Results tagged “Balance Studios” from MMA Explosion

Found out about this through the Migliarese brothers, who run Balance Studios in Philadelphia. It's a new MMA promotion operating out of Philly that has its first event tentatively scheduled for February 27, location and fights to be announced at a later date.

MATRIX PROMOTIONS MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is to promote the most electrifying showcase of mixed martial arts. Our promotion will be born in Philadelphia and eventually reach the world. Our elite MMA fighters from around the globe will entertain local professionals and fight aficionados.

Click here for the web site, if you want to fight for the promotion, or just receive updates.

Go to the next page to read about who is involved in Matrix Fights.

Date: Relson Gracie Seminar (Tues Nov 24, 2009)
Times: (All evening classes will be canceled)
6pm-7:30pm Gi Class ($40)
7:30pm - 9:00pm No Gi ($40) Both classes ($75)

Please Call Balance Studios at 215 636 9661 to reserve your spot.

Relson's Seminars generally sell out within the first day, so Call ASAP if you want a space.

If you are a Memeber of Balance Studios, see Josh in the office to reserve your space.

Jim Hettes is a 22-year-old who looks like he's 16, a professional who starts his day with a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. A 140-pound man who doesn't even bother to tell anyone what he really does for a living.

He has learned a lot these last few years. One thing he has picked up is, it's not worth trying to get anyone to look past what seems obvious.

"I tell them I'm self-employed," Hettes said. "I don't tell them I'm an MMA fighter.

"Usually, when you tell them you're an MMA fighter, they look at you a little different. Some people understand it. Some people think you're just a thug or something. Half the people think I'm B.S.-ing them anyway."

Actually, far from it.

Baltimore had its first MMA event a couple weeks ago - Shogun Fights - and Pennsylvania's Jim Hettes represented GracieNEPA and MMAMelee to the fullest, winning by armbar in the first round. I posted a vid of the fight a while back, but here it is again, from another angle, posted just a few days ago at MMAMelee. Parts two and three are on the next page.

Thanks to mmamelee for the video.

Jim "Kid Havoc" Hettes kicks Steven Baker. Thanks to MMAMelee, the ultimate MMA social networking site, for the pic and story.

ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS:
In front of more than 5,000 fans, Jim Hettes becomes the first man in history to win a Professional mixed martial arts bout in the state of Maryland. (See Video) Saturday night Shogun Fights was not only a staple of excitement for the city of Baltimore, but also every MMA fans dream.

Shogun is a brand new promotion and they didn't put on a fight, they put on a show! Top level promotions like the UFC and Strikeforce should beware. If this is their first time doing it, there is definitely a new contender in the house. Full with celebrities, lights, cameras and plenty of action, the crowd was electric and never was that more evident then when Hettes's walk-out song 'Welcome to Jamrock' by Damian Marley started bumping, it sent chills down your spine.

from an exclusive interview with mmamelee.com, one of the best mma social networking sites:

It's been 4 months since Jim Hettes turned Pro and to say this guy takes his career serious would be an understatement. In that short time "Kid Havoc" assembled a 2-0 record and plans on capturing another victory Saturday night in what will be a historical event in Maryland, then he's scheduled to perform again in front of his hometown crowd November 27th. If you average that out, he's fighting every 6 weeks, still somehow he found time to win 2 Gold Medals in Judo at the Keystone State Games and donate his bones to Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone in preparation for his title fight. We sat down with Hettes to discuss his brutal schedule and find out what's in store for Saturday night.

MMA MELEE - Man you've been going hard the last couple months, what motivated you to start competing in MMA and how do you keep up with this pace?

JIM HETTES - I have always been into Martial Arts ever since I was a kid, from watching way to many kung fu flicks, to trying to throw a hoduken in my backyard. I wrestled as a kid, switched over to boxing at age 14, then two years later I started doing jiu jitsu, so it only seemed natural for me to follow the path into Mixed Martial Arts as I got older. As far as the pace, I just enjoy seeing my game get better and better and I love displaying the results. (***Hadouken-Japanese neologism literally "wave motion fist" a punch delivered with a blast of spiritual energy)

An entry at mmamelee.com from MMAtrix: JHET WON 135­ into the FI­RST ROUND by­ ARMBAR!!!!!­!!!!!

Jim Hettes is turning into one of Pennsylvania's best home-grown fighters. Hailing from the Scranton area and training at Gracie NEPA, I'm predicting great things for the guy some call J-Het and others know as Kid Havoc. Hettes fought on Saturday in Maryland's first MMA event, Shogun Fights, put on by John Rallo of Baltimore's Ground Control.

I've been posting blogs by two PA fighters, Derek Leyrer and Jim Hettes, originally posted on MMAMelee, a great MMA social networking site. Leyrer and Hettes spent about a month training Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. Here's a little teaser video of what's in store on Saturday.

From Hettes' MMA Melee blog:
As our training is coming to an end it's gonna be weird heading back home. No more crazy-ass Derek waking us all up at odd hours of the night jumping on our beds, no more waiting for the bathroom and most important no more training in this crazy altitude. But the craziest part of all is...I am gonna miss it alot! Everyone here has been great. Not just for the fact that they're all great fighters but that they are all genuinely good people.

So its week four out here in albuquerque (been here long enough to know how to spell that without checking) being out here has been a great experience I've been able to see and train with a lot of high-level and up-and-coming fighters. Everyone I've met has been super cool, relaxed and humble this is definitely something I will come back and do again.

Every week there has been new fighters coming into Jackson's to train. While I've been here I had to the chance to meet and train with Donald Cerrone, Leonard Garcia, Cub Swanson, Joe Stephenson, Keith Jardine, John Dodson and probably more that I can't even remember. It truly has been an amazing experience and a great learning opportunity.

Lately we've been helping Cowboy and his crew move into his new ranch about 30 minutes outside of Albuquerque. That's kept us pretty busy so we haven't done much other than that and training. Jimmy (Hettes) and I are getting our last couple of days training here in and then heading back to Philly to get ready for our own fights! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at home and coming back to New Mexico as soon as possible.

thanks to MMAmelee.com and Mike Malast for sending us out here!!

Derek Leyrer

Two PA boys, Jim Hettes from Gracie NEPA in Scranton and Derek Leyrer of the Fight Firm and Balance Studios in Philadelphia are helping Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone prepare for his upcoming WEC fight against Ben Henderson for the interim lightweight championship on Oct. 10. here is their blog on MMA Melee:

Everyone from the Tapout house just got back from our Amarillo road trip over the weekend. Friday we started the trip after meeting up with Skyskrape and Punkass on the tapout bus. The trip was about four hours which wasn't bad cuz cerrone and garcia's bus is pimped out with flat screens, xboxs and what not.

Saturday we woke up and went to the signing right away. It was cool being a part of their entourage watching people's reactions, cool to think of what could be one day. After the signing Saturday afternoon we all headed over to this gym in Amarillo and got it in before we headed to the fights. Funny part of the weekend was the bet between Bobby and Kris over the Michigan, Notre Dame game.. loser drank the six J aka Diesel Full (jimbean, jameson jose, jack, johnny walker, jeager) he was fucked up.

The fights were good there were a bunch of first round knock outs Don Frye got beat the first round... then we headed over to the midnight rodeo and got wrecked everybody was letting loose they had some crazy drink called kryptonite, it got u cross eyed. Sunday we were up again at another signing and back on the road as soon as we were done. All and all it was a great experience a lot of fun and its cool to see how Cowboy and Garcia live but it's good to be back at the house getting ready to train.

------ JHET's Mini Blog

A couple things that derek doesnt tell u guys. First off the funniest part of the weekend was when a couple of people went up to him and thought he was Sean Sherk and asked for an autograph. The fights were great, really good action and after that we went to a badass Honky Tonk bar called the Midnight Rodeo ( o ya its as badass as it sounds). You gotta see Kris McCray cut a rug, all I'm sayin is if fighting doesn't work out for him ( which it will) he has a mean career in professional dancing. His stanky leg is damn near perfected. Overall another great time, Cowboy, Leonard, Punkass and Skrape all walkin throughout the mall with us and made us feel like celebrities. Good to b back, got my ear drained today (Cowboy is a technician with that ) and back to another great week of training.

."
Looks like Gracie NEPA's Jim "Kid Havoc" Hettes is out there too, according to Leyrer's MMAMelee entries.

"weve been hitting it hard for the past couple days, practicing twice a day for a couple of hours each.. its not so much the time but the level of guys we are all training with and sparring against that just wears u out. im looking forward to a break on the weekend just hanging out. still as tired as i am i love the training here everyone at the gym is extremely respectful there is a lot of good character. tonight cerrone and garcia are coming back to town and i think we are going to a signing session with them later.. another first of many experiences ive had out here. i cant say enough how grateful i am to MMAmelee.com for giving me this opportunity

Leyrer's blog entry for 9/8 from mmamelee.com:
"so today we got two practices in one at greg jacksons gym in the morning and one at albuquerque kickboxing in the afternoon. at greg jacksons we went over footwork most defensive movent and finished off with some rolling. greg jackson himself taught the class and in general he seemed like a really friendly guy. there wre people from all over florida, cali, philly.. etc.. u name it so there is a lot of different talent and technique going through the gym. anyway after that we stopped in at some mexican foodmart which had badass ricemilk.. its funny to see how these guys eat i thought they would all be really rigid with their diet but the really eat whatever they want.. cowboy is impressively over 6 feet tall and weighs 162 at the moment and on top of that still rolls like a beast. most of the rest afternoon was spent relaxing and dicking around on the computer maybe some video games until we headed over to ABQ kickboxing for some for rolling and sparring. it was another great training session we all rolled until we couldnt anymore due to cramps i myself have dropped back down from 187 to 180 since i arrived. the rest of the night got crazy with cauliflower ear abuse, Halo 3 throw downs and mystery drinks (pickle juice, vodka, hot sauces, pepper and i dont know what else) we ended up staying awake till 3ish.. good times."

I was checking out MMA Melee, an MMA social networking site, (originating out of PA, but open to anyone, I'm sure) when I came across some blogs by a guy named Derek Leyrer.

Leyrer, it seems, is helping Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone prepare for his upcoming WEC fight against Ben Henderson for the interim lightweight championship on Oct. 10.

Here's Leyrer's blog from 9/7:
"So it's 11:57pm Saturday in Albuquerque and our second day with Donald Cerrone and his crew. we had a pretty easy day today we slept in later after a late night out with the cowboy. around 5pm we headed over to Albuquerque Kickboxing and rolled some bjj with all the guys. long story short everyone is a great match and there are a lot of hammers here.. im looking forward to some great training.. my last match i rolled with the cowboy and enjoyed the tough roll getting armbarred wasnt too bad either. after an hour and half training session we came back to the house cleaned up and rolled to the movies in the cowboy/tapout bus.. watched gamer (whatever) now we are winding it down and getting ready for tomorrow."

Earl is from Team Balance, run by the Migliarese brothers in Philadelphia. This was at Dover's Good Fight on Jan. 24.

Phil and Ricardo Migliarese, Relson Gracie black belts.