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

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UFC 127: Penn vs Fitch will be the focus of this installment of the North-South Position as CageCraze.com staff writers Brian Hemminger and Chad Cunningham preview the main card fights and offer their predictions on how each bout will turn out.  The main event of this card, which is taking place down under in Australia will be a welterweight showdown between former lightweight and welterweight champion “The Prodigy” BJ Penn and former welterweight title challenger Jon Fitch.

Also on the main card is a grudge match between middleweight contenders Michael Bisping and Jorge Rivera.  Rivera has stepped up the trash talk this past week and Bisping appears to have taken offense.

Hometown favorite George Sotiropoulos will bring his 7 fight win streak in the UFC to the cage against fellow contender Dennis Siver in a battle to remain on top of the lightweight division.  In other main card action, Chris “Lights Out” Lytle will battle injury replacement Brian Ebersole in welterweight action and Ultimate Fighter season 11 veterans Kyle Noke and Chris Camozzi will do battle in the middleweight division.

Chad again defeated Brian two weeks ago so once again Chad has chosen the punishments for Brian. The first punishment is that Brian will have to name his first child “Baby Jay Penn Hemminger.” The second punishment will be that Brian will have to find a way to reference a line from “Down Under” by Men at Work in all of his predictions below. Please read below to see how the vagabond from Toledo accomplishes that task:

BJ Penn vs Jon Fitch

(Chad) I am going to go with Jon Fitch in this one, hands down. I do not want to see BJ Penn vs GSP III. Say what you want about the style of Jon Fitch, he will get it done by outworking BJ Penn for three rounds. Fitch will get BJ to the mat early in the fight and punish him with his grueling brand of “guard-and-pound.” I am tired of waiting for the “old” BJ Penn to come back around. Penn looked great against Matt Hughes but we will just have to see how Penn’s cardio holds up to being held down and beaten for three rounds by Jon Fitch. Not mincing words with this one, Fitch by unanimous decision.

(Brian) The smart choice here is Jon Fitch.  He has imposed his will on every opponent he’s ever faced in the UFC sans Georges St. Pierre with his wrestling and top control.  They even invented a new MMA verb, “Fitching”, for when an opponent is being dominated in the cage but not finished.  Fitch wins decisively every time, but his last eight fights have gone to decision.  That’s one of the reasons he hasn’t been given a rematch for the title.  BJ Penn is tough as nails, and he showed his power in his last fight, a 23 second knockout of former welterweight champ Matt Hughes in Detroit.  He has the jiu jitsu skills to survive against Fitch on the ground and he has a granite chin, maybe even a head full of zombie. Penn showed he can be controlled by bigger stronger wrestlers in the past and I’m going with Fitch here by unanimous decision.

Michael Bisping vs Jorge Rivera

(Brian) On paper, this fight is 100% going Michael Bisping’s way.  Jorge Rivera is older, has worse wrestling, grappling and he’s slower than Bisping.  But Rivera does hold the power advantage, and possibly a striking advantage but that’s not guaranteed.  Michael Bisping loves to stick and move, occasionally mixing in takedowns and ground and pound.  Rivera has tried to get into Bisping’s head with increasingly silly youtube videos that mock the British MMA star.  They appear to be working as Bisping seemed riled up at the press conference and the weigh-ins this week.  If Bisping loses his composure in the cage, Rivera has a great chance of catching him and knocking him out, screaming “Can’t you hear the thunder?” in the process.  I have a gut feeling though, that Bisping will stick to the gameplan and even possibly incorporate some big ground and pound to take away a decision against “The Conquistador.”

(Chad) What to do, what to do? I want Rivera to take this one, and I think he can, but this is a matchup that may play right into Bisping’s hands. If Bisping can stay elusive he can avoid Rivera’s power and turn this into an ugly scrap like he has done so many times before. Rivera definitely has the striking advantage and we have already seen Bisping get “Bisping-ed” by Rivera at the UFC 127 presser. I see Bisping coming into this fight trying to out-strike Rivera and paying for it. I think that Rivera will hurt Bisping on the feet early, but Bisping will hold on until late in the second round. Rivera silences Bisping, for now, with a second round TKO.

George Sotiropoulos vs Dennis Siver

(Brian) George Sotiropoulos has been living in the land down under for quite some time now.  The native Australian is on one of the biggest hotstreaks in the UFC and is currently riding a seven fight win streak in the promotion.  Sotiropoulos has some of the best grappling in the lightweight division and improving striking.  He’ll need all of it against Siver.  Siver, who hails from Germany is a compact lightweight with excellent kickboxing skills.  No one can forget his two fights in ’09 that he finished via spinning back kick to the liver/ribs.  While Siver is dangerous on his feet, he’s also got an underrated submission game.  The purple belt in BJJ has more wins by submission (9) than by knockout (5) including his submission of the night performance against Andre Winner at UFC 122.  Regardless, I think Sotiropoulos controls Siver with his reach and top control to secure a decision victory.

(Chad) I cannot and will not pick against Sotiropoulos fighting in Australia. He has never lost in the UFC and he will not lose this fight either. Sotiropoulos has Siver beat on the ground so Siver’s best chance is to keep this fight standing and look for big shots. I see Sotiropoulos getting this fight to the ground and finishing Siver with a Kimura in round two.

Chris Lytle vs Brian Ebersole

(Brian) I was very disappointed when Carlos Condit dropped out of this fight with injury.  Lytle/Condit had “Fight of the Year” written all over it.  Ebersole is a talented replacement though.  While he doesn’t come from the land down under, Ebersole is a transplant to Australia.  The native midwestern fighter has fought in Australia in 14 of his last 16 bouts, and has reeled off an impressive seven straight.  Lytle is on a win streak as well, having won four straight in the UFC including getting revenge against Matt Serra in his last fight at UFC 119.  Lytle is a veteran who has seemed to put it together recently and I don’t think the injury replacement Ebersole will have much of an answer for that.  I’m going with Lytle by submission in the 2nd round.

(Chad) Ebersole is a late replacement for Carlos Condit and he has the unfortunate task of facing Chris Lytle on short notice. Chris Lytle is always going to put on an exciting fight and I forsee this being no different. Chris Lytle is on a four-fight run in the UFC and I think he notches his fifth win in a row by overwhelming Ebersole. I think that Ebersole’s experience will allow him to make this an entertaining fight but Chris Lytle will win all three rounds on his way to a unanimous decision.

Kyle Noke vs Chris Camozzi

(Brian) Noke and Camozzi are both veterans of season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter.  Each man performed admirably on the show and has gone 2-0 in the promotion since the season finished.  This will be a big test to find out which will make it to the next level.  Noke will have the homefield advantage hailing from Australia while Camozzi is a native of the land of plenty, the US.  Each man has something to prove but I think at some point, Noke will take control of the fight.  He’ll land a big shot and scream “you better run, you better take cover” and eventually score a TKO victory in the end of the first round.

(Chad) These two fighters really need to prove something in this fight. Neither one of them are known for their explosive striking skills but Kyle Noke comes into the fight having finished three of his last four opponents. Camozzi enters this bout after defeating Dongi Yang via a split decision in which many thought he lost. I think that Kyle Noke will be able to do well against Camozzi when the fight goes to the ground, and it will. Kyle Noke via submission late in round three.

“I just try to look at something that I would, as a fan, want to see”

This Saturday, February 19th, Colosseum Combat will put on their 16th show in Kokomo, Indiana and the main event between welterweights Ryan Thomas and Daniel Head has really been heating up.  Both fighters have stepped up the trash talk towards each other in separate interviews with CageCraze.com and there is a lot on the line with each fighter having tasted the big stage and wanting to return.

We sat down with Colosseum Combat promoter Mark Slater about the upcoming event.

This is Mark’s sixth show as the promoter and as he puts it, “it’s been crazy.”  A lot of these matches just kinda happened.  The Daniel Head/Ryan Thomas fight came together real easy when Mark got a message from Ryan Thomas’s manager saying he’d called out Daniel Head so it just made sense..

“I just try to look at something that I would as a fan want to see”, said Slater while describing his strategy for booking shows.  ”Before I was in charge of anything, I was a fan.  I was a sponsor for some of these local guys from the tattoo shop I work at.  Another buddy of mine, we had a sweet DJ and he was in charge of the music and it just kinda grew from there.  A lot of it has been stuff that I personally want to see and I know what these guys have to offer.”

When describing both main event fighters, Mark said “both Ryan and Daniel have branched out to big shows with limited success.  Ryan’s recent record is very deceiving because of the talent he’s fought.  They both have the talent to fight on the big shows and after this fight one of them will be moving on.  Daniel is a confident kid, I wouldn’t say cocky he knows what his talents are.  Him and Ryan have trained on a couple occasions back in the day at IBJAA when Ryan was coming over here to work with Clingerman.  Both of them have an idea of what the other has to offer.”

“A lot of time when you get two tough wrestlers, they negate each other and it can turn into a slugfest”, said Slater, who has high expectations of his main event.  ”I think right off the bat, there will be some fireworks.  They’ll definitely test each other’s standup and then if somebody doesn’t like that they’ll look for the takedown.  Both of them, Ryan’s been training at ATT in Florida and Daniel has a solid jiu jitsu and wrestling background.  I see this being a sprawl and brawl type of fight.”

Slater also had some nice compliments to give to his co-main event fighters, featherweight veterans Dustin Neace and David Love.

“Niece and Love both have a fight that they lost to Jeff Curran.  With that common opponent, that shows the level they’re at, both having the opportunity to fight a former champ.  Both of those guys have spent some time at IBJJA.  David Love has a lot to offer.  He’s a veteran that a lot of people don’t know of.  He fought on the Bodog Fight Series back when they were on pay per view in Costa Rica.  He’s a solid vet.  He lives like 25-30 miles from Kokomo.  People around here they respect David Love, he’s no joke.”

Before the interview was over, Mark offered one last reason to come out early for the show on Saturday night.

“We are giving free t-shirts to the first 100 people through the door.  CageCraze is on there, really nice, big and bold on the back of the shirt.  If they get there nice and early when the doors open, the first 100 fans through the door get a Colosseum Combat shirt with all the sponsors on the back.  They can strut around with CageCraze.com on their back.”

Tentative fight card

Professional Bouts:

Daniel Head vs Ryan Thomas
David Love vs Dustin Neace
Joshua Kinser vs William Miller
Mike Eikenberry vs Michael Berry
Ryan McIntosh vs Brady Hovermale
Mark Neville vs James Porter

Amateur Bouts:

Rod Cole vs Mike Walker
Drew Walters vs Dustin Conley
Matthew Perry vs Nick Anderson
Clint Maclin vs Aaron Santiago
Derek Cook vs Shawn Botoms
Jacob Hurlock vs Jordan Crider
Markous Smith vs Devin Miller
Henry Goonen vs Mike Shields

“I hope Ryan Thomas is happy with his show money because he’s not getting anything else.”

Daniel Head is a talented young fighter out Kokomo, Indiana.  The 9-3 prospect who trains out of IBJJA in Greenwood as well as Garra MMA has spent his career alternating between lightweight and welterweight, even making it to the Ultimate Fighter season 12.  A bad weight cut experience on the show helped him decide to make the move to welterweight permanently and he’s ready to test his mettle against the best 170 lbers he can find.  His 2011 journey begins with a tough battle against UFC and Bellator veteran Ryan Thomas this upcoming Saturday night in the main event of Colosseum Combat 16 in Kokomo.

Daniel was a little ruffled by Ryan Thomas’s statements in his interview earlier and he was more than happy to speak with CageCraze.com about his upcoming fight and future prospects.

Daniel started things off by explaining why he decided to move to welterweight permanently.

“The last couple times I cut down to 155, the weight cut didn’t go well and it actually felt like I was damaging my body.  Every time you cut weight the wrong way you feel like crap, you fight like crap.  You’re just not yourself.  I don’t feel as strong and athletic at 155 as I do at 170.  People at 170 are bigger but I’ve been doing a pretty decent job of putting on size where I don’t think it’ll be that big of an advantage.

I think I’ll be as big as Ryan Thomas come fight day.  I’m actually cutting weight to make 170.  I’m walking around about 190.   I’ve been lifting weights, and taking cardio more serious than I’ve ever taken it before but for 15 minutes straight Ryan Thomas is going to have me in his face going after him.  He won’t have a second to slow down.”

Daniel also discussed his experiences on The Ultimate Fighter and how things have changed since he was on the show.

“(The experience on The Ultimate Fighter) has given me a lot of opportunities”, said Daniel.  ”It’s a lot easier to find fights now.  Now more people are calling me out because I was on TV.  Maybe that’s what happened with Ryan Thomas.  They think I’m an Ultimate Fighter veteran that they can go beat me up.

It made me realize that I need to step up my game to get to that level that I think I should be at because I feel like I have the potential to have a long career in the UFC and I don’t wanna get there and blow my chance.  I want to get back.  I don’t want anyone to think that because I got beat up on a TV show at 155 that it means they’re gonna be able to walk in there and call me out and I’ll lay down.  They’ve got another thing coming.”

Daniel had great things to say about his fight team.  He works extensively with Brazilian jiu jitsu coach James Clingerman at IBJJA and he’s been working with a great camp of guys like Josh Kinser and Matt Perry who really push him.

He also works at Garra MMA in Kokomo alongside Strikeforce alum and former CageCraze interviewee Casey Huffman.

“They’ve got some great amateurs”, said Head.  ”They’ve got a ton of people training for fights on the same day at the same pace so we’re all on the same page and everybody’s getting in great shape.  It helps me a lot to have people around me motivated to fight at the same time which I haven’t had in the past.”

Head is aware of the fact that his BJJ coach James Clingerman has worked with Ryan Thomas in the past but he isn’t sure how much of an advantage it will be.

“Ryan hasn’t worked out with James in quite a while,” said Head.  ”In a sense I know what Ryan’s weaknesses were in the past but he’s probably worked on them.  I’m expecting a different Ryan than we’re used to but it does give me a little bit of an inside look into what his game’s about, what his goals are when he’s fighting.  It helps me know what he does well and what he needed to work on then.  He’s probably still going to have them as the worst areas of his game still if they were the worst areas of his game then.”

Despite spending a significant portion of his career at lightweight, Daniel believes he matches up to Thomas physically just fine.

He’s not a big welterweight, he’s average.  I think we’re about the same height.  I don’t think there’s gonna be a big reach advantage.  I think that he probably is gonna think he’s got a big size and strength advantage but when he ties up with me it’s not gonna be near what he was expecting.

“He wrestled in college,” Daniel said about his opponent’s skill-set.  ”I know he’s gonna have a good wrestling base but I don’t think he’s going to take me down nearly as easily as he thinks he’s going to.  He’s planning on just walking through me, taking me down and beating me up.  He even said it himself, he’s gonna “mess my face up.”  He’s wrong.  The last thing he’s gonna do is take me down because I’ve been training this whole time to stuff it and keep standing.  If he does take me down, I’m going to keep going after him, I’m not gonna stop.  I’m going to throw submission after submission at him until I catch him and choke him unconscious.”

Head got a little worked up when asked if Thomas was looking past him.

He’s already booking fights with Shonie Carter and doing other things.  His manager guy that set up the fights compared him to a BMW and me to a slugbug.  He thinks he’s better than me and on a different level and that’s fine.  He can think that, but when I whoop his ass, what’s he gonna think?  What, is he gonna retire because I’m not supposed to be that good or is he gonna recognize that I’m talented and he called out the wrong mother f*cker.

Head knows that to win this fight, he’ll have to push himself beyond his limits.

“There are times in fights, say you’re on your back or you’re tired midway through the third round,” explained Head.  ”Something’s gonna happen, and you have to think you can do it.  If you think you can’t do it, believe it as a fact, then you can’t do it.  Anything you think you can do, anything you tell yourself you can do, your mind will overcome.  Whether you want to believe it or not, no matter how tired you are, if you push your mind to push your body, your body will keep going.  It may not feel good, you may feel like sh*t the next day, but it’ll be worth it.”

Daniel feels that a victory over Thomas will propel him to the next level.

You don’t book a fight against a guy like Ryan Thomas unless you’re trying to get to the next level.  I feel like Ryan Thomas and myself are at the Bellator level, the Strikeforce level, the UFC level and what I can get by beating Thomas is to prove that I belong in one of those bigger organizations.  It’s cool that Colosseum Combat was able to book us both to fight and as soon as I get a couple wins over a guy like Ryan Thomas, I’ll hopefully get a contract like his.  I’m glad (Mark) Slater was able to book this fight now while we’re both still young in our careers.  If he’s looking to use me as a stepping stone, I hate to break it to him, but I hope he’s happy with what his show money is because he’s not getting anything else.

Daniel has big plans for 2011.  He wants to push himself and prove to everyone that he does belong in the big shows.  He knows he missed an opportunity last year with The Ultimate Fighter but he feels 2011 is going to start great with a victory over Ryan Thomas and he’s not going to slow down from there.

“I just know that I will win”, said an excited Daniel Head.  ”There’s no doubt in my mind that when I show up on Saturday there will not have been a better “me” ever.  If Ryan Thomas were to beat me then he’s pretty damn good.  I’ve never been better.”

Daniel would like to thank his sponsors, WSBC and he’s having the after-party at The Social.  He’d also like to thank Team IBJJ out of Greenwood and Team Garra MMA out of Kokomo.  ”With my training camps, I couldn’t do it, there’s no way,” said Daniel.  ”If it wasn’t for people pushing me, I wouldn’t get better.”

AAMMA X

CageCraze.com was in attendance Saturday night for “Absolute Action MMA presents AAMMA X” at the Alltech Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. This was Absolute Action MMA’s first show in Lexington, Kentucky, and the local MMA community has been buzzing for weeks about this event. Headlining the card in the first of two professional fights was Lexington’s very own Rob Nickerson, owner of Reaction MMA. Nickerson faced Matt Garretson out of Charleston, West Virginia, in a welterweight clash.

The other professional fight on the card was a lightweight bout featuring Kenneth Jarrell and Harry Johnson. There were also ten amateur fights on the card. Troy Blevins, Jr. was supposed to return to the AAMMA cage for the first time since losing his 205-lbs title to Kody Charlton at AAMMA 9, however, Blevins never showed. We do not want to speculate on his absence, but we do hope all is well with Troy “Hands of Stone” Blevins. We would like to thank Parag Patel (Promoter) and Billy Donovan (Matchmaker) for having us.

Amateur Bouts

Reece unloads in Rd. 1

Deric Reece vs Cody Lynn

Deric Reece moved to 2-0 after defeating Cody Lynn via TKO/RSC in the opening bout of the evening. The fight was stopped at 0:57 in the second round by referee, Chris Kinman. Deric Reece scored the first solid contact of the fight with a right-left combo that sent Cody Lynn into retreat mode. Cody Lynn stepped back and ducked under a looping right hand from Reece and then initiated a clinch. Reece landed a few solid knees to the body but caught Lynn with a low blow. Lynn was given a few moments to compose himself and then the fight was restarted. Lynn landed two nice kicks to Reece’s lead leg but Reece tagged Lynn  a couple of times in the exchange that followed. Reece went on to put Lynn on his back and then postured up and scored with several hard punches before the end of the round. Upon reviewing the video we could hear “sweep the leg” being yelled from Lynn’s corner, prompting us to look for Cobra Kai members in the crowd. Cody Lynn came out in the second round and hit Deric Reece with two hard right hands. Reece was not deterred though, and caught Lynn with a straight left as Lynn rushed in. Lynn was dazed by the punch and threw a kick that landed below Reece’s belt. Chris Kinman separated the fighters and determined that Lynn would be unable to continue, awarding the fight to Reece.

Keionne Mangram vs Ryan Brown

Keionne Mangram earned the fastest finish of the night by defeating Ryan Brown via TKO just 0:26 into the fight. Brown struck first with two leg kicks but Mangram was just too powerful and battered a retreating Ryan Brown until the referee was forced to stop the fight.

McClain wins via armbar

Shane McClain vs Nick Starns

Shane McClain won his second fight in a row and improved to 3-2 with an armbar submission victory over Nick Starns at 0:45 in the first round. McClain backed Starns up with a straight right hand to open the fight and then started landing knees from the clinch. Starns tried a standing guillotine but Shane McClain threw him to the mat and mounted him. Starns left both arms free and McClain capitalized by snagging Starns’ right arm and dropping back for the armbar to finish the fight. Nick Starns drops to 0-2 with this loss.

Zaldy Tabontabon vs Tyrelle Olding

Zaldy Tabontabon had us scratching our heads as he came to the cage to a Madonna song and wore Batman boxer shorts into his fight with Georgetown MMA’s Tyrelle Olding. Zaldy made us believers though as he came back to beat Olding with a rear naked choke at 1:33 in the first round. Olding is an explosive fighter that throws everything for power and he was doing a good job early in the fight but looked to be too amped up and he made a mistake that probably cost him the fight. Olding partially blocked a looping right hand from Tabontabon and then slipped as he stepped back, falling into the side of the cage. Tabontabon was able to rush in and trip Olding to the mat. Olding rolled and gave up his back, allowing Tabontabon to quickly secure a rear naked choke. With someone like BJJ black belt and Bellator veteran Mike O’Donnell in Tabontabon’s corner it is easy to see why his submission game is so good.

Michael Morelli vs Jacob Byrd

Michael Morelli ended a gritty fight against Jacob Byrd with an arm triangle choke at 1:56 in the first round. Morelli attempted to get the fight on the ground any chance he got and was successful. Once on the ground, Jacob Byrd made it very tough for Morelli to advance position but slipped up and gave up the choke. Morelli was patient and fought his way into side control and applied the choke before Byrd had time to react. Once Byrd and his corner realized what happened it was too late.

Robert Covington vs Thomas Starns

Reaction MMA’s Robert Covington was overwhelming as he defeated Thomas Starns 0:41 into the first round via TKO. Covington and Starns circled for for the first 0:35 and then Covington put Starns down with a right-left combination and followed up with strikes as Chris Kinman rushed in to stop the fight.

Roi Mayes def Steven Fletcher

The lone fight of the night to go longer than two rounds was cut short when Steven Fletcher kneed Roi Mayes in the head while Mayes was down on one knee. The fight was ruled a disqualification and Roi Mayes was awarded the victory. The fight was competitive, and was probably split one round a piece heading into the final round before the illegal knee.

Kendale Young vs Jacob Wethington

Kendale Young submitted Jacob Wethington in the first round of this fight to get his first amateur MMA win. The end came via rear naked choke at the 1:54 mark in the first round. Young took Wethington down early in the fight and applied constant pressure from the top until Wethington gave up his back. Young quickly went for the choke and sealed the victory.

Philpot finishes Wamsley

Jeremy Philpot vs Corey Wamsley

Jeremy Philpot survived some tense moments against a game opponent in Corey Wamsley to come away with a submission win in the second round. Philpot landed on his backside after missing with a kick early in the first round. Philpot scrambled and went for a heel hook but Wamsley was able to escape and eventually worked to take Philpot’s back. Wamsley fell backwards for a rear naked choke but Jeremy Philpot patiently fought the choke. Philpot eventually spun around into Wamsley’s guard and ended the first round peppering Wamsley from the top. The second round started out looking like a Muay Thai fight with both fighters utilizing kicks. Philpot faked a right hook and then blasted Wamsley with a head kick. Philpot later went for a takedown and then controlled Wamsley from the top. Philpot moved to mount and then punished Wamsley, forcing Wamsley to roll and give up his back. Philpot continued to batter Wamsley until 2:23 in the round when Wamsley tapped due to strikes.

Matt Bell vs Michael Gay

Matt Bell put on a dominant performance against Michael Gay to force a tapout due to strikes at 1:33 in the first round. Gay stumbled at the start of the fight after throwing a very timid kick. Bell rushed in and tied up with Michael Gay, landing one knee to Gay’s midsection. Michael Gay then went for a takedown but could not bring Bell down. Bell eventually forced Gay to the mat and landed several unanswered shots to the face. A hard left hand hurt Michael Gay and when Bell followed up Gay was forced to tap to avoid any further punishment.

Professional Bouts

Harry Johnson vs Kenny Jarrell

Harry Johnson had the best finish of the night as he put Kenny Jarrell down with a head kick just 0:27 into the fight. Both fighters came out trading powerful shots on the feet, Johnson getting the better of Jarrell in the exchanges. Johnson landed a kick to Jarrell’s lead leg and then dropped the Southpaw with a right head kick. There was a chorus of boos from the crowd and Jarrell’s corner protested the stoppage but Jarrell admitted to referee Chris Kinman that he was out. From our cageside position we are forced to agree with Kinman’s decision to stop the fight.

Nickerson by RNC

Rob Nickerson vs Matthew Garretson

Rob Nickerson won this fight in front of a hometown crowd full of supporters. The owner of Reaction MMA in Lexington submitted Matthew Garretson via rear naked choke 2:06 into the first round. Nickerson dropped Garretson with a straight right just seconds into the fight. Garretson was able to get his bearings and worked back to his feet. The ensuing exchange was wild, with both fighters throwing looping punches. Nickerson connected with a hard uppercut and then ate  a right hand from Garretson. Nickerson’s corner yelled for him to regain his composure and that is exactly what he did. Nickerson landed a head kick that turned Garretson’s legs to Jell-O and then dropped Garretson with a knee after forcing him against the cage. Nickerson then moved in for the rear naked choke and the tap came moments later. Nickerson’s management (MWGMMA.com) attributes the win to Nickerson’s white and pink Bret “The Hitman” Hart-style shorts but we at CageCraze.com think it has more to do with Reaction MMA and their affiliation with Team Jorge Gurgel out of Ohio.

Quick Results

Amateur Bouts

Deric Reece def Cody Lynn via TKO/RSC due to strikes at 0:57 in Rd. 2

Keionne Mangram def Ryan Brown via TKO/RSC due to strikes at 0:26 in Rd.1

Shane McClain def Nick Starnes via Tapout due to armbar at 0:45 in Rd. 1

Zaldy Tabontabon def Tyrelle Olding via Tapout due to RNC at 1:33 in Rd. 1

Michael Morelli def Jacob Byrd via Tapout due to arm triangle at 1:56 in Rd. 1

Robert Covington def Thomas Starns via TKO/RSC due to strikes at 0:41 in Rd.1

Roi Mayes def Steven Fletcher via DQ due to an illegal knee in Rd. 3

Kendale Young def Jacob Wethington via Tapout due to RNC at 1:54 in Rd. 1

Jeremy Philpot def Corey Wamsley via Tapout due to strikes at 2:23 in Rd. 2

Matt Bell def Michael Gay via Tapout due to strikes at 1:33 in Rd. 1

Professional Bouts

Harry Johnson def Kenny Jarrell via KO (head kick) at 0:27 in Rd. 1

Rob Nickerson def Matthew Garretson via Tapout due to RNC at 2:06 in Rd. 1

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“Strikeforce: Fedor vs Silva” will be the focus of this installment of The North-South Position. CageCraze.com staff writers Brian Hemminger and Chad Cunningham will preview all of the main card fights and dole out their own predictions in part of their ongoing prediction competition. This Main Event for Strikeforce: Fedor vs Silva is a Heavyweight clash between Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in the first round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix.

The card is entirely made up of Heavyweight fights with two Grand Prix fights and three alternate bouts. Former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski and Pride veteran Sergei Kharitonov will face off in a Grand Prix match on the other side of the bracket while the alternate fights are littered with exciting Heavyweight match-ups: Shane Del Rosario vs Lavar Johnson, Chad Griggs vs Gienpiero Villante and Valentijn Overeem vs Ray Sefo.

Chad won the last contest by picking four of the five televised fights correctly for UFC 126: Silva vs Belfort and it is his turn to lay down the punishment on Brian.  Chad has decided that Brian will be forced to draw his interpretation of Anderson Silva’s front kick knockout of Vitor Belfort on Microsoft Paint.  Brian, give it your best shot:

Picture coming soon

-Brian

Fedor Emelianenko vs Antonio Silva

(Brian) The Russian legend Fedor Emelianenko is looking to rebound from the first legitimate loss of his career in his last fight against Fabricio Werdum.  Antonio Silva is a very big and strong heavyweight, having to cut down to 265 lbs and he’s a legitimate threat to “The Last Emperor.”  Like Werdum, Silva has excellent Brazilian jiu jitsu credentials and improving striking.  Silva will likely want to either get Fedor on his back or push him into the fence, using his size to his advantage.  I’ve heard that Silva will want to test Fedor on his feet though, and that’s a really, really bad sign.  If he does, Fedor will knock him out for sure.  I think he ignores the game plan and gets caught.  Emelianenko via TKo in the 2nd round.

(Chad) We get to see Fedor for the first time since losing to Fabricio Werdum last June. Now that we have had several months for the shock and the hyperbole to die down, we can hopefully approach the topic of Fedor Emelianenko in a rational manner. The fact that recent bouts have made Fedor look mortal may not be such a big deal. After all, even a mortal Fedor is a great fighter. I do not think that Antonio Silva is going to beat Fedor. Silva has the ability to beat Fedor but he is faced with the unfortunate task of going after an animal that was just wounded for the first time. Fedor might not win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, but he makes a statement in this fight and dispatches Silva via first round TKO.

Andrei Arlovski vs Sergei Kharitonov

(Brian) Kharitonov is likely the least heralded member of this tournament, but if you didn’t know, he is the last man to defeat Alistair Overeem in MMA.  Obviously, Arlovski still has star power, being a former UFC heavyweight champion but the Belarusian Sambo specialist has fallen on hard times of late.  Back to back to back losses against fellow members of the field, Fedor, Brett Rogers and Antonio Silva have some questioning his inclusion in this tournament.  I think Kharitonov takes care of business here with a second round knockout.

(Chad) Brian, I really want to see a prime Arlovski come into this match against Kharitonov and make it the instant classic that it should be. I just don’t know which “Pitbull” is going to walk into that cage on Saturday. I’m not going to draw this one out, I think that Kharitonov will win. The Golden Glory fighter will KO Arlovski in the first round.

Shane Del Rosario vs Lavar Johnson

(Brian) Shane Del Rosario is a guy that Strikeforce has been grooming as a serious heavyweight prospect.  After 3 fights with the EliteXC Challengers and two on the Strikeforce Challengers series, all victories, he is finally graduating to a main Strikeforce card.  Lavar Johnson has also been on two Challengers events.  This bout is expected to bring some serious fireworks as of their 28 combined victories, neither man has had a fight go to decision.  Both men hit hard, but I feel Rosario has a slightly better chin and is quicker on his feet.  I think Rosario takes this one via first round knockout.

(Chad) This fight is cool because it matches up Strikeforce’s top heavyweight prospects against each other for a chance to enter the Heavyweight Grand Prix as an alternate in the event of an injury to one of the GP competitors. The winner of this fight will be in a prime position to advance towards the top competition in the weight class. I like Del Rosario in this fight because of his Muay Thai street cred (former WBC HW Muay Thai Champ) and I am a sucker for big guys that pull off omoplatas in MMA competions (watch his fight against Brandon Cash from Strikeforce Challengers 4). Lavar Johnson is gritty and has won his last seven fights via KO/TKO but I do not think his style matches up well with the technical striking ability of Shane Del Rosario. I think Johnson survives an ugly first round but loses via second round

Chad Griggs vs Gienpiero Villante

(Brian) Chad Griggs became an overnight sensation when he scored an unexpected second round TKO over WWE superstar Bobby Lashley at Strikeforce: Houston.  Villante was a Ring of Combat heavyweight champion and he’ll be making his Strikeforce debut against Griggs.  Neither man is very large, as both are capable of fighting at light heavyweight but I feel Villante has the better technical striking of the two.  I’ve got Villante winning via TKO in the first round.

(Chad) I have more faith in Griggs than my North-South Position counterpart does. Griggs would have problems with all of the fighters in the Heavyweight Grand Prix but Villante does not have the size or power of those fighters. I think that Griggs will be comfortable on the feet or the ground and will win this fight via decision.

Valentijn Overeem vs Ray Sefo

(Brian) Valentijn Overeem, if you haven’t guessed it, is the older brother of Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.  Valentijn has not been nearly as successful at MMA as his brother, holding 28-25 career record but he should still have enough experience to put away Sefo.  Ray Sefo is a guy you might recognize from K-1.  He was a participant of the K-1 Grand Prix eight times and has some spectacular Muay Thai credentials.  At 39 years old though, it seems age has caught up to him.  Overeem should be the more well rounded fighter here but Sefo does have a puncher’s (and kicker’s) chance.  I’ve got Overeem via decision.

(Chad) An aging Ray Sefo is still very dangerous on the feet but I thing the wealth of experience that Overeem has will be the determining factor in the fight. Overeem has the tools to stand with Sefo but I think he would rather play it safe until he can score a takedown from the clinch. Once on the ground Overeem will be able to grind out Sefo for three rounds. It might not be pretty, but Overeem will win this fight via decision.

“I’m gonna make a statement on Daniel Head’s face.”

CageCraze.com Profile: Ryan Thomas

Photo: Steve Brylka SportsPageMagazine.com

Ryan Thomas has had experience dealing with adversity so when things didn’t go his way in 2010, he went right back to work.  The 11-6 welterweight trains out of American Top Team in Florida, but he got his start right here in the midwest.  Thomas made the transition to MMA when Eastern Illinois cut their wrestling program while he was still on the team.  Thomas worked his way up to the UFC and was a participant in the Bellator season 2 welterweight tournament where he fought and lost to eventual champion Ben Askren twice.  Thomas would go on to lose a decision to “Judo” Jim Wallhead with an invite to the season 4 welterweight tournament on the line.

Needless to say, Thomas has plans for bigger and better things in 2011.  It all starts in a homecoming of sorts on February 19th when he squares off with dangerous submission artist Daniel Head in the main event of Colosseum Combat XVI in Kokomo, Indiana

Ryan was kind enough to speak with CageCraze.com about his upcoming fight with Daniel Head and his future prospects.

When asked how he planned to get back on track in 2011, Ryan had a very simple answer.

“Well it starts with Daniel Head.  I’ve just got let people know that I’m for real.  I’m gonna make a statement on his face.  All the fights I’ve won, I’ve finished my opponent.  I plan to keep doing the same thing with Daniel Head.  He’s a tough guy.  He hangs in there and waits for you to make a mistake but he’s used to fighting 155 pounders.  I think he’s gonna have a hard time hanging in there with me with my power and strength advantage.”

Thomas plans on using the momentum of a win over Head to propel himself into immediate relevancy for the next Bellator welterweight tournament after season 4 concludes.

“I’ve got one more fight on my contract,” said an excited Thomas.  ”This fight will help me go into the Bellator fight with a little momentum behind me.  Coming off a loss, I’ve just gotta make sure I come into the Daniel Head fight in shape, stay in shape and roll right into the Bellator season which opens up March 5^th. It’s 12 weeks long so I’m expecting to fight some time in that timespan.”

After losing in the season 2 welterweight tournament, Thomas made a big change.  He packed up his bags and moved from Illinois to Florida to train with one of the premiere MMA fight camps, American Top Team.

“Florida’s been great”, said Thomas.  ”I live real close to the gym.  Back in Illinois I was driving two hours a day to the gym and a couple hours back from the gym.  I’ve been doing a lot of jiu jitsu with Master Ricardo Liborio and Master Conan Silveira.”

Thomas actually trained with Daniel Head’s current jiu jitsu instructor James Clingerman every week when he lived in Illinois.  He understands that Head will have plenty of inside info on his game but he assured us that he has evolved considerably since he moved to Florida.

“I think I’ve evolved a lot and my striking has evolved a lot too.  I’ve been working with top guys here training with all the big name pros and I’m hanging with them and that’s something to be said for the stable of fighters they have down here.  I definitely have to be on my toes though because if I slip up (Daniel)’s gonna snatch me in something.”

Throughout his burgeoning MMA career, Thomas was studying to be an elementary school teacher.  Both Ryan and his opponent Daniel Head actually received degrees in elementary education.  Thomas graduated in 2009 and continued his education, recently earning his endorsement to teach Physical Education.

“I have my first job interview three days after the Daniel Head fight so the goal in that fight is to not get too beat up”, said a laughing Thomas.  ”It’s for a first and second grade PE position so I don’t want to go in there looking like Sloth from the Goonies.  I definitely want to come out of this fight better looking than I did after the Wallhead fight.”

Speaking of Jim Wallhead, Thomas had heaps of praise for the tough British judo specialist.

“He’s a tough guy, really respectful and tough as nails.  I worked my wrestling a lot and I couldn’t take him down.  Jim probably has the best takedown defense of anyone I’ve ever fought.  I took down Ben Askren but I couldn’t take down Jim Wallhead.  I’ve been working on that, working on my striking and working off my back a lot more.  I got banged up a little bit when I pulled guard on him so I’m making sure that next time I’m on my back I’m gonna not get punched and go for some submissions and hopefully get something going off my back.

If Judo Jim can get through the tournament and match up with Askren, I think that’d be a really good matchup for Wallhead because he’s got the best takedown defense in the tournament.  He might have the best chance at keeping it standing.”

When the name of the Bellator welterweight champion, Ben Askren, was brought up, Thomas discussed the almost other-worldly power that Askren has in sucking his opponents into grappling matches.

“He does that to everybody.  You go in there with a gameplan of sprawl and brawl and he’s just got something about him where he turns it into a wrestling match.  Nobody’s gonna win a wrestling match with Ben Askren in MMA.”

The interview made a cyclical turn, returning back to Thomas’ upcoming opponent.  Ryan realizes that there are parallels between Askren and Daniel Head when it comes to the gameplan for his Colosseum Combat main event.

“I have to make sure I don’t fall into the same trap with Daniel Head”, said a cautious Thomas.  ”His gameplan is going to be similar.  He’s going to know that I’m a better striker just like Askren did and he’s probably gonna wanna be on top.  I think Daniel Head’s Achilles heel is absorbing too much damage from bottom so I don’t think he’s gonna wanna be on his back against me.  He’s gonna try to get on top of me which is the same gameplan I was trying to work on against Ben Askren.  I have to make sure I don’t fall into that trap again.  I don’t want to turn this into a grappling match against Daniel Head because I know that’s his strong point.”

When asked about his goals for 2011, Thomas said he first wants to defeat Daniel Head.  After that, he’d love to have a fight with MMA veteran Shonie Carter which he says is potentially in the works.  He also stated that he wants to renegotiate a new contract with Bellator and secure an invite to the next welterweight tournament to go after the title.

Ryan Thomas would like to thank his sponsors and friends: American Top Team, the Institute of Human Performance, KCMdistribution.com and The Business Card Shoppe.  Also Enlightening Fashion, Integrity Streetwear, Jim Hartt Physical Therapy and Tim Wills at Modern Fighting Systems who helped him schedule his upcoming fight.

“It’s not a fight for me, it’s a sport.” – Bobby Reardanz

I’m not a man of many sports, but I am an admirer of sportsmanship.  We don’t get to see enough of it through main stream media.   With the media giving their attention to the fighters who talk trash and speak the loudest, it’s the humble and respectful fighters who get left behind.  The world does not get to see good sportsmanship in MMA nearly enough.  This could possibly play a factor in the misunderstanding of the sport as a whole.

Take season 12 of The Ultimate Fighter for example.  The coaches were Josh Koscheck, who’s one of the most disrespectful people in the sport, and George St. Pierre, probably the most honorable athletes in mixed martial arts.  The commercials gave Koscheck all the attention for his antics but it was GSP and his values that were the big winner of season 12.

Ward (white shorts) hugs Rhodes after their Bout

In a recent interview with GSP’s Tri-Star training partner Ivan Menjivar on the Verbal Submission radio show, Ivan had plenty to say about respect in MMA.  ”The fans love stuff like that (trash talk) but it’s not natural to me to get up face to face with a guy and touch his nose to my face.  It’s not me.  For me I want to go there, be professional, have a good show with you.  After the fight we can go hang out together, get a drink together.  I don’t fight you because I hate you, no.  I fight because I’m a professional.  Fighting is a beautiful art.  I do my show in the fight, spinning kicks and back elbows, that’s my show.  My opponents have a family like me.  They do the sport because they love the sport, just like me.  We do it for the same reasons so I respect them just like I want them to respect me.”

We are used to seeing more sportsmanship in the local MMA scene than we are on the big screen.  Recently we were covering a local MMA event Hoosier Fight Club 6 and witnessed a couple great examples of sportsmanship.  The first came about half way through the event after a match between Adam Ward and Lydell Rhodes.  After 2 rounds of non-stop technical action the fight was ended with a Triangle Choke by Adam Ward forcing Lydell Rhodes to tap at 4:02 of the second round.  Immediately after referee Jeff Mallott stopped the bout, Rhodes sat up in disbelief.  He was then met by a victorious and gracious Ward, who proceeded to hug his opponent and offer up a few words of encouragement.

“I told him that it was a great fight,” said the victorious Ward.  ”I was too out of breath to say anything poetic, but Lydell Rhodes was one of the toughest fights I’ve ever had.”

Bobby Reardamnz and Andy Main kneel for a post fight prayer.

Suitably the next act of sportsmanship came at the end of the evening after the main event. Following a magnificent display of hands, submission attempts and submission defense, there came a crowd-moving display of sportsmanship that would have been a tough act to follow.  Bobby “The Believer” Reardanz and Andy Main went to the center of the cage for a post fight prayer.

We caught up with “The Believer” to ask him if the prayer together was planned, and he had this to say.  “No, it wasn’t planned.  I went over to him and congratulated him on his win and he replied with, ‘you’re amazing and have amazing faith.’”

Reardanz went on to say he expressed to Main that he usually prays in the center of the cage, and invited him to join in.  Main said “absolutely” and didn’t hesitate to kneel and pray as Reardanz took lead in the prayer. “Not only did I say one, but after I said ‘amen’, he said that he wanted to say one too, and did.  It was amazing. Having Andy Main go to the center of the cage and pray with me was well worth having a loss.”

We can only hope moving forward that the fans appreciate honorable moments like this as much as they do Chael Sonnen’s trash talk.

LFC 44: Against All Odds

Local MMA News | CageCraze.com was live and cageside for LFC 44 | Legends of Fighting 44 “Against All Odds.”  The night’s bouts included such fighters as the promising amateur Kyle McCammack as he tooks on Leonard Parker.  On the professional portion of the night, was  the return of Jamey Scruggs, as he paired up with Joe Neace.

The co-main event was Joao Herdy vs Ryan McIntosh. Both fighters are high energy and technical fighters.

The Main even featured Rob Arnett vs William Penn.  This was an “anything can happen” bout.  Both fighters are comfortable taking the fight to the ground and have impressive ground and pound wins. Arnett’s coming off of his pro debut KO win that came in 1:52 of the 1^st Round against Harley Hiner.  Penn is also coming off of a win that comes by way of TKO/referee stoppage du to strikes in 3:12 of the 1^st round.

Amateur Bouts:

Leonard Parker vs Kyle Mccammack
Both fighters lead with leg kicks which null each other briefly before they clinch up and Parker initiates a takedown but is rolled to his back.  McCammack works from inside the guard of Parker and stacks him against the cage and they work for position for the rest of the round.  Round 2 begins quickly with McCammack looking to land his right hand and does so successfully rocking Parker and sending him stumbling to the mat and ending the fight via KO at 0:09 of the second round.

Paul Nickelsburg vs Joseph Holloway

Nickelsburg with the finishing G&P

Nickelsburg is able to land first with some hard right hands that force Holloway against the cage and eventually to the ground.  Nickelsburg is able to control Holloway and land some strikes that force him to tap at 1:14 of the first round.

Pro Bouts:

Jamey Scruggs vs Joe Neace
After testing out his jab Scruggs is quickly taken down by Neace but is able to roll and reverse the position ending up in Neace’s guard.  After taking a few shots Neace gives up his back but is able to sneak out the back door when Scruggs gets too high.  They end up on their feet after a loss of position.  Scruggs is able to get a double leg takedown against the cage where he works some short shots and is able to take the back of Neace again but still is unable to hold the position letting Neace escape to his feet and land a few shots before the bell.  Round 2 begins with Neace being the aggressor landing a kick and landing a few knees from a thai clinch.  Scruggs shoots in with his head out and Neace locks up a guillotine choke but is unable to finish the submission.  Scruggs disengages and the fight returns to the feet.  Scruggs initiates another takedown but is stuffed by Neace, who is able to take the back of Scruggs.  Scruggs is able to wait out the position and is able to turn into the guard of Neace.  Scruggs secures a crucifix like position from halfguard pinning Neace’s arm with a leg, then threw unanswered elbows to the arm covering the face of Neace and gets a tapout due to strikes at 4:33 of round 2.

Chris Johnson vs Mark Neville

Neville sinks in the winning RNC

Neville lands a head kick right off the bat as Johnson comes in with a wild punch.  Johnson soon shoots into a guillotine from Neville but is able to escape and they scramble to their feet.  Johnson comes in and eats a knee from Neville and gives up his back standing.  Neville is able to sink in the rear naked choke and get the tap at 1:21 in the first round.

Garrett Whiteley vs Bryan Neville
The fighters feel each other out with some jabs and after an exchange of missed head kicks in which Neville slips to the ground Whiteley is able to follow him to the ground and land some shots from guard before the fight makes its way back to its feet.  Whiteley is able to land some knees after obtaining the thai clinch and folds Neville into the cage.  He follows up with ground and pound that coaxes referee Jeff Malot to step in and end the fight at 1:33 in round one.

James Shaw vs Jack O’Neill
Shaw wastes no time and lands with consecutive jab-cross combos that land cleanly and convince O’Neill to try and take the fight to the ground.  He is met with heavy ground and pound from Shaw that forces ref to stop the fight at 0:48 of round one.

Joao Herdy vs Ryan McIntosh
After a quick feeling out process McIntosh is able to catch Herdy coming in and Herdy momentarily drops to his knees and pops back up.  McIntosh stops a takedown attempt and forces Herdy to the feet where he catches him with another right hand that sends Herdy down once again and McIntosh pounces on him but is unable to stop the fight before Herdy regains his bearings and is able to turn into the guard of McIntosh.  Herdy is able to pass and mount McIntosh where he rains down punches to stop the fight via tapout (strikes) at 2:22 in round one.

Main Event:  Rob Arnett vs William Penn

Arnett & Penn exchange blows

Penn presses Arnett against the cage and Arnett is able to land some knees to the body of Penn.  Penn is able to land some hard punches that rock Arnett and after a brief period on the ground they return to standing where Penn is able to pepper Arnett with shots along the cage before Arnett is able to secure a takedown attempt that lands him in side control.  After working some elbows from the position Arnett almost takes Penn’s back but the fighters work to their feet and the round ends with Penn attempting a standing guillotine choke.  Round 2 beings with a slow feeling out process with Arnett shooting in for an unsuccessful takedown attempt and then pulls guard.  Arnett is able to land a few up kicks from the down position before Penn is able to pass into side control.  The fight returns to the feet where once again Penn is able to land hard shots with Arnett not having an answer and is forced to shoot in for another takedown.  The fight is returned to the feet after a stalemate and the round ends with Penn landing a looping right hand.  Round 3 starts with Arnett working for a takedown but gives up position for a guillotine attempt.  Arnett is able to sweep Penn momentarily with a kimura sit up sweep but Penn is able to scramble and wind up on top again.  The ref restarts them on their feet and the fight ends with a wild slugfest, with each fighter throwing wild punches back and forth till the final bell.  The judges score it 30-27 all for William Penn.

Quick Results:

Amateur bouts:

Kyle Mccammack defeated Leonard Parker  via KO in 0:09 of the 2^nd Round

Paul Niclsburg defeated Joey Holloway via Tapout due to strikes in 1:14 of the 1^st Round

Professional Bouts:

Jamey Scruggs defeated Joe Neace via Tapout due to Strikes in 4:33 of the 2^nd Round

Mark Neville defeated Chris Johnson via Tapout due to Reare Naked Choke in 1:21 of the 1^st Round

Garrett Whiteley defeated Bryan Neville by Referee stoppage due to Strikes in 1: 33 of the 1^st Round

James Shaw defeated Jack O’Neill via Tapout due to Strikes in 0:48 of the 1^st Round

Joao Herdy defeated Ryan McIntosh via Tapout due to Stikes in 2:22 of the 1^st Round

William Penn defeated Rob Arnett via Unanimous Decision (27-30)

Photo Credits:

Josh Hall of JAH Photography. More photos can be viewed and purchased HERE,

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

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