Highland Games - Official Thread

[YerMaw]

HIGHLAND GAMES 138

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Event Preview

 

 

UNDERCARD

Jason Smith v Warren Parker – 155lbs

 

For the first fight of the evening Brazil's Jason Smith takes on Canada's Warren Parker in this lightweight matchup. Both opponents are Jiu Jitsu brown belts and accomplished at finishing fights: the vast majority of their combined victories have come via submission. However, in this instance the expectation is that this bout will go the distance; both fighters are astute Jiu Jitsu practitioners and have plenty of experience in the cage (with 47 appearances thus far between the two of them). Submissions attempts are a given the second this fight hits the floor (and it will), however success is by no means guaranteed. That said, Smith has looked more vulnerable to submissions in the past – Finnish black belt Taitso Antilla was able to lock in the guillotine back in Highland Games 111 but whether Parker can pull off a similar feat here remains to be seen. This will be the second time these two have met, Parker won that fight via unanimous decision thanks to his superior takedowns and standup; however, that particular matchup took place over two years ago and accordingly it's difficult to say whether we will see a repeat performance. In recent times Parker has looked the more impressive against other grapplers and for that reason I suspect he will take the win here; he uses his underrated boxing skills to disguise takedown attempts and that may well reflect itself on the scorecards with both a higher percentage of strikes landed and greater success taking the fight to the floor.

 

Prediction: Parker by decision.

 

Billy Tinkl v Lou Hole – 170 lbs

 

Submission specialist Billy Tinkl is looking to record back to back wins following his victory over US wrestler Peter Green in Highland Games 126. Tinkl is a proficient grappler with a solid chin, which is just as well because this guy tends to absorb a lot of shots. His opponent for this matchup is Canadian mixed martial artist Lou Hole; Hole is an aggressive standup fighter with a well rounded ground game to back up his striking prowess. He is capable of winning fights in multiple ways, whether it be with his boxing, submissions or his ability to grind out opponents on the floor. For this fight he will almost certainly be looking to stay on his feet; Tinkl's gameplan revolves almost solely around his Jiu Jitsu – if Hole can persistently punish Tinkl's attempts to bring him to the ground he is in with an excellent chance here. Hole has appeared vulnerable to submissions in the past but has made substantial improvements to his Jiu Jitsu in his time away from Highland Games, even if this fight does find its way to the ground I suspect Tinkl will struggle to find the finish here. The Canadian does posses knockout power but should be confident of outscoring Tinkl on his feet regardless; if Tinkl can catch his opponent in an awkward position he is more than capable of taking advantage but all things considered I see Hole as a strong favourite to take the win with either a late stoppage or a judges decision.

 

Prediction: Hole by third round KO.

 

Cho King Fang v John Pinaglabanan – 135 lbs

 

Jiu Jitsu brown belt Cho King Fang is making his Highland Games debut here against US wrestler John Pinaglabanan. Fang is an exceptionally skilled submissions artist with an MMA record of 11-5 (with all eleven wins coming via submission), he is a former LFC featherweight title holder and Abu Dhabi champ having notched up numerous awards as an amateur. He does however have one significant flaw in his game; his standup is more or less non existent. That might not be a problem here because Pinaglabanan's natural inclination is to go looking for the takedown anyway and, assuming the American follows his usual modus operandi, Fang will be quite content to work off his back and look for the finish. Pinaglabanan is more than capable of winning this fight on his feet; he is not the most accurate of punchers but the brawler does possess knockout power in his right hand which Fang can underestimate at his own risk. It's also worth mentioning Pinaglabanan has never been submitted; Fang might be the one to break that streak but given the American has seen off similar submission threats from the likes of Dan Small and Renato Laranja that might be a tall ask here. If Fang is unable to find the finish the judges are invariably going to favour Pinaglabanan's ground and pound abilities: his superior standup may also play a factor, but either way Fang will know he needs to end this fight before the final bell. But unless Fang has a hidden ace up his sleeve I don't see that happening; Pinaglabanan to take this one and don't rule out the possibility of a knockout either – the American loves to work the ground and pound and will almost certainly test the newcomer's defensive guard at some point in this bout.

Prediction: Pinaglabanan by decision.

 

Harry Potter v Mib Louie – 265 lbs

 

A cross-Atlantic matchup as England's Harry Potter squares up against Canada's Mib Louie. Potter is boxer/wrestler with a knack for finishing fights early, primarily he prefers to use his boxing to control ring space but he also has the power to take opponents to the ground should the situation merit it. In this instance that may well be a viable strategy, Mib Louie is an accomplished kickboxer who prefers to operate on the outside. He also possesses tremendous knockout power – in twenty seven prior MMA appearances not one has gone the distance. Given Louie's self evident abilities it would seem logical that Potter will opt to make the necessary adjustments to play away from Louie's strengths. Louie is a Jiu Jitsu white belt and although his wrestling is solid he will be no match for Potter's ground skills should the fight hit the floor. The outcome of this fight will most likely rest on Louie's takedown defence; Louie has not always shown the greatest of abilities in this area (55% of takedowns defended is respectable but hardly what we would classify as 'elite') but there is one significant factor weighting this bout in his favour – his speed. Louie is an exceptionally quick customer and if he can use that to his advantage here he is in with an excellent shout. Potter has great cardio so the Englishman is unlikely to gas over the course of three rounds, but if Louie maintains his concentration and uses his innate quickness to dart in and out it may only be a matter of time before the knockout comes. On paper this matchup would appear to favour Potter: he is coming off a four fight winning streak while Louie has come up short in his last three bouts. However, looking at this bout stylistically I would wager the Canadian has an excellent chance of causing an upset.

Prediction: Louie by first round KO.

 

Arnavut Sevket v Pyotr Korobeikin – 185 lbs

 

Turkey's Arnavut Sevket was unable to come up with the goods in his bid to wrest control of the middleweight title from reigning champ Massimo Benvenuti. He will be eager to set the record straight here with a win over Russia's Pyotr Korobeikin, an opponent he will already be familiar with. These two met last year back in Highland Games 112 and the result was a controversial split decision in Sevket's favour. Sevket marginally edged the standup but it was the Russian scoring points with the takedown – both fighters struggled to make much of an impact on the ground and we had five referee standups over the course of this fight. I doubt we will see much of a high octane affair here; definitely one for the more technical purists. Judging by his performance against Massa Hurmaaja, it would appear that Sevket has made improvements to his takedown defence so that is something to bear in mind – if Sevket can keep the fight standing for longer this time that may well swing things in his favour. Korobeikin is a Jiu Jitsu brown belt but recently has been struggling to find submissions; his last submission victory came back in Highland Games 108 and that was against a white belt – Sevket is a highly proficient grappler and chances are Korobeikin will have to look for a decision victory if he wants to rectify the outcome of the first matchup. There is no doubt that Korobeikin deserves this matchup: the last fight between these two was far too close to call, but in this instance I see Sevket winning the rematch by a larger margin. He is the superior striker and his ground skills should again prove to be too well rounded for Korobeikin to exploit.

Prediction: Sevket by decision.

 

Texas Pete v Jimmie Craig – 205 lbs

 

Texas Pete, who coincidentally hails from Texas, is an accurate striker who is deadly in the clinch. He impressed in his last outing against James Helm and earned himself a knockout of the night bonus for his efforts. The former LGP light-heavyweight champion is eager to work his way back to title contention and a win over versatile standup fighter Jimmie Craig would contribute significantly to his cause. Craig is a talented striker who has notched up an impressive resumé in his career thus far – the former EFC champion is coming up to his 30^th MMA appearance and would surely love to celebrate the occasion with a victory here. Craig isn't the most accurate of fighters but for what he lacks in accuracy he makes up for in knockout power; his head kicks (when they land) are a particularly potent weapon as Juhani Tuomiola found out much to his dismay in Craig's last Highland Games appearance. But Pete will not be an easy opponent to knock out, the man from Texas has shown excellent striking defence in the past and only has two losses on his record: one to ground and pounding phenomenon Jake Theodorou and one to the reigning champion LightHeavy Weight. Craig has looked vulnerable to the inside leg kicks and body kicks before in the past and given these are precisely the sort of strikes Pete likes to mix in with his boxing that could spell trouble for the Canadian. At this weight level the direction of fights can easily swing from one way to another, especially when both opponents possess knockout power; Pete's accuracy may well give him the upper hand in this contest but don't rule out the possibility of a flash KO – Craig certainly likes to play the role of the aggressor and will almost certainly be looking to make life as uncomfortable as possible for the American. Regardless of the outcome this should be a thoroughly entertaining fight for the fans, the likelihood of takedowns is very slim so both opponents can afford to let loose a little as they go searching for the knockout.

 

Prediction: Pete by second round KO.

 

Mustafa Shabazz v Roberto Silva – 155 lbs

 

Highland Games veteran Mustafa Shabazz is making his twenty fifth appearance in the cage against former lightweight champion Roberto Silva. Both of these fighters are noteworthy Jiu Jitsu specialists; with twenty nine victories between the pair all bar two have come via way of submission and collectively they have notched up eleven sub of the night bonuses in their careers thus far. Of the two Shabazz is the more versatile; he uses leg kicks to good effect during standup exchanges and is underrated in the clinch. However, when it comes to the ground game Brazil's Roberto Silva is something else; the counter fighter excels at finishing opponents in the first round and was on a seven fight winning streak prior to running into Macedonian clinch fighter Zoran Jolevi. Silva was outclassed in that fight but the Brazilian remains very much a deadly opponent; a win here would put him in good stead to start thinking about re-challenging for his recently usurped title. Despite his precocious Jiu Jitsu pedigree Shabazz has appeared vulnerable to submissions in the past and I would anticipate he will seek to use his superior standup rather than risk the possibility of the Brazilian putting another blemish on his record. Shabazz does have his excellent takedown defence (83.3% of takedowns defended in his past twenty four appearances) to count in his favour and as much as Silva is a threat on the ground he can sometimes struggle to take opponents down. This is certainly not an easy fight to call – Silva perhaps has the edge in the grappling department but whether he will have enough time on the floor to find the finish is difficult to say. As loath as I am to bet against the former champion who has notched up an extremely impressive string of victories in recent times, I think Shabazz can cause a bit of an upset here and last the duration to take the win by decision.

 

Prediction: Shabazz by decision.

 

Erik Thorvaldson v Ricardo Gerson – 185 lbs

 

Erik “The Red” Thorvaldson is an Icelandic mixed martial artist who above all else excels at finishing fights. He is a former Highland Challengers middleweight champion and is looking to earn his way into title contention following a quick first round submission win over US Muay Thai practitioner Johnny Sitko. His preferred method of victory is finishing opponents with either a triangle or an armbar but his boxing should not be overlooked; the man has knocked opponents out before and will not hesitate to use that big right hand should the opportunity present itself. Chances are it will be his boxing that he will utilise here to try and gain the upper hand. Gerson is a ground fighter and similarly skilled in submissions (with all thirteen of his wins coming in this manner). The Brazilian's gameplan will without a doubt revolve around the takedown and it's worth noting this is an area Thorvaldson has struggled with in the past. Thorvaldson has only lost two fights before but both of them came against Jiu Jitsu brown belts; Gerson won't like his chances standing up but should he prove successful with the takedown he will be banking on his Jiu Jitsu skills coming in handy. Gerson's chin is equipped to handle some of the big shots Thorvaldson is apt to throw and if he can weather through the initial storm he could well be the one to break Erik's five fight winning streak. From a tactical standpoint this should be a fascinating fight to watch and I would bank on an early finish here – the vast majority of these two opponents combined fights have ended in the first round and if this fight does go by way of submission it will most likely be early on when grappling is less impended by the natural perspiration that will accumulate throughout this bout. If Thorvaldson has made improvements on his takedown defence he could well take the win here but as that remains to be seen I would wager Gerson will be the one to emerge victorious.

 

Prediction: Gerson by first round submission.

 

CO-MAIN EVENT

Bill The Kid v Arthur Schopenhauer – 185 lbs

 

Our co-main event features American boxer Bill The Kid against Polish grappler Arthur Schopenhauer. It is still early days in Bill's career but he has marked up an impressive 10-1 record so far with his only loss coming against middleweight champion Massimo Benvenuti. The American is an accurate puncher and will happily clobber opponents till the lights go out; most of his wins have come in under a minute as adversaries struggle to deal with the sheer power he possesses in his punches. By contrast Schopenhauer is a pure ground fighter; he can use both submissions and the ground and pound to put competitors to sleep. He has little in the way of standup skills to speak but the majority of the time that is hardly a problem for the former Solitude middleweight champ. This will be his second fight in Highland Games (the first featuring an impressive kimura finish over Cordell Walker) and he will be looking to make the most of the occasion as he enjoys a return to main card appearances.

 

The outcome of this fight will surely rest on where the bulk of the action takes place. However, herein lies a problem – Bill has a tendency to finish fights so quickly that opponents barely have a chance to shoot for the takedown. As such it is extremely difficult to say how successful Schopenhauer will be in this aspect. What we can talk about however is Schopenhauer's chin; in eighteen prior appearances he has never been knocked out, although this may in part be due to his excellent striking defence. The Pole has looked exposed on occasion in the clinch but given the American will probably look to stick to the outside that may not be an issue here. A very difficult fight to call; Bill is a punching phenomenon but if Schopenhauer can take him down we may see a very different tale of the tape. In this instance I'll chalk it down as a win for the American but this could easily go either way, “The Kid” has seen off challenges from grapplers before but none quite on the level of the Pole and this could be a big test of his abilities on the ground if Schopenhauer can evade that powerful right hand.

 

Prediction: Bill The Kid by first round KO.

 

MAIN EVENT

Rama Udo v Zoran Jolevi – 155 lbs Title Fight

 

Zoran Jolevi can't seem to stop winning fights. The Macedonian clinch fighter has accumulated an impressive 13-1 record in Highland Games (25-2 over the course of his entire career) and has recently regained control over the lightweight belt with an early stoppage of Roberto Silva. However, that sole loss on his record? Courtesy of one Rama Udo... The man from Japan is a well rounded mixed martial artist who has accumulated several title defences of his own (coincidentally losing control of the belt to the aforementioned Roberto Silva in this game of musical chairs at the top of the lightweight division). Udo is particularly gifted in his ability to find the target with his accurate striking and although most of his victories have come by way of decision he does possess the capacity to finish opponents if they present a large enough opening. Jolevi won't be an easy opponent to knock out though; in twenty seven appearances not once has he been on the wrong end of a KO. Jolevi does tend to absorb his fair share of shots but so far there is no evidence that this has slowed him down in the slightest; it wouldn't be the most outrageous of claims to state that the Macedonian probably has one of the best chins in the business. If Udo wants a repeat victory I would venture he will need to go the full five rounds to reclaim his belt.

In boxing terminology this is a classic outside/in-fighter matchup; Udo likes to work from range where his accuracy can be displayed to its full while Jolevi will be looking to operate from within the clinch. Stereotypically this sort of matchup would favour the in-fighter, especially one with the sort of durability Jolevi has shown. However, this is not boxing – there are several other factors to consider. Firstly, Udo will mix in leg kicks and the occasional body kick to slow Jolevi down. Secondly, takedowns are not entirely out of the question; Udo will try to stick to the outside at all costs but if Jolevi sees the opportunity to ground him he will utilise that to his advantage. Should that prove to be the case the Macedonian will seek to use his Jiu Jitsu to out-grapple and ultimately submit Udo – Udo hasn't lost many fights (three in total) but all three of those losses have come by way of submission. That could well be an area Jolevi will seek to exploit here. While the Macedonian didn't opt to go for the takedown in their first matchup (presumably on the assumption that his clinch abilities would be too much for Udo) he has shown the willingness to adapt his gameplan before in the past; with the lightweight title on the line that may be precisely what he seeks to do to avoid a repeat of the previous matchup between these two. There are a lot of unknowns to consider, although of the two Jolevi can be more confident in predicting his opponents gameplan; Udo will almost certainly look to stay at a distance and perhaps work on the counter; Jolevi on the other hand will want to get up close, but what his intentions are Udo won't know for sure until the fight is well and truly underway.

Prediction: Jolevi by second round submission.

[Gonzasco]

 

HIGHLAND GAMES 138

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Event Preview

Great Job

[PaleMan]

nice poster and nice writing

[clydebankblitz]

Cracking work Don, great job. First time in a while that I've read a preview the entire way though. You've got me excited for the event now haha.

 

JJ, I don't know if too many guys will know how big Gumble Vs Punisher is. We tried to put this fight together many times but things just never clicked. With them both being undefeated for so long and the fight seeming so close at times, finally we're here and it makes perfect sense. Of course I want the guy that's helped put HG on the map to pull off the victory but Punisher has some big knockout power. This will be a great test for us to see where Gumble is in his career. A win and he could legitimately win the title in his next fight or two.

[Tycooner]

great write up ! don is as good as any writer in this game looks like a great card !

[Tycooner]

season 5 is here ! come start your career in the Island fighting championship then go on to become a legend in highland games

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[Arcalimon]

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Vitaly Karelin http://www.mmatycoon.com/images/flags_small/Russian_Federation.png

"Tomorrow the Russian Bear will eat the capitalist Island boy. The referee better let the blood flow and not stop the fight for some little cut"

[clydebankblitz]

HIGHLAND GAMES 141

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James Helm (16-8-1) Vs Mairbek Krylov (13-7) - Light Heavyweight

Two veterans of the organisation doing battle in this contest.

James Helm has faced everything in the organisation. He’s got his title shots, he’s fought at the top level and he’s suffered some setbacks. After The Island, Helm went on a brilliant run, only suffering losses to champ LightHeavy Weight, but for the first time in his career we’re seeing some downsides in his game. A draw and a loss to Dieter Von Sprockets, followed by a loss to Texas Pete, we haven’t really seen this happen to Helm before. Throughout his career, Helm’s power has always seen him through but with the game evolving, maybe he will have to add some new dimensions to his game.

Mairbek is looking for revenge here after Helm stopped him in the second round at HG76. Mairbek has suffered some inconsistencies throughout his career. With big wins over Matt Couture, Rodrigo Gracie, Black Coleman, Skunk Asap and Leonid Panteleev, losses always soon seemed to follow We know that Mairbek has a solid chin. One of his two KO losses came to Juhani Tuomiola who utilizes his ground and pound to hurt opponents but his problem is; the other KO was to Helm. James still has the power to get to anyone, but does he still have the confidence to get the job done?

Wilson Wills (14-1) Vs Edgar Cano (9-5) - Featherweight

You don’t get too many fighters coming into the organisation with as much hype beind them as Wilson Wills. A Lightweight submission master won the Solitude belt and defended it 4 times, followed by a win in the end of season tournament. His sole loss to Glorious Superior has been avenged three times, so there’s not too many questions left on the table about his abilities. Probably the most impressive aspect of Wills game is that at times when his jiu jitsu wasn’t enough, he was able to switch to a striking base, even knocking out three of his opponents. With abilities to finish the fight all across the board, mixed with the stamina to go 5 rounds if need be, you will have to get up early to get one over on DubDub.

Edgar Cano has been fighting in Highland Games for a while now. His record currently stands at 4-4 in the organisation but he’s mixed it with experienced vets like Taisto Anttila, Jason Smith, Tim Woods and Jackson Munoz. A recent win over Quintonio Vasquez earned him Submission of the Night. Cano has been floating around the upper mid table of Highland Games for a bit now, but he’s struggled to break through to the next level. Getting a win over someone at the calibre of Wills would be massive for Edgar, but on the ground he’s sometimes proven to be over aggressive and has been caught in submissions. He will have to be on top of his game if he wants to avoid suffering the same fate here.

Phil Hellmuth Jr (14-2) Vs Calixtro Guerrero (9-3) – Heavyweight

After a couple of early losses during The Island, it didn’t really look like Phil Hellmuth would break through to become a top contender. Being submitted by Woody Forrest and Kalle Kettu within his first 6 fights, it was a somewhat average beginning to his career. A 10 fight win streak since has saw him become the Highland Challenge Heavyweight Champion, win the Island End of Season Tournament and more importantly, be successful in his Highland Games debut. Like many fighters who came from the Ivan Drago’s Russian pits, Hellmuth Jr is looking for one thing from the very first second that the fight begins; securing the clinch. He wants to cut the distance, stick an elbow in your face and slice your face opened.

Another man who likes to fight on the inside is Calixtro Guerrero. To think this is a guy who couldn’t even get through the first round of the Million Dollar Tournament, and now look at him. Recently he had a 5 fight win streak ended by Vitaly Karelin but making it two straights since then, Calixtro is still eager to chase down a future title shot. His recent first round TKO over San Terra is certainly his most impressive win to date and if he can capitalise on the momentum by putting in a top performance against Phil Hellmuth Jr.

This fight will most likely be played out in the clinch but perhaps one of the two could try and bring something different to the table in the efforts of catching the other off guard.

Alexey Juralev (18-6) Vs Clinton Offley (22-4) – Heavyweight Title

Sometimes as a match maker, you put together a fight and then think “Man, how has this never happened before?”. This is one of those fights. A combined 31 Highland Games fights between them and constant top level competition, and now the fight is finally put together.

Alexey is probably the most unfortunate fighter in Highland Games. In the early days, he had a 5 fight win streak snapped with no title shot. Afterwards, he’s had three separate win streaks and just one title shot throughout them. A recent KO win over Barney Gumble also proves that had he been given the chance at an earlier date, he might have went down as a legend sooner. But enough about the past, what we’ve got not is one of the hardest hitters in Highland Games history stepping into just his second title shot. In 11 fights, his only losses are to Mase Force. Grapplers, submission artists, none of them have been able to stop him. 4 knockout of the night bonuses, no fights ever gone to decision and perhaps the most important aspect of this fight; no submission losses.

Now Clinton Offley is a completely different kind of fighter. During The Island, it just didn’t seem like he was ever going to make it to the big time. His UltimateXC title fight saw him decisioned by Gunnar McGregor. He, like many others, fell to Barney Gumble in a title fight and he was upset in just 42 seconds by Magnus Cross in just the second round in the tournament. At this time, he split from his longtime manager Torrelio Sacana and even considered retirement. What a decision that would have been. Clinton would switch to World Combat and soon avenge his loss to Magnus Cross. The highlight of his career came about when he upset the world and defeated Barney Gumble for the World Combat title, winning by submission. He would subsequently lose the title in his next fight to Gumble and switched to HG to chase his foe. The switch to Highland Games changed everything. Defeating Barney Gumble, taking the title from Mase Force, beating Gumble once again and recently submitting Jake Theodorou in the first round. Clinton Offley has carved himself out a potential HOF career here in Highland Games and with rumbling of potentially splitting from his current manager and the possibility of retirement looming, he’ll want to make sure he’s leaving a stamp on the landscape before he makes any big decisions.

[clydebankblitz]

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HIGHLAND GAMES 141 REVIEW

By AJ Henderson

Dick Schneeger(8-6-0) over John Machado(7-6-0) via TKO

In our first fight of the night, we had a very explosive bout between two experienced Highland combatants that posed the classical striker vs Jiu Jitsu match up. In the opening of the round, Machado had no problem taking the fight right to Schneeger scoring a quick takedown and trying to go for the quick sub win. I believe many of us figured this would be Machado's approach seeing his record includes 7 sub victories, but Schneeger in the face of danger did not panic in fact it ended up helping him in the end by escaping and landing a reversal right into side control. Schneeger quickly realized even on top of his opponent the ground was not where he wanted to be so he quickly was able to work his way back his feet and this trend would continue most of the fight until a little after the 2 minute mark. All it took was three punches from the former KT combatant Schneeger to open up a cut on his opponent and it quickly went downhill for Machado from there. Once the cut was opened up Schneeger quickly began landing strikes and stuffing his opponents take downs and all that momentum added up to a quick strong uppercut that dropped his opponent to the mat and that was all she wrote for this fight.

Jean Jaques Machado(7-4-0) over Angelo Kelzenberg(4-1-0) Via Sub (RNC)

In the 2nd bout of the night we had two fighter making their debut as Highland fighters. Machado comes in the fight with a much more experienced fight record, over doubling his opponents total fights and has won 6 out of his last 7 which is Insane! In the other corner of the cage is Kelzenberg, who I have to feel for at least a little coming into the fight with a perfect record to only have it blemished by a very quick defeat. However, Angelo is still a very promising prospect for this org and has a great future ahead of him so keep your head up, everyone gets caught! With that being said lets move on to the fight. With the opening bell Angelo came out swinging with a great looking combo trying to make a statement on the start of his Highland career, but he was too eager and the more experienced Machado saw right through this and was able to get a takedown and work into full mount, which is exactly where he and his camp wanted this fight to be. Angelo gave a little squirm and the anaconda like Machado sunk in his arm and pressed in his choke until he left Angelo unconscious on the mat.

Karl Heinz Bauser(9-6-1) over Juhani Tuomiola(9-5-0) Via TKO

Along to the 3rd fight of this card we have two fighters who have spent a good amount of their recent career within Highland Games, however as of late neither have really seemed to be able to find any consistency to their game. Like the last fight this one was very quick one being over in 31 seconds, could this be maybe a turning stone in Bauser's career that will lead to some consecutive wins? Who knows but lets talk about this fight. As the fight started Bauser seemed to take a rather lazy approach with a half hearted leg kick not showing very much enthusiasm for the bout, while Juhani seemed to be connecting with nice crisp strikes as we all know this sport can change in a split second and did it ever. Once Bauser got his head into the game he decided to throw his favourite move, the head kick, and was it ever effective. All it took was one kick to cut him and from there three more to send Juhani to the mat where he pounced on him. He was considered defenceless and the ref stepped in.

James Krause(9-3-0) over Gus Pappas(8-7-0) Via Sub(Guillotine)

In the 4th fight of the night we had a very good fight between two of the powerhouses of this weight class, and I have to think that that this fight had some title contention talk tied to it regardless of the winner. Pappas came into this fight looking very good riding a solid 4 win streak and was trying to make a statement against a former contender for the belt. This fight started out very well for Pappas with Krause trying to get a takedown very early, and he paid for it as Pappas just countered and landed some very good strikes on Krause. Pappas was very much winning this fight and even had opened up a nice looking cut on his opponent, but as he learned in Highland you can not take any momentum for granted and soon after the cut Krause landed a nice double leg. Pappas tried to control from bottom but was not able to create anything until he slipped out of a submission attempt into the guard of Krause where things seemed to be heading for the better. Pappa's corner yelled for a stand up, he tried but Krause was not letting go that easy, as it continued Gus became a little sloppy and found himself in a very sick choke and had no choice but to tap. Maybe another win or two like this from Krause and we could see him back at it for the title.

Gerald James(7-2-0) over Emil Cioran(10-5-0) Via Tko

As we get the 5th fight of the night I think all of the fans will agree that this so far has been a very solid and exciting card, make sure to show your thanks to the matchmaker. This fight put two very experienced strikers against one another with both trying to turn some heads in the division and for James I think it may have done that. The fight started out with a little bit of a feeling out approach with James being more aggressive, landing a few early strikes on his opponent causing some good damage. As the fight moved on it became apparent that Cioran was just a step slower than james, every strike Emil would throw would just be a tad slow and every punch he was hit with was just a little to fast for him. As that trend continued it was obvious that James was waiting for the right time to rock Emil, and boy did he ever! Emil was sent to the floor with a great punch and he was able to get back up, but never recovered and eventually a huge hook found him and ended his night early.

Vinnie Longworth (16-6-0) over Dave Kopp (10-4-0) Via Sub(Armbar)

In the 6th fight of the night we have 2 more journeyman of the Highlander series trying to get some attention moving forward, lets see how they did. The fight started pretty heavily in Longworths favour with stuffing a few takedowns and countering with well placed strikes when he could. As the fight moved on you could obviously tell that Kopp was being tired of getting smashed in the face, and eventually was able to land a solid takedown that he was trying for most of the fight. However the fight did not move very fast on the ground with each waiting for the other to make a mistake, and a very costly one was made by Kopp. He may have been getting a little too over confident on the ground and gave Longworth just enough space to sink in a tight arm bar and that was all she wrote.

James Helm (17-8-1) over Mairbek Krylov (13-8-0) Via TKO

This 7th fight of the night was a real treat for the fans with two guys who always come out and give great performances. This fight had a very good start right outta the gate. Krylov started out landing a few counters on Helm who started out a little a slow, but man those shots must have woke Helm up because from there on out the fight was all his. As the fight progressed Helm just showed his superior striking with landing some beautiful timed shots, and managed to bob and weave through everything Krylov had to offer. At the one minute mark you could tell it was Helms fight and it showed with Krylov getting rocked big time, however to his credit he managed very well to recover and fend off his attacker for a little while longer. Though as big of a heart as Krylov has he could only last for so long and eventually he was knocked down, and still managed to fight his way back for a little while longer until he was dropped by a beauty of a uppercut. Give Krylov credit he can take an ass whooping.

Wilson Wills (15-1-0) over Edgar Cano (9-6-0) Via TKO

Wow what a matchup we had here in this 8th match, Wills may have earned himself a shot at he title here but only time can tell right? Well lets get started here, as the bell rung Cano went straight for the takedown and that was exactly what Wills had trained for and showed. With every sprawl Cano ate a nasty counter and that could only last so long, as a matter affect it only lasted 22 seconds when Cano took a hook that made made him buckle and Wills predatory instinct kicked in and jumped in to finish what he had started. Can you say title fight? In his debut he took out a very talented Highland veteran, I cant wait to see more. You may have questioned his 15-1 record but lets see you try and do it now. WOW!

Phil Hellmuth Jr. (15-2-0) over Calixtro Guerrero (9-4-0) Via tko

What a crazy event it has been so far with all finishes so far, and it took till the 9th fight just to get one to make it to the 2nd round! These two guys are what main events should be made of and if you don't believe me then go look at the fight. The first two minutes of the fight were all Guerrero. He landed in the cinch and just went to town on his opponent with elbows and punches whenever he wanted. Then a little bit after the three minute minute mark BOOM! Hellmuth comes out of nowhere and stops Calixtro in his tracks with a elbow that I think may have killed a lesser person so he should be thankful he only managed to get a cut. From that point on till the end of the round the fight was back in forth with Hellmuth becoming becoming a little more lively. Now comes about 10 seconds into the 2nd around, here come another killer blow from Hellmuth that only clipped his opponent but it was so powerful that even that was enough to send him to the mat. I think he's earned himself title fight talk with that power.

Alexey Juravlev (19-6-0) over Clinton Offley (22-5-0) Via TKO - TITLE CHANGE

Now this is what we have all been waiting for a great matchup for not only the main event, but for the title as well, Lets see how this one played out. It was pretty obvious from the beginning of this fight that the champ wanted to take this fight to he ground where he has finished 20 out of his 22 wins, but it was obvious that he would not be successful and he was rewarded with some beautiful counters that would lead to a nasty cut which would be a big factor in this fight. Moving on in the fight, Offley was eventually rewarded with a takedown off the counter and Juravlev was in immediate trouble..... or was he. Offley tried to implement his ground game but with no success. Alexey was able to control the champ from bottom and eventually earn a stand up. Right now if your an Offley fan you had to be worried with him wasting his best chance without even trying one sub attempt. Shortly after they were stood back up a quick jab opened up the cut on the face of Offley, then even shorter after that it was made even worse by another jab. However Offley was able to counter a punch eventually and get another take down where he would work in a nice combo of sub attempts and ground n pound and hold Alexey down to the end of the round. The start of the second round was very similar to the first where Alexey landed some powerful as well as point strikes until the cut became dangerous and the doctor decided to call the fight. Hmm I sense a rematch, however props to the new champ.

[clydebankblitz]

Champions edited. Still in shock that Struja dethroned LHW!

[Arcalimon]

Holy shit. What will you do boss? Immediate rematch considering that Light Heavyweight has a winning record (3-1) against the champion?

[Guest]

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Keto Belle 170lbs

If I can pick up another win tonight, I could be given the green light to step up a level in competition and start challenging myself with the bigger names in the division and prove that I'm still the best welterweight to come from the Island. Jon Askren, I'm coming for that belt you think is yours.

[Arcalimon]

 

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Keto Belle 170lbs

If I can pick up another win tonight, I could be given the green light to step up a level in competition and start challenging myself with the bigger names in the division and prove that I'm still the best welterweight to come from the Island. Jon Askren, I'm coming for that belt you think is yours.

 

 

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Jon Askren (18-3-0 MMA, 11-2-0 HG)

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What are you saying man? You are fighting bums, your last opponent was embarassing: I've never seen anyone least skilled fighting in HG. No one is going to take this belt from me, and be sure of this: when my teammate Massimo Benvenuti is going to retire (may this never happen!), I'm finally going after the middleweight belt too.

[Guest]

 

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Jon Askren (18-3-0 MMA, 11-2-0 HG)

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What are you saying man? You are fighting bums, your last opponent was embarassing: I've never seen anyone least skilled fighting in HG. No one is going to take this belt from me, and be sure of this: when my teammate Massimo Benvenuti is going to retire (may this never happen!), I'm finally going after the middleweight belt too.

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Keto Belle 170lbs

I just fight whoever I'm told in order to prove my worth that I'm ready for a title shot, that 'bum' had only lost 3 fights before he fought me. Besides, if all I have been doing is fighting bums then it will be even more embarrassing for you if you lose? To be beaten by someone who is only good enough to beat bums......I'll leave you to fill in the blanks with the rest of that statement.

[clydebankblitz]

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Dan Small (13-8)

I have a stiff test coming up on Sunday night. I've got Bobby Bob Bob, a former World Combat Bantamweight Champion who's been in there with some of the best in the division. There's no surprise what I want to do; get this fight to the ground and work my jiu jitsu, but Bobby's only been stopped by my man Jomlong Kiapoity and one of the best grapplers around Neil Drake. Bobby knows his stuff on the ground even if he's not a high grade in the art so I'm going to have to really focus to be able to take him out. It should be a good one. March 6th, Wombley Arena, don't miss it.

[clydebankblitz]

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Razor MuayThai (13-11)

I've been thinking a lot about what my future holds recently. After the loss to Bill The Kid, which lasted just 28 seconds, I've been thinking about what the future holds for me in this sport. San Terra beat me in my last fight, and sure, I was giving up a hell of a weight difference, but back in my hay day I took that guy out. Back in my hay day, I was the Highland Games Middleweight Champion. Massa Hurmaaja, Aleksandar Mihaylov, Piotr Wyspianski. These guys weren't in the same league as me and although I always had trouble with Massimo Benvenuti, I was still one of the best in the world.

But what not? What does the future hold for me when I'm 1-4 in my last 5? Am I fighting for pride? Am I fighting for a legacy? Or am I just too stubborn to retire? It's been a while since I actually knew what I was fighting for.

Now, I know what I'm fighting for. I'm fighting to continue fighting. I've lost a lot of weight recently, cutting down to fight in the divisions I always should have competed in. I'm at Welterweight now, and I'm on the low end of the scale. This is a chance for me to redesign myself and reinvent my legacy. It won't be easy, I'm fighting Tony Bullard, a multiple time champion at two different weight classes. But if I'm going to keep fighting, I need to give him hell. The champion of this weight class is Jon Askren, and he barely survived the first minute against me the last time we fought. I can do this. I have to do this.

[Arcalimon]

 

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Keto Belle 170lbs

I just fight whoever I'm told in order to prove my worth that I'm ready for a title shot, that bum had only lost 3 fights before he fought me. Besides, if all I have been doing is fighting bums then it will be even more embarrassing for you if you lose? To be beaten by someone who is only good enough to beat bums......I'll leave you to fill in the blanks with the rest of that statement.

 

 

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Jon Askren (18-3-0)

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If you get a title shot by fighting bums, it just means that you don't deserve it, you dumbass! Someone else deserve it, someone that fought legit competition. This is not the Island, where kids fight in the mud against each other, this is Highland Games, this is my place!

[Guest]

 

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Jon Askren (18-3-0)

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If you get a title shot by fighting bums, it just means that you don't deserve it, you dumbass! Someone else deserve it, someone that fought legit competition. This is not the Island, where kids fight in the mud against each other, this is Highland Games, this is my place!

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Keto Belle 170lbs

You're starting to sound a bit worried and aggitated, you have everything to lose - especially if you lose to a 'nobody' like me. And when you do lose, you'll have to live with the thought that you got beat by someone who is only good enough to beat 'bums'. You're getting old, the new generation are here to take over.

 

See you in the cage, bum.

[clydebankblitz]

Updated the first post and the wiki page. Congratulations to Roberto Silva for regaining the Lightweight Championship. This marks the third time a LW has won the belt twice. Since the days of Don Killuminati and Derrick Jon, Lightweight has always been our craziest weight class.

[Arcalimon]

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Jon Askren (18-3-0)

 

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"So today this journalist, a great chick I have to say, came by and asked me about my grappling match. She was like: you really think you can beat this beast with that ID (75054!), and he's got a black belt too. I was like: no problem beauty, I'm gonna suplex him on his head and then ride him to victory. I liked the chick. But then she was like: and what do you have to say about Keto Belle? He had some daring words against you, and I must say he's a beautiful man. And I was like: f*ck you, you piece of sh*t! I don't want to even say his name, he just wants some exposure and I'm not giving it to him! I'm the f*cking champion!. God I hate this clueless chick."

 

"By the way... I supplexed that mothef*cker on his head and won the match"

[Arcalimon]

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Patrick Seery (16-1-0)

 

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"Holy shit, that was a f*cking awesome scrap."

[Arcalimon]

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Jon Askren (19-3-0)

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"Nobody is going to take my title. I'm the present and the future of Highland Games! Go back playing in the mud island boy!" #Andstill

[clydebankblitz]

 

After Renato Laranja retired, I thought I'd repost the Fighter's Spotlight schedule. I will try to get at least one of these done next month.

 

Fighter Spotlight

Massimo Paterno (10-7) - June 2016

Eirikur Adalsteinn (9-6) - July 2016

Don Killuminati (8-2) - August 2016

Jason Barrett (9-5) - September 2016

Thor Heyerdahl (11-3) - November 2016

Derrick Jon (10-7) - December 2016

Pedro Lazaro (20-5) - January 2017

Renato Laranja (17-8) - February 2017

Chiyono Fuji (12-7) - March 2017

Keijo Virtanen (14-10) - April 2017

Mib Louie (16-12) - May 2017

Jack Stick (18-10) - June 2017

Razor MuayThai (13-13) - July 2017

 

 

Upping this and added some names.

[clydebankblitz]

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DARTH VADER

HAS BEEN INDUCTED IN THE HIGHLAND GAMES HALL OF FAME!

A two time AFL Champion before joining Highland Games, Vader would quickly tie the record for most title defences, keeping the belt a staggering 7 times. The two time HG Bantamweight Champion has kept opponents guessing by being extremely capable in every aspect of the game.

Induction - May 9th, 2016.

[clydebankblitz]

FIGHTER SPOTLIGHT

NELSON FRAZIER JR

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When Nelson Frazier Jr first stepped into a mixed martial arts cage on September 30th 2014, it was hard for the MMA world not to take notice. Standing a towering 6’7 and weighting an enormous 280lbs, you have to think his opponent Blaine Bartheon was quaking in his boots at the site of such a brute gazing with sickening intent just a few short meters away from him.

Quickly into the first round, Frazier would clumber across the cage and start throwing punches. Blaine was terrified and desperately shot in for takedowns, but Nelson knew that the smaller man would want nothing to do with his striking so was well prepared to stuff the attempts. Despite being the only one throwing shots and controlling both inside and outside the distance, Frazier Jr was unable to finish the fight. Although all 3 rounds were scored 10-8, one of the biggest landslide victories you’ll see, Nelson stormed out of the face with a face like thunder. He wasn’t happy about the fight seeing the scorecards, vowing for that never to happen again.

Despite what Nelson felt was an unimpressive start, it caught the attention of rookie promoter Callum McGregor who quickly snapped the brawler up to a contract at Highland Games. Nelson was next scheduled to compete at Highland Games 4 against Jonah Takalua, an Australian boxer who was also 1-0 in his professional career. It was this fight which perfectly demonstrated the intent the big man possessed. Nelson countered an erroneous uppercut and secured the clinch. From the inside, a battalion of vicious punches bombarded the boxer’s body and head. Jonah’s face was ripped opened as the fans in attendance grimaced at the massacre. Before the foruth minute of the round, the referee had seen enough and called a stop to the contest. Now known as “Big Daddy V”, Frazier walked back to his corner, head to toe in his opponent’s blood, sauntering back to his corner with a sinister grin wiping across his face.

After the dominant victory, Frazier Jr was lined up to fight Mitchel Thompson. This fight didn’t seem big at the time. Mitchel was just 3-1 in his career and 1-0 in Highland Games. But in hindsight, this was actually a huge contest. Thompson’s only loss was to one of the greatest Highland Games fighters ever, Mase Force, and today Mitchel is still knocking out legendary fighters within the company. To add to this, it was Frazier’s first opportunity to main event a Highland Games card. While it wasn’t as established as it is now, Thompson’s HG4 KO of Grey Maynard in the first round was a good display of his power. Frazier knows how to throw a punch, but he didn’t want to trade with Thompson in open water. As soon as the bell went in each round, Frazier would charge across the cage, tie up, put Thompson against the fence and begin working him over. At the end of the second round, it looked like Thompson was about to succumb to the work Frazier had been doing as he got dropped hard by an uppercut and was saved by the bell. With Thompson still dazed, Frazier would again get the clinch, this time dropping Thompson for good with yet another vicious uppercut, scoring the third round TKO.

The Thompson fight may seem impressive now, but at the time it wasn’t quite as big an accomplishment. The fight had went on for 3 rounds and the division was filled with fighters like Diamond Andy, Mib Louie, Christian Long and Barney Gumble who needed a third of the time to put opponents away. Frazier slightly moved up the ranks and was faced what appeared to be a harder challenge. Keith Harvy (3-0) had disposed of all 3 of his opponents in the very first round, most recently winning in the co main event of Nelson Vs Thompson. This was booked for Highland Games 18, which was being put together as some form of “supercard” with many of the top fighters in the organisation set to do battle. Frazier Vs Harvy was just the second fight on the card, a considerable drop from his previous main event slot. Frazier needed to make a statement, and make a statement he did. Again getting the clinch early in the round, Frazier was clearly putting more strength into his shots to get an earlier stoppage. While it was a risky strategy, knowing the fight might have went into the later rounds, it was irrelevant. Nelson rocked Harvy just before the third minute and took his undefeated record from him at 3:19 of the first round.

This was more like it. Frazier was back to building his brand and the Highland Games brass took notice. Frazier wanted a big challenge, and he got what he asked for. At Highland Games 22, Nelson Frazier would compete against Christian Long. Long was an incredible kickboxer with a record of 5-1, with 5 knockouts and a lone loss to Highland Games Champion Barney Gumble. Frazier had never competed against someone with the versatile striking of Long before and it was going to be a big challenge for him. Right away into the fight, Long would land a three punch combo which cut Big Daddy V opened. This was the first time Nelson had seen his own blood. Unfazed, seconds later an uppercut from Nelson opened a gash just above Christian Long’s eye. The fight was on. It wasn’t until late in the opener that Nelson was able to secure his trademark clinch and take the round, but there were some close calls with Long’s high kicks that Nelson was lucky to avoid. In almost a repeat round, Nelson was trying to avoid the aggressive kickboxing style that Christian was bringing to the table and it took him longer than usual to tie up. Once on the inside though, forget about it. The devastating dirty boxing was wearing on Long dramatically. When the third round bell went, Long huffed off of his stool and was breathing heavy. Nelson landed a body shot which winced the kickboxer. Long took a step back to compose himself, only to get caught with a huuuuuge superman punch which folded him up into a bundle on the canvas. There was a brief delay, before the entire 600 strong crowd exploded in applause. The first Superman Punch in the company’s history earned Nelson Frazier Jr a Knockout of the Night bonus, but more importantly a shot at the belt.

Now if you don’t know Barney Gumble, you don’t know Highland Games. The now Hall of Famer at that time had put together a 7 fight winning streak, complete with 2 successful title defences. Just one man had made it out of the first round with him. What made this fight interesting is that Barney Gumble had never faced someone who liked to fight in the clinch before. The reason this was interesting is because that was Gumble’s bread and butter. Gumble battered opponents with a ridiculously impactful clinch game, and Nelson Frazier Jr might just be that bit better on the inside.

Nelson had never shown respect for an opponent, before now. At the post fight press conference, Frazier Jr would acknowledge the champion’s abilities. “A tough fight against the champion” Frazier said. “I recognise he has the advantage in his boxing, but when it comes to grappling, I have the advantage. Best of luck to my opponent, I look forward to a great War of the Clinch!”

The fight started. Nelson looked like he was trying to keep his distance, perhaps trying to dictate where the fight went on his terms. Gumble didn’t oblige, quickly getting the clinch and putting Nelson’s back onto the fence. Before the fight, there was one question; who’s clinch game was better? Within minutes, our question was answered. Nelson struggled heavily to get any shots off and was repeatedly punished by crippling hooks to the head. Completely out of his comfort zone, Frazier Jr began to wilt quickly and at just 3:25 of the first round, he was wobbled by a hook which allowed the champ to tee off and put him away. Nelson Frazier Jr’s undefeated record was gone, his 5 fight winning streak was snapped, but the one thing he did gain was respect for his opponent.

Later in his career, Nelson would address how he felt after the fight. “I'm not gonna lie here, losing to Barney Gumble was devastating” he confirmed. “Up until that point, I had destroyed everyone put in front of me...I felt invincible. That fight was a humbling experience, and it made me learn that I have some work to do.”

It was a rough defeat for Nelson who had always dreamt of becoming a champion. Not wanting to sit on the shelf for a prolonged period, he was quickly accept a short notice fight against Richard Riddick that was scheduled just 12 days later. Riddick held a professional record of 7-1 and had previously held the AFL Super Heavyweight Championship. All of his fights had ended by stoppage, with the most recent being an unsuccessful affair against one of The Island’s legends Matt Porcelain Punisher in which he lost his belt. Riddick had now switched to Highland Games, and both men were desperate to go on a warpath against whoever next stepped across from them. Nelson would use his boxing more in this fight to set up the clinch. Although he still wanted to fight on the inside, he was finding it considerably hard to work. Most of his cleaner work happened on the outside and after a good opener, Nelson was 1-0 up. Frazier was looking to bang away to the body but was looking a little bit lacking in his defence. That was costly as early in the second, he was dropped by a huge left – right combo. Riddick followed him to the floor and secured the full mount. Frazier was trying to hold on but this was his first experience on the mat and he clearly hadn’t prepared enough for the ground game. Dazed and without the knowledge to defend himself, Big Daddy V lay back and endured an onslaught of punches from the mount until the referee dragged Riddick off of him.

It was all slipping away. From an undefeated fighter with the title in front of him to being on a two fight skid. Nelson kept his head down and refused to do any media following the fight. It wasn’t supposed to go this way.

Perhaps not learning from his mistake, Frazier had signed on the dotted line instantly once again. For what he lacked in smarts, he made up for in the desire to rip someone’s head off. This time, Nelson would be lined up to fight Ali Mouba. Mouba was a cocky and brash heavyweight who had quickly made a name for himself with some elite level wrestling, only to be humbled in his second Highland Games fight by Jason Barrett. Thinking back, did Nelson even watch the fights? He had just lost a fight due to a lack of ground game, and then quickly accepted a fight against a talented grappler. None the less, we were about to see how his wrestling game really was. Mouba shot in for a takedown early. Nelson defended it…and cracked Mouba with a stunning uppercut which crumbled him. Nelson waved Mouba back up, but his over aggression cost him and he was taken right down. Nelson was holding on tight but some small punches from Mouba were getting through. Ali was content to sit in half guard for a prolonged amount of time, a move which cost him big as the referee forced a stand up. Right away, another goliath uppercut was fired off, this time removing Mouba from his senses and knocking him out cold.

Once again, Nelson Frazier Jr refused to do the press after the fight. After some time, an emergency press conference was held by Callum McGregor and Nelson’s manager Grant Brophy. It was announced that Nelson had originally been let go by the company, but been resigned at the last minute. Nelson was introduced, looking happier than he had in a while, and was looking forward to fighting in the near future.

Next up was Andrei Alexeyev, a tough Russian who’s only defeat was to Barney Gumble. It’s also worth noting that Alexeyev also had a win over Mase Force at this stage.

Nelson accurately predicted a crazy fight before it began. Speaking with the press, Nelson said “Good luck in our fight Andrei, I know you have a big heart but I plan on beating you before you can even think of a comeback!”.

Neither man kept their hands up for a second. Nelson was running forward into counters, but landing big punches all the while. A left right combo sent Alexeyev to the mat at the middle of the opener. Nelson left him back up, only to put him instantly back down with an uppercut. Wanting the finish, Nelson took it into the clinch but this just gave Alexeyev the opportunity to hang on. Nelson was fighting a risky fight, but he was dominated none the less. Perhaps a bit tired after the crazy opener, Nelson wanted the clinch much more this time but was struggling to control. On the inside, Nelson did most of his cleaner work whereas Alexei was now controlling the work at range. The second was much closer, and we could well have had it all to play for in the third. Nelson got the clinch again but struggled to hold on. Alexei seemed like he was chasing the finish, but it only ended up seeing him dropped by a big hook. Alexei again made it to his feet but almost exactly like the previous time, he was sent straight back down. This time Alexei’s head bounced off the canvas and he was clean out. Nelson walked away as the fans had realized something; Nelson Frazier Jr had just learned how to box.

It wasn’t just his boxing which had developed; his ego had too. Speaking to the press immediately after the fight, Nelson pulled no punches in calling out the division.

“Andrei Alexeyev stepped up, and he got knocked the fuck out! Fuck all this goody two shoes shit, who have I faced in Highland Games? Jonah Takalua? I beat him so bad he retired! Mitchel Thompson? I'm the only guy to have knocked him out! Keith Harvey? I also knocked him into retirement! I sent Christian Long into a downward spiral with a fucking Superman Punch! Barney Gumble is the real deal, nobody has beaten him, but I plan on coming back and being that guy! Richard Riddick I lost to, but he failed to beat Barney then even worse than me! Now in the last two fights, I have beaten Ali Mouba, whoever the hell he is, and Andrey Alexeyev, who was supposed to be the next big star in the division! Now I am fighting Mib Louie, and all I can say is, I don't have anything to prove in this division! Everyone knows I am one of the top guys in the division, and if I beat Louie, I see a title shot in my future!”.

Now armed with devastating striking, there was nothing to stop Nelson from becoming the Highland Games Champion. Just one more man stood in his way before he could get a shot at the gold; kickboxer Mib Louie. Louie was an absolute killer with his kickboxing. Wins over Pedro Lazaro, Chiyono Fuji, Jason Barrett and real-time Highland Games Heavyweight Champion Alexey Juralev all came before this contest, with the latter two being instantly before. The winner of this fight was absolutely fighting for the title next time out, and both needed this fight more than anything. It was here that Nelson would go back to his routes. Known for getting cut in fights, Mib Louie found himself tackled to the fence. Frazier unloaded some impactful hooks to the head on the inside, and Mib Louie was had went from a top contender to looking like a Blaine Baratheon clone in no time. Who knows how the fight lasted as long as it did, but the referee let the fight continue until the third minute of the second round. Mib Louie had lost likely pints of blood, while Nelson Frazier Jr had gained a rematch against Barney Gumble.

You’d have thought Barney Gumble was enough for the big man, but Nelson was even attempting to accept callouts that Wolrd Combat owner JJ Tycooner was making on behalf of Matt Porcelain Punisher. “Psh, best fighter on the Island?” Nelson scoffed. “Not sure if you understand maths boy, but you are 8th in line. The #1 guy is my next opponent, Barney Gumble, and I say that whoever wins in our fight shows you exactly why Highland Games is the best org on the Island. Sure we give away size advantage to you, but we can still kick your goliath ass around the cage!”.

Now I know what you’re thinking, what was Barney Gumble up to now? Well some day you’ll read all about him in his own spotlight, but in short, he was knocking people the fuck out. 12-0, 7 title defences and wins over Christian Long, Thor Heyerdahl, Mib Louie, Nelson Frazier Jr, Andrei Alexeyev, Richard Riddick, Pedro Lazaro and Clinton Offley. Yeah, he was THAT good. Nelson needed to show the evolution of his striking game to win the fight. Did he?.....No. In fact, not at all. Barney Gumble would drop and knockout Nelson at just 25 seconds of the first round. TWENTY FIVE! You have to feel for Nelson here too. It was a hard road back to the title and it got snatched from him before it even began.

Nelson turned into a recluse once again. No words from him, no words from his manager. The only words Callum McGregor received in relation to Nelson was a returned contract with an angry name scribbled across it. Nelson had accepted a fight against submission specialist Clinton Offley at Highland Games 63. Offley had just two losses in MMA, both being championship fights (and as you know, one being to Gumble). He had made a real name for himself, although would only peak later in his career. When the fight started, a bored looking Nelson through a left hook and was taken down right away. Offley took side control, worked on an Americana, and finished the fight.

Less than 2 minutes. Fans turned their backs on Nelson as it looked as though he had turned his back on the sport. Nelson lasted less time in the cage in his final two fights than his two previous losses each. Nelson would split from his longtime manager Grant Brophy and seemed like he was out of the sport.

The final word we heard from Nelson Frazier Jr was that he had briefly linked a contract with Highland Games owner Callum McGregor. Callum hasn’t spoke about what happened but it’s presumed that Nelson just wasn’t in the right mind to fight. The MMA world hasn’t heard of or seen Nelson Frazier Jr since, but on behalf of the entire of Highland Games and mixed martial arts as a whole, we would like to thank Nelson Frazier Jr for his time inside the cage entertaining the fans.