Toshido Mixed Martial Arts News

Team Toshido has highest winning percentage in the World!! - Sherdog.com

Team Toshido's Mike Hill Shines at Aggression MMA 8!

Just three weeks after his TKO victory at Battlefield Fight League 10, Team Toshido's Mike Hill increased his perfect professional record to 4-0 by defeating Edmonton fighter Mike Scarcello by unanimous decision at Aggression MMA 8!  After some back and forth action in the first, Hill found his stride, executing a number of takedowns and following up with some damaging ground and pound.  At the end of the three action packed rounds, all three judges had Mike Hill winning every round, scoring him the unanimous decision.

Team Toshido goes Undefeated at BFL 10!

Team Toshido went 3-0 at this weekend's Battlefield Fight League 10 event in Vernon, BC. 

Team Toshido member Cory Tosoff extended his professional MMA record to 2-0 after a hard fought split decision win over Nathan Swayze of Comox, BC.  It was a back and forth battle, but Tosoff's constant forward pressure was enough to give him the decision nod from the judges.

Team Toshido Member Mike Hill extended his professional record to 3-0.  After a feeling out period, Hill landed a devastating right hand that rocked his opponent Nolan Clark from Kamloops, BC.  After some jockeying for position on the ground, Hill released a barrage of ground and pound strikes forcing the referee to stop the fight at 4:51 of the first round by TKO.

Team Toshido newcomer Matt Dwyer made a statement in his pro MMA debut.  At just 41 seconds of the first round, Dwyer landed a flying knee which crumpled his opponent Levi Alford of Washington, USA, to the mat, scoring the fastest KO of the night.

Team Toshido Prodigy, Rory MacDonald Dominates at UFC 129!

Team Toshido Phenom, Rory MacDonald, earned the biggest victory of his mixed martial arts career, dominating Nate Diaz at UFC 129.

The fight was a blowout; the judges scored it 30-26, 30-27 and 30-26 in favour of MacDonald. At age 21, MacDonald looks tremendous. He really poured it on in the third round and slammed Diaz hard to the ground three times, with belly-to-back suplexes sending Diaz crashing to the canvas.

Team Toshido represented at BFL 7!

Team Toshido newcomer, Mike Hill, fought a smart and disciplined fight winning by unanimous decision to bump his professional record to 2-0 against a very tough opponent. Team Toshido's Clay Davidson showed unbelievable toughness and heart taking a fight against UFC, Strikeforce, and DREAM veteran Jesse Taylor on one weeks notice! Clay lost a unanimous decision but won the respect of all in attendance!

Team Toshido Undefeated at Pure Fighting Championships 6!

December 20th, 2010 -  Toshido Mixed Martial Arts of Kelowna, sent two of it’s professional MMA fighters to the Pure Fighting Championships event held in Red Deer, Alberta, last Friday.  “This was the pro debuts of both of my fighters”, stated Team Toshido Head Coach, David Lea. “It’s always exciting to release the new up-in-comers from Team Toshido to the MMA community.”

Team Toshido newcomer, Mike Hill, made short work of his opponent Dustin Tremblay from Red Deer, AB out of PURE MMA. From the opening bell, Hill set the pace which quickly ended in a devastating TKO (ground and pound) stoppage at just over four minutes of the first round.

The second member from Team Toshido to enter the cage was Cory Tosoff. Tosoff, in his pro debut, quickly made his statement by methodically taking his opponent, former Muay Thai Kickboxing Champion, Luke Spicer of Red Deer, AB, down to the mat and finishing Spicer with elbow strikes for the TKO stoppage at just 3:07 of round one. This victory put Tosoff on the map in the Canadian Middleweight division.

Team Toshido’s Rory MacDonald is still recovering from minor knee surgery, but is expected to return to the octagon on April 30th, 2011, at UFC 129, in Toronto!

Team Toshido's Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit win
"Fight of the Night" Bonus at UFC 115!

Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit put on an amazing fight at UFC 115 this past weekend, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Rory displayed incredible skill, constantly pressuring Condit with strikes and takedowns, winning the first two rounds on the judges scorecards. However, at the one minute mark of the third round, the tide turned, as Condit rocked Rory with a punch, then capitalized with a relentless ground and pound on the dazed MacDonald, with the referee stopping the bout with just 7 seconds left in the fight.

Rory displayed tremendous skill and heart throughout his bout, and represented himself and Team Toshido with unwavering class. Rory is the future of the UFC Welterweight Division!

Team Toshido Undefeated at Aggression Trilogy!

May 21, 2010 -  Team Toshido Mixed Martial Arts of Kelowna, sent three of it’s professional MMA fighters to the Aggression Trilogy event held at the Vernon Arena, last Friday.  “It’s always exciting to fight in front of your home town”, stated Team Toshido Head Coach, David Lea. “It’s a rare opportunity for local fight fans to see what level these local fighters are competing at.”

Team Toshido’s young gun, Russell Davis, made short work of his opponent Upneet Rai from Nanaimo, B.C., out of Impact MMA. From the opening bell, Davis set the pace which quickly ended in a devastating TKO (ground and pound) loss at just over one minute of the first round. This victory bumped Davis’ professional MMA record to 2-0.

The second member from Team Toshido to enter the cage was Clay Davidson. Davidson showed why he is considered one of the top Light-Heavyweight fighters in the country, by methodically taking his opponent, Devon Neis of Red Deere, AB, down to the mat and securing a shoulder lock (Kimura) submission for the tapout at just 2:20 of round one. This victory increased Davidson’s winning streak to six in a row and won him the “Submission of the Night” bonus.

The evenings Semi-Main Event pitted two undefeated fighters, Team Toshido’s Mike Adams (5-0) and Team impact’s Graham Spencer (5-0), in a battle to see who was the best 145lber in Western Canada. Round one saw lot’s of back and forth action with Adams getting the better of the exchanges. Round two, Spencer briefly threatened Adams with a rear choke, but Adams quickly reversed position and was able to secure his own guillotine choke, which caused the tapout at 2:59 of round 2. This win increased Adams’ professional MMA record to 6-0 and has taken him one more step closer to getting signed by the WEC.

Team Toshido's Rory MacDonald Dominates at UFC Debut!

picture courtesy of Dave Mandel  www.sherdog.com

Rory "The Waterboy" MacDonald, fighting out of Kelowna's Toshido MMA, wasted no time leaving his mark in the Ultimate Fighting Championships, this past Monday in Fairfax, Virginia. MacDonald faced former KOTC World Welterweight Champion, Mike "The Joker" Guymon (12-2) fighting out of Southern California. Despite getting caught with a hard right punch which dropped him to his knees for a brief second, MacDonald went on to showcase a flawless fight, dominating all aspects of the bout, which ended at 4:26 of round 1, with MacDonald forcing Mike Guymon to tapout due to an armlock submission. This win increased the young Kelowna fighter's impressive record to a perfect 10-0.

Team Toshido's Clay Davidson Wins at KOTC!

Team Toshido's Clay Davidson increased his professional MMA record to 5-1 after tapping out Team Revolution fighter, Matt Baker, by RNC near the end of round 1.

The fight started with Davidson walking into a massive right hook that momentarily stunned Davidson and opened a gash under his left eye that began to bleed heavily.  Davidson, however, quickly recovered, reversing Baker to his back, then putting on a Jiu-Jitsu clinic that had Davidson in control for the rest of the fight, where he eventually took the back of Baker and secured the choke.  Congrats Clay on a gutsy performance and another "W" on your record!

Team Toshido's Rory MacDonald Signs 4 Fight Contract with the UFC!

There's a new young gun in the UFC and he's Canadian -- 20-year-old welterweight Rory (The Waterboy) MacDonald.

The mixed martial arts fighter from Kelowna, B.C., who becomes the youngest on the UFC's roster (Dan Lauzon and Stefan Struve are 21), has signed a four-bout deal. He is expected to make his debut Jan. 11 on a televised Ultimate Fight Night card against Michael (The Joker) Guymon in Fairfax, Va.

MacDonald (9-0) finished out his King of the Cage Canada contract with a second-round KO of former light-heavyweight Nick Hinchcliffe on Sept. 25 and the UFC wasted little time snapping him up. The organization rarely goes after such young fighters but believes this one has the skills to survive among more experienced sharks.

"He's a young kid but he's quite the talent," said David Lea, MacDonald's coach and manager at Kelowna's Toshido Mixed Martial Arts Academy.

MacDonald has four knockouts and five submissions to his credit and none of his opponents have made it past the second round.

"When he started with me, he didn't even know how to throw a punch," Lea said. "He's been built from the ground up, sort of the new evolution of MMA fighter. He's very well-rounded. He's very dangerous on his feet and equally dangerous on the ground."

Born in Quesnel, MacDonald was 14 when he started training with Lea. He had his first pro fight at 16, with his parents having to give their approval to do so. Even then, only a few athletic commissions would sanction the youngster.

"People kept saying at 16 there was no way he could compete but he was leaving 20-year-olds in tears," said Lea, who believes MacDonald is "the next Canadian MMA superstar."

He won the King of the Cage Canadian lightweight title at 18 -- in his sixth fight -- and defeated Clay French in his next outing a year later to win the King of the Cage world 155-pound title. French is a member of Matt Hughes H.I.T. Squad camp.

Thanks to a growth spurt, MacDonald then moved up to welterweight and has won both fights since as a 170-pounder.

"He really had an awful lot of quickness but he's gained a lot of strength and definitely at welterweight he's a monster," Lea said. "It'll be a good weight for him."

Having graduated from high school, MacDonald now trains full time. And he has already worked with the best, spending time in UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre's camp earlier this year.

His nickname The Waterboy refers to the Adam Sandler film. Like Sandler's character in the movie, MacDonald apparently does not react well to anyone who tries to take liberties with him.

Guymon (11-2-1) is also a UFC newcomer who holds the King of The Cage world welterweight title. MacDonald was offered a shot at that title but elected to turn it down because of his UFC aspirations.

"It's kind of interesting because it's a fight that could have happened in King of the Cage but both of them have now been elevated to put this fight on in the UFC," said Lea.

MacDonald was seven when Tito Ortiz, who is slated to fight at UFC 106 in November, made his UFC debut at UFC 13 in May 1997.

- Canada Press

Team Toshido's, Rory MacDonald, Wins Again!

Less then one year after winning the King of the Cage (KOTC) World Lightweight Championship Title, Rory “The Waterboy” MacDonald, at just 20 years of age, increased his flawless professional MMA record to 9-0.

Last Friday in Edmonton Alberta, MacDonald , who trains out of Toshido MMA in Kelowna, squared off against the former KOTC Canadian Light-Heavyweight Champion, Nick Hinchliffe (12-4), from Nanaimo, BC.  Many believed Hinchliffe, who previously fought at 205 lbs, would be too big for the young MacDonald, but those thoughts quickly dissipated as MacDonald dominated the more experienced Hinchliffe from the opening bell.

The first round was a technical ground battle with MacDonald scoring a number of takedowns and unleashing a barrage of elbows and punches to his pinned opponent.  As round one wore down, Hinchliffe managed a quick reversal, but it was short lived as MacDonald scored another takedown to finish the round.  Round two saw Hinchliffe taking some damaging shots at the hands of MacDonald, ending in an upper-cut/ flying knee combo that dropped Hinchliffe to the cage floor. To his credit, Hinchliffe survived the onslaught, but just seconds later, MacDonald stepped in with a devastating right hook that dropped Hinchliffe for a second time, forcing the ref to halt the bout, at 2:20 of round 2, as MacDonald hammered a number of unanswered blows to his fallen opponent.

For MacDonald, this win marks the beginning of another chapter in the young fighter’s career. “This was Rory’s final fight on his King of the Cage contract”, stated Team Toshido Head Coach David Lea, “This win clears the way for Rory to fulfill his dream of fighting in the UFC. The world’s top MMA organization has shown great interest in Rory over the past year and we feel it’s only a matter of time until the deal is done.”

Team Toshido's Jake Macdonald Wins Professional IFC Title!

August 15^th, 2009 – This past weekend at the first ever professional MMA event to be held in Penticton, BC, Toshido MMA standout Jake Macdonald, with an undefeated professional record of just 2-0, dominated his opponent Travis Wright of Langley, BC, by way of TKO at the ending bell of the second round, to become the IFC Canadian Welterweight Champion.

“It’s literally unheard of for a fighter with such little competition experience to win a national title”, stated Toshido MMA Head Trainer David Lea, “but Jake’s skills far surpass his ring experience. We were confident that he would come out on top, which is exactly what he did.”

Also competing out of Toshido MMA this past weekend were professional fighters Mike Adams and Clay Davidson, whose wins brought Toshido MMA’s record to 3-0 at the IFC.

Adams continued his undefeated professional record to 5-0, by choking out his opponent, Roy Bradshaw of Washington, USA, at the 3:59 mark of round one, and Clay Davidson extended his record to 4-1, by forcing his opponent, Matt Baker of Kamloops, BC, to tapout due to a guillotine choke at 2:47 into round one.

Rory MacDonald Invited to Train with GSP!

Thanks to Tri-Star owner Firas Zahibi and UFC Fighter Denis Kang for inviting Team Toshido's Rory MacDonald to train at George St-Pierre's training camp in Montreal. Rory along with Clay Davidson, spent two weeks in Montreal training with the likes of GSP, Kang, Loiseau, and Goulet, as GSP prepared for his UFC Championship fight versus Thiago Alves at UFC 100.

Ginger has Reproduced!

Despite the numerous warnings of the CIA, FBI, CSIS, United Nations, INTERPOL, and Green Peace, Team Toshido's Gary "Evil Ginger" Wright has passed on his genetics to a beautiful baby girl named Ireland.  It appears that baby Ireland has avoided the "Ginger Gene" thanks to her beautiful mother, Jessie. Congratulations Ginger and Jessie!

Team Toshido’s Rory MacDonald Successful in his Welterweight Debut!

The current KOTC Canadian Lightweight Champion and current KOTC World Lightweight Champion, Rory MacDonald, successfully made the jump to welterweight last weekend at KOTC Island Pride. In his welterweight debut, MacDonald defeated the very game and former #1 KOTC welterweight contender, Elmer Waterhan, at 1:27 of round 1 by armbar, increasing his undefeated record to 8-0 and taking MacDonald one step closer to his dream of fighting in the UFC.

With just one more fight on his KOTC contract, MacDonald is hoping to sign with the UFC within the year.

Team Toshido's Clay Davidson Dominates at XFC 7!

Team Toshido's Clay Davidson gained another victory at XFC 7 in Vernon, BC, by submitting his opponent Leith Optland by Rear Naked Choke early into Round 1! Great work Clay!

Gary Wright Becomes 3 X KOTC Welterweight Champion!

February 27, 2009 - Gary Wright remains King of the Cage Canada’s welterweight champion, as the undefeated Toshido fighter managed to stop a resilient Elmer Waterhen in the fifth and final round of their main event by tapout due to strikes.

With the win, Wright pushes his professional undefeated record to 8-0!

Gary Wright on retaining his title against the very tough, Elmer Waterhen,” KOTC President Ken Kupsch furthered. “Gary once again proved that he is the best welterweight in Canada and we are very proud of him.”

Toshido MMA Founder David Lea is Promoted to Black Belt by Chris Brennan!

This past weekend, after conducting an awesome seminar, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and MMA legend, Chris "The Westside Strangler" Brennan, promoted Toshido MMA founder David Lea to Black Belt.  David is only the third person to ever be promoted to Black Belt by Chris!

Toshido's Rory MacDonald is the new KOTC World Lightweight Champion!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec. 1, 2008 – CALGARY, AB

Kelowna’s Toshido Mixed Martial Arts sent two team members to King of the Cage (KOTC) “Grinder” this past weekend in Calgary Alberta. One fighter was making his KOTC debut and the other was fighting for the coveted World Championship Title.

Newcomer to Team Toshido, Clay Davidson, started the evening right by making short work of his opponent, Chad Bruce of the Northwest Territories, by keylock submission just minutes into the first round. This victory throws Davidson right into the mix of the highly competitive KOTC Light-Heavyweight Division.

In the Main-Event, Team Toshido standout, Rory “The Waterboy” MacDonald squared off against the current KOTC World Lightweight Champion, Clay French, who hails from the same fight camp as future UFC Hall-of-Famer Matt Hughes. French came into the fight with 20 professional bouts on his record including three title defenses making him the heavy favorite.

The first round was a technical ground battle with French scrambling to maintain control of the very active Macdonald, with his world class wrestling that French has used to dominate previous opponents. As round one wore down, French began to tire as MacDonald picked up the pace. Round two saw French taking some damaging shots at the hands of MacDonald while French worked for the takedown. At the mid-point of round two however, MacDonald took over control, executing a beautiful Jiu-Jitsu reversal which put the wrestler on his back. After a quick scramble back to their feet, MacDonald stepped in with a devastating Jab/ Cross combination that sent French crumbling to the canvas. With a barrage of follow up punches, the referee was forced to put a halt to the bout at the 4:15 mark of round 2, bringing the Canadian crowd to their feet.

In over 20 professional bouts, this was the first time in French’s highly decorated career that he had been knocked out. “I felt really comfortable in there”, stated MacDonald who’s professional MMA record increased to a perfect 7-0. “The gameplan was to wear Clay down in the early rounds and look for the finish once he was tired, which is exactly what happened. I couldn’t be more happy.”

Less then one year after winning the KOTC Canadian Lightweight Championship Title, MacDonald at just 19 years of age, shocked the MMA world once again by becoming the youngest World Champion in the history of the KOTC franchise.

For MacDonald, this win marks the beginning of another chapter in the young fighter’s career. “Many people saw Rory as the underdog”, stated Team Toshido Head Coach David Lea, “but we had a game plan that Rory executed perfectly. This win validates what we’ve known all along. Team Toshido produces some of the best fighters in the World.”

Many industry people seem to agree, as MacDonald has been offered some huge opportunities since his World Title victory. “Nothing is confirmed yet, but we’ve been in discussions with promotions like the UFC and WEC”, stated Lea, “but we also have some obligations to fulfill with KOTC which has been a great organization to work with.”

The next step in MacDonald's career may be unclear at this moment, but one thing is certain; MacDonald now ranks amongst the top MMA lightweight fighters in the World.

Team Toshido Rookies Made Their MMA Debuts at VFF 6!
 

Lee Bagnall, Russell Davis, and Jake Macdonald, out of Toshido Fighting Arts, in Kelowna, all made their Professional MMA debuts at VFF 6 (Valley Fight Festival) in Chilliwack, BC, this past weekend.
 
Lee Bagnall fought a very game Shawn Kroger of Team Aiki in Chilliwack. Bagnall was looking great controlling the standup and landing some big shots in the clinch. Unfortunately, near the end of the first round, Bagnall slipped and fell to the canvas, and as he popped back to his feet he caught a haymaker/forewarm to the head and went down again. The ref jumped in right away not allowing Lee to try and regain position. “We were disappointed in what we felt was an early stoppage”. stated Toshido Head Coach David Lea, “However in the ref’s defense, he was just being cautious with the new fighters.  This is a minor setback that won’t stop Lee from being a force at middleweight in the future.”
 
Team Toshido member, Russell Davis, at only 17 years old, fought a very tough opponent named Mark Delgado from Champions Choice gym in Kamloops. In his pro debut, Davis put on a fight clinic blasting Delgado with a volley of straight rights and kicks, to control the standup in round one. Round two started with more of the same, with Davis landing a barrage of accurate punches.  The end came at the mid point of round two with Davis landing a huge double leg takedown which slammed Delgado onto the canvas with Davis securing a tight Anaconda Choke for the tapout. “This was a beautiful display of MMA from Russell.” stated Lea, “Russell was so composed in his first fight, it was a real pleasure to watch him in action. The sky’s the limit for this kid. ”
 
Jake Macdonald, the final Team Toshido member to fight at VFF 6, fought Kyle Cox, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner from Dynamic MMA in Vancouver. Macdonald’s Pro debut ended in just under 30 seconds of the first round with Macdonald landing a short crisp left hook just seconds into the fight that broke Cox’s jaw. Immediately after the punch the fight hit the ground where Macdonald landed a few small elbows which prompted Cox to tap out and grasp his jaw in pain. “Jake demolished his opponent.” Stated Lea. “He is so strong at 155 lbs it’s scary!  Jake will be dominating the Canadian MMA lightweight scene for years to come”.
 

Toshido Fighting Arts Top Team in Grappler's Inc. NO-Gi Divisions!

Team Toshido's Gary Wright Defends King of the Cage Title!

Team Toshido's Rory Macdonald Wins King of the Cage Title!

by Jordan Breen of www.sherdog.com (Photos by Andy Cotterill) (jbreen@sherdog.com)

MONCTON, N.B., Dec. 15 -- Looking more milquetoast than MMA and more paperboy than prizefighter, 18-year-old Rory MacDonald bloodied and battered Kajan Johnson to become the KOTC Canada lightweight champion on a bitter cold Saturday night at the Moncton Coliseum.

Although a native of Kelowna, B.C., over 3500 miles away, the seemingly bookish MacDonald became the immediate crowd favorite, ostensibly due to the pre-fight promo packaging of the boisterous and blustering Johnson, who not only proclaimed that MacDonald had nothing to offer him in the cage, but stated as much in freestyle rap format.

After a slow first round that saw him work to retain guard from a fresh and aggressive Johnson, MacDonald found his offense in the second round, taking Johnson to the mat with a textbook ankle pick, and dropping diving punches and elbows into his guard. When Johnson was able to get back to his feet and secure a takedown of his own, MacDonald was patient on the bottom and wisely regained top position on an ill-advised armbar attempted by Johnson. MacDonald was also able to connect with solid combinations on the feet that allowed him to even the fight at a round apiece.

In the third round, MacDonald took complete control. Keying on another sloppy kick attempt by Johnson, MacDonald secured a single-leg takedown into the full guard, where he began battering his opponent with heavy punches and elbows. Johnson repeatedly attempted to bicycle his legs and upkick MacDonald when he postured up, but MacDonald crushed him again and again with diving volleys of strikes.

After drawing heavy blood with a series of sharp elbows, MacDonald stepped on the throttle and landed another set of hard left hands that brought the Moncton crowd to their feet. While Johnson's trainers Bill Mahood and Bibiano Fernandes yelled at him from across the cage, MacDonald postured up and delivered the final salvo of punches, prompting referee Hubert Earle to step in to save Johnson, and drawing an overwhelming response from a suddenly raucous audience.
 

Toshido's Clay Davidson Wins Gold!

Toshido Fighting Arts, Clay Davidson, took home the Gold Medal in the No-Gi Super-Heavyweight Advanced Division at the Submission Series Championships in Langley, BC. 

Also from Team Toshido, Bryan Schafer took Bronze in the Advanced Lightweight Division, and Eddie Porter popped his grappling competition cherry, taking home a wealth of experience.

Team Toshido's Tim Jenson Wins Big at Bodog/XFC 5!

Last weekend local professional fighter Tim Jenson, fighting out of Toshido Fighting Arts, stole the show at XFC / BODOG 5 in Prince George, BC, with his dynamic display of striking and grappling.

Jenson solidified himself as one of the top lightweight MMA fighters in Canada, with a dominating submission win over the very game Tim Thurston, who is a former professional boxer and MMA fighter out of the Revolution Fight Club in Langley, BC.

“Tim Jenson fought a perfect fight against Thurston,” stated Team Toshido Founder David Lea. “He stuck to his game plan and punished Thurston on the feet and the ground.”

The plan went flawlessly as Jenson cut Thurston in the first round with a barrage of elbows, then forced Thurston to tapout at the 3:00 minute mark of round 2 by way of an armlock submission.

Jenson increased his professional MMA record to 6-1. Jenson looks to defend his Rumble in the Cage Professional Lightweight Title in the Spring of 2008.

Toshido's Brian Schafer Wins Two Golds!

Toshido Fighting Arts lone competitor, Brian Schafer, took home Gold Medals in his weight division and in the Open Weight Intermediate Division at the Grappler's Inc Tournament in Vancouver.  Brian has only been training for a year and a half and is already tearing up the grappling scene.  Congrats Brian!

Team Toshido's Gary Wright wins King of the Cage Canadian Title!

May 1, 2007 –Gary Wright, training out of Kelowna’s Toshido Fighting Arts, maintained his perfect record while capturing the King of the Cage Canadian Welterweight Title this past weekend in Vernon, BC.  Wright extended his unbeaten professional MMA record to 6-0 by earning a Unanimous Decision victory over the number one contender TJ Grant out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The evenings Main-Event saw both Wright and Grant reversing position in an action packed ground war.  But in the end, it was Wright’s superior wrestling that was the deciding factor in the outcome of  the fight. Wright was able to dictate where the fight was going to take place and dominated from top position for the majority of the three round professional bout outscoring Grant with punches and elbows.

“We trained for a war, which is what we got”, stated Toshido Head Coach David Lea. “Gary is just so relentless and simply out worked TJ for the win.”

King of the Cage promoter Ken Kupsch was thrilled with Wright’s performance and is looking to set up a World Title fight for Wright in the future.

Team Toshido dominates at 2nd Annual Submission Challenge!

Team Toshido once again put on great performances at the 2^nd Annual Absolute Submission Challenge hosted by Tony Williamson.  Team Toshido swept the Middleweight Division. Despite nagging injuries and a distracting schedule, Rory Macdonald took the Gold Medal, followed by Team Toshido members John Hillis who took Silver, and Ryan Macdonald who took Bronze.  In the Welterweight Division Team Toshido members Bryan Schafer took the Gold Medal, and Karl Krolak took the Silver Medal.  Team Toshido members Evan Cardinal and Long Ha both took home Bronzes in their respective Divisions.  Congrats to all of the competitors from the other teams who participated, as there was great Jiu-Jitsu showcased by all of them.

Toshido Fighter Remains Undefeated!

(photo courtesy of fcfighter.com)

Monday March 5^th, 2007 – This past weekend at Valley Fight Fest, Chilliwack, BC, local professional fighter Gary “Evil Ginger” Wright, out of Toshido Fighting Arts, continued his unbeaten streak to 5-0 after stopping top ten ranked fighter Myles Merola of  Vancouver, BC, by tapout due to strikes in round 2.  Both rounds saw Wright pushing the action on the feet and totally overwhelming Merola on the ground with a barrage of punches and elbows bringing the bout to a sudden end.  This win solidified Wright as one of the top professional welter-weights in the country.

“This was a huge win for Gary”, stated Team Toshido Head Coach David Lea. “I don’t think anyone could have predicted that Gary would dominate Myles the way he did.”

Wright, along with his team-mates Tim Jenson and Rory Macdonald will be fighting back in the Okanagan, April 28^th, at the King of the Cage in Vernon, BC.

Young Toshido Fighter’s Star Continues to Rise!

Last weekend local MMA fighting prodigy Rory Macdonald, fighting out of Toshido Fighting Arts, stole the spotlight at King of the Cage “Icebreaker” in Prince George, BC, with his dynamic display of striking and grappling.

At just 17 years of age, Macdonald solidified himself as the top young prospect in Canada, with a devastating TKO win over the very game Yoon Heo, who is a fighter out of the famed Marcus Soares/ Carlson Gracie Team in Vancouver, BC.

“We knew that Yoon Heo was a fantastic Jiu-Jitsu fighter, so our game plan going in was to test Yoon’s standup,” stated Team Toshido Founder David Lea. The plan went flawlessly as Macdonald dropped Heo to the cage floor with a huge flying knee to the Vancouver fighter’s head followed by a barrage of punches forcing the referee to halt the bout at 19 seconds of the second round.

Macdonald now has a perfect professional MMA record of 5-0, and is well on his way of reaching his dream of fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championships or Pride Fighting Championships in Japan.  “King of the Cage has been a great organization to work with.” Stated Lea. “They (King of the Cage) have great connections in this sport around the world, and are committed to helping Rory reach his goals of becoming a World Champion.”

Team Toshido Undefeated at King of the Cage "Insurrection"!

Team Toshido Fighting Arts sent three of it’s professional MMA fighters to the King of the Cage (KOTC) event held at the Vernon Multiplex last Friday. “It was exciting to finally see professional MMA back in the Okanagan.” Stated Team Toshido founder David Lea. “It was great that local MMA fans could finally see local fighters battling it out live.” The KOTC drew around 2500 fans, which was the largest turnout for any MMA show the Okanagan's ever seen. The show itself ran smoothly with all twelve bouts happening quickly one after another.

Team Toshido’s Gary “Evil Ginger” Wright kept his opponent Aaron Bruce (SFU Wrestler, Jiu-Jitsu & Kempo Practitioner) from Nanaimo, BC, on the feet and in the clinch for most of the fight. Wright's relentless attack proved too much for Bruce, with Bruce being saved by the bell at the end of the first round with Wright in the full mount raining down punches and elbows. In the second round, Wright stunned Bruce with an over-hand right that sent Bruce stumbling into the cage, but to Bruce's credit, he weathered the storm and finished the fight. Gary Wright won a unanimous decision, increasing Wright's undefeated record to 4-0.

Team Toshido’s Tim “Death Metal” Jenson fought Jordan Mein out of Lethbridge, Alberta. Mein was a last minute replacement as Jenson's original opponent Travis Bush from Lion's Den Idaho dropped out the week before the event due to personal reasons. Jenson started the fight with a couple inside leg kicks then took it to the ground where he took Mein's back for the bout ending rear naked choke at approximately three minutes of the first round, increasing his undefeated record to 5-0.

Team Toshido’s Rory "The Phenom" Macdonald fought Quentin Moreno, a fighter from Lion's Den Idaho with a 6-1 record in the semi-main event. After a brief exchange on the feet, Moreno took Macdonald down, however, Macdonald quickly took over control on the ground, securing a triangle armlock from the guard, then switching to a triangle choke, forcing the 22 year old to tapout. 17 year old Macdonald now has an undefeated record of 4-0.
 

Team Toshido Dominates at Rumble in the Cage 17!

June 20^th, 2006 – This past weekend, Toshido Fighting Arts standout Tim Jenson, with an undefeated record of 4-0, dominated his opponent Jason Tatlow of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, securing a fight ending choke at 3:31 of the first round, to become the Rumble in the Cage Professional Light-Weight Champion!

Jenson started training at Toshido Fighting Arts four years ago, becoming an official member of the Toshido Competition Team after just two years. “It was only a matter of time before Tim won a professional title”, stated Team Toshido Head Coach David Lea, “Tim has one of the most well-rounded fight games in Canada, and he finally got the opportunity to prove it”.

Also competing out of Toshido Fighting Arts this past weekend were professional fighters Rory Macdonald and Gary Wright.

Macdonald continued his undefeated professional record to 3-0, by choking out his opponent, Jordan Mein of Lethbridge, Alberta, at the 4:04 mark of round one, and Gary Wright extended his unbeaten record to 3-0, by stopping his opponent, BJJ Purple Belt Mike Neufeld of Lethbridge, Alberta, with a barrage of elbows that caused a deep cut over Neufeld’s eye at the end of the first round.

Team Toshido undefeated at KOTC Anarchy this weekend!

Our 16 year old PHENOM, Rory Macdonald, defeated Kenny Tran of Franco Pankration by rear-naked choke in round 1, and Gary "Ginger Kid" Wright stopped Dustin "Iceberg" Sutley from Calgary by TKO in round 2 after dropping a barrage of elbows.

Congratulations Boys! Your hard training paid off!

And a very special thank you to both Kenny and Dustin for putting it on the line and putting on some awesome fights. You both are top notch competitors and tough as nails!

Huge Weekend for Team Toshido

December 6, 2005 - Kelowna’s Toshido Fighting Arts Competition Team had a hectic schedule this past weekend with athletes competing at the Absolute Submission Championships in Kelowna, and the professional fighting event King of the Cage in Calgary, Alberta.

At the Absolute Submission Championships, Team Toshido members had a very successful showing, taking home the following medals:

Rory Macdonald – Gold Medal (155 lb – 170 lb Open Division)
Jason Towns – Gold Medal (145 lb – 155 lb Open Division)
Long Ha – Silver Medal (145 lb – 155 lb Open Division)
Ryan Macdonald – Silver Medal (170 lb – 185 lb Open Division)
Sarah Fraser – Silver Medal (Women’s Open Division)
Derek Robinson – Silver Medal (185 lb – 205 lb Open Division)

Team Toshido also sent two of its Professional Fighters, Gary Wright and Bob Shabaga, to King of the Cage, which will be aired on TSN in December.

Gary Wright dominated his opponent, Adam Thomas from Vancouver, with a barrage of punches and elbows on the ground to win a unanimous judges decision in his pro debut. “Gary executed his game plan perfectly”, stated Toshido Head Coach David Lea. “He has a relentless style that steamrolled his opponent”.

In what was arguably the fight of the night, Team Toshido Fighter Bob Shabaga lost a back and forth battle with Ben Greer from Vancouver for the number one contender spot in the King of Cage Bantam-Weight division. Shabaga had five armlocks secured in the first round showcasing his phenomenal Jiu-Jitsu skills, but was unable to finish Greer who came back impressively in the second round to stop Shabaga with a Neck Crank Submission. “This was a disappointing loss for Bob”, stated Lea, “But that’s what makes MMA fights so exciting, because anything can happen. Bob will learn from this loss and be back stronger then ever”.

 

Team Toshido Chokes-Out Competition at the
Extreme Fighting Challenge (XFC)!

October 17th, 2005 –Toshido Fighting Arts Club sent two of its fighters, Rory Macdonald and Tim Jenson, to the Extreme Fighting Challenge (XFC) in Prince George, BC, this past weekend.

At just 16 years old, Team Toshido member Rory Macdonald won his fighting debut by defeating 18 year old Prince George fighter, Terry Tharia, by way of rear-choke submission, at 2:11 minutes of the first round. “Rory is a phenom” stated Toshido Fighting Arts Head Coach David Lea, “He [Rory] is one of the youngest competitors to ever be invited to an event like this. He has all the tools to become a World Champion in the future.”

Team Toshido member Tim Jenson won his pro bout in dominating fashion against Lethbridge, Alberta, fighter, John Laing, by way of rear-choke submission, just 51 seconds of the first round, increasing his undefeated streak to 3-0. “Tim is a technical wizard”, stated Lea, “Every time Tim steps into the ring he just overwhelms his competition with punishing strikes and devastating submissions. Tim is quickly becoming a rising star in the Canadian fight scene.”
 

Team Toshido Undefeated at the World Freestyle Fighting Championships

September 20, 2005 –Toshido Fighting Arts Club sent two of its professional fighters, Tim Jenson and Mike Adams, to the World Freestyle Fighting Championships (WFF) in Vancouver, BC, this past weekend.

The WFF is a MMA event, currently sanctioned by the Vancouver Athletic Commission and International SHOOTO out of Japan.

Team Toshido member Tim Jenson won his pro bout by defeating Prince George fighter, Kenny Butterfield, by way of armlock submission, 4:46 minutes of the first round, increasing his undefeated fight record to 2-0.

Team Toshido member Mike Adams won his pro bout in dominating fashion against Calgary fighter, Brad Cardinal, by unanimous decision, increasing his undefeated streak to 4-0.

Jenson and Adams, along with Team Toshido member Rory MacDonald, will be fighting next month on the Xtreme Fighting Championships, in Prince George, British Columbia, which will be televised on TSN.
 

Toshido Fighting Arts Competition Team Strikes Gold in Burnaby!

Monday, April 18, 2005- The Toshido Fighting Arts Competition Team continued its winning ways this past weekend at the Fireball Challenge Martial Arts Championships, in Burnaby, BC.

Team Toshido’s youngest member, Dustin Kostiuk, at only nine years old, took home the silver medal in the 10 years and under Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu Division, in his first ever competiton.

Rory Macdonald, at only 15 years old, proved once again why he is considered a rising star in the fight community. After winning the Gold Medal in the 17 years and under Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu Division, Rory went on to dominate the Men’s Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu Division, winning the Gold Medal at his respected weight. Rory finished every match by submission.

Team Toshido’s Brandon Westgate proved to be too technical for his opponents, winning the Gold Medal in the Men’s Continuous Kickboxing Division.

Tim Jenson and Gary Wright, both of Team Toshido, fought in the Men’s 163 lbs and under Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu Division. Jenson and Wright dominated their respective opponents, forcing a Team Toshido vs Team Toshido Gold Medal match. Jenson took home the Gold Medal and Wright took home the Silver Medal after a very technical match between the two friends and team-mates.

“This was another amazing showing by Team Toshido”, beamed Head Instructor David Lea. “We’ve become the team to beat.”

 

Team Toshido Fighter Takes on SHOOTO!

July 23, 2004 - Team Toshido Professional Fighter Bob Shabaga won his professional Shooto match by way of choke submission, beating the North American Muay Thai Champion, Justin Tavernini, in under 3:00 minutes of the first round. Shabaga is undefeated with a record of 4-0 and is working towards a Professional Shooto World Title. Shabaga is currently ranked #2 in the Shooto Americas Rankings. Shooto is an International MMA sanctioning body that started in Japan, and currently hosts events in Japan, Europe, Australia, United States, Brazil, and Canada.
 

Toshido Professional Fighters Win Big at the World Freestyle Fighting Championships, Vancouver, BC!

May 18, 2004 – Kelowna’s Toshido Fighting Arts Club sent two of its professional fighters, Tim Jenson and Mike Adams, to the World Freestyle Fighting Championships in Vancouver, BC, this past weekend.

The World Freestyle Fighting Championships is a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event, also known as ultimate fighting, where competitors can use a vast array of martial arts techniques including strikes and submissions (chokes, armlocks, etc.) to beat their opponent.

Tim Jenson won his pro debut by beating Vancouver fighter, Ben Greer, by way of armlock submission, 3:00 minutes of the first round, and Mike Adams won his match against Vancouver fighter, Shannon Rennie, with a devastating head-kick K.O., 2:35 of round1, increasing his undefeated streak to 3-0.
 

Kelowna’s Very Own Toshido Fighting Arts Team
K.O.’ing the Competition!

This has been a landmark year for the Toshido Submission Fighting Competition Team, lead by Head Instructor and undefeated fighter, David Lea.

The year started out with Team Toshido raking in ten medals, nine of which were Gold, in the Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu Divisions, at the Western Canadian Martial Arts Championships, in Burnaby.

In May, Team Toshido sent two of its professional fighters, Tim Jenson and Mike Adams, to the World Freestyle Fighting Championships in Vancouver, BC.

Tim Jenson won his pro debut by beating Vancouver fighter, Ben Greer, by way of armlock submission, 3:00 minutes of the first round, and Mike Adams won his match against Vancouver fighter, Shannon Rennie, with a devastating head-kick K.O., 2:35 of round1, increasing his undefeated streak to 3-0.

Two weeks ago, Team Toshido Professional Fighter Bob Shabaga won his professional Shooto match by way of choke submission, beating the North American Muay Thai Champion, Justin Tavernini, in under 3:00 minutes of the first round. Shabaga is undefeated with a record of 4-0 and is working towards a Professional Shooto World Title. Shooto is an International MMA sanctioning body that started in Japan, and currently hosts events in Japan, Europe, Australia, United States, Brazil, and Canada.

“This has been a big year for us”, stated David Lea, owner and Head Instructor of Toshido Submission Fighting. “Our professional fighters haven’t lost a match this year, and we have many up and coming amateurs who are getting ready to step into the professional fight circuit.”

Many Team Toshido members will be fighting in Kelowna at the Shooto sanctioned World Freestyle Fighting Championships, hosted by local promoter Jason Towns, coming up in late September of 2004, and will be working harder then ever to continue on the road to success.