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Fight Night Challenge Play-by-Play

Posted by :jcastle On : March 30, 2014
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Category: Beard Advantage, Doombeard Exclusive, Fight Night Challenge, Fight Recap

I attended the Fight Night Challenge on 3/29/2014, and was impressed by the amateur MMA and muay thai talent that showed up to Charlottesville, Virginia. Here’s a recap of the night’s highlights and knockouts.

Jon Hillis vs. John Kerman (Modified Muay Thai Bout)

Fight Night Challenge Hillis vs Kerman

Beard Advantage goes to Kerman, who is sporting a closely cropped full beard.

RD1: 10-9 Hillis

RD2: 10-9 Hillis

RD3: 10-9 Kerman

Given that it was an exhibition bout, the fight was not scored.

Antonio Ortega vs. Tommy Couzzi (125 lbs.)

Fight Night Challenge Couzzi vs Ortega

RD1: Tommy Couzzi comes right out of the gate throwing hard punches, getting a slamming takedown in short order. Ortega gets back up, but Couzzi achieves the front headlock position and looks to work towards a D’Arce Choke. They stand back up, but they are separated by referee Mike King due to an inadvertent groin kick suffered by Ortega. They resume and touch gloves. Couzzi throws a kick and another series of hard punches, eventually pressing Ortega against the cage, where he lands some hard punches and a knee. Ortega gamely chases him back with punches, but Couzzi gets another takedown and is immediately in side control. Ortega scrambles and Couzzi looks for an Anaconda Choke, eventually rolling into one. Ortega continues to roll around and defend, getting out of the sub right before the end of the round.

RD2: They meet in the middle and Couzzi looks to resume his striking attempts, but Ortega clinches up and Couzzi ends up on top in side control. Couzzi postures up in guard and rains down a flurry of punches and then steps away, allowing Ortega to stand back up. They clinch against the cage again, with Couzzi looking to control Ortega and throw short strikes. Couzzi is on the receiving end of a knee to the groin,  causing the referee to stop the fight until he recovers. They resume, but Ortega lands a solid kick then a left hook, then he begins egging Couzzi on to fight. They exchange some hard punches that largely miss, with Couzzi getting another slamming takedown right before the end of the round.

RD3: Ortega opens up by winging some hard punches, but Couzzi clinches up with him against the cage, where they exchange some knees to the body. Couzzi then gets a slamming takedown that sees him get in side control, where Couzzi scrambles and is briefly threatened with a RNC. Ortega then reverses and ends up on top in guard, throwing punches while Couzzi looks to throw his legs up looking for a sub. Couzzi is working some short punches from the bottom, then stands up, throws a kick, and scores another takedown. Couzzi gets into mount and throws punches until the end of the round, with the crowd cheering loudly for both fighters after an entertaining and back and forth bout.

Unanimous Decision win for Tommy.

Maxwell Noonon vs. Jacob Ashley (145 lbs.)

Beard Advantage goes to Ashley, who is sporting some facial hair on his chin.

 RD1: Ashley throws a front kick, but is promptly taken down by Noonon. Ashley throws up a Triangle attempt, Noonon defends, but Ashley locks it back up again. Noonon is trying to get to the side to avoid the submission, but Ashley uses the Triangle to sweep into mount and starts working some ground and pound. They transition again, with Ashley throwing up an Armbar attempt that is shucked off. Ashley then takes Noonon’s back and sinks in a Rear Naked Choke, forcing the tap.

First Round Submission Victory via Rear Naked Choke for Jacob Ashley.

Antoine Brown vs. Jessie Gibson (190 lbs. )

Beard Advantage goes to Jessie Gibson, who is sporting an awesome mustache.

RD1: Brown wings some punches, and is then clinched up Gibson. They separate and exchange some more punches, then Brown pushes Gibson up against the cage. Gibson briefly reverses, then Brown pushes him up against the cage again and starts to work short punches. Gibson lands a knee to the body, and Brown responds with punches. Gibson returns fire but Brown charges forward and gets a takedown against the cage and looks to work short punches from within the guard. Brown gets to half guard and lands some short punches to the body as the round comes to a close.

First Round TKO win (Stoppage due to a cut) Antoine Brown.

Sydney Smith vs. Chelsea McCoy (125 lbs.)

fight night challenge

There will be no Beard Advantage awarded for this fight, given that both competitors are women…and lady beards aren’t cool. Instead, I will award Beard Advantage to Referee Mike King, who is sporting an awesome full beard.

RD1: McCoy pumps a jab, then throws a series of fast combos. Mccoy backs her oppoent against the cage and works some strikes in the clinch, then gets reversed and eats a few shots until they separate. Smith pumps a jab, then Mccoy responds in kind. McCoy throws a rapid fire series of punches that land on the face of her opponent. Smith respons with some punches of her own, but is again pounced on by McCoy, who clearly has an advantage in speed. McCoy lands another flurry of punches to the face of her opponent, backing her up against the cage again. Both fighters exchange some more punches as the round comes to a close.

RD2: Smith pumps a jab, then another. McCoy responds in kind. McCoy then counters and lands a hard one-two, then pounces on her opponent, landing another flurry of punches and a knee to the face, visibly shaking Smith. McCoy pounces on her opponent yet again with punches against the cage. Smith looks to work her jab, but McCoy does as well, succeeding due to her superior reach. McCoy throws but misses with a knee? McCoy lands a hard right hand to the face of Smith, who responds with a hard punch of her own. Smith throws a series of hard 1-2 combinations, with McCoy responding in kind. The round ends with McCoy throwing hard punches to the head of Smith, who was backed up against the cage.

RD3: Smith throws a hard combo to open the round. Chelsea starts to pump her jab. The fight is briefly stopped as the ref sees that smith has no mouthpieve. Chelsea lands a hard kick to the body of Smith, then begins to stalk her with more punches and kicks. McCoy lands and audibly hard kick to the body of Smith, who responds with a series of punches. McCoy counters a kick from Smith with a combination. Chelsea throws another combination and finishes it with a leg kick. At the 10-second clapper, both fighters open up and end the fight throwing hard leather until the final bell. Both fighters deserve a ton of respect, as this was a very fast paced and entertaining fight.

Unanimous Decision victory for Chelsea McCoy. This was definitely an early candidate for Fight of the Night.

Joseph Shearin vs. Robbie Lillard (170 lbs. Title Fight)

RD1: Lillard lands a kick to the body of Shearin, then another leg kick. Shearin throws but misses with a head kick, then follows up with a series of punches and a kick. Robbie barely misses with a spinning back kick, then back his opponent up against the cage and starts attacking with punches and knees to the face of Shearin. Shearin throws his legs up, looking for a submission, but Lillard stands up and slams him back to the ground. Lillard postures up and is defending well. Shearin contines to work hard for the submission, locking up a quick armbar, forcing Lillard to tap.

First Round submission victory for Joseph Shearin by Armbar, who becomes the new FNC Welterweight Champion.

John Calloway vs. Kris Lewis (265+ lbs. Superheavyweight Title)

RD1: Calloway immediately pounces on Lewis with punches, throwing him to the ground and getting the front headlock position. Lewis scrambles, but Calloway gets on top in side control and starts to land some hard punches to the face Lewis. After Calloway lands a few more hard and unanswered punches to the face of Lewis, Todd McGovern waves off the bout as a TKO stoppage.

First Round TKO win due to strikes for John Calloway, who becomes the new Fight Night Challenge Super Heavyweight Champion. Want to see the TKO? Watch it here.

Kristen Murphy vs. Brittney Doss (135 lbs. Female Title)

Given that both competitors are women, neither one is eligible for Beard Advantage. However, one of Doss’ cornermen was sporting a solid and long beard, so Beard Advantage goes to him.

RD1: Murphy pumps a jab, then another. Doss looks to throw a combination of her own, but is caught and dropped by punches from Murphy, who ends up on top in side control. Murphy looks to work short strikes from the top, with Doss continually scrambling around on bottom. Murphy postures up and lands a few hard strikes form the top position. Referee Todd McGovern then steps in and calls an end to the bout due to

Kristen Murphy wins by First Round Submission ( Verbal Submission   ) , becomes the FNC Women’s Bantamweight Champion.

In between fights, the announcer called in multiple organization Featherweight Champion Chris “The Rocket” Rollins, who spoke on his career, his numerous titles, and his aspirations of eventually going Pro after his next fight.

Jon-Taine Hall vs. Dashawn Boatwright (205 lbs. Title)

Fight Night Challenge

Beard Advantage firmly goes to Dashawn Boatwright, who is sporting a really solid full beard.

RD1: Hall comes in with a punch, then lands a leg kick. Hall shoots for a takedown and pushes Boatwright up against the cage. Boatwright defends well. Hall briefly gets Boatwright down, but he pops back up, and is taken down again. Hall is throwing a few short punches from within a close half guard, but doesn’t really have the space to get much going. Boatwright looks to get up, and Hall briefly threatens with a Rear Naked Choke, but Boatwright turns back over. Hall lands a few hard strikes from top position. Boatwright attempts to stand up with Hall on his back, but is forced back to the ground. Hall looks for a pair of Armbar attempts as the round comes to a close.

RD2: Both fighters exchange

RD3: Hall throws a series of kicks to the body and legs of Boatwright. Hall throws a front kick to the body of Boatwright. Hall shoots for a takedown and gets Boatwright pressed against the cage, attempting to hook one of Boatwrights legs, eventually getting Boatwright to the ground. Hall is landing short punches from half guard, then transitions to mount. Hall then takes Boatwrights back, and looks to lock up an Armbar. Boatwright defends, and Hall lands some hard punches to the face of Boatwright. At the end of a fast scramble for position, Boatwright submits to the Armbar attempt.

Third Round Submission (Armbar) Victory for Jon-Taine Hall, who becomes the new FNC 205 lbs. Champion.

Stephen McBride vs. Andy “Tank” Knopp (265 lbs. Title)

Fight Night Challenge

RD1: Knopp wades in with some punches, and both fighters clinch up. Knopp  is throwing some hard punches in the clinch, and McBride responds with a hard punch that momentarily drops Knopp. Knopp recovers and gets a takedown, working some punches from within the guard of McBride. McBride gets up and then knocks

First Round Victory via KO for Stephen McBride, who becomes the new FNC 265 lbs champ.

Want to see McBride’s gnarly knockout? Watch it here.

Fight Night Challenge Play-by-Play

Posted by :jcastle On : January 21, 2014
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Category: Beard Advantage, Boxing, Doombeard Exclusive, Fight Night Challenge, Fight Recap, Fighting Style, Muay Thai

Fight Night Challenge was an interesting amateur promotion to watch. Not only did they feature entertaining MMA fights, but they opened their show with a boxing match, and also featured four Muay Thai bouts. Below, you will find play-by-plays, plus my opinion, on the fights that night. There is also a video following some match ups, so that you can watch it for yourself.

Calvin Daniels vs. Zach Zeleick (156 lbs. Boxing bout)

RD1:  10-9 Zeleick

RD2: 10-9 Zeleick

RD3: 10-9 Zeleick, but he is fading noticeably

RD4:  10-9 Zeleick

Zach “ZZ” Zeleick wins by Unanimous Decision. “ZZ” seemed to have the edge in power and killer instinct throughout , rocking Daniels several times.

Charles Tarvers vs. Chance Jones (165 lbs.  Modified (no elbows) Muay Thai bout)

Chance Jones has a definitive “Beard Advantage” with a solid full beard.

RD1: 10-9 Jones

RD2: 10-9 Jones

RD3: 10-9 Tarvers

Jones was the definite aggressor early on into the fight, but Tarvers came back and definitely won the third round. Charles Tarvers wins by Unanimous Decision.

Oleksander “The Greek” Humen  vs. Richard “The Outlaw” Thacker ( 170 lbs. MMA Bout)

Oleksander Humen walked out to an awesome Greek hard rock song that also featured heavy doses of mandolin. Humen has an abosolutely awesome entrance song, that I am sure is going to give him some great vibes and added power in the fight. The power of the mandolin compels him!

RD1: Humen lands a snapping leg kick, then another. Thacker clinches up with Humen and pushes him against the cage, where Humen then reverses and lands a series of knees to the legs of Thacker. Humen then attempts to jump and take Thackers back while standing, but instead settles for a slamming takedown, almost immediately achieving mount. Humen then unloads a barrage of punches on Thacker, forcing Thacker to turn over as he wilts under the pressure, with blood streaming down his face. Referee Todd McGovern stepped in and called the end to the bout.

A 2:07 TKO win for Humen in Round 1.

Dakota Donivan vs. Antonio Ortega (130 lbs. Modified MMA rules)

This fight is a modified MMA fight where both competitors are still in high school, with Donivan being 15, and Ortega being 16.

RD1: Ortega lands a solid left hand to begin the bout, with Donivan responding with a takedown. Ortega attempts an Armbar, but Donivan defends it well, but succumbs to the second Armbar attempt.

First Round (:50) Submission (Armbar) win for Antonio Ortega.

Lashonda Hinton vs. Chelsea McCoy (135 lbs. Modified Muay Thai rules)

RD1: 10-9 McCoy

RD2: 10-9 McCoy

RD3: 10-9 McCoy

A re-occuring theme throughout the fight was the rapid fire flurries of punches and knees that Chelsea McCoy was landing on her opponent. While Hinton was landing some hard single shots, McCoy’s blistering speed kept her one step ahead of her opponent throughout the duration of the bout.

30-27 Unanimous Decision victory for Chelsea McCoy.

Roque Zapata vs. Carlos Martinez (135 lbs. MMA fight)

RD1: Both fighters meet in the center and are exchanging hard and fast combos. Zapata in particular. Zapata lands a snapping leg kick, then another. Martinez clinches up on the end of a combination and looks to be working for a takedown against the cage for a while. They separate, with Zapata landing some hard punches as the round comes to a close.

RD2: Zapata takes the center of the cage, then Martinez lands a leg kick. Martinez lands a kick, but Zapata counters with a combination that lands flush on the chin of Martinez. Zapata then throws Martinez to the ground and beginning to work some hard ground and pound with Martinez pushed up against the cage. Martinez briefly achieves Rubber Guard, and is throwing his legs up, fishing for submission attempts. Zapata uses a failed sub attempt to advance to North/South position. Zapata goes for an Armbar, but with the 10-second clapper sounding, instead chooses to focus his efforts on landing a series of audibly hard punches to the body of Martinez to close out the round.

RD3: Martinez misses with a high kick. Zapata attempts a takedown, but Martinez deftly reverses it and lands on top in mount. Zapata rolls over and gives up his back, which Martinez capitalizes on the starts working for a Rear Naked Choke. Zapata is gamely defending, so Martinez mixes in some punches as well. Zapata attempts to stand up, which allows him to improve his position, shaking Martinez off his back. Zapata ends up on top in side control, but Martinez improves his position again, taking his back. Both fighters are now standing and are clinched up against the cage, with Martinez throwing a series of knees to Zapata’s head and body as the round comes to a close. At the end of the round, both fighters embraced and congratulated each other on a great fight.

Split Decision Win for Roque Zapata.

This extremely spirited fight to was truly awesome to watch. Both fighters involved are very exciting, and I am sure have great futures ahead of them in their MMA careers.

Robbie Lillard  vs. Roy Smith (155 lbs. MMA bout)

RD1: Lillard lands a leg kick, then follows up with a series of punches that drop his opponent. Smith seems to be fishing for leg lock of some kind, but Lillard is unrelenting in his efforts at punching Roy Smith in the face. Lillard transitioned between side control and mount, eventually settling on staying in mount. Lillard continues to pound Smith with hard punches and elbows, eventually causing Smith to roll over and submit due to the Strikes right as the referee is preparing to step in and stop the contest.

Robbie Lillard wins by Submission (Strikes) in the first round.

Daryl Jones vs. Corey Brown (155 lbs. MMA Title Bout)

RD1: Jones lands a snapping leg kick to start the round. Jones then lands a series of punches and follows Brown to the ground. Jones uncorks a barrage of punches, but Brown weathers the storm and recovers his position and gets into full guard. After Brown spent some time trying to isolate an arm, Jones got back to his feet and walked away from Brown. A brief exchange sees Brown pushed up against the cage in the clinch. Another combination of punches from Jones sees Brown return to the ground, looking for a submission. Brown throws his legs up and threatens the arm of Jones, but Jones responds with a flurry of hammer-fists to Browns face. Brown regains control of Jones’ wrist, and seems to be looking for either another Armbar or Triangle Choke attempt as the round comes to a close.

At the close of the round, the ringside doctor came into the cage to attend to Brown, whose eye was visibly swollen and he appeared to be having problems with his peripheral vision, causing the ringside doctor to call and end to the fight for the purposes of fighter safety.

Daryl Jones wins via TKO due to Doctor Stoppage, becoming the new FNC Lightweight Champion.

Donald Henshaw vs. Justin Hatcher (170lbs. MMA Bout)

RD1: Henshaw shoots for a takedown from long distance, but is reversed with Hatcher landing on top. After a brief scramble, Hatcher got on top in mount and started raining down punches. Henshaw rolled over and seemed to go limp, forcing Referee Mike King to step in and call an end to the fight.

First round (0:39) TKO victory for Justin Hatcher.

James Speight vs. Nick Minton (255 lbs. MMA Bout)

Beard Advantage goes to Nick Minton, who is rocking a closely cropped full beard.

RD1: Minton throws a two-punch combination, and Speight clinches up with him and puts him against the cage. Minton is working short punches to the body of Speight, who throws Minton to the ground and almost immediately gets to mount. Very shortly thereafter James Speight locks up an Americana that causes Minton to tap almost immediately, causing ref Mike King to call an end to the action.

First Round Submission (Americana) Victory for James Speight.

Victor Rubli vs. Randy Fitzgerald (205 Modified (no elbows) Muay Thai bout)

Definitive Beard advantage for Fitzgerald, who has a solid full beard (goatee and chinstrap).

RD1: Rubli lands a kick, but Fitzgerald responds with a few punches in return. Fitzgerald lands a leg kick, then throws Rubli to the ground in short order. Fitzgerald starts to land his punches flush to the face of Rubli as the round comes to a close, noticeably rocking Rubli.

RD2: Rubli throws a pair of leg kicks, but Fitzgerald responds with hard punches. Rubli wings a right hand, but Fitzgerald slips his punch and lands some punches that drop Rubli again. Fitzgerald lands another series of hard punches that eventually drop Rubli yet again. Referee Todd McGovern steps in to check on Rubli and give him the count, but Rubli’s corner throws in the towel right before McGovern waves off the bout.

Second Round KO win for Randy Fitzgerald, who thanked all of his supporters for coming out to watch what was probably his last fight. If that was indeed his last fight, he certainly acquitted himself well, and ended his fighting career with a dominant performance in front of his friends and family.

Chris Rollins  vs. Brian Rich (145 lbs. MMA Title Bout)

RD1: Rich throws a right hand and starts working for a takedown almost immediately. After he gets Rollins against the cage, he gets a slamming takedown and works some knees to the body of Rollins, who pops back up to his feet in short order. Rich gets another slam takedown, getting in side control and begins to work for a D’Arce choke against the cage.  Rollins gamely defends the choke, constantly moving around and scrambling and eventually getting back to his feet. A furious exchange sees Rich shoot for another takedown in response to the strikes of Rollins. Ref. Todd McGovern separates the fighters and deducts a point from Rollins for strikes to the back of Rich’s head. After giving Rich the customary amount of time to recover, the fight resumes and sees Rich achieve another takedown in short order. Rich then takes the back of Rollins and starts to work for a Rear Naked Choke. Rollins defends the submission and Rich ends up on top in mount, working strikes against the cage until the round comes to a close.

RD2: Rollins starts off the round with a punching combination that sees Rich feint for a takedown.  Rich then feints a punch and shoots for a takedown, but is met with the right knee of Rollins, which connected squarely on his jaw, dropping him. Rollins follows Rich to the ground and throws strikes to Rich’s face and body until Referee Todd McGovern steps in to call an end to the bout.

Second Round TKO stoppage win for Chris Rollins, who remains the FNC 145 lbs. Champion.

John Calloway vs. Kris Lewis (265 lbs. MMA bout)

Since both fighters are in possession of solid but closely cropped full beards, I will award Beard Advantage to both fighters, and will also congratulate both fighters for embracing manliness in general and growing beards.

RD1: Calloway lands a kick to the body of Lewis, who responds in kind. Both fighters clinch up and Calloway ends up on top in the front headlock position. Calloway looks to have locked up the arm of Lewis, who is forced to tap due to the fact that his shoulder got dislocated.

First Round TKO stoppage due to injury, win for John Calloway.

Alan Stephenson vs. Dustin Goard (155 lbs. Muay Thai Title  Bout)

I award Beard Advantage to Dustin Goard, who in addition to having a solid full beard, walked out to “Danger Zone”, showing a great sense of style and panache.

RD1: Goard lands a leg kick, but Stephenson responds with one of his own with some punches to follow it. Both fighters begin to exchange hard leg kicks and punches, with Stephenson having the sleight edge in the exchanges, as he is countering well. Goard lands a few hard punches as the round comes to a close, but Stephenson fires back with some hard punches of his own, having done a good job of catching Goard on the end of a lot of his punches.

RD2: Goard lands a series of leg kicks, but Stephenson continues to respond in kind. Stephenson lands a snapping leg kick, then opens up on Goard with a hard series of punches. Stephenson lands a flush uppercut/hook combo that stuns Goard.

RD3: Stephenson almost immediately uncorks a solid barrage of punches that eventually drop Goard. After the fight resumes after the count, Goard lands a kick to Stephenson’s body, then a leg kick, but Stephenson fires back with hard punches and a spinning back kick that barely misses. Stephenson and Goard exchange strikes until the round comes to a close, a round that Stephenson handily won

RD4: Goard misses with a kick, then Stephenson responds with a body kick of his own, then a hard series of punches to the face of Goard. Stephenson is clearly wining on most of the exchanges, and seems to be putting a lot of power on all his strikes without his cardio appearing to be any worse for wear. Stephenson continues to land hard punches until the end of the round, clearly dominating yet another round.

RD5: Stephenson lands a solid combo to the face of Goard, who responds with a flying knee and subsequent spinning back-fist attempts that miss. Goard lands a snapping kick to the body of Stephenson , who responds with an audibly hard body shot of his own, followed by series of jabs. Goard fires back with strikes, but Stephenson catches him with a hard uppercut before both fighters clinch up. The round ends with both fighters throwing strikes up against the cage.

Unanimous Decision victory for Alan Stephenson, who handily dismantled his opponent throughout the fight with his superior striking abilities.

Jon-Taine Hall vs. Dashawn Boatwright (205 lbs. MMA Title )

Beard Advantage most assuredly goes to Dashawn “The 400 lbs. Silverback” Boatwright, who is sporting a great full beard and a Mohawk that is reminiscent of Mr. T.

RD1: Boatwright lands a hard kick to the body of Hall, and he follows it up with a punching combination and a high kick that drops Hall. Hall gets back up to his feet and attempts to clinch with Boatwright, but is easily shucked off. Boatwright lands a leg kick, then throws another kick that is caught by Hall, who then briefly gets him to the canvas. Boatwright almost immediately reverses and ends up on top in mount, then gets back to his feet in short order. Boatwright chases Hall down and begins to clobber him with punches. Hall responds with a takedown attempt against the cage, which Boatwright completely stifles. Both fighters separate, and Boatwright resumes his efforts at successfully stalking Hall and mixing up punches and kicks. Hall throws a leg kick, and is then chased down by Boatwright. Both fighters end up clinched against the cage, reversing position several times until they separate.  Boatwright then throws a barrage of strikes to the head of Hall, dropping him with an extremely hard punch. Boatwright is on top of Hall, landing some short punches before he stands back up. Hall then shoots for and gets a takedown, but Boatwright almost immediately pops back to his feet. Hall throws a few front kicks and jabs to keep Boatwright at a distance. Hall shoots for yet another takedown that Boatwright shrugs off, clearly being the stronger fighter. Hall gets backed up against the cage and is nailed with an audibly hard right hand to the body. Hall throws another kick to the body of Boatwright right before the round comes to a close.

RD2: Both fighters meet in the center, with Boatwright immediately landing a leg kick, then another. Hall throws a series of front kicks to keep Boatwright at a distance. Boatwright lands another hard leg kick, then another. Boatwright then charges Hall with a hard punching combination, with Hall responding with a hard hook of his own. Boatwright then rushes in to throw more punches, but is inadvertently poked in the eye by Hall, who was keeping his jab hand out to keep distance.

After being attended to by the ringside physician, the fight was declared a No Contest due to an inadvertent eye poke by Hall to the eye of Boatwright. Up until the eye-poke, it was a fight that Boatwright was handily winning, having dropped his opponent several times in the space of the first round alone. I look forward to checking out their rematch, which will be taking place at the next Fight Night Challenge on March 29th in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Simply put, the guys at Fight Night Challenge put on an absolutely great show. The night’s card was full of quality and exciting fights, and I greatly look forward to covering their shows in the future.

Barbarian Fight Club: Domination

Posted by :jcastle On : October 25, 2013
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Category: Beard Advantage, Doombeard Exclusive, Fighting Style

An Explanation of Beard Advantage: Upon reading this article, you will notice that I preface some fight’s play-by-play by noting which fighter possessed a superior amount/style of facial hair. This is part of an ongoing research project that I am undertaking, in which I am documenting the overall success rate of fighters who possess facial hair versus those that do not. It is my belief that fighters who have facial hair have a much higher rate of victory, and I will be taking the time to document my findings at the Amateur and Professional level in MMA. It is a study that is in keeping with the theme of my website, and is definitely something worth documenting to see if my theory holds any weight in reality.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Ricky Painter vs. Robert Wolfe  (190 lbs. Catchweight)

RD1: Both fighters met in the center of the cage and immediately started winging hard punches. Painter was clipped and fell to the ground on the far side of the cage, and Wolfe followed him to the ground, looking to work hard Ground and Pound almost immediately. Painter tried to recover and get into guard, but Wolfe ended up mounting him and continuing to work short punches. Painter managed to get up and looked to resume his striking against Wolfe, but was dropped again with a hard right hand during an exchange. He toppled to the ground, and Wolfe followed up with one more punch before the referee called a stop to the fight, as Painter was clearly on his way to unconsciousness prior to the stoppage.

Robert Wolfe wins by Knockout at 2:26 in the First Round.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Marty “Mean Man” Doll   vs. Richard “Boomer” Brown (265 lbs.)

RD1: The round began with Doll pumping a jab, then Brown landed a solid punching combination followed by a knee to the face of Doll, who fell to the ground and landed flat on his back. Brown looked to be moving in to follow up with punches on the ground, but the referee called a quick stoppage to the fight, as Doll had rolled over onto his hands and knees and was clearly out of the fight.

TKO Victory for Richard Brown at 0:09 in the First Round.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Albert Ichelson vs. Terry Bartholomew  (145 lbs.)

RD1: Bartholomew pumped two jabs, and then Ichelson landed a series of hard kicks to the body and legs of Bartholomew. Bartholomew then pushed Ichelson up against the cage and took him to the ground, quickly achieving side control. Bartholomew then went for an Anaconda choke that Ichelson rolled out of. Bartholomew then took Ichelson’s back and sunk in a Rear Naked Choke in short order, forcing the tap.

Submission victory via Rear Naked Choke for Terry Bartholemew at 1:16 of First Round.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Chris Cowie vs. Donnie Orr (150 lbs. Catchweight)

Chris Cowie walked out to “Country Boy Can Survive” by Hank Williams Jr., eliciting quite a lot of cheers from the crowd. Cowie also possesses a definitive Beard Advantage, with a solid full beard.

RD1: Orr throws a few punches and a knee, and Cowie responds in kind. Both fighters clinch up and engage in a series of furious scrambles that see them alternating between striking on the ground and exchanging punches and knees in the clinch at a blistering pace. Orr lands a series of looping punches, and Cowie responds with a knee to the chin of Orr, who is briefly dropped. After being on the ground briefly, both fighters return to the feet and commence to throw hard punches and knees in the clinch, keeping an incredibly fast pace until the end of the round, which was certainly a crowd pleaser.

RD2: Cowie reaches with a left hand, and Orr repays him with a hard two-punch combo. Cowie then drops Orr with a hard combination of punches, ending up in the front headlock position as Orr looks to recover. Orr returns to his feet, and they resume exchanging punches, with Orr mixing in a few kicks as well. Orr lands a leg kick after eating a particularly hard punch that seemed to daze him. Cowie backs Orr up against the cage and looks to work knees and punches at close range, but Orr wraps him up and takes him down to the ground, landing in guard. Cowie keeps a closed guard and looks to isolate an arm, as Orr is content to stay on top and work punches and elbows as the round comes to a close.

RD3: In between rounds, Donnie Orr’s corner told the referee that they were throwing in the towel. After expressing some initial disappointment, Chris Cowie fell to the ground and put his hands up in celebration, as the DJ put his song back on. Between the fast paced fight and “A Country Boy Can Survive” by Hank Williams Jr., one could easily tell that the crowd was quite happy due to the deafening level of cheers that filled up the venue.

Chris Cowie wins via TKO (Corner Stoppage) at 0:00 of the Second Round.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

In between fights, the announcer called recently minted Pro MMA fighter Blaine Shutt into the cage to discuss his upcoming pro debut and the rigorous training that it takes to be successful as an MMA fighter. Shutt, who fights out of Pennsylvania, is currently preparing to make his Pro MMA debut against Joshua Aarons at Sherman Cage Rage IV, on December 14 in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Shutt, who had fought for Barbarian Fight Club earlier in his Amateur career, amassed a sterling 11-2 record while bouncing between the Bantamweight and Flyweight weight divisions. Now readying himself for his Pro MMA debut at Flyweight, Shutt is coming into a division that has recently been added to the UFC, and due to a lack of depth therein, its quite possible that Shutt can make his way to the UFC if he can put a good streak together to start his Pro MMA career. Here’s to hoping that we do indeed get to see Blaine Shutt fight in a bigger organization soon!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Jason Hammack vs. “Berserker General” Grant Marrow (205 lbs.)

Props to Grant Marrow for having a truly unique nickname. In the absence of a Beard Advantage for either fighter, I’d tentatively award Marrow the “Swag Advantage” for having a one of a kind (and awesome!) nickname.

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves to start the round with a show of mutual respect and sportsmanship. Hammack lands two leg kicks in response to a jab from Marrow. Marrow then pounces on him with fast and hard punches, dropping Hammack in short order. Marrow is relentless with his strikes on the ground, eventually forcing the referee to intervene and stop the fight with Hammack’s face bleeding profusely.

Grant Marrow wins at 0:27 of the First Round via Submission due to strikes. On a side note, the method in which Marrow achieved such an emphatic victory definitely lives up to his moniker of “Berserker General”, as he most definitely finished his opponent in a way that is reminiscent of a Viking Berserker for sure.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Drew “The Osteotome” Adamson vs. Todd Welle (170 lbs)

Todd Welle has a definitive Beard Advantage, as he has a short Donegal style beard. Conversely, Drew “The Osteotome” Adamson gets some points for having a unique nickname. Based on pre-fight mojo measurables, this should be an interesting fight.

RD1: Welle reaches with a punch and gets countered by Adamson, who hits Welle with a flurry of punches. Welle catches a kick and eventually gets Adamson to the ground. Adamson is working butterfly guard and sweeps Welle, landing on top in the mount position. Welle looks to hold onto Adamson and keep him close, but Adamson is able to posture up and start throwing hard punches to the face of Welle. Welle rolls over and Adamson begins working for a Rear Naked Choke. Welle works hard to defend the choke and protect his neck, and gets out of the submission attempt and ends the round on top of Adamson in half guard.

RD2: Welle reaches with a jab and is countered by Adamson, but both fighters land a few punches in the subsequent exchange. Welle clinches up with Adamson and is shucked off, but is successful at getting him to the ground on his second attempt. Adamson then powers his way out of the front headlock position and ends up on top of Welle in side control. Welle is able to recover his position and get back into guard, briefly looking for a Guillotine choke. Adamson tries to posture up and throw punches from within the guard, but Welle gamely returns fire with punches from the bottom, and then latches onto Adamson’s right arm to attempt an Armbar. Adamson gets up to his feet and successfully defends the submission attempt as the round comes to a close.

RD3: Adamson takes the center of the cage and looks to stalk Welle and set the tempo for the round. Welle lands a snapping kick to Adamson’s body, and then evades Adamson’s retaliatory punches. Adamson backs Welle up against the cage and gets him down to the

ground in short order. Adamson lands on top in guard, but quickly advances his position to half guard and then side mount. Welle explodes up and tries to wrap up his neck, but Adamson deftly jumps to the other side and avoids it. They end up in the front headlock position, with Welle looking for a Power Guillotine choke. Adamson looks to be defending it for a short time, but the referee steps in when he sees that Adamson has lost consciousness in his attempts to defend the choke.

Todd Welle wins by Technical Submission via Power Guillotine Choke in the Third Round.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Andy “Tank” Knopp vs. Casey Woodburn ( 265 lbs.)

Casey Woodburn has a slight Beard Advantage, as he is sporting a short goatee.

RD1: Knopp almost immediately ties up with Woodburn, locking up a head/arm choke that he uses to throw Woodburn to the ground. Woodburn keeps scrambling to improve his position, eventually getting on top in guard. Woodburn starts to rain down thunderous punches from within the guard, and then lands an elbow that separates Knopp from consciousness. Woodburn follows up with another few punches before the referee steps in to stop the fight due to Knopp’s lack of consciousness. Barbarian Fight Club CEO Matt “The Barbarian” Douglas, a Professional MMA fighter himself, even steps into the cage to help revive Knopp, who returns to his feet after a few minutes.

Casey Woodburn wins by Knockout at 1:11 in the First Round.

Eric Newton vs. Chris Harris (135 lbs.)

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves to start the round. Newton wings two hard right hands to Harris, who latches onto his neck in response. Newton pushes for and gets a takedown against the cage. Newton then gets up to his feet and looks to throw some air to ground punches, but Harris lands an up-kick to his face for his troubles. After a brief scramble, both fighters end up on the ground again with Newton looking for a Guillotine choke. Harris defends the submission attempt and briefly gets top position in mount, before both fighters return to their feet. Harris is rushing in for takedowns from long distance, and Newton lands two hard right hands that wobble Harris. The round ends with Newton on top in the front headlock position.

RD2: Harris comes in with a jab but eats a hard counter punch from Newton. Newton then lands another combination that leaves Harris wobbling towards the cage wall. Newton pounces on him and both fighters end up on the ground. The referee separates the fighters due to a seemingly inadvertent but illegal knee to Newton’s head by Harris. The ringside doctor attends to Newton for several minutes, and said that he suffered a stinger from the illegal knee, and has largely lost feeling in his left arm and leg.

Eric Newton wins by DQ due to an illegal knee to the head from Harris.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Charlie “Kevlar” Knuteson vs. Shawn Joffe   (150 lbs. Catchweight)

RD1: Knuteson throws a kick, but Joffe catches it and throws him to the ground. Knuteson returns to his feet and is taken down again, but quickly returns to his feet and achieves a takedown of his own against the cage. Knuteson tries to posture up to throw punches from mount, but Joffe rolls over, allowing Knuteson to take his back. Knuteson begins to work for a Rear Naked Choke, but Joffe defends it fiercely, rolling from side to side and doing his best to protect his neck. Joffe reverses and ends the round on top of Knuteson, throwing hard air to ground punches. In between rounds, Joffe looks very amped up after finishing the round on a good note, whereas Knuteson is looking a bit exhausted from his efforts.

RD2: Both fighters touch gloves to start the round. Joffe is visibly very pumped to resume the fight after a strong finish in the opening round, treating the crowd to a loud “Woooo” that is reminiscent of old school Ric Flair. Joffe starts landing hard punches, with Knuteson ending up on the ground in short order, continuing to eat hard punches and elbows from Joffe. After a solid bit of ground and pound, Joffe ends up taking the back of Knuteson and starts looking for a Rear Naked Choke. After defending the first attempt, Knuteson eventually succumbs to the second submission attempt and is forced to tap out due to a fully sunk-in Rear Naked Choke from Joffe.

Shawn Joffe wins by Submission via Rear Naked Choke at 1:12 of the Second Round. The announcer mentioned it as a great candidate for Fight of the Night, as the fight showcased many spirited exchanges from both fighters. Check out my post-fight interview with Shawn!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Brandon “Skyscraper” Mason vs. Robert Brown  (170 lbs.)

RD1: Brown pumps a jab, and then Mason responds in kind with a punch and a snapping kick. Mason gets a takedown against the cage, stepping over the legs of Brown, then gets into mount and begins raining down hard punches. It appeared as if the referee was telling Brown to defend himself, and then stopped the fight right afterwards.

Brandon Mason wins by TKO (Referee Stoppage) at 1:07 in the First Round.

Brown seemed very unhappy with the stoppage, intimating that it was premature, and a point that has some merit. However, the referee is in there to ensure fighter safety, and he made the decision that he though was prudent, regardless of anyone else’s opinion.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Will “The Warrior” Warrick vs. Thomas Smith (135 lbs.)

This fight has no clear beard advantage, as both fighters are sporting closely cropped beards of even stature. Therefore, I will award Beard Advantage to both fighters, given that they are both awesome enough to know that a beard makes a man even more awesome and manly!

RD1: Both fighters advance to the center of the cage, with Warrick refusing to touch gloves, eliciting some boos from the crowd. Warrick lands a snapping leg kick, followed by a hard punch. Smith ends up on the ground with Warrick on top. Smith gets back to his feet, but is quickly taken down again, with Warrick landing hard punches and elbows. After some particularly hard elbows and punches land, the ref stops the fight due to Smith being rocked from absorbing so many hard blows.

Will Warrick wins by TKO in the First Round. The fight was truly a great performance by Warrick, who controlled the action from start to finish. Never underestimate a guy with good wrestling and a red beard, that’s all I’m saying!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Bouasone “Bolo” Phonhsavath vs. Matt Skibicki (140 lbs. Catchweight)

RD1: Skibicki lands a leg kick, and then Phonhsavath responds with a Superman punch that lands flush. Skibicki clinches up and gets a takedown, and quickly gets into half guard, working short strikes to the head and body of Phonhsavath. Phonhsavath is doing a solid job of keeping Skibicki from passing his guard, and eventually gets him into full guard and starts throwing his legs up, probing for a possible submission attempt. Phonhsavath kicks Skibicki off of him, but Skibicki returns to the ground and ends up taking Phonhsavath’s back, then moving to mount, then to back control again due to Phonhsavath rolling over. The referee steps in and calls a TKO stoppage right before the end of the round, as Phonhsavath was lying prone on the ground and absorbing strikes and not defending himself intelligently.

Matt Skibicki wins by TKO via vicious Ground And Pound at 2:58 of the First Round. Check out my post-fight interview with Matt!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Louie Buttice vs. Randy Ruger (230 lbs. Catchweight)

Buttice has a definitive Beard Advantage, sporting a very solid goatee to accompany his Mohawk.

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves. Buttice throws a kick, but eats a few punches in response. Ruger is stalking Louie with a smile on his face. Buttice looks to work combinations, but Ruger responds in kind with combinations of his own. Both fighters end up clinched against the cage, with Buttice getting a trip takedown. Ruger reverses and ends up on top, and lands a few punches before Buttice explodes up with a reversal of his own that sees him land on top in guard, working short strikes to the face of Ruger. Buttice pushes Ruger to wall of the cage right in front of his corner, and continues to follow the advice of his coach, Matt “The Barbarian” Douglas. The round comes to a close with Buttice on top landing short strikes, with Ruger gamely smiling back at him and laughing. Serious man points for both fighters!

RD2: Ruger paws out with a jab, then eats an inside leg kick from Buttice. Buttice misses with a kick, and then lands a hard jab. Ruger is still smiling at him, and then punches Buttice in the face. Both fighters are exchanging very hard punches, with Ruger continually backing Buttice against the cage. Buttice throws a probing leg kick, but Ruger responds with more hard punches. Ruger throws a jab, and is then taken down by Buttice, who ends up on top in side control, working strikes to the body of Ruger. Ruger achieves half guard, and the round ends with Buttice belting Ruger’s body with hard punches, to which Ruger responds with a smile.

RD3: Both fighters are showing the effects of the strain of the first two rounds. Buttice lands a leg kick, then a body kick and a jab. Buttice throws a knee, and then Ruger clinches up and throws him away. Buttice gamely attempts a flying knee, but Ruger avoids it. Ruger backs Buttice up against the cage and is probing with jabs. Buttice responds in kind. After a brief separation due to a groin strike suffered by Buttice, both fighters resume their striking attempts, with Buttice attempting several head kicks in the process. The round ends with both fighters winging hard punches against the cage, ending a very entertaining and back and forth fight.

Louie Buttice wins by Unanimous Decision with 30-27 scores from all judges. Upon hearing the result of the fight, there was quite a bit of cheering from the crowd who came out in force to support their hometown favorite.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Winslow Wells vs. Stephen McBride (Defending BFC HW Champ)  (BFC 265 lbs. Title)

Wells has Beard Advantage with a closely cropped full beard.

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves to begin the round. McBride throws a right hand that sees Wells clinch up with him against the cage. McBride reverses and seems to be reaching for a single leg, but both fighters are working short knees to each others legs against the cage. McBride works a few short punches to the body of Wells. They then separate, and McBride drops Wells during a punching exchange on the break. McBride postures up over a grounded Wells and lands another two punches to his face before the referee steps in to stop the fight. As McBride walks away and throws his arms up in celebration, Wells returns to his feet and immediately starts protesting the referee stoppage.

Stephen McBride, wins by TKO at 1:49 of the First Round, successfully defending his BFC Championship. Wells asked for a rematch, which Stephen McBride immediately accepted, showing a great amount of gameness and respect for his opponent.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Courtney “Damned Queen” Belcher vs. Krystal Cofone (BFC Female Heavyweight Title)

RD1: Cofone throws some punches to start the round, but eats some counter shots in return from Belcher. Cofone then reverses position in a subsequent clinch and starts blasting Belcher with elbows and knees. Belcher responds with punches and a knee of her own. Cofone then pushes Belcher up against the cage and looks to work more knees to the body of her opponent. Belcher then drops down for a takedown and gets it, landing on top in half guard, postured up and landing short strikes to the head of Cofone. Cofone is scrambling well on bottom to try and mitigate the ground and pound of Belcher as the round comes to a close.

RD2: Cofone lands a leg kick, and then Belcher closes the distance with punches to back her up against the cage. Cofone turns Belcher, backing her up against the cage and looking to land more strikes in the clinch. Belcher reaches for a leg, but is backed off by a knee to the head. Cofone then catches Belcher with a punch and then unloads on her with a fast bit of strikes. Belcher then gets a slamming takedown and after fending off a brief Omaplata attempt, gets on top in side control and starts working Ground and Pound. Belcher briefly attempts to begin an Armlock of some sort, but Cofone scrambles around well and avoids it. The rounds ends with Belcher on top of Cofone, landing short punches from side control against the cage.

RD3: Cofone throws a leg kick to start the round, but Belcher again closes the distance and pushes her to the cage. Cofone reverses position and then uncorks a serious barrage of knees to the body, and punches and elbows to the head. After relentlessly landing a long and hard series of unanswered strikes to Belcher against the cage, the referee starts paying even closer attention to the action, calling a stoppage to the action once it becomes clear that Belcher has taken more damage than she can recover from.

Krystal Cofone wins by TKO (Referee Stoppage) at 0:54 in the Third Round, becoming the new BFC Women’s Heavyweight Champion.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Chris “The Rocket” Rollins vs. Irvin “Nic” Nicholas (BFC 145 lbs. Title)

Nicholas has the Beard Advantage for sure, sporting a short but full beard, whereas his opponent has no facial hair of any kind.

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves to begin the fight with a show of respect. Rollins lands a jab to start the round. Nicholas is throwing some probing kicks, but Rollins closes the distance with some punches in return. Nicholas then ties him up and lands a slamming takedown, ending up on top in half guard. Rollins recovers position and gets back into full guard, but Nicholas postures up and lands some strikes, then returns to his feet, allowing Rollins to get back up. Nicholas throws some probing kicks again, then Rollins lands a punch combination that drops Nicholas. After a brief scramble on the ground, both fighters return to their feet, then Nicholas ends up on top in half guard as the round ends.

RD2: Rollins takes the center of the cage, but Nicholas shoots for and lands a slamming takedown, ending up on top in side control. Rollins is trying to hold onto the head of Nicholas, but doesn’t have anything from there. Both fighters return to their feet, then Rollins clips Nicholas with a flurry of punches, dropping him again. Rollins follows Nicholas to the ground and is truly relentless with his Ground and Pound, eventually forcing the referee to call an end to the fight.

Chris Rollins wins by TKO (Referee Stoppage) at 1:04 of the Second Round, becoming the new BFC 145 lbs. Champion. Check out my post-fight interview with Chris.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Eddie “Shuperman” Shupe vs. Robert Watley (BFC 155 lbs. Title)

Robert Watley has Beard Advantage, sporting a well-trimmed mustache and a “Poets Beard”.

RD1: The fight begins with both fighters touching gloves as a sign of mutual respect. Both fighters kick at the same time, with Watley catching the leg of Shupe, tripping him to the ground. Shupe latches onto the leg of Watley, attempting a leg lock. While his opponent avoids the submission attempt, it allows Shupe to get top position and work some Ground and Pound. Watley then gets back to his feet and works some good kicks, and then Shupe takes him to the ground again. Shupe has a front headlock in a standing position against the cage. Watley attempts to lift him up for a takedown, but Shupe has great balance and stays on his feet. Shupe then drops down for a Guillotine choke, but Watley defends it well. Shupe stays on top as the round comes to a close.

RD2: The round starts with both fighters looking to establish distance. Watley lands a head kick that briefly drops Shupe, but Shupe recovers and looks for a single leg takedown. Watley returns to his feet and subsequently drops Shupe with a left hand. After a brief scramble, Watley ends up on top and begins to rain down hard punches and elbows once he gets fully postured up. Shupe covers up as Watley relentlessly pounds him with hard punches and elbows, forcing the referee to stop the fight.

Robert Watley wins by TKO (Referee Stoppage) in the Second Round, becoming the new BFC Lightweight Champion. Check out my post-fight interview with Robert!

My Findings regarding Beard Advantage: Upon reading this article, you will notice that I preface each fight’s play-by-play by noting which fighter possessed a superior amount of facial hair. After comparing the results of the fights, I found that the fighters who possessed Beard Advantage came out victorious 75% of the time. Yes, I realize that a lot more goes into winning a fight than the mere presence of facial hair, but the aforementioned statistic is still worth some serious consideration. Feel free to express your opinions on the fights or the subject of a Beard Advantage on The Doombeard Report’s Facebook page.

Thanks to Jessica Foster Photography for the permission to use these photos.