© Marc Wickert www.knucklepit.com
photos © John Donehue

 

John is the Australian representative for the Jiu-Jitsu team Nova Uniao which has such high calibre BJJ and MMA competitors as Shaolin, BJ Penn, Charuto Verissimo, Robson Moura and Leo Santos to name a few under founder Andre Pederneiras

John Donehue's introduction to a fighting system was by way of stand-up combat: initially through traditional boxing as a teenager, and then with kickboxing and Kung Fu lessons.

"I went on to sparring with some of the Zen Do Kai crew who were black belts, bouncers and pro boxers…guys like Dave Berry and Les Clark. From there I went overseas. I intended travelling around the world, but ended up staying in Los Angeles and continued training there. I met Gene LeBell after helping Bill Wallace do a seminar tour in Australia. Bill introduced me to Gene, and I commenced my grappling training," says Donehue.

Consequently, John was introduced to the Machados one night whilst working out at LeBell's cabin up in the mountains. "I was training concurrently with Gene, doing both Judo and his grappling style at LA City College, and semi-privately on the weekends up at his cabin in a place called Frazier Park, which is a couple of hours north of Los Angeles. At the same time I was training in BJJ with the Machados at Redondo Beach."

Eventually John's rankings in BJJ, Judo and Gene's grappling system progressed to black-belt level. Donehue stayed in LA for most of the 1990s, and towards the end of the decade he wrestled with such respected practitioners as Rico Chiapparelli, who John met whilst refereeing an event called The Contenders.

Randy Couture, John Donehue & Bruce Buffer

"This was basically wrestlers against Jiu Jitsu fighters, and it was similar to an Abu Dhabi-type contest, but it was held in the same sort of cage as we used when I was refereeing the Extreme Fighting. Rico had his own team of wrestlers, including Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and Matt Lindland, who he was preparing for the UFC and other tournaments. So I started training with those guys. They'd teach me the wrestling and I'd teach them the submission side of things: a lot of Gene's stuff and BJJ."

John then returned to Australia in 1999 and opened his Extreme Jiu Jitsu and Grappling (JJG) school in Melbourne. He chose the JJG name rather than the John Donehue Academy out of respect for grappling coaches Gene LeBell and Rico Chiapparelli, and BJJ instructors Rigan and Carlos Machado.

"Obviously when I teach the Jiu Jitsu classes it's mainly the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but there are parts that I will add or change because of the wrestling or Gene LeBell stuff that I think is better or more applicable. That's what's good about a martial art like that: not being stuck in a rigid style. You can evolve with things and incorporate things because they actually work better."

Rico Chiapparelli, Chris Brown & John Donehue

John is the Australian representative for the Jiu-Jitsu team Nova Uniao which has such high calibre BJJ and MMA competitors as Shaolin, BJ Penn, Charuto Verissimo, Robson Moura and Leo Santos to name a few under founder Andre Pederneiras.

Donehue also runs MMA classes, which comprise striking, takedowns and submissions. Larry Papadopoulos and Chris Brown are just two of John's better known students.

"Larry is a quiet achiever. He's a very accomplished Greco wrestler, good Jiu Jitsu fighter, and he was ranked number one in the world in Shooto for a long time. Chris Brown is a five-time Olympic wrestler. Chris is the best wrestler Australia has ever had. He was ranked top ten in the world for seven years, competed for Australia in five Olympics, and then took up submission stuff with me when I got back from the States.

"Chris is now a purple belt in Jiu Jitsu, he's had two MMA fights which he's won, and in the first Abu Dhabi that I trained him up for, he beat Renzo Gracie in the first round. And in the last Abu Dhabi he got a fourth place. He was actually wrestling to be in the final, but in the quarters he got a bad head gash and they didn't stitch it very well. In the semis, the gash broke open again and they had to stop the bout. He was already winning that match which would have put him in the finals to come either first or second."

John and partner Joe Cursio, who some might remember promoted the Kostya/Leija sold out boxing show in Melbourne also run an MMA event called NHB. The last NHB in May was before a packed house, which included UFC stars Randy Couture and Bruce Buffer.

John Donehue with Randy Couture

John, how often do you hold the NHB shows?

"We're going to have three or four shows a year now. Instead of trying to have a glut in the market with shows every month comprising level B fights, we're going to have three or four big shows per year. And we're going to try to bring some special guests out like Randy, and maybe bring some of their fighters out to go against the best Australia has to offer. That's our plan for next year, like a Randy Couture-and-Team Quest or Team USA versus Team Australia. That doesn't just mean my guys, but the best Australia has to offer."

How many NHB shows have you staged now?

"We've had three in the last twelve months and each one has been bigger than the previous one. The next NHB will be in February, 2005, and we'll have such guys headlining as Alex Cook, Larry Papadopoulos, Chris Brown, and the big kid from Perth, Soa Palalei, who just fought in PRIDE."

Andre Pederneiras, John Lewis & John Donehue

Randy Couture and Bruce Buffer were impressed with your last NHB event in May, 2004, weren't they?

"I think Randy and Bruce had a really good time. And as far as the production of the show…The only shows they have seen that topped it are UFC and PRIDE. A lot of it was helped by the venue we had, but it was a great card and both men are keen to come back for more."

Do you have any other events coming up?

"We're running the Abu Dhabi South-Pacific Trials for Australia and New Zealand on February 19, 2005. That's open to all competitors: like Judo, Wrestlers, Jiu Jitsu fighters. And the winners of that event automatically qualify to go to Los Angeles in May to compete against the best in the world at Submission Wrestling World Championships. Of all the tournaments we have in Australia, either in grappling or Jiu Jitsu, that is the most important, and the one with the most meaning. It is the only one that offers a full, expenses-paid trip to compete against the best in the world.

John Donehue & Gene LeBell

"There are no weight or belt divisions. You might be going against a white belt, or a black belt, or a judo player…The rules accommodate everybody. Some guys hang back from going in these comps because they think just the best guy's going to win, but the bottom line is, if you play by the rules, not always the best grappler wins. Sometimes the best tactician wins."

John Lewis & John Donehue

For more info on the next NHB event and the Abu Dhabi South-Pacific Trials stay tuned to knucklepit's NEWS page.

For more on John Donehue: www.extremejjg.com