TRIBUTE TO MY COUSIN MANNY NEVES
By: Manny Neves, 8th Dan, Kyoshi, Uechi-ryu Karate-Do
My cousin, Manny Neves, of Pawtucket Rhode Island died on November 22, 2010. He was a boxer, kickboxer, Muay Thai practitioner and Karate expert (8th Degree Black Belt). He was a mixed martial artist. He was the first to bring MMA to the state of Rhode Island. He held many State and Regional Championships along with numerous title belts. He was the reigning World Light Heavyweight Muay Thai Champion and the Rhode Island MMA Light Heavyweight Champion in 1999. In 1995-96 he received the prestigious Instructor of the Year award and was inducted into the Mixed Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 2007. All fighting combined he had 108 wins and 12 losses. He ran the Elite Martial Arts academy in RI and was the founder of International Combat Entertainment (ICE Fighter). He’s my cousin, my friend and one of only two of my martial arts heroes. He was, an always will be, the real deal when it comes to fighting.
Mixed Martial Arts is one of the best things that’s happened to the martial arts in a long time. There’s no mistake as to who won a particular match. No 5-points and stop, no referee bias, no b-s. If I were younger, I’d definitely be in the ring with those guys. Keep the Faith, Continue the fighting spirit. Be true to yourself and know that there’s an angel in heaven looking after you warriors.
How time flies. Seems like I was writing last year’s holiday newsletter just a few weeks ago. Must have something to do with aging and enjoying life! Today Sue and I are joining friends for a Thanksgiving “Brunch” at a local resourt famous for its two magnificent golf courses and five star restaurant. I always feel that eating there is somewhat wasted on me, since I can only eat a small sampling of what is offered. I’m usually fully satiated after a couple trips to the buffet table while I watch others enjoy endless trips, enjoying all of the dishes.
The first camp was 100% devoted to working on core training, which was essentially doing what we do in class. I continued to invite our Okinawan teachers, but expanded the list to include other martial arts that were compatible with our Uechi-ryu. Delegations from China began to attend starting in 1984, along with grandmaster Kanei Uechi and his family. For the first time we saw and studied root systems from Fuzou China that were very much part of what we were doing. In 1985 I conducted the first Martial Art Tour to Okinawa (Which was also the first WinterFest) that over 100 attended.
I would like to see the Uechi community throughout the world delete all the internet video clips of teachers breaking things over the bodies of their students and clips where viewers are entertained watching teachers beating the $#%^ out of their students while the students stands like a statue, submissively taking the beating. I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of trying to explain to people that Uechi-ryu is not the famous karate system where people learn how to break things over their bodies and learn how to win fights by allowing their opponents to punch them until the opponent’s fist breaks!
passed on for generations. With nearly 500 pages of text and photos spanning over fifty years, it is a documented time capsule of the life of George E. Mattson and the development of Uechi-ryu karate in the United States. Complimented by a Gold embossed black hard cover, the book is surrounded by a sanguine-red dust jacket adorned with a beautiful new Chinese dragon.
I’ve been working very hard reworking the hundreds of archived films in my library. Since many of the films are of the seniors in Uechi-ryu, I’ve decided to start a series called the “Masters of Uechi-ryu”. In checking the many videos, I came across a really fascinating one and a half hour film taken in master Kosuke Yonamine’s dojo following the historic 1985 Okinawa WinterFest.
Click on the “Pictures” gallery in the top frame and check out the latest video clips I’ve uploaded on WinterFest 1985, which was conducted on Okinawa.
