LUTA World Round-up 1/2

We thought it would be a good idea to give you regular updates of what our LUTA Ambassadors, team and friends are getting up to – so based on the LUTA World section of the website and our facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/lutaclothing) - here is the first LUTA World Round-up. Make sure you check in next week for part 2!

London

European Muay Thai Champion and LUTA Ambassador Daniel Sam fought in a 4 man winner takes all K1 tournament in Luton on September 4th. In the final he dominated an experienced fighter from Azerbaijan (knocking him out in the 1st round) to take the title. His next bout is scheduled for November 19th in Romania. Check out the video here:

• Some of the young athletes at Fight for Peace academy in London are also due to fight soon. Their Muay Thai bouts will take place on October the 16th in Scala – Kings Cross (London). This follows on from an excellent performance earlier this month in Shoreditch during an interclub competition. Everyone at LUTA wishes them the best of luck.

Young Fighters from FFP with their coach LUTA Ambassador Daniel Sam

Rio de Janeiro

Fight for Peace International (the charity with whom LUTA shares 50% of its profits) released news of an event it’s young athletes participated in. www.fightforpeace.net reported: 

"On August 27th, Bento Ribeiro Dantas – Fight for Peace satellite project and area within Complexo da Maré, hosted its first boxing and martial arts championship.  The event was organised in partnership with the local Residents Association.  Several young members from both the satellite project and academy headquarters competed against competitors from clubs across Rio de Janeiro.  Five different boxing and wrestling matches took place.

Fight for Peace athletes successfully won four out of the five boxing matches and two out of the five wrestling matches.  The event was not only an opportunity for the young people to practice their technical and tactical abilities but also acted as a social opportunity, bringing people together from across Complexo da Maré – one of the aims of the Maré United project."

Milton Keynes

LUTA Ambassador Ebe Ghansah recently hosted a string of outstanding seminars by some of the world’s leading fighters including World BJJ Champion Braulio Estima. This was the last seminar that Braulio agreed to do before his recent win over BJJ icon Jacare in an ADCC superfight. Another surprise instructor was none other than LUTA’s Ambassador Manager Fergus Dullaghan who conducted a judo for BJJ seminar at the Gracie Barra Milton Keyenes Academy. 

BJJ World Champion Braulio Estima and Welsh Judo International (LUTA Fight Ambassador Manager) Fergus Dullaghan 

both recently gave seminars at Gracie Barra Milton Keynes

Another LUTA shopper giving the punch bag challenge a go. 

LUTA sales assistant Thomas giving it his best shot at smashing the 222 punch speed ball record...

Europe's first Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and lifestyle magazine reviews the LUTA story in the July/August edition. Featuring interviews with BJJ legends Roger Gracie, Lucio Rodrigues, Victor Estima and Carlson Gracie Jr.

Jiu Jitsu style wrote " A new favela-based fightwear company is taking the world by storm. LUTA only launched on May 18th but has already caught attention of CNN, the BBC and magazines like Forbes and Sport. It has also been endorsed by elite fighters like former world judo champion Neil Adams, European Muay Thai champion Daniel Sams, Irish Judo champion & martial arts writer Fergus Dullaghan, and Brazilian boxing champion and London 2012 potential Roberto Custodio. Gracie Barra instructor Ebe Ghansah wore a LUTA rash guard and MMA shorts during his recent Guinness World record breaking BJJ class and even actors like Idris Elba (aka Stringer Bell, from The Wire) have taken to the brand. Idris refused to take a fee for the voiceover work of LUTA's forthcoming T.V. advert and has recently even been spotted on youtube wearing a LUTA T-shirt during his kickboxing training.

So why all of the sudden excitement? It seems to be a result of LUTA's favela heritage, its high-performance 'Pro' range and most importantly its social engagement. LUTA is actively trying to reinvest both in martial arts and in poor communities around the world.

Firstly, in terms of martial arts LUTA is now running a monthly seminar series in London with some of the world's leading fighters and strength and conditioning coaches. Participation is completely free and the instructors include some of the fighters listed above. Secondly, LUTA is committed to sharing at least as much of its profits with Fight for Peace, (a global martial arts charity), as it does with its shareholders, via a 50% profit-share scheme.

The charity Fight for Peace (Luta pela Paz in Portugese) was founded in The Complexo da Mare favela in Rio de Janerio eleven years ago by Luke Dowdney MBE, a former British amateur boxer.

Recognising the talent of the young people there but also seeing how limited the opportunities were, he opened a small boxing club. With hard work and dedication this rapidly began to grow into a full-blown academy with education, youth leadership, work-access programs and support services included in the core activities of the charity. Other martial arts besides boxing (such as capoeira and submission wrestling) were gradually introduced and in 2007 Fight for Peace went global, opening its newest academy in North Woolwich, London.

In a recent interview Luke who also founded LUTA clothing, said "I've been training these amazing inspirational young people who refuse to give in and get involved in gangs or violence, regardless of the challenges they face. Some of them are fight champions now; others are at university or on their way to becoming teachers and lawyers, having learned, through boxing and martial arts, the confidence and self-respect necessary to progress. This is the Real Strength that inspires LUTA; it is the spirit of never giving up in the face of adversity, to never stop believing you can be a champion in the ring or in life, whatever the odds."

LUTA is proud to support Fight for Peace (Luta pela Paz) born in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Good to see it's London Academy doing so well, check out Boxing News this week for the below article. Well done Fight for Peace.

"The Fight for Peace initiative actually began in Brazil a decade ago in one of Rio de Janeiro's dangerous favelas or slums. In 2000 Luke Dowdney set up a programme to confront youth participation in crime, gangs and gun violence within disadvantaged communities, combining education and personal development with training and competition in boxing and martial arts.

In 2007 a Fight for Peace branch, following the same model, was set up in east London. As well as this positive social work the club still aims to be successful competitively. The club hosted its first show on May 28, at its headquarters in North Woolwich. 14 bouts were held, involving local clubs, with three Fight for Peace boxers participating - Claudio Lopes, Khalid Hakimi and Ryan Walker. All three won.

A 'LUTA' clothing brand has even started up, which shares its profits with Fight for Peace". Dennen, J. (2011) Vest Interest, Boxing News. 45

Available in red and blue, LUTA's Boxing Speed Vest is a performance garment that’s been designed for boxing gym work and competitions. Designed with boxers, the vest’s contoured airtex panels provide increased expansion across the shoulders where maximum freedom of movement for throwing punches is required during training and during competitive fights. Ultra strength, performance flatlock seams also provide added durability, making this a vest which will go the distance! Antibacterial stretch airtex panels (white) not only offer the maximum amount of freedom when wearing a vest, but they also reduce the risk of odor or skin infection. Moisture management properties in the body fabric transport sweat away from the body (wicking) to keep the wearer cooler and dryer during a heavy work out or a hard fight.

Yet due to its construction and performance fabric, the Boxing Speed Vest is also a multi-purpose vest. Polyester body fabric provides snag resistance and its super soft feel material is extremely comfortable which enables it to be worn across a wide range of sports either for training or competition. Temperature control, wicking and freedom of movement designed for boxers also benefits athletes’ performance during hard work outs or competition in any other sport.

Since LUTA's launch, it's been put to the test in both boxing competitions in London’s East End and even a marathon in the Northern-West of France!

“I really enjoyed fighting in the strip. It looked good but most importantly it allowed me to move freely and kept me cool during the bout so I could get on with the job at hand!” Claudio Lopez, 6-0, who won by majority decision at last week’s Fight for Peace Amateur Boxing Show in East London last weekend.

"Boxing vest? Well, I'm no boxer but I ran my personal best last week at the Mont Saint-Michel marathon wearing my Luta Pro vest.  A Speed Vest indeed! It stands up to any running-specific top I’ve previously used. Lightweight, breathable, ‘wickable’, all you expect. Furthermore, my experience with vests and running is that while most are ok for short trots, when you get into serious endurance training you often end up with a underarm irritation from the rubbing on the stiches. The Luta vest is obviously well cut and none of that happened, so I was pleased". Anders Falconer, marathon runner
 
Great to see that the boxing vest performs well during endurance challenges - our congratulations goes out to Claudio and Andres and we wish them both all the luck with their future sporting events.

Here I am in the corner with Claudio Lopez, 6-0, at the Fight for Peace Amatuer Boxingh Show last weekend.

The LUTA launch event was pretty cool to be involved with.

Not just because CNN, The BBC, and other major media outlets were there but also because it was a fantastic display of martial arts prowess.

Firstly, we had LUTA Ambassador Roberto Custodio from Brazil showing us just why he is the Brazilian national boxing champion during a good spirited boxing demonstration with George Moughton (British Junior ABA finalist).

Both fighters went through some good exchanges in a great display of boxing. It was also interesting to see LUTA CEO Luke Dowdney "keeping it real" by coaching Roberto who is one of his own fighters from the Fight for Peace academy in Rio. 

  Luke Preparing Roberto to fight                   Roberto at work

Roberto Custodio & George Moughton                                                                                         Luke in Roberto's corner

Next up was LUTA's Muay Thai Ambasador - European Champion Daniel Sam - who gave a display of his ferocious talent. He landed his kicks so hard on the pads that even Roberto stoped what he was doing to have a look! (Though obviously not whilst sparring!)

Finally, as you've seen on previous posts and on youtube even Idris Elba unleashed his kickboxing skills - and was quite impressive for a guy who hasn't done much for a while. Daniel coached him through some pad work.

Daniel will be giving a free Muay Thai sminar in London over the summer...details will be coming soon!

Hi guys,

You know, working for Luta has its perks.

As Luta’s Fight Ambassador Manager, (What a job title by the way! Imagine the looks I get trying to explain that at parties!!)…

Anyway, I digress…As Luta’s Fight Ambassador Manager I am often compelled to tear myself away from my desk in order to hang out with some the coolest people in the fight world. I know; it’s a nightmare - but someone has to do it!

But I’m not going to leave you out of the loop. Far from it!  From here on out, you are one of the team and that means I’ll be keeping you up to speed with all that is happening out there; from techniques and training tips and training wear to interviews with our very prestigious brand ambassadors, (more about those later).

I thought I would start off by catching up with British boxing legend Herol “the Bomber” Graham. This is the guy who mentored Naz and who pioneered the Sheffield boxing style that has become so famous! 

Run a youtube search on him if you aren’t already familiar with his work – he was an outstanding fighter and is now an amazing coach. He is also quite famous for his skipping routines, hence I asked him to show me some of his training protocols. 

Check out the video!…

See you on the mat guys,

Train smart. 

Fergus