unlike we have seen before in mixed martial arts. He lands a monster shot from the top position on the ground that causes some concern for Nogueira. Nogueira reverses the position... Fedor reverses it right back to his favor. It's back and forth at points, but largely one-sided overall. It goes to a unanimous decision.
   
   This is an excellent Pride Fighting show. The DVD includes plenty of behind-the-scenes footage in a few featurettes. This is required viewing for fans of mixed martial arts. Truly awesome.



5. This DVD is worth buying for the Rampage/Randleman fight alone! It does not matter if you are a newby to the sport, or a hardcore fan... you need to have this event in your collection.