By KIMBERLY STAUFFER HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Nov. 8, 2008

The event, hosted by Lonestar Tournaments and Atama, will feature Gi, also known as kimonos, and No Gi divisions, as well as two super fights between black and brown belt competitors representing local mixed martial arts schools.

Dean Lister, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor, will conduct his first seminar in Texas Nov. 7, prior to the tournament.

Brett Boyce, owner of Lonestar Tournaments, said the popularity of mixed martial arts “has increased dramatically” within the last three years with the emergence of the UFC.

“Mixed martial arts puts it into two disciplines: one is stand-up, Muay Thai or kickboxing, and the other one is grappling, wrestling or Jiu-jitsu,” Boyce said. “A lot of people who are very interested in watching UFC and mixed martial arts are starting to get into it themselves. They might train both disciplines, but less step into a full contact ring with the stand-up art. A lot more are interested in the Jiu-jitsu end of it.”

With few tournaments held in the Houston area, Boyce said competitions like the Atama Open allow “people spending countless amount of hours in a gym training to put their skills to the test.” The tournaments are also an opportunity for the public to learn more about a sport dramatized as violent brawling.

“It’s taken the brutality out of a bar fight and molded it into a sport,” he said. “It’s very skillful. It’s not as brutal as people want to make it out to be. The more people recognize it takes skill to step into the ring, not just brute force and strength, the more recognized the sport will become.”

Super fight competitor Chad Kight, a brown belt instructor at Elite Mixed Martial Arts in The Woodlands, said the tournaments are a chance for competitors to step out of their comfort zones.

“I’m always telling my students they need to compete to bring up their level,” he said. “It’s good to test yourself against other guys. I lead by example; if I tell my students to compete, I have to go compete.”

Acknowledging the inherent violence, Kight said while fighters will do anything to make their opponent tap out or submit, the sport provides a way to control anger and violence, leading to a positive outcome.

“As far as people looking to do what we’re doing, treat this as a fun thing,” he said. “It’s a lifelong road. You’re never going to learn it all.”

The seminar with Dean Lister will be held 7-10 p.m. Nov. 7, and the Atama Open will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 8 at Legends Sports Complex. The super fights will feature three-time world champion Andre Monteiro against Brandon Mullens and Kight will face off against Patrick Head, an instructor from Nederland, Texas.

For more information and to register for the seminar or to compete, visit lonestartournaments.com.

kimberly.stauffer@chron.com