One of the superstars of mixed martial arts will be in Prince George this weekend to share his knowledge with local fighters.
Jeff Monson, known in MMA circles as The Snowman, will lead a grappling seminar and conduct Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu testing at the Prince George Judo Club (1371 Fourth Ave.) on Saturday. The event will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"I just can't believe he's coming," said Adriano Bernardo, a local MMA athlete and one of the organizers of Monson's visit, which is being presented by Murray Sholty Jiu-Jitsu & MMA Club.
"For local fighters, this is an unbelievable opportunity to see someone of his calibre and see what he has to offer and just roll around with someone who is that big and that skilled at grappling."
Monson, from Olympia, Wash., is considered one of the best submission grapplers in the world. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has a career MMA record of 44-13.
Monson, five-foot-nine and 240 pounds, has made seven appearances on UFC cards, his last one on Nov. 18, 2006, when he lost a five-round decision to Tim Sylvia for the heavyweight championship title.
"This is the only time that there's been someone who fought for the championship in Prince George," said Mike Green, who is working with Bernardo on the organizational front. "It's a pretty big thing to have him here, actually."
Monson was most recently in action on March 16 in St. Petersburg, Russia. There, in the M-1 Challenge 31, he battled to a victory against Alexey Oleinik.
Cost to attend the seminar is $100 per person. As of Tuesday afternoon, 20 people had registered. Green said there is space for about 35 people in total.
Those interested in participating can register tonight from 8 to 9 at the Murray Sholty club, located below Future Shop at 3900 Walls Ave.
For more information, contact Bernardo at (250) 552-9150 or Green at [email protected].
