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ITFL Season 3 Previews & Reviews


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ITFL SEASON 3 'NEXT GENERATION' WEEK 1

Season three of International Team Fight League kicks off from London this Sunday with two cards filled from top to bottom with the top fighters from around the world. The unique team format of this competition has captivated fight fans and drawn in some of the best talent that the sport of MMA has to offer.

 

The first card will take place in the Camden Conference Center. Let’s take a closer look at the fight card:

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Carlos Hulk (0-1) vs. Ray Lennox (6-3-1)

The first bout of the evening will pit Carlos Hulk (0-1) against Ray Lennox (6-3-1). Lennox enters the fight as the much more experienced fighter and has shown solid versatility throughout his career, displaying the ability to win fights by knockout, submission, or taking his opponent the distance and grinding out a decision. The well rounded Lennox has proven to be particularly difficult to handle in the clinch and on the ground. The book on Hulk is relatively short and we know little about him. In his one and only professional fight, he was taken to the ground with relative ease and submitted. He purportedly possesses all the skills to be a dominant fighter in the world of MMA, but that remains to be seen.

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/23/23b18.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13872101904617.jpg

Sir Lee Flea (3-1) vs. Edgars Simans (6-3)

Sir Lea Sea Flea (3-1) will bring his tongue twisting name to the cage along with an impressive ground game in an effort to knock off his opponent, Edgars Simans (6-3). Flea’s intentions are clear when he gets into the cage. He is seeking to put his opponent on the ground and force him to tap. Simans is a very versatile fighter who appears to have some thunder in his fists and a nasty demeanor. His ground and pound is extremely solid, but he may want to think twice before engaging Flea on the ground. Simans has dropped two of his last three fights and would surely like piece together a win streak. Meanwhile, Flea recently dropped a close decision that he would certainly like to forget.

 

 

http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p651/shortfusenwo/DanielOSullivan_zpsaf2ef471.png VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/40/40b2.jpg

Daniel O'Sullivan (7-2) vs. Pernell Whitaker Jr. (7-0)

The third fight of the evening will match Daniel O’Sullivan (7-2) against Pernell Whitaker Jr (7-0). O’Sullivan has compiled seven wins in his career and shows some real promise. After reeling off six straight wins to start his career, O’Sullivan has struggled with consistency of late but still remains a very dangerous threat. O’Sullivan clearly makes his bones on the ground, having secured five wins via submission. Whitaker remains undefeated in his career and has proudly finished five of his seven fights via KO or TKO. This powerful striker with a strong clinch game will most certainly be looking to stay off of the ground and turn the lights out on O’Sullivan.

 

 

http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/p651/shortfusenwo/SasakiKojiro_zps4812d721.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/28/28w12.jpg

Sasaki Kojiro (1-0) vs. Mats Soderlund (15-6)

Sasaki Kojiro (1-0) is very young and shy on experience but shows no fear for his opponent Mata Soderlund (15-6). With 21 professional fights behind him, Soderlund enters the cage with a HUGE experience advantage. He has proven himself to be a heavy handed warrior, boasting 13 wins by KO or TKO. One of the most pure and traditional boxers in this season of ITFL, Souderlund could truly be a force to be reckoned with this season. Kojiro shows absolutely no signs of backing down and will likely rely heavily on his ground game to try and take Soderlund out of his natural element.

 

 

 

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http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13836007079672.png VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13737693437239.jpg

Travis Bickle (9-2) vs. Tanner Pond (4-2)

Travis Bickle (9-2) comes into this season saddled with a two fight losing streak and will be looking to reverse his fortunes sooner than later. Bickle is primarily a standup fighter who throws a solid mix of punches and kicks to overcome his opponents. In addition, a strong clinch game makes him even more dangerous. Looking to keep Bickle on his downward spiral is Tanner Pond (4-2) who has picked up wins in four of his last five fights. Pond is very similar in style to Bickle and primarily enjoys standing toe to toe and trading strikes. It would not be at all surprising to see this fight end with either Bickle or Pond staring up at the lights.

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14075223539049.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/23/23b21.jpg

Callum Pagnozzi (2-4) vs. Dylan McKay (8-0)

The co-main event of the evening will feature Callum Pagnozzi (2-4) taking on Dylan McKay (8-0). Pagnozzi got off to a dreadful start in his career but is under new management and feels that he is ready to turn the corner. Pagnozzi has traditionally liked to throw punches and throw them in high volume. He has not typically been a very accurate striker and that has come back to haunt him. It will be interesting to see if Pagnozzi can tweak his approach and see a better return on his efforts. McKay has entered his career blazing a trail to an 8-0 record. McKay is a fierce, accurate, and powerful striker who can end a fight in the blink of an eye. He is sure to give Pagnozzi all he wants in this battle.

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13784465098734.png VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/21/21w11.jpg

Darius Kasparitis (12-1) vs. Dimitry Potapoff (1-1)

The main event will feature Darius Kasparaitis (12-1) squaring off against Dimitri Potapoff (1-1). Kasparaitis enters the matchup with thirteen career fights under his belt. He emerged victorious in twelve of those fights and has proven himself to be very versatile in the cage. In addition to his striking prowess, he also owns a black belt in BJJ, making him a difficult matchup for even the best of fighters. Potapoff comes in with only two professional fights under his belt, having won one and lost one. He is known as a striker who shows relies heavily on his boxing skills, but can at times unleash a devastating kick when his opponent least expects it. It will be an uphill climb for Potapoff to overcome Kasparaitis, but in the sport of MMA, anything can happen.

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At the same time, across town at Knight’s Court, the second part of this week’s ITFL offerings will be taking place. Here’s a quick preview:

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14067514938790.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14042274987848.jpg

Juan Koski (2-0) vs. Cole Orion (4-0)

In the first fight Juan Koski (2-0) will lock horns with with Cole Orion (4-0). Koski is a powerful puncher who will be looking to keep the fight standing at all cost. He prefers to stand and bang from a distance and does a great job of mixing up his single strikes and combinations. Orion is a highly capable grappler who likes to chop away at the legs of his opponents to soften them up before dropping them to the ground and demoralizing them with his ground and pound. This will be a solid grappler vs striker battle.

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/35/35w24.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/18/18w15.jpg

John Dux (6-1) vs. Sergey Keosayan (3-2)

John Dux (6-1) will take on Sergey Keosayan (3-2) in the second fight of the evening. Dux comes into the fight with a solid record and a tremendous gas tank that allows him to throw a phenomenal volume of punches. His style is that of a pure brawler and can be difficult to overcome. Keosayan is a BJJ black belt him cleary would prefer to do his business on the ground. Once again, the fans will be treated to another striker vs grappler matchup.

 

 

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Giorgio Conte (8-0) vs. Sirodom Kingchanklao (10-4)

Giorgio Conte (8-0) will be putting his perfect record on the line in the third fight when he takes on Sirodom Kingchanklao (10-4). Both men enter the fight with solid experience and impressive records. Conte overwhelms his opponents with a lethal mix of boxing and Muay Thai and often shows flashes of power. Kingchanklao is a fighter almost identical in style. This one has all the makings of a classic as both men are nasty striking from a distance and both have powerful clinch work.

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/26/26b5.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13911746698050.png

Raphael Adamson (4-0) vs. Jacob Holm (7-2)

Raphael Adamson (4-0) possesses a scary combination of standup and ground skills that could spell trouble for his opponent Jacob Holm (7-2). Adamson is a very efficient and accurate striker who has solid ground and pound at his disposal if the fight hits the mat. Holm is a high volume striker who has no interest in grappling. He is at home going toe to toe and trading leather with his opponents. This matchup could create some serious fireworks!

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Selestion Mudisbarov (11-4) vs. Oliver Queen (5-0)

In the fifth fight, Selestion Mudisbarov (11-4) will try to snap a two fight losing streak when he takes on Oliver Queen (5-0). Mudisbarov is an absolute knockout machine who is a terror on his feet. He will be looking to use his overwhelming power to end the night early for Queen. Queen brings an impressive undefeated record into the cage and undoubtedly will try to get Mudisbarov on his back and work him over on the ground. This mix of two very contrasting styles should make for and entertaining fight for the fans.

 

 

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Arthur Bishop (3-2) vs. Jacob Koch (10-3)

Arthur Bishop (3-2) has seen mixed results in his brief career and will be looking to make the ITFL stage his springboard to the next level. Bishop does not have significant output in his standup game, but when he connects it spells trouble for his opponents. Jacob Koch (10-3) brings a wealth of power and experience into this matchup and could very well wear Bishop down will flurries of punches before landing the knockout blow.

 

 

 

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Karate Kid (14-2) vs. Ronin Mori (5-2)

In the co-main event, Karate Kid (14-2) will do battle with Ronin Mori (6-2). Kid has a tremendous reputation as a striking machine and is riding high on a five fight win streak. He has shown few absolutely tremendous wrestler who has just enough stand up skill to hold his own. He will need to stay in close to Kid, crowd him, and smother him to be successful.

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14109696044398.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/37/37b13.jpg

Omar Boulami (14-1) vs. Tuma Krapala (5-1)

The main event will feature an extremely dangerous Omar Boulami (14-1) squaring off against Tuma Krapala (5-1). Boulami is undefeated under the management of Sonny Muchado and can best be described as violent. Boulami loves to bully his opponents to the ground and pound on their heads until they no longer respond. Krapala is one of the most accurate strikers that we will see on this night of action. Though he is highly accurate, it does not seem to have costs him any power, as three of his five wins have come by KO or TKO. He has a tall order ahead in Boulami but one punch can change a career.

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Here's my picks. I'll give 50k to whoever gets the most right, you dont have to be a ITFL participant to play. Kind of hard to do, some fighters have almost no experience and some fighters have fought shit competition. We'll know a lot more in 2-3 rounds of competition.

 

Darius Kasparaitis v Dimitri Potapoff
Karate Kid v Ronin Mori
Juan Koski v Cole Orion
Sir Lee Sea Flea v Edgars Simans
Carlos Hulk v Ray Lennox

Callum Pagnozzi v Dylan McKay
Raphael Adamson v Jacob Holm
Travis Bickle v Tanner Pond
Daniel O'Sullivan v Pernell Whitaker Jr
Arthur Bishop v Jacob Koch

Selestion Mudisbarov v Oliver Queen
Giorgio Conte v Sirodom Kingchanklao
John Dux v Sergey Keosayan
Sasaki Kojiro v Mats Söderlund
Omar Boulami v Tuma Krapala

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Loved the write up! Going to be a great experienced being involved with this season of ITFL Season 3.

 

 

So we're going to do predictions of the fights? Okay :)

 

Darius Kasparaitis v Dimitri Potapoff
Karate Kid v Ronin Mori
Juan Koski v Cole Orion
Sir Lee Sea Flea v Edgars Simans
Carlos Hulk v Ray Lennox

Callum Pagnozzi v Dylan McKay
Raphael Adamson v Jacob Holm
Travis Bickle v Tanner Pond
Daniel O'Sullivan v Pernell Whitaker Jr
Arthur Bishop v Jacob Koch

Selestion Mudisbarov v Oliver Queen
Giorgio Conte v Sirodom Kingchanklao
John Dux v Sergey Keosayan
Sasaki Kojiro v Mats Söderlund
Omar Boulami v Tuma Krapala

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Darius Kasparaitis v Dimitri Potapoff - Kasparaitis

Karate Kid v Ronin Mori - Mori

Juan Koski v Cole Orion - Koski

Sir Lee Sea Flea v Edgars Simans - Simans

Carlos Hulk v Ray Lennox - Lennox

 

Callum Pagnozzi v Dylan McKay - McKay

Raphael Adamson v Jacob Holm - Adamson

Travis Bickle v Tanner Pond - Bickle

Daniel O'Sullivan v Pernell Whitaker Jr - Whitaker Jnr

Arthur Bishop v Jacob Koch - Bishop

 

Selestion Mudisbarov v Oliver Queen - Queen

Giorgio Conte v Sirodom Kingchanklao - Conte

John Dux v Sergey Keosayan - Keosavan

Sasaki Kojiro v Mats Söderlund - Kojiro

Omar Boulami v Tuma Krapala - Boulami

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Here's my picks. I'll give 50k to whoever gets the most right, you dont have to be a ITFL participant to play. Kind of hard to do, some fighters have almost no experience and some fighters have fought shit competition. We'll know a lot more in 2-3 rounds of competition.

 

Darius Kasparaitis v Dimitri Potapoff

Karate Kid v Ronin Mori

Juan Koski v Cole Orion

Sir Lee Sea Flea v Edgars Simans

Carlos Hulk v Ray Lennox

 

Callum Pagnozzi v Dylan McKay

Raphael Adamson v Jacob Holm

Travis Bickle v Tanner Pond

Daniel O'Sullivan v Pernell Whitaker Jr

Arthur Bishop v Jacob Koch

 

Selestion Mudisbarov v Oliver Queen

Giorgio Conte v Sirodom Kingchanklao

John Dux v Sergey Keosayan

Sasaki Kojiro v Mats Söderlund

Omar Boulami v Tuma Krapala

9-6 I'm sure someone did better.

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Darius Kasparaitis v Dimitri Potapoff - Kasparaitis

Karate Kid v Ronin Mori - Mori

Juan Koski v Cole Orion - Koski

Sir Lee Sea Flea v Edgars Simans - Simans

Carlos Hulk v Ray Lennox - Lennox

Callum Pagnozzi v Dylan McKay - McKay

Raphael Adamson v Jacob Holm - Adamson

Travis Bickle v Tanner Pond - Bickle

Daniel O'Sullivan v Pernell Whitaker Jr - Whitaker Jnr

Arthur Bishop v Jacob Koch - Bishop

Selestion Mudisbarov v Oliver Queen - Queen

Giorgio Conte v Sirodom Kingchanklao - Conte

John Dux v Sergey Keosayan - Keosavan

Sasaki Kojiro v Mats Söderlund - Kojiro

Omar Boulami v Tuma Krapala - Boulami

10 for me

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  • 2 weeks later...

Team Conquer vs. Team Reaper

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13737693437239.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/21/21w11.jpg

 

Tanner Pond (4-3) vs. Dimitry Potapoff (1-2)

 

 

 

The first fight between these two teams kicks things off on our first card in the Hard Knocks Arena as Team Conquer member Tanner Pond steps into the cage to take on Dimitry Potapoff who represents Team Reaper. Pond is coming off a loss in his season debut where he pretty much got his ass handed to him before getting TKO’d late in the 3rd round. Potapoff also tasted defeat in his season debut as he lost a unanimous decision to Darius Kasparitis who is among the individual favorites in this tournament. This could be an entertaining stand-up battle as Pond is an elite boxer giving him the advantage there while Potapoff has excellent MT and will have a decided advantage with his kicks and likely against the cage. I believe Pond will likely try to keep this fight at range where he can use his boxing to his advantage whereas Dmitry will likely use his kicks to try to close the distance and get this fight against the cage.

 

Prediction: Potapoff via TKO round 3

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/26/26b5.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13872101904617.jpg

 

Raphael Adamson (4-1) vs. Edgars Simans (7-3)

 

 

 

The next match-up appears to be a very even fight between two very well-rounded fighters as Team Conquer member Raphael Adamson takes on Edgars Simans representing Team Reaper. Adamson is coming off a loss in his season debut because he was out-struck on the feet. He did manage to get his fight to the ground several times but was not able to take advantage of those takedowns as his offensive game was neutralized. Edgar Simans managed to win his fight by TKO in the 2nd round in a fight he dominated from the opening bell. Both fighters appear to be very capable no matter where the fight takes place so it’ll be interesting to see what the game plans are where each guy believes he has a slight advantage. It’s worth noting that Simans manager has had his way with Adamson’s manager in their previous history so we’ll have to see what kind of affect that has on the outcome of this fight.

 

Prediction: Simans via UD

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/40/40b2.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13941880188233.png

 

Pernell Whitaker Jr. (8-0) vs. Ronin Mori (5-3)

 

 

 

The next fight between these two teams should an interesting clash of styles as Team Conquer’s Pernell Whitaker Jr. puts his striking skills on display as he takes on former Olympic wrestler Ronin Mori who is a member of Team Reaper this season. Whitaker Jr. has excellent boxing skills but an even better MT game and that could lead to problems for his opponent as he will possess a significant advantage in both striking skills. Pernell fought a wrestler in week 1 and managed to stuff the majority of his takedown attempts while also neutralizing his offensive attack. Mori proved last week that he’s no pushover however taking on a very tough Karate Kid in a match-up that on paper had him at a serious disadvantage but he performed very admirably, especially early in the fight. If Mori can get an early TD and have some early ground success he might be able to pull off an upset this time around.

 

Prediction: Whitaker Jr. via UD

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/23/23b21.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14042274987848.jpg

 

Dylan McKay (9-0) vs. Cole Orion (4-1)

 

 

 

In our next match-up Team Conquer sends Dylan McKay into the cage to take on the freaky looking Cole Orion who represents Team Reaper. This is an interesting clash of styles as McKay is one of the most skilled strikers in the tournament with incredible boxing skills and an elite MT arsenal. Orion on the other hand is primarily a grappler who still has a long way to go in bring his striking skills on par with his grappling ability. If Orion is not able to get this fight to the ground this probably going to be a serious mismatch. Orion will look to get this fight to the ground and gain a dominant position so that he can use his ground strikes to set up a possible submission. I expect McKay will try to overwhelm his opponent with strikes and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him take this fight into the clinch in an effort to keep this fight standing.

 

Prediction: McKay via 2nd round TKO

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13915013029046.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13988558087509.png

Arthur Bishop (3-3) vs. Ray Lennox (7-3-1)

 

 

 

The 5th and final fight between these two teams will pit the two team captains against each other as Stu sends his man Arthur Bishop into the cage to represent Team Conquer and JLP sends in Ray Lennox to answer the challenge. Bishop came up short in his season debut losing via split decision to MMA Hype’s Jacob Koch but do not underestimate him because if he figures it out he could turn into one of the most dangerous fighters in the tournament. He has excellent striking skills, an offensive wrestling game and even showed off an offensive BJJ game with several submission attempts in week 1. Ray Lennox is also an extremely well-rounded opponent but he is at a slight disadvantage in the striking department and will likely try to close the distance and get this fight to the mat. Lennox is excellent at getting past his opponents guard and once the fight hits the mat he will look to gain the dominant position and use his ground strikes to set up his submission game. This fight should be entertaining as these two managers are former teammates on Team Reaper before Stu jumped ship to captain Team Conquer this season and there will be bragging rights on the line with the outcome of not just their own fight but also the battle between the two teams.

 

Prediction: Bishop by UD

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Team TBD vs. Team MMA Hype

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/37/37b13.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/15/15w3.jpg

Tuma Krapala (5-2) vs. Jacob Koch (11-3)

 

 

 

The first fight between these two teams is the co-main event of our first event in the Hard Knocks Arena when Tuma Krapala steps into the cage representing Team TBD and challenges Jacob Koch from Team MMA Hype. Krapala really struggled in his season debut when he took on 1 of the early individual favorites in Omar Boulami. He was not able to keep the fight standing, giving up an early TD into side control and was pounded out in the 1st round. Fortunately for him he’ll get to fight a striker this week but unfortunately for him that fighter’s name is Jacob Koch who managed to pull off the upset of week 1 by defeating another early individual favorite in Arthur Bishop. He was able to out-strike his opponent on his way to a split decision victory last week. Koch also won’t have to worry about defending the takedown this week and should feel free to let his hands go this week. This is an interesting match-up and a very even one with both fighters possessing a slight edge in their given style.

 

Prediction: Koch via TKO round 3

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14075223539049.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/18/18w15.jpg

 

Sergey Keosayan (3-2-1) vs. Callum Pagnozzi (2-5)

 

 

 

The next match-up between these two teams is between 2 BJJ black-belts as Sergey Keosayan represents Team TBD when he steps into the cage against Team MMA Hype representative Callum Pagnozzi. Both of these fighters failed to pick up a victory in their season debut but Keosayan did manage to scrape 1 point in the standings by fighting to a draw against his opponent. Callum Pagnozzi appears to possess a significant striking advantage and will likely use his wrestling in reverse and keep this fight on the feet where he should have no problem outscoring his opponent. Pagnozzi also boasts a 21cm reach advantage in this fight which could prove getting inside to get the takedown very problematic for the Armenian fighter. Keosayan really needs this fight to hit the mat and then also be able to keep it there and should sell out in order to make that happen. I think that’ll be an extremely tough task however because I believe he will struggle to close the distance on a much taller opponent who should be able to land early and often.

 

Prediction: Pagnozzi via TKO round 2

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/18/18b3.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13886670638020.png

 

Sirodom Kingchanklao (10-5) vs. Daniel O’Sullivan (7-3)

 

 

 

The next fight between these two teams is a featured under-card fight on our 2nd event in the Knight’s Court Arena as Team TBD fighter Sirodom Kinghcanklao takes on Daniel O’Sullivan who represents Team MMA Hype. Sirodom Kingchanklao was looking good through the first two rounds of his season debut, holding a 2 round to 0 lead in a close fight with Giorgio Conte. It was in the last round that he ran into some trouble as Conte was able to come from behind and get the finish with just 5 seconds left. It’s hard to take away positives from a loss and I hate the term ‘moral victory’ but Sirodom did perform admirably against 1 of the more promising fighters in the tournament. This fight is completely different stylistically then his last opponent has he takes on an extremely accomplished wrestler. Daniel O’Sullivan also performed admirably in a loss in his season debut when he lost a close decision to Pernell Whitaker Jr who is a similar build to his opponent this week. Whitaker Jr. was able to out-strike O’Sullivan and avoided the counter TD’s by pushing him against the cage in the clinch position. I have to imagine Sirodom will try to follow that blueprint in an effort to keep this fight standing. O’Sullivan however will be looking to get this fight to the mat at every opportunity and use his ground strikes to soften up his opponent for the eventual submission.

 

Prediction: O’Sullivan via Submission 3rd round

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13877411112774.png vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13911746698050.png

 

Oliver Queen (6-0) vs. Jacob Holm (8-2)

 

 

 

We have another excellent match-up when Team TBD fighter Oliver Queen looks to remain unbeaten when he takes on Jacob Holm who is representing Team MMA Hype. Jacob Holm is an excellent boxer with good power in his hands. He looked extremely impressive in his season debut defeating a very well rounded Raphael Adamason in a close decision victory helping his team to go on and win the match-up. Holm is an aggressive striker who isn’t afraid to mix things up by going to the body and use his muay-thai to mix in good hard kicks. His opponent this week is Oliver Queen who is also a striker who has preferred to lead with lots of leg kicks in his career but had a much more, well-rounded game plan under his new manager. Queen also proved he can hang in the clinch against one of the better clinch fighters he is likely to face in the tournament so I’m not sure if it’d be wise for Holm to test his luck there. I expect this one to be an action packed striking match that most likely ends with a finish.

 

Prediction: Queen via TKO round 3

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/28/28w12.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13836007079672.png

 

Mats Soderlund (16-6) vs. Travis Bickle (10-2)

 

 

 

The 5th and final match-up between these two teams is the co-main event of our 2nd event when Team TBD fighter Mats Soderlund takes on Travis Bickle from Team MMA Hype. Both fighters are coming off knockout victories in their season debut but I have to say Bickle’s was more impressive coming over a quality opponent in Tanner Pond. That’s not meant to be a slight on Soderlund’s opponent but the Swede did possess a significant striking advantage. Mats Soderlund will be giving up a reasonable skills advantage in the striking department but he has more than enough KO power to make up for it with 14 of his 16 career victories coming via TKO or knockout. Bickle is an aggressive striker and is usually throwing with bad intentions behind his strikes as he also possesses excellent power in his hands and feet. Bickle has a slight advantage in both boxing and MT and could either keep this fight at a distance or close the gap and take it into the clinch but will likely have the advantage no matter what he chooses. I have to say Bickle is the favorite in this fight but Soderlund has game changing power so don’t count him out.

 

Prediction: Bickle via TKO round 1

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Team Legion of Pain vs. Team Exiled

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/16/16w19.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14080326774085.jpg

 

Peter Stumpp (11-6) vs. Sasaki Kojiro (1-1)

 

 

 

The first fight between these two teams is an interesting match-up between two grappling specialists. Stumpp has a considerable experience advantage on his opponent with 17 professional fights in his career compared to just 2 by Kojiro. It appears that Stumpp would have a slight advantage if the fight gets to the mat possessing a BJJ black-belt while Kojiro is only a brown belt. But the wrestling could very well be a wash between these two superstars and if the fight remains on the feet I’d have to give a considerable advantage to the Japanese fighter. Kojiro performed admirably in week 1 against a knock-out specialist but eventually succumbed via TKO strikes. He’ll be looking to rebound in a big way against Stumpp who had a bye last week.

 

Prediction: Kojiro via 2nd round TKO

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/39/39w15.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/35/35w24.jpg

 

Bernhard Adelhard (1-0) vs. John Dux (6-1-1)

 

 

 

In the next fight Bernhard Adelhard represents Team LOP when he takes on Team Exiled representative John Dux who is coming off a draw in week 1. Dux is primarily a boxer who likes to come forward throwing single shots to the head. He rarely mixes his strikes up much but will however push the fight into the clinch if he thinks he can outwork his opponent. It’s very difficult to get a grasp on Adelhard as he has such little cage time and most of that fight was spent on the ground. On paper he appears to have competent enough striking skills with a slight MT advantage which could potentially play a factor in this fight. He showed some submission ability in his first fight picking up his only professional win by sub but it looks like he’ll really struggle to get the fight to the mat as his opponent has a significant wrestling advantage which he will likely use in reverse to keep this fight standing. This is a fairly even match-up and could really go either way.

 

Prediction: Adelhard by UD

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/15/15w16.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14114198721235.jpg

 

William Gar (1-0) vs. Giorgio Conte (9-0)

 

 

 

The next fight is a match-up between two undefeated fighters as Team LOP’s William Gar looks to pick up his 2nd professional win as he takes on Team Exiled Giorgio Conte who is look to make it 10 in a row to start his professional career. Conte has a significant experience advantage in the cage but on paper it looks like it should be a fairly even match-up. Conte has a considerable advantage in the wrestling department but has never shown the desire to use it offensively so unless he throws a wrinkle in his usual game plan it looks as though this fight should remain on the feet. Giorgio Conte really mixes his strikes up well and also is a big fan of working against the cage in the clinch position where he has a very effective dirty box game. It’s hard to gauge Gar too much with only 1 professional fight that lasted a whopping 9 seconds but considering the wrestling advantage possessed by Conte I expect him to try to win this fight from the clinch.

 

Prediction: Conte via 3rd round TKO

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/7/7w12.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/27/27b2.jpg

 

Benjamin Bengazzoni (10-4) vs. Selestion Mudisbarov (11-5)

 

 

 

The next fight between these two teams will be the main event of our 1st event in the Hard Knocks Arena when Team LOP representative Benjamin Bengazzoni makes his season debut against Team Exiled fighter Selestion Mudisbarov. This has the potential to be a very entertaining fight as both guys are primarily strikers and both possess excellent knockout power in their hands. Bengazzoni has gone 5-2 in a very respected MFN organization with all but 1 of his victories coming by way of knockout and 1 of his losses being via split decision. He is an excellent boxer and looks to push a fast pace mixing his punches up well to the head and body. Benjamin will also mix in hard leg kicks to his game plan as well as take the fight into the clinch. I doubt he will take that approach in this fight as Mudisbarov is a very dangerous MT fighter who mixes in hard elbows and knees against the cage which could prove very problematic for the Bengazzoni. This fight will probably come down to who can dictate their game as Bengazzoni will most certainly want this fight at a distance while Mudisbarov will use every opportunity to get this fight against the cage.

 

Prediction: Bengazzoni by UD

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/40/40w11.jpg vs. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14109696044398.jpg

 

Matrim Cauthon (12-7-1) vs. Omar Boulami (15-1)

 

 

 

The 5th and final fight between these two teams will be the main event of our 2nd event in the 18000 seat Knight’s Court Arena as 2 of our most experienced fighters in the tournament go head to head. Matrim Cauthon will represent Team LOP as he takes on Team Exiled fighter Omar Boulami in an intriguing match-up between 2 BJJ black belts. Boulami has excellent power in his hands and appears to favor beating opponents up with strikes on the ground over a submission game. He’ll also have a significant boxing advantage if he chooses to keep this one standing instead. Cauthon on the other hand seems to be a submission wizard, already possessing 10 submission victories in his young career. He will use his kicks to try slow Boulami down and get the fight to the mat and I would not be shocked to see him sell out a bit to try getting this fight to the ground as he will be dangerous from both top and bottom positions. This could be a very interesting fight if Cauthon can find a way to turn it into a ground battle but I think Boulami will air on the side of caution and keep this one standing where he has an excellent chance of getting the finish.

 

Prediction: Boulami via KO round 1

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Tanner Pond (4-3) vs. Dimitry Potapoff (1-2) (Duphus sucks)
Raphael Adamson (4-1) vs. Edgars Simans (7-3)
Pernell Whitaker Jr. (8-0) vs. Ronin Mori (5-3)
Dylan McKay (9-0) vs. Cole Orion (4-1)
Arthur Bishop (3-3) vs. Ray Lennox (7-3-1)

(All of team conquer simultaneously rage quits)

 

Tuma Krapala (5-2) vs. Jacob Koch (11-3)
Sergey Keosayan (3-2-1) vs. Callum Pagnozzi (2-5)
Sirodom Kingchanklao (10-5) vs. Daniel O’Sullivan (7-3)
Oliver Queen (6-0) vs. Jacob Holm (8-2)
Mats Soderlund (16-6) vs. Travis Bickle (10-2)

Peter Stumpp (11-6) vs. Sasaki Kojiro (1-1)
Bernhard Adelhard (1-0) vs. John Dux (6-1-1)
William Gar (1-0) vs. Giorgio Conte (9-0)
Benjamin Bengazzoni (10-4) vs. Selestion Mudisbarov (11-5)
Matrim Cauthon (12-7-1) vs. Omar Boulami (15-1) (upset of the week)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Team Davies vs. Team Legion of Pain

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/23/23b18.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/40/40w11.jpg

Sir Lee Sea Flea (3-2) vs. Matrim Cauthon (12-8-1)

Team Davies fighter Sir Lee Sea Flea enters the ITFL cage this weekend in a bout where both fighters are still seeking their first wins in the tournament when he takes on Matrim Cauthon who is representing Team LOP. This is a great match-up between two BJJ black-belts who will probably be looking to get this fight to the mat. Sea Flea has a slight striking advantage on paper but is giving up a significant reach advantage to his opponent so it could be problematic for him to close the distance and land effective strikes. Sea Flea could try to use his wrestling in reverse and try to out-strike his opponent but considering Cauthon is the superior wrestler, he’s likely better off using his boxing advantage to score points and help set up his wrestling game where he can try to maintain the dominant position. Cauthon will look to use his reach advantage by utilizing his jab and try to dominate the wrestling aspect of this fight which he usually does well. With 10 submission victories in his short career Cauthon is very comfortable off of his back and has a very active guard but he should not underestimate his opponent’s ground skills in this fight.

 

Prediction: Cauthon via 2nd round submission

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14067514938790.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/39/39w15.jpg

Juan Koski (3-0) vs. Bernhard Adelhard (2-0)

The next match-up between these two teams kicks off the main-card part of our 2nd event in the Camden Conference Centre when Team Davies representative Juan Koski steps into the cage against Bernhard Adelhard of Team LOP. This fight pits two undefeated fighters against one another but with only 5 combined fights between them, a loss at this point in their career shouldn’t be too damaging. Both of these fighters are primarily strikers with very even muay-thai skills but Koski sports a significant boxing advantage over his opponent. Adelhard appears to have some submission ability and an active guard but has very little wrestling skills to get the fight to the mat so I have a hard time seeing that play a role in this fight. Adelhard should look to try to close the distance and get this fight against the cage where I think his best chance at victory lies. But if this fight remains at striking range I think Koski’s will use his boxing advantage to chip away at his opponent over time and eventually run away with this fight.

 

Prediction: Koski via 3rd round TKO

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/1/1b10.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/7/7w12.jpg

Carlos Hulk (0-2) vs. Benjamin Bengazzoni (10-4-1)

Team Davies fighter Carlos Hulk enters the cage this weekend still seeking his first professional victory when he takes on boxing specialist Benjamin Bengazzoni representing Team LOP. Bengazzoni is a busy striker who likes to come forward and mix his punches up to the head and body. He’ll also mix in good hard leg kicks and has an effective dirty box game against the cage. Carlos Hulk is also an excellent boxer but is perhaps a bit more versatile than his opponent because he also possesses a wonderful muay-thai game with terrific kicks. Hulk’s versatility could prove problematic for Benjamin in this fight if Carlos tries to chop hip down at the knees and is able to limit Bengazzoni’s movement. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hulk tries to close the distance and tackle his opponent against the cage where he may also feel he will have an advantage. This fight is going to come down to game-planning as I believe it’s very winnable for both fighters.

 

Prediction: Hulk via Unanimous Dec

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13734098357147.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/15/15w16.jpg

Karate Kid (15-2) vs. Willum Gar (1-1)

This next fight immediately follows their teammates on the card in the Camden Conference Centre when Team Davies fighter Karate Kid looks to extend his winning streak to 7 when he faces Team LOP representative Willum Gar. It’s very difficult to get a gauge on Gar thus far in his career because in his first fight he quickly dispatched his opponent with a 9 sec TKO but then was completely overwhelmed in his first tournament fight against Giorgio Conte. His training partners at Team Skaggs Training Facility have claimed that he is an excellent striker and he’s going to have to be if he has any hope of getting a victory in this fight. Karate Kid is one of the most experienced and successful fighters to join our tournament this season and has one of the best managers in MMA in his corner which made him 1 of the early individual favorites coming into this season. He had a hard fought win in his first fight over a very game Ronin Mori but will be looking to make a statement to the rest of the competitors with a dominant victory this time around and I think he has an excellent chance at doing just that.

 

Prediction: Kid via 1st round TKO

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13784465098734.png VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/16/16w19.jpg

Darius Kasparitis (13-1) vs. Peter Stumpp (11-7)

The 5th and final fight between these two teams is the co-main event of our 2nd event in the Camden Conference Centre. Team Davies sends yet another fighter from the Aylib camp into the cage looking to extend their win streak to 7 in a row when Darius Kasparitis takes on the grappling specialist Peter Stumpp, representing Team LOP. This is a very difficult match-up for Stumpp because despite his grappling pedigree his opponent might have enough skills there to neutralize his ground attack and he will be at a major disadvantage if this fight remains on the feet. Peter Stumpp should try to get this fight to the mat at all costs and will need to be extremely active from top and bottom positions in order to avoid the referee stepping in and standing the fight up. It’ll be interesting to see if Kasparitis decides to feel things out on the ground if the fight hits the mat or if he’ll attempt to just get the fight back standing where he has a decided advantage. That might be the smartest plan for Kasparitis because though he also possesses a BJJ black-belt, his opponent has finished all but one of his 11 career wins by submission so he will be at constant risk on the ground.

 

Prediction: Kasparitis via 2nd round TKO

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Team Conquer vs. Team TBD

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/26/26b5.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/18/18w15.jpg

Raphael Adamson (4-2) vs. Sergey Keosayan (3-2-2)

The first fight between these two teams kicks off our card in the Hayashi Lounge when Team Conquer member Raphael Adamson steps into the cage looking for his first tournament victory as he takes on grappling specialist Sergey Keosayan of Team TBD. Keosayan is also winless in our tournament but has managed to scrape up 2 points for himself with 2 draws in 2 fights. Sergey really lacks the striking skills needed to hang with most fighters in this tournament but an aggressive attack combined with excellent wrestling skills has led to 6 takedowns thus far. Once the fight hits the mat Keosayan has an active submission game and distracts his opponent with ground strikes as he looks to gain the dominant position. Raphael Adamson is also a very excellent grappler but after a late submission loss in a fight that he was dominating, I expect he’ll go the conservative route in this one and try to keep this fight on the feet where he’ll have a decided advantage. If Adamson is able to use his wrestling in reverse and turn this fight into a stand-up battle he should be able to pick up his first ITFL win.

 

Prediction: Adamson via Unanimous Decision

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13737693437239.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/37/37b13.jpg

Tanner Pond (5-3) vs. Tuma Krapala (5-3)

At the same time somewhere across town the next fight between these two teams will be kicking off our 2nd card at the Camden Conference Centre. Team Conquer sends boxing specialist Tanner Pond into the cage to take on Team TBD fighter Tuma Krapala in what has the potential to be a very entertaining striking match. Tuma Krapala is no match for Pond if he tries to out-box him in this fight and should instead lean on his muay-thai skills to carry him to victory. Krapala will look to use good hard leg kicks to hinder Pond’s footwork so that he can work his way inside and get this fight against the cage. Once he does so he will mix in devastating elbows with an effective dirty box game. Krapala is a much better wrestler than Pond and that should help him in keeping this fight up against the cage once he engages the clinch. Tanner Pond will wanna try avoiding spending an extended period of time in close in this fight and should keep his hands busy and be sure to use his footwork to avoid backing straight up after exchanges. If Pond can keep the majority of this fight on the outside where he can try to out-box his opponent I think he walks away with another stoppage victory.

 

Prediction: Pond via TKO round 2

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/40/40b2.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13936877524305.jpg

Pernell Whitaker Jr. (9-0) vs. Slade Wilson (2-0)

Two undefeated fighters square off in the next fight between these two teams as Pernell Whitaker Jr. representing Team Conquer looks to extend his unbeaten streak to 10 when he takes on “Deathstroke” Slade Wilson of Team TBD. Wilson enters the ITFL cage for the first time as a replacement fighter for Sirodom Kinchanklao and that couldn’t come at a worse time for Team Conquer because Wilson comes from the prestigious Templeton camp. With only 2 professional fights and barely a minutes total cage time it’s difficult to get a gauge on Slade but two things you can be sure of are this, he’ll be well prepared for this fight and he’ll come into the cage with an excellent game-plan. Whitaker Jr. has already proven to be a well-rounded fighter at this stage in his early career as he prefers a good striking battle but has been forced to face two high caliber wrestlers in his first two fights and has performed very admirably on the ground. Whitaker Jr. has an active guard and even managed to pull off a slick submission in the 3rd round of a closely contested match-up against Ronin Mori. It’ll be interesting to see if Pernell chooses to just stand and bang with Wilson or if he’ll mix things up and test Wilson’s ability on the ground. This fight looks like it has potential for a FOTN bonus and one I’m very anxious to watch.

 

Prediction: Wilson via TKO round 1

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13915013029046.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/28/28w12.jpg

Arthur Bishop (4-3) vs. Mats Soderlund (16-7)

Under normal circumstances the next match-up between Team Conquer and Team TBD had the potential to be an extremely entertaining fight between Arthur Bishop and Mats Soderlund. Unfortunately Soderlund took so much punishment last round at the hands of Travis Bickle that he’s still sporting a bit of an injury coming into this fight. I’ll tell you 1 thing though, Soderlund showed 1 hell of a chin in that fight by lasting to the final bell and even drew praise from his opponent afterwards for his durability. The Swede will tough it out this week though as he hopes to pull off the upset despite the lingering effects of the injury and it will not be an easy task. Bishop stumbled a bit out of the starting blocks with a close decision loss in week 1 but he looked impressive in victory last week and proved that he is truly a jack of all trades. Bishop is dangerous no matter where the fight takes place but he likes to use his strikes to set up the takedown where he can get the dominant position and punish opponents with ground strikes. This fight might’ve come at the perfect time for Bishop because if this guy gets some momentum going he will be a serious threat to the individual crown.

 

Prediction: Bishop via TKO round 1

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/23/23b21.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13877411112774.png

Dylan McKay (10-0) vs. Oliver Queen (7-0)

The 5th and final fight between these two teams is another big match-up between two undefeated fighters as Team Conquer’s Dylan McKay looks to make it 11 in a row when he takes on “Arrow” Oliver Queen of Team TBD. Queen has also gotten off to a great start in his career winning his first 7 fights including his first 2 in ITFL. He uses an aggressive striking attack centered around leg kicks to slow opponents down and set up his takedowns. Once on the mat Queen stays active with ground strikes as he slowly chips away at his opponents until he can get to a dominant position. He will look to mix in his wrestling in this fight because while he’s a very capable striker he looks to be no match for an elite level striker such as McKay. The pressure to perform is certainly on for Johnny Sorrow and his fighter because he was very vocal about wanting this match-up and he got exactly what he asked for. McKay has promised that he’ll be putting “little arrow boy to sleep” so let’s just hope he has the skills to back it up and this doesn’t turn into a case of being careful what you wish for. If he can keep this fight on the feet and neutralize Queen’s ground game when he does land the takedown I think he has a really good chance at coming out on top.

 

Prediction: McKay via Unanimous Decision

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Team Reaper vs. Team MMA Hype

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13872101904617.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14075223539049.jpg

Edgar Simans (8-3) vs. Callum Pagnozzi (2-5-1)

Edgar Simans comes into this fight tied for the individual points lead after wins in his first two tournament fights. He’ll step into the cage looking to remain on top of the individual standings while helping Team Reaper pick up their first head to head victory this season when he steps into the cage against Team MMA Hype fighter Callum Pagnozzi. This looks like a very even match-up on paper as both guys possess decent striking skills as well as an offensive ground game. Pagnozzi chose to grapple in his last fight against Keosayan and it turned out to be a mistake as the Armenian was able to pull off a majority draw in a fight many thought Pagnozzi would win handily. Edgar Simans snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in his last fight after falling down 2 rounds to nil and then getting rocked in the 3rd round, he was able to secure a triangle from guard with just 5 seconds left. Will the slick submission skills scare Pagnozzi into using his wrestling in reverse and turning this into a striking match-up? Will Simans be able to keep winning and help Reaper turn things around? Tune into ITFL this weekend to find out!

 

Prediction: Pagnozzi via 2nd round TKO

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13941880188233.png VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13886670638020.png

Ronin Mori (5-4) vs. Daniel O’Sullivan (8-3)

The next match-up between these two teams is between two very high caliber wrestlers as Ronin Mori steps into the cage representing Team Reaper as he takes on the Irishman Daniel O’Sullivan from Team MMA Hype. O’Sullivan has been one of the more active trash talkers to this point in our tournament and was very critical of his opponent earlier in the week claiming that he would not be surprised if he forced the Japanese warrior into retirement. He also expressed sympathy for his opponent putting the majority of the blame for Mori’s lack of success on his manager. Those are harsh words from O’Sullivan and he’ll have to back them up in the cage but he certainly possesses the skill set to do just that. O’Sullivan will look to push the pace and use his strikes to set up his bread and butter which is his wrestling. Once the fight hits the mat he feels he should have a decided advantage in the grappling department considering the disparity in their BJJ skills. Ronin Mori has taken on two very tough opponents thus far in our tournament and though he performed admirably in both contests and lost via close decisions, he has yet to taste victory in our tournament. Mori will need to turn things around if his team has any hope of getting back in the hunt in the team competition. Normally Mori would look to use his wrestling skills and try to work a dominant top game but after suffering a late submission loss to a brown belt last week one has to wonder if he’ll risk playing in O’Sullivan’s guard. Mori might be better served to use his wrestling in reverse in this fight and try to turn this one into a striking battle.

 

Prediction: O’Sullivan via 2nd round submission

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/14042274987848.jpg VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13911746698050.png

Cole Orion (4-2) vs. Jacob Holm (8-3)

The next match-up has had its fair share of trash talking taking place between the two managers and if the pre-fight trash talk is an indicator of how this fight is going to go, I’m afraid Sami Assasi is going to make Louie look a bit silly. Louie has chosen Cole Orion from his stable to represent Team Conquer this season and he appears to be the Artie Lange of season 3. Orion has suffered knockout defeats in both fights so far though he did manage to rock Dylan McKay in his last fight despite being at a huge disadvantage in the striking department. He’ll be facing a similar disadvantage in this fight against Holm who is a sensational boxer and also has decent kicks to go along with his boxing. Orion is simply no match for Holm on the feet and will therefore be desperately looking to get this fight to the mat. If he manages to get the takedown he will need to gain a dominant position and do whatever he can to finish this fight on the mat because the longer this one goes the more likely Holm starts chipping away at him. Holm on the other hand should look to be patient and not rush into anything that could lead to a counter takedown and just slowly start chipping away at Orion until the opportunity presents itself for a finish.

 

Prediction: Holm via 3rd round TKO

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13792864229140.png VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/15/15w3.jpg

Artie DeVanzo (7-3) vs. Jacob Koch (12-3)

Artie Devanzo enters the ITFL tournament as a replacement fighter as Team Reaper has excercised their 1 replacement for the season by replacing Dmitry Potapoff. His first opponent is Jacob Koch from Team MMA Hype and he is among the individual leaders in points after winning both of his first two fights including the ‘Upset of the week’ in week 1 with his victory over Arthur Bishop. Koch is an exceptional boxer and has decent muay-thai skills to go along with it but what really sets him apart from other fighters is his ability to eat a punch and also his ability to end a fight with 1 big shot. Koch has big power in his strikes and he enjoys throwing them with bad intentions which has led to 9 of his 12 career victories coming via stoppages due to strikes. If he can close the distance and land clean strikes on his opponents chin he has a very good chance at picking up career stoppage number 10. Artie Devanzo has a well-rounded striking arsenal but more importantly he has an offensive ground game which he’ll need to utilize in this fight. Devanzo certainly has the skill set to stand and bang with his opponent but I’m not sure it’d be wise to let this one progress into a war on the feet and therefore he should look to chop his opponent down at the knees and help set up his wrestling by hindering Koch’s movement. Once this fight hits the mat Devanzo should make sure that Koch is carrying all of his body weight in an attempt to slow him down and open things up for him in the striking department.

 

Prediction: Devanzo via Unanimous Decision

 

 

http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13988558087509.png VS. http://www.mmatycoon.com/gallery/0/13836007079672.png

Ray Lennox (7-4-1) vs. Travis Bickle (11-2)

The 5th and final fight between these two teams pits Team Reaper grappling specialist Ray Lennox against perhaps the most dangerous striker in our tournament in Travis Bickle of Team MMA Hype. Bickle may not be the most skilled striker in the tournament but his combination of brutal knockout power and his appeared desire to want to seriously hurt somebody out there makes him the most dangerous guy to this point in the tournament in my opinion. Travis Bickle has dominated all 6 rounds he’s fought in so far, picking up a late stoppage in his first fight, and battering Soderlund so badly that he entered this week still injured. Bickle likes to push a relentless pace on the feet and really mixes up his punches and kicks well as well as mixing them in to the leg, body and head. If Bickle can get off to a fast start as he has in his first two fights it’ll make it very difficult for Lennox to get anything going. Lennox is a respectable striker but I don’t think it’d be wise to get into a kick-boxing match with a guy as dangerous as Bickle. He should therefore try to close the distance and get this fight up against in the clinch position where he is likely to have much more success if this fight indeed remains on the feet. Lennox should look for his counter takedowns when at boxing range or he should push Bickle against the cage and slowly wear him down and then look for the takedowns against the cage. Lennox could be dangerous to Bickle on the ground from either top or bottom positions so don’t be surprised to even see him attempt to pull guard when clinched against the cage. This fight is going to come down to whoever can dictate the pace of the fight and which guy dictates where this one takes place.

 

Prediction: Bickle by 3rd round TKO

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Great write-ups and thanks for doing them Fuse.

 

Definitely wanted this fight against Lance. When I joined the game he was the #1 manager and it seemed many were saying he was one of if not the best manager to play the game. After a couple years here hell I'm just happy to get the opportunity for the first time to match up with him win or lose.

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