Randy Couture remembers the path his life was supposed to follow. He would put his foreign language and literature degree to good use as a high school teacher, and his background as an All-American wrestler to work as a coach.

Those were the days before mixed martial arts, back when something called the “Ultimate Fighting Championship” was only beginning to give birth to an entirely new sport. The former NCAA runner-up at Oklahoma State was content trying out for the Olympics, helping young wrestlers in high school and college, and scraping together enough money for a decent living.

As school wrestling programs are put on chopping blocks across the country, either to reach Title IX compliance or save a few bucks in a down economy, mixed martial arts is providing the centuries-old sport some salvation. Kids interested in professional fighting without access to trainers or gyms are giving it a lift – simply by walking into wrestling rooms again.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, more than 355,000 high schoolers competed on 9,772 teams during the sport’s high-water mark in 1977, back when Dan Gable was an Olympic hero and the United States was a force on the international scene.

By 1995, more than 1,200 of those programs had been cut and participation was at 217,000.

For Complete Article by Dave Skretta, theTandD.com

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

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I challenge anyone out there that reads this to come out and grind out a fight with me and see what happens – Kyle Baker

Photo via UWC.com

Kyle Baker is a fighter who’s been biding his time in MMA Purgatory.  The promising lightweight has won 8 of his last 9 fights, nearly all via some form of knockout.  Baker, who trains out of the MMA Institute in Virginia, scored significant victories over UFC veterans Drew Fickett and Chad Reiner in a five month stretch from the end of 2008 to April of 2009.  Because of those victories, Baker has had difficulties finding opponents on the local circuit.  Baker has only fought once since October of ’09 and he recently spoke out about getting involved with MMA and dealing with his current frustration during an appearance on the Verbal Submission radio show.  His passion convinced us at CageCraze.com to garner him our next Featured Fighter.

Baker got into the sport of MMA through his brother, Beau.  “He’d been keeping up on the sport a little bit and he saw how a bunch of wrestlers had been doing really well.  I found out you can make money to beat people up and I was like ‘sign me up.’”

At that point there weren’t any real gyms to train at in Harrisonburg so they set up a makeshift gym in Kyle’s basement.  “We’d practice jiu jitsu down there from some instructional videos that we’d find”, said Baker.  “We’d kinda break down some tape of the better fighters, watch it in slow-mo to see what they were doing for about 2-3 months we’d just do that.”

After winning his first amateur fight via triangle in just over a minute, Kyle and his brother decided to work on their striking at a nearby boxing club.  “The first time we went in there we sparred with some pro boxers on our first night even though we’d never had any schooling or anything”, said Baker.  “We hung in there but they beat the sh*t out of us for an hour and they were surprised when we showed up again the next day.”

Baker continued to evolve his style, never straying too far away from his wrestling base.  “I won a state title in high school and my brother won two”, said Baker.  “I wasn’t really flashy as a wrestler, I just kinda bullied people around.  Hang on their head, push them, underhook them and throw them around and I guess I just adapted that to my fighting style.”

Baker scored three submissions in his first three amateur fights but he says that after earning a TKO, he hasn’t even tried to go for a submission since.  “Once you feel the power of knocking someone out, you wanna do it every time”, said Baker.  ”It makes for more interesting fights anyways.”

In November of 2008, Baker scored a third round TKO over UFC veteran Chad Reiner.  He followed it up with a knockout of UFC vet Drew Fickett in less than two minutes just five months later.  Ever since those big victories, Baker has had to deal with a lot of grandstanding and politics in the MMA world.

Baker had a big fight scheduled for RIE’s Battle of the Burg II against Gideon Ray:

“It was supposed to be in my hometown”, said a frustrated Baker.  “I turned down a few opponents because I was trying to wait for the best opponent I could, another UFC vet.  I finally got a decent guy to fight…  I cut 30 lbs, got ready for the fight, trained for months and he just never even got on the plane, didn’t show up.  It was a pretty big letdown.”

Baker also tried out for season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter alongside his brother, Beau, making it to the final interviews.  He turned down several fights while waiting to hear from the UFC including a UWC title fight.  ”They never even gave us the courtesy of a phone call”, said Baker.  “We turned down a bunch of fights, it kinda messed the whole year up.”

Baker’s lone fight in 2010 was an opportunity to compete in the Shine Fights single night grand prix, but again he had to deal with disappointment.

“I was in that Shine tournament for that 50 grand”, said Baker.  ”I won the fight (against James Warfield) but I got a cut over my eye.  I think I needed like 25-30 stitches, something like that.  I felt like if I hadn’t got cut in the first round, I’d have been able to fight Fickett in the finals at the end of that tournament and showed what kind of fighter I am.  To prove the first time I beat (Fickett) was no fluke”

Baker was recently in talks to compete on the upcoming New Jersey card for Strikeforce but despite moving up in weight class, his opponent again turned down a fight with him.

“I was going to move up a weight class to fight some Gracie”, said Baker.  ”I’m a no belt and for a Gracie who’s a black belt, turning down somebody without a belt.  That’s how the guys with the connections get to the top.  They don’t fight guys that are dangerous where they have a chance of losing.  Hell, I would have had it written in to the contract that I wouldn’t hit him with closed fists for the first round.  I’d just slap him the first round.”

Dealing with the politics of the fight game has left a bad taste in Baker’s mouth.

“It’s frustrating”, said Baker.  “I thought this was supposed to be the toughest sport in the world and you’ve got your baddest dudes in the world in this sport.   It turns out from what I’ve been seeing lately that it’s full of a bunch of pussies.  Nobody wants to get their ass kicked.  That’s why we do this, to see who the toughest guys are.  You need sign a contract, put your name on the line or pick up another sport.”

Baker has big plans for 2011, and it all starts with getting an opportunity to showcase his skills on the large scale.  “I just wanna get on one of the big cards, whether it’s Strikeforce, UFC or Bellator and get a chance to break into a contender spot.  Any of the bigger promotions that are out there that have guys in the top 20 or top 10, I’d love to go out there and prove I’m one of those guys that should be in these big organizations fighting for titles and stuff.”

Kyle is ready to take on all comers.

Ohio based mixed martial arts fight promotion Rocktagon MMA announced today that Steve Burton and Tony Dipiero will go head to head in the “Cage Stars Amateur Elite Series 2″ co-main event. The winner of the bout will become Rocktagon MMA’s new Amateur Elite Series light heavyweight champion. The title was recently relinquished by Dustin Carter due to personal issues. The highly anticipated event will feature three title bouts and a total of 16 Amateur MMA fights.  “Cage Stars Amateur Elite Series 2″ will take place on January 29, at Midway Mall in Elyria, Ohio.

According to Lorenzo Gentile, president of Rocktagon MMA, “The “Cage Stars Amateur Elite Series 2″ card is stacked with some of the best local amateur talent in Ohio. Burton vs. Dipiero is just one of many compelling title fights on this card.  There will be a total of three Cage Stars Amateur Elite Series titles up for grabs on January 29th.”

Excessive Force fighter Steve Burton (5-0) holds two amateur titles in the 185lb weight class and is currently riding a five fight win streak. The UMMAXX and Cage Madness champion recently clinched his fifth straight win with a submission victory over Daniel Haubiel. Burton, a well-rounded mixed martial artist out of Wooster, Ohio, is now looking to add a light heavyweight title to his already impressive list of career accolades.

His opponent Tony Dipiero (5-4) represents Rising Dragon in Cleveland, Ohio. Dipiero is a well-rounded mixed martial artist with notable submission, TKO, and unanimous decision victories. Dipiero is hungry for the title and is determined to emerge as the new Cage Stars Amateur Elite Series light heavyweight champion. Both contenders feel they are worthy of the title, but only one will raise their hand in victory at the end of the night.

*Official “Cage Stars Amateur Elite Series 2″ Line Up:

• Mike Stuck vs. Alex Brown
• Dan Gullium vs.  Oskar Gut
• Nick Dowe vs.  Ed Gregorek
• Declan Hayward vs.  Peirre Greenhill
• Chad Wright vs. TBA
• Brandon Perrott vs.  Sean Brown
• Jacob Rathwell vs.  Dave Prologo
• Kyle Horton vs.  Matt Dicenso
• Kyle Eberts vs.  Brandon Bouchard
• Kevin Bucklew vs.  Kevin Jackson
• James Pfeiffer vs.  John Jungquist
• teve Bucklew vs. Dom Mazzotta
• Kyle Rozanski vs. TBA
• Rob Hanna vs. Marcus Washington
• Tony Dipiero vs.  Steve Burton
• Dave Vandevolde vs. Anthony Morgan

*Fight card subject to change

Rocktagon MMA’s “Cage Stars Amateur Elite Series 2” is stacked with sixteen compelling amateur match-ups including a main event welterweight title bout between Rocktagon MMA veteran Dave Vandevelde and MMA rising-star Anthony Morgan. Tickets are on sale now! ”Cage Stars Amateur Elite Series 2″ will take place on Saturday, January 29^th at Midway Mall in Elyria, Ohio. Doors open at 4:00 pm ET. ”Jackie” performs at 4:45 pm ET.  Fights begin at 7:00 pm ET.

Join Rocktagon MMA on January 29^th for a night of non-stop entertainment! Tickets range from $25.00 to $35.00 at the door. Save $5.00 now by purchasing your tickets in advance! Tickets can be purchased online at www.rocktagonmma.com or at the door the night of the event.  Limited VIP Tables are also available. Please call 440-934-4662 for more information.

FightRibbon® shows the loving, considerate side of the world’s fastest growing sport, Mixed Martial Arts (aka Cage Fighting).

In a news world mostly dominated by stories of random shootings and unethical politicians, here’s a bit of good news about a group of professional athletes volunteering their time to show love and inspiration to complete strangers. But these are no ordinary “strangers,” and definitely no ordinary “athletes.”

On January 31st, 2011, the young, innocent patients at The Children’s Hospital Denver, Colorado will be getting a special visit from a FightRibbon® team, including several of today’s biggest stars in the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA).

The famous Grudge Training Center in Wheat Ridge, CO, the home gym of several household names in the world of MMA, and an affiliate gym of the Jackson/Van Arsdale Training Center in New Mexico, is the host gym of an event that is spot-lighting a fight of a different kind: the fight for life…more specifically, the fight to inspire children who are fighting for their lives.

FightRibbon® (www.FightRibbon.com), a clothing company founded on the ideals of promoting cancer awareness and helping those in need, is the company sponsoring and organizing the event. This visit at The Children’s Hospital Denver is the third of it’s kind in what is described as “…a growing movement of compassion…” according to FightRibbon® founders, Brent Thompson and Scott Wells, two businessmen from Kentucky. (The two previous visits were to Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, KY, and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN.)

Along with the outreach team from FightRibbon® and MMA news correspondent Ron Kruck with a camera crew from the TV show “InsideMMA” (filming the visit), the fighters from Grudge Training Centers attending the event include top names like Shane Carwin, Brendan Schaub, Nate Marquardt, Rashad Evans, coaches Trevor Wittman and Mike Van Arsdale, along with many more stars and rising stars in the sport. (see attachment for conclusive list of names).

FightRibbon® will be uploading a photo gallery at the conclusion of this visit to the company’s Facebook profile page. You can also view the footage and watch the complete story of the visit by tuning into InsideMMA, airing Friday nights on HdNet at 9PM Eastern/6PM Pacific.

About The Children’s Hospital

The Children’s Hospital has defined and delivered pediatric healthcare excellence for more than 100 years. Founded in 1908, The Children’s Hospital is a leading pediatric network entirely devoted to the health and wellbeing of children. Continually recognized as one of the nation’s outstanding hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, The Children’s Hospital is known both for its nationally and internationally recognized medical, research and education programs as well as the full spectrum of everyday care for kids throughout Colorado and surrounding states. With more than 1,000 healthcare professionals representing the full spectrum of pediatric specialties, The Children’s Hospital network of care includes its main campus, sixteen Children’s Care Centers and more than 400 outreach clinics. For more information, visit www.thechildrenshospital.org.

For more information about The Children’s Hospital, contact Melissa Vizcarra at (720) 777-6271 or (303) 890-8314

If you’d like to get more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Brent Thompson, please call (270) 634-1953 or e-mail Brent at brent@FightRibbon.com

List of Attendees

Shane Carwin- Professional UFC® athlete

Brendan Schaub – Professional UFC® athlete

Nathan Marquardt – Professional UFC® athlete

Rashad Evans – Professional UFC® athlete

Justin Wren – Professional fighter

Trevor Wittman – founder/head trainer, Grudge

Christina Wittman – co-founder/Grudge Training Center

Joe Klopfenstein – Professional football player, NFL

Mike Van Arsdale- coach, Jackson/VanArsdale MMA

Jennifer Berg – Professional fighter

Lex McMahon – president, Alchemist Management Company

Jonathan Chaimberg – Adrenaline Performance Center, Montreal, QBC, Canada

Ron Kruck- Reporter, InsideMMA

Julio Gallegos – Professional fighter

Scott Bloyer – Elevation Church Pastor, Broomfield, CO (serving as event Chaplain)

Scott Wells – FightRibbon® co-founder

Brent Thompson – FightRibbon® co-founder

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!

CageCraze.com was live Saturday night from the Ohio Nets Sports Complex in Parma, Ohio for Dan Bobish’s fourth MMA event, Ultimate Cage Battles: Pride and Glory.  Bobish, a pioneer of MMA who fought Vale Tudo tournaments in Brazil, made it to the finals of the UFC heavyweight tournament at UFC 14 and also fought for Pride has finally settled down and moved to another stage of his career as a fight promoter.  Bobish has teamed up with matchmaker Ron Foster to bring an action packed night of fights to northeast Ohio.

Headlining the pro/am card was a 178 lb catchweight bout between UFC veteran Forrest “The Meat Cleaver” Petz and former Green Bay Packer Herbert “Whisper” Goodman.  Petz, a Cleveland native was looking for a big win to get back on track and punch his ticket back to the UFC while Goodman, a member of the HIT Squad was looking to rebound from a recent loss to Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard.  Also on the main card was rising middleweight Brian Rogers, who was riding a four fight knockout streak as he faced submission specialist Robert Conner out of West Virginia.  On top of the four professional main card bouts, there were 8 amateur fights on the undercard.

Here are the official play-by-play results from last night (sorry, the internet connection was unreliable, couldn’t post it live)

Amateur Bouts

Josh Berkley vs Brandon Seylor (lightweight)

Round 1: Seylor pushes forward with a flurry that stuns Berkley and works for a guillotine choke. Berkley escapes but eats some big shots and he’s on the defensive. Seylor clinches into the cage, works the takedown and gets it. Berkley rolls out and ends up on top but gets reversed but Seylor lets him up, respecting his ground game. Seylor leaps forward and lands a HUGE hook that drops Berkley. Seylor works some ground and pound and Berkley gives up his back. Seylor locks in the rear naked choke to earn the submission victory at 1:45 of the 1st round

Nick Schenk vs Bobby Gilmore (160 lbs)

Round 1: Gilmore shoots and lands a big takedown right away, passing to half guard. Gilmore works his ground and pound from on top, Schenk gets it back to closed guard but Gilmore is postured up and dropping bombs to the body and head. Gilmore lands a big flurry and Schenk gives up his back but Gilmore can’t take advantage. The round ends with Gilmore on top landing ground and pound.

Round 2: Gilmore shoots again for a takedown and gets it. Gilmore is focused on advancing position now, moving to side control and securing the mount. Gilmore drops some bombs and Schenk gives up his back. Gilmore tries to secure a rear naked choke but Schenk won’t give it up. Gilmore gets the hooks, softens him up with some punches and this time locks in rear naked choke, forcing the tap at 2:39 of the 2nd round.

Christian Anderson vs Eric Ferguson (heavyweight)

Round 1: Both men come out throwing bombs, they are throwing with reckless abandon! This is an absolute sloppy slugfest! Anderson shoots for a takedown and gets it but Ferguson ends up on top. Ferguson lands some light punches for about a minute straight as Anderson defends. Anderson reverses and works for the finish as the round ends but can’t get it.

Round 2: Both men push forward and throw punches but the pace is slowed from round 1. Anderson is exhausted. Ferguson pushes Anderson into the fence and throws some short uppercuts but Anderson responds. Both men move to the center of the cage and throw wild looping punches that land hard and the crowd goes nuts. Anderson falls down and turtles up but Ferguson can’t finish him as the round concludes.

Round 3: Anderson opens with a leg kick and Ferguson responds with a kick of his own. Both men trade leg kicks but Anderson is landing the cleaner strikes. Ferguson clinches but Anderson lands a big uppercut that hurts him. Anderson pushes forward landing some big shots! Ferguson leans over and Anderson latches on a guillotine and Ferguson taps out at 0:41 of the 3rd round!

Marcus Esler vs Joe Callari (welterweight)

Round 1: Callari opens with some aggression, landing a jab and both men trade sick flurries along the fence. Esler clinches, picks Callari up and takes him down shifting immediately to the mount. Esler postures up but Callari rolls him over and is now on top. Callari tries to slam out of Esler’s closed guard but can’t advance position or do any damage. The ref stands them up and Callari pushes forward landing a huge flurry of punches. Esler clinches and Callari drops for a guillotine choke. Esler slips out of it and throws some ground and pound as the round ends.

Round 2: Collari lands a leg kick and both fighters circle. Collari lands another leg kick but Esler clinches into the cage and throws some knees. Collari attempts a guillotine but Esler slips out of it. Collari circles away and lands some big punches but Esler responds with a big looping hook that stuns Collari. Collari backs off and Esler tries to throw a leg kick but Collari catches it and takes him down into side control. Collari lands some BIG knees that make the crowd wince and transitions to the full mount, pushing Esler into the cage. Collari drops some weak hammer fists from the full mount and all Esler is doing is defending. Collari isn’t doing enough damage with his hammerfists though and the round concludes with Collari in the mount position.

Round 3: Esler clinches but Collari spins out and tries to land some punches. Esler pushes Collari into the cage but Collari is sprawling. Collari goes for a guillotine but Esler picks him up and slams him to the canvas. Esler traps one of Collari’s arms, landing some punches and advances to the full mount. Collari gives up his back and Esler is really working for the rear naked choke but he can’t secure it as the round ends.  Joe Collari wins a split decision.

Shane Rivera vs Justin Cooper (middleweight)

Round 1: Cooper immediately shoots after the glove touch and lands a takedown, advancing to half guard quickly. Cooper slips out of the closed guard and advances to side control. Rivera pushes his legs off the cage to somersault back to standing but Cooper lands some big punches and shoots for the takedown again. Cooper postures up in the half guard and lands some nice ground and pound. Rivera stands up but eats a huge punch that stuns him right before the round ends.

Round 2: Cooper pushes forward landing some big punches and Rivera gets very defensive. Rivera lands a push kick but Cooper shoots in deep, picks him up and slams Rivera down hard. Cooper advances to the mount position and starts dropping some big punches and the ref steps in and stops the fight at 1:00 of the 2nd round.

Dallas Dishman vs Rich Randolph (welterweight)

Round 1: Dishman lunges forward and he’s throwing incredibly wild haymakers. Randolph ducks one and Dishman loses his balance rolling onto the ground. Randolph jumps into Dishman’s guard and immediately regrets it as Dishman latches on a tight armbar. Just when it looks like the fight is over, Randolph escapes. Dishman shoots for a takedown but Randolph ends up on top. Randolph lands some decent punches on the ground, stands up and drops down with a tremendous punch that hurts Dishman but he can’t do anything with his advantage as the round ends.  Dishman refuses to answer the bell at the start of the 2nd round and Randolph wins via verbal submission.

Jake Huffman vs Jeremiah Yeager (lightweight)

Round 1: Huffman shoots for a takedown quickly but Yeager stuffs it and pushes him forward. Huffman gets to his feet and again dives for the takedown and this time he gets it as Yeager searches for a guillotine choke but can’t lock it in. Huffman advances to half guard and then to full mount but Yeager spins out of it. Yeager can’t get to his feet and Huffman is back on top in the mount. Huffman postures up and Yeager pushes up and rolls him over into full guard. Yeager drops some punches from on top and Huffman searches for a triangle but can’t secure it as Yeager finishes the round landing some nice ground and pound.

Round 2: Yeager lands a thunderous body kick to open the round and Huffman absorbs it as he shoots for the takedown. Huffman pushes Yeager against the cage and leaps on Yeager’s back rolling over into a rear naked choke. Somehow Yeager slips out and now Yeager is going for a guillotine choke but Huffman slams him down and slips out of it. Huffman postures up and lands some nice punches from on top. Yeager gives up his back and Huffman gets his hooks in, boxing Yeager’s ears and searching for the choke. Huffman finishes the round from the back mount landing some nice ground and pound.

Round 3: Huffman quickly shoots for the takedown to start the third round and Yeager is on his butt with his back against the cage. Yeager wall walks back to his feet but Huffman pulls him back down. The ref stands them up and Huffman wants none of the striking game, immediately shooting for the takedown again and getting it. Huffman lands some nice knees from side control but the ref stands them up again for some reason. Huffman dives for Yeager’s legs and can’t get the takedown and Yeager drops some big punches. Huffman is persistent and get’s Yeager on the ground but Yeager slips out, jumps on Huffman’s back and locks in a rear naked choke and he gets it at 2:43 of the third round! WOW! Yeager was 17 seconds away from losing that fight. Epic comeback!

Billy Freedson vs Cody Garbrandt (featherweight)

Round 1: Freedson closes the distance but Garbrandt shrugs him off effortlessly. Freedson lands a leg kick while Garbrandt stalks from the center of the cage. Garbrandt lands a solid leg kick, and pushes forward with a big flurry that stuns Freedson. Freedson makes a desperation dive for Garbrandt’s legs but Garbrandt escapes, pushes forward with some thundering punches and drops Freedson. Freedson is hurt and Garbrandt gives him no breathing room, landing a more on the ground as the ref stops the fight at 1:18 of the first round.

Professional Bouts:

Tiawon Howard (Iron Dragon MMA) vs Eric Moon (MASH Fight Team) (welterweight)

Round 1: Howard with a quick 1-2 punch combo and a body kick but Moon catches the kick and takes Howard down, passing to side control. Howard reverses him and lands some nice body shots and gets the fight back to standing. Moon wants none of it and he clinches looking for a takedown. Howard is landing some nice punches to the body while Moon searches for the takedown. Moon lands a couple foot stomps while Howard defends the takedown attempts. Moon lands some big knees to the thigh as Howard is trapped against the cage. Howard pushes him off and lands a couple big punches and a head kick. Moon again clinches and pushes Howard into the fence, landing some big knees to the inner thighs. Moon turns the corner and takes Howard down hard. Howard throws his legs up searching for a submission but Moon passes his guard. Howard lunges back to his feet and lands a big spree of punches to close out the round but it wasn’t enough.

Round 2: Howard lands a side kick to open the round but Moon closes the distance and clinches up, pushing Howard against the cage. Moon shoots deep, picking Howard up and dropping him on the ground. Howard uses a nice up-kick to create distance and get back to his feet but Moon again shoots for a takedown. Howard separates and both fighters are in the center of the cage posturing. Moon catches Howard’s first kick and takes him down. Howard gets to his feet avoiding Moon’s guillotine attempt and lands some powerful strikes but Moon grabs a leg and turns the corner taking him to the ground. The ref stands them up. Howard again gets the better of the strikes and Moon shoots for a takedown but this time Howard locks up a kimura! It’s really tight despite Howard being on bottom. Moon refuses to give up top position and Howard shifts the kimura up forcing Moon to tap out at 3:38 of the 2nd round! That was amazing!

Brian Rogers (Team Strongstyle) vs Robert Conner (Team Coalition) (middleweight)

Round 1: Rogers quickly takes the center of the cage. Rogers hurts Conner with his first punch and Conner shoots for a takedown, wanting none of the stand up. Rogers shrugs off the attempts easily but Conner shoots and finally gets Rogers down. Rogers avoids damage and gets to his feet but Conner pins him against the cage and is landing some knees. Rogers lands a big right that drops Conner and he follows him to the ground, landing some brutal ground and pound. Conner reestablishes his guard and Rogers lets him up but not for long. Rogers lunges forward with a monstrous knee that drops Conner and he finishes the fight with ground and pound before the ref stops it at 3:01 of the 1st round.

Jason Riley (Buckeye MMA) vs Bobby Brents (Team Warrior Concepts) (heavyweight)

Round 1: Riley is by far the taller man and he’s got a big reach advantage. Riley using his jab to keep the distance and Brents lunges forward with some big hooks. Brents using his striking to clinch and go for a takedown but Riley defends, securing an underhook against the cage. Brents lands a nice left hook as they separate and Riley again takes command of the center of the cage. Riley lands a nice 1-2 hook combo but backs off and eats a big leg kick from Brents. Brents starts going to work on Riley’s leg with some kicks and changes it up with a diving right hand that lands. Riley puts Brents in a Muay Thai clinch and lands a big knee, following it up with a couple solid punches but he doesn’t move in for the kill allowing Brents to recover. Brents responds with a big right leg kick and Riley catches him with an uppercut as Brents is leaning forward. Riley is finding his distance striking but he’s not putting together anything that will hurt Brents. Riley lands a flying knee right as the horn sounds.

Round 2: Brents hits Riley right in the groin to open the second round. Riley catches a body kick from Brents but lets it go. Brents lands a big hook that stuns Riley and he actually follows it up, swarming Riley with some big punches. Riley goes defensive and Brents shoots for the takedown and slams Riley on his back into half guard. Brents is searching for an arm from top position and he grabs Riley’s right arm, cranking it hard. Riley is caught off guard and winces in pain, tapping out immediately at 1:37 of the 2nd round due to keylock.

Main Event:

Forrest Petz (Team Strongstyle) vs Herbert Goodman (HIT Squad) 178 lb catchweight

Round 1: Petz working the leg kick early and Goodman responds with a kick of his own. Both fighters exchange and Goodman lands a nice right hook. Petz ducks a hook, lands a nice right to the body and a big left that hits Goodman hard. Goodman counters with a perfectly timed takedown and advances to a dominant position along the cage landing some nice right hands but Petz pushes forward off the fence and puts Goodman on his back. The ref stands them up and both fighters circle looking for an opening. Petz lands a left hook and goes back to work with the leg kicks. Goodman comes in and eats a big right to the body followed by a 1-2 combo. The round ends anti-climatically with both fighters keeping their distance.

Round 2: Petz takes control of the center of the cage early and Goodman shoots for a takedown. Petz stuffs it but he’s stuck with his back against the cage. Petz circles around and puts Goodman against the cage. Petz drops down for a takedown but Goodman defends it well. After a little dirty boxing, Petz backs off. Goodman lands the best strike of the night with a huge body kick that lands with a sickening thud but Petz doesn’t appear fazed. Pets leaps forward and lands a nice hook but again refuses to follow up. Another nice leg kick from Goodman and Goodman shoots as Petz throws a right hand but ends up with his back against the cage. Nice knee from Goodman along the cage and Petz responds with a punch as they separate. Goodman again lands a big leg kickand circles away from danger. Petz responds with a solid kick with 10 seconds left in the round and again neither fighter tries to steal the round .

Round 3: Petz opens the 3^rd more aggressively with a double jab and Goodman shoots for a takedown. Petz stuffs it but misses a huge opportunity for a fight-ending knee. Petz stomps Goodman’s foot and both fighters back off. Petz lands a big left hand but again doesn’t follow up. Goodman lands a nice right of his own but he backs off afterwards as well. Petz throws a decent right to the body and ducks a hook from Goodman. Goodman times a takedown excellently and slams Petz to the mat but Petz rolls Goodman over into the mount! Petz takes Goodman’s back and then switches to top control from half guard. Petz is working some light ground and pound and Goodman gets back to his feet . Both fighters separate and Petz lands a nice inside leg kick. Goodman shoots for a takedown but Petz stuffs it and follows up with his most exciting striking of the night just in time for the final horn.  Forrest Petz wins via unanimous decision.

Quick Results:

Amateur Bouts:

Brandon Seylor submits Josh Berkley (rear naked choke) at 1:45 of the 1st round

Bobby Gilmore defeats Nick Schenk via submission (rear naked choke) at 2:39 of the 2nd round

Christian Anderson defeats Eric Ferguson via submission (guillotine choke) at :41 of the 3rd round

Joe Collari defeats Marcus Esler via split decision

Justin Cooper defeats Shane Rivera via TKO at 1:00 of the 2nd round.

Rich Randolph defeats Dallas Dishman via verbal submission at 3:00 of the 1st round

Jeremiah Yeager defeats Jake Huffman via submission (rear naked choke) at 2:43 of the 3rd round

Cody Garbrandt defeats Billy Freedson via TKO at 1:18 of the 1st round

Professional Bouts:

Tiawan Howard defeats Eric Moon via submission (kimura) at 3:38 of the 2nd round

Brian Rogers defeats Robert Conner via TKO at 3:01 of the 1st round.

Bobby Brents defeats Jason Riley via submission (keylock) at 1:37 of the 2nd round

Forrest Petz defeats Herbert Goodman via unanimous decision.

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All American MMA: Meltdown

CageCraze.com was cageside tonight at the Shepherdsville Government Center in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, for “All American Mixed Martial Arts Presents: Meltdown.” This was the second local MMA event for the young promotion and we were treated to nine fights, including two All American MMA amateur title bouts. The Pro Main Event that was previously advertised between Josh “Taz” Ferguson and Jason Carrier was canceled due to Jason Carrier backing out for undisclosed reasons. Below you will find the full coverage of the event as the night unfolded.

Amateur Bouts

Ellis Joiner (0-0) Billy Smith Boxing VS Jeremy Steiger (0-0) Super Fitness/Combat Inc

The first fight of the night was the debut fight for both competitors. Both fighters showed the expected anxiousness that is common for inexperienced fighters but Jeremy Steiger seemed to be more poised under the pressure. Steiger got the better of Ellis Joiner in the early exchanges in this fight, causing Joiner to look for takedowns to get the fight off of the feet. However, Steiger was able to sprawl and thwart all of Joiner’s attempts. Steiger landed a barrage of punches that backed Joiner into the corner as the horn sounded. Blood was streaming from the nose of Joiner and the doctor was called in to examine the fighter, ultimately stopping the fight and awarding Jeremy Steiger the win.

John Buchanan (0-0) Brandon Johnson VS Devon Cissell (0-0) Billy Smith Boxing

Both fighters held their hands very low as they took the center of the cage and John Buchanan slipped a hard left hand over Cissell’s sagging arms and brought the Billy Smith Boxing product crashing to the mat. In an awkward series of events, Buchanan let Cissell stand and then delivered a short flurry of punches that once again made Cissell buckle to the mat on his knees.  Buchanan backed off, showing the unwillingness to pounce on Cissell to finish the fight. Meanwhile, Cissell held up his hand as if to tell Buchanan to give him more time to get to his feet. The referee had seen enough and stopped the fight just 0:33 seconds into the first round.

Tucker finishes Johnson

Justin Tucker (1-1) Nation of Violence VS Roy Johnson (0-1) Team Patton

Tucker and Johnson showed absolutely no hesitation to engage as they immediately tied up in the center of the cage. Tucker threw Johnson down and moved to full mount but Johnson quickly executed a sweep and landed in Tucker’s guard. Tucker tried to buck Johnson off which caused Johnson to readjust and slide further up Tucker’s body. After that move, Johnson’s mount was too high and Tucker easily swept him. Tucker moved from side control to knee-on-belly to full mount and then pounded Johnson with punches until the referee stopped the fight at the 1:17 mark in round one.

Guzman submits Rolland

Mitchell Guzman (1-0) All American MMA VS Ricky Rolland (0-0) Billy Smith Boxing

All American MMA’s Mitchell Guzman put on an impressive performance to stay undefeated in his MMA career. Guzman shot in for a takedown early in the round and then found himself in Ricky Rolland’s half guard. Guzman’s unleashed eight or nine left hands that found their mark on the right side of Rolland’s head. Rolland grabbed Guzman’s left arm to prevent further punishment and then swept Guzman to his back. Guzman shifted his hips, closed his guard, and then cranked a guillotine choke until Rolland tapped at 1:25 in round one.

Terry Coulter (Bad Dog MMA) VS Ryne Kahl (Team Ironman) – Grappling

Ryne Kahl put on a spirited performance in his first competitive grappling match. The wrestler from Team Ironman pushed undefeated amateur fighter Terry Coulter to the time limit in this best-of-three submission grappling match. Neither fighter secured a submission during the five-minute round and the match was declared a draw. Coulter will appear on Hardrock MMA’s February 5 card in Shepherdsville to fight Michael Ricketts while Ryne Kahl can be seen in another grappling exhibition at Second2None Cagefighting’s next event on January 22 in Louisville.

Leonard takes Johnson's back

Randall Johnson (1-1) Independent VS Corey Leonard (0-1) All American MMA

Corey Leonard found himself on his back early in the fight after a failed takedown attempt but showed a lot of confidence working from his back. Randall Johnson secured underhooks then lifted Leonard off the mat and slammed him back to the ground. The slam did not faze Leonard, and actually gave him room to slide around and take Johnson’s back. Johnson attempted to stand but couldn’t do so with Leonard hanging securely on his back. Johnson tapped out as the tangled fighters fell backwards to the canvas after 1:07 had passed in the first round.

Blankenship holds on to the armbar

Dan Blankenship (0-0) Super Fitness/Combat Inc VS Ralph Basemore (0-1) Independent

Blankenship opened the round by driving Blankenship across the cage, looking for a takedown. Blankenship was able prevent the takedown, temporarily, but ultimately fell to the mat after a long struggle. Basemore lost top position after the takedown and allowed Blankenship to pop back up and secure a guillotine choke. Blankenship fell backwards to sink in the choke but lost it upon hitting the ground. Basemore was then in Blankenship’s closed guard but was unable to advance his position. It appeared as though the fighters would be stood up but Blankenship isolated the left arm of Basemore and went for an armbar. Basemore stood and tried to slam his way out of the hold but the maneuver allowed Blankenship to fully extend the arm, forcing Basemore to tap at the 2:04 mark in the round.

Renje Loving (2-0) All American MMA VS William Stover (5-2) Independent

Not only was this the fight of the night, but it also marked the first time that CageCraze.com witnessed a legitimate “wardrobe malfunction” during the coverage of a Kentucky MMA event. Stover immediately went for the shot at the start of round one and pulled down the shorts of Renje Loving in the process. Once Stover had Loving on the ground, the shorts slid further down the backside of Loving, prompting the referee to take matters into his own hands and pull up the shorts. The fighters did not skip a beat as they continued grappling for position during the ordeal. With his shorts in the correct location, Loving rallied to his feet and reversed positions with Stover, landing in his closed guard. Loving was able to land several body shots but could not advance his position any further before the round ended.

Loving throws a kick in Rd. 2

Loving landed a leg kick to open the second round but was taken down when he threw another kick. It appeared as though Stover grabbed Loving’s shorts in the process of the takedown, and once again the crowd got to see way too much of Renje Loving’s athletic undergarment. Loving spent the rest of the round on his back, weathering solid ground and pound at the hands of Stover. Loving’s corner was not pleased at the fact that Loving was forced to go the majority of the round with his shorts around his hips. Corner man BJ Ferguson made sure to tie Loving’s shorts between rounds so that there would be no chance of additional mishaps. As the final round started it was obvious that the groundwork had taken its toll on Stover’s endurance. Loving landed several knees to the body and brought Stover to the ground. Loving landed punches once on the ground but his offense stalled and the fighters were stood up. Loving landed a flying knee upon the restart and followed up with an uppercut and a knee that dropped Stover. Loving swarmed Stover with punches until the referee stopped the fight with 0:30 left in the round.

Amateur Bantamweight Title Bout

Cothern taps to the RNC

Tyrelle Olding (3-3) Georgetown MMA VS Brandon Cothern (5-1) Independent

Tyrelle Olding hurt Brandon Cothern with a Superman punch during the first exchange then stuffed a shot by Cothern. Cothern rolled and gave up his back, allowing Olding to lock in a rear naked choke. Cothern was forced to tap at 0:31 in the first round. Georgetown MMA’s Tyrelle Olding is now All American MMA’s Bantamweight Champion.

Amateur Featherweight Title Bout

Isaiah Ferguson (2-0) All American MMA VS Nick Maupin (1-2) Troy Wagner

The first fifty seconds of this title fight was an all out brawl with both fighters winging looping punches at a frantic pace. Both fighters ate hard punches during the exchange but the adrenaline was running too high for either of them to slow down. Maupin bullied Ferguson into the fence and went for a high double leg takedown but Ferguson rigidly defended and circled away from the cage. Ferguson then dropped down and successfully took Maupin down with a single leg. Ferguson attempted to go for a guillotine choke but eventually lost it and ended up underneath Maupin. Ferguson worked to his feet and landed knees from the clinch. Ferguson went for another guillotine but he did not have it securely and Maupin was able to pull back and then postured up to land a series of punches just before the end of the round. The crowd at the Shepherdsville Government Center was raucous after that exciting first round.

Ferguson tightens the choke

Isaiah Ferguson came out in the second round looking much more relaxed and threw several punch/kick combos to set up a takedown. Ferguson worked from side control and then passed from the left side of Maupin to the right side and went for an arm triangle. Maupin tried to buck Ferguson off but ended up giving up his back during the struggle. Ferguson flattened Maupin, secured a rear naked choke, and then rolled over on his back with the choke locked in tightly. Maupin refused to tap and his arms went limp. The referee immediately stopped the fight and Isaiah Ferguson claimed the All American MMA Featherweight Title with just 0:07 left in the second round.

Fergusons sporting their new belts

Special Ceremony

During the final intermission of the night a special guest was called into the cage for an announcement. The guest was none other than Mike Yanez, a pioneer of MMA in the state of Kentucky. Yanez is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Master Pablo Popovitch and founded Highlander MMA in Louisville. Yanez now runs Highlander MMA out of Tampa, Florida. Several of Yanez’s former students were called into the cage, including pro fighters Nick “Chewy” Albin, Joe “The Deal” Heink, Bellator veteran BJ Ferguson, and Josh “Taz” Ferguson. After everyone was called into the cage Yanez promoted the Ferguson brothers to Brown Belt to continue the Popovitch lineage.

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