Richmond Rumble Play-by-Play

JoJo Stringfield vs. Randy “Doubletime” Campbell (145 lbs.)

Randy Campbell was a no show to the event. There was talk indicating that he is currently incarcerated (again). After a less than stellar Amateur career (1-?), and a pro career that saw him on the wrong end of several one-sided beat downs, Randy Campbell could potentially be done. As it stands, his erratic behavior has not left his reputation in a good place with local promoters.

JoJo Stringfield will apparently be paid his show money, but will not be able to fight due to an absence of an opponent.

Cristian Rodriguez vs. Arthur Parker (125 lbs.)

Major style points for Rodriguez, who walked out to “Gasolina” by Daddy Yankee.

RD1: Cris pumps a double jab, and is looking to get comfy at distance. Parker responsds in kind. Cris briefly comes in for a takedown. Parker lands a leg kick. Cris lands what seems like a five-punch combination to the face of Parker, then puts him up against the cage and gets a slamming takedown. Cris takes the back, works some punches and then starts working for an RNC. Parker gamely defends and gets up. Cris then jumps up and takes his back from the standing position. Parker tries to slam his head on the ground to break it, but Cris eventually gets the tap by Rear Naked Choke at 2:55 in the first round.

Cris then jumps over the cage wall, jumps down to the ground, and went to hug his father. Awesome stuff.

Umit Yilmaz vs. Chris “The Magi” McNeil (200 lbs. Catchweight)

RD1: Umit lands a leg kick. Chris responds in kind. Umit lands two leg kicks, then Chris lands a series of hard punches to the chin of Umit. Umit crumples to the ground. Chris lands another few punches before Referee Mike King waves off the fight. Umit lay on the ground and took a few moments to begin to move again. A 29 second KO victory for Chris McNeil in the first round.

Keyon “Hands of Stone” Wilkins vs. Louis Johnson (145 lbs.)

RD1: Keyon responds to leg kicks with heavy punches to the head over Johnson. Johnson comes around, runs the pipe and gets a takedown after being pressed up against the cage by Wilkins. Johnson gets into mount and starts raining down punches, with Wilkins rapidly scrambling to avoid them and improve position. Wilkins ends up on the bottom in guard, trying to throw his legs up to work for a sub while he is taking punches from Johnson. Johnson is postured up throwing punches, then goes back down to the ground and lands a few audibly hard punches to the face of Wilkins. Johnson postures up and throws another series of punches to the face of Wilkins. Wilkins tries to lock up his wrists but they both stands up. Wilkins throws a series of punches to Johnson, who responds in kind and secures another takedown. Johnson gets a hold of Wilkins’ neck and ends up in a half guard of sorts, while looking for punches to Wilkins’ face. The round ends with Johnson throwing punches at a grounded Wilkins.

RD2: Wilkins pumps a jab, Johnson throws a few head kicks, then looks to throw what looks like a kick to sweep Wilkns’ leg. Wilkins steps in close and gets on top of Johnson in half guard, but they soon return to the feet. Johnson lands a few hard leg kicks and a knee to the head of Wilkins. Wilkins shoots for a take down against the cage, but Johnson does a great job of defending it and ends up on top in mount. Johnson starts raining down punches on Wilkins at a rapid pace. The ref waves off the fight as Wilkins remains crumpled up and facing down on the canvas.

Louis “Goosebumps” Johnson wins by TKO in the second round.

Mark “The Predator” Strickland vs. Colby Covington (170 lbs.)

Originally scheduled to be a Welterweight contest, this fight ran into a snafu at weigh-ins that ended up seeing the fight called off at the last minute. Both Mark Strickland and Colby Covington missed weight. Normally, the fight would proceed as a Catch-weight fight at that point, but Colby Covington would not consent to fight. This understandably upset Mark Strickland, who had plenty of fans who had already bought tickets and had planned on watching him compete. Strickland began to offer Covington increasing sums of money, which would come out of his purse, in order for him to take the fight. Covington continually refused, even after Strickland offered him his entire purse.

In one of the more bizarre fight cancellations I’ve seen in a while, Colby Covington refused to take the fight, despite the fact that he (accompanied by UFC Lightweight fighter Jorge Masvidal) came all the way up from Florida to take the fight. It would have made a bit more sense had Covington made weight and didn’t want to fight an overweight Strickland, but given the circumstances, I’d consider it a reasonable assertion to question the motivation behind such a course of action.

Sadly, Mark “The Predator” Strickland vs. Colby Covington was yet another fight on the card that never came to fruition.

Diego Peclat (is a Blackzilian) vs. Emmanuel Walo (Team Renzo Gracie/ All Star BJJ) (175 lbs.)

Diego Peclat had a big loud cheering crowd of supporters

RD1: Walo lands a leg kick, some punches and a kick to the body, with Peclat responding in kind. Walo gets a takedown, but they quickly return to the feet, with Peclat pressing Walo up against the cage working some knees top the legs of Walo. Walo lands a knee to the body of Peclat, but they are then separated. Peclat wings an overhand right, then soon secures a takedown that sees him landing on top in half guard. Walo gets back up to his feet, but Peclat stays in close and keeps him pressed up against the cage. Walo then gets a takedown and looks to lock up Peclat’s neck, but Peclat gets back up and presses Walo against the cage yet again, working short punches to Walo’s body. Walo and Peclat are battling for better position in the clinch, exchanging low kness. Peclat tries for a trip takedown, then looks for a single leg but doesn’t get it, then lands a knee to Walo’s thigh at the advice of his corner. Ref Todd McGovern separates them. Walo lands a high kick, then wings a series of punches. Peclat doesn’t like this obviously, and presses Walo up against the cage to end the round in the clinch.

RD2: Peclat lands a kick, then Walo responds in kind. After a brief exchange of kicks, Walo looks for a standing Guillotine but Peclat avoids it, and gets on top against the cage. They both soon return to the feet and resume an entertaining striking battle. Peclat lands a hard leg kick, with Walo looking to land hard counter punches, but Walo is missing on them by mere inches. Walo then lands a series of punches, to which Peclat responds with a spinning backfist. They clinch with each other and Peclat presses up against Walo, pinning him to the cage. Peclat is fishing for a trip, but Walo savvily stays clear of such attempts. Peclat’s corner is calling for him to try to take the back. Walo gets a brief takedown, but Peclat is keeping him pinned against the cage, smothering him and throwing just enough strikes to “stay busy” and not get separated. The ref separates them right before the round ends.

RD3: Peclat pumps a jab, then Walo responds with leg kicks and punches. Walo lands a head kick that stuns Peclat, then Walo takes him to the ground and throws some punches, before Peclat gets a hold of him and reverses. Both fighters quickly return to their feet, with Peclat resuming his strategy of smothering Walo against the cage. Peclat lands an elbow to the face of Walo, but continues to throw just enough strikes to not get separated by the ref. Ref separates them after a low blow that Walo suffers. They resume shortly after. Walo and Peclat exchange kicks, and Walo wings some hard punches to Peclat, but Peclat again presses him up against the cage. Peclat throws some short punches to the body of Walo, then the ref separates them. Walo lands a combo then takes Peclat down, landing on top in Guard. Walo starts to work some short elbows to the head of Peclat. You can tell that Peclat is attempting to sweep, but Walo keeps him in place, hitting him with elbows and a few punches for his efforts. Peclat opens up his guard to sweep, but Walo gets into half guard and throws punches and works for Peclat’s neck as the round comes to a close.

Unanimous Decision victory for Diego Peclat. Many in the crowd did not agree, probably due to Peclat’s clinch heavy style. Peclat was very gracious in victory, thanking his fans, as well as congratulating his opponent.

Keith Bell vs. Paul Waremecki (Heavyweight)

Paul Waremecki walked out to a version of “Ave Maria” done by a male opera singer. Definitely not typical walk out music, but gets him some style points all the same.

RD1: Touch gloves. Waremecki throws a leg kick that lands to the groin of Bell. The ref separates them, but Bell soon recovers. Waremecki is looking to pump some shots, but is at a severe reach disadvantage. Waremecki shoots in, but Bell reverses and pins him up against the cage and works some good knees in the clinch before they separate. After a furious exchange of hard punches, Bell ends up pressing Waremecki against the cage briefly. Waremecki is gamely throwing hard punches, but Bell is effectively countering. Bell lands a stiff jab, then clips Waremecki with a two punch combo that causes Waremecki to go stiff and start to fall to the side. Bell pounces on him, knocking him to the ground and remaining on top of his back, raining down hard punches until the referee stopped it, as Waremecki was laying unmoving on the ground at the time of stoppage. Great slug fest.

TKO stoppage for Keith Bell in the first round.

[INTERMISSION] MC Giovanni Lemm then brought UFC matchmaker Joe Silva into the ring to interview him. Joe Silva urged people to support local MMA.

Mike Wade vs. Nah-Shon Burrell (170 lbs.)

RD1: Wade lands a leg kick, Burrell responds with two leg kicks, then a left hook. Wade ducks under some punches from Burrell, goes for a takedown against the cage, and then jumps up and takes Burrell’s back, looking for a RNC. Burrell is moving around and fighting it, but Wade stays tight and keeps working for it, mixing in some punches to the head of Burrell. Burrell keeps mocking but eventually stands back up. Burrell wings a hard right, then starts to mix some leg kicks in with some punches. Wade throws a head kick, but Burrell blocks it, then responds with a leg kick. Burrell is able to get in quickly with punches. Burrell throws some punches, then Wade shoots for and gets a brief takedown. Burrell gets back up and gets free, then looks to land kicks. Burrell lands a leg kick, then throws a high kick in quick sucession, but Wade blocks the high one. Both fighters throw leaping knees to end the round. Both fighters exchange heated words right after the bell rings.

RD2: Wade comes in with a punch, then lands a punch to Burrell’s face. Burrell throws a kick and Wade jumps in and gets a brief TD against the cage and throws a knee to the head of Burrell. They separate, and Wade lands two leg kicks in a row. Wade throws a 1-2 that is just short, and Burrell backs away from it. Both guys guage distance. Burrell lands a leg kick then a body kick, Wade responds with a high kick. Burrell darts in with a combo, but Wade evades it, then shoots for a TD against the cage. Wade takes him down, keeping Burrell’s legs together, but Burrell pops back up, only to be slammed to the ground again. They get back up and separate, with Burrell throwing a left hand, then Wade landing a leg kick, then a series of good punches to the head of Burrell, who briefly buckles against the cage. Wade continues to throw hard punches to Burrell, then takes him down against the cage again. Burrell is throwing hard punches to the body of Wade. The round ends with both fighters showing signs of having taken some hard punches to the face. Burrell’s leg kicks have the side of Wade’s leg very red and bruised up already.

RD3: Wade lands a leg kick. Burrell lands with a left hand, then lands an uppercut as Wade comes in. Burrell lands a leg kick, then another. Wade lands a thudding kick to the body of Burrell. Burrell eats two hard punches from Wade, then responds with two of his own to the face of Wade. Wade then shoots for a TD against the cage, successfully getting a single leg. Burrell pops back up and is throwing punches to the head of Wade, but Wade keeps him pinned to the cage, working knees to the legs of Burrell. Wade then transitions to the other leg, but Burrell is adequately defending his TD attempts, throwing elbows to the side of Wade’s head. They separate, exchanging hard punches. Wade shoots for a TD but Burrell sprawls out and gets up. Burrell lands a right hand, then Wade shoots for a TD against the cage again, with Burrell throwing hard punches and elbows to the side of Wade’s head. Wade absorbs some hard elbows, but is doggedly continuing to work for the TD until the end of the round.

Nah-Shon Burrell wins by Split Decision.

Terrell Hobbs vs. Jeremy Myers (145 lbs.)

RD1: Myers wings some hard punches, but Terrell evades them and counters effectively. Terrell lands a leg kick, then Myers comes back with a kick of his own, then a high kick. Myers lands another leg kick, then Terrell briefly takes him down, but Myers pops back up, pressed against the cage. Terrell then gets a slamming takedown, ending up on top in side control. Myers is scrambling to improve his position, but Terrell is staying tight on top in half guard, landing short strikes. Myers tries to get up, but Terrell then gets into mount, Myers briefly reverses but Terrell ends up on top in mount again, and starts raining down hard elbows that I can hear from here. Myers is covering up, but Terrell is relentless with his GNP. Myers rolls over, and Terrell sinks in a RNC almost immediately, forcing Myers to tap.