NORTHWEST QUALIFIER RESULT FOR GRAPPLING WORLD TOURNAMENT

Posted on | May 21, 2007 | No Comments

The following results are from the Northwest Qualifier for the Grappling World Tournament. Over 20 top athletes from Washington, Oregon and Idaho competed for the top three positions to make the World Team Trials in Las Vegas.

WOMENS
55k
1st Cindy Hale (Demon Jiu jitsu)
2nd Lisa Ward (United Fight Team)

63K
1st Ginele Marquez-Lee (Victory Athletics)
2nd Kelsey Cambell (American Pankration)

MENS
62k
1st John Albert (Victory Athletics)
2nd Joel McGill (BHHS Wrestling)

70k
1st Brent Stover (Victory Athletics)
2nd Dave Jansen (Team Quest)
3rd Shaine Jaime (Unattached)

80k
1st Dennis Hallman (Victory Athletics)
2nd Steve Hadsel (West Coast Fight Team)
3rd Cory Devela (Victory Athletics)

92k
1st Matt Horwich (Team Quest)
2nd John Gendron (United Fight Team)
3rd Jon Krohn (Team Quest)

125K
1st Jamie Rakevich (Orange Crush)
2nd Bobak Ranjbaran (Demon Jiu jitsu)
3rd Travis Bell (Victory Athletics)

TAYLOR SPINKS NOT ENOUGH TO SAVE BOXING: PAVLIK STEALS SHOW

Posted on | May 21, 2007 | 1 Comment

WRONG MAIN EVENT HIGHLIGHTED ON HBO SATURDAY
BY: Rich Bergeron

 

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Yet another hyped up boxing match failed to live up to expectations—just another symptom of the sport’s recent suffering. Only the undercard bout could save the show Saturday on HBO.

Undefeated Middleweight Kelly Pavlik showed tremendous power and technical expertise to match. Beating Edison Miranda into a stupor over seven impressive rounds, Pavlik was always on the attack, living up to the game plan he’d set for the fight.

The willingness of Edison Miranda to slug it out with Pavlik might have been his downfall, but it certainly pleased the crowd. Miranda proved he could put on a show, but his power proved useless in stopping the advances of Pavlik. All he could do was keep punching, which he did, even when he had nothing left.

Instead of picking up on the hint of the preceding fight, Cory Spinks and Jermain Taylor fought a lackluster 12-round sleepfest that Larry Merchant compared to a sparring session people were paying millions for. Even Promoter Lou DiBella stood up at one point from his seat next to Don King at the fight to scream something as the fans booed both fighters.

Cory Spinks managed to outbox Taylor for a few of the early rounds, but as soon as Taylor started storming in to throw a few bombs the scorecards leaned heavily in his favor. Though Jim Lampley called the one dissenting judge on the carpet for ruling in Spinks’ favor, his criticism overlooked the fact that Spinks was by far the busier fighter through the entire match. Though he didn’t land many potent or damaging blows, he proved to be elusive, fast, and crafty through all 12 rounds. Lampley suggested that Dick Flaherty never be allowed to judge another championship fight if he really saw the fight as a Spinks victory, but Lampley also contended that the fight was “dreadful” because neither fighter really showed the kind of aggression they were capable of. Even Taylor’s trainer Emanuel Steward was furious at his fighter leading into the last round, insisting Spinks would come away with a “bullshit decision” if Taylor didn’t start to fight. “You gotta fight,” Steward yelled at one point.

ROUND BY ROUND:

MIDDLEWEIGHTS: Kelly Pavlik (31-0, 28 KO) vs. Edison Miranda (28-2, 24 KOs)

ROUND ONE:

Miranda began landing hooks early. Pavlik responded by jabbing well and sticking some of his own hooks. Miranda had his 1-2s going strong, and he landed a couple booming body shots. Pavlik kept on coming forward and throwing straight shots. Both fighters were slugging through the whole round. Finally, Pavlik trapped Miranda in a corner, but after a few heavy blows landed on his face, Miranda fought his way out and finished strong.

ROUND TWO

The nearly equal reach of both fighters made the contest entertaining, and both fighters spent the round trading moments of dominance. Miranda unleashed his best, but Pavlik still stalked his prey relentlessly. Pavlik landed some huge straight rights and right hooks, and it was easy to see Miranda starting to feel it. He landed a nice left hook before getting cornered again, valiantly battling back with right hooks and a nice uppercut. Pavlik came back with another solid straight right, but Miranda fought back right to the bell.

ROUND THREE

Both began by pawing jabs at each other for a while, resting up from the early slugfest. Pavlik began finding his range, walked through a right hook, and began really working 1-2s and right hooks that landed with serious pop. Miranda started bulling back. Both landed some bombs in some great exchanges. Miranda wound up getting warned for low blows at one point. Both were giving and taking well. After Pavlik saw some fantastic moments early, the third was more of an even round, and it seemed Pavlik might be tiring.

ROUND FOUR

Both fighters picked apart each other’s body early. Pavlik nailed Miranda with better head shots and took control later by stringing together combinations of straight rights and hooks. He went back to the body for a moment and landed the 1,2,3 combo with ease as Miranda pawed back at him. He pushed Miranda up against the ropes at one point, and the damage started to really show itself as Miranda’s left eye began closing. Pavlik took complete control in the round and would not relinquish it through the remainder of the contest.

ROUND FIVE:

Miranda started off jabbing more, mixing in a few hooks and uppercuts. Pavlik, sensing he had seized the advantage, tried resting a bit, throwing mostly straight punches. Eventually he stepped it up again, landing clubbing hooks and taking Miranda’s best with ease. He snuck in some uppercuts in the last minute. Using all of his punches well, Pavlik poured it on. Miranda kept right on giving and taking, and he did land some big rights and right hooks at the end. Still, Pavlik kept on storming in after him.

ROUND SIX:

Both started out keeping their distance until they both waded into the fray with hooks blazing. Pavlik landed a left hook, and Miranda landed a right hook. They moved toward the center of the ring where they both traded some punishing blows. It seemed that Pavlik was the one getting more jabs in, and he followed them up with some ominous hooks. Miranda came back later in the round with his own jab, but then Pavlik unleashed a 1-2 that folded Miranda against the ropes. Piling on a few more hooks, the onslaught from Pavlik crumples Miranda to the canvas. He managed to make it to his feet only to get wobbled again a few moments later, and finally a series of heavy combinations send him down for the count again. The referee wound up taking a point away when Miranda intentionally spit out his mouthpiece to earn a brief reprieve. Saved by the bell, Miranda goes back to his corner where his trainer tells him he needs to do something miraculous if he wants the fight to go on.

ROUND SEVEN:

Miranda seemed to be recovering well at first, but then Pavlik began unloading with straight punches and big, dangerous hooks. Miranda was simply overwhelmed and out on his feet by the time Pavlik managed to land the final harsh blows. The referee finally stepped between the fighters to save Miranda from another faceplant. He wandered back to his corner with his eyes both swollen seriously.

PAVLIK WINS BY TKO

After the fight Pavlik told Larry Merchant he just “stuck with the game plan that we had” and indicated his opponent came in heavily overrated. “The media created Miranda,” he said. “I knew if I could keep him going back, he can’t fight going back.”

Pavlik did take some great shots early from Miranda, but his own power proved to be his edge. “It don’t look like much on TV, but once they get in there with me, it’s like, ‘Whoah this guy is strong,’” he said.

As far as who’s next, he hopes he can slug it out with Taylor. “Everybody wants to fight the World Champion, of course I want to fight him,” Pavlik told Merchant.

JERMAIN TAYLOR (27-0, 17 KO’s) VS. CORY SPINKS (36-4, 11 KO’s)

ROUND ONE:

Spinks started off strong, biding his time, looking to land his jab consistently. He landed a clean straight left when Taylor stormed in and threw a 1-2 combo. Spinks fought a smart first round after figuring out he’d get hit hard every time he tried to wade in. A brief late exchange lived up to the hype for a few seconds, but it didn’t last more than a few fleeting seconds before the bell ended the round.

ROUND TWO:

Spinks’ straight combos and speed seemed to be winning out early. Taylor began using a sparing jab. Spinks kept on using his speed, but none of his shots were doing damage. The unhappy crowd rained boos down meant for both fighters. The round featured mostly jabs from both men with the occasional right hand and virtually no hooks.

ROUND THREE:

Spinks danced and maintained the same pace with his flinging jab, and Taylor seemed content bouncing in place, waiting for a big opening. Spinks landed a speedy combo that woke Taylor up for a moment. He bulled in and landed a 1-2 and a few more straight punches that started catching Spinks off guard.

ROUND FOUR:

Spinks spent the whole round re-establishing his distant jab. Taylor, lulled into the pace set by Spinks, refused to chase his opponent down. Spinks kept landing quick combos and darting back out of range. Both landed less than 10 total shots in the round.

ROUND FIVE:

Spinks maintained the same old pace, really only throwing punches that aggravated Taylor more than any that could actually hurt him. Taylor began pouring it on a little bit late in the round. The first round that could really be given wholeheartedly to Taylor, for his late aggression alone, he wound up landing 14 total punches to Spinks’ seven.

ROUND SIX:

Still waiting for openings through much of the round, Taylor did manage to throw some nice bombs that connected. One huge right hand from Taylor made Spinks rethink his whole strategy and stop punching for a few moments. Taylor then began landing more jabs. He finally became more active and showed better defense. Near round’s end he landed a right uppercut that again backed Spinks off.

ROUND SEVEN:

Spinks decided to mix it up more, and Taylor still sat back waiting. Taylor connected with a straight right that landed on the button. He stuck Spinks with a jab and a hard uppercut later. Spinks responded well and countered accurately, but he still lacked serious power in his shots. Taylor waded in at one point, and Spinks nailed him with one of his best jabs. A left hook landed from Taylor moments later. Clearly just doing enough to start taking control, Taylor won over two judges and the ringside announcers by landing the heavier blows late in the fight.

ROUND EIGHT:

Taylor took a cautious approach to start out, and Spinks took advantage by landing fast, accurate jabs. Taylor kept coming in wild, and finally it paid off when he landed a left hook and a couple nice jabs. There was a furious exchange late in the round, but neither fighter really did enough to win the round decisively. Spinks’ pace had him throwing way more punches, but nothing he landed was all that effective. Taylor spent the whole fight picking and choosing his moments to be the aggressor, and for the most part the punches he did land were sloppy.

ROUND NINE:

Spinks went back to all jabs. He also landed a few body blows. Taylor connected with another overhand right and a looping uppercut to follow up later. He hit home with another straight right and threw a few more power shots near the end of the round. Still disgusted by the lackadaisical performance, the crowd voiced their general displeasure, and even Larry Merchant weighed in with his own “boo!”

ROUND TEN:

Taylor took the hint from the crowd and started to jab more and land some combos, and the early snapping jab was gone. He could only sneak the jab in from time to time, fearful that Taylor would make him pay now that it seemed the champion had found a second wind.

ROUND ELEVEN:

Taylor kept on scoring more jabs, but Spinks still looked relaxed. A 1-2 landed from Spinks after Taylor connected with a bombing right. Still keeping their distance and refusing to really fight, both fighters spent the round avoiding each other more than trading.

ROUND TWELVE:

Back and forth sporadic action had both fighters landing pawing jabs in the early moments. Eventually a powerful 1-2 landed from Taylor. Still, he couldn’t lock onto his target. Later a jab and wide right hook landed and a follow up combo knocked Spinks’ mouthpiece out. Spinks danced around until the end of the round with his arms raised.

TAYLOR WINS BY SPLIT DECISION

117-111 Spinks
117-111 Taylor
115-113 Taylor

With only 186 punches landing from both fighters combined, the fight was easy to criticize. However, after the fight, Taylor didn’t sound like a man who felt like he could beat anyone and would fight anyone, which is what he promised at the pre-fight press conference when he said, “Whatever it takes, whoever want to fight!”

Larry Merchant caught up with Taylor after his glorified sparring session. “He ran the whole time, man, I couldn’t get my punches right,” said Taylor, “You can’t take a championship running. You gotta fight the champ if you wanna be the champ.” He neglected to remember that he didn’t exactly try to catch Spinks, either.

Taylor did herald Pavlik for doing a “great job” and added he had “mad respect” for the undefeated contender. “I will fight anybody, anybody, I’ll fight anybody,” Taylor told Merchant before amending the statement by adding that he’d only fight Pavlik if it was the fight that would give him the most money.

It’s no surprise that Merchant ended his commentary by saying, “The night belongs to Kelly Pavlik.” He won the crowd, the fight, and Taylor’s ultimate respect. Unfortunately, Kelly Pavlik’s camp is not really rolling in the dough, so the chances of a near-future match-up between the two are pretty damn slim.

Whatever happens, Pavlik deserves a title shot and should get it. For once Taylor should try to aim to secure status as the best fighter in the world rather than chase the big money fights. Pride and bragging rights are worth much more in the long run than even the biggest pile of cash. Illustrating a major symptom of what’s really wrong with the sport, Taylor is just another backtracking smack talker who can’t stand behind what he says in the public eye. Ultimately boxing’s ratings will suffer from a serious collapse if the title holders keep consistently ducking the best available opponents in order to make bigger paychecks.

Not only do Taylor’s actions reveal the problem of poorly planned match-ups, they also betray an even deeper problem tearing the sport to pieces: the lack of genuine role models for youngsters to look up to. Where are the Muhammad Alis and George Foremans of today? What has become of that old school fight anybody mentality? Though Larry Merchant mentioned the idea of smaller gloves as a way to cure boxing, it will take much more than that. More so needed to put the sport back on a winning track are smaller egos for the flamboyant, trash-talking pariahs like Taylor and bigger paychecks for the worthy, scrappy, fight for every penny you earn hometown heroes like Kelly Pavlik.

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MODERN APPLICATION OF CLASSICAL MMA STYLES

Posted on | May 20, 2007 | No Comments

Classical Styles vs. Modern Application
By: Clay Smith

 

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What is generally termed as martial arts has gone through a telescoping evolution in the past few decades. The pop culture phenomenon of a blackbelt karate master has trailed off quite a bit since the introduction of NHB to the public. Occasionally, one still might see classical fighting styles in a NHB match; but they are rarely successful. Karate-esque styles seem more like technique specific recreation, either in hindsight or in application. Take, for example, the proposed fist styles of classical martial arts: open hand(with the intention of striking the temples, neck, or ribs), ridge hand(similar targets), and the forward knuckle fist(targeting temples, throat, and solar plexus). In real-time situations, these are pipe dreams concerning a realistic striking plan. Boxing alone has shown that two defensive-minded fighters have a hard enough time finding connection with a jawline or chin. And some classical striking techniques, such as the one-knuckle fist and palm heel, are simply underpowered against a moving opponent. Modern application has given us a perspective that is more realistic because it has been put through the fire, so to speak, of experiential application. Classical styles take for granted the potential of an informed opponent. Imagine what you would do if an opponent face you with a rigid horse stance. An experience wrestler will notice a vertical imbalance due to the legs being square and so far apart. I would probably feint a few strikes and go for an ankle as weight was shifted there.

We have seen many changes recently regarding standard moves. I have seen many fighters employ an open fisted defense in hand striking. Also gaining in popularity are the butterfly and open guard defense on the ground. These changes come about through practical application and reflect a refinement of the sport. A large part of fighting, as well as life, consists of learning through experience and dispelling childish fantasy.

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WHAT ABOUT THE LIGHTWEIGHTS

Posted on | May 20, 2007 | No Comments

Focus on Heavyweight Fighters in MMA

By: Clay Smith

 

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Think of the superfight of most events you have attended, or even seen advertised. How many fight cards seem to focus on lower weight fights only as a build up to the heavier fighters? I’m not talking about title fights; where there has been a progression of fights that result in two contenders. In fact, I would like to see this applied to middle and low weight fights with the same zeal. Personally, I am more entertained by moderately skilled lightweights rather than the sluggish and ponderous “big” fights. Smaller fights are more dynamic in that they change position more often. Heavier fights usually only consist of a clinch and possibly some throws, as far as grappling is concerned. This has, of course, lessened as the sport progressed; but still remains dominant in moderately skilled heavyweight fighters. This level of fight(ers) becomes more numerous as the sport makes gains in popularity and mainstream acceptance. For instance, there are many more states and local clubs with exhibition fights now.

Once again, referencing the dynamism of smaller fights. Quicker and more thorough shots, high and low kicks, and plenty of boxing combos are the criterion of smaller-weight fights. If lightweight fights were given the same promotion as heavyweight fights; the viewers, with their increasing knowledge of the technical aspects of this sport, would welcome the change.

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UNTAMED 13 FIGHT CARD PUTS MASSACHUSETTS MMA ON THE MAP

Posted on | May 19, 2007 | 1 Comment

THRILLING UNTAMED 13 CARD BRINGS THROES OF FANS OUT IN THE RAIN

By: Rich Bergeron

 

 

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A full house of excited MMA fans braved foul weather Friday night to come out and watch 10 bouts unfold on the Untamed 13 fight card held in Mansfield, Massachusetts at the Holiday Inn. While a storm of fat raindrops raged outside, inside the small auditorium fighters rained punches down on each other with few fights going the distance.

Promoted by Full Force Productions, the event featured several up-and-coming local stars battling it out along with guest appearances by the Lauzon brothers and local hero Pat Schultz.

Two amateur bouts kicked off the card, with the first match pitting John Robinson (Irish) against Jarrod Tirrell (NEFFC) at 205 pounds. In what would turn out to be an ongoing theme through the night, this fight ended early. Both men started out slugging with Robinson landing harder, more accurate shots. All Tirrell could manage was a fleeting leg kick before Robinson dropped him to the canvas. The two came too close to the edge of the ring, and the referee brought it back to the center. Tirrell wound up getting back to his feet and trading punches with Robinson and sneaking in a few knees. Once Robinson found his proper distance, he dropped Tirrell once again with a few well-placed, powerful roundhouses. The referee jumped in to stop the contest once Robinson added insult to injury with a few more huge shots to the head.

Next came 155-pounders Brandon Douglas (BMAC) and Josh Johnson (Best Way/ATT) in the second amateur battle. Douglas worked quickly, scoring a takedown instantly, and Johnson made the perennial mistake of languishing too long in a headlock hold that went nowhere as Douglas pounded his ribs with knees. Johnson managed to guard himself from taking too many damaging blows from the bottom as Douglas furiously attempted to push his opponent’s head down to get an open avenue to land a few hammering punches. He did manage to connect with some damaging blows, but he couldn’t string enough together to earn a stoppage. Johnson survived the round with craft, desperate defense.

Johnson came out for the second round with a bit more urgency. He took Douglas down fast only to lose the advantage when Douglas reversed positions. Both men rolled around searching for submission holds with Johnson getting in some of his best punches to the ribs and face of Douglas. Johnson ended up with the advantage at the end of the round, landing hammer fists up to the bell.

The judges ruled the bout a majority draw, leading to a third and deciding round. Both fighters slugged it out for the opening seconds until Douglas went for the takedown and Johnson tried to lock up a guillotine. Douglas slipped out and wound up on top with Johnson trying plan B: a triangle choke. As they grappled both went for their own heel submissions with no success. Johnson managed to get into position to land some thudding punches to the ribs and head, but soon both fighters were back on their feet. Douglas landed a huge leg kick leading into Johnson securing another takedown. Going back to the ribs, he neglected to notice Douglas take hold of his arm and secure a vicious straight armbar that ended the fight.

Andrew “The Bobcat” Caron (Team Strikezone) took on Chris Ramos (Team Bombsquad) in the first professional match of the evening at 150 pounds. Both fighters gave it their all in the match, but Caron’s longer reach proved to be the difference.

Caron landed a few nice rights to start the match, and both fighters rolled to the ground from a clinch with Caron winding up on top. He worked his position until Ramos squirmed out and reversed. Caron spent the next few moments guarding well, and the referee broke up the fight when the two came to close to the ring apron.

Ramos hopped to his feet once the action resumed, kicking Caron’s legs from a standing position. Caron followed Ramos up to his feet and started slugging and moving forward until both men ended up grappling into the ropes. While in the clinch, Caron began working knees. He transitioned to a few left and right punches and went back to the clinch where both fighters fell to their knees. Caron wrestled Ramos to the ground again, where once again they were separated and brought to the center of the ring. Yet again, Ramos wriggled out and escaped to a stand up position.

Caron landed a huge right, a few knees, and another right while Ramos kept trying to connect with limited success. While grappling near the ropes, Caron worked to another takedown. The round ended with Ramos looking a little worse than Caron with a small gash on his forehead.

The second round was more of the same, though Ramos put out his best effort as the fight came to a close. A few glancing shots as both tried to deck the other punctuated the first few moments until both fighters sprawled and then rolled to the ground. Caron took the top position again, scoring knees to the ribs, a few elbows, and a couple weak punches as he lost some steam and couldn’t find his range. Finally, Ramos started doing fish flops trying to get out of trouble.

With the action waning, the referee brought the fight back up to the feet where Caron connected first with a quick right. As if the punch offended and energized him, Ramos unloaded and went ballistic, surging forward with an explosion of lefts and rights and ending with a solid uppercut. Caron recovered and clinched back up again, leaning against the ropes with his opponent. Finishing another takedown, Caron threw Ramos half out of the ring, and the referee halted the action yet again. The round ended with both fighters on the ground. Caron earned the unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 20-18.

The next fight featured two more amateurs as middleweights Billy Walsh (CBJMMA) and Shannon Seargent (NEFFC) faced each other in one of the shortest matches of the evening. Slugging and kicking from the start, with both missing takedown attempts, it was Seargent who did the first real damage of the fight landing a few big shots and a leg kick to the head. Walsh took his time to find his range and began trading shots, connecting with a solid knee, and following that up two bombing rights. Finally—proving the third time really is the charm—one last straight right wobbled Seargent. Walsh picked up on his opponent’s vulnerability and pounced on him as he collapsed to the canvas. Walsh secured the victory by raining a succession of blows to Seargent’s head until the referee pulled him off and stopped the contest. The fight took only one minute and 20 seconds.

During the following intermission, the event’s Co-Promoter Mike Varner climbed in the ring to announce his spot on the June 23 undercard of the Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer showdown at CFFC 5 in Atlantic City. Varner will battle Nick “The Mad Monkey” Serra—the Renzo Gracie trained younger brother of Matt Serra.

The Serra brothers run a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym in New York, and though Matt is much more famous after a stint on The Ultimate Fighter and a victory over George St. Pierre, his little brother is no slouch. Nick is an American BJJ black belt and has held titles in the grappling and NHB circuits. Varner, who has trained rigorously for both MMA and boxing while balancing his promotional duties, will have to bring his absolute best into the bout to prove he can put on a great show in more ways than one. If he’s as good at punching as he is at planning sellout MMA cards with fellow Promoter Mike True, he’ll do fine.

FULL CFFC 5 FIGHT CARD (from MMAONTAP.COM)

Kimbo Slice vs. Ray Mercer
Josh Rhodes vs. Homer Moore
Devidas Taurosevictus vs. Josh Neer
Mike Varner vs. Nick Serra
Jim Miller vs. Anthony Morrison
Danter Rivera vs. Alexis Aquino
Dan Miller vs. John Howard
Doug Gordon vs. Lyman Good
Gregor Gracie vs. Josh Lydell
Brian Demuro vs. Al Buck

Team Boneyard’s Lance Everson took on Ralph Green (C.A.I.N.) next in an absolute mismatch. Looking at the posted fight card on www.fullforce.tv later on in the night, it was no surprise that Everson’s opponent was listed as TBA. The two light heavyweights provided the second-fastest bout of the evening.

Everson began the contest landing a swift leg kick and chasing it with an overhand right. He secured the takedown soon after, assaulting Green’s ribs and head on the ground. While Everson pounded him with solid shots, Green tried to guard as well as he could, but not long after blood started flowing from his head, Everson changed tactics. He locked up Green’s arm from side mount and finished the fight with a keylock submission. Everson took only one minute and 48 seconds to win his trophy.

Middleweights Chaz Ackles (Strikezone) battled Greg Sterns (NEFFC) next in another fast-paced match-up.

Ackles landed the bigger bombs in the early slugging, and he also picked up the first takedown. From the top, Ackles pounded Sterns until he was literally red in the face. Desperately trying to guard, Sterns took plenty of punishment. Sterns fought hard to stay out of major trouble until Ackles attacked again, landing about six stellar shots, with the last one putting Sterns out for a few seconds. The referee stopped the match at exactly 2:00 in Round One.

Welterweights Joe Kavey (CBJMMA) and Jay Vaccaro (Dragon Warrior) went at it next with Kavey getting off to a great start only to get sloppy late in the fight.

Kavey won the first takedown, punching Vaccaro in the ribs with Vaccaro guarding well. Eventually Vaccaro found his way out and back to his feet only to get taken back down. Both traded shots from the ground and then settled into a lull. The referee stood them up, and Kavey connected on his second attempt to land a spinning kick. Ducking a punch from Vaccaro, Kavey went low and took his opponent down for a third time. Vaccaro held hopelessly to a headlock as Kavey landed a harsh knee to his ribs. Kavey switched over to punching Vaccaro’s ribs up until the round ended.

The second round started with Kavey missing a few kicks and punches, and then Vaccaro connected with a clean punch while Kavey went for another takedown. On the way down Vaccaro barely managed to slip in a guillotine just in time. Kavey tapped out 35 seconds in to give Vaccaro the comeback victory of the night.

Eric Brown (Fightzone) faced Leigh MacNeil (NEFFC/MSA) at 185 pounds before the final intermission.

Both fighters worked to a clinch early in the corner, and MacNeil came out with the first takedown. Both fighters ended up locked in a big, twisted pretzel as they fought for one submission after another to no avail. Brown eventually escaped and landed a few knees to MacNeil’s ribs on one side of his body before hitting him with a rib punch on the other side before the uneventful first round ended.

Brown proved to be the aggressor in the second, shooting leg kicks and grappling to another takedown. Instead of spending another round rolling across the canvas with MacNeil, he secured great positioning and proceeded to hammer MacNeil to earn a stoppage 53 seconds into the round.

During the second and final intermission, the security staff came to the ring for a display straight out of the WWE. Pat Schultz and his next opponent Josh Diekman mouthed off to each other while Diekman tried relentlessly to get at Schultz. “I just wanna punch him in the face,” Diekman told the crowd, later tossing the microphone to the canvas. Schultz took the professional route and gave a prepared speech, taking time to thank everyone for coming out and supporting their local stars before promising Diekman’s fans would be disappointed. After Schultz left the ring, Diekman seized the microphone again to heap insults on the departing Schultz. He then left the ring himself. Schultz made his way back to remind Diekman he was supposed to come down to his weight for the match, but Schultz wanted it so bad he decided to go up to heavyweight instead. Diekman made another run at Schultz after leaping over the ropes, but the amassed security staff prevented a free-for-all. Both finally departed center stage, giving way to the last two fights of the evening and closing the latest chapter of the bad-blood, trash-talking feud between the two. They will settle everything at the next Untamed show at Plymouth’s Memorial Hall on June 16, 2007.

Dan Ferrer (Santos) squared off with Spencer Paige at 145 pounds in the next match. Before the title eliminator, the referee announced the fight would make history as the first fight to take place in Massachusetts featuring full unified MMA rules. Elbows would finally be allowed.

Paige took a lunging punch to the head and sprawled out of Ferrer’s first takedown attempt to start the fight. He took his opponent’s aggression as a sign to get busy. Unloading a rib shot followed by a glancing kick to the head and a leg kick a little later, Paige took control with a couple of mean right hands. Ferrer attempted another takedown, and Paige sprawled out of it again. Ferrer just couldn’t scoop up a leg deep enough to finish. Paige recovered to the stand-up position and landed a nice left and right combo before Ferrer tried going for the legs again. Paige sprawled out once more and landed a right hook and a straight right, backing Ferrer up. Unable to adjust to fighting on his feet, Ferrer finally managed to grab one of Paige’s legs and nearly finished a takedown until Paige connected with a rib punch and an elbow to the back as the bell sounded.

The clash between the striking strengths of Paige and the grappling-minded Ferrer trying to initiate his ground game skills left Ferrer frustrated and battered after the first frame. He didn’t fare any better in the second round. A look of imminent defeat on his face, Ferrer went into the second round clearly hoping to bring the fight to the canvas and somehow gain a slim advantage and maybe a lucky submission.

Instead, Ferrer missed another takedown attempt and Paige unleashed a series of bombs early in the second. His longer reach winning out every time, Paige rejected Ferrer’s each and every attempt to tackle him. Not even daring or desiring to take Ferrer down himself, Paige had his opponent in the prone position several times and literally refused to sink to his level, always electing to let Ferrer back up. The fight became so one-sided that Paige even began to make faces and shrug his shoulders, baiting Ferrer to come forward to be hit again and again.

Finally, Paige landed the most technically sound, amazingly accurate high kick to the head a fighter could possibly connect with. The roundhouse heard around the room left the audience in absolute awe. Their astonishment gave way to loud cheers as Paige took complete advantage of his opening when Ferrer slumped and fell to the canvas in a swoon. The kick landed square on Ferrer’s temple, and Paige put the exclamation point on his win by landing a few more punches to the same spot. Ferrer stood up on shaky legs after the ref halted the action, clearly in a different world.

The Full Force Lightweight Title was on the line in the final match of the night between Will Kerr (Strikezone) and Jack Wilmarth. Both fighters began by trading roundhouses until Wilmarth went for a wild flying knee that Kerr sidestepped. Both fighters grappled their way to the ground where they worked their way too close to the edge of the ring. Once positioned back at the center, Kerr jumped back to his feet and landed a kick to Wilmarth’s chest. Wilmarth shot for the takedown again and seemed to have no chance until he finally turned over a single leg. Kerr wisely worked a reversal, grabbed hold of Wilmarth’s heel and masterfully executed a tight submission to end it and take the vacated title.

Taking Massachusetts by storm, the Untamed circuit is putting the sport of MMA on the map in the state. Featuring fighters from all over New England, their latest card attracted another full house to add to the list. Selling out the bulk of their shows, Full Force Productions runs a classy, professional outfit that always provides the fans just what they came to see and more. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that world class fighters from the New England area will continue to be called to grander stages like the UFC to join guys like Joe Lauzon, and just like him they’ll make the best of their first chances to shine. As long as these fighters continue to have plenty of venues and circuits to fight in around the state to hone their competition skills, more and more local heroes will keep on making it to the big show and beyond.

[/mpinpage]

 

Reveling in a Cornucopia of Combat Sports

Posted on | May 19, 2007 | 2 Comments

Ramble On: The Inaugural Rant of New FNU Staffer Charles Schmidt

Hi. Welcome to the first train wreck of an article I have scribbled for the loyal followers of Fight News Unlimited. I am excited to be a part of the team, and hope to entertain and or infuriate as many of you as possible.

It’s a good time to be a fight fan. Boxing may be doing its usual punch drunk last round waltz, but it’s safe to say that there will be plenty of good boxing for fight fans in the future. You just might have to watch it on Telemundo. The almighty casual fans of boxing—those people that make up the bulk of PPV purchases—are stampeding over to the UFC. Fed up with no name heavyweights, dull technical bouts, and no reasonable organization or rankings within the sport, MMA has opened refugee camps for all the boxing ex-pats. When it comes down to it, Floyd Mayweather’s athletic brilliance or Oscar De La Hoya’s hard left hook cannot compete with Chuck Liddell’s heat-seeking overhand right or Anderson Silva’s brutal clinch work. The casual fight fans want constant action, and that action is in MMA.

Don’t get me wrong, I love boxing. I am not one of those nerdy MMA nut huggers who think that anyone who doesn’t wear a Tapout shirt and have a nasty case of Ring Worm from rolling isn’t a combat athlete. BS. Boxing is a fine sport and I hope it returns to its full former glory and can compliment rather than compete with MMA. People waste too much time arguing over which sport is better rather than recognizing that the more combat sports we have to watch the better we are. I would love to turn on the TV and watch kickboxing matches that aren’t repeats from five years ago…reruns of irrelevant fights featuring mediocre talent that the network only shows because they bought the broadcasting rights for ten bucks and a half bag of Dorito’s…and they needed to fill a slot in between competitive coin flipping and extreme spelling contests. Unfortunately, we aren’t there yet. Hopefully the rise of MMA in this country will lead to an interest in kickboxing as well, and we will see more quality programming surrounding the sport.

Point is, don’t argue about which sport is better. Ask for more. How great would it be to turn on the TV and have to choose between MMA, Boxing, Jiu-Jitsu, Pro wrestling, Muay Thai, Greco Roman Wrestling, Full Contact Karate, etc., etc.?

Thank God for YouTube. Whether you want to watch a video of a couple white trash goons beat each other senseless with nunchuks or a high quality full length Thai match from Lumpini stadium, it is all there for you. Watch Fedor train and then watch a 15 minute highlight film of a relatively obscure MMA fighter. It’s no wonder my TV barely gets turned on anymore. It’s a good time to be a fight fan. Support all the combat sports!

I am psyched to be able to ramble about fight sports a couple times a week for FNU.

Talk soon.

May 19 – HBO Championship Preview

Posted on | May 18, 2007 | 2 Comments

May 19 – HBO Championship Preview

Jermain Taylor vs Corey Spinks
12 Rounds for WBC&WBO (and Ring Magazine) Middleweight Title

Jermain Taylor
? 26-0 w/ 17 Knockouts
? 6’1”
? 159.8 (official weight from 5/18)

Strengths
? Athleticism – Taylor moves well with speed, agility, and above-average power.
? Jab – Taylor’s jab is fast and sharp, which can dictate the pace or keep his opponent on his heels.
? Big-Fight Experience – Taylor has been in there with future Hall of Famers Bernard Hopkins and Winky Wright in 3 of his last 4 bouts. Also competed in the 2000 Olympics.

Weaknesses
? Fades later in bouts – In his bouts with Hopkins, Taylor, and Kassim Ouma, Taylor faded in the later rounds, allowing his opponents to take control.
? Confidence could be waning after difficult stretch of opponents – After his first close win over Hopkins where Taylor faded bad and was battered late, he gets very conservative in the 2nd half of the bout, showing he might be concerned about conditioning.

To Win
? Taylor has to use his natural advantages in size and strength to back Spinks up and not let him in the bout. Taylor might have difficulty landing his jab against the southpaw Spinks, so he needs to find a home for his lead right hand. Taylor must stay persistent and not get discouraged if Spinks is elusive early.

Corey Spinks
? 36-3 w/ 11 Knockouts
? 5’9”
? 159.8 (official weight from 5/18 ** Originally weighed in at 161)

Strengths
? Difficult Southpaw Style – Spinks is an elusive southpaw with a slippery and frustrating style.
? Speed – Spinks has tremendous speed which he used to dart in from different angles, land his punches, and dart back out of range.
? Conditioning – Spinks gameplans for 12 rounds. He is always in shape to go the distance

Weaknesses
? Lack of Punching Power – Spinks didn’t have power at welterweight. It is certain he won’t have it at middleweight. Spinks hasn’t scored a stoppage win in over 6 years.
? Small – Again, Spinks was not a physical welterweight. He is giving up nearly 4 inches in height to Taylor. He is going to have a difficult time backing Taylor up.

To Win
? Spinks is going to have to implement a perfect 12-round gameplan. Spinks can not let Taylor back him up and gain confidence early. Spinks needs to use lateral movement and time Taylor’s jab and counter with straight lefts to the head and body to stop Taylor from moving forward.

Prediction
? Spinks is going to try and frustrate Taylor early with movement. Taylor is going to move forward behind his jab. Around the 3rd round, Taylor will start to use his superior power and land punches on any part of Spinks’ torso, including the chest and shoulders. Taylor will gain confidence after releasing that Spinks doesn’t have the offense to keep him at bay and will start aggressively pressing the action around the 5th or 6th round. Spinks will start to find himself against the ropes and in the corners more frequently. He will try to fight his way out and that will prove to be his undoing around the 9th round when he gets the worse of an exchange and finds himself on the mat. He will make it to his feet but Taylor’s follow up offensive will force the referee to stop the fight.

Edison Miranda vs Kelly Pavlik
12 Rounds for WBC Title Eliminator

Edison Miranda
? 28-1 w/ 24 Knockouts
? 5’11”
? 160 (official weight from 5/18)

Strengths
? Power – Miranda carries jarring power in both hands which can take an opponent out with one punch or punish and wear him down.
? Killer Instinct – When Miranda smells blood, there are few that can match his intensity and aggressiveness.
? Attitude – Miranda is extremely confident and fearless in the ring.

Weaknesses
? Rough-House Tactics – Miranda was penalized 5 points for fouls in his loss to Arthur Abraham. His boasts about his tactics often have referees watching him.
? Open to Counters – When Miranda comes in to press the action, he leaves himself open to clean counters, one of which from Allan Green left him on the canvas and gave his opponent new life.

To Win
? Miranda has faced the better competition. In Pavlik, he won’t have to look for his opponent. Miranda will need to draw on his hunger, experience, and killer instinct to rough Pavlik up and open him to power punches.

Kelly Pavlik
? 30-0 w/ 27 Knockouts
? 6’2”
? 159.8 (official weight from 5/18)

Strengths
? Power – Like Miranda, Pavlik has tremendous power in both hands, enough to take a sturdy opponent out in the blink of an eye.
? Poise – Pavlik has been under fire in the past and keeps his composure.
? Range– Pavlik is a tall fighter with long arms. He can land his power punches from the outside, but is also an effective puncher in close.

Weaknesses
? Lack of Competition – Pavlik has fought some decent opponents but most have been journeymen or past their prime.
? Ignores Defense– Pavlik often gets so focused on his own offense that he will ignore defense.

To Win
? Pavlik is going to need to strike first. Most of Miranda’s opponents are so much in awe of his offense that they holster their own weapons. Pavlik says he will “bully the bully” but he is going to need to fight an intelligent fight and not let Miranda attack with abandon and land hard counters when Miranda misses with his wild punches.

Prediction
? Hide the women and children. This one has the potential to leave a mushroom cloud over Memphis. Expect this one to heat up fast. Neither Miranda nor Pavlik know the meaning of retreat. The action will be fast and furious. Both men will be wobbled and both may even touch the canvas. Some think Miranda might be looking ahead to a bout with Taylor and not completely focused. In the end, it will be Miranda’s experience and the fact that he wants it just a little bit more, that will propel him to a late-round stoppage.

JOHN DUDDY INTERVIEW

Posted on | May 18, 2007 | No Comments

John Duddy: Its time to go to work!

By Matt Yanofsky

Only hours before he laced up, I had the pleasure of speaking with rising Middleweight Star John Duddy 19-0 {13 KO’s}. In his last fight March 16th, Duddy achieved a technical decision victory over the rugged Anthony Bonsante. Tonight, he will be taking on Dupree Strickland 18-1-1 {7 KO’s} in front of a sold out crowd at the Beacon Theater in Manhattan. If you don’t have a ticket, you can watch the replay Saturday on MSG at 10 PM. Fans can visit John at IrishRopes.Com

MY: John what’s up? Good to see you fighting again only months after your last bout. How would you rate your performance against Bonsante?

JD: Pretty good, I knew I was winning the fight but it wasn’t exciting as the Yory Boy Campos fight. Bonsante took his time trying to box and counter punch. Bonsante is a tough fighter but I knew I was winning at the time of the stoppage {due to the cut}

MY: What do you know about tomorrow’s opponent Dupree Strickland?

JD: He hasn’t lost since 2003 he is a southpaw who throws a lot of punches. This is defiantly the biggest stage he has fought on. I think he is ready and I expect a good fight.

MY: After the Strickland bout, you are scheduled to have two fights in Ireland. Are you looking forward to that or do you belive it will add extra pressure?

JD: I haven’t thought about it much because first I have business to take care of tonight. I am looking forward to fighting there but I will miss New York because that is my new hometown.

MY: Are you going to watch HBO’s Middleweight doubleheader Saturday night? If so, how do you feel about Jermain Taylor vs Cory Spinks and Edison Miranda against Kelly Pavlik?

JD: Of course! They will be good fights. I am looking more forward to the Pavlik vs Miranda fight because that will have some fireworks. I think Spinks vs Taylor won’t be much since Spinks basically moved up from Welterweight {fighting only twice at 154 lbs}.

MY: How would you feel about facing the winner of either fight in the near future?

JD: I’d love to fight either of them it would be a great fight for me and my career.

MY: John thanks for your time! What do you have to say to your fans and the readers of BrickCityBoxing.Com?

JD: Keep watching me. I love the sport thanks again for following me throughout my career. Without my fans, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

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