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.”

WEC and Razor
Rob “Razor” McCullough defends his World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight championship against Rich Crunkilton (14-1) in a five-round bout at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Wednesday.

McCullough is one of the original Huntington Beach Bad Boys pack, along with Tito Ortiz, who ran the streets of that beach town and are now MMA stars.

“Tito Ortiz is one of my friends from school,” says McCullough (14-3), who fell into the sport by accident. “He’s always stopping by and helping out.”

The former skateboarder says he’s always preferred fighting on his feet rather than on the ground but can do what’s necessary.

Trained by Tiki Ghosn, McCullough gets tag-team training that includes wrestlers, boxers, jujitsu experts in each round at break-neck pace. It’s a sight to see as McCullough shifts from one form to another without a rest.

“We try to prepare the fighters to get ready for anything,” Ghosn said. “You never know what’s going to happen because there are so many variables in this kind of fighting.”

Randy Bowers provides some of the sparring in intervals and knows what McCullough does best.

“His Muy Thai is ridiculous,” said Bowers, who’s trained with McCullough for six years. “You can't stand too long in front of him.”

Though McCullough’s friends such as Ortiz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson are reared in wrestling, it’s not for him.

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“It’s kind of not cool,” McCullough said of grappling. “No disrespect to Tito or Rampage, but I like to win spectacularly with punches and kicks. My wins are dramatic.”

Crunkilton is known for his wrestling background and poses a striking difference in style to McCullough’s. They were scheduled to fight in the spring, but both suffered injuries, leading to a postponement.

Rampage and Hollywood Dan
Only one week until Jackson and Dan “Hollywood” Henderson meet at the O2 Arena in London in Ultimate Fighting Championship 75 “Champion versus Champion” fight card Sept. 8.

“I’m going to do what I do,” Jackson said.

Henderson, the Pride FC champion of the welterweight and middleweight divisions, has his eye on Jackson’s UFC light heavyweight title.

“I plan to take advantage of his mistakes,” Henderson said.

The fight card will be televised on pay-per-view.

Upcoming fights Saturday

• International Fighting Organization “Fireworks in the Cage 2” at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. (800) 634-3420
• Showdown in Titletown at the Radisson Hotel Conference Center in Green Bay, Wis. (920) 494-7300