Students from Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts of Hicksville competed victoriously at the Challenge of Champions XXVI Mixed Martial Arts competition, held at the Raritan Exposition Center in Edison, NJ on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2010. It was the third time the event has been held at this world-class 150,000 square foot facility.
Challenge of Champions XXVII hosted almost 2,000 mixed martial arts students of all ages and belt ranks to participate in this demanding test of skill and expertise. The event took place in front of a sold-out crowd of over 4,000 spectators and staff.
“Challenge of Champions provides the opportunity for competition amongst fellow students from throughout the five states that host Tiger Schulmann’s locations. For months in advance, they train hard and focus on maximizing their skills for this demanding competition,” said Sensei Curran, head instructor at the Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts School in Hicksville. “Our students gain self-confidence, focus and determination by preparing for and competing in this event. I’m very proud of each and every one of them.”
The areas of competition included Grappling and Fighting for junior competitors (ages 15 and under) and for adults of all ages.
Grappling is the largest event in the tournament and consists of close-range and ground fighting (similar to wrestling). The Submission Grappling divisions also have finishing or submission techniques such as chokeholds and joint locks, which can end a match quickly and are also extremely effective in real-life self-defense scenarios.
Although many real-life self defense situations end up on the ground, most martial arts and boxing styles neglect this aspect of training. Winners from the Hicksville Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts School in grappling competition include: Anna Adolphus (3rd), Stephanie Cefalo (1st), Anthony Ercolano (2nd), Nicholas Ercolano (1st), Anthony Green (3rd), Chris Huffman (1st), Alyssa Kamitsis (3rd), Andrew Kim (2nd), Thomas Klein (2nd), Angel Mendoza (2nd), Sam Nagy (1st), Steven Pavlak (2nd), Anurag Prasad (3rd), Wil Rivas (2nd) and Steven Sloma (2nd).
The Fighting competition featured competitors wearing protective gear and using a variety of strikes, blocks and targeted kicks to outscore their opponent. Over 1,000 students participated in this fast-paced sparring competition. Winners from the Hicksville Tiger Schulmann’s School in the Free Fighting competition include: Anna Adolphus (1st), Joseph Cefalo (1st), Stephanie Cefalo (3rd), Anthony Green (3rd), Andrew Kim (3rd), Thomas Klein (3rd), Anurag Prasad (2nd) and Joseph Zub (3rd).
Challenge of Champions was introduced over a decade ago in 1996 to promote the values gained from the oldest sport of competition and has grown to become the largest tournament of its kind in the United States. The next Challenge of Champions is scheduled for June 5, 2010.
For more information, please contact Sensei J. Curran at (516) 822-5425.
