In the new Global Proving Grounds Event Center, I am here to cover GPG’s first of many events here in the state of New Jersey. The venue is quite nice, as I am personally a huge fan of MMA (and boxing!) events in a club-like setting. As is the case sometimes, Murphy’s Law certainly reared it’s ugly head, with quite a few fights falling off due to injury at the last second. While some promotions would have scrapped an event due to such unfortunate circumstances, James Jefferson,

President and CEO of Global Proving Grounds never wavered in keeping the event going. I’m looking forward to watching the fights still on tap for tonight.

Peter Petties (0-0) vs. Tim Dooling (0-0)

This should be an interesting fight. Tim Dooling is known as a really game fighter, and Peter “Primetime Petties achieved internet stardom this past year after making his opponent, Jeff Melvin, throw up in the cage in an amateur matchup.

RD1: Both fighters take the center of the cage, with Petties throwing some probing kicks and Dooling working some jabs. Petties lands a head kick. Dooling fires back, then Petties lands another head kick, then some more punches and kicks to the body. As they get up against the cage, Petties slams Dooling to the mat, then again after Dolling gets back up. A scramble sees both guys return to their feet. Petties slips a head kick, the fires back with kicks of his own. Dooling shoots for a takedown but Petties slips away. Petties lands an audibly loud kick, then Dooling lands a few punches to the head of Petties. Petties does a great job keeping Dooling at bay with kicks. Dooling is looking to land some punches, but Petties us using great head movement to avoid strikes, a la Anderson Silva. Dooling backs Petties up against the cage, then uncorks a barrage of punches to the head and body of Petties, then shoots for a takedown. Dooling lightly connects with the end of a spinning back fist, then lands a slapping leg kick. The round comes to a close with Dooling throwing punches and Petties evading them.

RD2: Dooling opens with a series of jabs, with Petties answering back in kind. Dooling backs Petties up against the cage and throws some punches, but Petties fires back with combos and kicks to the body. Dooling puts his hands out to taunt Petties, then throws a combo but eats some gnarly counter punches. Petties just misses with a spinning backfist. Dooling feints with a jab then lands a straight to the body. He backs Petties up against the cage, then Petties drops him with a perfectly placed straight left! Petties gets on top in Dooling’s guard and is looking to pass. Dooling is keeping him in full guard and fishing for a Guillotine, but Petties is an accomplished grappler in his own right, and evades the attempts and lands some ground and pound. Dooling lands some short elbows from the bottom and opens up his guard, then slaps on a Triangle. Choke and lands some elbows. The round comes to a close with Petties in the Triangle.

RD3: Petties takes the center of the cage, misses with a lead uppercut then lands a leg kick. Dooling wades in, then Petties lands a flush kick to Doolings head. There is a slight pause due to a kick hitting Doolings nether regions, then the fight resumes. Dooling misses with a series of kicks, then Petties gets a takedown and ends up in side control in short order. Petties is working some elbows and isolates and arm looking for a Kimura, but Dooling gets out and they return to the feet. Petties barely misses with another spinning backfist and then takes Dooling down again, landing in full guard. Petties lands some hard punches to the head of Dooling, and they scoot right up against the cage. Both fighters are exchanging strikes from their respective positions. Dooling throws up an Armbar, but Petties gets up to his feet, stacks him, then gets out. Dooling then throws up a Triangle Choke attempt, but again, Petties shucks it off. Dooling gets Petties in a Guillotine, and yet again, Petties gets out as the round comes to a close.

This was a great fight to watch. Very competitive. The fight was punctuated by superior head movement and countering by Petties, and the polished boxing of Dooling. In what was a Pro debut for both of these fighters, they showcased skills that were much more polished than many Professional debut’s I’ve seen in the past. The future looks bright for both of these guys.

Unanimous Decision Win for Peter Petties.

This is pretty cool, as it happens to be his birthday.

Soslan Abanokov (4-2) vs. Mervin Rodriguez (6-8)

RD1: Both guys open ups with strikes and looping hooks, and kicks at a blistering pace. A furious exchange sees Soslan get a takedown against the cage. Soslan lands some solid strikes against the cage, then hits Mervin in the face with several flush punches as Mervin tries to get up. Mervin then goes for a takedown up against the cage, but Soslan stays upright and works some short strikes. Mervin gets a solid takedown, planting Soslan in the center of the cage. Mervin passes to half guard and lands some punches and elbows, then Soslan reverses and gets on top and uncorks some serious Gound and Pound. Mervin starts to get up, then Soslan, assuredly thinking that Mervin was on his feet by then, uncorks a hard head kick that lands flush to the face of Mervin. Mervin collapses to the ground, and is writhing in pain and holding his neck. The fight is waved off in short order by ref Bill Bookwalter, and Mervin is eventually taken out of the cage on a stretcher.

Disqualification Win for Mervin Rodriguez.

Tenyeh “Skinny Man” Dixon (11-11) vs. Khusein Khaliev (11-1)

This fight is for the inaugural Global Proving Ground Welterweight Championship.

This is a very nicely matched fight. Tenyeh Dixon is well travelled and very experienced. Khaliev is walking out to some really awesome Russian music, eliciting some serious cheers from the huge contingent of supporters he’s brought. Khaliev does a backflip as he’s announced, eliciting another round of cheers from the crowd.

RD1: The round opens and Khaliev misses with a spinning back kick. Dixon gets a takedown, then Khaliev immediately throws up a Triangle, then switches to an Armbar, getting the tap almost immediately. Wow.

Khusein Khaliev wins by Submission (Armbar) in just 38 seconds! He becomes the inaugural Global Proving Ground Welterweight Champion.

This was a great night of fights, and I greatly look forward to watching the next Global Proving Ground event on January 17, headlined by Sammy Oropeza vs. Timothy Woods.