Kaplan steps up to take on Grapplers Quest ace Bill Cooper
Jun 15, 2010
(PRESS RELEASE) -- Opponents lining up to fight grappling wizard
Bill Cooper in his mixed martial arts debut were few and far
between.
“At times it looked like we might not even be able to find this guy a suitable opponent,” said Tachi Palace Fights matchmaker Richard Goodman. “Honestly, the majority of the calls we made looking for an opponent for Cooper ended with a ‘no thank you’ and one guy even said ‘I like my limbs’.”
Cooper of Santa Barbara, Calif. has made a living the last few
years dominating some of the best MMA has to offer on the grappling
mats. This past May he defeated UFC veteran Hermes Franca at the
UFC Fan Expo’s Grapplers Quest Super Fight. A year earlier in the
same event, it was Joe Stevenson that was submitted by the
energetic young grappler.
“This is another physical sport and I think it’s going to be a challenge for me,” said Cooper, who will make his pro MMA debut for Tachi Palace Fights “Stars and Strikes” on Friday, July 9 ironically one day before Grapplers Quest brings its largest cash prize tournament ever to Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore.
Consistently Cooper has been one of the best grapplers on the planet, which put Goodman in a tough spot when trying to match the phenom grappler.
“It came to a point where I didn’t know what we could do really. No one would take the fight and Cooper specifically asked for tough fights. We had black belts say no and UFC veterans declined. He didn’t want any easy fights starting out and we were running out of options” Goodman added.
Enter UFC veteran David Kaplan (2-3), who showed little fear on The Ultimate Fighter TV show on Spike.
“Training has been going well for me for this fight,” Kaplan said. “We have a game plan for this guy (Cooper). We know where his weaknesses are going to be and that’s on the feet striking and that’s where I plan on keeping the fight. I think that’s going to be easy for me. I wrestled in college and have been working a lot on my takedown defense.”
Tickets can be purchased at www.tachipalace.com or charge by phone at 1-800-225-2277. Tickets may also be purchased at the Tachi Palace Gift Shop and start at a low price of just $30 for general admission seating.
Depending on the outcome of Cooper’s bout with Kaplan, he still may compete the following day in the 32-man World’s Best Grappler tournament hosted by Grapplers Quest. For ticket information go to www.graplersquest.com.
“The key for me in grappling has been to always stay busy and not get rusty and I’m going to apply that to MMA as well,” Cooper said. “I’m going to get in there and get out, nothing flashy just get in there and just get the win.”
In the main event, “Razor” Rob McCullough returns to his roots at the Palace in a catch weight bout with fast-rising star Isaac DeJesus of Fresno, Calif. DeJesus (9-1). DeJesus is the Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight champ and makes the jump up in weight to take on Huntington Beach, Calif.’s McCullough (17-6) at 160 pounds.
The co-main event is a bout that features UFC veteran Brad Blackburn of Seattle, Wash. against Las Vegas, Nev. welterweight John Alessio. Alessio (28-13) is riding a 4-fight win streak and on the verge of breaking into the UFC. Meanwhile, Blackburn (15-11-1) has dropped two straight in the UFC after a 3-0 start on the world’s biggest stage.
The 9-bout card is also packed with three title fights, as welterweight champ David Mitchell (10-0) of Santa Rosa, Calif. defends his belt against Lemoore, Calif.’s Poppies Martinez (18-6) and bantamweight title holder Cole Escovedo (16-4) of Fresno, Calif. defends against Oakdale, Calif.’s Michael McDonald (9-1). Also, Rancho Cucamonga Calif.’s Gabe Ruediger (16-5) and Albuquerque, N.M.’s Lenny Lovato (8-0) battle for the Tachi Palace Fights vacant lightweight strap.
Also, Olympic Silver Medalist Stephen Abas (1-0) of Fresno, Calif. makes his return to the Palace in a bantamweight bout with Lemoore, Calif.’s Joey DeLaCruz (1-0); Las Vegas, Nev. lightweight David Bollea (2-0), who is the nephew of wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan, takes on Visalia, Calif.’s Cody Gibson (3-0); and Coalinga, Calif. bantamweight Francisco Loredo (4-5) fights Soledad, Calif.’s Drew Bittner (3-0).
“At times it looked like we might not even be able to find this guy a suitable opponent,” said Tachi Palace Fights matchmaker Richard Goodman. “Honestly, the majority of the calls we made looking for an opponent for Cooper ended with a ‘no thank you’ and one guy even said ‘I like my limbs’.”
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“This is another physical sport and I think it’s going to be a challenge for me,” said Cooper, who will make his pro MMA debut for Tachi Palace Fights “Stars and Strikes” on Friday, July 9 ironically one day before Grapplers Quest brings its largest cash prize tournament ever to Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore.
“It’s going to be cool to apply my jiu-jitsu into MMA. I actually
did some boxing before I even started jiu-jitsu, but just not as
consistent,” Cooper added.
Consistently Cooper has been one of the best grapplers on the planet, which put Goodman in a tough spot when trying to match the phenom grappler.
“It came to a point where I didn’t know what we could do really. No one would take the fight and Cooper specifically asked for tough fights. We had black belts say no and UFC veterans declined. He didn’t want any easy fights starting out and we were running out of options” Goodman added.
Enter UFC veteran David Kaplan (2-3), who showed little fear on The Ultimate Fighter TV show on Spike.
“Training has been going well for me for this fight,” Kaplan said. “We have a game plan for this guy (Cooper). We know where his weaknesses are going to be and that’s on the feet striking and that’s where I plan on keeping the fight. I think that’s going to be easy for me. I wrestled in college and have been working a lot on my takedown defense.”
Tickets can be purchased at www.tachipalace.com or charge by phone at 1-800-225-2277. Tickets may also be purchased at the Tachi Palace Gift Shop and start at a low price of just $30 for general admission seating.
Depending on the outcome of Cooper’s bout with Kaplan, he still may compete the following day in the 32-man World’s Best Grappler tournament hosted by Grapplers Quest. For ticket information go to www.graplersquest.com.
“The key for me in grappling has been to always stay busy and not get rusty and I’m going to apply that to MMA as well,” Cooper said. “I’m going to get in there and get out, nothing flashy just get in there and just get the win.”
In the main event, “Razor” Rob McCullough returns to his roots at the Palace in a catch weight bout with fast-rising star Isaac DeJesus of Fresno, Calif. DeJesus (9-1). DeJesus is the Tachi Palace Fights Featherweight champ and makes the jump up in weight to take on Huntington Beach, Calif.’s McCullough (17-6) at 160 pounds.
The co-main event is a bout that features UFC veteran Brad Blackburn of Seattle, Wash. against Las Vegas, Nev. welterweight John Alessio. Alessio (28-13) is riding a 4-fight win streak and on the verge of breaking into the UFC. Meanwhile, Blackburn (15-11-1) has dropped two straight in the UFC after a 3-0 start on the world’s biggest stage.
The 9-bout card is also packed with three title fights, as welterweight champ David Mitchell (10-0) of Santa Rosa, Calif. defends his belt against Lemoore, Calif.’s Poppies Martinez (18-6) and bantamweight title holder Cole Escovedo (16-4) of Fresno, Calif. defends against Oakdale, Calif.’s Michael McDonald (9-1). Also, Rancho Cucamonga Calif.’s Gabe Ruediger (16-5) and Albuquerque, N.M.’s Lenny Lovato (8-0) battle for the Tachi Palace Fights vacant lightweight strap.
Also, Olympic Silver Medalist Stephen Abas (1-0) of Fresno, Calif. makes his return to the Palace in a bantamweight bout with Lemoore, Calif.’s Joey DeLaCruz (1-0); Las Vegas, Nev. lightweight David Bollea (2-0), who is the nephew of wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan, takes on Visalia, Calif.’s Cody Gibson (3-0); and Coalinga, Calif. bantamweight Francisco Loredo (4-5) fights Soledad, Calif.’s Drew Bittner (3-0).
