From: das...@earthlink.net (Michael Dash)Subject: Boztepe/Gracie challenge - Entire chain of letters (long)Date: 1996/08/20Message-ID: <4vb2q8$2ou@fu-berlin.de>X-Deja-AN: 175210747x-access: 16 167content-type: Text/Plain; charset=US-ASCIImime-version: 1.0newsgroups: rec.martial-artsFor all of you that are intersted, I am providing in this post allthe letters that exist (to the best of my knowledge) regardingEmin Boztepe's challenge to the Gracie Family. If you have no interest in this subject, then exercise your right of choice andskip this post/thread. Don't bitch or complain to me because you can't seem to stop yourself from reading my posts. The follwoing is a summary of the letters provided:1. Boztepe's original challenge letter, dated 10/26/94.2. Art Davie's (W.O.W.) orignal response, dated 12/01/94, to the letter in which he points out that Boztepe libeled the UFC by calling it fake. Boztepe is also formally offered a guaranteed slot in the UFC.3. Rorion Gracie's response to the challenge letter, faxed 1/19/95 in which he suggests Boztepe accept the invitation to the UFC, or he can fight Royce at the Torrance Academy.4. Second letter from Art Davie to Boztepe, dated 1/25/95, in whichhe asks Boztepe to retract his statement calling the UFC fake. He also repeats a verbal offer made to Boztepe guaranteeing him a specialsingle match with Royce (which would have been the first superfight that Shamrock received). 5. First letter from Alexander Wallenwein, Boztepe's attorney, dated 3/3/95, in which he first offers the gym of the Martial Arts Gazette, as an alternative to the Police Academy. 6. Rorion's response to the lawyer, dated 3/6/95, which he proposesa firm date for the fight at the Police Academy. In this letter Rorion refers to the fight as a "demonstration".7. Wallenwein's response to the Police Acadmey offer, dated 3/6/95, in which he indicates, for the first time, that the fight Boztepe challenged the Gracies to is in fact illegal and that they didn't want to fight in front of the Police unless Rorion obtained a letter from the Mayor or the Chief of Police stating that such fights are "(a) legal in California, (b) that no law enforcement personnel will intervene in the fight in any way until it is over, and (c) that after the fight none of the participants or their promoters/representatives will be charged with violating any laws". By the way, it was this letter that convinced Rorion that Boztepe wasn't serious about fighting them and that the fight was never going to occur.8. Rorion's repsonse to the request for a letter from the Mayor or Chief of Police, dated 3/6/95, in which he states the fight wouldbe just as illegal if held at the gym of the Martial Arts Gazette,but Royce would fight there if Boztepe could provide the same letterthey requested earlier from the Mayor or the Chief of Police. Thisletter, to the best of my knowledge, was the last letter exchangedbetween them.9. Letter published in Black Belt Magazine in which Royce comparesBoztepe to a circus clown.10. Letter from Boztepe, dated 4/3/95, that Mike Adams posted to rec.martial-arts. Supposedly this letter was going to be publishedin magazines, but I don't know if it has.The following letters are reproduced verbatim from the original, as best as I can (i.e. I can't reproduce changes in font or underlines).I have copies of the originals for letters 1, and 3-8 above. I only have electronic versions of 2, 9, and 10.Michael Dashdas...@earthlink.net*********************************************************************The above statements represent my personal opinion and are not **necessarily the opinion of any other individual or organization. *********************************************************************-----------------------------------------------------------------AWTOAmerican WingTsun Organization Los Angeles, 26th October 1994A WORLD-WIDE OPEN CHALLENGE TO THE GRACIE-FAMILYAfter having watched your "Ultimate Fighting Championships" held by the Gracie-Family, I cannot find them very "ultimate" but only amusing. These so-called "ultimate fights" may impress layman or beginners, but in fact they are no more real than the professional Wrestling shows on TV.What depresses me is that I have heard of some rumors that I would not dare to accept your challenge. In fact I have never received any such challenge! Do you want me to appear like a coward? When I talked to Benny Urquidez in Germany, he told me that you people had played him the same dirty old trick for propaganda. Not long ago you even challenged the great man of American wrestling Gene LaBell. A very brave act indeed, since Mr. LaBell is over 60 years old.Now in the second "Ultimate Fighting Championships"-Show you people even (ab-)used two stupid wing chun men to perform some funny movements so as to represent "Kung-Fu". And at the same time you claimed to have defeated two "wing chun"-fighters in the first bout.Although I am a WingTsun-Fighter of the Leung Ting WingTsun-System, which is very different from the generic wing chun style in theory and practice and is highly compatible in ground-fighting, I feel bad that you brothers use these kinds of dirty tricks to put down the late Great Grandmaster Yip Man's other students, their schools as well as other respectable martial arts styles or stylists!I keep the record of over 300 bare-hand fights and have never been defeated. However, I have never talked bad about my losers and all the other styles. But so as to educate you Gracies to respect the others, my students and I hereby turn the tables on you by challenging all you people of the Gracy-Family.I can send 5 or more fighters from the AWTO to fight the Gracies. If you have more fighters in the Gracie-Family, just inform me and I shall report this to the International Headquarters and we will satisfy you with as many fighters as necessary.We like the so-called "No rules at all" Game as advertised in your propaganda. No gloves, no time-limit, the person who knocks out his opponent is the winner. This is exactly the way we WingTsun-people fought in China in the olden times. We do not mind fighting you people in the ring set up by your own organization. The only thing that we want is to fight openly, so all the audience, reporters, TV-people and martial artists can see if you can really fight against us. We only want two conditions:1) We only fight you Gracies. For we do not want to give you the chance to use any helpful idiots to protect you as "shields". So we will only fight you directly and no others!2) The winner takes all the money. We only want our expenses paid. The rest of the money will all be used for charity.If you Gracie-brothers dare not to accept our challenge, I do not mind. But remember: Never put down any other martial art styles from now on. [signature]Emin Boztepe5th level Practician EWTO/IWTMAAHeadman of the AWTO (American WingTsun Organization)-----------------------------------------------------------------faxed to Emin Boztepe at (213)666-1635DATE: 12/01/94TO: EMIN BOZTEPEFROM: ART DAVIE, PROMOTER OF THE UFCSUBJECT: UFC VI have a copy of your letter to the Gracies being published inCinturon Negro in Europe. You expressed an interest in enteringthe UFC, but I have some concerns with your letter:1. The UFC, which is owned by my company in partnership with Semaphore Entertainment Group in New York, is not a staged exhibition like professional wrestling. Your letter's assertion "...in fact they (UFC) are no more real than professional wrestling shows on TV" is not only false but is, in the opinion of our attorneys, clearly libelous. Be advised that we have made a substantial investment in the UFC as a business, and will do everything, within our legal means to protect it.2. The UFC is not controlled by the Gracies; they do not select the competitors nor arrange the bout order. The opening round bouts are done by a random draw. A fighter may be matched against a Gracie in the opening round or be matched against a Gracie in the second or final round. This is the way the tournament is structured.You may remember that I spoke to you on the phone a year ago askingyou to fight the first UFC. You declined, saying you were retiredfrom such competitions. I am, however,aware of and respect yourreputation as a Wing Tsun stylist; I would suggest to you that asimple resolution to this issue would be for you to enter UFC V,scheduled for April 7, 1995. I am sure that a Gracie brother willbe a competitor and your stature is such that I will guarantee youa selection as one of the eight UFC competitors. I have attacheda UFC application for you to return to me, indicating yourdecision.Please call me with any questions. We will, of course, take careof your travel and accommodations as we do for the other fighters. Over 1 million people watched the UFC live on TV. Millions moresaw it on delayed broadcast or video. I am sure that you willappreciate the opportunity to display your art before the millionswho will view the UFC V. Please advise me as soon as possible.Respectfully, Arthur DaviePromoter-----------------------------------------------------------------Jan 95Gracie Jiu-Jitsu(R)Dear Mr. Boztepe:In response to your open challenge to the Gracie Family, the promoters of the UFC, W.O.W. Promotions and Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG), are pleased to extend to you a formal invitation to the UFC V to represent your art. You are perhaps the most respected fighter in the Wing Tsun world and we are pleased you are willing to enter.I must, however, address several points you raised in your letter. First, whatever you may think about "THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS(TM)", they are very real bare-knuckle, no-holds barred matches. This is not "professional wrestling". You will find out soon enough.Second, my brother challenged Benny Urquidez after Benny declared that the Gracie's reputation was a scam developed through a publicity stunt. When invited to be in the UFC, he declined and used his retirement as his reason. If inviting a renowned fighter to enter the Western world's only legal bare-knuckle, no holds-barred tournament is a "dirty trick" - then I don't know "dirty tricks".Thirdly, regarding the two Wing Chun fighters that participated in the UFC II, I want to see the record straight at this point - they were defeated by fighters other than my brother.Regarding fighting the Gracies:The promoters of the UFC have invested a lot of money in the singleelimination concept. This includes a random drawing for the first round match ups. It would not be fair to the other martial arts organizations worldwide to change the format of this tournament to satisfy your request.Also by entering the UFC V, you will have the opportunity to draw Royce Gracie in the 1st round, or given your claim of fighting superiority to face him in the championship match.Last but not least, let me remind you that while you preached respect for other martial arts, your reference to the UFC competitors as "helpful idiots" is not only an obvious contradiction, but is grossly disrespectful to Champions such as Gerard Gordeau, Orlando Weit, Minoki Ichihara and Ken Shamrock - who unlike yourself, have already competed for the title of "The Ultimate Fighter". For your information, the promoters are more than willing to pick up all travel and accommodation expenses for you, a trainer and a manager, so there is no excuse for your absence from the next tournament.If you do not want to compete in the UFC, I will be glad to set up a date for you to come here, to the Gracie Academy in Torrance, and have a match with Royce Gracie for the press to view.Looking forward to hearing from you. [signature]Rorion GracieHead of the Gracie Family-----------------------------------------------------------------01/25/95Emin BoztepeAmerican Wing Tsun Organization505 S. Beverly DriveSuite 1400Beverly Hills, CA 90212Dear Mr. Boztepe:I am writing to ask you to respond to the request I made in our last phone conversation on 01/06/95: That you issue a retraction to the statement you made about the UFC (our tournament), in your OPEN LETTER TO THE GRACIES, comparing it to staged professional wrestling.I have never, nor has anyone in my employ, written or caused to be published anything negative about you personally or professionally. You have admitted to me in phone conversations that you were only angered by gossip on martial arts bulletin boards. This has nothing to do with me or my company. Fans of your martial art style and fans of my tournament are unfettered by the First Amendment in this country in expressing their *opinions* on such bulletin board systems.You have, however, written and caused to be published in the U.S. and Europe a letter challenging another martial artist in which you stated "..."ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP" (TM)...may impress laymen or beginners, but in fact they are no more real than professional wrestling shows on TV." As I advised you by FAX on 12/01/94 this statement is not only false but, in the opinion of counsel, clearly libelous. W.O.W. and its partners, Semaphore Entertainment Group, have invested million of dollars in the UFC and will do everyhting in our power to protect this investment.I have extended in our last two phone conversations an invitation to you to compete in the UFC. I even offered you a special single match against Royce Gracie. You have not said yes to either offer. You, however, continue to give interviews to the martial arts press proclaiming your challenge. Solely based upon your actions in this matter, I am left to conclude that you are attempting to use this all for publicity purposes to further your career and have no desire to act on your challenge.Please call me with any questions. We will, of course, take care of your travel and accomodations as we do for the other fighters. Over 1 million people watched the UFC III Live on TV. Millions more saw it on delayed broadcast or video. I am sure that you will appreciatethe opportunity to display your art before millions who will view the UFC V. Please advise me as soon as possible.Respectfully,Arthur DaviePromoter-----------------------------------------------------------------March 3, 1995Alexander R. WallenweinAttorney At LawDear Mr. Rorion Gracie:I am writing this letter on behalf of my client, Mr. Emin Boztepe,Chief Instructor of the American Wing Tsun Organization (AWTO), 5thLevel Master of Wing Tsun (WT).You allowed your promoter to openly challenge and humiliate old andretired masters of different styles and did nothing to stop him.You also watched while your people kept on calling Mr. Boztepe"chicken" on the Internet computer network.When my client unexpectedly answered that challenge with a counterchallenge to you to fight you and/or your brother Royce outsideyour TV tournament, you never accepted the terms, dates, or thelocations given.Then, on February 17th you called Mr. Boztepe and told him thatyour brother Royce will accept his counter-challenge to your familyand fight Mr. Boztepe on "neutral ground" but initially suggestedyour own school. This was of course unacceptable. Thereupon yousaid you would call him back that same night in order to give theexact date and final location of the fight. However, Mr. Boztepewaited in vain that day, and the next day....You in fact did not call him back until Tuesday, February 21st.On that occasion you informed my client that you wanted to holdthe fight at the Los Angeles Police Academy - of which you happento be a member - on Thursday February 23rd, only two days later. You also requested that there should be no public TV coverage, only video recordings of the fight. Of course Mr. Boztepe told you that he considered two days advance notice too short. He suggested to holdthe match one week later so that he could make sure that thenewspaper and camera men could be there to record the fight. Youresponded that you would "try to arrange it" but then called backto cancel the fight with the weak excuse that the gym was notavailable for the next two weeks and you would call Mr. Boztepeback.So as to make it impossible for you to back out of the fightagain, my client suggests once and for all the following dateand location: March 14th in the gym of the "Martial Arts Gazette",one of the leading martial arts newspapers. If you prefer "InsideKung Fu" or "Black Belt", I am sure it can be arranged on thesame date.THE AGREEMENT IS THAT THE FIGHT IS A "NO RULES" FIGHT WITH NOREFEREES. NO PARTY TO THE FIGHT OR THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONSOR REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER FOR ANY DAMAGES,WHETHER FOR PERSONAL INJURY OR OTHERWISE, AND EACH PARTY AGREESNOT TO PRESS CHARGES FOR ANY ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW. THEFIGHT WILL BE INDEPENDENTLY RECORDED BY VIDEO BY EACH PARTY. THERECORDING AND PHOTO RIGHTS WILL BELONG TO THE RESPECTIVE FIGHTERSONLY. NO FIGHTER HAS THE RIGHT TO PREVENT, DELAY, OR HINDER PUBLICATION OF THE RESULT, NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTCOME.After this date Mr. Boztepe has to leave for Europe. If you donot accept again, Mr. Boztepe and the public must assume that youor Royce never intended to fight him, and you and your family mustlive with that disgrace.Mr. Boztepe expects you to confirm this date in writing by March 8th. Please no more phone conversations which lead tonothing.Irrespective of this, you and your promoter still have the opportunity to apologize to the old masters and retired fightersyou have insulted through your media efforts. That would make afight unnecessary.It is especially this last solution which would please Mr. Boztepethe most. That way, it would be a victory for the common causeof all martial arts and their honor and reputation in the publicmind.Very truly yours,Alexander R. Wallenwein-----------------------------------------------------------------Part. 1
Emin - Gracie - Archivio Lettere Part. 1
From: das...@earthlink.net (Michael Dash)Subject: Boztepe/Gracie challenge - Entire chain of letters (long)Date: 1996/08/20Message-ID: <4vb2q8$2ou@fu-berlin.de>X-Deja-AN: 175210747x-access: 16 167content-type: Text/Plain; charset=US-ASCIImime-version: 1.0newsgroups: rec.martial-artsFor all of you that are intersted, I am providing in this post allthe letters that exist (to the best of my knowledge) regardingEmin Boztepe's challenge to the Gracie Family. If you have no interest in this subject, then exercise your right of choice andskip this post/thread. Don't bitch or complain to me because you can't seem to stop yourself from reading my posts. The follwoing is a summary of the letters provided:1. Boztepe's original challenge letter, dated 10/26/94.2. Art Davie's (W.O.W.) orignal response, dated 12/01/94, to the letter in which he points out that Boztepe libeled the UFC by calling it fake. Boztepe is also formally offered a guaranteed slot in the UFC.3. Rorion Gracie's response to the challenge letter, faxed 1/19/95 in which he suggests Boztepe accept the invitation to the UFC, or he can fight Royce at the Torrance Academy.4. Second letter from Art Davie to Boztepe, dated 1/25/95, in whichhe asks Boztepe to retract his statement calling the UFC fake. He also repeats a verbal offer made to Boztepe guaranteeing him a specialsingle match with Royce (which would have been the first superfight that Shamrock received). 5. First letter from Alexander Wallenwein, Boztepe's attorney, dated 3/3/95, in which he first offers the gym of the Martial Arts Gazette, as an alternative to the Police Academy. 6. Rorion's response to the lawyer, dated 3/6/95, which he proposesa firm date for the fight at the Police Academy. In this letter Rorion refers to the fight as a "demonstration".7. Wallenwein's response to the Police Acadmey offer, dated 3/6/95, in which he indicates, for the first time, that the fight Boztepe challenged the Gracies to is in fact illegal and that they didn't want to fight in front of the Police unless Rorion obtained a letter from the Mayor or the Chief of Police stating that such fights are "(a) legal in California, (b) that no law enforcement personnel will intervene in the fight in any way until it is over, and (c) that after the fight none of the participants or their promoters/representatives will be charged with violating any laws". By the way, it was this letter that convinced Rorion that Boztepe wasn't serious about fighting them and that the fight was never going to occur.8. Rorion's repsonse to the request for a letter from the Mayor or Chief of Police, dated 3/6/95, in which he states the fight wouldbe just as illegal if held at the gym of the Martial Arts Gazette,but Royce would fight there if Boztepe could provide the same letterthey requested earlier from the Mayor or the Chief of Police. Thisletter, to the best of my knowledge, was the last letter exchangedbetween them.9. Letter published in Black Belt Magazine in which Royce comparesBoztepe to a circus clown.10. Letter from Boztepe, dated 4/3/95, that Mike Adams posted to rec.martial-arts. Supposedly this letter was going to be publishedin magazines, but I don't know if it has.The following letters are reproduced verbatim from the original, as best as I can (i.e. I can't reproduce changes in font or underlines).I have copies of the originals for letters 1, and 3-8 above. I only have electronic versions of 2, 9, and 10.Michael Dashdas...@earthlink.net*********************************************************************The above statements represent my personal opinion and are not **necessarily the opinion of any other individual or organization. *********************************************************************-----------------------------------------------------------------AWTOAmerican WingTsun Organization Los Angeles, 26th October 1994A WORLD-WIDE OPEN CHALLENGE TO THE GRACIE-FAMILYAfter having watched your "Ultimate Fighting Championships" held by the Gracie-Family, I cannot find them very "ultimate" but only amusing. These so-called "ultimate fights" may impress layman or beginners, but in fact they are no more real than the professional Wrestling shows on TV.What depresses me is that I have heard of some rumors that I would not dare to accept your challenge. In fact I have never received any such challenge! Do you want me to appear like a coward? When I talked to Benny Urquidez in Germany, he told me that you people had played him the same dirty old trick for propaganda. Not long ago you even challenged the great man of American wrestling Gene LaBell. A very brave act indeed, since Mr. LaBell is over 60 years old.Now in the second "Ultimate Fighting Championships"-Show you people even (ab-)used two stupid wing chun men to perform some funny movements so as to represent "Kung-Fu". And at the same time you claimed to have defeated two "wing chun"-fighters in the first bout.Although I am a WingTsun-Fighter of the Leung Ting WingTsun-System, which is very different from the generic wing chun style in theory and practice and is highly compatible in ground-fighting, I feel bad that you brothers use these kinds of dirty tricks to put down the late Great Grandmaster Yip Man's other students, their schools as well as other respectable martial arts styles or stylists!I keep the record of over 300 bare-hand fights and have never been defeated. However, I have never talked bad about my losers and all the other styles. But so as to educate you Gracies to respect the others, my students and I hereby turn the tables on you by challenging all you people of the Gracy-Family.I can send 5 or more fighters from the AWTO to fight the Gracies. If you have more fighters in the Gracie-Family, just inform me and I shall report this to the International Headquarters and we will satisfy you with as many fighters as necessary.We like the so-called "No rules at all" Game as advertised in your propaganda. No gloves, no time-limit, the person who knocks out his opponent is the winner. This is exactly the way we WingTsun-people fought in China in the olden times. We do not mind fighting you people in the ring set up by your own organization. The only thing that we want is to fight openly, so all the audience, reporters, TV-people and martial artists can see if you can really fight against us. We only want two conditions:1) We only fight you Gracies. For we do not want to give you the chance to use any helpful idiots to protect you as "shields". So we will only fight you directly and no others!2) The winner takes all the money. We only want our expenses paid. The rest of the money will all be used for charity.If you Gracie-brothers dare not to accept our challenge, I do not mind. But remember: Never put down any other martial art styles from now on. [signature]Emin Boztepe5th level Practician EWTO/IWTMAAHeadman of the AWTO (American WingTsun Organization)-----------------------------------------------------------------faxed to Emin Boztepe at (213)666-1635DATE: 12/01/94TO: EMIN BOZTEPEFROM: ART DAVIE, PROMOTER OF THE UFCSUBJECT: UFC VI have a copy of your letter to the Gracies being published inCinturon Negro in Europe. You expressed an interest in enteringthe UFC, but I have some concerns with your letter:1. The UFC, which is owned by my company in partnership with Semaphore Entertainment Group in New York, is not a staged exhibition like professional wrestling. Your letter's assertion "...in fact they (UFC) are no more real than professional wrestling shows on TV" is not only false but is, in the opinion of our attorneys, clearly libelous. Be advised that we have made a substantial investment in the UFC as a business, and will do everything, within our legal means to protect it.2. The UFC is not controlled by the Gracies; they do not select the competitors nor arrange the bout order. The opening round bouts are done by a random draw. A fighter may be matched against a Gracie in the opening round or be matched against a Gracie in the second or final round. This is the way the tournament is structured.You may remember that I spoke to you on the phone a year ago askingyou to fight the first UFC. You declined, saying you were retiredfrom such competitions. I am, however,aware of and respect yourreputation as a Wing Tsun stylist; I would suggest to you that asimple resolution to this issue would be for you to enter UFC V,scheduled for April 7, 1995. I am sure that a Gracie brother willbe a competitor and your stature is such that I will guarantee youa selection as one of the eight UFC competitors. I have attacheda UFC application for you to return to me, indicating yourdecision.Please call me with any questions. We will, of course, take careof your travel and accommodations as we do for the other fighters. Over 1 million people watched the UFC live on TV. Millions moresaw it on delayed broadcast or video. I am sure that you willappreciate the opportunity to display your art before the millionswho will view the UFC V. Please advise me as soon as possible.Respectfully, Arthur DaviePromoter-----------------------------------------------------------------Jan 95Gracie Jiu-Jitsu(R)Dear Mr. Boztepe:In response to your open challenge to the Gracie Family, the promoters of the UFC, W.O.W. Promotions and Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG), are pleased to extend to you a formal invitation to the UFC V to represent your art. You are perhaps the most respected fighter in the Wing Tsun world and we are pleased you are willing to enter.I must, however, address several points you raised in your letter. First, whatever you may think about "THE ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS(TM)", they are very real bare-knuckle, no-holds barred matches. This is not "professional wrestling". You will find out soon enough.Second, my brother challenged Benny Urquidez after Benny declared that the Gracie's reputation was a scam developed through a publicity stunt. When invited to be in the UFC, he declined and used his retirement as his reason. If inviting a renowned fighter to enter the Western world's only legal bare-knuckle, no holds-barred tournament is a "dirty trick" - then I don't know "dirty tricks".Thirdly, regarding the two Wing Chun fighters that participated in the UFC II, I want to see the record straight at this point - they were defeated by fighters other than my brother.Regarding fighting the Gracies:The promoters of the UFC have invested a lot of money in the singleelimination concept. This includes a random drawing for the first round match ups. It would not be fair to the other martial arts organizations worldwide to change the format of this tournament to satisfy your request.Also by entering the UFC V, you will have the opportunity to draw Royce Gracie in the 1st round, or given your claim of fighting superiority to face him in the championship match.Last but not least, let me remind you that while you preached respect for other martial arts, your reference to the UFC competitors as "helpful idiots" is not only an obvious contradiction, but is grossly disrespectful to Champions such as Gerard Gordeau, Orlando Weit, Minoki Ichihara and Ken Shamrock - who unlike yourself, have already competed for the title of "The Ultimate Fighter". For your information, the promoters are more than willing to pick up all travel and accommodation expenses for you, a trainer and a manager, so there is no excuse for your absence from the next tournament.If you do not want to compete in the UFC, I will be glad to set up a date for you to come here, to the Gracie Academy in Torrance, and have a match with Royce Gracie for the press to view.Looking forward to hearing from you. [signature]Rorion GracieHead of the Gracie Family-----------------------------------------------------------------01/25/95Emin BoztepeAmerican Wing Tsun Organization505 S. Beverly DriveSuite 1400Beverly Hills, CA 90212Dear Mr. Boztepe:I am writing to ask you to respond to the request I made in our last phone conversation on 01/06/95: That you issue a retraction to the statement you made about the UFC (our tournament), in your OPEN LETTER TO THE GRACIES, comparing it to staged professional wrestling.I have never, nor has anyone in my employ, written or caused to be published anything negative about you personally or professionally. You have admitted to me in phone conversations that you were only angered by gossip on martial arts bulletin boards. This has nothing to do with me or my company. Fans of your martial art style and fans of my tournament are unfettered by the First Amendment in this country in expressing their *opinions* on such bulletin board systems.You have, however, written and caused to be published in the U.S. and Europe a letter challenging another martial artist in which you stated "..."ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP" (TM)...may impress laymen or beginners, but in fact they are no more real than professional wrestling shows on TV." As I advised you by FAX on 12/01/94 this statement is not only false but, in the opinion of counsel, clearly libelous. W.O.W. and its partners, Semaphore Entertainment Group, have invested million of dollars in the UFC and will do everyhting in our power to protect this investment.I have extended in our last two phone conversations an invitation to you to compete in the UFC. I even offered you a special single match against Royce Gracie. You have not said yes to either offer. You, however, continue to give interviews to the martial arts press proclaiming your challenge. Solely based upon your actions in this matter, I am left to conclude that you are attempting to use this all for publicity purposes to further your career and have no desire to act on your challenge.Please call me with any questions. We will, of course, take care of your travel and accomodations as we do for the other fighters. Over 1 million people watched the UFC III Live on TV. Millions more saw it on delayed broadcast or video. I am sure that you will appreciatethe opportunity to display your art before millions who will view the UFC V. Please advise me as soon as possible.Respectfully,Arthur DaviePromoter-----------------------------------------------------------------March 3, 1995Alexander R. WallenweinAttorney At LawDear Mr. Rorion Gracie:I am writing this letter on behalf of my client, Mr. Emin Boztepe,Chief Instructor of the American Wing Tsun Organization (AWTO), 5thLevel Master of Wing Tsun (WT).You allowed your promoter to openly challenge and humiliate old andretired masters of different styles and did nothing to stop him.You also watched while your people kept on calling Mr. Boztepe"chicken" on the Internet computer network.When my client unexpectedly answered that challenge with a counterchallenge to you to fight you and/or your brother Royce outsideyour TV tournament, you never accepted the terms, dates, or thelocations given.Then, on February 17th you called Mr. Boztepe and told him thatyour brother Royce will accept his counter-challenge to your familyand fight Mr. Boztepe on "neutral ground" but initially suggestedyour own school. This was of course unacceptable. Thereupon yousaid you would call him back that same night in order to give theexact date and final location of the fight. However, Mr. Boztepewaited in vain that day, and the next day....You in fact did not call him back until Tuesday, February 21st.On that occasion you informed my client that you wanted to holdthe fight at the Los Angeles Police Academy - of which you happento be a member - on Thursday February 23rd, only two days later. You also requested that there should be no public TV coverage, only video recordings of the fight. Of course Mr. Boztepe told you that he considered two days advance notice too short. He suggested to holdthe match one week later so that he could make sure that thenewspaper and camera men could be there to record the fight. Youresponded that you would "try to arrange it" but then called backto cancel the fight with the weak excuse that the gym was notavailable for the next two weeks and you would call Mr. Boztepeback.So as to make it impossible for you to back out of the fightagain, my client suggests once and for all the following dateand location: March 14th in the gym of the "Martial Arts Gazette",one of the leading martial arts newspapers. If you prefer "InsideKung Fu" or "Black Belt", I am sure it can be arranged on thesame date.THE AGREEMENT IS THAT THE FIGHT IS A "NO RULES" FIGHT WITH NOREFEREES. NO PARTY TO THE FIGHT OR THEIR RESPECTIVE ORGANIZATIONSOR REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE LIABLE TO THE OTHER FOR ANY DAMAGES,WHETHER FOR PERSONAL INJURY OR OTHERWISE, AND EACH PARTY AGREESNOT TO PRESS CHARGES FOR ANY ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW. THEFIGHT WILL BE INDEPENDENTLY RECORDED BY VIDEO BY EACH PARTY. THERECORDING AND PHOTO RIGHTS WILL BELONG TO THE RESPECTIVE FIGHTERSONLY. NO FIGHTER HAS THE RIGHT TO PREVENT, DELAY, OR HINDER PUBLICATION OF THE RESULT, NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTCOME.After this date Mr. Boztepe has to leave for Europe. If you donot accept again, Mr. Boztepe and the public must assume that youor Royce never intended to fight him, and you and your family mustlive with that disgrace.Mr. Boztepe expects you to confirm this date in writing by March 8th. Please no more phone conversations which lead tonothing.Irrespective of this, you and your promoter still have the opportunity to apologize to the old masters and retired fightersyou have insulted through your media efforts. That would make afight unnecessary.It is especially this last solution which would please Mr. Boztepethe most. That way, it would be a victory for the common causeof all martial arts and their honor and reputation in the publicmind.Very truly yours,Alexander R. Wallenwein-----------------------------------------------------------------Part. 1