Unleash Fighting Championship Tokyo Preview/Review

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Even a minor earthquake couldn’t stop more than 2000 rabid fans from attending UNFC 40: Camacho vs. Joe at Hard Knocks - Tokyo. The event, sponsored by the always reliable Big Bear Amsterdam 160Q, made every last trip worthwhile.

Rather appropriately, surviving was the theme of the night’s opening fight. Henry White (0-1-0) was hurt early in each round of his totally overmatched fight with Kalle Palikka (5-3-0). How the debutant persevered to see the judges scorecard is anyone’s guess. In one of the bigger surprises of the event, light heavyweight Brent “Beast” Brawler (4-5-0) upset the form book and broke his five fight losing streak with a win over Rookie Amateur (4-3-0). Then Mimms “The Tall” Dragionian (3-0-0) stole Chevy “Confused” Ford (3-1-0) unbeaten record when he opened up gruesome cut that forced the doctor to call the fight off.

The ferocity of Eric “Pornstache” Skinner’s (4-2-0) hands has become apparent after his second technical knockout victory in a row. Opponent Thomas “Tommie” Hawk (6-4-1) appeared to have the superior game plan but was hurt every time Skinner was able to connect. What followed was a tale of two rounds. The first dominated by Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafson (8-5-0) was followed by an equally one-sided round in favour of victor Toyoki “TK” Kawamura (8-5-0). The contrast was truly astonishing and definitely earned the Fight of the Night award.

Fans were stunned just 42 seconds into the first fight of the main card when Brett “The Lil Pimp” Simmons (9-5-0) was able to secure an arm triangle on Ching Lalalalalalng (7-7-0).

The contest had been built up as a battle of two great grapplers so it wasn’t a surprise when Simmons secured the takedown early. A few eyebrows were raised when he passed so easily into a dominant position but even the commentators were talking as if they expected Lalalalalalng to recover. There wasn’t even much of a reaction when “The Lil Pimp” secured the neck so the tap was greeted with muted awe opposed to the rapturous applause it should have garnered.

No doubt that this is a great win for Simmons but it will be Lalalalalalng who people will be concentrated on. He will need to return with renewed vigour if the fans are going to believe in him again.

“Fearless” Frank Nicolosi (12-5-0) was efficiency personified in taking out “The One Man Wolf Pack” Josh Lang (7-5-0) for the second time in Unleash. It was apparent within the first minute that Nicolosi had identified a weakness from their first fight, as he surprised everyone by initiating the clinch. From there “Fearless” ground Lang down and everyone knew it was only a matter of time before something big would sneak through. The telling strike was a solid elbow that sent Lang slithering down the cage to the floor. Nicolosi swarmed but it was really unnecessary, the glory was already his.

Former UNFC welterweight champion “Croc Boy” Shintaro Nomo (12-3-0) signed off from the organisation with a signature submission victory over Matt “The Immortal” Brown (8-6-0).

The fight had an highly emotional atmosphere. It was an open secret that Nomo was moving on, so fans and fighters alike wanted the opportunity to see this UNFC trailblazer one last time. If “Croc Boy” was distracted by the public outpouring, he was quickly reminded that he was in a fight when Brown caught him with a nasty shot which left the Japanese fighter with a cut over one eye.

Awoken by the brutal shot, Nomo stopped playing with Brown and took the fight to the floor. For four minutes “The Immortal” gamely defended and saw the round out. Round 2 repeated the same format as Nomo toyed with Brown for another long spell of total dominance. The audience exploded with laughter as the round ended when an increasingly confident Brown was left horrified by the ease Nomo gained mount as the round ended. This left no doubt in anyone’s mind that Nomo could win this fight when he wanted.

And Nomo did exactly that just a minute into the third. This time there was no tomfoolery. “Croc Boy” transitioned from takedown to submission in a matter of seconds to leave victorious. He left leaving no doubt that the fans in New York have something really special to look forward to.

Brad “Mayday” May (8-1-0) rebounded successfully from his first defeat to get the win over fellow WarZone veteran Randy “The Rock” Alcatraz (8-5-0) in the co-main event.

The fight looked like it was going the other way after the first round. Alcatraz secured a vital takedown late and seemed to be dictating where the fight would take place. May looked rather out of sorts with many speculating the spectre of his last contest was still firmly in his memory. This all changed within seconds of the 2nd. Fired up by his coaches, May launched a chaotic combination that somehow landed blow after blow to “The Rock’s” temple. Stunned, it was all Alcatraz could do to hold on and, despite hitting the canvas one more time, he made it out of the round.

In truth, Alcatraz was in no fit state to fight but showed the heart of a champion to meet the bell. He also realised his best chance was to win this on the ground and secured the double leg early. Unfortunately for “The Rock”, the effects of the previous round were clearly hindering his ability to balance and May easily rolled through a submission attempt to gain top position. As ineffective as May may have been, he was able to sit there until the referee’s stood them up.

The rest of the fight was a little disappointing. May picked Alcatraz off as the Aussie did everything in his power to gain one more shot at the ground. So it was no surprise when the scorecards were all totted up and May was given the victory. Some have queried why May did not look to capitalise further after the second knockdown. Later reports revealed that he had broken his hand which limited his punching ability. He will surely be looking at other ways to win fights in his training while Alcatraz goes away with his pride still in tact if nothing else.

A somewhat out of sorts Hector “Macho” Camacho (13-1-0) still put lightweight title hopefully Orange Joe (7-6-0) away in the first round to defend one of his two UNFC title belts.

The opening of the fight was sloppy as Camacho was unable to find his range despite being the aggressor. Credit must be given to Joe for frustrating the champion with his good movement. Such success hasn’t been witnessed against Camacho for a long time. However the greatness of “Macho” came to the fore. He suddenly changed up his tactics and rushed Joe into the cage. From these closer quarters, he roughed up the challenger and pinned him down. Cornered, Joe just looked to cover up but there was no way to avoid every shot. Eventually the power was just too much and Camacho rained down with great fury until Joe’s eyes rolled into the back of his head.

The worrying aspect of all of the UNFC’s 155’ers is, if this is an off-day for Camacho, how good will an on-day be? It is going to take someone really special to dislodge him from his thrown.

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A sizeable crowd is expected to attend UNFC 41: Burdyalov vs. Danneskjöld at Hard Knocks - Tokyo. For a card that has no title matches, it has been pleasingly well received as fans feel certain that the quality of the fights will make up for the lack of gold on show.

Two fights from the featherweight division start the show off. Odell Paquette (3-2-1) will hope he can land the decisive blow before Bill “Brainlag” Bronson (2-0-0) scores a big takedown in a classic striker verses grappler match up. Then Benjamin Thumbhisbum (4-3-0) attempts to reignite his flagging career with a shot at the tenacious Fransino “Pitbull” Tirta (5-7-0). The next contest sees Verne “The Strecher” Robinson (4-1-0) return to the cage after nearly two full years away from the fight game. We will see if he has regained his passion to compete against Daniel “Big Daddy” Crushman (2-1-0) who is known for his active use of the head kick.

Someone’s impressive winning streak will go when Frank Nada (2-0-0) goes up against George “Dubya” Bush (3-2-0) at welterweight. Nada is a truly great wrestler which has made him the heavy favourite for this fight. This leads to one of the more difficult to predict contests. “Freaky Fast” Jimmy Johns (5-3-1) is a submission specialist but goes in against Jack “The Maniac” Mitchell (8-6-0) who also has a number of submission victories to his name. Assuming the fight ends up on the floor, this could be anyone’s.

Giant 205’er Shaq O’Neil (3-0-0) has been nigh on impossible to stop so far in his career. His unusual length and crisp striking are underlined by a deep power that seems completely unfair at times. His potential is so great that he has been ask make a big step up in competition to face the former HMFL standout Raiden “Thunder” Heath (6-2-0) in the first fight of the main card.

For those who haven’t seen Heath in action, he is predominantly a puncher with underrated ground skills. He does has a tendency to focus on the head with his strikes though. Truthfully this makes him a little predictable, especially when paired with his lack of kicks, but he can often negate this issue with his glorious defence that allows him to counter with great success. However Heath may have to change his entire game plan to deal with the enormous size differential between himself and O’Neil. Those counters will need to be on the inside of the big man’s reach and no one has been able to do that so far. If Heath can get inside we will finally see what type of chin O’Neil possesses. if the newcomer cannot, then we will be talking about O’Neil as one of the most dangerous contender at light heavyweight.

Adrian McMullen (9-6-0) has been victimised by strikers over his last three fights. He won’t have to be concerned with that issue against fellow submission specialist Kostas Papadakis (12-6-0).

Have no doubt, this fight is all about who makes the critical mistake at the wrong time as neither man is going to hold back when a submission is there for the taking. Where this error may occur is more difficult to pinpoint. It could happen right at the start with whoever gains top position from the initial scramble. Both will obviously want that superiority but we all know that simply having the best position at the beginning of a fight does not mean anything at the end. A more likely scenario will be a lapse in judgement due to fatigue. Papadakis may have the disadvantage there as he has predominantly lost by decision in his career where tiredness was a factor. Yet it is impossible to be absolutely certain with any prediction which makes this fight so fascinating.

For the first time in his career, Brandon Marshall (4-1-0) will fight twice within a single calendar year. The well rounded middleweight really impressed in his UNFC debut as he comprehensively out struck Ole Bighead before taking him down and finishing via ground and pound. In fact, many have noticed that Marshall’s variation in attack bares a conspicuous resemblance to former Unleash champion Bruce Wayne.

This is a great sign for Marshall as his opponent at UNFC 41 is Marine Dincht (6-1-0). A fighter who was unbeaten until he ran across the wide arsenal of Wayne’s in his last fight. Marshall would be foolhardy not to copy these tactics as they were so effective.

From Dincht’s perspective, his challenge will be incredibly similar to his last fight. He must get his jab away and make Marshall respect his hands. Otherwise he will be kicked into submission from the outside once again. The big difference from Dincht’s previous fight is that Dane is far taller than Marshall. He will have a considerable reach advantage that will help him get inside far easier. This will surely worry Marshall as Dincht has shown a real penchant for the big knockout when he has been able to land leather. However, if Dincht fails to find his range consistently, then this could be a very one-sided fight indeed.

The co-main event will see undersized heavyweight Ricardo “Demolition” Gaarlandt (12-4-0) attempt to beat the odds once again, this time against UNFC stalwart Roy-Li Taylor (11-3-0).

This one looks like a tall order for “Demolition” as Taylor is in the best form of his life. The Canadian fighter has won 6 out of his last 7 and has grown into one of the more well-rounded heavyweights in the division. Another win will make it very hard for the UNFC matchmakers not to at least consider him as a title contender.

Of course the unusual challenge that Taylor will face when taking on Gaarlandt is his enormous speed disadvantage. Some of “Demolition’s” foes have looked trapped in different, slower time stream with the ease Gaarlandt has darted in and out on them. Often this exacerbates any cardio issues a fellow heavyweight may have as well. Their attempts to keep up with the much smaller man can verge on the embarrassing. Yet Gaarlandt’s lack of power is always going to put him at a distinct disadvantage in this division. Taylor has been survived shots from some of the biggest guys around and come back to remove their consciousness in return. So there is a very real possibility that Gaarlandt could win the first 14 minutes of this fight and still come out the loser. Only time will tell if that prophecy turns out to be true.

In what may go down as the main event with the longest ever tag line, Nikolay “Burdik” Burdyalov (9-5-0) takes on “Pirate” Ragnar Danneskjöld (13-5-0) in a rematch from UNFC 25.

The first fight was a short affair. Just as both men looked to be settling down, “Burdik” uncorked a massive right hand that somehow bisected Danneskjöld’s guard to flatten the Norwegian early. Yet, and as often happens in the funny world of MMA, it is the Norwegian Danneskjöld who has gone on to lift the Unleash light heavyweight title. A change of camp did “Pirate” wonders and a couple of upsets in quick succession lead to a brief but memorable title reign. In comparison, Burdyalov continued his run as the nearly man with shattering loses just as it looked like he might get his title opportunity.

From the outside the rematch looks very similar to the first fight. “Burdik” will look to land big bombs while Danneskjöld will attempt to be more subtle and work his opponent into giving up an easy takedown. The big differences are almost impossible to gage. Has the championship experience of “Pirate” made him a more rounded fighter? Can he use these experiences to negate the fearless offence of his aggressive opponent? Will Burdyalov fall apart with the knowledge a title shot is on the line if he can get past the fighter he has already defeated? These are factors that will only come to light once the two meet in the middle of the cage.

Unlike many rematches, this on isn’t about revenge. It is about someone getting over a hurdle that is denying them a world championship opportunity. A motivator that is even bigger.

[Guest]

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13935304139872.jpg

Brandon Marshall 185lbs (4-1-0)

 

I don't know which crazy fool wrote this but he must have been smashed on whiskey when he wrote it.

 

For the first time in his career, Brandon Marshall (4-1-0) will fight twice within a single calendar year.

 

 

First time ever for 2 fights in a calendar? I was unlucky with a couple of orgs closing or having problems but I fought 4 times last year and now I've signed up to UNFC I haven't had any problems at all getting fights.

 

 

 

The big difference from Dincht’s previous fight is that Dane is far taller than Marshall. He will have a considerable reach advantage that will help him get inside far easier.

 

 

Taller? we're exactly the same height you drunken bum!

 

One thing you did get right is that it's going to be a great fight, Dincht is a talented submission specialist so I'll have to take great care not to make a mistake but I'm sure he have his own worries when the bell rings.

 

 

(Great preview as always!)

[FallenFlyer]

The exorbitant prices quoted by touts outside Hard Knocks - Tokyo was a stark reminder that UNFC 41: Burdyalov vs. Danneskjöld was the hot ticket in town. Officially 3000 fans were in attendance but who knows how many actually squeezed in.

Ironically, a large proportion of the paying public may have missed the best fight of the night as Odell Pacquette (4-2-1) and Bill “Brainlag” Bronson (2-1-0) put on a three round war. Pacquette knocked his opponent down in each round yet there were times when it looked like Bronson was going to find something special on the ground. With a minute left to go, it looked like the judges would decide these warrior’s fate. Obviously Pacquette didn’t fancy the wait as he exploded a big right hand onto “Brainlag’s” temple that dropped him like a stone. A great reward for those hardcore fans who turned up on time.

Next was an impressive display by Benjamin Thumbhisbum (5-3-0) who uncorked his vicious power early in the second round to defeat Fransino “Pitbull” Tirta (5-8-0). An timely retort to those who have doubted him recently. A few eyebrows were raised when Daniel “Big Daddy” Crushman (4-1-0) was able to survive being on the ground with Verne “The Strecher” Robinson (4-2-0). This turned into outright astonishment when he still had the raw power to flatten his foe in the third. Clearly “Big Daddy” is developing into a highly skilled individual.

Frank Nada (3-0-0) needed only 101 seconds to get past George “Dubya” Bush (3-3-0). Bush was gallant in his efforts to aggressively go after Nada, but the man from Oregon picked his punches with absolute precision. The finish was a perfect example of using an opponent’s momentum against them. The final undercard fight was a slow affair in the first but exploded into life from the opening moment of the second. Jack “The Maniac” Mitchelson (8-7-0) went all in on a big bomb that wobbled “Freaky Fast” Jimmy Johns (6-3-1) a little. Johns responded with a all or nothing takedown bid that not only succeeded but also isolated “The Maniac’s” arm. Johns capitalised brilliantly and within a few seconds had the tap out. A brilliant minute of action that encapsulates what we all love about MMA.

A moment of lost concentration cost Raiden “Thunder” Heath (6-3-0) a fight that he surely had in the bag.

“Thunder” dropped his opponent Shaq O’Neil (4-0-0) twice in the first round but was too conservative about going after the finish. Clearly Heath’s corner were appalled by their fighter’s missed opportunity and chastised their man for this at the round’s end. With this in mind, “Thunder” went all out for the finish when he knocked O’Neil down for a third time, Unfortunately for the dominant fighter, his opponent was able to grab onto his neck that presented O’Neil with the perfect position to apply a guillotine. How intentional the initial hold was is only known by O’Neil, but he made the most of the situation and remains unbeaten.

Despite his moment of madness, Heath will still be seen as a challenger at light heavyweight and we could see a rematch sometime in the future. It has even been remarked that O’Neil may be the man who has the more to prove as he was shown to be more than fallible.

The results page of UNFC 41 will always read ‘Adrian McMullan (10-6-0) defeated Kostas Papadakis (12-7-0) by unanimous decision’. The fight will be remembered for one of the most bizarre rounds’ ever seen in a mixed martial arts cage.

The first two rounds of the contest had been very even. Both ground fighters were rather tentative and most suspect this was due to their respect of the other’s ability. This meant that the rounds basically decided by the fighter who held top position for longest. Some uneducated fans were getting a little belligerent but the general consensus was anticipating an upturn. With two rounds under their belts to figure out a strategy, someone was surely going to try something interesting to get the win. Then the third happened.

Finding the appropriate words to describe what exactly went on in the cage is almost impossible. Obviously both fighters had zeroed in on the takedown being key to winning the round. Apparently this turned into the the all-consuming desire to not be the first person with their back to the mat.

So what transpired was something akin to watching pee wee tackling practice. One man would have a go at taking the other to the floor, then the other would have their turn. They might circle for a bit and then the head-first charging would recommence. Not a strike was thrown. Nor a takedown earned. They spent five full minutes doing their best rutting reindeer impression in front of 3000 gawping spectators.

Just to add to the madness, the judges then gave McMullan the round by a score of 10-8. Not that anyone is questioning McMullan’s right to be called the winner. Frankly, who knows how to score such a contest, but 10-8? Other fights have seen one man beat another from pillar to post and not been given that honour so what these judge’s saw is anyone’s guess. It was a insane round to watch and both men need to go away and add some striking if they are to progress further with their careers.

Not wanting to miss out on the fun, Brandon Marshall (5-1-0) produced his own jaw-dropping moment. The New York born fighter landed two enormous uppercuts that ended Martine Dincht’s (6-2-0) night just as the clapper’s rap resounded around the arena to signal the imminent end of the fight.

Up until that point, it had been a nip and tuck affair where either man could have made a claim for dominance. Marshall was the more rounded of the two and secured important looking takedowns during each period but Dincht landed the more solid shots when he was accurate. The Dane’s wildness was perhaps the biggest difference between the two men. Prominent onlookers even suggested that the tactic was deliberate as it allowed him to corral Marshall into the cage. Perhaps a lesson learnt from his previous fight where he allowed the more evolved striker to dictate the range.

Ultimately, this pressure was Dincht’s achilles heel. A combination of predictability and tiredness open up the Dane’s defence and the two telling blows slipped through. Marshall’s celebrations were joyous. Dincht’s distress, poignant. The night ending so differently for too men who are so equal in the cage.

Roy Li-Taylor (12-3-0) increased his winning streak to four with a brutal beatdown of Ricardo “Demolition” Gaarlandt (12-5-0).

As feared by Gaarlandt fans everywhere, the small heavyweight was completely overpowered by his opponent. This was especially clear when Li-Taylor gained the clinch. What followed was the extremely uncomfortable experience of watching someone being systematically broken down while having absolutely no recourse to respond.

It is easy to overlook how skilful Li-Taylor was in this performance. However the Canadian should be highly praised for the variety of strikes he threw and the patience he showed when in a dominant position. One particular moment stands out. Li-Taylor landed a crushing knee to Gaarlandt’s face that dropped “Demolition” to the floor. Another fighter may have tried to swarm but Li-Taylor simply picked him back up and continued the dissection. The end came shortly after and was a blessed relief to many. Li-Taylor drew back unleashed a one-two that Gaarlandt finally succumbed to. No doubt people will once again call for Gaarlandt to try his luck at 205 while Li-Taylor marches on.

History repeated itself in the main event as Nikolay “Burdik” Burdyalov (10-5-0) once again overwhelmed former champion “Pirate” Ragnar Danneskjöld with punishing strikes.

Unlike the first encounter, this one was very evenly matched until the bitter end. Burdyalov had the better luck in the striking game but it was clear from the outset that Danneskjöld was more interested in taking the fight to the floor. With great effort “Pirate” succeeded with this ploy and went to work with a good amount of time left on the clock. However “Burdik’s” defence was far more stout than anyone had expected, and the former champion was unable to do real damage stuck in his foe’s guard.

The second started in the same vein. “Burdik” was hoping to find the killer blow but couldn’t load up as Danneskjöld was waiting for any opportunity to take the match back down. This made for a anxious sensation that gripped the arena. The crowd responded by going strangely quiet. Perhaps this was in respect of the two men’s absolute concentration or maybe they were so enthralled that they simply forgot to make any sound.

The tension built to a crescendo that was obliterated by a huge combination from Burdyalov. He timed a Danneskjöld’s takedown attempt to perfection and landed as his opponent came diving in. Wobbling “Pirate” went on the attack. He pushed “Burdik” back, throwing wild haymakers that connected with nothing but air. Waiting for his opponent to over-reach just that little bit too far, Burdyalov countered again with another swift combination that poleaxed Danneskjöld. The referee dived on the stricken fighter before any more damage could be unleashed upon his fallen form.

After the fight, everyone wanted to know if this is finally the time Burdyalov will get his title shot. From the crowd reaction, it would certainly appear to be a popular move. Maybe, this really is the time that “Burdik” goes from ‘nearly man’ to ‘The Man’.

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Another thrilling instalment of non-stop MMA action is expected at UNFC 42: Paskalev vs. Vos. This event, sponsored by merchandise partner Big Bear Amsterdam 160Q, also welcomes a number of highly touted newcomers. All will be looking to emulate headliner Paskalev by making their own indelible mark on the first outing in Unleash.

Opening proceedings is the mysterious Tyron “I Am” The Tyrant (0-0-0) of whom little is known. His first challenge will be the far more experienced Frank “Iron Fist” White (9-7-0) in a duel between expectation and experience. Much debate was had after the UNFC 36 clash between Jason “The Beginning” Pops (4-2-1) and Hulk Bashman (3-2-1) when the judges were unable to separate them on the scorecard. They get another crack at each other here. Then two unbeaten progenies Dante Cross Furia (2-0-0) and “The Ruler Of Our Sky” Jyrki Kasvi (3-0-0) face each other. Observers in the know suspect this may be the first skirmish in a potentially epic rivalry.

After securing his first win in the UNFC, Boyd McGuire (4-2-2) seems to be finding his feet at this higher level of competition. This proposition will be tested when he takes on former WarZone fighter Short “Shorty” Low (10-4-1). Finally, the undercard sees two men who have had distinctly different levels of success in their last two contests. “Happy Face” Big J Smiles (5-5-0) has taken his last three in Unleash and is on the best run of his career. While Raise Hell (6-2-0) in on his first slide with two losses.

Fans will be excited to see Hell back as he hasn’t performed since UNFC 34. Many expect him to railroad Smiles after spending so much time retuning his skills but “Happy Face’s” recent record suggests this could be anyone’s game.

There has been a rumblings out of Brazil about a very young heavyweight who is wowing the grappling community there. Brief glimpses have been seen of him, most notably at the now defunct RioFC, but nothing that can confirm or deny his supposed brilliance. So the UNFC is very proud to say that Thiago “BoneBreaker” Meida (3-1-0) has decided to make his debut on the world stage here, in Japan’s top organisation.

Standing across the cage on Tuesday night will be the always exciting power-puncher Carrera “Assassin” Villamora (7-5-0). This is a great test for “BoneBreaker” as a win proves he can stand up to proven power, and has the wrestling skills to bring the fight to his domain. No doubt, Villamora will be relishing the opportunity to steal all Meida’s hype for himself, but he must surely land something big before the fight even hints at being drawn to the ground.

After coming in with such high hopes, Jorge Domingo (15-5-0) has commentators asking some serious questions over the steadiness of his chin. He has dominated the first round in both his UNFC contests, only to be hurt in the second and then put away in the third. His opponent Billy “Backwater” Bulge (7-2-0) has failed to settle in any organisation for long but his mercurial talent is too good a proposition to pass up.

Interestingly for Domingo, the one black mark against Bulge’s career is the increasing concern over his lack of power. As unhappy as his camp are by this narrative, he has been the better fighter in many bouts but has failed to put rivals to the sword consistently. So this is a golden opportunity for both men to prove their perceived weakness is a fallacy and stride forward into the packed light heavyweight division. What the future holds for the man who doesn’t succeed has the potential to be a much darker issue.

Another fighter who wins in a domineering fashion but struggles to put opponent away is Alex Alvarez (6-3-0). The Mexican native has all the skills to be a great fighter. He has cardio to burn, pretty striking and unerring control on the floor. Yet Alvarez has seen the judges scorecard in seven consecutive outings. If he wants to be next in line to take on the winner of tonight’s featherweight championship bout then he must score a decisive victory over fan-favourite Alex The Lion (14-7-0).

Unfortunately for The Lion, being the stepping stone to a championship shot is becoming a regular occurrence. Tonight’s challenger Jake Vos took a rear naked choke victory away at UNFC 39 while his only other loss also resulted in that fighter getting a go at the gold. The Madagascan will be desperate to upset the heavily favoured Alvarez as it will prove that he is more than the gatekeeper.

This is not a futile hope. The Lion has shown consistent power and an eye for a finish during his career. If he can find an opening then he is more than capable of shocking everyone. However any expectation should be dampened. Alvarez’s outstanding defence sees him avoid more than 60% of strikes thrown his way, so landing a killer blow is much easier said than done. Then there is the elephant in the room. The Lion has not covered himself in glory when the fight hits the floor and Alvarez, at least on paper, has more than enough ability to exploit that weakness. It would not be a surprise if the fights ends with The Lion tapping once again.

It is always sad to see an organisation close its doors but the end of Hostility has released someone, who may be the greatest challenger to Hector Camacho’s lightweight title, to join the UNFC. This man is Julio Cesar Chavez (7-0-0). He will have former challenger Meguru Takayanagi (7-5-0) trying to put a pause on this expectation in tonight’s co-main event.

For those who have missed Chavez in action, he is a highly accurate striker who wears opponents down before unleashing more exotic techniques to finish the fight. His patience is admirable having the unusual ability to get progressively stronger as the fight continues. This tallied with a capable defensive ground game makes Chavez a frightening proposition for anyone at 155. Not that Takayanagi is a slouch in the cage. Before his loss to Camacho, the home grown fighter was on a five-fight winning streak including a one-sided win over Orange Joe. Outside facing the champion himself, this is arguably the toughest possible challenge Chavez could have received. Whether that will be enough to stop the newcomer is going to be fascinating.

Our main event sees newly crowned featherweight champion Arnost “Honey Badger” Paskalev (14-3-0) attempt to legitimise his title success by making his first defence against Jake Vos (9-1-0).

Frankly, there is a proportion of the UNFC universe who are still astonished that Paskalev is the champion. Coming in from outside the company and getting the better of long-time stand out Ferdinand Cortes may go down as the most shocking moment in the organisations fabled history. Vos’s advancement up the featherweight pecking order has been far slower but no less impressive. His continued use of submissions against high calibre opponents has proven many a brash gambler wrong.

Considering the ground is very much in Paskalev’s wheelhouse as well, we should be treated to a great display of submission fighting. Even suggesting which man might hold the advantage is a tricky affair. Vos has been the more successful recently but then he has not been fighting at the championship level that “Honey Badger” has.

Historically, Paskalev may be seen as having the greater skills as he has successfully submitted one brown belt and beaten another by decision. American Vos has only one win over a fellow brown belt and that was his only knockout victory in his career. While his only loss has been via submission to the only other top grappler he has faced. How much can be read into that is also doubtful. Vos’s loss was at the very early stages of his career while Paskalev has also been on the receiving end when fighting other top submission artists. There really is very little hope in establishing which man is the dominant force without watching the contest.

One thing that can be said for sure is that this will be a top fight. The winner will not only be the top dog at 145 but will also have bragging rights over a fearsome competitor. However the victor will also know that there is a good chance that they may see his opponent again in the future.

[FallenFlyer]

Another brilliant crowd poured into Hard Knocks - Tokyo to see UNFC 42: Paskalev vs. Vos. The night will be best remembered for the title change that capped off the evening’s entertainment but the whole card was full of intrigue.

A booming knee from the clinch gave Tyron “I Am” The Tryant (1-0-0) a win in his first fight as a professional. He knocked down opponent Frank “Iron Fist” White (9-8-0) on four separate occasions before finally putting his rival away. Then Jason “The Beginning” Pops (4-3-1) was ripped to shreds by the punches of Hulk Bashman (4-2-1). The doctor has no choice in waving the fight off, as Pops had a torrent of blood cascading down his forehead. The expected war between the two unbeaten youngsters failed to materialise. Dante Cross Furia (3-0-0) was too accurate and powerful for “The Ruler Of The Sky” Jyrki Kasvi (3-1-0), who was overwhelmed in a little more than two minutes.

Greater work rate was the main difference between Boyd McGuire (5-2-2) and Short “Shorty” Low (10-5-1). The newcomer Low was completely unable to cope with McGuire’s frenetic style and faded badly to give up the decision loss. Raise Hell (7-2-0) illuminated his improvements after some time away from the UNFC in a one-sided victory over “Happy Face” Big J Smiles (5-6-0). The Michigan native was able to physically dominate the fight which forced Smiles to grope for the clinch. This turned out to be a poor decision from “Happy Face”. His actions pinned himself against the fence, which allowed Hell to uncork a great combo that stopped the contest. A landmark victory for Hell as this gave him his first knockout victory of his career.

An insufferable air of smugness arose from the internet when Carrera “Assassin” Villamora (8-5-0) knocked out esteemed grappler Thiago “Bone Breaker” Media (3-2-0). It was rather sad to see the rejoicement from some sectors who instantly championed this loss as proof that grappling can no longer win at a high level of MMA.

Instead the headlines should have focused on the disciplined display by Villamora. “Assassin” was able to dictate every engagement which frustrated his opponent to no end. Furthermore, the Portuguese fighters concentration on the body took away the easy level change which completely undermined Media’s game plan. Only once did the fight nearly get away from Villamora. He went all in after a knock down but “Bone Breaker” was able to ensnare him into his guard. Immediately Meida’s quality on the ground was on show but good defensive work by Villamora meant that nothing definitive was achieved.

“Assassin” obviously wasn’t in the mood to give second chances as he finished Meida within the first minute of the second. The striker, having learnt what was successful, punished the body early before moving upstairs to land a one-two to the head. The Brazilian fighter didn’t see the shots coming and slumped to the ground. His night ending with a trip to the hospital. No doubt Villamora’s evening was far more pleasurable.

Billy “Backwater” Bulge (8-2-0) took a rather uninspiring decision victory over Jorge Domingo (15-6-0).

There was great effort displayed by both parties but neither fighter seemed to find a handle on the others approach. This lead to a bitty affair with long periods of inaction. The defining moments of the fight came in rounds one and two were Bulge was able to score a decisive takedown that tipped the judge’s scorecard in his favour. Even the announcement of the winner felt strangely flat. Perhaps it was the acknowledgement that no one has really done anything to advance their status. Nor, if truth is told, had anyone suffered a knock back either as they were so closely matched. Hopefully both men will kick on from here but there will be a lot of doubters until that happens.

Another decision followed between Alex “George” Alvarez (7-3-0) and Alex The Lion (14-8-0). However this battle was a far more enthralling contest. Going into the fight, everyone knew that The Lion was at a major disadvantage if the fight hit the floor. His ability or, as it turned out, his inability to keep the fight from falling to the matt was going to be the fight’s defining feature.

Not that anyone would have guessed the importance of such preconceived knowledge in the first round. Both men fought diligently in the clinch as the two combatants went toe to toe as they challenged the other for a dominant position. Only a late takedown by Alvarez defined the round winner. From round two onwards, “George” took it upon himself to impose his will. The Mexican ramped up the pressure on The Lion and cornered him whenever possible. It was only a matter of time before The Lion became unbalanced in an exchange and Alvarez was able to dump his helpless opponent onto the matt repeatedly.

What commenced was a fascinating incite into what heart truly is. Alvarez was clearly the better fighter and seemed in total control for large periods. Only for The Lion to escape just as a submission looked a certainty. Time after time over the proceeding two rounds, Alvarez was frustrated by a combination of sound defence and pure grit. By the end of the third, Alvarez was fully committing to anything that seemed remotely available as he knew he would recover the position and yet he still could not get the remarkable Madagascan to relent.

It was only ever going to be Alvarez’s fight on the scorecard but it still enhanced The Lion’s popularity with fans and critics alike. “George” will hope to find someone a little less head strong next time as he continues to look for the defining win that announces him as a truly elite fighter.

Former Hostility champion Julio Cesar Chavez (8-0-0) made a startling debut in the UNFC. He demolished former title contender Meguru Takayanagi (7-6-0) with a barrage of body shots that had the Japanese fighter wheezing from the opening moments. Commentators and fans alike thought Takayanagi may have broken some ribs due to the severity of his struggles, but later examination proved that it was only bad bruising.

Brave Takayanagi surprised many by meeting the bell for the second round as some audience members’ calling for the towel. Unfortunately for the local lad, the onslaught continued unabated,. This was until a faked mid-kick went high and sent Takayanagi spiralling to the floor. The kick was not the best ever thrown by Chavez but it was completely undefended due to Takayanagi’s need to defend his mid-drift. A few follow up and punches and the night was over.

Surely Chavez’s next fight will be against two weight champion Hector Camacho. That one should be an epic.

Once again the featherweight championship is around a different fighter’s waist as Arnost “Honey Badger” Paskalev (14-4-0) was unable to defend either his neck or belt from new 145 pound kingpin Jake Vos (10-1-0).

Funnily enough, the end result is a misleading representation of the contest. Vos never attempted a takedown over the whole fight and looked determined to keep the fight on the feet. It was Paskalev who aggressively sought the takedown which, to his credit, he achieved in each round. Once on the floor, Vos kept busy from his back but this seemed more of a distraction technique that prevented Paskalev working rather than a legitimate threat. It certainly limited the Bulgarian’s ability to pass as every move ended in a mini-scramble.

Going into the third, there can be no denying that Paskalev was very much in control of the contest. This was further reinforced by achieving yet another takedown almost as the bell rang. Everything was looking really rose for Paskalev and then Vos suddenly found a back door and was on the Bulgarian’s back. Whether it was shock or confusion, Paskalev went into complete disarray and gave his neck up easily. Vos took the chance with aplomb and sank down into the hold until the tap became an inevitability.

Distraught, Paskalev didn’t move for some time. Vos, a blur of movement, jumped into his entourage. Happiness and sadness all within a couple of yards of one another. Now the onus is on the new champion to prove his legitimacy by defending the belt at least once while Paskalev rejoins the chase knowing he is still very much in with a shot. Perhaps this is not the last time we have seen these two go toe-to-toe in an Unleash cage.

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Expect a shockingly partizan crowd at UNFC 43: Camacho vs. Schneider, as Unleash’s hardcore faithful scream for fan favourite, and two weight champion, Hector Camacho. The Puerto Rican has caught the imagination of the Japanese audience and anything but a dominant win for their hero may cause a riot.

The evening’s entertainment begins with Kalle Palikka (5-3-0) jumping back into action. The Fin is just two weeks removed from his last bout and will look to to capitalise on that momentum against the fractious Virgil “The Violator” Dressen (0-1-0). Smarks looking to be the first to jump on to a new bandwagon will be arriving early to see Pops Maellard (2-0-0) make his debut against Baron “Damnation” Suzaski (5-4-1). American Maellard is the latest Devil’s Rejects fighter who many have tipped for the big time. More middleweight action follows with long time UNFC warrior Old Bighead (4-5-0) trying to end his slump against newcomer Casey “The Hunter” Bowman (2-1-0). This contest is worth checking out to see if Bowman can display the same big power that has defined his early career. Success will draw comparisons to some of the other big hitters who have emerged as contenders in recent events.

Rookie Amateur’s (4-3-0) devolving form must be a concern for his camp. The one time prospect is now on a three fight losing streak and looks in rough shape running up to this fight. The pressure will be on the debuting Lucas Davenport (5-3-0) to exploit this opportunity. King of decisions Thomas Prince (9-5-0) has supposedly gone away and really worked on finding his killer instinct. We’ll discover if his diligence has been worthwhile when he faces Swede Johan Pahlm (3-2-0) in the final undercard bout.

Outside one small blip that initiated Miles Monroe’s (8-4-0) move to Unleash, the Finnish fighter has been tearing up the featherweight division. Commentators have really taken notice since a fan posted up the rather remarkable fact that Monroe has only been in the cage for a combined 7 minutes in picking up his last six wins. Such power is a rarity in the lightweight divisions. Avoiding having to deal with Monroe’s brawn will be at the forefront of Dave “The Machine” Johnson’s (6-3-0) mindset when the two meet on Tuesday evening.

How “The Machine” plans for this task is relatively straight forward. Johnson is a top wrestler and Monroe’s power punches do leave him susceptible to the counter double-leg. How the Barbadian executes his plan will surely determine who comes out the winner.

One unique trend found in mixed martial arts is that a fighter can arrive in the sport as a specialist in one area but can then fall in love with a completely different aspect. This is exactly what has happened to the debuting heavyweight Cornelius Jackson (5-2-0) who takes on the always-dangerous VG “Valyok” Beloff (5-3-0).

Jackson, who’s last fight was a brave loss for the now defunct Rio FC title, came into the sport with a reputation for being a great wrestler. This was seen early in his career until he had one quick knockout. Since then, the Pol has increasingly turned his back on his highly-decorated background and chosen to sling leather instead. It has probably been suggested to Jackson a million times that this may not be a wise move against Beloff. The one-organisation man has broken more than his fair share of noses, and will see the still-developing Jackson as an easy target. This doesn’t mean Jackson can’t win on the feet but he’d have a much easier time falling back on his core discipline. Yet the love of the fight is sometimes a compulsion that cannot be denied.

Bruce Wayne (8-2-0) stripped away one unbeaten prospect’s perfect record in his last fight and will be looking to do exactly the same against “Ludacris” Terry Opdauhl (8-0-0).

The similarities between this fight and Wayne’s previous contest are uncanny. The former champion is once again the more rounded striker, although not to the same extent as the Dincht fight, and holds a perceived advantage if the fight hits the ground. Most are also predicting the same result, where the relative newcomer is shown - in the most pointed way possible - what it takes to be a champion in the UNFC.

Obviously these predictions of doom have been laughed off by Opdauhl’s camp. They have been united in their message that “Ludacris” is looking at to this fight as a great opportunity to prove his abilities. Off the record remarks have also suggested that those who believe in Wayne’s superiorities should be ready for a nasty surprise come fight time. Whether this is accurate or the necessary prematch delusion is unclear. Once these two clash, the ambiguity will disappear instantly.

Final Hostility light heavyweight champion Cortland “The Celtic Warrior” Cartwright (15-6-0) brings his highly developed submission skills to Unleash.

Originally from Boise, Idaho, Cartwright made his name on the Island before an uncommonly prosperous transition to the mainland. Many have pinned this success on his ability to chain submission attempts together. More than once, a rival has overcommitted to stopping the obvious attack and been drawn into giving up something completely different. The onus is now on “The Celtic Warrior” to prove that he can emulate this creativity at this top level of competition.

The American’s opponent in the co-main event is certainly a tough test. Mario Karlo (7-2-0) has been a standout in the company since it’s early days. His title run may have been all too brief for his liking, but there is no doubt that he is positioning himself for another run at the gold.

The encounter could be a little cagey at first. Cartwright will have nerves coming into a top organisation while Karlo must still have the nightmares of his title loss at the forefront of his mind. This is the first time that the former champion has faced a high level grappler since his worst day in the UNFC. Who shakes off their inhibitions first is going to be in the drivers seat for the victory. Karlo has the power to shake Cartwright to his very foundations, but “The Celtic Warrior” should have a notable advantage as long as he finds a way to drag the fight into the dirt. It may even be the case that the man most lost in the moment will not be awakened until the fight is over.

Deafening cheers will greet champion Hector “Macho” Camacho (13-1-0) as he once again enters the UNFC cage. His main event welterweight title fight against David “Boom” Schneider (14-1-0) has been the only subject of conversation on the Ginza. The champs image is becoming as iconic as his deeds in the arena.

Fame is a fickle mistress though. The pressure will be firmly on Camacho to deliver another scintillating performance. This will won’t be an easy task against Schneider who currently holds a better record than the champion. Although it should be noted that only one of those fights has came under the Unleash banner.

The problem “Boom” will face is how to bypass the flowing strikes of “Macho”. Not only do these attacks land with abhorrent precision and power, but this technique also allows the Puerto Rican demon to maintain his balance at all times. This makes it almost impossible to counter him successfully. This rather puts a crimp in Schneider’s go to game plan considering his desperate need to get this war to the ground.

How successful “Boom” might actually be if the fight does hit the floor hasn’t really been discussed. Frankly most observers don’t expect it to get that far, but it should be considered. Schneider certainly has numerous wins by submission but no one can really claim that these victims were the cream of the grappling world. Camacho’s skills in that department have been rarely tested but reports indicate that he is above average even in this supposedly weaker area. Still this is the only obvious place where the challenger is going to have any type of parity.

The sobering reality for Schneider is that Camacho goes into this fight as the odds on favourite and that view is completely justified. “Boom” will need all of lady luck’s support and a deal with the devil if he is going to shock the world. Even then Camacho may still come out the victor.

[Steel]

Superb

[Steel]

Hector 'Macho' Camacho

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14106008433182.png

 

 

Post fight press conference following his majority decision win over Schneider.

 

Reporter "That was a great fight, the toughest of your career?"

 

Camacho "Yeh, for sure it was, Schneider is a beast, he can take a punch and he just keeps pushing for those takedowns."

 

Reporter "Schneider got the early takedown in round 1 and took mount, were you close to being finished?"

 

Camacho "I wasn't hurt at any time, but he had a great opportunity, and I was like, man I'm in the shit here, just hang on until the bell. I was surprised because I had no problems on the ground before but Schneider was so heavy it was tough when he had top position, but in the later rounds it wasn't so bad, but yeh, that 1st round was a bitch."

 

Reporter "Well you showed great heart in there champ, I had you winning but its was close and I know Schneider is disappointed."

 

Camacho "That last round could have gone his way, he got the takedown and sometimes that's enough with some judges but I scored whenever it was standing so I suppose that got me the round. Sure, Schneider deserves the rematch, and then there is Chavez. I got to take care of business in the Tycoon champs though next."

 

Reporter "Some experts say Chavez is the real deal?"

 

Camacho "Well that's good for him. My recent fights have been against grapplers where I have been careful to avoid the takedowns, so Chavez is a striker so all I can say is lets do it, he is undefeated it will be one hell of a fight. Like I said though I got the Tycoon Champs now."

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Streams of fanatical mixed martial arts devotees were seen circling the Hard Knocks arena in beautiful Tokyo, Japan on the day tickets were made available for the world wide phenomenon that is the Tycoon MMA Championships. Each fan desperately hoped that they would be the one who was bestowed a golden ticket so they could see the lightweight battle of seven organisations for themselves.

The event, once again sponsored by the fine people of Big Bear Amsterdam 160Q, has even caught the imagination of the general public. They have vocally demanded more access to these exotic fighters invading Japan’s biggest organisation. Coping with such hysteria will be one of the biggest challenges that each competitor faces. Blocking out such nuisances could well be the key to winning at UNFC 44: TMC LW Round 1.

The first pair to face off will be Wrestling Guy (9-2-0), who represents the Ultimate Fighting Federation out of sun-kissed Rio de Janeiro, and Los Angeles based Ashton Eaton (9-4-0) who symbolises the best of the Insanity organisation.

Consensus of opinion would indicate that this will be a highly tactical fight. Guy may have suffered the first slump of his career, but many are speculating that his involvement in the tournament has been the root cause of this. Clearly a cerebral fighter, the Antiguan will have been analysing how to lock on his destructive clinch to the shutdown defence of Eaton. How successful he is in achieving this goal will define how far he progresses in the tournament.

There certainly appears to be more options open to Eaton. Although he is known for his exceptional ground game, the Polish-American has shown an increasing presence on his feet. Even though it is rather an opaque estimation to compare fighters without common rivals, most would be confident in saying that Eaton has the advantage whenever the two are not hot and heavy against a fence.

One big hope for Guy is the general belief that Eaton has been less progressive in putting opponents to the sword in recent outings, as he has instituted a more conservative game plan. Against someone as explosive as Guy, this could be a recipe for disaster. No doubt Insanity’s representatives will be imploring their man to find a finish whenever the opportunity presents itself.

“Last” Sam Urai (8-3-1) must have had mixed emotions leaving behind London based organisation Troid to feature in this tournament. The Japanese native gets the joy of fighting in his home nation for the first time having never fought in his country of birth before. However he leaves behind the chance at an instant championship rematch after drawing an epic battle with, now former Troid champion, Timothy Robinson.

Triod’s tournament pick must now put any questions of ‘what if’ to the back of his mind as he faces the walking piece of granite known as AMS Fighting Championship hopeful “Mexican Wolverine” Chad Didion (10-3-0).

Unlike his rival, this might be the perfect time for the Dutch-based fighter to enter the TMC. The “Mexican Wolverine” is currently in a difficult position of being a former champion, who has multiple qualified contenders ranked ahead of him for the AMS belt. Proving his mettle on the world stage, and scoring valuable points for his company, is a wonderful chance for him to jump the queue and position himself for another run. Of course, this plan only works if Didion makes a splash.

Judging who will be the victor of this battle would seem to be a coin flip decision. They both prefer to stand and bang but neither is devoid of ground skills either. Perhaps the biggest difference will be the additional length that Urai has over his opponent. Being able to get off first could be the difference in a fight that is bound to go down to the wire.

The evening’s final tournament fight, which will also serve at UNFC 44’s main event, will be the hotly anticipated encounter between Russian organisation SFC’s three weight champion Charlie “Augustus” Lim (18-1-1) and the ultra popular New York Fight Nights wonder boy “The Greatest Of All Time” Quentin DeBramalo (6-2-0).

There are so many subplots to this fight. Both men are loudly touted by their organisation’s as the best young prospect at lightweight in the world. Clearly one of these over-exuberant claims will bite the dust after this one is over. Each fighter also has the unwanted pressure of representing a superpower. Fortunately each man’s persona rather represents their patron country, as Lim is a somber unrelenting fighter who’s determination to fulfil his destiny is both humbling and scary. While DeBramalo is an outlandish performer who electrifies crowds even if he does sometime care to much about putting on a show rather than finishing his opponent ruthlessly. This clash of styles adds to the unerring impression that these two men don’t like each other personally, which has given the contest an additional edge.

Surprisingly, the betting odds have heavily skewed in the favour of Lim despite both fighter’s excellent reputation. Perhaps the accumulative championship experience is attracting the good will of the general public or maybe the subtle questioning of DeBramalo’s immaturity has turned sour in some people’s eyes. Whatever the reason, this is one of the few occasions where following the punters money is not necessarily a great representation of how close the fight will be.

So will win this battle? Who knows. Although there is a significant chance that the final decision will be in the hands of the Japanese judges at ringside. The only prediction that can be certain is that both men will go away from the ordeal as better fighters going forward.

The tournaments seventh member, UNFC’s own Hector “Macho” Camacho (14-1-0) will also be an interesting side show as he scouts his future opponents. How the king of Unleash reacts to these other great lightweights performing in his cage will be a highlight film on its own.

Outside the confines of the TMC tournament, there is a significant contest in the heavyweight division where “Fearless” Frank Nicolosi (12-5-0) sets his sights on revenge against Vidar Nord (10-3-0).

These two first met at UNFC 30. Nord surprised Nicolosi with a number of unexpected takedowns that went completely against the Brooklyn native’s usual tactics. This completely threw “Fearless” and lead to him gifting his rival two easy rounds. The finish late in the third was yet another present as the now desperate Nicolosi attempted to claw back some respect, only to leave himself open to a massive overhand right.

Embarrassed by his own performance, Nicolosi redoubled his efforts and has been rewarded with back-to-back first round wins. While Nord fell short against the champion, he also bounced back with aplomb. Now the Italian has the chance of redemption that will clear his mind of his worst performance. The stumbling block being whether he can actually defend those lightening fast double legs even with preparation. Nicolosi better hope he can otherwise this could fight could have a real sense of deja vu about it.

Other prominent rematch happens at 170. Adrian McMullan (10-6-0) completely froze against Frank “Bruiser” Brody (10-7-1) and was quickly dispatch by the confident striker in their first fight.

Once again, the wrestler will try and pick a way threw his ever-improving opponents prominent striking to land an all-important takedown. If McMullan succeeds in his quest, then he will surely have a great chance of avenging his loss. Otherwise he will have need to find a remarkable improvement in his striking game to stand a chance. Although, only a fool would completely discount someone as a lucky punch change a fight in an instant, the chances of Brody falling foul of such an incident is remote.

Plenty of recognisable faces will be performing on the undercard. Former championship contender Antoni Kristofer Hong (6-2-0) makes his long awaited return to the UNFC cage against Billy “Backwater” Bulge (8-2-0). American, Bulge, was highly impressive in dominating Jorge Domingo in his UNFC debut but must realise that Hong will be a distinctly stiffer test. Also, the ever-present Dominik “The Crusher” Kokoszka (6-2-0) welcomes a new face to the organisation in former Hostility and RPG submission artist Kevin “The Skillz” Wibowo (7-2-0). More than a few lightweight contenders will be keeping an eye on this one as the rumours are that Wibowo is an exceptional grappler, even for a black belt.

Even the three cards that open the night will hold interest to many of the UNFC’s core fans. Odell Paquette (4-2-1) looks like he’ll emerge as the next contender at featherweight but needs a dominant win over Peter Smith (8-4-0) to confirm this perception. An old school striker vs. grappler contest will be sure to capture the imagination when James “Sully” McGuinness (10-9-1) battles Albert Hoffman (5-3-0). Finally, the card will begin with two relative unknowns in Liquid Gold (2-1-0) and Dixie “Dang” Small (1-0-0), who both make their debuts. This is a great opportunity for both young upstarts as they have been given the perfect chance to capture instant fame if they impress the international crowd.

What a proud night this will be for Unleash and it’s owner. He, alongside the other owners, have worked hard extraordinarily hard to get this tournament organised and this should be a joyous occasion for all who end up with the W.

[FallenFlyer]

An epic championship encounter for the welterweight title dominates the headlines surrounding UNFC 43: Camacho vs. Schneider. Their five-round war overshadowed a night of lopsided beatdowns, where some of the company’s established stars reminded everyone why they are as highly thought off as they are.

Virgil “The Violator” Dreesen (1-1-0) deployed a perfectly executed rope-a-dope tactic to open the evening’s entertainment. He picked up a unanimous decision victory over Kalle Palikka (5-4-0) in the process. Palikka’s camp will take some solace from the great heart he displayed after being hurt in the second round though. More was expected from the still unbeaten Pops Maellard (3-0-0) as he was dragged into a war by the experienced Baron “Damnation” Suzaski (5-5-1). The American will want to be more clinical next time out. Then Casey “The Hunter” Bowman (3-1-0) answered any doubts about his raw power with a devastating one punch knockout of Ole Bighead (4-6-0). Interestingly, many ‘in-the-know’ were more impressed by the Pennsylvanian’s defence that forced his opponent to leave himself vulnerable throughout the fight.

Describing newcomer Lucas Davenport’s (6-3-0) win over Rookie Amateur (4-4-0) as one-sided would be an understatement. The Minnesotan took his opponent down with the fight’s first action and had an arm triangle secured within the two minute mark. Amateur's slide continues to snowball alarmingly. Whoever instructed Thomas Prince (9-6-0) to take Johan Pahlm (4-2-0) into the clinch is likely to be looking for a new job. The Swede bounced his opponent around like a pinball in the first round before finishing Prince, after being gifted the position once again, in the second. An impressive win for Pahlm who really appears to finding his feet in Unleash.

UNFC’s capacity crowd were left a gasp after Dave “The Machine” Johnson (7-3-0) tore threw Miles Monroe (8-5-0) in less than 90 seconds.

The first fight on the main card was supposed to be duel between Monroe’s striking and Johnson’s wrestling. However the whole contest turned into a celebration of “The Machine’s” all-round prowess. Clearly the quicker man, Johnson landed a few high jabs before landing a successful takedown. Messy ground and pound lead to the referee intervening yet this still benefitted the supposed underdog. No one is quite sure what Monroe’s plan was, but what we do know is that he charged across the cage straight after the referee stand up. Johnson flicked out a jab as his opponent arrived, and it connected perfectly at the peak of the two forces combined energy. Monroe when down and “The Machine” was able to turn away with hands raised high.

Even “The Machine’s” most ardent fans will admit that this performance came out of nowhere. Surely he will now set his sights on some of the division’s big names so he can prove his recent slump was nothing but a hiccup. Monroe may want to go away and spend a little time in the gym before he returns. There is no doubt that he has the talent, but Monroe really needs to sharpen his skills if he wants to fight at the very top level.

VG “Valyok” Beloff (6-3-0) was in a belligerent mood as he entered the cage. He used this bellicose demeanour as inspiration to bludgeon Cornelius Jackson (5-3-0) into unconsciousness.

The powerfully built Russian stalked his opponent from the outset. Jackson was incredibly game in trying to counter this approach, as he consistently attempted to engage with Beloff before his opponent could set his feet. Sadly for the debutant, more times than not, his strikes came up short. The first time “Valyok” did plant his feet, Jackson was split open like a ripe peach. The next time had the Pol crashing to the floor, and the final connection removed any need for the judge’s scorecards. In this form, Beloff is one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the division. Now he needs to prove he can maintain that level of excellence from one fight to the next.

Former champion Bruce Wayne (9-3-0) dusted off his under-utilised grappling game to rob “Ludacris” Terry Opdauhl (8-1-0) of his undefeated record.

Everything appeared to be going to plan for Opdauhl when he scored a well timed takedown. He had worked the situation well beforehand by throwing wild haymakers that had, for the most part, forced Wayne on to the defensive. This meant Wayne overcommitted when he was given the chance to strike back and “Ludacris” capitalised after a couple of miscues.

Only problem for the Sydney based fighter was that he, and his trainers, had massively underestimated Wayne’s competence on the ground. First, Opdauhl’s offence was completely neutralised, then Wayne sprang a trap that lead to “Ludacris” giving up his arm. The tap could have come sooner as Opdauhl tried dilengently to fight through the hold but a small readjustment left everyone knowing that there was only one choice.

This is the second time in a row that Wayne has been the liberator of a rival’s unbeaten streak. Surely it is time for Gotham born warrior to be given another shot at a top contender, as he is clearly far better than his current status as the middleweight division’s toughest gatekeeper.

Continuing the theme of established Unleash stars reminding both matchmakers and fans of their worth was Mario Karlo (8-2-0). He dispensed with any niceties in welcoming newcomer Cortland “The Celtic Warrior” Cartwright (15-7-0) and used the clinch to bully the former Island fighter until he could take no more.

It is rather unnecessary to give a more exacting account of the fight. Karlo drove his opponent into the cage from the get go, and just beat on his victim from there on in. Clearly Cartwright had never been faced with someone as physically dominant before, which lead to him looking rather forlorn while he took his beating. All things considered, the combination of uppercuts that finished the fight was a mercy.

What fans will be wondering is whether Karlo will be seen back in the cage any time soon. It is an open secret he wishes to develop his skills further. Yet this performance would suggest that he has more than enough in his arsenal to trouble the best around. Only time will tell which route he chooses to head down.

During the minute long intermission between the fourth and fifth rounds of the Unleash welterweight championship bout, it was incredibly noticeable how much the atmosphere had changed in the Hard Knock’s Arena.

Before the contest, there was a real party mood as the thousands of diehard fans danced to the familiar tune of champion Hector “Macho” Camacho’s (14-1-0) entrance music. His dominance in two weight divisions has been really embraced by the general public and they expected no less than another devastating performance. So it was met with annoyance, opposed to any real concern from the partizan crowd, when David “Boom” Schneider (14-2-0) found an early takedown in the first and proceeded to control the round until it’s death.

This general sense that Camacho was only waiting to do something special seemed to be confirmed in the second, as he danced around Schneider with his iconic fluid style. Relaxation turned into confusion in the third, as Schneider was able to take Camacho to the floor on multiple occasions. Again, “Boom” was able to control with ease when on the ground with only the referee giving the champion any respite from the situation. The restless crowd were starting to boo nothing in particular as they recoiled in unison at the prospect of their champion being bettered by a relative newcomer to the organisation.

As bookmakers everywhere were gleefully totting up all the money they’d earned from punters putting big money on an early knockout, Camacho round his rhythm again. As with the second round, he flowed like water, avoiding Schneider’s powerful takedowns and landing decisive blows at will. The difference was Schneider was able to take “Macho’s” proven power and keep moving forward. In little groups at first, and then in a wave that crashed over the audience, the realisation hit them that this was going to go down to an all or nothing final round.

The party atmosphere was gone and nervous energy created its own buzz. These nerves seemed to be passed down to both fighters who started the final round tentatively. “Macho” landed a few clean strikes before Schneider bulldozed threw for yet another takedown. The crowd rose as one with panic gripping the auditorium. “Boom” had been so dominant on the floor that it looked like the fight was slipping from Camacho’s grasp.

Rapturous applause then sang out as Camacho turned the takedown to his advantage. Instead of falling into the champions guard, Schneider had attempted to find a more prominent position. His lack of pressure allowed Camacho to slip out from underneath and take “Boom’s” back. Somehow Schneider managed to defend the position and turn into Camacho’s guard but this set off a process of counters that never allowed the fight to settle. Only the ring bell stopped them from their constant switch of positions.

No one knew how the judges would score the all important last round. After what seemed like an eternity, the scorecards were read out and Camacho had been given the victory by split decision. Schneider looked crushed. “Macho” a little apologetic. Yet as time softens their raw emotions, both men will discover that they were in an all-time classic match.

Bloggers calling for an immediate rematch will be disappointed as Camacho is tied up in the Tycoon MMA Championships for the foreseeable future. However there is no reason why Schneider couldn’t go out and put his own little run together. That would force Unleash’s matchmakers to give him another opportunity. Hopefully this happens as surely everyone wants to see these two do it again!

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Unleash Fighting Championship once again welcomes the increasingly legendary Tycoon MMA Championships to it’s card for UNFC 47: TMC LW Round 2. Most excitingly for the crazed Japanese faithful is the inclusion of homegrown warrior Hector Camacho at this stage. No doubt, his entrance music will be greeted with deafening applause that could well burst a few eardrums.

Claudio Demaestri’s (1-6-0) inept wrestling has really masked the Argentine’s innate prowess in the cage. Once again, Demaestri will have to overcome this handicap if he is to hang with powerful wrestler Henry White (0-1-0) in the night’s opener. Then, two highly thought off but somewhat underachieving lightweights clash. Summa Cum (0-1-0) needs to prove to himself, as much as anyone else, that his chin will not undermine his flashy hands, while Liquid Gold (2-2-0) just needs to find some consistency. The ever increasing blogging community around the UNFC has been a buzz about the debuting “Tiny Willy” Editiny Dick (2-0-0). The unbeaten featherweight is one of the smallest fighters to ever grace the company and many wonder if his lack of bulk will be a problem. “Tiny Willy” takes on the diminutive “Handsome” Henry HuaHua (4-5-0) who will be significantly heavier despite being on the small side himself.

No one really knows what to expect from Lukas Hanak (2-1-0) who has not fought for nearly two years. The complete opposite is true about his opponent Raf Camora (1-1-0) who everyone knows is a clinch specialist. If rumours are to be taken at face value, Hanak should go into this as the heavy favourite. Yet many wonder if his ring rustiness, and Camora’s steely determination could undermine this thinking completely. To round off the undercard, journeyman Tyler Thompson (3-1-1) finds his way into Unleash for the first time. The tall featherweight takes on Bill “Brainlag” Bronson (2-1-0), who has shown great heart in each one of his appearances with the company. He’ll need to delve deep again if he is going to plough threw Thompson’s big reach advantage.

Many people hugely underestimated the effectiveness of Casey “The Hunter” Bowman (3-1-0) when he made his debut with Unleash. The multifaceted stand up proponent is one of the most naturally gifted athletes in the world right now, and this becomes starkly apparent once he is seen against other fighters known for being dynamic in their own right. Such a dramatic god-given advantage really hides some of the rough edge’s that do occasionally occur.

This time out, it will be Bowman welcoming a newcomer to the organisation as he takes on Spaniard “The Amazing” Aznar Thrul (3-3-0). A surprisingly young fighter with lots of experience, Thrul has yet to fully develop a concise style that brings him consistent success. Perhaps a change of scenery will induce a new level of maturity in him. “The Amazing’s” may find it incredibly difficult to find himself this time out though. Bowman’s aforementioned athleticism will make him a particularly difficult opponent to find any rhythm against, and that is often the key to finding consistency. Of course, a win for the youngster would be all the more impressive considering the obstacle Bowman presents. It might even become his launching pad to a untold future success.

Continuing the theme of new combatants being blooded in the organisation, Kagen Knight (8-4-0) makes the long pilgrimage from Las Vegas to try his hand at this higher level of competition. He’ll certainly find out how hard the challenge will be against Raise Hell (7-2-0).

Knight comes in as the champion of the now-seemingly-defunct G-Co organisation, where he rose quickly through the ranks. He is an interesting fighter to watch as he rarely engages first. This only works because of Knight’s clinical timing that allows him to exploit his foe’s smallest mistakes. Presumably Hell will have studied this unusual tactic in great detail. Whether he can necessarily counteract this effectively is another matter entirely. Hell may well be better off imposing his own preferred approach to the fight and force Knight into doing something different. Whether someone as talented as Hell can actually alter Knight’s base attack is likely to tell everyone just how big a danger Knight might be in Unleash.

Next is the first of the night’s TMC semi-finals that pits New York Fight Night warrior “Greatest Of All Time” Quentin DeBarmalo (7-2-0) against the ever impressive Insanity fighter Ashton Eaton (10-4-0).

It is fairly safe to say that DeBarmalo stole the show in the quarter final stage when he shocked everyone with a one-sided decision victory over three-weight SFC champion, and tournament favourite, Charlie Lim. Not only did “Greatest Of All Time” dictate the fight throughout, he also knocked Lim to the canvas for the first time in his career. No doubt many prepared statements about the event were quickly binned after the absolute conclusiveness of DeBarmalo’s victory.

If anything, Eaton’s victory over Wrestling Guy was even more lopsided. This didn’t make the headlines though as this was the commonly held suspicion carried by the majority of observers beforehand. What did flicker a few imaginations was how Eaton succeeded. He took Guy’s strength, namely the clinch, and dominated him at his own game. A clear statement of intent that he considers himself the most well rounded fighter in the tournament perhaps?

How these two go about each other has been a subject of much debate. Some wonder if Eaton may look to test DeBarmalo in the clinch after the great success he had in the quarters. While others have queried if “Greatest Of All Time” may look to fight off the back foot as he only fears his opponent’s ground game. Really, it is anyone’s guess how either man will approach the fight. What can be all but guaranteed is that this battle will be non-stop joy throughout.

In-between the two TMC semi-finals will be the welcome return of Unleash favourite Nikolay “Burdik” Burdyalov (10-5-0), who appears to be tantalisingly close to a first shot at the light heavyweight championship. The powerful striker has finally put a run of positive results together, after a number of false dawns, but must now cope with the additional pressure of being so close to his greatest aspiration.

If “Burdik” is going to realise one of his, and many UNFC’s fans, biggest dreams then he must get past Cortland “The Celtic Warrior” Cartwright (15-7-0) in this co-main event match up. The former AFL and Hostility champion was expected to be a major force when he debuted at UNFC 43 but was stopped early by Mario Karlo. This poor opening showing has also poured pressure on Cartwright as he must now prove he is capable at performing at the pinnacle of the sport.

The big difference between these two characters is that Cartwright has come back from adversity before, and reached the highest possible level afterwards. Having that experience locked away, surely gives him every confidence that he can deal with the situation. Unfortunately for Burdyalov, he has faltered under these circumstances on several occasions. That mental hurdle could be a severe issue to get past. On the other hand, “Burdik” has been deadly on his feet recently, and will be further encouraged by the way Cartwright melted under the firestorm of blows he received in his first UNFC fight.

Undoubtably, this will make the opening moments of this encounter critical. If Cartwright can frustrate Burdyalov then the pressure of the situation could make the big Russian crumble. However one confidence building blow and the momentum will surely all be with “Burdik”.

Expect the foundations to rumble when Hector “Macho” Camacho (14-1-0) ambles to the cage for the main event. UNFC’s golden boy enters the TMC tournament at the semi-final stage to be faced with Troid’s number one contender “Last” Sam Urai (9-3-1).

Frankly, it is likely to be an incredibly unnerving situation for Urai to find himself in. The manic Japanese fans will show no respect for the invader and will barrage him with as much negative noise as the positive sound that they bestow upon Camacho.

What should be noted about Urai is that he was the only man to successfully finish his opponent in the opening tournament round though. His submission victory just underlined his dominance which saw “Last” completely neutralise Chad Didson outside the occasional desperate takedown, which severed as his undoing anyway.

Still, it is just so incredibly difficult to see how Urai will deal with the movement of Camacho and the will of the crowd. So many of “Macho’s” opponents simply run into a devastating shot after being frustrated by being picked off by unfathomably hard shots from out of nowhere. A few high profile figures have pushed forward the theory that Urai will focus heavily on leg kicks. This will slow Camacho down and has been used by Urai with great success before. Such a move may just work as Urai is an elite talent, but the general cynicism around the suggestion is not surprising after so many have tried this approach and failed embarrassingly.

The noise when these two meet will be deafening, as the hugely biased home fans will their favourite to victory. The only way for Urai to shut them up is to take home a shocking victory. If that happens, you may well be able to hear a thousand hearts’ break in unison.

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The Tycoon MMA Championships was nearly brought into disrepute after two incredibly close semi-final contests that saw both losing competitors complain bitterly about the judge’s decision. These contests capped off a night at UNFC 47: TMC LW Round 2 where the vast majority of fights were close encounters that could have gone either way.

In what is most-probably the least surprising statement of this review, Claudio Demaestri (1-7-0) was completely dominated by H

[JoeLang]

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James "Sully" McGuiness (237725)

 

After getting totally dominated and taken down at will in my last fight, i considered retiring and concentrating full time on running my pub.

 

But i saw how UNLEASH was ran, and although i don't like the long haul flight here, i gotta say Scott Park has done a great job and we re-negotiated a contract that i was happy with.

 

So here i am lads!!! Now while i don't hold any unrealistic dreams of ever winning a Title, i still love stepping into the cage and duking it out with my fellow man. And afterwards we can all head back to my pub SULLY'S for a drink and a feed!!!!

 

So come one, come all!! A place where fighters and managers can kick back and relax at a place where the beer is cold and the food is hot!

 

(This message was brought to you by Sully's Bar n Grill)

[JoeLang]

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Johnny Silver (233260)

 

Y'know "Sully", i couldn't have said it better myself. Now like you, i hate the flight to Tokyo but the offer Park made to me was too good to say no to. The 145 division is pretty stacked and i have fought in Tokyo before earlier on in my career.

 

I am looking forward to making my UNLEASH debut and then heading down to Sully's for a cold drink afterwards. Yeah baby!

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The fervour around Unleash’s continued experiments with returning to a more traditional Japanese version of mixed martial arts grew in intensity at UNFC 52: Armstrong vs. Mitchell.

Fans, fighters, and promoters alike, all viewed the night with a mix of intrepidation and hope that these old-school rules would force combatants to be more aggressive throughout their contests. The high number of late finishes suggests this wish may well have come to fruition, but a larger set of results will be needed to before any decision on a permanent change is considered.

Clearly Remy “Gambit” LeBeau (3-3-0) and Ole Bighead (4-7-0) wanted nothing to do with the new rules as they threw everything at each other in the night’s opener. It looked like these two were about to put on a classic when LeBeau sneaked through a nasty jab late in the first. This cascaded into an unstoppable barrage of punches that left the referee with no choice but to intervene. Controversy erupted in the following bout as the judge’s awarded Billy “Backwater” Bulge (9-3-0) a razor tight decision victory over Randy “The Rock” Alcatraz (8-7-0). Either man could have been handed the victory with many arguing “The Rock’s” desire to finish as more important that Bulge’s strong defence. If nothing else, this one proves that there will be impassioned debate over whether the judge’s are correct with whatever system a company chooses to use.

A little over-confidence can be a dangerous thing and this point was proven by Johan Pahlm (4-3-0) who was triangled by Kevin “The Skillz” Wilbowo (8-3-0). Swede Pahlm had showed great poise against black belt Wilbowo, despite being taken down early, but this lead him to relax for just a moment. This was all “The Skillz” needed and he took an impressive eighth win by submission in his career.

For the most part, Benjamin Thumbhisbum (7-3-0) was frustrated by Tatsuya Mifune (5-3-0) as the native fighter used a combination of superior wrestling and distance finding jabs to keep his opponent at bay. However raw power came to Thumbhisbum’s aid in the final round. He timed Mifune coming in perfectly, and ploughed his fist directly into his foe’s temple. Stunned, Mifune was robbed of any ability to defend himself so the ending was a sweet release. The final undercard fight also had a third round stoppage but there were no great twist like the last bout. Ricardo “Demolition” Gaarlandt (14-5-0) dominated from the opening bell with a varied arsenal of stabbing strikes. Even when his opponent Takuji “Devil” Kawashima (11-6-0) dragged the fight to the floor, Gaarlandt looked in complete control and neutralised the potential danger. Ultimately, tiredness lead to Kawashima turtling up on the ropes and that only invited “Demolition” to pour the pressure on further. The referee was obviously looking for any opportunity to wave the contest off and this was the perfect chance.

Victory was all the more delicious for Gaarlandt as this avenged his first loss in the UNFC and continues his good form that has seen him win three of his last four.

Neither Rick Cricket (11-5-0) nor Taishi “Snow” Mori (11-5-0) looked entirely comfortable in the opening stanza of their light heavyweight contest. Whether this was each man giving his opponent too much respect or the unfamiliar surroundings of a ring, neither man excelled early and many predicted that the first to find their feet would walk away the winner.

Cricket proved to be the man who could adapt the quickest as forced the clinch upon Mori. An early cut may have also worsened Mori’s disorientation but there was no doubt that Cricket was forcing his will on his opponent as the second round progressed. Some of the dull thuds that echoed around the arena, as Cricket dug in numerous short, sharp hooks into “Snow’s” ribs, were harrowing. This beating continued in the third round as the American used his obvious freshness to dance around his adversary with ease. One particularly rigorous combination left Mori reeling. It looked like the end and within in a minute it was.

Only, to the rapturous applause of the partizan audience, it was Mori dancing around the ring in elation. The earlier blitz seemed to anger the Japanese fighter and that lead to him dive for a powerful double leg that caught Cricket completely by surprise. Feigning some sort of choke, “Snow” quickly isolated Cricket’s arm and menacingly tore at it until the American had no choice but to tap. An unbelievable comeback from what was surely a losing position and a statement win for a fighter who needed to prove his worth in the UNFC.

“Fearless” Frank Nicolosi (14-6-0) was crowned the new Unleash heavyweight champion after taking a third round victory over bookmakers favourite Paul “Poc” O’Connell (8-2-0).

Not that it looked like anyone but O’Connell would walk away with the victory after the opening five minutes. With the first contact of the fight, “Poc” opened a nasty gash over Nicolosi’s eye and proceeded to pepper his rival mercilessly. “Fearless” lived up to his nickname as he faced up to the onslaught and kept coming despite the suspicion that he was seeing stars at several points. Yet after all that dominance on display, it was O’Connell who looked the worse for wear as the two men sat down between rounds. There have been some unsubstantiated rumours that he may have broken his hand or possibly a rib but no one is really sure. He may, as others have postulated, have just spent himself trying to finish his hurt opponent and blown through his energy reserves. Whatever the reason, the repercussions were clear from the the second round on.

Now Nicolosi was in control. He carefully picked his opponent apart with a hit and move strategy that further ebbed O’Connell’s energy away from him. By the end of the second, “Poc” was a mess and barely made it out to make the bell. It was only a matter of time before “Fearless” found a way to end the bout which he did so via the clinch. The fresher man’s obvious strength advantage allowing him to rag doll his opponent on the ropes until he simply couldn’t take any more.

A huge win for Nicolosi who knows he has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders as he must build this once defunct belt back to prominence.

Brandon Marshall (7-1-0) reinstated his claim of being the brightest up-and-coming middleweight in the whole of Tokyo with another highlight stealing knockout.

This time his victim was Eddie “Shutdown” MacArthur (9-4-0) who is no slouch when it comes to turning an opponent’s light’s off himself. Obviously these two were going to be a little wary of the other’s power and so it proved for all off thirty seconds. Suddenly MacArthur dug in two thundering leg kicks into the meat of Marshall’s calf, only to receive a huge hook in return that sent him to a knee momentarily. This game of high stakes chess continued all through the first round with neither man ever landing the telling shot. The interval didn’t deter their fencing any either as both looked for the perfect set up. Somewhat unsurprisingly, it was one of these faints that lead to the bout’s end although not necessarily in the way the move was designed. MacArthur threw an artful uppercut looking to draw Marshall into a big hook, and in doing so opened himself up to the same shot coming the other way. Whether Marshall judged his rivals intention or if it was just a case of dumb luck, the strike was picture perfect and knocked “Shutdown” for six. Another Marshall moment that will be played ad nauseam in promo packages and complication videos for some time to come.

Perhaps the most impressive performance of the night should be handed to newcomer Chesney Page (13-4-0) who walked through Cortland “The Celtic Warrior” Cartwright (15-9-0) in less than a round.

A native of Swansea, Wales, Page had come into the company with a reputation as a submission artist, so most were expecting a high level grappling contest against Unleash’s resident tap out specialist. This preconceived notion was obliterated within the opening minute as Page landed several snapping leg kicks while circling away from Cartwright’s desperate lunges. These low shots forced “The Celtic Warrior” to lower his guard further and further until Page suddenly went upstairs. The kick couldn’t have been more on the money as the Welshman’s shin plunged into the American’s jaw. Cartwright dropped like a stone and took some serious time to rouse which had many onlookers worried. Fortunately, we can report that Cartwright is in good health and back preparing for another adventure in the UNFC but it will be Page who fans will be desperate to see again. Few have made such a startling first impression.

When the familiar opening bars to “I’m the Man” bellowed out around the Shinjuku Indoor Arena, the Unleash audience rose as one to applaud “The Modern Day Messiah” Malcom Mitchell (14-6-0) on his tenth outing with the company. This landmark occasion came with a certain amount of concern for the company man as his opponent Nathaniel “Threadmill” Armstrong (8-3-0) offered a ground threat that has blighted Mitchell’s career.

These fears appeared to be coming to fruition in the first round as Armstrong was able to take Mitchell to the ground after taking a few notable blows from the clinch. Surprisingly, “The Modern Day Messiah” looked serene despite his predicament and quickly fooled his American rival into giving him top position. This didn’t stop Armstrong being the aggressor on the floor and he tried to unsettle Mitchell several times but it was to no avail. The round ended back on the feet and, once again, it was Mitchell who had the notable advantage.

“Threadmill’s” persistence came to the fore early in the second as he bullied Mitchell to the floor once again. Yet, the former Relativity champion lost the top again and allowed his Canadian foe to escape to his feet. In many people’s eyes this was the critical mistake of the fight as Armstrong would not be able to get the fight back to the floor until very late in the third. He desperately tried to get the finish but time ran out on him. The intervening minutes of the second and third were characterised by Mitchell using a number of clinch holds to suffocate “Threadmill” into inactivity while landing a series of point scoring shots.

Arguably, the Dartmouth native should have looked to be more damaging however it is understandable that he simply did not want to give Armstrong a chance to take the fight back to his wheelhouse.

Although not appreciated by the clearly nervous fighters, this was a great opportunity to see the benefits of the all-fight judging method. Both men had been dominant for notable spells during the contest and this could have easily lead to rounds being oddly split under the normal system. This time there would be no doubt that the judges were awarding the fight to the man they believed to be the better fighter overall.

Ultimately, “The Modern Day Messiah” was the man with his hand raised. The sold out arena went wild. A rue smile crossed the face of Armstrong. So many ‘what if’ moments running across his mind. Mitchell showing grace in holding his defeated foes hand aloft for the the crowd to give him his due. A fight that maybe quickly forgotten but could well be the major deciding factors on how the UNFC grows from here.

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With the announcement late on Thursday that Unleash Fighting Championship would be returning to the ten-point must system, fans swarmed the Hard Knocks Arena to purchase tickets for the penultimate event that would feature the iconic traditional rules. Those lucky enough to get a seat will be treated to a rousing display of lightweight action at UNFC 53: Kokoszka vs. Chavez.

The evenings entertainment will begin with two men desperately hoping to reinvigorate their flagging careers. Tyler Thompson (3-2-1) has only seen one victory in his past four while Mikolaj Bajeczny (0-4-0) is yet to see his hand raised at all. Neither man can afford to lose again. Malaysian “Tiny Willy” Editiny Dick (3-0-0) then puts his unbeaten MMA record on the line against UNFC debutant Daft “Punk” Young (2-1-0). Popular belief indicates this will be the first time that Dick’s chin is truly tested as “Punk” is known for being a powerful striker for the weight class. The nefarious rumours circulating around Dixie “Dang” Small’s (2-0-0) life outside the ring has been given more attention than his match up with Raf Camora (2-1-0), but this will be a really good way of measuring the potential of both these up-and-comers. Surely the winner will be looking at a first main event slot in the near future.

No one knew what to make of Season 3 ITFL competitor Bernhard “The Bear” Adelhard (5-4-0) when he entered Unleash. His undistinguished record didn’t gel with the eyeball test that suggested he was a hardened, seasoned fighter. So far “The Bear” has excelled, and is expected to do so once again against the ever popular underdog “Freaky Fast” Jimmy Johns (6-4-1). Another resurgent fighter is Peter Smith (10-4-0), who has looked dominant since returning from a sizeable self imposed exile. He makes a major step up in competition when he faces Jack “The War Master” Douglas (7-4-0) in the night’s final undercard contest. Whether Smith can handle the joint threat of Douglas’s unrated power and well publicised ground game will indicate if he has really made the step up into the top tier of fighters.

Times have been tough on former championship contender Meguru Takayanagi (7-7-0). The man who once put together a five fight winning streak has now been soundly beaten in his last three, and finds himself a long way outside the title picture. The Tokyo native now looks to a formerly mastered opponent, Orange Joe (8-6-0), to get his Unleash career back on track.

A plethora of bloggers have been gone back to the first fight between these two men. They point to how easily Takayanagi secured the submission victory and use this as ironclad evidence to why the homegrown talent should be considered the strong favourite. Such assumptions should be given little credence though as Joe has become a far more rounded practitioner since that fight back at UNFC 30. Surely, Joe will be far more willing to let his strikes go with his new found confidence in his grappling ability. Yet that first experience could well play on the mind of the man from the Big Apple, and Takayanagi’s innate ground skills are always going to be able to exploit any mental, as well as technical, weakness. Undoubtably, this is a big fight for both men’s future prospects.

Another classic striker verses grappler encounter is expected between Frank “Bruiser” Brody (11-8-1) and Kostas Papadakis (13-7-0).

Brody is the embodiment of the warrior spirit and has shown on numerous occasions the willing to put everything on the line to find that elusive knock out. Even if that means coming home on his shield on occasion. His record of only seeing the judge’s scorecard once in a twenty fight career is testament to this attitude. Papadakis’s mentality couldn’t be any different. His first plan in every fight is to neutralise his opponent’s stand up and get them into the pain of an energy sapping, often limb breaking, grappling match.

In what might be the most obvious statement of the day, whoever empowers their game plan best is most likely to be the winner. What might be a key indicator to who that may be is the fact that Papadakis has never been defeated by knockout in his career, while “Bruiser” has been undermined by high level grapplers before. Of course, MMA makes it’s headlines from fighter’s suffering from their first ‘whatever' each and every week…

Before entering Unleash “Ludacris” Terry Opdauhl (8-2-0) had blasted through opponents with a level of ease rarely seen in these days of professionalism. That wonderful run has now come to a grinding halt as he has been undone in successive fights by high quality grapplers. Desperate to prove this blip is just an anomaly, Opdauhl takes on another high end grappler in Nich Dim (13-3-1).

The Unleash audience has yet to see the best of Dim, who fought out a majority draw in his debut appearance. The long-time Eastern Canada fighter was clearly nervous before the last contest and simply didn’t fight to the level expected of him. His team have confidently predicted that these issues are now behind him. What this does mean is that he too will be out to prove that he has what it takes to be a top middleweight in Japan’s greatest mixed martial arts company.

With all this in mind, actually predicting how the fight may play out is difficult. Dim will surely be looking at “Ludacris’s” past record with grapplers with glee, but then the tape indicates he simply doesn’t have the stand up skills necessary to hurt Opdauhl like those previous opponents did. So this should be a golden opportunity for Opdauhl to get his name back in the win column. Yet there is a noticeable message perpetrated by his camp that he wants to prove he can grapple with top guys. This could well mean he deliberately goes into the fight with the goal of showing that belief. If that comes to light then it really is anyone’s fight.

With so many top featherweights competing for space at the top of Unleash’s packed division, it was a wonderful surprise that two top ten talents in Joe “The Flying Monkey” Gregory (9-4-0) and Dave “The Machine” Johnson (8-3-0) were able to agree on terms on a sort notice after another featherweight suffered an injury.

Have no doubt, this co-main event match up has major repercussions on the seemingly undefendable 145 belt.

Many think of Johnson as a grizzled veteran but, despite this being his tenth fight in Unleash, he is still only 22. This youth can be seen in every fight by the pure amount he develops from one appearance to another. His obviously thickening frame appears to be giving him more innate power compared to his early appearances yet the hand speed, that has been his trademark, is still there. “The Machine” will need to bring these skills to the fore from the very beginning as it’s highly unlikely that submission specialist Gregory will want anything to do with the striking game. It clearly came as a devastating surprise to “The Flying Monkey” that he was so overpowered in what was predominantly a grappling contest in his first UNFC loss. Still, Gregory must know that he has a much better chance against the stand up orientated Johnson if he uses his wrestling ability to secure dominant positions consistently.

Recent featherweight fights have proven that only the most foolhardy gambler should even attempt to separate this group of great but evenly match gladiators. Johnson vs. Gregory is no different.

UNFC 53’s main event puts two impressive win streaks on the line, with the reward being a shot at the much-coveted lightweight championship.

Dominik “The Crusher” Kokoszka (8-2-0) is a remarkable example of what good can be found from taking a stay from the cage and refocusing on key skills. A fighter who has been with the company from it’s very conception, Kokoszka went a better than average three and two in his early career before stepping away. Since his return, he has won five in a row and won four in under two minutes. “The Crusher” went from tin analogies to car ones as he now fully embodies his nickname. The man who will be standing across the ring from him has never faced such hardships as he is perfect so far in his MMA career. In fact, the final Hostility middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez (8-0-0) has only ever made an impression as a fighter that can do no wrong. His punch-kick combination that finished his debut fight in Unleash was a joy to behold, and will go down as one of the more memorable finishes of the era. Such comparable fluidity has only really been seen from the champion, Hector Camacho.

Both men have the ability to take this fight anywhere but most commentators are secretly hoping this one stays on the feet. Their clashing styles meaning that it should be a wonderful clash of power against technique. For every moment of grace Chavez is capable of producing, Kokoszka should be able to respond with biting, oppressive force. Whether that brute force can find it’s target regularly is a big question though. Chavez has the breathtaking ability to use his well-mastered movement as well defensively as offensively. The tension will be all-encompassing as each man walks the fine line of being destructive without causing self-annihilation.

These are two special athletes have the capacity to put on a show that would be highlight stealing in any organisation in the world. Only time will tell if it ends up as a true epic though.

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Please feel free to reply to this and give me feedback. I’m always looking to improve Unleash’s event coverage.

[FallenFlyer]

As predicted, there was barely room to breath in Hard Knocks Tokyo as, a suspiciously exact official attendance of, 3000 people were treated to a night of surprises at UNFC 53: Kokoszka vs. Chavez.

Unwillingness to commit to the striking game cost Makolaj Bajeczny (0-5-0) in both the fans and, more importantly to him, the judge’s eyes as he lost by unanimous decision to Tyler Thompson (4-2-1). In truth, this was a scrappy affair that never really got going. The pressure of the situation clearly got to both men. Pushing the action also proved to be an effective tactic for Daft “Punk” Young (3-1-0) as he bestowed “Tiny Willy” Editiny Dick (3-1-0) with his first career defeat. Arguably Dick landed the more telling shots but these were far to infrequent compared to “Punk’s” sustained pressure. It was rather apparent that none of Dixie “Dang” Small’s (2-1-0) camp had watched either of the night’s opening bouts as he also fell into the trap of inactivity. To be fair on Small, Raf Camora (3-1-0) was by far the most impressive winner and deservedly stripped his rival of his unbeaten record. Camora's concoction of kicks were a clear step forward for the Italian which bodes very well for his future.

Word has clearly gotten out that Bernhard “The Bear” Adelhard (6-4-0) is quickly becoming one of the must see fighters in Unleash. Those who made it to their seats on time were rewarded with the first stoppage of the evening as he overpowered “Freaky Fast” Jimmy Johns (6-5-1) in just over two minutes. What will be most noticeable to future opponents was Adelhard’s ability to switch levels smoothly. Possibly the best display of pure MMA came in the final undercard bout between Jack “The War Master” Douglas (7-5-0) and Peter Smith (11-4-0). Both men probed at his opposition's weaknesses as they explored all three facets of the fight game. Yet neither man could find a clear weakness throughout. The action never deteriorated though as they both pushed hard for the win until the final bell After a long pause for the scorecards, Peter Smith was awarded the victory but neither man truly lost after this classic fight.

Orange Joe (9-6-0) scored a massive personal victory as he laid Meguru Takayanagi (7-8-0) out with a deadly bombardment of ground and pound. Not only did this win avenge Joe’s UNFC 30 loss to Takayanagi, but it also proved that he now has the moxie to roll with the best ground fighters despite this not be his favoured route to victory.

No doubt Takayanagi’s camp will go away extremely disappointed from this one though. The Tokyo native implemented his game plan perfectly but was still found wanting. The crux of the matter was simply Takayanagi’s inability to muster any offence. This will be especially worrying for his fans as he held several dominant positions for much of the first round, and had a critical take down early in the second. Yet Joe was able to completely neutralise the situation until he was finally presented with the opportunity to go on the attack himself. From this point, the fight was all Joe. He hurt his beleaguered opponent on several occasions before finally dropping a torrent of punches that had *stop the fight* written all over them.

This victory puts Joe right back into the title hunt at 155. The future of Takayanagi is far more uncertain with this being his fourth loss on the bounce. Perhaps a little time away from the sport would do this Unleash legend the world of good, as everyone here wants to see this man continue to be a factor in the title picture.

Despite what commentators like to say, sometimes great heart is not enough to get a fighter past a superior opponent. This is exactly what Kostas Papadakis (13-8-0) discovered when faced with the clinical boxing of Frank “Bruiser” Brody (12-8-1).

How Papadakis survived the first round is a bit astonishing. The first exchange saw the Turk missing wildly and led to him being punished with a picture perfect uppercut. That strike alone would have surely ended most fights. Brody then peppered his outclassed foe with a range of text book blows until one big straight turned his opponents legs to jelly. It looked all over but Papadakis grabbed the clinch. Head cleared, he was then able to manoeuvre around the ring to avoid Brody’s ever wilder head shots. When the round came to an end, Brody’s corner loudly admonished the Irishman for losing his candor and solely loading up for the knockout blow.

Advice taken onboard, Brody went back to the technical approach that had worked so well early on. Once again Papadakis had no answer and this time his luck ran out. Brody continued his relentless boxing lesson with one combination after another finding it’s mark. Eventually, the referee took the unusual step of stepping in and saving the man who was yet to have fallen. It turned out to be a great decision by the official as Papadakis was shown to be out on his feet.

Too brave or too stupid to go down despite the hail of blows, Papadakis’s performance will go down as one of true grit. Perhaps Brody will not gain the same notoriety but the win will be more than satisfactory compensation.

“Ludacris” Terry Opdauhl (9-2-0) snapped his losing streak in just fifty seconds. He sized up Nich Dim (13-4-1) with a couple of early jabs, and proceeded to corral the grappler into the ropes. With no where to go, Dim fought bravely but was overwhelmed by “Ludacris’s” power and precision.

This was the perfect repost for Opdauhl who had felt attacked by a number of critics recently. He will very much hope that this performance will silence the doubters who believed he lacked in ambition. Perhaps, his lack of form was simply a case of him not finding his feet in the organisation yet, and now he will only excel further from here. Certainly Dim will hope that there is some merit to this idea of it takes time to settle into a new company as he is now 0-1-1 in Unleash himself. Maybe it will be his turn to have a resurgence when he gets his next opportunity.

Defence rather than attack was the story of the evening’s co-main event as Dave “The Machine” Johnson (9-3-0) picked a somewhat controversial victory over Joe “The Flying Monkey” Gregory (9-5-0).

These two warriors were obviously well matched from the beginning as their individual styles meshed into a dance of fury. Gregory was the aggressor from the opening moments, and bombarded “The Machine” with carefree strikes from the first minute to the last. This rather played into Johnson’s game plan as he was able to avoid the initial strike and look to counter the onrushing opponent. Johnson’s tactics did make it appear that he was running away from the fight at times, which went down poorly with some observers, yet those in the know have applauded him on his wise use of the ring’s dimensions.

Therefore judging who was getting the upper hand in the striking game was near impossible for most people. So when it came to who might be the winner, many pointed to the four takedowns Gregory achieved late in each round as the big difference between the two men. Not that the black belt fighter did much once he had gained the position. Something that is likely to disappoint the Canadian deeply.

So there was a sizeable intake of breath when Johnson’s name was read out as the winner. All credit to Gregory who accepted his fate with grace but it was clear that his side were extremely unhappy with the decision. The metrics do back up the judge’s choice though as “The Machine” proved to be the far more accurate striker. However there is a fundamental question whether this information should be given more credence than the naked eye test, which suggested both sides were really even. Honestly, the only way this will ever be resolved is if they step into a cage once again, and surely every Unleash fan would be more than pleased to see these two go at it once more.

Before Dominik “The Crusher” Kokoszka threw up a picture perfect head kick that knocked Julio Cesar Chavez (8-1-0) out before he hit the floor, these two rising superstars were proving why both men are tipped to dominate Unleash’s lightweight division for many year’s to come.

Both fighters came into the contest brimming with confidence, and this transferred into the ring beautifully. Each man took his turn to step into range with purpose and commenced to cause as much damage to the other as possible. Somehow neither warrior connected with anything solid though. This didn’t seem to deter them though as they threw counter after counter. A grazed hit there and a half block here made it look like it was only a matter of time before someone landed something truly telling.

Ultimately a little guile from Kokoszka was the difference. After yet another back and forth battle, the Pole circled into his opponent’s power side which allowed him to uncork a stunning head kick beyond Chavez’s guard. No lightweight could stand the force of such a blow and the Mexican should fell no shame for taking his first loss to such a devastating strike.

The victory hands Kokoszka the next opportunity to face Unleash’s wayward lightweight champion. When this might happen, or whether “The Crusher” can and will be tempted into defending his well earned status is something that seems to have been undecided at this time. Chavez’s future is far more certain. He now goes away to mourn the loss of his undefeated streak, but also gains the critical knowledge of what it takes to be a number one contender in this great organisation. No doubt he will be twice as good on his return and surely it is a matter of time before these two meet again. The bigger question is whether the gold will be on the line when that happens.

[FallenFlyer]

The final Unleash inside a ring, sponsored by Sun-Tzu, is headlined by the resurgent heavyweight title picture and a potential epic between two great featherweights. Could UNFC 54: Paskalev vs. Vos be the crowning glory of this genuinely fascinating experiment?

Proceedings begin with DJ Dy No Mite (3-4-0) looking to continue his impressive winning streak. The young American has now won three in a row after an inauspicious start. The increasingly well-rounded Kalle Pailkka (6-4-0) will be a great test of Mite’s true potential. Debutants “The Horse” DJ Maximus (3-2-0) and Jack “The Snake” Larsson (4-0-1) will see each other as a great opportunity to prove why they are going to matter in Unleash. Larsson is considered the favourite due to his high level grappling skills but Maximus’s supposedly elite power shouldn’t be underestimated. Continuing the trend of newcomers entering the organisation are former longtime DSC competitor Seppo Silvennoinen (9-6-0) and perpetual roamer Sergej “Project Alpha” Valentinovich (6-1-0). Despite their records elsewhere, it is really difficult to judge either man’s capabilities as there are serious question marks around the validity of some of their previous opponents. It will be up to one of them to put on a big performance, which will rubbish those rumours immediately.

There is still great hope that Pops Maellard (4-0-0) will develop into a world ranked middleweight. However it is essential for Maellard to show that he can convert his hand speed into knockouts having failed to claim a decisive victory in either of his two UNFC appearances. Stopping Axl Rose (3-2-0), who has never even been knocked down in his career, will accomplish this nicely. Another fighter who has garnered a lot of attention in the dirt sheets is Short “Shorty” Low (10-5-1). Known for much of his early career as a guy who you judge others potential from, Low has moved camps and is now looking to make the step into stardom himself. He’ll take on Daniel Datsik (3-1-0), who is another under-the-radar talent that may surprise a few in the future.

Anyone who wants to see a slugfest between two men with great heart will be extremely excited by UNFC 54’s main card opener. Both Thomas “Tommie” Hawk (7-4-1) and Matt “The Immortal” Brown (8-8-0) are charismatic stars that always want to throw down. Sometimes this costs them. Brown has been submitted on three consecutive occasions after his joyful abandon opened up an easy takedown. While Hawk has never found a consistent winning streak. Yet this is unlikely to bother these two, especially with the promise of an all out stand up war on the cards. This may even be a case of two fighters gaining popularity by the manner of their performances alone.

Jorge Domingo (16-6-0) is still best remembered as being a great Island fighter. His run as Chaos champion cementing his legacy whatever his future held. However the transition to Unleash has been extremely tough on the Florida native as he has failed to perform to the best of his ability.

Having finally found his mojo at UNFC 48, the initial excitement towards the legend is back and many people are hoping to see him make a run at the light heavyweight title. Standing in his way is the unique stylings of Ernie “The Worm” Bezoink (9-10-0). Those who have not seen “The Worm” are in for a treat. The Canadian doesn’t appear to believe in strategy, nor pain, as he wades into opponents with only victory on his mind. This single-mindedness has led to his downfall on more than one occasion, but this doesn’t stop Bezoink delivering some of the most violent knock outs out there. To some, there has been the suggestion that this is the perfect opponent for Domingo as he can use his experience and fight craft to undermine Bezoink. However, anyone with a punchers chance like the Canadian’s must be considered a stiff test for anyone.

Another Canuck causing waves in the UNFC is Brad “Mayday” May (9-1-0). He will be making a huge step up in competition when he takes on former champion “Pirate” Ragnar Danneskjold (13-7-0).

On paper, this appears to be a classic striker verses grappler affair. “Mayday” is a technician when it comes to throwing unusual punch/kick combinations that land with metronomic regularity. More times than not, this completely discombobulates the opponent into desperately grappling, which just plays right into May’s game plan. He’ll have no such luck against “Pirate” as the Norwegian will find a way to get this to the floor if allowed to. Once there the, not unskilled, May will be at a sizeable disadvantage to Danneskjold. There is a really good reason why fighter after fighter uses length and the jab to keep him at bay.

One interesting additional factor is May’s perceived inability to finish at this level. In both his previous contests, he has hurt his opponent early in a round, but allowed them to survive when another fighter might be expected to get the finish. This will surely encourage “Pirate” to throw more caution to the wind as he is likely to get another chance even if “Mayday” catches him. Of course that will also give May the opportunity to abolish his sceptics as well. Judging the other fighter will be key for whoever gets the victory in this one.

Clearly “Fearless” Frank Nicolosi (14-6-0) wanted to prove that he is a fighting champion. Just a handful of weeks removed from claiming the reestablished heavyweight belt, the Italian stallion puts the gold on the line once more. This time the challenger is the top Nauruan competitor in the world, Ricardo “Demolition” Gaarlandt (14-5-0).

These two gentleman are more than capable of taking this fight anywhere, but it is most likely to be a clash of Nicolosi’s raw power against the in-and-out movement of Gaarlandt. In this sense, the challenger may have an advantage. “Demolition” is a surprisingly small and light fighter for the division and that makes his movement almost supersonic compared to many of the lumbering hulks at the top end. He has made a career of getting inside, causing damage and being away from the action once his foe as responded. Nicolosi will have never faced anything like this in his career.

Of course the downside, as Gaarlandt as discovered to his cost before, is that one big strike can change the outcome instantly. “Fearless” may even be considered the most powerful of that group so will have the chance, as always, of finishing the fight at any moment. Even if he is way behind on the scorecards. The addition of the two championship rounds also gives Nicolosi more time to land that one, all important, strike so surely makes him the heavy favourite. Still, you never know how someone might step up when they know immortality is on the line.

Revenge and validation are on the line for the main event.

Fans and commentators alike were crowning Arnost “Honey Badger” Paskalev (15-5-0) as an all-time great when he defeated the original Unleash featherweight great Ferdinand Cortes back at UNFC 37. This all came to a grinding halt just one event later when Jake Vos (10-2-0) secured a rear naked choke to steal away the title. Many were aghast at this turn of events, with a surprising number claiming the win as a ‘fluke’. This perception was not helped by Vos then turning the championship over in his first defence.

So Paskalev and Vos meet once again.

The former with revenge on his mind while the latter desires to prove to everyone, probably including himself, that he really is the better man. The winner is also likely to be in the picture for another shot at that hot potato of a championship belt that the featherweight title has now become.

Funnily enough, the fight itself is not that different from the first one. Both men are excellent grapplers who, in all probability, will want to utilise that ability from early on. However the man who secures the dominant position is going to be in a far better place to pick up the win. So how they go about that will be key. Arguably, Vos is the better pure puncher but there can be little doubt that Paskalev has the more rounded stand up game. Several in the know have suggested that he may employee a number of low kicks early to interfere with the leg strength of Vos. This could well hamper the American’s grappling enough for “Honey Badger” to take the advantage. Others have countered with the reasonable concern that this would leave Paskalev open to the counter, which Vos has executed very well in his career.

Ultimately, this will be decided by the finest of margins and is too close to call right now. The winner takes away more than the W. He gets a sense of self-assuredness that will surely turn one of these already great fighters into a champion again. The loser will need to dig deep if not to get into a funk that has killed careers before.

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UNFC59 Preview: Nicolosi Vs O'Connell

FighterEliteMMA

UNFC59: ‘Nicolosi Vs O'Connell’ will take place in the Shinjuku Indoor Arena in Japan on Friday, May 29, sponsored by Sun-Tzu, which have fight gear spawned from the greatest battles on earth, punched to perfection by shaolin monks to outlast mankind.

The biggest reason to tune in is to witness #1 and #2 ranked heavyweight’s battle it out for the biggest, badest title in UNFC – UNFC Heavyweight gold. It’s Nicolosi v OConnell part deuce. Can Nicolosi put a stamp on this rivalry, or can OConnell re-write the earlier loss to Nicolosi and at the same time snatch the ultimate prize?

Co-headlining are #4 and #6 ranked heavyweights, followed by #3 and #5 lightweights. The main card is stacked and the undercard has some important matchups to keep an eye on.

Let’s take a closer look.

[Main Event] (265 lbs) #1 Nicolosi v #2 OConnell – Heavyweight Title Fight

Frank Nicolosi is the #1 ranked UNFC heavyweight and sits at #12 on the UNFC Pound-for-Pound rankings, the only title holder outside the organizations top 10 P4P list. The Italian boasts an impressive 14 TKO’s out of his 15 wins, the lonesome decision victory his first professional career win back on November 30, 2013. “Fearless” has fought 21 times, 14 with UNFC and has etched an 11-3 record under his name with the #1 ranked Japanese fighting promotion.

When the Evolution Fight Clan affiliate steps into the cage on Friday he will equal Meguru Takayanagi and Toyoki Kawamura with most fights in UNFC history (15). The knock-out artist is one of the most recognized fighters to step into a UNFC cage, stats wise, holding records for most wins (11) and most KO wins (11) in the organization.

Nicolosi first had a chance at the UNFC heavyweight title at UNFC 12 when he faced, and ultimately fell to, the gloves of Meyer Lansky in the second round. Since then the Team Butcher Gym trainee went on to win 7 of 9 fights, earning his chance to fight for the gold again. In typical fashion, Fearless beat his opponent with a TKO in the third round and finally wrapped the belt around his waist.

Since becoming the #1 heavyweight, the Milan born Tokyo resident has made 1 title defence and goes up against none other than the man he originally fought for the then vacant heavyweight belt, Paul OConnell.

Paul OConnell is the #2 ranked UNFC heavyweight and although fighting less than half as many fights as his opponent, he’s only lost twice in the 11 fights he has competed. Out of those 9 wins, all have come by referee stoppage (TKO).

The last man to fall in the UNFC cage to the Irishman was VG Beloff at UNFC 55, the 2x KO of the night recipients sensational boxing on display once again, the fight finishing in just 50 seconds, OConnell’s second career win in under a minute.

Since signing with UNFC after a 3-1 fight stint with Destiny and an undefeated run with MLF before that, “Poc” is 2-1, his only loss being against upcoming opponent Nicolosi. With another opportunity to secure the belt, and the title of the #1 UNFC heavyweight, OConnell might do well to utilize his BJJ and height advantage.

Both men have world class stand up both on paper and inside the cage and are pretty evenly matched across the board. Nicolosi is one of UNFC’s vets, OConnell a new face to the Tokyo fan base, both still young in the MMA fighting scene and aged 24 and 23 respectively. I like OConnell’s chances here yet who can dismiss the first encounter when Nicolosi walked away with the belt. It will be one cracking main event for the fans, and the top ranked UNFC heavyweights.

[Co-Main Event] (265) #4 Gaarlandt v #6 Kasvi

Ricardo Gaarlandt is the current #4 ranked heavyweight and is coming off a title fight loss to the current champ, Nicolosi, in a fight that may have had the challenger ahead with the judges before the TKO stoppage due to punches. It was his third loss since joining UNFC in October and only his sixth overall out of 20 fights.

“Demolition” fought with Las Vegas Prizefighting before making the switch, where he went 6-2. Out of his 14 wins 9 have come by way of TKO. The Nauruan has exceptional skill with his hands and is well versed in all mixed martial arts disciplines. His opponent on Friday will be one of his toughest to date, and The Exile affiliated fighter may just be considered an underdog.

Jyrki Kasvi is a Samoan born fighter and sits at #6 in UNFC’s heavyweight division. With just 6 fights under his belt and only 1 loss, the Dogs of War allied fighter looks the goods early on in his career. Two of those wins are his most recent fights, his only loss in his first fight with UNFC and under his second manager who he has since departed ties with; currently he’s fighting under his third manager.

“Watcher of the Sky” has 4 TKO’s out of his 5 wins, his last coming against Dante Cross Furia at UNFC 55 to make up for his one and only loss at the hands of Furia at UNFC 42, 2 and a bit months earlier. The TKO victory wiped the blemish from his record and the world class boxer adds some good wrestling and a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Both have everything to gain from this fight, and Gaarlandt has more to lose. With a loss here he will go 5-4 since joining the Tokyo fighting promotion, which doesn’t look good on his resume short term as that will make it 5 wins from his last 10 fights. Whereas Kasvi will be 2-2 since joining UNFC with a loss, but just 5-2 overall and is currently on a 2 fight win streak.

Both can do well with a win, and Gaarlandt needs it more, but I think Kavsi is one to watch and has an advantage with his BJJ, if he can utilize it.

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[762x39]

Great write up.

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Cheers UNFC60 is also currently in the works, expect that very shortly.

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UNFC60 Preview: Alvarez Vs Paskalev

FighterEliteMMA

Following up on a monstrous Friday night of MMA at Shinjuku Indoor Arena, will be UNFC60 on Saturday May 30 where #3 Pound-4-Pound fighter Alex Alvarez will defend his title against #2 contender Paskalev. It’s a night where featherweights rule the show, the division undoubtedly in for a massive shake-up.

#5 and #10 ranked 145 lbs UNFC warriors will battle it out on the main card, as well as #15 and #8 ranked featherweights preceded by #9 and #11 to showcase how skilled, entertaining and dangerous these guys are at 145 lbs.

It’s the last event of May 2015 and it’s filled with a hell of a lot of submission hold extraordinaire’s, all vying to prove to themselves and the country what it takes to step into the UNFC cage and come out victorious.

It’s no coincidence Sun-Tzu sponsors this event, their fight gear spawned from the greatest battles on earth, the cotton for generations punched to perfection by shaolin monks to outlast mankind.

Let’s take a closer look at the match-ups.

[Main Event] (145 lbs) [C] Alvarez v #3 Paskalev – Featherweight Title Fight

Alex Alvarez is UNFC’s #3 Pound-4-Pound fighter and reigning featherweight champion, having defended the title once already and will be looking for his 8th straight victory, his 7th since joining Tokyo’s #1 fighting promotion.

The Mexican native had mixed success going 4-3 whilst fighting in Amsterdam, Hawaii and most recently London before finding his way to Asia and a home with UNFC. Since the change he’s undefeated, with notable wins over #4 Jake Vos for the title and #9 Jack Kraken in his first defence as champion at UNFC55 earlier this month.

Most importantly, “Giorgio” also faced the man he’s squaring off against on Saturday night, Arnost Paskalev, and submitted him by rear naked choke late in the first round back in March. The 2 times Fight of the night award recipient is experienced in matches going the distance, 9 out of his 13 fights being decided by the judges, including all 3 of his losses.

Alvarez is an excellent all-round fighter, his last outing against Kraken really showed that he can work stand-up, clinches, and has takedown ability. And of course the Polish Eagles' Nest fighter sports a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Eddie Bravo, which was the talking point when he choked out fellow BJJ black belt and submission specialist Paskalev in their first meeting.

Arnost Paskalev is the #3 ranked featherweight contender, a 5 time Sub of the night award winner, 2 time Fight of the night award winner and out of his 16 wins 11 have come by way of his opponents tapping out. The Bulgarian is currently coming into this title fight with two straight unanimous decision victories, one over #14 featherweight Joe Gregory and his latest win against #4 Jake Voss.

"Honey Badger" spent the majority of his career with Steel Penn – ICON in New York, gathering a superb record of 12 wins and 2 losses. Whilst fighting for the global top 20 company, Paskalev went on an insane 10 submission win streak which included 5 Sub of the night awards and an incredible 8 first round finishes.

The Brown House gym member has also tasted the triumph of holding UNFC gold when he beat Ferdinand Cortes in his very first fight with UNFC, a unanimous decision victory that also earned him a Fight of the night award. Although losing the title in his first chance to defend it against Voss, Paskalev has won 7 of his last 10 fights and is looking to make it three straight when he aims to hold the gold again.

Paskalev has shown he is an aggressive ground specialist and prefers to work for a takedown and utilize his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, yet does have extremely solid stand up to fall back on if he needs to. He’s improved to have excellent grappling and his takedown offence is a key to his game, but we must remember he took the champ down early in their last fight then got choked out as a result.

Alvarez Vs Paskalev 2 will be hard to pick, but if history is anything to go by Paskalev will need to change his game-plan or we may just see another submission win and second title defence for the champ.

Alvarez is hard to fault right now and has shown enough versatility over his shorter fight history to handle whatever comes his way. Paskalev needs to find his dominant form from last year, yet will it be enough to retain the title and unhinge the champion?

[Co-Main Event] (145 lbs) #5 Vos v #10 Kraken

Jake Voss is looking to snap a 2 fight losing streak and get things back on track. Overall the American is on a nice win record sitting currently at 10-3, and started his run with UNFC hot with 4 straight wins (7 if you include his time with HFC). They included 3 Sub of the night awards and a Fight of the night award in his win over Paskalev to become the new featherweight champion.

A title defence loss to the current champ followed, then Paskalev evened their head-to-head rivalry with a win, Vos suddenly tasting consecutive defeats for this first time in his 13 fight MMA career. Vos has an impressive submission record, ending 8 of his 10 wins by his opponent tapping out.

Vos spent some time in fighting in Hawaii with Hilo Fighting Club where he was equally as impressive, ending his run with 6 wins out of 7 fights, took home a Sub of the night award in only his second fight and suffered his only loss in a 4 round title fight to now retired Giorgio Girardi.

The LA born trains at the Ultimate MMA Training Center here in Tokyo, where he recently received his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Add to that excellent boxing and highly experienced grappling, and Voss is a definite chance to punch his ticket toward a title rematch.

Jack Kraken comes into this fight looking to bounce back from a title loss to Alex Alvarez at UNFC55 earlier this month and record his 13th win overall, his first since joining UNFC. It was only his third loss when he first stepped into the UNFC cage, and the second time the Brit would’ve tasted title success had he won.

The Dogs of War allied fighter spent some time in Amsterdam with the now defunct Bulldogs Upcommings where he held the bantamweight title and defended it twice whilst maintaining a 9 fight win streak and acquiring 2 Fight of the night, and 1 KO of the night awards.

After stints with 3 different managers, Kraken is now under the guidance of Bjorn O'Donnel and trains out of AD 5 Star Spar Bazaar in Montreal. The British fighter and model has a solid all round skillset and early on was regarded as quite the striker, tallying 7 TKO’s in 9 fights, 4 in the first round.

When the two face off in the UNFC cage on Saturday, Vos will enter with a slight advantage in BJJ and Kraken tips the scales with his striking and grappling. Both have a recent title loss to Alvarez and both will be looking to chalk another line in the wins column.

I find Kraken a little more rounded in his skillset, yet as we know it means nothing if a skilled submissions artist like Vos gets you to the ground. A great featherweight match up to precede the title headliner, and a win for either fighter could catapult them to a second go at UNFC gold.

 

[continued...]

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Nicolosi makes it two straight title defenses

FighterEliteMMA

4,825 Japanese fight fans made it out to Shinjuku Indoor Arena on Friday May 29 to witness “Fearless” Frank Nicolosi defend the UNFC Heavyweight title and punch himself further into the UNFC active fighter record books. Sun-Tzu, Tokyo's #1 clothing company, sponsored the event.

At UNFC59 we saw a heavyweight become the new #1 contender, a controversial split decision, a nice armbar out of nowhere and some solid stand-up fights amongst the night’s entertainment. Fans got themselves a good fill before booking tickets to return for the final MMA event of May from Tokyo’s #1 organization, UNFC60: Alvarez Vs Paskalev.

Let’s take a closer look at how the fights went down.

[Main Event] Nicolosi def OConnell by TKO (Strikes) at 03:56 of Round 2 to retain the UNFC Heavyweight (265 lbs) Title

Frank Nicolosi continued to write records as he notched up his 12th win with UNFC, the most by any fighter to have fought in the UNFC cage and his 12th TKO win, also the most by any fighter. Nicolosi pushed his near perfect stoppage record to 15 TKO victories out of a total of 16 when he ended Paul OConnell’s hopes of touching UNFC gold, for the second time.

Paul OConnell had no answer for Nicolosi’s Thai clinch, a knee to the head from a close encounter becoming the strike that essentially led to the TKO loss, his third overall; 2 coming against the champ in a title fight. With both heavyweights recording a total of 24 TKO finishes out of 25 wins between them coming into the encounter, any other ending would’ve been outlandish.

The heavyweight champ moved himself into the top 10 P4P rankings with his 4th straight win and 8th in his last 10, slotting into the #7 spot with Japans biggest fighting promotion. Nicolosi could arguably be the most dominant fighter by weight class with UNFC right now, compared P4P to the rest of the talent in the division. Bruce Wayne and the Middleweights a close second.

OConnell’s now had 2 shots at UNFC heavyweight gold and with the loss, he drops to #4 at 265 lbs. The Irishman has now been dominated in the clinch in both title fights and eaten more kicks than he’s use to. A change of strategy is necessary if he’s to have another opportunity at Nicolosi and UNFC gold.

“Fearless” left the Tokyo fans and UNFC heavyweights with something to ponder before he left the cage with his shiny UNFC belt: “I'll remain the boss here and I'll kill if I have to. It’s not personal, Tokyo. It’s strictly business.”

The Italian declared Big John Baby would someone he’d like to fight next, yet with Ricardo Gaarlandt’s win, Demolition slots in-front of Bones in the divisional scrimmage.

[Co-Main Event] Gaarlandt def Kasvi by Unanimous Decision (30-27 x2, 30-28 x1)

Ricardo Gaarlandt bounced back from his title shot loss with his 6th UNFC win, his 15th overall and 6th out of his last 10 fights. It was a relatively close 3 round affair in the 2nd of 3 heavyweight fights scheduled, where both warriors decided to stand toe-to-toe and strike it out.

Jyrki Kasvi showed his world class boxing with 44 punches landed compared to Gaarlandt’s 33, but it was The Nauruan’s focus on kicking that got him the W, successfully landing 25 body and leg kicks compared to just 2 leg kicks from Kasvi over the course of the fight.

Demolition slides up the heavyweight rankings into 2nd place and becomes the #1 contender for the UNFC title. He’s no stranger to this position, already having a fight against the current heavyweight champ a month ago, eventually losing by TKO in the fourth in a close striking battle at UNFC54.

The Exiled representative claimed before the fight, that if he won, he would like to challenge a top 3 contender and have another shot at the title. With Nicolosi’s mention of wanting Big John Boy next, we could see a #1 contender’s show down before too long between the #2 and #3 ranked heavyweights.

With the loss, Kasvi goes 2-2 with UNFC and 5-2 overall. His other defeat was rectified with a win over Dante Cross Furia at UNFC55. Watcher of the Sky had more primary ability in all areas compared to Gaarlandt, so it’ll be interesting to see if he changes things up in training camp and comes with a new game-plan entering his next UNFC bout. He did say he wanted to test the 205 lbs division, here or in New York, so we’ll have to wait and see what he decides moving forward.

Demolition had a few words to say to Kasvi after his win: “Better luck next time! You just weren't good enough to beat this awesome guy.”

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[762x39]

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