Bocek ready for Danzig
the Canadian grappler’s next match comes against last season’s The Ultimate Fighter winner Mac Danzig, who is somewhat of a veteran with 23 pro fights on his resume.

Bocek spent the past several weeks in Temecula working on his overall skills with the talented bunch at TeamQuest.

“I’ve studied him a lot,” said Bocek (5-1) of his next opponent Danzig. “He’s a well-rounded fighter. I’m expecting a good win.”

Bocek met Henderson while the MMA veteran was visiting Canada a few years ago and was invited to train in Temecula. He took the offer and has spent eight weeks in the warm Southern California sunshine.

“I’ve had very good training partners,” Bocek says. It’s different from Canada where he’s forced to train with his students. He has 40 students that he teaches grappling skills in Ontario, Canada. “I’m always learning.”

Bocek likes the way his opponent Danzig fights and expects all-out action against the Ultimate Fighter winner. Whether it’s on the ground or standing up, after training with TeamQuest the Canadian fighter “feels real comfortable” in either style of battle.

Female boxing champ wins MMA debut
Former junior flyweight and flyweight world champion boxer Wendy Rodriguez, surprised almost everybody in her MMA debut last Sunday at the Irvine Marriott show staged by Roy Englebrecht Events.

The surprise was Rodriguez never fired a punch.

Rodriguez, a extremely petite 105-pounder who stands four-feet, 11 inches, faced wrestler Heather Basquil (1-2) who immediately dove in for a takedown. In the blink of an eye Rodriguez blocked the move and jumped on her back while slipping in the right arm under the neck. Basquil struggled for a dozen seconds and seemed to be tapping out with her left foot. The referee let the fight go on as Rodriguez continued with the rear naked choke. Finally Basquil tapped with her hand and the fight was finally stopped.

It took less than 30 seconds.

“I knew she was going to go for the takedown. I had seen her fight before,” said Rodriguez (1-0) who lives in South-Central Los Angeles. “I’ve been working in jiu-jitsu for five years.”

She returns to boxing on June 10 in a fight card in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Rodriguez trains at Krav Maga in L.A. with John Merkle, and also works with Mark Kamuro, Marcus Kowal and Michael Ancheta.

It was Ancheta who advised to watch out for their anti-take down move.

“We have something special for her,” Ancheta warned before the fight.

Rodriguez, 29, said that she is still going to box.

“I started MMA because I couldn’t find a fight in boxing,” said Rodriguez who came close to fighting fellow boxer/MMA fighter Elena “Baby Doll” Reid of Las Vegas. But Rodriguez needed more time to prepare. “I’d like to fight Elena Reid in boxing or MMA.”

Fights coming up
April 18 – Sportfight 22: Re-Awakening at Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. (877) 789-ROSE.

April 19 – UFC 83: Matt Serra vs. Georges St. Pierre 2 at Centre Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

April 19 – King of the Cage at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (909) 561-0525.

April 19 – Battle Cage Xtreme at Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (888) 680-8326.

April 19 – WEF: King of the Streets at Boutwell Auditorium at Birmingham, Alabama. (800) 277-1700.

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