Author Archives: Ryan Plessl

Canucks VS Ducks!

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The Vancouver Canucks faced off against the Anaheim Ducks Wednesday night in a back and forth game that saw both teams have their moments.

The first period saw Anaheim goalie Lukas Dostal make some nice saves followed by a quick goal from Troy Terry who easily put it past Thatcher Demko on a nice backhand. Vitaly Kravstov tried to tie the game for the Canucks on a nice breakaway but once again Lukas Dostal made a nice save to keep Anaheim in the lead. However, the Canucks battled back while short handed for the tenth time this year. Elias Pettersson fed the puck to J.T Miller who connected and tied the game for the Canucks to end the first period.

The Canucks dominated the second period as they overwhelmed Lukas Dostal on all fronts, showering him with shots from all different angles. The goalie held on for the first half of the period though keeping the Ducks in the game. However, the Canucks finally were able to find an opening and Andre Kuzmenko put one past Dostal to take the lead for the Canucks. This goal marks Kuzmenko’s 30th of the season. The Ducks weren’t calling it quits after the goal though as they fired back right away scoring on Thatcher Demko to tie the game heading into the third period.

Both teams fought hard in the third period and kept the score even forcing the game into overtime.

It was J.T Miller that got the win for the Canucks just twenty seconds into overtime getting his second goal of the night.

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Final score 3-2 for the Canucks

This makes three wins in a row for the Vancouver team which fans are understandably unhappy about. Not only has the team already missed their shot at playoffs but now they’re giving themselves a worse chance at a high draft pick with every single win.

Let’s see if the Canucks will keep the winning streak alive when they face off against the Ottawa Senators Saturday night.

Dante Leon Calls Out Jits Magazine!

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Canadian jiu jitsu athlete Dante Leon goes off on Jits Magazine after reading their article about Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu’s performance at Grappling Industries.

This past weekend Dante faced off against Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu at a Grappling Industries tournament. The match took place in a open bracket which means all belts were eligible to compete. Dante questioned if Cyborg and himself were the only black belts in the division. However, the bracket consisted of three black belts (including Dante and Cyborg) one brown belt, one purple belt, and one blue belt.

Cyborg finished four of his matches by submission and looked really impressive (as he should against lower level opponents). However, Dante proved to be a tougher challenge and the two fought until the time expired. The score was 0-0 and Cyborg won the referees decision to take home gold in the division.

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Dante posted about his tournament experience on his Instagram story (now his actual instagram feed as well) with a brief caption explaining his experience and how he had lost to Cyborg in the finals.

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Cyborg posted clips to his Instagram over the next few days of himself demolishing the lower belts in the tournament.

Then Jits Magazine, a major jiu jitsu media company, released an article about the tournament that caught the attention of Dante. In the article the writer claimed that Cyborg had won both his matches against the black belts he faced (implying he only had two matches, both against black belts) by submission. Dante took a problem with this as the article seemed to imply that Cyborg was levels above Dante and that he had easily submitted him like the rest of the competition.

Dante posted to his Instagram story slamming Jits Magazine for their lack of research on the tournament. Dante said he’s not looking for favours, just the truth.

The truth is what Dante got. Jits Magazine released a public apology for the incident and stated that the journalist who wrote the article hadn’t researched the tournament and would no longer be working for them. They also re-wrote the article again this time with proper research done.

It’s unfortunate that one of jiu jitsu’s biggest media and news sources can’t get information right about a simple tournament. Let’s hope they can improve their research from here!

Ben Dyson On Balancing Training And Owning A Gym!

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Local grappling superstar Ben Dyson will be making his return to competition on April 1st at GrappleFest 15 against Brad Schneider. How will he preform though with his attention diverted elsewhere?

Ben Dyson has been competing at the highest level of grappling for quite some time now. He’s won the ADCC European trials, competed for big grappling promotions like Polaris and ADCC, and grappled against jiu jitsu legends like Craig Jones and Nick Rodriguez.

Ben has recently taken on a new challenge in the sport of grappling though; running his own gym.

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Ben Dyson opened his own school at the start of 2022 called Kuzushi Grappling located in Downtown Vancouver. Since opening the academy Bens focus has largely been on helping his students develop as he wants them to be adept at the sport:

“The coaching aspect…I want all of my students to do well and I put a lot into my coaching because obviously I don’t want people to study under me for two years, train under me for two years, and then not be any good. It has taken quite a lot of my focus especially since opening a school.”

However, even with lots of Bens focus being on his students and his academy, he’s still found the time to train and get ready for competitions:

“I still find the time to train myself, it hasn’t taken away to much of my time from the competitive aspect.”

Ben credited part of this to the high level of talent that trains at his gym:

“I’m fortunate I’ve got a bunch of guys that I can train with still in class. Their my training partners as well. So not only do I have sessions outside of the classes, I’m also able to train myself in regular classes.”

Ben trains with local talent like Mike Crisp, Zachary Clancy, Josh Kim, and more at his gym on a daily basis.

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So what does this mean for Bens up coming match with Brad Schneider?  While Ben is balancing owning a gym with his competition training, he’s doing so successfully and grappling enthusiasts can expect Ben Dyson at his best come April 1st.

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You can watch Ben compete live April 1st On Fite T.V.

If you’re interested in learning from one of the best jiu jitsu athletes in not only Vancouver but the whole world, check out Bens gym Kuzushi Grappling here:

https://kuzushigrappling.com/

Jey Uso Finally Chooses A Side!

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Jey Uso finally reveals where he stands in the popular Sami Zayn vs the Bloodline feud!

When popular Canadian superstar Sami Zayn first tried to join the Bloodline, he was met with resistance from one Bloodline member in particular; Jey Uso.

As time went on though Sami and Jey formed a bond and became very close friends in the Bloodline, at times even trumping Jey’s connection to tribal chief Roman Reigns.

When Sami Zayn turned on the Bloodline to help out his friend Kevin Owens, Jey was in shock. He refused to beat up Sami with his brother and left the ring crying. He later posted to social media a photo of himself with the caption “I’m out🩸”

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When Jey finally returned to the WWE he was met backstage by Sami Zayn. Sami insisted that he let Jey know  that he acknowledges him. Jey was hesitant at first but then gave Sami a fist bump and nodded at him, a sign of respect.

A few weeks have passed since that moment and Jey has stayed largely quiet on the matter. However, Sami Zayn was set to face off against Jey Uso’s brother Jimmy on Monday Night RAW this week. After weeks of deliberation Jey came out to the ring during the match and joined forces with Sami Zayn against his brother and the rest of the Bloodline.

Fans were ecstatic and the whole crowd started to chant and cheer for Jey and Sami. However, it was all an act and Jey turned on Sami seconds later, delivering a devastating super kick to him. Jey then got in Sami Zayns face and started to yell and taunt him.

Jey made it very clear on Monday Night Raw where he stands, and that’s with his family, the Bloodline.

Toronto Raptors VS Denver Nuggets And Referees!

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The Toronto Raptors lost a controversial game to the Western Conference’s #1 seed, the Denver Nuggets Monday night.

This game was a close one from the get go. The Raptors got out to an early lead in the first quarter and led the scoring by more then ten points at times.

The Raptors held on to that lead in the second quarter as well but as the half time mark approached the Denver Nuggets started to close the gap more and more.

In the third quarter the Nuggets got their first lead of the game but the Raptors answered back and ended the quarter with a five point lead over the Nuggets.

Denver seemed to find its groove in the fourth quarter and finally took a more consistent lead for the first time this game. However, the Raptors weren’t done yet and fans could tell this game was going to come down to the wire.

The Raptors were down by just one point with thirty seconds left in the game when the referees decided to interfere in what was set to be a perfect game of basketball. For seemingly no reason Scotty Barnes was ejected from the game and sent back to the locker room. Scotty Barnes, the Raptors head coach, and even the Nuggets were very confused by this call and it was certainly a huge influence in the Nuggets finishing the game with a 118-113 lead over the Toronto Raptors.

While the Raptors may have a sour taste in their mouth after this one, theirs some positives to take away from this game. They took the #1 seed in the West to the limit and most likely would have won if it weren’t for a bad call from the referees. Overall a impressive game for the Raptors.

The Raptors return Wednesday night against the L.A Clippers on the road.

All VS All Day Two!

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The All VS All (AVA) grappling competition returned this weekend over the course of a two day event. The result was hundreds of high level and entertaining grappling matches that left fans and jiu-jitsu enthusiasts alike amazed.

The first day saw the adult competitors take the mats and the second day saw the youth competitors take the mats. In this article we will be covering day two of the AVA competition!

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Day two started out with the gi divisions in the morning and then switched to the no-gi divisions in the afternoon just like day one! Kids aged four to twelve years old took the mats to compete throughout the day and showcase their skills! There was definitely a less intense atmosphere between the competitors compared to day one, but the audience sure made up for the intensity! Parents and fans alike were screaming at the top of their lungs in hopes that their kids would listen to them. Coaches were trying their best to help out the kids but that proved to be difficult as half of them decided to wing it and not listen, and the other half simply couldn’t hear them over the loud noise in the gym.

Even with the added pressure and noise the kids seemed to have a blast competing though! Every kid left with a smile on their face and ready for the next competition.

When is the next AVA though? AVA takes over Victoria on May 13th and then Calgary on May 27th! Don’t miss your next chance to come watch some of the best local grapplers compete.

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If you didn’t get the chance to read day one of the AVA click here:

All VS All Day One!

All VS All Day One!

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The All VS All (AVA) grappling competition returned this weekend over the course of a two day event. The result was hundreds of high level and entertaining grappling matches that left fans and jiu-jitsu enthusiasts alike amazed.

The first day saw the adult competitors take the mats and the second day saw the youth competitors take the mats. In this article we will be covering day one of the AVA competition!

Day one started out with a bang as the event decided to put the Gi Pro Division for the males and females up first! Kenny Blicharski shocked everyone in attendance when he took out Cameron Carew. Cameron is much larger then Kenny since the pro division has no weight limit, so many fans expected Cameron to win. Kenny had a great performance though and he took home the title belt for the males. Angela Dufresne had a stellar performance and took out fan favourite Talia Anderson to win the female division and the title belt.

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The pro divisions were followed by the rest of the gi competitors taking the mats. The gi matches had a slower pace to them but were super technical and methodical matches!

Once the gi divisions were all finished the no-gi divisions started. Again, they kicked off with the pro division.

Cameron Carew put his early morning defeat behind him and destroyed the competition on his way to winning the Mens No-Gi Pro Division! He defeated Justin Mullin in the finals by using just one hand to snap Justin’s ankle! He was ecstatic to take home the title belt and win! Predicted winner of the Womens No-Gi Pro Division Cholena Horne put on a jiu-jitsu master class on her way to winning the division. She finished both of her competitors in regulation and made it look easy!

The rest of the no-gi matches were fast paced and could be described as an all out brawl. Fans seemed much more engaged in the no-gi divisions and large crowds gathered at each match to support their favourite grapplers!

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The day ended up being eleven hours of grappling and finally ended at 9:00pm. Even though it was a long day though the competitors and fans never slowed down and everyone left with smiles on their faces ready for day two of AVA!

You can read about day two of the AVA tournament here:

All VS All Day Two!

Amber Belzer Visits BCIT!

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Popular T.V and radio helicopter reporter Amber Belzer visited the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) to share her knowledge with students looking to break into the industry.

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Amber Belzer has worked in radio arts and entertainment for quite some time now and has experience in many different aspects of the industry. She’s worked at SunFM, Corus Radio, and even Global News throughout her career. Amber has spent the majority of her career though as a T.V and radio helicopter reporter for Global and has experienced what it’s like to be live on air, be a T.V personality, and put together relevant news reports.

All those skills are what BCIT Radio Arts and Entertainment program students are looking to develop in their time at BCIT, making Amber the perfect guest speaker for them.

On March 3rd, Amber made a guest appearance in the Radio Arts and Entertainment programs class to share some knowledge with them and answer any questions they might have. Amber said it’s important for her to visit classrooms like this to give back to the community:

“It’s important to help people starting in their broadcast and broadcast adjacent careers learn more about potential opportunities and how they can build on skills that they’ve brought into this program, and skills that they’ve learned in the program, and find their path going forward not just right now, but five to ten years down the road”

Students were thrilled to get the chance to learn from someone with such a successful career in industry and showered Amber with questions about her career path. Amber answered every single question and even stayed with students an hour after the class to continue educating and answering questions.

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Amber was a amazing guest speaker and the Radio Arts and Entertainment program shared that they would be happy to have her back anytime!

The Vancouver Canucks Win Overtime Thriller!

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The Vancouver Canucks faced off against the Nashville Predators Monday night in a closely contested battle that led to overtime.

The first period started out with Canucks all-star (and future team captain) Elias Pettersson winding up and sending the puck flying into the net to give the Canucks the early lead. The Predators answered back fast though as Colton Sissons rebounded the puck past young goalie Arturs Silvos to temporarily tie the game. The Canucks finished the period strong though as Vasily Podkolzin tipped the puck in to give the Canucks the 2-1 lead heading into the second period.

The second period saw very little action until a fight broke out between J.T Miller and Cole Smith. J.T Miller got the better of the exchange and put Smith down to the ice before referees separated the two. Arturs Silvos had some very nice saves throughout this period to keep the Canucks in the lead heading into the third.

The third period started out with a beautiful connection between Nils Åman and Dakota Joshua to give the Canucks the two point lead. It seemed as though this game was in the bag for the Canucks until the Panthers started to battle back. Luke Evangelista scored his first ever career goal and Tyson Barrie tied the game shortly after by capitalizing on a terrible play by the Canucks. The Canucks were unable to regain their lead and the game went to overtime.

No goals were scored in the overtime period so the game went to a shootout. After a uneventful first two rounds Pettersson scored for the Canucks in the third leaving it up to Arturs Silvos to stop yet another shot. He stopped all three goals and the Canucks got the win in the shootout!

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While the Canucks had their rough patches in this game it was nice to see the team get another win and even better to see Arturs Silvos finding his footing in the NHL.

The Canucks play the Ducks Wednesday night at home.

Canadian Owned F1 Team Is Off To A Great Start!

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Canadian owned Formula One (F1) team Aston Martin looks to be on track for a phenomenal season this year. The team scored second place in first practice, first place in second practice and third and sixth place in the first race of the season today in Bahrain.

Aston Martin was formally known as Racing Point in 2020 and the team was pretty solid. The car was fast scoring pole position and even a race win throughout the 2020 season. The team ended up finishing fourth place for the season. However, when the team changed over to Aston Martin they’re speed significantly decreased and the team dropped to seventh place for the past two years in the Constructors Championship.

The team was smart though and used those two years to invest money into their 2023 car. With the changes they’ve made to the car they’re seeing massive improvements in their overall speed, lap times, and finishing positions!

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With Fernando Alonso’s third place podium today, he secured the highest result the team has seen in the past two years and Aston Martin currently sits second in the Constructors Championship.

Let’s hope the Canadian team can keep the momentum rolling and secure solid rankings in the Drivers and Constructors Championship throughout the course of the year!