Doombeard Exclusive Archives - Page 2 of 2

Head Butts & Shoddy Refereeing is a Bad Combination

Posted by :jcastle On : May 13, 2014

Category: Bellator, Doombeard Exclusive, Fight Recap, Referee

Bellator 119 took place last Friday, May 9 2014 at the Casino Rama in Rama Ontario Canada. An otherwise very entertaining card was marred by the actions of what seemed to be a particularly befuddled referee. While the rest of the card was largely well officiated, sometimes one badly officiated fight is enough to put a bad taste in ones mouth.

The fight in question was the first bout on the evening’s main card, a heavyweight matchup between an undefeated Raphael Butler and longtime MMA standout Nick “The Slim Shady of MMA” Rossborough.

The fight started out in the first round being very entertaining, with both fighters mixing it up on both the ground and the feet for the first half of the opening round. At the 2:23 mark of the first round, Nick Rossborough nailed Raphael Butler with a left hook that sent Butler toppling to the floor. Rossborough then followed him to the ground, and almost immediately took Butler’s back and began to work for a Rear Naked Choke. Rossborough quickly got both hooks in and put Butler belly up, still jockeying for good hand/arm position.

At the :54 second mark in the first round, Butler tilted his head forward and then slammed it back into the jaw of Rossborough, and you could see immediately that he was at least dazed from it. I was pretty astounded, as I haven’t seen an intentional head butt in quite some time. The referee stopped the fight immediately, separated the fighters, and called in the ringside physician to take a look at Rossborough, then took a point from Butler for the intentional head butt.

What followed was where I, as well as many others, have a problem.

Upon ensuring that both fighters were ok to continue, the referee then made it clear that he was going to restart the fight in a standing position. This was immediately met with questioning from Rossborough, as well as the loud protests of his corner man, longtime UFC veteran Demarques Johnson.

Despite deducting a point from Butler; this effectively rewarded him for committing the foul, as the fact that Rossborough had previously taken his back, had hooks in, and was working for a Rear Naked Choke most certainly meant that he was in a precarious position. By standing the fighters back up, that still negated the previously good position that Rossborough had achieved before what was an obvious foul occurred.

Bellator commentator Jimmy Smith repeatedly voiced his disagreement with this decision.

The next two rounds that followed were very back and forth rounds, but the fight ended up being declared a Majority Draw.

I feel that this was a bit unfair in the end, as Rossborough certainly could have said he wasn’t able to continue the fight after he was fouled, some guys have certainly said they were unable to continue for less (a la Josh Diekmann vs. Manny Lara), yet he did continue in a fight where he was obviously never able to fully recover from a flagrant foul.

I was able to get a statement from Nick Rossborough (who I will be having a more in depth interview with later this week) on his thoughts on the ref’s decision to stand them back up after the foul that left him quite dazed as a result.

“I don’t remember the fight after that. I went into auto pilot mode. After watching the fight myself, the ref looked like he didn’t know much about the basics when it came to reffing. There’s a huge issue with reffing lately and them not knowing much,” Rossborough said.

He went on to question the licensing and education processes of athletic commissions at large, going on to say that referee’s need to be better prepared for officiating professional MMA bouts and should ideally have some level of expertise in the various disciplines that comprise Mixed Martial Arts. His sentiments certainly have merit, as many often echo them, but under these circumstances they are especially warranted.

I have seen some remarks online stating that it wasn’t a big deal that they were stood back up due to the fact that there was less than a minute left in the round, but I wholeheartedly disagree, since Rossborough could have very well finished the fight with a Rear Naked Choke if he had been placed back in the position he was in before the foul.

Seeking the opinion of a professional referee whose experience was definitely beyond question, I was able to speak with longtime MMA referee Mike King, who has been refereeing MMA bouts for the better part of a decade at both the amateur and professional levels. Upon me describing the sequence of events surrounding the foul to him, he immediately took issue with the way it was handled.

“That’s practically rewarding the one fighter for committing the foul. If both guys were OK to continue, I would have returned them to the exact position that they were in before the foul, and had them resume the fight from there. The fighter who was fouled should not be in a sense penalized for being fouled,” King said.

Referee Mike King went on to elaborate that while it may have been hard to place Rossborough’s arms in the exact position that the were in before the foul, he would have at least allowed him to resume with under-hooks as well as allowing him to regain the hooks he had in with his legs. He again stressed the fact it was very wrong that the referee in this particular bout returned the fighters to a standing position, as this could have potentially caused Nick Rossborough to have subsequently lost the bout due to a greater susceptibility to strikes after having been head butted, a point which I definitely agree with. King also said that while no referee has made it through their career without having made mistakes, that such a glaring such as this particular instance should really be examined, and that maybe this particular referee should have some remediation in regards to the rules that he should be enforcing.

While I do agree with the fact that referees are often only spoken of when they screw up yet seldom praised for being on the ball, that still does not take away from the fact that subpar refereeing like the stuff mentioned above should really not be occurring at such a high level as it did last Friday. I definitely hope that Ontario’s Athletic Commission at least reminds that particular referee about the rules of MMA and maybe puts him through some remedial training to make sure that he hopefully doesn’t err in such fashion again.

Fight Night Challenge Play-by-Play

Posted by :jcastle On : March 30, 2014

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)

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.)

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.)

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)

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)

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

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 29^th 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Richmond Rumble Media

Posted by :jcastle On : October 2, 2013

Category: Doombeard Exclusive, Fighting Style, Richmond Rumble

Tags:Doombeard Exclusive, Fights, Interviews, Mike Wade, MMA, Nah-Shon Burrell, Richmond Rumble

I’ve got the best pre-fight and post-fight interviews from the Richmond Rumble up on my YouTube channel. Plus, I’ve got some of the best fights and TKOs from the event!

Cristian Rodriguez vs. Arthur Parker

Umit Yilmaz vs. Chris “The Magi” McNeil

Keyon Williams vs. Louis Johnson

Diego Peclat vs. Emmanuel Walo

Mike Wade vs. Nah-Shon Burrell

Interview with “Filthy” Tom Lawlor

Posted by :jcastle On : August 26, 2013

Category: Doombeard Exclusive, MMA Fighter Profile, Tom Lawlor

The Doombeard Report speaks with Tom Lawlor regarding his recovery from knee surgery, his recent move to the city of Richmond, his MMA career, Pro Wrestling, horrid stenches, declining property values for homeowners in Richmond, and a message to his fans.

Q&A with Mike Wade

Posted by :jcastle On : August 21, 2013

Category: Doombeard Exclusive, Fighting Style, Mike Wade, MMA Fighter Profile, Richmond Rumble

Question: What brought you to MMA?

Answer: I wrestled my whole life. I was a competitor early on. I found it as an escape from the real world… I controlled my progress in wrestling and no one could stop me but me. When I graduated high school, I had been undefeated in wrestling for two years and I still had my drive. At first I had some personal issues that kept me from taking advantage of a D1 scholarship to VMI and without competition my life fell apart a bit. I felt lost without the goal setting and motivation that the sport brought.

Where did you finish your collegiate wrestling career? Did you graduate? If so, what was your degree?

King University in Bristol, TN. Yeah I graduated with a degree in History and a minor in coaching and secondary education. After moving to Harrisonburg I pursued a Masters Degree in Secondary Education at Liberty University but never finished. I dropped everything when I moved to Richmond to “shoot for the stars” as they say. I can go back to school at any time. I can’t say that about MMA.

Where did you begin your training?

I found a small team in my hometown and began training in Jiu-jitsu. About three weeks into training, I jumped right into MMA competition and never looked back. I met Beau Baker at my first amateur competition and began traveling to Harrisonburg (then Valley Chute Boxe) five or six days a week along with training Jiu-jitsu, Judo, and boxing at VMI and BVFC (gym in my home town). I eventually went back to college to wrestle competitively and to finish my degree. I would continue training MMA in my wrestling off season and competed as well.

When I graduated college I moved to Harrisonburg (at the time had moved to MMA Institute) and began my professional career.

So you had your first MMA fight after only three weeks of training?

Yes sir. I was young and naïve but very motivated. I was an elite athlete already and this carried me through until I began to evolve as a mixed martial artist. I started training at 18… That means I’ve put in almost 10 years.

Your nickname is “Tailor Made”. There is usually a story behind how nicknames come about. What is yours?

No big story—I believe that my life experiences and ventures have “tailored” me perfectly for this sport; I was made for this. Also my style is “tailor-made” for any opponents. Plus it rhymes dude, you know?

My nickname in college was given to me by a kid named Patrick Spano. He called me the “buffet” short for “buffet of manliness”. He said when I fought I would “give them an all-you-can eat” buffet of beat down. He was a trip and I loved that kid. Another dude named Quinton “KB” Brown used to call me M-dot because my signature is M. Wade for everything.

Personally, I think you should use “The Buffet” as a second nickname, that’s pretty awesome. Ever thought of rocking a supplementary nickname like only the best (insert sarcasm here) rappers do?

No thanks, I thought Mike Wade was enough. My dad is Mike Wade too and together we have built somewhat of a badass reputation in our own respects. But I’m sure Patrick Spano will always call me “the Buffet”.

Was your first Amateur MMA fight a Submission loss against Andrew Zai? If so, what did you take away from that fight, and how did it impact your mindset going forward in your career?

Zai was my second and I learned a lot. Sometimes a loss teaches you more than a win. Wait you are right Zai was first… It was a long time ago. Most of my influential fights for me came as a Pro.

After racking up eight Amateur MMA fights in under two years, you finished with a record of 6-2. At what point did you make the move from MMA Institute in Harrisonburg to MMA Institute’s Richmond location?

I competed as an amateur for three years off and on…. I was 8-2 as a few fights were unsanctioned. I had a “difference of opinion” with the current coach in Harrisonburg and had been planning to make the move to Richmond eventually. I moved to Richmond after being in Harrisonburg for a little over a year. I took some time off after my last amateur fight (guy was 10-0 amateur and I TKO’d him) to finish school and finish strong in wrestling

How do you like training under Rick McCoy at MMA Institute, as well as living in the city of Richmond?

The only thing I like about Richmond is the people I’ve met and work with and the gym. I love training at MMAI in Richmond. Rick is a great coach. Lots of coaches teach technique and Rick is one of the best I’ve seen but his devotion to the fighters is what makes him great. I’ll end my career here I’m sure of it. There are always tough guys in the gym and I get better all the time. Now if I could just stay a little more active then my career would be perfect.

You happen to be a part of an experienced group of fighters at MMAI. You train daily with guys like Terrell Hobbs, Brian Nielson, Donny Ooton, and Keith Bell. MMAI has also recently added UFC fighter Tom “Filthy” Lawlor to its roster. How do you feel about the level of training that you get in the gym from your teammates?

We are getting better all the time. We are one of the best and it’s time to show the world. With the addition of the new equipment and space that Rick is working on, we will have everything we need to compete with any gym and any level of fighters. I’m glad to do my part in proving our worth in the overall MMA scene.

Tom Lawlor joined an already successful and experienced team and he will only add to the stable of badasses we already had. I’m excited to work with him to prepare him for his UFC fights and to get my ass in there.

Tom Lawlor has established himself as a very entertaining fighter with a colorful personality. How have you found your experiences training and interacting with him so far.

He is still recovering from knee surgery so he hasn’t been training so far but he is definitely a character. He is a great guy and fun to be around. He will make a great fit here in Richmond and is already making friends. Last conversation I had with him is how he can sneak in the UFC fighter thing to get girls…his ideas are funny!

Since beginning your Professional MMA career in November of 2010, you have only logged six fights that appear on your record. Given your statement on how you’d like to fight more often, what do you think is the reason for you having trouble getting fights?

Since the beginning of my career I’ve been taking really tough fights against tough guys. I believe I’ve accrued too much “street cred”. Fighters just won’t take fights against me. I’ve beaten fighters that have competed for all the “big” shows. There are some political issues as well but mainly fighters just won’t put their name on the dotted line versus Mike Wade. I don’t even think I’m that scary. I have holes in my game but I’ve proven to be tough and fearless. I guess that’s scary to some.

The first opponent that has “big show” experience that you beat was recent World Series of Fighting competitor Ozzy Dugulubgov. What are your thoughts on the outcome of that fight, and what it meant to you?

Beating Ozzy D. was huge for me mentally because I went in not knowing how I could beat him and I found a way. I think he looked good and the more he wins the better I look. He is a pretty good guy actually and I wish him the best. However, WSOF currently employs two fighters I’ve beaten and several “forfeit” wins (meaning they wouldn’t fight me so to me I won without even touching them). So no matter how nice they are I believe it should be me in there. McCray competed for WSOF directly after I beat him. Granted he took a tough fight and lost a split decision but I’m still a bit envious. Same with Chris Mierzwiak and Bellator, he had competed for Strikeforce before I fought him. Mike Winters was M-1/Strikeforce and Bellator vet. McCray won on Bellator before I fought him on top of TUF/UFC and went to WSOF right after. I think I’m ready to shine in the “big” shows myself soon… It’s my time. My turn…but it’ll come soon enough. As long as I’m active I’m happy.

Your most recent fight was a victory in CFFC against former TUF Runner-Up Kris McCray. After surviving adversity earlier in the fight, you came back and dominated him in the third round, doing enough for the judges to award you the Split Decision. What are your thoughts on that fight, and what it means for your career going forward?

It was a great fight. With every storm you survive you get stronger. My confidence has skyrocketed since. I specifically remember McCray having a tough fight with top 20 Welterweight John Hathaway in the UFC. Just shows me what level I’m on and how close I am to achieving my goals. I had 28 days to prepare for the McCray fight. I like to think about the fight had I prepared a full 8-10 weeks. Not to take anything away from McCray because I highly respect the guy and he is one tough SOB. In fact I think McCray is more well rounded and tougher mentally than my upcoming opponent.

I actually believe that I am a much better fighter since the McCray fight as well. My stand up has improved three fold and I am making leaps and bounds since starting with Danny Clark and Spartan Nutrition Systems.

Your next scheduled fight is a recently announced match-up against recent UFC and Strikeforce veteran Nah-Shon Burrell. What are your thoughts on how you are going to train with MMAI’s sterling team of Pro’s to prepare for this fight?

Actually nothing will change. My cardio will be phenomenal and I’ll be ready where ever the fight goes…..as far as game plan goes I do have one but he doesn’t scare me in any discipline. He is a tough guy but I’m much tougher…bigger and stronger and I guarantee you I want it more. I can’t wait.

If you had to make a prediction for how the fight will go, what would it be?

TKO win for me. First or second round depending on how quick I break him mentally. I just want the W and I feel I’m well rounded enough to stop him a number of ways. I sure do miss those TKO wins though. I will however (like always) be prepared mentally and physically for a 15 minute war.

Do you have another occupation besides fighting?

I bounce in a few bars and though I love the people I work with I am not a fan of bouncing. At Metro Grill and Society (previously Lucky Buddha). Soon I will be working for Rick at the gym with one of the new programs that will be offered.

Given that I have met my fair share of bouncers who claim to “fight UFC” and enjoy their jobs, what makes you not like being a bouncer?

I don’t have anything to prove. I literally spend all day beating up guys that know what they are doing. I have no desire to pick on drunken, wanna-be-tough-guys. I am good at it but I’d like to think of myself as a nice guy and I don’t like the drama involved. The bouncers that claim to “fight UFC” have already lost the intimidation battle in the eyes of anyone who knows anything about the sport.

How would you assess the state of your career at the present time? Where do you see your career going in the next few years?

Present time it’s hard to say… I have definitely made some noise and proven my worth in the sport. I would definitely like to fight for the UFC and that is my goal. Once I’m there my goals will obviously adapt and career goal is to become world champ or die trying.

What is your favorite method to end a fight?

By far TKO and I can’t really explain why. I haven’t ended a fight like this as a Pro (I was close several times) but had a few as an amateur. In the end though my goal is to win and I don’t care how it happens.

If you could fight anyone, whether they are currently active or retired, who would it be, and why?

Definitely GSP because it’s my goal to be world champ. Outside of that, all fights lead to that.

The career of a professional fighter can be an arduous one. Between the rigorous daily training, fights, the fights that don’t happen, and injuries..Some would consider such a career path a daunting one. What inspires you to be a fighter?

There is in fact a lot of B.S. that people don’t hear about and there is most definitely more to it than meets the eye. I fight because it is something that makes my family, my friends, and most importantly myself proud. The key in fighting is self-development and I feel like a stronger overall person with every obstacle I overcome…..and there aren’t too many obstacles worse than get punched or eating a knee on the button.

Fighting is my chance to make a mark and be remembered for something I think.

Would you like to thank anyone who has or is currently helping you in your career as a fighter?

Wow yes… The list is pretty long. A lot of people have and still do believe in me. I’ll stick to the current and all others know how I feel: MMA Institute, Rick McCoy, Pete Hatcher, GX Supplements, Rac-e-tol-ogy (Mike Cheatham, Mike Cullather, Shane, and the rest), Kevin Knight and other trainers at Crossfit Midlo, Jeff Evans and Fluid Fightworx, Beverly and the fam over at Investors Land Co. (a brand new sponsor), Metro Grill, and I can’t forget you and your site man. Appreciate your time.

Also my striking trainers John Ward, Tiger, and Dave S. over at MMAI for the extra work over the last few months.

Mike Wade First Fighter to Join The Doombeard Legion

Posted by :jcastle On : August 16, 2013

Category: Doombeard Exclusive, Mike Wade, MMA Fighter Profile, MMA Institute, Sponsorships

The Doombeard Report is proud to announce it’s official sponsorship of professional MMA fighter Mike “Tailor Made” Wade. Mike Wade fights out of MMA Institute in Richmond, VA, and has an overall professional record of 4-2. He holds victories over WSOF vet Ozzy Dugulubgov, Strikeforce/Bellator vet Chris Mierzwiak, and UFC vet/TUF Season 11 runner-up Kris McCray. Wade is currently preparing for his September 28 fight against another big-show vet, Nah-Shon Burrell (formely of UFC/Strikeforce) at the Richmond Rumble.

Mike Wade has become renowned for his otherworldly toughness and his highly-developed grappling abilities that he crafted while he put together a very successful high school and collegiate wrestling career. Wade’s accomplishments and victories over top competition in MMA have caused more than a few potential opponents (who shall remain unnamed) to refuse to take a fight against him due to a lack of confidence in their ability to achieve victory. The aforementioned facts make Mike Wade the perfect fighter to be the first to join the Doombeard Legion, which encompasses The Doombeard Report’s sponsored fighters.

Going forward, The Doombeard Report will be conducting regular interviews with Mike Wade, showcasing some technique videos, and giving viewers a greater glimpse into his personality and lifestyle. Along the way, we will also be doing our best to provide some funny and enjoyable content as well. The Doombeard Report is greatly looking forward to showcasing all of the awesomeness that Mike Wade has to offer, and is glad to be supporting him in his endeavors as his career continues to progress.

Victorium II Play-by-Play

Posted by :jcastle On : August 14, 2013

Category: Doombeard Exclusive, Fighting Style, MMA Fighter Profile, Training, Victorium

Tags:fight reviews, fighter profiles, Fighting Styles, MMA, Victorium

Originally planned to be held in an outdoor pavilion, The Victorium II was moved inside to a smaller venue at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds. After various factors (such as a tardy, goofy, and utterly unprofessional Fire Marshall) caused delays in the start of the event, Victorium President and Emcee Giovanni Lemm kicked off the event with a lively speech where he thanked all the fans for their patience and support. After a rousing rendition of the National Anthem by Isabelle Lemm, Giovanni Lemm’s daughter, the event officially kicked off at 8 p.m. Please enjoy the play-by-play of every single fight, from one of the more exciting local events I have seen in a long time.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Jojo Stringfield vs. Nathan Miller (145lbs)

RD1: Both fighters touched gloves, and begin gauging each other for distance. Stringield is keeping a stance with his hands very low. A brief exchange sees both fighters battling in the clinch. Nathan Miller landed a flush head kick that dropped Stringfield. After a brief ground exchange, Miller allowed Stringfield to get back up. Miller then almost immediately floored him with a hard right hand, and Springfield was down for the count. The ref mercifully waved off the fight as Stringfield lay on the canvas.

Quick first round TKO victory for Nathan Miller. Check out my post-fight interview with JoJo Stringfield on Facebook.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Soslan Abanakov vs. Shelby “Shogun” Graham (145lbs)

RD1: Gauging distance, Graham throws a few probing kicks, eats a few punches, then lands a spinning back-fist right on the button. Abanakov then gets a takedown after eating the punch, and lands in side control and starts working to improve his position. Graham is holding onto a Guillotine from half guard, but he looks to be holding position more than working for a submission. Abanakov is grappling well and achieves mount. Graham rolls out and gets back up. Both guys are measuring distance again. Graham lands a leg kick, then misses with another head kick, but connects with a punch. Abanakov ducks under a punch and gets another takedown and immediately lands in guard, with Graham working for a Guillotine. Abanakov handily passes his guard and goes between side control and North South, all while looking to land hard punches. He has a North-South Choke if he wants it, but doesn’t take it. Graham gets back up, then Abanakov goes for another takedown but Graham reverses him and lands on top right before the round ends, landing a few punches.

RD2: Both fighters begin the round by circling to establish their range. Both fighters exchange missing punches, Graham lands a few kicks, but is really telegraphing them. Abanakov is clearly looking to use his superior grappling skills to smother his opponent. Graham goes for a wild Superman punch, but is taken down at the end of it. Abanakov immediately drops back for an Ankle Lock, but Graham seems to defend it well enough to fend it off. Abanakov gets back into Graham’s guard, but isn’t striking with much power or frequency. Graham is keeping his guard wide open, and is gamely throwing short punches and elbows from the bottom position. It is clear at this point that Abanakov is a very skilled grappler who is looking to use positional control to win the fight. Graham deftly reverses and gets on top, fends off a good Armbar attempt, and then lands a thunderous air-to-ground punch. Abanakov then reverses and gets on top in to mount again, staying tight in the top position until the end of the round.

RD3: Both fighters touch gloves, then start gauging distance. Graham throws a telegraphed kick, then another. Both fighters are showing the signs of two rounds of solid grappling, breathing quite heavily from their exertion. Graham goes for a spinning back kick when he is backed up against the cage, but is quickly clinched and pushed against the cage by Abanakov. Abanakov goes for a Suplex of sorts but it is deflected, and he ends up on his butt. Graham goes for a wild spinning air-to-ground punch, but after a subsequent scramble Abanakov eventually gets on top and works ground and pound. Graham reverses and ends up in mount raining down hard punches, knowing that he might be behind on the scorecards as the round ends.

The judges scored a Unanimous Decision for Soslan Abanakov, who used a smothering grappling game to achieve victory. Shelby Graham was clearly disappointed in the result of the fight, as he surely felt that he was the aggressor in the fight. Check out my post-fight interview with Shelby Graham on Facebook!

After that fight, Giovanni Lemm graciously brought 135lb fighter Marcus Daniels and 170lb. fighter Brad Mountain into the ring to talk to them in front of the crowd, as both of them had opponents pull out of their fights at the last minute. Mountain’s opponent pulled out on the day of weigh-ins, notifying promoter Giovanni Lemm by e-mail that very morning.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Angel Ortiz vs. Dusty Shaw (170lbs)

RD1: Both fighters begin the fight by circling and gauging distance. Ortiz is the shorter fighter (5’6”), and trying to find range he lands a leg kick. Shaw lands a leg kick in response. Both fighters seem to be taking their time while trying to find range. Shaw wings an overhand right, but it’s blocked. Shaw lands a really hard leg kick. Shaw then pounces on Ortiz, throwing a flurry of hard punches that drop Ortiz and have him turtled up against the cage on the ground. Shaw then takes his back and gets both hooks while looking for a Rear Naked Choke. Ortiz seems to be fighting it, but he is stretched out and eventually succumbs to the choke.

First round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) victory for Dusty Shaw at the (2:59) mark. Watch my interview with Dusty Shaw after his submission finish!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Joe Hipps vs. Cris Rodriguez (125 lbs)

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves. Hipps feints for a takedown. Rodriguez presses him up against the cage in the clinch, looking to establish under-hooks and work some clinch strikes. Rodriguez gets a big slam takedown and lands in side control. Hipps tries to throw up his legs for some type of submission, but Rodriguez easily shucks them off and gets into mount. Rodriguez lands elbows and punches from the top with increasing frequency, causing Hipps to roll over and gives his back. Rodriguez handily takes Hipps’ back and immediately sinks in a Rear Naked Choke and forces the stoppage by the referee. Hipps tried to deny that he tapped, but it seemed clear he submitted either by tap or verbal submission, forcing Referee Todd McGovern to step in and do his job.

First round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) victory for Cris “Sugar Glider” Rodriguez at the (2:07) mark.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Craig “C-Machine” Yerkey vs. Sam “ The Streetshark” Eure (145lbs, but it’s a 150lbs catch-weight fight)

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves. Yerkey wings an overhand right, but gets clipped on the way in by a hard combo from Eure. Eure immediately pounces on him and hammers him with tons of hard punches from the mount position. Yerkey attempts to roll over and give up his back to mitigate the worst of the incoming damage, but Eure just peels him back and continues to hit Yerkey in the face with numerous hammer-fists. With Yerkey rocked and no longer able to intelligently defend himself, the fight is waved off by Ref Todd McGovern, granting Eure the stoppage victory. Yerkey is bleeding profusely and remained on the ground for several minutes while being attended to by his coaches and the ring physicians. Craig suffered a broken nose that was fountaining blood.

First round victory for Sam Eure by TKO in just 21 seconds. He won exactly how he predicted he would during our weigh-in interview, via hard punches to the head. Check out my post-fight interview with Sam Eure on Facebook!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography.

Jesse McBroom vs. Justin Rodger (185lbs.)

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves and begin gauging distance with punches. Rodger starts pumping a hard jab. McBroom throws a teep kick but it gets caught and he eats a hard punch. Rodger is landing his jab repeatedly. McBroom deftly lands a Superman punch, but Rodger eats it and responds with a hard uppercut. McBroom looks to be winging an overhand right, but keeps missing with it. Rodger then lands a hard uppercut that drops McBroom. Rodger follows him to the ground and after about two dozen hard, unanswered punches on the ground, Referee Todd McGovern steps in and waves off the fight.

First round TKO victory (Strikes) by Justin Rodger at the (1:23) mark. I’ve got post-fight interviews with both Justin and Jesse on my Facebook page – watch them now!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

David Perez vs. Jon “The Scarecrow” Hughes (155lbs.)

RD1: Both fighters respectively touch gloves and begin circling to gauge distance and range. Hughes misses with a leg kick. Both fighters are flicking out jabs to try to gauge distance, as well as exchanging leg kicks. Perez shoots for a takedown and gets one with a big slam. Perez lands in guard, Hughes looks to be throwing his legs up to work for a submission, but Perez is doing his best to keep his opponents legs down. Hughes then uses a guard sweep to great effect to get into mount. Hughes then proceeds to land a flurry of punches until Perez is able to work his way back to his feet. Perez then immediately shoots for, and gets, another takedown. Hughes then sweeps him again, getting on top in side control and starts raining down hard punches. Perez is doggedly trying to get up from the turtle position, but Hughes is holding onto him and forces him back to the ground, where he takes his back and sinks in a Rear Naked Choke, forcing the referee to call an end to the fight. Hughes gets a ton of applause from the crowd of supporters he brought to the show, with many of them sporting Disciple MMA (the home of UFC fighter Dustin Pague) shirts to show their allegiance.

First round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) victory for Jon “The Scarecrow” Hughes. Watch my post-fight interview with Jon on Facebook!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Devin “The Omega” Izzard vs. Devon “The Silverback” Mosley (185lbs)

RD1: Both fighters respectfully touch gloves. Mosley quickly lands a leg kick. Izzard is throwing hard shots, but Mosley briefly clinches with him against the cage. Izzard throws another few hard punches followed by a kick and a successful takedown. Izzard’s takedown also happened to see Mosley get a hold of a Guillotine choke while he was on his way down. Despite landing a hard slamming takedown, Izzard was forced to tap because his takedown caused him to sink deeper into the Guillotine.

First round victory via Submission (Guillotine) for Devon Mosley in front of a huge hometown crowd, including his mother, who cried tears of joy as they announced her son’s victory. A great moment to watch!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

“Ruthless” Joe Ray vs. Tony “Father Time” Horn (Heavyweight)

RD1: Both guys immediately get to work, throwing a flurry of hard punches and elbows. Ray gets Horn up against the cage and is working short knees to the legs. Ray landed an accidental low blow, but Horn easily shook it off. Horn landed a hard leg kick, but Ray pressed him against the cage again and looked to work short punches and knees to the body. Both fighters separate briefly and throw a flurry of punches before Ray pushes Horn up against the cage again. Horn lands a few hard punches to the head of Ray, but Ray keeps him pressed up against the cage. Both fighters have kept a pretty fast pace of action so far, but do not seem to be waning one bit. Horn is winging leg kicks but leaves his head unprotected, Ray pounces on him and throws more hard punches and presses him against the cage to keep working his dirty boxing. Ray gets a leg trip takedown to end the round.

RD2: The round begins with both fighters gauging distance. Both fighters are showing no ill effects from the blistering pace that they set in the first round, and get right back to business. Ray gets a takedown and is postured up and raining down punches on Horn. Despite being mounted, Horn is gamely throwing punches from the bottom. The referee waves off the fight as Horn might be suffering from some sort of rib injury. The injury was quite possibly sustained during the takedown, as Ray is 264 pounds landing on top of him, and that cannot feel pleasant. Ray showed great speed and cardio for a guy of his size, which is very impressive. While I know enough about the sport and have seen more than enough fights to know that you should never judge a book by it’s cover, the crowd didn’t seem to understand such a thing. It therefore brought me great pleasure to watch Ray put up a pace that outstripped that of many lower weight fighters, and make those certain members of the crowd eat their words and maybe come to the realization that being an armchair-fighter is quite silly, to say the least.

Ray wins by TKO due to injury in the second round. Ray graciously offered Horn a rematch when he is healed from his injury, which is a very gentlemanly thing to do. Great post-fight interviews from both Ray and Horn are on the Facebook page!

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

Samir Farid vs. Brian Robey (115 lbs) — First mens Strawweight bout in US MMA History

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves. Farid pumps a jab then lands a leg kick. Robey throws a one-two. Farid lands a snapping kick to the body. Robey misses with a push kick. Farid pushes Robey against the cage, looking to establish under-hooks, and then gets a takedown. Working on the top in guard, Farid moves into side control. Robey is trying to hold onto his head, but it’s not effective. Farid jumps for an Armbar, but Robey gets out and gets back to his feet. Farid pumps fast combos then a hard pair of leg kicks. Robey wings hard punches and backs Farid up against the cage, but Fareed reverses and pushes Robey against the cage where they are exchanging short knee strikes and battling for position within the clinch. Fareed briefly drops down for a takedown but abandons it, getting back up to work some short punches. Robey tries to jump for a standing Guillotine, but slips off. Farid then gets another takedown and ends in back side control as the round ends. Both fighters kept up a very fast pace for the round.

RD2: Farid pumps the jab, with both guys looking to gauge distance. Farid throws a kick then a flying knee to back Robey up against the cage, where they clinch. They separate then Robey rushes Farid and tries to clinch up, but is taken down by Farid who lands in side control again. Robey then rolls over, then Farid takes his back. Farid throws some punches and then goes for a Rear Naked Choke. He quickly stretches Robey out and sinks it in.

Second round Submission (Rear Naked Choke) victory (2:25) for Samir Fareed.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Foster Photography

John “Cage” Attia vs. Matt “The Barbarian” Douglas (Heavyweight), Co-Main Event

RD1: Both fighters touch gloves. Douglas lands a hard leg kick, and then another. Douglas pumps a jab. Attia continues to circle away, feinting well but not doing much offensively. Douglas gets a takedown and lands in guard. He intelligently pushes Attia against the cage and then practically steps into Mount. Douglas then starts to throw audibly hard strikes while John just holds onto him ineffectively. Douglas continues to rain down audibly hard strikes and then the ref waves it off due to a Verbal Submission from Attia due to strikes. The legion of fans Matt “The Barbarian” Douglas brought with him are cheering in celebration at a deafening level.

Matt Douglas wins in the first round due to Verbal Submission (2:28) due to strikes. Matt and John caught up at the Victorium II after-party to discuss the fight. See what they had to say to each other post-fight!

Photo courtesy Jessica Foster Photography

Brett “Unbreakable” Glass vs. Jeffrey “ The Glass Breaker” Peterson (155lb), Main Event

RD1: Both fighters start winging hard punches immediately. Glass pushes Peterson against the cage, but then Peterson gets a surprising takedown and lands in Brett’s guard. Glass is working his butterfly guard, but Peterson passes to side control. Glass then sweeps and rolls to the top, but then they both get up soon after. Peterson pushes Glass against the cage and gets another trip takedown, which drags Glass to the ground again. Peterson postures up to throw hard punches, but Glass uses a submission attempt to sweep and get back to his feet. Sensing a good opportunity, Glass pounces on Peterson and proceeds to batter him with dozens of unanswered punches, elbows, kicks, and knees. Glass has Peterson backed up against the cage where all he can do is cover up and attempt to avoid the worst of the blows. Glass unrelentingly continues to batter Peterson at a merciless pace against the cage, and the ref starts to take a closer look at the action. After watching Peterson absorb a huge volume of strikes, the ref separated the fighters and waved off the action with a TKO stoppage. Upon the separation, Peterson collapsed to the ground, clearly battered after absorbing a truly huge amount of strikes without being knocked unconscious. Great credit is due to both fighters for showing a great bit of skill and resilience. The fight truly embodied what a Main Event fight is supposed to be in every way possible.

Brett Glass wins by first round TKO stoppage in front of a huge hometown crowd. Check out my interview with Brett post-fight on the Facebook page!

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

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

Antonio Ortega vs. Tommy Couzzi (125 lbs.)

Maxwell Noonon vs. Jacob Ashley (145 lbs.)

Antoine Brown vs. Jessie Gibson (190 lbs. )

Sydney Smith vs. Chelsea McCoy (125 lbs.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Albert Ichelson vs. Terry Bartholomew (145 lbs.)

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

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

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

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

Eric Newton vs. Chris Harris (135 lbs.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cristian Rodriguez vs. Arthur Parker

Umit Yilmaz vs. Chris “The Magi” McNeil

Keyon Williams vs. Louis Johnson

Diego Peclat vs. Emmanuel Walo

Mike Wade vs. Nah-Shon Burrell

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