MUHAMMAD ALI AWARDED LIBERTY MEDAL

By Martial News Reporter

BOXING lergend Muhammad Ali has been awarded the Liberty Medal for his humanitarian work.

The former heavyweight champ was presented with the medal by his daughter Laila Ali at a ceremony in Philadelphia, United states.

The award to Ali was for being an icon of constitutional ideals and the American Dream.

It comes in the form of a $100,000 award which is sponsord by the not-for-profit organisation the National Constitution Center.

In a statement the center said: "He has been an outspoken fighter for religious and civil rights; a conscientious objector who took his battle to the Supreme Court and won; an ambassador for peace and justice worldwide, and a tireless humanitarian and philanthropist."

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said: "Muhammad Ali continues to this day to inspire young people throughout the world."

Ali is a world-wide sports legend. He is now 70-years-old and has been fighting against Parkinsons for decades since he retired from professional boxing in 1981.

Since then he has involved himself in philanthropic work and championed social causes.

His Parkinsons has seen Ali lose the power of speech. But his wife Lonnie said he was "deeply honoured to be a beacon of liberty."

MMA FIGHTER WHO RIPPED OUT HEART OF FRIEND JAILED

By Luke Robbins

AN MMA fighter who ripped out the heart of his friend after taking hallucigenic mushrooms has been jailed.

Jarrod Wyatt was sentenced by a Californian law court to 50 years in jail after he pleaded guilty to murdering his sparring partner Taylor Powell.

He was accused of ripping out the 21-year-olds heart, tearing out hs tongue while both of them were high on the drugs.

Wyatt, 29, made a plea deal in which he will serve 50 years in prison. His official sentencing is not due until October.

District Attorney Jon Alexander told local media: "The earliest he’ll be able to see a parole board is 2062. We saved Taylor’s family the agony from reliving the incident at the trial."

Wyatt's lawyer had said his client had not wanted to testify at a trial. His team had decided to take the deal because although it was 50 years in prison, the alternative was life without parole.

He had been found by police at a house in Klamath River covered in blood. The officers found Powell's body on a sofa with the body's tongue and heart cut out. Skin on his face was also gone.

The heart was found in a wood-burning stove.

An autopsy had found the heart and tongue had been removed while Powell was still alive.

According to police reports Wyatt had believed that he was trying to kill the Devil.

INTERNATIONAL RUSSIAN ALL ROUND FIGHTING CONGRESS

By Sean O'Connor

MEMBERS  of the UK RAF group are heading off to 2nd International Russian All-Round Fighting.

The event is being held in Chernomorske, Crimea, Ukraine from September 3rd to the 7th.

Darrin Richardson, RAF UK, said: "The program covers all eight disciplines of our fighting multiathlon which are: bayonet fencing; stick fighting; knife fighting; Russian folk wrestling; kick fighting; fisticuffs, hand-to-hand fighting and storm fighting.

"There will be five full days of training, with two trainings per day four hours each. As the Convention will host both experienced RAF practitioners and the beginners in our system, we will hold parallel trainings in basic level and practitioner level.

"The Basic level covers full syllabus of the discrete technical actions in every discipline, like blows, blocks, dodges, throws, trips etc. There will be lots of lessons, fighting games and only limited contact sparring. The Convention participants who are new to RAF will be trained and certified in core technique of every discipline.

"The fighters who were previously certified in the Basic level will be trained in the practitioner level, covering fighting combinations and drills. Training at this level implies lots of sparring practice.

"The fighters with the non-RAF fighting experience are expected to complete the basic level training, though will be allowed to join some Practitioners group trainings and take part in sparring if they wish."

The trainings in striking and grappling disciplines will be conducted by the RAF President Maxim Shatunov.

The fencing material will be taught by the RAF Vice President Denis Rojkov.

The ground fighting training will be conducted by the RAF UK President Darrin Richardson.

The special hand-to-hand fighting technique lesson will be taught by one of most experienced RAF coaches Grigory Shepelyov.

Other RAF coaches and experienced sportsmen will lead some parts of the Convention program too.

The Convention will be held in the same place as the last year’s event – in Chernomorskoe town in Crimea. This sea town is situated in one of the most picturesque places of the Crimean peninsula – the number one tourist destination of the ex-USSR.

Darrin said: "All participants will reside and train in a simple but functional sports hostel. The building has double to four-person rooms, clean communal bathrooms and toilets, kitchen and a washing machine. There is a main gym with a wrestling mat and a smaller one with the free weights.

"We will also use the town's open stadium situated nearby for the fencing trainings. We plan to hold one or two trainings on the picturesque beach.

"Although our training schedule will be intense, we will have enough time for swimming in the sea and sightseeing. This part of the Crimea is famous for the beautiful cliffs and clear turquoise waters. This region is frequented by the windsurfers and divers.

"All the participants are encouraged to stay in the Crimea longer to have a good rest after the Convention. It would be rewarding to travel a bit over the peninsula."

The event costs £76.50, lodgings per day per person costs £9.

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