International intrigue at MMA's ‘Art of War 3’
Top fighters from Brazil, U.S. face off in unique tournament

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS NOTEBOOK
By David Avila
MSNBC contributor
Updated: 11:15 a.m. CT Aug 30, 2007
Brazilian jujitsu controlled mixed martial arts in the 1990s with its form of combat that entangled opponents like that country’s native Anaconda.

Not any more.

Jujitsu alone is insufficient as the MMA stars from both Brazil and the U.S. will try to prove in “Art of War 3,” a match involving teams from those two countries at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Saturday. The fight card will be shown on pay-per-view television.

There’s not a whole lot of difference any more,” said Jeremy Horn, one of the combatants, when comparing Brazilian to American fighters. “Everybody is good on the ground, everybody is good on their feet and in great shape.”

The evolution of the sport will never be more apparent than in this fight card between the two MMA-crazy countries who along with Japan and Russia have supplied most of the world’s MMA fighters.

Jeff Monson, a heavyweight veteran of 29 professional MMA fights, expects the fight with fellow veteran Pedro Rizzo to end on the mat. Throwing opponents to the ground and ensnaring them with a variety of methods is their forte.

“I don’t feel I deserve to win if I don’t win on the ground,” said Monson, who before losing to Tim Sylvia last November had not been defeated in four years. That was 15 consecutive victories. “This fight will be on the ground because both of us like it the way.”

Brazil has funneled fighters to this country like an underground oil pipeline, with Royce Gracie leading the way, followed by his brothers and cousins. Now hundreds of other Brazilians also have ventured to North America with visions of fortune and fame in their dreams.

Rizzo, like Monson, is familiar to MMA fans with his combination of jujitsu and other grappling skills.

“I know that Jeff (Monson) is ready for the fight,” said Rizzo, who has beaten heavyweight stars Andrei Arlovski and Josh Barnett. “He’s great on the ground and a very experienced fighter.”

Monson knows a decisive victory is needed.

“Each time you don’t finish a fight, you leave it to the judges and anything can happen,” he said. “I’m comfortable with my jujitsu.”

Light heavyweight star Horn, who has more MMA fights than any other fighter on the card, said it best: “There’s not a whole lot of difference between fighters styles any more.”