10th Planet Watch – 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Van Nuys Blog

Dan Hardy is not new to myself, or 10th Planet Van Nuys. I had the pleasure of being his Jiu Jitsu Coach in his title fight versus Georges St. Pierre. It was at that point, the highlight of my MMA coaching career. Being able to have the honor of being a part of something that big, a title shot against one of the biggest draws in the sport, was indescribable. The coverage was crazy, Dan was doing interview after interview, photo shoots, appearances, and not to mention the camera’s followed up around everywhere. The UFC was doing a 24/7 type reality T.V. show leading up to the fight. The schedule was packed from sun up, to sun down, but when when could fit it in, we did like to get a bit of training in too!

The whole story itself is crazy. We trained all over the place, Matt Serra’s 2 gyms, LA Boxing in New Jersey, Ray Longo’s in Long Island, and Joe Defranco’s just to name a few. We even trained at this decrepit, old wrestling gym where many great NJ amateur champions had wrestled. The place had no heat and it was freezing cold, it was filthy, it was wet, it was falling apart and it made a great photo opportunity! I was miserable, my joints hurt, I was covered in dirt, but it was great material for the camera crew! After that training session, I was pretty confident we’d have a shot at that fight. Training in that place made me feel like we were the underdogs about to fight the Canadian Ivan Drago in GSP. I knew one thing, for better of for worse, GSP wasn’t training like we were!

Unfortunately, that fight didn’t finish how I would have liked it to. Dan ended up losing a 5 round decision to GSP. It did however show that he does not give up. Even when it looked like St. Pierre was going to finish him with a fully extended armbar, or a fully locked in kimura that was completely behind his back, he would not give up. He proved to the world it is not easy to finish him. Many critics didn’t even expect. him to last one round, much less, survive an entire fight and sustain little, to no damage! He did much better than most people expected. He went the distance and gained much respect from fans all over the world.

All personal things aside, Dan Hardy is legitimately one of my favorite fighters on the planet to watch. He exciting, he’s dynamic, and he’s always down to scrap! There’s a reason that even though he had a brief hiccup in his career, losing 4 in a row, that he’s still in the UFC. He proved he belongs in there in his last fight, when he knocked out striking legend, Duane Ludwig. I know tomorrow I’m going to have my tv set to watch Dan take on the always dangerous, Amir Sadollah in Nottingham UK. I have to guess Dan isn’t going to let his fans down when it’s in his home town. NO WAY!

Many of the fighters at 10th Planet Van Nuys look up to Dan and have modeled certain parts of their styles after him. In fact, just last week one of my top fighter, Mike “Lobes” Frausto, used devastating knees to finish his opponent in less than one minute in the first round. The last of which forced the referee to stop the fight because one of the knees that landed, looked like it broke his arm. After the blow was delivered, his opponent dropped his hand and started holding his arm in pain. The ref waived off the fight from there, declaring the fight a TKO. I know Dan would be proud!

If you’re interested in fighting, competing, or just learning martial arts give us a hollar. We cater to guys, like Dan Hardy, who are looking to become the next UFC champion. We also cater to the everyman who just loves to the sport, and wants to get a good work out. You don’t have to have aspirations of fighting or competing to train with us, we welcome all people at every level of experience. We have classes that fit all kinds of schedules. We’ll even give you a free private lesson, consultation, and tour! Stop having the internal debate in you head about it, and give us a call. You know you want to! (818) 925-JITS (5487)

Coach Alder Hampel

www.10thPlanetVanNuys.com

After going 0-4 in his last 4 UFC appearances, Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy picks up a victory in devastating fashion. After a seesaw battle for the first 3 minutes of the first round, Hardy lands his signature finishing move, the big left hook, that sent Duane “Bang” Ludwig, crashing to the canvas. After raising his hands in victory, The Outlaw, pounced on a rattled Ludwig, and finished him off with ground and pound. After some very disappointing outcomes in the past couple of years, his puts Dan back on track. The 10th Planet family salutes our British friend, Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy!

It’s been a little over 4 years since I had full time employment at a very famous post production sound facility, Danetracks Inc. Since then I made the move to opening up my own 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu affiliate in Van Nuys, California. I left Dane Davis, for Eddie Bravo, sound design for Jiu Jitsu. I went from Protools to The Twister. I won an M.P.S.E for best sound in a game., but we lost in the UFC title fight vs. Georges St. Pierre in New Jersey. I went from working inside the big blue Danetracks building, to training at the Van Nuys MMA Super Center. I walked away from the position of editor, and took up the title of coach. I traded the vibrant colors of West Hollywood, for dreary strip malls of Van Nuys. I went from an Academy Award winning sound studio, to cornering Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy in his title shot. I gave up a Kensington track ball and gained a cage panel. I swapped out sound effects for bone-breaking techniques. I left motion pictures, for pay-per-view events. I said good bye to interactive media, and said hello to “As real as it gets.” I went from competing for jobs, to competing for the challenge. I exchanged an Aeron chair for a Zebra mat. I went from networking at E3, to competing in ADCC. to went from bicycling to work, to flying around the world. I was work in a room by myself, then i was teaching seminars to full rooms of people. Punching a clock, to punching a bag.  I went from recording the sounds of guns, to teaching how to use the body as a weapon.  I went from insecure and scared, to confident and brave. I went from employee to entrepreneur. I went from being downsized, to running my own budding business. In my mind, I’m starting to feel like a success.

Along the way I’ve fallen, I’ve stumbled, and I’ve contemplated quitting. What keeps me moving forward you ask? I find my motivation in the moments. It’s the thank you and a smile from a new student. It’s the grappler’s realization of his/her progression over time. It’s the advice of a mentor, it’s being humbled by a black belt. It’s the camaraderie of a team. It’s the direct result of hard work. It’s the responsibility of those times when you have to be a leader and a role model. It’s reaching a goal. It’s visualizing the yet to come. It’s the win of a fighter, it’s a hug from a competitor. It’s the student confiding in you. It’s giving, and receiving the gift of knowledge. It’s in solving a problem. It’s making a difference in somebody’s life. That’s what makes being a coach such a rewarding job for me.

Thank you to everybody that’s played a part in my journey. Good, bad, or other, you all all added to the storyline, I’ve learn so much from all my experiences, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I’m looking forward to what the future brings. I have a feeling the party is just getting started. Enter the Alpha-Black era.

Coach Alder Hampel

10th Planet Van Nuys

I had put these up but had to yank then down as per request of Dana White. They were ruining the UFC 111 Primetime show cliff hangers.

Today we made our way down to the NYC’s Radio City Music Hall for the UFC 111 press conference. This was an opportunity for Dana White and the combatants competing in the main events to address the media and the fans. Except for Shane Carwin. For whatever reason, he wasnt in attendence. After everybody spoke, the fans had an opportunity to take pictures and meet the fighters. It is my opinion, with this much support for MMA, New York needs to hurry up and legalize it already. It would bring tins of money to you’re state! How about Hardy’s first title defence being at Madison Square Gardens? That would be epic!

On a side note, the last episode of Primetime aired tonight. If you didn’t get a chance to peep it, it should be on the UFC’s website tomorrow or the next day. You’ll see why I’ve aquired the new nickname, “The Muscle.”

Hello gang, 10th Planet Burbank’s Alder Hampel checking in here. I arrived here today in Newark, NJ with Dan Hardy and striking coach, Steve Papp. We checked in with the UFC, and now the official countdown to UFC 111 begins! It’s been an amazing 2 weeks on the eastcoast, and I’d assume it’s only going to get crazier!

The trip began with my seminar in Christiansburg, VA at Henry’s TKD where I got to hang out with a who’s who of current and future 10th Planet affiliates. It’s always a pleasure to hang out with James, Jessica, Gwen and the rest of the gang. Good luck on the affiliation, I’m sure it’s coming soon. I expect to see some killers coming out if that school in the near future.

After leaving Christiansburg, I flew into New York’s JFK airport where I was picked up by Hardy and Papp. The gameplan was to finish up the last 3 weeks of Dan’s training camp in Saddle River, NJ before moving to Newark for the fight. We were also being followed by a camera crew 24/7 for the filming of the UFC’s Primetime show which airs on Spike T.V. The last of which will air Wednesday the 24th of March.

Dan’s reason for choosing to come out NJ early was to one to get acclimated to the time zone before the fight. The other reason was to come out and train with world famous strength and conditioning coach, Joe DeFranco. His reputation for creating absolute monsters and for pushing professional atheletes to their maximum potential is demonstrated in the documentary “Strong.”

Everything was set until rumors we were going to be training with former UFC welter weight champion, Matt Serra, started circulating. This was news to us, but when UFC president Dana White called, things changed. Mr. White had contacted Serra and a new gameplan was set into place. We were now going to split our time between NJ, and Long Island where GSP destroyer, Matt Serra, calls home.

For the last two weeks Hardy has been sharpening the blade into a razor. You haven’t seen a bigger, stronger, faster, slicker, more explosive and more focused Dan Hardy ever! It’s my professional unbiased opinion that come March 28th, we will see the welter weight championship belt change hands.

This Hardy blog has been pulled down. Please tune into UFC’s Primetime on Spike TV, tonight at 10pm

As everybody should know by now, Dan Hardy will be facing Georges St. Pierre for the welter weight title, March 27th. We need all the different Moons to band together for their own “Party Hardy” UFC 111 viewing parties. Dan would like all of the different teams together as they watch the first 10th Planet, UFC champion crowned.

Here’s how you do it. First you find a bar or one of your “best lads” houses to host such a ppv event. For instance, 10th Planet Burbank and HQ members will be attending a viewing party at “The Office” in Burbank. Secondly, you make a flyer for the event and post it all over your gym. Thirdly, call all your friends and family and let them know one of your team mate is going to be fighting for the championship, and that you’d like them to be a part of history in the making. Fourth, post on this thread where and when your crew is getting together.

Now for you brave types, here’s the next level. The “Dan Hardy Drinking Game”. Every time Dan lands a jab, you and your mates have to take a shot. I’m guessing most of you wont make it out of the first round.

Let’s all be a part of this historic event!

This is gonna be huge!

Dan Hardy is an English professional mixed martial artist who competes in the welterweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2004, Hardy fought in various promotions such as Cage Force and Cage Warriors before signing a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2008. He is the current Cage Warriors welterweight and light-welterweight champion. His nickname comes from the time he spent on the CageWarriors.com forums under the name “The Outlaw”. At the time, Hardy was looking for new training partners after his former coach and him could not see eye-to-eye. Hardy is currently ranked by Sherdog as the #4 welterweight fighter in the world. Hardy had been training in Tae Kwon Do since he was six years old. He moved on when taekwondo went down the Olympic route. He wanted real fights, so switched to Muay Thai instead. Hardy only became interested in Mixed Martial Arts after spending two months in China training with the Shaolin monks in 2002.[5] He then came back to England and competed in amateur MMA tournaments until his professional debut in 2004. Hardy is a member of Team Rough House alongside Paul Daley, Andre Winner and Dean Amasinger. Hardy has also spent time training at Xtreme Couture, Leicester Shootfighters and the Wildcard Boxing Gym.[5] He just received his Purple Belt in 10th planet jiu jitsu from Eddie Bravo. Hardy made his UFC debut at UFC 89, defeating Akihiro Gono via split decision. Gono was left swollen and bloody by several of Hardy’s left hooks. Gono rocked Hardy on more than one occasion. In the third round Gono pushed Hardy to the canvas and while there landed an illegal knee to the face of the downed fighter causing the fight to be stopped for a lengthy period. Hardy recovered and went on to win the split decision. The judges saw the bout 2928 (twice) for Hardy and 2928 for Gono. Dan Hardy beat Rory Markham at UFC 95 in the first round (1:09) by KO with a clean counter left hook. A follow-up shot on the mat brought in Kevin Mulhall to stop the fight. In his post-fight interview, Hardy retorted to Markham’s pre-fight accusation that he had weak hands by exclaiming to the ecstatic crowd, “No punching power? What do you have to say about that? Dan Hardy next defeated Marcus Davis via split decision at UFC 99 on June 13, 2009. The grudge between these two men began with the Irish-American Davis fighting in the UK against local fighters and defeating them all in spectacular fashion. Hardy stated that the UK was his home and he did not want Davis in it, building a fan base. It started to get personal when Hardy began openly insulting Davis calling him a fake Irishman and stating that Davis’ website “looked like a St. Patrick’s day gift shop blew up.” Afterwards, on an UK underground MMA website, Hardy encouraged fans to post photoshopped pictures of Davis in a homosexual fashion. The pictures upset Davis, causing him to confront Hardy at a UFC 99 press conference. The two continued to argue, but finally agreed to settle it in the cage. After a three round war, the judges at UFC 99 awarded the fight to Dan Hardy. Marcus Davis stormed out of the cage ignoring Hardy’s attempts to make peace. Davis told reporters that he wants a rematch with Hardy in Ireland or Boston. Hardy insists in his post-fight interview with Davis (and after the event to fans) that all of controversy was an effort to get Davis off his game-plan and nothing personal. On November 14, 2009 at UFC 105 he faced Mike Swick who replaced an injured Kim Dong-hyun.. At a press conference in Manchester Hardy and Swick discussed the winner of their fight getting a title shot against Georges St. Pierre. Hardy was the underdog coming into the fight, but managed to rock Swick early in the first round with a straight right hand which appeared to dent the American’s confidence. Swick appeared to be uncomfortable standing toe-to-toe with the Englishman and Hardy proceeded to rock him again in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. Hardy won the fight by unanimous decision and booked his place as the number 1 contender for Georges St-Pierre’s Welterweight title. In being awarded the title shot, Hardy became the first British fighter in UFC history to receive one. UFC President Dana White confirmed at the post-fight press conference that the fight will most likely be held in Las Vegas. Dan stated in a post-fight interview with Sherdog.com that the next event in Las Vegas (UFC 109) in February was a little too early for him and he would much rather wait. Hardy is currently ranked the number 4 welterweight in the world by Sherdog.com. Hardy will fight Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title on March 27, 2010 at UFC 111 which will take place in Newark, NJ.

They forgot to metion, Dan is also coached by 10th Planet Burbank’s, Alder Hampel

It’s official, I’ll be going out to train with and coach Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy in preparation for his fight with George St. Pierre, March 27th. I have to admit, this maybe the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s a huge honor to have been asked to help Dan Hardy prepare for, quite possibly, the biggest fight of his career. I’m going to do everything in my power to see that Dan brings the belt back to the states, well, via Nottingham, U.K. at least.

I’ll be returning from teaching seminars two, soon to become 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu affiliates in Africa, just to fly right back out to New Jersey, where Dan is having his training camp. I’ll be out there for the last 3 weeks of his camp, until the fight. So, as you’re watching the fight on your color t.v., look for me in the background saying encouraging words and shaking my fist violently. I might even through up a little 10th Planet gang sign or 2. While I’m out in NJ, I’m going to try and keep a little vblog, to document the experience.

It’s been an amazing 2010 already, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me the rest of the year. I’m very thankful for the 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu family, Eddie, and The Burbank Crew. I’ve received so much support from everyone, thanks to everybody for helping out!

For more info on Dan Hardy http://www.danhardymma.com/, http://twitter.com/danhardymma,

For Tickets to this fight, at UFC 111, click HERE

In the build up to the title fight with Georges St. Pierre at UFC 111, March 27th in Newark, New Jersey, Dan Hardy’s wreslting ability has been heavily critisized. In an attempt to prove the haters wrong, he has invested in a singlet and dedicated himself full time to becoming a wrestling phenom.

Team Rough House talk about his new found wrestling ability and the effects it is having on the team.

Interested in getting any of the new 10th Planet Gear? Click on the banners!

LINK TO FIGHT!!!