COLISEUM CARNAGE COMPLETE WRAP-UP

Posted on | May 8, 2007 | 1 Comment

Coliseum Carnage I Complete Wrap-Up

By: Rich Bergeron

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I recently had the good fortune of traveling to Iowa for an amazing MMA event that will not be easy to forget. Filled with blood, intriguing match-ups, and non-stop action, Fight Sport Global Network and Extreme Contact Fighting’s Coliseum Carnage I more than lived up to its billing.

Leading up to the event the anticipation mounted with every day. For many of us involved in the marketing and promotion, it was a first of its kind occurrence. It was my first foray outside the state to cover a fight. For Extreme Contact Fighting Owners and Promoters Troy Waller and Justin Goodno, it was their first event at such a huge venue: the Hilton Coliseum. For all the players involved in Fight Sport Global Network it would be the inaugural broadcast of their internet pay per view service. None of us could have imagined the kind of battles we would see unfold, as most of the fighters came in ready, willing, and able to put on a spectacular show.

From start to finish I garnered a complete appreciation for what it takes to promote a successful MMA show. Working around his day job at his auto body shop, Troy Waller kept an around-the-clock schedule dealing with all the particulars. Justin Goodno, who also operates O’Goodie’s Irish Pub and manages fighters, was also constantly on the move. Announcer T. Scott had his hands full, too, providing his own measure of constant support leading up to the festivities. From the time Scott picked me up at the airport to the time Waller dropped me off to fly home, the whole trip featured an inside look at how an event like this comes together.

Amidst all the buzz of the ring card girl contest, the pre-fight party, and the set up of the ring and the venue, everyone had a significant role in making things happen. We were always busy. When it finally came time for the first match, I think all of us breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Amateurs Jesse Wilson and Ryan Stanick led off the evening. Wilson scored the first takedown and worked the ground and pound well. Stanick managed to work his way back to his feet after throwing Wilson off. Wilson worked another takedown after a bit of slugging and kicking. Wilson earned a quick tapout win once the match hit the floor again.

Tyler Anderson took on Matt Dempsey in the next amateur match. Dempsey wasted no time, striking early and landing blows to Anderson’s face with punches and knees. Anderson tried for a takedown, but he had no luck. The referee stopped the fight when Dempsey earned his own takedown and ended up on top punching away.

Before the pro card started, Local Iowa Superstar Jeremy Stephens (8-1) came up into the ring to announce his face-off with Din Thomas (19-6) at UFC 71.

EDITOR’S NOTE: SOME OF THE BEST MATCHES OF THE NIGHT WERE FEATURED IN THE FIRST POST-FIGHT REPORT: COLISEUM CARNAGE LIVES UP TO ITS NAME

The professional portion of the fight card began with a Featherweight battle pitting Micah Bowles against John “Lil Ninja” Swanberg. “Lil Ninja” came storming out with punches and knees. Bowles scored the first takedown and snuck in a few rib punches before Swanberg squeezed out. Once out of trouble Swanberg amped up the crowd by slamming Bowles hard to the canvas and working his ground and pound with precision and power. Bowles finally rolled over trying to escape and left himself wide open for a rear-naked choke. Swanberg locked it up and didn’t let go until the match was over.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT: THOMAS “THE IRISH ASSASSIN” MASTIN VS. BEN “THE BEAST” THOMA

Grappling off the bat, Thoma ended up on top with Mastin covering up. Thoma proceeded to land quick shots as Mastin tried to protect himself. Mastin tried pulling Thoma’s head down, but he had no success. Mastin landed a couple hammer fists trying to work out, but Thoma was in complete control on top, landing solid shots to Mastin’s ribs and head. Mastin finally had to tap out due to punches.

HEAVYWEIGHT: JEREMY HART VS. MATT HIRSCH

Hart made the best of his pro debut despite Hirsch getting the fight’s first takedown. Hirsch pounded away, but Hart kept guarding well. Hart saw an opening and tried to tighten the triangle choke, but Hirsch found his way out and back to his feet. Hart jumped on his chance to do some damage and wobbled Hirsch with a succession of huge rights. The fight went to the fence, and Hart wailed away with some knees. At this point Hirsch was already bleeding badly from the eye. Hart unloaded on Hirsch, landing shots at will until Hirsch took him down. Hart kept punching from the bottom. He tried the triangle choke again, but instead of a submission he earned a referee and doctor stoppage. Hirsch put up a great fight, but he truly was losing too much blood. The cleanup crew worked overtime to get the mat ready for the next bout.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT: MATT DEWOLFE VS. HEATH JOHNSON

DeWolfe gets the first takedown, but Johnson reverses it. Landing some good shots from the top Johnson’s punches are more quick hits without much power. Dewolfe goes for an arm bar, but Johnson slams him three times to break out of it. Johnson begins raining punches down until he receives a harsh referee warning for chokes. Both fighters are broken up and then allowed to fight again. Johnson picks up DeWolfe and tosses him like a rag doll. Clearly overmatched, DeWolfe winds up submitting due to strikes just a few moments later.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT: TOM AMESQUITA VS. TYLER LANE

One of the quickest fights of the night, Lane and Amesquita started slugging right off the starting bell. Amesquita got a huge knee in, but Lane responded brilliantly by landing a quick left and right. The punches drop Amesquita like a rock. Lane wins by TKO.

LIGHTWEIGHT: ZACH JENKINS VS. JOSH RAVE

The first fight of the evening to make it out of the first round, lots of grappling went on between Jenkins and Rave.

Jenkins lands a big kick early, but he ends up on the ground. Jenkins misses his first triangle from there, and Rave winds up on the offensive from the top, nailing Jenkins in the ribs a few times.

The two reversed positions all through the first two rounds, with Jenkins trying countless times to catch Rave in a triangle choke. Rave tried for his own triangle with no luck, too. The referee finally stood them up, and after a slam Jenkins ends up on top, with both trading blows until the close of the second.

In round #3 Rave gets the takedown right away, and Jenkins goes down while trying for the guillotine. Rave lands a few punches and elbows from the control position. Finally Rave locks up a crazy front choke, an arm triangle, and wins by submission.

SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT: DAVE HERMAN VS. GREG HAMMAR

Herman lands a kick and then works to a takedown. Hammar taps out quickly due to strikes. The crowd boos him as he leaves the ring. Though Hammar has not been in the sport that long, he nearly beat Brad Imes in a recent fight, so the local fans expected a lot more from him leading up to this fight.

SCOTT HOUGH vs. JUSTIN EILERS

Hough and Eilers fought a back and forth battle, with Eilers finally winning out. Though Eilers eventually came out on top, Hough did press the action at times and looked impressive. At one point Hough landed a few strong knees and a couple roundhouse shots, but Eilers came back with a huge left, and it made Hough woozy. Eilers dropped him, but Hough still kept fighting back. A few elbows from Eilers landing solidly to Hough’s temple ended it. Since it was the last match of the night and the elbows earned Eilers a warning, the feel of the final decision took the same tone as the inaugural broadcast for Pro-Elite’s Showtime card when Frank Shamrock lost for knees to the head of Renzo Gracie. Rather than whip the crowd into a frenzy and disqualify Eilers, the referee ruled in his favor when Hough could not continue. The ref raised his hand as his corner team (led by Jens Pulver) cheered him on.

Featuring so many intense battles, this card was incredible, and the after parties that followed featured many fighters rehashing some of the night’s best moments. Sporting bruises and black eyes, even some of the losers still stood proud, explaining how much they were itching to get a rematch. Everyone couldn’t help talking about the night’s best matches: the upsets, the last second stoppage of the Ahrens bout, and Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer tumbling out of the ring. At one point someone held up a cell phone where Tom Ahrens listened on the other end as everyone at the party yelled out one last, “To The Top!”

There was an ominous symbol of the previous night’s action when it came time to go back home the next day. Sitting bruised, broken, and idle in the hotel parking lot was a mashed and trashed mini van, missing taillights and sporting an ugly primer gray color and rust from its hood to the rear hatch. It almost looked as if it had escaped nearly undamaged from a fantastic performance at a demolition derby. I couldn’t help but think that’s how Mike “Mini Van” Van Meer felt after what will probably go down as the toughest battle of his life. Scraping himself up off the floor and wading right back into the action, Van Meer showed what a true warrior really is.

It occurred to me as we headed for the airport that it is that kind of effort that all involved must put in to make any MMA show truly successful. At the end of the night you really should be exhausted, worn out, and truly proud that what you put in was everything you could muster up from the depths of your heart and soul.

Special thanks to FSGN CEO Neil Norman, XCF Co-Owners Troy Waller and Justin Goodno, Announcer T. Scott, Trainer and Color Commentator Pat Miletich, and all the fighters who gave their all. Last but not least, a big thanks to the makers of CL-ONE energy drink. As one of XCF’s sponsors, they had plenty of the juice on hand to keep me awake and alert.

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