About the Editor

Shane "braddah shano" McFarland (aka, "shanoknowsmma") has been keeping MMA World Rankings since 1997 (online since 1998, and of fighters from 115lbs to 265lbs & over - since 1999).

Editor's Background as a Fight Fan:

Shano started watching Amateur & Pro-Wrestling, Boxing, and Kickboxing matches ever since he can remember (early 1970's). He always wondered why they never just combined all their talent and made one contest where the fighters could use every skill they had (striking, throwing, & grappling), to determine a supreme 'combat sport' champion.

Shano saw his vision come true with the birth of NHB/MMA, when he watched the first UFC, back in 1993. He's been watching ever since and researching fighters records and keeping rankings since 1997 (of a linear record of events since 1989 - Shooto). He started posting his rankings on the UG Forum back in 1998...and on Sherdog's Forum from 2003-2005. In 2005 he returned to posting at the UG Forum until June of 2010, when he started his own website. Shano's rankings have been featured on several other MMA websites as well, and are currently the official rankings of the MMA Fight Council.

Shano is the first to rank fighters from Strawweight all the way up to Super Heavyweight (from every promotion), which he started doing in 1999. He actually coined the term, "Strawweight", after a suggestion by Anthony Brancato, back in 2010, on the UG forum (before that he referred to them as, "Light-Flyweight" and, "Minimumweight"). Shano is also the first to rank male fighters at 105lbs (Atomweight) and at 120lbs (Pinweight).

Shano has also been recording a Linear Title History since 1999.

Training & Sporting Background:

Shano comes from very athletic parents. His mother, Patty-Mac, was an Aerialist in the Circus, and was also an avid sailor and shooter. His father (who was also a Navy sailor), raced Motocross. His maternal grandfather, who owned a local sporting goods store, also started the 1st local sailing squadron, the 1st local archery club and, the 2nd local motorcycle club, in his hometown.

Shano has been involved in Martial Arts, in one form or another, since he was 8 years old (in 1970). Starting in Boxing at the local Boy's Club.

For the remainder of his childhood he then learned various forms of street fighting in the school of "da hood".

At the age of 9, started training in Hawaiian Kenpo with Mitch Holland and Carmen & Danny DePasquale, and Aikido with David Nicol.

Shano then started Wrestling in school by the age of 12.

From 1976-1978, Shano trained with his school mate and friend Tuan Nguyen, in various Shaolin striking & training techniques.

He started training Judo, at 15, at the local YMCA.

Shano at age 16

Throughout his childhood, Shano was also very active in Baseball, Football, Soccer, Tennis, Surfing, Track, Hiking, and Spearfishing. He dabbled in Motocross, Gymnastics, Basketball, and Archery. He was also a champion of Dodge-ball & Obstacle Course, a record setter in High Jump, could "fly" to the top of the web in the Gym, and could out-run, out-hit, out-throw, out-climb & out-jump nearly everyone in his neighborhood.

Sailor Shane

In 1979, at the age of 17, shano joined the Navy and trained in Boxing with David Archuletta, and in Eskrima & Boxing with three of his shipmates and best friends; Joselito Mangabat, Pedro Magistrado and Jun Cruz.

Pedro Magistrado, Jun Cruz, and Joselito Mangabat, in 1985.

In 1982, and out of the navy, he was back training with Danny DePasquale in Kenpo & Boxing.

Danny & Shano then started a Kenpo/Boxing club with some of the teenage boys in their neighborhood.

In 1984, Shano started 'The Junior Boxer's League' - a Boxing club for boys (ages 7-10), in his old neighborhood. He started with his nephews, and then more boys joined as it grew. Though, since he believed in using no head-gear, he made it limited rules of no hitting below the belt, or above the shoulders. Needless to say, the boys became "deadly" body punchers!

He loved keeping track of all the records, stats & rankings.

From 1984-86, Shano also trained Muay Thai, Bokator & Boxing with his good friend, Am At, and some of his other Lao & Cambodian friends.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Notes of a proud father (

)...

From 1994-1997, Shano got involved in Girl's Softball. He also helped train & coach, was a base umpire and scorekeeper, and kept all the stats for his daughters team...who, by the way, became division champs.

Shano watched training videos and drilled his girls, in hitting & fielding, every evening and weekend.

It was his 8 & 9 year old daughter's first time to ever play, but they ended 5th & 6th in batting, and also played multiple positions...and one of them, while playing catcher, forced a double-play, and even drove in the winning runs in the championship game.

In 1995, Shano, being father to 3 girls (at the time...now father of 5 girls), moved to another town that had no girl's Softball program. So he decided to start one. He first started a free fielding & batting clinic, on the weekends, at the local park, with his three daughters and one of their friends. In 3 weeks he had 70 girls, ages 4-17, 8 parent volunteers, local newspaper coverage, and batting & pitching clinics with volunteer high school & college coaches. He started the town's first Girl's Softball League. Although he had to resign as president, shortly thereafter, the league still exists and is still going strong.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

From 1970's til the beginning of the UFC, Shano was an avid Kickboxing & Boxing fan. He watched it almost 24/7, trained in it, and had stacks & stacks of Ring Magazine, World Boxing, KO, Black Belt, and a myriad of other Boxing & Martial Arts magazines. But when NHB/MMA fighting became more popular, he watched Boxing less & less. It was just too one-dimensional for him. MMA was the combat sport he had always wanted to be involved with...but it never became a reality until the UFC debuted in 1993.

It was the birth of his Combat Sport-dream-come-true of No Holds Barred/Vale Tudo...featuring single night, 8-man elimination tournaments, against all forms of Martial Arts, that left the audience electrified with excitement!

He instantly became a great admirer of the man known as Royce.

The following year, Rickson debuted, in Vale Tudo Japan '94.

The next year, it was Renzo's turn.

The Gracie's delivered...Shano was hooked!

In 1998/99, Shano trained in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, at the old Lewis-Pederneiras Gym, on Kapiolani Blvd., near the Blaisdel Arena...with none other than Renato "Charuto" Verissimo, and also with Romolo Barros.

(NOTE: In 1998-1999 shano worked briefly with TJay Thompson (SuperBrawl), in helping to promote his local events...and in 1999, spent hours discussing the sport with a state senator and swayed him to agree about the safety aspects of NHB/MMA. Shano then acquired hundreds of copies of legal documents, from the state senate, that helped keep MMA legal in Hawaii. TJay was very happy & thankful, to say the least.)

From 2000-2001 Shano grappled regularly with his buddy, Josh Sojot, of Hilo.

In 2001, while training at the local Judo Club, Shano also trained BJJ with Larry Yap (Relson Gracie/Joao Morais), of Hawaii Kai, and with Vince Salvador (Purebred Guam), of Dededo, Guam.

Rorion Gracie giving the Black Belt certificate to Lawrence Yap.

Larry was actually next door neighbors of Relson Gracie, when Relson first moved to Hawaii, and trained with him in his garage before he even opened a dojo.

Vince Salvador - Striking coach at The Arena.

Vince Salvador, Joe Duarte, Jon Tuck, and KJ Noons - at The Arena

In April of 2002 Shano helped open a BJJ academy with Larry Yap.

In May of 2002 Shano made a trip to the Philippines and trained in Muay Thai, Eskrima and various other MA's with Johnwin "Makata" Sarmiento and some local friends, in the Metro-Manila area. He also taught some Wrestling and BJJ techniques while there.

"Shano, Wow, I just wanna thank you for sharing your outmost skill in jiu jitsu, because of you, Wrestler and other jiu jitsu are having a hard time to submit me."

--Johnwin Sarmiento

In December of 2002 he returned to the states and went back to the local Judo club.

In 2003 Shano formed a local area Mixed Martial Arts Association, and a local MMA club, with Danny Ruiz (Ricardo De La Riva), Skip Watson (Erik Paulson/Dan Inosanto), and a few other local MA's instructors.

In 2005 Shano started training BJJ under Luciano Oliveira (BTT Boston)*, and Muay Thai & Eskrima under Jeremy Gordon (Master Toddy/Paul Vunak/Remy Presas).

In 2006 he started an MMA gym with Vince Salvador & Luciano Oliveira, and trained occasionally, til 2007.

In 2007 Shano was injured in an auto accident and stopped training in Martial Arts.

He is now disabled.

* - Actually i think sherdog has his record mixed-up with another fighter with the same name. Because i found a video of Nazareno Melagarie fighting a Luciano Oliveira but it looks nothing like him.

Here is the video of the Luciano, who was my instructor, fighting Rich Crunkilton.

You can see they look nor fight anything alike...and i don't remember him ever using the nickname of "Lula". He used "Pitbull".

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Shano & friends:

At SB weigh-ins (Sato-vs-Yves), with friends, Takanori Gomi, Rumina Sato, Naoya Uyematsu - 1999

(photographer was Hayato Sakurai)

Gomi was only 5-0 when that photo was taken.

At SB (1999-2000)...with, (clockwise from top), T.Jay Thompson, Enson Inoue, Relson Gracie, Josh Barnett. Center photo was at the first SB event at the Blaisdel.

When this photo was taken is when Shano told Josh Barnett that he'd become the youngest UFC HW champion in history.

At SB with, (clockwise from top), Hayato Sakurai (Susumu Nagao took that photo), Matt Hume, Reynell "braddah" Cooper, Yves Edwards, Dan Severn. In center with Matt Hughes (1999-2000).

___________________________________________________________________________________________

January 20, 2021

This is why i no longer care about the sport.

From 1997- 2014 i kept professional rankings. From 1999 of every weight class from 115lbs to SHW.

From 1998-2000 i helped TJay Thompson promote the sport in Hawaii.

From 1998- 2007 i trained in BJJ & MMA.

In 2010 Anthony Brancato and i named the 115lb division the "Strawweights".

From 2000-2014 i help several fighters to get managers and hook them up with promoters to get contracts.

I made not a dime.

I did it because of my love for Martial Arts.

But they've politicized it and corrupted it.

Sexists have ruined it.

So I'm done with it.

___________________________________________________________________________________________