Dongi "The Ox" Yang

CageCraze.com caught up with Dongi “The Ox” Yang of Korean Top Team as he trained at Derby City MMA in Louisville, Kentucky, in preparation for his middleweight bout against Rob Kimmons on the preliminary card of “UFC on Versus 3.” “The Ox” rattled off nine straight stoppage victories before entering the UFC. Yang’s first venture in the UFC ended with a split-decision loss to “The Ultimate Fighter Season 11″ cast member, Chris Camozzi. Most people had Yang winning the first two rounds of that fight but the judges at UFC 121 did not see it the same way. Yang won over many UFC fans with his performance against Camozzi and he brings his exciting style to the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville on March 3.

The man standing across the octagon from Yang this Thursday night will be UFC veteran Rob Kimmons. Kimmons holds a 3-3 record in the UFC, and his overall record is 23-6. Rob Kimmons has been stopped by Kyle Noke, Jorge Rivera, and Dan Miller during his tenure in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Kimmons will undoubtedly be hungry coming into the match-up with Yang as he has a chance to improve his UFC record to 4-3. We had a chance to ask Dongi “The Ox” Yang about the matchup with Kimmons, and how his training has gone thus far in Louisville.

"The Korean Zombie" and "The Ox"

We first met up with Yang and his Korean Top Team teammates last Wednesday when he arrived in Louisville at Derby City MMA. He was admittedly tired from the long journey to Kentucky but we still got to hang around and watch him train with his teammate, Chan Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung, and coach, Dongjin Ha. CageCraze.com caught up with Yang once again over the weekend, and asked how he felt after a few days in country:

“I’m feeling good. Now we’re just down to cutting the excess weight. Right now I’m a little over 20lbs over (207lbs on Sunday, the fight’s on Thursday). I prepped really hard for this fight and I [am] ready to go.”

A little over two weeks ago, Dongi Yang’s camp was looking for a gym in Louisville that had a cage so that he could properly train for his fight. We suggested that Korean Top Team look into training at Derby City MMA because they have a full cage, which is exactly what they wanted to find. We were curious to see how the local gym was working out, and how it compared to other gyms that Yang had trained in over the course of his career:

“Derby City is a really nice gym. Lots of really friendly people there, too. Derek [Cissell, owner] was super friendly and it’s been a huge help to be able to work out there. One big benefit is the cage. Unfortunately, we don’t have a cage at Korean Top Team, so being able to work out in one is helpful.”

Chan Sung Jung and Dongi Yang

One thing on our minds was the effect that the split-decision loss to Chris Camozzi had on Yang’s mentality and his training regimen. Even though many people believe Yang was robbed in that fight, Yang was very humble and made no excuses for the loss:

“I think I could have been a little better prepared as far my stamina. So, that’s probably one thing I concentrated on a little more on this time around, but other than that, I haven’t really changed anything with my training.”

Rob Kimmons is much more experienced than Dongi Yang, but has had trouble when moving up to face tougher competition. We asked Yang how he felt he matched up with Rob Kimmons, and whether or not he sees any weaknesses in Kimmons’ fighting that he can exploit on Thursday night:

“He definitely has a lot of experience and no glaring weaknesses in his game. I’d like to keep the fight standing, which is where I feel most comfortable, but even if it goes to the ground, I’m confident that I can control the pace.”

Dongi would like to thank his sponsors and teammates for helping him prepare for “UFC on Versus 3″ in Louisville:

“Yeah, I [would] like to thank my sponsors Sseda, Mutnam.com, Plus, Dr. Ihm of SL Ophthamology, Dr. Hwang and my coaches at Korean Top Team, Coach Ha and Coach Jeon.”

CageCraze.com would like to thank Jeffrey Madden and Brian Rhee for helping with the logistics and translation for this interview. We would also like to thank Derek Cissell of Derby City MMA for giving us access to the gym for photos of Dongi Yang’s training sessions.

“UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs Kampmann” takes place on Thursday, March 3, in Louisville, Kentucky. The UFC announced that this event will be the first UFC event to be broadcast in 3D. The event will air live on Versus at 9:00PM ET. Visit UFC.com for more information on this event.  CageCraze.com is your MMA Social Network dedicated to connecting, promoting, covering and improving local MMA everywhere. Create your free profile today, and stay connected with local MMA Everywhere!

Dongi "The Ox" Yang

CageCraze.com caught up with Dongi “The Ox” Yang of Korean Top Team as he trained at Derby City MMA in Louisville, Kentucky, in preparation for his middleweight bout against Rob Kimmons on the preliminary card of “UFC on Versus 3.” “The Ox” rattled off nine straight stoppage victories before entering the UFC. Yang’s first venture in the UFC ended with a split-decision loss to “The Ultimate Fighter Season 11″ cast member, Chris Camozzi. Most people had Yang winning the first two rounds of that fight but the judges at UFC 121 did not see it the same way. Yang won over many UFC fans with his performance against Camozzi and he brings his exciting style to the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville on March 3.

The man standing across the octagon from Yang this Thursday night will be UFC veteran Rob Kimmons. Kimmons holds a 3-3 record in the UFC, and his overall record is 23-6. Rob Kimmons has been stopped by Kyle Noke, Jorge Rivera, and Dan Miller during his tenure in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Kimmons will undoubtedly be hungry coming into the match-up with Yang as he has a chance to improve his UFC record to 4-3. We had a chance to ask Dongi “The Ox” Yang about the matchup with Kimmons, and how his training has gone thus far in Louisville.

"The Korean Zombie" and "The Ox"

We first met up with Yang and his Korean Top Team teammates last Wednesday when he arrived in Louisville at Derby City MMA. He was admittedly tired from the long journey to Kentucky but we still got to hang around and watch him train with his teammate, Chan Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung, and coach, Dongjin Ha. CageCraze.com caught up with Yang once again over the weekend, and asked how he felt after a few days in country:

“I’m feeling good. Now we’re just down to cutting the excess weight. Right now I’m a little over 20lbs over (207lbs on Sunday, the fight’s on Thursday). I prepped really hard for this fight and I [am] ready to go.”

A little over two weeks ago, Dongi Yang’s camp was looking for a gym in Louisville that had a cage so that he could properly train for his fight. We suggested that Korean Top Team look into training at Derby City MMA because they have a full cage, which is exactly what they wanted to find. We were curious to see how the local gym was working out, and how it compared to other gyms that Yang had trained in over the course of his career:

“Derby City is a really nice gym. Lots of really friendly people there, too. Derek [Cissell, owner] was super friendly and it’s been a huge help to be able to work out there. One big benefit is the cage. Unfortunately, we don’t have a cage at Korean Top Team, so being able to work out in one is helpful.”

Chan Sung Jung and Dongi Yang

One thing on our minds was the effect that the split-decision loss to Chris Camozzi had on Yang’s mentality and his training regimen. Even though many people believe Yang was robbed in that fight, Yang was very humble and made no excuses for the loss:

“I think I could have been a little better prepared as far my stamina. So, that’s probably one thing I concentrated on a little more on this time around, but other than that, I haven’t really changed anything with my training.”

Rob Kimmons is much more experienced than Dongi Yang, but has had trouble when moving up to face tougher competition. We asked Yang how he felt he matched up with Rob Kimmons, and whether or not he sees any weaknesses in Kimmons’ fighting that he can exploit on Thursday night:

“He definitely has a lot of experience and no glaring weaknesses in his game. I’d like to keep the fight standing, which is where I feel most comfortable, but even if it goes to the ground, I’m confident that I can control the pace.”

Dongi would like to thank his sponsors and teammates for helping him prepare for “UFC on Versus 3″ in Louisville:

“Yeah, I [would] like to thank my sponsors Sseda, Mutnam.com, Plus, Dr. Ihm of SL Ophthamology, Dr. Hwang and my coaches at Korean Top Team, Coach Ha and Coach Jeon.”

CageCraze.com would like to thank Jeffrey Madden and Brian Rhee for helping with the logistics and translation for this interview. We would also like to thank Derek Cissell of Derby City MMA for giving us access to the gym for photos of Dongi Yang’s training sessions.

“UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs Kampmann” takes place on Thursday, March 3, in Louisville, Kentucky. The UFC announced that this event will be the first UFC event to be broadcast in 3D. The event will air live on Versus at 9:00PM ET. Visit UFC.com for more information on this event.  CageCraze.com is your MMA Social Network dedicated to connecting, promoting, covering and improving local MMA everywhere. Create your free profile today, and stay connected with local MMA Everywhere!

Dongi "The Ox" Yang

CageCraze.com caught up with Dongi “The Ox” Yang of Korean Top Team as he trained at Derby City MMA in Louisville, Kentucky, in preparation for his middleweight bout against Rob Kimmons on the preliminary card of “UFC on Versus 3.” “The Ox” rattled off nine straight stoppage victories before entering the UFC. Yang’s first venture in the UFC ended with a split-decision loss to “The Ultimate Fighter Season 11″ cast member, Chris Camozzi. Most people had Yang winning the first two rounds of that fight but the judges at UFC 121 did not see it the same way. Yang won over many UFC fans with his performance against Camozzi and he brings his exciting style to the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville on March 3.

The man standing across the octagon from Yang this Thursday night will be UFC veteran Rob Kimmons. Kimmons holds a 3-3 record in the UFC, and his overall record is 23-6. Rob Kimmons has been stopped by Kyle Noke, Jorge Rivera, and Dan Miller during his tenure in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Kimmons will undoubtedly be hungry coming into the match-up with Yang as he has a chance to improve his UFC record to 4-3. We had a chance to ask Dongi “The Ox” Yang about the matchup with Kimmons, and how his training has gone thus far in Louisville.

"The Korean Zombie" and "The Ox"

We first met up with Yang and his Korean Top Team teammates last Wednesday when he arrived in Louisville at Derby City MMA. He was admittedly tired from the long journey to Kentucky but we still got to hang around and watch him train with his teammate, Chan Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung, and coach, Dongjin Ha. CageCraze.com caught up with Yang once again over the weekend, and asked how he felt after a few days in country:

“I’m feeling good. Now we’re just down to cutting the excess weight. Right now I’m a little over 20lbs over (207lbs on Sunday, the fight’s on Thursday). I prepped really hard for this fight and I [am] ready to go.”

A little over two weeks ago, Dongi Yang’s camp was looking for a gym in Louisville that had a cage so that he could properly train for his fight. We suggested that Korean Top Team look into training at Derby City MMA because they have a full cage, which is exactly what they wanted to find. We were curious to see how the local gym was working out, and how it compared to other gyms that Yang had trained in over the course of his career:

“Derby City is a really nice gym. Lots of really friendly people there, too. Derek [Cissell, owner] was super friendly and it’s been a huge help to be able to work out there. One big benefit is the cage. Unfortunately, we don’t have a cage at Korean Top Team, so being able to work out in one is helpful.”

Chan Sung Jung and Dongi Yang

One thing on our minds was the effect that the split-decision loss to Chris Camozzi had on Yang’s mentality and his training regimen. Even though many people believe Yang was robbed in that fight, Yang was very humble and made no excuses for the loss:

“I think I could have been a little better prepared as far my stamina. So, that’s probably one thing I concentrated on a little more on this time around, but other than that, I haven’t really changed anything with my training.”

Rob Kimmons is much more experienced than Dongi Yang, but has had trouble when moving up to face tougher competition. We asked Yang how he felt he matched up with Rob Kimmons, and whether or not he sees any weaknesses in Kimmons’ fighting that he can exploit on Thursday night:

“He definitely has a lot of experience and no glaring weaknesses in his game. I’d like to keep the fight standing, which is where I feel most comfortable, but even if it goes to the ground, I’m confident that I can control the pace.”

Dongi would like to thank his sponsors and teammates for helping him prepare for “UFC on Versus 3″ in Louisville:

“Yeah, I [would] like to thank my sponsors Sseda, Mutnam.com, Plus, Dr. Ihm of SL Ophthamology, Dr. Hwang and my coaches at Korean Top Team, Coach Ha and Coach Jeon.”

CageCraze.com would like to thank Jeffrey Madden and Brian Rhee for helping with the logistics and translation for this interview. We would also like to thank Derek Cissell of Derby City MMA for giving us access to the gym for photos of Dongi Yang’s training sessions.

“UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs Kampmann” takes place on Thursday, March 3, in Louisville, Kentucky. The UFC announced that this event will be the first UFC event to be broadcast in 3D. The event will air live on Versus at 9:00PM ET. Visit UFC.com for more information on this event.  CageCraze.com is your MMA Social Network dedicated to connecting, promoting, covering and improving local MMA everywhere. Create your free profile today, and stay connected with local MMA Everywhere!

AAMMA XI

CageCraze.com was cageside on Saturday night for “Absolute Action MMA presents AAMMA XI” at the Midwest Sports Complex in Florence, Kentucky. The local Pro/Am event had twelve amateur fights and two professional fights scheduled. We were treated to an amazing battle between undefeated amateur lightweights, James Mogollon and James Morton, to determine the #1 Contender for the AAMMA Lightweight Title. Headlining the card was a professional fight between Chris Mierzwiak and Brandon Pinkston, another battle of unbeaten fighters. Before the fights began it was announced that AAMMA referee Chris Kinman had been chosen by the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Authority (KBWA) to referee at the upcoming UFC on Versus event at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky. George Conley, one of the judges for AAMMA XI, will also be representing the KBWA as a judge for some of the fights on the UFC card in Louisville next week. Kinman and Conley will likely be used on the unaired portion of the event but if things work out they may get a chance to oversee a fight on the main card. Please read below for the quick results and full recap of AAMMA XI, feel free to comment on the article as well. We want to read opinions from local mma “insiders” that saw the event so join in the discussion below!

Amateur Fights

Christian throws a kick

Jon Christian vs Adam Cogswell

Jon Christian and Adam Cogswell went the distance in the first fight of the night and battled each other to a majority draw. Christian was taken down immediately as his kick was caught by Cogswell at the start of the fight. Christian did a good job of stymieing Cogswell’s offense but was unable to work back to his feet for the rest of the round. Christian did look for an armbar as the first round came to a close but he could not get the finish and Cogswell broke free as the round ended. A point was deducted from Cogswell in the second round for an illegal up-kick which probably cost Cogswell the fight. Cogswell’s corner did not like the call and though that the kick was legal. Cogswell went for an anaconda choke and a triangle choke in this round, and also took Christian’s back and landed several solid shots from the back as he tried to flatten Christian. The point deduction turned a 10-9 round for Cogswell into a 9-9 round. Jon Christian came alive in the final round, scoring on the feet with kicks and then on the ground with punches from the full mount. Christian worked a rear naked choke as time expired to clinch the round. The decision was announced as a majority decision victory for Jon Christian, but Angela Robertson from the KBWA walked over moments later to let us know that the announcement was incorrect, and that the fight had been scored a majority draw.

Adam Prince vs Matt McDaniel

Team Warcry’s Adam Prince brought a quick end to this fight with a KO just 0:43 into the fight. The end came after Prince caught a body kick from McDaniel and then connected with two right hands to send “The Magic Man” crashing to the canvas. Prince went on to say that he will be dropping down to light heavyweight to make a run at the AAMMA 205-lb title.

Derrick Weisenberger vs Brandon Windisch

Team Warcry recorded their second win of the night after Derrick Weisenberger submitted Brandon Windisch at 1:24 in the second round. Weisenberger almost finished the fight in the first round after Windisch slammed Weisenberger and fell into a guillotine. Windisch was able to work his way out of the choke but could not escape in the second round after a nearly identical situation unfolded.

Ryan Roberts vs Matthew Perkins

Ryan Roberts gave Matthew Perkins a rude welcome to the world of amateur MMA by scoring a KO victory just 0:10 into the fight. Perkins was overwhelmed by Roberts and eventually dropped with a right hand. Roberts moves to 1-1 as an amateur while Perkins enters the books at 0-1 after losing his debut.

Virgil Lackey III vs Anthony Stamm

Virgil Lackey III put on a dominant performance to stop Anthony Stamm with strikes at 2:42 in the third round. Lackey punished Stamm for the majority of the fight, solidly winning rounds one and two before heading into the final round. Lackey landed an illegal knee in the third round that cost him a point, but Stamm was okay to continue and the fight went on. Stamm is a very tough fighter, not many people could have withstood the relentless ground-and-pound attack of Virgil Lackey III. Lackey would get the fight to the ground and transition from side control to mount Stamm. Stamm rolled over to cover up and that is all he could do as blows rained down upon him, forcing Chris Kinman to step in and stop the fight with just 0:18 remaining in the bout.

Skelton tosses McKenzie

Brittany Skelton vs Chris McKenzie

Brittany Skelton was too much for Chris McKenzie to handle as McKenzie was forced to verbally submit 1:44 into the first round. Skelton connected with a straight right at the start of the bout and then almost upended McKenzie with a leg kick. Skelton backed McKenzie into the cage an unloaded, eventually dropping his opponent with a right hand. McKenzie survived the onslaught and was able to stand but a few more shots on the feet prompted McKenzie to motion to Kinman that he wanted out of the fight and Kinman obliged, stopping the contest at 1:44 in the first round.

McClain pounces on Scheming

Shane McClain vs Lucas Scheming

Shane McClain has come into his own over the course of the past year and he earned a title shot by dispatching Lucas Scheming via TKO at 0:13 into the first round. McClain landed a vicious left-right-left combo that floored Scheming and then followed up on the ground to force Chris Kinman to swoop in and save Scheming from further damage. Look for Shane McClain to fight for the AAMMA Middleweight Title in April.

Miller tightens the triangle

Joel Miller vs Deric Reece

Joel Miller handed Deric Reece his first loss with a submission victory in the second round. Miller and Reece had a very close battle in the first round, with both fighters scoring on the feet with kicks and punches. Joel Miller grabbed a knee from Reece and took Reece down. Miller quickly worked to full mount but couldn’t finish Reece. The fight went to the ground once again in round two as both fighters tried to work trips at the same time, with Reece throwing Miller to the ground. Miller used the momentum of the takedown to roll Reece over and get on top. Miller mounted Reece and then went for a triangle from the top. Miller locked the choke in and rolled over to finish Reece at 2:03 in the second round.

James Mogollon vs James Morton

James Mogollon won a tough decision against James Morton to become the #1 Contender for the AAMMA Lightweight Title. Mogollon landed more quality strikes throughout the first round but Morton bloodied Mogollon late in the first round with knees from the clinch. Those knees made the first round very hard to score and could have gone either way. Mogollon and Morton traded on the feet to open the second round. Mogollon landed his jab several times and Morton continued to score with knees, but they did not do much damage. Mogollon went on to take Morton down and then controlled Morton for most of the round on the canvas. Morton worked to his feet and landed a kick but then ate a hard right-left combo as the round ended. Morton used his clinch work in round three to throw several knees but Mogollon did a good job of blocking most of them. Mogollon managed to get another takedown but Morton worked back to his feet immediately. Round three ended with Mogollon working a trip as the horn sounded. Mogollon won a unanimous decision and should be fighting for the AAMMA 155-lb belt in April.

Duprie Moon Jr vs Lonnie Mosley

Duprie Moon, Jr., came away with a decision victory over Lonnie Mosley after a very gutsy performance. The fight went back and forth with both men scoring on the feet. Duprie Moon landed the better shots over the course of the fight and also took Mosley down. By the end of the fight both fighters were exhausted. A tired Duprie Moon landed several big shots in the end of the third round but did not have enough in him to finish Mosley. The judges gave Duprie Moon, Jr., the unanimous decision.

Boehm submits Van Zijl

Zachary Boehm vs Pieter Van Zijl

Zachary Boehm dominated Pieter Van Zijl to remain undefeated, finishing Van Zijl with a rear naked choke in the final round. Van Zijl came into the fight undefeated but never found an answer for Boehm’s ground-and-pound. Boehm punished Van Zijl with strikes from the top throughout all three rounds. The end of the fight came in the third round after a failed guillotine attempt from Van Zijl allowed Boehm to take his back. Boehm worked patiently from Van Zijl’s back to flatten him out and then go for a rear naked choke. After softening Van Zijl with punches, Boehm locked on the choke and forced the tap at 2:33 in the third round.

Shaun Asher vs Michael Gay

Shaun Asher made a triumphant return to the AAMMA cage by forcing Michael Gay to tap to strikes in the first round. Asher overpowered Gay and landed punches from the top. All Michael Gay could do was cover up and try to protect himself. Gay struggled to buck Asher off but was unable to do so and Asher followed up with strikes that forced Gay to roll over and give up his back. Michael Gay tapped after a few seconds of Asher landing bombs from the top. The submission ended the fight at 1:28 in the first round.

Professional Fights

Brandon Suber vs Chris Bennett

Mogollon vs Morton was a great fight but Suber and Bennett put on the fight of the night. Brandon Suber defeated Chris Bennett via unanimous decision in a fight where neither combatant quit fighting until the horn sounded. Both fighters seemed comfortable standing and on the ground so we were treated to dozens of transitions throughout the fight. If you have ever seen Chris Bennett fight, you know that he is always looking for an armbar whenever he is on the ground. Tonight was no different except for the fact that Brandon Suber was able to escape several armbar attempts while on top of Bennett, and executed solid ground-and-pound techniques to win the judges over on the scorecards. Bennett landed several hard shots on the feet but Suber kept moving forward, landing kicks and punches of his own before going for takedowns. Chris Bennett looked frustrated at many points in the fight, a testament to Suber’s ability to stifle Bennett’s gameplan and control the fight. It is a hard loss for Bennett to take but it is the type of loss that should help him grow as a fighter. Brandon Suber moved to 1-1 in his professional MMA career with the win, while Bennett drops to 3-2.

Mierzwiak wins via armbar

Chris Mierzwiak vs Brandon Pinkston

Team Jorge Gurgel’s Chris Mierzwiak moved to 3-0 as a professional with a quick submission victory via armbar. Mierzwiak opened the fight with a body kick and both fighters went to the ground. Mierzwiak immediately isolated an arm and the pulled it into an armbar. Pinkston stood up but Chris Mierzwiak held on, somehow. Pinkston dropped to the ground to try and shake Mierzwiak off but the armbar was locked in and Pinkston was forced to tap just 0:35 into the fight. There has been a lot of buzz about Mierzwiak lately and many people close to his camp have told us that they will be surprised if he is not in the UFC by the end of the year.

Quick Results

Amateur Fights

Jon Christian vs Adam Cogswell declared a Majority Draw

Adam Prince def Matt McDaniel via KO at 0:43 in Rd.1

Derrick Weisenberger def Brandon Windisch via Submission (guillotine) at 1:24 in Rd.2

Ryan Roberts def Matthew Perkins via KO (punch) at 0:10 in Rd.1

Virgil Lackey III def Anthony Stamm via TKO/RSC at 2:42 in Rd.3

Brittany Skelton def Chris McKenzie via Verbal Submission at 1:44 in Rd.1

Shane McClain def Lucas Scheming via TKO/RSC at 0:13 in Rd.1

Joel Miller def Deric Reece via Submission (triangle) at 2:03 in Rd.2

James Mogollon def James Morton via Unanimous Decision at 3:00 in Rd.3

Duprie Moon Jr def Lonnie Mosley via Unanimous Decision at 3:00 in Rd.3

Zachary Boehm def Pieter Van Zijl via Submission (rear naked choke) at 2:33 in Rd.3

Shaun Asher def Michael Gay via Submission (strikes) at 1:28 in Rd.1

Pro Fights

Brandon Suber def Chris Bennett via Unanimous Decision at 5:00 in Rd.3

Chris Mierzwiak def Brandon Pinkston via Submission (armbar) at 0:35 in Rd.1

CageCraze.com is your MMA Social Network dedicated to connecting, promoting, covering and improving local MMA everywhere. Create your free profile today, and stay connected with local MMA Everywhere!

Hardrock MMA 31: Private Event

Hardrock MMA held a private show in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday night. The show was closed to the public but the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Authority was there to oversee all of the action inside of the cage. There were six professional fights and three amateur fights, including a bout to decide the Hardrock MMA Heavyweight Title between Andrew Fogg and Josh Walker. CageCraze.com was the only media allowed inside for the event so please check out our results below and come back later for the exclusive recap of all of the fights. Due to this event being private, we were unable to take any photos or video.

Quick Results

Amateur Fights

Daniel Ware def Caleb Miller via Unanimous Decision at 3:00 in Rd. 3

Andrew Fogg def Josh Walker via Submission (strikes) at 1:10 in Rd. 3 – HW Title Fight

Matt Metts def Alvin Miller via Submission (armbar) at 2:44 in Rd. 1

Professional Fights

Derek Sawyer def Sha-la Edwards via Submission (rear naked choke) at 1:40 in Rd. 1

Rick Borders def Chancellor Edmonson via Submission (armbar) at 1:33 in Rd. 1

Brandon Howard def Jason Jones via TKO at 0:38 in Rd. 1

Justin Pennington def Jesse Grindstaff via TKO at 1:44 in Rd. 1

Jeremy Myers def Steven Durr via Unanimous Decision at 3:00 in Rd. 3

Zach Sanders def TJ Barber via TKO at 4:58 in Rd. 2

CageCraze.com is your MMA Social Network dedicated to connecting, promoting, covering and improving local MMA everywhere. Create your free profile today, and stay connected with local MMA Everywhere!

The next six months, win, lose, or draw at any stage of the tournament,  determine my next five to ten years – Brent Weedman

Brent Weedman

Brent Weedman finishes fights, period. All of his career wins have come via stoppage and he does not plan on that changing as he heads into the Bellator Season Four Welterweight Tournament.  The Louisville, Kentucky, native drew Dan Hornbuckle as his first-round opponent in the Bellator opener on March 5 in Lemoore, California, at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino.  Brent is thrilled at the chance to avenge his  2006 loss to Hornbuckle, and CageCraze.com was thrilled to get a chance to visit with Brent at his training camp at Real Fighters Gym in Louisville with Team Haycraft. There is no better candidate for our first Featured Fighter from Kentucky, and Brent had a ton of things on his mind.

We spoke with Brent after a grueling Team Haycraft sparring session, and his fight against Hornbuckle had just been publicly confirmed. We thought at first that “Weedman vs Hornbuckle II” was a fight that was worthy of being a semi-final or final fight of the tournament but Brent looked at it differently, and spoke highly of the matchmaking at Bellator. “The thing I love about fighting for Bellator is that their fights are the main focus. They always put the best possible fights together and they did a great job. I can guarantee that something exciting is going to happen, someone is getting finished…I like that because win, lose, or draw, we both come out of it with higher earning potentials and higher visibility.”

The chatter leading into the Bellator tournament has been mostly concentrated on other fighters, which is the way that Brent likes it. “I’m fine being overlooked, I love playing the underdog. It is a little bit of a spoiler though, because in every interview that Dan [Hornbuckle] has done he talks about how it was one of the toughest fights of his career. So, it does kind of suck that my first opponent won’t sleep on me. Everybody else does, but you’ll never hear Dan say ‘Who is this guy? I am going to run right through him.’ ”

Weedman takes direction from Eric Haycraft

Brent went on to discuss how far he has grown since the first fight against Dan Hornbuckle, and why this fight will be different. “Instead of stepping back and pushing him over with one finger like I should have [after hurting Hornbuckle with a body shot],  I freaked out. I picked him all the way up to the ceiling and then drove him all the way to the mat.” Dan Hornbuckle then submitted Weedman with a triangle choke. “The thing I like to point to in this fight …my first real Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lesson ever was with Helio Soneca after the Hornbuckle fight, on how to escape the triangle. Fast forward to now, and I am a three-stripe purple belt under a 5th-degree black belt [Soneca] from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that is a legend in the sport.”

Looking at the rest of the field, Brent’s journey towards a matchup against Ben Askren will not get easier if he gets past Hornbuckle. “Everybody in this tournament can win. On any given night, anyone in this tournament can win. That is the kind of professional sport that I want to be a part of.” When asked if he thought everyone in the field could beat Askren, Weedman hesitated, but went on to say, “That’s a good question, a really good question. I am going to say ‘yeah’ just for the simple fact that Ben is so good at wrestling, that we have not seen much else from him and we haven’t needed to. That is not necessarily a slight against him. Ben Askren is a fantastic athlete which means he is going to pick up the rest of the game rapidly…that being said, he is still young in his submissions game, he is still young in his kickboxing game.”

Weedman working drills at Real Fighters Gym

Brent likens Askren’s wrestling prowess to the BJJ game of Jake Shields. Brent spent some time out in California training with Shields, along with Nick and Nate Diaz. Brent says that his training with them “completely revolutionized” his game. Brent is kind of a big fish in a small pond in Louisville, but in California he said he was “fodder, just another body for them.” Brent is back in Louisville now and along with his trainer, Eric Haycraft, has begun to plug in the new training methodologies he picked up from his trip to the West Coast.

Brent is now just weeks away from the biggest fight of his career, and this is make-or-break time for him. “The next six months, win, lose, or draw at any stage of the tournament,  determine my next five to ten years. Ten years from now, I can look back and say that for six months I did it full bore, I did it the way you are supposed to, I put everything else on hold, and I did what I wanted to do.  Fighting is not important. Do you think that any of the protestors in Cairo care about Brent Weedman vs Dan Hornbuckle? No. They’ve got important things to care about. But fighting is in me, it is my passion, and you have to do what you love in life. We all only get to live one time…and then it is over.”

CageCraze.com would like to wish Brent the best of luck heading into the Bellator Season Four Welterweight Tournament. You can watch the opening round of the tournament on March 5 on MTV2. Please visit Bellator.com for more info on Brent Weedman, Dan Hornbuckle, and all of the other competitors. We would also like to say thank you to Eric Haycraft for allowing us to come into Real Fighters Gym and observe the Team Haycraft workouts. Brent would like to thank his management team at SuckerPunch Entertainment. Please check out their website and contact them if you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Brent’s tournament run.

CageCraze.com is your MMA Social Network dedicated to connecting, promoting, covering and improving local MMA everywhere. Create your free profile today, and stay connected with local MMA Everywhere! Brent Weedman has his own CageCraze.com profile, create yours and connect with Brent!

John Fahy’s (H.M. @125) dominance continued, but the Trinity High School wrestling program’s statewide reign came to an end Saturday.

Behind four individual winners, Union County captured the State Wrestling Championships team title in front of 4,270 fans at the Frankfort Convention Center.

Trinity junior Fahy and St. X senior John Lampe (160) backed up their No. 1 rankings with state titles. Eastern senior Kyle Durbin pulled off a bit of a surprise, beating previously unbeaten and No. 1 Trent Hardy of Ashland Blazer 10-8 for the 215 crown.

Fahy won his third straight state title, having captured the 112 title last year and the 103 crown as a junior. He beat Oldham County junior Tyler Kaelin 13-3 in the final to remain undefeated against Kentucky foes for his career.

For Complete Story By Jason Frakes, Courier Journal

Hardrock MMA 30

CageCraze.com was cageside at “Hardrock MMA 30: Battle for Bowling Green Pro/Am” at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The headlining bout was a middleweight tilt between Hardrock MMA Middleweight Champion Ashcon Karbasi and Challenger, Josh Phelps. Karbasi won the belt at Hardrock MMA 26 and had won three fights in a row heading into this event. Josh Phelps had won his last five fights, including a win over Randy Shores at “Strikeforce – Challengers 13″ in Nashville. The Sloan Convention Center had to open a second conference area to accommodate the crowd of 1,000-plus local MMA fans in attendance.

Hardrock MMA 30 was supposed to feature the professional debuts of Jason Hayden and Brandon Shelton but the fight was scratched at the last minute due to medical issues with Shelton. Medical issues also forced Hardrock MMA to scratch the lone female bout. That being said, the atmosphere was electric inside the venue, and it was a great card to be able to watch in person. The full recap of the event can be found below.

Amateur Fights

Chris Sallie vs Bobby Puckett

Iron Cobra’s Chris Sallie defeated Bobby Puckett of Slaughterhouse MMA via submission at 2:21 in the first round. Sallie caught Puckett in a triangle choke and then extended Puckett’s arm to bring on the tapout due to a modified triangle/armbar. Sallie improved his record to 5-5 while Puckett dropped to 1-2.

Chris Coffey vs Terry Henry

Chris Coffey closed out an impressive performance by submitting Terry Henry in the second round of this welterweight bout. Coffey overwhelmed Henry on the feet throughout the first round and picked up where he left off as the second round started. The end of the fight came after a failed single leg takedown attempt by Henry. This fight went into the Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Authority’s books as a submission due to guillotine choke at 1:27 in the second round.

Byrd slams Sadler

Jacob Byrd vs Matt Sadler

Jacob Byrd bounced back from his recent loss at AAMMA X to defeat Matt Sadler via unanimous decision. Byrd had a clear size advantage over Sadler coming into this fight and it definitely played a role. Byrd slammed Sadler to the mat several times, bringing cheers from the raucous Bowling Green crowd each time. Jacob Byrd did the most punishment on the feet by landing knees throughout the fight. Matt Sadler put on a gutsy performance in this loss though as many fighters would not have made it through all three rounds. Sadler managed to catch Byrd with a heel hook in the final round but Byrd was able to defend and hold on to win the decision.

Scott Lockard vs Darrenger Grayson

Scott Lockard won his amateur MMA debut in a light heavyweight fight against Darrenger Grayson. Lockard spent most of the first round on his back being brutalized by Darrenger Grayson. When the bell sounded to end the first round, Lockard was cut over his left eye and Grayson seemed to be on his way to his first victory. However, a freak injury occurred just 0:27 into the second round, leaving Grayson unable to continue. Grayson’s shoulder had popped out as he landed a right hand during the first exchange. Grayson looked impressive in this fight and we at CageCraze.com wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him fight again.

Brandon Debandi vs Stephen Rader

Brandon Debandi sent the Sloan Convention Center into an uproar after the Bowling Green Beatdown fighter submitted Stephen Rader via rear naked choke in the first round of this lightweight matchup. Debandi shot for a double leg at the start of the round and patiently transitioned to mount. From the mount Debandi was able to posture up and start landing punches, which forced Rader to roll over and give up his back. Brandon Debandi cinched up the choke at 2:15 in the first round.

Michael Gay vs Theodore Campbell

Michael Gay snapped a two-fight losing streak by submitting Theo Campbell in the first round with a rear naked choke. Gay came out with a couple of leg kicks to start the fight but soon ended up on the canvas by way of a Theo Campbell slam. Gay worked a sweep into Campbell’s guard and then transitioned to full mount. Campbell rolled over to protect himself but gave up his back in the process. Gay softened Campbell up with strikes and then went for the rear naked choke, bringing an end to the fight 2:51 into the first round. Michael Gay is scheduled to meet Shaun Asher at AAMMA XI on February 26 in Florence, Kentucky.

Herrington's armbar

Brandon Herrington vs Derik Byrd

Brandon Herrington submitted Derik Byrd with an armbar 1:13 in the second round of this fight to move to 4-1 in his amateur MMA career. Herrington’s win was the second of the night for Bowling Green Beatdown. Herrington put on a beautiful grappling display in the first round as he forced Byrd to fight off submission attempts for much of the round. Herrington missed on a takedown attempt to start round two and Byrd capitalized by landing a flurry of punches from the top. Herrington pushed off of the cage and escaped, ending up in side control after a scramble. Herrington transitioned to knee-on-belly and went for an armbar. Byrd lifted Herrington into the air and slammed him to the ground but Herrington held on and Byrd was forced to tap.

Jake Marr vs Cody Rafferty

Jake Marr put Cody Rafferty through 3:00 of punishment in round one, leaving Rafferty unable to answer the bell for the second round of this fight. Marr forced Rafferty against the cage and landed several hard knees to the body. Rafferty struggled to break free and ate an uppercut for his efforts. Marr swarmed Rafferty with punches but could not stop him before the horn sounded to end the round. Rafferty showed true heart hanging in for the whole round but could not continue and the fight was stopped between rounds.

Brad Hutcheison vs Michael Cockerham

A rejuvenated Brad “Caveman” Hutcheison stopped Michael Cockerham via submission due to strikes. The last time we saw Hutcheison in action was when he lost to Troy Blevins, Jr., at AAMMA VI back in October. Hutcheison looked fresh and in much better shape this time around and he used his solid wrestling skills to control Cockerham and pound him out. Cockerham’s only offense came late in the round with a triangle attempt but Hutcheison powered out of it and started landing hard shots from the top, forcing Cockerham to tap at 2:52 in the first round.

BJ Robinson vs Levy Schultz

BJ Robinson finished Levy Schultz in the second round of this fight by forcing Schultz to tap due to strikes. This was by far the most franticly-paced fight of the evening and the fireworks came early and often. A short right hook by Robinson sent Schultz’s mouthpiece flying across the cage and the crowd rejoiced. Robinson is built like Georges St. Pierre but on a 155-lb frame and in this setting he was as explosive as GSP. Levy Schultz is no slouch though and caught Robinson several times with his precise jab. The end came after Robinson hobbled Schultz with a leg kick and then followed up with strikes to end the fight at 2:34 in the second round.

Tyler Young vs Braedon Ward

Tyler Young claimed the third win of the night for Bowling Green Beatdown by submitting Braedon Ward just over a minute into the fight. Young opened the bout with an overhand right and after briefly tying up against the side of the cage, Young threw Ward to the mat. Young quickly moved to side control and went for an armbar. Ward rolled Young over to escape the hold but Tyler Young used the ensuing scramble to transition to full mount. Ward rolled over and gave up his back after Young opened up with punches from the top. Young was able to secure a rear naked choke to end the fight at 1:08 in the first round.

Voth wins a title shot

Tyler Voth vs Jeremy Philpot

Before the fighters made their way to the cage we learned that the winner of this fight would get a title shot against Joe Maiani for the Hardrock MMA 145-lb belt. Tyler Voth wasted little time claiming his spot in the title picture as he stamped his ticket with a 0:39 KO of Jeremy Philpot. Voth ducked under a head kick and then hit Philpot with a right hand to the ribs and then leveled him with a left hand placed just under Philpot’s right eye. The fight against Joe “Suga” Maiani is tentatively slated for a May event date.

Main Event

Ashcon Karbasi vs Josh Phelps

Hardrock MMA Middleweight Championship

With over 1,000 fans in attendance we can honestly say that we have yet to cover a fight in Kentucky with more energy and passion flowing through a crowd than what we witnessed in Bowling Green.  The crowd was split in half for this fight, with a chorus of cheers and boos erupting as the two fighters were introduced.

It took Ashcon Karbasi a little over five minutes to put away Josh Phelps and retain his Hardrock MMA Middleweight Title. Phelps never could get any decent offense going against the taller and longer Karbasi. Joshua Phelps was tripped to the canvas and mounted in both rounds, with the end of the fight coming 2:08 in the second round. Karbasi landed several hard shots from the top, forcing Phelps to give up his back. Karbasi locked onto Phelps with a rear naked choke and Phelps quickly tapped. Karbasi’s win sealed a perfect night for Bowling Green Beatdown, as all four of their fighters walked out of the Hardrock MMA cage as winners. The next challenger for Karbasi’s title is Will Hendrickson.

CageCraze.com is your MMA Social Network dedicated to connecting, promoting, covering and improving local MMA everywhere. Create your free profile today, and stay connected with local MMA Everywhere!

Renato Tavares BJJ

Derby City MMA in Louisville, Kentucky, will host a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) seminar featuring Renato Tavares of American Top Team. The seminar at Derby City MMA will be held on February 12, 2011, from 12:00PM – 3:00PM. Renato Tavares is a 4th-degree black belt in BJJ and he has trained in the art for over 36 years, 10 of which were spent training under Carlson Gracie, Sr.

Tavares has competed in the sport of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over 30 years, logging over 500 competition matches in his career. Renato Tavares currently has over twelve schools across the country and hopes to expand even further to help spread the popularity of BJJ in the United States. The seminar is open to anyone, regardless of experience level or affiliation. The fee for the seminar is $65.00 and can be paid on the day of the event. Do not miss your opportunity to train with a master in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

About Derby City MMA

Derby City MMA is one of the top combat sports gyms in Louisville, Kentucky. Derby City MMA offers a full lineup of classes, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling, and Mixed Martial Arts. The gym is open to people of all skill and fitness levels, and offers classes seven days a week. Derby City MMA also has a successful MMA competition team. Membership at Derby City MMA includes unlimited training, and they offer several different pricing plans. Please contact Derby City MMA for information on a free trial and a tour of their facilities.

Event Information

What: American Top Team Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Seminar featuring Renato Tavares

Where: Derby City MMA | 8021 Dixie Hwy Suite 102 | Louisville, Kentucky 40258

When:  Saturday, February 12, 2011 | 12:00PM – 3:00PM

Cost: $65.00

Contact: (502) 937-8797 | DerbyCityMMA@gmail.com | Derby City MMA Website

CageCraze.com is your MMA Social Network dedicated to connecting, promoting, covering and improving local MMA everywhere. Create your free profile today, and stay connected with local MMA Everywhere!

Hardrock MMA 29

CageCraze.com was live at the Paroquet Springs Conference Center in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, for “Hardrock MMA 29: 2 Year Anniversary Show Pro/Am.” The card was headlined by a professional light heavyweight bout between John Troyer and Roger Minton. Also on the card was the professional debut of Justin Gamble as he took on Josh “Pitbull” Blanchard. There were also four amateur titles on the line at Hardrock MMA 29. A total of 17 fights made up this fantastic local MMA Pro/Am event.

Amateur Fights

Chris Hansford vs. Paul Jones

Team Animal’s Chris Hansford submitted Paul Jones of Georgetown MMA with a guillotine choke in the first round to move to 2-0 in his amateur Mixed Martial Arts career. Hansford slammed Jones to the mat early in the fight and looked like he could finish Jones with an arm triangle but Jones got out of it. Jones was able to do some damage from Hansford’s guard later in the round but Hansford caught Jones in the guillotine choke and forced the tap at 2:43 in the round

Montez Jordan vs. Robert Nguyen

Montez Jordan took the victory over Robert Nguyen in a very close fight via split decision. The fight went back and forth through all three rounds. Nguyen got the better of Jordan in the standup during the fight but Jordan was able to put in enough work on the ground with punches from Nguyen’s guard to sway two of the judges.

Bryce Petoskey vs. Phillip Runsvold

Bryce Petoskey represented the Louisville MMA Fight Team well by dispatching Phillip Runsvold via armbar in the first round of their 130-lbs catch weight bout. Petoskey took Runsvold down immediately at the start of the fight and worked for a guillotine choke. Runsvold forced Petoskey to give up on the choke but Bryce Petoskey readjusted and locked in the armbar 1:03 into the first round to remain undefeated.

Cothern fights the armbar

Brandon Cothern vs. David Ward

Brandon Cothern defeated David Ward via submission due to strikes to move into title contention in the Hardrock MMA 125-lbs division. Cothern landed a hard body kick in the second round that dropped Ward to his knees. Cothern followed Ward to the ground and landed several left hands to Ward’s body from the north-south position. David Ward tapped due to strikes at 2:53 in the second round. Brandon Cothern is set to meet Bryce Petoskey at Hardrock MMA 32 in Lawrenceburg for the Hardrock MMA Flyweight Title.

Santiago works a choke in Rd. 1

Genaro Santiago vs. Quinton Parks

Genaro Santiago overcame a huge reach disadvantage to defeat Georgetown MMA’s Quinton Parks via a unanimous decision. At 6’3″, Quinton Parks towered over the 5’7″ Genaro Santiago and that made it very hard for Santiago to take him down. However, Santiago managed to close the distance and land effective strikes, including a head kick in the first round. Quinton Parks was always active and went for several submission attempts but he never could close out Santiago. Genaro Santiago was able to get the fight to the ground and used a solid wrestling base to control the fight. All three judges scored the fight in Santiago’s favor, 30-27.

Day hoists Eggleton into the air

Bradley Day vs. Drew Eggleton

Reaction MMA’s Bradley Day was able to outpoint Drew Eggleton to secure a unanimous decision victory and to move to 5-1 in his career. Most of this fight was spent on the feet, with Bradley Day pinning Drew Eggleton against the cage for the majority of the time. Day controlled Eggleton in the clinch and landed several knees and uppercuts throughout the fight to score points with the judges. His striking plus his ability to neutralize Eggleton’s offense sealed the victory on the scorecards. Drew Eggleton dropped to 4-2 with this loss.

Burgess wins via armbar

Andy Burgess vs. Jeremy Townsend

Andy Burgess submitted Georgetown MMA’s Jeremy Townsend via armbar in the second round of their Middleweight clash. Jeremy Townsend showed a lot of heart in this fight by withstanding almost two full rounds of punishment at the hands of Andy Burgess. Burgess utilized solid ground and pound technique to control Townsend but lost that top control in the second round after being swept by Townsend. Burgess quickly adjusted and pull Townsend into the armbar, bring on the tap at 2:26 in the second round.

Tyler Crow vs. Cliff Hicks

Tyler Crow (Brandenburg MMA) won his debut fight via KO against a very tough Cliff Hicks. The fighters seemed to be well matched in size, speed, and strength, but the more experienced Cliff Hicks (Combat Inc.) took control early and landed knees from the clinch. The turning point came around the 2:20 mark when Tyler Crow broke free and landed a right hand that back Cliff Hicks off of him. Crow then followed up with a barrage of punches and chased Hicks across the cage. The fight ended when Crow dropped an already dazed Cliff Hicks with a short right hand at 2:52 in the first round.

Rich loads up his right hand

Sawyer Rich vs. Dusty Stengel

Sawyer Rich won the second and third rounds against Dusty Stengel (Baddog MMA) to claim a unanimous decision victory. Stengel was able to get Rich on the ground early in the fight and he controlled Rich throughout the first round, landing knees and punches on the ground in the process. Sawyer Rich then came out in the second round and let his hands go. Rich was able to keep the fight standing and caught Stengel with a right-left combo that forced Stengel to retreat across the cage. Rich followed up with knees and uppercuts as Stengel covered up. Rich was able to mount Stengel but the round ended before he could make any serious attempts at finishing the fight from that position. The third round went to the ground but Rich did much better than he did in the first round. Stengel secured dominant positions but Rich managed to work out of them and finished the round with an armbar attempt. All judges scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Sawyer Rich.

Michael Ricketts vs. Terry Coulter

Michael Ricketts came out on top in this battle of unbeaten lightweights, defeating Terry Coulter via split decision. This was just one of many incredibly close fights that went to a split decision at Hardrock MMA 29. The fighters were evenly matched in their standup, with the longer Coulter using his reach to stay outside of Michael Ricketts, and Ricketts bobbing in and throwing overhand punches. Ricketts started out hot and landed a couple of strong takedowns in the first round. The momentum shifted from Ricketts to Coulter over the course of the fight though. Coulter spent the better part of the first two rounds on his back, but almost came away with a heel hook submission in the second round. Ricketts escaped and put Coulter on his back, a move that probably swayed two of the judges to give the round to him. Round three was all Coulter on the feet and on the ground. Coulter was able to take Ricketts’ back in the waning moments of the fight but time ran out before he could set anything up from the position. Two judges scored the fight 29-28 for Ricketts, while the other judge saw the fight 29-28 for Coulter.

Dudley Hall after the stoppage

Charles Dove vs. Dudley Hall

Dudley Hall had no answer for the takedowns and ground-and-pound of Charles Dove, losing via TKO at 2:23 in the third round. Charles Dove took Dudley Hall down at will throughout the fight and punished Hall on the ground. Hall was able to work back to his feet several times but could only prevent the takedowns of Charles Dove by grabbing the fence, a move which cost Dudley Hall a point in the third round. The fight came to an end late in the third round when Charles Dove mounted Hall and unleashed a surge of punches that forced Hall to buck and roll desperately. Once Hall rolled over, Dove continued pounding away. A large cut was opened up on the head of Hall during the fracas and the referee was forced to step in and stop the fight.

Seals throws a right hand

Michael Seals vs. AJ Jenkins

4 Seasons’ Michael Seals became the new Hardrock MMA Welterweight Champion by cruising to a unanimous decision victory against AJ Jenkins of the Louisville MMA Fight Team. Jenkins was able to score with leg kicks and punches throughout the fight but he never could link anything together to slow down Michael Seals. Everything that Jenkins did in the fight, Seals did better. The Kentucky Boxing and Wrestling Authority would not sign off on this fight for the standard five rounds because Seals had only had two fights. Michael Seals went on to win all three rounds of the shortened bout and took the belt home to 4 Seasons in Lexington, Kentucky.

Gibbs lands a kick

Dusty Gibbs vs. Jon Voth

Dusty Gibbs won the Hardrock MMA Bantamweight Title via a split decision against Reaction MMA’s Jon Voth. This fight was as close as we saw all night and Gibbs probably won the fight based on his performance in the fifth and final round. One could easily argue that both fighters had won two rounds a piece heading into the last stanza, although some in the crowd, and apparently one judge, saw the fight 3-1 Voth heading into the last round. Gibbs took Voth down 0:30 into the final round and maintained top position for the next two minutes. Voth was able to work to his feet momentarily but Gibbs brought the fight back to the ground and worked for an armbar as the round came to a close. The judges scored the fight 48-47 twice for Gibbs, and 48-47 once for Voth.

Maiani leans back for a kick

Joe Maiani vs. Phil White

Current Hardrock MMA Featherweight Champ, Joe Maiani, had several scary moments against former champ, Phil White, but managed to retain his title via unanimous decision in front of a crowd full of his supporters. Phil White was constantly working for submissions from the bottom in this fight, and easily could have won two rounds based on his attempts to finish the fight. Joe Maiani was just too slick and was able to get out of every hold that White threw at him. Maiani looked to be a much larger Featherweight than Phil White and used his strength advantage to keep White on his back. Maiani landed strikes effectively but White never seemed in danger of being stopped. All three judges scored the fight in Maiani’s favor (50-45, 49-46, 48-47), although the 50-45 score turned in seems highly unlikely, given the aggressiveness displayed by Phil White in seeking submissions.

Deener looks for the RNC

Chad Deener vs. Richard Tunstill

Chad Deener became the new Hardrock MMA Light Heavyweight Champion by beating the previously undefeated Richard Tunstill via, wait for it, split decision. Deener was a crowd favorite and using the “eye test,” he would seem to be the favorite in the fight. Tunstill is built a bit smaller than Deener, and carries more extra weight, but having seen Tunstill fight several times in the past year we knew better than to count him out. Tunstill survived a brutal first round that saw him almost finished via punches and then he survived a rear naked choke and a heel hook attempt from Deener. Tunstill stood with Deener and scored the most damage on the feet throughout the next four rounds. It looked as if Deener was hurt a couple of times but the new champ showed great resiliency and scored takedowns when he needed to get out of bad situations on the feet. This is the type of fight that gives judges nightmares because they have to weigh damage against how many dominant positions a person controls. Many people thought that Tunstill did enough with his striking to win the fight on the scorecards but the majority decision was that Deener’s takedowns and groundwork won the day. The official scores were 48-47 & 49-46 Deener, and 48-47 for Tunstill.

Pro Fights

Blanchard upends Gamble

Josh Blanchard vs. Justin Gamble

Josh Blanchard (Louisville MMA / Baddog MMA) notched his second win as a professional via an impressive KO victory against Justin Gamble. Gamble threw a kick to open the fight but Blanchard caught it and took Gamble down. Blanchard quickly moved to mount and then pinned Gamble’s right arm to the mat and started landing elbows and punches to Gamble’s uncovered face. Blanchard repositioned himself in the mount and then dropped a series of crushing elbows that knocked Gamble out at 3:15 in the first round.

The beginning of the end for Minton

John Troyer vs. Roger Minton

John Troyer handled Roger Minton in just 0:24 by submitting Minton with a rear naked choke. Troyer opened the fight with a flying knee but Minton ducked under it. Troyer transitioned to the back of Minton and applied a modified rear naked choke, forcing Minton to tap at 0:24 in the first round. This was Troyer’s first fight since defeating Josh Clark at Bellator 30 in Louisville.

Quick Results

Amateur Fights

Chris Hansford def Paul Jones via Tapout due to guillotine choke at 2:43 in Rd. 1

Montez Jordan def Robert Nguyen via Split Decision

Bryce Petoskey def Phillip Runsvold via Tapout due to armbar at 1:28 in Rd. 1

Brandon Cothern def David Ward via Tapout due to strikes at 2:53 in Rd. 2

Genaro Santiago def Quinton Parks via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x 3)

Bradley Day def Drew Eggleton via Unanimous Decision (30-27 x 2, 29-28)

Andy Burgess def Jeremy Townsend via Tapout due to armbar at 2:23 in Rd. 2

Tyler Crow def Cliff Hicks via KO (punch) at 2:52 in Rd. 1

Sawyer Rich def Dusty Stengel via Unanimous Decision

Michael Ricketts def Terry Coulter via Split Decision

Charles Dove def Dudley Hall via TKO/RSC at 2:23 in Rd. 3

Michael Seals def AJ Jenkins via Unanimous Decision to win the Hardrock MMA Welterweight Title

Dusty Gibbs def Jon Voth via Split Decision to win Hardrock MMA Bantamweight Title

Joe Maiani  def Phil White via Unanimous Decision to retain the Hardrock MMA Featherweight Title

Chad Deener def Richard Tunstill via Decision to win the Hardrock MMA Light Heavyweight Title

Pro Fights

Josh Blanchard def Justin Gamble via KO (elbows) at 3:15 in Rd. 1

John Troyer def Roger Minton via Tapout due to RNC at 0:24 in Rd. 1

UFC 126 at S&SC

CageCraze.com’s coverage of “Hardrock MMA 29: 2 Year Anniversary Show Pro/Am” is brought to you by The Sports & Social Club at the 4th Street Live! Entertainment District in downtown Louisville. The Sports & Social Club is the best place in town to watch your favorite sporting event. Come for the game, stay for the party! The Sports & Social Club will be hosting the Hardrock MMA 29 after-party and will be showing UFC 126 live on pay-per-view. Join us at S&SC after Hardrock MMA 29!

CageCraze.com is your MMA Social Network dedicated to connecting, promoting, covering and improving local MMA everywhere. Create your free profile today, and stay connected with local MMA Everywhere!