Zebra Mats is pleased to be assocciated with the following athletes.
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Nate Quarry
Record: 14-2-0 (win-loss-draw)
DOB: March 18, 1972
Heigth: 6'0"
Weight: 205lbs
Training location/Team: Gresham Oregon, Team Quest
Primary Discipline: Mixed Martial Arts
Website: www.nathanquarry.com
After watching my first UFC fight at the age of 24, I knew MMA was something I wanted to be a part of.
My first night of training at the local gym, I did an hour and a half of kickboxing and then an hour and a half of Jiu-jitsu. I got the crap beat out of me so badly, I knew I had to keep returning until I could at least hold my own.
Those early workouts were all learning experiences. The only thing I had ever done before was lifting weights - so I just did my best to 'Muscle' my way through everything. Until one day I was grappling with a Machado black belt named Chris Hauter. He slapped on a triangle submission and I proceeded to pick him up and pile drive him into the mat. He immediately switched to an arm-bar and had me tapping for what seemed an eternity. When he finally released he looked at me and said, "You may want to consider using some technique and not just brute strength". I looked at him, still rubbing my elbow and said "Yes sir, and thank you for not breaking my arm." Good times, good times.
After a couple of years, my gym at the time started a competition team and asked me to be on it. I didn't think I was ready, but figured I'd give it a try. That turned out to be one of the best things I have ever done. The adrenaline rush and self discovery involved in facing an opponent with only yourself to rely on, was a feeling that can only be experienced.
It was during this period that I met Randy Couture. I knew from day one that Randy was destined for great things in this sport, so I went out of my way to train with him. I was one of his many training partners for his first bout against Vitor Belfort. Randy actually helped corner me for my first fight. Eventually, I left my former gym and joined Randy at the brand new Team Quest. Since then things have just happened like a whirlwind. Fights here and there - some won, some lost - all a learning experience.
Then an opportunity presented itself on a little show called 'The Ultimate Fighter' - the rest is history.
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Tait Fletcher
DOB: N/A
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: N/A
Training location/Team: Jackson's Gaidojitsu , Undisputed Fitness
Primary Discipline: N/A
Website: www.taitfletcher.com , www.undisputedfitness.com
Tait Fletcher was born in Alpena, Michigan, and currently resides in Los Angeles, California, where he works as a fighter, actor and bodyguard. He splits his training time between Eddie Bravo’s 10th Planet in West Hollywood and Greg Jackson’s Gaidojutsu in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Tait began studying martial arts years ago under Arlen Sanford of the Dog Brothers. He started training in Jiu-Jitsu after he fought in a few full contact stick fights. Arlen stressed the importance of the ground aspect of fighting, and it was shortly thereafter Tait met Alberto Crane.
Alberto taught Tait tenacity, mental toughness and discipline – traits that would change his life. The highly technical aspect of Alberto’s game won Tait’s admiration. Tait was inspired and dedicated himself to competing to the best of his ability at every tournament. Under Alberto’s guidance, Tait grew as a fighter. He fought his first three fights representing Santa Fe Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, before relocating to Los Angeles.
Upon moving to Los Angeles, Tait began training under Eddie Bravo and his game continues to grow and adapt under Eddie’s unique and revolutionary style. Amal Easton of Boulder BJJ was also a great help to Tait’s growth as a fighter over the years.
After Tait settled in Los Angeles, he soon felt the need for a complete Mixed Martial Arts team to train with. He knew from years of competing alongside them, exactly who that team was and considered them the hardest working, most technical team in the country. Tait began training under Greg Jackson and is proud to be a part of his team. His goal is to represent Greg Jackson’s Gaidojutsu to the best of his ability.
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Karo Parysian
Record: 17 - 4 - 0 (Win - Loss - Draw)
DOB: 8-28-1982
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 170lbs
Training location: North Hollywood, California
Primary Discipline: Judo
Website: www.karoparisyan.net
With world class judo skills not seen reviously in the octagon, Karo Parisyan has been bringing the "Heat" against all comers the UFC has put in his path. The Armenian-born Parisyan has defeated current UFC welterweight champion Matt Serra, Dave Strasser, Nick Diaz, Chris Lytle, current Bodog welterweight champion Nick Thompson and most recently Drew Fickett, with his only losses coming by decision top contenders George St. Pierre and Diego Sanchez.
Forced to pull out of a scheduled title fight against Matt Hughes due to injury at UFC 56, Parisyan returned to the Octagon with a unanimous decision victory over Fickett at UFC Fight Night 7 on December 13, a contest that was honored as "Fight of the Night." Having already established himself as a legitimate contender for the welterweight title, and holding a win over the current UFC champ, Parisyan is now waiting for his long overdue shot at the title.
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Jimmy Pedro
World Judo Champion, 4 Time Olympian, 2 Time Olympic Medalist
DOB: 10-30-1970
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 160lbs
Training location/Team: Pedro's Judo Center , Team FORCE
Primary Discipline: Judo
Website: www.jimmypedro.com , www.pedromartialarts.com
Jimmy Pedro – Jimmy has been involved in judo since the age of 5 years old . He learned judo from his father, Jim Pedro Sr. in Peabody, MA. He began his competitive career when he was 6 years old where he won his first Jr. national title. He is America’s most known, recognized, and decorated judo champion. Of great note is his accomplishment of winning a gold medal at the 1999 World Championships in Birmingham, England. He is also a 4-Time Olympian winning Bronze medals in 1996 & 2004. Among his many gold, silver and bronze medals he has also been 6-Time U.S. International Open Champion, 6–Time U.S. National Champion, 5 – Time USOC Male Athlete of the Year for Judo, and he was inducted into Black Belt Hall of Fame – Judoka of the Year – 1997. Currently he is working with USA Judo as the Head Coach and Director of the U23 Elite program and is in charge of preparing the US Team for the 2012 Olympic Games. He also currently runs Pedro’s Judo Center in Wakefield, MA (www.pedrosmartialarts.com), works as a National Sales Executive for Zebra Mats (www.zebramats.com), and does clinics and seminars worldwide. For more information, log on to www.jimmypedro.com
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Cung Le
DOB: May 25, 1972
Normal Wt: 185lbs
Fight Wt: 175-180lbs
Training location/Team: Cung Le Martial Arts
Primary Discipline: N/A
Website: www.cungle.com
USH!!! It's the last sound you hear before the gloved fist knocks your jaw into the next time zone, before the spinning back kick folds you in half like an origami demonstration, and before the wicked throw sends you hurtling towards the ground at over 40 miles per hour. You've just experienced life on the wrong side of the ring from Cung Le.
Every field of athletic endeavor has a superstar, someone who stands head and shoulders above the rest. This person has a special magnetism, attracting people to watch him perform feats of athleticism that can only be described as breathtaking, unprecedented, and inspiring. He has marquee appeal, drawing in people who'd otherwise never watch the sport and keeping them completely spellbound with his unmatchable flair and energy.
Try as you might, you can't keep your eyes off these guys. Basketball had its Michael Jordan, golf has its Tiger Woods, soccer has its David Beckham, and the martial arts have Cung Le.
Most martial arts practitioners are either performers or fighters. Cung Le is one of the rare few who make his fights look like performances. While the majority of combat sports bouts can be brutal, harsh, and occasionally boring, Le's freestyle full-contact fights look like something that could only be achieved with a fight choreographer and expert wire-work.
Instead of following the well-worn path of many fighters who specialized in kickboxing or wrestling, Le found his calling in the Chinese full-contact fighting arena. Known as "Sanshou", Chinese rules full-contact allows for kicking and punching, but with the added excitement of high amplitude throws and takedowns. The action in a Sanshou match is constant, dynamic, and exciting, and it fit the Vietnamese-American wunderkind like a glove, giving his personality, athleticism, and spirit the perfect stage on which to shine.
Le's signature techniques looked like a clip from a Hong Kong action flick. His high flying leg scissors takedowns embarrassed even the most seasoned veterans, his suplex throws rattled the brains of the sturdiest roughnecks, and his brilliant kick-punch combinations helped many an opponent get a close-up view of the canvas. While other fighters and promoters were trying in vain to garner any media attention they could, the cameras couldn't get enough of Le, his electrifying moves, his down-to-earth personality, and his rugged good looks. He's been on the cover of almost every martial arts magazine on earth, gracing the covers of Black Belt Magazine and Inside Kung-Fu Magazine numerous times.
Having conquered the Sanshou world in every conceivable manner - as an international medalist, an undefeated ESPN2 Strike Force professional fighter, and wildly successful US Sanshou Team coach - Le grew tired of the criticisms from the pundits who said he was "only" a Sanshou fighter and would never make it big in the mixed martial arts cage. In spite of his powerful KO and tap out victories at the World Shidokan Championships (the triathlon of martial arts where competitors must demonstrate superlative striking and grappling/submission skills) there were still those who loudly questioned whether the human highlight reel could make any such footage in the No-Holds-Barred cage matches.
He silenced them all.
In 2006, Le stepped into the mixed martial arts cage and showed the world that the loose MMA set of rules just meant more opportunities for him to work his magic. His four fights have ended in four resounding victories, all by KO. With his remarkable skills in Taekwondo, Vietnamese Kung-fu, wrestling, Thai boxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, combined with a rabid fan-base that grows exponentially with every appearance, Cung Le was a natural sponsorship choice for Throwdown Industries and Knoxx Gear.
So it should come as no surprise that Hollywood has been knocking on Le's door. After appearing in a couple of independent films and an episode of Walker - Texas Ranger, Le is now signed with Insomnia Entertainment and is awaiting the release of his first major feature film, Blizhniy Boy: The Ultimate Fighter, co-starring David Carradine, Eric Roberts, and Gary Busey.
But don't think for one second that the rest of Cung Le's story is predictable. With such incredible talent to entertain coupled with an unrelenting work ethic, he's going to keep training, keep working, and keep striving to take the public to new heights of martial entertainment in the ring, the cage, and the silver screen!
