Having defeated Takayo Hashi on February 26 at the Strikeforce Challengers 6 event, Strikeforce women’s bantamweight champion Sarah Kaufman (11-0) finds herself without a contract.

The undefeated fighter is in negotiations with the Strikeforce organization but they appear to be more interested in finalizing their women’s bantamweight tournament than signing Kaufman to her first title defense.

“We’ve talked a few times here and there and I think they’re just trying to figure out what their plans are in terms of the 135-pound division since it is a deep division. They feel I just fought Miesha Tate, Shayna Baszler not that long ago as well, and I just fought the No. 2 girl (Hashi), they’re just trying to figure out what they’re going to do with the division, as they want to have a tournament. I personally don’t want to wait till after the tournament is complete because that’s at least another probably eight months before that’s done.”

“I’m put in a tough boat because they’re sorting things out, but in the mean time I don’t want to sit inactive,” Kaufman said. “I don’t want one fight a year. I’ve been approached by a few different organizations that are interested in picking me up or having me fight for them at least, I do have a loyalty and I believe in that towards Strikeforce, so I think my manager and coach Adam [Zugec] are just letting them know where we stand and that I need to stay active and I can’t fight just once a year. If they want to have a new contract where they loan me out to other organizations where I get to fight more often, that would probably be the best for me.”

HT: MMAFighting.com

Does Randy Couture’s rumored bout with James Toney rub you the right or wrong way? Is it time for Ben Henderson to leave WEC and give the Octagon a shot? How long will fans have to wait before seeing Leonard Garcia and Chan Sung Jung attempt to repeat their WEC 48 classic? Would Jose Aldo beat Frank Edgar if the two faced off at lightweight?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Thank you for stopping by to check out either your first or yet another edition of “Grappling with Issues”, a weekly smorgasbord of insight-and-opinion featuring myself and fellow 5 Ouncer Adam Tool offering our thoughts on six subjects related to MMA. However, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column…

True/False – WEC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo would beat UFC Lightweight Champion Frank Edgar even at 155-pounds.

Adam Tool: Who can really say at this point? What I mean by that is; how can any of us really say for sure who Frank Edgar can or cannot beat at this point? Nobody figured that he could have beaten BJ Penn, but sure enough that’s just what he did. Will anyone give Edgar the same consideration when he rematches with Penn later this year? Probably not.

My point in this is that at the moment Frank Edgar is still being underrated by a lot of fans and journalists. At the same time it’s hard to say whether or not Jose Aldo is being overrated. He’s looked spectacular thus far in his WEC run, but so did Mike Brown, Miguel Torres, and Brian Bowles. All of those aforementioned fighters had their aura of invincibility shattered, and as a result people are starting to see now just how much there is left to prove within those lower weight classes. They don’t have the benefit of an Anderson Silva or a Georges St. Pierre, where one guy has thoroughly outclassed any and all potential challengers. There is still a need to find those dominant champions at feather and bantamweight and perhaps Jose Aldo is such a fighter, but we won’t know for sure until he’s had a chance to defend his belt several more times.

With all that being said, I suppose I should try to answer the question. If Aldo vs. Edgar were to happen at the next Zuffa PPV, my money would be on Aldo. These two would likely have one hell of a striking contest, but if they went to the ground I’d have to favor the BJJ black belt.

Brendhan Conlan: There’s no magical formula for accurately predicting exactly how a particular bout will unfold meaning questions like this are always going to involve guess-work. My assessments are generally based on how I feel the individuals compare to each other physically and in terms of skill, as well as the opponents each has faced in his career, and occasionally involve outside factors like training camps, probability of nerves, personal problems endured, and what sort of previous performance the fighters are coming off of. Whether I’m overrating or underrating a Mixed Martial Artist is something I’d rather let time decide while instead focusing on what I do actually know.

Like Tool, I’d favor Aldo to beat Edgar if the two were to face off regardless of division. The New Jersey native doesn’t drop down much to make 155-pounds and is actually an inch shorter than WEC’s featherweight phenom so size wouldn’t be an issue. Edgar is obviously a talented wrestler and has a great set of hands, but Aldo’s striking is more dynamic and is on the heels of a pair of one-sided, eye-opening showings against a duo known for their mat-based acumen (Faber/Brown). I don’t think the 23-year old Brazilian would be phased by Edgar’s speed – an important factor in his title win over Penn – anymore than was the case in his recent defense against “The California Kid”. Mix those things in with his ability to finish opponents (13 of 17 wins) in comparison to Edgar (5 of 12 wins) and I think it’s relatively clear Aldo would be considered a slight favorite to emerge victorious in the potential pairing. He hasn’t faced the caliber of competition the UFC Lightweight Champion has in his career, but as far as how they measure up side-by-side I think Aldo has more tools to work with and fewer flaws to exploit.

How would you compare WEC 48 to both “Strikeforce – Nashville” and “UFC 112” in terms of entertainment value – better, worse, or equal?

Tool: This is definitely the easiest question to answer this week. WEC 48 blew away both of those other shows, as well as every other fight card we’ve seen this year. From top-to-bottom there was plenty to love and very little to complain about. We saw a couple of outstanding back-and-forth wars, some slick submissions, a shocking KO upset, and two truly impressive champions. The only gripes that people can make is the awful decision rendered in the best fight of the night (more on that later), and the fact that the show was on PPV. It sucks that fans had to pay for this event after getting so many great WEC fights for free, but I don’t think anybody who ordered the event can say that they didn’t get their money’s worth.

Conlan: Have no fear, Tool, as next week I’ll make sure to include a topic involving a mixture of jiujitsu and quantum physics. I think WEC 48 slightly edges out Strikeforce as the best show of the past month in terms of pure entertainment value. While fans were able to see more, and arguably better, fights on WEC’s offering the attached price tag can’t be dismissed nor can the overall caliber of competitors involved. Beyond that, I’m not sure that the “best fight of the night” being as sloppy and devoid of technique as Garcia vs. Jung is necessarily a good thing, but I won’t argue against how much fun it was to watch because there were plenty of “oohs” and “ahhs” coming from the vicinity of my couch. Like Adam pointed out, in general WEC 48 boasted a slew of enjoyable fights, career defining moments from promotional champs Henderson and Aldo, and a few upsets including the first-round knockout of former featherweight title-holder Mike Brown. What else can a MMA fan really ask for when forking out cash for an event?

Would you prefer Ben Henderson defended his WEC Lightweight Championship or abandoned it and went to the UFC?

Tool: After much deliberation I’ve decided that I am in favor of Henderson moving on to the big stage that is the octagon. He’s already stated that he has no interest in a rematch with any of the WEC lightweights that he’s already beaten (and that include most of the top contenders within the company), so he’s already essentially cleaned out the division. I could see Kamal Shalorus getting a shot if he beats Jamie Varner in June, but at the same time I have no interest in seeing Henderson vs. Varner II if Jamie gets the win at WEC 49.

Some people will undoubtedly bring up other former WEC champions who have had mixed success upon transitioning to the UFC. Former light heavyweight champs Steve Cantwell and Brian Stann have each had their share of defeats in the deep waters of the UFC LHW division, but it’s important to remember that the WEC’s 205 lbs. roster was weaker than a handshake from Clay Aiken. Former WEC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit is 1-1 in the octagon, but that loss was a very close split decision to the always dangerous Martin Kampmann. Lastly we have the uncrowned WEC Middleweight Champion Chael Sonnen, who lost in his UFC debut but has since rattled off three straight wins to earn a title shot.

Henderson is still essentially a prospect and that’s a double-edged sword. He may not do as well amongst the deep waters of the UFC lightweight division but he’s still getting better every time he fights. I wouldn’t pick him to win against a Kenny Florian or a BJ Penn, but I absolutely believe that he could be a problem for guys like Gray Maynard and Tyson Griffin. If nothing else it’s essentially guaranteed that any time “Bendo” steps into the cage, it’s going to be an exciting fight.

Conlan: After watching “Bendo” grow on a per fight basis, and the ease in which he beat a game opponent like Donald Cerrone, I’d prefer Henderson abandoned his title and tested his skills inside the Octagon (unless the UFC absorbs WEC’s lightweight division in which case the notion of having a choice to do so becomes a moot point). His physical attributes translate into a tough draw for any 155-pound opponent he faces and his style/skill, not to mention the likelihood of his continued progression based on age, make him a threat to beat a good deal of them. It may turn out that he’s not ready for the UFC’s elite, but there’s only one way to find out and having him repeatedly fight the same second-tier lightweights is not it.

How long do you think it will be before the WEC rematches Leonard Garcia and Chan Sung Jung?

Conlan: I firmly believe in striking while the iron is hot and as such I think an immediate rematch makes sense. Their slugfest was far from a master class on stand-up technique but highly entertaining nonetheless, and I have no doubt the two would deliver something similar to their original Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em display if linked up a second time. Both fighters exited the bout with more buzz surrounding them than was the case prior to the event due to the bravado each showed in the cage, and while that momentum can be carried into other match-ups it can also dissipate with a losing performance or two. After all, when was the last time you heard mention of a super-fight between Urijah Faber and Miguel Torres in comparison to a few years ago? I think it would be wise for WEC to capitalize on the public’s present perception of Garcia and Jung instead of letting it potentially go to waste. If the promotion decides to wait and one of the men wins a couple fights while the other drops a pair there won’t be the same interest in a rematch as is currently the case. Throw in the questionable nature of the judges’ decision and you definitely have a bout that can serve as a co-headliner of a Versus card rather than involving either in a televised opener due to the lower marketability they possess as individuals.

Tool: I would have to agree that these two should meet again as soon as their injuries heal from the first bout. I’m mostly interested in a rematch because I firmly believe that Jung should have gotten the decision, so here’s hoping a second chance will correct the matter. Of course there’s a good chance that lightning won’t strike twice, and the rematch could just as easily end in the first 30 seconds with a flash knockout. It’s also likely that even if these two went at it for another 15 minutes, they won’t be able to match the performance of that first bout now that everyone has specific expectations of what to expect.

In any case these two fighters are now easily amongst the most well-known fighters in the promotion, as their fight was witnessed by a peak audience of 1.5 million homes. Given the high visibility of their first bout and the expectations for a second, I see no reason why these two couldn’t be given a headlining spot on an upcoming Versus card. It might make even more sense to hold off until the next WEC PPV, as this rematch would undoubtedly be a nice draw for anybody that saw the first fight.

Given the fact that the WEC brand name was not used at all during Saturday’s broadcast, is there any reason at this point for Zuffa to keep the two promotions separate?

Conlan: I do think it’s time for the UFC to assimilate the company’s 155-pounders and finally eliminate any lingering confusion between Zuffa’s top lightweights, but instead of completely merging promotions I’d rather see WEC be a home for showcasing smaller fighters fans may not be as interested as seeing on larger events and possibly even a feeder system for the UFC. Yes, “Ultimate Fight Night” and “Ultimate Fighter Finale” events already serve that purpose to an extent, but if Zuffa is serious about making WEC successful on PPV they’ll need to do more than stack the card with match-ups featuring fighters whose combined weight is approximately the same as Brock Lesnar’s when he steps into the Octagon.

Mixing in something along the lines like UFC 113’s fight between Alan Belcher and Patrick Cote, or either of Jon Jones’ “UFC on Versus” headliners, with Jose Aldo’s next title defense or Dominick Cruz’s initial one could be a winning situation for all involved parties. The fighters would likely be entitled to additional exposure they wouldn’t normally receive due to the format, the event would almost certainly sell more buys because of the increased star-power, and the fans would get a nice mix of weights and styles due to the involved synergy. The same would be true by letting a fight possibly destined for the cutting room floor, like UFC 114’s Amir Sadollah vs. Dong Hyun Kim or Efrain Escudero vs. Dan Lauzon bouts, serve as a co-headliner on Versus alongside WEC establishing a #1 contender in any given division (though substitute increased “buys” with “ratings”). The bottom line is the WEC has a great deal of worth and I think it would be a mistake for Zuffa to whitewash it from the MMA landscape.

Tool: I’d love to know exactly what kind of worth the WEC brand has, as the only people who are aware of it are the same kinds of fans that read this website (sidenote: hello!). Facts are facts, and the reality of this sport is that there are still plenty of MMA fans who think that the sport is called “ultimate fighting.” Zuffa is in ownership of the strongest brand in the business, so why not put all of their best fighters under that banner?

I’m welcome to the idea of keeping the WEC around as a “minor league” or sorts. The guys in that promotion could be limited to fighters with less than 5 professional fights (or something of that nature) and they would have the chance to move up to the UFC based on their performance in the WEC. That way Zuffa can get a hold of more raw prospects, and help their growth along until they’re ready for the big stage.

Right now Zuffa is trying to market the WEC as “the best fighters in these two divisions, and some pretty good fighters in this other division.” Bring all of your weightclasses under the same roof and let the little guys take the spotlight more often. It can only create bigger stars out of the smaller fighters, and it gives the company a much deeper bench to work with. Each year the UFC is putting on more events than in the previous year, so I fail to see where having more fighters and titles to put on those shows can be a bad thing.

Now that the match-up is becoming a reality, how do you feel about Randy Couture being the one to welcome James Toney to the UFC?

Conlan: I suppose more or less the best word is indifferent. I don’t think the pairing is too far off something you’d find on a card in Japan on New Year’s Eve which is interesting in a way because Dana White has historically scoffed at the appeal of match-ups comparable to the one he’ll supposedly be hyping in August. Toney hasn’t been considered a relevant boxer for years and has tested positive for performance enhancing drugs on more than one occasion. His foray into Mixed Martial Arts reeks of desperation, and I’ll actually be a little surprised if/when an athletic commission sanctions the fight since the 41-year old will be debuting against a man with multiple UFC championships to his credit. I think it’s a waste of Couture’s limited future appearances inside the Octagon but then again it would also be a waste of Toney’s dimming luster if he was scheduled against someone with less name-value so I understand why the bout may be made. Regardless, it does little for me in the interest department from a competitive standpoint, but I’m always down for a good “freak show” fight so I’ll still be watching with a dumb-founded grin on my face even if I don’t necessarily care about the result.

Tool: I love it from the standpoint that Couture is the kind of fighter with enough intelligence to not get drawn into Toney’s game, and enough skill to put the (former?) pro boxer away. We all know Toney hits hard, nobody doubted that before he started stalking Dana White. Couture isn’t going to try and stand with Toney, he’s going to clinch up, take it to the mat, and finish Toney by whatever means he likes.

In case you couldn’t tell, I don’t like the idea of James Toney in the UFC. He has little-to-no drawing power left over from his days in boxing, and he’s way too old to be just starting out in a sport as complex as this. His only appeal in the UFC is for that first fight, when everybody wonders what the boxer will do in MMA. I really have no desire to see Toney try and make a career out of this, so here’s hoping Dana comes to his senses and cuts Toney right around the time the referee is raising Couture’s hand.

Who’s next for Jon Jones now that he’s handled “The Truth”? Will Jon Fitch get a rematch against Georges St. Pierre if both emerge victorious at UFC 111? Can Junior Dos Santos beat Brock Lesnar? Would Brandon Vera be better off exiting the UFC and taking his talents elsewhere?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

You’ve arrived (hopefully once again) at “Grappling with Issues”, a weekly buffet of insight-and-opinion featuring myself and fellow 5 Ouncer Adam Tool. The Mixed Martial Arts world is buzzing with activity of both the recent past and immediate future so let’s get to it, shall we? As always, Tool and I will be offering our thoughts on six subjects related to MMA. However, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column…

Has the time come for Brandon Vera to test his skills outside of the UFC?

Adam Tool: I don’t think so, at least not yet. By now it’s pretty clear that Vera will never crack through to the elite levels of the sport. It’s unfortunate that his career was so badly derailed, and I have to wonder what would have happened had he not sat out for a year while trying to get more money.

That being said, Vera is still better than a good chunk of light heavyweights fighting worldwide. There are some good fights left for Vera in the UFC and his name value hasn’t diminished to the point of a Tim Sylvia, so I see no reason why they can’t keep him around. Sure he’ll be stuck on the prelims fighting guys like Eric Schafer and Stephan Bonnar, but at least he’s still getting paid. I don’t think he’ll get better money fighting in smaller organizations, and he’s likely to get killed by Gegard Mousasi if he tries to make a jump to Strikeforce or DREAM. As long as they’ll have him, he’s best served staying with the UFC.

Conlan: Similar to Tool, I see Vera as an above average 205-pounder who hasn’t lived up to the potential many saw when he first came on the scene as a heavyweight. And yes, the UFC is without question the most financially stable MMA outlet on the face of the planet. However, where my road of opinion forks from Adam’s is in his belief that “The Truth” is better served by a role on the undercard or as a promotional gate-keeper, and I actually think a change of scenery could do the lanky Californian a lot of good in terms of re-establishing him as a legitimate threat.

The importance of a fighter’s mental state related to success/performance in the ring is well-documented. There have been multiple situations in Vera’s career with the potential for negatively impacting his psyche – increased pressure created by the contract dispute, breaking his hand against Tim Sylvia, suffering what he felt was an early stoppage against Fabricio Werdum, and dropping down to LHW to name a few. Brandon has shown flashes of the same brilliance he showed in his first five Octagon appearances but has yet to recapture it with any consistency. He had to rely on leg kicks to beat Michael Patt for Gracie’s sake! To hit an in-ring wall like that, in my opinion, is 100% mental and not a matter of how skilled he is/isn’t.

Leaving the greener pastures of the UFC for the still-emerald fields of Strikeforce might help take some of the weight off Vera’s shoulders and let him get back to simply fighting. Sometimes you need to turn off the brightest lights to find what you’ve lost. The promotion has a number of fresh, exciting match-ups for him, so it’s not as if his motivation in the gym would suffer any, and the move could even allow him an opportunity to compete alongside his wife, training partner, and undefeated 135-pound Strikeforce contender Kerry. A few wins could easily return Vera to prominence and, at worst, a loss to Mousasi or Lawal would looks a lot better than the possibility of dropping one to the afore-mentioned Bonnar or Schafer.

Oh, and as far as money goes, Scott Smith made $55,000 for his December 2009 win over Cung Le and “Jacare” Souza got $65,000 on the same card so it’s not like Vera would have to pick up a job bagging groceries to make ends meet.

Who would you like to see Ikuhisa Minowa defend his “Super Hulk” Championship against next?

Tool: How exactly does one determine the top contenders for the Super Hulk belt? I mean, it’s not like there’s any sort of rankings (or simple logic) behind the thing. Do they match up “Minowaman” with the biggest freakshow fighter they can find? Is Zulu still fighting?

If we’re going to try and find a compelling match-up for Minowa then I think the best option is to rematch him with a previous opponent so he can try and avenge one of his many losses. With the dwindling interest in MMA from the Japanese crowds, it makes the most sense to me for DREAM to put Minowa together with Kazushi Sakuraba. These are two of the biggest (if not thebiggest) names in Japanese MMA and with Sakuraba‘s limited shelf life it makes sense to do it now. In their first meeting these two traded submission attempts back and forth before Sakuraba got the win with just seconds left in the first round. A rematch between them would be one of the biggest fights DREAM could make at this point, and big fights are exactly what they need if they’re going to try and bring some interest back to their product. And hey, now they have the added bonus of making it a title fight.

Conlan: I support Tool’s nomination, as few fighters personify the word “superhero” more than Saku. I also appreciate his lack of venom because I’m pretty sure he hates the entire “Super Hulk” concept (which is a viewpoint I understand). However, I’m a sucker for a little Japanese silliness every now and then, and I encourage everyone to embrace the reality Mixed Martial Arts is as much an entertainment platform as an athletic one.

What my partner in crime fails to recognize is that the championship is all about little vs. big. While Sakuraba is certainly larger than life in a figurative sense his physical proportions aren’t in line with a crack at Minowa’s non-existent belt. As such, I’d like to see Tim Sylvia make his way to Japan and do his best to avoid a last-second submission at the hands of the PRIDE veteran. Tim-meh is large enough to provide a proper foe for Minowa, has little to lose at this point in his career, and loves championships! Winning the Super Hulk title would be ideal for Sylvia because he could constantly wear it without drawing attention to himself (because it’s invisible), and it might even get him a little more much-needed love from hardcore MMA fans in the process.

BUY/SELL – Junior Dos Santos can beat Brock Lesnar.

Conlan: How can my response be anything other than to “buy” the statement? Every respectable heavyweight in the sport “can” beat Brock and Dos Santos is certainly among them. The champ’s chin is relatively untested, and while his wrestling foundation is concrete-strong, his striking and jiujitsu departments are still under construction. He’s only fought five times in his career and was on the brink of retirement earlier this year due to a serious illness. To suggest the young Brazilian, can’t add another notch on his bedpost were the two to face off would be asinine. He has an arguably more impressive roster of fallen foes attached to his name than Lesnar and has looked exceptional in all five of his appearances in the Octagon. He has yet to see a decision in his twelve-fight career with four of his last five scraps ending in first-round TKO. “Cigano” hasn’t faced an opponent with Lesnar’s takedown ability, but has the stand up and knockout power to keep him at bay in addition to what I suspect is a pretty decent submission game off his back given his affiliation with “Minotauro” Nogueira. Would Dos Santos beat Lesnar if they faced off against each other? It’s hard to say. Can he? Absolutely.

Tool: I’ve got to go “buy” as well. We’ve yet to see the current heavyweight champion in the cage with a high-level striker, so there’s still questions left to be answered in that regard. I don’t know if Brock is physically able to be knocked out by anything other than a botched shooting star press, so I’m looking forward to seeing how he deals with the aggressive assault from someone like Dos Santos. It stands to reason that if these two were to face off Brock would likely shoot in right away to work from a more comfortable position, and we’ve yet to see exactly what Dos Santos’ ground game looks like as well. The way I see it, a potential Lesnar vs. Dos Santos match-up would force each fighter to work out of his comfort zone. Until I see Junior planted on his back for more than a few seconds, or I see Brock slugging it out with a real powerhouse, there’s no way to know for sure how the fight would turn out. All things considered though, I have to believe that Dos Santos very well could notch a victory over Lesnar.

Make your pick of Jon Jones’ next opponent from the following available fighters: Thiago Silva, Ryan Bader, or Luiz Cane.

Conlan: I’ve heard Bader’s name thrown around in relation to a future opponent for Jones but I think it would be a mistake to match the two young guns up at this point in their careers. The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 champion is immensely talented and appears to have a bright future but has yet to face the same level of competition as “Bones” or shown himself to be as dominant inside the Octagon. Jones is on the cusp of contendership while Bader still needs an impressive win or two before achieving such status. He would have everything to gain and nothing to lose were the two blue-chippers slotted against each other. Meanwhile, Jones would be risking his current aura of awesomeness against a guy whose biggest victory to date was a third round knockout against an opponent known for having a glass jaw. A win would slightly nudge him closer to a title shot while a loss would bump him down at least a few rungs on the light heavyweight ladder. I think these two are destined to eventually face off but not in “next opponent” terms.

Of the three names listed, I think Thiago Silva is the best candidate if for no other reason name recognition. Similar to Bader, Silva’s most notable dubya came against Keith Jardine, but at least said knockout was produced ninety-five seconds into the bout. He’s been to decision twice in his career while “Darth” has seen the judges’ scorecards in two of his last three fights. Silva is two bouts removed from being the division’s #1 Contender and recently took Rashad Evans, a former champion, the distance while almost sealing the deal in the third round before eventually losing via decision. He’s got excellent jiujitsu, documented knockout power, and a marketable look. Beating the well-rounded Brazilian would further establish Jones as being ready for one of the top 205-pounders (Griffin, Machida, Rua, Jackson, and Evans) while beating Bader in a few months would be a nice feather in his cap but a step backwards in his career.

Tool: I can’t argue with Brendhan’s logic, as I was leaning towards Thiago Silva myself. Silva is arguably the biggest “name” of the three fighters mentioned, so in terms of launching Jones towards the next level I see no reason not to make that fight right away.

I wouldn’t mind the Jones/Cane match-up either, but I feel like Cane is due for an easier opponent so he can try and get some momentum back. Jones vs. Bader is a fight that will have to happen sooner or later, as these two are the most likely candidates to represent the future of the light heavyweight division. For now though, I’d love to see “Bones” test his skills against an elite striker and no, Brandon Vera obviously doesn’t count.

How will the Interim Heavyweight Championship fight at UFC 111 end?

Conlan: It will end with the winner saying the title is meaningless and only by beating Brock Lesnar will he be the true champion. Oh wait, you meant the method of victory used to achieve the opportunity to diss the interim strap? In that case I’ll go with “knockout”.

Carwin should be looking to keep things standing based on his history of rendering opponents unconscious and knowledge of Mir’s jiujitsu, while the former UFC Heavyweight Champion has shown improved striking as of late and shouldn’t be afraid to oblige him for a few reasons. Though Mir has a significant advantage on the mat, I’d be surprised if throughout training he hasn’t thought back to his recent mauling at the hands of Lesnar. Similar to Brock, Carwin is massive human being with Herculean strength, a legitimate wrestling base, and above-average athleticism for someone with his size. The thought of absorbing a few shots from the cinder-blocks attached to first-round phenom’s wrists while attempting a takedown or being outmuscled on the ground has to be in the back of Mir’s mind. I can see it influencing he-who-hates-Brock to focus on outside striking and superior speed to take the fight into later rounds and test Carwin’s unproven conditioning along the way.

Tool: I am also of the belief that this fight ends with the referee stepping in to stop it due to strikes. It’s not hard to imagine Carwin knocking Mir out, as Carwin has brutal power and Mir has certainly been hurt badly before. I’m just wondering if it’s possible we’ll see the reverse? Keep in mind, Shane was rocked (briefly) in his fight with Gabriel Gonzaga. We also can’t forget that Mir has bulked up considerably in the last year, and the improvements in his boxing have been evident in that time as well. Does anybody think that Carwin’s first career loss could come as a result of a brutal KO from the ever-improving former champ?

Is it possible? Most definitely. Is it likely? I don’t think so. Carwin via MurderDeathKill, round 1.

Are you excited or indifferent towards the UFC’s signing of James Toney? How do you think the UFC weighs the relationship between entertainment and sport? Has Miguel Torres lost his mojo? Will Strikeforce be looking for a new network to call home after their April event?

Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay!

Thank you for stopping by to check out another edition of “Grappling with Issues”, a weekly smorgasbord of insight-and-opinion featuring myself and fellow 5 Ouncer Adam Tool. As always, we will be offering our thoughts on six subjects related to MMA. However, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t feel precluded from dishing out your own thoughts on each matter in the comments section at the bottom of the column…

Buy/Sell – After being finished in consecutive fights, Miguel Torres has officially lost his mystique.

Adam Tool: Buy. He’s still got the necessary ability to be a major player in the bantamweight division, but it was only a matter of time before someone recognized the holes in his game (namely his lack of takedown defense) and exploited them. These losses should motivate him to get better, and I think it’s safe to say that he’ll still be a challenge for any fighter that faces him.

I think this second loss only serves to open peoples’ eyes to the reality of the lighter weight classes; that is that they’re still sorting out who the top guys are. While the heavier weight classes have been competitive for many years with plenty of fighters making waves, the feather & bantamweight classes are only now really starting to get deep with talent. It may still be a few more years until we see a lower weight fighter achieve Anderson Silva-like levels of dominance in their division, but it will certainly be exciting to watch them get to that point.

Conlan: I agree with Tool, especially in regards to his latter sentiment regarding the notion that lighter weights are still behind their heavier counterparts in terms of overall development and the clear cut establishment of divisional dynamos. Other than overseas or on less-prestigious shows, there aren’t a lot of outlets for smaller fighters to make names for themselves beyond WEC. I think people in the media and fans (myself included) were a little overzealous in anointing Miguel Torres as the best out there simply based on his overall record without actually having a full understanding of his strengths and weaknesses. His mystique has been lost along with our innocence/ignorance due to the continued development of his peers and the increased exposure they’re now receiving. That’s not necessarily a bad thing either. It’s simply an indicator Mixed Martial Arts is continuing to evolve as a whole.

In regards to their WEC 47 performances, were you more impressed by Joseph Benavidez or Dominick Cruz?

Tool: I’ll go with Benavidez. I don’t want to take too much away from Cruz’s dominant performance against Brian Bowles, but we can’t ignore the fact that Bowles broke his right hand at the start of the fight and was visibly not the same afterwards. Personally I’m all for seeing Cruz vs. Bowles II down the road after Brian has had a chance to heal up and get back to 100%.

I didn’t give Benavidez much of a chance against Torres when the fight was made. I thought that Torres was too aggressive and the reach advantage would be too difficult for Benavidez to work around. Benavidez worked a solid gamelan, and was able to move inside quickly and fluster the former champion. The massive gash on Torres’ forehead seemed like it may lead to a doctor’s stoppage, but credit to Benavidez for locking up the choke and becoming the first man to submit Miguel.

Conlan: I’m also with Tool on this one, as I was extremely impressed by the rising star’s ability to overcome any nerves he may have been feeling before what was clearly the biggest fight of his career and ultimately get the better of Torres in such a dominant fashion. Benavidez was not just facing a former WEC Bantamweight Champion with a wealth of experience and polished arsenal of attacks but also one who was coming off the first knockout loss of his career. Going into the bout I thought Benavidez was simply a wrestler with a limitless amount of energy and a raw set of skills. To have handled the involved pressure, especially at his age, is telling of his future in the sport and, in my eyes, finally established him as more than simply being Urijah Faber’s protégé.

Using percentages, how would you assess the UFC’s approach to the relationship between entertainment vs. sport when delivering their product?

Tool: At the moment I’d put it around 70% sport and 30% entertainment. The various weight classes within the company are all still dominated by the top athletes in the sport, and the majority of their fight cards are filled with up-and-coming fighters looking to carve out their spot in their division. There are a few “freak show” fighters on the roster (one of which we’ll be taking more about in a future topic), but there’s still no questioning the UFC as the highest level of competition in the sport.

Conlan: I’d like to say there is a far greater focus on athleticism, ability, and performance in the ring than look, gift of gab, and even the slightest hint of former fame when it comes to the current state of the UFC, but James Toney’s signing is yet another reminder that Zuffa’s goal is to turn a profit even if MMA’s soul is sold in the process. Like Kimbo Slice, Toney was inked to entice the mainstream media into coverage and draw less-knowledgeable fans into spending cash. There are fighters who are far more deserving of a place in the UFC’s spotlight than either man based on actual accomplishment in the sport, yet lack the 15-minutes of fame each obtained prior to debuting in the Octagon and are thus relegated to relative anonymity.

I understand the point of running a business is to make money and can’t fault the UFC in that regard. Saying they’re good at what they do is a vast understatement. They are the Kleenex of Mixed Martial Arts. However, in regards to how they approach sport vs. entertainment I think the relationship is closer than Tool gave them credit for. You’re talking about a company that thrust Brock Lesnar into a title fight after going 2-1 as a professional Mixed Martial Artist and bypassed countless contenders over the past few years in favor of those who might potentially sell more PPV buys. 60/40 at best.

Without putting him in a rematch, who would you like to see Dominick Cruz make his first title defense against?

Conlan: Though Scott Jorgensen is probably the obvious choice given his three-fight winning streak in WEC, I also think Antonio Banuelos and Brad Pickett are deserving of some consideration. Jorgensen’s grappling and submissions certainly make for a legitimate threat to Cruz if things hit the mat, and his internal motor runs well enough to ease any concerns related to the twenty-five minute structure of a title bout, but Banuelos and Pickett have quite a bit more experience in the ring and a wealth of skills to utilize against the champ. Each has approximately twice as many professional wins as Jorgensen, yet the same number of losses, and both have found comparable success to Jorgensen in WEC.

If forced to pick one of the three options I’d go with Pickett based on him having finished fifteen of the eighteen opponents he’s beaten, not to mention his record shows the 18-4 Brit is as likely to knock someone out as submit them. He’s the most well rounded athlete in the bunch, trains with a great camp (American Top Team), and has won his last eight fights. The match-up would also be an easy sell to fans given the USA vs. UK angle involved and might even lead to an increase in WEC support across the pond due to the Londoner’s involvement. Call it the Michael Bisping effect if you will.

Tool: I have to agree with Brendhan in that Jorgensen is the most obvious choice, but it’s also worth noting that Jorgensen does have two losses in his WEC career. The two men that beat him, Antonio Banuelos and Damacio Page, are scheduled to meet one another at WEC 48 and I see no reason why the winner of that fight couldn’t be slotted in as the next #1 contender.

Pickett is also a good choice, although I do think he needs at least one more win over a solid opponent to be a legitimate contender. I say match up Pickett and Jorgensen and the winner of that fight would be a great choice to step up against Cruz.

On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being the highest) how excited are you for James Toney’s UFC/MMA debut?

Conlan: I’m going with “4”, as it’s one point higher than how I rated my interest in Herschel Walker’s debut. In terms of seeing an over-the-hill athlete test the waters of Mixed Martial Arts I could care less, and similar to why I gave Walker a three, I’m definitely interested in the possibility of a message being sent through the mainstream media that MMA is a serious sport requiring whole-hearted dedication to a variety of combat disciplines. However, Toney’s boxing background and knockout power are well-documented, and as such he deserves a bit more attention than a former football player lest we forget the lesson we learned alongside two-time UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia nine seconds into his 2009 fight with Ray Mercer.

Tool: I’ll say 2, and that’s being generous. Truth be told I didn’t even really know who James Toney was before he started his campaign to get in the UFC, as I’ve never really been a fan of boxing. He’s old as hell and has no MMA experience, which makes me wonder who the UFC can put him up against in a legally sanctioned fight. We all know he could easily knock out just about anyone he faces but we also know that he’ll be in way over his head if/when the fight goes to the ground. To me this whole thing seems to be a big step backwards in the evolution of the sport. The idea of taking a pro boxer and putting him in against a wrestler or jiu-jitsu expert just brings back memories of those single-digit UFC events that spawned the whole “human cockfighting” moniker more than a decade ago.

True/False – The next Strikeforce event will be their last for CBS.

Conlan: False, and if it is then the fault lies within the broadcaster more so than the promoter or sport. Strikeforce is offering an opportunity for fans to see top ranked fighters compete against each other on free television. There is little else they can do without more control over the station broadcasting the event. CBS, on the other hand, has dropped the ball thus far in terms of building up viewers’ interest in the show or Mixed Martial Arts in general. The UFC wasn’t an overnight sensation. Tens of millions of dollars were invested before the company ever turned a significant profit or became a ratings juggernaut. If CBS was expecting the same to happen to them without doing the legwork there is an executive or two who needs a stern reprimand if not a pink-slip. You can’t grab onto a speeding money-train without expecting your arms to get ripped off. You need to build up some momentum of your own beforehand, and that takes time.

To drum up the necessary casual interest, why not have Strikeforce fighters get some face time on CBS Late Night? Why not have them sit in the booth for a few minutes during a college basketball game or even during halftime programming? Why not create shows similar to UFC’s “Countdown” to help build interest in the bouts? You have an Olympic wrestler with a long list of MMA accomplishments (Henderson), a vegetarian who is also a single father (Shields), an outspoken All-American (Lawal), a humble pound-for-pound monster (Mousasi), a colorful, controversial jiujitsu wizard making his American debut (Aoki), and longtime Strikeforce staple coming off the biggest win in his career (Melendez). There are three title-fights on the card featuring fighters with a combined record of 123-19-2. If CBS can’t sell that to the public while the UFC/Spike are pulling better numbers with re-runs and guys who haven’t had a tenth of that success then they don’t deserve the right to show MMA.

Tool: True, although I suppose I’m a bit of a pessimist on this subject. Brendhan’s correct in his assessment of CBS’ role in the success of their live MMA events, but seeing as how they hold all the cards to determine whether or not the sport continues on their network I’m not keeping my hopes up. The simple fact of the matter is that CBS is one arm of a very large corporation, and the bottom line for them comes down to ratings. MMA events do outstanding numbers in terms of the most sought-after demographics, but on the whole the ratings for these events pale in comparison to other major sporting events. The upcoming Strikeforce card is absolutely stacked from a hardcore fan’s perspective but there’s little there to draw in that casual audience that they need so badly. When the biggest name on your card is Dan Henderson, that’s a problem. I’d love to see CBS put some promotional power behind the event, but even if they do it’s still not a card designed to appeal to your average fan that still calls the sport “ultimate fighting.” My estimation for this show’s rating is not good, and if it does do poorly I would imagine that CBS will cut their losses and step away from the sport until it becomes more widely accepted.

South Eastern Regional

At Wilson HS

PAIRINGS

103 POUNDS: 3-1 Joseph Byers (30-8) so Delone Catholic bye; 11-3 Matt Williams (35-4) fr Pen Argyl vs. 3-4 Jacob White (27-16) so Juniata; 11-2 Nicholas O’Donnell (33-7) jr Panther Valley vs. 3-5 Ryan Griffiths (32-18) so Schuylkill Valley; 1-1 Baffour Atakora-Bediak (16-0) so Church Farm School bye.

3-2 Brad Farley (32-1) so Bermudian Springs bye; 1-2 Richie Kassabian (20-3) jr Springfield Twp. vs. 11-4 Bryan Israel (31-11) fr Saucon Valley; 3-3 Robert Pritchard (31-5) fr Oley Valley vs. 1-3 Jack Davis (17-8) fr Delaware Christian School; 11-1 Anthony Bilotta (30-5) jr Pius X bye.

112 POUNDS: 3-1 Nick Lamoreaux (29-2) sr Milton Hershey bye; 11-3 Dylan Long (25-3) sr Northwestern Lehigh vs. 3-4 Tony Yohe (32-9) jr Annville-Cleona; 11-2 Jamie Welsh (34-7) jr Pen Argyl vs. 3-5 Mason Smith (22-8) fr Wyomissing; 1-1 Bo Johnstone (30-9) so Octorara bye.

3-2 Nate Giorgio (40-4) jr Schuylkill Valley bye; 1-2 Dustin Blevins (28-3) sr New Hope vs. 11-4 Ty Herzog (25-9) fr Northern Lehigh; 3-3 Trevor Hernandez (32-4) so Biglerville vs. 1-3 Zach Macgregor (28-8) sr Springfield Twp.; 11-1 Randy Cruz (31-5) so Bethlehem Catholic bye.

119 POUNDS: 3-1 Arty Walsh (40-0) so Juniata bye; 11-3 Jaydon Rice (24-10) jr Bethlehem Catholic vs. 3-4 Nick Leiphart (27-10) jr Biglerville; 11-2 Kody Rittenbaugh (33-4) jr Pine Grove vs. 3-5 Austin Haas (31-8) so Fleetwood; 1-1 Brandon Arnsberger (30-3) so Octorara bye.

3-2 Tanner Coyle (29-5) jr Bermudian Springs bye; 1-2 Jake MacGregor (20-16) fr Springfield Twp. vs. 11-4 Adam Phillippi (34-8) sr Saucon Valley; 3-3 Peter Renda (33-7) fr Brandywine Heights vs. 1-3 Nick DiPasquale (23-10) fr New Hope; 11-1 Zane Heller (38-4) so Northern Lehigh bye.

125 POUNDS: 3-1 Tyler Small (33-4) sr Delone Catholic bye; 11-3 Richard Cruz (34-11) fr Bethlehem Catholic vs. 3-4 Ean Starner (30-11) sr Boiling Springs; 11-2 Justin Mazza (31-3) sr Pius X vs. 3-5 Christian Shifflett (36-7) jr Annville-Cleona; 1-1 Timmy Yu (24-4) so Lower Moreland bye.

3-2 Zac Beitz (43-1) so Juniata bye; 1-2 Chris Arborgast (13-8) fr Church Farm School vs. 11-4 Ty Shoffstall (32-7) fr Tri-Valley; 3-3 Laike Gardner (33-5) so Biglerville vs. 1-3 Eric Lukens (24-6) sr Delaware Christian School; 11-1 Tyrone Deschler (28-10) sr Saucon Valley bye.

130 POUNDS: 3-1 Joe Spisak (40-1) sr Boiling Springs bye; 11-3 Ryan Todora (24-8) fr Bethlehem Catholic vs. 3-4 Dakota Davis (30-8) sr Schuylkill Valley; 11-2 Adam Chernaskey (32-9) sr Saucon Valley vs. 3-5 Joshua Rupert (30-7) jr Delone Catholic; 1-1 Josh Bowman (32-6) jr Octorara bye.

3-2 Derek Goodwin (38-5) sr Hamburg bye; 1-2 Zach Geaneotes (20-8) jr Harriton vs. 11-4 Kolby Mashack (30-4) jr Tamaqua; 3-3 Tyler Herman (24-8) sr Brandywine Heights vs. 1-3 Rob Galdo (17-9) so Springfield Twp.; 11-1 Mikey Racciato (39-3) fr Pen Argyl bye.

135 POUNDS: 3-1 Nick Hodgkins (30-1) jr Wyomissing bye; 11-3 Anthony Farole (23-13) so Lehighton vs. 3-4 Joey Ronca (36-8) sr Columbia; 11-2 Nikko Stevens (26-6) jr Northern Lehigh vs. 3-5 Brandon Rowles (32-12) so Juniata; 1-1 Mike Blankley (29-7) sr Octorara bye.

3-2 Mike Giorgio (38-10) sr Schuylkill Valley bye; 1-2 Sam Tascone (24-5) fr Delaware Christian School vs. 11-4 Luciano Burrlesci (28-14) jr Pen Argyl; 3-3 Tyler Thumma (22-4) sr Boiling Springs vs. 1-3 Devon Voorhees (25-7) sr New Hope; 11-1 John Lynch (34-3) jr Saucon Valley bye.

140 POUNDS: 3-1 Colin Shober (46-0) sr Schuylkill Valley bye; 11-3 Dylan Hofmann (27-6) so Northern Lehigh vs. 3-4 Elisha Gaylor (26-12) sr Wyomissing; 11-2 Rex Lutz (32-9) jr Pen Argyl vs. 3-5 Dalton Anthony (29-7) sr Bermudian Springs; 1-1 Tyler Helms (33-6) jr Octorara bye.

3-2 Dylan Killian (33-7) jr Annville-Cleona bye; 1-2 Dominic Scirrotto (22-3) jr Lower Moreland vs. 11-4 Dan Costenbader (23-7) sr Palmerton; 3-3 Seth Beiz (38-5) sr Juniata vs. 1-3 Adrian Wint (17-18) sr Springfield Twp.; 11-1 Allen Daubert (30-3) sr Pine Grove bye.

145 POUNDS: 3-1 Noah Horst (37-10) jr Schuylkill Valley bye; 11-3 Dillon Smith (30-8) sr Jim Thorpe vs. 3-4 Trent Bond (24-16) sr Boiling Springs; 11-2 Elliot Riddick (25-8) so Bethlehem Catholic vs. 3-5 Jon Sharp (21-2) sr Bishop McDevitt; 1-1 Dan Miller (34-1) sr Octorara bye.

3-2 Austin Helm (26-10) sr Wyomissing bye; 1-2 Michael Honeywell (28-8) jr Springfield Twp. vs. 11-4 Sam Scheib (32-11) so Tri-Valley; 3-3 Jackson Stabile (39-3) jr Hamburg vs. 1-3 Jared Robbins (10-9) so St. Pius X; 11-1 Phillip Racciato (35-3) sr Pen Argyl bye.

152 POUNDS: 3-1 Jordan Knaub (22-1) sr York Suburban bye; 11-3 David Lucykanish (33-5) sr Lehighton vs. 3-4 Guliano Caloiero (33-8) jr Schuylkill Valley; 11-2 Craemer Hedash (26-6) sr Northern Lehigh vs. 3-5 John Riddle (29-15) jr Boiling Springs; 1-1 Conor Myers (25-3) jr St. Pius X bye.

3-2 Kyle Flohr (25-4) jr Fairfield bye; 1-2 Zach Gregor (8-12) so Octorara vs. 11-4 Jonathan Nettles (27-8) sr Schuylkill Haven ; 3-3 Phil Calafati (28-5) sr Brandywine Heights vs. 1-3 Tom Kelly (27-6) sr Bristol; 11-1 Kyle Dehaut (31-6) jr Bethlehem Catholic bye.

160 POUNDS: 3-1 Mitchell Ball (30-10) so Pequea Valley bye; 11-3 Michael Balliet (20-10) so Lehighton vs. 3-4 Ryan Maurer (42-6) sr Schuylkill Valley; 11-2 Bryn Bowman (29-5) sr Tri-Valley vs. 3-5 Cody Breiner (36-4) sr Fleetwood; 1-1 Tommy Villarreal (23-7) sr New Hope bye.

3-2 Dylan Treaster (35-9) jr Juniata bye; 1-2 Alex Avellino (22-6) sr Phil Mont Christian vs. 11-4 Michael Weaver (25-10) so Panther Valley; 3-3 Tyler Fitzkee (32-8) so Bermudian Springs vs. 1-3 Brandon Christianson (4-6) jr Octorara; 11-1 John Blank (31-5) so Notre Dame-Green Pond bye.

171 POUNDS: 3-1 Glenn Miller (39-0) sr Hamburg bye; 11-3 Nick Edmonson (32-6) sr Saucon Valley vs. 3-4 Jeff Mohn (36-15) sr Schuylkill Valley; 11-2 Colin Hedash (28-2) jr Northern Lehigh vs. 3-5 Ricardo Plummer (27-3) sr York Suburban; 1-1 Haddon Corbett (23-4) jr Harriton bye.

3-2 Derec Sauve (5-1) sr Susquenita bye; 1-2 Justin Peyton (9-9) so Springfield Twp. vs. 11-4 Garrett Van Demark (29-5) jr North Schuylkill; 3-3 Robert Aaron Mackley (26-5) sr Eastern York vs. 1-3 John Cherneskie (13-17) so St. Pius X; 11-1 Luke DeLuise (33-2) sr Pius X bye.

189 POUNDS: 3-1 Philip Landis (29-3) sr Eastern York bye; 11-3 Tyler Horn (26-12) jr Pen Argyl vs. 3-4 Matt Wolf (30-6) jr Bermudian Springs; 11-2 Garth Lakitsky (32-2) jr Tamaqua vs. 3-5 Robert Lee (14-14) sr Hamburg; 1-1 Nate Ronan (28-3) sr Octorara bye.

3-2 Dylan Scheidt (38-3) jr Schuylkill Valley bye; 1-2 Marshall Hendricks (18-13) so New Hope vs. 11-4 Luke Garner (24-8) so Catasauqua; 3-3 Dan Thomas (31-8) sr Biglerville vs. 1-3 Stephen Scott (16-7) sr Phil Mont Christian; 11-1 Ian Gimbar (37-5) jr Saucon Valley bye.

215 POUNDS: 3-1 Joseph Kreiner (25-9) sr Delone Catholic bye; 11-3 Martin LaLuz (22-11) jr Bethlehem Catholic vs. 3-4 Tyler Rank (28-5) jr Wyomissing; 11-2 John Scheaffer (24-12) sr Panther Valley vs. 3-5 Mitch Moll (37-14) jr Schuylkill Valley; 1-1 Josh Rogers (24-5) sr St. Pius X bye.

3-2 Dylan Ferguson (12-2) sr Fairfield bye; 1-2 Cameron Taylor (18-4) jr Plumstead Christian vs. 11-4 Nick Forte (27-10) jr Mahanoy Area; 3-3 Stan Williams (27-3) sr York Suburban vs. 1-3 Tyler Bliss (23-7) sr Brisol; 11-1 Curtis Garner (23-1) sr Catasauqua bye.

285 POUNDS: 3-1 Chris Ramirez (21-6) sr Milton Hershey bye; 11-3 Kenny Zurbano (24-12) sr Saucon Valley vs. 3-4 Tyler Unger (29-14) jr Boiling Springs; 11-2 Briar Stern (22-9) sr Lehighton vs. 3-5 Raul Leyva (20-12) so Littlestown; 1-1 Dexter Bush (16-6) sr Cardinal Dougherty bye.

3-2 Dan Fultz (43-3) sr Juniata bye; 1-2 Matt Harper (16-19) jr Octorara vs. 11-4 Tyler Dean (21-14) jr North Schuylkill; 3-3 Jake Sentz (27-16) sr Columbia vs. 1-3 Dylan Evans (25-8) sr Springfield Twp.; Ben Ancheff (20-1) jr Williams Valley bye.

Bo Candelaria left, of Middletown loosens his arms with former Middletown wrestler Tyler Nauman.

-

(JOHN C. WHITEHEAD, The Patriot-News)

Jeremy Elliott's District 3-AAA wrestling predictions

Rod Frisco's District 3-AAA wrestling predictions

CLASS AA

At Hersheypark Arena

Team Codes: Annville-Cleona (AC); Biglerville (Big); Bishop McDevitt (BM); Bermudian Springs (BS); Boiling Springs (BoS); Brandywine Heights (BH); Camp Hill (CH); Columbia (Col); Delone Catholic (DC); Eastern York (EY); Fairfield (Fa); Fleetwood (Fl); Halifax (Hal); Hamburg (Ha); Hanover (Han); Juniata (J); Kutztown (Ku); Lancaster Catholic (LC); Littlestown (Lit); Milton Hershey (MH); Newport (New); Oley Valley (OV); Pequea Valley (PV); Schuylkill Valley (SV); Susquenita (Sus); Tulpehocken (Tul); Upper Dauphin (UD); Wyomissing (Wyo); York Suburban (YS)

FRIDAY

First Round, 10 a.m.

103 POUNDS: 3-1 Jacob White J so 25-14 bye; 1-3 Johnny Fiorill LC fr 22-9 vs. 2-4 Alex Gracia Fl fr 25-15; 2-2 Ryan Griffiths SV so 28-16 vs. 3-4 Logan Rini CH jr 16-10; 1-1 Brad Farley BS so 30-0 bye.

3-2 Andrew Fabo BoS fr 24-14 bye; 1-2 Joseph Byers DC so 26-8 vs. 2-3 Jaquan Gordon Wyo fr 17-11; 3-3 Bryan Varra MH so 25-3 vs. 1-4 Dan May Big so 15-19; 2-1 Robert Ritschard OV fr 28-4 bye.

112 POUNDS: 1-1 Trevor Hernandez Big so 29-3 bye; 2-3 Mason Smith Wyo fr 19-6 vs. 3-4 Mark Lentz BoS so 19-16; 3-2 Tony Yohe AC jr 28-7 vs. 1-4 Raul Gonzalez LC so 12-16; 2-1 Nate Giorgio SV jr 38-3 bye.

1-2 Colby Starner BS jr 19-14 bye; 2-2 Jeremy Weidner Ha so 19-20 vs. 3-3 Cody Albright Sus jr 23-6; 1-3 Evan Goshert EY fr 11-15 vs. 2-4 Cody Kelley OV so 7-9; 3-1 Nick Lamoreaux MH sr 26-2 bye.

119 POUNDS: 2-1 Peter Renda BH fr 30-6 bye; 3-3 Tim Renninger AC so 23-11 vs. 1-4 Derek Zercher Col so 16-20; 1-2 Nick Leiphart Big jr 23-8 vs. 2-4 Shawn Phillips OV so 22-13; 3-1 Arty Walsh J so 37-0 bye.

2-2 Austin Haas Fl so 29-6 bye; 3-2 Chase Carroll Sus sr 20-8 vs. 1-3 Clay Kocsis Fa fr 20-8; 2-3 Cory Rank Wyo so 16-13 vs. 3-4 Victorino Gonzalez MH jr 14-9; 1-1 Tanner Coyle BS jr 27-4 bye.

125 POUNDS: 3-1 Zach Beitz J so 41-0 bye; 1-3 Wes Marshall BS sr 23-11 vs. 2-4 Greg Brown Wyo jr 19-13; 2-2 Drew Jackson PV so 20-10 vs. 3-4 Christian Shifflett AC jr 32-5; 1-1 Tyler Small DC sr 30-4 bye.

3-2 Ean Starner BoS sr 27-9 bye; 1-2 Laike Gardner Big so 30-4 vs. 2-3 Brandon Young Fl jr 18-16; 3-3 Justin Willi New sr 30-5 vs. 1-4 Donald Minnier EY so 20-8; 2-1 Mark Maloney BH fr 17-11 bye.

130 POUNDS: 1-1 Joshua Ruppert DC jr 27-5 bye; 2-3 Dakota Davis SV sr 27-6 vs. 3-4 Seth Lehman AC sr 9-21; 3-2 Eric Kemble New jr 28-5 vs. 1-4 Damon Becker BS fr 20-14; 2-1 Derek Goodwin Ha sr 36-4 bye.

1-2 Kyle Arnold YS jr 21-5 bye; 2-2 Tyler Herman BH sr 20-7 vs. 3-3 Shane Cook J sr 29-15; 1-3 John Markley Col jr 27-12 vs. 2-4 Kyle Christianson Ku sr 10-11; 3-1 Joe Spisak BoS sr 37-1 bye.

135 POUNDS: 2-1 Nick Hodgkins Wyo jr 27-1 bye; 3-3 David Martinez CH sr 13-7 vs. 1-4 Mitchell Laratonda EY so 11-17; 1-2 Joey Ronca Col sr 32-6 vs. 2-4 Bryan Weidenhammer Ha sr 17-21; 3-1 Tyler Thumma BoS sr 19-3 bye.

2-2 Mike Giorgio SV sr 36-9 bye; 3-2 Robbie Moretz Hal fr 21-7 vs. 1-3 Jesse Gardner Big jr 26-8; 2-3 Sean Emerich Ku sr 17-6 vs. 3-4 Brandon Rowles J so 28-10; 1-1 Noah Blasone BS so 27-7 bye.

140 POUNDS: 3-1 Dylan Killian AC jr 30-6 bye; 1-3 Jordan Halter Col so 29-10 vs. 2-4 Zeb Sheaman Tul sr 11-11; 2-2 Elisha Gaylor Wyo sr 23-10 vs. 3-4 Shawn Danner Sus sr 6-7; 1-1 Dalton Anthony BS sr 26-5 bye.

3-2 Seth Beitz J sr 35-4 bye; 1-2 Sergio DeLaCruz YS jr 22-4 vs. 2-3 Adam Mackie BH fr 18-14; 3-3 Sam Rhoads BoS sr 25-12 vs. 1-4 Josh Asper Big fr 15-15; 2-1 Colin Shober SV sr 43-0 bye.

145 POUNDS: 1-1 Eric Meszaros BS sr 28-7 bye; 2-3 Austin Helm Wyo sr 23-9 vs. 3-4 Harley Mabius Sus jr 24-6; 3-2 Cody Miller J jr 28-12 vs. 1-4 Kyle Bobo Big jr 21-12; 2-1 Jackson Stabile Ha jr 36-2 bye.

1-2 Aaron Law LC sr 17-10 bye; 2-2 Noah Horst SV jr 33-10 vs. 3-3 Trent Bond BoS sr 21-14; 1-3 Jake Slonaker DC fr 9-8 vs. 2-4 Nick Delong BH so 15-18; 3-1 Jon Sharp BM sr 19-0 bye.

152 POUNDS: 2-1 Phil Calafati BH sr 25-4 bye; 3-3 Angel Escarraman MH sr 23-5 vs. 1-4 Kevin Nichols Big jr 14-15; 1-2 Kyle Flohr Fa jr 22-3 vs. 2-4 Blain Schmeck Ha sr 28-14; 3-1 John Riddle BoS jr 26-13 bye.

2-2 Guliano Caloiero SV jr 31-6 bye; 3-2 Josh Shoop J sr 22-15 vs. 1-3 Zach Martin Han so 18-7; 2-3 Ray Ball PV jr 29-8 vs. 3-4 Skyler Ray New jr 22-12; 1-1 Jordan Knaub YS sr 19-1 bye.

160 POUNDS: 3-1 Dylan Treaster J jr 33-8 bye; 1-3 Aaron Rooney DC jr 19-12 vs. 2-4 Jake Wood Ha so 27-9; 2-2 Ryan Maurer SV sr 38-4 vs. 3-4 Eric Crawford BM sr 21-6; 1-1 Tyler Fitzkee BS so 29-7 bye.

3-2 Logan Murphy BoS so 21-10 bye; 1-2 Nate Warner Col so 28-9 vs. 2-3 Mitchell Ball PV so 26-10; 3-3 Aaron Hartman AC jr 18-16 vs. 1-4 Jamie Bloss YS sr 15-10; 2-1 Cody Breiner Fl sr 34-2 bye.

171 POUNDS: 1-1 Ricardo Plummer YS sr 25-1 bye; 2-3 Julio Arredondo Wyo jr 21-9 vs. 3-4 Allan Kaufman Hal fr 21-6; 3-2 Jake Grove BoS sr 15-8 vs. 1-4 Ryan Vaughn Lit so 13-11; 2-1 Glenn Miller Ha sr 36-0 bye.

1-2 Robert Aaron Mackley EY sr 23-4 bye; 2-2 Jeff Mohn SV sr 32-13 vs. 3-3 Tariq Spence BM so 18-3; 1-3 Derek Wolford Han so 21-4 vs. 2-4 Alex Schmale BH so 5-16; 3-1 Derec Sauve Sus sr 3-0 bye.

189 POUNDS: 2-1 Dylan Scheidt SV jr 36-2 bye; 3-3 Joshua Jackson UD sr 18-7 vs. 1-4 Theron Mitchell LC jr 16-6; 1-2 Matt Wolf BS jr 27-4 vs. 2-4 Mike Baba Wyo sr 3-12; 3-1 Bill Campbell J jr 15-21 bye.

2-2 Robert Lee Ha sr 11-12 bye; 3-2 Alex Deroba BoS sr 14-10 vs. 1-3 Philip Landis EY sr 25-3; 2-3 Drew Eisenhower OV jr 19-14 vs. 3-4 Jeremy Gibson AC sr 9-23; 1-1 Dan Thomas Big sr 28-7 bye.

215 POUNDS: 3-1 Sam Matter BoS sr 34-8 bye; 1-3 Dylan Ferguson Fa sr 9-1 vs. 2-4 Mike Russell Ha jr 10-14; 2-2 Joseph Feeg OV jr 20-15 vs. 3-4 Zach Howell Sus jr 20-8; 1-1 Stan Williams YS sr 24-2 bye.

3-2 Chris Forney UP jr 23-4 bye; 1-2 Joseph Kreiner DC sr 21-9 vs. 2-3 Mitch Moll SV jr 34-12; 3-3 Dylan Powell J so 14-8 vs. 1-4 Brandon Felus Col sr 25-6; 2-1 Tyler Rank Wyo jr 26-3 bye.

285 POUNDS: 1-1 Raul Leyva Lit so 18-10 bye; 2-3 Dakota Hoagland Ha jr 10-19 vs. 3-4 Steve Mosey BM sr 17-5; 3-2 Dan Fultz J sr 40-2 vs. 1-4 Jonatan Jimenez BS so 19-15; 2-1 Zach Greene SV sr 24-10 bye.

1-2 Noe Aguilar Big so 12-12 bye; 2-2 Darren Kline Fl jr 22-12 vs. 3-3 Tyler Unger BoS jr 26-12; 1-3 Jake Sentz Col sr 22-15 vs. 2-4 Malcolm White Wyo so 7-15; 3-1 Chris Ramirez MH sr 18-6 bye.

Quarterfinals, 11: 30 a.m.

SATURDAY

Semifinals, 9 a.m.

Finals, 7

    TEAM CODES: Big Spring (BiS), Carlisle (Car), Cedar Cliff (CCl), Central Dauphin (CD), CD East (CDE), Central York (CY), Chambersburg (Cham), Cocalico (Coc), Conestoga Valley (CoV), Cumberland Valley (CuV), Daniel Boone (DB), Dover (Dov), East Pennsboro (EP), Elizabethtown (Eliz), Ephrata (Eph), Exeter (Ex), Garden Spot (GS), Gettysburg (Get), Governor Mifflin (GM), Greencastle-Antrim (GA), Harrisburg (Har), Hempfield (Hem), Hershey (Her), James Buchanan (JB), Kennard-Dale (KD), Lebanon (Leb), Lower Dauphin (LD), Manheim Central (MC), Manheim Twp. (MT), McCaskey (McC), Mechanicsburg (Mech), Middletown (Mid), Muhlenberg (Muh), New Oxford (NOx), Northeastern (NE), Northern (NY), Palmyra (Pal), Penn Manor (PM), Red Land (RLa), Red Lion (RLi), Solanco (So), South Western (SW), Spring Grove (SG), Susquehanna Twp. (ST), Twin Valley (TV), Waynesboro (Way), West Perry (WP), Wilson (Wil), Warwick (War), West Perry (WP).
    103 POUNDS: 5-1 Jordan Conaway NOx jr 34-1 vs. 1-3 Kevin Nowick CuV fr 22-12; 2-2 Chris Vassar CCl fr 32-8 vs. 3-2 Evan Wertz So so 27-11; 1-1 Dustin Rook BiS jr 22-6 vs. 5-3 Andrew Bacon RLi sr 14-12; 2-3 Bryce Killian Mid fr 24-7 vs. 4-1 Colin Ochs GM so 32-4.
    2-1 Tyson Dippery CD fr 36-4 vs. 3-3 A.J. Votano MC so 16-6; 4-3 Todd Dumas Eph fr 23-6 vs. 5-2 Ross Drawbaugh Dov fr 17-6; 1-2 Tanner Shoap Cham fr 29-3 vs. 4-2 Eddie Lockowitz DB sr 24-8; 2-4 Daniel Mummau LD so 18-9 vs. 3-1 Austin Miller Hem jr 33-1.
    112 POUNDS: 2-1 Robert Higgins LD jr 30-2 vs. 5-3 Kyle Coleman Dov sr 18-4; 3-2 Dakota Minnich Hem so 26-10 vs. 1-2 Jon Brigham CuV jr 25-4; 5-1 Andrew Brehm NOx jr 22-15 vs. 1-3 Jacob Smith Way 27-6; 2-3 Shyheim Brown CD so 34-9 vs. 4-1 Ken Arentz GM so 32-6.
    1-1 Dereck Enders BiS jr 26-4 vs. 4-3 Danny Halulko TV so 24-8; 3-3 Owen Bradley Eliz so 24-7 vs. 2-2 Daniel King ST so 25-7; 5-2 Chad Myers SW so 14-11 vs. 4-2 Felipe Arias Wil jr 24-13; 2-4 Brock Thompson Mid jr 17-13 vs. 3-1 Dylan Pallas MC jr 23-8.
    119 POUNDS: 5-1 Dylan Nguyen RLi sr 30-5 vs. 2-4 Joe Colonna RLa jr 9-10; 3-2 Wink Charles So so 26-12 vs. 4-2 Zachary Snow Muh so 26-5; 1-1 Colten Keck BiS sr 28-7 vs. 3-3 Alex Smith MT fr 23-12; 4-3 Mike Kern Ex so 22-9 vs. 2-1 Blaine Shutt LD sr 28-4.
    4-1 Kyle Coblentz GS sr 31-3 vs. 2-3 Jordan Murray Mid jr 19-13; 1-3 Richie Scott Way so 20-7 vs. 5-2 Jake Verheyen SG sr 34-6; 2-2 Nick Varndell CD fr  34-4 vs. 1-2 Zachary Ross NY so 19-6; 5-3 Nate Williams Dov so 18-5 vs. 3-1 Matt Hoover Eliz jr 34-5.
    125 POUNDS: 5-1 Cameron Throckmorton SW jr 26-2 vs. 1-3 Wyatt Keck BiS fr 17-14; 2-2 Shane Miller Mid jr 25-6 vs. 3-2 Calvin Anderton Eliz sr 20-6; 1-1 Jimmy Hughes Cham sr 28-2 vs. 5-3 Chase Billet NE sr 23-4; 2-3 Jake Martin Pal jr 14-6 vs. 4-1 Kyle Demain GM jr 23-5.
    3-1 Bobby Rehm PM jr 33-3 vs. 2-4 Charlie Bise EP jr 23-5; 4-3 Sean Irvine Coc sr 23-5 vs. 5-2 Andrew Wesner CY jr 23-6; 1-2 Kyle Hejmanowski NY sr 13-6 vs. 4-2 Zack Terefenko Wil sr 33-10; 3-3 Brooks Kenderdine MT so 22-10 vs. 2-1 Kevin Gooding CD jr 29-5.
    130 POUNDS: 2-1 Tyler Buckman CD sr 31-3 vs. 1-3 Todd Meyers JB so 31-6; 5-2 Scott Page Dov jr 18-4 vs. 3-2 Jeremy Rivera Eliz so 34-4; 4-1 Sheldon Hannibal-Nixon Wil jr 34-9 vs. 2-3 Sean Bise EP jr 23-7; 5-3 Seth Wherley SW sr 21-11 vs. 1-1 Justin Amato Get sr 22-7.
    5-1 Victor Bracey KD sr 24-1 vs. 4-3 Kody Frank GM sr  23-9; 3-3 Adam Smith MT fr 25-7 vs. 2-2 Celby Allen Mid jr 21-9; 1-2 Josh Thomson Mech so 22-6 vs. 4-2 Victor Signorelli TV sr 28-5; 2-4 Clay Sterner RLa jr 16-13 vs. 3-1 Dan Neff So jr 35-2.
    135 POUNDS: 1-1 Shawn Greevy CuV sr 16-2 vs. 2-4 Jake Green RLa so 12-13; 4-2 Richard Morales Rea jr 16-10 vs. Trey Duncan SG jr 26-8; 2-1 Tre Miller Scott CDE jr 26-5 vs. 5-3 Tyler Deetz Dal 11-7; 4-3 Keith Stednitz GM fr 25-16 vs. 3-1 Tyler Griffith MC jr 24-1.
    4-1 Tim Ravel Wil sr 35-8 vs. 2-3 Colten McClure Mid sr 21-12; 3-3 Troy Ernest Eliz so 32-11 vs. 1-2 Bobby Manning WP jr 27-4; 3-2 Jordan Hastings So sr 29-9 vs. 2-2 David Firestone CCl jr 24-12; 1-3 Trey Andree Way so 17-4 vs. 5-1 Drew Rebling SW sr 24-4.
    140 POUNDS: 5-1 Matt Newman CY jr 17-1 vs. 2-4 Aaron Hammaker EP sr 5-8; 4-2 Ramon Rodriguez Rea sr 18-15 vs. 1-2 Boe Barrick CuV so 20-14; 2-1 Marcus Clement CCl jr 22-13 vs. 1-3 Joey Krulock Mech fr 21-10; 4-3 Marcus Johnson GM fr 25-13 vs. 3-1 Joe Welk So so 29-7.
    4-1 Nick Dragonette Wil sr 36-6 vs. 2-3 Colton Peppelman CD fr 26-14; 3-3 Devin Anderson McC jr 26-5 vs. 5-2 Scott Vasellas RLi sr 21-9; 2-2 Kyle Savage LD jr  21-8 vs. 3-2 Kevin Kann PM jr 27-9; 5-3 Cooper Deller Dal fr 15-15 vs. 1-1 Jared Ross NY jr 20-4.
    145 POUNDS: 2-1 Bo Candelaria Mid sr 25-3 vs. 3-3 Mike Lausell McC jr 25-10; 5-2 Jake English CY jr 21-8 vs. 4-2 Colin Martucci DB jr 27-4; 3-1 Matt Flick PM sr 30-6 vs. 4-3 John Reedy Muhl sr 27-6; 2-3 A.J. Sweigard CD jr 22-10 vs. 1-1 Rustin Barrick Mech so 24-6.
    4-1 Tyler Fittery Coc sr 28-5 vs. 1-3 Wills Long CuV so 8-8; 5-3 Bobby Axe RLi sr 28-10 vs. 2-2 Dylan Carmichael CCl jr 34-5; 3-2 Woodie Hermann Hemp jr 29-5 vs. 1-2 Zach Hartzell Get jr 22-9; 2-4 Kalann Washington Har jr 16-15 vs. 5-1 Billy Randt WY sr 23-3.
    152 POUNDS: 1-1 Jayshon Wilson Car jr 28-1 vs. 2-4 Zachary Gesford Her sr 22-10; 3-2 Dan Bennett Hem sr 26-10 vs. 5-2 Nick Rebert NOx sr 35-5; 2-1 Grant Dickey CCl jr 28-7 vs. 5-3 Jake Kemper SW sr 14-10; 3-3 Luke Sims MT sr 27-7 vs. 4-1 Jordan Rosa Wil jr 38-3.
    5-1 Dylan Wisner SG sr 39-4 vs. 2-3 Jonathan Germany LD sr 26-8; 4-3 Tim Bauer Rea sr 22-9 vs. 1-2 Zach Thomson Mech jr 25-5; 2-2 Robert Tupper ST sr 28-8 vs. 4-2 Justin Williams DB jr 20-11; 1-3 Matt Richmond NY jr 19-8 vs. 3-1 Connor Moran So so 36-5.
    160 POUNDS: 2-1 Marshall Peppelman CD sr 42-0 vs. 4-3 Kyle Pych Wil sr 36-7; 5-2 J.R. Mummert SW sr  17-9 vs. 1-2 Luke Etter BiS sr 28-6; 4-1 Mike Shermot GM so 26-11 vs. 5-3 Josh Burg Dal jr 22-7; 2-3 Andrew Marsh CDE jr 24-8 vs. 3-1 Jamie Mellinger War sr 15-4.
    5-1 Logen Wisner SG jr 38-5 vs. 3-3 Pavlik Teleguz CoV sr 29-15; 1-3 Dylan Schaeffer GA sr 22-6 vs. 2-2 Dan Schreffler CCl sr 23-11; 3-2 Ben Kramer Hemp sr 31-7 vs. 4-2 Jonathan Santiago Muhl so 22-9; 2-4 Jeremy Bailes Mid so 11-19 vs. 1-1 Adam Geiger NY fr 23-4.
    171 POUNDS: 2-1 Kenny Courts CD jr 34-0 vs. 4-3 Brandon Henne Coc sr 28-5; 5-2 Jake Kennedy NOx sr 22-9 vs. 1-2 Town Mundorf Mech sr 24-12; 3-1 Zach Brubaker War sr 23-14 vs. 2-3 Tyler Rhoads CDE jr 22-6; 5-3 Paul Smith SG jr 20-15 vs. 4-1 Anthony Huber GS jr 27-8.
    5-1 Tyler Hoover Dal sr 28-2 vs. 3-3 Arias Pappas Don jr 26-8; 1-3 Matt Blessing Car sr 28-5 vs. 2-2 Clint Morrison CCl sr 31-5; 3-2 Keith Witmer Leb so 22-9 vs. 4-2 Alex Loder Wil sr 34-7; 2-4 Mato Bekelja Her jr 19-11 vs. 1-1 Tristan Warner CuV sr 32-1.
    189 POUNDS: 3-1 Antonio Giorgio War sr 20-0 vs. 2-4 Tate Moore-Jacobs CCl sr 31-7; 1-2 Bryton Barr Mech so 18-9 vs. 5-2 Neal Grudi SG jr 34-7; 2-1 Ashton Corbin Har fr 17-3 vs. 1-3 Todd Dewalt GA sr 22-7; 5-3 Jerome Beers SW so 20-8 vs. 4-1 Louie Acampora GM sr 29-4.
    5-1 Phil Sprenkle Dal jr 30-3 vs. 4-3 Ken Bock DB jr 26-11; 2-3 Zak Koller CD jr 20-18 vs. 3-2 Austin Schultz MT sr 28-3; 2-2 Matthew Zdradzinski CDE sr 21-12 vs. 4-2 Nate Luckenbill CW sr 25-7; 3-3 David Kennedy Eliz sr 32-8 vs. 1-1 Chaz Sheaffer WP sr 29-1.
    215 POUNDS: 1-1 Travis Friend CuV 19-0 vs. 4-3 Louis Weaver Wil sr 19-16; 2-2 Kyle Wolfe CD sr 37-7 vs. 5-2 Michael Shoemaker Dal jr 21-10; 4-1 Tyler Weisman GM sr 21-11 vs. 5-3 Brody Black Dov sr 17-9; 2-3 Joseph Scerbo LD jr 18-4 vs. 3-1 Sterling Goshea Don sr 15-2.
    5-1 David Quackenbos RLi jr 30-6 vs. 2-4 Mike Lebo CCl sr 28-10; 3-3 Chris Ahnert Leb jr 27-3 vs. 1-2 Dawson Peck Cham so 27-5; 3-2 Bryan McCall War jr 18-9 vs. 4-2 Sam Batchelor DB jr 26-11; 1-3 Shane McFerren Way sr 25-2 vs. 2-1 Zachary Nye EP jr 32-0.
    285 POUNDS: 2-1 Averee Robinson ST so 30-2 vs. 1-3 Kelton Mehls NY sr 17-7; 5-2 Jim Eline NOx sr 28-9 vs. 3-2 Evan Singleton PM jr 18-8; 4-1 Derek Goldsborough GM so 22-14 vs. 2-3 Ben Germain Har fr 22-7; 5-3 Jeramiah Middleton Dov jr 17-6 vs. 1-1 Gavin Nickel Car sr 23-4.
    5-1 Zach Freet Sqk sr 27-3 vs. 4-3 Joe Giorgio Ex so 15-10; 3-3 Dominique Smith McC sr 28-5 vs. 2-2 Nick Stewart CD sr 34-9; 1-2 Marvin Gaskill Way sr 25-5 vs. 4-2 Jordan Sweitzer Muhl sr 23-7; 2-4 Timothy Gamber LD jr 31-4 vs. 3-1 Cole Dillman CoV jr 34-2.

WASHINGTON TWP. | There were few fans remaining inside the
gym at Warren Hills Regional High School to witness it, but
the most competitive contest and the biggest upset capped
Friday nights NJSIAA District 1 wrestling
quarterfinals.
North Warren freshman Chris Longyhore worked eight-plus
minutes to knock off second-seeded Greg Ritter of Belvidere,
5-4, in a 285-pound bout.
Longyhore entered with an 8-17 record and an 0-3 mark
against Ritter.
That was really tiring, Longyhore said while
accepting congratulations from coaches, teammates and
Patriot fans. We wrestled four times, and this time I
knew I just had to beat him.
The heavyweight is one of five North Warren wrestlers to
advance to the semifinals. Todays action starts at 11
a.m. at Warren Hills.
The top three finishers at districts move on to next
weeks Region 1 tournament.
Phillipsburg leads the team standings with 102.5 points.
Coach Jason Magditchs Stateliners put 11 into the
semis.
Longyhore led 3-2 into the final seconds when he was hit
with a second stalling call to tie the score at 3. After a
scoreless overtime period, both Longyhore and Ritter traded
escapes to send it to sudden victory. Longyhore chose
bottom, then needed just 11 seconds to escape and end
Ritters season and career.
I was mad and tired, Longyhore said of yielding
the tying stall point. Once it went into the last
overtime, I was very confident I could get out.
The evenings other huge upset came via another
Patriot seeded seventh.
At 130 pounds, junior Nick Barzano won his district debut
with a shocking pin of Phillipsburg senior Adam Simon, who
was seeded second.
Barzano, with a 12-9 record, caught the 20-10 Simon in a
headlock about 45 seconds into the bout and held him down
until the eventual fall in 1:40.
It was the first meeting between the wrestlers.
I knew how good he was and I knew where he was
seeded, Barzano said of Simon. I wanted to keep
it close and I wanted to avoid back points.
I thought about the match a lot today and I had some
doubts. For me, this is a really nice upset because Simon
was picked to win by The Star-Ledger.
North Warren coach Dave Thatcher was thrilled by the
Patriots performance.
Chris and Nick both wrestled the best they have this
season, the first-year coach said. I thought
they both had this type of effort in them, but I wasnt
sure wed see it this year. They both picked the right
time.
Other Patriots to advance to todays semifinals were
Mason Ryzoff at 125 pounds, Mike Dorn at 140 and undefeated
No. 1 seed Kevin Brown, who drew a bye at 152.
Phillipsburg sophomore Derek Pierson won his season debut
at 171 pounds. The No. 7 seed pinned second-seeded Adam
Pfeifer of North Warren in 3:22. Magditch declined to
clarify why Pierson missed the entire regular season.
Seniors John Horak at 135 and Oliver Brukardt at 145 are
top-seeded Stateliners who advanced with pins Friday night.
Magditch was disappointed only 11 made it to the
semifinals.
To see Adam get beat like that as a senior, as a
captain, thats tough, Magditch said. We
thought Adam had a great shot to win districts and we
expected him to reach states. There was no thought to him
losing that match.
Warren Hills advanced all five of its top-seeded wrestlers
to the semifinals.
Matt Schuebel won by fall at 130 pounds, Anthony Gaito
received a bye at 140 while Matt Artigliere at 160, Kyle
ODonnell at 215 and Jon Slack at 285 all prevailed
with first-period pins.
Michael Blouse can be reached at 800-360-3601 or
mblouse@express-times.com. Talk about sports in the region
at lehighvalleylive.com/forums.

Where does Randy Couture rank in the light heavyweight division? How close is Paulo Thiago to earning a title shot? Did Nate Marquardt have a bad night or is Chael Sonnen really that good? Who should Matt Serra fight next?

UFC 109 may not go down as the best card of the year, but it did provide us with more than a few things worth talking about. We had a couple of fairly shocking upsets, several octagon debuts, and two UFC veterans scoring impressive wins. Now it’s time once again for Brendhan Conlan and myself to go back-and-forth on six questions facing the sport, and always we encourage you to share your thoughts in the comment box below.

Now, in the immortal words of Cecil Peoples…Let’s dance!

Buy/Sell – Paulo Thiago needs to beat the winner of Jon Fitch/Thiago Alves before being named the #1 contender in the welterweight division.

Adam Tool: I’ll say buy, although from a booking stand-point I wouldn’t rematch Fitch & Thiago again so soon. Thiago give Fitch a tough fight at UFC 100, but I really don’t think the result would change in a second meeting. I could be wrong, and Thiago may have gotten significantly better in the last seven months, but at this point I think another meeting between the two would only serve to kill Thiago’s momentum at this point. Besides, I think it’s best for all parties involved if he doesn’t have to face anymore AKA guys anytime soon. I would certainly agree that if the two were to meet again and Thiago got the win, he should absolutely be the #1 contender.

Should Alves emerge victorious at UFC 111 I wouldn’t mind seeing him matched up with Thiago. At this point it’s clear that Fitch and Alves are the #2 and #3 guys (respectively) in the welterweight division, so a win over either man should net Thiago (or anyone else for that matter) immediate title consideration. The only reason I wouldn’t want to see this fight is because of the inherent difficulty in discussing it, due to the fact that Thiago is one man’s first name and the other man’s last name.

Brendhan Conlan: I’m opting to “sell” on this topic, as I think there are plenty of serviceable opponents for him to face and, as already proven, a grinder like Fitch is definitely a threat to stymie the mystique currently surrounding the Brazilian. Alves is a better match-up stylistically for Thiago and isn’t in line for a title-shot even if he beats Fitch (it would be his first win since losing to Georges St. Pierre at UFC 100), so he’s certainly a suitable candidate for standing opposite Thiago inside the Octagon at some point in the next 3-5 months.

Another fighter who should receive similar consideration is whomever’s hand is raised when Josh Koscheck and Paul Daley face off at UFC 113. Both are in need of another major win before cementing their place as top contender and each match-up is ripe with marketability. It would be interesting to see “Kos” attempt to avenge his TKO loss – a stoppage some felt was premature – in terms of how he’d approach Thiago with a full camp in place and whether or not he’d choose to stand once the cage door locked. And Daley, though an underdog in my mind against the Ultimate Fighter OG, has enough “Semtex” in his gloves and silver on his tongue to sell any fight, let alone one against someone with Paulo’s arsenal of skills.

Was Nate Marquardt simply off against Chael Sonnen or was he exposed by the better fighter?

Tool: I think it’s a bit from column A and a bit from column B. I’m still not totally sold on Sonnen, as it was only a year ago that he was completely dominated by Demian Maia. He looked impressive this past Saturday, but he still lacks any real finishing ability and there’s still plenty of holes in his submission game. I give him credit for getting people to talk about him, as he’s clearly dominated most of the MMA media’s attention in the past few weeks.

Back to Marquardt though, I’m still not sure what happened. He was facing a one-dimensional opponent, had plenty of high-level wrestlers to train with, and he had the master tactician Greg Jackson in his corner. I couldn’t believe how wildly Nate was swinging in the opening minute of each round, as he was clearly leaving plenty of openings for Chael to shoot in. The closed guard obviously did little to help his situation on the mat and again I have to wonder just what the hell he was doing during his training camp. I understand that training and fighting are two different things but he had three months to prepare for fifteen minutes, and he really didn’t seem to be ready.

Conlan: Marquardt was absolutely exposed by the better fighter, at least in terms of his ability to defend the takedown and fight off his back. Sonnen may not have Nate’s jiu-jitsu or striking but his wrestling background is of an elite nature. He has the skill to bring most of his opponents down to the mat and the heart/will to keep going until his body quits on him. He clearly suffers when facing top shelf BJJers who can submit from the bottom but other than that he’s going to be a tough draw for anyone he steps into the cage with.

I was thinking about Tool’s questioning of what happened to Marquardt and why he seemed so ill prepared when a thought occurred to me. Who is the top submission-based fighter on Greg Jackson’s roster if not “Nate the Great” himself? Maybe Carlos Condit or Joe Stevenson? It seems to me they have a lot of wrestlers who prefer to strike or use ground-and-pound techniques, and I can’t help but wonder how Marquardt might have benefited off his back from the presence of a high-level jiujitsu specialist familiar with professional competition who close to him in weight.

What’s your take on the WEC’s foray into the PPV market?

Tool: I’m for it. Every time there’s a WEC event on Versus, the salary figures are released and various people complain about how the fighters aren’t getting paid enough. The reason they aren’t getting enough money is because the business model of putting all your fights on free TV isn’t a very profitable venture. The UFC guys make more money because the PPVs make a lot of money. More money getting pumped into the front office means more money trickling down to the fighters, and that’s certainly a positive step forward for the WEC’s future growth.

Conlan: I view it as a proverbial dip of the toes into a pool they’ll find is ice cold. I also think it was smart of WEC brass to book the event in Sacramento so the live gate brought in by Urijah Faber’s presence on the card will offset some of the financial losses I suspect the promotion will endure from a low buyrate.

Adam is correct in terms of the PPV market providing an opportunity for increased revenue and in stating WEC fighters should eventually benefit from a profitable situation. However, neither success or the fruits of it are guaranteed, and larger promotions with more star-power have attempted and failed at capturing a large enough audience to make PPV a worthwhile venture. Even the occasional UFC event suffers lower-than-expected numbers. I have no reason to believe a rematch between two lightweights who wouldn’t crack the UFC’s “Top 5” and a quartet of featherweights are going to succeed in drawing more than a minimal number of fans into spending $44.95.

Faber vs. Aldo should be insanely entertaining but is nothing special in comparison to the events WEC has offered for free on Versus. Why not make a true “superfight” using a catchweight to feature two of your company’s top dogs? Stick Brian Bowles in a non-title affair with Mike Brown and throw Miguel Torres in the cage with “The California Kid”. Why not bring in a couple UFC fighters to mix things up? Have Donald Cerrone fight Tyson Griffin instead of Ben Henderson. Those are just a few ways the event could have been made to feel truly special. Instead, it comes off as little more than a Zuffa experiment to me, and one I wager will be as successful in drawing PPV buys as Preparation A-G were in soothing one’s hind quarters.

If you were to rank the top light heavyweight fighters in the world, where would you put Randy Couture?

Conlan: I suspect Couture would land somewhere in the 10-12 range if I put pen to paper and ranked the sport’s top 205-pounders. “The Natural” is 5-4 over his last nine fights and 3-2 as a light heavyweight. His only wins at LHW in the past five years are over Mike Van Arsdale (who promptly lost his next three bouts before retiring), Brandon Vera (who arguably should have been given the decision win), and Mark Coleman (insert joke here). Regardless of the clout Couture’s name carries I can’t rank him higher than any divisional peer who has recently, and consistently, beaten reputable light heavyweights. The pool is too deep to consider any alternative.

Tool: I’m thinking along the same lines as Brendhan here, and I’d probably slot Couture around lucky number 13. The win over Coleman was the best we’ve seen from him since he came back from his most recent “retirement,” but this was obviously not the toughest opponent he’s had in that time frame either. I got a bad taste in my mouth from the Vera fight, so it’ll take at least one more big win at 205 before I’m ready to put “The Natural” in the top ten or entertain any serious talk about title contention. Fortunately it sounds as though the UFC wants to slot Randy in against Rich Franklin at UFC 115, and a win over the highly-respected Franklin could potentially launch Couture towards one more run at the gold.

Make your pick for Matt Serra’s next opponent.

Conlan: If I had my way his next opponent would be a lightweight, but since my plans for world domination have yet to work out I’ll say Serra will face the winner of Phil Baroni vs. Marcus Davis (rumored for UFC 111). Both men provide opportunities for Serra to showcase either his powerful striking or his grappling skills. Something just ain’t right when a high level jiujitsu practitioner hasn’t tapped an opponent out in a professional fight since Avril Lavigne had a number one hit in America. I like the idea of the brash East Coaster possibly returning to his Gracie roots based on the level of stand-up his opponent offers, and, being solid boxers with knockout power and suspect submission defense, Baroni/Davis fit the bill. Additionally, like Serra, they’re also veteran fighters who aren’t threatening for a title shot. That means the bout can sell itself on name value and the result won’t muck up the championship picture.

Tool: Normally in a question where I’m asked to name a fighter’s next opponent I’ll look over the current schedule to see who might be available in 3-5 months. This is Matt Serra we’re talking about though, and he’s fought once a year for the last six years. Assuming this trend holds up we can pretty much pick anybody we want from the welterweight division. In terms of the type of opponent I’d like to see, it would have to be a younger fighter that’s working his way up the rankings. If Serra wants to make another grab for the welterweight strap he’ll need to face one of the hungry future contenders looking for their big breakthrough performance. Names like Dustin Hazelett, Carlos Condit, and John Hathaway come to mind.

If I had to pick one fighter right now though, it’d probably be Ben Saunders. First off there’s the obvious back story between the two, as Saunders was on Team Serra during season 6 of The Ultimate Fighter and the UFC has yet to give us a coach vs. student bout after five years of the show. Second, it’s an interesting match-up stylistically as both fighters have backgrounds in jiu-jitsu but have primarily relied on their striking as of late. Finally, it’ll be one hell of a visual: the 6’3” Saunders staring down the 5’6” Serra. C’mon, tell me you don’t want to see that.

True/False – You were impressed by Demian Maia’s performance on Saturday.

Conlan: False. Showing a modicum of improvement in your striking and slightly out-grappling someone who isn’t on your level when things hit the mat shouldn’t merit the dropping of a single jaw. It’s par for the course, nothing more. Impressive would have been a first round submission over a slick BJJer like Dan Miller or a knockout win. Until Maia scores either thing he’ll continue to be a vanilla-flavored Mixed Martial Artist who, when drawing his opponents onto the ground, can use jiujitsu as his brush and paint the canvas like Monet.

Tool: I would also have to go false, although I’m willing to look at the positives. Maia was coming off of a devastating knockout and yet he wasn’t gun-shy, choosing to stand and exchange with Miller for most of the duration. Miller certainly represented a bad match-up of styles, as he had the wrestling pedigree to negate Maia’s takedowns. I had thought that leading up to the fight we might see Miller choose to test his own Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills against the abilities of his opponent, but that was clearly not the case. Like Brendhan said, Maia still needs to make himself a more complete fighter before he can really be considered a contender. On Saturday I believe we saw some crucial steps being taken in that process, it’s just unfortunate that it didn’t make for a very good fight.