Extreme Contact Fighting – March of Champions

Posted on | March 29, 2007 | 2 Comments

XCF – March of Champions

 By: Ryan Christensen

Photographs by Judy Jensen

    As you know, I usually provide a full breakdown of local cards the day after they happen. XCF “March of Champions” is the exception to the rule. In fact, the entire night was out of the “norm.” I’ll do my best to remain as unbiased as possible throughout this article, but it may not work out the best. Now that you’ve been warned… here it is!

    March 24 saw XCF bring a huge card of fights to the Laramar Ballroom in Fort Dodge, IA. MidwestMMA, in conjunction with UnlimitedFightNews.com was on hand to take in the event in its entirety. 18 bouts filled this large card with 4 title bouts and a total of 9 professional bouts to quench even the most avid fan’s thirst for MMA combat.

    Upon entering the venue, I drew strange feelings of a small town community center coupled with a “fight night” atmosphere that the Midwest was full of mere years ago. The production however, gave it a feel of a very professional, big name promotion. Unfortunately, far too many people were granted admission, and as the night drew on, tempers flared and the action spilled from the cage to the crowd as multiple fights broke out that the undermanned security staff couldn’t get a quick handle on. Between the last two fights, the entire show was shut down due to near riot situation. I was even pulled into a scuffle attempting to get downstairs to the fighter locker room and was hit and nearly arrested for defending myself. This ruined a great night of action for many and left a sour taste in this journalist’s mouth. If not for these incidents, everyone would have been a part of one of the better events in recent memory.

    My apologies go out to the promoters as they were not at fault but just a victim of some horrible circumstances with a hostile crowd in an over packed venue.

    Anyhow, onto the results of the night:
(Note: some names for amateur fights are missing due to them not being on an official card)

Bout 1 (155 lbs)
Kid Bunpan vs Jake Stanton

Round 1: Bunpan came out with an insanely hard kick to Stanton‘s midsection that left him rocked. Bunpan rushed in and secured a guillotine to stop the fight in the first.

Winner:
Bunpan via Submission (Guillotine) 0:28 Rd 1

 

Bout 2 (170 lbs)
Cliff Staveness vs Drew Mills

Round 1: Staveness opened the round with a solid mid kick. Mills worked for a takedown and ended in Staveness’ guard. Staveness worked for a kimura from bottom but caught several hard shots to the ribs. Mills was able to transition to side control and eventually mount where he ground and pounded his way to a TKO win.

Winner:
Staveness via TKO (GNP) 1:52 Rd 1

 

Bout 3 (185 lbs)
Jason Shomaker vs Justin Demooney

Round 1: Demooney connected with a good left early in the round. Shoemaker then attempted a takedown resulting in a scramble situation. Demooney ends up stuffing a takedown attempt and took Shoemaker’s back. Demooney worked some ground and pound and worked to north south position. Demooney eventually connected with some stiff strikes to earn a TKO victory.

Winner:
Justin Demooney via TKO (strikes) 1:42 RD 1

 

Bout 4 (170 lbs)
Tyler Anderson vs Ethan McCarthy

Round 1: This first round saw a lot of clinches where Anderson would connect with the better power shots. McCarthy connected with one big right and a few straights but was overpowered in a striking oriented round.

10-9 Anderson

Round 2: Anderson came out throwing heavy lefts that sent McCarthy into the cage. McCarthy verbally submitted due to more left hands against the cage.

Winner:
Anderson via Submission (verbal) 0:25 Rd 2

 

Bout 5 (HW)
Matt Hesch vs Miles (?)

Round 1: Hesch opens the round with a solid takedown and proceeds to work his ground and pound game. Miles worked some short strikes from guard but was eventually overwhelmed by Hesch’s top attack.

Winner:
Hesch via TKO (GNP) 2:56 Rd 1

Bout 6 (205 lbs)
Jesse Wilson vs Mike Scaggs

Round 1: Scaggs immediately looked for the takedown where he transitioned to side and full mount. Wilson swept Scaggs into guard. The fight was stood up and Scaggs secured another takedown. Wilson reversed positions and began to work his ground and pound until the ref stepped in to stop the fight.

Winner:
Wilson via TKO (GNP) 2:09 Rd 1

 

Bout 7 (185)
Ty Blair vs Brock (?)

Round 1: Brock caught Blair with a big right and  followed up with a trip. Blair secured  a strong guard and got the fight stood back up. Brock again gets a trip and closes the round with some shots to the ribs.

10-9 Brock

Round 2: Blair opened the round with some strong punches followed by a takedown. Blair connected with some good knees to the body on the ground before he was swept. Brock attempted to work for strikes on top but had his position reversed. Blair continued where he left off and connected with more knees and short strikes.

10-9 Blair

Round 3: Blair dominated the first half of the round with a huge left followed by a flurry of strikes. Brock was able to secure a takedown after a ref breakage for an unintentional groin strike. Blair swept Brock and secured back mount and worked his ground and pound. Brock reversed Blair to north south and finished the round throwing some punches from that position.

10-9 Blair

 

Winner:
Blair via Split Decision (10-9, 9-10, 10-9)
Unofficial Score: 29-28 Blair

 

Bout 8 (HW)
TJ Sullivan vs Dave Verba

Round 1: Verba dominated this short fight with a strong left right combination that sent Sullivan to the floor where he ground and pounded his way to victory.

Winner:
Verba via TKO (GNP) 0:26 Rd 1

 

Bout 9 (155 lbs)
Lewis Ophein vs Tyson Granske

Round 1: Granske connected with the first power shot which happened to be a huge right. Ophein hit the floor as Granske unloaded punches from the top. Granske took Opheins back and ended the fight with more brutal ground and pound.

Winner:
Granske via TKO (GNP) 1:55 Rd 1

 

Bout 10 (205 lbs)
Mike Vibbard vs John Sankey

Round 1: Sankey connected with some big rights and followed with a huge flurry as Vibbard tapped out due to strikes. After the fight Sankey announced his retirement to his home crowd.

Winner:
Sankey via Submission (strikes) 0:26 Rd 1

 

Bout 11 (185 lbs)
Jesse Walker vs Mitch Pearson

Round 1: The opening stanza was controlled by Person who connected with flurries of punches and some ground and pound work. Walker worked a good guard and tried to work from the clinch on the feet but was overpowered. Pearson closed the round with some hard ground and pound which almost warranted a stoppage.

10-9 Pearson

Round 2: Walker came out with some good striking and looked to be in control until Pearson connected with some knees from the clinch followed by a flurry of punches. Pearson continued to strike to the ground as the ref stepped in.

Winner:
Pearson via TKO (strikes) 1:07 Rd 2

 

Bout 12 (HW)
Billy Blisch vs Johnnie Kennel

Round 1: Blisch engaged first and attempted a trip but was stopped. Kennel secured a takedown and worked his ground and pound until Blisch gave up his back. Kennel brought a stop to the action via strike from back mount.

Winner:
Blisch via TKO (strikes) 1:12 Rd 1

 

Bout 13 (HW)
Trevir Michael vs Razock Al-Hussein

Round 1: Al-Hussein spent the beginning of the round connected with some huge kicks. He then took Michael down and fell into a guillotine. Al-Hussein escaped the guillotine and took Michael’s back. Al-Hussein then sunk in a deep rear naked choke to stop the fight.

Winner:
Al-Hussein via Submission (RNC) 2:01 Rd 1

 

Bout 14 (HW)
Jason Waldschmidt vs John George

Round 1: As the fighters engaged, Waldschmidt locked in a guillotine that eventually led to a tapout.

Winner:
Waldschmidt via Submission (guillotine) 0:56 Rd 1

 

Bout 15 (155 lb Title Match)
Mateo Young vs Nik Myers

Round 1: The fighters traded strikes on the feet before Myers took Young down with a trip. Young worked a tight guard until he was able to lock in a triangle choke to end the fight.

Winner and new 155 lb Champion:
Young via Submission (triangle choke) 1:26 Rd 1

 

Bout 16 (205 lb Title Match)
Andy Stock vs Mike Van Meer

Round 1: The first round was dominated by Van Meer. He connected with several leg kicks and punches before slamming Stock to the mat. Stock stalled to a stand up before Van Meer took him down again.

10-9 Van Meer

Round 2: Stock was more active in the second round throwing some punches and leg kicks of his own. Van Meer proved to be too much, however, as he connected with the better strikes and capped things off with another takedown.

10-9 Van Meer

Round 3: The third round rang true to the first two as Van Meer dominated much of the action. The fight finally drew to a close after Van Meer secured a takedown and fell into north south position. Van Meer locked in a head-arm choke and secured the submission win.

Winner and still 205 lb Champion
Van Meer via Submission (head arm choke) Rd 3

 

Bout 17 (170 lb Title Match)
Nick Walker vs Duran Barlow

Round 1: Walker spent most of the first round on his back working his guard as Barlow attempted to work his ground and pound. The round was a near stalemate until the last minute where Barlow began to connect with some huge ground and pound from top position and also from back mount.

10-9 Barlow

Round 2: Barlow attempted a takdown and a scramble ensued until Barlow finished the takedown. Barlow again worked his ground and pound until the fight was stopped.

Winner and 170 lb Champion:
Barlow via TKO (GNP) Rd 2

 

Bout 18 (HW Title Match)
Dan Hutton vs Tyler Lane

*I have no idea what happened in this fight due to the near riot that ensued before the fight*

Winner and HW Champion:
Dan Hutton via something Rd 1

    There you have it. A great night of fights tainted by the actions of drunken fans. I sincerely hope the promoters take not of this event and learn from it. With a better ran event, fans will flock to these extremely entertaining cards and will have a great experience.

    Normally, I’d give some closing thoughts on the night… But in this case, I’d rather forget about everything but the fights themselves.

-Ryan Christensen
MidwestMMA@gmail.com
www.myspace.com/MidwestMMA
www.UnlimitedFightNews.com

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